the SPRING

Time of your

2014

LIFE

YOUR GUIDE TO MATURE LIVING, HEALTH, FINANCES AND LIFESTYLE

AGING IN PLACE DENTAL CARE FITNESS HEALTH CARE HOME CARE LOCAL SERVICES PROFILES RETIREMENT VOLUNTEERING

23rd annual

Older Americans

C o n f e r e n c e Wednesday, May 15 9 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. 1200 NW Fairgrounds Road, Bremerton Liberty Shores

SENIOR LIVING

Harbor House

MEMORY CARE

Free to the public Space is limited (See page 3 for more details)

Spr ing Renews Spring Brings A New

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Spring Time of Your Life

â€˘ 2014

Community of Friends My mother came from a very large close-knit family.

Every summer she organized our family reunion consisting of her sisters, brothers, and their children. She would cook wonderful meals and the kitchen would fill the house with wonderful aromas. Dad would keep everyone entertained and keep the family all laughing. Mom no longer hosts the reunions since Dad had passed away. Her siblings now take turns having those family gatherings and picks mom up to take her to them. At the last gathering she looked extremely tired. I noticed that her frame was much smaller and was a bit more withdrawn. After speaking with the uncles and aunts we thought it would be best if we found her a new home where others could keep her company and occupied throughout the days. Somewhere that would take care of her the same way she had taken care of us all those years. We did not just want anyplace to be her home but a place where she had activities, warmth, care and most importantly love. We decided that Liberty Shores & Harbor House in Poulsbo would be the new home that would be perfect for mom. Liberty Shores & Harbor House is a trusted and deficiency free senior care provider specializing in assisted living and memory care. They offer the finest care, given by the most committed staff.

Call and schedule a free tour and lunch and you will experience our community filled with warmth and new friends.

360-779-5533

19360 Viking Avenue N.W., Poulsbo

www.libertyshores.com

Liberty Shores

SENIOR LIVING

Harbor House MEMORY CAR E

LIKE US ON

Spring Time of Your Life

• 2014

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Better aging and benefits of gardening Dr. Daniel Amen, Ciscoe Morris guest speakers at Older Americans Conference May 15 By RICHARD WALKER Spring Time of Your Life

ere are some things the guest speakers at the Older Americans Conference want you to know. One, gardening is good for you. And you can grow food and other plants even if you downsize to an apartment. Two, you can slow the aging process by maintaining good brain health. The guest speakers at this year’s conference are Ciscoe Morris, rock star of the gardening world; and Dr. Daniel Amen, a physician, board-certified psychiatrist, and ninetime New York Times bestselling author. The annual Older Americans Month Conference, “Leading a Healthy and Empowered Life,” is May 15, 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., at the Kitsap County Fairgrounds pavilion, 1200 NW Fairgrounds Road, Bremerton. The conference is free and open to the public. However, space is limited and reservations are required. Call 360-337-5700 or 1-800-562-6418. The conference is sponsored by the Kitsap County Division of Aging & Long Term Care and the Long Term Care Alliance of Kitsap County. The conference will feature more

Dr. Daniel Amen

Ciscoe Morris

than 60 vendors, according to Vicki Hanson of the Division of Aging & Long Term Care. Morris’s presentation topic is “Favorite Spring Plants to Jazz up the Garden.” “Probably all the plants I’ll show will definitely work in Kitsap County,” he said, “A lot of them will be plants that attract hummingbirds. They’re really easy to grow and those little avian acrobats are so fun.” He’ll talk about fuchsia, monarda, salvia and other plants that might, in his words, “stump the living tweedle” out of you. During our interview, he talked excitedly about the health benefits of gardening. “It’s therapy,” he said. “When I’m gardening, I forget about everything else. There’s the mental enjoyment and the connection to the earth we need so much. Pruning and weeding keeps you moving and helps you stay flexible. You really burn up a lot of calories when you are gardening.” We can take our enjoyment of gardening with us as we get older and downsize or, as Morris said in Ciscoespeak, “When you’re

not the spring chicken you use to was.” Morris grows a gourmet blend of salad greens in a container. “You can make a whole garden in a container. Containers don’t take hardly any weeding at all and you can grow practically everything — Brussels sprouts, tomatoes, peas. “Berries, veggies, flowers — you can grow anything if you get some pots. I’m writing an article about a dwarf cherry tree for patios that can produce 20 pounds per season.” If you give up gardening because you feel you’re too old to do it or because you’ve sold your house and moved to an apartment, “You’re really giving up on something valuable,” Morris said.

“I’m going to have pots out there until I’m 142 years old.” Morris is well-known for his popular gardening show, “Gardening with Ciscoe,” on KING 5 TV and KIRO Radio. He is the author of “Ask Ciscoe,” published by Sasquatch Publishing and distributed by Random House. Morris maintains a rock star’s pace on the plant-talk circuit. He was booked nearly every day in April; his calendar included the Daffodil Festival in Tacoma (he was parade grand marshal), a Q&A at a flower show in Abbotsford, B.C., a live radio segment at the Puyallup Spring Fair, and a presentation on See CONFERENCE, Page 7

the

of timeyour life Publisher: Donna Etchey

Sound Publishing Kitsap publishers Bainbridge Island Review, North Kitsap Herald, Kingston Community News: Donna Etchey Bremerton Patriot, Central Kitsap Reporter, Port Orchard Independent, Veterans Life: Sean McDonald Port Orchard Independent: Lorraine May, associate publisher.

Time of Your Life editor: Richard Walker Cover design: Mark Gillespie Sales representatives: Tiffany Walker, Annie LaValle, Marleen Martinez, Rita Nicholson, Frank Portello, Jennifer Zuver, Terri Tinker Creative consultants: Mark Gillespie, Bryon Kempf, Clare Ortblad, John Rodriguez, Kelsey Thomas

23rd Annual Older Americans Conference S

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Spring Time of Your Life

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• 2014

Spring Time of Your Life

• 2014

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Dr. Messah joins Anderson Denture & Dental Anderson Denture & Dental Center 19410 8th Ave. NE, Suite 102 Poulsbo, WA 98370 360-779-1566 www.andersondenturedental.com

The staff of Anderson Denture & Dental: Standing, from left, Elaine Bowen, dental assistant; Dr. Martin Messah, dentist; Bruce Anderson, denturist. Seated from left, Wanda Anderson, office manager; Vickie Thacker, financial; Minjee Fitzpatrick, dental assistant. Below, Oscar Trammell reads a magazine in the comfy and homelike waiting room.

By MELINDA WEER Spring Time of Your Life

here is a new smile at Anderson Denture & Dental: Dr. Martin Messah joined the Anderson team on Nov. 1,

2013. It was during his internship as a dental assistant in the oral maxillofacial surgery department at The Ohio State University that he realized dentistry was a perfect fit for him. He said he’s found the field of dentistry to be fun and exciting. Messah’s family moved here from Indonesia in 1998 to escape the Social and Cultural Revolution. He remembers his school being locked down when he was in fourth grade because of riots. The family settled in the Lake City area of Seattle. Messah finished English as a Second Language in one year and moved right into the International Baccalaureate Program in high school. He studied biochemistry at UW, graduating in 2008. Then, he obtained his DDS at University of California, San Francisco in 2012, then completed a one-year internship at Ohio State in oral maxillofacial surgery. Messah likes the work environment and the people at Anderson Denture & Dental. He said patients in Poulsbo are relaxed and friendly. What do his patients say about him? Oscar Trammell, who will be 86 years old in July and is a man of few words, said, “Good job. I like him!” Trammell’s wife, Marion, said Messah does “a really thorough job. I appreciate his professionalism and friendly nature.” Doing mission work has helped Messah to keep a great perspective on life. He traveled to Haiti in 2010, 2011 and 2012 as part of the Christian Medical & Dental Association team. “Doing mission work is life changing. I empathize more with my patients. I try to feel what it is like on their side so I can make them as relaxed as possible.” The staff at Anderson Denture & Dental focus on good dental health while giving people with missing or problem teeth a healthy, full smile.

Melinda Weer / Spring Time of Your Life

“Oral hygiene affects the whole body,” said Wanda Anderson, office manager and wife of denturist Bruce Anderson. “The goal of our office is to help people have good oral hygiene and maintain their natural teeth. The fact that we provide dental and denture services reflects the quality of care we want to provide. If we didn’t have both, a patient would have to be referred to

two or three different providers.” Wanda noted that patients rave about the convenience of having both prosthetic treatment and dental services in one office. Anderson Denture & Dental’s range of services is reflected in its patients — from children to age 101. Bruce Anderson received his bachelor of science degree from Covenant College,

Chattanooga, Tenn., and earned his diploma in denturitry from George Brown College. He studied for certification in denturitry at the University of Florida School of Dentistry, Idaho State University and the American Denturist Academy. As the son of a denturist, a professional specializing in removable dental prosthetics, Anderson grew up in the industry. He worked in his father’s laboratory during his teenage years and summers between college semesters. “My dad was a master, and the skills he taught me have proved invaluable,” he said. Anderson enjoys his work and its challenges. He especially enjoys chatting with his older patients and the invaluable history lessons listening to their year’s past experiences. “I should write a book,” he said. “Many of my older patients are little vignettes out of history. My daily highlight is when patients share their experiences. They are my heroes.” After 40 years as a denturist, Anderson is a master in his own right. He designs custom dentures, paying close attention to how a patient smiles and speaks, the shape of the face, etc., and uses a natural complimentary color to match the original shade. Anderson said the dentures he makes are See ANDERSON, Page 7

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Spring Time of Your Life

• 2014

Liberty Shores is no typical community Roberta Sisley enjoys some private reading time in the luxurious day room at Liberty Shores. This is an active place, and you can do it all or you can do just what you want: Entertain guests. Take in some live entertainment. Watch TV with friends in the homelike Bay Room, which has a kitchen and snacks. Enjoy a glass of wine on the expansive deck overlooking the bay.

