Northwest Prime Time May 2017

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CELEBRATING LIFE AFTER 50 IN THE PUGET SOUND REGION SINCE 1986

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Prime Time Melinda Gates Surviving a Health Crisis

VOL. 17 NO. 4 MAY 2017

A Philanthropic Life

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elinda Gates has been called one of the most powerful women on the planet, and not only because she is married to the richest man in the world. Her accomplishments, determination, smarts and heart are all her own.

Together, Melinda and her husband, Bill Gates, founder of Microsoft, run the largest charitable foundation in the world—the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

“It’s absolutely a partnership of equals,” she laughed during a recent interview with Jane Pauley on CBS’s Sunday Morning program. “It’s important to both of us that the world understands that we are running this place together… our joint values being played out in the world,” she said. So far, the foundation that bears their names has given away nearly 40 billion dollars.

Growing up, Melinda could not have dreamed about her extraordinary life ahead. Raised in a traditional middle class family, she was born on August 15, 1964 in Dallas, Texas as Melinda Ann French, the second of four children.

Her father managed rental properties on the side to make extra money for the children’s college education. All the kids were expected to help out with the family business. “That meant scrubbing floors and cleaning ovens and mowing the lawns,” recalled Melinda.

Her father, an aerospace engineer, and her mother, a stay-at-home mom, believed in the power of education. Her parents encouraged her love of math and computers, even though most girls at that time did not pursue those subjects.

Melinda had fallen in love with the family’s Apple computer (Microsoft’s arch enemy), which was used to run the family business.

Melinda stayed busy with school and work, but found time to become head of the high school drill team. She was also valedictorian of her class and went on to Duke University, graduating with bachelor’s degrees in computer science and economics. Her fateful decision to move to Seattle for a job at Microsoft was made shortly after she earned her master’s degree in business administration the following year.

Although she had a job offer from IBM, a small start-up business had caught

Bill and Melinda Gates’ work to help alleviate poverty and illness around the world was spurred by the people they met on an African safari during their engagement, photo courtesy Wikimedia Commons

Noted philanthropist Melinda Gates is co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the largest charitable foundation in the world. Courtesy the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

her attention, she told CBS. “I came out Foundation. The new foundation was, and interviewed with Microsoft. And in part, to honor Bill’s late mother, who I just thought, ‘Oh my gosh, I have to work at this company. They are changing was noted for her charitable work. During this same time period, Microsoft released the world!’ ” She worked her way up to Windows 95, which revolutionized the general manger of information products personal computer and, at age 39, Bill at Microsoft. “Marrying the CEO wasn’t Gates was named the “Richest Person in part of my life plan!” she said to Pauley. the World” (for the first time).

“I met her at a New York City sales Although meeting,” remembers Melinda gave Bill Gates. “And then up her career at it was only a week Microsoft when or so after that that she became I went up to her in a mom, she [Microsoft’s] parking stayed very busy lot and asked if she immersing herself wanted to go out.” in the work of the Melinda’s family foundation. reaction? “When we And the direction met, and Bill is CEO Melinda travels to developing countries and of that work took of Microsoft and I speaks directly to the people the foundation a turn as a result of was, you know, all works to serve. She especially enjoys an African safari of 23, he actually meeting women and children trip Melinda and asked me out for two Bill had taken during their engagement. weeks from Saturday night. And I said, While on that safari, Melinda ‘Two weeks from Saturday night? How was shocked to see the overwhelming could you possibly know what you’re poverty, disease and poor living doing? My schedule doesn’t go out that conditions. “We came back so touched far.’ ” But Melinda found that she enjoyed by the people,” she said. “I grew up in the Catholic church that has a social justice Bill’s sense of humor and was surprised mission. In fact, they used to talk about at how down-to-earth he was. He the cries of the poor. I’ve heard the cries was struck by her forthrightness and of the poor.” Since that first trip, she independence. After dating for seven and Bill have returned to Africa many years, they married in 1994. times, where Melinda visits villages and When Melinda became pregnant speaks personally to the people, especially a year later, she surprised Bill by saying women and children. she planned to be a stay-at-home mom.

That first African experience shaped “We didn’t want our children raised by the work of the foundation in years to somebody else,” reported Melinda. She come, which is guided by Melinda’s and told Bill, “You know, if we want them to Bill’s shared belief that all lives have have the values we have, somebody has equal value, and that by giving people to be home.” the tools to lead healthy, productive lives, Within a year of their marriage, they can help them lift themselves out of together will Bill’s father, William H. Gates, the couple founded what was later poverty. They call themselves impatient optimists. to become the Bill & Melinda Gates

The Gates Foundation has made remarkable progress. From working to alleviate poverty, to improving health and education, to empowering family planning around the globe, and improving technology in schools and libraries throughout the United States, the foundation focuses on the ways it can do the most good...to dramatically improve the quality of life for the most people.

Melinda’s job is to figure out how to give away billions of dollars. “We go down the chart of the greatest inequities, and give where we can effect the greatest change,” she explained to Forbes magazine.

One of the foundation’s primary goals has been to develop disease prevention strategies, vaccines and treatments where they are otherwise unavailable. “We’ve done an incredible job of bringing down the number of deaths of children under the age of five,” Melinda said of the foundation’s work.

And last year there were only 37 cases of polio worldwide. “It’s the lowest number of cases we’ve ever had on the planet,” said Melinda of the foundation’s progress against polio. “We think by next year we can drive that number to absolutely zero.”

In 2006, when the Gates’ family friend, Warren Buffett, agreed to donate over $30 billion to the foundation, he told Fortune magazine about Melinda: “Bill is smart as hell, obviously...But in terms of seeing the whole picture, she’s smarter.”

The couple’s three children, Jennifer, Rory and Phoebe (ages 21 to 14), grew up learning about the foundation’s mission. Melinda and Bill often travel for their work; when possible, Melinda has planned trips around her children’s school breaks so they can all go together as a family. “As they get older, they so continued on page 18

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Out & About

Reviews for Seniors Chuck Bernasconi of Mukilteo lighting, amount of said the idea for his new resource for background noise, senior seniors came from having dinner menus/discounts/rewards, with his “senior citizen” relative at comfortable seating, does a local restaurant. His brainchild? it easily accommodate A website that offers restaurant wheelchairs/walkers, clean reviews with seniors in mind (www. and easy to use restrooms, reviewsforseniors.com). ease of parking, if there Chuck Bernasconi The proverbial light bulb for are a lot of kids running the idea popped up a few months around and other factors. ago when one of Chuck’s relatives was “All reviews are anonymous and visiting from out of town. effortlessly easy to enter by clicking the “I’m fortunate to have good sight for ‘Make a Review’ option,” says Chuck. a 73-year-old,” says Chuck. “My relative The standard 5 star rating system is used, has good hearing, which I do not. We but the site includes a detailed comments were dining at a local restaurant. I could section. Fonts are large and the search not hear the waiter explaining the specials options are simple. There is a ‘key word’ because of the background noise.” And his option so that a search on the word dining companion could not see the bill “menu,” for example, will immediately clearly to figure out the tip because of low list all reviews with the word menu in lighting. “That was it!” exclaims Chuck. the comments. Or users can search by That experience set his mind to working location, restaurant name, rating and on developing a restaurant review site other factors. specifically for seniors.

“We are currently focusing on He did a Google search as soon as he building the number of reviews,” says got home to his computer. “I found a lot of Chuck. “Hopefully, as the word spreads, it restaurant review sites. Some are excellent, will grow exponentially,” he adds. but not one went much beyond food and Check out www.reviewsforseniors. service,” even though in many restaurants com and add your own review for your 50% or more customers at any one time favorite (or least favorite) restaurant! may be seniors and boomers.

Chuck hopes that restaurants will take In less than three months, Chuck’s note and may consider catering to the new site was up and running. The reviews needs of the older crowd a bit more. After on the site go beyond food and service all, the population of people over age 50 to include items such as easy access, is growing every day. ❖

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Gold Medal Senior Women’s Basketball Team Creates a ‘Personal Ad’ Port Townsend Drizzle is a gold medal-winning but frustrated women’s basketball team who cannot find another team in all of Washington to Port Townsend Drizzle members display gold medals earned at play against at the last year’s Washington State Senior Games. Top honors were Washington State too easy for the women’s basketball team, who, for the second year, had only themselves to compete against.

Senior Games.

Using the humor and “hook” of the personal is far too much fun to be doing it all ad, about 10 members of the team alone.” “Washington is a big state gathered at their practice gym with a lot of cities bigger than Port recently to work out a way to portray Townsend,” adds team co-founder their plight in the form of a video.

Joanna Sanders, “and there’s got to “Forlorn senior women’s be some women hoopsters out there, basketball team seeks more teams somewhere.” to end our lonely days at the Senior The Senior Games 3-on-3 Games in Olympia. You can be basketball tournament takes place honest. Is it us? For the last two years July 22 at Capital High School we’ve had to divide up and play in Olympia. Women up for the against each other.” challenge need to be at least 50 Team co-founder Robin Stemen years or older and register by July 11 is the brainchild behind the personal (by May 26 to receive a significant ad. 2017 will mark the third discount). consecutive year that the Drizzle will For more information and to be the only women’s basketball team see the Port Townsend Drizzle at the Senior Games. “Basketball is “personal ad” video, go to http:// so much fun. Our practice sessions wssgnewsvideos.weebly.com or you play a big role in our lives. We can can learn and see more on the WSSG see what a big difference this is Facebook page,www.facebook.com/ making, health-wise,” she says. “This WashingtonStateSeniorGames ❖

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F.Y.I.

Volunteer Spotlight

Sarah Parkhurst Volume 17 Number 4 Northwest Prime Time is published 10 times per year and is owned and operated by Northwest Prime Time, Inc. Monthly Circulation: 50,000 Subscriptions: $20 per year.

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

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

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Cosundra Yancy & Puget Sound Labor Agency Food Bank

For Cosundra Yancy, volunteering goes deeper than simply giving back and feeling useful: it’s her calling and an inseparable aspect of her faith. “I love to see people happy,” she says. “If you have a need, I’m there for you.”

Volunteering has Cosundra Yancy been as much a part of Cosundra’s life as brushing her teeth. Her family was always active volunteering in the local community, and she feels incomplete if she’s not helping others. “Volunteering makes me happy. People who don’t volunteer are missing so much!”

Having served in many roles in the number of years she has been a volunteer with the Retired & Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP), the diversity of opportunities is what first brought her to RSVP. “There’s something for everyone,” she says. Cosundra’s innate belief that everyone should have food, clothing, shelter and medical care has led her to volunteer in various capacities in her community— ranging from food banks to veterans

assistance to financial education workshops.

Currently, Cosundra is volunteering weekly at the Puget Sound Labor Agency food bank in downtown Seattle. It is one of many food banks in King County that depend on volunteers to pick up donations, stock warehouses and distribute food to those living on limited incomes.

Cosundra appreciates the opportunity to help others and encourages everyone to join RSVP and get busy. “RSVP is a terrific vehicle for giving back”, she says, “because volunteers can easily pick and choose how and where they want to help and fit it into the amount of time they have available.” She also sees volunteering as the perfect remedy for the boredom many seniors feel: “How can you have nothing to do when there are so many needs out there?” she wonders.

If you would like to find a meaningful volunteer placement contact RSVP (Retired & Senior Volunteer Program) of King County at 206-694-6786 or janh@solidground.org. ❖

Imposter Fraud Prevention You get a call from someone who says they’re from the IRS, and you owe back taxes. But do you? A pop-up on your computer warns your machine is infected and you need immediate technical support. Should you be worried? You get a call: “Grandma, I need money for bail.” But is it really your grandchild?

