THE NEWSPAPER OF AVONDALE, BUCKEYE, GOODYEAR, LITCHFIELD PARK & TOLLESON
Millennium grad succeeds at Teaspressa PAGE
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This Week
NEWS .............. 2
Rosewood Homes moving into Estrella
SPORTS ........ 15 Lady Tigers looking for second state title chance
9 DAYS ......... 16 Looking for something to do? Check out the 9 Days a Week calendar
LETTERS ........................10 BUSINESS..................... 13 SPORTS ..........................15 FEATURES .....................18 NEIGHBORHOOD......22 SCHOOLS .....................24 OBITUARIES .................25 CLASSIFIEDS................28 EAST
Gals of the West raises money for causes The Voice of the West Valley for 32 years
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January 10, 2018
As we live longer, what will happen to quality of life? By Alyssa Williams
Every time Catherine Baimonte visited her mother at an assisted living facility in Colorado, her mother’s health worsened. Baimonte, a retired Avondale teacher, remembers one of those visits. Her mother forgot how to shower. Do you need help? Baimonte asked. She stepped in and out of the shower to help. “Finally, we got out, dried off and I let her dress herself,” Baimonte said. Her mother, Kathleen Baimonte, made it halfway through, then stopped. She sat there. What’s wrong, mother? I don’t know what I’m doing, she answered. Baimonte helped her finish dressing. Another sister who dropped by later asked if their mother had showered. She said no. Three months after Kathleen turned 99, after struggling with her memory those last few years, she died. “When you get that old, I don’t care who you are, you have a mess of problems,” Baimonte said. Health issues are taking the backseat now with various medical advances such as stem cell research, medicines and vaccines and bionic limbs prolonging life, according to a 2013 CNN article. In a 2013 survey by Pew Research Center, those surveyed had mixed opinions on whether an extended life equated to a life of quality. About half of respondents who think
Marilyn Childs, 84 (right), moved in with her daughter, Michele Kruser, and grandson, Josh Kruser, after her dementia became worse. (Photo by Alyssa Williams/Cronkite News)
medical advances are good say life extension would be good for society, but about 25 percent of respondents felt advances were bad because they interfere with the natural cycle of life. By 2050, people could live to 120 years old, Pew said. An intensive-care nurse said prolonging life often is a matter of ad-
vanced technology. Hannah Lobato, a registered nurse at Abrazo Hospital West Campus, said she saw at least one new older person among her ICU patients each week. “If we have to put a patient on life sup-
Aging...continued on page 4
West Valley residents come together to help young man By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski West Valley residents rallied to help a homeless young man find comfort in his own home. The collaborators, which included Litchfield Elementary School teacher Carol Klein and Buckeye Patrol Officer Eddie Cruz, surprised Michael Slusher with household goods, a PlayStation, carolers and other goodies at his Buckeye apartment in late December. Cruz helped
set up the 19-year-old with an apartment. Slusher, who works at a recreation center and attends Estrella Mountain Community College, was touched, but is of few words. His smile said everything. “It was very moving to see a young man who, not so long ago, was living behind a fast-food restaurant,” said Avondale City Councilman Lorenzo Sierra, who stopped by. “The community really stepped up for
him. There were carolers, the Girl Scouts, officer Eddie – a lot of folks came together to give him a safe and warm place to be from here on out. It’s great to see the community come together to see this young man get on his feet and in the right direction.” Cruz told Slusher that he was going to stop by, so he was surprised when the
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