Liberty Shores Senior Living and Harbor House Memory Care 19360 Viking Ave. NW Poulsbo, WA 98370 360-779-5533 www.libertyshores.com By MELINDA WEER Spring Time of Your Life

iberty Shores Senior Living and Harbor House Memory Care has scored a perfect state survey inspection for the second consecutive year. Very few senior-living communities have achieved one perfect survey. A team of state licensers spent seven days checking compliance in all aspects of medical care, emotional well-being of the residents, psychological support, activities, dining services, diets, laundry services, physicians’ orders, personnel files, staff training and more. The average number of deficiencies found in a typical assisted-living community is five or more. But then, Liberty Shores is no typical community. This is an active place, and you can do it all or you can do just what you want. Entertain guests. Take in some live entertainment. Watch TV with friends in the home-like Bay Room, which has a kitchen and snacks. Enjoy a glass of wine on the expansive deck overlooking the bay. How about venturing out on a “mystery drive?” Once a week, activity director Erica Applewhite picks a secret destination in Kitsap or Jefferson County and doesn’t reveal the location until residents are loaded on the bus. “Amazingly, we have quite a few adventure seekers who live here, so they don’t seem to be daunted by not knowing where they will go until buckled in to their seat,” Applewhite said. “When so much of our daily routines can be ordered or programmed, it’s sure nice to have something that’s a mystery!” Administrator Sigrid Howard added, “Most seniors have such extended lives today. We want to provide a level of service that accommodates those active lives.” The beauty of this place sets the tone for the quality of living Liberty Shores and Harbor House strives to provide: Personal care with a holistic team approach designed to address all physical, mental, social and spiritual needs; respect for who residents

Melinda Weer / Spring Time of Your Life

were and who they are today; integrity in every facet of services and care; dignity as the ultimate goal in providing care, while preserving and respecting the dignity of residents; and exceeding residents and families’ expectation. Liberty Shores offers familiar amenities and services. Studio and one- and twobedroom apartments are each outfitted with a mini-kitchen with refrigerator and microwave. Each apartment has a call-light system to alert staff when a resident needs assistance, and each unit has cable service available. Apartments are furnished with the resident’s personal belongings. Three meals a day are served restaurant style, with choices from daily specials, accommodation of special dietary needs, and a made-to-order salad bar. Other services include housekeeping and linen services; free use of laundry facilities; transportation for shopping, scheduled medical appointments and community events; programs coordinated by an activities director; recreation and exercise areas; a beauty salon and barber shop; and a 24-hour bistro-type snack bar stocked with nutritious snacks and drinks. Howard said additional services set

Liberty Shores apart: 24-hour onsite licensed nursing staff; 24-hour, seven-day-a-week admissions; full-time restorative care coordinator, offering customized exercise programs to help residents maintain, restore or obtain their highest level of physical abilities; Wander Guard support, to provide enhanced security for residents with early stages of memory loss; full-time social worker on staff to provide emotional and interpersonal support to residents; BlueStep, an online medical charting system that can be accessed by physicians, medical staff and families from a secure, private log-in; and Family Connect, an online informational page which allows families real-time updates on their loved one’s health, activity and social well-being. All told, Liberty Shores and Harbor House employ more than 100 — that’s almost one employee per resident. The staff are striving every day to give residents a life where they have all the freedom that they desire as they age. The average age of residents is 90 years old. People are retiring later in life and living longer. Many are able to live at home longer now than in years past. According to Howard, “The only way you can be successful in elder care is to continu-

ally adjust [to the changing times]. Residents do not adjust to you; you need to adjust to them.” She realizes that Liberty Shores will be adjusting again as Baby Boomers start to arrive. “They want to preserve their younger lifestyle.” The next new development at Liberty Shores will be the installation of five flag poles flying service flags in appreciation of their servicemen. Currently, 16 of the residents are veterans of wars. Howard hopes to have some of them participate in the dedication ceremony in time for Memorial Day, 2014.

Harbor House Memory Care

Harbor House, located adjacent to Liberty Shores, offers comfortable private and semiprivate rooms, which are furnished or can be furnished with the resident’s personal belongings. Harbor House Memory Care has three floors and combines security in housing and health care to aid in residents’ comfort and ensure their health and safety. Its design is focused on comfort and familiarity to allow residents to maintain their independence and privacy. Personal rooms are outfitted with See LIBERTY SHORES, Page 7

Spring Time of Your Life

• 2014

Conference Continued from page 3

carnivorous plants before a screening of “Little Shop of Horrors” at the SIFF Cinema in Uptown Seattle. Amen’s topic is “Change Your Brain, Change Your Life.” In his books and in interviews, Amen asserts that brain health is essential to all aspects of quality of life. In his book “Making a Good Brain Great,” he provides analysis and recommendations for brain improvement purported to enhance a person’s overall happiness and ability. For example, he suggests that hobbies that challenge the brain are important to ensuring a happy life, as he believes they force the brain

Page 7

“When I’m gardening, I forget about everything else. There’s the mental enjoyment and the connection to the earth we need so much.”

“142 studies show that as your weight goes up, the size and function of your brain goes down. That forces you to rethink the pot belly.”

— Ciscoe Morris

— Dr. Daniel Amen

to learn and evolve over time. In his book “The Brain in Love,” Amen describes the brain activity that occurs during meditation as similar to those that occur during the feeling of love and sexual activity. That should boost interest in meditation — and in his presentation. You have a lot of influence over how your

brain ages, but you have to pay attention. If the thyroid is not producing enough hormone, which controls how the body uses energy, brain function can be affected. High blood sugar can contribute to brain atrophy. Not getting enough Vitamin D and good omega 3 fats can affect cognitive health. Amen said he’ll talk about why it’s impor-

so realistic “we have patients whose spouse or family members have no idea they wear dentures.” Wanda Anderson received her bachelor of science degree from Metropolitan State University of Denver in Denver, Colo., and a master’s degree from Illinois State University, in Bloomington, Ill. Earlier in her career, she worked as a school psychologist and as a marriage, family and children’s counselor.

The dental assistants are known for their calm, assuring manner that helps put patients at ease. And Wanda, the former counselor and psychologist, also helps put patients at ease before major dental treatment. The team strives to make your visit a comfortable, relaxed experience — right down to the homey decor designed to enhance the atmosphere and to help patients feel comfortable. “We know that getting major dental work is a big occurrence,” Wanda said. “We feel that concern and realize it’s a big step, psychologically and aesthetically.”

Don’t forget to look for Anderson Denture and Dental’s invitation for a free new patient consultation and oral exam on their advertisement. Anderson Denture & Dental Center offers the following services: General/Cosmetic Dentistry n Crowns n Restorations n Surgery n Emergency care Full and Partial Dentures n Specializing in immediate dentures n Same-day repairs and relines

Liberty Shores

An invitation to visit

care,” she said. “We offer a comprehensive selection of living options and support services … We encourage and support aging in place and have the staff and services to make it happen.”

Anderson

Continued from page 5

Continued from page 6

photos of family and friends, while common areas and “memory stations” encourage individual and group activities. A highlight of the first floor: A theater room, with theater-style seating, gift shop, and “Memory Lane” style visiting area for before or after the film. Adorning the walls are movie posters from Hollywood’s “Casablanca” era. Activities are scheduled seven days a week, including board games, Bible studies, exercise classes, day trips and other special outings. Outside, the courtyard features gardens where residents have grown plants and vegetables that have won awards at the Kitsap County Fair. Harbor House Alzheimer’s Community also offers daycare and respite care for all stages of dementia patients, seven days a week.

Howard said prospective residents of Liberty Shores or Harbor House are invited to take a tour and enjoy a complimentary lunch. “We know you will applaud our standards and see why we have been recognized for exceptional customer service and quality

Personalized Home Care Services Since 1975, ResCare has provided services that help individuals maximize their independence and quality of life. We provide personalized home care services to people of all ages, physical conditions and cognitive abilities in the comfort of your home, the hospital, a long-term assisted living facility or other place of temporary or permanent residence.

3100 NW Bucklin Hill Rd., Suite 108, Silverdale Phone: 360-698-8590 • Fax: 360-698-8592 Hours: Monday-Friday 8:30am - 5pm

tant that you care about your brain, and what accelerates the aging process. Some facts may surprise you. “One-hundred and forty-two studies show that as your weight goes up, the size and function of your brain goes down,” Amen said. “That forces you to rethink the pot belly. Not only is it not appealing, but it’s damaging to the brain.” Amen will talk about the benefits of hanging out with healthy people, and mental exercises. His goal is to give you “brain envy.” “It’s going to be fun,” he said. Amen Clinics (www.amenclinics.com) specializes in brain imaging, therapy and treatment for ADHD, anxiety, addiction, depression, memory issues, and other mental health issues.

Emergency care Financial options n Visa and MasterCard n Payment plans with no interest for up to six months n Extended payment plans n Most insurance plans accepted n Personal checks accepted n

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Spring Time of Your Life

Connecting you to important services KITSAP COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF AGING AND long-term care Givens Community Center 1026 Sidney Ave. Port Orchard, WA 98366 360-337-5700 www.agingkitsap.com

itsap County Aging and Long-Term Care, or ALTC, is a division of Kitsap County government and is the statedesignated Area Agency on Aging for Kitsap County. The ALTC’s mission is to work independently and through community partnerships to promote the well-being of older adults and disabled adults by ensuring Kitsap County is an elderfriendly community, and thereby assist them in maintaining their independence. ALTC facilitates more than 30 subcontracts with local providers for various services. Another six programs are provided directly by ALTC staff and volunteers.

Administrator Barry Johnson said that in addition to the programs, ALTC is available to answer questions and help people make decisions that will positively affect their lives. Johnson said it is all too common for people to make insufficiently informed choices, which may lead to unfavorable health outcomes and unnecessary expense. There are often relatively simple and low-cost options available to help people remain living in their own homes and communities. “We’re here as a way for people to get the information they need as they make very important life decisions,” he said. ALTC’s Senior Information & Assistance Program was budgeted to assist more than 1,200 people in 2013. Other in-house programs include the Family Caregiver Support Program, which helps individuals taking care of family or friends and is expected to serve at least 550 caregivers this year; Statewide Health Insurance Benefits Advisors, which provides free unbiased health insurance benefits advice to more than 930 people; Long-Term Care Ombudsman, which

expects to assist 2,500 people; Medicaid Long-Term Care Case Management Services; and the Title V Senior Community Services Employment & Training Program. Kitsap ALTC was created through the collaborative action of residents, aging-network service providers and the Kitsap Board of County Commissioners in 1980. The Kitsap ALTC Advisory Council, with representation by citizens from all three commissioner districts, makes program and services recommendations to the Kitsap ALTC, and advocates with elected officials regarding the interests and needs of older adults and adults with disabilities living in Kitsap County. Kitsap ALTC purchases services from private and public agencies and arranges for service delivery for individuals who meet eligibility requirements. Kitsap ALTC utilizes a variety of state, federal and local funding sources including the federal Older Americans Act, Medicaid, Respite, the National and State Family Caregiver Support Program, the state Senior Citizens Services Act and individual and community donations.

Working to ensure seamless care in Kitsap LONG-TERM CARE ALLIANCE Chad Solvie, board president 360-394-4010 csolvie@marthaandmary.com

he Long-Term Care Alliance of Kitsap County is working to make easier the lives of patients and their families.

