Northwest Prime Time - January/February 2021

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VOL. 21

NO. 1

Januar y Februa / ry 2021

The Man Who Saw Bigfoot How the legendary creature ruined this Washingtonian’s life, then gave him a fresh start

...by Gabriel Spitzer

I

f you close your eyes and picture Sasquatch, there’s a good chance you’ll conjure up a very specific image: a big, hairy humanoid, mid-stride, arms swinging, head turned to glance back over its right shoulder.

In that iconic picture, the thing Bigfoot was turning back to look at was Bob Gimlin.

In 1967, Bob Gimlin of Yakima accompanied his friend Roger Patterson on a mission to track Bigfoot. The result is the world-famous footage of a hairy creature seen looking over its shoulder. It was looking at the no-nonsense cowboy, Bob. Photo courtesy KNKX.org

Gimlin, along with Roger Patterson, gathered their famous film footage in northern California in 1967.

More than fifty years later people still pore over it, debating its authenticity and speculating on how it may have been faked.

That film, which launched a thousand Bigfoot hunters, also sort of ruined Bob’s life.

Bob Gimlin lives in Yakima, and he’s a real-deal cowboy. He used to break horses, he rode in an honest-toGod sheriff’s posse, and, of course, he rode in rodeos, which is where he met Roger Patterson.

One day in 1961 they ran into each other at a gas station, and Roger told Bob he wanted to show him something.

He came back with a large plaster cast of a footprint – “this is a Bigfoot track,” Roger said.

Bob wasn’t sure what to make of that. But he was open-minded enough that one day later, when Roger came knocking, he was willing to listen.

“He come running into my place and he said Bob, can you take me to Northern California?” remembers Bob. “Labor day weekend they found all these tracks down there.”

An Encounter At Willow Creek Bob agreed to load up three horses in his trailer and head down to the area around Willow Creek, in Northern California. They quickly discovered the tracks they were looking for had succumbed to rain and human foot traffic. But the two men mounted up and headed deep into the woods on old logging roads.

“The leaves were all changing, reds and yellows,” Bob recalled. “We were just riding up there, Roger was taking pictures of me on the horse and leading the packhorse. That’s when Roger’s horse just started jumpin’ and a lungin’.”

Then, Bob saw what was spooking the horse.

“There was a Bigfoot standing there just on the other side of the crick from us. But it just immediately turned and started walking away. Well, Roger by then had got his camera out of his saddlebag on his horse, and he was up running across the crick there. He hit the other side of the bank and stumbled and kind of fell down on his elbows.

And that’s when it made that famous head turn, is when I stepped down off the horse,” he said.

There was no doubt in Bob’s mind: This wasn’t a hoax. This was Bigfoot.

Once they’d calmed their horses down, they tried to follow her—she appeared to be a rather heavy-bosomed female—but to no avail.

A Schism, And An Imposter Once the shaky film was developed, Roger was giddy, certain that he had a goldmine on his hands.

But Bob was unimpressed.

“When I first saw the film I thought [expletive], that ain’t nothing. I said I saw a lot more than that. So I was kind of the bad guy,” said Bob. That turned out to be the first crack in their friendship.

They hit the road with the film, trying to interest investors and maybe sell the story to Hollywood. But Bob

All The says his heart Ridicule And wasn’t in None Of The it. He had Money horses to Bob says he take care forgave Roger of, and he at that point … headed but his anger home to still boiled. He get back to seethed that work. this had turned Still, to a payday for Roger and others but not his associates for him. And continued Bob chafed at the the mockery— roadshow the constant with, mockery—that according to seemed to Bob Gimlin, follow him one major The Bigfoot, also known as Sasquatch seen in this wherever he difference. shot from the world-famous film, is a subject of went.

“He hired still controversy and enduring intrigue He says some guy that people would said he was occasionally screech into his driveway in me!” Bob said, still incredulous after the middle of the night and shout taunts all these decades.

And that was it for Bob and Roger. about going Bigfoot hunting.

When the ridicule reached his wife Bob says the two didn’t speak again at her bank job, that was a breaking until Roger was on his deathbed. point.

“His brothers called me and said “They’d razz her about it where she Bob, he’s asked to see you. So I went to see a little old dried up guy there in was working, and she’d come home a the bed and he rallied up a little. Bob, bawlin’ and saying, oh God Bob, I wish you had never went down there with he said, I apologize,” Bob said.

“He said Bob, I’ve got the money Roger. I said I do, too.”

So Bob disowned Bigfoot. He and the means and the equipment.

He said as quick as I get well you and stopped doing interviews and answering mail about it. He basically wouldn’t talk I are going to go down to California and capture a Bigfoot. Well, that was about it for nearly 35 years.

But then, in 2003, along came in the afternoon and he was dead the next morning.” continued on page 14

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January/February 2021

The Future of Travel

Out & About

Find Insight and Inspiration in a Labyrinth

Free, live virtual presentations explore the future of travel in 2021 and beyond

...by Debbie Stone

This year, we have had to learn to embrace the hearth and assume a homebody mentality. For many, the adjustment to this lifestyle change has been difficult.

Dating back 4,000 years and found across the globe, labyrinths are often used for slow, deliberate meditative walks But, along with the challenges, we are also finding silver linings in the form by many faiths as a walking meditative of opportunities to discover and tool, and were often the site of rituals rediscover our passions. Some, for and ceremonies. example, are becoming galloping Labyrinths can be found all gourmets and organic gardeners; others over the world—in churches, at are gaining proficiency in a foreign parks and schools, outside museums, language or experimenting with new in forests and at private homes. ways to express themselves artistically. You’ll find them chiseled on stone, And there are those who are exploring carved on walls, made into mosaics, different methods to exercise both stamped and imprinted on coins and body and mind. jewelry, sewn into textiles, planted One woman I know decided to in gardens and set into floors. The create a labyrinth on her property. A traditional way to walk a labyrinth labyrinth, not to be confused with is to begin at the clearly indicated a maze, is a pathway comprised of entrance and proceed along the concentric circles that wind to a center, path, which is often lined by stones. then back out again. A maze, however, When you reach the center, you’re has several different paths heading halfway; it’s time to turn around and toward the center. Labyrinths date back return to the start. four thousand plus years. They were an continued on page 14 ancient practice, developed and used

ONLINE

Driver Improvement

COURSE

Take AAA’s Roadwise Driver Improvement Course for Mature Drivers from the comfort of your own home.

Drivers 55+ can earn an insurance discount.

AAA’s Winter 2021 Virtual Travel Show gives Washington consumers a front row seat to travel’s future while inside the comfort and safety of their homes. In a series of virtual presentations, available from January 12 through February 28, AAA travel experts and representatives from top excursion and cruise line companies educate attendees about what to expect when it is once again safe to travel.

“Our winter cruise shows are always popular events,” said AAA Director of Travel Products, Lisa Anciaux.

“This year, the best cruise and travel companies in the industry are joining us to ensure a unique experience which proves as fun, educational and exciting as any traditional in-person event.”

Anciaux opens the show, Tuesday, January 12 (10am and 4pm), with a presentation entitled the “New WAVE of Cruising,” offering the most up-todate insights on cruising and the changes travelers can expect to see in the future of cruising from small to large ships.

Each 30-minute presentation concludes with a question-and-answer period. Alongside AAA’s own travel experts, representatives from 19 cruise lines and four travel companies booking tours by rail and land will share information about ship amenities, travel routes and customized journeys.

Those concerned about booking trips they might later cancel can learn how to protect themselves using travel insurance.

To attend this virtual multi-day show, head to AAA.com/events.

This website contains the full show schedule, presentation details, and a registration link for each session you want to attend. All virtual attendees

F.Y.I.

MEMBERS AND NON-MEMBERS WELCOME • AAA.com/DIP

Travel for Wheelchair-Users and Slow Walkers Candy Harrington is known as the “go-to” expert on accessible travel.

Her newest book for slow walkers and “wheelers” – people in wheelchairs or with walkers – details barrier free travel in Death Valley National Park. She offers access information, including description of trails, attractions, scenic drives, accessible lodging options, nearby wheelchair-accessible van

will receive up to $100 in extra onboard credits, up to $100 savings per vacation package from featured land vendors, plus special offers from featured vendors and an additional 15% off our already low member and non-member prices at any AAA store in Washington or North Idaho.

The wide-ranging presentation topics include: presentations on destination and specialty cruises – from grand voyages to boutique river cruising; The Solo Traveler, Exclusive Domestic and International Departures including the colors of Fall in New England; London, Paris & Amsterdam; “Return to Aloha”; Packing Tips; Cruises for Quilters; Scenic European, National Park Rail Journeys and more.

Visit AAA.com/Events to read detailed descriptions of each presentation and to register for the sessions you wish to attend. ❖ This article is courtesy of AAA Washington

About AAA Washington: AAA Washington has been serving members and the traveling public since 1904. The organization provides a variety of exclusive benefits, including roadside assistance, discounts, maps and personalized trip planning to its 1.2 million members. In addition, its fullservice travel and insurance agencies provide products and services for members and the public. Additional information is available through the company’s stores in Washington and northern Idaho, at www.AAA.com, or by calling 1-800-562-2582.

rentals and more. “Most travelers don’t understand access regulations. That’s why I’ve included essential access details such as bed heights and the location of the toilet grab bars,” says Harrington. Harrington has covered this niche exclusively for nearly 25 years and is the author of several accessible travel books, including information on many national parks and the classic, Barrier-Free Travel: A Nuts and Bolts Guide for Wheelers and Slow Walkers. She blogs regularly about accessible travel issues at www.

BarrierFreeTravels.com.

