All Posts in "Month: October 2014"

A traveling group waits for a shuttle that will take them to Vancouver, B.C. and the start of a cruise to San Francisco.
A traveling group waits for a shuttle that will take them to Vancouver, B.C. and the start of a cruise to San Francisco.

It always amazes me how quickly a year goes by. Here we are in November already and the weather is turning cold and I don’t always like it. Yes, a crisp, clear, sunny day is beautiful, but if we have the cold, wet and gray, I’m not so great.
Now, great was our little getaway in September out of Vancouver to San Francisco. That is something else that amazes me – how just a short getaway can change your mood and make things right in the world again. We cruised on the Island Princess, a medium-size ship and easy to get around. She had two beautiful show rooms with nice performances to entertain us after dinner. The shops were well-stocked, so we didn’t miss much with only one stop in Victoria. There was plenty of shopping to be done on board, especially with the sales of leftovers from the Alaska season. The food was wonderful and, as with all cruises, plentiful. The weather was perfect with a sunny day and relatively calm seas. What more could you ask for?
October brought those beautiful fall colors. A trip across Stevens Pass to Leavenworth is always a joy. The color is so vibrant on that route. It seems we just have to do it every year. Oktoberfest was going on and the town was festive. We did see some of the devastation left behind from the summer fires and certainly look forward to the regrowth that we know will come.
November has us going to Ocean Shores with an overnight at the Quinault Casino. This is perhaps the only time that I hope for stormy weather. It is always exciting to see the waves crashing onto the shore. And then we can enjoy the view from oceanfront rooms. There might still be room to join us on Nov. 15.
Next on the agenda is a cruise Feb. 7 out of Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. for seven days to the Bahamas, St. Thomas and St. Maarten. We will be with Royal Caribbean again, this time on Oasis. This is the sister ship to Allure that we fell in love with. It is big but never crowded. It has Central Park and the Boardwalk, an Aqua Theater, ice show, Broadway plays, parades down 5th Avenue, and something to do every minute of the day.
Also in February is a Collette adventure to tropical Costa Rica. This is a nine-day trip visiting San Jose, the Cloud Forest, Arenal Volcano, the Cano Negro Refuge and so much more.
April is the Panama Canal. This has materialized to be a very nice group and we are quite excited. It is 19 days out of Tampa, Fla. to Vancouver.
For further information and reservations, call me at 253-927-8207 or e-mail me at linda.finch@gmail.com

Linda Finch by — October 15, 2014 in Lifestyle, Home, Adventures

Disability is something most people do not like to think about. But the chances that you will become disabled probably are greater than you realize. Studies show that a 20-year-old worker has a 1-in-4 chance of becoming disabled before reaching age 67.

Perhaps the most misunderstood Social Security program is disability insurance, often referred to as SSDI. Some people mistakenly think that beneficiaries are “on the dole” and getting easy money for minor impairments. That’s not the case. There are two ways to understand the truth about disability. One is by looking at the facts. The other is by getting to know some of the people who make up the many faces of disability.

We have some of the strictest requirements in the world for disability benefits. The Social Security Act sets out a very strict definition of disability. To receive a disability benefit, a person must have an impairment expected to last at least one year or result in death. The impairment must be so severe that it renders the person unable to perform any substantial work in the national job market, not just their previous work. SSDI does not include temporary or partial disability benefits. Because the eligibility requirements are so strict, Social Security disability beneficiaries are among the most severely impaired people in the country and tend to have high death rates.

In addition, Social Security conducts a periodic review of people who receive disability benefits to ensure they remain eligible for disability. Social Security also aggressively works to prevent, detect, and prosecute fraud. Social Security often investigates suspicious disability claims before making a decision to award benefits—proactively stopping fraud before it happens. These steps help to ensure that only those eligible have access to disability benefits.
Americans place a high premium on self-sufficiency, but it is reassuring to know that Social Security disability insurance is there for those who need it the most.

 

Kirk Larson, who wrote this article, is a public affairs specialist for Senior Security in western Washington.

srmedia by — October 15, 2014 in News

Information from Pierce County and state officials will be presented in free public workshops this month on the subject of Medicare options for health insurance.
“Checking on Choices for Medicare” will be presented by the Pierce County Aging and Disability Resource Center and SHIBA – Statewide Health Insurance Benefits Advisors, a service of the state Office of the Insurance Commissioner. The information-only event is for Medicare beneficiaries and anyone else interested in Medicare coverage.
The presentation will be held three times:
• Nov. 3 from 12:10 to 12:50 p.m. at the Pierce County Annex main meeting room at 2401 S. 35th St. in Tacoma.
• Nov. 5 from 12:10 to 12:50 p.m. at the County-City Building’s seventh-floor Rainier Conference Room in Tacoma
• Nov. 8 from 9:30 to 11 a.m. at the Soundview Building at 3602 Pacific Ave. in Tacoma.
The sessions will include an overview of Original Medicare, Medicare Parts A, B and D, and Medicare Advantage, as well as wrap-around coverage options. Participants will learn about comparing plans and the basic elements to consider for coverage that will provide the best coverage for the least amount of money, said Aaron Van Valkenburg, manager of Aging and Disability Resources, an agency of Pierce County government.
“There’s good news and not-so-good news with Medicare,” said Van Valkenburg. “The good news is that consumers can now make choices for their coverage that will offer the best coverage based on their lifestyle, medical conditions and budget. The not-so-good-news is that if consumers do not take a close look each year, they could end up spending money needlessly.”

srmedia by — October 15, 2014 in Health & Fitness

People who want to reduce their stress, gain flexibility and keep moving can benefit from chair yoga.
“We move all the joints in our body so it helps maintain flexibility and range of motion,” said Diane DeMars, who teaches chair yoga at University Place Senior Center.
Her Wednesday afternoon classes at the center, which is at 2534 Grandview W., are called Heart and Soul Chair Yoga, begin the second Wednesday of each month and run from 3 to 3:45 p.m. Fees are $25 per month for a three-class series, and everyone is welcome.
DeMars said chair yoga also creates a sense of well-being.
“It helps folks be able to bend over comfortably, reach into their cupboards and look over their shoulder,” she said.
DeMars has been teaching yoga fulltime for almost 20 years. “I started before it was popular,” she said
She began attending yoga classes 25 years ago and fell in love with the activity.
“It is an amazing, practical class, and now it has gotten to be a fad. If I’m packing boxes and start to feel back pain, I stop and do yoga poses and the pain stops. Yoga is a very practical, everyday practice that you can use in your daily life. It is more than just a class,” she said.
Class participant Norma Washington would agree. She said she suffered from anxiety and panic attacks prior to taking yoga.
“Now I’m armed with the proper breathing techniques and stretches and haven’t suffered one attack,” Washington said. “My increased flexibility and strength has also been beneficial to my overall health.”
DeMars said that focusing on breathing helps make movements safer and more energy-efficient.
“You use less energy when you are moving with the breaths,” she said.
As people age, their balance can suffer and yoga helps with that as well, said DeMars. People who “come to class and learn to breathe better and help with their balance” have enhanced their life, she added.
Another class member said she has vertigo problems, and chair yoga has helped her immensely. She said she has a tendency to get frustrated easily, and chair yoga has taught her breathing skills to calm herself. After classes, she feels better and continues to do the movements when she gets home
Class members said DeMars is knowledgeable and cares about each student.

Chair yoga classes like the one taught at University Place Senior Center have enthusiastic participants.
Chair yoga classes like the one taught at University Place Senior Center have enthusiastic participants.
Joan Cronk by — October 15, 2014 in Spotlight