information to decide whether your current plan is still the best one for you. There are several options. There are local insurance brokers who understand the complexities of Medicare and can help you choose the best plan. Or you can call 541-288-8341 to speak with a SHIBA volunteer counselor who’s not trying to sell you anything and can guide you through the Medicare maze.  

From the first public demonstration of network technology and the development of electronic mail in 1972, the Internet has revolutionized the computer and communications world. Today we can shop online at Fred Meyer and pick up our groceries and then go home and stream our favorite TV shows or log on to one of the many websites that offer more online classes in response to the pandemic. 

During the pandemic, I’ve had time to discover several websites offering a variety of classes. Two of my favorites are Oasis and Senior Planet. Both encourage lifelong learning by offering classes to learn and explore in this digital age. At Oasis Lifelong Adventure (https://www.oasisnet.org) you can find virtual classes from “Cybersecurity Scavenger Hunt” to the “History of Halloween”; and at Senior Planet (https://seniorplanet.org) classes from “Easy-to-Follow Tai Chi” to “Streaming and Smart TVs”. 

Locally, Kerry Cobb will teach a virtual class on Modern Art. She will be using the book What Are You Looking At to tell “the surprising, shocking and sometimes strange story of 150 years of modern art” – without all the jargon and pretentiousness. The class will be online, but you can also watch her presentation at the Mid-Columbia Senior Center on the big-screen TV. 

Copies of the book are available to borrow or purchase at the Mid-Columbia Senior Center thanks to a grant from the Wasco County Cultural Trust. The ten-session class will be every 3rd Tuesday of the month from 11 – 12 beginning with the Impressionists on November 16th. The book isn’t required but you do need to register for the class by calling 541-296-4788 or emailing mcseniorcenter@gmail.com.   

Most of us are fortunate. We still drive, have adequate retirement income, a house that is paid for, and now our children are buying us gifts – which we don’t have any room for! Life is good. But many older adults face various challenges: inadequate housing, inability to prepare healthy meals, poverty, isolation and loneliness. 

For those of you who live in The Dalles, you are invited to attend a virtual Community Conversation on Aging. Your voice will help identify our community strengths and the challenges older adults face in order to influence state and local policies. It is hosted by Age+ and will be held on November 4th from 6:00 – 8:00 pm. Since it is virtual, you will need to register at www.ageplus.org/register to receive the link for the conversation. 

If you are concerned about the environment, you should read this month’s “Through the Eyes of an Elder”. Susan Hess writes about her passion to protect the environment and how in her 70’s, when most people are considered over the hill and tumbling down the back side, she started an online environmental magazine. Not all of us have Susan’s skills, but is there a passion of yours you want to revive?

The name of Hanna-Barbera’s space-age animated series portraying life one hundred years in the future was the Jetsons. I received correct answers from Emmett Sampson, Steven Woolpert, Jeannie Pesicka, Doug Nelson, Gene Uczen, Lana Tepfer, Rose Schulz, Dave Lutgens, Patty Burnet, Margo Dameier, Mike Yarnell, and Rhonda Spies,

this week’s winner of a quilt raffle ticket. Last week I missed Mike Nagle.

I can’t remember where I placed whatever was in my hand two minutes ago, but I do remember this television series from 1952 – 1956 when I was just a wee boy. For this week’s “Remember When” question, what was the name of the popular comedy series starring Eve Arden as the sardonic high school teacher and Gale Gordon as the blustery high school principal? Email your answer to the mcseniorcenter@gmail.com, call 541-296-4788, or mail it with a picture of Walter Denton from the 1956 Madison High School yearbook.

Well, it has been another week zigzagging from one distraction to another. Until we meet again, don’t forget to take time to take care of yourself.

“Nobody ever said that growing old would be easy. Just having to hold the newspaper out in your forties and then hair growing out of unusual parts of your body in your fifties. It’s tough on the ego.” – Geoffrey Rush

 Last week I wrote about the three daily habits scientifically proven to make us happier and healthier: gratitudes, acts of kindness, and moments of silence. But maybe there is another way to learn how we can be happier, maybe a little less scientific, but just as meaningful. Dave Barry award–winning humor columnist and book author surprisingly found a way: observing his “consistently happy” old dog Lucy.  

 Finding happiness can be elusive. Life gets in the way creating roadblocks while we ask ourselves, “Why me?” It can be a difficult journey with constant challenges and often no good choices. But even during those difficult times, can we still be happy?

