Homage - Homage 05.16.18

April 2017

Vol. 44, No. 3

Formerly Senior Focus

Published by The Daily Herald and Senior Services of Snohomish County

Senior Services to launch new brand Page 2

A house filled with pets — and love Page 7

Tips for boosting your recall ability Page 10

Program stimulates seniors with memory issues

www.homage.org

Page 12

Walker, 90, keeps on truckin’ Page 13

Columns

Savvy Senior . . . . . . . . . . 3 History . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Washington Watch . . . . . 6 Travel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Volunteers . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Tech Talk . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

VOL. 45 NO. 4 | MAY 2018

Learn about programs and services available to seniors by visiting www .sssc .org .

Meals on Wheels volunteer Pam Timm places food (Dan Bates / The Herald) in the refrigerator and freezer

By Caitlin Tompkins

Herald Writer

Pam Timm is standing door with a cart of brown at his front grocery bags.

“She’s my favorite lady,” Mike Kerasotes, 67, said.

Timm, 66, delivers meals to him each week. She has been a volunteer with Meals on Wheels for six months. During that time, Kerasotes has battled cancer.

“When you get $80 in food stamps, it doesn’t go very far.

Without you, I wouldn’t have made it through radiation,” he said to Timm.

Last year, Meals on Wheels volunteers

and staff served more than ple throughout the county 1,000 peoof 152,000 meals. Senior — a total Snohomish County has Services of managed the local chapter of Meals on 42 years. Each of the meals Wheels for is approved by a nutritionist. Most are and have helped diabeticslow sodium blood sugar under control, keep their said Martha Peppones, director of the nutrition program.

Since the program started, been a growing demand. there has Staff were able to bring the waiting list about 300 to 60 people last down from year.

Adaptation helps couple battle

Music wellness facilitator Noah Plotkin leads a drumming and singing session with Michael Folio as Cheryl Levin-Folio looks on.

Native American culture honors and respects elders

NON PROFIT ORG US POSTAGE PAID SOUND PUBLISHING 98204

(Mark Ukena, Chicago Tribune)

The Focus is a publication of SENIOR SERVICES OF SNOHOMISH COUNTY 11627 Airport Rd ., Suite B Everett, WA 98204-8714

Page 2

Redesigned, more secure Medicare cards are on the way

for Lorna Jenkinson at

Broadway Plaza.

Meals on Wheels’ future uncertain under president’s propos ed budget “That’s 60 too many,” Peppones said.

“Those are people who still need The program may be facing meals.” tial financial cuts if PresidentsubstanDonald Trump’s proposed budget approved. Nearly half of for 2018 is the program’s funding comes from the ernment through the Olderfederal govAmericans Act and Community Development Block Grants. The grants are removed under the budget slated to be plan.

That would affect 150 meal recipients in Snohomish County, Peppones said.

“Fortunately, it’s only a proposal,” she CONTINUED ON PAGE 15

early-onset Alzheimer’s

By Karen Berkowitz

Chicago Tribune

HIGHLAND PARK, Illinois Levin-Folio can’t anticipate — Cheryl milestone of memory loss every new as she and her husband, Michael Folio, navigate his Alzheimer’s disease.

Sometimes quick thinking comes in handy, as it did when Michael forgot one day to take off his clothes before stepping into the shower.

Rather than correct her husband, Cheryl joined him in the shower with her clothes on

for a laugh.

“I think the next time we our clothes off,” she gently should take told him.

“I made light of it,” she said. “I never correct him. That’s not fair to In the five years since Michael.”

Michael Folio was diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s at age 56, the Park couple has adapted Highland routine many times over. their daily They’d been together for years, but married less than four months, when CONTINUED ON PAGE 16

Music therapy enables stro to regain some languag ke patients e through song

By Rashod Ollison years, who sits within arm’s The Virginian-Pilot reach of him, nodding.

They’re all in a small NORFOLK, Virginia — When the Johnny Cash room inside Fort Norfolk melody frustrates James Medical Center — RodriRodriguez, he chuckles, guez in his wheelchair and shakes his head and says, Bowdish on a low stool sandwiche d between an “I don’t know.”

Tracy Bowdish gen- imposing keyboard and a tly pushes him, taking computer desk. Bowdish is his hand into hers as she a music therapist with Sentara’s Music and Medicine leans closer and sings in bell-clear perfect pitch lyr- Center. In a promotional ics from “I Walk the Line. clip for the program, she ” The goal is to get Rodri- mentions that her blindguez to find the words, still ness helps her to engage patients, to “see who they a difficult task since Music therapist Tracy J. his Bowdish plays the guitar stroke in summer 2011. are beyond the stroke.”

As Bowdish holds Rodri- leads James “Jim Bob” Rodriquez in singing songsand But his progress has been during their session “remarkable,” says San- guez’s hand, singing lyrics in Norfolk, Virginia. at Sentara Neurology Specialists Rodriquez suffered a stroke dra, Rodriguez’s wife of 47 CONTINUED ON PAGE 16 2011 and Bowdish is helping him regain some in speech through music. (Bill Tiernan / The Virginian-Pilot)

Page 2

Volunteer with Homage during Older Americans Month Page 3

How early-onset Alzheimer’s drains a family’s finances You can build stronger muscles, no matter what your age Page 6

Is it time for your annual Social Security check-up?

Page 6

Why exercise is so vital for folks older than 50 Page 7

Columns Volunteers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 History . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Savvy Senior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Travel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Senior Focus is a publication of HOMAGE (formerly Senior Focus) 11627 Airport Road, Suite B Everett, WA 98204-8714

NON PROFIT ORG US POSTAGE PAID SOUND PUBLISHING 98204

Learn about programs and services available to seniors by visiting www.homage.org.

Pingpong players at the Center for Healthy Living, from left: Song Wu, Thanh Lam, Zhon Guo, Pi Jing Song and Yi Ling. (Photo by Megan Brown)

Pingpong wizards

Players keep fit with spirited games at the Center for Healthy Living in Lynnwood

By Megan Brown Special to The Herald LYNNWOOD — The sport of competition ripens with age. Zhon Guo knows that too well.

Guo visits the Center for Healthy Living every Tuesday for pingpong and mahjong matches.

But he doesn’t just play to win.

The fast-paced game keeps him sharp, mentally and physically.

“Playing pingpong trains you to be more accurate,” Guo said.

He credits it with keeping him in shape, too.

The 79-year old Hong Kong native has been attending the center sessions for Chinese seniors for more than 10 years.

But he still doesn’t consider himself a match for Pi Jing Song, 64.

“He’s very fast. He’s our pingpong leader,” Guo said.

Song came to the United States from China in 2013. He’s visited the center weekly since.

Guo is a retired laboratory researcher. Song is a janitor at a laboratory.

to play,” Serier said.

Song and Guo break “In the USA, “They’ll also practice a sweat making dives they play things, over and over for the treasured ball. again.”

“You shouldn’t think the game for They practice for too much about it,” fun. In China, themselves, and for Song said of his strattournaments between egy. “Just be fast.” they do it for the Korean and ChiPingpong is a popunese groups. lar sport in China. Song exercise. It’s “They have different and Guo have been very fast.” players from either playing almost their entire lives.

— Pi Jing Song team who come and pingpong player play, and people come “In the USA, they and watch,” she said. play the game for fun,” “It’s pretty intense.”

Song said. “In China, they do it for Not everyone who comes to the exercise. It’s very fast.” center picks up a paddle to break a Song’s love of the game is as old sweat. as his sibling rivalry.

On weekdays, Chinese, Korean, “I play pingpong at home with my Filipino and Vietnamese seniors younger sister,” he said. “But she’s gather and participate in a number just so-so.” of activities, from lively karaoke sets The tables predate the tenure to languid tai-chi sessions. of the senior center’s coordinator, “In China,” Guo said, “retired peoShannon Serier, who organizes ple like to meet in a big group, in a activities for the center’s multiculbig square, for dancing.” tural meetings. Serier said that the Living an ocean away doesn’t stop Chinese group brought in the tables and shares with other multicultural Lily Sun from enjoying that pastime. groups.

“They encourage a lot of people See PINGPONG, Page 11

Quality Senior Living Community

• Studio and one bedroom apartments • Close to shopping • Affordable rent includes utilities • On Metro bus route • Restaurant on-site – open to the public • Must be 62 or older; income limits apply

Call today for information and application

206-364-2440 747 N 135th St. • Seattle, WA

2112090

Page 4

2

May 2018

Homage

Native culture honors and respects elders

By Marie Zackuse Chairwoman, The Tulalip Tribes

COMMENTARY Elders are the heart of our community. They are the keepers of our history, culture, and language. We have lived here in the Salish Sea since time immemorial, and for thousands of years we have told our children and grandchildren the same stories about Basket Woman, Raven and Killer Whale. These stories help to teach each generation about our responsibilities to our community and to ourselves. Respect, responsibility, and sharing are the foundational and most important values we aspire to as a people. We

have learned this from our elders.

Our Lushootseed language was nearly lost, but thanks to the vision of our elders we were able to preserve it.

For many years it was Marie Zackuse a painstaking project to gather what remained, and put it all back together, after decades of federal Indian policy that sought to erase our language and culture.

