All Posts in "Everything Else"

Public can meet Pierce library boss finalists

The finalists to be the new executive director of Pierce County Library System will be formally introduced to the public March 7 during a digital presentation that will include an opportunity to learn about them, ask them questions, and hear their ideas for the future of the libraries.

The session is scheduled for 4 to 6:40 p.m. at

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82691088642?pwd=T2RGYnorUXZpdi9WWjNRS2NtSDFJZz09 (Passcode: 816682).

There are three finalists, whose names haven’t yet been released publicly. They will be interviewed March 8 by the PCLS Board of Trustees as one of the final steps in picking a successor to Georgia Lomax, who will retire soon after 14 years as the library system’s executive director.

The board has conducted a nationwide search the last few months for candidates. The process was assisted by an executive search firm, Bradbury Miller Associates. A representative of the Ohio-based firm will be the moderator for the public’s introduction to the finalists.

The PCLS executive director heads an organization with a $43 million budget, 20 library locations, and 334 employees. The position has a hiring salary of $177,000.

srmedia by — February 23, 2022 in Everything Else
Wily entrepreneurs are starting and running businesses in their later or post-retirement years

Seniors are more aware than ever that they need to have enough money to carry them through retirement. Experts put the figure at an estimated 80 percent of pre-retirement income for the average American, who is expected to retire at the age of 63, to live comfortably for the next 18 years.

Unfortunately, many won’t meet this target and will run the risk of running out of money should they retire sooner or live longer. Instead of searching for post-retirement jobs, an option is to start a business to fund their retirement years.

Here are a few tips to ensure a late-in-life business idea ends up being a good investment.

Cindy Corier hasn’t looked back since opening The Collected Home, an antiques and home decor shop. Her advice to anyone thinking of starting a small business: “Have a plan.”

Make use of good resources.

Before investing time and money into a concept, it’s important to consider the things that will form a good foundation for the business. This includes:

  • Creating a business that will allow you to maintain your lifestyle. For instance, if you have a hard time moving around, a business that requires travel may cause frustration. Another thing to consider is that the business may require additional cash-flow from time to time, but shouldn’t affect your standard of living in retirement.
  • Tap into the right market. It will be difficult to sell a snowsuit in a tropical coastal town. Therefore, proper research needs to be done. This would include a feasibility study for startups of a whole new concept. After that, do the business plan. This allows insight into what you’re getting yourself into and provides a blueprint for your business.

Cindy Corier can attest to this. She was semi-retired from corporate sales when she opened The Collected Home in University Place, and hasn’t looked back. Since opening in July 2018, the antiques and home decor shop has moved into a larger space in the Prestige Center on Mountain View.

Corier said anyone planning to launch a small business needs to “have a plan” that includes sound business and marketing approaches.

“Make sure you know what you’re doing,” she advised.

A business plan includes a suitable timeframe for break-even to take place. After that milestone, the business will need to generate a profit to ensure you don’t have to tap into your personal retirement reserves.

  • Form a strong “tribe.” That might be millennialspeak, but it’s important that small-business owners surround themselves with people who add value to the enterprise–business coaches, mentors, a network of business owners, the right accountant and attorney, and great staff.

A no-cost source of support is SCORE, a network of volunteer, expert business mentors that has helped 11 million entrepreneurs get their businesses off the ground and grow them since 1964. In 2019 alone, 29,681 new businesses started with advice via SCORE. Annually, about 10,000 volunteers provide free mentoring in one-on-one and group sessions, though during the coronavirus outbreak, the services have been done remotely by phone, e-mail and video.

The pandemic has had a large impact on small-business profitability, too. In October, 33 percent of owners described their businesses as profitable, compared to 55 percent before the pandemic, according to SCORE.

Make use of modern business techniques.

There is no reason to rely on traditional methods alone to give businesses a boost. For instance, staffing issues can be resolved by hiring freelancers. This works well for short-term or one-off projects. Remote workers may also add value in the right business environment.

Modern funding options can also boost businesses without relying on traditional funding routes, such as taking out costly loans. Online “crowdfunding” platforms such as Kickstarter, Indiegogo, and GoFundMe are one option for a cash injection into the business.

According to SCORE, business owners adapting to COVID-19 generally agree that government stimulus checks, free advertising credits, and mentorship are the most helpful forms of assistance to get through this time of business downturn.

Seniors should also allow their passion to dictate the terms of their business. Although starting a business is hard work, it shouldn’t feel like it, and that is what passion for the business achieves.

“We started out with a penny in our pocket and a passion for refurbished furniture and vintage decor,” Corier said. Now The Collected Home is a hub for the University Place community for artists, painting furniture, and unique items for home decorating.

“The customers are happy we’re here and love the items we offer,” she said.