The Long-Term Care Alliance is a nonprofit group with about 40 members representing every facet of long-term care, from hospitals to pharmacies to in-home care. Recent efforts of the alliance have focused on streamlining the continuum of care, said Chad Solvie, CEO of Martha & Mary and president of the Alliance. In the West Sound area, many health care providers — offering a wide array of services — compete for the business of local seniors. But at least once a year they’re also allies within the alliance, working with other health care providers from across the county to solve systemic issues in long-term care. Solvie said many, if not all, healthcare providers in the alliance would acknowledge the health care system is fragmented. The goal is to make healthcare more seamless. It’s not a new mission of the alliance, Solvie said, but it is something getting more attention. The alliance was established more than 20 years ago to work to improve the quality of care in Kitsap County. Long-term care involves services for people with disabilities or chronic ailments who need care, whether at home or in a facility. Often,

“Because we have defined borders, it’s little easier to get your arms around the county and say, ‘These are the people in our community.’ ” — Chad Solvie, president, Long-Term Care Alliance

people requiring long-term care are older, but they can be of any age. When the Long-Term Care Alliance began, it was primarily to smooth communication between hospitals and nursing homes. As the number of Kitsap’s health care providers grew, so did the alliance. When you look around the table now, it’s mostly companies that are community-based, Solvie said. Being on a peninsula has helped the group remain unified. “Because we have defined borders, it’s probably a little easier to get your arms around the county and say, ‘These are the people in our community,’” Solvie said. See agencies, Page 13

• 2014

AT A GLANCE Services expected to be Facilitated or provided by division staff IN 2014 n Information and Assistance: 1,240 individuals served. n Family Caregiver Support Program: 550 caregivers served; 6,094 hours of respite care for 50 caregivers; 80 counseling sessions; 138 trainings; 32 individuals served in support groups; 35 individuals received home-delivered meals, legal services, or durable medical equipment. n Long-Term Care Ombudsman: 500 investigations or interventions; 2,500 individuals served. n Medicaid Long-Term Care Case Management Services: 900 individuals served. n Statewide Health Insurance Benefits Advisors (SHIBA): 441. n Title V Senior Community Service Employment & Training Program: Training and employment opportunities for at least 12 participants. Subcontracted with local providers n Congregate Meals: 30,944 meals for 832 individuals. n Home-Delivered Meals: 42,026 meals for 373 individuals. n Kinship Caregivers Support Program: Support for 60 caregivers raising family members’ children. n Mental Health/ Substance Abuse Counseling: 542 hours of counseling for 85 individuals. n Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program: $23,300 worth of fresh food and produce for 582 individuals. n Legal Services: 373 hours of (non-criminal) legal services for up to 150 individuals. — Source: Kitsap County Department of Aging and LongTerm Care

Spring Time of Your Life

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RecentMammogram Mammogram Study Causes Confusion - Know The Facts Recent Study Causes Confusion - Know The Facts BY MANFRED HENNE, MD, PHD, MS

ABY recent study by Canadian MANFRED HENNE, MD,researchers PHD, MS published on February 11, 2014 in the British Medical Journal states that annual Amammogram recent study by Canadiandoes researchers screening not reduce published on February 2014 in the breast cancer deaths.11, The study goesBriton ish Journal that annualmay mamtoMedical state that annualstates mammograms lead to screening over-diagnosis or reduce that cancers mogram does not breast that were found not have lifecancer deaths. Themay study goes onbeen to state threatening. This study has created great that annual mammograms may lead to overconfusion diagnosis or for thatwomen cancers and that frustration were foundfor the medical community. may not have been life-threatening. This study has created confusion for women As noted on thegreat American Cancer Sociand frustration for the medical community. ety’s website, this data differs from ap-

proximately a dozen other clinical trials

As noted on the American Cancer Society’s that breast cancer screening experts use website, data differs from approximately to makethis decisions about screening guidea lines. dozen These other clinical breast canfindingstrials alsothat differ from cer experts use experts, to make decisions thescreening consensus of most includabout screening guidelines.Services These findings ing the U.S. Preventive Task Force, which estimated of that breast also differ from has the consensus most excancer screening reduces the relative risk perts, including the U.S. Preventive Services of death by about 15% in women ages Task Force, which has estimated that breast 40-59.screening reduces the relative risk of cancer death about 15% in women ages 40-59. The by Canadian National Breast Screening

Study followed 89,835 women for 25 The Canadian National Breast Screening years. The women were randomly asStudy followed 89,835 women for 25 years. signed to the mammogram group or the The women were randomly assigned to the control group. Those in the mammogram mammogram or the control group had agroup mammogram everygroup. year Those in the mammogram group hadcontrol a for five years, while those in the mammogram year for five years, group were every not screened. Women ages while those in the control group wereand not 40-49 in the mammogram group women ages 50-59 in40-49 both groups also screened. Women ages in the mam-

received annual clinical breast exams. Women ages 40-49 in the control group received one clinical breast exam, and mogram groupfrom and their women ages doctor. 50-59 in typical care family both groups also received After five years, womenannual in the clinical study breast exams. 40-49 in the received usualWomen care byages their regular doctors, which include mammograms control groupcould received one clinical breast at their doctor’s exam, and typical direction. care from their family

were still allowed in the study mammogram group, even though screening is only meant to be used in women who big enough be felt. The study design don’t have to signs or symptoms of the also may haveBreast influenced thediagnosed results, as based women disease. cancer who had signs and symptoms of abreast on symptoms is likely to be at morecanadvanced andlump) have worse survival cer (such asstage a breast were still althan cancers foundeven onlythough with mammolowed in the study, screening is grammeant screening. In theinstudy, mamdoctor. After five years, women in the study only to be used womenthe who don’t Because more cancers were diagnosed mogram group included more women received usual care by their regular doctors, have signs or symptoms of the disease. by mammogram, but essentially the same with symptoms of breast cancer than the which could include mammograms their Breast cancer diagnosed based on symptoms number of women died of breast at cancer, control group; therefore, the study was doctor’s direction. is likely to be at a more advanced stage and the study authors concluded that there less likely to show an advantage of mamhave worse survival than cancers found only had been over-diagnosis. They conclude mograms. Because more cancers were diagnosed by that recommendations for annual breast with mammogram screening. In the study, mammogram, but essentially the same numcancer screening through mammograms the It should also begroup notedincluded that this more studywommammogram ber women died of breast cancer, the be of re-evaluated. was initiated in 1980. At that point in the en with symptoms of breast cancer than study authors concluded that there had been time the science of mammography was control group; therefore, the study was less The Canadian study is only one over-diagnosis. They conclude thatstudy. recom- still in its infancy. Technical advances to show an advantage of mammoAlthough this study did notcancer find anscreen- likely mendations for annual breast have made great strides and the use of grams. advantage for mammogram screening, a 3D mammography has made it possible ing through mammograms be re-evaluated. number of other studies have. Experts in Ittoshould find cancers verythat early also beatnoted thisstages studywhen was The study isthose only at one Alt- treatment options and outcomes are the Canadian field, including thestudy. American initiated in 1980. At that point in time the Cancer Society, saynot thefind findings of this hough this study did an advantage optimal.ofTwo recent studies science mammography waspublished still in its in study may be due to differences in the for mammogram screening, a number of 2013 show that 3D mammography is 40infancy. Technical advances have made quality of the mammograms themselves, other studies have. Experts in the field, in50% more accurate in finding invasive great strides and the use of 3D mammograor problems with study design. cluding those at thethe American Cancer For Socie- breast cancer. phy has made it possible to find cancers at instance, although mammograms are ty, say the findings of this study may be due meant to find cancers that are too small As aearly radiologist I receive notes options from very stages when treatment to differences in the quality of the mammoto be felt, most (68%) of the cancers female patients a regular basis thankand outcomes areon optimal. Two recent studgrams or problems withwere the foundthemselves, in the mammogram group ingpublished us for finding their cancer saving ies in 2013 show that and 3D mamstudy design. to Forbeinstance, mambig enough felt. Thealthough study design their lives.isAt InHealth Imaging mography 40-50% more accuratewe inperfindmograms meant to find cancers that are also mayare have influenced the results, as form Low Radiation 3D Mammography ing invasive breast cancer. too small who to behad felt,signs most and (68%) of the canwomen symptoms on every patient because we believe it of breast (such as a breast is the right thingI receive to do. We also provide cers found cancer in the mammogram grouplump) were As a radiologist notes from female

results to each patient before they leave our office. We also stress to patients that the risk of cancer up with patients onbreast a regular basisgoes thanking us for age. That is why it is important to have finding their cancer and saving their lives. an mammogram for comparison. At annual InHealth Imaging we perform Low RadiThe I like to pose this:patient if it ationquestion 3D Mammography on is every is you, orwesomeone love, doesn’t because believe ityou is the right thing it to do. We also provide results to each patient make sense to take a 20-minute exam,before is they leave our office. Theonce question I that covered by insurance, a year like to pose is this: if it is you, or someone that really can save your life or their life? you love, doesn’t it make sense to take a

The American Cancer 20-minute exam, that isSociety coveredcontinby insurance, a year that really can save your ues toonce recommend that women age 40 life or theirshould life? have a mammogram and older and breast exam everycontinues year andto The clinical American Cancer Society should continue to do so for as longolder as recommend that women age 40 and they arehave in good health. Theand Society’s should a mammogram clinical breast exampanel everyofyear and should continue 12-person experts regularly to do so for as long as they are in good reviews all the scientific data on mamhealth. The American Cancer Society's 12mograms. person panel of experts regularly review all the scientific onMPH, mammograms. Otis Brawley,data MD, Chief Medical

Officer of the American Cancer Society, Otis Brawley, MD, MPH, Chief Medical has also said the Canadian study is one Officer of the American Cancer Society, has piece of information in a large volume of also said the Canadian study is one piece of evidence thatinadds to volume the bodyofofevidence knowlinformation a large edge about cancer screening.about For that adds to breast the body of knowledge now, he said this study will not change breast cancer screening. For now, he said this of study not change anySociety of the Ameriany the will American Cancer can Cancer Society recommendations. recommendations.

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Page 10

Encore Communities E NCOR EEncore Encore Com mu niti es Encore EncoreCommunities Communities CCommunities OMMUNITI ES Communities

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Spring Time of Your Life

• 2014

Page 11

Encore Communities welcomes The Ridge Range of services now includes independent living, assisted living, short-term rehab, and memory care

ncore Communities offers distinctive senior living and healthcare options at various levels: independent living at Country Meadows, assisted-living apartments at Clearbrook Inn, a short-term rehabilitation center, Northwoods Lodge, and now Memory Care at The Ridge. All Encore Communities are located in Silverdale and are managed by an established team of healthcare professionals who have been providing quality services to seniors for more than two decades.