Today, we teach Lushootseed in our Early Learning Academy. Our language is integrated into the curriculum and we believe this will significantly improve academic outcomes for our children when they enter K-12. It turns out that some of

the factors that influence quality of life for an aging population is also true of the young, at least in Tulalip.

Practicing our culture, and knowing our language and history brings us a sense of wellbeing.

As a modern tribal government, we continue to honor the place that elders have always held in our community. We have a department that is devoted to their needs, which we call the Elders Program. One of our responsibilities is to ensure Tulalip elders have access to quality care, housing, and opportunities to attend social and cultural events throughout the region.

In traditional times the Coast Salish traveled up and down the waterways of the Puget Sound attending

potlatches, weddings, funerals, and naming ceremonies throughout the year. Our elders continue to travel throughout the Northwest attending inter-tribal elder events. Our tribe supports this travel as we know that it contributes to an improved quality of life for our aging members.

As we plan our capital projects such as building a new Gathering Hall or a Justice Center we listen when our elders come to the Board of Directors and tell us what they think of our plans. Their vision helped to build the Hibulb Cultural Center and Natural History Preserve and Quil Ceda Village. Our culture honors elders because they are living records of a culture that has survived across time.

Redesigned Medicare cards are on the way

By Ramonda Sosa Social Services Director, Homage Senior Services The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has started mailing new cards to Americans on Medicare to meet a deadline for replacing all existing Medicare cards by April 2019.

The new Medicare card contains a unique, randomly assigned number that replaces the current Social Security-based number. Medicare’s goals with the new cards are: ■ Remove Social Security numbers from Medicare cards.

■ Help prevent fraud.

■ Combat identify theft.

The new numbers contain a combination of numbers and uppercase letters. People with Medicare will receive a new Medicare card in the mail, and will be instructed to destroy their old Medicare card and keep their new Medicare number confidential. Issuance of the new number will not change Medicare benefits.

Healthcare providers and people with Medicare will be able to use secure online tools that will allow quick access to the new Medicare numbers when needed. Health care providers and suppliers will be allowed up to 21 months to fully transition to the unique ID on the Medicare card. CMS is also working with healthcare providers to answer their questions and ensure that they have the information they need to make a successful transition to the new Medicare number. For more information, visit: www.cms.gov/ newcard

3 things to know ■ People who are enrolling in Medicare for the first time will be among the first in the country to receive the new cards.

■ Your new card will automatically be mailed to you. Make sure your address is up to date. You do not need to do anything as long as your address is up to date. To update your address, you

 Over 20 years experience in the health care industry  24 hour awake, fully certified staff  Full-time experienced activities director and restorative aide services.  Fresh, healthy home-cooked meals

6610 77th Pl N.E. Marysville WA 98270 6602 77th Pl NE Marysville, WA 98270 7406 29th Pl. N.E. Marysville, WA 98270

2112278

Adult FAmily Homes

Call 425-239-8818 or visit www.aholisticafh.com Distribution: Over 12,000 papers are mailed to households and senior-friendly businesses;1,900 papers are distributed at drop-off locations including senior centers, retirement communities, libraries, etc.

Published by Homage Senior Services www.homage.org

Published monthly with a readership of 100,000+, the Homage Senior Services educates and entertains readers (seniors, family caregivers, service providers and other interested persons) with news and information that reflects the diverse interests and needs of the senior community. Signed articles are the opinon of the writer and not the opinion of Homage Senior Services.

Advertising: The existence of advertising (including political advertisements) in this publication is not meant as an endorsement of the individual, product or service by anyone except the advertiser.

For more information, contact Jacqueray Smith, Multimedia Consultant, at 425.339.3023 or at jsmith@soundpublishing.com

1948397

elder law attorney

■ Medicare will never call you uninvited and ask you to give out personal or private information to get your new Medicare number and card.

■ Scam artists may try to get personal information (like your current Medicare number) by contacting you about your new card.

■ If someone asks you for your information or your money, or threatens to cancel your health benefits if you don’t share your personal information, hang up and report this to the Office of the Inspector General at 1-800-447-8477.

■ The new Medicare card is free.

The new Medicare cards do not contain Social Secuity numbers.

(Medicare.gov) Report to the inspector general any letter or phone calls requesting payment for your card.

Resources Have questions about Medicare or the new Medicare Card? Call the local Statewide Health Insurance Benefits Advisors number at 425-290-1275.

Want to check the status of your new card? You can sign up to get an email by visiting www.medicare.gov/ newcard.

Tooth?

If you’re missing at least one tooth, you are not alone.

We can help!

Also distributed monthly in The Daily Herald.

Contact Josh O’Connor at 425.339.3007 or at joconnor@soundpublishing.com.

11627 Airport Rd. Suite B, Everett, WA 98204 425-513-1900

Protect yourself

MISSING A

See what a difference Exceptional Care can make!

Holistic

can either contact the Social Security Administration or set up a mySocial Security account.

■ Once you get your new Medicare card, destroy your old Medicare card and start using your new card right away. If you are enrolled in a Medicare Advantage Plan or Medicare Prescription Drug Plan, continue to use the card provided by the plan.

Visit us for a FREE PRIVATE CONSULTATION with Dr. Hughes to learn how you can leave our office with a beautiful smile

Call today to get the best elder law attorney smile of your Lawrence P. Dolan has over 25 years experience in representing and assisting life!DOLAN LAWRENCE P. LAWRENCE P. DOLAN NEWTON KIGHT LLP

ATTORNEY AT LAW

n

Lawrence P. Dolan has over 25 years experience in representing Memberships: and assisting clients through the legal process.

National Academy of Elder Law Wills, Trusts and Estate Planning n Probate n Powers of Attorney n Health Care Directives n Special Needs Trusts n Guardianships n Medicaid Planning n

Attorneys

Washington State Bar Association

Elder Law Section clients through the legal process.Real Property, Probate n n

and Trust Section NEWTON KIGHT LLP

n

ATTORNEY AT LAW

County Bar Association MeMbershipsSnohomish : Wills, Trusts and 425-775-5423 Snohomish County Estate National Academy of Elder Law 1820 32nd Street, Planning Everett WA 98206 www.NewtonKight.com Planning Council Estate Lawrence P. Dolan has over 25 Attorneys years experience in representing Memberships: n Probate Washington State Bar Association and assisting clients through the legal process.

National Academy of Elder Law n Elder Law Section n Powers of Attorney Attorneys n Real Property, Probate and n Health Care Directives n Wills, Trusts and Estate Planning n Probate n Powers of Trust Section Washington State Bar Association n Special Needs Trusts Attorney n Health Care Directives n Special Needs Trusts n Elder Law Section Snohomish County Bar Association n Guardianships n Guardianships n Medicaid Planning Snohomish County Estate n Real Property, Probate n Medicaid Planning Planning Council and Trust Section

n

n

1820 32nd Street, Everett WA 98206

2127645

n

www.NewtonKight.com

Snohomish County Estate Planning Council

2127695

425-775-5423

Snohomish County Bar Association

Homage

May 2018

3

Be a Homage volunteer during Older Americans Month

By Michelle Frye Volunteer Manager, Homage Senior Services The 2018 theme for Older Americans Month is “Engage at Every Age.” This theme emphasizes that you are never too old (or young) to take part in activities that can enrich your physical, mental and emotional well-being. It also celebrates the many ways in which older adults make a difference in our communities. Volunteering is a tangible and meaningful way to enrich your life and make a difference.

Here are ways you can partner with our agency to share your time, skills and talents. If there is something you are passionate about doing that isn’t listed, contact Homage Senior Services.

Three programs we are growing in Snohomish County: Foster Grandparent Program: This pairs older adults with children with special and/or exceptional needs to provide one-on-one support at community schools, daycares, etc. Volunteers must be 55 or older. There is a small stipend for

Candy volunteers at the front desk at Homage Senior Services.

(Homage photo)

those who meet income guidelines.

Senior Companions: This program helps seniors stay in their homes by running errands, doing light housekeeping and/or providing companionship with weekly home visits. Must be 55 or older and meet income guidelines.

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

BY JOHN McALPINE Sponsored by Catholic Community Services, RSVP is America’s largest volunteer network for people 55 and older and the only program where the collective contribution of the senior volunteer is recorded. RSVP exists to help older volunteers find fulfillment in their volunteer work. Volunteer opportunities exist all over Snohomish County.

Volunteer transportation: Snohomish County is in large part, still very rural. That means people who don’t have personal transportation can encounter difficulties in getting to a doctor appointment or grocery store. You can help with that situation

2112257

Friendly Visitors: Volunteers help by providing weekly friendly visits to lonely and isolated older adults in need and taking them grocery shopping or on other necessary errands.

Ongoing programs needing volunteers: Administration: Volunteers help

with Homage Senior Services reception area.

Living Well Leaders: Volunteers train to facilitate six-week workshops on various health topics, including diabetes, pain and other chronic conditions.

If you are interested in volunteering either individually or as a corporate group, contact volunteer manager Michelle Frye at 425-740-3787.

food-producing nation, children and adults face poverty and hunger in every county across America. Recent statistics show that: ■ 41 million people struggle with hunger in the United States, including 13 million children.

■ 5.4 million seniors struggle to afford enough to eat.

■ A household that is food-insecure has limited or uncertain access to enough food to support a healthy life.

