Transportation isthe economic driver of productive communities

August • 2014 • 3

2014

Senior Spectrum NewspaperP.O. Box 7124 • Reno, NV 89510

(775) 348-0717e-mai l : S eniorspectrumnv@aol . com

S eniorspectrumnewspaper. comPublishers: Chris & Connie McMullen

Senior Spectrum is a monthly publication dedicated to inform, serve, and entertain.Publication of advertising contained does not constitute endorsement. Signed columns

are the opinion of the writers, and not necessarily the opinion of the publishers. Copyrighted publication. All rights reserved.

Content s

The Regional Transportation Commissionhas assembled a Blue RibbonCommittee for Transit toguide decision making forWashoe County’s ailingtransportation system.

RTC is facing tough deci-sions in 2015, which includeeither a cut in service,increased fares, or newsources of revenue to fostergrowth and productivity.Reports show the recessionin 2007 caused a 14.7 percentreduction in ridership andhours of service. And eventhough both ridership andservice have remained flatsince 2010, strategic changesled to a 7.7 percent ridershipincrease in a down economy.

In 2008, Washoe Countyvoters approved a plan toindex fuel taxes to inflation, amove that helped bring inmore funding during therecession. Additionally, gaso-line sold has declined, whilefuel tax revenue has grown at

a compound annual rate of26 percent from 2010 and2013. The RTC made astrategic change in the motorvehicle fuel tax revenue withimplementation of the PPIindex in January 2010 andJune 2013.

With a total of $152.1million in projected revenuefor 2015, expenditures how-ever are anticipated toincrease substantially at aestimated $242.8 million.Federal funds that RTCanticipates to plan its budgetare also in question. Due tosequestration and less federalearmarks and grants, fundinghas fallen considerably since2011. RTC has planned manyinfrastructure and capitolprojects with federal fundsand earmarks that includecompleting the second phaseof the SouthEast Connector.

Another source of federalfunding in jeopardy isCongestion Mitigation andAir Quality Improvementfunding. These funds enabledoperation of the Bus RAPIDTransit in 2009-2011. RTChas future plans to expand

(Transit page 15)

Editor’s Desk

RTC Blue Ribbon Committee to Review Funding Options for Public Transportation

page 3 - Editor’s Desk page 11 - If you Have A Job-Based Insurance Plan, CanYou Buy On The Marketplace?page 14 -Nursing HomeReport Card Gives Nevada Fpage 16 -For People withDementia, Cataract SurgeryImproves Vision, Cognitionpage 23 - Ways to HelpImprove Your Vitalitypage 26 - MorningStar GrandOpening Celebratedpage 29 - Senior Fest 2014page 30 - Erika Paul and theSwingin’ JazzKats at the Festpage 31 - Senior Flash Mobpage 32 - Lecture Series page 33 - Corky Bennettpage 41 - Spectra

Every Issuepage 4 - Opinion: Sen. Heller page 5 -Opinion: Sen. Reidpage 6 - Community Giving

page 27 & 28 - Calendar page 34 - Resources page 36 - Eclectic Observerpage 38 - this ‘n thatpage 39 - Crosswordpage 42 - Seniors4Travel

Healthpage 10 - CMS: How to UseYour New Health InsuranceDavid Sayen, Region 9page 12 - AARP: AvoidDoughnuts This Summerpage 17 - Center forHealthy Aging - Aging BodyImages & the Impact of MediaDr. Lawrence J. Weiss, Ph.D. page 22 - Ophthalmology: Dr. Michael Fischer, M.D.

Financial page 7 - Personal Property in Your Estate Plan -Bradley B. Anderson, Ltd.

PresidentAbraham

Lincoln madethat pledge to America’s vet-erans during his time inoffice. Unfortunately, theDepartment of VeteransAffairs (VA) in Washingtonhas failed to live up to it.

Recently, it’s been brought to lighthow the VA health system is failingthose it was designed to serve andprotect. To receive the most basichealth care, some veterans are subject-ed to long wait times and/or must

travel extremely long distances. It’s ashame America’s bravest are receivingthis type of treatment from Uncle Samafter having sacrificed so much forthis great country.

Don’t get me wrong, there aremany men and women working withinthe Department of Veterans Affairswho aim to serve our nation’s veteranswith excellence. For example, I amgrateful for the quality care that myfather received at the Reno VA hospi-tal. However, veterans should be ableto access the care they earned while inservice to this country. Lengthy delaysare simply unacceptable.

In our state, the Reno and LasVegas VA offices are ranked in the

nation’s bottom third for average waittimes for new patients to see a doctor.Reno’s average wait time, just over 53days, is worse than Las Vegas. I havepressed VA officials at the local andnational level for answers about howthey plan to tackle these issues andwill continue to pursue this issue mov-ing forward.

Poor management at the VA hasbeen a problem that veterans havefaced for far too long. I am concernednew patients are having a difficulttime securing appointments, as well asthe fact that ongoing investigations areneeded at Nevada facilities. The VAcan and must do better. I will see to itthat the VA does do so.

4 • 2014 • August

Sen. Dean Heller

OpinionU.S. Senator Dean Heller

"To care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and his orphan." -Abraham Lincoln

Our Nation’s Veterans

Last month, Congresspassed important biparti-san legislation to improveaccountability at theVeterans Administrationand address patient waittimes at VA hospitals.

The VA Inspector General’s officereleased its report last month detailingmany troubling, systematic failings thatare unnecessarily putting our nation’s vet-erans at risk. The report is especially trou-bling considering the veteran populationin Northern Nevada grew beyond theReno VA hospital's capability to adequate-ly serve our veterans. Sadly, as a result,veterans in Northern Nevada had toexperience some of the longest wait timesin the country to receive the care theydeserve. But I am confident the legislationpassed by Congress will help all VA facili-ties in Nevada get back on track to meetthe needs of our veterans.

Veterans’ affairs have always beenextremely important to me; increasingveteran access to education and health-care are among my proudest achieve-ments. Naturally, I was devastated tolearn the results of the Inspector General’saudit showing the VA is not serving theneeds of Nevada’s veterans. Instead ofreceiving the proper care they deserve,the health of thousands of veterans hasbeen put at risk. Our service membershave fought to protect our country andensure our democratic freedom. It is ourduty to provide our veterans with the bestcare, but we have allowed them to fallthrough the cracks. This is simply unac-ceptable.

The bipartisan legislation that passedlast month starts the process of fixing theVA by expanding access to quality healthcare; veterans facing long delays in healthcare will now be able to seek care outsideof the VA, at private doctors’ offices, com-

munity health centers, or military bases.Additionally, it increases accountabilitythroughout the Veterans AffairsAdministration, holding senior officialsresponsible for poor job performance ormanipulating the system. Most signifi-cantly, the legislation improves the relia-bility of the health care our veteransreceive by giving the VA the essentialresources it needs to hire more doctorsand nurses to decrease wait times.

The passage of this legislation is aclear indication that legislators on bothsides of the aisle are willing to cooperateto fund vital services for the sake of ournation’s heroes. The sacrifice and serviceof veterans should never be forgotten andour obligation to them must never falter. Iam committed to continued cooperationto ensure that Nevada’s veterans willreceive the health care they need, it is theleast we can do to thank our brave veter-ans for their service to our country.

