Have you fallen in the last year? If so, you are not alone. More than one in four people aged 65 years or older fall each year – and the risk of falling increases with age.

But why? Are they unavoidable, unfortunate accidents? Sometimes. But even if we can’t totally eliminate the risk of falling, there are common sense ways we all know to reduce the risk, but we often just don’t do them.

As a reminder some of those ways are:

1. Remove clutter in your home, and walk carefully when there are potential hazards, such as throw rugs. Pets are wonderful companions, but they can also get under your feet and cause a fall.
2. Never stand on chairs to get to something you can’t reach – which may not be your first reaction when the kitchen fire alarm starts blaring. (Yes dear, I know I need to clean the oven!)
3. Make sure whatever you use for support such as a shower grab bar is secure and stable.
4. Immediately wipe spills off the floor and use a rubber-backed bathmat to prevent the bathroom floor from getting wet. Even a small amount of water can lead to a slip.
5. Wear sensible shoes such as properly fitting, sturdy, flat shoes with nonskid soles Avoid floppy slippers, shoes with slick soles, and high heels. (And tell me, why do women wear high heels?)

Besides fall-proofing your home, fall prevention is also a matter of attitude. Consider the following.

Keep moving. Consider activities that improve your strength, balance, coordination, and flexibility such as tai chi or a StrongPeople class. And don’t let an unnecessary fear of falling keep you from being active!

Talk with your primary care provider about any of your medications or health conditions that could increase your risk of falling. And if you fall make sure you tell her.

Use assistive devices if necessary. Many won’t use devices such as a cane or walker because they don’t want to be seen as frail or dependent. But assistive devices allow us to continue the many activities we care about.

Know your limitations. We aren’t the same physically as we were years ago – maybe even last year, but we are wiser. So, if there’s a task you can’t easily complete, don’t do it! Wait and ask for help.

Remember a fall can happen to you – and it can happen again. But by fall-proofing your home, staying active, using assistive devices if necessary, talking with your doctor, and knowing your limitations, you can reduce the risk of falling and avoid serious and costly consequences.

Brain Tease: From last week, do you still remember the three items I used as an example of creating visual images to remember things? If you’ve forgotten, they’re listed at the end.

In the 1968 epic science fiction film 2001: A Space Odyssey the name of the 9000 supercomputer with a human personality was HAL. I received correct answers from Bruce Johnson, Patrick Cadwell, Steve Woolpert, Linda Frizzell, Dave Lutgens, Mike Nagle, Rebecca Abrams, Lana Tepfer, Donna Mollet, and Mary Pierce who is this week’s winner of a quilt raffle ticket. And last week I must have been asleep because I missed Lana Tepfer, Linda Frizzell, Donna Mollet, and Rebecca Abrams.

There were many game shows during TV’s first golden age including I’ve Got a Secret (1952–1967), To Tell the Truth (1956–1968), You Bet Your Life (1950–1961), and a game show that ran on CBS from 1950-1967. For this week’s “Remember When” question, what was the name of this game show where a panel tried to guess contestants’ occupations, and also featured a “mystery guest” round, where the panelists while blindfolded attempted to determine a celebrity guest’s identity? (You can find many of the classic episodes on YouTube featuring such stars as Julie Andrews and Alfred Hitchcock) Email your answer to mcseniorcenter@gmail.com, call 541-296-4788, or send it with a group picture of Dorothy Kilgallen, Bennett Cerf, Arlene Francis, Hal Block, and host John Daly.

Well, it’s been another week, waiting for the birds to return from their winter vacations. Until we meet again, never walk with your hands in your pockets.

“Spring is nature’s way of saying, ‘Let’s party!'” — Robin Williams

Nutritious home-delivered and in-person meals are available at noon Monday through

Friday unless otherwise noted.

Seniors of Mosier Valley (541-980-1157) – Mondays and Wednesdays; Hood River

Valley Adult Center (541-386-2060); Sherman County Senior and Community Center

(541-565-3191); The Dalles Meals-on-Wheels (541-298-8333)

For meal sites in Washington, call Klickitat County Senior Services – Goldendale office

(509-773-3757) or the White Salmon office (509-493-3068); Skamania County Senior

Services (509-427-3990).

Answer: Potato, Piano, Umbrella. Mr. Potato Head dancing on the top of a piano waving an umbrella over his head.

In high school did you have to memorize the Gettysburg Address or Jabberwocky by Lewis Carroll? Today we can rely on gadgets outside our brains, so why memorize a poem or practically anything when we can look it up at our fingertips?

But I’ve found there is one thing I do need to memorize: my grocery list. And that has become my weekly memory test.