January/February 2021

INDEX ARTFUL AGING

Writing & Poetry Corners................12 Let Them All Talk.............................13 Library Corner................................15

COMMUNITY

The Man Who Saw Bigfoot.............. 1 Volunteer Spotlight: Marty Thompson........................... 3 Purpose Prize Winners...................... 6

HEALTH MATTERS

The 100-Year Life.............................. 4 Medical Minutes............................... 5 Prostate Cancer Treatment................. 6 Senior Fitness Tip.............................. 6 Pain Management Options............ 8-9

HUMOR & PUZZLES

The Funny Side of Life.....................10 The Adventures of Rose & Dawn.....10 Puzzles and Comics..................10-11

LIFE PERSPECTIVES

Grandpa’s Chest of Treasures........... 4 Scenes from Childhood..................12

MONEY MATTERS

Post-Covid Jobs for Seniors

OUT & ABOUT

Labyrinths......................................... 2 The Future of Travel........................... 2 Where in the Northwest................... 3 LET’S GO! Calendar......................13

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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 Advertising Manager: Chris Mitchell Editor: Michelle Roedell Production Manager: Jason Reynolds Production Coordinator: Rachel Binford Subscription Mailing: Sophia Watterson & Mason Watterson 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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Be sure to pick up your FREE copy of Northwest Prime Time 10 times per year at any of our 1,000 local distribution sites.

Call (206) 824-8600 or email editor@northwestprimetime.com for the location of a site near you or to place an advertisement.

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Win $25 Marty Thompson Volunteer Spotlight

Where in the Northwest?

Tax Preparation Volunteer

Before the closures related to Can you identify this photo?

COVID-19 this year, Marty Thompson—a long-time volunteer with RSVP—has volunteered for five different programs, including the RSVP Ambassadors program.

Ambassadors are a core group of volunteers who, in addition to their Marty Thompson various volunteer positions, represent RSVP in the community at Photos are taken from or adjacent to volunteer fairs and other community events. They Washington State highways in our readership area: also give input about the direction of the RSVP King, Pierce and Snohomish Counties—or they program. may be a notable landmark. Mail your answer to When the pandemic hit the United States in Northwest Prime Time, PO Box 13647, Seattle WA March, all of these opportunities either temporarily 98198 or email editor@northwestprimetime.com. stopped or went online. The United Way of King Answers should include enough of a description County Free Tax program, with which Marty has so that it is clear you know the spot (HINT: this been volunteering (in person) for more than 10 famous houseboat is included on many water tours years, went virtual as part of a new pilot program of the area). for online tax preparation.

The winner will be drawn at random from Community members who meet the income the correct answers submitted by the deadline requirement (less than $66k annually) are able to (February 1). If no correct answer is received, the upload all their tax-related documents to United $25 prize will transfer to the following contest.

Way’s “Get Your Refundâ€? program and volunteers Submissions like Marty, for the current who have all contest must been through be postmarked training February 1 or and are also received via certified by email by the the IRS, same date: editor@ prepare tax northwestprimetime. returns as com. part of a team Congratulations that involves to Jayne, the the preparer, winner of the qualityNorthwest Prime reviewer and Time’s Nov/Dec support staff. photo contest, Once which featured the a program annual holiday participant’s lights at Renton’s tax return Gene Coulon Park. is complete, Her name was it is sent drawn at random back to the Historic photo of the Ballard Locks. Courtesy of the University of Washington Libraries, Special from the list of Collections, submitted by Nicolette Bromberg, Special Collections Visual Materials Curator participant correct answers. â?– for a final review and signature. Tax teams stay in touch with each other, ask questions and provide general support via Retirement Living at Its Best Slack, an online messaging service where you can have one-on-one or group conversations. Marty has • No community or move in fees volunteered over 140 “virtualâ€? hours this tax season with the Get • Full kitchens, washer/dryer and balcony Your Refund Program, and plans to • 60 day move in period continue helping people get their • Independent and Assisted taxes filed this upcoming tax season Living 65+ as well.

More volunteers are needed! f If you’d like to learn more Apt onth: o M e h t about how to volunteer in your 5 all $2,99sive!* community, contact Megan, RSVP inclu Coordinator of King County, at 206-361-2758 | 11301 3rd Ave NE, Seattle meganw@solid-ground.org or 206FoundationHouseNG.com 694-6786. � TM

only ents resid *new

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Life Perspectives

January/February 2021

Longevity News

Grandpa’s The 100-Year Life Chest of Treasures

Last year, The Guardian’s Amelia Hill explored the world of longevity research and found that living to 100 will soon become “a routine fact of life.”

Centenarians, even ...by Lynn Gendusa supercentenarians—those living to at least 110—are being studied across the globe to understand what contributes It doesn’t seem to their remarkably long lives. The that long verified longest-lived person in the ago when world was Jeanne Calment of France, most of who was 122 years, 164 days old when our homes she died in 1997. Longevity researchers included a predict that someone may soon break cedar chest. this record.

These were With advances in technology initially designed in the 15th century assisting how our bodies function, along as a dowry box to store items to be with support for daily living activities given to the first married daughter. that help to maintain quality of life, Many of ours used in the south the population of supercentenarians were for storing blankets, sweaters, seems to be on the rise. Some research photo albums (and hidden secrets predicts that more than half the babies if you also used the lock). Everyone born in wealthy countries since 2000 I knew owned this vital piece of furniture, including my grandmother, will live to 100.

While many studies on human aka, “Grandpa.” It was the name her lifespan point to a natural upper first grandson bestowed her because limit of 125 years, some scientists— he deemed her special. perhaps those with a sci-fi bent— Grandpa’s cedar chest was made predict that vastly longer lives are of a golden mahogany veneer that possible. These prognosticators look matched her bed and dresser. Her to the use of stem cells and genetic bedrooms throughout her life were manipulation techniques as major small, but she somehow expertly carved a space for her treasured piece. contributors in the search for the continued on page 7 fountain of youth.

Foster Grandparents Needed!

Are you 55 or over? Do you have a smart phone, computer or tablet and want to mentor a child online?

Be an online Foster Grandparent Mentor (55+) volunteering in King and Snohomish Counties.

Provide extra attention and encouragement to children at online schools.

For now, scientists focus on lifestyle factors to maximize your healthy lifespan—with “healthy” being the key focus. As you’ve heard over and over, diet and exercise are the keys to healthy aging. Add to that the need for restful sleep, social engagement and maintaining activities that bring meaning into your life.

Research consistently points to intermittent fasting or calorie restriction as slowing down the aging process. Easier said than done!

However, studies show that drugs such as metformin, which increases insulin sensitivity, and Acarbose, which alters how carbohydrates are digested (both used to treat type 2 diabetes), may mimic calorie restriction without the restriction. Other promising contenders of FDA-approved drugs that may slow the aging process include rapamycin, used to prevent organ rejection in transplant patients. These drugs may reduce cancer, diminish heart disease, improve cognition and other agerelated conditions; they may very well become routine prescriptions for general wellness in the future.

Reading through the headlines of Longevity.News this past year shows several articles discussing the vital roles of diet and exercise in healthy aging. But these headlines will also reveal advice such as maintaining optimum levels of vitamin D, taking probiotics and eating more mushrooms (they fight inflammation, boost the immune system, support brain health

and help maintain blood sugar levels, among other benefits). One article stresses the importance of adding the “master antioxidant”—glutathione, which declines with age—to your diet.

You can boost glutathione by eatixng certain foods in their raw, unprocessed form: fruits such as melons, lemons, bananas, grapefruit, peaches mangoes and strawberries; vegetables such as asparagus, cucumbers, bell peppers, cauliflower, garlic and spinach; eggs and whey protein. Minimize your exposure to pollution and synthetic cleaning agents since they can reduce your body’s levels of glutathione.

Another line of research points to the use of hyperbaric oxygen therapy for treating age-related diseases, and possibly even reversing the aging process itself. A study from Tel Aviv University showing the potential for aging-reversal was published in the journal Aging in November 2020. The scientists associated with the study point to the need for further research on this promising front.

Interestingly, Northwest Prime Time’s article on alternatives to opioids for pain management (please see pages 8 and 9), point to many of the same factors— notably exercise and a healthy diet—as do longevity studies. Following the tried-and-true-advice of grandmothers of old will not only help you to manage chronic pain but will assist you in your goal of achieving long-lived health.

In the words of Star Trek’s Spock, live long and prosper. ❖

WHAT COVID-19 IS TEACHING US ABOUT THE IMMUNE SYSTEM

Eligible volunteers receive a small hourly stipend. Qualified volunteers are those who make $2,127/month or less (single) or $2,873/month or less (2-person household). *Devices for online access may be provided to volunteers.

Make a difference in your life and in a child’s life!

Call for info: 425-514-3188 fostergrandparentprogram@homage.org • www.homage.org

Jane Buckner, MD BRI President

Adam Lacy-Hulbert, PhD Principal Investigator

Town Hall Seattle Thursday Feb. 25 7:30pm / Livestream Tickets: townhallseattle.org

During the pandemic, BRI leveraged its expertise in autoimmune disease, allergies and asthma to tackle COVID-19. Results reveal potential ways to predict disease severity and may guide treatment options to improve outcomes for patients.

January/February 2021

F.Y.I. Yoga After 50 In collaboration with AARP, author Larry Payne explains the specific benefits this ancient practice has on the aging process in his new book, Yoga After 50 For Dummies. The book offers guidance on how to improve balance, flexibility, mental clarity and overall well-being by embracing the practice of yoga.

Focusing on adapting stances and breathing to a changing body as one ages—avoiding injury, dealing with pain and chronic conditions— the book also looks at using yoga to calm the mind and body. “The goal of this new book is to make yoga accessible to almost everyone without injury,” says Payne.