August • 2014 • 5

Sen. Harry Reid

U.S. Sen. Harry ReidOpinion Legislation Passed by Congress Will Get

Nevada on Track to Meet Veterans Needs

Charity isn’t forthe faint of heart. It

is tough to make a gift that really hasthe intended impact. Fortunately,through experience, most of us are ableto find ways to give that give us theassurance our gift is really helping.Many older adults through a lifetime ofexperience have become wise in thisarea, and we at the CommunityFoundation benefit from their experi-ences.

It is really important that we learnfrom our experiences with charitablegifting because as we get older we tendto have more assets to give. You mayhave noticed that you receive moresolicitations for gifts as well, and this isno coincidence. Charities know thatolder adults may have greater capacity

to give then younger people; olderadults also have a predisposition to giv-ing tied to the strong family and com-munity values we learned growing up.Older adults tend to have more freetime; thus, many of us volunteer. Howwonderful it is that we have the oppor-tunity to give back in a multitude ofways that not only help others but thatalso give us a richer and more meaning-ful life.

One of the resources theCommunity Foundation provides togenerous and caring older adults is thewisdom we have learned ourselvesthrough the interactions we have withdozens of charities in the region eachyear. We know the staff and their pro-grams; we’ve looked at their tax returnsand spoken with people using their

services. And we have learned fromyou, the people who give to and volun-teer with these organizations. We oftentalk with people who wish to becomemore engaged in their community; wehelp them identify charities they canhelp that are closely tied to their valuesand the specific impact they wish tomake. Being connected with a charitythat does the kind of work you careabout most can be life changing… foryou and for them.

But, sometimes life isn’t a bed ofroses and, as we age, we also have moreneeds of our own, particularly in theareas of health, transportation, andsocial outlets. I have seen people’s giv-ing priorities dramatically shift toinclude organizations that support these

(Charity page 20)

6 • 2014 • August

Chris Askin

Charity is Different for Older AdultsChris Askin, President and CEO

Community Foundation of Western Nevada

Every individual needs to create aneffective estate plan describing theirwishes as to the disposition of assets,care of minor children, and burialarrangements. However, even peoplewho meticulously prepare their estateplans often overlook their personalproperty. When you create a Will orTrust, you can make specific provi-sions for distribution of items of per-sonal property among your heirs.

Lack of a Plan Can Lead to Problems Among Heirs

Failure to outline who should receiveyour family heirlooms and other emo-

tionally valuable personal property canlead to problems and family feuds. Awidower, Dan, thought he planned outevery detail of what would happenafter he was gone, including familydiscussions about how his majorassets were to be divided. However,Dan never considered his personalproperty in his estate plan, which torehis family apart at his death.

After Dan passed away, there was dis-agreement among family membersover the tangible personal property hehad owned. His daughters thoughtthey would each receive their mother’s

favorite jewelry. Friends and relativesdemanded his prized gun collectionthat they claimed the widower hadpromised them. However, verbalpromises cannot be used in estate dis-tribution and probate of a Will. Dan’sfamily and the executor faced prob-lems that could have been avoided hadhe included his personal propertyalong with his financial assets in hisestate plan.

Using a Tangible Personal Property Listing and Inventory

Other problems can also arise from(Estate Plans page 8)

Brought to you byBradley B. AndersonAnderson, Dorn, & Rader, Ltd.

August • 2014 • 7

Brad Anderson

The American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneyswww.probatebusters.com • blog.wealth-counselors.com

Include Personal Property When Creating Your Estate Plan

8 • 2014 • August

ignoring tangible personalproperty in preparing andmaintaining your estateplan. It is quite common tohave family or friends totake personal items beforethe estate is settled. Thiscan significantly delayassessing the estate’s value,especially if items of sub-stantial value are takenbefore a proper inventory isconducted. By having adetailed list of tangible per-sonal property items andintended recipients you willavoid this problem for yourheirs and executor.

With some effort on yourpart, you can minimize thecomplications that couldarise after you’re gone. Toaccomplish this, you can create and sign a formal dis

tribution plan as part ofyour Will or Trust, assign-ing items of importance toheirs by name. You can alsodirect how non-specifiedproperty should be distrib-uted. For example, you candirect that all of your cloth-ing be given to the SalvationArmy, or furniture to a localchurch thrift shop.

As with every aspect ofyour estate plan, you shouldseek the assistance of aqualified estate planningattorney to make sure yourplan is legally valid in yourstate and meets your inten-tions. It is better to choosethe specifics of how yourpersonal property will bedistributed now and preventany potential conflicts in thefuture.

The Law Firm of Anderson,Dorn & Rader is devotedexclusively to estate plan-ning. We are members ofthe American Academy ofEstate Planning Attorneys

and offer guidance andadvice in every area ofestate planning. For moreplease contact us at (775)823-9455 or www.wealth-counselors.com.

Estate Plans / page 7

August • 2014 • 9

1 - Put Your Health First• Staying healthy is impor-tant for you and your family.• Maintain a healthy lifestyleat home, at work, and in thecommunity.• Get your recommendedhealth screenings and man-age chronic conditions.• Keep all of your healthinformation in one place.

2 - Understand Your Health Coverage• Check with your insuranceplan or state Medicaid orCHIP program to see whatservices are covered.• Be familiar with your costs

(premiums, copayments,deductibles, co-insurance).• Know the differencebetween in-network and out-of-network services, and theout-of-pocket costs to you.

3 - Know Where to Go for Care• Use the emergency depart-ment for a life-threateningsituation.• Primary care is preferredwhen it’s not an emergency.• Know the differencebetween primary care andemergency care.

4 - Find a Doctor or Other

Health Care Provider• Ask people you trustand/or do research on theinternet.• Check your plan’s list ofproviders.• If you're assigned aprovider, contact your plan ifyou want to change.• If you're enrolled inMedicaid or CHIP, contactyour state Medicaid or CHIPprogram for help.

4 - Make an Appointment• Contact your provider’soffice and mention if you’re anew patient or have beenthere before.

• Give the name of yourinsurance plan and ask ifthey accept your insurance.• Tell them the name of theprovider you want to see andwhy you want an appoint-ment.• Ask for days or times thatwork for you.

6 - Be Prepared for Your Visit• Have your insurance cardwith you.• Know your family healthhistory and make a list of anymedicines you take.• Bring a list of questions andthings to discuss, and take

notes during your visit.• Bring someone with youto help if you need it.

7 - Decide if theProvider is Right for You• Did you feel comfortablewith the provider you saw?• Were you able to commu-nicate with and understandyour provider?• Did you feel like you andyour provider could makegood decisions together?• Remember: it’s okay tochange to a differentprovider! (Return to Step 4.)

8 - Next Steps After Your Appointment• Follow your provider’sinstructions.• Fill any prescriptions you were given, and take themas directed.• Schedule a follow-up visit

(Insurance page 11) 10 • 2014 • August

David Sayen

How to Use Your New Health InsuranceDavid Sayen

Regional Administrator, Medicare Region 9

If you’re one of the millions of Americans who recently obtained health coverage throughthe new Health Insurance Marketplace, Medicaid, or the Children’s Health Insurance(CHIP), here are some steps you can take to make the most of your new coverage.

Q. It is my understandingthat people who areemployed and have insur-ance through their jobs thatoffer individual coverage forless than 9.5 percent of theirincome are not eligible toenroll through the stateexchange. Am I confused?

A. Yes, you are, but yours is acommon misperception.Almost anyone can buy ahealth plan on the healthinsurance marketplaces. Aslong as you live in the UnitedStates, you’re a U.S. citizenor someone who’s lawfullypresent here, and you're notin jail, you can probably buya marketplace plan.