How? I usually start by writing the list of grocery items on the back of the closest piece of paper. Then at the store, when I check my pockets, I realize I left the list on the kitchen table! And the test begins. How many of the items can I remember? I don’t usually do too bad – around a B-, although I do get an F for forgetting the list!

But I’ve learned I can improve my grade by using a memory palace. In a 2011 New York Times article adapted from Joshua Foer’s “Moonwalking With Einstein: The Art and Science of Remembering Everything,” Foerexplains “…just about anything could be imprinted upon our memories, and kept in good order, simply by constructing a building in the imagination and filling it with imagery of what needed to be recalled. This imagined edifice could then be walked through at any time in the future. Such a building would later come to be called a memory palace.”

Another tip. When creating your memory palace, use images that are bizarre, unbelievable, or even lewd, because we don’t generally remember the ordinary.

So, let’s say at your Medicare Wellness Exam, your doctor tests your memory by asking you to remember three items: potato, umbrella, piano. You don’t want the doctor to know how bad your memory really is, so you create a mental picture of Mr. Potato Head waving an open umbrella while dancing on the top of a piano in the corner of the living room. Pretty ridiculous, right? But memorable! (Next week I’ll ask if you still remember the three items.)

Creating a memory palace is one way that can help us remember things. But as we worry about our forgetfulness, Joshua Foer reminds us that “our biggest failing may be that we forget how rarely we forget.”

The Klickitat County Senior Newsletter is an informative resource for those of you living in Klickitat County. In this month’s newsletter, you’ll learn about the Volunteer Connection Program seeking volunteers, (call 509-493-3068 or 509-773-3757), Veterans Service Office, the monthly Grief Group, AARP Tax-Aide, utility senior discounts, and more. You can view the newsletter online by searching for Klickitat County Senior Newsletter. To be added to their mailing list call 509-493-3068 or 1-800-447-7858.

Brain Tease: A man is asked what his daughters look like. He answers, “They are all blondes but two, all brunettes but two, and all redheads but two.” How many daughters did he have?

The name of the innovative and supportive bed that was invented in the late 1960s and was a rage in the 70s and 80s was a waterbed. I received correct answers from Diana Weston, Doug Nelson, Melissa Hayes, Dave Lutgens, Marlene and Keith Clymer, Jeannie Pesicka, Rhonda Spies, Rose Schulz, Mary Pierce – who I missed last week, and this week’s winner of a quilt raffle ticket Bruce Johnson who shared his story of his cat thinking the new waterbed was a scratching pad. It did not end well, but the cat won!

With all the talk about the advances in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and how it will save or destroy civilization, it reminds me of the 1968 science fiction film 2001: A Space Odyssey which follows the voyage by astronauts and scientists on a spacecraft whose operations are controlled by a 9000 supercomputer with a human personality. For this week’s “Remember When” question, what was the name of this supercomputer? Email your answer to mcseniorcenter@gmail.com, call 541-296-4788, or send it with a recording of Richard Strauss’s Also sprach Zarathustra.

Well, it’s been another week, trying to pay attention to what I’m doing and not to what I’m not. Until we meet again, just because you’re slower doesn’t mean you shouldn’t enter the race.

“Laughter and tears are both responses to frustration and exhaustion. I myself prefer to laugh, since there is less cleaning up to do afterward.” Kurt Vonnegut

Nutritious home-delivered and in-person meals are available at noon Monday through

Friday unless otherwise noted.

Seniors of Mosier Valley (541-980-1157) – Mondays and Wednesdays; Hood River

Valley Adult Center (541-386-2060); Sherman County Senior and Community Center

(541-565-3191); The Dalles Meals-on-Wheels (541-298-8333)

For meal sites in Washington, call Klickitat County Senior Services – Goldendale office

(509-773-3757) or the White Salmon office (509-493-3068); Skamania County Senior

Services (509-427-3990).

Answer: He has 3 daughters. One blonde, one brunette, and one redhead.

When March arrives, I expect winter to be over. Okay, as my wife reminded me, winter doesn’t officially end until March 18th, but I’m talking unofficially or maybe more accurately wishfully. But it looks like this year my wish has not come true – with the ten-day forecast predicting daytime highs not getting above the mid-forties.

But soon, maybe not around the corner but at least not far down the road, spring will arrive, and the once dormant yard and garden will burst out of their hibernation waiting for some tender loving care. But that’s my wife’s love.

For myself, it’s time to start taking walks again: to get out of the house and explore the town I’ve lived in for over forty years and rediscover the hidden and not-so-hidden treasures I’ve ignored because I was just too busy or in a rush.