“Imposter fraud” occurs when a scammer poses as someone they’re not in order to steal your money. These types of scams have reached epidemic proportions in Washington State and throughout the country. But, with increased vigilance, we can stay one step ahead of the scammers.

Learn how to sort fact from fiction, and to how to protect yourself and the people you care about at a free “Unmasking the Imposters” event on May 17 in Seattle. Join Washington State Attorney General Bob Ferguson and the experts from the AARP Fraud Watch Network, Microsoft, the Federal Trade Commission and BECU to learn how to spot and avoid the latest imposter scams.

The event is free, but preregistration is required: Wednesday, May 17, 9am–1pm, The Brockey Conference Center at South Seattle College, 6000 16th Avenue SW in Seattle. Lunch is included with this free event, but registration is required.

Register at www.aarp.org/seattle or call toll free 1-877-926-8300 ❖

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Remembering Memorial Day

May 2017

In Honor of Mother’s Day

The Mourner at Arlington The Gift of My Mother’s Wedding Rings …by Lynn Pribus

The morning is gray with a chilly drizzle as the old airman’s very basic coffin is respectfully drawn from the back of the hearse. He has died with no remaining family or friends, but there is a mourner under an umbrella waiting at his graveside. She is an Arlington Lady.

This touching tradition began in 1948 when then Air Force Chief of Staff, Gen. Hoyt Vandenberg and his wife, Gladys, noticed some airmen — often ones being returned from their Wold War II deaths overseas — were buried with only a chaplain and honor guard to lay them to their final rest.

For a while, Mrs. Vandenberg attended funerals when there were no other mourners, but her dedication soon became overwhelming and other Air Force wives started sharing her commitment by creating the Arlington Committee.

Today, nearly 70 years later, there is an Arlington Lady at every Air Force funeral — whether for an active duty troop, veteran or retiree. She’s there in snow and heat and wind and rain. She writes a sympathy card and presents it to the surviving family on behalf

of the Air Force Chief of Staff.

If no loved ones are present, she writes the family a letter describing the ceremony to be sent with the card. If there is no family, she simply holds the airman in her heart.

The Army, Navy and Coast Guard have established their own Arlington Lady programs, while a representative of the Commandant of the Marines attends every Corps service.

Arlington Ladies steel themselves not to be emotional, but to be a quiet part of the ceremony. “It’s so hard not to weep when they play Taps,” admits one Arlington Lady, “but I cry later.”

Her name isn’t important, she says, because she is there as something far more important than herself. “I’m there to represent that service member’s friends and family and military buddies.

I represent the entire nation saying Thank You and Godspeed.” ❖

When Lynn’s husband was stationed at the Pentagon, she was the Air Force Arlington Lady on the fourth Thursday of each month.

Sometimes she was at funerals with a horsedrawn caisson and hundreds in attendance, but sometimes she was the only mourner.

…by Amy Abbott

My mother’s hands intrigued me. Mom had long, slender fingers, but her hands were much smaller than mine. My dad gave her a small diamond engagement ring at Christmastime, 1954. She wore it until her death in 2012, and I don’t remember her ever removing it.

She didn’t even take off her rings to wash dishes or do laundry.

Over the years, I photographed Mom’s hands. When my son was born, I snapped a picture of her left hand on the day-old infant. About ten years ago we went to the symphony, and I photographed her hands holding the program. Dementia stole her reading comprehension, but when the music started she transformed

into another world. Mom loved music.

When we were children, she used her left hand — the one with the rings — to conduct an unseen orchestra.

I’m not much of a jewelry person.

What I own of value is in our lockbox at the bank. My wedding ring is a simple gold band that cost around $50. (I do favor dangly earrings, which I find online on ETSY or in antique shops on little back streets I’ve discovered on vacation.)

The day before a recent birthday, my dad gave me Mom’s wedding set. His gift was the result of a phone conversation: “I don’t know what I’m going to do with your mother’s wedding rings.” As the only daughter I said, “Well, Dad, I would like to have them.”

The bands were soldered together 10 or 15 years ago to provide strength. I couldn’t get the set over my knuckle on either hand so I took them to our jeweler who sized them for my ring finger. The cost to have the ring increased was almost the cost of the engagement ring 63 years ago. The jeweler fixed it beautifully and even retained the initials carved on the inside of the wedding ring. I’m wearing the set with the simple gold wedding band my husband gave me 32 years ago.

In the few days I’ve worn the rings, I like pondering what they represent. I recognize that not everyone is blessed; life is fraught with complications that fray the knots we tie. But Mom’s wedding set accounts for a union that lasted just shy of 57 years. It represents a union that weathered storms and hurt. My personal relationship with my mother also unraveled and knit back together in life’s tangles. My gold wedding band represents an imperfect and loving union of almost 32 years. Together, these rings are reminders of the power of love, forgiveness and grace. ❖ Happy Mother’s Day to all mothers and to all remembering the power of their own mother’s love.

May 2017 Strange Old Thoughts it’s been over twentyfive years since you died, mom yet memories are still so vivid of that last day Sandra’s mother at 17 and now twenty-five years later thinking of you remembering such strange old thoughts through remaining reminders you never met your grandsons they are now fifteen and eighteen wonderful boys and when we sit down to birthday dinners or christmas dinners or easter dinners the sterling silverware is on the table the sterling silverware that you gave us every anniversary until there were eight settings and the cost was “too high” in my opinion and I said “thank you but eight will do.” and every time the table is set with the silverware, each etched with a long stemmed rose strange old thoughts of lovely reminders return and I smile when thinking of you.

--Sandra McCafferty

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Library Corner

Older Americans Month …by Wendy Pender

I just returned from Chicago, where I attended the annual conference of the American Society on Aging. The largest conference Wendy Pender on aging in the nation, key topics ranged from technological advances for making life easier (driverless cars, anyone?) to the biology of aging, presented by our own UW professor, Dr. Matt Kaeberlein (http:// dogagingproject.com).

Policies affecting older Americans were in the spotlight, from proposed changes in health care and Social Security, to wages and leave for caregivers. Many discussions focused on the current political climate and possible effects on a wide range of aspects of aging in our society.

When controversial topics arise and you want more information on an issue, one great online resource is the Opposing Viewpoints series, now available electronically from the convenience of your PC or mobile device. A library staple for more than 40 years for debate

team prep and student research papers, Opposing Viewpoints is an invaluable resource for researching hot topics (e-cigarettes, climate change, immigration, physicianassisted suicide, net neutrality to name a few). Before you take on that next polarizing discussion, consider delving into the research including what “the other side” might be thinking.

And if you find yourself wanting to enter the civic landscape, check

out the quarterly program schedules for conversations on things that matter: Everyone’s Talking About It, at kcls.org.

If you like to do homework to prepare for conversations, take a look at books such as Becoming a Citizen Activist: Stories, Strategies, & Advice for Changing Our World by former Seattle city council member Nick Licata.

All this and more is available at your King County Library System.

Be informed and empowered - and enjoy this month dedicated to Older Americans! ❖ Wendy Pender is the Older Adults Project Specialist for the King County Library System. She can be reached at 425-3693285

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May 2017

May is National Healthy Vision and Better Hearing & Speech Month

Facing Macular Degeneration …by Paula Dibble

Though still busy and active, in her seventies my mother began having problems with her vision.

I remember her telling me over and over, “I can’t see.” Subsequently, she was diagnosed with macular degeneration.

Trying to understand what was happening to her eyesight was difficult for all of us. The eye doctor (l-r) Paula’s mom Betty, Paula, her sister Sandy explained to our family that just like tree roots sometimes It was recommended that she push up and create bumps in the contact an organization called, sidewalk, the disease essentially Northwest Center for the Blind causes the same thing to happen and Partially Sighted (presently to blood vessels in the eye. Her called SightConnection). The vision had become distorted, and folks from the organization he predicted it would get worse. came out and, after assessing He recommended laser surgery the situation, began to make and although the problem was not modifications and suggestions to likely to be corrected by surgery, help Mom with daily tasks and it could help keep it from getting hobbies. worse.

To help her be as independent Mom asked him, “If it was in the house as possible, the your Mother, would you want her staff from SightConnection used to have the surgery?” He took a fingernail polish and black tape breath and said he would. After to make raised marks on the dials the surgery, Mom had a black spot of the appliances and thermostat in the center of her vision, but she so she could continue to wash could see around the edges of that. clothes, adjust the temperature,

and turn on the oven or burners. Magnifying glasses were brought to the house.

Understandably, my mother was upset that she could no longer participate in some of her favorite pastimes. She loved to crochet, read, play cards and bowl. Her limited vision was making those hobbies difficult to do.

SightConnection staff helped her continue to enjoy those activities. One helpful suggestion was to place a white cloth on her lap and use a dark contrasting thread with a big crochet hook. In that way, she could crochet!

Her card playing friends didn’t mind switching to the playing cards with big numbers and symbols. They were more than happy to say the suit and number of a card out loud anytime she needed help identifying it.

Lucky for Mom, my daughter worked at a library and kept her stocked up on audio books. The regular granddaughter visits to

Dry EyeWet Eye Syndrome …by Lois (Mike) Cassill

The intricate workings of the body intrigue me. I'm thinking about all the synchronized parts that constantly work behind the scenes day and night, night and day. Some of my parts are understandably beginning to tire and cause me problems. But on a positive note—what a great opportunity to learn some stuff.

A recent problem of mine was what I described as “a sty on my lower left eyelid.” It was a bit sore; inside the eyelid was quite red and angry looking. I made an appointment with an ophthalmologist who examined the eye and quickly recognized the problem. He told me the lower eyelid is lined with tiny continued on page 18 little ducts which produce oil.

That oil mixes with tears to keep them from evaporating.

Fascinating. In my case, one or more of these ducts is clogged— probably due to an infection.

He pointed out that we had to clear up the infection and then get that oil flowing again by applying heat. A hot compress a couple of times a day is a pleasant and relaxing solution for unclogging the oil ducts. At my follow-up visit to the ophthalmologist, I saw a second doctor who told me the same exact story. That did it. Now I totally believed this scenario about the oil mixing with the tears to keep them constantly circulating in the eye and not evaporating, wild as it sounds.

All of this leads me to the “wet eye-dry eye” situation which seems to be a common problem among older folks, like me. Doesn't it stand to reason that the constant production and spilling of tears, which causes the tear ducts to make more and more, could be halted?

Of course it does. You know, I think I've stumbled onto something...a hot compress (as hot as you can stand) applied a couple of times a day should keep the whole system in perfect working order. Besides, it's pretty pleasant.

No charge for my amateur diagnosis. ❖

May 2017

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This article is sponsored by Evergreen Speech and Hearing Clinic

Help! I Can’t Hear

Not Your Father’s Hearing Aid

Local venues make it easier for those with hearing loss

The Latest News in Hearing Aid Technology

…by JoAnne Dyer

…by Kat Bakhmetyeva, Evergreen Speech and Hearing Clinic

Over the past decade we have seen remarkable technological improvements in hearing aid instrumentation, going from relatively simple and slow digital amplifiers to mind-blowing signal processing speeds and miniaturization. Most notably, today’s top-of-the-line hearing instruments can now process wirelessly between the ears, analyzing the location of sound in the environment and rapidly separating speech from noise and helping to maintain natural 3D spatial perception.