The Ridge

The Ridge looks and feels like home within a secure environment. You will find a beautifully decorated town square which welcomes and encourages social interaction and involvement. Two neighborhoods offer easy access to secure garden areas for residents to enjoy. Common areas include a dining room, living room, den, library and a country kitchen. The country kitchen can be used by families for private dining. The Ridge offers private and shared suites (some available with furnishings) along with three nutritional meals, daily housekeeping and laundry services along with transportation for medical appointments. Specially trained associates encourage individual choices for the residents and join them in their moment, providing a supportive and engaging atmosphere. Music therapy is also offered several times a week as one of the activities to engage and delight residents. A special program, The Ridge Kids, is a time when children help residents make a connection to the past, rejuvenate their spirits and bring them an abundance of smiles. And then there is Gracie, the community’s fourlegged furry friend. She is one of a kind and her presence brings a loving calm to all the residents. Also, as a support service, there is a monthly support group for family members. The dedicated team at the Ridge understands the importance of fostering relationships with families through communication and easing the difficult challenges that comes

ENCORE COMMUNITIES n Northwoods, 360-698-3930 n Clearbrook Inn, 360-692-1228 n Country Meadows, 360-692-4480 n The Ridge, 360-687-4488 www.encorecommunities.com with dementia and memory loss. For more information, contact Renee at 360-697-4488 or visit The Ridge.

Northwoods Lodge

Northwoods Lodge continues to focus on delivering excellent therapy services that patients have come to expect. With the expansion of the therapy gym and private suites, those admitting to Northwoods Lodge are recovering in an environment conducive to superior patient outcomes. As a result, many individuals from the new Orthopedic Hospital in Silverdale have chosen Northwoods Lodge for their post-surgical rehabilitation services. The goal of the rehabilitation team at Northwoods is to assist patients in resuming an active, optimal lifestyle. Northwoods Lodge has a spacious occupational therapy kitchen, complete with appliances. In this setting, therapists can better address the challenges an individual faces when his or her life has been compromised by illness or injury. Here, the individual can practice those

chores many of us take for granted: loading the dishwasher, meal preparation, moving clothing from the washer to the dryer, and using numerous kitchen appliances. The warm water therapy program, staffed by physical therapists, has proven beneficial to participants. After orthopedic surgeries, the water environment allows for a reduction in weight bearing and stress in joints. This helps speed the recovery process. The water also provides buoyancy to challenge higherlevel balance skills in a safe environment. The warmth of the pool at 92 degrees aids in muscle relaxation, and is often used to address low back pain and other pain syndromes, to improve functional mobility with greater comfort for the patient. For more information about these inpatient or outpatient therapy services, call 360337-7422 or visit Northwoods Lodge, 2321 Schold Place NW, Silverdale.

Clearbrook Inn

Clearbrook offers its residents comfort and safety combined with a variety of events and entertainment, all within a warm and congenial atmosphere. In addition to longterm care services, Clearbrook offers shortstay apartments. These apartments give an individual the options to continue to recover, or stay on a trial basis, in a furnished apartment. Cable TV and telephone services, as well as personal laundry service, is included. Clearbrook is staffed with nurses 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and can provide a full range of health care services. Apartment

doors may remain open via a magnetic system, per resident request. Transportation services to medical appointments are also included during a short stay.

Country Meadows

Country Meadows offers spacious one- and two-bedroom cottages — Kitsap County’s only retirement cottages. Several of the cottages feature new natural cherry wood cabinets, granite countertops, custom fireplace surrounds, stainless steel appliances, and tile bathroom floors and showers. Two-bedroom units have a barrierfree ADA-accessible shower in the second bathroom. Residents have a lunch dining option at the Red Barn Café. Lunch is served daily, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., and is open to the public. Country Meadows also offers a home care program, At Home with Country Meadows. Home care assistants provide a host of nonmedical tasks such as bathing, domestic chores, dressing, meal preparation, mobility assistance, overnight care, pet care and shopping. Encore has found that these services extend residents’ independence in their own cottages. An additional service offered: Free personal chauffeur service in the Country Meadows shuttle van. For a private tour, call 360-692-1228 or 360692-4480.

Page 12

Spring Time of Your Life

• 2014

‘Forever home’ starts with common sense By AARON D. MURPHY Special to Spring Time of Your Life

o, if 89 percent of those polled by AARP favor “Aging-In-Place” as a first priority and preference, but we are still near the bottom of a long and slow recovery in the real estate market that in some areas depreciated homes upwards of 30 percent in value 4-5 years ago, what are the best ways we can still think about safely staying in our own homes longer as we get up in age? Each year, thousands of older Americans fall at home. Many of them are seriously injured and some are disabled. In 2002, more than 12,800 people over age 65 died and 1.6 million were treated in emergency departments because of falls. One-third of people older than 65 fall each year. One-half of those falls are recurrent. One in 10 falls results in serious injury or death. Some 87 percent of elder fractures are because of falls. Falls are often caused by hazards that are easy to overlook but easy to fix. We all get busy with our own lives, and we go about our daily routine without ever taking a moment to look down from the 50,000-foot level. We are busy staring at the one tree in front of us in that forest of “to-do list priorities.” Let’s zoom out, back up, take a deep breathe, and look around in our own home. (But first, please put on your common-sense glasses, the one’s with the tint of “Oh, well, that’s obvious” in the lenses).

A Low- (or No-) Cost and Common Sense Review of Your Home

1. Furniture layout: Is the path in your home unnecessarily circuitous to get through and around the pieces of furniture? Are there furniture legs and arms that stick out into the easiest route of travel through the home? Fix it. Make moving around in your home a clear, wide and intuitive path. 2. Rugs: Loose rugs are one of the top culprits to elder falls. Our older relatives love to decorate, and they love their small memory and collection items — we know that. But that 24 by 42 throw rug that she got on a trip to Maine in the ’70s that lays in front of the kitchen sink or just inside the entry door can be the end of living at home if we aren’t careful and aware. “Your favorite throw has got to go!” 3. Drop zones: Ask my wife where she finds things of mine when I’m on a deadline or otherwise “head down” and distracted. I leave a trail of “set downs” — shoes on the stairs, planner on the dining room table, keys

and wallet on the window sill by the front door … you get the idea. We all do it, and so do our parents. The difference is that if they leave the pile of read sections of the newspaper on the third step of the stairs for the next time they go down to the garage, it could be forgotten and send them directly from the third step to the bottom step. That minor oversight could turn a trip to the recycling bin into a trip to the E.R. and surgery room. Pick up and put up your things so they aren’t in your walking spaces and routes of travel. 4. Stairs and thresholds: Since we are talking “Better on a Budget,” I won’t go into it here about how much cheaper a stair or even an elevator in your home is compared to a slip or fall and the cost of moving into assisted living or a nursing home for the years ahead (just know that it is true). Here, I want to think maintenance and upkeep. Stairs with carpets are notorious for coming loose over time. The angle and speed at which the installers staple into the treads and riser corners (especially the back interior corner) lead to attachments that aren’t fully

sunken in and secure. A loosening carpet can cause your next step to miss a stair tread and you’ll be at the bottom sooner than you intended. Wood stairs are slippery to many of the warm socks and slippers older folks like to wear for warmth, and that can be a safety issue as well. Keep your stair carpet tightly affixed. 5. Floors and moisture: Overly smooth floor finishes (hardwoods, tile) and “wet rooms” are also regular culprits to serious injury falls in older Americans. This can be not just because of the occupant, but sometime also the caregiver that’s trying to help the older person with their ADLs (activities of daily living). Keeping your floor areas clear, and applications to the floor surfaces that help create some grit for traction where floor areas get wet, are crucial to keep us safe in our home as we bathe and get ready in the bathroom and laundry areas. 6. Reaching and stability: Are you using things in your upper kitchen cabinets that you need daily or weekly? Move them down. There is a cost alternative, which is

equipment to retrofit your upper cabinets to come out and down to the user; you can find more on that in our winter newsletter. Getting someone to help you re-organize your kitchen based on what you use most so you aren’t reaching above your head or using a step stool as often can go a long way to a longer and safer life at home. Safety in your home goes a very long way toward successful Aging-In-Place. There are a multitude of psychological benefits to making your home safe as well. It makes you feel in control. It makes you feel empowered. Taking charge of your future, and how you want your home to work and function for how you specifically use your own space, is a key to the success of making your house your “forever home.” Most of these things can be found in other Older American resource pages on the Internet, such as Cornell’s Environmental Geriatrics site. There are plenty of great links and articles that come out every day in the news, and you can stay in touch with it all by See FOREVER HOME, Page 13

Spring Time of Your Life

• 2014

Agencies

Continued from page 8 Most of the Alliance’s work is done behind the scenes, using the shared resources of its members. The Alliance discusses best practices and shares training. Much of its energy is focused on smoothing transitions for patients who rely on multiple providers. For example, an older person might have surgery, and move from the operating room to the hospital, the hospital to a nursing home and finally home for in-home nursing and long-term care. He or she might need four or five providers in the process, including pharmacies.

Forever home Continued from page 12

subscribing to our online “Empowering The Mature Mind” newspaper, or by going to our Facebook page and clicking LIKE to get all of our posts on making your second half the best it can be — including great educational resources and information for making your home your “forever home.” If you would like another great way to

KWA HomeCare

Page 13 The group is working to make those moves smoother, Solvie said. Since its inception, the Alliance has organized a long-term care conference each year. The conferences help the Alliance broaden the conversation on long-term care and educate the public on what resources are available. Conferences have drawn hundreds of people from around the region. Some come to learn how the Alliance has made competitors into collaborators. People from King County will attend the May 15 Older Americans Conference because they’ve heard about the Alliance “and they can’t believe it works,” he said.

start considering your options and being empowered through education, our book, “Aging in Place: 5 Steps to Designing a Successful Living Environment for your Second Half of Life” is available on our website and at Amazon.com. If you need more specific and personal solutions, get in touch with us at ADM Architecture or via EmpoweringTheMatureMind.com. We’d love to help you be successful. — Aaron D. Murphy is architect at ADM Architecture (www.ADM-Architecture.com).

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Spring Time of Your Life

Exceptional care that’s personal. It’s been our mission for over 120 years. With many years of experience, Martha & Mary provides exceptional care for children, adults and seniors. Our services include home care, care management, rehabilitation, skilled nursing care, memory care, independent and assisted living, child care, early learning and school-age programs. What makes Martha & Mary stand out from other health care and early learning providers? It’s our personalized, compassionate and knowdedgeable staff that go beyond the expected, earning your trust along the way. We are attentive to the needs that mean the most to you.

Serving our community with exceptional not-for-profit care.

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Spring Time of Your Life

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Martha & Mary offers full continuum of care MARTHA & MARY 19160 Front St. Poulsbo, WA 98370 360-779-7500 www.marthaandmary.org

Audrey Larson practices cooking, with the assistance of occupational therapy assistant Tanya Borah, in Martha & Mary’s occupational therapy kitchen. Martha & Mary / Contributed photo

By MELINDA WEER Spring Time of Your Life

artha & Mary offers a whole lot more than senior living services. Martha & Mary’s offerings support the full continuum of care: independent living, assisted living, care management in the community, in-home care, short-term rehabilitation, long-term care, memory care and children’s programs. Martha & Mary has served the community for more than 120 years, starting with children’s services and evolving into the spectrum of services it offers today. It is Martha & Mary’s goal to be THE solution for senior healthcare in the West Sound region.