And this spring, I’ve found some help! Several weeks ago, Scott Stephenson, director of The Dalles Art Center, spoke at The Dalles Rotary, and during his presentation, he demonstrated a fascinating app you can use on your smartphone. It’s called OtoCast. The beauty of the app is it shows the location, photos, and a brief description of various sites in The Dalles or Hood River. It’s like a walking tour guide in your pocket – and it doesn’t cost a thing! On the app, you can find different historical sites featured in “Altogether The Dalles” a city-wide art collaboration. In Hood River, you can find twenty-five pieces of public art from the “Art of Community” artistic collaboration which turns ordinary spaces into community landmarks.

You can download OtoCast at Apple’s App Store or Google Play. Then while taking a walk and enjoying the fresh spring air, you can also enjoy the unique treasures in The Dalles and Hood River.

I’ve written about how the Powerful Tools for Caregivers class can help caregivers take care of themselves by reducing stress, improving self-confidence, better communicating their feelings, making tough decisions, and locating helpful resources so they can care for others.

But there can’t be any Powerful Tools for Caregivers without class leaders.

If you are a Washington resident and want to lead a Powerful Tools for Caregivers class, there is a virtual training over Zoom on April 3rd through the 7th from 1pm to 4pm. There’s no cost but space is limited so you need to register soon by emailing AgePrideCenter@uw.edu. And you’ll find it also beneficial because as John C. Maxwell said, “You never really know something until you teach it to someone else.”

This month’s “Through the Eyes of an Elder” is beautifully written by Susan Hess sharing her conversations with five women living in two cultures; working to preserve their traditional culture and language for future generations.

Brain Tease: Farmer Smith owns three pink pigs, four brown pigs, and one black pig. How many of Smith’s pigs can say that it is the same color as another pig on Smith’s farm?

The one-time teen idol who performed at the Shamrock in The Dalles five months before his tragic death was Ricky Nelson. I received correct answers from Emmitt Sampson, Sandy Haechrel, Diana Weston, Anna O’Donnell, Steve Woolpert – who I missed last week, Donna Mollet, Doug Nelson, Rhonda Spies, Lana Tepfer, Dave Lutgens, Deborah Medina, Katherine Schlick Noe, Bruce Johnson, Jess Birge, Pat Evenson-Brady who will send you a copy of the “Travelin Man” if you ask nicely, and Nancy Higgins who saw him at the Oregon State Fair in 1978 and is this week’s winner of a quilt raffle ticket.

This type of bed was invented in the late 1960s, was a rage in the 1970s, and in the mid-1980s was 22% of all bedding purchases. For this week’s “Remember When” question, what was the name of this innovative and supportive bed that was supposed to offer a sound night’s sleep, but for some it just made them seasick? Email your answer to mcseniorcenter@gmail.com, call 541-296-4788, or send your answer with your favorite story of owning this type of bed.

Well, it’s been another week, thinking too much about this and not enough about that. Until we meet again, if you are going to leap before you look be prepared for a wild ride down.

“Spring is when you feel like whistling, even with a shoe full of slush.” — Doug Larson

Nutritious home-delivered and in-person meals are available at noon Monday through

Friday unless otherwise noted.

Seniors of Mosier Valley (541-980-1157) – Mondays and Wednesdays; Hood River

Valley Adult Center (541-386-2060); Sherman County Senior and Community Center

(541-565-3191); The Dalles Meals-on-Wheels (541-298-8333)

For meal sites in Washington, call Klickitat County Senior Services – Goldendale office

(509-773-3757) or the White Salmon office (509-493-3068); Skamania County Senior

Services (509-427-3990).

Answer: None. Pigs don’t talk.

How many times do we tell ourselves “That’s too much effort”; “I’m too tired tonight”; or “Oh, I’ve never done that before, and I’m not going to start now.” I certainly have.

Joan Chittister in her book, The Gift of Years, points out that one of the challenges we face in old age is that we start acting like what society tells us is old – limiting ourselves by creating justifications for our complacency so we stop living to the fullest and stop having fun.  As Lowell Thomas once said, “The secret of my vigor and activity is that I have managed to have a lot of fun.”

But aren’t we told we are supposed to act our age? When we were young, we were expected to study and get an education; and when we finished school, we were expected to start a career and raise a family.

But after sixty-five what is expected now – napping every day? (Okay, I do enjoy a good quick nap!) staying home watching TV? complaining about everything? But how about hiking trails in the Gorge, dyeing your hair crimson red, volunteering for your favorite non-profit, taking your grandkids to the coast, or learning how to make video calls? The possibilities are limitless.

Joan Chittister believes that living fully depends more on your attitude than your physical condition. And even though we may not have as much energy, or have difficulty seeing or hearing, if we have an attitude that keeps us from taking that next step to begin something new, “We fail to go on becoming. We stop in our tracks with years ahead of us. And wait. We take the gift of life and return it unopened.”