Speech clarity is significantly improved as well as the quality of music.

For those who are tech-enthusiasts, today’s modern instruments can be integrated in to the wearer’s high-tech living space directly through smart phone capabilities. With an effortless flick of a finger, users are now able to use hearing aids as customized earphones, connect to the TV set, mute the surrounding noise and choose suitable hearing programs based on their ongoing activity.

Some of the newest hearing aid models now come with rechargeable batteries that only need to be replaced once a year. With the option of charging the hearing aids overnight, we are able to eliminate the hassle of changing dead batteries in unexpected or untimely situations.

With all the technological advances, there are significant ways to improve one’s receptive communication. However, without proper implementation these tools fall short. The skills of an audiologist are essential to best tailor your device for a particular listening experience. He or she performs outcome analyses such as real ear microphone measurements,

speech in noise testing, and subjective assessments of hearing aid benefit and satisfaction. At Evergreen Speech and Hearing Clinic we are able to offer the best care possible. As a practice with hearing and speech clinicians working under one roof, we address all communication disorders through comprehensive therapy programs built by audiologists and speech language pathologists. Our collaborative approach to customizing treatment plans is unique to every patient and ensures a satisfactory outcome.

To celebrate Better Hearing and Speech Month and raise awareness about communication concerns in our community, we are pleased to invite you to our Hearing Event on May 1618 held in our Redmond, Bellevue, and Kirkland locations. We will be offering hearing consultations with our audiologists and demonstrations of the newest hearing aid models free of charge. The purpose of this event is to help our community members and existing patients improve their hearing issues by finding the right device to fit their needs.

Call us today to learn more information about our special event and make an appointment for a free consultation: 425-882-4347 or visit our website at everhear.com. ❖

Hearing loss can happen so gradually you’re barely aware of it, until you find yourself missing dialogue at a movie or play, turning the TV up very loud, or misunderstanding your bank teller or doctor. But thanks to hearing access advocates and to technologies new and old, Seattleites with hearing loss now have help.

Assistance comes in both audio and visual forms, and some advocates believe both together create the gold standard.

Even if you don’t have a hearing aid, you can benefit from many of these technologies.

Assistive Listening, or HearingAssistive Technologies Hearing Loops – If your hearing aid has a telecoil (t-coil), you can use a hearing loop, also called an induction loop. Many hearing-aid users prefer hearing loops and believe they provide the clearest, most understandable sound.

Switch your hearing aid to “t-coil mode” to directly connect to the loop’s sound in venues like the Seattle Repertory Theatre, Village Theatre, Town Hall Seattle, Taproot Theatre, and Seattle and Bellevue City Council chambers.

Stroum Jewish Community Center, the Everett Senior Center, Everett Main Library Auditorium, some retirement communities and other public venues

also have loops. If you don’t have a hearing aid, you can still hear better in a looped venue by checking out a device—ask if they’re available. A loop for your TV room can help you hear better while keeping the volume comfortable for others.

FM radio and Infrared (IR) Systems – Call ahead to the venue to ensure a headset is available for you to check out, usually found at the concierge or coat check. Today, most FM and IR systems can be made hearing-aid compatible by replacing the headset with a neck loop. The 5th Avenue Theatre and The Paramount use these types of systems.

Hearing Access Technologies (Visual) Computer-Assisted Realtime Transcription/Translation (CART) - Live and in real time, a captioner transcribes the audio of a speaker, meeting or performance. The written text appears on a large screen by a stage or sometimes on a small, portable personal device, such as an iPad or similar. This technology also helps people who are deaf or who don’t have a hearing aid.

The Paramount Theatre and the 5th Avenue Theatre typically offer one captioned performance per show. A continued on page 9

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To Your Health

Medical Minutes ...by John Schieszer

Online Risk Calculator May Help Better Access Heart Disease and Diabetes Risk An online metabolic calculator developed by John Schieszer a University of Virginia School of Medicine doctor and his research partner at the University of Florida appears to help predict the risk of developing heart disease and diabetes more accurately than traditional methods. A new study has found this new risk calculator may be a better tool for guiding individuals.

Physicians traditionally have predicted risk for cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and stroke by looking for five factors: obesity, high blood pressure, high fasting triglycerides, low HDL (good) cholesterol and high fasting blood sugar. Patients with abnormalities in at least three of these are diagnosed as having metabolic syndrome and told that they are at elevated risk for future health problems.

The problem with that approach is that it is one-size-fits-all. The traditional approach also fails to consider variables such as race, ethnicity and gender.

This is a significant problem because African-American men are unlikely to be diagnosed with metabolic syndrome, but still have a high risk for cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes.

The new approach weighs the traditional risk factors and also takes into account race, gender and ethnicity to produce an easy-to-understand metabolic severity score. A small study previously found that the online calculator’s predictions lined up well with actual cases of cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Now, a new study that included more than 13,000 people has found that this updated tool was a better risk predictor than the individual risk factors alone.

“The hope is that a scoring system like this could be incorporated in the

electronic medical record to calculate someone’s risk and that information could be provided both to the physician, who then realizes there is an elevated risk, and to the patient, who hopefully can start taking some preventive steps,” said study author Dr. Mark DeBoer of the University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia.

Drinking Tea May Help Combat Alzheimer’s Disease A new study suggests that drinking tea may help reduce the risk of cognitive impairment in older adults and for those who are genetically at risk of Alzheimer’s. Researchers at the National University of Singapore conducted a longitudinal study involving 957 Chinese seniors aged 55 years or older.

They found that regular consumption of tea lowers the risk of cognitive decline by 50%. In addition, those individuals who are APOE e4 gene carriers and genetically at risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease may experience a reduction in cognitive impairment risk by as much as 86%.

The research team also discovered that the neuroprotective role of tea consumption on cognitive function is not limited to a particular type of tea.

Black, green or oolong teas are fine. In this study, tea consumption information was collected from the participants from 2003 to 2005. These older adults were then assessed every two years on their cognitive function until 2010.

“The data from our study suggest that a simple and inexpensive lifestyle measure such as daily tea drinking can reduce a person’s risk of developing neurocognitive disorders in late life,” said study investigator Feng Lei from the Department of Psychological Medicine at National University of Singapore’s (NUS) Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine.

Lei said the long-term benefit of tea consumption appears to be due to the bioactive compounds in tea leaves, such as catechins, theaflavins, thearubigins and L-theanine. He said these compounds have antiinflammatory properties and contain

May 2017

other bioactive properties that may protect the brain from vascular damage and neurodegeneration.

Simple Blood Test May Help Better Guide Depression Treatments It now may be possible to determine which medication may be more likely to help a person overcome depression, according to researchers at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center.

“Currently, our selection of depression medications is not any more superior than flipping a coin, and yet that is what we do. Now, we have a biological explanation to guide treatment of depression,” said study investigator Dr. Madhukar Trivedi, who is with the Southwestern Medical Center’s Center for Depression Research and Clinical Care in Dallas, Texas.

Dr. Trivedi and his colleagues conducted a study in which they demonstrated that measuring a patient’s C-reactive protein (CRP) levels through a simple finger-prick blood test can help doctors prescribe a medication that is more likely to work. Utilizing this test in clinical visits could lead to a significant boost in the success rate of depressed patients who commonly struggle to find effective treatments, according to the researchers.

Up to a third of depressed patients don’t improve during their first medication, and about 40% of people who start taking antidepressants stop taking them within three months.

“Giving up hope is really a central symptom of the disease. However, if treatment selection is tied to a blood test and improves outcomes, patients are more likely to continue the treatment and achieve the benefit,” said Dr. Trivedi.

The new research measured remission rates of more than 100 depressed patients prescribed either escitalopram alone or escitalopram plus bupropion. Researchers found a strong correlation between CRP levels and which drug regimen improved their symptoms. Dr. Trivedi identified CRP as a potential marker for depression treatments because it has been an effective measure of inflammation for other disorders such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes. ❖ 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.

Learn about Pitcher Kenley Jansen’s AFib story.

AFib Increases Risks for Stroke and HeartRelated Death Older patients may not experience symptoms of irregular heartbeat called atrial fibrillation, or AFib, making early detection crucial to lowering risks for stroke …courtesy American Heart Association

People age 65 and older are at the highest risk for developing an irregular heartbeat, called atrial fibrillation or AFib, that, left untreated, could increase their risk for stroke by five times and doubles the chance of heartrelated death.

AFib is an increasingly common condition, affecting more than 2.7 million Americans. But your risks of developing AFib increase with age, affecting about 9 percent of people over age 65. Other risk factors for AFib include uncontrolled high blood pressure, underlying heart disease, family history, obesity and sleep apnea.

Lifestyle factors that could increase your risk of AFib include excessive consumption of alcohol, smoking and prolonged athletic training.

AFib occurs when electrical signals in the upper chambers of the heart become chaotic, disrupting the regular rhythm (causes the upper chamber to quiver rather than pump) of the heart and its ability to efficiently move blood through its chambers.

When blood collects in the upper chambers or moves slowly, a clot can form and potentially cause a stroke if it is pumped out of the heart and travels to the brain.

While technology has made it easier for medical professionals to detect AFib, older patients may not experience or fail to recognize symptoms, which can include a fluttering heartbeat, heart palpitations, light-headedness or feeling winded even while at rest. Other, less common symptoms include chest pain or fainting.

“For many people, stroke is their first symptom of AFib,” says Patrick T. Ellinor, MD, PhD, Director of the Cardiac Arrhythmia Service at continued on page 18

was a curveball I didn’t see coming.

Atrial fibrillation is a problem that is linked with a 5 times greater risk for stroke.

AFib may cause symptoms like these or AFib may have no symptoms at all.

Learn more about lowering stroke risks:

heart.org/AFibAwareness

May 2017

www.NorthwestPrimeTime.com 9

Naturally Healthy

I’m Cuckoo for Cashews …by Wendell Fowler

Yes, I’m that guy who stealthily bogarts all the cashews in the party mix. I can’t resist their seductive sweet creaminess. I recently discovered my instinctive magnetism to the tasty tree nut is enriching my health and creating a feel-good vibe.

The cashew tree bears edible pear-shaped false fruits called “cashew apples.” The tropical tree belongs to the plant family the mango, pistachio, poison ivy, poison oak and poison sumac. Native to Brazil’s Amazon rain forest, the tree was spread all over the planet

by Portuguese explorers, and today cashews are commercially cultivated in Brazil, Vietnam, India and many African countries.

Science supports the notion that eating cashews can be as effective as Prozac and other anti-depressants in maintaining a positive mood. You see, cashews contain the amino acid L-tryptophan. Dr. Andrew Saul, a therapeutic nutritionist and editor-in-chief of Orthomolecular

Medicine News Service says, “The body turns tryptophan into serotonin, a major contributor to feelings of sexual desire, good mood and good sleep.”

Some say two handfuls of cashews is the therapeutic equivalent of a prescription dose of Prozac.

L-tryptophan is broken down into anxiety-reducing, snooze-inducing niacin. Tryptophan is made into serotonin that gives a feeling of well-being and mellowness.

Delicately flavored cashew nuts are very rich in vitamin C, protein, niacin, iron, manganese, magnesium, phosphorous, copper and zinc. Cashews make some superfoods lists for their concentration of protein, fiber, minerals and antioxidants, and possess proanthocyanidins that actually help to starve tumors and stop cancer cells from dividing.

Studies have also shown that cashews can reduce your colon cancer risk.