Having access to employercoverage doesn’t change thatfact. It may, however, affectyour eligibility for subsidiesthat can make marketplacecoverage more affordable.Premium tax credits areavailable to people withincomes up to 400 percent ofthe federal poverty level(currently $45,960 for anindividual), and cost-sharingsubsidies are available tothose with incomes up to250 percent of poverty($28,725).

If your employer offers cov-erage that meets the healthlaw’s standards for affordabil-ity and adequacy, you won’t

be eligible for subsidies onthe exchange. A plan is con-sidered affordable if the costfor self-only coverage doesn’texceed 9.5 percent of your

household income, and it’sadequate if it pays for at least60 percent of covered med-ical expenses, on average.

August • 2014 • 11

if you need one• Review your explanation ofbenefits and pay your med-ical bills.• Contact your provider,health plan, or the stateMedicaid or CHIP agencywith any questions.

We have a number of toolsavailable to help answerquestions you might haveabout your new health carecoverage, and to use it appro-priately to get the care andpreventive services that areright for you.

You can find these tools atour Coverage to Care web-site, atmarketplace.cms.gov/c2c.They include educationalbrochures and videos. Manyare available in both Englishand Spanish, and more

resources will be developedover the next few months.

Still have questions? Contactyour insurance companydirectly or contact us at 1-800-318-2596 (TTY: 1-855-889-4325). Trained represen-tatives are available at theMarketplace Call Center 24-hours a day, 7 days a week.

If you have questions aboutyour Medicaid or CHIP cov-erage, contact your stateagency for more information.

David Sayen is Medicare’sregional administrator forArizona, California, Nevada,Hawaii, and the PacificTerritories. You can alwaysget answers to your Medicarequestions by calling 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227).

Insurance / page 10

Kaiser Health NewsIf You Have A Job-Based Plan, Can You Buy On The Marketplace?by Michelle Andrews

12 • 2014 • August

The dog daysof August arethe most likelytime forMedicare PartD participantsto fall into the“doughnuthole” and see

their prescriptions costs rise. WithAARP resources, you can see if you’re atrisk of falling in, and find options forlowering your drug costs.

The Doughnut HoleEach year, 19 percent of Medicare PartD beneficiaries fall into the “doughnuthole.” Once the amount of money youand your insurance company pay foryour prescription drugs reaches $2,850,

you hit a temporary coverage limit, aka,the “doughnut hole.”

For 2014, you will receive a 52.5 percentdiscount on brand name prescriptiondrugs and a 28 percent discount ongenerics while you’re in the doughnuthole. These discounts will continue togrow until 2020. That’s when thedoughnut hole will close for good. Thischange came about as part of theAffordable Care Act.

How much you pay out-of-pocket foreach drug while you are in the dough-nut hole will vary widely depending onthe Part D plan you’ve chosen and theprice your plan has negotiated withdrug manufacturers.

If you use brand-name drugs, the fullcost of the drug – what it costs beforeyour discount, counts toward your out-of-pocket costs. So even though youwould get a $52.50 discount on a $100prescription while you’re in the dough-nut hole, the full $100 counts as out-of-pocket costs. This is important becauseonce you reach $4,750 in out-of-pocketcosts, you’re out of the doughnut hole.You’ll then pay just 5 percent of the costof your prescriptions for the rest of theyear.

A simple way to determine when and ifyou’ll fall into the “doughnut hole” is byusing the Doughnut Hole Calculator atwww.aarp.org/doughnuthole. The toolwill help you predict if or when you

(Medicare page 13)

Nicole Duritz

Health Tip: Avoid Doughnuts This Summer!

By Nicole Duritz

might fall into the doughnut hole andoffers recommendations for less expen-sive drugs for you and your doctor toconsider.

Don’t have Medicare? If you don’t have Medicare you’re notthinking about the doughnut hole, butwhen it comes to prescriptions andover-the-counter medications, yourexpenses can creep up as the months goby. AARP offers an easy online tool atwww.aarp.org/drugsavings that lets youcompare your current prescriptionmedications to lower cost alternatives.Simply type in your medication to get alist of generics or other similar drugs.Print the list and take it with you toyour next doctor’s appointment. It’sworth checking out; the savings can besubstantial.

Appointment Time!Of course, avoiding doughnuts is alsogood for your health (pun definitelyintended). Now is a good time to take

stock of yourhealth care plan tosee if it’s meetingyour needs, and toget those annualappointments onthe books for 2015.

Remember to getyour screeningsand other annualappointments noearlier than oneyear after your lastones. Otherwise,insurance may notcover the visits. Goahead and get those appointments onthe calendar now – even if they aremonths away. Doctors these days areoften booked months in advance.

Get started with making plans for thefall and the year ahead before the paceof the world around us picks back up.And don’t forget to sit back and enjoysome quiet time while you have the

chance!

Nicole Duritz is Vice President of theHealth & Family issues team in theEducation and Outreach group. Sheleads AARP’s educational and outreachefforts on health education issues,including Medicare, the health law, pre-scription drug affordability, long-termcare, and prevention and wellness.

August • 2014 • 13

Medicare / page 12

Nevada’s nursing homesreceived an F grade on theNursing Home Report Cardearlier this year according tothe non-profit, Families forBetter Care. The NursingHome Report Card listedthree areas for improvement:Direct care staffing, sanc-tions levied on providers,and the number of com-plaints fielded by the StateOmbudsman program.

The Nevada Health CareAssociation (NHCA) told theLegislative Committee ofSeniors, Veterans, and Adultswith Special Needs, July 9,that the number of Certified

Nursing Assistants inNevada averaged 2.14 perNursing Care Hours PerPatient Day (HPPD), whilethe US average was 2.42,making Nevada the 2nd low-est in the nation. The statis-tics do not surprise anyoneconsidering the state is suf-fering a shortage of healthcare professionals in almostevery industry. This is also aproblem nationwide, a situa-tion exacerbated by theAffordable Care Act that hasopened health care to thenations low-income popula-tion.

A second area the report

card cited pointed to theacuity levels of patients inthe states skilled nursinghomes. The AmericanHealth Care Association(AHCA) looked at nine areasthat were measured for care.Nevada ranked the highest inthe nation regarding skinintegrity of nursing homeresidents. Regarding PressureSores, Nevada scored highestin the nation with 9.18 per-cent, compared to thenational average of 6.16 per-cent. On Pressure Sores atAdmission, Nevada’s averagewas 7.39 percent while thenational average was 3.45percent, again the highest inthe nation.

The last area in the reportinvolved the number of com-plaints fielded by the StateOmbudsman program. Thereport authors said “Despitethe state’s lousy track record,Nevada’s ombudsmen veri-fied the second fewest num-ber of registered complaints.”

The report also looked at5 quality measures and theoccupancy percentage ofskilled nursing facilities.The report card said NevadaMedicaid is reimbursingskilled nursing facilitiesbelow the allowable reportedcosts. Daniel Mathis,CEO/President of NHCAsaid the state’s nursinghomes have no other choiceother than to stop acceptingMedicaid Alzheimer’s anddementia patients to remainsolvent.

NHCA is proposing athree tiered rate level to help

fray thecosts ofacceptingpatientsneedingmorecare, asopposedtoacceptingonlyhealthiercases to balance the costs.The tiered rate levels wouldgive the state skilled nursingfacilities an incentive to carefor sicker Medicaid patients.Mathis says the proposal hasbeen submitted to theCenters for Medicare andMedicaid for approval. Theissue will also be taken up inthe upcoming legislative ses-sion.