■ Households with children were more likely to be food insecure than those without children.

Nearly 60 percent of food-insecure households participated in at least one of the major federal food assistance programs: the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly food stamps), the National School Lunch Program and

the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (often called WIC).

Volunteer chores: As people age, doing day-to-day household chores may become a problem. Helping people live independently is what this program is about. Our clients are elderly or disabled and will be able to stay in their homes with a little help from their friends. The time commitment is agreed upon between you and the client. It can be anywhere from two hours a month to four hours a week — you decide. Some clients have yards that need tending, too.

If you have any questions about RSVP, volunteering or any of the agencies you see listed here, contact RSVP at 425-374-6374 or email program recruiter John McAlpine at johnm@ ccsww.org.

Employees of corporations, like this crew from Wells Fargo, can volunteer with Homage Senior Services. (Homage photo)

by being a volunteer driver. If you have a current license, working horn, lights and brakes on your car, please consider this very much-needed volunteer job. Your driving record doesn’t have to be perfect, and clients enter and exit the vehicle on their own.

Food banks: We work with food banks in the following cities: Arlington, Everett (two locations), Granite Falls, Lake Stevens, Lynnwood, Marysville (two locations), Mill Creek, Monroe, Mountlake Terrace, Mukilteo, Snohomish and Stanwood/Camano.

Even in the world’s greatest

4

May 2018

Homage

How dementia can drain a family’s life savings

By Lisa M. Krieger The Mercury News If Denis Winter suffered from heart failure, cancer or almost any other deadly disease, his family could rest assured that his care would be largely covered by insurance.

But Winter has Alzheimer’s disease. So the extraordinary cost of his care — $8,500 a month, or $102,000 a year — is borne entirely by his wife, Linda. It is quickly draining their lifetime of savings.

“It is terrifying,” said Linda Winter, 64, of Orinda, California, who has so far spent more than $350,000 and could be left destitute by the illness of her 65-year-old husband, who no longer recognizes her.

“Could I end up in old age under a bridge in a cardboard box? That is my fear,” she said.

Medicare is a lifeline for seniors and the disabled, paying for “medically necessary” costs such as hospitalization, surgery, chemotherapy, transplants, medications, pacemakers and other interventions.

A dementia diagnosis demands none of that. What it does require, however, is around-the-clock “custodial care,” such as help with eating and dressing, and constant supervision. That’s not covered by Medicare. And it’s extraordinarily expensive, according to a report released last month by the Alzheimer’s Association.

Families’ out-of-pocket costs for a patient with dementia are 80 percent higher than the cost for someone with heart disease or cancer, according to a 2015 study in the Annals of Internal Medicine.

“The costs were high for everybody, but among those with dementia, they were astronomical, to the point of impoverishing the spouse, with many years still ahead of them,” said Dr. Amy S. Kelley, a geriatrician at Icahn School of

Denis Winter is greeted by his wife, Linda, during a visit at an assisted care facility in Danville, California. Denis Winter suffers from Alzheimer’s. (Anda Chu / Bay Area News Group) Medicine at Mt. Sinai Hospital in New York City and lead author of the paper.

Families are projected to spend $60 billion for the care of their loved ones in 2018, according to the Alzheimer’s Association report.

As the number of older Americans climbs, so does the prevalence of dementia — and the financial crisis facing families. The disease also can strike someone in the prime of life. In the U.S., about 200,000 people have early onset Alzheimer’s, according to the organization.

The average lifetime cost of care for a person living with dementia was $341,840 in 2017, with 70 percent of this cost borne by families through out-of-pocket payments

IS MOVING!

Denis and Linda Winter were high school sweethearts who reconnected and married in their early 50s. and the value of unpaid care, according to the report.

The price tag for Denis Winter, a professional classical musician with a doctorate in music who was diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s eight years ago at age 57, has already surpassed that. And

because he’s only 65 and in good physical health, he could need many more years of increasingly intensive care, pushing costs still higher. The average patient survives eight to 10 years, but those with early onset of the disease can live for another two decades.

• Companionship & Homemaking Companionship & Homemaking • Physical Assistance & Hygiene & Hygiene •Physical WellnessAssistance & Peace of Mind Wellness & Peace of Mind

LYNNWOOD

IHS.FS.60142704

909 SE Everett Mall Way C319 Everett, WA 98202 www.rightathome.net/Snohomish-county

Custom made dentures are done ON-SITE or in our lab Warranty on ALL Dentures

698ea.

$

SAME DAY Repairs & Relines

Senior DISCOUNTS Ask us about affordable dentures over implants

Call for a Free Consultation

for patients who have poor retention or sore gums.

Se Habla Español

1111 Pacific Ave., Suite A Everett, WA 98201

Please stay tuned for updates.

For more information visit:

2111956

Custom Dentures starting at

2093744

Homage Senior Services has been in the process of remodeling the historic Wight’s Nursery Building located off 196th Street in Lynnwood. In the coming months, this new location will house Homage’s 28 different programs including Transportation, Minor Home Repair, Food & Nutrition, Social Services, Health & Wellness and the Center for Healthy Living. This move is a big deal for the organization historically, at this moment in time, and for the future. We look forward to serving our clients at greater scale and impact.

2127657

425.290.1714

everett.eurodenture.com

Insurance and Payment plans accepted Accepting Medicaid

425-374-8470

Homage

Come enjoy treats & spirits May 23rd, 2018

All Seniors Welcome RSVP 425-438-9080

“His doctor says: ‘He’s relatively healthy, other than the fact that I can see holes in his brain,’ on magnetic resonance imaging scans.”

— Linda Winter But it won’t pay for a memory care facility.

And if the patient is at home, “God forbid you need a day off, or help with care — that comes out of your pocket,” he said.

“That’s because America’s health care system is structured to pay for services,” said Mt. Sinai geriatrician Kelley. “Helping living a daily life — that’s not a service, it is supervision, so it is the

Retired Public Employees Council

INDEPENDENT PUBLIC RADIO

“RPEC fights for retirees” financial security, including: pension preservation, affordable health care, and other retiree issues. DRS pensioners join us in our efforts to preserve your retirement benefits.

2026804

Tours 7 days a week

520 112th St. SW Everett • www.gardencourtretirement.com

Drive-Time Programs

Help save your earned pension Join RPEC For information contact Jim Brandley @425-337-0884 or visit www.rpecwa.org 2127685

90.7/ 89.9 FM or stream at KSER.org

Lynnwood’s Newest Affordable Living Community Define your lifestyle at CityCenter, where urban is just beyond your front door.

Whether you find solace in our indoor pool and spa, or the versatality of the common area, CityCenter Lynnwood has everything you need to be right at home. Explore our many features and amenities and see what CityCenter Lynnwood has to offer you:

All New Appliances Cable and Internet Ready Laminate Wood Flooring Full Size Stackable Washer and Dryer

Indoor Pool and Spa Trash Chute Bike Racks Library and Computer Room Controlled Access Building

425-438-9080

family that carries that burden.”

Kelley said that absent a cure for dementia, Medicare should be revised to pay for home care or a memory care facility to help families with finances.

Medicaid, the government health insurance for the poor, might help once Denis meets the standard of poverty. But it requires that people be sick enough to need skilled nursing. If a person only has dementia issues, Medicaid coverage is not available.

Divorce is unthinkable for Linda. And their savings will last only another three to four years.

She hopes to keep working as long as possible and has cut costs to make their money last, stopping cable, meals out, travel, religious contributions and extras such as cleaning, nails, hair and nonessential shopping. She leans heavily on PG&E’s employee assistance program for counseling.

“He has a disease — you can see in the MRIs,” she said. “Just because there is no medical treatment, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be eligible for coverage. Just because we can’t cure people doesn’t mean you don’t care for them.

“I am responsible for his care, even if it financially ruins us,” she said. “That is the constant worry. How am I going to do it?”

3720 196th St SW Lynnwood, WA 98036

425-215-1334

High Ceilings and Large Windows Contemporary Counters and Cabinets

Game & Activities Room Elevators Professional On Site Management TV Lounge

24-hour Emergency Maintenance 24-Hour Fitness Center Community Courtyard with Gas Fireplace

Web: www.CityCenterLynnwood.com Facebook: /CityCenterLynnwood E-mail: citycenter-eh@m.knck.io

This property does not accept reusable portable screening reports *Income Restrictions Apply

2127691

Tea For Two!

A wedding photo of Denis and Linda Winter hangs in his room. Denis Winter was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s when he was 57. He’s now 65.

2111957

“His doctor says: ‘He’s relatively healthy, other than the fact that I can see holes in his brain,’ on magnetic resonance imaging scans,” Linda Winter said.

Denis Winter, a former professor of music at the University of Central Arkansas, worked all his life, saving for retirement with a 403(b). He taught for 30 years, including a two-month residency in China, and he played trombone and euphonium — a large baritone horn — with the Arkansas Symphony, the U.S. Coast Guard Band and at Michigan’s prestigious Interlochen Center for the Arts, as well as in Europe and South America.

Friends and colleagues remember his warmth and talent. “He was ambitious, energetic and inquisitive during the years that I knew him as a doctoral student,” said Don Little, Professor of Tuba at the University of North Texas College of Music, where Denis earned the university’s first doctorate in euphonium performance.