As a friend once suggested, the opposite of old is not young, but new. And if we can still discover new adventures, no matter how small, or hone new skills, no matter how ordinary, we can still experience life to the fullest so we don’t allow ourselves “to become less than what we are able to be, more quickly than we ever should”.

I have a little extra space, so I want to finally thank you: thank you for reading this column and the Columbia Gorge News. With so many local newspapers struggling, we are fortunate to have the Columbia Gorge News – a local independent newspaper that serves all the Gorge communities with a caring staff that is invested in the community. And from my little experience writing this weekly column, I know it’s not easy reporting the news accurately and within a deadline.

Brain Tease: I never heard this one before, so as you can imagine I couldn’t solve it. But now it is your turn! “Six drinking glasses stand in a row, with the first three full of juice and the next three empty. By moving only one glass can you arrange them so empty and full glasses alternate?”

The icon of silent film who starred in City Lights: a silent romantic comedy of a tramp falling in love with a blind girl was Charlie Chaplin. I received correct answers from Anna Bolton, Lana Tepfer, Rebecca Abrams, Bruce Johnson, Maria Kollas, Chuck Rice from Goldendale, Rhonda Spies, Dave Lutgens, Donna Mollet, Melissa Hayes, and both Bruce Johnson and Pat Evenson-Brady who sent in pictures of Paulette Goddard. (I think I’m in love!) and are this week’s winners of a quilt raffle ticket. And last week I missed Linda Frizzell.

This one-time teen idol performed in The Dalles six months before his tragic death on December 31, 1985. For this week’s “Remember When” question, who was this recording artist that starred with his family in a long-running television series and in 1957 began his successful recording career including his last hit “Garden Party” in 1972. Email your answer to mcseniorcenter@gmail.com, call 541-296-4788, or send it with a DVD of the 1959 film Rio Bravo.

Well, it’s been another week, always neglecting to ask why. Until we meet again, don’t take for granted what you can because there may be a day you can’t.

“You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself in any direction you choose. You’re on your own, and you know what you know. And you are the guy who’ll decide where to go.” Dr. Seuss

Nutritious home-delivered and in-person meals are available at noon Monday through

Friday unless otherwise noted.

Seniors of Mosier Valley (541-980-1157) – Mondays and Wednesdays; Hood River

Valley Adult Center (541-386-2060); Sherman County Senior and Community Center

(541-565-3191); The Dalles Meals-on-Wheels (541-298-8333)

For meal sites in Washington, call Klickitat County Senior Services – Goldendale office

(509-773-3757) or the White Salmon office (509-493-3068); Skamania County Senior

Services (509-427-3990).

Answer: Pour the second glass into the fifth glass.

I should’ve mentioned this last week, but who wants to talk about taxes when you have a chance to talk about love and romance? Not me.

So, this week I’ll write about what people have been complaining about since they were first established in Egypt around 3000 B.C. But I’m always reminded without the income tax, we wouldn’t have critical services for millions of older adults: meal programs, senior housing, transportation, and particularly long-term and in-home care services (which can be expensive!) all of which help older adults live with dignity and as independently as possible. As Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. said, “Taxes are what we pay for civilized society”.

But paying your income taxes can be complicated. Albert Einstein felt the hardest thing in the world to understand is the income tax. And that was in the 1940s!

But there is help.

There are many excellent tax preparers in the Mid-Columbia region, which many of you may use, but if your returns are not complicated there are several other options.

1) Commercial software programs such as TurboTax, H&R Block, and TaxSlayer will guide you step by step and then file your tax return electronically. But they do cost – up to $89 for some programs.

2) If your adjusted gross income is $73,000 or less, IRS Free File lets you prepare and file your federal income tax online using guided tax preparation at an IRS partner site such as TaxSlayer or TaxAct. Log on to the IRS.gov website and click on “File Your Taxes for Free”. The IRS also offers Free File Fillable Forms you can complete and file electronically. For free filing a state tax return electronically, check the Department of Revenue in your state.

3) If you don’t feel comfortable going online, Gorge AARP Tax-Aide will complete and file your tax return electronically for free. All tax preparation is by appointment with two options: in person or you can drop off your tax documents and pick up your completed tax return later. To book an appointment, which are filling up fast, go online at https://gorgetaxaide.simplybook.me/v2/#book or for any questions call your local senior center.

4.) Or if you’re old school, you can file a paper return. Paper tax forms are scarce, so you’ll probably need to go online to download a copy of any tax forms.

A couple of reminders.