Nevada’s 2013 NursingHome Report Card is avail-able for download athttp://www.nursinghomere-portcards.com.

14 • 2014 • August

Nursing Home Report Card: Nevada Receives F GradeHealth Care Association Says Staffing Shortage and Financing Move Skilled

Nursing Homes Away from High Care and Dementia Patients

NevadaKey FindingsEvery Nevada nursinghome was cited a defi-ciency and fewer than25% of Nevada’s nursinghomes scored an aboveaverage health inspection,by far the worst record inthe nation.

There is a profundity ofabuse and neglect sweep-ing through Nevada nurs-ing homes as regulatorscited more than 1 in 3facilities with a severedeficiency.

Daniel Mathis,CEO/President, NHCA

August • 2014 • 15

the service to include the University ofNevada and Midtown District.

RTC is operating on less revenueand employees in a time of growth.Administrative costs resulted in lesswages and employee benefits. In 2003RTC had 86.75 full time employees, butin 2014 only 58.5 FTE were employed.

The BRC consists of businessmen,community leaders, and advocates whowill work into February 2015 to makerecommendations to the RTC Board ofCommissioners. The RTC has conveneda BRC only three times since it started

transit service in 1978 with five busesserving 4 routes. The work of the threeBRCs resulted in voter approved motorfuel tax increases in 1994, 2004, and2008.

Today RIDE operates on 26 routeswith over 70 buses. There is an estimat-ed 25,000 people riding both fixed routeand paratransit service daily. While pas-senger revenue has dropped since 2010,fixed route ridership has increased dueto the economy. People are drivingvehicles less and riding public trans-portation more out of necessity, and for

younger generations it is achoice.

On the paratransit,ACCESS, revenue costs haveincreased while ridershipand fare costs have alsoclimbed. Riders with disabil-ities currently pay $3 to rideone way, and double in thenon-ADA zone or in ruralWashoe County.

RTC Commissionershave some difficult decisionsto make in the coming yearsto keep pace with the grow-ing population in hard eco-nomic times anticipated forNorthern Nevada. For theregional transportation sys-tem to maintain service for

people to travel to work, school, andother activities, new idea’s are necessaryto map the future.

Senior Spectrum has long stoodbehind and supported fixed route andparatransit service in Washoe County,as well as supportive infrastructure thatpromotes ADA access. The importanceof good streets and roads cannot beoverstated. That is why SeniorSpectrum’s publisher Connie McMullenhas become a member of the BRC andwelcomes input from our readers.

The first phase of the SouthEast Connector is substantially complete 6 months ahead of schedule.

Transit / page 3

16 • 2014 • August

For People With Dementia, Cataract SurgeryImproves Vision, Cognition And Quality Of Life

COPENHAGEN, Denmark, July 13,2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ --

Cataract surgery for people withAlzheimer's disease and other demen-tias not only improves vision but canslow decline in cognition and improvequality of life for both people with thedisease and their caregivers, accordingto clinical trial results reported at theAlzheimer's Association InternationalConference® 2014 (AAIC® 2014) inCopenhagen.

"This study supports the Alzheimer'sAssociation view that people withdementia retain, and benefit from, full

healthcare treatment," said MariaCarrillo, Ph.D., Alzheimer's Associationvice president of Medical and ScientificRelations. "Too common attitudes suchas, 'There's no need for extra care' or'Why put them through all of that' arenot justified and are bad medical prac-tice."

"Appropriate thoughtfulness andrestraint are necessary when consider-ing surgery or other procedures forpeople with Alzheimer's or anotherdementia. However, we should notassume that medical procedures cannotbe pursued or are too risky. As these

new results show,improving sensoryabilities, for exam-ple, can providebenefits in a vari-ety of ways – forpeople withAlzheimer's andalso for their care-givers from whomunnecessary bur-den can be lifted,"Carrillo said.

At AAIC 2014,Alan J. Lerner,M.D. of Case

Western Reserve University andUniversity Hospitals Case MedicalCenter and colleagues reported interimresults from an ongoing clinical trial todetermine the effects of cataractremoval on several measures of visualability, cognitive measures, and qualityof life in people with dementia. Studyparticipants are recruited from demen-tia and ophthalmology clinics atUniversity Hospitals Case MedicalCenter and MetroHealth MedicalCenter in Cleveland, Ohio, and aredivided into two groups: (1) immediatesurgery following recruitment and (2)delayed or refused surgery. Vision andcognitive status, mood, and capability tocomplete daily activities are evaluated atbaseline and six months after recruit-ment, or six months after surgery.

Preliminary analysis of results from20 surgical and eight non-surgical par-ticipants showed that the surgical grouphad significantly improved visual acuityand quality of life, reduced decline inmemory and executive functioning, andimprovements in behavioral measurescompared with the non-surgical group.Levels of perceived burden for care-givers of people in the surgical groupalso showed improvement.

How areyou affected bywhat you see

in the media? I have seen or read in the media

about an auto accident where theyreport the age of the person causing theaccident if they are “old”. For example,just the other day a news person report-ed that a 74-year-old ran into anotherauto causing injuries. How often do youhear of the age of a person causing anaccident, unless they are old? Ageist,yes! But how much impact does thistype of negative media have on our self-perceptions.

Studies have shown for decades thatnegative images of aging can have pow-erful psychological and physiological

impact on people,including “old” peo-ple. A HarvardMedical School studyfound that viewingeither positive or neg-ative images of aginghad a significanteffect on older peo-ple’s ability to walk(Hausdorff, Levy, &Wei, 1999). Olderindividuals who wereshown positiveimages walked fasterand appeared spryer,while older individu-als who were shownnegative images walked more slowlyand more hunched over. Researchershave noted that media images influence

our body self perceptions. So if we con-stantly hear, see, and read about how

(Aging page 18)

August • 2014 • 17

Adding Life to Years

Larry Weiss

Dr. Larry Weiss • Center for Healthy Aging

Aging Body Images & the Impact of Media

18 • 2014 • August

old is bad and causes negative events,such as accidents, then we start tobelieve and internalize a negative self-image.

Americans are extremelyconcerned about their phys-ical appearance. Accordingto the TODAY/AOL Ideal toReal Body Image Survey,women spend an average of55 minutes every day work-ing on their appearancewhich amounts to 335 hoursevery year or 14 days ontheir looks. Of course thereis nothing wrong withwomen caring about theirappearance. Part of caringfor yourself is paying atten-tion to the way you look,but there's a differencebetween self-care and investing toomuch of yourself in your appearance.The survey found that 60 percent ofadult women have negative thoughtsweekly about themselves. That's com-pared to 36 percent of men. Even morealarming, 78 percent of teen girls areplagued with this kind of self-criticism.Obsessing over your appearance is ter-ribly unhealthy and can lead to mentalhealth problems like anxiety, depressionand eating disorders. We must avoidover-investing in our appearance forself-worth. Appearance is only oneaspect of the self. In our culture, wespend too much time focused on theexternal while neglecting the internal.