I may be naïve but I feel the answer is yes. It has been a tough couple of years with COVID-19 and the rigid political divisions – along with our usual medical issues and the loss of friends and loved ones we will always miss. But we can still find happiness by incorporating in our lives the three daily habits that can make us happier and healthier.

To remind us of these three habits, October has been designated Gorge Happiness Month. But without reading any further, can you imagine what they are? And it’s not a hot cup of coffee every morning!

First: Acts of Kindness. This can be as easy as saying good day to a stranger or picking up a piece of trash to volunteering as a Meals-on-Wheels driver or an AARP tax aide counselor during tax season.

Second: Moments of Silence. Take time to flip on the pause button particularly for you whose days are go-go-go. But for those of you who may feel your day is already on pause, this is different.

Sit silently for just five minutes per day. Turn off all the normal distractions, your TV,  radio, cell phone, your Facebook account! As you sit, observe the thoughts in your head, the sounds you hear around you, or other sensations that come and go. (I never noticed that tingling in my foot before.) Keep your eyes closed if you want or just look at one thing about three feet in front of you. Don’t beat yourself up if your mind wanders.  Just notice it and come back to observing and listening. And if you are like me, try to stay awake! This is not a quick five-minute nap.

Last, and I feel most important: Gratitude. Find time each day to list three things for which you are thankful. For example, I’m thankful for all of you who read this column. (I try to write something interesting at least once a month so you keep coming back wondering, “Is this the week?”); for my children having good-paying careers so they can afford the long-term care for me in my old age. And I’m thankful that my wife and I have been together for over forty years. I think she is also thankful, but there are times I’m not so sure.

These three daily habits: acts of kindness, moments of silence, and gratitude can help us be happier even during difficult times. You can learn more about Gorge Happiness Month at their website, www.gorgehappiness.org, where you can also find a calendar of daily happiness activities.

The name of the comic strip created by cartoonist Walt Kelley that included various animal characters living in the Okefenokee Swamp was Pogo. I received correct answers from Susan Ellis, Doug Nelson, Gene Uczen, Christy Turner, Rose Schulz, Steven Woolpert, and this week’s winner of a quilt raffle ticket, Lois Kinsfogel. Last week I missed Beth Thomas from White Salmon.

If you had a rebellious streak during the 60’s you may remember this movie, the third highest-grossing film of 1969. For this week’s “Remember When” question, what was the name of the movie starring Peter Fonda, Dennis Hopper, and Jack Nicholson that depicted the societal tensions of the 1960s as two bikers traveled through the American southwest and south? E-mail your answers to mcseniorcenter@gmail.com, call 541-296-4788 or deliver it to the Center while riding the “Captain America” Harley Davidson specially designed and built for the movie.

It’s been another week repeating those all too familiar words, “I forgot.” Until we meet again, to borrow from the words of Oscar Wilde, even though there may be times when you feel you are lying in the gutter, keep looking up at the stars.

“Think what a better world it would be if we all, the whole world, had cookies and milk about three o’clock every afternoon and then lay down on our blankets for a nap.” Robert Fulghum. 

How do you know it’s autumn? The leaves falling? The cooler mornings? The football hysteria? No, it’s a mailbox full of solicitations from Medicare insurance plans.

And why? Because October 15th is the start of the annual Medicare Open Enrollment period. Since each year the insurance companies can adjust their Medicare plans, the Open Enrollment period gives you a chance to decide if your Medicare plan is still the best option for you.

To help decide, you should have received your plan’s “Annual Notice of Change” which describes any changes for next year. Review the changes and then ask yourself the big three Medicare questions. Does your plan allow you to go to the providers you want including your pharmacy? Are your prescription drugs covered? And how much does the plan cost?

Even if you’re satisfied with your current plan, you still may want to look around to see if there is a better deal, especially if you have avoided the hassle and just opted to automatically renew your current plan each year.

But choosing the right Medicare plan can be frustrating, perplexing, and downright confusing. (Most adults can’t identify what Medicare Parts A, B, C, and D cover. I always confuse Part A with Part B and it is not just my memory!) But all health insurance is complicated. Before I was enrolled in Medicare, I relied upon my employer or insurance agent – insulating me from the complexity of choosing a health insurance plan.

But now it’s our responsibility to wade through the information and compare plans to make the best choice which many of you know is not easy. It is no wonder 62% of people have not changed plans!