If they’ve dreamed of starting a business, living that dream is a way for seniors and retirees to enjoy extra cash in-flow and to remain an active member of society.

 

Melissa Clark, who works in marketing and customer relationships for Incfile, a company that advises new entrepreneurs and small-business owners, contributed to this article.

 

HOW TO SCORE IN BUSINESS

SCORE, ia non-profit partner of the U.S. Small Business Administration, provides free mentoring for startup and existing businesses through volunteer experts. Information about the program, including how to contact local chapters of the organization (Tacoma’s serves clients in Pierce, King and Thurston counties, among others; Seattle’s covers King, Kitsap and Snohomish counties), enlist the help of a volunteer or become one, is available at score.org and 1-800-634-0245.

 

srmedia by — January 11, 2021 in Everything Else
I learned about strokes the hard way

(Editor’s note: Steve Kruse, who has written on other subjects previously for Senior Scene, suffered a stroke recently. In this article, he offers his perspective on being a stroke survivor and the risks and warning signs of a stroke.)

When I realized I had a stroke, I panicked I might never be able to write again. My speech was messed up a little, but in my universe, I write, therefore I am.

Luckily, most of my faculties were restored within 24 to 48 hours from the time the medics rushed me from Lake Spanaway Golf Course to St. Joseph Medical Center’s stroke ward in Tacoma.

I don’t remember much of the details, other than it happened somewhere on the fifth hole and was witnessed by several of my old pals who were my playing partners that day. For some reason I suddenly couldn’t hit the ball. I missed it by a mile, which is not uncommon for me. I am a horrible golfer, so no surprise. However, it persisted. I was still not able to hit the ball, not even close. I remember trying six or more times, but then decided to simply watch my friends complete the nine-hole round rather than slow everyone else.

I also had some issues in talking with my friends in those remaining several holes, but nothing I was worried about, other than wanting to just go to my truck and head home. I refrained from talking much during those final four holes to the clubhouse.

My friends insisted I stop at the restaurant in the clubhouse, as they could tell that my behavior wasn’t right. I was having a hard time with my speech and comprehending what they were saying to me.

By the time the medics arrived I was thinking of leaving, but my friends and the management at the golf course wouldn’t let me. However, when I realized I couldn’t remember my name or birthdate, I knew it was time to go in the ambulance–a ride I don’t remember much at all, other than the CT scan at the hospital. I was still disoriented, having memory problems, and slurring my speech.

I first remember feeling I was recovering about the time I was admitted to my room in the stroke ward, shortly after the doctor confirmed my preliminary tests. It was firm: I had a small stroke in the frontal lobe.

At that point, the reality set in along with some emotions. I wasn’t sure what to expect or if there would be any long-term consequences. My main thought was I would never want to be a problem for my family or friends.

I ended up sleeping most the day and night at the hospital. I also had an MRI, while they continued to bring down my high blood pressure that typically accompanies a stroke, they explained. Of course, the MRI basically confirmed the small stroke, maybe a little bigger than first thought.

In short, I took a hit in the speech and reading area, possible language and     concentration areas. A big percentage of people lose motor control over muscles, arms, face, etc., but none of those were a problem for me.

I was extremely lucky, but I still don’t understand why it happened to me, even though nearly 795,000 people have a stroke in the United States every year, with 137,000 deaths, according to the American Heart Association (AHA) and Strokecenter.org. The majority is around 610,000 first-time strokes, though 185,000 (roughly 30 percent) are most likely to have another stroke within five years.

Layout note: copybreak header or use dropcap. STROKE RISK HIGH FOR OLDER FOLKS

In general, a stroke is the leading cause of death and disability in the U.S., with nearly 75 percent of those 65 years or older.

At 69 years old, looks like I’m a prime candidate for another stroke and need to take better of my health, as well as do a better job of recognizing when I’m having one. I also need to understand better what happens in a stroke.

For starters, my stroke was an “ischemic,” which makes up about 87 percent of most strokes. A “hemorrhagic” stroke is around 13 percent.

In general, the ischemic occurs when a blood vessel supplying blood to the brain is obstructed.

Hemorrhagic strokes are caused by a weakened blood vessel, ruptures or even an aneurysm. High blood pressure is associated with all strokes, but specifically with the hemorrhagic.

In fact, the American Stroke Association has several classifications for strokes, including a Transient Ischemic Attach (TIA), a “mini stroke,” Cryptogenic Stroke, and Brain Stem Stroke.

Though age is the biggest factor in having a stroke, African Americans have twice the risk as white people. Hispanic Americans and Indian/Alaska Americans are also at higher risk than whites, but not as high as African Americans.

Strokecenter.org, an independent web resource for stroke-related information, also notes that men are more likely to have a stroke than a women, and the highest U.S. stroke death rates are slightly higher in the southeastern states.