Physical appearance fuels a hugecomponent of the U.S. economy,extending across clothing, makeup, haircare, weight control, and cosmetic sur-gery industries. This concern aboutphysical appearance is not totally ill-founded, given that research studiesshow that attractive people fare betterthan those perceived as less attractive inmany business and social situations.With all the obsession over smoothfaces, perfect skin and youthful figuresin advertising and media, you mightthink young people would be happiestwith their looks. But a new Gallop pollhas found that older adults feel best

about their physical appearance. Two-thirds of Americans aged 65 and oldersaid they always feel good about theirlooks, compared to 61 percent of 18-34-year-olds. Middle-aged people were the

least likely to express satisfaction, with54 percent feeling good about theirappearance. As we age, our identitybecomes more established and we havethe wisdom of years that contribute towhat really matters. Being older andmore experienced foils the naiveté ofthe belief that if your body looked likeX, then your life would be all positive,like the things you see in the magazines.

Our concern about appearance isclearly rooted in a combination of sub-jective and objective factors, and thus itdiffers according to a variety of demo-graphic and cultural variances includinggender, age, and racial and ethnic back-ground. As we age, a different set ofsocietal expectations and appearancestandards lead us to a renewed sense ofidentity and confidence. In an image-conscious society where beautiful menand women flood the screens and pagesof the media, it isn't surprising thatmany of us are left feeling inadequate.For whites, who are the least likely tofeel confident in their physical appear-ance across all age groups, societal pres-sure to conform to conventional stan-dards of physical attractiveness takes aneven bigger toll.

Research indicates that the mediaconsider older adults to have an averageor normal body type, as do the majority

of older adults themselves, with only afew shown as very thin or overweight.However, the research on body imagedisturbance that focuses on the media-generated “idealized images” or “thin

ideal” observes that theseimages do have an influenceon young women whoattempt to model thesebehaviors in order to looklike actresses or models.Studies have shown thatolder women, who are sub-jected to an ideal femaleimage in the media, can beaffected the same as youngwomen (Hsu & Zimmer,1988).

Given that older peoplemake comparisons frommedia images of peers andthe potential for many to suf-

fer from these comparisons in terms ofeating disorders, feelings of inadequacyand dissatisfaction, a concern arisesover the prevalence of the “ideal” bodyimage that abounds in these portrayals.The concern is most pronounced forolder adults who are heavy magazinereaders. For such readers, the cumula-tive message from these magazines isone in which most older people are liv-ing vibrant, healthy, content, sociallyactive lives and doing so in a fit andfunctioning body. In many respects thisis good news, especially given researchshowing that many media sources haveplaced older people in harmful and neg-atively stereotypical depictions, such asthe 74-year-old causing the accident.Perhaps the answer is not to place somuch importance on what you don’thave in comparison to the media imagesthat results in immobilization, but toview those images to create positivechange and still maintain your totalvalue internally. This in turn will addlife to your years.

Lawrence J. Weiss, Ph.D. is CEO ofthe Center for Healthy Aging. Dr. Weisswelcomes your comments on this col-umn. Write to him at larry@addinglife-toyears.com or c/o Center for HealthyAging, 11 Fillmore Way, Reno, NV89519.

Aging / page 17

70 is the new 50

20 • 2014 • August

areas; sometimes wonderful gifts aremade to address specific needs such ashelping people with macular degenera-tion, supporting personal care assis-tance so people can stay in their homes,helping with pet adoptions and medicalcosts for pets, and many more. Thecompassionate giving of older adults istruly inspirational. And because manypeople include charitable bequests intheir estate plans, the level of giving isoften spectacular.

As we age, the donation solicitationssent to older adults frequently begin tocome from the hospitals they visit andhospice services that assist their family

members. They also see increasedsolicitations from investment firms,legal services, and more inquiries fromfamily as well regarding assets andestate plans. These requests can beconfusing and add pressure during atime of life we expect will be full of joyand opportunity.

As a result of all of these “asks,” phi-lanthropy really is different for olderadults. Many of the people I have spo-ken with about their plans and dreamshave failed to act until it is too late.Sometimes they become caughtbetween something they wish to dowith some of their assets and familywho is pressuring them to save it all for

their inheritance. Sometimes olderadults feel they have plenty of time todecide, so there is no need to do any-thing now. But the people who putplans in place now, even if they changethings later, are truly the ones who feelthe least amount of pressure; even ifthey don’t have the perfect plan, they dohave plans. And that is very reassuring--particularly when those plans providefor family and the charities they love. Ifyou don’t have your plans on paper yet,I urge you to take care of this now. Ifyou’d like advice regarding how youmay wish to leave a legacy, to your fam-ily and your community, we would bepleased to help.

Charity / page 6

August • 2014 • 21

Macularedema, caused byfluid leakage,involves swellingof the central por-tion of the retinaand poses a fur-ther threat tovision.

Over time,retinopathy canprogress to prolif-erative diabeticretinopathy, which entails theabnormal growth of bloodvessels on the optic nerve.While injections of corticos-

teroid can be useful in reduc-ing the risk of progression ofdiabetic retinopathy, newresearch shows that steroidtreatment does not preventthe progression of macularedema or improve the visionof patients with diabeticretinopathy any better thanlaser photocoagulation. Thus,because using steroids in theey has been linked with glau-coma and cataracts, lasers arethe treatment of choice.

It should be noted, about700,000 people in the UnitedStates has proliferative diabet-ic retinopathy.

If you would like furtherinformation on today’s topic,please call Dr. Fischer’s officeat (775) 882-2988. He islocated at 3839 N. CarsonStreet, in Carson City. Hours:8-5 p.m., Mon.-Fri., byappointment. M/C, Visa andMedicare Assignment areaccepted.

22 • 2014 • August

Ophthalmology

Michael Fischer

Shining Light onDiabetic Eyes

Michael J. Fischer, M.D.Eye Physician & Surgeon

Retinopathy is a long-term complication of diabetes that can lead to blindness.

August • 2014 • 23

The demands people place on them-selves today wreck havoc with ourhealth. Yet the desire to live with vitali-ty, free of aches and pain, appears to bea myth. For many, it would appear tobe only two options: pharmaceuticalsand/or surgery. But, I'm here to tell youthere are many options available.

Our ability to be healthy starts in ourmouths and travels the length of ourbodies through the esophagus, stomach,intestines, and colon. If our digestivetract is compromised, the cascadingeffects on our bodies is seen. Each sec-tion of our digestive track (includingmouth) is an integral part in the defenseagainst illness and promotion of vitality.Our small intestines are where most ofour immune system is housed andabout 80 percent of our nutrients areabsorbed. If we are unable to breakdown our food, our ability to absorb iscompromised.

As we get older and deal with the stressof life, our levels of stomach acid drops.Having low stomach acid can causebroken capillaries, adult acne, and rosycheeks (Rosacea). Have yellowish skin?This can be caused by low levels ofVitamin B-12. Vitamin B-12 isabsorbed in the stomach, but in orderto do this, one must have their produc-tion of stomach acid and hormones tohelp break it down.

The old adage, “You are what you eat”has never been more true. Many peo-ple are battling food allergies withouttheir knowing it. Glutensensitivity/Celiac disease is very promi-nent among people and can cause manyneurological diseases to manifest.Specifically, Celiac Disease has beenshown to cause peripheral neuropathy,inflammatory neuropathy, and ataxia.Becoming aware of what is in your food

and eliminating the onslaught of addedchemicals and additives will help.Many times, inflammation of yourintestines will show up as referred painto your low back, hips, knees, andabdomen.

Stop drinking soda!! It takes the body 6days to eliminate one 12 oz can of soda,and it leeches Calcium out of yourbones. If you do drink soda (pop foryou northeners), drinking regular sodainstead of diet is better. Diet soda hasbeen found to have an additive thatcauses addiction, hence making youdrink more to satisfy the craving.