Linda, a singer and conductor, was his teenage sweetheart while at Cleveland Heights High School; he charmed her by helping carry her books home after class. He was quiet and she was lively; over time, their lives took separate routes. She went on to earn an MBA and is now director of sourcing, managing suppliers and purchasing strategies at San Francisco’s Pacific Gas & Electric.

They were thrilled to re-discover each other in their early 50s, falling in love after a date at the San Francisco Symphony.

Then, only six years into their marriage, Denis developed mystifying symptoms. He had trouble keeping rhythm. It took longer for him to read music. Always punctual, he was often late for students’ lessons and programs. He got lost while driving home after an evening’s performance.

For several years, Linda cared for him at home, despite a demanding job where she managed a team of 60 employees and negotiated the utility’s contracts with suppliers.

But it proved exhausting. She brought in caregivers to help from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. but was alone at night. Over time, she sickened, developing infections, high blood pressure and pre-diabetes.

“He’d get up like a Jack-in-the-box in the middle of the night and start walking around,” she recalled. “He’d cry out, ‘Hello, who is there?’ whenever you’re in the bathroom or shower.”

The cost of hiring in-home caregivers for around the clock care is expensive, especially for those with skills to help dementia patients and be strong enough to pick them up if they fall or need to be transported. Eventually, it was no longer safe for Denis to remain at home. Experts say it is a sadly familiar scenario.

“No family can do that. Memory care is 24-7,” said Ruth Gay of the Alzheimer’s Association of Northern California and Northern Nevada. “We see caregivers going down before the patient does.” Now at a Danville facility, Denis is well cared for, so Linda can earn income and keep her health insurance. He only speaks a few words. Although he’s safer than he would be at home, he’s still at risk of injury, sometimes walking into windows because he doesn’t recognize glass. Like other dementia patients, his behavior can be inscrutable and heart-breaking.

Recently, he took down the framed family photos on the wall.

Despite her near-daily visits, Linda is a stranger to him. So she welcomes him with a warm smile, a hug and an introduction. “Hello!” she says. “I’m Linda, your wife!”

Experts say that most families are unprepared for the financial burden of dementia, assuming that Medicare and personal savings will cover the diseases of aging. Long-term care insurance, which can be purchased separately from a medical care plan, is designed to pay for skilled nursing care or basic in-home assistance such as help with bathing and dressing. But it is expensive, and premiums rise as people age.

Denis did not have it.

While patients with cancer and heart disease don’t need nursing care until their final weeks or days, if at all, dementia patients may need custodial care for many years.

“If you have hospitalization in people with Alzheimer’s, Medicare will pay for almost all of it,” said Dr. Kenneth Covinsky, a geriatrician and professor of medicine at UC-San Francisco

D5

May 2018

6

May 2018

Homage

You can build muscle at any age

By Wina Sturgeon Adventure Sports Weekly It doesn’t matter how old you are; you can still build muscle. Studies have shown that even people in their 90’s can build bulk and strength if they lift weights. In fact, any observer can factually state that the number of members 55 and older at commercial gyms is constantly increasing.

There are three essential things to keep in mind if you want to build more muscle at middle age and beyond: 1. You need to lift weights or work with stretch bands for the necessary resistance to create stronger muscles. 2. You can’t train like a 20-year-old anymore. At 55 and older, you can’t train every day, or even every other day, because your body requires more time to recuperate from each workout. 3.

The principle of resistance training is even more important as you get older. You have to damage the muscles slightly; tire them out, so that they come back stronger when healing to deal with such potential damage in the future.

The New York Times quotes the published studies of Marcas Bamman, director of the Center for Exercise Medicine at the University of Alabama, as saying, “Men and women in their 60s and 70s who began supervised weight training developed muscles that were as large and strong as those of your average 40-year-old. Older muscles will become larger and stronger if you work them.”

Bamman’s studies and others have also proven that there are biochemical processes that help bulk up older muscle fibers, but those processes can only be started by pushing the

muscles until they are exhausted.

Often, the typical four or five sets of ten to fifteen reps are not enough to genuinely tire the muscles.

Most gyms offer private trainers who can assess your physical condition and design a workout to improve it. Getting a customized workout is worth the money. But Bamman and other researchers don’t promise miracles. Working out with a carefully designed resistance program will rebuild decades of muscle loss, but not back to the sleek body of a 20-year-old. Resistance workouts may often erase the muscle loss of about two decades, but not much more.

However, there’s another reason to do regular resistance workouts—-no matter what your gender, no matter what your age. As people get older, they begin to lose their muscle fibers. The fibers themselves die off.

Since each muscle fiber is a source of strength and power, fewer of them will limit the amount of strength that can be rebuilt.

The loss of muscle fibers happen faster as folks age, and even faster for those who are sedentary. Regular exercise helps keep muscle fibers from dying off. In fact, while it’s well known that working out is an actual health issue, the newest research is showing that resistance training, and yes, even aerobic training can help prevent dementia. As well, working the body can also delay the onset of dementia. That’s certainly worth the workout.

Wina Sturgeon is an active 55+ based in Salt Lake City, who offers news on the science of anti-aging and staying youthful at: adventuresportsweekly.com. She skates, bikes and lifts weights to stay in shape.

Checklist for your Social Security annual check-up

By Kirk Larson Social Security Washington State Public Affairs Specialist Say “annual checkup” and most people imagine waiting at the doctor’s office. But, there’s another type of checkup that can give you a sense of wellness without even leaving home. Visit www.socialsecurity.gov and follow these five steps to conduct your own Social Security annual checkup.

Your Social Security Statement is available online anytime to everyone who has a my Social Security account at www.socialsecurity.gov/ myaccount. Creating your account gives you 24/7 access to your personal information and makes it impossible for someone else to set up an account in your name.

We still send paper Statements to

those who are 60 and older who don’t have an account and aren’t receiving Social Security benefits.

Your Statement provides information about work credits (you need 40 credits to be entitled to a Social Security retirement benefit), estimates for retirement, disability, and survivors benefits, plus a history of your earnings.

Work credits count: If you have earned 40 work credits, your Statement will show estimates for retirement, disability, and survivors benefits. If you don’t have 40 work credits, the Statement shows how many you have and how many you still need to qualify for benefits.

Review earnings record: Review your history of earnings year by year to make sure each year is correct. This is important because Social Security benefits are based

on your lifetime earnings. If any years are incorrect or missing, you may not receive all the benefits you are entitled to in the future. If you need to correct your earnings, contact Social Security at 1-800772-1213 between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m.

Monday through Friday. Please have your W-2 or paystubs when you call.

Study benefit estimates: Review the section titled “Your Estimated Benefits.” Be sure to review not only your retirement estimate, but your disability and survivors estimates. No one likes to think about disability, but a 20-year-old worker has a one-in-four chance of becoming disabled before reaching retirement age, underscoring the importance of disability benefits.

Since the value of the survivors insurance you have under Social

Security may be more than your individual life insurance, be sure to check your survivors estimates also.

Calculate additional estimates: You can use our Retirement Estimator to compute future Social Security benefits by changing variables such as retirement dates and future earnings. If you want to project what future earnings could add to your benefit, visit www.socialsecurity.gov/estimator.

Schedule your annual check-up: Each year, make a date with yourself to review the most recently posted year of earnings on your Statement. By checking your record every year, you can be certain when you retire that Social Security will have a correct record of earnings to use when computing benefits for you or your family members.

ELDER LAW ATTORNEY

SARAH DUNCAN 425-339-8556

425-339-8556

adamslawyers.com

adamslawyers.com

Older Adult Mental Health Access Mental health problems are not a normal part of aging Good mental health enables us to maintain a high quality of life that we can enjoy regardless of our age. Untreated mental health problems can lead to poor health and diminished quality of life. The Older Adult Mental Health Access Program can assist Snohomish County residents, 60 and older, access mental health or chemical dependency services.

Our Program Offers: Information about mental health | Advocacy with medical, mental health or social service providers | Assistance in identifying providers who offer free or low-cost services and those who accept your health insurance or Medicare insurance

Call 425.290.1260 or 800.422.2024 Email: mentalhealth@homage.org 11627 Airport Road, Suite B. Everett, WA 98204

www.Homage.org

2115978

3128 Colby Avenue Everett, Washington 98201

2116136

Assisting seniors with Probate, Wills, Trusts, Powers of Attorney, Health Care Directives and Medicaid Planning

2128242

Homage

7

May 2018

If you’re 50-plus, you still need to exercise

By Mike Candelaria Orlando Sentinel

Elsie Sierra, 71, exercises at a YMCA in Orlando, Florida. After her husband died in 2002, she sat around and “did nothing for five years.” She now works out Monday through Thursday for two hours, plus some Friday mornings. (Red Huber / Orlando Sentinel) highest level I know that’s not likely to continue forever.”

He will eventually change his routine, but he won’t ever stop, Lynch quickly adds.

“Bodies in motion stay in motion. … There’s nothing I like to do more than exercise. My wife says I’m a better husband when I do some training, conditioning,” Lynch says.

“If you can’t run then walk. If you can’t walk then swim. Find what you can do.”

Getting older, of course, is a life reality.

Yet, so too is the need to continue to seek some level of fitness in your advancing years — adjusting as you go.

