All Posts in "Month: December 2015"

“What do you think? Who will win the White House?” asks every caring American. And from the curious and the cynical comes that other question: “And exactly how will he or she win?”
Whether you are a reformer, a skeptic or a concerned citizen, the University of Puget Sound is inviting one and all to a free six-lecture series it will host Jan. 21 to April 28 on the race for president.
Political scientist Michael Artime and presidential historian Mike Purdy will provide analysis of the 2016 campaign and some historical insights to put today’s news into perspective. They will lay out the hot-button issues in the current contest and share some of the colorful stories behind two centuries of presidential elections—ever since George Washington was unanimously elected in 1789.
The lectures will be held from 7 to 8:30 p.m. on Thursdays in McIntyre Hall, Room 103, situated on Jones Circle on the university campus. The one-hour presentations will be followed by half-hour Q&A sessions, allowing attendees to learn more and share their own views.
“We could see a brokered Republican convention in 2016, and that’s something we’ve not had since 1952,” says Purdy, a presidential historian, consultant, author and UPS alum. “Normally the convention is just pageantry, with the candidate already selected, but this time delegates could be free to vote as they wish on the second round, which will mean some real horse-brokering going on. At this point it’s really a very fluid situation.”
This possibility will be discussed in the first lecture, “The Long Road to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue,” on Jan. 21 at 7 p.m.
Artime, adjunct professor at Puget Sound and Tacoma Community College, and Purdy will also discuss the controversial Citizens United Supreme Court case that led to the creation of super PACs, which allow corporations and individuals to put unlimited funds behind their favorite candidates.
Other dates for lectures and their topics are Feb. 18 (“Who Wants to be President?”), March 10 (“What do the Candidates Believe?”), March 24 (“What Voters and States Will Elect the Next President?”), April 14 (“How Accurate are the Polls?)”, and April 28 (“Media Marketing and the Making of the President”).
“Initially we hope to get students and the public interested in the political process, and if they are, then voting is the natural outcome,” said Artime. “Ultimately we hope that this understanding will help motivate students and citizens to be politically active and do more about the issues they care about.”
The election series is sponsored by the University of Puget Sound Forensics Program, which trains the student debate team, and the Department of Politics and Government. Members of the debate team will help with the event, and many will be present to keep the speakers on their toes, a university spokeswoman said.

srmedia by — December 16, 2015 in News

You may be a healthy adult who hasn’t had the flu since you were a child — or maybe you’ve never had the flu.
Even if you get the flu, you figure you’ll recover and be fine.
But if you haven’t had a flu shot and you’re exposed to the flu virus, you won’t know for a day or two that you’re sick — and during those two days, you’re infectious.
“You could be exposing other people who have risk factors and who could die from the flu,” says Sue Gustafson, director of infection prevention at MultiCare Health System.
Those most at risk include people with medical conditions such as asthma and chronic lung disease, those with a weakened immune system, pregnant women, children and the elderly.
On average, influenza leads to more than 200,000 hospitalizations and 36,000 deaths each year, according to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services.
Last year in Washington, 157 people died of laboratory-confirmed influenza, including one child, Gustafson says.
“Protect others,” she says. “That’s why we get the flu vaccine.”

Why get the flu shot now?

Although flu activity is low in the United States right now, it’s best to get your flu shot early to give it time to be effective, Gustafson says.
The flu vaccine contains inactivated flu virus, which cannot give you infection. This prompts an immune response — that is, your body recognizes something foreign and reacts by producing antibodies to get rid of it. If you’re later exposed to the live virus, your body will be able to recognize it and quickly launch an immune attack to kill the virus.
This immune response takes a period of time to fully develop, which is why it’s important to get the flu shot early, Gustafson says.
It only takes a few minutes to get a flu shot, she says. And the side effects are usually no worse than a sore arm or feeling tired for a couple of days afterward.
Those are normal reactions, and a small price for the protection you’re giving yourself — and others around you, Gustafson says.

Who should get the flu shot, and where?

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends a yearly flu vaccine for everyone six months old and older.
You can get your flu shot by making an appointment with your primary care or pediatric provider, visiting a pharmacy that offers the vaccine or visiting one of MultiCare’s walk-in clinics.

Pharmacies that offer the flu shot typically accept most forms of insurance, but be sure to let your primary care doctor know you received your flu shot so it can be added to your record.
MultiCare Health System offers convenient walk-in options:
• MultiCare Express Clinic in Lakewood, 5700 100th St. SW. (inside Rite-Aid store). Monday-Friday 9 a.m.–8 p.m., Saturday-Sunday 10 a.m.–6 p.m. Convenient medical care for a wide range of minor conditions, plus vaccinations, sports physicals and more for adults and kids 2 years and older (vaccines are for patients 19 years and older). No appointment needed.
• MultiCare Immunization Clinic at South Hill Mall, 3500 S. Meridian. Free and low-cost immunizations for children and adults. No appointments are necessary. The kiosk is open five days a week. Children: Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, 10:30 a.m.–5 p.m., and every second Saturday, 11:30 a.m.–5 p.m. Adults: Tuesday-Friday, 10:30 a.m.–5 p.m., and every other Saturday, 11:30 a.m.–5 p.m.

