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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“It is not if, but when.”

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

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

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

Make a Plan:

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

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

Make a Ki:

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

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

Be informed:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 We’ve been around the block a few times – even as the blocks seem to keep getting longer. We have learned to accept the blessing and burdens of life while embracing our age. And since the days when we thought we knew it all, we’ve learned many lessons. If you were asked to share those lessons, what advice would you give?

I received an email, one of those that circulate in the Internet world, with what I thought was good advice about aging. I can’t list all of them and I have condensed the ones I have but tell me what you think of the advice this writer shares.

• Stop worrying about the financial situation of your children and grandchildren, and don’t feel bad spending your money on yourself. The responsibility is now theirs to earn their own money.
• Keep a healthy life, without great physical effort. Do moderate exercise like walking every day, eat well and get your sleep.
• Don’t stress over the little things. You’ve already overcome so much in your life. You have good memories and bad ones, but the important thing is the present. Don’t let the past drag you down and don’t let the future frighten you. Feel good in the now.
• Always stay up-to-date. Keeping in touch with what is going on and with the people you know is important at any age.
• Respect the younger generation and their opinions. They may not have the same ideals as you, but they are the future and will take the world in their direction. Give advice, not criticism, and try to remind them that yesterday’s wisdom still applies today
• Some people embrace their golden years, while others become bitter and surly. Life is too short to waste your days on the latter. Spend your time with positive, cheerful people, it’ll rub off on you and your days will seem that much better.
• Don’t abandon your hobbies. If you don’t have any, make new ones. Find something you like and spend some real time having fun with it.
• Even if you don’t feel like it, try to accept invitations: Baptisms, graduations, birthdays, weddings. Try to go. Get out of the house, meet people you haven’t seen in a while, experience something new – or something old.
• Pain and discomfort go hand in hand with getting older. Try not to dwell on them but accept them as a part of the cycle of life we’re all going through.
• If you’ve been offended by someone – forgive them. If you’ve offended someone – apologize. Don’t drag around resentment with you. It only serves to make you sad and bitter.
• If you have a strong belief, savor it. But don’t waste your time trying to convince others. Live your faith and set an example.
• Laugh a lot. Laugh at everything. Find the humor in your situation.

I had to keep it short but if you want to read the full list uncondensed, go to  www.midcolumbiseniorcenter.comand click on the tab: ADVICE TO LIVE BY.

The children who watched from the on-stage bleachers in the pioneering children’s show Howdy Doody were called the “peanut gallery.” I received correct answers from Jeanne Pesicka, Susan Ellis, Gene Uczen, Doug Nelson, Lana Tepfer, Tina Castanares, Dave Lutgens, and Jack Lorts, this week’s winner of a free raffle ticket. Last week I missed Keith Clymer.

Moving from Howdy Doody to another morning children’s show, the first actor to play the baggy pants horn honking Clarabell the Clown on Howdy Doody was Bob Keeshan who created and played the title character in another children’s TV show. For this week’s “Remember When” question, what was the name of this children’s show that aired from 1955 through 1984 and revolved around life in the “Treasure House” where the captain would tell stories, meet guests, and indulge in silly stunts. E-mail your answer to mcseniorcenter@gmail.com, call 541-296-4788 or drop it off while wearing a blue coat with large pockets.

Well, it’s been another week enjoying the ride even with the random bumps and bruises. Until we meet again, I realized while driving that a benefit of age is I don’t feel I must drive fast to impress my peers. I can go as unhurried as I want!

 “Everywhere is within walking distance – if you have the time.” Steven Wright

Do you feel like you’ve been singing the same old song and now your voice is getting hoarse? With the new Delta variant of the COVID-19 virus, we seem to be turning back the hands of time to a place we didn’t want to go again. But here we are. The positive cases of COVID-19 are increasing, hospitals beds are getting critically low, care facilities are limiting outside visitors, and once again we need to wear masks indoors in public places.

It’s frustrating and confusing because everything keeps changing – what we should and should not do. It feels like a moving target. But this virus is new and is continuously being studied with decisions made on the best science at the time. And then new variants such as the Delta variant show up and change the whole equation.

The good news is because the most vulnerable are highly vaccinated the number of deaths is significantly lower. But being vaccinated doesn’t protect you 100%. If you have symptoms of COVID-19 or if you were in close contact with someone with COVID-19, you should get tested regardless of whether you’ve been vaccinated or not. Home testing kits are available at most pharmacies for around $20 and Walgreen’s offers drive through testing, but appointments are limited. Check with your insurance company firt.

Most people who get COVID-19 have mild or moderate symptoms and can recover. But we need to keeping singing that familiar chorus: wear a mask, keep socially distanced, and get vaccinated. And if we sing loud enough, hopefully, this latest surge will soon subside.

Two weeks ago, I wrote about the serious problem of older adults being financially abused. To reduce the risk, older adults should make sure their financial affairs are in order – and as we all know that is not always easy.  

One program that can help reduce the risk of financial abuse while promoting independent living is the Money Management Program offered by CAPECO – the Area Agency on Aging serving older adults in Sherman, Wasco, and Hood River Counties. (In Washington, supports for older adults are provided through the counties: Klickitat Senior Services (509) 773-3757 or Skamania Senior Services (509) 427-3990.)

CAPECO Money Management Program provides Representative Payee services to help individuals maintain independence, obtain financial security, and prevent financial abuse. The program is certified and approved by the Social Security Administration and the Veterans Administration.

