It’s the Christmas Season – a time for memories that stir our senses: the smell of cookies baking in the oven, houses sparkling with Christmas Lights, and Salvation Army bells ringing at local supermarkets. It is also a time to remember how we have been blessed at our chronologically advantaged age and how we can still give back and make a difference. On this Wednesday before Christmas, I would like to share with you “Star Thrower”, a story about making a difference that touched me when I first heard it. This version was inspired by the writings of Loren Eiseley, anthropologist and natural science writer, and adapted by Joel Barker.

“Once upon a time, there was a young man who used to go to the ocean to do his writing. He had the habit of walking along the beach before he began his work. One day he was walking along the shore; as he looked down the beach, he saw a human figure moving like a dancer. He smiled to himself to think of someone who would dance to the day, so he began to walk faster to catch up. As he got closer, he saw that it was an old man and the old man wasn’t dancing, but instead, he was reaching down to the shore, picking up something, and very gently throwing it into the ocean.

As he got closer he called out, ‘Good morning! What are you doing?’

The old man paused, looked up and replied, ‘Throwing Starfish into the ocean.’

‘I guess I should have asked; why are you throwing Starfish into the ocean?’

‘The sun is up and the tide is going out and if I don’t throw them in they’ll die.’

‘But old man, don’t you realize that there are miles and miles of beach and Starfish all along it, you can’t possibly make a difference!’

The old man listened politely, then bent down, picked up another Starfish and threw it into the sea, past the breaking waves. ‘It made a difference for that one.’

His response surprised the man, he was upset, and he didn’t know how to reply, so instead he turned away and walked back to the cottage to begin his writings.

All day long as he wrote, the image of that old man haunted him; he tried to ignore it, but the vision persisted. Finally, late in the afternoon, he realized that he the scientist, he the poet, had missed the essential nature of the old man’s actions. Because he realized that what the old man was doing was choosing not to be an observer in the universe and watch it pass by but was choosing to be an actor in the universe and make a difference. He was embarrassed.

That night he went to bed, troubled. When morning came, he awoke knowing that he had to do something; so he got up, put on his clothes, went to the beach and found the old man; and with him spent the rest of the morning throwing Starfish into the ocean.

Brain Tease: The elves and reindeer are getting ready for a meeting with Santa. So far 14 of them have arrived. If they have 38 legs between them, how many reindeer are at the meeting and how many elves are at the meeting?

The name of the capsules that had been laced with potassium cyanide was Tylenol. I received correct answers from Jeannie Pesicka, Emmett Sampson, Nancy Higgins who I also missed last week, Jay Waterbury, Rhonda Spies, Lana Tepfer, Rebecca Abrams, Donna Mollett, Bruce Johnson, and Bruce Ruttenburg this week’s winner of a quilt raffle ticket. 

This week’s “Remember When” question is about a toy you may have received on Christmas morning in the ’50s and ’60s. What was the name of the popular toy invented in 1943 that can travel down a flight of stairs, end over end and land upright? Email your answer to mcseniorcenter@gmail.com, call 541-296-4788, or send it with a polaroid picture of you and Santa.

Well, it’s been another week, counting my blessings before I go to sleep. Until we meet again, may all of you have a joyous Christmas celebrating peace on earth and goodwill toward all people.

“Christmas waves a magic wand over this world, and behold, everything is softer and more beautiful.” Norman Vincent Peale

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: 9 elves and 5 reindeer

“Tho’ much is taken, much abides; and tho’
We are not now that strength which in old days
Moved earth and heaven, that which we are, we are,–
One equal temper of heroic hearts,
Made weak by time and fate, but strong in will
To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield.”

You may be familiar with these last six lines from the heroic poem “Ulysses” by Alfred Lord Tennyson. It was my son’s favorite poem during his youthful days because it encapsulated the romantic belief that at all costs – you never give up.

Isn’t that the national ideal we try to live up to? Under all adversity, against impossible odds, we cannot accept defeat. We will scale any mountain, navigate any whitewater and overcome any challenge because as our parents always told us “Where there’s a will, there’s a way”.

But as we grow older, we learn there are limits to what we can do. We may no longer be able to drive a car safely, walk without assistance, or be able to stay in our homes. And we won’t live forever.

There is a reality that can’t be denied, a time when we must accept, and adapt to what is real and unavoidable with courage and imagination. And no longer complain about the direction of the wind and instead choose to adjust the sails and move forward.