If you go online don’t confuse “Free File” commercial sites with IRS government sites. The address for all government sites always ends with .gov.

And if you want your tax refund quickly, file your tax return electronically and you should be issued your tax refund in less than three weeks. If you file a paper return, your refund should be issued in about six to eight weeks after the IRS receives your return.

As F. J. Raymond said, “Next to being shot at and missed, nothing is really quite as satisfying as an income tax refund.”

Brain Tease: Last of this series. Thirty years ago, this was more difficult, but thankfully times have changed.

“A man and his son are in a car crash. The father is killed and the child is taken to the hospital, but the surgeon says, ‘I can’t operate on this boy – for he is my son!!!” How can this be?

The childhood illness where your parents often had you stay in a darkened room was measles. I received correct answers from Ruth Radcliffe, Nancy Higgins, Rebecca Abrams, Rhonda Spies, Keith and Marlene Clymer, Doug Nelson, and Lana Tepfer this week’s winner of a quilt raffle ticket. And last week I missed Beverly Thompson.

While in college, because I must have been a young sentimental romantic, I saw City Lights: a beautiful and touching 1931 American silent film, considered by some as the number one romantic comedy. For this week’s “Remember When” question, who wrote, produced, directed, and starred in City Lights as the Tramp? Email your answer to mcseniorcenter@gmail.com, call 541-296-4788, or send it with a publicity photo of Paulette Goddard.

“Just because it pops into your head, it does NOT mean it should come out of your mouth.” Or posted on Facebook!

Well, it’s been another week, feeling spring is just down the block. Until we meet again, I don’t know which is worse: worrying you’re losing your memory or your wife thinking you have!

Nutritious home-delivered and in-person meals are available at noon Monday through

Friday unless otherwise noted.

Seniors of Mosier Valley (541-980-1157) – Mondays and Wednesdays; Hood River

Valley Adult Center (541-386-2060); Sherman County Senior and Community Center

(541-565-3191); The Dalles Meals-on-Wheels (541-298-8333)

For meal sites in Washington, call Klickitat County Senior Services – Goldendale office

(509-773-3757) or the White Salmon office (509-493-3068); Skamania County Senior

Services (509-427-3990).

Answer: The surgeon is his mother.

Senior Living February 8^th, 2023

I’ve found that Valentine’s Day just isn’t as thrilling as it was when I was in grade school trying to decipher the meaning of the Valentine’s card from the cute girl in the second row. Does she really like me? And what do I do if she does?!

Well, you may feel the same way.

But even if you have lost your spouse, as many of you have, Valentine’s Day can be a time to remember the days of courtship and love at first sight; thumbing through pictures of your life together and the joy you both shared.

Or if you are married, and your relationship has become familiar and routine, Valentine’s Day can be a time to reconsider the romance in your relationship which many of us never think about.

How do you keep the romance alive on Valentine’s Day and every day? Terri Orbuch, Ph.D. has a few suggestions.

1. Communicate expectations. Don’t worry about what your partner is expecting or that you’ll disappoint. Be direct. You are both much more likely to be happy if you know what your partner likes and wants.
2. Make it genuine and personal. A simple handwritten note expressing your love instead of the usual Hallmark card. And to make it special slip it under the pillow.
3. Make it “touching.” Saying “I love you” is nice, but how about making out on the couch? (Wow that brings back memories!) Or something more age-appropriate: cuddling up to watch a movie — or a walk holding hands.
4. Give the gift of time. Consider spending quality time with your loved one. Something that’s not the same old same old.
5. Talk it up. Maybe the most romantic thing is to have a 10-minute (or longer) conversation about anything besides money, kids, or politics.  It has been found that a “10 Minute Rule” practiced daily, increases intimacy and happiness within couples.

But having a healthy conversation with your spouse or with anyone is not easy. If you find it difficult, consider some of these tips from Working Caregiver.

1. Breathe. Start with a deep breath to relax and give yourself time to pull your thoughts together. If you can find those thoughts!
2. Ask questions. Find out what is really going on. Don’t take anything for granted. You know what happens when you assume.
3. Really listen. Hear and understand their experiences and opinions and listen for any fears driving their responses that they may not even realize. And don’t argue.
4. Slow down and speak distinctly and clearly. Take your time and think before you respond. Silence can be golden.
5. Laugh. When appropriate, humor can help ease tense situations.

Often, we take our loved ones for granted and romance is a distant memory. But celebrating Valentine’s Day every day and truly communicating can strengthen the love and romance in anyone’s relationship.

Brain Tease: When I first heard this one, I couldn’t figure it out. And the second time I couldn’t remember the answer from the first time. See if you can do better. “There are six eggs in the basket. Six people each take one of the eggs. How can it be that one egg is left in the basket?”