But there is help. You can go online to Medicare.gov or call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227). Also you can study your “Medicare & You” handbook that you should have received in the mail.

There are also local options. There are private insurance brokers who specialize in Medicare. Or you can make an appointment with a trained volunteer SHIBA counselor who will help guide you through the process. It is free, confidential and they aren’t selling you any plan. In Oregon call 541-288-8341 and in Washington call 800-562-6900 for assistance with your Medicare questions.

Most importantly, during Medicare open enrollment from October 15^th through December 7^thtake time to understand your Medicare options so you can make the most informed decision – both for your health and your pocketbook.

In this month’s column “Through the Eyes of An Elder” sponsored by the Aging in the Gorge Alliance, Dan Farbach interviews Judy Merrill, a registered nurse discussing the importance of foot care for older adults and her participation in the first Community Conversations on Aging in The Dalles. Another must read!

The name for a bruise created by someone sucking on your skin so hard that it becomes discolored was a hickey. I received correct answers from Mike Yarnell, Jeannie Pesicka, Emmett Sampson, Billie Maxwell, Sam Bilyeu, Susan Ellis, Louise Wooderson, Stephen Woolpert, Barbara Cadwell, Jay Waterbury, Rose Schulz, Gene Uczen, Doug Nelson, Keith Clymer (who mentioned you might get one of those during halftime at a football game under the bleachers. I don’t know how he would know!) and Dorthy Winterfield formerly from The Dalles class 1965 and this week’s winner of a quilt raffle ticket.

I remember back in the 50’s listening to the Sunday comics being read on the radio which would have included this popular comic strip. For this week’s “Remember When” question, what was the name of the comic strip for children and adults – with a bite of political satire – first published in 1948, created by cartoonist Walt Kelley and included various animal characters: possums, alligators, owls living in the Okefenokee Swamp? Email your answer to www.mcseniorcenter@gmail.com, leave a message at 541-296-4788, or mail it on a t-shirt with the quote “We have met the enemy and he is us.”

Well, it’s been another week turning over another leaf. Until we meet again, the best accessory you can wear is a smile.

“Worry is like a rocking chair. It gives you something to do, but it gets you nowhere.” Erma Bombeck

We’re faced with dozens of decisions all day long. Most of the choices we need to make are no big deal: Which hat should I wear? Do I eat the whole pint of ice cream or not? Should I visit the bathroom before I leave for the store? Do I sit someplace else or move the cat? What should I write about? 

“It is not if, but when.”

We often believe an emergency will never happen and when it does – we are unprepared. But to save valuable possessions, and many times lives, we need to be ready for the unexpected.

A great resource is “Disaster Preparedness – For Seniors by Seniors” developed by the Greater Rochester Chapter of the American Red Cross. The impetus for this booklet was a two-week power outage when a massive ice storm hit their area. They learned from experience it is best to plan ahead. (You can search online for the booklet or you can visit midcolumbiaseniorcenter.com and click on the Emergency Planning tab.)

There are three steps to preparedness. 1.) Make a Kit, 2.) Make a Plan, 3.) Be Informed.

Make a Plan:

When making a plan you may want to start by meeting with family and friends. Together you can decide who will check on you during a disaster, how you will communicate with each other, and if you have to evacuate, how you will leave and where you will go.  

When making your plan, consider the following 1.) How your limitations affect your response to an emergency 2.)  What transportation you need to leave your home. 3.) How to take care of your pets. 4.) Your arrangements with your caregivers, 5.) Who is your out-of-state contact person to call or text because it is often easier to make an out-of-state call than a local call from a disaster area. A simple text message such as IMOK works well.

Make a Ki:

Your kit should include the necessary items to survive without electricity and water for at least three days. – and preferably two weeks. You can find an extensive list of items for your emergency kit on the “For Seniors by Seniors” website which I mentioned earlier. Besides an extra supply of medications, often overlooked is cash. If the power goes out, it will be hard – if not impossible – to use your credit card.

Review your kit every six months to keep it up to date. You may need to replace the food, water, batteries and refresh your medications.

Be informed:

Register with your local Citizens Alert program so you’ll be notified of local emergencies. Talk with your utility company about emergency procedures and how and when to turn off your water, gas, and electricity. And know what hazards are most likely to happen. In my forty years plus living in the Gorge, there have been floods, winter storms, train derailments, and wildfires.