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by designing the Triple Aim Initiative — an approach to improving the patient experience of care, improving the health of populations,

and reducing the per capita cost of health care (www.ihi.org/engage/initiatives/ TripleAim/Pages/default.aspx). Martha & Mary has embraced the Triple Aim philosophy as part of its roadmap to meeting the needs of seniors in the West Sound. Martha & Mary CEO Chad Solvie said his organization’s goal is to help its patients get healthy quickly and safely while reducing patient cost. “We’re about fulfilling our mission first,” he said. “We know that the healthcare system has inadequacies. We want to improve the overall system.” How does that look in real life? One example: Martha & Mary’s rehabilitation

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Spring Time of Your Life

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patients are ready to go home two weeks sooner than those who used other providers. Martha & Mary’s REHAB services has earned Pinnacle Quality Insight’s Customer Experience award two years in a row. Solvie believes American healthcare will go through a huge paradigm shift over the next 36 months, eventually leading to fewer providers in the marketplace. Martha & Mary plans to survive the shift by filling gaps in coverage and, in Solvie’s words, being “boots on the ground for some of the region’s most vulnerable citizens.” Martha & Mary has expanded its AT HOME Care Management program, partnering with Community Health Plan of Washington to provide care management services for Kitsap County, ensuring services are available for adults of all ages who need it most. Martha & Mary AT HOME provides non-medical in-home care and geriatric care management to seniors and adults, helping them remain independent in the comfort and security of their own home. The Care Management arm utilizes professional geriatric care managers that are familiar with senior resources and services on the penin-

• 2014

sula and in adjacent counties. Care managers work with seniors and their families to ensure access to dignified care. Kitsap County has identified 1,411 people with medically complex needs who might benefit. Martha & Mary’s new program is just weeks old and is currently serving eight clients. Martha & Mary expects the program to assist more than 75 people with complex medical needs by year end. Martha & Mary AT HOME’s Care Coordination services provide: n Screenings to identify health risks and referral needs. n Reduction of avoidable health care costs. n Coaching and training to improve the management of chronic conditions. n Making changes to one’s home or community setting to maximize self-care abilities. n Support to transition from the hospital settings and get the necessary follow-up care. n When possible, incorporation of steps to slow the progression of disease and disability. Martha & Mary AT HOME offers geriatric care management and in-home care to residents in Kitsap, Jefferson and Mason counties. In-home services include nurse delegation, companionship, light cleaning, See martha & mary, Page 17

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You have the experience; make a difference KITSAP COUNTY VOLUNTEER SERVICES Contact: Rebecca Pirtle 360-337-4650 rpirtle@co.kitsap.wa.us www.kitsapgov.com/volunteer

Kitsap County 4-H volunteer Tim Bower digs in a compost bin while he and other volunteers teach young 4-H’ers about composting, at Anna Smith Children’s Garden. Kitsap County Volunteer Services Department

By rebecca pirtle Kitsap County Volunteer Services

he adage that retirees are busier than when they worked rings true, especially in Kitsap County. Just look around in local food banks and museums, our parks, and library book sales — you’ll see seniors busy with the tasks at hand, with a welcoming smile on their face and a sense of purpose in their stride. When the labors of a career and child raising have come to a close, volunteering brings fulfillment and helps define purpose. According to the 2010 Census, 14.5 percent of Kitsap’s population is 65 or older, compared to 13.2 percent statewide. The

saying “Those who can, do. Those who can do more, volunteer,” resonates especially for

retirees looking to continue to have purposeful experiences as a part of their lives, add-

Martha & Mary

ing quality while at the same time contributing to their communities. Volunteering can also provide social relationships and physical and mental activity to help keep seniors energized and engaged while contributing to benefits and services offered in the county. Kitsap County Volunteer Services coordinates with county departments to provide opportunities for thousands of people each year who generously invest their time, energy, skills and talent to improve and extend county services and make Kitsap County a better place to live for all its citizens. Here is a brief listing to kindle interest. Many more can be found on the Kitsap County website at www.kitsapgov.com/volunteer. For help in finding a good fit for your See volunteers, Page 18

Serving the entire community

feel like family. In addition to its spectrum of services, Martha & Mary also owns or operates these senior living communities: n The Ebenezer Apartments (Poulsbo), 360-598-4357. n Village Green Senior Apartments (Kingston), 425-423-0304. n Bay Vista Commons Assisted Living and Memory Care (Bremerton), 360-377-8300.

Martha & Mary is the third-largest private sector employer in Kitsap County. A nonprofit, its mission is to “provide quality, compassionate care and intergenerational experiences for children, adults and seniors regardless of faith, ethnicity or economic status. We do this in a Christian manner by offering those we serve caring services, a safe place to grow and learn and an opportunity to live with dignity, honor and individuality.” Solvie describes Martha & Mary as a family of services offered to the region, as well as a family of people who work there. Martha & Mary annually provides $2 million of underfunded health care to the community, one of the leaders in Washington state. Martha & Mary has a large base of volunteers — 18,000 volunteer hours per year donated by 361 people ages 13-85. Volunteers do a variety of jobs: working in the gift shop, maintaining the grounds, painting, spending

UPCOMING: Erik R. Lindbergh — aviator, artist and promoter of space tourism — will be the guest speaker at Martha & Mary’s Generations of Care Luncheon on April 27, noon to 3:30 p.m., at Kiana Lodge, 14976 Sandy Hook Road, Port Madison Indian Reservation. Lindbergh is the grandson of aviation pioneers Charles and Anne Morrow Lindbergh. Proceeds from the luncheon will help support Martha & Mary’s services that currently reach more than 2,100 children, adults and seniors annually across Kitsap County. The event includes Kiana Lodge’s signature salmon buffet and a silent and live auction of get-aways, local services, regional treasures, and more. For tickets, call 360-626-7879 or e-mail events@mmhc.org.

Continued from page 16

cooking, laundry, and meal preparation. Martha & Mary AT HOME has earned the Best of Home Care award four years in a row. Contact Martha & Mary AT HOME at 360-871-4425.

Volunteer Roni Maruda and her dog, Scooter, visit with Martha & Mary resident Darrell Rice. Martha & Mary / Contributed photo time with seniors, driving buses, helping out in the dining room, woodshop and an artists on campus program. Part of the strength of Martha & Mary is the on-staff healthcare expertise (physician,

therapists, chaplains, and social workers), resident life programs (such as horticulture, woodshop, pet therapy and intergenerational experiences between seniors and children), and personalized care that makes patients

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Spring Time of Your Life

From left, Ken Shawcroft, Martin Adams and Art Ellison install a bridge on a trail in Buck Lake Park. Kitsap County Volunteer Services Office

Volunteer

Continued from page 17 lifestyle, contact Volunteer Services directly at 360-337-4650, rpirtle@co.kitsap.wa.us. n Citizens on Patrol and Community Resource Volunteers: Working with the Kitsap County Sheriff’s Office, volunteers are offered training that readies them to educate and interact with the public, and serve as the eyes and ears of law enforcement. They assist with traffic control, handicap parking enforcement, vacation checks and Neighborhood Watch programs. n Juvenile Department: Volunteers speak up for abused and neglected children within the court system, serve on citizen advisory boards, work as mentors, assist probation officers, help troubled youth find alternatives to court hearings and more. n Long-Term Care Ombudsmen: Volunteers serve as advocates for residents of nursing homes, assisted-living facilities and adult family homes to ensure a high quality of care and respect. Ombudsmen regularly visit facilities, investigating and resolving concerns of residents by working with families and facility staff. n State Health Insurance Benefits Advisors: Volunteers are trained through the Washington state Office of the Insurance Commissioner to educate, assist and advocate for consumers about their rights and options with health care benefits and insurance so they can make informed decisions

and navigate new regulations. n Get outdoors! The thousands of acres of Kitsap County parkland — and the forests, shorelines, streams and user groups that inhabit them — rely on volunteers to help maintain and improve amenities. Volunteers are welcome to drop in for oneday work parties or enroll in classes to get educated and then serve as educators, naturalists and monitors of the environment. Visit the Parks and Recreation website at www.kitsapgov.com/parks to learn about stewardship groups at work in our county parks. For more information about the popular Master Gardeners, Beach Watchers, Stream Stewards, Beach Naturalists and 4-H leadership programs, go to the county’s Western State University Extension Office site at http://county.wsu.edu/kitsap/Pages/ default.aspx. n Emergency responders: The Kitsap Department of Emergency Management is supported by more than 500 volunteers who can be mobilized in the event of disaster. Serving as ham radio operators, in a searchand-rescue capacity, as public information officers, emergency preparedness educators, severe weather shelter volunteers or critical incident responders, citizens play a vital role in preparing for, responding to and recovering from emergencies and disasters. For more information, go to www.kitsapdem. org/volunteer-opportunities.aspx. n Boards, Commissions and Councils: Citizens of all ages and backgrounds have the opportunity to participate in and pro-

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Bob Ham of Poulsbo works as a docent at the Point No Point Light Station, and is a member of the board of directors of Friends of Point No Point Lighthouse and a member of the Kitsap County Board of Equalization. Kitsap County Volunteer Services Office mote effective, efficient service by participating on 30 advisory boards, commissions and councils. From serving on a community advisory councils to supporting the arts, human rights, veterans, youth and the aging, members are essential to Kitsap County governance, ensuring it is not only for the people, but by the people. Open positions are regularly posted on the Volunteer Services Web site, where more information each advisory group may be found. n Beyond County Departments: United Way of Kitsap County maintains a listing of volunteer opportunities available at other non-profit organizations, and many more to meet a variety of interests are posted on the United Way of Kitsap County Web site, where non-profit organizations throughout the county list options for volunteers. Go to www.unitedwaykitsap.org/volunteer.html or call 360-377-8505 for more information. The Retired Senior Volunteer Program of Lutheran Community Services Northwest, with an office located in Bremerton, offers those 55 years and older a variety of opportunities from gardening, tutoring and serving the homeless to welcoming new military families. Volunteers serve through non-profit private and public community organizations from the north to the south end of the county. For more information, contact Inga Jennings at 360-377-5511 or 800-378-5771. Contact me — Kitsap County Volunteer Services Coordinator Rebecca Pirtle — at 360-337-4650 or rpirtle@co.kitsap.wa.us

Above, a volunteer with the Kitsap County Department of Emergency Management’s Underwater Search & Rescue helps with pond clean-up.

Kitsap County Volunteer Services Office

to find a volunteer position that’s right for you. More information on Kitsap County programs listed above and online applications are available at www.kitsapgov.com/ volunteer.

