Clubs in Tacoma and Seattle are curling’s local hotbeds

Who hasn’t used a broom or pushed a stone, right? But how many people have done both as part of a sport? Answer: The million-plus people worldwide and a fraction of that in the U.S. and the Puget Sound region who are into curling for glory or just for the fun of it.

For everybody else, curling is the quirky Olympic sport that gets its most attention during the Winter Games. In teams generally of four people, players slide granite stones (also called rocks) on a frozen surface toward a target of four concentric circles. Sort of like shuffleboard, but on ice, and with other differences. Teammates use a curling broom, or brush, to help smooth the stone’s path. Friction from the high-energy sweeping melts the surface enough to cause a thin layer of water for the heavy (44 pounds) stone to glide along. Points are scored for the stones that stop closest to the center of the target, or “house.”

The sport’s origin dates to 16th-century Scotland, where the first recorded match was played in 1541 and the sport’s international governing body, the World Curling Federation, is based today. According to the federation, curling has 1.5 million players worldwide, 90 percent of them in Canada, the hotbed of the sport. The U.S. has about 16,000 players, and most of them are registered with 165 curling clubs.

Washington has produced some prominent curlers. Sean Beighton, an Edmonds native, was introduced to the sport at Granite Curling Club in Seattle on his way to becoming coach of the United States team in the 2022 Winter Olympics. He’s also a past U.S. national champion.

The Seattle club is non-profit and holds competitions and classes for all ages at its rink in Seattle.

In Tacoma, the Rainier Curling Club (RCC) offers competition for experienced players and classes for novices at Tacoma Twin Rinks, located at 2645 S. 80th St. To get involved and find out more, go online at psicesports.com or call 253-272-7825.

Stephanie Betts, RCC’s commissioner, said the club has drop-in curling sessions on Monday nights and a “Learn to Curl” program that started last October and “is great for all ages, including seniors.”

Some experienced players are 55 and older “and are more than excited to help teach new players. We have all the equipment needed, so there’s no need to purchase any of the curling gear,” Betts said, adding that the club plans to get some specialized sticks “to help throw the rocks from a standing position for those who have a hard time getting low to the ice.”

Betts is also director of female hockey at Tacoma Twin Rinks, which includes adult and junior hockey and skating among its programs.

After giving some pointers, instructor Mike Schiebe watches as a new curler puts them to use in a scrimmage at Tacoma Twin Rinks.
Remember when everyone could balance a checkbook?

By Jennifer L. Gaskin

Throughout history, the times and places people lived in shaped the skills they needed to survive. Think about the years before the invention of electricity: Back then, many Americans knew how to build fires, drive wagons, or preserve food. Today, those once-essential skills have been replaced with tasks our ancestors could have never imagined, such as driving cars, building websites, or taking photographs.

In the last two decades,

Balancing a checkbook is one of the life skills that younger generations don’t (and might never) possess, according to a survey of adults from 18 to 76 years old.

Are some skills destined to become relics of the past? To find out, TheSeniorList.com conducted a study of 1,076 adults in equal amounts of four generations–baby boomers, Generation X, millennials, and Generation Z. Overall, 52 percent were females and the rest males. In almost every case, the skills in the study were most common among older adults between the ages of 58 and 76 and least common among younger adults 18 to 25. There were some slight differences, but several stood out because of how uncommon they are in more youthful generations today. The three skills most at risk of extinction are:

  • Negotiating purchase prices.

By a 39-point margin, baby boomers were much more likely than their younger counterparts to know how to negotiate the purchase prices of things like homes or new cars. Eighty-one percent of boomers said they can haggle on price, while only 43 percent of Gen Zers said the same. This could be explained by broader economic factors and the nature of the younger generation. Gen Zers in the research ranged in age from 18 to 25. According to an analysis by Realtor.com, Gen Z holds just a 2 percent share of the U.S. housing market, though as this generation ages into young adulthood, their share will rise. Additionally, with more transactions occurring online, opportunities to haggle may become increasingly rare.

  • Balancing a checkbook and writing a check.