“You don’t need to be athletic, flexible, or strong to do yoga– all you have to do is concentrate, breathe and relax.” Larry Payne, the founding president of the International Association of Yoga Therapists, has been named “one of America’s most respected Yoga teachers” by the Los Angeles Times. Yoga After 50 For Dummies is available now wherever books and eBooks are sold.

www.NorthwestPrimeTime.com 5

Health Matters

Medical Minutes experimental treatment slows or stops the spread of toxic tangles.

The study, which was published A Better Dec. 7 in the journal Brain, may Understanding lead to significant advances in of Alzheimer’s combating the disease. “If we can Disease translate this into the clinic, we’d Some very have a way of knowing whether good news to a person’s symptoms are due to report when it comes to battling tau pathology in Alzheimer’s disease and where they are in the Alzheimer’s John Schieszer disease course without needing to disease. A novel do a brain scan. As a physician, form of an Alzheimer’s protein found in the fluid that surrounds the this information is invaluable brain and spinal cord indicates what in informing patient care, and in the future to guide treatment stage of the disease a person is in, decisions,” said study senior author according to a study by researchers at Washington University School of Dr. Randall J. Bateman.

Alzheimer’s begins when a Medicine in St. Louis. Tau tangles brain protein called amyloid starts are thought to be toxic to neurons, forming plaques in the brain. and their spread through the brain During this amyloid stage, which foretells the death of brain tissue can last two decades or more, and cognitive decline. Tangles people show no signs of cognitive appear as the early, asymptomatic decline. However, soon after stage of Alzheimer’s develops tangles of tau begin to spread in the into the symptomatic stage. This neurons, people start exhibiting discovery could lead to a way to confusion and memory loss, and diagnose people in the earliest stages of Alzheimer’s disease, before brain scans show increasing atrophy of brain tissue. they have symptoms or when their Tau tangles can be detected symptoms are still mild. It also by positron emission tomography could accelerate efforts to find (PET) brain scans, but brain scans treatments for the devastating are time-consuming, expensive disease, by providing a relatively and not available everywhere. simple way to gauge whether an ...by John Schieszer

Dr. Bateman and his colleagues are developing diagnostic tests for Alzheimer’s disease. The researchers analyzed cerebrospinal fluid from 100 people in their 70s.

The researchers found that levels of a specific form (MTBR tau 243) in the cerebrospinal fluid were elevated in the people with Alzheimer’s and that it increased the more advanced a person’s cognitive impairment and dementia was.

A Cup of Hot Chocolate May Boost Brain Power Grab a cup of hot chocolate the next time you have a taxing problem to tackle. Increased consumption of flavanols, which are a group of molecules that occur naturally in fruit and vegetables, may increase your mental agility, according to new research at the University of Birmingham in England.

A team in the University’s School of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation Sciences has found that adults given a cocoa drink containing high levels of flavanols were able to complete certain cognitive tasks more efficiently than when drinking a non-flavanol enriched-drink.

The study participants underwent non-invasive brain imaging to measure blood oxygenation levels in the brain. Working with experts at the University of Illinois, the researchers showed that participants continued on page 6

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Healthy Aging

Senior Fitness Tip

Prostate Cancer Treatment

Home Circuit Workout

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

One in nine men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer over their lifetime, according to the American Cancer Society.

It’s the most common cancer in men, after non-melanoma skin cancer. While prostate cancer can be serious, most don’t die from it, and there are a number of treatment options with similar success rates.

But when there isn’t one best treatment, sometimes deciding can be agonizing, said Donna Berry, PhD, RN, AOCN, FAAN. Donna Berry is a UW “Men were left School of Nursing professor making the treatment decision without much support.”

Berry is a UW School of Nursing professor and recipient of the Health Informatics Endowed Faculty Fellowship in Nursing.

To help men with prostate cancer better navigate their options, Berry developed the decision aid website Personal Patient Profile – Prostate, or P3P. She realized the need for a tool like P3P when interviewing prostate cancer survivors for her PhD dissertation. Some told her they were getting their treatment advice from co-workers.

“A lot of what they choose is based on their personal factors and what they’re concerned about,” Berry said. “That’s where P3P comes in.”

Different treatments have different risks and side effects, so someone’s course of action depends on what’s most important to them. For example, surgically removing the prostate can cause urinary incontinence or erectile dysfunction. For some, removing the cancer may be a priority, while others may not want to risk the possible side effects. P3P evaluates what the men care about and shows them information about treatment options, based on what they consider important. continued on page 14

...by Mark Bryant

These are hard times, including not being able to go to the gym.

But there a fun way to exercise Mark Bryant at home: circuit training. In circuit training, you select several exercises that work different muscle groups, and do all the exercises one after the other.

Here is an example of a circuit routine: marching in place, push-ups, sit-ups (crunches), squats, arm raises to the front and then to the side, then march in place while raising arms to the front and side. At the end of the circuit, walk, and then start all over again.

Each exercise should last for at least 30 seconds. If you can’t do them all, just do what you can. Complete one or two rounds of the circuit. Put on your favorite music if you want and have fun! Remember, walk around slowly to lower your heart rate before stopping the circuit or sitting down.

Drink water when needed.

You can also do this circuit by sitting in a chair, march in place while sitting and working your upper body by doing front and side arm raises, bicep curls, tricep extension and overhead presses, if you can. It’s your workout, so make it fun. ❖ Mark Bryant is a Certified Senior Fitness Instructor

January/February 2021

Purpose Prize Winners Bainbridge Island resident is among those ages 50-plus honored for their work to tackle major societal challenges AARP has announced its 2021 AARP Purpose Prize award recipients and fellows, a national award that celebrates people 50-plus who are using their knowledge and life experience to solve tough social problems. These Bainbridge Island resident Jerilyn Brusseau is one of AARP’s Purpose extraordinary Prize award-winners for her work with PeaceTrees Vietnam. The Seattlebased organization clears landmines in Vietnam and works to restore Americans tap into the power of communities while building bonds of trust and friendship between the two countries, including honoring veterans of the Vietnam war life experience to build a better future for us all, founding organization, headquartered in Seattle and leading initiatives from school-safety and Quang Tri Province, Vietnam, and violence-prevention efforts to an creates a safe and successful future for organization that helps people with children and families endangered by disabilities acquire assistive technologies the legacy of the Vietnam War. to improve the quality of their lives.

“PeaceTrees Vietnam is deeply Bainbridge Island resident Jerilyn honored by AARP’s recognition of our Brusseau is among the 2021 Purpose twenty five years working alongside Prize Fellows, honored for her work the people of Vietnam, to honor losses with PeaceTrees Vietnam. Brusseau co- on all sides of war, to build strong founded PeaceTrees Vietnam in 1995 bridges of trust and understanding with her late husband, Danaan Parry, through sponsoring clearance of as the first international organization landmines and unexploded ordnance permitted to sponsor humanitarian in Vietnam’s most war torn province,” demining efforts in Vietnam. The continued on page 14 Medical Minutes ...continued from page 5

who had consumed the flavanol-rich drink produced a faster and greater increase in blood oxygenation levels in response to artificially elevated levels of CO2.

Flavanols, a sub-group of plant flavonoids, are present in cocoa, grapes, apples, tea, berries and other foods.

They are known to have a beneficial effect on cardiovascular health, but their effects on brain health are not well understood. Although this study, published in Scientific Reports, involved cocoa, flavanols are extremely common in a wide range of fruit and vegetables.

“By better understanding the cognitive benefits of eating these food groups, as well as the wider cardiovascular

benefits, we can offer improved guidance to people about how to make the most of their dietary choices,” said lead study author Dr. Catarina Rendeiro.

In the cognitive tests, the researchers found significant differences in the speed and accuracy with which volunteers completed the higher complexity tasks. The volunteers who had taken the flavanol-enriched drink performed the tasks 11% faster on average. “Our results showed a clear benefit for the participants taking the flavanol-enriched drink, but only when the task became sufficiently complicated,” said Dr. Rendeiro. ❖ 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.

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January/February 2021

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Post-Covid-19 Jobs for Seniors ...by Karen Telleen-Lawton

A frequent television ad features a handsome older couple who thought they had planned well for retirement but realized they needed another income source. They quickly discover (it’s a 30-second ad) that there is value in their whole life insurance policy. Presto, problem solved. Nice for them, but what about the real world?

Even before Covid-19, working beyond the Social Security retirement age was a rapidly growing trend. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that seniors are the fastest-growing segment of the U.S. workforce.

The proportion of those over 65 working part- or full-time is projected to grow in the next decade to one third from about 20 percent. The effects of coronavirus shutdowns likely will accelerate this trend.

The pandemic has wreaked havoc on late stage careers, portfolios and retirement plans.

It affects our age group because we are physically and oftentimes financially more at risk. If you’ve lost your job due to the pandemic, or feel your shrunken portfolio needs a boost, what are promising areas for work?

Despite the dire unemployment figures, there are areas of hope for seniors seeking employment.

FlexJobs is one online job market whose focus is flexible and remote work. According to AARP, FlexJobs reported a four percent increase in remote job listings in

Grandpa’s Chest of Treasures

of robes, gowns, sweaters, perfumes, wallets and shawls.

I was so shocked I couldn’t ...continued from page 4 say a word. However, my mother exclaimed, “Mama, why in the world have you not used these fantastic I would often see her use the key the first to unlock the chest, throw something gifts? month of “Well, shoot, I was saving ‘um!” inside and quickly lock it back. When pandemic “Mama, how long are you restrictions. I was young, I wasn’t that curious planning on living? You know the about the contents because I usually Many other purse will last for years, plus these are was trying to rush her to play. online items you need and can use now.”

Once I was grown, my mother platforms With that my almost 90-year-old and I went for our usual visit. cater grandmother simply stated, “Well, Grandpa was in her late 80s, lived specifically I reckon you are right. I forgot that in a small duplex and was still full to the part!” of fun and feistiness.