Any of the following can easily increase your chance of a stroke:

  • High blood pressure.
  • Diabetes.
  • Heart disease.
  • Previous stroke or TIA.
  • Cigarette smoking.
  • High cholesterol.
  • Too much alcohol.
  • Drug abuse.
  • Overweight.
  • Lack of exercise.
  • Being pregnant.
  • Menopause.
  • Family history and genetics.
  • Genetic conditions.

Unfortunately, I hit a lot of the checks on the list of risks (like most people), including the fact I am old (69), have high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, and some bad genes, I suspect.

However, to my credit, I have lost 55 pounds since January through a strict diet and exercise to the point I feel healthier than ever at 170 pounds. In fact, my doctor has slowly reduced some of the Type 2 diabetes and blood pressure medications.

I don’t smoke, don’t drink, don’t abuse drugs and don’t eat any sodas, processed food, sugar or treats. My normal meal is baked chicken and steamed vegetables or salad.

My doctor, Cory Sullivan at Hawkes-Prairie Family Medicine (Providence Health and Services), tells me I’m in fairly good shape for my age and have been a model patient the past several years. As he said, I may have been lucky with this stroke due to my better overall health. It could have been worse with the extra weight and higher blood pressure I was packing less than nine months ago.

So, if I dodged a bullet this time, I need to be more diligent, as this stroke greatly increases my risk of having one again. Best I can do at this point is simply continue with my healthy diet and keeping the weight down, as well as exercise or at least being active each day.

Perhaps the most important lesson for me is to do a much better job of recognizing the symptoms of a stroke in the first place. Fact is, I didn’t realize or understand I had a stroke until I was at the hospital. I should have recognized my symptoms instead of spending more than an hour denying I had a problem.

That additional time makes a huge difference in helping your chance of greatly mitigating a stroke. Main thing the therapist and nurses at St. Joseph drummed into me is to remember the main stroke symptoms in the acronym FAST:

COPY/LAYOUT NOTE: Boldface first letter of bulleted sentences to reflect the FAST acronym in previous graph.

  • Facial drooping. Face typically droops on one side.
  • Arm weakness. Hard to raise arm fully.
  • Speech difficulties. Sluggish speech, inability to understand or comprehend fully.
  • Time to call emergency services. The sooner the better.

The sooner you recognize you are having a stroke, the better chance you have of living through it.

While I can’t say I’m 100 percent yet, I’m a good 95 percent as far as my speech and writing/reading comprehension. I’ve recovered quickly from the point I could not remember my name, though I still forget a word now and then, and remembering the best use of words isn’t always there.

I’m following the advice from all the experts and my doctor – read, write, and talk as much as I can each day. Good thing is I have abundant passion for each of these activities.

Again, I consider myself extremely lucky that I was with good friends who saw I wasn’t right and didn’t take my guff about not wanting to go to the hospital. And even luckier that I had a great hospital and medical services.

I hope I don’t have a stroke again, but I’m more educated now and will be more aware and responsive in the future.

Steve Kruse is a former newspaper editor and computer technology industry executive. Now retired, he also has managed youth baseball organizations in California.

srmedia by — December 9, 2019 in Everything Else

A six-part series of discussions about memory loss for individuals with Alzheimer’s or another dementia, their families and caregivers will begin in September, hosted by Pierce County Aging and Disability Resources.

Topics (under the title of “Oh My Gosh, Now What?”) will include warning signs and symptoms, managing behavior, how the disease progresses, legal and financial issues, and local resources. All sessions will be held Mondays from 10 to 11 a.m. at the Bonney Lake Senior Center, 19304 Bonney Lake Blvd E. Any or all of the free discussions are open to the public. 

The schedule:

• Sept 9, “What is Dementia? What are the warning signs?”

• Sept 16, “How does the disease progress? What should I expect?”

• Sept 23, “How do I start the conversation? How do I cope with the shock?”

• Sept 30, “What are the typical moods and behaviors? How do I manage them?”

• Oct 7, “How do I pay for care? What are the legal things I should do?”

• Oct 14, “Where can I turn for help? What are the resources I can rely on?”

The sessions—which will be led by case managers with Aging and Disability Resources, a county government program that helps individuals and families coping with memory loss—can help people be alert to and prepare for dementia, said Aaron Van Valkenburg, the program manager.

“We all value our memories,” said Van Valkenburg. “In fact, 82 percent of seniors say it’s important to have their thinking or memory checked. But only 16 percent say they receive regular cognitive assessments. That puts an enormous burden on spouses, families and friends to watch for the tell-tale signs of confusion or memory loss.”

Additional information about the series is available at 253-798-4600. 

srmedia by — September 9, 2019 in Everything Else