In many emergencies, you may only have 20 minutes or less to decide what you need. (When I have little time to think, my brain usually shuts down and tells me as it goes out the door, “Sorry, you’re on your own!”) So be prepared. Have a plan – and practice it, have your emergency kit ready, and stay informed. As the famous novelist and emergency preparedness planner Franz Kafka once said, “Better to have, and not need, than to need, and not have.”

Many of us have been embarrassed by autocorrect but I learned from Mark Fortin that “dinosaur” was not an autocorrect mistake, but a nickname for Dinah Shore. Does anyone else remember this?  

The song many of us sang to relieve the boredom was “99 bottles of beer on the wall, 99 bottles of beer, take one down and pass it around, 98 bottles of beer on the wall.” I received correct answers from Bob Sallee, Jeannie Pesicka, Barbara Cadwell, Susan Ellis, Steven Woolpert, Chuck Rice, Margo Dameier, Lana Tepfer, Richard Shaw, Patty Burnet, Alan Winans, and Keith Clymer the winner of a six-pack of Olympia and a quilt raffle ticket.

This American singer and ukulele player is best remembered for his hit “Tiptoe Through the Tulips” which he sang in a falsetto voice. For this week’s “Remember When” question, who was this singer? E-mail your answer to mcseniorcenter@gmail.com, call 541-296-4788 or send it with the name of the woman he married on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson on December 17, 1969.

Well, it’s been another week enjoying the change of season. Until we meet again,find the energy you need to do what you love.

“The greatest problem about old age is the fear that it may go on too long.”  A. J. P. Taylor

Falls can be more than an inconvenience when you would just pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and move on – although often a little embarrassed. Among older adults, falls are the leading cause of both fatal and nonfatal injuries. And according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), one in four older adults will experience a fall. 

Do you feel you have lost your intellectual edge? That you may not be as mentally nimble as you once were! Join the party. But don’t fret because recent brain research suggests even though the mature brain may not be as quick, it does produce better decisions (At least that’s what I keep reminding myself!) Below is a quiz sent to me by Dan Erickson ten years ago. It may or may not tell you anything about your intelligence, but I found it fun and challenging – frustratingly challenging! But did I say it was fun? Well, I’ll let you decide. 

If you can answer correctly 18 out of 24, you will have done as well as Dan when he was a younger man. For myself, I won’t testify to how many I could solve this time around. I’m pleading the right not to incriminate my intelligence.

Each of the following phrases contains the initials of words that will make it correct. See if you can find the missing words. (Example: 16 = O in a P. Answer: Ounces in a Pound) Ready, set, GO!

1.) 26 = L of the A; 2.) 1001 = A N; 3.) 7 = W of the W; 4.) 12 = S of the Z; 5.) 54 = C in a D (with the J); 6.) 9 = P in the S S. 7.) 88 = P K; 8.) 13 = S on the A F; 9.) 32 = D F at which W F; 10.) 18 = H on a G C; 11.) 90 = D in a R A; 12.) 200 = D for P G in M; 13.) 8 = S on a S S; 14.) 3 = B M ( S H T R ); 15.) 4 = Q in a G; 16.) 24 = H in a D; 17.) 1 = W on a U; 18.) 5 = D in a Z C; 19.) 57 = H V; 20.) 11 = P on a F T; 21.) 1000 = W that a P is W; 22.) 29 = D in F in a L Y; 23.) 64 = S on a C.

The singer/actress who during her television variety show each week sang “See the U.S.A. in Your Chevrolet” was Dinah Shore. Since I had to submit this column early because of the long Labor Day weekend, I’ll mention everyone who sent in the correct answer next week.

This 1973 American coming-of-age comedy film set in Modesto, California in 1962 was directed by George Lucas and starred Richard Dreyfuss, Ron Howard, Harrison Ford, and Cindy Williams. For this week’s “Remember When” question, what was the name of the film that portrayed cruising and early rock ‘n’ roll through a series of adventures of a group of teenagers over the course of a night. E-mail your answer to mcseniorcenter@gmail.com, call 541-296-4788 or send it with the name of the actress who played the blonde in the T-bird.

It looks like I am running out of space and time. So here are the answers to just the first fourteen “Quantagories” – you have one more week to figure out the rest. But if you can’t wait, you can find the answers at www.midcolumbiaseniorcenter.com under the tab Brain Challenges.

