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Two town hall-style public meetings on issues related to use of the drug fentanyl are scheduled for October in the Gig Harbor area.

The sessions, hosted by the city, Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department, and Rotary Club of Gig Harbor, will be on Oct. 7 at Gig Harbor Civic Center and Oct 21 at Key Peninsula Civic Center, from 5:30 to 7 p.m. In addition to a presentation, representatives of police and drug treatment programs will be on hand for questions and answers.

Fentanyl in particular and opioids in general will be covered, including community safety and emergency treatment of overdosed users, said County Councilwoman Robyn Denson.

The county’s Emergency Medical System responded to more than 3,000 suspected opioid overdose calls between January 2023 and May 2024. “Most of them were fentanyl related,” said Denson, whose council district includes Gig Harbor, Key Peninsula, Ruston, Fox Island, and part of Tacoma.

Officials noted that elders are at risk of non-fatal opioid-related overdoses caused by compromised health, multiple medications, and therapeutic error.

The Senior Scene by — October 1, 2024 in News
Lakewood has a library again

(Pictured: The new, interim Pierce County Library branch in Lakewood.)

A new, interim Pierce County Library System branch has opened in Lakewood, two years after a longtime branch there was forced to close..

Seven days a week, the new library at 10202 Gravelly Lake Dr. SW. will offer full services and serve as a community hub and gathering place for all ages to learn and enjoy, officials said.

“Libraries are a destination for children and families to grow and nurture their love of reading with literacy-rich activities, as well as offering welcoming places for diverse communities to connect, and the Lakewood Library will definitely bring those needed services,” said Gretchen Caserotti, the library system (PCLS) executive director.

The 7,500 square-foot building opened Sept. 12, giving Lakewood residents their first in-city public library for the first time since the previous branch was shuttered.

“The community has been far too long without a library. We acknowledge it has been a long haul to open the interim library, and we thank the community for their patience and support,” Caserotti said.

The new library will provide learning resources and classes along with books and other materials for borrowing, plus events and offer community meeting spaces. The public can:

  • Choose from 20,000 copies of books, movies and magazines, or place a hold on any of the more than 600,000 books and movies in the library system and pick it up at the Lakewood branch.
  • Conduct research, do homework, or just have fun on one of the dozens of computers for public use.
  • Reserve space for gatherings in the community meeting room.

Community members may recognize some parts in the new building from the previous library on nearby Wildaire Road Southwest. Caserotti said PCLS was committed to retaining furniture, books, and other furnishings from the previous library after it was closed in mid-2022 and slated for demolition because of structural defects in the 59-year-old building. Workers reupholstered some of the holdover chairs and benches. In addition, some of the tables, interior signs, and books, movies and computers in the new building are from the previous library. So is various artwork.

Outside its walls, the modular-style library building has a plaza where people can participate in classes and programs.

Library officials and the PCLS Board of Trustees are mulling options for a long-term replacement of the previous Lakewood branch.

The Senior Scene by — September 25, 2024 in News
Changes coming to Medicare Part D

By Kenneth Thorp
Congress recently made a number of changes to Medicare’s “Part D” prescription drug benefit. The changes were part of President Biden’s signature legislation, the Inflation Reduction Act. The legislation was intended to make it easier for seniors to afford their medicines. 

Some of the changes will indeed help seniors. But other changes could inadvertently raise seniors’ costs, reduce their access to medicines, and stifle the development of new treatments. 

With open enrollment season just around the corner — it’ll run from Oct. 15 to Dec. 7 this year — every senior should know about the Inflation Reduction Act and how it has impacted Medicare.
First, the good news. Seniors using insulin now have their costs capped at $35 each month. This has already made a huge difference for those living with diabetes.