The name of the library classification system is the Dewey Decimal System. I received correct answers from Nancy Higgins, who I missed last week, Dave Lutgens, Lana Tepfer, Rhonda Spies, Linda Frizzell, Jess Birge, Chuck Rice, Mike McFarlane, Emmett Sampson, Donna Mollet, Deborah Medina, and this week’s winner of a quilt raffle ticket, Marny Weting.

I was discussing Shingles with a friend, and he recalled getting a disease where his mother made him stay in a dark room for days. For this week’s “Remember When” question, what was this highly contagious childhood illness, over 500,000 cases annually during the 1950s, which at the time was commonly thought that light could increase the chances of losing your vision? Email your answer to mcseniorcenter@gmail.com, call 541-296-4788, or send it with your memory of this childhood disease.

 “The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place”. George Bernard Shaw

Well, it’s been another week, trying to make the winning shot before the game’s final buzzer. Until we meet again, creativity is often discovering the answer inside the box.

Nutritious home-delivered and in-person meals are available at noon Monday through

Friday unless otherwise noted.

Seniors of Mosier Valley (541-980-1157) – Mondays and Wednesdays; Hood River

Valley Adult Center (541-386-2060); Sherman County Senior and Community Center

(541-565-3191); The Dalles Meals-on-Wheels (541-298-8333)

For meal sites in Washington, call Klickitat County Senior Services – Goldendale office

(509-773-3757) or the White Salmon office (509-493-3068); Skamania County Senior

Services (509-427-3990).

Answer: The last person took the basket with the last egg still inside.

When I was picking up my latest prescription, the pharmacist asked if I wanted to get the shingles shot. Since it has been on my mind for years, I agreed, thinking I was going to make an appointment. When I was asked to fill out a questionnaire, I realized this is more than just making an appointment. And I was right. Fifteen minutes later I received my first of the two-dose shingles shot! And even though it wasn’t what I had planned, I’m glad I finally did.

Shingles is not a walk in the park. It’s a viral infection that causes a painful rash anywhere on your body caused by the varicella-zoster virus — the same virus that causes chickenpox. After you’ve had chickenpox, and if you were born before 1980 you have a greater than 99% chance of having had chickenpox, the virus stays in your body for the rest of your life. Years later, the virus may reactivate as shingles.

Early signs of shingles include mild to severe burning or shooting pain and tingling or itching. One to 14 days later, you will get a rash that consists of blisters that typically scab over in 7 to 10 days.

So how can you prevent shingles, especially for us who are older and have a greater risk of developing shingles?

As you may know, there is a more recent shingles vaccine. The first vaccine, Zostavax, was approved in 2006 which reduced the risk of shingles by 51%. Many of you may have received that vaccine. But in 2017 the two-dose recombinant zoster vaccine Shingrix was approved and is more than 90% effective. Even if you’ve already received the Zostavax vaccine or if you had shingles in the past, it is recommended that you receive the Shingrix vaccine. But if you’ve had an allergic reaction to a vaccine or have a weakened immune system, you should talk to your doctor first.

While some people may have a very sore arm, fatigue, and low-grade fever after the vaccine, most people experience only mild side effects. In my case, my shoulder was just sore for several days.

So don’t procrastinate. The highly effective Shingrix shingles vaccine is the best defense against shingles and is recommended for anyone over 50. But you may want to check your Medicare drug plan first to make sure it is covered.

A beautifully written article by Mike Ballenger about Bob Kenyon and his sense of adventure at any age is this month’s “Through the Eyes of an Elder”. It is an inspiring story – although not inspiring enough for me to want to swim the cold Columbia. Read, enjoy, and learn what Bob feels it means to live a fulfilling life.

Caring for someone with a chronic condition is rewarding, but it can also be challenging. To learn how to take of yourself so you can better care for your loved one, there is Powerful Tools for Caregivers – a free, six-session class that will be held on Mondays, Feb 27 – April 3, 11am – 12:30pm via Zoom. To sign up or ask questions contact Roni Hyde at rhyde@gobhi.org or 541-705-4870. Space is limited and registration is required.

Brain Tease: Some months have 31 days and some 30 days. How many months have 28 days?

The television game show host for Truth or Consequences from 1956 to 1975 and The Price Is Right from 1972 to 2007 was Bob Baker who is alive and well at 99. I received correct answers from Keith and Marlene Clymer, Lana Tepfer, Donna Mollett, Melissa Hayes, Jeannie Pesicka, Emmett Sampson, Bruce Johnson, Doug Nelson, Rhonda Spies, and Sharon Mounsey this week’s winner of a quilt raffle ticket.

