All Posts in "Month: February 2016"

A state legislator from Steilacoom has received the Outstanding Legislator award from the Washington Department of Veterans Affairs.
Rep. Dick Muri, whose 28th District constituency includes Joint Base Lewis-McChord, was honored for his work in the Legislature on behalf of the state’s approximately 700,000 military veterans. He has sponsored “a multitude of resolutions and laws for the benefit of veterans,” said Lourdes Alvarado-Ramos, director of Veterans Affairs.
The agency administers benefits and services to veterans and their families, including healthcare, education and training, mental health counseling and employment services.
“The real recognition should be directed toward our veterans and their families who have made tremendous sacrifices to serve our country in peace and wartime, and all the people that work hard to ensure they get the services they need,” said Muri. “I’m glad to be an ally and a voice for them in the Legislature.”

srmedia by — February 10, 2016 in News

Five senior living communities in Tacoma are once again joining to help seniors find the best community for their wants, needs, desires, location and budget.
On Feb. 17, Franke Tobey Jones, Narrows Glen, Merrill Gardens, Tacoma Lutheran Retirement Community and Weatherly Inn will host group tours to give potential future residents a snapshot of as many of the communities as they desire.
“Together, we want to make sure you are well-informed about the options in the Tacoma area,” said Christine Hall, Franke Tobey Jones’ senior director of marketing and one of the event’s organizers. “You can be assured in choosing one of these communities that you will be well cared for.”
The event has been held the past two years, “and last year we ran out of seats on all our vans,” Hall said. “If you’d like to join the tour in February, please make sure to call and make a reservation so we can reserve a seat for you.”
It’s “perfectly fine” for people to drive their own car and follow one of the community vans, but they should still RSVP so enough food and brochures can be prepared, Hall added.
Reservations and RSVPs can be made at 253-756-7562 by Feb. 12 in order to have a place on a tour van and schedule which communities to visit
The schedule calls for, at 10 a.m.:
• Start at one of the five communities.
• Hear a short presentation about the communities and the day’s activities, and then tour that community.
And from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.,
• Get aboard the community van or drive in your own car and go to the next community.
• Each will have a representative from that community to answer questions, and each van will stop at all five locations, then take participants back to where they started.
Kristine Grant, Community Relations Director for Tacoma Lutheran Retirement Community and also a Tour event organizer.
“We are really looking forward to being able to provide a wide array of information and answer questions for seniors who are thinking about moving into a retirement community,” said Kristine Grant, community relations director for Tacoma Lutheran Retirement and also a tour organizer.

srmedia by — February 10, 2016 in Personal Finance/Consumers

When she recalls the first time she offered to guide meditation sessions inside the W.W. Seymour Botanical Conservatory, Megan Zaback seems once again overwhelmed with the lush, nearly magical atmosphere of the structure which has graced Wright Park in Tacoma since 1908.
“I had just started teaching yoga” in Tacoma after an extended absence from her home town, she said. “I love Wright Park, and one day I just walked into the conservatory. ‘Oh, this would be spectacular,’ I thought, so I immediately approached Tyra (Shenaurlt, the on-site manager), and she said yes.”
And so several years ago, Zaback began leading an evolving series of meditation and movement sessions under various names and on different schedules – sometimes evenings, sometimes days. Now, the hour-long Relax and Renew events take place twice monthly on Saturdays beginning at 9 a.m., just before the conservatory, which is operated by Metro Parks Tacoma and is home to hundreds of exotic plants within the glass dome and wings, opens to the public at 10 o’clock.
Participants stretch out on floor mats, sit on cushions or perch on chairs. “You don’t have to bring anything,” Zaback said. Even so, it’s best to wear something loose, comfortable and perhaps in layers to adjust to the temperature inside, she advised. In fall and winter, the conservatory can be cool, so Zaback keeps socks on.
Typically, about a dozen people turn out for each session, but there’s room for about 20. Participants are a mix of ages, from children to the elderly.
“Anybody can do this,” Zaback said. “No experience is necessary.”
Sessions begin with gentle stretching and simple exercises to enhance awareness of the body and breath. “There’s always music playing,” and sometimes the group chants, Zaback said. She often brings a large brass bowl, known as a singing bowl, which vibrates musically when struck or stroked.
“It’s all about relaxing,” she said. “So many people are overly stressed out, with clenched jaws, headaches, stomach problems, aches and pains. To allow the body to really heal, we have to drop out of that stress zone. It’s imperative.”
At a certain point during the sessions, Zaback turns off the music. “Silence is its own sound,” she said.
Zaback speaks earnestly of her practices of meditation and various healing arts, which include massage, yoga and reiki. She began studying with her first yoga teacher at 19. Now 35, she travels to Hawaii every few months and wears her thick, light brown hair in a loose mane which hangs about halfway down her back.
She’s always had an awareness of the spiritual connection that she said can be achieved through meditation. It takes practice to focus the mind, but it shouldn’t be daunting or scary, she noted.
“It’s beautiful to be part of someone’s exploration and awakening,” she said, adding that the verdant ambience of the antique Seymour Conservatory enhances the experience.
“It’s a very powerful, healing place. It’s aesthetically pleasing. It just warms the heart to be with those plants,” Zaback said.