Starting next year, seniors’ yearly out-of-pocket Part D drug costs will be capped at $2,000. Seniors will also have the option to spread these costs out over the entire year through a new program called the Medicare Prescription Payment Plan. Both of these changes can help seniors who rely on multiple brand-name medicines and are on fixed incomes. But very few enrollees are aware of this new program. Medicare could do more to alert seniors to this new feature, especially since seniors interested in this benefit will need to opt in. During open-enrollment season, seniors should consider contacting their Part D insurers if they’d benefit from spreading out their pharmacy costs.

Because of the Inflation Reduction Act, Medicare can now set prices on some covered drugs for the first time ever. Unfortunately, this policy has had some unintended effects on the development of new medicines. Thus far, it has already resulted in the discontinuation of at least 36 research programs and 22 experimental drugs. 

The Inflation Reduction Act has also resulted in higher premiums for seniors. This year, standalone Part D plans were on track to cost 21 percent more than they did last year, on average. As a result, many seniors switched to lower cost options. The number of plans available has also dropped, down about 25 percent since 2020. 

Because of the law, many insurers have also shifted some medications to non-preferred or specialty tiers that require higher out-of-pocket costs, restricting beneficiaries’ access to previously covered drugs. Some insurers have also created rules that make it harder to get the drugs your doctor recommends, like making patients first try cheaper options.

It’s important that seniors learn about these changes — and the impact they’re having on their access to medicines — before Medicare’s open enrollment begins in October. 

Kenneth E. Thorpe is chairman of the Department of Health Policy and Management at the Rollins School of Public Health at Emory University. He is chairman of the Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease.

The Senior Scene by — September 25, 2024 in Personal Finance/Consumers
Late-summer help for flowering perennials

(Pictured: To divide perennial plants into smaller sections, use a sharp spade or garden knife. Photo credit: Corona Tools)

By Melinda Myers

Overcrowded, poor-flowering and floppy perennials can be invigorated with a shovel and a bit of your time and energy. Dividing perennials is an excellent way to improve their appearance and create new plants to use in other spaces in your landscape.

Divide spring flowering perennials in late summer or early fall, divide fall bloomers in spring, and summer blooming perennials in either spring or fall. Some gardeners prefer to enjoy the spring blooms and divide soon after the flowers fade. Most gardeners have found the best time to divide is when they have the time and can provide proper post-transplanting care.

Reduce the stress on plants by dividing perennials on a cloudy, overcast day when the plants won’t dry out so quickly. Make sure they are well-watered a day or two in advance of dividing.

Dig up the whole plant using a garden fork or sharp spade. A shovel with a long handle and narrow blade makes it easier to access plants in small and hard-to-reach spots. Carefully lift the plant out of the soil. Depending on the plant and the tenacity of its roots, you may be able to gently pull the roots apart with your hands. Otherwise, use a sharp spade or knife, or a reciprocating saw to cut the plant into smaller sections. Some gardeners place two garden forks back-to-back in the center of the clump and pull the forks apart to make the divisions.

Discard the dead center, if needed, in the compost pile. Make sure each division has at least three to five healthy shoots and adequate roots. The larger the division, the quicker it will fill in the space and possibly need dividing sooner than smaller divisions.

Replant the divisions as soon as possible. In the meantime, store them in a cool, shaded location and keep the roots covered and moist.

Prepare the soil before planting. You can plant one of the divisions in the original spot once the soil is amended. Use the others to fill in bare areas or start new garden beds. Plant the division at the same depth it was growing. Some gardeners set it slightly higher so it can settle in place. Either way, make sure the roots aren’t exposed and the crown, the part where the roots meet the stems, isn’t buried.
 

Gently firm the soil around the plant and water thoroughly. Check the soil moisture every few days and water deeply and often enough to keep the roots slightly moist. Reduce your watering frequency as the plant begins to develop a more robust root system.

Start by dividing just one or two overgrown plants. As you master the technique, you’ll find it easier to divide perennials when needed to keep your gardens looking their best.

Melinda Myers (melindamyers.com) has written more than 20 books, hosts a video series, and has TV and radio programs on gardening.

The Senior Scene by — September 25, 2024 in Lifestyle, Home, Adventures