This week’s question may bring back memories of thumbing through the library’s wooden card catalog searching for a book for your class assignment. For this week’s “Remember When” question, what was the name of the library classification system used to categorize non-fiction books?  Email your answer to mcseniorcenter@gmail.com, call 541-296-4788, or send it with a copy of the classification system.

Well, it’s been another week, writing down ideas before they are forgotten. Until we meet again, don’t sleep too long with your clothes on.

“Hope is that thing with feathers that perches in the soul and sings the tune without the words and never stops… at all.” Emily Dickinson

Nutritious home-delivered and in-person meals are available at noon Monday through

Friday unless otherwise noted.

Seniors of Mosier Valley (541-980-1157) – Mondays and Wednesdays; Hood River

Valley Adult Center (541-386-2060); Sherman County Senior and Community Center

(541-565-3191); The Dalles Meals-on-Wheels (541-298-8333)

For meal sites in Washington, call Klickitat County Senior Services – Goldendale office

(509-773-3757) or the White Salmon office (509-493-3068); Skamania County Senior

Services (509-427-3990).

Answer: Every month has 28 days.

Recently I’ve been on a hot streak seeing a doctor or a primary care provider once every month, and each time I go fearing what they’ll discover. And I’ll tell you, it doesn’t help when I hear, “We’ll, I’ve never seen that before.” or “Oh, that doesn’t look good!”

When you see a doctor as often as many of us, good communication is critically important – particularly for us older adults who often have more serious health conditions. If your doctor doesn’t know what you are experiencing, how is she going to treat you effectively? And if you don’t understand the hows, whats, and whys of your diagnosis and treatment, how are you going to follow your doctor’s advice?

So how best can you communicate with your doctor? Here are a few tips provided by the National Institute on Aging.

1.) Be honest. Don’t just say what you want the doctor to hear – that you have been exercising even when you haven’t. Tell it like it is so she’ll have accurate information for your diagnosis and treatment.

2.) Decide which three or four questions you’ll ask and state them at the beginning of the appointment, so they aren’t overlooked. You can start by listing all your concerns and prioritizing them before your visit. And if you don’t understand the answers, ask your doctor to clarify.

3.) Stick to the point. I always enjoy the friendly small-town chats but keep it short and get to the reason you’re there. Briefly state your symptoms, when they started, how often they happen, and if they are getting worse or better.

4.) Share your feelings about the visit. Tell your doctor if you feel rushed, worried, or uncomfortable.

And I’ll add one more from my own experience.

5) Consider bringing another set of ears – especially if you have difficulty hearing. They may catch something important you missed.

You can learn more by picking up a copy of the National Institute on Aging’s “A Guide for Older People – Talking with Your Doctor” or you can go to their website www.nia.nih.gov/health.

I have to give a plug for the upcoming theater production of Ripcord by Big Britches Productions. You won’t find many plays that feature older adults. But this comic drama by David Lindsay-Abaire and directed by Joe Garoutte “explores adversarial relationships between two older women in the Bristol Place Senior Living Facility: cantankerous Abby forced to share her sunny room with newly arrived and infuriatingly chipper Marilyn”.

The plot involves a seemingly harmless bet which quickly escalates into a dangerous game of one-upmanship revealing not just the tenacity of these worthy opponents, but also the deeper truths they would prefer to remain hidden.

Ripcord plays at The Bingen Theater, 210 Oak St. Bingen with shows on January 27th, 28th, February 3rd, 4th, 10th, and 11th at 7:30 PM and January 29th, February 5th at 2:00 pm. Admission is $25 for adults and $23 for seniors. For more information, visit bigbritches.org or email info@bigbritches.org.

The name of the prehistoric reptilian monster that debuted in the 1954 film and has been called the “King of the Monsters” is Godzilla. I received correct answers from Emmett Sampson, Lana Tepfer, Deloris Schrader, Kim Birge, Dave Lutgens, Donna Mollet, Maria Kollas, and Melissa Hayes who sent me a picture of Godzilla fighting King Kong and is this week’s winner of a quilt raffle ticket.

Game shows have been a staple of daytime television since the 1950s and we all had our favorites – What’s My Line?, I’ve Got A Secret, or To Tell the Truth. For this week’s “Remember When” question, who was the television game show host for Truth or Consequences from 1956 to 1975 and The Price Is Right from 1972 to 2007? Email your answer to mcseniorcenter@gmail.com, call 541-296-4788, or send it with a donation to your favorite animal rights organization.

Brain Tease: Another test of your grey matter. How many pennies can you put into an empty piggy bank?

Well, it’s been another week, looking for the prize in the cereal box. Until we meet again, as I often have to remind myself, there is a reason we have two ears and only one mouth.