And we should move forward with new understanding and grace; with purpose and strength; and not yield to self-pity and self-delusion that often damages our health as well as relationships with family and friends. That may be the toughest struggle – to accept and adapt to the new reality.  To modify the words of Tennyson, even though we are made weak by time and fate we can still be strong in will and can strive, seek, find – and adapt.

Isn’t it supposed to snow only during the winter which doesn’t begin until the 21^st !? But now with our first dose of snow and ice, it’s time for my annual reminder that if you must go outside on these icy days, don’t forget to “walk like a penguin”! What does that mean? So you can skip the National Geographic special about penguins, it means pointing your feet out slightly; bending your knees and keeping them loose; extending your arms out to your side and hands out of your pockets; taking short steps or waddling. And it might also help to dress in your formal black and white attire to remind yourself to stay focused.

Brain Tease: This is a logic puzzle where you solve the puzzle by elimination – which I can’t do without pencil and paper.

Four sisters, Sara, Ophelia, Nora, and Dawn were each born in a different one of the months September, October, November, and December.
“This is terrible,” said Ophelia one day. “None of us have an initial that matches the initial of her birth month.”
“I don’t mind at all,” replied the girl who was born in September.
“That’s easy for you to say,” said Nora. “It would at least be cool if the initial of my birth month was a vowel, but no.”
In which month was each girl born?

In the Disney adaptation, the comical and wisecracking character appointed by the Blue Fairy to serve as Pinocchio’s official conscience was Jiminy Cricket.  I received correct answers from Tina Castanares, Doug Nelson, Rhonda Spies, Donna Mollet, Debora Medina, Kim Birge, Pat Evenson-Brady, Lana Tepfer, Keith Clymer, and Emmett Sampson this week’s winner of a quilt raffle ticket.

In 1982 there were a series of poisoning deaths in the Chicago metropolitan area resulting from drug tampering. For this week’s “Remember When” question, what was the name of the over-the-counter capsules that had been laced with potassium cyanide and led to reforms in the packaging of over-the-counter medicines? Email your answer to mcseniorcenter@gmail.com, call 541-296-4788, or send it with a bottle I can use for my arthritis.

Well, it’s been another week, keeping one eye on the sky and the other on the temperature. Until we meet again, the winter is made to remind us to slow down.

“Rivers know this: There is no hurry. We shall get there.” A.A. Milne, Writer

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: Sara was born in October, Ophelia was born in November, Nora was born in December, and Dawn was born in September.

When was the last time you had a meaningful conversation with someone from a different generation? Not often for most older adults. We feel more comfortable with those who grew up during the same time as us and share similar experiences and now memories. My generation lived through the soul searching controversies of the Vietnam War and Watergate. And was anyone at Woodstock? But don’t ask me about Instagram or Snapchat; or the Squid Game or The Walking Dead. (Okay, I have heard of Kim Kardashian but I have no idea why she is such a media star!)

We divide up into our corners: schools and youth activities for the young and retirement communities and senior centers for older people. But there are reasons to bridge these generational divides.

A study by the non-profit Generations United, emphasizes the importance of intergenerational connections. “…participation in intergenerational programs and meaningful cross-age relationships may decrease social isolation and increase older adults’ sense of belonging, self-esteem, and well-being, while also improving social and emotional skills of children and youth participants.”

Intergenerational connections and relationships can also help generations value and respect each other; breaking down stereotypes of both older adults and the younger generations.

On the “Better Health While Aging” website, Leslie Kernisan, MD, interviewed Kerry Byrne, Ph.D., an aging and family caregiving expert, about the value of intergenerational connections and five ways to foster more of them.

1. Set a resolution to connect. Establish a goal for how often you will connect with someone from a different generation. Brainstorm a few ways to do this, and then pick one and commit to it.

2. Get involved in an intergenerational initiative in your community. For example, many schools welcome grandparents or older adults as volunteers in the classroom such as the Smart Reading Program.

3. Make efforts to strike up conversations with someone from a different generation. Learn something new from a different perspective. And remember to listen. It might even remind you of all the “I can’t believe I ever did that” mistakes you’ve made.

4. Interview someone from a different generation in your family. Showing an interest in what they like and what they care about be special for both of you. To get you started you can download the app StoryCorps on your phone or tablet.

5. Plan a trip with a member of your family from a different generation. Some grandparents take their grandchildren on a trip when they turn 10 to mark the first decade of life.

And I would add, play a game together. Learn how to play one of their favorite video games. And then teach them your favorite card game – pinochle or maybe Texas Hold’em?

