Author Archives: mcseniorcenter

Aging Well in the Gorge April 19th 2016

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Are you offended when you hear jokes about how older folks are forgetful, unwilling to change, out of date, and slow? Or do you feel, “Relax, it’s just a joke?
How do you feel when someone says you look younger than your age? Is it a compliment – or do you feel it shows a disdain towards old age?
Or how do you feel about Oregon judges having to resign after they turn 75?
And how would you feel if your doctor explained your medical condition is just old age?
Many advocates for older adults believe these situations are all too common examples of ageism, a term coined in 1969 by Robert Butler, noted gerontologist who I have mentioned before, to describe a form of discrimination and prejudice, particularly experienced by older adults.
But most of us older adults are mentally and physically active regardless of age (78.2% of households that include someone in their 80’s still own their own homes!); and with a great deal to contribute. But societal norms that see us and old age as inferior, a stage of decline can create obstacles and barriers robbing us of financial income, independence, and dignity – negatively impacting the quality of our lives.
Worse than societal ageism is when we internalize the ageist stereotypes and start losing confidence in ourselves; start depending on others more than necessary, and stop taking the initiative and responsibility for our own lives – to our own detriment.
Ageism occurs at many levels: institutional, interpersonal and individual; and it is complex. We know all too well that generally speaking we do slow down, our reflexes aren’t as quick and we may not be as mentally sharp recalling information. So what is the difference between ageism and biological reality?
At the Tuesday Lecture on April 25th, I will lead a discussion about the meaning and ramifications of ageism; and what we can do to refute the prejudicial attitudes hurting older adults as they age. And I invite you to come and share your own personal experiences of any ageist attitudes and behaviors you have encountered.
Like most of the town, the Center we will be bustling with activity on Saturday starting at 7:30 AM with the Cherry Festival Breakfast sponsored by the Center’s neighbor – Cherry Heights Living. The menu includes pancakes, scrambled eggs, bacon and fruit as well as the regular beverages. The cost is $6.00 for the general public, $5.00 for members and $3.00 for children under twelve. And this year some pomp and circumstance has been added with the Coronation of King Bing and Queen Anne at 8:30 A.M. Then don’t forget come back for Saturday Night Bingo starting at 6:00 PM when over $1100 will be paid out in cash prizes.
I’ve mentioned that the Center’s Nu-2-U Shop volunteers have been busy restocking the NU-2-U Shop with quality used spring apparel at the best prices in town. But because the Nu-2-U space is limited, there are plenty of good clothes they just can’t fit on the racks. To clear the extra clothes out, there will be a 1-Day Bag Sale at the Center from 8:00 – 2:00 on Saturday, April 30th.
The Center has received several generous donations of decent operating motorized wheelchairs plus several more that just need new batteries. If you are interested in purchasing a motorized wheelchair at a very reasonable cost, give the Center a call.
Enjoy music and dance at the Center on Tuesday Night, April 26th when Country Road will be playing. Doors open at 6:00, music starts at 7:00, and everyone is welcome. Donations are appreciated.
The country artist who made famous the Bakersfield Sound, recorded the #1 hit “Act Naturally”, and was cohost of Hee Haw was Buck Owens. (The winner of a quilt raffle ticket is Sue Ortega.)
This week’s “Remember When” Question is about a brand of products that were influential in shaping two generations of ham radio operators and electronic hobbyists. What was the name of the kits that provided all the necessary parts with clear instructions to build your own electronic devices – from ham radios to even a Thomas electronic organ? Email your answer to mcseniorcenter@gmail.com, leave a message at 541-296-4788 or mail your answer with a HW-101 HF transceiver known as “Hot Water One-Oh-One”.
Well, it’s been another week watching nature reawaken. Until we meet again, keep a smile on your face and change in your pocket.

“Old age puts more wrinkles in our minds than on our faces.” Michel de Montaigne 

Aging Well in the Gorge April 12th 2016

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Do you find it’s more challenging to drive these days? I do and I’ll give you my most recent example.

I’m headed east on Ninth street and stop at Union to turn left. There is a large truck parked to my left on Union obstructing my view. I quickly look to my right and see nothing coming. I look back to my left – looking around the pickup; watching for any clues of oncoming traffic. I see none, and am about ready to pull out, but now I can’t recall if I had seen any traffic to my right! I take another quick look to my right – again see nothing. Look back to my left – still trying to see around the pickup. There’s nothing and now’s my chance to go. But maybe a car has turned onto Union since I last looked. So I look again to my right. Now the car behind me is honking, while I’m whiplashing my head back and forth as if I’m at a tennis match.

I know I‘m not the only one whose had such an experience – which gives me a little comfort. But for many of us, as we age, our reaction times, reflexes and recall are slower.