Meditation sessions in the Seymour Botanical Conservatory in Tacoma are for all ages, from children to the elderly. “Anybody can do this,” said Megan Zaback, who leads the twice-monthly gatherings. (Metro Parks/courtesy photo)
Meditation sessions in the Seymour Botanical Conservatory in Tacoma are for all ages, from children to the elderly. “Anybody can do this,” said Megan Zaback, who leads the twice-monthly gatherings. (Metro Parks/courtesy photo)
Contributing Author by — February 10, 2016 in Spotlight

Just about every minute, a woman dies of heart disease. But the majority of these deaths are avoidable. That’s why Social Security encourages you to participate in National Wear Red Day on February 5, which aims to raise awareness about preventing heart disease and stroke among women.

Social Security plays an important role in many women’s lives — nearly 60 percent of people receiving Social Security benefits are women. Social Security provides important financial assistance to women in times of need, including a sudden illness or an injury leading to disability. While many illnesses and injuries are difficult or impossible to prevent, there are steps that women can take to help prevent some health issues, so that they can live longer and healthier lives.

According to the American Heart Association, “heart disease is the number one killer of women, causing one in three deaths each year.” But the American Heart Association reports that this is 80 percent preventable with education and lifestyle changes. Changes in diet and exercise can help prevent these events, along with obtaining preventative healthcare such as cholesterol checks. You can take part in raising awareness about this women’s health issue by wearing red on February 5 to show your support. You can also learn more about heart disease and stroke prevention by visiting www.goredforwomen.org.

Raising awareness about women’s health issues is important to improving quality of life for all women. Social Security is also committed to addressing the unique concerns that women may face in obtaining Social Security benefits, whether they’re seeking benefits for health or other reasons. Women may face different situations than men throughout their lives that can affect their need for benefits. For instance, women are more likely than men to outlive their spouse. Working women earn less on average than men do. Women are more likely to be stay-at-home parents or spouses. All of these circumstances can cause women to have different Social Security needs than men have.

In order to address these concerns in one place, we have a website designed for women that provides pertinent information to women regarding Social Security’s services. This website includes information that may be particularly useful to working women, women who receive Social Security benefits, brides, new mothers, wives, divorced women, caregivers, and widows. Our website for women provides information on retirement, survivors, disability, and Supplemental Security Income benefits. Our website also contains links to Social Security publications relevant to women’s issues, such as our publications What Every Woman Should Know and Understanding the Benefits. You can visit our website for women at www.socialsecurity.gov/people/women.

We hope that raising awareness on women’s health issues and providing women easy access to information about Social Security benefits can enrich your life and the lives of those you love.

 

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

srmedia by — February 2, 2016 in News