An example of generations connecting is this week’s “Through the Eyes of an Elder” where two young women, Eleanor Buser and Stella Streeter both students at Hood River New School, interviewed Doña Toña’s and tell her story of emigrating from Mexico and becoming a Promotora de Salud (health promoter) for The Next Door.

Brain Tease: This is a tough one! What do the following words have in common?

Feminine, kindergarten, canine, overweight, threaten, cobblestone, height, done.

I’ll give a hint after the “Remember When” question.

The name of the Western television series starring James Garner as a poker player working the riverboats and saloons through the American frontier was Maverick. I received correct answers from Chuck Rice, who I missed last week, Doug Nelson, Jay Waterbury, Lana Tepfer, Kim Birge, Donna Mollett, Nancy Higgins, Tina Castanares, and Bruce Johnson this week’s winner of a quilt raffle ticket.

Walt Disney was a great influence during my youth, and I still remember the advice this Disney character gave Pinocchio: “Always let your conscience be your guide”. For this week’s “Remember When” question, who was this comical, wisecracking character wearing a top hat and carrying an umbrella who accompanies Pinocchio while serving as his official conscience? Email your answer to mcseniorcenter@gmail.com, call 541-296-4788, or send it with the original version of “When You Wish Upon a Star”.

Brain Tease Hint: You might find the answer in the end.

Well, it’s been another week, trying to do all that needs to be done. Until we meet again, embrace and relish the unexpected.

“Happiness often sneaks in through the door you didn’t know you left open.” John Barrymore

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: They all end with the spelling of a number.

We are all social beings needing to interact with others: sharing our everyday experiences; our dreams and hopes; our mental lapses, stories about the grandkids; trips abroad, and listening to jokes we’ve often heard again and again (which I don’t mind since I never can remember a good joke – especially the punch line!).

But as we grow older our social connections are reduced: we may no longer be working; friends have passed away or moved; it’s easier to stay home instead of going out. And sadly, we may have lost our lifelong partner with whom we shared everything.

I’ve written about the value of social connections. But often overlooked is the importance of listening. If someone is going to share their stories, there needs to be someone there to receive them. And yes, while listening you may also hear about the latest doctor’s visit, or which medications are working – or not, and the different aches and pains, but we are all trying to manage this gift of living longer, and someone needs to be there to listen.

Although listening is simple, it is not always easy. As Margaret Wheatley points out, “Listening is such a simple act. It requires us to be present, and that takes practice, but we don’t have to do anything else. We don’t have to advise, coach, or sound wise. We just have to be willing to sit there and listen” – and I may add to be patient. Listening is something we should all do for each other. And if we listen carefully, it might be surprising what we will learn.

Last week, I wrote about the importance of shopping local and supporting our small businesses. Also to sustain a vibrant and healthy community, it is important to support our art, cultural and historical non-profits.

That is true on both sides of the river, but in Oregon you have a special opportunity. You have until the end of this year to donate to a qualifying nonprofit and the Oregon Cultural Trust to receive a matching Oregon tax credit. All you do is donate to any of Oregon’s arts, heritage, and humanities nonprofits which includes forty in Hood River, Sherman, and Wasco counties (listed at www.culturaltrust.org). Then make a matching gift to the Cultural Trust to claim your contribution to the Cultural Trust as a tax credit – which means your donation to the Cultural Trust won’t cost you a thing! The Oregon Cultural Trust supports local communities by funding county Cultural Trust Coalitions that annually distribute grants to area schools and non-profits.

Brain Tease: Based on the pairings that you see below, what word is next, replacing the question mark? rotate – tare; refits – firs; sneaky – easy; throne – rote; tepees – ?

The name of the 1967 satirical talking blues song by singer/songwriter Arlo Guthrie, about the place where “you can get anything you want” (except for Alice I was told) was “Alice’s Restaurant”. I received correct answers from Mark and Kay Fortin, Jess Birge, Rose Schulz, Lana Tepfer, Keith Clymer, Rebecca Abrams, and Lars Reierson this week’s winner of a quilt raffle ticket. And last week I missed Nancy Higgins and Margo Dameier.

The quilt raffle drawing was held on the 19^th and there was good news and bad news. The good news is the Mid-Columbia Senior Center quilters sold hundreds of quilt raffle tickets with all proceeds supporting the Senior Center. And the bad news? None of the “Remember When” winners I entered won! I guess I’m just going to have to wait and try again next year.