But the National Institute on Aging offers several suggestions, so we can adapt and keep driving safely.
1) Leave more space between you and the car in front of you – if only cars wouldn’t keep pulling in front of me!
2) Start braking early when you need to stop. I go one step further. Whenever I see red braking lights in front of me, I immediately take my foot off the gas pedal.
3.) Avoid problem situations such as high traffic areas, left turns or as in my wife’s case, she avoids narrow residential streets.
4.) Drive in the right-hand lane where traffic moves slower so you have more time to make safe driving decisions. Let the NASCAR wannabes drive in the left lanes.
5.) And when in doubt, don’t go out. Stay home when the weather is bad. There is nothing that turns your knuckles whiter than driving through the Gorge on a windy, pouring-down, rainy night.

You can learn more about driving safely as well as getting up to speed on the new Oregon driver laws by attending an AARP Smart Driver class at the Center. The next class will be held from 8:45 am to 12:05 pm on April 18th and 19th. The cost is $20 or $15 for AARP members. Call (541) 296-4788 to sign up.

Meet friends and enjoy the best pizza while supporting the good work of the Columbia Gorge Habitat for Humanity at their Annual Pizza Feed at Spooky’s from 4:30 – 7:30 on Wednesday, April 13th. The cost is $12.00 for ages 14 and over, $7.00 for ages 7-13 and $4.00 for ages 6 & under. And this year there’ll be a raffle for some big prizes donated by local Habitat supporters.

The sun is staying up later, so you might as well to – which gives you time to enjoy Tuesday Night Music at the Center on April 12th when Martin and Friends will be playing. Doors open at 6:00, music starts at 7:00, and everyone is welcome. Donations are appreciated.

Until the mid-60’s women’s basketball players couldn’t go past mid-court so there were three players on each half of the court composing six players on a team. (The winner of a quilt raffle ticket are Jim Heitkemper and Ron Sutherland.)

Country singer and songwriter Merle Haggard, who died on April 6th, was one of the most successful performers of the “Bakersfield Sound” – a honky-tonk style that was in response to the slick Nashville sound which was gaining popularity in the 50’s. But he wasn’t the only one.

For this week’s “Remember When’ question, who was the country artist that settled in Bakersfield, California in 1951, who recorded the #1 hit “Act Naturally” in 1963, and who chose his own nickname from the name of their family goat. (Because it sounded better than Alvis.). Email your answer to mcseniorcenter@gmail.com, leave a message at 541-296-4788 or stop by the office and shout out a loud “Heeeee Haw”.

Well, it’s been another week realizing once again, I don’t know as much I thought. Until we meet again, take time to “take it easy”.

“Optimist: Someone who figures that taking a step backward after taking a step forward is not a disaster, it’s a cha-cha.” Robert Brault

Aging Well in the Gorge April 5th 2016

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Americans are living longer. One hundred years ago, average life expectancy for both women and men was 52 years; fifty years ago, when we were young pups, it was 70.3 years; and today it is the highest ever at 78.8 years.
But what does this mean for society, our institutions and for us? Robert Butler, the late physician and gerontologist, described the ramifications of these demographic changes in his book The Longevity Revolution.  He points out that as a society we are still operating with many of the same social policies and institutions that were developed to address the demographic landscape of fifty to a hundred years ago.
One way this is illustrated is how society has defined three different stages of human development: childhood, adolescence and adulthood. We are expected to act a certain way during these life stages and if not the aberrant behavior is named – such as the Peter Pan syndrome used to identify an adult who never wants to grow up.
Now with this longevity revolution underway, several leaders in the field of aging are suggesting there now needs to be another stage in life to reflect longer life expectancy and additional life experiences.
Bill Thomas, geriatrician and international authority on geriatric medicine, is one of those leaders. He calls for reimagining the lifecycle, to include a stage of life called “Elderhood”, which forgoes the values and attitudes of adulthood which are focused on youthful behavior and activities; and instead reflects the ongoing strengths, abilities and wisdom of the growing older population. A stage of life when it’s okay to take life a little bit slower, to take time to reflect and share the wisdom gained over the years; to engage in those unfulfilled pursuits; and to connect more with loved ones and the community you live in. A stage of life “that can be rich, real, deep and meaningful” beyond adulthood – when you can really live.   
Whether or not you have grown into “Elderhood”, you have an opportunity to share your stories and life wisdom at the Center through the Oral History Project created by students from the Wahtonka Community School. Students will interview you about your life experiences on Tuesdays at 1:00. With your permission, the conversations are recorded and archived at the community school’s library. There has been very positive feedback from the folks who have already been interviewed; and from the students who have learned life lessons from the rich history they have heard. To share your story, call the Center at 541-296-4788.
I know, Bingo is “just to keep grandma off the streets”, but playing bingo is fun for all ages. And during the month of April, the Center’s Saturday Night Bingo, will be even more exciting with a second chance on all games except the early birds and the 50/50 game. During the evening you will have thirty chances to win cash prizes totaling over $1100. And on April 9ththe payout for a blackout in 55 numbers is an additional $850. Games start at 6:00.
Housing is one of the necessities of life. At 11:00 on April 12th, Dave Peters, from the Housing Resource Center, will be discussing the housing options available to older adults including home repair loans and foreclosure counseling.
For the Center’s Tuesday Night Music on April 12th, Martin and Friends will be playing for your listening and dancing enjoyment. Doors open at 6:00, music starts at 7:00, and everyone is welcome. Donations are appreciated.
The actor who played the colorful sidekick in TV westerns including forty-four starring Roy Rogers was Gabby Hayes. (The winner of a quilt raffle ticket is Jerry Phillips who saw Gabby as the Grand Marshall of the Cheyenne Frontier Days parade in 1947.)
The OSU Women’s Basketball team’s incredible season reminded me how women’s basketball has changed since the 50’s. At that time women’s basketball players couldn’t go past mid-court and couldn’t dribble more than three bounces – it would be too strenuous! For this week’s “Remember When” question, instead of five players, how many players were on a side in women’s basketball during the 50’s? Email your answer to mcseniorcenter@gmail.com, leave a message at 541-296-4788 or mail it with a picture of Carol Menken, OSU basketball star from 1979 – 1981.
Well, it’s been another week trying to remember the lessons I’ve learned. Until we meet again, although you can’t ignore the everyday difficulties, don’t let them govern your life.

