The Senior Scene

This photo is from the grand opening of the Bon Marche (now Macy’s) store at the Tacoma Mall in 1964. It was one of many milestones for the iconic indoor shopping center, starting with groundbreaking in 1963 for the $40 million project. It was one of three such centers developed in the Puget Sound region by Allied Department Stores. The others were Northgate Mall (now called Northgate Station), which debuted in 1950 in Seattle, and Westfield Southcenter in Tukwila, which opened in 1968 as simply Southcenter and is the largest shopping mall in Washington. Tentatively named Town Center and later Tacoma Freeway Mart during early planning in the late 1950s and early ‘60s, Tacoma Mall officially opened in October 1965. It has undergone three major renovations since then and seen multiple stores close and new ones open.

(Pictured: The Ashford entrance to Mount Rainier National Park).

Depending on the time of day and year, getting into Mount Rainier National Park now requires a reservation.

The timed-entry reservations, as park officials are calling them, will be necessary from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Paradise (south) entrance via Ashford from May 24 to Sept. 2 and from July 4 to Sept. 2 at the Sunrise (northeast) entrance via Enumclaw. Standard entrance fees will apply.

The park has experienced about a 40 percent increase in visits over the last 10 years, leading to overcrowding during the summer and damage to fragile ecosystems, according to officials. So timed entries during the prime, busiest hours will be tried in the hope of reducing traffic congestion and overuse of trails, particularly in heavily visited areas such as Paradise.

Entering before 7 a.m. or after 3 p.m. doesn’t require a timed reservation. The park is open 24 hours a day. And some parts of the park don’t require a timed reservation at any time. They include:

• State Routes 410 and 123 on the east side of the park.
• Ohanapecosh, including the Ohanapecosh Visitor Center and Ohanapecosh Campground, in the southeast corner of the park.
• Tipsoo Lake on the eastern border of the park along SR 410.
• Carbon River, including the Carbon River Ranger Station, at the northwest corner.
• Mowich Lake in the northwest corner along State Route 165.

Park entrance fees are $15 for pedestrians or bicyclists, $25 for motorcycles, $30 for private vehicles (cars and trucks), and $55 for an annual pass.

Adults 62 or older can buy annual passes for $20 or lifetime passes for $80.

Mount Rainier isn’t the only national park with timed entries or entry reservations. Others include Rocky Mountain in Colorado, Glacier in Montana, Arches in Utah, and Yosemite in California.

The Mustard Seed Village is unique in several ways. It’s the first assisted-living and memory care home on the Key Peninsula, it’s modeled on the Green House Project, and it is owned by a non-profit organization.

The Green House model emphasizes a feeling of living at home, as opposed to most facilities, where things are done based upon an institutional structure. Each elder in residence will have the opportunity to give input about how their home operates to ensure they continue to feel valued.

Mustard Seed Village is a 30-suite longhouse divided into three, 10-suite homes. Two of the homes are for assisted living and one is for memory care. Each suite opens onto a great room which includes a living area with a beautiful fireplace, family-style dining table, and an open, full kitchen. Each common area features art by local artists and photographs contributed by the local historical society.

Meals are prepared from scratch using fresh ingredients, and resident elders can help with preparation and cooking if they wish.

A spa room with a jetted tub, beauty salon station, and massage table rounds out that luxury feeling.

Phase II landscaping will be in full swing this spring with the installation of wheelchair-accessible raised garden beds that will give residents and community members a chance to exercise their green thumbs. Future plans include a place for adult playground equipment and more walking trails.

Across the street from the Village is the Crandall Center, home to the offices of the Mustard Seed Project (TMSP), which hosts the Mustard Seed Cafe and regular activities, including art classes, cribbage tournaments, gentle exercise classes, bingo, and seminars on many topics. The Key Senior Information Center (KSIC) is also housed in the Crandall Center. KSIC is a resource center for all seniors and is run by volunteers who are seniors themselves.

Two wheelchair-accessible buses, owned by TMSP, are available to take seniors on field trips to ball games, museums, parks, and more.

The Mustard Seed Project’s mission is to create an elder-friendly environment where community members can age in place with dignity, respect, and fun. The Mustard Seed Village is an important component of that mission for seniors who can no longer safely live independently in their own homes.

Please look at our websites https://mustardseedvillage.org and https://themustardseedproject.org/ for more information or to schedule a tour.

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