In the 1950s through the late 60s, westerns were a television favorite with seven of the top ten shows in the 1958 – 1959 season being westerns including this one. What was the name of the Western television series that ran for five seasons from 1957 through 1962 starring James Garner for the first three seasons as the clever and eloquent poker player working the riverboats and saloons while traveling through the 19th-century American frontier? Email your answer to mcseniorcenter@gmail.com, call 541-296-4788, or send it with the show’s theme song that began with “Who is the tall, dark stranger there?”

“Money talks… but all mine ever says is goodbye!” Anonymous

Well, it’s been another week, trying not to spend beyond my means. Until we meet again, everybody has a story to tell.

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: pets or pest

As we enter this holiday season, it can be a difficult time for many of us. We all occasionally get the blues, but isolation, loneliness, and memories of past holiday seasons can contribute to seasonal depression or the Holiday Blues. An estimated six million Americans over the age of 65 have reported feeling down during Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s. To cope with the Holiday Blues, here are a few tips from the Milestone Retirement website.

1. Take your time. The holiday season can be a busy time and stressful. Try not to let your daily must-do list get in the way of spending time with family members and friends. And if you do get stressed find a way to exercise. Twenty-five pushups on the living room floor?
2. The more the merrier. We live in a culture that often makes it difficult to ask for help and during the holidays there is often plenty to do: purchasing gifts, putting up Christmas decorations, and cooking that special meal. Avoid trying to do everything by yourself. Instead, ask your children or friends to assist you. Or maybe they can help you plan a big social gathering – or maybe not! But inviting a few friends over can help beat the blues. It’s always more fun to do things with others than alone.
3. Make someone else’s holiday special. Try volunteering. There are many holiday activities needing volunteers. It might not be too late to help at the Community Thanksgiving Dinner in your area. Seldom are there too many volunteers.
4. Stimulate your mind or get creative. Snuggling up with a book on a cold winter day can be a nice way to spend an afternoon. I just started reading Phyllis Diller’s autobiography Like a Lampshade in a Whorehouse – there is nothing like a laugh to pick you up. How about working on a crossword puzzle or a jigsaw puzzle? Or start again on that hobby you were too busy to do last summer.
5. Celebrate the present, but don’t forget the past. You may be one of the many older adults mourning the loss of loved ones and aren’t ready to make new holiday memories without them. You can pay special remembrance to family members who have passed away by looking at old photos, preparing their favorite foods, or going around the room and sharing your favorite memories about them. By acknowledging deceased family members, you are reminded that although the people who played such crucial roles in your holiday memories are gone, they’re certainly not forgotten.

During this holiday season, life’s difficulties can take center stage. While we may struggle with our personal challenges, there is always much to be thankful for. I wish you the very best and a wonderful Thanksgiving!

The stand-up comedian known for her self-deprecating humor, wild hair, and clothes and who as Linda Frizzell points out taught her and many of us how to laugh at ourselves and accept who we are was Phyliss Diller. I received correct answers from Lucile Stephens, Steven Woolpert, Doug Nelson, Lana Tepfer, Donna Mollett, Rhonda Spies, Rebecca Abrams, Kim Birge, Pat Evenson-Brady, Sandy Haechrel, Lana Tepfer, and Marny Weting, this week’s winner of a quilt raffle ticket. Last week I missed Ruth Radcliffe and Samantha and Jeff Irwin.

Lana Tepfer shared with me her favorite hint from Phyllis Diller’s Housekeeping Hints. “It’s okay to let your kids write their initials in the dust on your furniture but NOT the date.”

I remember driving to Thanksgiving dinner listening to the radio and hearing this song which has become a tradition each Thanksgiving for many classic rock radio stations. For this week’s “Remember When” question, what was the name of this 1967 satirical talking blues song by singer-songwriter Arlo Guthrie, about the place where ”you can get anything you want”? Email your answer to mcseniorcenter@gmail.com, call 541-296-4788, or send it with a picture of the old church building in Stockbridge, Massachusetts where Arlo Guthrie spent Thanksgiving Day.

Brain Tease: Another teaser where you must think outside the celebrated box.

What word starts with `e` ends with `e` and only has one letter in it?

Well, it’s been another week, asking myself how can young kids walk around in freezing temperatures only wearing a t-shirt.  Until we meet again, take time to hold hands even if they are cold.

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: An envelope!

With Thanksgiving becoming another shopping holiday: Black Friday spreading into Black Thursday, and now stealing into most of November, I have begun to appreciate the perspective I have gained from having lived these many years: I don’t need the mad rush of finding the best deals of the pre-pre-holiday sales. And I certainly don’t need crowded stores, long lines, and packed parking lots. The fact is I don’t need any more “things” (although I do dream of the latest Apple product).