We didn’t fish experience With that statement, my mouth much anymore, but we sure had and assets of old workers. finally started producing a laugh some great Scrabble matches and WAHVE (Work at Home Vintage so loud that everyone joined in as humorous discussions.

Experts) matches young seniors Mama fell back on the bed in a One afternoon Grandpa, Mama seeking flexible and part-time howl. and I were in the bedroom talking. work with insurance, human We began to empty and organize Grandpa’s old pocketbook was on resources and accounting jobs. the contents of the cedar chest with the bed looking worn and abused.

Silvernest operates a site enabling the hope that Grandpa would be Once my mom noticed it, she said, homeowning seniors with empty able to live enough years to enjoy all “Let’s go shopping Mama and I will bedrooms to find reliable renters. those gifts she had been saving for buy you a new purse!”

My favorite online job market that ambiguous “rainy day.”

But Grandpa said, “Well, shoot in pre-coronavirus times was How many of us are like my Elizabeth, I think I have a new one CoolWorks, catering to outdoor grandmother and put away the fine in the chest!” enthusiasts. Their focus is on things we are given to save for the She retrieved the brass key from mostly seasonal, mostly hands-on uncertain future. How many of us the drawer of her little dresser to work in resorts, national parks, store our dreams in a hope chest in unlock the chest.

When she lifted farms and ranches. Their home our minds? page announces, “Cool Works also the top, the mild scent of cedar I say we should use the fine wafted through the room.

She encourages athletic retirees with a china on the table along with the rummaged through to the bottom yen for adventure to think about once-stored crystal pieces to hold and pulled up an elegant navy-blue these positions.” good wine and elegant candles. I leather purse, lifting it high above AARP suggests a host of suggest we open our secret stashes her head.

“See, I knew I had me career opportunities that can be of hopes and dreams to become a new pocketbook in here!” she good matches for seniors. These realities today. Who knows what we happily declared. include teachers, telehealth might discover when we unlock the For a moment Mom and I nurses, consultants, bookkeepers, secret place where they reside? couldn’t close our mouths as she virtual assistants, translators, When I leave this earth, my hope held the beautiful purse with the writers, customer service reps, is I used up all my dreams, broke a few original tags still dangling from its negotiators, claims investigators, pieces of my fine china, and my last strap. “Mama, where did you get speech pathologists, fundraising purse is worn and abused. that?” coordinators, school Grandpa lived another 10 years “Oh, I am not sure Elizabeth, but psychologists, sales reps and after we opened her secret box. In I think it was a Christmas present software engineers, among many the end, the emptied mahogany years ago from your brother. I was more options. A recent study by hope chest held only our precious holding on to it like I do all these payroll experts at ADP found memories of her. ❖ that roughly one-third of contract things in this chest.”

Once she made that confession, workers are older than 55. we both jumped to look in the secret Lynn Walker Gendusa is an author and One job in particular is columnist. She can be reached through space where Grandpa had collected continued on page 13 a stash of finery fit for a queen. Gifts www.lynngendusa.com.

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8

Northwest Prime Time www.NorthwestPrimeTime.com

Pain Management Options ...by Maddie Smith

Is your aging body sending distress signals? If we neglect our bodies or fail to treat them with proper respect, they have an effective means of expressing their dissatisfaction—we feel pain.

We feel pain in our joints, our muscles, our backs. We may feel pain any place a nerve exists that can fire off an urgent distress signal to the brain. As we age, those distress signals seem to become more frequent. The simplest of movements, such as bending over to pick up a fallen object, can create instant regret.

The CDC reports that over 20% of adults in the U.S. live with chronic pain. About 17% live with severe levels of pain, according to a National Health Interview Survey. There is a plethora of information circulating about pain management treatments, even alternative treatments that don’t get attention from the medical community. Treating chronic pain is essential in maintaining mobility, strength and a positive attitude— whether a patient is recovering from surgery, cancer treatment, coping with a chronic health condition or aging in general.

Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) hosted an informative panel discussion in Spokane (rebroadcast in 2020). Here is what some of the experts in the field have to say about managing pain, including alternatives to opioids.

It is very common for doctors to prescribe opioids to patients for their chronic pain, even if the patient is not aware of other options. Joan Maxwell is a patient advocate for alternative treatments for pain. After she was diagnosed with breast cancer, she needed nine surgeries including

a double mastectomy. She said she did not have one conversation with her doctor about pain management options for any of her surgeries: “Nine times I had surgery and nine times I was prescribed opioids.” Doctors want to help their patients alleviate pain, but the over-prescription of opioids has become a crisis. Maxwell feels patients should be active participants in their care and pain management plans; opioids are just one piece of the puzzle. She stressed that making the time for patient education is vital.

Cheyenne Newsome, clinical professor of pharmacotherapy at WSE, acknowledged the severity of the opioid epidemic on the country.

She wants patients to know that opioids are not a cure for pain, rather a way to manage it. The goal for prescribing opioids is to prescribe the smallest dosage for the shortest amount of time possible. Newsome’s job is to evaluate the severity of the patient’s pain and to use all available resources to manage their symptoms.

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For example, if your doctor deems them safe for you, over-the-counter drugs like ibuprofen (sometimes in combination with other pain relief options) can be helpful in managing pain before jumping straight to opioids. Opioid patches deliver consistent levels of the drug rather than fast-releasing oral pills—patches are good for people who have trouble sticking to a schedule that oral pills require; they may also offer a steady, more level measure of pain relief. A wide variety of patches and creams are available that don’t require a prescription. From heat patches to creams made from peppers that block nerve receptors, over-the-county methods for pain management are plentiful at pharmacies. However, Newsome urges patients to consult with a health care provider before trying any new treatment as some of them do not react well with each other. For instance, patients should avoid putting a heat patch in the same place where they recently applied an opioid topical patch.

Don’t forget the tried-and-true method of alternating ice packs with heat, which can be surprisingly helpful for some aches and pains.

Exercise and communication are key So says Dr. Christopher Valley, a specialist in chronic pain and fibromyalgia.

Listening to patients, educating them, and prescribing exercise regimens specific to patient symptoms are his specialty. Many chronic pain conditions, like fibromyalgia, mimic each other and patients can become frustrated by the lack of answers.

January/February 2021 The absence of a diagnosis is a very challenging aspect of living with chronic pain. Treatments like physical therapy, exercise and diet are all ways to manage pain, even if the patient’s condition hasn’t been diagnosed—having a treatment plan can help not only pain levels, but frustration when lacking a diagnosis. In all cases, Valley works to deliver an accurate diagnosis. To do so, he pays close attention to information the patient is telling him; he looks at patient histories but does not take previous diagnoses made by other doctors at face value. Importantly, he performs a thorough physical exam on the patient. A careful intake of information from the patient and a good, complete physical exam are time-consuming—most primary care physicians do not have enough time to conduct thorough exams, said Valley, but he feels they are crucial in cases that are difficult to diagnose.

Education about pain and exercise is especially important, says Valley. He works to help patients know that pain can be manageable and that exercise is usually crucial in their recovery. Dr. Valley prescribes exercise just as a physician would prescribe a medication, writing it down on a prescription pad and starting with small doses. Valley takes into account the limits and boundaries of his patients and adjusts dosage of exercise accordingly.

He also makes them schedule a time to do their exercise, writing it down in a planner. Conditionappropriate exercise is vital. Many seniors and those in chronic pain may look to gentle practices like swimming, walking, yoga, tai chi or exercises that can be done while sitting.

Clinical psychologist Sonya Wood offered a psychological perspective on pain management.

Her work focuses on a holistic approach to pain by understanding how patients are feeling both physically and mentally. She evaluates all aspects of the patient’s life—relationships, school, work, etc.—to see which aspects are helping or hurting their pain levels.

She adds that the patient’s attitude plays a huge role in their recovery... the way a patient thinks will determine how they feel and how they behave. Oftentimes, patients experience fear after having a surgery or an accident, which can prevent them from doing things to advance their recovery, like exercise and physical therapy.

Furthermore, added stress in a patient’s life can make their pain worse and also impact their sleep schedule, further exacerbating the pain. Like Valley, Wood believes that taking the time to listen to patients and address their fears and stress aids in recovery.

January/February 2021 Minimize use of opioids As an anesthesiologist, Dr. David Burns offered insight about acute pain. Acute surgery-related pain often translates to long-term post-operative pain. If the acute pain is treated at the time of surgery, there is a lower chance of a patient experiencing chronic pain down the road. Burns works at Providence Anesthesia Services, which uses a ‘multi-modal’ approach to pain treatment. First, doctors deliver nerve blockers to prevent patients from experiencing the most acute pain after their surgery. Nerve blockers can last from several hours to days post-op. The patient’s lack of feeling for the worse part of the pain helps them in their recovery, in part, because they are more willing to participate in physical therapy. Physical therapy helps a patient’s chances of healing and gaining back their mobility. Burns discussed the importance of maintaining a healthy sleep schedule as part of the healing process, starting in the hospital.

He advocates that hospital staff “cluster” patient care; instead of checking a patient’s vitals every hour throughout the night, for example, check them right before sleep-time, then minimize checkins during the night. He advises keeping the blinds open during the day and providing an active regime of treatment and care when the sun is out.

Burns discussed hopeful news on the joint replacement front, and cited studies on stem cell and cartilage injections that may offer an alternative for knee, hip replacements and other joint replacement. Emerging research points to the hope that the need for joint replacement surgeries may eventually be eliminated.

Dr. Ryan Barnes, who specializes in physical therapy, also looks to an integrative healthcare practice, which emphasizes a patient-focused approach.