A way to help maintain your joints inaddition to helping you digest yourmeals: Proteolytic Enzymes. Studiessuggest that patients who take prote-olytic enzymes between meals hadreduced swelling, pain, and inflamma-tion while also experiencing fasterrecovery rates. Taking proteolyticenzymes with meals will help digest thefood.

What once afflicted a small percentageof the population, Dementia andAlzheimer's is now the fastest growingconcern among seniors today. TakingEssential Fatty Acids daily will help feedthe brain. To help battle the onset ofDementia/Alzheimer's, learn a newskill, sing, complete puzzles, or betteryet, teach a skill to a child.

Fish Oil/Omega-3 fatty acids haveshown to improve cardiovascular pro-files as well. Two grams of EPA/DHAtaken daily help reduce chronic painand inflammation. Studies also suggestsupplementation with fatty acids canhelp reduce depression, and in somepeople weight gain.

Pain is not your enemy. It is your bodytelling you that something is not rightand to take notice of what is happening.Its your warning siren. There are thingsyou can do to help quiet down the fire.To help with the aches and pains;dance, laugh, yoga, play with a

(Vitality page 24)

Ways to Help Improve your Vitality: Giving your body some choices

pet/child, people watch, Chiropracticadjustments, Acupuncture, massage.Stimulate those 'feel good' endorphins!Our brain releases chemicals that giveus the euphoric feeling.

Get up and move! Our joints are staticby nature, meaning it takes movementfor the joint to be fed the required nutrients and removal of waste by-products by the muscles contractingand expanding. Stiffness starting outcan be normal, but ALWAYS listen toyour body. Pain is your bodies way of

saying you may be going a little too far.

For Diabetics, once a month get a pedi-cure. It helps stimulate circulation inyour feet, and frankly, it just feels good.And guys, you can have a pedicurewithout fear of polish. Taking supple-ments of cinnamon can help stabilizeyour blood sugar, and boost yourimmunity.

Vitamins and Supplements are yourfriend! But, with anything, you getwhat you pay for and without properknowledge of what to take and how

much, ignorance is not bliss! Theyshould be from a reputable company,certified through either GoodManufacturing Practices (GMP),National Sanitation Foundation (NSF),or Therapeutic Goods Administration(TGA). Optimally, they will haveVitamin E, carotenoids, zinc, magne-sium, copper, full complement of B vita-mins, and microcrystalline calciumhydroxyapatite.

Vitamin D. This is an essential vitaminrequired by the body for the properabsorption of calcium, bone develop-

ment, control of cell growth,neuromuscular functioning,proper immune functioning,and alleviation of inflamma-tion. Studies suggest supple-mentation of Vitamin D mayhelp relieve chronic low backpain, and decrease the fre-quency and severity ofautoimmune diseases.

Getting effective, restorativesleep. Our bodies recover andheal during our sleep. But, inorder to do this we must gointo the deep stages of sleepseveral times throughout thenight. Hence why havingsleep apnea is so damaging.When we stop breathingthroughout the night, ourbodies 'wake up' to force us tobreath not allowing us to gointo the deeper stages of sleep.The more we do this, the lesschance our system has of 're-setting' itself.

Laugh often, dance like no oneis watching, and never stopbelieving! Having faith, evenif only in yourself, is critical.

Dr. Sandra Saville, DC, CNIMis a practicing Chiropractorand Neurophysiologist whospecializes in functional medi-cine and nutrition. Her officeis located at 305 W. MoanaLane Ste B-3 Reno, NV 89509.

24 • 2014 • August

Vitality / page 23

August • 2014 • 25

26 • 2014 • August

MorningStar Senior Living ofSparks held a celebration July24, to mark its re-opening ofthe retirement community.

Several dignitaries, busi-ness representatives, politicalleaders, and senior residentsturned out to participate in

the celebration. SparksMayor Geno Martini said itwas the second time he hadattended a grand opening forthe Spanish Springs facility.He said this time he hopedthe company would haveplenty of success, and whenthe time comes he may endup moving there.

Ken Jaeger, MorningStarfounder and CEO, said hewas excited about the proj-ect. He said the nameMorningStar came from apassage in the bible. “Thereare three principles I live by.”• Honor God, and meet thespiritual needs of the resi-dents.

• Value seniors as individualsin today’s society.

• Invest generously in ouremployees so they too willlike working with seniors.

While Colorado is homeJaeger said MorningStar isnot the first senior commu-

nity he has worked with inNorthern Nevada. He saidhe had a relationship with anursing home in Carson Cityand in Sparks, Cascades ofthe Sierra.

Jaeger has been managingproperties across the countryfor eleven years. “It’s a greatindustry working with sen-iors.”

Geriatrician Dr. DenverMiller said, “MorningStarprovides care to a specialpopulation. It offers a prod-uct that is functional to thefamily.” People moving fromother states are findingMorningStar and peoplewith acute illness are transi-tioning to the property forcare. “It’s fitting in nicely inthe Sparks,” he said, adding,“It’s becoming a pearl in thecommunity.”

MorningStar resident AndySwall said he felt at homeright away and likes the staff.“I love it here,” he said.

MorningStar Senior Living Celebrates a GrandRe-Opening Under New Management

MorningStar CEO, Ken Jaeger, cuts the ribbon for the re-opening.MorningStar offers independent and assisted living, as well as memory care.

Aug. 1 ­ 17 ­ Lake TahoeSummerfest, Sierra NevadaCollege, 1 ­ 1 a.m.

Aug. 1 ­ Mad Hatter GardenParty with Corky BennettTrio, Nevada Governor’sMansion, 5 ­ 7:30 p.m. Fordetails and a completeschedule of events, seeJazzCarsonCity.com or callMile High Jazz Band at (775) 883­4154.

Aug. 1 ­ Basic ComputerClass, 10 a.m., Sierra ViewLibrary, (775) 327­8312.

Aug. 1 ­ Lifescapes, 2 ­ 4p.m., Incline Village Library,(775) 832­4130.

Aug. 2 ­ Jazz & Beyond,MusicFestival, entertainment,Nevada Sesquicentennial FairSaturday, Carson City. Formore information, call theMile High Jazz Band at (775)883­4154, or visit the website: JazzCarsonCity.com.

Aug. 2 ­ E­Book Cafe, 11 ­noon, Sierra View Library,(775) 827­3232.

Aug. 4 ­ 10 ­ Reno­TahoeSenior Summer Games, Cityof Reno Parks & Recreation,call (775) 657­4602.

Aug. 4 ­ Free Yoga Classes forMS Patients, South LakeTahoe, (775) 580­6463.

Aug. 5 ­ Livestock: Dealingwith Drought, CooperativeExtension workshops, 6 p.m.,Elko, Great Basin College,1500 College Parkway, HealthScience Building, Room 108.Register at http://livestock­

elko8­52014.eventbrite.com.

Aug. 5 ­ Ordinance 7Open Forum, IVGIDAdmin. Bldg., 3 ­ 5p.m.; Aug. 19, 5 ­ 7p.m., (775) 832­1310.

Aug. 6 ­ Sept. 10 ­Senior Golf Program:open to 55+ golfersof all abilities,12:30 ­ 1:30 p.m., $161/per­son/6 weeks; w/IVGID pass$129/person/6 weeks,Championship Golf Course,(775) 832­1310.

Aug. 6 ­ Washoe CountySenior Citizens AdvisoryBoard, 3 ­ 5 p.m., WashoeCounty Senior Center, gameroom, (775) 328­2575.