But knowing that in a flash, my life could be tossed upside down, more “things” aren’t that necessary. As long as I have food in the cupboard, a roof over my head, friends, family, and a wonderful and patient wife, I’m doing just fine. I hope you have found all you need and can appreciate all you have during this season of giving thanks.

You may not need any more “things” this holiday season, but you may want to buy something for your grandchildren that’s more exciting than a gift card. When you do, think first about shopping local. Our communities depend on strong and healthy small businesses owned by local community entrepreneurs who put their time, energy, and passion into their businesses to serve you.

Everyone knows you can shop online, and I do for some items, but before you do take a tour through your downtown shops where you can touch and see all the wonderful item. (Well, it looked good in the picture on Amazon!). And while shopping for your grandchildren, you just might find there is something you really do need and can’t pass up!

I’ve been meaning to mention MedlinePlus, the website hosted by the National Library of Medicine, where you can find the latest information on a wide variety of health subjects such as:

Health Topics – Find information on health, wellness, disorders, and conditions.

Drugs and Supplements – Learn about prescription drugs, over-the-counter medicines, drugs, herbs, and supplements.

Genetics – Explore genetic conditions, genes, and more.

Medical Tests – Learn why your doctor orders medical tests and what the results may mean.

Medical Encyclopedia – Articles and images for diseases, symptoms, tests, and treatments.

Healthy Recipes – Recipes for a healthy lifestyle.

On the Internet there’s a wild variety of health information, so much that it is often hard to separate what’s reliable from the quackery. MedlinePlus is your source to find the latest health-related information where you will learn what medical research has shown to be effective, ineffective, or where the results are inconclusive, so you can make your own informed health decisions.

Brain Tease: Enough of the language lessons. Here is a riddle found online at Braingle.

Find out what the animals are! For example, “To run away or escape” could be a “flea”.

1. hair-control foam; 2. very exposed; 3. tellin’ falsities; 4. a lamenting cry; 5. a dull person; 6. a precious or loved one; 7. first you get a parking ticket, then you get this; 8. these make up a chain.

Two bits is an old slang term for twenty-five cents that dates back to the 1700s. I received correct answers from Diana Weston, Nancy Higgins, Donna Mollet, Rhonda Spies, Kim Birge, Dave Lutgens, Lana Tepfer, Margo Dameier, Linda Frizzell, Rebecca Abrams, Emmett Sampson, Gloria Krantzof-Dee, and this week’s winner of a quilt raffle ticket Keith and Marlene Clymer who if asked will enthusiastically belt out the cheer “Two bits, four bits, six bits a Dollar, all us Old Guys/Gals stand up and holler”. And last week I missed Tina Castanares.

For this week’s “Remember When” question, who was the stand-up comedian and actress, best known for her eccentric stage persona, self-deprecating humor, wild hair and clothes who was described by her mentor Bob Hope as “a Warhol mobile of spare parts picked up along a freeway”? (Hint: It’s not Joan Rivers.) Email your answer to mcseniorcenter@gmail.com, call 541-296-4788, or send it with a copy of her autobiography Like a Lampshade in a Whorehouse – My Life in Comedy.

“I told my wife she should embrace her mistakes… so she hugged me.” Anonymous

Well, it’s been another week, looking forward to the holidays. Until we meet again, be careful what you look for. You might find it.

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).

Answers: 1. Moose (Mousse), 2. Bear (Bare), 3. Lion (Lyin’), 4. Whale (Wail), 5. Boar (Bore), 6. Deer (Dear), 7. Toad (Towed), 8. Lynx (Links)

You may have recently talked with someone who is having trouble expressing themselves: finding the right word or remembering a name, and thinking to yourself, “Poor soul. He must have dementia” while in the back of your mind worrying about your own memory.

Dementia is not a normal part of aging but many of us will be diagnosed with it. And although a diagnosis of dementia may seem dire, it is not the end of living. We’ll handle the diagnosis in different ways: denial, confusion, self-awareness and even humor.

As a community and as individuals, we need to support people with dementia. We can by using the following ten dementia friendly communication skills when speaking with someone with memory loss.

1. Greet people warmly even if you think they do not remember you. If they seem confused, remind them who you are.
2. Slow your pace slightly and allow time for the person to process and respond.
3. Speak clearly and calmly, and be patient and understanding.
4. Keep communication simple; ask one question at a time.
5. Listen with empathy and seek to understand the person’s reality or feelings.
6. Connect on an emotional level even if conversation topics shift or do not make sense to you.
7. Be aware of the person’s and your own body language: smile, and make eye contact at eye level.
8. Enjoy spending time with the person in the present moment.
9. Offer hugs and hand-holding as appropriate.
10. Avoid arguing with or embarrassing the person.

