All Posts in "Month: March 2020"

All the way to ‘glorious’ Antarctica

What a way to start off the decade!

A small group of seniors made the trek to Antarctica in January. I was unable to travel with them, but I would like to share their stories with you. I have spoken with each and found out some of the things they discovered. But, let’s start at the beginning, and I will try to show it to you through their eyes.

It was a long flight out of Seattle to Santiago, but a private transfer was arranged to the beautiful Sheraton Hotel. Not many took advantage of touring the city, but all mentioned how great the food and the service were.

After getting a most needed night’s sleep, they were ready to take their private transfer to the Coral Princess docked in San Antonio. Passengers and bags were loaded into the bus and the driver/guide was introduced. The only problem was that he didn’t speak English. As luck would have it, Cheri Wilson spoke Portuguese and was able to make sense of what was being said and became the group “tour guide.” A delightful stop was made at a beautiful winery en route and they arrived in San Antonio to find out that the ship could not sail that night due to impending weather. The ship was beautiful and everyone was comfortable.

The first port of call was to be Punta Areanas, but once again the weather got in the way and the ship sailed on to Puerto Montt. This port is the gateway to the Andes Mountains and the Patagorian fjords. I remember it, from my previous cruise to this area, for the wonderful city square with an early 19th century cathedral.

Ushusia, Argentina is as far south as you can go and the very end of what we know as I-5. This is a great little town for walking around at the End of the World. Dick and Sharon Wolfe were even able to fulfill their quest for seeing every Hard Rock Cafe, as there was one in Ushusia. The winds came up in the afternoon, giving thought to the trip the next day around Cape  Horn.  Thoughts of pirate ships and massive seas gave way to calm waters as they went around the horn at Tierra del Fuego.

And then on to Antarctica for a couple of days of amazing slow cruising. Penguins were lazing on ice flows or darting about the ship. Whales were in evidence. Everywhere they looked were gigantic icebergs floating along and miles of glacial ice. The seas were calm and, though cold, many hours were spent on deck watching this glorious part of our world.

In the Falkland Islands, some signed up for the penguin lagoon tour. The 4x4s that took them there gave quite a ride, but they were able to see many Kings and Gentoo penguins and allowed to walk right up next to them.

Montevideo, Uruguay seems to have been a real highlight of the trip. The weather was beautiful and the city was easy to walk in. Several went to the La Rabida Estancia, where they experienced gaucho life on a 2,470-acre ranch. A barbecue was shared and guides transported them via a caravan of horse-drawn carriages, tractor and trucks with trailers and bales of straw for seating around the ranch. There was gaucho music and dancing. They even had an opportunity to try a hand at milking the cows.

Too soon, the ship was docking in Buenos Aires and everyone was transferred to the Sofitel Hotel. Again, the weather was very warm, so not a lot of walking took place (the Hard Rock was found).  Several, however, did take part in an evening tour which included dinner and the famous tango dancers.

Now it is your turn to make plans for this decade. We have some space with Viking River Cruises sailing out of Amsterdam on June 19 on a Grand European Tour for 15 days, ending in Budapest. In July, we have a seven-day Alaska cruise round-trip out of Seattle, so no need for flying. There is a lady looking for a roommate if you need someone to share with. The British Isles are also calling in July with a 12-night cruise out of Southampton. 

Early planning is required for the Mediterranean and Holy Lands Cruise Nov. 8-22, 2021. We have a nice group developing already and would love to have you join us. Cruise out of Rome to Katakalon, Athens, Kuadasi, Jerusalem, Galilee, Limassol, Rhodes, Mykonos and Valetta. Book now and hold space to dream about.

For further information and reservations, contact Linda Finch at 253-927-8207 or linda.finch@gmail.com.

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srmedia by — March 2, 2020 in Lifestyle, Home, Adventures
$20 million putting extra spring in the step of senior centers

King County is putting big money into senior centers and other programs for older adults, and County Councilman Rod Dembowski is one of the biggest cheerleaders for the ideas behind the effort.

Dembowski, who joined other council members in authorizing $20.6 million in voter-approved funding to be allocated for senior services, said he has seen “firsthand” in his own family the value in public investments in older adults.

“My 90-year-old dad is a regular visitor for meals and dances at his local senior centers,” Dembowski said. “These investments help ensure that our seniors have access to the services they have earned by their lifetime of contributions to our community and nation.”

County officials say the spending on senior centers and communities – from Enumclaw to Burien and in between — will offer resources for older adults and their caregivers, expand outreach to isolated seniors, and create and enhance services reflecting the diversity of the county’s older residents. 

The money comes from the Veterans, Seniors and Human Services Levy, approved by voters in 2017. The levy includes funding dedicated to older adults and caregivers.

Twenty-eight senior centers successfully competed for portions of $19.4 million that will be allocated over the next four years. They will form “hubs” for targeted senior services around the region, officials said.

Additionally, 13 senior centers will receive $90,000 each in one-time funding to provide services or make minor capital or equipment purchases to better serve older adults.

The goal, said County Executive Dow Constantine, is to “improve the quality of life for our local seniors and their families. Thanks to voters, we are making healthy aging a priority, and the support we’re providing for these senior centers will significantly increase access to services.”