People like Napoli and Lynch will certainly tell you as much, as does the International Council on Activity Aging.

Medical

Dental Pharmacy Behavioral Health

Everett-Central Everett-North Everett-South Lynnwood

We accept Washington AppleHealth, Medicare, Medicare Advantage and Uninsured.

Medical

Chronic Disease Management Diabetes Family Practice Immunization Internal Medicine Medical Walk-In Nutrition Obstetrics Pedatrics Prenatal Care Well-Child Checkups

Dental

Consultation Crowns Extractions Fillings Oral Exam and X-rays Oral Health Education Root Canal Treatments Routine Cleanings Sealants Everett-Central and Lynnwood Clinics offer Medical Walk-In services.

Dental services are available at all Dental Clinics.

Pharmacy

With a discount pharmacy onsite, CHC provides its patients with the convenience to fill your prescription right after your appointment.

Behavioral Health

Our Behavioral Health Specialists are trained in counseling and other behavioral therapies. They work closely with your PCP and can provide you with the care you need.

Call for an appointment today! 425-789-3789 | www.CHCsno.org

PUD Discounts for Low-Income Seniors Reduce your PUD bill by 20% to 60%, depending on income level.

Questions?

Visit snopud.com/discounts or call Customer Service: 425-783-1000 Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:30 PM

smart rewards smart rebates More ways to save: instant rebates for installing insulation, insulated windows and heat pumps; smart rewards for buying efficient appliances; rebates for heat pump water heaters, and special low prices on efficient lighting and showerheads at local participating retailers. Some restrictions apply.

Visit snopud.com (click on “Conservation”) or call 425-783-1700

SPECIAL

Monday - Friday, 8 AM to 5 PM

$5.00 off a Permanent First time Customers

2115972

Haircut & Blowdry ................... $25 Shampoo & Set ........................ $15 Permanent (includes everything) ....... $55

2127682

• • • •

Compassionate. Affordable. Accessible

NEW CLIENT

425.347.8766

go to a gym?’ ” Sierra recounts.

That gym was the South Orlando YMCA near her home. Today, Sierra works out there Monday through Thursday for two hours plus some Friday mornings.

“When I first went there, I looked around and didn’t know what to do. Then I started cycling and got motivated,” she says.

Sierra moved from cycling to stair-stepping then to weight machines. Always thin, she now can lift a 30-pound barbell over her head with each arm.

“I’m 71 and I can say that I feel like a 30-yearold. Nothing hurts,” Sierra says, noting the lone exception of tendonitis in her right thumb.

High quality, affordable primary health care for your family.

OVER 40 YEARS EXPERIENCE

8920 Evergreen Way  Everett

people who began to move regularly.

In another 2017 study, researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine reported that elderly women who sat for more than 10 hours a day (with low physical activity) had biologically older cells compared to women who are less sedentary.

That wouldn’t be news to Elsie Sierra, 71.

After her husband died in 2002, she sat around and “did nothing for five years.” They used to run a half mile or so together as he battled with diabetes, but when he passed, she stopped.

Then about 10 years ago, after never having been to a gym, she joined one.

“Somebody told me I needed to change and asked ‘why don’t you

Locations • Arlington • Edmonds • Everett-College

DEBBIES’ HAIR DESIGN

CALL FOR APPT.

The ICAA has a section on its website called Welcome Back to Fitness, starting with the very basics of getting a checkup, knowing your workout options and determining your participation style — all before actually exercising.

According to the American Heart Association, you should exercise 150 minutes a week of exercise, or 30 minutes a day at least five days a week. That includes people over age 50 — in fact, especially those people. The AHA points to a study released in 2017 that showed people with stable coronary heart disease who increased their habitual physical activity reduced their mortality rate — with the greatest benefits seen in sedentary

2127680

Scaling down exercise is OK as you age, but don’t stop. And if you haven’t begun, heed the words of Elsie Sierra, 71: “You need to exercise.”

Mike Napoli has been running marathons and competing in Ironman triathlons since his 30s. Typically, he would race in one event monthly from March through November.

Not so much anymore.

Because of work travel and family — along with age — Napoli has a bit slower pace. He’s still a fitness enthusiast, for sure, including biking, running and cross-fit training multiple times a week. However, two of his weekly workouts at the Crossfit Milk District gym are with his 6-year-old granddaughter, and there are some moves he simply can no longer do, like pullups because of shoulder surgeries. So, he doesn’t try them.

“I scale (my workouts) back to make it as hard as possible on myself, but also not to the point we I’m going to hurt myself,” says Napoli, 53, a software developer in Orlando.

“I feel young. But some things don’t work like they used to. I just try to keep fit and stay challenged as best I can.”

Jamie Lynch is perhaps even more of a workout warrior. The 54-year-old is a nurse practitioner for cardiology practice (Orlando Health Heart Institute), which likely helped when in January he ran the Celebration Marathon’s 26-plus miles in 3 hours and 32 minutes and qualified for the 2019 Boston Marathon.

Self-described as a fitness “addict,” Lynch, 54, a Winter Park resident, can be found swimming and biking across Central Florida’s lake and roads, starting at 5 a.m. But he knows the clock is ticking toward inevitably slowing down and transitioning his routine while still trying to remain fit.

Because of eye-muscle weakness in his youth, he didn’t play sports growing up. As a young adult, he then found weightlifting, until his lower back and knees weakened.

Then he found running until a move to triathlons (running, biking and swimming), which enabled him to better manage the stress loads on his body.

Now, he awaits his next transition.

“I feel older every year,” Lynch says.

“Pushing myself at the

Also, her moods are better. “If I don’t go to the gym, my (adult) daughters tell me I get cranky. … My stress, I leave it here (at the gym),” she says.

“I don’t know what I would have been if I didn’t exercise. I feel great.”

Sierra offers one succinct bit of advice to others: “You need to exercise.”

Need a place to exercise?

Any of the area’s large gyms, such as LA Fitness, 24 Hour Fitness, Planet Fitness, Youfit and the Central Florida YMCA, accommodate the 50-and-older crowd. For example, 24 Hour Fitness offers Silver & Fit classes, designed to increase flexibility, joint stability, balance, coordination, agility, muscular strength and cardiovascular endurance.

Also, an insurance-based program called Silver Sneakers typically is offered across Orlando. The low-impact classes use basic functional exercise movements and involve weights, resistance bands and body weight to help increase strength and range of motion.

According to Daun Yearwood-Davis, member experience director at the South Orlando YMCA, the 50-plus crowd gets catered to and represents an increasing sector of Y membership. The reason is that life reality: aging.

“It’s going to happen to us all, God willing,” Yearwood-Davis says.

8

May 2018

Homage

Everett’s original main street coming back to life PERSPECTIVES ON THE PAST

BY MARY O’DONNELL, EVERETT HISTORIAN May is National Historic Preservation Month, and we are fortunate to have historic preservation taking place right in the heart of the Hewitt Avenue National Historic District.

After being at the top of Historic Everett’s endangered properties list the past several years, the Hodges building at 1802 Hewitt Ave. is now undergoing preservation. The Hodges Building was erected during 1923 and was ready for occupancy in January 1924.

The five-story building was constructed at a cost of $100,000 for H.C. Hodges of Mukilteo. Benjamin F. Turnbull of Everett was the architect and Howard S. Wright, also of Everett, was the contractor.

Turnbull’s office was in the Commerce Building directly across Hewitt Avenue, which he designed 13 years earlier. Both it and the Hodges Building were in the popular Chicago Style of the time — like salt and pepper shakers, similar but with subtle differences.

The Commerce Building is on the National Register of Historic Places. When the Hodges opened, a clothier and stationer occupied the main floor. Upstairs were doctors, dentists, insurance agents, dressmakers, tailors and more. The top floor had a modern surgical and medical clinic with

four doctors who would soon form the nucleus of the Everett Clinic.

Over the years, as Everett’s downtown shifted from Hewitt Avenue to Colby Avenue, the building’s use changed. Stores remained on the main floor, but the upper floors were converted to apartments during the 1940s. Over the next decades the building suffered deferred maintenance. After a fire in December 2014, the building went dark and its future was, at best, uncertain. Fortunately, discussions between the city and county about building a parking structure on the site never materialized.

Pete Sikov owns the Hodges along with several other buildings in the Hewitt Avenue Historic District. His vision for the historic district is a mix of small businesses, including antique stores, art galleries and ethnic restaurants. He believes this can be realized with shopkeepers bootstrapping until a critical mass is created to sustain a destination shopping area.

Today the Hodges is coming back to life. The white brick exterior has been cleaned and new windows have been installed in the original wood frames. The elevator shaft has been deconstructed and rebuilt to accommodate a larger elevator. A sprinkler system, new wiring and plumbing have been installed.

The Hodges Building, in the 1800 block of Hewitt Avenue in Everett, when new in 1924 (Everett Public Library photo) Soon drywalling and painting will be done.

Kitchens are being designed while appliances and lighting are being selected. Contacts are being made with prospective shop owners.