Cashews are high in hearthealthy “good fat” in the

Help! I Can’t Hear

better on your smartphone, such as AVA and InnoCaption.

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) has been used to ensure venues and workplaces provide communication access. In public venues, look for signs that indicate hearing access options, like the blue ear sign. You can also request hearing access at any event, including asking that participants use a microphone and PA system when available.

The Hearing Loss Association of America--Washington Chapter (HLAA-WA) and its national organization, the Hearing Loss Association of America aim to help people with hearing loss. HLAA-WA hosts local support and information groups and social events like an annual picnic. The national organization publishes a helpful magazine, advocates politically, educates and organizes an annual convention (this year June 22-25 in Salt Lake City, Utah). ❖

...continued from page 7

Contemporary Theatre (ACT) uses a closed caption system (a personal tabletsized device that patrons attach to a stand by their seat). You can also request CART at public events and meetings.

Video and Movie Captions – Many videos through Netflix or over the Internet are captioned now. Ark Lodge Cinemas, Anacortes Cinemas, Edmonds Theatre and Grand Cinema Tacoma regularly offer open-captioned shows.

The Seattle International Film Festival shows foreign films with open English subtitles throughout the year, particularly during the festival itself, which begins in late May. Regal’s Bella Bottega and Crossroads Cinemas use a closedcaptioning system.

Phone Hearing Assistance – Captioned landline phones like CapTel’s display conversations via screen text.

Several apps can help you understand

Resources • The Northwest Access Fund (formerly the Washington Access Fund) provides information, financial assistance and tips on buying hearing aids.

• Hearing Loss Association of America, Washington Chapter (www.hearinglosswa.org) • An initiative, Loop Washington (Let’s Loop Seattle) encourages public venues to install hearing loops and to become hearing-friendly: www.loopwashington.org • Wash-CAP – Washington State group securing captions and offering a list of captioned venues: www.wash-cap.com • Collaborative for Communication Access via Captioning - National caption advocates: http://ccacaptioning.org/ • Captionfish – Captioned movies search engine: www.captionfish.com/ • Northwest Access Fund – Advice and financial assistance on hearing aids. http://washingtonaccessfund.org/hearing-aid-funding-resources/, http:// washingtonaccessfund.org/tips-on-buying-a-hearing-aid-that-will-work-for-you/

form of oleic acid, the same monounsaturated fat in olive oil.

Studies show oleic acid reduces high triglyceride levels.

Seniors: Cashews are rich in magnesium necessary for strong bones; most of the magnesium in the human body is in our bones.

You can find raw, salted, sweetened or candied cashews.

Buy shelled nuts that feature bright, cream-white color, and are compact, uniform and feel heavy in hand. Ditch the salted, sweetened, artificially-flavored variety.

You will see “raw” cashews in the supermarket, but all cashews undergo some heat to remove the shell and a caustic substance.

Cashews sold as “roasted” have been cooked twice, once during the

shelling process and then roasted to deepen the color and enhance the flavor, sometimes with excessive salt. Best health benefits may come from consuming either raw or roasted nuts.

Asian and Indian cuisines regularly include whole or chopped cashews in stir-fry dishes and curries. Sprinkle them into salads or grains; use them on top of breakfast cereals. Or do like I do: hit the local grocery for a bag kept handy while driving or by the bedside. I eat them whole as a snack out of hand.

Read labels. If it lists added oil, pass. There should only be one ingredient: nuts (and salt if you just can’t resist). I prefer raw over roasted, but that’s just me – that nutty guy who is nuts about nuts. ❖

Broccoli with Garlic Butter and Cashews Ingredients: 1 ½ pounds fresh broccoli, cut into bite-sized pieces 1/3 cup butter (can substitute ¼ cup olive oil) 1 tablespoon brown sugar 3 tablespoons tamari sauce 2 teaspoons white vinegar Ground black pepper to taste 2 cloves garlic, minced 1/3 cup chopped cashews

Directions: Boil broccoli about 7 minutes in a large pot in about an inch of water until tender (but still crisp).

Drain and place on serving platter While broccoli is cooking, melt butter or oil over medium heat. Mix in brown sugar, tamari, vinegar, pepper and garlic. Bring to a boil, then remove from the heat. Mix in the cashews. Pour mixture over broccoli and serve immediately

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May 2017

This article is sponsored by Virginia Mason

Joint Replacement: Weighing Individual Goals, Risks and Benefits Key to Success …by Kevin MacDonald, MD, Contributing writer

As an orthopedic surgeon, I spend a fair amount of time working with an experienced team performing Kevin MacDonald various types of hip and knee replacement surgery on appropriate patients.

Joint replacement is a surgical procedure where parts of an arthritic or damaged joint are removed and replaced with a metal, plastic or ceramic device called a “prosthesis.” The prosthesis is designed to replicate the movement of a normal, healthy joint.

When to consider surgery You might be considering joint replacement surgery if a hip or knee has been painful and is restricting movement.

Although immediate benefits of surgery include less pain and enhanced mobility, you should first exhaust non-surgical options for management.

I remind all my patients that joint replacement surgery is elective and should come down to a quality-of-life decision. My advice almost always includes recommending that they try non-surgical treatments first – whether that be ice, heat, anti-inflammatory medication, swimming or physical therapy.

However, if nothing works, people should ask themselves if pain and disability are destroying their quality of life. If the answer is yes, I advise them that it’s the appropriate time to discuss surgical options.

Risks Like every type of surgery, joint replacement is not without risks, which include: • Infection • Damage to a blood vessel or nerve • Loosening or dislocation of the new joint over time • Medical complications, such as heart attacks or blood clots, due to the physical stress of undergoing surgery Fortunately, these risks can be significantly reduced with good management before and after surgery, which most orthopedic surgery centers are very experienced at providing.

Benefits Studies have consistently shown that hip and knee replacement are some of the most successful procedures in all of medicine when it comes to patient satisfaction and quality-of-

life improvement. Most patients are able to resume activities that arthritis had made difficult, whether that be golfing, biking, caring for family members, or missing fewer work days due to pain.

Types of joint replacement Thanks to advancements in surgical techniques, prostheses, imaging, post-operative care and rehabilitation, many orthopedic surgeons are able to offer patients in need of joint replacement a variety of surgical options – depending on their individual situation and other factors like overall health, chronic disease and anatomy. Options often include: • Posterior total hip replacement – This proven hip replacement method has a longterm track record of success.

During this one- to two-hour surgery, a three- to six-inch incision is made over the damaged hip to expose deeper tissue. The damaged “ball” or head of the thigh bone (femur) is dislocated and removed. Damaged bone and cartilage in the “socket” are removed and the socket is smoothed and enlarged to receive the metal implant. A highly polished socket liner, which is usually made of polyethylene plastic, is secured inside the socket. The surgeon then creates a narrow, five-inch channel on top of the thigh bone to receive the new implant’s stem and ball.

Materials in the new ball-andsocket joint press against one another easily to help restore hip motion.

• Anterior total hip replacement – This procedure is very similar to a posterior total hip replacement, except the surgeon accesses the hip joint from the front, as opposed to the back side (posterior) of the hip.

This method has gained a lot of interest over the past decade and patients can generally expect an excellent outcome, as they can from the posterior approach.

• Revision hip replacement – After a period of normal wear and tear on an artificial hip joint, parts of the prosthesis may wear out or become loose. In these cases, hip revision surgery may be recommended. It is done to repair a prosthesis that has been damaged over time due to infection or normal wear and tear.

Revision surgery helps correct the problem so the hip can function normally.

• Partial knee replacement – Also known as “unicompartmental

Virginia Mason orthopedic surgeon Kevin MacDonald, MD, interacting with a patient

knee arthroplasty,” this procedure is appropriate for people who are in good health and have exhausted conservative measures for managing knee pain. These patients may have had a torn meniscus (cartilage) or avascular necrosis (dead bone tissue) in the past that later led to arthritis in one part of the knee. For younger adults, a partial knee implant may be considered a bridge to surgically amend what can currently be repaired before further degeneration in the joint leads to the need for total knee replacement. Older adults may also be candidates, which is then expected to last the remainder of their lives.

• Total knee replacement – The implant usually consists of two parts made of chrome cobalt, titanium alloy and polyethylene plastic. The cobalt-chrome part is attached to the end of the thigh bone (femur) and a titanium alloy base plate is attached to the end of the leg bone (tibia). A polyethylene plastic “articulating” surface is then positioned between them. A polyethylene plastic “button” is attached to the undersurface of the knee cap (patella).

• Revision knee replacement – A knee replacement may fail over time for various reasons. If this occurs, a knee can become painful, swollen, stiff or unstable, making it difficult to perform everyday activities. If a knee replacement fails, your doctor may recommend a second surgery, called a revision total knee replacement. In this procedure, an orthopedic surgeon removes some or all of the original prosthesis and replaces it with a new one.

Improving your odds of success No matter which joint

replacement surgery may be most appropriate for any one patient, there are things people can do to help improve their odds of benefitting from a successful surgery, including: • Losing weight, if necessary • Quitting smoking • Limiting alcohol use • Muscle-strengthening exercises • Making sure other medical conditions, such as diabetes, are under optimal control Making a personal decision Although an orthopedic surgeon can help you understand risks and benefits of joint replacement, only you can decide at what point pain and limitation of arthritis is affecting your quality of life enough to consider surgery.

Understandably, the threshold where benefits outweigh risks is different for every patient.

Final recommendation Deciding whether to have joint replacement is a very personal choice. Work with your doctor to fully understand the plan for managing your individual risk factors before and after joint replacement. ❖ Kevin MacDonald, MD, is a boardcertified orthopedic surgeon who specializes in orthopedic oncology, adult reconstructive surgery and anterior hip replacement. He has a special interest in benign and malignant bone and soft tissue tumors, surgical treatment of sarcoma, limb reconstruction, total hip replacement, total knee replacement, revision hip and knee replacement, and partial knee replacement. Dr. MacDonald practices at Virginia Mason.

For more information, visit: • OrthoInfo.AAOS.org • AAHKS.org • Arthritis.org • AJRR.net • VirginiaMason.org/Orthopedics

May 2017

www.NorthwestPrimeTime.com 11

DEAR PAIN, I’M LEAVING. AND I’M TAKING THE KAYAKS.

Injuries and aging joints are a part of life, but that doesn’t mean you can’t do anything about it. Virginia Mason is here to help you get out of pain and back into your active, everyday lifestyle. From orthopedic emergency care to hip and knee replacements and rehabilitation services, our orthopedics specialists offer a full range of diagnostic and treatment options.

You can begin your comeback at eight convenient locations, including Seattle, Bellevue, Federal Way, Issaquah, Kirkland, Lynnwood, University Village, and on Bainbridge Island.

Orthopedics & Sports Medicine

VirginiaMason.org/Ortho

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May 2017

Surviving a Health Crisis as the Advocate …by Amy Abbott

I am tied to our healthcare system as a hospital executive, as a volunteer in a rehab agency that serves more than 6,000 people a year, and as a daughter. My mother, who passed away in 2012, had dementia for more than a decade. I helped my father and brother navigate the health care system where they live.

While not a clinician, I am often consulted about hacking through the jungles that are a present day hospital.

There are some battles not worth fighting. Put your efforts toward what is really important. Accept that you are the advocate. A friend described her situation: “When I agreed to help, I had no idea how much responsibility this would involve.”