Integrative health care may bring conventional and complementary approaches together in a coordinated way. Each patient is different, and while physical therapy is vital in most cases he sees, it is not the right choice in all cases. Integrative health looks to include alternative treatments like acupuncture in your recovery plans. He reminded us that physical therapy is a long process, especially for patients living with chronic pain. It is important to give patients detailed information on the goals for therapy. Like Dr. Valley, Barnes thinks that appropriate exercise is vital for treating chronic pain, but he acknowledges the difficulties of maintaining an exercise regime for some. Patients and their health care providers must make sure patients aren’t overexerting themselves, worsening the pain. While following up on physical therapy is vital, he says, keeping your body moving in any manner that helps mobility—even if it isn’t traditional exercise—is a positive outcome.

www.NorthwestPrimeTime.com 9 What should you eat to help with chronic pain?

Anecdotal information abounds that following an anti-inflammatory diet can be an effective treatment for chronic pain. Dr. Valley acknowledges that while research is still underdeveloped, a low-inflammation diet can help with pain management. Lowinflammation diets include vegetables and healthy fats; they cut out processed foods and refined sugars.

A Seattle-area senior who lives with osteoarthritis and has had several joint replacement surgeries says her pain levels improved when she cut sugar and processed foods from her generally healthy diet, but that her pain disappeared completely when she added a daily turmeric supplement.

The Arthritis Foundation cites the Mediterranean diet for alleviating inflammation and joint pain. This diet avoids processed foods and is heavy in fish, nuts, beans, fruits and vegetables. Eating this way can alleviate pain by reducing inflammation, protecting joints and heart health, helping in weight loss and lowering blood pressure. This type of diet generally includes: omega-3 fatty acids, found in cold water fish like salmon but also in vegetarian sources such as flaxseed and algae-based supplements; nuts and seeds are packed full of protein, fiber, healthy fats and vitamins; fruits and vegetables provide antioxidants, which bulk up your body’s defense system by protecting cells—at least nine servings daily are recommended; olive oil contains heart-healthy fats and a compound that reduces pain sensitivity and inflammation— two-to-three tablespoons daily are recommended; beans are a great source of fiber and anti-inflammatory nutrients and have the added bonus of being cheap and loaded with protein—try for two cups per week. This list is not comprehensive but will get you started.

Don’t forget to spice up your healthy diet with these anti-inflammatory herbs and spices: ginger, turmeric, garlic, cinnamon, cayenne and black pepper, cloves, basil...while parsley isn’t in this top list, sage, rosemary and thyme are.

Other alternative treatments The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health in partnership with the National Institutes of Health published a free eBook for consumers that discusses additional complementary approaches to pain management. (See link below to download the 48-page booklet.) This publication educates consumers on acupuncture, massage therapy, meditation and mindfulness practices, relaxation techniques, spinal manipulation

including chiropractic care, yoga and tai chi, dietary supplements and more—all of which show to be beneficial practices in pain management. Future files: Research on new approaches to pain management are always in the works.

A surprising, high-tech alternative being investigated at the UW School of Medicine is research on the potential role of virtual reality goggles for pain management. Dr. Reza Firoozabadi, an orthopedic trauma surgeon who is conducting the research, reported that virtual reality goggles offers patients a distraction during a painful procedure (removing stabilizing pins from the patient), something that normally requires a sedative. We hope to soon learn more about this and other futuristic options for pain management.

Cannabis. Scientific research on the use of medical marijuana for pain treatment is still underdeveloped due to the chemical complexity of cannabis and the prohibition of the drug in most states. Dr. David Bearman discussed medical marijuana in the journal Practical Pain Management.

The THC compound found in cannabis stimulates the brain’s cannabinoid receptors, which are responsible for pain reduction and a hazy “high” feeling, he writes. CBD is the other compound in cannabis, which communicates with pain receptors in the brain to relieve pain and inflammation.

Dr. Bearman recommended a one-toone ratio of THC and CBD for patients with concerns about feeling “high” after consuming cannabis. Every patient is different, but he generally recommends 15mg of each compound for pain reduction.

People who experience chronic pain are drawn to cannabis as a pain management treatment because it is easy to obtain in Washington and they can control how they use it, said Lisa Buchanan. Buchanan is a nurse and licensed medical marijuana consultant at Dockside Cannabis, a Seattle-based medicinal cannabis dispensary. She said many older adults choose the one-to-one THC/CBD ratio because “It feels good and doesn’t feel overly psychoactive.” Christine Cohen, marketing director for Hashtag Cannabis, agrees with the one-to-one ratio for older customers because there are several scientific studies showing that ratio provides the greatest health benefits. However, once a patient becomes comfortable using cannabis as a pain treatment, they are more likely to adjust dosage to a comfortable level for them. “In the world of medicine, we’d call that as needed.” Studies find that THC increases the bioavailability of CBD, which enhances the effects of the drug, according to Buchanan. To

access cannabis products with THC content (or a combined THC/CBD content), you must visit a cannabis dispensary rather than a drugstore or the myriad other outlets that sell products containing only CBD. Cohen said that most seniors walk out of medicinal cannabis dispensaries with a topical cream because they have localized pain like arthritis and they want to have maximum control over minimizing the psychoactive effects of cannabis. Still, many seniors may experiment with edible cannabis products once they are comfortable doing so. Both Cohen and Buchanan said they’ve witnessed older customers having tremendous success using medicinal cannabis products to treat pain. “Even our owner’s mother finds topicals to be really effective on some of her arthritic joints,” said Cohen.

[Dockside Cannabis and Hashtag Cannabis & Supply Co. are Northwest Prime Time advertisers. Please see Dockside’s ad on page 13.]

In summary “Unfortunately, pain and aging are facts of life,” says Nicky Snazell, a physiotherapist expert in pain management and author of The 4 Keys to Health and other books. “The good news is that, ultimately, our quality of life doesn’t have to be ruled by age and pain themselves, no matter what we might think. Instead, our quality of life is determined by how we handle age and pain.” Snazell advocates those suffering from chronic pain—or really anyone wanting to maximize their health—to work on four fronts. “As we age, we need to put even more care into our diet, our exercise and our workload.

It sounds simple but many of us fail to acknowledge that we have to change the way we use our bodies as we get older...so much of this is a choice. We have the power to change ourselves by transforming the way we think, what we eat, how we move and what kind of lifestyle we choose to lead.” She adds, “We eat too much of the food that enhances pain and too little that reduces pain. Also, hydration is necessary for mental agility, the immune system, healing, cleansing and detoxing. Being disciplined about getting exercise is your key to longevity, so exercise regularly and effectively,” she advises. Maintain checkups and screenings with your doctor.

Keep track of your blood pressure. Even small, simple things will help manage pain, such as setting aside time daily for meditation or quieting the mind, keeping your body moving in a way that works for you, setting purposeful goals, doing something nice for others, interacting with positive people, singing in the shower... Work hard on necessary changes like exercise and diet, but also find the simple things in life that make you feel good. ❖

More Information • To view the full NPR program, visit www.pbs.org/video/health-matterstelevision-life-pain-management/ • Download the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health resource on alternative treatments for chronic pain: https://files.nccih.nih. gov/s3fs-public/Pain-eBook-2019_06_508.pdf.

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Northwest Prime Time www.NorthwestPrimeTime.com

January/February 2021

The Funny Side of Life

The ongoing life-affirming adventures of Rose and Dawn

Conversations with My Coffee Filter

…by Diana Couture

I want to see my friends and go to …by Sy Rosen restaurants and the movies and I want to hug my grandkids. I want to be able to tell them everything is going to be In a previous article okay.

Coffee Filter: (sarcastically) Oh cry I admitted that me a river.

I was having Me: Excuse me? conversations Coffee Filter: You think you got with my car. I blame it on the it so bad. What about your parents or grandparents who lived through WWI loneliness of and the Great Depression and World the pandemic.

War II and polio and— And now it’s Sy Rosen Me: Okay but— time for another Coffee Filter: You just have to wear admission—I have been cheating on a mask, keep your social distance, wash my car and have had conversations your hands and wait for a vaccine. Do with other inanimate objects. Just yesterday morning I had a conversation you think you can do that?

Me: Yeah, but— with my coffee filter. It was the last Coffee Filter: And what about me? coffee filter, so our talk was meaningful You think you have it bad? Boiling and semi-sweet. water goes through me and what about Me: Well, you’re the only one all those wet grinds that stick to me. left. At least I don’t have to spend 10 minutes separating you from the others. And when you’re done with me you’ll just throw me in the garbage.

Coffee Filter: You never got the Me: I’m sorry Louisa, I didn’t hang of it did you? You have to lick realize.

If it will help, I’ll give you a your fingers to separate us. proper burial.

Me: Now you tell me. Anyway, I Coffee Filter: No you won’t. Don’t didn’t buy another pack so after you’re gone I’ll have to go to the grocery store. patronize me.

Me: How about if I put you in the I thought you guys would last until the end of the pandemic. I mean there were compost and you’ll be recycled?

Coffee Filter: Hmmm. I like that.

150 of you guys. That’s five months’ That sounds good. I can come back as worth. something else…. A plant... a fruit… a Coffee Filter: I have one flower. question…why do you call us “guys?”

Me: I’ll be waiting for you.

We are male and female. That’s why we Coffee Filter: And I’ll be seeing you. are so stuck together. Except for George Me: Louisa, I think this may be the and Flora. They were lovers and then he started fooling around. It was messy. beginning of a beautiful friendship. ❖ Me: Wow. You all have names?

Coffee Filter: Of course.

Middle age We’re not just anonymous is when things. you still Me: Sorry. So, uh, what’s believe your name? you’ll feel Coffee Filter: Louisa. better Me: Louisa. So you’re a in the woman?

Coffee Filter: It hurts my morning. feelings that you have to ask.

--Bob Hope Me: Sorry, I didn’t mean to insult you.

Coffee Filter: I’ll get over it. So how are you holding up during this pandemic?

Me: Well Louisa, it’s hard.

I’m scared all the time and

“Have it all, all in one day.”

What the…?

On the SAME day?