Spring Time of Your Life

• 2014

Reactions to embarrassing USE YOUR moments change with age BENEFITS By JACQUE THORNTON Columnist

ost of us reaching a certain age in the journey of life find that past embarrassing moments have become entertainment for telling the grandchildren. I have certainly had more than my share of wanting to disappear or crawl under the carpet. When I was young, odd as it seems I was quite shy. Don was always so up front that he thought it funny I could turn redfaced about the simplest thing. One of those moments has stayed very clear in my memory bank. My younger sister, Mary, phoned one day inviting us for dinner on the coming Sunday and we accepted. She sounded very upbeat, saying she had something to tell me. I happily thought perhaps the promotion at work had come through. Arriving at her front door on Sunday, we found a note taped to it reading, “Go

on in, I’ll be back in about 15 minutes.” So we did. The first place I headed for was the bathroom (when you’re pregnant, it becomes your favorite room). Opening the door and shutting it behind me, with quick steps I made way to the commode behind a dimpled glass wall. “Awk!” I screeched, to see a man sitting on the throne thumbing through a magazine. He looked up and smiled. Gulping “sorry,” I ran out yelling “There’s a man in the bathroom.” Don quickly went in to check. About that time, Mary came through the front door, and I whispered “There’s a weird man in your bathroom!” She looked at me and started laughing so hard. “That’s Chuck — that’s what I wanted to tell,” she said. “We just became engaged.” She displayed her ring finger. The two men walked into the living room, also laughing. I wanted to crawl

Page 19

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Spring Time of Your Life

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We understand what life is like when you experience a hearing problem. WeWe understand lifeday. is like when experiencefrom a hearing problem. work with what it every You tendyou to disconnect life, stop going We work with every day.with You your tendfriends, to disconnect going to restaurants with to itrestaurants choosefrom not tolife, gostop to a ball game, skip a your friends, chooseLet notus tohelp go to a ball game, skip family Let us help family gathering. you reconnect withayour life.gathering. You can be youaunderstand reconnect your life. can be you a part of the life you used toproblem. enjoy! part of the with lifewhat you used enjoy! We life istoYou like when experience a hearing

We work with it every day.We You tend to disconnect from life, stop going We promise that a visit us will be educational, promise that a visit withwith us will be educational, to restaurants with your friends, choose notdare to aFUN! ball game, skip a interesting wetoit,say it, FUN! interesting andand dare wego say family gathering. Let us help you reconnect with your life. You can be Free 800-540-8698 Toll FreeToll 800-540-8698 a part of the life you used to enjoy! Poulsbo:Poulsbo: 7th Suite Ave NE, Suite 102 - 360-930-3241 19319 7th19319 AVe NE, 102 - 360-930-3241 We promise that a visit with us willTownsend: be educational, Port Townsend: Port 1136 Water Suite 103 - 360-390-4068 interesting and dare weSt., say it,- 360-390-4068 FUN! 1136 Water St., Suite 103 www.peninsulahearing.com www.peninsulahearing.com Toll Free 800-540-8698

Spring Time of Your Life

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Get screened, and have a noise-safe spring PENINSULA HEARING, INC. n 19319 7th Ave. NE, Suite 102 Poulsbo, WA 98370 360-697-3061 n 1136 Water St., Suite 103 Port Townsend, WA 98368 360-379-5458 By Megan Nightingale, AuD Peninsula Hearing

h, it’s spring! The days are getting longer. Hopefully, the weather will improve. God knows we need it to all across our country! Soon, we will venture outdoors to clean up from winter’s rage and start putting to use those great gifts we received or purchased from that year-end clearance sale. You know, all the labor-saving devices like riding lawnmowers, power edgers, leaf blowers, chain saws and the like that we can’t wait to get out and use. In our fervor to march outside and get to work, Megan we may forget some of Nightingale, the basic safety tips that AuD are so important while using this equipment. Use sturdy boots to protect your feet from fast-moving blades. Wear gloves to protect your hands, goggles to protect your eyes AND ear plugs or muffs to protect your hear-

Thornton

Continued from page 19 under the sofa as Mary introduced me to Chuck. My face was burning. He smiled at me with a wink and said, “Jacque and I met earlier. We have become intimate friends.” Today, having developed a warped sense humor, I probably would say something like, “Hey, when you’re through leave the magazine for me,” and waved and left. It just goes to show, age does have its compensations. Another time was a birthday celebration for me on an Easter. We were living on the acres and sister Mary, her husband Chuck, and his brother Fred, came to

Those labor-saving devices of spring — riding lawnmowers, power edgers, leaf blowers, chain saws and the like — can damage hearing. Wear proper ear protection when using power equipment. Creative Outlet ing. Many times, our hearing is the one thing that gets overlooked. Possibly because it’s the one thing no one thinks about until something has gone wrong with it. The noise of spring and summer, while not necessarily causing damage to our hearing in one season, can over many seasons wear down this most precious of our senses. Think of your lawn with all the blades of grass waving back and forth in the breeze. What happens to the

grass when too many feet trample it down? After a while, the blades no longer spring back up. Our sense organ of hearing has hair cells that wave back and forth indirectly to the sound waves that they encounter. After too many seasons of noise wearing our hair cells down, they can no longer recover and a hearing problem begins. How do we know if we have a hearing problem? Often times we don’t. It may be the people closest to us, our family and friends

“The kids all made a fuss that mom had to blow out all the candles. I took a deep breath and prepared to blow all of them out to show the kids mom could still do it. I blew so hard that my new bottom bridge blew out too — right in the middle of the beautiful cake.” spend the holiday weekend. They brought a specially made cake decorated with a cross and “Happy Birthday, Jacque” written on it in pretty pastel yellow and lavender colors. Of course, they just had to put all 35 candles on it. About the time we were going to cut the cake, company came. Freddie Garrison

of Hansville dropped in with his parents, whom we had never met, from Canada. We invited them for cake and coffee. The kids all made a fuss that mom had to blow out all the candles. I took a deep breath and prepared to blow all of them out to show the kids mom could still do it. I blew so hard that my new bottom bridge blew out

who notice a problem with our hearing before we do. How can we keep track of how we are hearing and take steps to protect this valuable sense? A hearing screening is the only way to keep track of where your hearing is and whether it is being damaged. That is why hearing conservation programs are in place in many industries. Manufacturing, police, fire and public works departments for municipalities all have hearing conservation programs with regularly scheduled hearing screenings. If you are not a part of a hearing conservation program, ask your doctor for a screening. The American Medical Association recommends that everyone over the age of 55 have their hearing screened every two to three years. Not more than 10 percent of adults 55 and older have had their hearing screened since they were in grade school. At Peninsula Hearing's Poulsbo and Port Townsend offices, we have made it our mission this year to screen at least 1,000 people to help raise awareness about hearing and hearing issues. Many of our own clients have helped by bringing in their family and friends. A screening is very fast (about a minute) and can be done in any quiet room. We invite anyone who would like to know the health of their hearing before they start working on the noises of spring to call us for a free hearing screening. We will even supply free hearing protection! Help us reach our goal of 1,000 people screened — and have a great noise-safe spring! Peninsula Hearing: 360-697-3061 or 800540-8698.

too — right in the middle of the beautiful cake. There it sat, glistening and unappetizing. I was almost in shock. There was a silence, then no one could hold it back any longer and started laughing like crazy. My face burned but I finally had to laugh too. Today, if it happened I would probably smile and say, “You know, that’s my piece,” and act like nothing happened. As I said, there is compensation in reaching a certain age and finding you just don’t give a damn. — Jacque Thornton is a columnist for the Kingston Community News. This column was originally published in the April edition of the Kingston Community News.

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Spring Time of Your Life

• 2014

Meet Jean Sherbesman: Veteran and volunteer By Leslie Kelly Spring Time of Your Life

Jean Sherbesman of Silverdale served in the Royal Women’s Air Force in England during World War II. At 92, she lives an active life and is a hospice volunteer.

f you ask Jean Sherbesman about herself, she’d tell you that she doesn’t have a story. She’d tell you she’s had a good life, with two wonderful and loving husbands and two beautiful and talented daughters. She’d tell you that she’s proud of her daughters and her five grandchildren and her one great-grandson. She’d say there’s been down sides and up sides and that overall, she’s been very fortunate and has few regrets. And that would be all. Unless you happened to ask a few more questions. That would be when you’d learn just how interesting her life has really been. Sherbesman, 92, has lived in Silverdale since 1972. She ended up on the Kitsap Peninsula after she married a man named Bill from Seattle, who served in the U.S. Navy and was among the first Americans who landed at Nagasaki within 48 hours of the atom bomb being dropped on Aug. 9, 1945. After the Navy, he worked as a civil-

Leslie Kelly / Spring Time of Your Life

ian in the Navy supply yard and eventually ended up at Bremerton. She hailed from a small rural village,

Brixworth, in Northhampshire, England. She had a brother and two half-sisters and her family “had plenty” although she despises the term “upperclass.” “I hate the very thought of classes,” she said, still with a bit of English accent to her voice. “Class doesn’t make an individual.” Her childhood memories are mostly of the boarding school she attended. She lived at school, only coming home for two weeks at Christmas, two weeks at Easter, and six weeks in the summer. She had friends at school but felt distant from her family. “I just didn’t see that much of them,” she said. “I don’t really think boarding school gave me much of anything. I would consider it a negative.” But when she graduated in July 1939, she returned home to be with her family and begin her adult life.