No case manager, no floor nurse, no hospice person knows as much about your loved one as you do. Your family member may be lucky and have a special person to coordinate care, but that nurse or social worker may also have 30 other patients at the same time they are helping you. This may frustrate you, but accept it and move on. Appoint yourself or a family member for this role of coordinating paperwork, appointments, etc.

• Keep your paperwork in one place. Keep information like medications, doctor’s name and contact info, insurance and Medicare

76262 LC-MC West Seattle_NW Primetime Half Page Ad.indd 1

cards in a small notebook kept with you.

• Let providers know what you need.

Individuals who choose health as a career are often generous and caring, but not mind-readers.

Speak up. Tell all caregivers what you or the patient needs. Medical providers generally want your engagement in the care of your loved one. If you miss the doctor at the hospital, you can make an appointment in his/her office and get your concerns out in the open. Take a list with written questions.

• If offered additional services, use them. Many long-term or chronic patients will be assigned a case manager within a facility. Case managers, or care coordinators as they are sometimes called, often have weekly conferences with members of a patient’s care team. You may be able to participate in the weekly conference and meet all of them.

If your loved one is offered rehab, home health or hospice services, jump on board. Getting hospice does not necessarily mean death is imminent, it means that patients are no longer receiving

aggressive treatment for their condition. The services include personal care, chaplaincy and psychological support for family members as well.

My mother-in-law, who had congestive heart failure (CHF) and multiple health conditions, was in hospice several years before she died. She was in her 80s and not getting better; the trips to the hospital were brutal for her. Hospice provided help for the nursing home staff to better manage her CHF episodes and keep her there instead of the hospital. Home health may assist your family member in staying in his or her home longer and rehab may be a good interim step between surgery and home.

• If confused or concerned about your bill, ask for a sit-down meeting with the hospital billing office. It’s confusing. There are individuals and companies who exist solely to help families sort through medical bills. Their small fees may more than offset your upset as well as save you hundreds of dollars.

• Don’t beat yourself up. You are caring for someone who is ill and you have all the responsibility.

You are only human. Make sure that someone is taking care of you, try to get downtime when you can. Even a

walk in the park can help. Get some respite. Get away from the hospital or the nursing home or your own home and all the problems, even just for a bit.

I have been a caregiver several times in my life, and, of course, I have some regrets. At my age now it seems all I talk about with my friends are caregiving issues, whether of a parent or spouse.

While things are currently stable in my family, I know there’s one final caveat about caregiving that’s really important: get your own affairs in order. Make sure you have a living will and a health care power of attorney on file with doctor, hospital, and your advocate. (www.nlm.nih. gov/medlineplus/advancedirectives. html). Consider questions like ‘do you want to be on a ventilator?’

Many people don’t know that short-term ventilators are often used, and get very frightened when the issue is brought up. Know what the lingo means before a crisis arises. If your family members know what your wishes are, you will have helped avoid making a bad situation worse. ❖ Amy McVay Abbott is a long-time hospital executive who is also a writer. She’s the author of four books, including the recent “Whitley County Kid.” Learn more about her at www.amyabbottwrites.com.

4/18/17 2:55 PM

May 2017

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Whooee – What a Ride! The Way I Roll Finding excitement on a mobility scooter …by Don Johnson

Among the many maladies that afflicted me as I became older was one they called peripheral neuropathy. This was a malfunction of the nervous system of the outer extremities starting with a tingling of the feet and culminating with shooting pains in my hands and feet and loss of control of those areas.

The disease progressed through stages that left me dependent for locomotion – first on a cane, then a walker, then a roller-fitted walker called a rollator. This condition was compounded by my atrial fibrillation which led to a lack of stamina. The combination of these factors left me with slow and uncertain mobility when I wanted to get from one place to another.

Then, my much better half came up with the perfect solution: a mobility scooter.

This little vehicle was ideal for any gimp with the desire to get from one place to another with a minimum of effort. Smoothly, quietly, it glided from one room to another at my will. For portability, it quickly disassembled into three lightweight parts which fit neatly into our minivan. For me it had but one drawback. It totally lacked any degree of excitement.

It performed its function with efficiency, grace and dignity.

What a bore!

However, it had one item which intrigued me no end. In addition to the regular throttle, it had a speed dial with the image of a turtle at one end and a jackrabbit at the other. I was forbidden to touch this dial while going into or operating inside a home or building.

Bummer!

To go to church, we parked in a handicap zone where my wife,

Judy, would quickly unpack and assemble my scooter, I would glide up the ramp provided and slip easily into the meeting room.

Then, my good wife had a brainstorm. Our congregation counted within its membership several other handicapped people, many of whom found walking quite difficult. “What if,” she inquired, “we parked at the far end of the lot, which would give me plenty of room to assemble your scooter and you ride it back to the ramp?

That way we could save this space for someone who really needs it.”

With my mind fixed firmly on that little speed dial I thought it a splendid idea. So now, each Sunday, we drive to the space at the far end of the parking lot as I envision that expanse of a half-block of unobstructed pavement as the newest version of the Motor Speedway. I back out onto the roadway, twist the little dial up to full Jackrabbit, ear ‘er back and hunker down. Eyes half-closed against the wind, I rocket up the parking lot, pressed back in my seat, hair blowing, at a probable mind-twisting speed of 10-12 mph.

A number of the membership gathers at the front door to watch as I zip up the ramp and glide sedately inside where I unobtrusively slip the little speed dial back to Turtle. I ease down the aisle to my spot next to Judy’s seat.

Probably none of the onlookers know what a refreshed spirit resides in this old body. It’s not just the speed I now fly up the parking lot, it’s a ride that is totally under my control. No seat belts. No air bags. No helmet.

Just me, my scooter and the elements.

What a ride. ❖

The Eastside’s Premier Downsizing Realtor

…by Betty Dresser Leonard

I had the first of three surgeries on my right foot a few years back.

After a four day stay in the hospital, I was Betty Dresser Leonard moved to a rehab center because I was in a wheelchair and could not put any weight on my foot for at least six weeks.

The staff was kind and caring, the food wasn’t bad and the rooms were clean. During my stay, I had several doctor’s appointments, as well as the move from the hospital to the rehab center itself. The staff contacted a cabulance-type service. Now here’s the rub-$55 each way and my insurance company doesn’t cover any of that cost. By the end of my stay, I had racked up over $600 in ride services.

By my second surgery, I had discovered Access, through King County Metro. There is a process to applying. Forms needed to be filled out and a specific page signed off by the doctor or other medical professional. But the form was pretty simple and the folks at Access are only a phone call away to answer questions. Once they get the paperwork, they make an appointment with you and provide the transportation in one of their vans to and from the appointment.

Access customers aren’t limited to just doctor appointments. They can go grocery shopping, to work and school, to get their hair cut,

meet up with friends or to enjoy a local park.

While the vans are not the most comfortable and the wait times can be long, the drivers are courteous and friendly. A couple seemed to me to drive like race car drivers and others that were “just doing their job,” but as a whole it was a positive experience.

The trips took longer than a simple drive to the doctor because they are shared rider trips. I always carefully planned my medications (the foot was very painful) and always took along a bottle of water and a protein bar or something similar.

And if you are approved to have a caregiver travel with you, there is no charge. Just let Access know they are coming when you make the reservation. If they aren’t approved, they can come along for an additional $1.75 each way. Reserve your trip in advance.

Also, the landscape of your property can be a problem. Of course, it was very easy when I was at the rehab center, but my home sits up on a hill and the driveway is steep, so the driver could only pick me up from the bottom of the drive. Planning can take care of that and it certainly saves your friends and family from trying to transport you and a wheelchair in a regular car.

The kicker is, Access is $1.75 each way. Hmmm, $55 or $1.75…

Access is the way I roll… ❖ For more information about the King County Metro Access Program, all 206-553-3000

Transforming and Redefining Aging. Everyday.

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The Senior’s Guide to Eating an Elephant …

Bayview Resident MaryLee

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14

Northwest Prime Time www.NorthwestPrimeTime.com

The Funny Side of Life

Art Linkletter Was Right …by Sy Rosen

Most of you are probably too young to remember Art Linkletter (I’m trying to get on your good side). He did this TV and radio segment Sy Rosen called Kids Say the Darndest Things. I started thinking about this show when I picked up my threeyear-old granddaughter Summer from pre-school.

As we were leaving the school, Summer and I passed a young mother who was holding her two babies in her arms.

Summer asked the mother, “Which one of your babies do you think I think is the prettiest?”

The mom and I started to worry that Summer would pick one of her children over the other. No mother wants to think that one of her babies is cuter than the other.

However Summer then smiled and said, “Both.”

The mother and I beamed. What a great answer.

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Unfortunately Summer then asked The ongoing life-affirming adventures of Rose and Dawn the young mother what those two small black spots were on the side of her face.

The young mother answered, “Oh, those are my moles.” …by Diana Couture and good wishes. “Rose, “Moles are animals, silly,” Summer Dawn,” said Pat. “I’m so glad to laughed.

“Oh Dawn, I DO see you. Now step close to me and “They are a different kind of mole.” love a birthday party,” grab hold of my walker. I need you “Why don’t you wash them off?”

Rose said enthusiastically guys to help me to the back deck so I Summer asked. while the girls were riding the number “I can’t,” the mother replied, “But 32 bus whisking them to a 90th birthday can get a break from all this smiling and greeting. I feel like Queen Elizabeth.” thank you for the suggestion.” party for their friend Patricia.

The women smiled knowingly at each Summer and I then walked a few feet “I wonder who will come?” Dawn other, stealthily left the entryway of the away and I told her it wasn’t nice to talk questioned. ”How many friends could grand home and snuck to the back deck about something on somebody’s face, it Pat have? At her age, I mean.” Rose for some privacy. could make them feel bad. Before I could looked at Dawn like she had just “Thanks so much Rose and Dawn. stop her, Summer then ran back to the screamed a dirty word. “Are you This kind of attention just isn’t my mother and said, “I think your moles are kidding me? She has many friends like thing. I’d rather be in the background beautiful. And you shouldn’t wash them us. Healthy, happy, vibrant…ahem… cleaning the church or doing the off even if you could and I’m glad they’re 80- somethings.” flowers for the Easter service. Not in not animals.”

“Just look around at church on the limelight. I love my daughters and As we were driving home, Summer Sunday morning and see all of the I’m happy they wanted to have this then said, “Grandpa, I’m scared you’re people like us filling the seats. Let’s party. And what a wonderful job they’ve going to die soon because you’re old.” face it Dawn, 80 is the new 60. And done on the food and decorations,” she “Don’t worry,” I replied, “I’m not that makes 90 the new 70. Following sighed. “I don’t mean to be ungrateful, going to die for a long time.” that logic, Patricia is just a kid.” That but I just don’t like to be the center of “Not next week?” statement made the women smile and attention.”

“No, not next week,” I forcefully brought back the celebratory mood.

Rose and Dawn understood. “Funny replied.

The driver wished the girls a you should say that, Pat. We were just “That’s good because you said you wonderful day and a good party as they discussing how different you looked were going to take me to the Batman stepped carefully off of the bus and into today from the last time we cleaned Leggo movie next week.” the upscale neighborhood. Bruce was the church. Where’s your dungarees?”