“The more you know yourself, the more patience you have for what you see in others.” Erik Erikson

Agig Well in the Gorge March 29th 2016

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I have an idea. If you are retired, you can receive a license that gives you the right, without any questions asked and with no guilt attached, to pursue any “trivial pursuit” you had put off throughout your working career because of all those “adult” reasons. This license would allow you to explore your creative side by taking a mosaics class at The Dalles Art Center, picking up a guitar and writing songs, making walking sticks in the shop, or just drawing with paper and pencil at the kitchen table every morning. Because we are now finding out how important these “trivial” creative activities are for your mind, body and soul.
To provide more opportunities to use your new “trivial pursuit” license, the Center will be offering four creative arts classes: Watercolor Pencils on April 5th, Felting on April 26th; Jewelry on May 10th, and Spring Baskets on May 31st. They are all on Tuesdays from 1:00 – 2:30 and cost $3.00 a class. Class size is limited, so call early to reserve your spot.
In addition, for the Center’s next 11:00 Tuesday’s Lecture, I will discuss the benefits of exploring the creative arts and show several video clips of inspiring older adults who have aged “artfully”.
Imagine trying to purchase private health insurance without the help of an insurance agent – or your employer. It would be confusing, stupefying and downright overwhelming. So what are you to do when you become eligible for Medicare?
Medicare does provide a website www.medicare.gov that can help you though the enrollment process and answer many of your questions. But often I need to talk to someone who can understand my situation and answer the questions I don’t even know I need to ask. SHIBA (State Health Insurance and Benefits Assistance) counselors are trained volunteers who can help answer your questions about Medicare. You can schedule an appointment with a SHIBA volunteer by calling the Center at 541-296-4788.
If you are looking for an introduction to Medicare, you can attend Medicare 101. The class will introduce you to Medicare and explain the differences between Medicare Part A, B, C and D; as well as how and when to enroll in Medicare. It will be held at the Columbia Gorge Community College in The Dalles on Wednesday, April 6th from 1:00 – 3:00 in room 3.301. Register online or call 541-506-6011. Pre-registration is preferred but not required.
Last reminder to hear Nehemiah Brown when he returns to sing at the Center on Friday, April 1st for his spring concert. Nehemiah’s performance includes pop, country and gospel standards of the 40’s, 50’s and 60’s. The concert is from 7:00 and 9:00 and costs $4.00 or $3.00 if you are a Center member.
There is no better way to spend an evening than dancing. It’s fun, it’s social and it gets you moving. And every Tuesday night at the Center you can step out, kick up your heels and enjoy an evening of dancing. For the Tuesday Night Music on April 5th, Andre, KC and Tom will be playing their crowd pleasing country music. Doors open at 6:00, music starts at 7:00. Everyone is welcome and donations are appreciated.
Pat Wilson (the winner of this week’s quilt raffle ticket) thought last week’s question was too easy – which it probably was. But I hope it brought a smile to your face when you thought back to the times when you either tried the gag on a friend or were the “butt” of a Whoopie Cushion joke – no bad pun intended.
(And you don’t have to enter the “Remember When” contest to get a chance to win one of the two beautiful quilts displayed in the Center’s lobby. You can purchase tickets at the Center before the drawing which will be held at noon on Monday, April 25th.)
This week’s “Remember When” question may be a little obscure but if you watched many cowboy westerns from the 40’s and 50’s you would recognize this actor. Who played the colorful sidekick and grizzled codger in many westerns including forty-four starring Roy Rogers; and whose vocabulary included phrases such as “yer durn tootin'”, “dadgummit”, “durn persnickety female”, and “young whippersnapper”? Email your answer to mcseniorcenter@gmail.com, leave a message at 541-296-4788 or mail it with a video of his fifteen minute television show that aired before Howdy Doody.
Well, it’s been another week trying to read the hieroglyphics on the wall. Until we meet again, keep walking on the sunny side of the street.