Because some of us will experience dementia, there are several facts we should consider.

Dementia is not a specific disease but rather a general term for the impaired ability to remember, think, or make decisions that interfere with doing everyday activities.

Experiencing dementia-like symptoms may not be dementia. Those symptoms may be caused by infections, metabolic problems, a reaction to a medication or an interaction of several medications, depression, and even nutritional deficiencies.

To make the diagnosis of one of the several types of dementia including the most common Alzheimer’s, a neurological exam, brain imaging, and neuropsychological testing is generally needed.

Dementia is a scary diagnosis taking us into the unknown. But those diagnosed with dementia are still with us, living life in their own way and still in need of affection, connections, and opportunities to express themselves and deserve to be treated with respect and dignity.

Brain Tease: In the last two weeks, I challenged you to translate several common phrases in Spanish and French to English. This week see if you can translate this sentence that’s written in my favorite childhood language: Pig Latin. “orryWay isyay ikelay ayay ockinray’ orsehay. Ityay’say omethingsay otay oday atthay onday’tay etgay youyay owherenay.”

The name of the 1958 novelty song that included the memorable line “Ooo eee ooo ah ah ting tang walla walla bing bang” was the “Witch Doctor”. I received correct answers from Diana Weston, Donna Mollet, Lana Tepfer, Rhonda Spies, Jess Birge, Dave Lutgens, and this week’s winner of a quilt raffle ticket Doug Nelson back from his trip to Ireland.

For those of you who have won a quilt raffle ticket, you will learn if you are a winner of a beautiful quilt on November 19^th when the quilt raffle drawing will be held at the Mid-Columbia Senior Center during their annual Holiday Bazaar. Everyone who was a quilt raffle ticket winner since last December will be entered in the drawing. You do not have to be present to win but you are certainly invited to attend the holiday bazaar.

Two bits is a word we seldom hear anymore except in a cheer at sporting events. It means inferior, cheap, worthless, or insignificant, but is also an old slang term for a monetary value that dates back to the 1700s. For this week’s “Remember When” question, how much are two bits? Email your answer to mcseniorcenter@gmail.com, call 541-296-4788, or a video of George Edmondson Jr. leading a cheer before the University of Florida football game at the age of 86.

Well, it’s been another week, wondering what is going to be served next. Until we meet again, don’t let the monsters under your bed keep you up at night.

Good things come in threes so one more piece of cowboy wisdom.

“Timing has a lot to do with the outcome of a rain dance.”

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).

In this month’s “Through the Eyes of an Elder” Colin Wood eloquently describes how the consequences of hearing loss have affected his life and offers suggestions for how family and friends can provide support to anyone with hearing loss.

One of his suggestions is to talk to your family and friends about your hearing loss, making this invisible disability visible. From my experience, when someone hears of my hearing loss, they are sympathetic – but they don’t really understand and are then often frustrated when I ask, “What did you say” for the third time!

So how do you describe hearing loss to others, so they can better understand?

A year and a half ago I mentioned Shari Eberts’s article “How to Explain Hearing Loss to the Uninitiated”. Because I found her suggestions for describing hearing loss to others useful, I thought I would again share three of them.

Hearing loss is like playing Wheel of Fortune where the players try to identify a phrase with only some of the letters visible. With hearing loss, you are trying to do the same, but with sounds instead of letters. You are constantly combining these incomplete sounds with other clues: lipreading, body language, and the context within the conversation to understand the words.

With hearing loss, you don’t have peripheral hearing. With sight, you do have peripheral vision: the ability to see things outside of your direct line of sight. But with hearing loss, when I’m focusing on an activity it’s difficult to concentrate and understand any conversation outside that activity.

Hearing aids don’t work like glasses. They don’t give you 20-20 hearing. Hearing aids will make sounds louder and help you differentiate between sounds but they are far from perfect.

As Colin points out even though hearing loss can be a significant burden, the financial barriers prevent most people from obtaining hearing aids.

But there have been significant changes to address the high cost of hearing aids. As of October 17^th, you can purchase OTC (over-the-counter) hearing aids without a medical exam, prescription, or professional fitting which can save you several thousand dollars.

But OTC hearing aids aren’t for everyone. Most importantly, they are designed to treat only mild to moderate hearing loss. If your hearing loss is more severe, you should consult a hearing health professional.