One person who shares Sikov’s dream for a Hewitt Avenue arts and entertainment district is Isabella Valencia. A dynamo with a great deal of energy, she and others have created District Art, whose mission is to contribute to the establishment of an artistic culture and an art district in Everett. To this end, she has opened Black Lab Gallery at 1618 Hewitt Ave. She

and other volunteers have cleaned the upstairs of the formerly vacant Fobes Building, 1806-08 Hewitt Ave., immediately next door to the Hodges. The space is now known as the Rockefeller Hotel, where 12 artists work in day studios.

On the main floor, a skateboard shop and an art supplies store are planned, providing more retail activity for youth. In the back will be a workshop serving budding artists 15 to 21 years of age. She also plans to open Rockitt, a performance venue for all ages, across the street at the old Horseshoe Building, 1805 Hewitt Ave.

Serving the Greater Puget Sound Area for Over 45 Years

Next door to the Fobes is the old Star Theater building at 1810 Hewitt, which houses an antique store. All of the above buildings, contributing properties in the Hewitt Avenue Historic District, are owned by Pete Sikov.

The final contributing property on the block is the Watson’s Bakery Building, 1812 Hewitt Ave. The 1910 two-story building has had various uses but is remembered most as Watson’s Bakery. A fire destroyed the McCrossen Building next door in 2012 and threatened Watson’s, as the buildings shared a wall.

However, owners Russel Hermes and Brealey Seltzer were committed to saving the historic

building.

With the help of architect Sandra Higgins, it was restored in 2014. Changes had been made over the years, but today the light orange bricks, dentil cornice and transom windows are in harmony with the original style. The building was placed on the Everett Register of Historic Places the following year.

The Hewitt Avenue Historic District is an essential part of Everett’s old Main Street.

One necessary component of a successful downtown is historic preservation. It is good to see it taking place in Everett and, perhaps at the same time, helping create a Hewitt Avenue entertainment district.

Barry M. Meyers Brian D. Lueth, MD

David M. Neubeck, Associate Attorney Sara LC Hulford, Associate Attorney

Thomas W. Jones III, MD

www.elderlaw-nw.com

MEDICAID ISSUES • WILLS POWERS OF ATTORNEY • TRUSTS • GUARDIANSHIPS PROBATES • SPECIAL NEEDS TRUSTS

We perform Cataract, Lasik and Eyelid surgery in our Medicare approved surgery center.

(360) 647-8846

*The State Supreme Court of Washington does not recognize certification of specialists in the practice of law and that the certificate, award or recognition is not a requirement to practice law in the state of Washington.

We help people age where they’re most comfortable. At home.

We provide Comprehensive, Routine, and Medical Eye Health Exams for Glaucoma, Macular Degeneration and Diabetes.

3930 Hoyt Ave., Everett | 425.259.2020 | www.lasikdrs.com

Life is BETTER

Alzheimer’s/ Dementia Care Personal Care Medication Assistance Housekeeping Meal Preparation Transportation Respite Care Hourly/Live-in Care

when everyone feels connected, engaged, and appreciated.

Dementia Care & 24 hour specialist

FREE

Dental X-Ray Call Today

A dental office with good ol’ fashioned service - and the latest technology.”

• WE DON’T RUSH YOUR APPOINTMENT • YOU SEE THE ACTUAL DENTIST

• Free in-home consultation

• NEW CROWNS IN ONLY 2.5

• Live person on-call 24/7 • Specialized training for caregivers 2128187

• Bathing/Dressing 2115981

“Imagine...

• NO “DOUBLE BOOKING”

Seattle and Snohomish County 206.545.1092 Bellevue/Eastside 425.455.2004 Tacoma/Pierce County 253.761.8019

www.familyresourcehomecare.com

FREE

NEW PATIENT EXAM &

2053737

2115963

Thomas W. Jones, Jr., MD

We take Medicare, Med-Advantage plans, Soundpath Health, Humana Gold Choice, United Healthcare, Regence, Premera and most other insurance plans.

2113436

Certified Elder Law Attorney by the National Elder Law Foundation since 2003 Named a Super Lawyer annually since 2007*

• Housekeeping

HOURS

www.19thAveDental.com

10217 19th Ave. SE, Suite 203 Everett • 425.385.8130

Start home care today!

• FREE “LAUGHING GAS”

360.240.9525

Specializing in Implants, Restoration, General Dentistry & BIG Challenges

hwc.com/seattle

Dr. Shuichi Yamaguchi, DDS, PS

Homage

9

May 2018

New shingles vaccine for seniors provides superior protection from painful affliction SAVVY SENIOR

BY JIM MILLER Q: A good friend of mine got a bad case of shingles last year and has been urging me to get vaccinated.

Should I? A: Yes! If you’re 50 or older, there’s a new shingles vaccine on the market that’s far superior to the older vaccine, so now is a great time to get inoculated. Here’s what you should know.

Shingles, also known as herpes zoster, is a burning, blistering, often excruciating skin rash that affects around 1 million Americans each year. The same virus that causes chickenpox causes shingles. What happens is the chickenpox virus that most people get as kids never leaves the body. It hides in the nerve cells near the spinal cord and, for some people, emerges later in the form of shingles.

In the U.S., almost one out of every three people will develop shingles

during their lifetime. While anyone who’s had chickenpox can get shingles, it most commonly occurs in people over age 50, along with people who have weakened immune systems. But you can’t catch shingles from someone else.

Early signs of the disease include pain, itching or tingling before a blistering rash appears several days later, and can last up to four weeks.

The rash typically occurs on one side of the body, often as a band of blisters that extends from the middle of your back around to the breastbone. It can also appear above an eye or on the side of the face or neck.

In addition to the rash, about 20 to 25 percent of those who get shingles go on to develop severe nerve pain (postherpetic neuralgia, or PHN) that can last for months or even years. And in rare cases, shingles can also cause strokes, encephalitis, spinal cord damage and vision loss.

The Food and Drug Administration recently approved a new vaccine for shingles called Shingrix (see Shingrix.com), which provides much better protection than the

older vaccine, Zostavax.

Manufactured by GlaxoSmithKline, Shingrix is 97 percent effective in preventing shingles in people 50 to 69 years old, and 91 percent effective in those 70 and older.

By comparison, Zostavax is 70 percent effective in your 50s; 64 percent effective in your 60s; 41 percent effective in your 70s; and 18 percent effective in your 80s.

Shingrix is also better that Zostavax in preventing nerve pain that continues after a shingles rash has cleared – about 90 percent effective versus 65 percent effective.

Because of this enhanced protection, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that everyone age 50 and older, receive the Shingrix vaccine, which is given in two doses, two to six months apart.

Even if you’ve already had shingles, you still need these vaccinations because reoccurring cases are possible. The CDC also recommends that anyone previously vaccinated with Zostavax be revaccinated with Shingrix.

You should also know that Shingrix can cause some adverse side effects for some people, including muscle pain, fatigue, headache, fever and upset stomach.

Shingrix, which costs around $280 for both doses, is (or will soon be) covered by insurance including Medicare Part D prescription drug plans, but be aware that the shingles vaccines are not always well covered. So before getting vaccinated, call your plan to find out if it’s covered, and if so, which pharmacies and doctors in your area you should use to insure the best coverage.

Or, if you don’t have health insurance or you’re experiencing medical or financial hardship, you might qualify for GlaxoSmithKline’s Patient Assistance Program, which provides free vaccinations to those who are eligible. For details, go to GSKforyou. com.

Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior. org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of “The Savvy Senior” book.

Social Security honors the nation’s heroes on Memorial Day

By Kirk Larson Social Security Washington State Public Affairs Specialist On Memorial Day, we honor service members who have given their lives for our nation. Social Security acknowledges the heroism and courage of our military service members, and we remember those who have given their lives to protect our country. Part of how we honor these heroes is the way we provide Social Security benefits.

The loss of a family member is difficult for anyone. Social Security

helps by providing benefits to protect service members’ dependents. Widows, widowers, and their dependent children may be eligible for Social Security survivors benefits. You can learn more about Social Security survivors benefits at www.socialsecurity. gov/survivors.

It’s also important to recognize those service members who are still with us, especially those who have been wounded. Just as they served us, we have the obligation to serve them.

Social Security has benefits to protect veterans when an injury prevents them from returning to active duty or

the situation, some family members of military personnel, including dependent children and, in some cases, spouses, may be eligible to receive Social Security benefits.

You can get answers to commonly asked questions and find useful information about the application process at www.socialsecurity.gov/ woundedwarriors.

Service members can also receive Social Security in addition to military retirement benefits. The good news is that your military retirement benefit generally does not reduce your Social Security retirement benefit.

performing other work.

Wounded military service members can also receive expedited processing of their Social Security disability claims. For example, Social Security will provide expedited processing of disability claims filed by veterans who have a U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Compensation rating of 100 percent Permanent & Total (P&T). The VA and Social Security each have disability programs. You may find that you qualify for disability benefits through one program but not the other, or that you qualify for both. Depending on

without the sea sickness!

1,500 OFF

$

MOVE-IN SPECIAL

Ask About Our Age-In-Place Partnerships!

Visit our website to learn about our “on board” EXPERIENCES, EVENTS and AMENITIES! 9912 48th Dr. NE, Marysville

360-653-1717

www.windsorsrliving.com

We are Pet Friendly

Retirement, downsizing, empty nesters, snow birds.

Selling or purchasing a home is a large complex financial transaction. You should have an experienced real estate broker protecting your families interests.