“I hadn’t a clue what I wanted to do,” she said. “But it didn’t really matter much anyway. Because it wasn’t long before the war began.” The following September, World War II was a reality for her. “The tension and the fear — we we’re so hoping it wouldn’t happen,” she said. “England was a very small country and very unprepared for war.” As did others, her family gathered around the radio and listened. “I remember my dad crying,” she said. “That was the hardest thing for me to see.” The war changed her plans. She had to grow up much faster than she wanted. “It was a time in life when we thought we would be care free — young women just out of boarding school with life opening up to them — able to make whatever we wanted of our lives,” she said. “All of a sudden that was taken from us. There was nothing but the war.” For a time, she tried nursing. She worked at a hospital in Oxford, but admitted that she was “a bit of a wimp.” “In those days, nurses training meant cleaning the floors and the bed pans,” she said. “And I didn’t get along very well with the head matron.” She recalled having to wear a calico dress that buttoned up the front and had buttons

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Spring Time of Your Life

• 2014

Sherbesman Continued from page 22

all the way down both sleeves. She wore a white apron over it and had starched cuffs and collar that had to be attached individually. And the white cap. “It was dreadful,” she said. “And when the (air raid) sirens would go off in the night, we had to get up and put on all that before we could report to work.” After six months, Sherbesman and the matron agreed that she should not be a nurse. She returned home to her village and did her part for the war effort. She performed fire watch throughout the nights. “I’d go on patrol in the streets of the village watching for planes above,” she said. “You could tell the difference between our planes and the German planes because the German planes had a different rhythm to the engines. They had a pulse to them.” Although she had a gas mask, she remembered feeling very vulnerable because she didn’t have a tin hat like others on patrol. “I put a cloth on my head and then I put one of my mother’s sauce pans on my head,” she said. “When the men in charge saw that, they all laughed at me.” One night, she watched nearby Coventry light up with bomb fire. “We saw it being bombed,” she said. “We saw the German planes fly over and then we saw them flying back.” With love of her country in heart, she decided to join the land army. “But my father wouldn’t hear of that,” she said. “He was very Victorian. So I joined the Royal Women’s Air Force.” As in the U.S., recruits went to boot camp. “That was a eye-opener for me,” she said. “I’d been in all-girls schools that were very prudential,” she said. “In boot camp there were girls from all walks of life. The first night I sat up all night on my bed with my mouth and my eyes wide open. I heard things I never even knew existed. It was a real education.” Much of the time was spent marching and drilling and doing chores. Because there was a paper shortage and very limited supply of toilet paper, one of her chores was to tear up magazine pages for use as toilet paper by the generals. “Another girl and I tore it into two-inch by two-inch squares,” she said. “We thought we’d be punished for making it that small, but nobody ever said anything to us.” Sherbesman’s assignment was to be a plotter, someone who stood at a table with a large grid and tracked enemy aircraft so

Page 23

“I’ve learned not to put my value in things. Things are replaceable, but you can lose them at any time.” — Jean Sherbesman

that the controller who was above them could warn pilots to intercept them. “It could be exciting, especially when you would hear the ‘tally-ho,’ and then victory calls,” she said. “It wasn’t so good when we lost a pilot.” For a time she served on the Isle of Man, where there were also American troops. At one point, Germany was expected to invade England via the Isle of Man. “We had to practice our defense maneuvers,” she said. “We crawled through the ditches on our bellies. And we shot rifles. They kicked like a mule.” When the war ended in mid-1945, Sherbesman returned home and promptly entered King’s College in London to study physical therapy. Following that she moved to Canada to work with polio patients. “They were still rationing in England,” she said. “You couldn’t buy anything. I wanted to see the world. Canada had an outbreak of polio. So that was going to be my first stop.” She was in Alberta and Saskatchewan for a year, before moving on to Seattle. She caught the eye of a patient named Bill and he asked her out. But she couldn’t date a patient. “So he got well real fast and we began dating,” she said. Eight years later, in 1960, they married and began their life together. Their daughters, Susan and Karen, and their families live close by. Karen is a nurse practitioner and Susan has a career in law enforcement. Sherbesman lost her husband Bill in 1988. Following that, she met a man named Bert and in 1992 they were married. Bert also was a Navy man, a Navy Air Force pilot serving in Guam and the Philippines. He died in 2010. She never made it around the world, although she did visit Australia and New Zealand, two places that were on her list. Maybe that’s why she thinks she doesn’t have a story to tell. Instead, she says she has just a few words of wisdom. “I’ve learned not to put my values in things,” she said. “Things are replaceable, but you can lose them at any time.” Instead, it’s the people you meet that really matter, she said. “I remember the last time I saw my father, he had a message for me,” she

recalled. “I’d gone to see him in 1960 and taken my new husband Bill with me. Father was so proud of this old bottle of brandy he had. It was a dusty old bottle that he brought out from the cellar. He insisted we all have some, even the housekeeper and her husband. “He made a toast and said he had no regrets, he was proud of all his children and he’d had a wonderful life. I thought,’Wow. That’s great to be able to say that at the end of your life.’ ” Her father died six months later at age 86. Sherbesman has spent the rest of her years in the U.S., being a wife and mother, working some as a physical therapist, outliving two husbands, and now, being a Hospice volunteer when she can. It’s not been the exciting life traveling the world that she planned. But just as her father was, she’s happy, proud of her children, thinks she’s had a great life, with few regrets. And that is Jean Sherbesman’s story. — Leslie Kelly is editor of the Bremerton Patriot, Central Kitsap Reporter and Veterans Life. This story was originally published in the April 2014 edition of Veterans Life.

h Watcr fo

May is Older Americans Month; theme is ‘Safe Today, Healthy Tomorrow’ The 2014 Older Americans Month theme is “Safe Today. Healthy Tomorrow.” Each May, the nation celebrates Older Americans Month to recognize older Americans for their contributions and provide them with information to help them stay healthy and active. When Older Americans Month was established in 1963, only 17 million living Americans had reached their 65th birthdays. About a third of older Americans lived in poverty and there were few programs to meet their needs. Interest in older Americans and their concerns was growing, however. In April 1963, President John F. Kennedy’s meeting with the National Council of Senior Citizens served as a prelude to designating May “Senior Citizens Month.” Thanks to President Jimmy Carter’s 1980 designation, what was once called Senior Citizens Month, is now called “Older Americans Month,“ and has become a tradition.

the FALL Time of your

LIFE A guide to health, finances, travel & lifestyle for the mature living.

People over 50 are the fastest-growing segment of consumers in Washington, they have more free time and disposable income than younger consumers.

Inside your newspaper this coming October Reach more than 65,000 Kitsap households in the Fall 2014 edition of Time of Your Life.

For More Information on Advertising in this Special Section call

Bainbridge Review............... (206) 842-6613 North Kitsap Herald..............(360) 779-4464 Bremerton Patriot ................(360) 308-9161 Port Orchard Independent....(360) 876-4414 Central Kitsap Reporter........(360) 308-9161

Page 24

Spring Time of Your Life

• 2014

George Nold happy to be back in the saddle Knee replacements bring relief to local horseman

or years, George Nold experienced pain in his right knee. A retired Poulsbo firefighter and avid rodeo enthusiast, Nold’s active way of life had worn on his joints. After four knee surgeries, he maintained most of his mobility for a while, but by the time he reached 50, he was using a cane to walk, preventing him from doing the things he loved. So, in October 2006, his orthopaedic surgeon, Gordon Cromwell, MD, performed total knee joint replacement surgery at Harrison Bremerton. Thanks to the surgery, Nold returned to his normal way of life around the rodeo and See nold, Page 25

THE ORTHOPAEDIC CENTER AT HARRISON 1800 nw Myhre Road Silverdale, WA 98383 360-744-1300 www.harrisonmedical.org/home/ location/1673

George Nold enjoys time on his ranch and is happy to have his mobility back after two total knee replacement surgeries at Harrison Medical Center’s Orthopaedic Center in Silverdale. Harrison Medical Center / Contributed

Oldest Washingtonian holds one of the youngest Five generations in the Otis family POULSBO — Emma Otis helped establish Camp St. Albans in Belfair, lobbied successfully to establish the goldfinch as the Washington State Bird, is the oldest living member of the Girl Scouts of America. At 112, she’s the oldest Washingtonian, the 12th-oldest American and the 27tholdest person in the world, according to the Gerontology Research Group.

Otis, a resident of Liberty Shores in Poulsbo, was born on Oct. 22, 1901. In her career, she was a nurse and a Girl Scout and Rainbow Girls leader. She was an avid outdoorswoman; in her 60s, she hiked across the Olympics and rode a mule to the bottom of the Grand Canyon; in her 70s, she helped build her daughter’s house; and she mowed her own lawn at 100. Her late husband, Robin “Bob” Otis, was a career firefighter. They had three children. Today, the family includes nine grandchildren, 15 great-grandchildren, and nine greatgreat-grandchildren.

On April 10, Emma Otis, 112, of Poulsbo holds her greatgreat-grandson, Grayson Ferreria, age 1 month, of Gig Harbor. With them are, from left, Otis’s greatgranddaughter Breean Pugh, 28, of Gig Harbor; Otis’s granddaughter, Nancy Pugh, 56, of Port Orchard; and Otis’s daughter, Doris Davies, 89, of Hansville. Submitted photo

Spring Time of Your Life

• 2014

Nold

Continued from page 24 ranch until May 2013, when he twisted his ankle, tearing ligaments and the meniscus in his left knee. Dr. Cromwell suggested another total knee joint replacement, and Nold readily agreed. To prepare for his sixth surgery, Nold practiced stretching techniques for his knee that proved beneficial during the healing process. This time, Nold also had the guidance of Harrison’s Knee Joint Replacement Passport program. “The program was well organized and extremely helpful,” Nold said, and just three days after his last surgery, he was able to accept an invitation to help at a rodeo without hesitation. Nold credits Cromwell, his staff, and Harrison Medical Center for the exceptional care he received during his surgeries. “Everyone, every time, was just phenomenal,” he said gratefully. Today, Nold’s new knees allow him to keep up with his wife, their three daughters, and their menagerie — including seven dogs, six horses, five cats, and three goats. He also volunteers as the ground chairman for The Silver Spurs Club and is involved with

Page 25

“The program was well organized and extremely helpful ... Everyone, every time, was just phenomenal.” — George Nold, horseman, on his two kneereplacement surgeries at The Orthopaedic Center at Harrison

the Kitsap Junior Rodeo. Not everyone is a rodeo star like Nold, but it’s helpful to know that award-winning orthopaedic surgery is offered so close to home. Harrison Medical Center is proud to have been recognized as a Blue Distinction Center for Knee and Hip Replacement Surgery® by Regence BlueShield in Washington.

About Time of Your Life: Time of Your Life is published twice a year — in spring and fall — by Sound Publishing Co. and is included in Sound’s Kitsap newspapers: Bainbridge Island Review, Bremerton Patriot, Central Kitsap Reporter, North Kitsap Herald and Port Orchard Independent. Circulation: 65,000.

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A digital edition of Time of Your Life is available on those newspapers’ websites.

Two locations in Kitsap County to serve you best!

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Founded in 1987, Sound Publishing is the largest community newspaper group in the Paciﬁc Northwest and the recipient of 233 state and national awards. With over 53 titles and over 735,000 circulation, we strive for maximum home penetration with local news that affects neighbors and creates community. VISIT US TODAY AT www.soundpublishing.com

Instead of Stuff” Spring Time of Your Life • 2014

Page 26

Participating businesses offer discounts of 15-50% on tickets or gift certificates for: • Music • Plays • Museums • Sporting Events • Restaurants • Spa or Salon Services Senior Information & Assistance • Lodging • Tanning • Auto Services A FREE service for seniors ages 60 and over and more

Kitsap County Aging Seniors, We’re here for you!

If you are a senior seeking information about retaining your independence, local programs, planning for your future or any other aging-related topics, please contact Senior Information & Assistance for help over the phone or to request an appointment.

Caregivers, We’re here for you too!

Contact the Caregiver Support Center, a program of Kitsap County Aging & Long Term Care. Information about these programs and other services of Kitsap County Aging & Long Term Care is available by calling (360) 337-5700 or 1-800-562-6418 or visit us online at www.agingkitsap.com

Are you cAring for or helping A loved one?