And you are on your own. There is no in-person hearing care provided after the purchase. No professional sizing, custom earpieces, or follow-up fine-tuning.

To learn more about OTC hearing aids, check out the National Council on Aging’s website at https://www.ncoa.org/adviser/hearing-aids/over-the-counter-hearing-aids/

There are other options besides OTC hearing aids. Costco offers a variety of brand-name hearing aids at a low cost. And although Medicare doesn’t cover hearing aids, some Medicare Advantage plans now offer good quality, low-cost hearing aids.

Hearing loss has affected many lives. Now, thankfully, there are affordable options to make them more accessible and improve the lives of older adults.

Brain Tease: This week how about learning a little French in case you want to visit Paris. Try to find the translations for these common French phrases. “Merci beaucoup”, “Pourriez-vous m’aider?”, and most importantly “Où sont des toilettes?”

The name for the unidentified man who hijacked Northwest Orient Airlines Flight 305 during the flight from Portland to Seattle on November 24^th, 1971 was D.B Cooper or as several readers pointed out Dan Cooper. I received correct answers from Diana Weston, Rhonda Spies, Rhonda Schuh, Barbara Cadwell, Lana Tepfer, Doug Nelson, Donna Mollet, Patty Burnet, Dave Lutgens, Pat Kelly, Nancy Higgins, Tina Castanares, Rose Schulz, and Jerry Taylor this week’s winner of a quilt raffle ticket. And last week I missed Steven Woolpert.

Ross Bagdasarian Sr. whose stage name was David Seville wrote several novelty songs in the 1950s including this one. For this week’s “Remember When” question, what was the name of the song that included the line (which I will never forget!) “Ooo eee ooo ah ah ting tang walla walla bing bang”? Email your answer to mcseniorcenter@gmail.com, call 541-296-4788 or send it with the album Sing Again with The Chipmunks on Liberty Records.

Well, it’s been another week, wondering how it could be November already. Until we meet again, although it is good to know where you are going, there are times to travel without a destination in mind.

Cowboy wisdom: “Life is simpler when you plow around the stump.”

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).

How do you feel about the jokes about older adults’ forgetfulness, unwillingness to change, being out of date or slow? Do you find them offensive, or true? Or is your feeling,” Hey, it’s just a joke”?

How do you feel when your doctor explains your condition is because of old age? Or they won’t prescribe a treatment because you are too old?

How do you feel when you learn judicial judges in Oregon have to resign after they turn 75?

How do you feel when someone tells you that you don’t look your age? Is it a compliment or do you answer, “Thank you but this is my age.”

Many advocates for older adults consider these situations as examples of society’s all too common negative view of aging.

Granted many of us may not move as fast, open that jar of spaghetti sauce as easily, or find the right answer as quickly. (Research has shown even though our minds may not be as quick, they are more accurate!)

Although most of us are mentally and physically active, the media often portrays older adults as either stooped over, frail and elderly with nothing to contribute or enjoy, or super seniors climbing mountains or running marathons. (Wow. They aren’t supposed to be doing that at their age!)

But should we care about how society and the media portray older adults?

Yes, when it marginalizes older adults and robs them of choice, independence, and dignity, and negatively impacts their quality of life. It is particularly damaging when those negative views of aging influence how we think of ourselves and shape our own behavior. We may stop taking responsibility, lose confidence, withdraw, and become more dependent because that is what we are told old age is, right?

But every day, you and I pop those bubbles of negative images of aging, because we are the real thing. We are what older is. Most of us are active, caring, inquisitive, and live meaningful lives while in our sixties, seventies, eighties, and older.

We are all growing older in our own way with a great deal to contribute and appreciate – contrary to what society and the media tell us. We do change, particularly our bodies, but in many other ways, we are the same person we were 50 years ago – just a little wiser. And with new possibilities and adventures – if you look for them – we can experience the full abundance of life no matter our age. As Joan Chittister writes in her book, The Gift of Years, ‘Age is not a thing to be pitied, to apologize for, to fear, to resist, to see as a sign of gloom. Only the old can make age a bright and vibrant place to be.” It’s up to us.

Brain Tease: There are many ways to exercise your brain: jigsaw puzzles, sudoku, or learning a new language. To get you started, find the translations for these three Spanish phrases – and you’ll be on your way to learning a new language! 1.) Que gusto saludarte. 2.) Gracias por su ayuda. 3.) Que te vaya bien.