“An essential aspect of creativity is not being afraid to fail.” Edward Land

Aging Well in the Gorge – March 22nd 2016

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Because Americans are living longer than ever before, there will be 11.5 million Americans over the age of 85 by 2035 – more than double today’s 5 million. And closer to home, it’s projected by 2030, 25% of residents in Wasco County will be 65 years of age or older, compared to 19.9% in 2014.

But as many of us know all too well, as we get older our bodies don’t always cooperate; and with longer life spans, more older adults will be living with disabilities or frailty. Today, 65% of Americans over 65 already have one or more physical or functional limitations. And yet as the number of frail older adults increases and needing assistance, caregiving by family members will be less available because of smaller and more mobile families and other changes in family structures in American society.

These very real and unavoidable demographic changes will have a significant impact on our communities; and on us who are or will be those older adults. For example, there will be a greater need for paid home caregivers; appropriate housing and services for older adults; and community planning.

Now is the time to start thinking as a community about the health and welfare of this growing aging population: creating age-friendly communities where structures and services value and support older adults with varying needs and capacities; and where the strengths of older adults are emphasized rather than their deficits.

By looking at all aspects of our communities from this perspective including housing, transportation, outdoor spaces, social inclusion, civic participation, employment, communication, healthcare, and the caregiver workforce, we can create friendlier communities not only for us as we age, but also for people of all ages and abilities.

To discuss the idea of age-friendly communities, the speaker for the Center’s 11:00 Tuesday lecture on March 29th will be Tina Castanares: doctor, leader in rural healthcare, board member of One Community Health and currently a caregiver. She will be asking what does an age-friendly community look like and what can we do to make our communities more age-friendly?

Besides flowers sprouting and warmer temperatures, we know its spring at the Center when Bruce Harris, owner of Today’s Rays, shows up unannounced to turn on the water for the sprinkler system. The Center wants to thank Bruce, who for years, has donated his time to check the sprinkler system before and after the winter months to make sure it is running smoothly.

Northwest singer and entertainer, Nehemiah Brown, will be back in town on April 1stfor his spring concert at the Center. Nehemiah’s performance includes pop, country and gospel standards of the 40’s, 50’s and 60’s in the smooth style of Bobby Darin and Nat King Cole. The concert is from 7:00 and 9:00 and costs $4.00 or $3.00 for Center members.
For the Center’s Tuesday Night Music on March 29th, “Slick and Slippery” will be playing for your listening and dancing enjoyment. (Actually the band is composed of “slick” Andre Lemoreaux and his “slippery” musician friends who are filling in for the fifth Tuesday in March.) Doors open at 6:00; music starts at 7:00. Everyone is welcome and donations are appreciated.
John H. Dick was the starting 6-foot-4-inch basketball forward who grew up in The Dalles and played on the 1939, University of Oregon basketball team known as the “Tall Firs” which won the first NCAA Basketball National Championship. (The winner of quilt raffle tickets are Laura Comini and Jerry Phillips – who remembers that one of the other players on the team, Ted Sarpola, coached at The Dalles High School in the ’50’s.)
This week’s “Remember When” question is a little vulgar and crude – at least that was the impression when this contraption first became popular in the 1930’s. What was the name of the gag gift first created during the 1920’s that simulated a familiar noise when the air inside rushed out, and when introduced was known alternatively as the “poo-poo cushion” and the “boop-boop a doop”? Email your answer to mcseniorcenter@gmail.com, leave a message at 541-296-4788 or mail it with the scene from the 1942 movie “Road to Morocco,” where Bob Hope and Bing Crosby slipped this device under a sheik to the audience’s amusement.
Well, it’s been another week trying to remember – is it better to be safe or sorry? Until we meet again, enjoy these first days of spring and enjoy a happy and blessed Easter.

“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.” Martin Luther King, Jr.