360-337-5700 or 1-800-562-6418

services to turn inGift Kitsap Countymay for: only be purchased WhereAnswers Nov.about 16 - service Dec. 31 tofrom questions & opportunities

Assessment of needs & referral to local services Assistance finding & applying for programs & services Visit www.wastefreeholidays.com Advocacy on important senior issues to register your business. or contact Colleen Minion - Pierce 360 337-4568

“Promoting the well being of older people and assisting them in maintaining their Your independence.” business can be recognized on Brought to you by County Aging Kitsap Kitsap County Solid Waste Division LongtoTerm Care Services as & a way reduce holiday waste.

the Waste Free Holidays website as well as print adsKitsap and County’s a brochure. AreatoAgency There is no cost join. on Aging

You may be able to save as much as $4000 a year with the following programs: The Medicare Savings Programs can pay Part A and Part B premiums and other expenses like deductibles and copayments.

Kitsap Businesses Invited to Partner In AsFree an unpaid supporter “Waste Holidays”

of family or friends:

• Would you like “Give Experiences more information? Instead of• Stuff” To explore options for help?

FREE:

Participating businesses offer • To find out more about discounts of 15-50% on tickets or gift what to expect? certificates for: • Music • Plays • Museums • Sporting Events • Restaurants • Spa or Salon Services • Lodging • Tanning • Auto Services and more

ASK US ABOUT:

Gift services may only be purchased

• Information & Education from Nov. 16 - Dec. •31Caregiver Respite Options • Caregiver Lending Library • Counseling • Personal Caregiver Assessment • Specialized Services Visit www.wastefreeholidays.com to register • your business. • Support Group Information Training & Conferences or contact Colleen Minion - Pierce 360 337-4568

Brought to you by Kitsap County Solid Waste Division as a way to reduce holiday waste.

Your business can be recognized on of yourself Take care the Waste Free Holidays website as taking of your loved one well while as print ads and acare brochure. There is no cost to join.

9729 Silverdale Way NW, Silverdale • Mon-Fri 11AM - 2PM or by Appointment

Extra Help for Medicare Part D prescription drug plans can pay monthly premiums, deductibles and copayments.

Want to ﬁnd out if you qualify? You may want to apply if:

Medicare Savings Program Your gross monthly income/assets are less than $1,333/$7,160 (individuals) or $1,790/$10,750 (couples) Medicare Part D Extra Help Your gross monthly income/assets are less than $1,459/$13,440 (individuals) or $1,966/$26,860 (couples)

Visit the Kitsap County Aging & Long Term Care booth at the conference for more information and assistance in applying. Or call Senior Information & Assistance at 360-337-5700

Spring Time of Your Life

• 2014

Page 27

& Long Term Care We want to share this message about safe Medication Management Elders and Medication

People age 65 and older consume more prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) medicines than any other age group. Older people tend to have more long-term, chronic illnesses – such as arthritis, diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease – than do younger people. Because they may have a number of diseases or disabilities at the same time, it is common for older people to take many different drugs. This may be riskier for older adults, especially when several medicines are used at one time. Taking different medicines is not always easy to do right. It may be hard to remember what each medicine is for, how you should take it and when you should take it. Working with your pharmacist and healthcare provider in addition to taking charge of your own understanding or ensuring a caregiver assists you as needed can help provide a safe and effective means to ensure compliance with a medicine routine and avoid many of the complications from taking multiple medications. • Develop a medication management form to keep track of both prescription and over the counter (OTC) medicines. Be sure to include the physicians name, dosage and times of day to take it. A copy is also given to the family caregiver. • Check labels and all written information to make sure it is for the correct person and the correct directions. • Check expiration dates and properly dispose of expired medications. • Notify physician immediately if any problems occur.

• Watch for any interaction and notify physician if any occur. • Ensure physicians and your phamacist reviews medication and the medication management form regularly. • Establish reminders to ensure all dosages are taken appropriately and in compliance with physicians’ orders. When patients, caregivers, doctors and pharmacists function as a team, medication-related problems can be avoided, contributing to better outcomes and improved daily functioning. Here are some tips for managing medication use:

Understand the medication

Find out as much as possible about every medication: the name, dosage, frequency and side effects. Understand why it has been prescribed, and ask the doctor to write down instructions for its use.

Follow the directions

Following the directions of the medication is imperative to ensure safety. Read all instructions carefully. Dispense only the recommended dosage at one time and ﬁnish the entire prescription if instructed. There may be foods or drinks to avoid while taking the medicine. Or the medicine may have to be taken with food or a whole glass of water.

Have complete medical records

Make sure to provide complete medical records to your loved one’s health care providers. Medical history records should contain surgeries, immunizations, allergies and family health history (i.e. diabetes, colon cancer). Records can be sent by a previous provider if needed.

Did you know?

Your local Area Agency on Aging, Kitsap County Aging & Long Term Care, sponsors Medication Management Senior Drug Education events. Please contact us if you want to be on a list of individuals interested in attending upcoming free workshops. Call (360) 337-5700 or (800) 562-6418.

Visit us online!

Click the medication management link at www.agingkitsap.com for information featuring topics such as Getting the Most from your Medications, Medication Do’s and Dont’s, Medication Safety Tips and more! Check back often for event updates and Kitsap County Aging & Long Term Care activities.

You’re invited!

Come see us at the Kitsap County Aging & Long Term Care booth at the Older American’s Conference Thursday, May 15th! We’re featuring our Senior Information & Assistance, Caregiver Support and local Statewide Health Insurance Beneﬁts Advisors programs. We will be available to provide materials, answer questions and help to schedule one to one assistance appointments. Pick up your FREE medication management pill box organizer and FREE medication management materials including informational brochures, medication management charts (supplies are limited). Information about programs and local resources that help with the cost of medications will also be available.

Assistance services or online support includes:

• BenefitsCheckUp RX screening help! www.benefitscheckup.org • Insurance coverage options and information from your local Statewide Health Insurance Benefits Advisors Program! www.insurance.wa.gov • Research and compare Medicare plans and options and Medicare Part D information! www.medicare.gov • Information about and screening for support for family caregivers. www.aasa.dshs.wa.gov/caregiving/survey

Need help understanding your health care coverage? Your Statewide Health Insurance Benefits Advisor is as close as your telephone! If you need help understanding your current health care coverage or you’re trying to find a new plan, call:

1-800-562-6900 Statewide Health Insurance Benefits Advisors (SHIBA) SHIBA is a free and unbiased service of the:

SHIBA is sponsored locally by Kitsap County Aging and Long-Term Care

Protect yourself from fraud!

Safeguard your personal information. Never give your Medicare, Medicaid, or Social Security number to strangers. To report or discuss possible fraud or scams, call: SHIBA at 1-800-562-6900 or go to: www.insurance.wa.gov

Ad funded by grants from the centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and U.S. Administration on Aging

Page 28

Spring Time of Your Life

— Jeff Crawford

Jeff Crawford and his CPRehab team, Aaron Norton and Kellie Greenhill

Cardiopulmonary rehabilitation

While mending a fence, Jeff Crawford was overwhelmed with exhaustion.

Jeff Crawford and his CPRehab team, Aaron Norton and Kellie Greenhill Jeff Crawford and his CPRehab team, Aaron Norton and Kellie Greenhill

Cardiopulmonary rehabilitation at only 45 years old, this Suquamish resident didn’t know he was at risk. his young son said “call mom,” but thankfully, Jeff dialed Cardiopulmonary rehabilitation 911 instead. by the time his ambulance reached harrison medical Center, Jeff was just moments away from a hear t attack.

While mending a fence, Jeff Crawford While mending a fence, Crawford overwhelmed withJeff exhaustion. With the was help of harrison’s cardiopulmonary rehabilitation program, Jeff is now on the road to a healthy future.

was overwhelmed with exhaustion.

at only 45 years old, this Suquamish resident didn’t know he was at risk. his young son said “call mom,” but thankfully, Jeff dialed

911 instead. time pill. his ambulance reached harrison Center, Jeff just moments away from t attack. “i learned that there’s by nothe magic it just takes consistent dietmedical and exercise. thewas cardiac rehab team keepsa hear me on track. i didn’t know for tunate i wasSuquamish to have such a world-class hearhe t program in my own backyard. appreciate itbut now! i am living, at onlyhow 45With years resident didn’t know was at risk. young saidi to “call mom,”future. thankfully, Jeff walking dialed theold, helpthis of harrison’s cardiopulmonar y rehabilitation program, Jeffhis is now on son the road a healthy proof that harrison’s cardiac care works. ” 911 instead. by the time his ambulance reached harrison medical Center, Jeff was just moments away from a hear t attack. “i learned that there’s no magic pill. it just takes consistent diet and exercise. the cardiac rehab team keeps me on track. i didn’t

know how for tunate i was to have such rehabilitation a world-class hear t program in mykey own backyard. i appreciate now! i am living,services. walking harrison Center’s Cardiopulmonary par of our ofitcardiovascular With the medical help of harrison’s cardiopulmonary rehabilitation (Cprehab) program, Jeffis isa now ontthe roadfulltoline a healthy future. proof that harrison’s cardiac care works. ” our team will customize a monitored exercise plan that is just right for you. Whether at harrison medical Center for phase 2 or atmedical anynoone of the convenient 3 Cprehab harrison help prescription for ia didn’t lifetime harrison Center’s y rehabilitation is alet key par t of our fullwrite line ofyour cardiovascular vices. “irehabilitation learned that there’s magic pill.Cardiopulmonar it just takesphase consistent diet (Cprehab) andlocations, exercise. the cardiac rehab team keeps me onser track. of good hear t health. will customize a monitored exercise plan that is just right for you. Whether at harrison medical Center for phase 2 know howour forteam tunate i was to have such a world-class hear t program in my own backyard. i appreciate it now! i am living, walking rehabilitation or at any one of the convenient phase 3 Cprehab locations, let harrison help write your prescription for a lifetime

proof thatofharrison’s hear tcardiac health. care works.” Learn moregood at harrisonmedical.org/heart.

Learn more at harrisonmedical.org/heart. harrison medical Center’s Cardiopulmonary rehabilitation (Cprehab) is a key par t of our full line of cardiovascular services. our team will customize a monitored exercise plan that is just right for you. Whether at harrison medical Center for phase 2 rehabilitation or at any one of the convenient phase 3 Cprehab locations, let harrison help write your prescription for a lifetime of good hear t health. 360-744-5978 360-744-5978

CPRehab@harrisonmedical.org CPRehab@harrisonmedical.org

Learn more at harrisonmedical.org/heart.

• 2014

Sound Publishing

Published on Apr 23, 2014

Time of Your Life North Kitsap - 2014 Spring Time of Your Life

i20140423151258329.pdf

Time of Your Life North Kitsap - 2014 Spring Time of Your Life

Published on Apr 23, 2014

i20140423151258329.pdf

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