NOTE – this adventure takes place in a non-COVID world

Rose was on her way to Dawn’s house for coffee this morning. She was so happy Dawn was back from her short vacation and happy that she didn’t have to deal with their kleptomaniac friend, Margaret, today. Margaret’s attempted theft at the mall last week nearly caused Rose a heart attack.

On Rose’s arrival, Dawn took her coat and asked her to sit. “Did you hear that Jeanette had a hip joint replacement?” Rose asked. “Really, at her age? Isn’t she in her 90’s?” Dawn distractedly replied while pouring the coffee from her carafe. Rose looked at Dawn as if she was a swamp monster.

“Are you putting an age limit to quality of life, Dawnie? Really?

Jeanette probably won’t live another 10 years, so why should she deserve to be comfortable? Old people aren’t worth the metal?”

Dawn snapped back to awareness shook her head and stared at Rose.

“Wait. Is that what you think I said? I certainly didn’t mean it like that. I was only questioning if Jeanette was healthy and hearty enough for a surgery that is as demanding at joint replacement.

“Hrmph. Damn straight she is,” Rose volleyed. “We’re still kickin’ around and deserve all the best that medicine has to offer. Let’s call Jeanette’s daughter and find out what hospital she’s in. Maybe we should go for a visit to see how she’s doing.” “Of course. But these days they don’t keep you in the hospital for very long. When did she have her surgery?” Dawn responded. Rose thought about this and said she thought it was sometime last week.

A call was placed to Jeanette’s daughter Christine and it was confirmed that Jeanette had done so well with the hip replacement that she was able to go home two days ago. She would love to see her friends.

The girls pulled up in front of Jeanette’s house expecting to see a relative’s car in the driveway who had come to care for Jeanette. Or maybe an in-home health care worker’s car.

But not one car was to be seen in the driveway. Rose had made a lasagna and Dawn brought some of her famous

deep-fried cauliflower.

They knocked on the door, again expecting a helper to answer but to their surprise Jeanette herself came to the door using a walker.

“Wow Jeanette. What a lovely surprise to see you on your feet so soon after surgery,” Dawn said. “Are you kidding me? They had me on my feet in the hospital on the day of the surgery. I really am kind of a rock star in the hip replacement world.” Jeanette proudly announced.

“What the…? On the SAME day?” cried Rose in medical horror. “Yup, that’s the way they do things these days.

You girls are stuck in the 1950s. Haha.

Even near-90-year-old’s, like me, are roused out of their surgical somnolence shortly after the deed is done and made to walk to the lavatory. The way I see it, I’m a medical miracle.” Jeanette sat down with a thump after this soliloquy.

Jeanette’s granddaughter, who had been dropped off by her mother to help Jeanette, brought tea in from the kitchen and the women enjoyed the afternoon chatting.

After a while, Dawn posed the question, “Aren’t you getting tired, old thing?” “Now that you mention it, I could use a little nap,” Jeanette demurred. “Even though I am doing very well with the new hip, it’s still considered a major surgery and I need to keep my strength up with rest and exercise.”

The troupe of women walked to the front door for their goodbyes. Kisses and hugs all around and a slightly tired but invigorated hostess ended their visit with a final wave and a yawn.

“I’m just dumfounded at the recovery rate Jeanette has achieved.

It makes me realize how far medical science has come,” Dawn said thoughtfully. Rose gave this some thought while getting into the car. “I don’t know, Dawnie. I think Jeanette should be given some credit for this wonderfully successful surgery. I think she had a good surgeon and hospital care and all that, but I also think she’s a ‘tough old bird’ just like the rest of us of our generation. It’s grit like hers that keep us all going at this age. All that hard work, and going without life’s comforts when we were young, has finally paid off!” ❖

January/February 2021

www.NorthwestPrimeTime.com 11

Strings Attached ...by Len Elliott

Across 1. Nickname for Netanyahu 5. Twin’s all-star Tony 10. Agents’ cuts: abbr.

14. Place for a proton 15. Part of a BLT 16. Become healthy again 17. Sticking it to a whale 19. Utah ski destination 20. Ignore the alarm: 2 wds.

21. Inspector in Elizabeth George mysteries 23. Not “dose” in Brooklyn 24. Look after: 2 wds.

25. Parliamentary procedure pioneer 28. Metaphor for bureaucracy: 2 wds.

30. “____ Clear Day, …”: 2 wds.

31. Pale 33. “____ an arrow into the air…”: 2 wds.

35. Part of BFF 37. “I’ll be there ____ sec.”: 2 wds.

38. Prepare potatoes, in a way 39. Kind of training or instinct 41. Cause to attack, as a dog: 2 wds.

44. Never, in Nuremburg 45. Wondrous occurrence 47. Hogs the mirror, perhaps 49. “Whoa, ____!” (sportscaster Keith Jackson expression) 50. Type of tournament

51. Verdi 18-Down based on a Shakespeare play 53. No dreamer 57. Tedious way to learn 58. Infractions 61. Has dinner 62. Baseman’s bobble 63. Trade 64. Celebratory poetry 65. Composer Camille Saint-____ 66. Places for prices Down 1. Scroogean exclamations 2. Slanted type: abbr.

3. Tiresome person 4. Prevent, as progress 5. Certain woodwind players 6. One-time exercise guru Jack La____ 7. Here, to Honoré 8. Wernher ____ Braun 9. Pursued perch 10. Ghostly figure 11. Transparent wrapping 12. London museum 13. Do in, as a dragon 18. Puccini specialty 22. “Hidden” Himalayan creature 24. French legislative body 25. LBJ son-in-law Charles 26. Early morning hour: 2 wds.

More Strings Attached ...by Len Elliott

Each answer is a phrase that includes the word string.

For example: Exert influence: pull some strings. Hope these don’t tie you in a knot!

1. Team that starts on the bench.

2. “Something inside of me started a symphony/ Zing ____.”

3. Scanty beachwear.

4. Peelable dairy product.

5. “I’ve got the ____, sittin’ on a rainbow…

6. Keep someone in a state of uncertainty. answers on page 14

JOIN OUR FAMILY OF FRIENDS IN 2021!

27. Bed for a baby 28. 18-Down diva Fleming 29. Reddish dye (anagram of noise) 32. Like Seattle and Rome 34. Oft-printed articles 36. Indefatigable 40. Phone 42. Seems (to be) 43. “Good doggy!” reward 46. Mulled wine spice

ROUND TABLE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS Fancy meeting you here: Good Lord who let you in?

Lucifer? Beelzebub?

Some nameless evil twin?

We’re members of the “A List.”

We’re wholesome and we’re true.

We’re meeting in a venue That excludes the likes of you.

solution on page 14

48. Join the Navy 50. Synthetic material 51. Creme-filled cookie 52. Bumpy amphibian 54. Davenport’s location 55. Dead, standing tree 56. Recipe measures: abbr.

59. Lyricist Gershwin 60. Mined-over matter

You’re a silky, smooth seductress.

Be gone. Depart this place, Before I look around and see Desire on some face.

Then we shall glow in goodness When righteousness has won, Said the straight and stalwart carrot To the sinful sticky bun.

Pat D’Amico invites readers who enjoy light verse to check out lightpoetrymagazine.com and lightenup-online.co.uk

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January/February 2021

Writing Corner

Scenes from Childhood

The Balimbing Tree

A Gift

...by Le Badiable

…by Ariele M. Huff

Tu-yay, Tik-boy, Mu-ta, Go-do, I-pic, Tuk-ba, my brother, Tu-ko, and I, Li-li.

As kids we called ourselves these twosyllable descriptive names. Our barrio called us the Scrap Pack. They saw us patrolling the “I’m third from left, last row, in my Grade Four class picture,” outskirts like wild reports the author, who grew up in the Philippines desert dogs. We, in We called the dog Jaguar, after a fact, could be out there on the streets, security agency mascot. Despite the side alleys, dirt roads, rail tracks and threat of getting mauled, we were never along the river banks, scrapping metals for cash. The little we earned for a whole deterred from invading Jaguar’s territory.

The object was still the same—to collect day’s toil would be enough to spend the as many of the irresistible fruit in the next afternoon enjoying a 25-centavo limited time Jaguar would allow. Only double-feature movie experience in a this time, just one of us would venture third-run theater. inside the compound while the rest During summer, especially, we had would cover him and give the signal to to make stops and find shade along get out as soon as Jaguar emerged from the way. At about this time, some fruit the house. trees were ready for picking. One in It was Tuk-ba’s turn to get in; kind particular became our favorite target, the balimbing tree, not only for its succulent of an initiation for him as well. Jaguar did not show up. Instead, an emaciated ripe fruit but more for the challenge of elderly woman limped out of the back getting near it to harvest. Situated in door ranting, carrying a crude cane the middle of a wire-fenced compound, which she lifted up as she was closing its branches were so heavily laden one in on Tuk-ba, who took his time under could easily reach up and pluck clusters the tree knowing she was never going to of yellow sweet-and-sour treats. outrun him. He harvested more than our Thirsty and weary, we succumbed usual, but was not really thrilled. He had to the temptation and trespassed the prepared himself for Jaguar. We would property. We did so, all of us that never see Jaguar again. Without the first time, going in and engaging in a feeding frenzy. Then we heard a bark— game of catch with Jaguar under it, the balimbing tree lost its appeal. ❖ out of nowhere, we saw a four-legged terror bounding toward us. As one, we Le Badiable of Lakewood grew up in the headed for the fence to climb out of its Philippines. He moved to Washington State with jaws. Mu-ta got tagged on his left foot but was able to pull up and free himself, his young family in 1987, where the first US landmark he saw (while still airborne) was Mount though he had to see the doctor afterwards. He would turn out to be the Rainier’s snow-capped peak “jutting majestically first and only victim, for we got smarter out of the October clouds.” Le retired from his work as a microbiologist in 2012. after that encounter.