The county’s Department of Community and Human Services encouraged regional senior centers and other community groups to form collaborations, or hubs, to better reach specific demographics, a defined geographic area or a cultural group. For example, three centers will provide support and social engagement for Native American elders and isolated and homebound seniors from diverse cultural groups.

Hub locations and financial commitments to help them serve as resource centers on aging services and offer support, outreach, connection, and social engagement seniors in their areas include:

  • Kent Senior Activity Center, $1.4 million.
  • Enumclaw Senior Center, $885,010.
  • South King County, $1.5 million. Hub partners include Auburn Senior Activity Center, Federal Way Senior Center and Pacific Senior Center.
  • African Diaspora nub, $1.5 million. For elders of the African Diaspora in Central Seattle and south King County. Partners include Central Area Senior Center and Des Moines Senior Activity Center.

Money also is earmarked for El Centro de La Raza Senior Hub, Hub for Asian-American Pacific Islander Seniors, GenPRIDE Center, North Seattle Hub, Northshore Senior Center, India Association of Western Washington Senior Services Hub, Pike Market Senior Center, and Southeast Seattle Senior Hub.

Burien is among 13 cities and community organizations receiving $90,000 apiece in one-year funding to increase opportunities for senior centers to serve diverse populations of elders.

Significant health risks accompany social isolation, according to officials. They said remaining socially engaged in a community leads to better physical, mental and cognitive health, resistance to illness and disease, and a sense of purpose, control and longevity.

Many seniors in King County experience or are at risk of social isolation because of few social supports, lack of nearby family, and mobility issues that cause them to be homebound, officials noted. At particular risk are individuals in an immigrant community, Native American elders, non-English speakers, LGBTQ individuals, or seniors in rural areas.

srmedia by — March 2, 2020 in Spotlight
Meet Bob Jamison, a gardener for all seasons

A visit to a community garden is a wonderful way to observe local vegetable gardening. Another way is to talk with a member and experience their connections and relationships to such a place.

A conversation with Robert (Bob) Jamison, treasurer with the University Place Community Garden (UPCG), took place Dec. 12 at his home in Fircrest. Bob lives a quarter of a mile from the Evergreen Primary School-located garden and enjoys walkingto work. He is one of the primary people who have taken up the specializedtask of weeding the garden paths. He considers it one of his main contributions.  

It is common to see Bob in red jacket and baseball cap, on his hands and knees, making a path look pristine. He has removed the spent raspberry canes and invasive blackberry thorny branches found in the community berry patch. His family members, upon visiting, arrive at the garden with hats and gloves, assisting in widening paths, weeding, and even addressing fencing to keep out the rabbits and deer. “The deer were tipping their heads,” he says, into his 4 x 12-foot garden bed until his daughter, Leslie, helped him lay some one-inch chicken wire over the top.  

Bob’s son, Dennis, discovered the garden on a walk. Soon after, Bob had a bed. Growing tomatoes and strawberries at home, he considered himself new at gardening at the time, but willing and “one of my better decisions.”

Bob is 92. His advice: Walk! He is grateful to have created a focus to stay healthy. Last May, he hiked in Yosemite with his brother Bud and son Brian.

Bob was invited to be the treasurer of UPCG, a non-profit organization, and has been on the steering committee for three years.

“My goal was to be mistake-free in the tracking and reporting. I think I was successful in that,” he said.

Leading many maintenance projects, he has provided significant support for UPCG to be a functional garden. Taking off the heavy garden shed door to reset the hinges with his son, Brian, is noteworthy. His attention to the hose bibs and hose maintenance has kept down on leaks and reminds us of our water stewardship in the hot, dry summers of our Mediterranean-type climate here in the Pacific Northwest. “Water the roots, not the leaves” is our mantra.

Kale is Bob’s favorite vegetable. The curly leaf variety is thriving this winter. Beets come in as a close second, especially the greens. You will also find strawberry plants as they continue to flourish in this season. The variety is a through-red. A longtime friend gave them to him years ago and have been transplanted from his yard to his full-sun community bed.  

Native plants at the garden have been a particular interest of his as he helped lay and monitor soaker hoses.

Earth Day 2019 had over 500 children from 24 classrooms visit the garden. Bob and the Evergreen principal planted a Douglas fir seedling at the north end of the garden. Flourishing as a habitat for birds and insect pollinators, this area complements the edibles.

Bob is pleased with his gardening experience and still supports the community. We are deeply appreciative that he found and took the path that led to University Place Community Garden. 

Judith Thierry, who wrote this article, is president of University Place Community Garden. Information about the garden is available at universityplacecommunitygarden.0rg.

srmedia by — March 2, 2020 in Lifestyles

Bill Gates, the billionaire philanthropist, is pouring $10 million into an Alzheimer’s Association program called Part the Cloud, which the agency calls “high-risk, high-reward” Alzheimer’s and dementia research involving new drugs, diagnostics, and ways of tracking brain activity.

Gates’ award to Part the Cloud, which is led by fellow philanthropist Mikey Hoag, is on top of $20 million that the Alzheimer’s Association is raising for the effort..

According to researchers, Part the Cloud’s focus is less on late-stage Alzheimer’s drugs that have a poor track record, and more on early-stage clinical studies of new avenues of tackling dementia.

srmedia by — March 2, 2020 in News