Aging Well in the Gorge March 15th 2016

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Eating right doesn’t have to be complicated. It can be simple – and tasty, if you use your imagination and think about what goes on your plate. So during the rest of March, National Nutrition Month, try a new recipe or create your own; or change one eating habit. And to help get you thinking, here are a few eating right tips for older adults from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. You may already know many of them, but they are a good reminder.

1st Make half your plate fruits and vegetables, especially dark-green, red and orange vegetables whether they are fresh, frozen or canned. But beware, canned vegetables can be high in sodium so choose “reduced sodium” or “no-salt-added”.

2nd Make at least half your grains whole such as 100% whole-grain breads, cereals, crackers, pasta and brown rice. Also, look for fiber-rich cereals to help you – well, we all know why.

3rd Switch to fat-free or low-fat milk, yogurt and cheese. As older adults, we need more calcium and vitamin D to help keep our bones healthy, but not the saturated fat. Include three servings of fat-free or low-fat milk, yogurt or cheese each day; and a small bowl of ice cream before you go to bed. (Okay, that last one is my idea!)

4th Eat a variety of foods from the protein food group each week, such as seafood, nuts, beans and peas, as well as lean meat, poultry and eggs.

5th Cut back on sodium. Compare sodium in foods and choose those with lower amounts. If you season your food with your favorite spices and herbs, you’ll often find you don’t miss the salt.
6th Switch from solid fats to oils such as olive oil for sautéing or canola oil for baking. Avoid trans-fat and limit saturated fat to less than 10 percent of calories a day.

7th Drink water instead of sugary drinks. I have a phone app to remind me to drink water because I keep forgetting.

8th Cook at home where you are in control of what’s in your food. And to make my meals quick and easy, I often prepare large amounts of rice, cooked vegetables and meat ahead of time. I then just add a serving of each to a bowl, spice it up, stick it in the microwave, and presto, I have a healthy meal.

9th And most importantly, enjoy your food. There are plenty of delicious healthy recipes (Food Hero is a great website.) Or create your own simple, and yet tasty and nutritious meals. But eat less. Most of us older adults need fewer calories.

For more information, visit the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics’ website at www.eatright.org.

There is not a lecture next week, because of the AARP Smart Driver class on Monday (21st) and Tuesday (22nd) from 8:45 – 12:05. Call the Center to register for the class. The cost is $20 or $15 for AARP members.

For the Center’s Tuesday Night Music on March 22nd, Country Road will be performing. Doors open at 6:00, music starts at 7:00. Everyone is welcome and donations are appreciated.

The movie star who was a Marine, enjoyed motorcycle racing, starred in the Blob, and Bullitt, and was considered the “King of Cool” in the 60’s was Steve McQueen (The winner of a quilt raffle ticket is Sandy Haechrel. And Sandy would want me to remind you of the Cascade Singers’ annual St. Patrick’s Day concert at St. Peter’s Landmark starting at 7:00 PM.)

With both Oregon and Oregon State in this year’s NCAA Basketball Tournament, this week’s “Remember When” question has got to be about basketball – with a local twist. In 1939, the first NCAA Basketball National Championship was won by the University of Oregon. On that Ducks basketball team, who was the starting 6-foot-4-inch forward that grew up in The Dalles? Email your answer to mcseniorcenter@gmail.com, leave a message at 541-296-4788 or mail it with a picture of the USS Saratoga Supercarrier.

Well, it’s been another week trying to remember what time it is. And as the Irish blessing goes, “May the road rise up to meet you; may the wind be always at your back. May the sun shine warm upon your face; the rains fall soft upon your fields and until we meet again, may God hold you in the palm of His hand”.

“Dance as if no one were watching. Sing as if no one were listening. And live every day as if it were your last.” Irish Proverb