Happy New Year, Readers. Last year, I started with a column offering free online classes. As we start 2021, I’m going to do that again, but with a different Ariele M. Huff online class that can also be all done virtually or as phone chats, or just for some of the sessions. You can have it if you contact me by the end of February at ariele@comcast.net.

During the pandemic, I’ve found that my always prolific online classes and the addition of virtual classes have helped me stay in touch with students and keep teaching. Although they aren’t the same as being in a room where I can touch a shoulder or share a hug…they are really quite nice. I’m especially enjoying my recent inclusion of Skype and ZOOM. I can see people move and see and hear them respond to questions, hear them read their work, and I can make comments in real time as I have always done with onsite classes. It’s really helped me banish the “quarantine” sense of having lost something I love—teaching onsite classes. But now my larger online and virtual community I love being with, too.

The class I’m offering this time

Poetry Corner

is not a writing class. It is Ancient Healing Methods for Modern Stress.

I’ve been doing this through a couple of my venues, and it really seems to help people cope with a lot of the stresses of loneliness, insecurities and fears.

Ancient Healing Methods for Modern Stress Description: You don’t have to be an expert to get some benefits from many ancient healing practices.

We’ll dip into a buffet of methods including Feng Shui, Yogic breathing and stretching, I Ching messages, mandala construction, chi centering, spirit animal selection, homeopathic principles, naturopathic herb and diet options, Tarot, Astrology and mantras. Plus, a handful of more recent stress busters like Cognitive Behavior Therapy, Art Therapy and Movement Therapy. Fun and relaxing. This is a FREE offer of a 14-session class if you sign up by February 2021.

ALSO: If you signed up for one of the three FREE online classes last year and got too busy or conflicted by all the 2020 stuff, PLEASE know that you are absolutely invited to complete that class at any time. You signed up when it was free and that means you own that class as long as I’m still doing them… which I am.

Connect with me at ariele@ comcast.net. We’ll set up times to meet if you want all-virtual. If you don’t want virtual or online, we can also do some as phone chat sessions.

For readers who’d like a list of my available online/virtual classes, connect with me at ariele@comcast.net and request a flyer of classes.

Happy, Happy 2021 to you. All signs point to a better time coming.  ❖ MIX AND STIR

Love, that unexpected insanity can slip within a crowded heart that denies availability.

But the seed pushes all else aside, To People Who Are Hurting I want to touch you with tender hands bewitching the valentine.

Soon the walk and talk begins… as I’d hold a newborn baby their mirrors have two occupants, or stroke a sleeping pet assimilated or caress a loved one’s brow. like cream easing into a cup of tea.

Blending and swirling, I want to lie beneath they’re ecstatic with the taste a blanket of wisdom with you and thoroughly do they embrace. while the whole world circles us, The culmination of joining mending the hem.

One to the Other is an imbue joy— --Ariele M. Huff an eternal undertaking that death cannot destroy.

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

--Charles Inge

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Bellevue Chamber Chorus is supported in part by:

Our 2020-2021 Online Season continues!

Join us online for monthly virtual performance premieres on Tuesdays at 7:30 pm: Website: https://www.bellevuechamberchorus.org/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SingBellevue YouTube: Bellevue Chamber Chorus Official

Solstice Senior Living at Normandy Park 17623 1st Ave S Normandy Park, WA 98148 (833) 325-8887 www.solsticeatnormandypark.com

Feb. 23, 2021: “Wanting Memories” ~ Ysaye Barnwell

Solstice Senior Living at Point Defiance 6414 North Park Way Tacoma, WA 98407 (855) 854-0887 www.solsticeatpointdefiance.com

For monthly reminders about our virtual season join our mailing list at:

(of “Sweet Honey in the Rock”, in honor of Black History Month)

March 23, 2021: “Lay a Garland” ~ Robert Pearsall (one of the most beloved English Romantic partsongs)

https://www.bellevuechamberchorus.org/mailing-list or follow us on Facebook, Twitter or YouTube. (programming subject to change)

Questions? Suggestions? Call 425.522.3436 or email us at info@bellevuechamberchorus.org!

January/February 2021

LET’S GO!

A Calendar of Places to Go, Do or See… Crone of Puget Sound We welcome women over 55 to Jan 16 zoom chat at 1pm about our hopes for 2021. Feb 20 at 1pm zoom speaker about local birds. We love to welcome you. Questions? 206-300-1657, www.CroneofPugetSound.org.

Living Choices for those with Disabilities Jan 9 from 10-11:30am; Jan 13 from 6:308pm; options for aging adults and people with disabilities in Pierce Co 253-798-4600.

AAA’s Winter 2021 Virtual Travel Show Jan 12-Feb 28, front row seat to travel’s future while inside comfort of your own home, presentations by travel experts about what to expect when it’s safe to travel again, Q&As after each presentation, info on cruises, travel to Hawaii, rail excursions and land packages, learn about savings and credits, visit aaa.com/events or call 1-800-562-2582.

How to Spoil Your Retirement Jan 21, 6:30-7:30pm; Jan 23, 10-11am, financial and other issues that can negatively affect your retirement, rsvp 253-798-4600.

Preventing & Recovering from Scams Feb 18 from 6-7pm, for info call 253-625-3140.

Town Hall on Covid Feb 25, 7:30pm, livestream presentation on what covid is teaching us about the immune system, by Benaroya Research Institute, tickets & info: townhallseattle.org Bellevue Chamber Chorus Offering monthly virtual performance premieres on Tuesdays at 7:30pm (for info visitwww.bellevuechamberchorus.org/Facebook); Feb 23 concert “Wanting Memories” featuring Ysaye Barnwell of Sweet Honey in the Rock; Mar 23 “Lay a Garland” Robert Pearsall (beloved English Romantic music); 425-522-3436, www. bellevuechamberchorus.org Bloedel Reserve Take a deep breath at Bainbridge Island’s 150 acres of gardens, meadows, forests, water, wildlife and walking trails, safety protocols in place, 206-842-7631, bloedelreserve.org/tickets Online Driver Improvement Course For drivers 55+, earn insurance discount.

AAA.com/DIP Foster Grandparents Needed Be an online foster grandparent mentor. King & Sno Co 425-514-3188. www.homage.org

www.NorthwestPrimeTime.com 13

Let Them All Talk

Post-Covid-19 Jobs for Seniors ...continued from page 7

suddenly in high demand. It’s one that most of us had never heard of just a few months ago: courtesy HBO Max contact tracer. Even with the Three award-winning actresses, vaccine rolling out, based on Meryl Streep, Candice Bergen and state populations and projected Dianne Wiest, visited CBS’s Sunday infection rates for the next few Morning program in December to discuss months, experts estimate that their HBO Max film, Let Them All Talk. between 100,000 and 300,000 Streep plays a celebrated author, contact tracers will be needed reconnecting with old friends while on a nationwide. They can earn up to cruise on the Queen Mary 2, looking to $65,000 per year. have fun and heal some old wounds.

“I do think that it’s a fantastic “It’s about time, regret, friendship, job for people who have been opportunity, and love and money,” furloughed, “ according to said Streep. “I would throw in a tiny Roger Shapiro, a professor of betrayal,” adds Bergen. “...With a huge medicine at the Harvard School undercurrent of mystery,” exclaims of Public Health. “It takes some Weist. training, but almost anybody What really amazed all three women with reasonable social skills who is that someone would actually make a can work off a script, begin a major Hollywood film starring women in conversation with people, convey their 70s. a few key messages and collect “We’ve finished the bulk of our lives, data can do it,” he said. we’re more able to engage in a kind of Contact tracers hiring brutal honesty,” Bergen said. initiatives have been underway “And it’s uncharted territory," added for months across the nation, Streep. “Think about it: no one has including Washington state. Lori made this film before. Usually people Tremmel Freeman, CEO of the our age who are in movies are witches, National Association of County grotesques, gargoyles, or sweet little and City Health, recommends grandmothers.” that applicants check with “Maybe we’re interesting? Just a little their local and state health bit, right?" asked the interviewer. departments.

“Maybe,” Wiest laughed. “...just Another promising way to maybe.” ❖ jump into the marketplace is to

check out businesses which have demonstrated senior-friendly practices. Certified businesses are listed on the Age Friendly Foundation website (www. agefriendlyfoundation.org). Their certification program consists of a review which examines a business looking for: agefriendly commitment; employee recruitment and retention; training and development; work schedules; and compensation and benefits packages.

With so many avenues to follow, where do you begin?

Should you follow your head or your heart? While it doesn’t make sense that now is the time to train as a brain surgeon or a deep-sea diver, if those were your lifeline dreams. Nevertheless, there is a match for you somewhere between head and heart; between experience you’ve garnered over the years and an urge to serve in a particular way.

More than any other age group, seniors are more likely to claim that the primary reason they’re working is to “do what I enjoy.” Follow your head and your heart, and you will find a way to fill your purse. ❖ Karen Telleen-Lawton is a Certified Financial Planner who helps seniors help themselves by providing bias-free financial advice. You can reach her with your questions or comments at ktl@ DecisivePath.com.

14

Northwest Prime Time www.NorthwestPrimeTime.com

The Man Who Saw Bigfoot ...continued from page 1

a Russian scientist named Dmitri Bayanov.

Bob Gimlin Reemerges After 35 Years Bayonov had written about Sasquatch as well as what they call the Russian Snowman. He came to the US to attend a conference in California, and he convinced Bob Gimlin to go along with him.

Reluctantly, Bob agreed to tell the story of Willow Creek to a room of attendees. In a video of the talk, you can see Bob, his mustache not yet white, clearly unsure of what to expect. For decades his story had gotten nothing but ridicule.

He finished the story, stood for a moment in uncertain silence, and then it came: thunderous applause.