Well at least she had her priorities their favorite Metro bus driver because The women laughed and immediately straight. Summer then told me, “When he always welcomed them to his bus in relaxed. Pat wiped laughing tears from I grow up I’m going to have a really big fluent French. They hadn’t a clue what her eyes and said her daughters made house. With like 14 bedrooms and 62 he was saying, but it seemed so exciting her ‘hang up her dungarees for the day’. bathrooms. And my mommy and daddy and romantic as he was saying it. will live there and you and grandma can A short walk to Pat’s house and they “But, believe me,” Pat shouted. “That’s also live there.” saw the line of people out the front door. my preferred wardrobe. And I’d rather to be up to my elbows in soapy water at “Thanks, that’s very nice of you,” I “Look Dawn. What did I tell you? Look the back of the church.” replied. at all the ‘gray heads.’ ” Dawn stared in The women laughed and bonded.

“And you can pay me rent,” Summer disbelief at the crowd at the door. The “But what about the great food spread? added, “And if you don’t have enough women queued up to enter and peaked money for rent, you can wash the dishes around the crowd to see Patricia greeting Huh?” Patricia said in a bragging way. and clean the floors.” people from a queen-like throne. “Wow,” “Have you tried the pasta cake? I mean really, it’s a cake with pasta in the Well at least I didn’t have to worry Rose commented. “I’ve never seen Pat middle.” Rose and Dawn gasped in about going into a nursing home. And look so regal. She sure looks different disbelief. “What?” Dawn questioned. with 62 bathrooms I’ll never have to worry when we’re cleaning the church or about having an accident (which will arranging flowers for the Easter service. “How can that be done? Did Rose tell you that we took a French cooking make it easier to clean the floors).

I think 90 agrees with her.” class? I’m not sure we learned a lot, but I then continued driving when Finally the girls got in the house we had a great time feasting on the food Summer, out of nowhere, blurted, “You and were able to greet Pat with kisses at the end of the class. Maybe we can’t move until the white man tells should all do some classes together? you to.”

How about kick boxing? “ Oh man, this was not a cute type of Surprised at the suggestion, the comment. This was very disturbing and ladies laughed and knew this would bordered on some form of bigotry. My never happen. granddaughter was only three, where As they returned to the party, did she learn talk like that? I then was Rose asked Patricia, “Pat, do you greatly relieved when I saw what she was feel your age?” Pat thought for a referring to. moment, “Not until I walk by a She was talking about the illuminated mirror and wonder who that old pedestrian street signal of a man walking, woman is staring back at me.” Rose which indicated that it was okay to and Dawn nodded knowingly at cross the street. It had nothing to do each other and at Pat. “We hear ya,” with race. I then realized that kids may “It’s from your boss.

It says, ‘Best is all they needed to say to the happy say the darndest things but sometimes wishes for a speedy recovery’ “ birthday girl. ❖ grandfathers think the stupidest things. ❖

A 90th Birthday Party

May 2017

www.NorthwestPrimeTime.com 15

Animals in Advertising ...by Len Elliott

Across 1. Vanna’s partner 4. Joe ____ (for certain cigarettes) 9. The AFLAC ____ (for a supplemental insurance provider) 13. Simple rhyme scheme 15. “____ Mio”: 2 wds.

16. Alleviate 17. Branch of Islam 18. Ten Commandments word 19. Not at home 20. For Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes 23. C-3PO’s sidekick, familiarly 24. King David’s successor 28. Types of fertilizer 32. Battery terminal 33. Mornings, briefly 36. For the Borden Dairy Company 39. “Well, ____-di-dah!”

40. “I ____ idea.” (surprised me): 2 wds.

41. Realm that lasted until 1806: abbr.

42. McGruff ____ (for the Ad Council to increase personal safety) 46. Communication system for the deaf: abbr.

47. Play ____ (act): 2 wds.

48. Krispy Kreme concoction 50. Fixed brakes, in a way 53. Unit of stock 57. For 9Lives 61. It can follow photo or bug 64. ____ Semple McPherson 65. Cable alternative 66. “Garfield” pooch

67. Tire in the trunk 68. “Zip-____-Doo-Dah”: hyph.

69. Smokey ___ (for forest fire prevention) 70. German industrial city 71. Estonia, Latvia or Lithuania, once: abbr.

Down 1. Ziti or penne, e.g.

2. Loathe 3. “____ funny, McGee.” 4. Bludgeon, to a Brit 5. Tennis great Arthur 6. Castle protection 7. Island for immigrants to USA 8. Release: 2 wds.

9. Beloved person (and a 1962 hit song

by Larry Finnegan): 2 wds.

10. Detroit union: abbr.

11. Gen. Lee’s employer :abbr.

12. “____ Largo” (1948 Bogart/Bacall film) 14. Louisiana waterway 21. Ripped 22. “In the Valley of ____” (2007 Tommy Lee Jones film) 25. Starbucks order 26. Smells 27. Stairway post 29. K-12 in school, in short 30. “____ I” (me, too): 2 wds.

31. ____ with (supported) 33. “I do” location

In May ...by Len Elliott

The answer to each clue is either a word that starts with “ma” and ends with “y” or that starts with “m” and ends with “ay.” For example, Balderdash – malarkey and Type of eel – moray. There are three examples of each way of being “in May.”

1. __________ vs. Madison (landmark 1803 US Supreme Court case) 2. May 14 this year: 2 wds.

3. Word repeated in the title of a Mamas and Papas hit 4. Wed 5. O’Hare alternative answers on page 18 6. Polite DELETED SENIOR MOMENT My friend had jumbled up some words In the midst of a conversation.

My hearing isn’t all that good So I asked for clarification.

She said that she’d be happy to Repeat the whole word string Then proffered, with a chuckle, But you didn’t miss a thing.

-- Pat D’Amico

Solution on page 18

34. Olympic skier Steve or Phil 35. Hebrew underworld 37. Prefix for morph or derm 38. Mickey Mouse or Pluto, slangily 43. Sir Edmund Hillary, notably 44. “The Biggest Little City in the World” (or so they say) 45. Spew 49. Silent film actress Bara 51. Clear the board 52. Faucet problems 54. Caustic compounds

55. Tears down, in England 56. Bygone anesthetic 58. “____ corny as Kansas in August…”: 2 wds.

59. Dry, as a desert 60. “Harold ____” (old comic about a young person) 61. Pitcher Feller or Lemon 62. Praiseful poem 63. Soccer star Hamm

The only reason I would take up jogging is so that I could hear heavy breathing again. -- Erma Bombeck We could certainly slow the aging process down if it had to work its way through Congress. --Will Rogers My grandmother was a very tough woman. She buried three husbands and two of them were just napping.

--Rita Rudner

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16

Northwest Prime Time www.NorthwestPrimeTime.com comb and then brushed him with special

Scenes from Childhood horse brushes. “But Panda told me what

happened once when a truck splashed him with mud in front of our house,” he added.

Panda was my special friend even though he was stuffed with cotton fluff.

I carried him everywhere except to school, but I used to set him on my windowsill before Daddy …by Hallie Appel and I left, so that he could see out and not get bored My father told me while I was gone. to hold my hand flat “What happened was, with the cube of sugar he had mud splashed mud on it and bring it up all over him! His head was toward Bill’s nose. I saw hanging down and the Bill every day when mud was dripping off him Daddy walked with me and he was very unhappy.” to kindergarten on his “Oh, poor Bill!” I way to work. Bill was almost felt like crying. the white horse who “What did he do, Daddy! pulled the milk van.

Was it all right?”

He knew every house “Well, Panda was where Mr. Martin watching and went outside delivered milk He would Hallie’s father holding her walk on to the next as little brother, John, and Hallie and when Mr. Martin came holding Panda, 1946 back from D’Arcy’s house Mr. Martin finished he told Mr. Martin his idea. delivering the full So Mr. Martin and Panda unhitched Bill, bottles and picking up the empty at the and Panda led the way up the path to house before. the kitchen door. Panda and Mr. Martin I didn’t even feel Bill’s lips as he delicately took the sugar. For the first time and Bill went up the steps, and through the kitchen and up the back stairs to the in all our meetings I felt brave enough bathroom. Bill stood in the bathtub and to reach up and pat him on his smooth, Mr. Martin rubbed soap all over him. warm neck. As we walked on I asked, Panda stood on Bill’s back holding the Daddy, “Do you think Mr. Martin ever sprayer and rinsed him off. And then has to wash him to keep him so clean?” they used all the towels they found in the My father said that after they bathroom to dry him until Bill was all finished their delivery work, Mr. Martin probably combed his coat with a curry continued on page 18

How Panda Gave Bill a Bath

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May 2017

Writing Corner

Outlines …by Ariele M. Huff

Many people assume outlines are only a nonfiction tool. Yet, they are invaluable for producing quality fiction too.

Ariele M. Huff Years ago, I was delighted to hear a famous author making that point about his bestselling novels. He said he regretted not having used outlines for his initial successful books…because then they would have been even better!

Outlines also are a slick way to surmount writer’s block—equally useful with expository writing and fiction.

This strategy has an almost magical feel—achieving a solid written product when you aren’t quite sure how to do that. It lets you write your way there.

Start with a basic idea. Let’s say you’re aiming at completing a novel about a young American Indian woman who marries a Missouri mountain man—a real situation from my family history that I’ve thought would make a good narrative nonfiction novel (true stories made more interesting with fiction elements).

Begin with a Word Outline: 1) Meeting 2) Marriage 3) Disinherited 4) Mountains 5) Oil 6) Oklahoma Move next to a Sentence Outline 1) John Wilson Jr. meets Emily Lame Eagle when he hunts with her brother.

2) The gruff mountain man proposes to Emily who says yes.

3) John Senior disinherits his son.

Poetry Corner

4) The couple stays in the mountains and has two children.

5) The land given to the Otoe Tribe is found to have oil so tribe members are sent to an Oklahoma reservation.

6) Emily and John follow family to Oklahoma.

Now expand to a Paragraph Outline 1) Grizzly Bear and John Wilson often hunted the Missouri mountains together. Both were rebels, but they were friends. John became a frequent visitor to Bear’s camp where he fit in with the Otoe Coyote life. He especially liked Emily Lame Eagle, Bear’s sister. She was pretty and clever.

2) To win Emily, John repeated the tale of the chief ’s peace bundle and presented her with herbs and flowers. She happily agreed to marry him.

3) When John’s father heard of the marriage, he told his son: “Never return to my farm. You are no longer part of this family.”

4) The couple was content in the mountains with their two children who were raised speaking Chiwere and hearing tales of Sleep Man. 5) Then oil was found on land given to the Otoe. Tribal members lost their allocations and were sent to Oklahoma where Coyote background was no longer recognized.

6) Though they moved to Oklahoma to be with family, the couple never lived on the reservation—keeping traditions in a new mountain home. (They could afford to do that as John’s sisters shared their inheritances when John Sr. died.)

Once the story is fleshed out into paragraphs, it only needs transitions and development— descriptions and more anecdotes.

I recommend giving this method a try anytime you are stymied about how to create any piece of writing. All stories and articles can be improved by making an outline—at any stage of their creation. ❖ Get Published on May 20th. Ask how: ariele@comcast.net.

TO MY MOTHER’S CHILDREN

On this special day, let us remember Mother dear, all the love and caring she humbly gave.

We spend our lives wondering As she shared her love of our Lord, what we’ll do a wondrous example for all to follow. without our mothers.

The gentle touch and guidance she gave And then, we lose her. to her children and to any in need.

At any age, the reality is we’ve Warm and happy–the home we shared gotten no answers. which she and Daddy made for us.

We just manage a-day-at-a-time. Now let our hearts give them thanks The illusion: that any level of for all the many fond memories. acumen or maturity can fix Have many more “Happy Mother’s Days” missing a parent. ‘till we all shall meet above.