2047114

CONTACT ME TODAY Serene Realty Inc.

2128873

Kit Aldrich Broker/Realtor

425-359-7590 8

www.kitaldrich.com

2112275

May not be combined with other move-in specials.

Must deposit by 4/30/18.

10

May 2018

Homage

Kentucky capital a hard-hat destination with plenty to do TRAVELS WITH KATHY

BY KATHY WITT FRANKFORT, Ky. — “The sky is falling!

The sky is falling!”

Not really — it only feels that way because so many buildings on Frankfort’s, horizon have come down and are going up. But even with implosions, dust clouds and a shifting skyline, Kentucky’s capital city remains open for business, its downtown straight out of a Norman Rockwell painting and its attractions wide-ranging and lively.

Grab your hard hat, head to this town stretched out along the Kentucky River and see what Henny Penny surely will miss.

Capital good times: After months of demolition, the skies above downtown Frankfort have cleared. Gone are the 28-story Capital Plaza Tower, once the city’s tallest building, Frankfort Convention Center, Fountain Place Shops, and two parking garages. Taking their place will be a modern Capital Plaza with shiny new buildings.

The last man standing, so to speak, is the Capital Plaza Hotel (www. capitalplazaky.com), a welcoming refuge for visitors exploring a city in the throes of redevelopment. And it has free parking and Wi-Fi, to boot.

Not to mention comfy and larger-than-average rooms, indoor pool, hot breakfast bar and a bar/lounge serving local Kentucky bourbons among other libations and Southern specialties including the Hot Brown and Fried Green Tomato Sliders.

Speaking of bourbon: The hotel puts visitors in easy drive distance to Buffalo Trace (www.buffalotrace. com), a National Historic Landmark and the world’s most award-winning distillery, oldest continually (legally) operating distillery in the country and one of only four distilleries

Buffalo Trace, a short drive from Frankfort, Kentucky, is a National Historic Landmark and the the oldest continually (legally) operating distillery in the country. (Kathy Witt) allowed to remain open during Prohibition. Someone had to dispense the “medicine.”

In keeping with Frankfort’s current theme, the distillery offers a Hard Hat Tour for a true insider’s look behind the curtain to see the heart and soul of the bourbon crafting process — and not just any bourbon mind you, but truly great bourbon, which is Buffalo Trace’s stock-intrade. This is the home of such fabled bourbons as Pappy Van Winkle, Blanton’s Single Barrel and Stagg Jr., among other liquid legends.

Visitors see everything from grain delivery to the cooking process to fermentation and distillation. A stop is made at the E.H. Taylor, Jr. Microstill where Buffalo Trace crafts its unique and award-winning Experimental Collection whiskies. At tour’s end? The reason visitors take the

tour in the first place: tasting the bourbon … Buffalo Trace Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, Eagle Rare Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, White Dog — even delicious chocolate-enrobed bourbon balls.

All Buffalo Trace distillery tours, including the Hard Hat Tour, are complimentary. Tours fill up fast, so reservations are required.

Please “do” touch, pat, climb on, lounge in: At the Josephine Sculpture Park (www.josephinesculpturepark.org), visitors of all ages and abilities are free to interact with about 50 works of art, from dawn until dusk, seven days a week.

The 20-acre outdoor art museum was designed to provide creative experiences and free community arts education and do so while also conserving the native Kentucky

landscape.

“We work to provide opportunities for artists to create and exhibit art and for the public to experience the creative process,” said park founder and artist Melanie VanHouten, a former university professor who grew up on the land. “Every piece here is okay to touch, and several pieces are large enough and designed to be climbed on.”

Named for VanHouten’s grandmother, the free-admission sculpture park is also a wildlife habitat. The rotating exhibit of contemporary art sits amidst a rural meadowland given shape, dimension and color by a profusion of native trees, bushes and wildflowers.

Sculptures and murals are accessible by mowed paths.

Continued on the next page

Lynn Crest Senior Apartments Subsidized 62+ Community

Features & Amenities:

 Lynn Crest Senior Apartments 4629 194th St. S.W., Lynnwood 98036

Your pathway home.

Return to the activities you love.

• Regain Life Skills and Independence • Physical, Occupational, Speech and Swallowing Therapy • Post-Surgical and Post-Hospital Care

Comprehensive care with the trusted team at the Josephine Caring Community.

2127629

For information and application, call 425.339.1043

   

Social Service Coordinator One bedroom apartments Laundry facilities on site Community room with kitchen and outdoor patio for recreation and entertainment Access-controlled building and emergency alert system All units are wheelchair accessible Close to shopping and services Income restrictions apply Pets welcome

2127650

   

(360) 631-1722 www.saratogarehab.com

9901 272nd Place NW • Stanwood, WA 98292 • www.josephinenet.com

Affordable pricing ba sed PENING IGHT RIDAY on incoUNE me.

MAGNET SCHEDULE GIVEAWAY & POSTGAME FIREWORKS

O N -F ,J CONNECT PRESENTED BY TULALIP RESORT CASINO STAY ACTIVE ENJOY LIFE

15

ENJOY SIX GAMES FOR

The YMCA of Snohomish County offers a variety of programs and activities specifically for older adults. From aerobics to yoga or special trips, you are sure to find many enjoyable opportunities to connect with others.

SILVER SLUGGERS CLUB - FOR FANS 55+ RECEIVE • RESERVED UPPER BOX TICKET FOR SIX GAMES • SILVER SLUGGER T-SHIRT • CHANCE TO THROW OUT VIP FIRST PITCH • BASEBALL BINGO EVERY WEDNESDAY

THERE’S A Y NEAR YOU: Everett 425 258 9211 Marysville 360 653 9622 Mill Creek 425 337 0123 Monroe 360 805 1879 Mukilteo 425 493 9622 Stanwood 360 629 9622 YMCA-SNOCO.ORG

The Y is for everyone.

Affordable pricing based on income.

2128075

AQUASOX.COM (425) 258-3673

2127240

ONLY $18!

Homage Continued from previous page Throughout the year, the park hosts workshops, classes and programs, including the annual SoundScape! This year, the free, family-friendly music event takes place 6 p.m. to midnight on Sat., June 9.

A fun way to explore the park in the dark, SoundScape! features backto-back bands performing on stage, food and beer trucks, ice cream and the Josephine S’mores Bar, a bonfire, night sky tour with telescopes, illuminated sculptures, Silly Sculpture Makin’ Station and more.

Rock the river: Rockin’ Thunder Jet Boat Rides (www.rockinthunder. com) offers the only jet boat tours on the Ohio and Kentucky Rivers, with several different thrill rides departing

from Frankfort, including a new Sunday Dinner Adventure. Bounce downriver through two historic locks to Blue Wing Landing for a catered dinner at an 1850s Greek Revival-style home. These 600 tranquil acres once sheltered the summer home of Kentucky’s first U.S. senator, John Brown (1757-1837), who was also the last living member of the Continental Congress.

Rockin’ Thunder also offers a twofor-one adventure with Frankfort’s circa 1796 Liberty Hall Historic Site.

Guests tour twin architectural treasures Liberty Hall and the Orlando Brown House (the former John Brown’s home; the latter built for Brown’s son, Orlando), enjoy a gourmet picnic lunch and then board the boat to rock out for a scenic 40-mile

jaunt through Lock 4 on the Kentucky River.

And because this is “Rockin’ Thunder” and not your granddad’s Sunday afternoon sightseeing excursion, there is fishtailing, spinning and sliding — all accompanied by water spraying in from the river and piped-in tunes. Fear not: Your Coast Guard-licensed captain has everything under control.

Eclectic art walk: If you miss exploring Liberty Hall Historic Site on the jet boat tour, you can still see it on the Frankfort Public Art Cell Phone Tour (www.frankfortpublicart.com). This 20-stop stroll shows off what the wrecking ball has spared, including centuries-old sites like the Greek Revival-style Old State Capitol, built in 1793/94, the only

May 2018

11

pro-Union state capitol to be occupied by the Confederates during the Civil War. Of more recent vintage is the 1910 Prairie-style Zeigler House with art glass windows — Kentucky’s lone (and beloved) Frank Lloyd Wright-designed structure.

Other sites on the tour feature exquisite stained-glass windows; traffic-stopping sculptures abstractly interpreting transportation themes; the Kentucky Floral Clock with its 10,000 colorful blooms; the Daniel Boone Monument; and the utterly charming RJ Corman Children’s Mural spanning a 350-foot-long bridge.

Plan your travels: For more information, visit www.visitfrankfort.com. See www.rockinthunder. com for the schedule of adventures departing Frankfort.

Former night nurse to King Edward VIII recalls his final days The Baltimore Sun TIMONIUM, Md. — When she was in her 20s, Juliana Chatard Alexander was the night nurse for the Duke of Windsor, formerly King Edward VIII, the man who abdicated his throne to marry Wallis Warfield Simpson.

After long declining interviews with historians and biographers, the Mays Chape, Maryland, woman spoke with royal biographer Andrew Morton — and with The Baltimore Sun. Here, in her own words, are more memories of the former Duke and Duchess of Windsor: About why she finally granted an interview to biographer Andrew Morton after keeping silent about her experience for more than 45 years: My father was Al Capone’s doctor, and he never talked about it. So, I think I learned to follow his example.