Aging Well in the Gorge March 8th 2016

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Let me just get it off my chest and say I didn’t have much time to write this week’s column because I was having too much fun hanging out all weekend with my eleven grandkids.
Okay, that’s not quite true because I really don’t have any grandkids. What I was actually doing was coaching eleven fantastic young swimmers for The Dalles Swim Team at a swim meet in Oregon City.
But I have come to realize, coaching is like having my own grandkids: helping these young kids adjust to life’s many lessons, and in my case, guiding them to become better swimmers. If you don’t have grandkids or they aren’t nearby, and you need a grandkid “fix”, find an opportunity to spend time with young kids whether at your church or neighborhood school. (The SMART program is one opportunity.) You’ll find it personally rewarding and you’ll see that the future is in good hands.
So this week, the best I can do, is a little of this and a little of that and a question about a 1960’s movie star.
If you haven’t filed your income taxes, you might want to consider the AARP Tax Aide program which provides free income tax assistance to low and moderate-income taxpayers with special attention to those aged 60 or older. And this is the best time, because as we are half way through the 2016 tax season the lines are shorter – at least until it picks back up for those late minute filers. You can stop by the Center between 2:00 and 6:00 on Fridays or 9:00 and 1:00 on Saturdays. Or outside The Dalles, the AARP Tax Aide sites are Canyon Rim Manor from 10:00 to 1:00 on the 1st & 3rd Mondays; Tygh Valley Community Center Room from 8:00 – noon on Thursdays; and in Sherman County you can make a Saturday appointment at the Rufus Community Center by calling 541-993-1054.
Congratulations to The Dalles Meals-on-Wheels for winning the MCHF Compassion Award for Outstanding Community Service Organization. I see the important work they do every day: providing nutritious noon meals at the Center; and delivering meals to folks who are homebound or have difficulty preparing healthy meals. They provide an invaluable service and every day prove that Meals-on-Wheels is “More than a Meal”.
Getting older can play some cruel tricks. Now that your kids have left home, you are retired from work and the house is finally paid off, you have the time to fulfill the long held dream of traveling across America on Route 66 in your classic sports car. But you then discover that your knees, legs and back are telling you in no uncertain terms that there is no way you are ever getting in and out of a car that low to the ground!
Last reminder about the Irish band Barley Draught’s concert at the Center this Friday. But this time, in the spirit of St. Patrick, I’m giving you the Irish translation – at least according to the English website Whoohoo! (I’d give you the real Irish Gaelic translation, but you wouldn’t understand a word.)
Git into a rousin’ Oirish spirit at de Mid-Columbia Senior Center on March 11th wi’ de local Oirish ban’ Barley Draught. dis benefit for de Mid-Columbia Senior Center is sponsored by de Dalles ‘ealth an’ Rehabilitashun Center an’ Clock Tower Ales. Music starts at 7:00 an’ grub is served startin’ at 5:30. Grub an’ concert is $10, an’ for de concert only its $7.00. Dis is an over 21 event.
For the Center’s Tuesday Night music on March 15th the Simcoe Boys will be performing.  Doors open at 6:00, music starts at 7:00. Everyone is welcome and donations are appreciated.
The two-word slang term commonly used in the 60’s to describe someone as unpleasant or contemptible was “Rat Fink” commercialized by cartoonist and custom car designer Ed “Big Daddy” Roth. (The winner of a quilt raffle ticket is Barbara Pounds.)
For this week’s “Remember When” question, if I said U.S. Marine, motorcycle racing, “King of Cool”, the Blob, and the Magnificent Seven, what movie star of the 60’s and 70’s comes to mind? Email your answer to mcseniorcenter@gmail.com, leave a message at 541-296-4788 or mail it with a 45 caliber Bullet.
Well, it’s been another week trying to stay out of trouble with a capital T. Until we meet again, no matter how hard, take time to discover each day’s blessing.

“An hour with your grandkids can make you feel young again. Anything longer than that can make you age quickly.” Gene Perret

Aging Well in the Gorge March 1st 2016

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Let’s face it. Alzheimer’s disease scares the bejeezus out of most of us. In fact, according to a 2011 MetLife Foundation/ Harris Interactive poll of American adults, only cancer tops Alzheimer’s as the disease Americans are most afraid of. And for adults aged 55 and older the fear of getting Alzheimer’s is even greater than cancer. 93% of those surveyed were aware of the disease, but 74 % said they knew nothing or only a little about Alzheimer’s; and more than three out of five people worry that they will have to eventually provide or care for someone with the disease.

These are sobering statistics about a frightening disease. But the Oregon Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association is working hard throughout the state to provide education and support for people diagnosed, their families, and caregivers.

As part of their outreach, next Tuesday at the Center from 10:00 – 12:00, the Oregon chapter will be offering a two hour training that includes two parts. The first is the Basics: Memory Loss, Dementia, and Alzheimer’s disease – describing what is happening to a person with Alzheimer’s so you can better understand how to interact effectively and provide quality care. The second part is Effective Communication Strategies where you will learn how communication occurs and how to decode the verbal and behavioral messages delivered by someone with dementia, and identify strategies to help you connect and communicate at each stage of the disease.

Even though we aren’t much of a RSVP kind of town, for this training you are requested to register by calling the Center at 541-296-4788.

And speaking about memory, while my wife and I were visiting her father, he said “There is something I was supposed to remind you, but I can’t remember what it is”. Isn’t that the way it is. You know you are forgetting something – but don’t have a clue what it is.

Debra Jones, the sparkplug for the Center’s Creative Arts Classes, has scheduled the next four classes starting in April, but she is still working on the content. But while you’re waiting, The Dalles Art Center will be hosting their Opening Reception for the March show “Gardens and Garden Art” on Thursday from 5:00 – 7:00 PM. In addition, the TDHS Advanced Placement art students will be showing selections from their works.