--Ariele M. Huff --With love from little sister, Pat Miller (Beaudry) Per Moms:

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

May 2017

www.NorthwestPrimeTime.com 17

LET’S GO!

A Calendar of Places to Go, Do or See…

See our full calendar at northwestprimetime.com/calendar Retirement Communities Lea Hill Celebrates 10th Birthday!

May 21, 1pm-3pm. join the party: tours, $250 gift raffle, Wesley Homes Lea Hill, 32049 109th Pl SE, Auburn. RSVP 855-445-8861 wesleyhomes.org.

Foss Home & Village

Senior Events

Free Hearing Event

Senior Center Donations

Consider a donation to your local senior center! SE Seattle Senior Center is working to raise $35,000

by May 31 to continue social work services. For info, call 206-722-0317 or sessc.org

Changing Aging Tour

May 2-3 blends storytelling, live music, medical science and visual effects covering aging, 2 topics & an interactive lobby experience in between, May 2 at Pierce College in Puyallup; May 3 at Town Hall Seattle; 2:30-4:30 .“Disrupt Dementia”; 7-8:30pm “Life’s Most Dangerous Game” $20, or both for $30. https://changingaging.org/tour/

Being Mortal

May 2, 6, 10, 13, 15, 18, free screening and discussions of PBS documentary about living the good life till the very end, various Pierce County libraries, 253-798-4600 www.co.pierce. wa.us/1986/Aging-Disability-Resources

Imposter Fraud Prevention

May 17, 9am-1pm, join Washington State Attorney General and experts from AARP Fraud Watch Network, Microsoft, the Federal Trade Commission and BECU to learn how to spot and avoid the latest imposter scams, Brockey Conference Ctrr at South Seattle College, 6000 16th Ave SW, lunch included, free but RSVP 1-877-926-8300, www. aarp.org/seattle

Estate Planning

May 17, 12:30pm, discussion on wills, power of attorney, living wills, community property and more, presented by Senior Rights Assistance, SeaTac Comm Ctr, 13735 24th Ave S, 206-973-4680.

Dementia-Friendly Art Classes

May 5, 10:30am, dance, poetry, music, art, Bothell Library, 18215 98th Ave NE, for info & RSVP call Wendy, 425-369- 3285.

Meet Me at the Movies

May 6, 3pm, designed for those with memory loss, short film clips followed by audience discussion and reminiscence, Bothell Library, 18215 98th Ave NE, for info call Wendy, 425-369-3285.

Discovery Park Senior Scholars

May 11, 18, 25, 9:30am-2pm, join the group for birdwatching, to learn about trees & shrubs, or explore the extra-low tide, $20 each or 3 for $45, sponsored by Seattle Parks & AARP, registration and info Cheryl 206-615-0619.

Aviation History-The Legacy of Apollo

May 11, 7pm, A look back at the Apollo program’s challenges & accomplishments by Tony Gondola from the Museum of Flight, $2, Des Moines Activity Center, 2045 S. 216th St, 206-878-1642.

Shoreline-LFP Senior Center

May 12 Karaoke/Bingo RSVP; May 16, 10:3011:30am discussion on caring for older adults; May 23-June 27, 10am-12:30pm Living Well with Chronic Conditions, 206-365-1536, 18560 1st Ave NE, Shoreline, 206-365-1536,

Northshore Senior Center

May 16-18, celebrate Better Hearing & Speech month with demos of the newest hearing aids, free hearing consultations with audiologists, at all 3 Evergreen Speech & Hearing locations in Redmond, Bellevue & Kirkland, 425-882-4347, www.everhear.com

May 13, 5:30-9pm, auction fundraiser, $75 425487-2441; May 19, 6-9pm World Dance Party, learn dances from Denmark, Cambodia & more free, bring potluck dish 425-286-1029.

Free Oral Screen for 65+

May 20, in addition to the free 10 minute screening of teeth, gums and dentures by dental hygienists, receive $20 Visa gift card, dental care kit, dental resources, free but RSVP 425-670-5050, Lynnwood Senior Center, 19000 44th Ave W, Lynnwood.

SE Seattle Senior Center

May 21, 3-6pm, enjoy the smooth sounds of Lonnie Williams at the senior center’s “Indigo Room” $15$20, 4655 S Holly St, Seattle, 206-722-0317.

Wisdom Café

May 23, 2-3:30pm, stress, resilience, tips for managing stress, Richmond Beach Library, 19601 21st Ave NW, Shoreline, 206-546-3522

Retired or Rewired?

May 27, 11am-12:30pm, free program explores creating a fulfilling “third act” in retirement, Federal Way Library, 34200 1st Way S, 253-838-3668.

Seniors Guide to Moving/Downsizing

June 6, 10-11am, “downsizing one bite at a time”

by Kirk Vaux, Windermere downsizing realtor, plus speaker on how to sort, pack & liquidate, Peter Kirk Community Center, Kirkland. Free event, RSVP, 206850-4570. www.KirkVaux.com

May 12, 6-9pm & May 13, noon-5pm, art, live music, food & drink, Greenwood from 59th-90th.

Kirkland Artist Studio Tour

May 13-14, 10am-6pm, over 50 artists, www. kirklandartscenter.org/KAST

June 4, 3pm, hear Holocaust speaker Jeannie Opdyke Smith riveting story of love & hope, Shoreline Comm Coll, bldg 9000, 16101 Greenwood Ave N. $10 includes refreshments, tickets/info 206-834-2581 fosscare.org.

Theater & Musicals

Health Education

Village Theatre

Living Well with Diabetes

Daystar Retirement Community in West Seattle honors five centenarians this month! On May 18, the celebration will include a luncheon and Certificates of Recognition from Washington State Governor Jay Inslee for each of the centenarians. Pictured here (left to right): Isabelle Mills will turn 102 May 9, Ethel Taylor turned 101 April 19, Betty Novotny 103 as of February 24, Dorothea Huff 101 as of February 22, Dora Kinsch 101 October 29. Daystar will honor two more residents who turn 100 in 2018: June Blakney and Mary Mann.

PhinneyWood Art Tour

May 4, 10am, lifestyle recommendations to optimize health and prevent complications, Auburn Sr Ctr, 808 Ninth St SE, 253-931-3016.

Eating Well to Reduce Fatigue

May 9, 10am, learn coping skills and foods & vitamins that help, by dietician, Des Moines Senior Center, 2045 S. 216th St, 206-878-1642.

Build a Better Back

May 10, 10am, presentation by physical therapist for seniors on common causes, what you can do about pain and how to prevent it, 4818 Nassau Ave NE, Tacoma, 253-404-3900.

Free Health Talks

May 11, 7-8:30pm Meditation for Optimal Well Being, learn simple technique; May 13, 2-3pm easy techniques for getting vital nutrients & vitamins, recipes included free but RSVP; Shoreline Library 345 NE 175th St, 206-362-7550

Free Hearing Event

May 16-18, celebrate Better Hearing & Speech month with demos of the newest hearing aids, free hearing consultations with audiologists, at all 3 Evergreen Speech & Hearing locations in Redmond, Bellevue and Kirkland, 425-882-4347, www.everhear.com

Free Seattle Vision Seminar

May 20, 8am-1pm, learn about emerging treatments for inherited retinal diseases from national and local experts, Sheraton Seattle Hotel, 1400 Sixth Ave, free RSVP required 1-800-586-6765 or www.FightBlindness.org/ SeattleVisionSeminar

Alzheimer’s Talks

May 23, 7:30pm Ronald Reagan’s eldest son Michael and chairman of French Alz Foundation interviewed on stage, $35, Benaroya Hall, Seattle, www.theartofalzheimers.net

Caregiver Training Conference

June 5, all-day training offers 16 workshops on topics for caregivers, speakers, practical info and resources, Tukwila Community Center, Tukwila, RSVP early for discount, 1-800-422-3263.

Community Art Events B-Town Music and Art Walk

May 5, 6-9pm, easy walking SW 152nd St from4th to10th Ave SW, 20 venues hosting music and art by local students, free live music & performances, restaurants & cafes along the way.

Arts North Studio Tour

May 6-7, 31 artists at 9 studios in Seattle’s Haller Lake area, www.artsnorthstudiotour.com

5th Avenue Theatre

Thru May 6, The Secret Garden, 206-625-1900.

An American in Paris

May 9-14, Paramount Theatre, 1-800745-3000.

May 11-July 2 “Dream Girls” the R&B spectacular set in the 60s, 425-392-2202, villagetheatre.org

Centerstage Theatre

May 13-June 4, world premiere “Cardinal Sins” tragic love during the creation of the Magna Carta, 3200 SW Dash Point Rd, Federal Way, 253-6611444, www.centerstagetheatre.com

Edmonds Driftwood Players

Thru May 14, “The Drowsy Chaperone” love letter to musical theater of the 1920s, Wade James Theater, 950 Main St, Edmonds, 425-774-9600.

Taproot Senior Matinee

May 17-June 17 Dorothy Sayer’s mystery Busman’s Honeymoon senior matinees May 23 & June 7, 2pm, 204 N 85th St, Seattle, 206-781-9707.

Seattle Rep

Thru June 18 “Here Lies Love” story of the rise and fall of Imelda Marcos set as a vibrant dance party; 206-443-2224, www.seattlerep.org

Choral Music

South Sound Concerts

May 13, 2pm Youth Chorus; May 14, 2pm, songs for mom $15-$25, Highline Performing Arts Ctr, 401 S 152nd St, Burien, 206-246-6040.

Northwest Chorale

May 13, 7:30pm at 1st Free Methodist Church, 3200 3rd Ave W Seattle; May 20, 7:30pm at United Methodist Church, 828 Caspers St, Edmonds, Hanel’s Israel in Egypt, free, but consider a donation to NW Harvest, 206-696-1222.

Master Chorus Eastside

May 14, 3pm, John Rutter’s funny musical celebration Banquet Fugue, $15-$20, Pine Lake Covenant Church, 1715 228th Ave SE Sammamish, 425-392-8446.

Vocalpoint!

May 18-28, “Addicted to Love’ Broadway Perf Hall, 1625 Broadway, Seattle’s Capitol Hill, $10$20, 206-524-3234, www.vocalpointseattle.org

Bellevue Chamber Chorus

May 20, 7:30pm, St Luke’s Lutheran Church, Bellevue. May 21, 3pm, First United Methodist Church, Bellevue. Concerts feature Renaissance madrigals, 19th century classics, Rodgers & Hammerstein & contemporary works, Special senior prices, 425-881-0445, www. bellevuechamberchorus.org

Sno-King Chorale

June 10, 3pm & 7pm, ‘Fiddler on the Roof’ concert, includes Croatian Dance Ensemble & violinist, Edmonds Center for the Arts, 410 Fourth Avenue N. Ticket info 425-275-9595 or sno-kingchorale.org

Lakewood Sr Ctr Open House

June 8, 10am-1pm, preview events, programs, 9112 Lakewood Dr SW, 253-682-3480.

Des Moines Waterfront Market

Sats June-Sept, 10am-2pm Low income seniors can get $10 voucher for fresh foods, free shuttle rides, artisans, live music, food trucks, July-Aug Weds 4-8pm; 206-650-3383, www.DMFM.org

May 1st – 25th* 1PM, 3PM, 5PM, 7PM & 9PM

Sno-King Community Chorale

under the direction of Frank DeMiero Accompanist Debra DeMiero Presents

5 – 9PM: 30 additional drawing winners 9:30PM: One finalist will unlock the door to the

A concert version of the long-running Broadway hit featuring

Members of Vela Luka Croatian Dance Ensemble

$50,000 Tiny House Grand Prize

and

Violinist Luis Alcantara

SATURDAY, JUNE 10, 2017 3:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.