“It was like lifting a weight off my shoulders,” Bob said. “Here’s all these people just anxious to hear what went on, and believed in me. And when I walked in the room, standing ovation.

And I thought, wait a minute, how did this turn around in a few days?”

Once again, Bigfoot had changed Bob’s life. He discovered that not only was he accepted by this community of believers, he was revered. In his 35 years of silence, the Patterson-Gimlin film became legendary among Bigfoot enthusiasts.

Bob started going to Bigfoot conferences again, giving interviews and signing autographs.

‘Until the Day They Spank Me in the Face With Dirt’ Still, that wasn’t good news for everyone in Bob’s life.

“My wife allows it but she will not go to any of them with me because of the bad days that she had. She says I won’t allow anybody that has anything to do with it to come to my place to do any filming or any interviews. You do what you want to, but I’m not going to go do any of it.”

And that’s sort of the agreement Bob has made with the world, too. He knows what he saw. If you don’t believe him, fine. You’re the sucker.

“I strongly believe that if a real one walked in the house and sat down at a table—or, the best it could—they’d say no, it’s a fake. It’s somebody in a suit.

That’s how naive they are,” said Bob. “So that’s just the way I’d tell them until the day they spank me in the face with dirt.” ❖

Find Insight and Inspiration in a Labyrinth ...continued from page 2

There’s no set pace when walking a labyrinth. Nor do you have to have a specific aim or purpose for your journey. The walk offers a chance to get in touch with your inner thoughts, be present in the moment, release emotions or gain clarity into a particular problem. Additionally, it can provide an opportunity to clear and quiet your mind.

Though the labyrinth is most often used as a tool to achieve spiritual and psychological benefits, it is also viewed as an art form. The labyrinth has intrigued and inspired artists for years; many regard it as a symbol of human inventiveness and imagination, rife with hidden meanings. Entire exhibits have been devoted to interpreting the labyrinth, both literally and figuratively.

There are dozens of labyrinths in the Puget Sound region, many which are free and open to the public.

A number of them are located on church properties or in city and county parks. In Seattle, for example, there’s a labyrinth at Seattle Center at the entrance to the The Museum of Pop Culture (formerly Experience Music Making Prostate Cancer Treatment Decisions ...continued from page 6

P3P can also help the men have more productive conversations with their health care provider. The men may already discuss the pros and cons of the different treatments with their physicians, but the website gives them as much time as they need to review the information and they can revisit it anytime. It also helps patients navigate conversations with their health care provider through coaching videos. The videos show men talking with their doctor, customized to the patients’ age and race, giving the men Purpose Prize Winners ...continued from page 6

said Brusseau. “Every day for 25 years, PeaceTrees has worked in the most heavily bombed areas of Vietnam to safely clear thousands of deadly unexploded munitions remaining from war, support accident survivors, restore communities, strengthen education and economic development, and build strong bonds of trust and friendship This story, which originally aired in April of 2018, is reprinted with permission by KNKX between American and Vietnamese Public Radio (88.5FM “Your Connection To veterans and families,” she said.

Each AARP Purpose Prize Jazz, Blues and NPR News”). Readers can connect with Bob Gimlin via his Facebook winner received a $50,000 award for their organization. AARP also page. A post in October read: “This announced ten AARP Purpose weekend Bob Gimlin turns 89 years Prize fellows, who were honored old, and is going strong. Bob is always quick with a smile and a firm handshake. for the mission-focused work of the organizations they lead and received Since the COVID is a concern this year, a $5,000 award to further the there isn’t a big birthday celebration... mission of their organization.

Bob asked me to tell everyone that “I commend this year’s AARP he is doing good and playing it safe Purpose Prize winners and fellows for with mask and distancing.” His their dedication and commitment to Facebook page also features photos serving people of all ages during these and updates on Bigfoot research, challenging times,” said AARP CEO documentaries, events and more.

Project). There’s also a well-known one in front of St. Mark’s Episcopal Cathedral. Those who live in Pierce County and frequent Fort Steilacoom Park are probably familiar with the labyrinth at the start of Waughop Lake Loop Trail. And if you’re in the vicinity of University Place, you’ll discover one at Chambers Creek overlooking the playfields. Walkers and cyclists in Snohomish County might be aware of the labyrinth in Lebanon Park, next to the Centennial Trail in downtown Arlington. The one behind Alban’s Episcopal Church in Edmonds, however, may not be on most people’s radars. Its unique feature is that it’s etched in grass. On the Eastside, you’ll find labyrinths at Kirkland’s Edith Moulton Park and on the grounds of such churches as Wooden Cross Lutheran in Woodinville and Bothell United Methodist Church.

If you’re interested in joining other labyrinth aficionados, check out the Labyrinth Society, an organization comprised of a diverse group of individuals from all over the world.

Members give workshops, hold labyrinth walks and help create labyrinths at schools, hospitals, businesses, prisons and other institutions. For more information, visit www.labyrinthsociety.org. ❖ examples of what they might want to say to their physician.

In controlled studies, the platform helped men feel less conflicted about their treatment decision than men who only met with their health care provider.

“The point is that it’s the most common cancer in men [after skin cancer], and a lot of men will be diagnosed,” Berry said. “And the decision for how to manage it is very challenging for men, and they can use help.”

Anyone hoping to use the free P3P website can find it at www.p3p4me.org. The content is available in both English and Spanish. ❖ Jo Ann Jenkins. “These older adults inspire and show us how our own life experiences can be used to find creative and innovative solutions to help others and make a difference in communities across the country.”

Brusseau said, “As a Gold Star sister of Lt Daniel Cheney, US Army Helicopter pilot who was shot down and killed while saving the life of his fellow pilot in the Vietnam War, it is my distinct honor to work with the Vietnamese people to ‘turn sorrow into service,’ transforming once adversarial relationships into trusted partners and allies and transforming the legacy of war into a future of safety, well-being, peace and collaboration for our children, grandchildren and generations to come.”

Other 2021 Purpose Prize recipients included Sandy Hook Promise, Bronx Children’s Museum, Brilliant Detroit and actress Glenn Close for her charity Bring Change to Mind, which works to reduce the stigma around mental illness.

Visit www.aarp.org/purposeprize for a full list of 2021 honorees. ❖

January/February 2021

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AlohaDreamsCondo.com PUZZLE ANSWERS Answers to questions on page 11 1. Second string 2. “went the strings of my heart.”

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Innovation in Alzheimer’s and Dementia Care Handbook Available

The 1st Annual Maude’s Awards recipients were announced in October 2020. The eight awardwinning innovations, as well as all the other entries, have been assembled into a handbook called Innovation in Alzheimer’s Care.

This free handbook is available for download or in hard copy at www.MaudesAwards.org. Maude’s Awards were created to enrich the quality of life for persons living with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias and their care partners.

January/February 2021

Library Corner

Resiliency ...by Wendy Pender

If 2020 has caused us to do anything, it is to become more resilient. Changes in the way we do everything, from grocery shopping to haircuts to traveling to visiting the library. Who could have imagined the changes a year ago?

Changes may not always be welcome; nonetheless they come, and we adapt.

Fortunately, the library is full of tools to help you adjust to the way things are (or escape in your imagination if you just want to get away!) Here are a few to consider:

www.NorthwestPrimeTime.com 15 • Resilient: How to Grow An Unshakable Core of Calm, Strength, and Happiness by Rick Hanson. Hanson, a Senior Fellow at the Greater Good Science Center at UC Berkeley, shares practical tools from positive psychology and neuroscience to help you develop inner strength.

• The Resilience Toolkit: Powerful Practices for Bouncing Back from Disappointment, Difficulty, and Even Disaster by Linda Graham. Graham, a clinical psychotherapist, integrates new discoveries from brain research and mindfulness practices to help readers build self-acceptance and self-awareness.

• Resilience is a skill we can build no matter our age. You may have caught author Jasmyn Wright on TV showcasing her “We Push Through” foundation

which helps children with building confidence and grit. Read her take on resilience for the younger folk in I’m Gonna Push Through!

Then again, sometimes we just need an escape. For something that “takes you away,” try one of these: • Eat Joy: Stories and Comfort Food from 31 Celebrated Writers. This book offers a quick but satisfying “bite” of essays and recipes from all over the map.

It also gives a fun, personal peek into authors’ lives and kitchens!

• Ken Burns Country Music soundtrack, either the two-CD format or the five-CD deluxe edition. Even if country music is not your thing, you will recognize many of the tunes and personalities. Johnny Cash, Earl Scruggs, Dolly Parton and more await

your listening pleasure, as well as more contemporary voices. The soundtrack is the companion to the popular PBS series.

• Finally, I have been finding a wonderful escape in Jenny Colgan’s tales, such as The Little Bookshop on the Corner. Taking place in Scotland and London, Colgan’s books are heartwarming without being saccharine. While recipes and romance are often present, the windswept landscape and “coming into one’s own” themes draw me in time after time. Reading about others’ lives helps me live my own just a little bit better.

Here’s to 2021! Turn to your library— we’re here for you! ❖ Wendy Pender, Older Adults Program Coordinator, King County Library System, wgpender@kcls.org

JOIN US FOR A NEW YEAR OF HOPE ... AND CHANGE The CDC agrees. The health, safety and well being of our residents is a HUGE priority, so they’ll be in phase one of COVID-19 vaccinations held on site at our community.† If you’ve been considering senior living, make the move to Cogir where we strive for enriching lifestyles, excellence in safety and encompassing service and where

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†Covid-19 vaccines are limited in supply and distribution. At this time we have contracted with CVS Pharmacy to supply our communities with the vaccine in cadence with CDC inoculation protocols. The exact timing of the vaccines is still unclear at time of this publication. Please contact the community for more details. *Care charges are not included. Certain conditions apply. Contact community for details.

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