Aug. 7 ­ Sparks HometowneFarmers’ Market, downtownSparks.

Aug. 7 ­ Summer Walk Series,City of Sparks, 7 p.m.,Paradise Park.

Aug. 7 ­ Bats booming inReno, AARP, Reno AcresField, 6 p.m., Game 7:05 p.m.

Aug. 8 ­ Thunderbird Wine &Cheese Tour, Lake Tahoe, his­toric Thunderbird Lodge.

Aug. 8 ­ 9 ­ Lake TahoeConcurs D’Elegance, Obexer’sBoat Co., Homewood.

August ­ 8 ­ Sara Bareilles,Little Black Dress SummerTour, 8 p.m., Silver Legacy.

Aug. 9 ­ Tour De Nez ­

Downtown Reno, Criterium.

Aug. 9 ­ St. Mary’s SummerWorkshop and Classes. Learnto draw and Paint like a mas­ter with Stephane Cellier, 10

a.m.; Aug. 10 @ 4p.m.,www.stmarysart­center.org.

Aug. 11 ­ MileHigh Jazz Band,Trombonist BillWatrous in con­cert, 7:30 p.m.,Carson CityCommunityCenter, $15, (775) 883­4154.

Aug. 14 ­ SparksSummer Walk Series, 7 p.m.,Pah Rah Trail and GoldenEagle Sports Complex, 6400Vista Blvd.

Aug. 16 ­ 3rd Annual Party in

August • 2014 • 27

Calendar

Trombonist Bill Watrous will appear in concert and a masterclass on Aug. 11, Carson City. Photo credit: John Dugan, Portland, OR.

the Garden, 5:30 ­ 8 p.m.,Burke Garden, Wilbur D. MayArboretum, Rancho SanRafael Regional Parks, $50before Aug. 14/ $60 at door,call (775) 785­4153, orwww.mayarboretumsociety.org.

Aug. 19 ­ Aging and DisabilityServices, Regional Meeting,Alzheimer’s AssociationOffice, 1 p.m.

Aug. 20 ­ ImprovingDementia Care in Nevada, 10 ­ noon, Alzheimer’sAssociation ConferenceRoom, (775) 786­1920 orjharmon@alz.org.

Aug. 21 ­ Summer WalkSeries, City of Sparks, 7 p.m.,Crystal Peak Park.

Aug. 21 ­ Meat Handling,Cooperative Extension Officeand College of Agriculture,class held at Wolf PackMeats, $110, 8311Cleanwater Way; also Aug.28, call (775) 945­3444, ext. 12.

Aug. 25 ­ Sept. 1 ­ BurningMan, Black Rock Desert.

Aug. 27 ­ Beach Bocce BallSunset Socials, Wine andBBQ, 4 ­ 5:30 p.m., $15, $12w/IVGID pass, (775) 832­1310.

Aug. 27 ­ Sept. 1 ­ Best in theWest Nugget Rib Cookoff,Victorian Square, downtownSparks.

Aug. 28 ­ Summer LectureSeries, Stone ValleyAlzheimer’s Special CareCenter, 3 ­ 5 p.m., RSVP byAug. 21, call (775) 787­3000,or Abbey.Kent@atriasenior­living.com.

Aug. 28 ­ Humane Society’s5th annual Duck Race &Festival, Wingfield Park, (775) 856­2000, ext. 335.

Sept. 2 ­ Senior Fest,Reno Town Mall, 8 a.m.health screenings, 9 ­ 2 p.m.,resources, entertainment,call Senior Spectrum at (775)348­0717.

Sept. 5 ­ 7 ­ The Great RenoBalloon Race, Rancho SanRaphael Regional Park, 5 ­ 10a.m.

Sept. 10 ­ 14 ­ NationalChampionship Air Races,Reno Stead airport, (775)972­6663.

Sept. 18 ­ Northern NevadaLiteracy Council, Spellbinder2014, 5:30 p.m., Boys andGirls Club.

Sept. 18 ­ Sweet Honey in theRock ­ 40th Anniversary,7:30p.m., Nightingale ConcertHall, UNR, African AmericanHistory, $30/Senior $24,www.sweethoneyintherock.org.

Sept. 27 ­ Sparks Marina,Walk to End Alzheimer's.

Oct. 9 ­ Vaud & the Villains,7:30 p.m., NightingaleConcert Hall, UNR, jazz­swing­gospel­theater,$24/senior $20, visitwww.vaiudandthevillains.com.

Oct. 11 ­ 12 ­ 33rd AnnualEldorado Great ItalianFestival, downtown Reno.

28 • 2014 • August

Calendar / page 27

Casino EntertainmentAug 2 ­ The Beach Boys,Silver Legacy, 8 ­ 11 p.m.

Aug. 9 ­ Gabriel Iglesias,Reno Events Center, 8 p.m., $39.50, $49.50and $59.50

Aug. 9 ­ Chris Isaak, 8 ­ 11p.m., Montbleu Casino,Lake Tahoe Resort.

Aug. 19 ­ Spectra,Mesmerizing productionof fire and light, opens atthe Eldorado, Reno.

Aug. 31 ­ Chinese ConcertStarring ­ Tsai Chin, down­town Reno Ballroom, 8 p.m., $68. and $188.

Sept. 12 ­ Air Supply, 9 ­ 11 p.m., MontbleuCasino, Lake TahoeResort.

Health screenings will be provided atthe 19th annual Senior Fest, Sept. 2.Screenings begin at 8 a.m. in the frontparking lot of Reno Town Mall. Look forthe tents at 4001 S. Virginia Street, Reno.

Health ScreeningsSenior Care Plus, a Medicare AdvantagePlan from Hometown Health, will offerthese free screenings to attendees age 50and older, regardless of your health insur-ance carrier:• Basic Metabolic Panel and Lipid Profile to check for electrolytes, kidney chemistryand cholesterol levels• Glycohemogloben (Hemoglobin A1C) tocheck for long-term control of diabetes• Blood pressure check• Body Mass Index (BMI)• Pharmacist review of medicationsFasting is recommended for 10 hours priorto the first two tests listed above. Takemorning medications as usual and drinkwater during the fast.

Flu and Pneumonia Shots Flu and pneumonia shots will be given asavailable for ages 50+ while supplies last.Must meet CDC criteria for pneumoniaimmunization.

August • 2014 • 29

Senior Fest 2014Health Screenings Available

Nurses provide an immunization to a senior attendee.

Seniors fill out paperwork as they get ready for health screenings.

Erika Paul and theSwingin’ JazzKats areperforming for Senior

Fest 2014, September 2. Thisis Erika’s first appearance at

Senior Fest and the organiz-ers are excited about the per-formance (10:30 - 1:30 p.m.).Erika and the band can playover 15-hours of music with-out repeating a tune!

Erika has presented herSwingin' JazzKats band at theannual Tahoe Yacht ClubConcours D'EleganceAntique Wooden Boat Showfor the last 16 years.

Seasoned professionalmusicians and educators theband’s introduction is: ErikaPaul - bandleader on pianoand vocals, Barb Molt on

trumpet, Bob Barker ontrombone, Tom Delaney onsax, Gary Douglas on uprightbass and vocals, Dave Reigerton drums and DwightCarlson sitting in on guitarand vocals.