Almost 90 percent of baby boomers know how to balance a checkbook, compared to just over half of Gen Zers. Research also revealed a sizable skill gap regarding checks between Gen Zers and millennials. About 70 percent of millennials said they could write a check or balance a checkbook if needed.This difference is likely due to online and mobile banking and the widespread use of credit and debit cards. About three-quarters of Americans use mobile apps for financial tasks like checking bank statements or making deposits. And while people still write checks, it’s a form of payment that has rapidly fallen out of favor. The most recent data from the Federal Reserve indicates that among all forms of non-cash payments, checks account for about 8 percent, down 26 percent since 2012.

  • Ironing.

Nearly 90 percent of baby boomers said they knew how to use an iron, compared to 64 percent of millennials and 56 percent of Generation Zers. This could indicate a shifting attitude toward clothing and work. In recent years, many businesses have relaxed their dress codes and allowed professionals to give up their suits and ties in favor of jeans and other casual clothes that don’t require ironing. Additionally, many employees are still working remotely since the start of the pandemic and don’t need to dress professionally while working from home.

Other life skills in decline are public speaking, salary negotiation, and reading analog clocks. They are significant ways in which younger generations may be falling behind.

Essential professional communication may be more difficult for younger workers. For example, 36 percent of Gen Zers said they know how to negotiate a raise or a salary at a job, compared to 63 percent for baby boomers and Gen Xers. Considering this generation will comprise about 30 percent of the American workforce by 2030, an inability to negotiate could pose problems.

Additionally, 58 percent of Generation Z and 63 percent of millennials said they were skilled in public speaking, compared to 71 percent of baby boomers. Many professionals have had limited opportunities to hone their face-to-face communication skills, especially since the pandemic. Combined with society’s ever-increasing reliance on smartphones, anxiety around public speaking may increase.

When it comes to domestic tasks, most people in all age groups feel confident doing things like baking or cooking without a recipe or preparing a meal for a family. But a couple of clothing-related skills may be going out of fashion. By a 31-point margin, baby boomers are more likely than Gen Zers to know how to iron clothes; similarly, they’re 28 points more likely to be able to make clothing alterations, like hemming a pair of pants or replacing a button—things only 40 percent of Gen Zers half of millennials can do.  By comparison, 61 percent of Gen Xers and 68 percent of baby boomers can.

One reason for the decline in several domestic skills could be that in many schools, family and consumer sciences (once called home economics) are either not taught or not required. An NPR (National Public Radio) anaysis found that such classes have declined over the past 20 years.

When it comes to do-it-yourself home repairs, Gen Zers are relatively competent compared to their older counterparts with using a power drill, mowing the lawn, or painting a room. Again, younger people are less likely to own homes, so, likely they have simply never had to do many such tasks. For example, 29 percent of Gen Zers know how to fix a leaky faucet. Plumbers typically charge anywhere from $45 to $200 per hour, so people of all ages would be well-advised to roll up their sleeves and get dirty.

The median income of all survey participants was between $50,000 and $74,999 a year.

 

Source: TheSeniorList.com provides consumer and product information for older adults and their caregivers.

 

‘We’re not out of the woods yet’

Testing for COVID -19 is strongly recommended for anyone experiencing symptoms. Ditto for anyone exposed to the illness but without symptoms. (Photo credit: dragana991 / iStock via Getty Images Plus)

“We’re not out of the woods yet,” said Dr. Albert A. Rizzo, chief medical officer for the American Lung Association. “That’s why it’s so important for those at high risk to understand when to test for the disease and to learn more about available treatment options.”

In response to the evolving science, the American Lung Association, with support from Pfizer, maker of a COVID vaccine, encourages older adults, people living with chronic lung disease, and other high-risk individuals to speak with their healthcare provider about their treatment options if they test positive for COVID-19.

Cold and flu season is upon us, bringing increased cases of infectious respiratory diseases, including flu, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and COVID-19. If you experience symptoms that could be COVID-19, get tested right away. Keep in mind that many infectious respiratory illnesses have similar symptoms, so during flu season, it’s especially important to find out which virus you have and which treatment is right for you.

If you’re exposed to COVID-19 but don’t experience symptoms, you should also test at least five days after the exposure. You may also consider getting tested prior to visiting someone at high risk for severe COVID-19 illness.

If you test positive for COVID-19 and are high-risk, speak with your healthcare provider right away about available treatment options.