The name of the television series starring Richard Chamberlain and Raymond Massey that told the story of a young intern working in a fictional large metropolitan hospital was my mother’s favorite show, Dr. Kildare. (Although I found that Ben Casey was the heartthrob of several readers!) I receive correct answers from Rhonda Spies, Jess Birge, Lana Tepfer, Donna Mollett, and Rose Schulz this week’s winner of a quilt raffle ticket.

The Pacific Northwest has many famous, and infamous, legends and mysteries: Bigfoot, the “exploding whale” in Florence in 1970, and this one that occurred on November 24^th, 1971. For this week’s “Remember When” questions, what was the common name for the unidentified man who hijacked Northwest Orient Airlines Flight 305 during the flight from Portland to Seattle, possibly armed with a bomb and demanding $200,000 in ransom, equivalent to $1,338,000 in 2021? Email your answer to mcseniorcenter@gmail.com, call 541-296-4788 or send it with your theory for the fate of this mysterious hijacker.

Well, it’s been another week, finally enjoying the true fall weather. Until we meet again, as Calvin told Hobbes “Some days even my lucky rocketship underpants don’t help.”

Cowboy Wisdom: Life is not about how fast you run, or how high you climb, but how well you bounce.

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).

A few of us are perennials always blooming, a few more are late bloomers and the rest of us are just hoping to bloom someday. Last July I wrote about one of the secrets of living life to the fullest from Connie Goldman’s book “Secrets to Becoming a Late Bloomer”: the secret of gardening. Another of her fourteen secrets is creativity.

Many people view creativity as a rare talent that few possess which allows these gifted individuals to create beautiful and imaginative paintings, songs, or stories. But Connie describes creativity in much broader terms, where every day we have the opportunity to look at a situation with “beginner’s eyes”; to see in fresh ways, with open and accepting minds. The National Geographic photographer Dewitt Jones describes creativity in a similar way: everyday creativity is seeing the “extraordinary in the ordinary”. If you understand creativity in this broader sense, we all possess the ability to be creative. It is in all of us and can be expressed in many ordinary ways: a hobby, a personal relationship, or grandparenting. In all these everyday situations, we can see and engage the world with new eyes.

You can nurture your creativity by engaging in something you enjoy doing on a regular basis. It is when you are doing something you love that your creative spirit opens up. But as with anything important, it’s never easy. Every day remind yourself to look at situations, even the mundane, with fresh eyes and find the extraordinary in the ordinary. As Connie points out “Everyone knows that we can’t stay young forever; yet we can stay fresh, alive, and aware.”

So how about this 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 Trivial Pursuit License would allow you to explore your creative side by checking out the activities at The Dalles Art Center or the Columbia Center for the Arts, picking up a guitar and writing songs to sing in the shower, or just drawing with paper and pencil at the kitchen table every morning. Or other activities that may not be as creative: assembling model cars or planes, blowing bubbles at a street corner, (you may get some looks!), or building a fort out of Legos with your grandchildren – or without your grandchildren. But you may want to skip playing twister or spin the bottle. They just don’t have the same appeal anymore!

No matter what you decide, “trivial” activities are good for your mind, body, and soul. So take the time to do that something you’ve always wanted to do.

Brain Tease: Another Caesar Cipher which involves replacing each letter of the secret message with a different letter of the alphabet.

See if you can decipher this well-known Mae West quote.

“Brx rqob olyh rqfh, exw li brx gr lw uljkw, rqfh lv hqrxjk.”

This espionage thriller that ran from 1965 to 1968 starring Bill Crosby, the first African American actor in a lead role in a television series, and Robert Culp was I Spy. I received correct answers from Doug Nelson, Margo Dameier, Lana Tepfer, Keith Clymer, Rhonda Spies, Tina Castanares, and Kim Birge this week’s winner of a quilt raffle ticket.

We’ve had a comedy, and a spy thriller and now this week’s question is from another popular television genre that began in the late 50s and produced hit television shows such as Ben Casey and this show that ran from 1961 through 1966. For this week’s “Remember When” question, what was the name of the television series starring Richard Chamberlain and Raymond Massey that told the story of a young intern working in a fictional large metropolitan hospital? Email your answer to mcseniorcenter@gmail.com, call 541-296-4788 or send it with the short story, “Internes Can’t Take Money” from the March 1936 issue of Cosmopolitan magazine where the character was first introduced.

Well, it’s been another week, deciding when to turn on the furnace. Until we meet again, as my doctor once told me, “Aging is not a disease”.

“If stupidity got us into this mess, then why can’t it get us out?” Will Rogers

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: “You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough.”