1.) 26 = Letters of the Alphabet; 2.) 1001 = Arabian Nights; 3.) 7 = Wonders of the World; 4.) 12 = Signs of the Zodiac; 5.) 54 = Cards in a Deck (with the Joker); 6.) 9 = Planets in the Solar System. 7.) 88 = Piano Keys; 8.) 13 = Stripes on the American Flag; 9.) 32 = Degrees Fahrenheit at which Water Freezes; 10.) 18 = Holes in a Golf Course; 11.) 90 = Degrees in a Right Angle; 12.) 200 = Dollars for Passing Go in Monopoly; 13.) 8 = Sides on a Stop Sign; 14) 3 = Blind Mice (See How They Run).

Well, it’s been another week, proving once again there is no such thing as normal. Until we meet again, remember the words of the venerable philosopher W.C Fields “If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again. Then quit. There’s no point in being a damn fool about it.”

“Timing has a lot to do with the outcome of a rain dance.” old farmer from Fossil”

 How many of you are still working a paid job? Working as a volunteer? Or working as an unpaid caregiver for a loved one? And how many of you are gardening, painting, exercising, or doing other activities you don’t consider work?

Our ideas about age and work are changing. With advances in public health and medicine, we are living longer and can work beyond the traditional retirement age of 65. Older adults 65+ are spending more time on the job than their peers in previous years: four million in 2000 and by 2016 nine million older workers were employed full or part-time.

Reasons for this change in attitude are many. People can now work longer because of advances in health care and technology. Some folks need the extra income because a serious illness depleted their retirement savings, or their pension was inadequate. Others work to remain cognitively healthy. And then there are those who enjoy working and want to continue contributing in the workplace.

For an employer, hiring older workers is not without its challenges: chronic health conditions, disabilities such as hearing loss, and physical safety concerns. But there are many more advantages.

Older workers are generally more satisfied, loyal, reliable, and have more favorable job attitudes than younger workers. Older workers are less likely to exhibit undesirable behaviors such as aggression, on-the-job substance use, tardiness, and absenteeism. In addition, older adults are often looking for part-time work; and health insurance is not necessary because of Medicare.

After the traditional retirement age, there are many ways to enjoy the rest of our years: retiring and spending time with friends and family, volunteering at a favorite non-profit, or continuing to work. Labor Day is a time to celebrate and honor the contributions older adults have made to the health of our communities through their labors.

Communication is often difficult especially between parents and their adult children. In this month’s “Through the Eyes of an Elder” Bill Noonan describes the challenges of these complicated conversations and offers four “guardrails” to reach an understanding that is beneficial to everyone. It is another must-read!  

With the high number of COVID cases in the Gorge, you may want to take a COVID-19 test even if you are vaccinated. FREE COVID-19 tests are now available through the Hood River Health Department and North Central Public Health District. The test is a nasal self-swab test and results will be available within 3 – 5 business days. You can register and select your appointment time, or you can just walk in. To make an appointment log on to www.doineedavocid19 test.com. (Okay, I’m not the smartest cookie in the cookie jar. It took me a while to realize the site address spells out “do I need a covid19 test”!) When you register, you will be asked to complete a self-assessment and choose a location, date, and time. The next available dates are Thursday, September 2^nd from 2:00 – 6:00 at the River of Life Assembly Church in Hood River and Sunday, September 4^th from 10:00 – 1:00 at the North Central Public Health District office in The Dalles.

The name of the children’s show created by Bob Keeshan who played the title character was Captain Kangaroo. I received correct answers from Jeanne Pesicka, Emmett Sampson, Susan Ellis, Billie Maxwell, Steven Woolpert, Lana Tepfer, Dave Lutgens, Margo Dameier, Glenna Mahurin, Doug Nelson, Sandy Haechrel, Kim Birge, and Gene Uczen this week’s winner of a free quilt raffle ticket.

In the ’40s and ’50s, a single company would be the sole sponsor of popular television shows: Kraft Music Hall, Gillette Cavalcade of Sports, The Lucky Strike Program starring Jack Benny, and a variety show hosted by a popular vocalist at the time. For this week’s “Remember When” question, who was this singer/actress who every week during her show sang “See the U.S.A. in Your Chevrolet”? E-mail your answer to mcseniorcenter@gmail.com, call 541-296-4788 or send it with a picture of her and Burt Reynolds in 1972.

Well, it’s been another week looking for my missing hearing aid – again! Until we meet again, remember the lessons learned from the mistakes forgotten.

“Learning to ignore things is one of the great paths to inner peace.” (Robert J. Sawyer), or as the old farmer from Fossil once said, “Life is simpler when you plow around the stump.”