EDMONDS CENTER FOR THE ARTS 410 Fourth Avenue North Edmonds, WA 98020

TICKET INFORMATION:

ec4arts.org or visit sno-kingchorale.org 425-275-9595 Adults: $20 Seniors/Students: $17 Children 12 and under: $10 Special Group Discount: $15 for groups of 10 or more seniors

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*Excludes May 5. Must be 21+ Players Club member.

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18

Northwest Prime Time www.NorthwestPrimeTime.com

Melinda Gates – A Philanthropic Life

that meant contending with a ...continued from page 1 hundred construction know that our family belief workers on a is about responsibility… daily basis. Bill we have a responsibility to said he used to give back to the world,” said tell Melinda Melinda. She and Bill plan during the to give away 95% of their stress of the enormous wealth over Melinda and Bill’s children are growing up in their lifetimes, a decision the family’s sprawling 66,000 sq-ft mansion period: “Every their children are proud of. on Lake Washington, but they still work to day I want to give their children a normal life hear one thing They will follow Warren you like about Buffett’s philosophy: “A this house.

She recalls, “I’d say, ‘Okay, I very rich person should leave his kids like the laundry chute.’ ” enough to do anything, but not enough Melinda told the Huffington Post to do nothing.” about their work on the foundation: Despite her extraordinary life, “For Bill and me, this is the focus of our Melinda has a desire for normalcy, especially when it comes to her children. life now and we get huge blessings…

It blesses our marriage, because we talk But how do you grow up normally when about these issues, we’re passionate about living in a 66,000 square-foot mansion them and we support one another, we overlooking Lake Washington? In an see things together and separately and interview with Abigail Pesta, Melinda learn from that. It blesses our family said she and Bill try to keep school and life, because we talk with our kids about home life as “as normal as we can. I people across the world and ways that mean, they have an allowance, they you might help them. We let them have chores. I told them we would not experience some of it. So it changes you get a dog unless they’re the ones to feed in lots of meaningful and profound ways.” it and clean up after it. And guess who Melinda and Bill Gates have cleans up and feeds the dog? They do. received countless awards and accolades.

Bill also grew up in a very middle class family. You just try to do a lot of the same In 2016, they received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Barack things that your own parents did.” The Obama for their philanthropic work couple schedules regular get-togethers like family movie nights and family swim around the world.

“On the day I die, I want people time. Last month, Bill – the king of high to think that I was a great mom and a tech – revealed that he and Melinda didn’t allow their children to own a smart great family member and a great friend.

I care about that more than I care about phone or tablet before the age of 14, anything else,” Melinda said. She told and that tech gadgets are banned at the Jane Pauley, “I read this poem that I dinner table. loved at my high school graduation Back to striving for normalcy and that mega-mansion on Lake Washington speech about what a successful life was – Bill discussed the situation with Forbes. to me. And it’s to know that one life has breathed easier because you’ve lived. To The couple had moved into the house me, that’s success.” ❖ before construction was completed and

How Panda Gave Bill a Bath ...continued from page 16

white and shining again.

“By lunchtime when Hallie came home a little earlier than usual for lunch,” continued Daddy, “Bill and Mr. Martin were far away, delivering the last of the milk bottles, and Panda was busy wiping up all the muddy hoof prints. Hallie helped him and by the time Mummy came home a few minutes later no one would have guessed that Bill had come inside and had a good wash. Except that there were some muddy cleaning cloths in the kitchen sink and a pile of damp towels in the bathtub.”

By this time we were at my classroom door. I asked him, “Daddy will you please write it all down and draw some pictures, so I can show Panda, in case he forgets?”

My father said he would, and kissed me goodbye until he came home from work.

I have kept the picture book “How Panda Gave Bill A Bath” for over 70 years. The children and grandchildren have all heard it read to them. They, too, were sad at the picture of poor Bill, head down and dripping mud, and happy when he was and clean and shining again.

I hope I’ll still be around to read it to my great grandchildren. ❖

AFib Increases Risks for Stroke and Heart-Related Death ...continued from page 8

Massachusetts General Hospital.

The good news is that recognizing the symptoms of AFib and getting treatment can significantly reduce the risk of stroke.

“AFib is a leading cause of stroke, but it is treatable. That’s why it’s so important to understand your risks and recognize any symptoms you may have,” Ellinor said.

Treatment for AFib utilizing blood thinners has also become easier, thanks to new medications that don’t require repeated blood tests and are more effective at stroke prevention. For some patients, a surgical procedure in which the disruptive heart tissue is removed, called a cardiac ablation, can also be effective in preventing future occurrences of AFib. If you suspect you have AFib, meet with your doctor and continue with any treatment, even if you no longer experience symptoms, Ellinor said.

To learn more about AFib, including risk factors, symptoms and treatment, visit heart.org/afibawareness. ❖

May 2017

Facing Macular Degeneration ...continued from page 6

drop off tapes were, of course, as welcome as the books.

Mom enjoyed bowling in the senior leagues. Thankfully, she figured out she could continue to bowl even though she couldn’t see the arrows on the lane or the pins. Her method was to get up on the approach, stand in her usual spot and roll what she hoped was a strike. If any pins were left, her teammates told her their numbers.

“Betty, you’ve got the 5-7 split.”

Okay, she knew where to stand to roll the ball at the angle needed to clip the 5 on the right so it would slide over and take out the 7. Did it always work? Heck no, but it was defiantly inspiring to watch a blind woman bowl.

Even when she was discouraged, she applied their suggestions and persevered. I believe that’s why she continued to enjoy an active senior life in spite of macular degeneration.

Looking back, I remember how my dad stepped up to “assist” Mom with many daily household tasks.

In this way, he picked up several skills that helped him after she passed away at the age of 78.

As for my sisters and me, at our yearly eye exams we have our doctors carefully check for signs of the disease. We take multiple vitamins especially formulated for eye health, and (yes, Mom) we eat lots of vegetables. I’m thankful the treatments offered today are far better than those available for our mom.

My older sister was diagnosed with macular degeneration a few years ago and reports that it is being treated successfully with regular visits to an eye specialist.

She is following in Mom’s active footsteps. She recently turned 70 and is taking college classes, playing bells in her church and teaching art classes to cancer survivors, among other activities.

Facing macular degeneration has been challenging for my sis but I think having watched Mom continue to enjoy her senior years despite her diminished vision inspires Sandy to do the same. ❖

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May 2017

www.NorthwestPrimeTime.com 19

Active Lifestyles

I Can’t Stop Racing …by Gail Galbraith Everett

Just days before my 80th birthday I ran the Inspiring Hope 5K. Did I bound out of bed the morning of that race? Not quite.

There’s always an excuse for staying home…fatigue, aching muscles. That day a headache brought on by spring pollen.

I eased out of bed, popped an Advil and got moving, determined to run Inspiring Hope again this year. It offers a route overlooking the Sound, dedicated volunteers and tasty snacks afterward. Most important, it benefits the fight against breast cancer, and my sister is a survivor.

At 8am, headache gone, I arrived at Kamiak High School. When the loudspeaker announced start time, I lined up for the second wave, behind the speeders, ahead of the walkers.

The gun banged and we were off.

Already breathing hard, I tried to ignore the tightness in my thighs I always feel at the start of a run.

As runners at the front of my wave sped off, I looked for someone to chase. Not too far ahead I picked out a youngish guy who looked promising. A bit rotund, wearing a purple hat, green shirt and yellow shorts, he’d be easy to keep in my line of vision. Sad to say, I never quite caught up with him, but he helped

spur me on.

Among all these young folks, did I, at age 80, feel out of place? Did they look at me funny as they passed?

No. Old lady runners no longer excite wonder and concern. So much has changed in 30 years. When Catholic Sister Marian Irvine, at age 54, ran track and field events in the 1984 U.S. Olympic trials, she was the oldest participant.

When she ran people 80-year-old Gail Galbraith Everett runs the Inspiring shouted “Go Grandma!”

And that was when she was Hope 5K to help raise funds for breast cancer research and to inspire others to stay active as they grow older in her fifties!

I’ve always liked to run, but when old English rhyme, “One foot up, the other foot down. That’s the way to I was growing up, track was for boys.

London town.” To the volunteers In 1972, Title 9 finally opened up in purple t-shirts who called out track and field for high school girls. encouragement, I mouthed a And soon middle-aged women like breathless “Thank you.” me began running road races. At last My throat felt parched by the I could actually compete in a sport! I ran my first 10K in my late forties, and time I staggered to the halfway mark where kids handed out cups of water. with minor ups and downs, I’ve been I grabbed two, gulped them down running ever since.

But why were these miles so much greedily, and kept moving.

Was I having fun? Not really. longer than the ones on my twoEven running along a seaside mile runs from home? Just getting to boulevard with supportive fellow the first mile-marker seemed to take runners and volunteers who cheered forever. me on, it was hard. “If one could run I soldiered on, remembering an

without getting tired, I don’t think one would often want to do anything else,” C.S. Lewis wrote in one of the Narnia books I love. Trouble is, I do get real tired.

At last I reached the three-mile mark. “Almost there,” the volunteer called out. “Go for it!” “Thanks,” I gasped and spurted to the end. As I staggered under the “Finish” banner, I mumbled my thanks again, this time to the folks who waved and cheered.

Hot and a little wobbly, I had finished another 5K. When none of the supergrandmas like Louise Mihay from Olympia are there, I sometimes win the over-seventy division.

Ever hopeful, I waited around for the awards. But this time the highest division was sixty and over.

Youngsters in their sixties had bested me. I swallowed my mild disappointment. The real award was joining all those fun people at an amazing event. And great news: the Inspiring Hope Run earned $6,500 to fight breast cancer.

I’ve registered for 2017 Inspiring Hope 5K. Health publications for seniors insist that exercise helps keep body and brain alive. Realizing that a fall or illness could stop me at any moment, I’ll thank our Lord for strength each morning and keep running as long as I can. ❖ The 2017 Inspiring Hope Run and Walk, which raises money for breast cancer research, takes place on May 13 in Mukilteo. For information, visit www.inspiringhope.info

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Are you for real?

You get a call from someone who says they’re from the IRS, and you owe back taxes. But do you? A pop-up on your computer warns your machine is infected and you need immediate technical support. Should you be worried? You get a call: “Grandma, I need money for bail.”

But is it really your grandchild?

“Imposter fraud” occurs when a scammer poses as someone they’re not in order to steal your money. These types of scams have reached epidemic proportions in Washington State and throughout the country. And just when you think you’ve heard it all, con-artists come up with a new scheme to trick you out of your hard earned dollars.

With increased vigilance, we can stay one step ahead of the scammers. Learn how to sort fact from fiction, and how to protect yourself and the people you care about at a free “Unmasking the Imposters” event on May 17 in Seattle.

Wednesday, May 17, 2017 | 9:00 a.m. –1:00 p.m. (doors open at 8:30 a.m.)

The Brockey Conference Center at South Seattle College 6000 16th Avenue SW Seattle, WA 98106 Lunch is included.

Register at aarp.org/seattle or call toll-free 1-877-926-8300.

Space is limited and registration is required, so reserve your seat today.

Bob Ferguson Washington State Attorney General