March is the month for Irish music and once again, the local Irish band Barley Draught will be performing at the Center. But this year they’ll be playing on Friday, March 11th instead of St. Patrick’s Day which always conflicted with the St. Patrick’s Day concert at St. Peter’s Landmark. The Barley Draught Concert which benefits the Center is sponsored by the good folks at The Dalles Health and Rehabilitation Center and costs $7.00 for the concert only and $10 for the concert and a light supper of baked chicken or sub sandwiches. Doors open at 5:30 and the concert starts at 7:00 PM. Since beer will be served, thanks to Clock Tower Ales, this is an over 21 event. (And if you keep mispronouncing Barley Draught, as I always seem to do, remember this line that Mike Ballinger sent me, “If you’ve had a grand time, danced, sang and laughed, we really don’t mind if you blame Barley Draught!”)

Ron Holliday remembers a “Bushel and a Peck” was first sung by Betty Hutton (in a duet with Perry Como) and then Doris Day. But Bobetta Stewart emailed me that she and two of her girlfriends sang a “Bushel and a Peck” on stage at the Granada Theater during the Reddy Kilowatt show on Saturday morning; and even has a recording of it – if she can just find it. So sorry Ron, but with a story like that, the winner of a Quilt Raffle ticket has to be Bobetta.
There are words from the 50’s and 60’s we seldom hear anymore: fender skirts, suicide knobs, store bought, brassiere, picture show or ice box – what I use to call a refrigerator. For this week’s “Remember When” question, what was the two-word slang term commonly used in the 60’s that described someone as unpleasant or contemptible – and the first word is a type of rodent? Email your answer to mcseniorcenter@gmail.com, leave a message at 541-296-4788 or mail it with an illustration by Ed “Big Daddy” Roth – cartoonist, custom car designer and purveyor of the term.

Well, it’s been another week watching nature come alive after its winter siesta. Until we meet again, keep your eyes on the road and your motor running.

Aging Well in the Gorge February 23rd 2016

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Hearing loss is one of those invisible chronic disabilities which can cause social isolation and loneliness; significantly impacting your health and well-being. Unfortunately, hearing loss won’t go away; you just have to learn how to best live with it.
With my hearing loss, I often depend on my good buddy “closed captions”. When I watch television or movies at home, especially when watching my favorite British mysteries, it really adds to the enjoyment when I can use closed captions to actually understand what is being said. It is amazing what a difference it makes. (And even if your hearing is normal, closed captions can also help decipher the strong English or Irish brogues – which no one I know can understand.)
But what about phone calls? How can you communicate with friends or family, or make a doctor’s appointment or answer the persistent telemarketer calls when you have hearing loss? I have my hearing aid connected to my smartphone so any conversation goes directly to my hearing aid which improves the quality considerably. But when I use a land line, I am often asking the caller to repeat themselves or having to moving into a quieter room. It is frustrating for both the caller and myself. And my hearing loss isn’t that severe.
But hearing loss does not have to limit the quality of phone conversations. The federally mandated Telecommunications Relay Service (TRS) is a telephone service that allows persons with hearing or speech disabilities to place and receive local and/or long distance telephone calls. The TRS providers, generally telephone companies, are compensated for the costs of providing TRS from either state or federal funds. There is no cost to the TRS user.
One of several forms of TRS is Captioned Telephone Service which is used by persons with a hearing disability but with some limited hearing. It uses a special telephone that has a text screen to display captions of what the other party to the conversation is saying which makes it possible to communicate with friends, family and businesses by phone.
Gary Waddington who works for CaptionCall, one of several companies that provides caption phones, will speak about “Telephone Options for the Hard of Hearing” at the next Tuesday lecture on March 1st at 11:00. He will discuss the benefits of different phone options for the hard of hearing; how you can qualify for a free caption phone; the requirements for installing a caption phone; and any other questions you may have.
Lucille Torgerson will be leading a discussion of the book Keep Moving – and other Tips and Truths about Aging written by Dick Van Dyke – who at the age of 90 should know a few things about “keeping fit as a fiddle and younger than springtime”. The first meeting will be at 10:30 on Wednesday, March 2nd and will continue through the month of March. It should be a fascinating discussion and I’m sure food for many future columns.
Although spring doesn’t arrive until March 19th, it sure feels like it – with folks getting out and enjoying the nicer weather and longer days. So starting March 1st, which means next week, the Center’s Tuesday Night music will start again at 7:00 with Andre, KC and Tom performing. Everyone is welcome and donations are always appreciated.
On the Phil Silvers Show, the name of the master sergeant of the Fort Baxter motor pool who was always devising get-rich-quick schemes was Sergeant Bilko. And because of the popularity of the character, when the show was rebroadcast years later it was renamed Sergeant Bilko. (This week’s winner of a quilt raffle ticket is Bill Booth.)
During one of those Center conversations reminiscing about songs we enjoyed when we were younger, this song was mentioned. It featured the lyrics, “I love you a bushel and a peck. A bushel and a peck and a hug around the neck”. It was recorded by several artists in 1950, so for this week’s “Remember When” question, who do you remember singing “A Bushel and a Peck”? Email your answer to mcseniorcenter@gmail.com, leave a message at 541-296-4788 or mail it in with a recording of the stage version of Guys and Dolls.
Well, it’s been another week trying to keep the lights on after the battery has run down. Until we meet again, as my wife often reminds me, “working in the garden means never saying you’re done”.
“There comes a time in the affairs of man when he must take the bull by the tail and face the situation.” WC Fields