After the Duke died, I came back to the U.S. for about three months. The word got out and all these historians got in touch with me, but I refused to talk to them.

I don’t approve of those tell-alls by old priests and nurses who get

into the secrets of other people’s lives.

But then, recently, Andrew got in touch with me. He was very charming and had a winning personality. By now, all Juliana the people I might Chatard have talked about Alexander were dead, and it is worked as the part of history. night nurse So, I thought, “Oh, of the former what the hell.”

King Edward About how she VIII. came to work for the ailing Duke in 1972: I was managing an art gallery at the time. My friend, Oonaugh (Oonaugh Shanley-Toffolo) was the Duke’s day nurse. She asked me if I’d be interested in helping her out and doing some night duty. I was working full-time at the gallery, but I needed to earn extra money because I wanted to go to India. So I said, ‘Why not?’ ” About why the Duke accepted her as his night nurse when he had dismissed several predecessors:

I was from Baltimore, and I had no idea what to call this man. So, on the first night, I turned to him and said, “Hey, Duke.” Later I found out I was supposed to call him, “Your royal highness.”

I also found out later that that there had been quite a number of fancy-dancy nurses before me, and the Duke fired them all. But not me.

He adored America and Americans, and I always thought the reason he kept me is that I’m American and called him by John Wayne’s nickname.

And, I think he liked it that I was so familiar with him. I didn’t treat him like a golden lamb, but just like any old person.

Recollections of life at the Windsors’ Paris apartment: The first night I was there, the Duke’s valet brought in the most beautiful poached pear in a crystal bowl sitting on a silver salver. The Duke waved it away. A few minutes later, the valet came back with the same salver holding one cigarette.

The Duke liked to talk, talk, talk.

Poor old fellow.

About the couple’s relationship: Well … their relationship was

Silver View Senior Apartments

Join Us at the

Everett Mall Walk Breakfast

Subsidized 62+ Community

the 4th Thursday of every month 8:30am-9:30am

Features & Amenities:    

  Silver View Senior Apartments 11109 16th Ave. S.E., Everett 98208

For information and application, call 425.339.1031

  

Social Service Coordinator One bedroom apartments Laundry facilities on site Community room with kitchen and outdoor patio for recreation and entertainment Access-controlled building and emergency alert system All units are wheelchair accessible Close to shopping and services Income restrictions apply Pets welcome

2127647

fairly distant from my standpoint.

She hardly ever came in to see him.

I saw her in his room on the first night, and then again the night he died. I was there from 7 pm to 7 am for about three weeks, and during that time, she didn’t come in and eat with her husband.

He was constantly calling for her in his final days: ‘Dolly, Dolly Dolly.’

His pug was called Dollar, and for a long time I thought the Duke was calling for his dog, who would not come into the room. After he died, that’s when the dog finally ran in and hid under his bed. But now I think the Duke was calling Wallis. I heard “Dolly,” but it might have been “Darling” or “Wally.”

How the Duchess reacted when her husband died: There was some dementia beginning with the Duchess at that time, but she was still enjoying life. She wasn’t gaga completely, but you could see it coming on the horizon.

She reacted as you might expect.

She sat on the bed next to him. What I remember was she took his hand and patted it and said, “Now you’re at rest,’ or something of that sort.

Then she was gone.

“No More Worries About Mom” Assisted Living Rates starting at $2,400/mo Long Term Care starting at $7,300/mo

5 Star

Rating By CMS A Washington State Top-Rated Nursing Home. www.medicare.gov

Offering a Continuum of Care...

Independent Living, Assisted Living, Rehabilitation and Skilled Nursing Care Including Palliative Care and Hospice Services

Seeing is Believing... Call or Visit Today

Sunrise View RETIREMENT VILLA & CONVALESCENT CENTER

425-353-4040

2520 Madison • Near I-5 in South Everett e-mail: dlopes@sunriseview.org www.sunriseview.org Family owned and operated for more then 40 years

2112097

YOU CALL IT “checking in on my sister.”

WE CALL IT caregiving.

Once you hit 50, be number one again Catch the Wow! of winning again, plus all the excitement of state-level competition when you participate in the Washington State Senior Games.

For anyone 50 or older, this year can be your first year of many First Places.

Register by July 10 for any of dozens of sports offered by the Washington State Senior Games.

Qualifying Year for 2019 National Senior Games June 14 - 25, 2019 Albuquerque, NM

1-855-567-0252 Call your local office at 425-513-1900.

2112088

2111232

www.waclc.org

Washingtonstateseniorgames.com • 360.413.0148

12

May 2018

Homage

Home designed for health of environment — and owners

By Sandy Deneau Dunham The Seattle Times OLYMPIA — It’s hard to know whether that warm golden glow throughout Laura and Kelly Lewis’ Olympia-area home radiates from the bright lemon-yellow paint atop its elevated light-diffusing shelves, or from the national first-place awards this aggressively Passive House has hauled in.

The Lewises (plus dogs Lexie, Burton and Zola, and kitty cats Raster and Cassie) live on nature-embracing acreage in the country, in the bigger country’s Best Single-Family Passive House, as judged last fall by the Passive House Institute US. The home’s architect, Artisans Group’s co-principal Tessa Smith, earned Best Project by a Young Professional for this extra-efficient showpiece of sustainability.

There is no question that, as a

certified Passive House, the Lewises’ contemporary, ultra-custom, 2,250-square-foot home meets and exceeds extremely rigorous energy-savings standards: Windows are triple-paned and super-insulated.

Walls are 12 to 13 inches thick, with 2 feet of insulation in the ceiling. All the lighting is LED. A “really simple” radiant-heat system “is not putting out a ton of heat because the house doesn’t need a lot of heat,” says Smith.

Even the pet doors are triple-sealed and airtight.

But this thoughtful, one-level home isn’t just actively healthy for the environment; it’s also proactively healthy for its inhabitants.

Laura has lupus.

“This house is designed with some very specific medical needs in mind,” says Smith. “Mobility, fall protection and an avoidance of direct natural light were critical programmatic needs. They needed healthy indoor air

Ultimate Comfort For All Sizes Power Lift Recliners

Voted Best Furniture Store in Snohomish County!

Winner 4 years in a row!

Kelly and Laura Lewis’ home won two national awards for its environment-friendly design. (Steve Ringman / Seattle Times) and aging-in-place Universal Design concepts throughout. It’s designed so they can live completely free and independent.”

A whole-home heat-recovery ventilator (HRV) keeps the air continually fresh, and consistently just-right comfy. “By turning over its capacity every three or four hours, the air is never stale or stagnant,” says Smith.

“Some people say they sleep better and need less coffee.” (Kelly also says he’s noticed a “night-and-day difference” with Laura’s allergies, and with, um, assorted animal aromas.)

Resilient cork floors are “warm against the feet, soft on the joints,”

Pingpong

fits people 5’2” and under

“A Family Tradition Since 1912”

StellarComfort UC 550-M

StellarComfort UC 550 M26

StellarComfort UC 550 L

Fits people 5’3” to 5’10” Fits people 5’3” to 5’10” up to 500 lbs. Fits people 5’11” to 6’2” 2015 Broadway Everett, WA 98201 425-259-3876 • EricksonFurniture.com Mon - Sat 9am-6pm • Sunday 11am-5pm

Sun, 72, has been visiting the center for six years. Accompanied by a troupe of other women, she dances to Chinese songs, old and new.

“I love to dance,” Sun said.

Sun came to the United States in 1984. She and her husband owned a cafe in Eastern Washington for more than 20 years before moving to Everett to be closer to their son.

Since then, the couple have enjoyed making new friends at the center. They were the only Chinese people in the small town they came from.

“It’s fun,” she said. “We have the same culture. We speak the same language.”

They dance to the same music.

Most of the time.

“But sometimes, I go to Zumba class,” Sun said.

Note from Homage Senior Services: Thank you to our funders: Verdant Health Commission and Snohomish County.

DISCOVER THE POWER OF ONE. MORE CHOICES. EXCEPTIONAL SERVICE. OUTSTANDING NEW BENEFITS.

ONE CARD - THREE GREAT LOCATIONS. Tulalip Resort Casino features

Quil Ceda Creek Casino has your

Tulalip Bingo & Slots is your

a AAA Four-Diamond resort, seven restaurants, a huge variety of slots and table games, the luxurious T-Spa and the best headline entertainment around.

winning vibe close to home with complete slots and tables, quick bites and big meals, plus North End entertainment featuring your favorite teams and live bands weekly.

neighborhood go-to with 21 bingo sessions a week and over 200 of the best slots, plus Quil Ceda deli open seven days a week.

LEARN MORE AT ONECLUBFORALL.COM

2112142

StellarComfort UC 550 JPT

2113775

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

says Smith, and significantly more shock-absorbent than hardwood or concrete. There are no bathtubs, and no curbs in the showers. Sinks are designed for a wheelchair to roll under, and every doorway and passageway is designed for one to roll through.

“Tessa designed the house so it’s a circle — no dead-ends,” says Laura.

“We built this so as not to have to modify it. Not for doom and gloom, but if we need it.”

It’s not just forward-looking; it’s really, really beautiful-looking.

“It’s not institutional,” says Kelly.

“The toilet-paper holder is a grab bar?

Oh, that makes sense.”