 

Source: MultiCare Health System

Getting a flu shot means those most at risk from the illness won't get sick from you.
Getting a flu shot means those most at risk from the illness won’t get sick from you.
srmedia by — December 16, 2015 in Health & Fitness

Don Hansen’s vision reached another milestone when Cascade Park Communities recently celebrated the 20th anniversary of its memory care facility, Cascade Park Gardens, with an in-house celebration and a private party at C.I. Shenanigans.
The vision of the Gardens began in 1994 when Hansen, a local businessman and licensed professional engineer, perceived a lack of affordable senior living facilities in the Puget Sound region when he was investigating the options for his then 85-year-old father. Hansen found that many organizations offered living accommodations, but the services and prices appeared to be beyond the scope of the average senior citizen. Additionally, he decided that most existing facilities didn’t offer fulfilling senior activities.
From that observation, Hansen moved forward with the design and construction of Cascade Park Gardens, a 95-bed licensed boarding home located in south Tacoma which held its grand opening in 1995. Hansen remains active in the business the manager and president of Cascade Park Communities.
In 1998, Hansen had the opportunity to purchase a second community, the former Grand Vista, located near downtown Tacoma. He soon renamed it Cascade Park Vista, and this 112-room facility became Cascade Park Communities’ operational headquarters. Formerly the Doric Hotel, Cascade Park Vista is located in the heart of the Stadium Historical District and is a thriving home to over 100 vulnerable seniors/adults, many of whom are funded by the state’s Medicaid program, which aligns with Hansen’s passion and commitment to offer a safe, comfortable, vibrant community to those in need of assisted living without regard to their financial situation.
Following the purchase of Cascade Park Vista, which was open assisted-living, Hansen decided to convert the Gardens into a specialized, secure memory care community. Hansen said there was a need in the community for such a facility.
Today, as Cascade Park Gardens celebrates its 20th anniversary, 80 residents with Alzheimer’s or dementia call it home. It also provides jobs for 60 people, several of whom have been with the company for the entire 20 years.
Hansen, who is now in his 80s himself, is still dedicated to bringing Tacoma affordable assisted-living and adult day services. He said the caring staff helps the assisted-living residents and day health participants enjoy day-to-day living with grace and dignity. The emphasis of the communities is to provide safe, comfortable and competent assisted care, and to promote independence by encouraging individuals to stay active within our supportive environments.
A spokeswoman for his company said Hansen is conjuring up yet another way to serve seniors and adults in need throughout Pierce County and beyond. You just never know what the next 20 years might bring, she noted. As Hansen says, “We are in the business of producing smiles.”

Cascade Park Communities founder Don Hansen was joined by his wife, Jean, at the company's 20th anniversary celebration.
Cascade Park Communities founder Don Hansen was joined by his wife, Jean, at the company’s 20th anniversary celebration.
srmedia by — December 16, 2015 in Personal Finance/Consumers

In 1961, the Tacoma-Pierce County Genealogical Society opened shop with six members. At the end of the first year, their membership had grown to 54 members and currently hovers around 150 folks anxious and excited to look into their past and make new discoveries.
Member Carol Rikerd said she became curious about her family history when she and her brother made a discovery, asked their mother about it and, when she refused to discuss it, Rikerd was determined to learn more.
“That sparked our curiosity because my grandfather was illegitimate and that was the cause of her reticence,” she said.
In 2011, after her mother’s death, Rikerd discovered letters from her grandmother and learned, among other things, that her grandfather was a circuit-riding minister.
“Oh, this was a mystery and I was going to solve it,” she said.
She started her journey into the past by visiting the Tacoma Public Library Northwest Room, where she took a basic genealogy class.
“If you are trying to find family history or just general history, the Northwest Room is a diamond mine,” she said.
On her first visit to the Genealogical Society, Rikerd said she learned more in two hours than she had learned in class. “I was hooked on genealogy,” she said.
Members of the Society are very passionate about their quest to discover the past.
George Snyder is the group’s vice president in charge of education. He joined in 2000 and said the Society offers a lot of tips on doing research, adding that the Internet has made a huge difference in delving into the past.
Snyder said there are three “Cs” to genealogy: Curiosity that helps dig into family lines. Commitment that keeps the research going. And creativity which is required for generating ancestral narratives, as well as creating new questions to ask that aid in future research.
When Snyder discovered his grandfather had served on a jury in 1911 and was picked to serve on a murder trial, his interest was captured.
“I called the Tacoma Public Library and asked if they were aware of a trial for a murder, and they went back and gave me the names and I could go forward,” he said.
Snyder said genealogy “is like opening a door into the past.”
The Tacoma-Pierce County Genealogical Society meets at Bates Technical College’s South Campus at 2201 S. 78th St. in Tacoma. More information about the Society is available at http://www.tpcgs.org.family-tree-web

Joan Cronk by — December 16, 2015 in Spotlight