Aging Well in the Gorge February 16th 2016

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Everybody talks about eating healthy but what does that mean? You can find all kinds of studies about what is good for you and what isn’t – and often they seem contradictory. Should you eat chocolate or only dark chocolate? And what about coffee – is it good for you or not?

Even with all the often contradictory studies, there is a general consensus among nutritionists about eating healthy according Kris Gunnars, who writes for Authority Nutrition. Those ten nutrition facts that (almost) everyone agrees on are:
1. Added Sugar is a Disaster;
2. Omega-3 Fats Are crucial and most people don’t get enough;
3. There is no perfect diet for everyone;
4. Trans fats are very unhealthy and should be avoided;
5. Eating vegetables will improve your health;
6. It is critical to avoid a vitamin d deficiency;
7. Refined carbohydrates are bad for you;
8. Supplements can never fully replace real foods;
9. “Diets” don’t work, a lifestyle change is necessary;
10. Unprocessed food is healthiest.

Now if you want something more succinct, you can follow the advice of Michael Pollan, author of Food Rules. “Eat (real) food. Not too much. Mostly plants.” Or closer to home, Adeline Knorr always reminds me to avoid the 5 S’s: Sugar, Shortening, Seconds, Salt, and Soda.

If you have an Apple or Android smartphone, you can learn more about what is healthy to eat, by downloading the app Fooducate – which I learned about from my sister. By using your smartphone to scan the bar code of practically any grocery store food item, the app will grade its health value and explain why. The app also offers daily tips and provides recipes with their nutritional value. But I have to warn you, as I learned from shopping with my sister – you should expect to add two hours to your grocery shopping experience.

But what if you are on some kind of special diet: low sodium or low fat, gluten or dairy free, or high fiber? It’s hard enough to eat healthy without adding more restrictions. But coming to your rescue is the OSU website “Food Hero” offering recipes for special diets as well as plenty of good advice about healthy and tasty recipes, meal ideas, budgeting, shopping, and many more cooking tips and tools.

If you want to learn more about good nutrition and particularly if you are on a special diet, you are invited to the 11:00 Tuesday Lecture on February 23rd when Tracy Dugick, MCMC Registered Dietician, will discuss good nutrition and special diets.

Ginny McNary and I are working on scheduling day trips for this spring and summer. The first trip we have tentatively planned is a trip to the Wooden Shoe Tulip Fest in Woodburn, Oregon on Wednesday, April 6th. If you are interested, call or drop by the Center to sign up. You won’t need to pay now, but I expect it will cost around $20 which includes the transportation and admittance but not lunch.

We have also identified another eleven possible day trips and in order to arrange transportation we would like to know how many people would be interested in any of them. There is a list of trips at the Center. Or you can go to the Center’s website and click on the tab “Day Trips” where you will find instructions and a link to a questionnaire you can fill out.

At the Center on February 23rd starting at 6:30 PM, Country Road will be performing for your dancing and listening pleasure. Everyone is welcome and donations are always appreciated.

The title of the 1970 movie starring Ryan O’Neal and Ali McGraw that included the line, “Love means never having to say you’re sorry”, was Love Story. (The winner of a quilt raffle ticket is Ruth Radcliffe.)

This week’s “Remember When” question is once again from the golden age of television. On the Phil Silvers Show that ran from 1955 through 1959, what was the name of the master sergeant of the Fort Baxter motor pool who was always devising get-rich-quick schemes? Email your answer to mcseniorcenter@gmail.com, leave a message at 541-296-4788 or mail it in with your name and phone number on the back of $100 bill.

Well, it’s been another week stumbling my way towards mortality. Until we meet again, you know you are getting older when you hear everyone talking about dabbin and the only thing that comes to mind is Brylcreem.

“Don’t eat anything your great-grandmother wouldn’t recognize as food.” Michael Pollan