When you are enrolled in the program, an individualized budget is prepared. All bills and bank accounts are handled by this program with assistance from the participant. The benefit is that the Representative Payees will ensure that basic expenses and necessary payments are given priority – and not the bail money to the fake grandson in Arizona.

The CAPECO Money Management Program is personalized, confidential, and safe, and is available to low-income adults. If you know someone who has difficulty managing their finances, call 541-276-1926 to learn more about this valuable program.

Archie’s best friend was the easy-going but lazy and slightly nonconformist friend Forsythe Pendleton Jones III more commonly known as Jughead. I received correct answers from Jeanne Pesicka, Susan Ellis, Emmett Sampson, Sam Bilyeu, Glenna McCarger, Gene Uczen, Dave Lutgens, Jim Tindall, Margo Dameier, Richard Shaw, Doug Nelson, and Gloria Krantz, this week’s winner of a free raffle ticket. Last week I only missed Doug Nelson – unless someone tells me otherwise.

Let’s go back to childhood memories of watching Saturday morning TV. You may remember Howdy Doody, a pioneer in children’s television, broadcast on NBC from 1947 until 1960, and one of the first TV shows to include audience participation. For this week’s “Remember When” question, what were the children called who watched from the on-stage bleachers? E-mail your answer to mcseniorcenter@gmail.com, call 541-296-4788 or drop it off with a replica of the puppet Phineas T. Bluster: mayor of Doodyville.

Well, it’s been another week enjoying “those hazy, crazy days of summer”. Until we meet again, remember what your teachers always told you, “Pay attention!”

“No matter how one may think himself accomplished, when he sets out to learn a new language, science, or the bicycle, he has entered a new realm as truly as if he were a child newly born into the world.” Francis Willard author of “How I Learned to Ride the Bicycle”

 When you arrive back home after visiting your health care provider, do you ever ask yourself “Now what did she mean?” I may not be the sharpest bulb in the drawer, but I am literate and can read, write, and comprehend most things, but health literacy is difficult. Health Literacy defined by the Health and Human Services (HHS) Healthy People 2030 Initiative is “the ability to find, understand, and use information and services to inform health-related decisions and actions for themselves and others”.

Today, I can find the notes and visit summaries of all my medical visits on MyChart so finding the information is the easiest part. But to understand and use the information is the challenge.

Your primary care provider’s responsibility is to help you understand and use the information so you can better manage your health. But it is also your responsibility to be an active participant in your health care. To do that here are several suggestions you can use when speaking with your primary care provider.

1.) Ask questions. And make sure you get the answers to those questions. “Why are you ordering this test? Why are you prescribing this medication? What side effects can it cause?

2.) Be your own pharmacist. Bring your medicines with you including your over-the-counter and prescription medicines, supplements, vitamins, and herbal medicines to make sure there are no drug interactions. Medline Plus is an excellent resource to better understand the medications you are taking.

3.) Tell the truth. This can be tough. You don’t want to give the impression you are slacking: not exercising or flossing, or worse yet not taking your medications. If you want the most accurate diagnosis and treatment you need to say it like it is.

4.) Bring someone with you. When it is more than my annual checkups, I bring my wife so there is another set of ears – and a better memory.

5.) Know your medical history. The more you know about your health history the better you can participate in your own health decisions.

6.) Tell them if you have a disability that may make communication more difficult. If it is hearing loss, remind them that talking louder helps, but talking clearly and facing you works better.

7.) Don’t walk away in the dark. Your health care provider wants to help you make the best health care decisions, so make sure you understand what your provider said. You can ask clarifying questions such as “Let me see if I understand this”.

With the advances in health care, information is more available but also more complicated and confusing even to the most educated people. Today it is important to not only know how to find your medical information but to also understand and use that information to better manage your health. 

The series of signs which usually consisted of six consecutive small signs creating a short catchy verse advertised Burma Shave. (If you want to read all 600 Burma Shave jingles you can find them on the Internet at http://burma-shave.org/jingles/.) I received correct answers from Clare Zumwalt, Jay Gasperson, Billie Maxwell, Jeanne Pesicka, Al Winans, Susan Ellis, Norma Simpson, Linda Frizzell, Patty Burnet, Barbara Cadwell, Richard Shaw, Dave Lutgens, Margo Dameier, Pat Kelly, Gene Uczen, Keith Clymer, Lana Tepfer, and Glenna Mahurin this week’s winner of a quilt raffle ticket. Last week I missed Sam Bilyeu, Jeanne Pesicka, Susan Ellis and Ron Nelson.

Last week it was highway literature but this week it is the fine literature of my youth. Well sort of. Archie Comics published comic books featuring stories of five high school friends: Archie, Reggie, Veronica, Betty, and Archie’s best friend the easy-going but lazy and slightly nonconformist friend Forsythe Pendleton Jones III. What was the nickname for Archie’s best friend? E-mail your answer to mcseniorcenter@gmail.com, call 541-296-4788 or write it on the inside cover of a 1941 Riverdale High School Yearbook.

Well, that is the end of another box of cereal – and I still haven’t found the prize! Until we meet again, before you start making a big fuss consider what Vic Gold said. “The squeaking wheel doesn’t always get the grease. Sometimes it gets replaced!”

“If you keep your head when all about you are losing theirs, it’s just possible you haven’t grasped the situation.” Jean Kerr, writer