Treatment may help prevent severe illness and reduce the risk of hospitalization. Depending on your situation, your healthcare provider may prescribe one of the following:

  • Oral antiviral medications, which may reduce the spread of COVID-19 throughout the body by stopping the virus from making copies of itself. This medication should be taken as soon as possible after diagnosis and within five days of symptom onset.
  • Monoclonal antibody treatment, an IV infusion antiviral medication, can help immune systems fight off the virus by blocking and limiting the amount of virus within the body. This medication should be given as soon as possible, and within seven days of when you started feeling ill.

After treatment, monitor your condition and report any lingering or worsening symptoms to your healthcare provider. If you begin having difficulty breathing or any other symptom indicating severe illness, seek urgent care.

More information about COVID-19 testing (including where and how to be tested) and treatment is available at lung.org/treating-COVID and from local health authorities, such as the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department (tpchd.org, 253-649-1412) and Seattle-King County Public Health (kingcounty.gov/covid, 206-296-4600)).

Officials for the latter note that people experiencing mild to moderate illness can test themselves at home with test kits that are available free at public libraries. There also are free test sites for the public.

County and the state health departments monitor communicable illnesses, including COVID-19 and flu, and issue weekly updates on their prevalence. The information, which is obtained through hospitals and urgent-care clinics, lab tests, and reports of any outbreaks at congregate settings such as long-term care facilities, are made available online and through the news media.

COVID-19 report a wide range of symptoms, from mild to severe, that may occur two to 14 days after exposure. They include:

  • Cough.
  • Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing.
  • Fever.
  • Chills.
  • Muscle pain.
  • Headache.
  • Sore throat.
  • Loss of taste or smell.

“While effective treatments can help prevent severe illness after infection, vaccination is still the best protection against COVID-19,” Rizzo said. “Keep your vaccinations up to date. Check with your healthcare provider to see if you’re eligible for an updated booster.”

 

StatePoint Media contributed to this report.

People who do the hiring admit it: ‘Yes, there is age bias’

In a national survey of hiring managers, four out of every 10 admitted to age bias when reviewing resumes of older job applicants.

The survey of 800 hiring managers across the U.S. also revealed age bias on both ends of the chronological spectrum: 80 percent of the managers said they have concerns about taking on employees who are 60-plus and under 25. This is despite a labor shortage that prompted many employers to reach out to retirees to expand the pool of possible workers, an admission of the value of older, experienced workers, according to Resume Builder, an online source of career of job-hunting advice that conducted the survey in February.

“Yes, there is age bias in hiring,” said Lori Rassas, an attorney and human resources consultant. “The good news is that we’re making some progress in this regard, but the bad news is that it continues to be a lose-lose situation, as older candidates are being denied opportunities and employers are missing out on dedicated and talented candidates.”

For applicants aged 60 and up, survey respondents said their main concerns are that the employee may retire not long after starting and may not be proficient in the technology needed to do the job.

“As much as age bias is still alive and well, this current marketplace is allowing older applicants to display that they are technically capable and adaptable and able to function well in a remote environment,” said Stacie Haller, a career consultant for Resume Builder.

When considering applicants who are younger than 25, hiring managers have different concerns—mostly that young workers are likely to leave the job within a short period of time and lack the necessary experience.

Heller said older and younger applicants “can express during the interview process how they individually don’t fit the stereotype of their cohorts and how and why they are the perfect candidate for the position.”

Resume Builder asked hiring managers what applicants can do to avoid falling prey to age-based bias. The managers advised not to include a photo with resumes, as that can make age bias more likely. But they also said applicants should always include all relevant work experience, even if it spans 25 years or more.

Heller said experience from past decades isn’t necessarily applicable, especially in professions such as IT, (“The workplace over 20 years ago doesn’t resemble today’s world”). But she said “there are ways to include this info without specific dates if it adds to their experience and value as a candidate. Other tips, like not using an AOL e-mail address and taking off the words ‘cell’ and ‘e-mail,’” are examples of ways to eliminate potential ageism on a resume.

The moral of Resume Builder’s survey results is that the job-search process must be “geared toward eliminating any preconceived notions a prospective employer has about your age,” Rassas said. “Is that unfair? Perhaps, but look at it this way: The more you do to dispel these preconceived notions, the more level the playing field becomes—and the less your age becomes a factor.”

The survey was commissioned by ResumeBuilder.com and conducted online by the survey platform Pollfish last February

When it comes to getting hired, workers 60 and older face age bias. So do some of their younger co-workers. (Photo illustration/U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics)

. Respondents were either a supervisor, business administrator, or HR manager.