“If a man loses anything and goes back and looks carefully for it, he will find it.” Sitting Bull

Nutritious home-delivered and in-person meals are available at noon Monday through Friday unless otherwise noted.

Seniors of Mosier Valley (541-980-1157) – Mondays and Wednesdays; Hood River

Valley Adult Center (541-386-2060); Sherman County Senior and Community Center

(541-565-3191); The Dalles Meals-on-Wheels (541-298-8333)

For meal sites in Washington, call Klickitat County Senior Services – Goldendale office

(509-773-3757) or the White Salmon office (509-493-3068); Skamania County Senior

Services (509-427-3990).

Answer: Just one – after that it won’t be empty.

Most of us imagine we will always be living unassisted in our homes, happy and content, with our arm around our loved one watching the setting sun. But then over time, that idyllic picture is shattered. You fall and break your hip, or your sight becomes so poor it’s no longer safe to drive, or you can’t remember to turn off the gas stove. Then what do you do?

In those situations, you can still live a meaningful life, but you may need some level of long-term care to keep doing what you like to do.

Long-term care (LTC) is a range of services and supports to meet your personal care needs: helping you get to appointments, cooking meals, bathing, and dressing from a paid caregiver but more often from a spouse or close family member – who often neglect their own health needs. Or it could mean moving to an assisted living facility or nursing home.

Very few people have thought about long-term care or even want to talk about it. They are difficult conversations triggering many emotions; not something you discuss around the dining room table during Thanksgiving with your adult children.

But we should. Why?

Someone turning 65 today has almost a 70% chance of needing some type of long-term care services and supports in their remaining years whether at home or in a care facility.

And it can be expensive. Medicare provides only very limited coverage for long-term care. Thankfully there is Medicaid which pays for the bulk of long-term care services, but it is based on an older adult’s income and assets, often requiring “spending down” to qualify.

Since most of us will need long-term care, we should plan. But we seldom do.

To start you can learn the basics about LTC services at the U.S. government’s LongTermCare.gov website: how to pay for them and how to prepare. The site includes tips for anyone, healthy or not, over age 50.

In Oregon, you can also call the local Area Agency on Aging at 541-506-3512. They offer Options Counseling where trained Options Counselors can work with you and your family to identify your long-term goals and help create an action plan to achieve them. And for anyone over 55 who needs periodic support such as a friendly visit or a ride to the grocery store, you can call Circles of Care at 541-397-0724.

We don’t plan for life with an aging body. But as Jennifer Crowley author of Seven Steps to Long-Term Care Planning points out, if we can move from denial to action, it can relieve a lot of anxiety. “There’s a peace of mind that comes from getting your affairs in order. … There’s never a wrong time to get started. But there’s always a right time. We can’t avoid certain adversities such as illness or injury, but we can prepare for them.”

Brain Tease: Another often-heard challenge for your brain.

Mom and Dad have four daughters, and each daughter has one brother. How many people are in the family?

The quarterback from Oregon State University who won the Heisman Trophy in 1962 was Terry Baker. I received correct answers from Nancy Higgins, Doug Nelson, Dave Lutgens, Lee Kaseberg, Jess Birge, and this week’s winner of a quilt raffle ticket Keith Clymer who got to watch Terry Baker play when his high school football team played WyEast back in 1960. And last week I missed Richard Shaw and Shelley Baxter.

When watching this science fiction movie as a child, I ran out of the living room scared and embarrassed in front of my friends. (I still shut my eyes during scary scenes. I only saw half of Jaws!)

For this week’s “Remember When” question, what was the name of the prehistoric reptilian monster that debuted in the 1954 film directed and co-written by Ishirō Honda and has been called the “King of the Monsters”? Email your answer to mcseniorcenter@gmail.com, call 541-296-4788, or send it with a picture of this monster battling King Kong.

Well, it’s been another week, looking for the silver lining on a cloudy day. Until we meet again, keep busy but don’t rush.

“Age is only a number, a cipher for the records. A man can’t retire his experience. He must use it.” Bernard Baruch

Nutritious home-delivered and in-person meals are available at noon Monday through

Friday unless otherwise noted.

Seniors of Mosier Valley (541-980-1157) – Mondays and Wednesdays; Hood River

Valley Adult Center (541-386-2060); Sherman County Senior and Community Center

(541-565-3191); The Dalles Meals-on-Wheels (541-298-8333)

For meal sites in Washington, call Klickitat County Senior Services – Goldendale office

(509-773-3757) or the White Salmon office (509-493-3068); Skamania County Senior

Services (509-427-3990).

Answer: Seven. The four daughters have only one brother, making five children, plus mom and dad.