The band brings upbeatclassic jazz band music fromthe 1920s to the 1970s for alistening and dancing goodtime! 30 • 2014 • August

Erika and the JazzKats Play Senior Fest

A liveFlash Mob ofseniors andboomersdancing toboom boxmusic wasfeaturedunder theReno Arch indowntownReno July 15,for a televi-sion showprogrammed to air soon.

The Mob followed a sen-ior with a boom box whostopped under the Arch tolisten to the Bee Gees song“You Should Be Dancing.”Immediately boom boxer JoAnne Edwards was joinedby a group of aging discodancers all moving in sic tothe tune. Video from theevent will be used to kickoff a new local "SeniorDiscovery" TV show, pro-duced by seniors about sen-iors.

The Senior Discoveryshow will highlight seniorprograms at the City ofReno Parks, Recreation andCommunity DevelopmentDepartment. It will alsofeature things for people todo in the community.

August • 2014 • 31

Senior Flash Mob

32 • 2014 • August

A Summer Lecture Series forcaregivers and health careproviders was held at the StoneValley Alzheimer’s Special CareCenter in July titled “Putting thePieces Together of Senior Living.”

The lecture was presented toconnect those looking for assis-tance with resources. It is oftensaid that sixty-four percent ofcaregivers pass before the lovedone they are caregiving. Learninghow and where to find assistancereduces much of the stress.

Geriatrician Dr. JefferyGingold, M.D., who specializes inAlzheimer’s and dementia care,talked about transitions of careand the importance of having ageriatric care manager to helpfamilies as a loved one leaves ahospital for a skilled nursing facil-

ity or to come home. A geriatric care manager

works with social workers andnurses, everyone involved in thepatients care. The care managerwill assess the needs of thepatient, look at their medical andpsychological health, as well asfinances and determine whattheir problems are.

“Transitions of care is thehottest thing in medicine,” Dr.Gingold said.

The next lecture will be heldAugust 28th, 3-5 p.m., at thecenter. Speakers will be Dr. PeterReed, Sanford Center for Aging,UNR; Mary Brock, Seniors inService; Sina Ward, SeniorOutreach Services, UNR; andSusan Haas, Rural CountiesRSVP Program.

Senior Lecture Series

Putting the Pieces Together

Dr. Jeffery Gingold, M.D., speaks with 35 caregivers, health professionals.

August • 2014 • 33

Corky Bennett is a well-known entertainer inNorthern Nevada.

He came to Reno to be closeto his daughter, but soonmade himself a permanentfixture on the music scene,first at Colombo’s and thenBistro Roxy at the Eldorado.

His lifelong musical careerand his joy of making peoplelaugh keeps him completelyengaged. Whether he isplaying for seniors with the9th Street Band at the seniorcenter on Friday nights orsinging Sinatra classics at the

Polo Lounge, Corky Bennett,72, is able to set the tone foraudiences who like to havefun.

Once a year, Corky presentsan annual Dinner Show. Thisyear, “The Music andComedy of Corky Bennett”concert will be held Saturdaynight at the Airport PlazaHotel, October 11th. It is theone time of year that Corkyintroduces his special blendof comedy and music audi-ences do not usually hear.Joining the show is musicianLarry Bolin on guitar. A per-

fect act for seniors! (The din-ner is served at 6 p.m., theshow begins at 7:30 p.m. Tolearn more visit:http://www.corkybennett.com/reno_show.htm)

The Early DaysCorky Bennett is a musicwriter, teacher, jazz pianist,virtuoso accordionist, singer,and stand-up comedian… anaccomplished professional inall categories.

Corky began his career as ayoung child growing up inSeattle. Influenced by accor-dionist Dick Contino, a hugestar in radio in 1948, Corkytook to the accordion easilyand by age 13 was teachingothers. “It was the biggestthing in the world until Elviscame along with rock ‘n’ rollin 1955 and the guitar. Beforethat Dick Contino was theElvis on the accordion,” hesaid. “Ironically, I becameDick’s conductor and musicaldirector years later.”

Corky began his first jobworking with long-time LasVegas entertainer TonyMartini playing keyboards onnational tour from 1961-1964.

In 1964, he teamed up withentertainer Buddy Raymondto become Raymond &Bennett. “He sang and I wasthe frontman,” Corky said. “Iwas the crazy one.” Raymond& Bennett toured nationallyuntil 1971. “We playedChicago, Oregon, Alaska,

Lake Tahoe, Seattle andmany other cities.”

He joined Sam Ramsey &The Chosen Few in Seattle,and stayed for five years till1976 when Las Vegas called.“The greatest entertainersworked there. I dreamed ofworking in Las Vegas, actual-ly I dreamed of working inNevada…period.”

His first job in Las Vegas wasworking at a supper club inSearchlight. “I thought I hitthe big time,” he said. “Webacked up a comic whocould remember everyone’sname in the audience. I alsoworked with Peggy DeCastroof the DeCastro Sisters, anda knife throwing act.”

“When I worked inSearchlight there was onehotel, one gas station, onecasino and one hooker.Today it’s still the same.”

Corky Bennett’s Las VegasRevue lasted till 1979 whenhe became a member of aband called the Goofers(1979-1981). It was his LasVegas stay that he enjoyedthe best. He played atHarrah’s, the Frontier, andthe Tropicana. “I saw SamButera, Louis Prima andKeely Smith perform. Corkyglows recalling old times.“When the Goofers playedthe lounge of the Frontier,which is gone now, all thestars would come to see usafter their show.”

(Corky Bennett page 35)

Corky BennettFunny Music Man by Connie McMullen

34 • 2014 • August

• NEVADA INFORMATION.....................211• Aging and DisabilityServices ........................................................688-2964• ALZHEIMER’S ASSOCIATION1301 Cordone Ave, Suite 180, Reno........786-8061• CARE CHEST7910 N. Virginia Street, Reno.....................829-2273• COMMUNITY SERVICES AGENCY,1090 East 8th, Reno.........................................786-6023• ELDER PROTECTIVE SERVICESADSD.…................................................................688-2964• FOOD BANK (TRUCK)....................331-3663• FOSTER GRANDPARENt........358-2768• HAWC CLINIC, 1055 S. Wells,Reno........................................................................329-6300• MEDICATION MANAGEMENt,Sanford Center for Aging.............................784-1612• NV STATE WELFARE.....................684-7200• CENTER FOR INDEPendent LIVING, 999 Pyramid Way, Sparks......353-3599• RTC ACCESS TRANSPORTATIONInformation.........................................................348-0477• RENOWN MED. LOW INCOMECLINIC, 21 Locust, Reno..........................982-5270• RSVP, Reno...................................................784-1807• RSVP, Rural CountiesCarson City..........................................................687-4680• SANFORD CENTER FOR AGING,UNR........................................................................784-4774• SENIOR COMPANION.................358-2322• SENIOR Community Services Employment, AARP, 1135 Terminal Way,Reno........................................................................323-2243Job Connect, Reno...........................................284-9600Sparks....................................................................284-9520• SENIOR LAW PROJECT....334-3050• SENIOR OUTREACH SERVICES.........................................................................784-7506• SENIOR SAMPLER (Assist. League)1701 Vassar St., Reno...........................324-2003• SHIP (State Health Ins. Adv. PGM)...............................................................800-307-4444• SilVER COLLEGE, 5270 Neil Rd.,Reno…….....................................................829-9010• Social Security1170 Harvard Way, Reno..........888-808-5481• Veteran’s REsourceCenter, 419 Plumb, Reno...........284-8387• Veteran’s Benefits5460 Corporate Drive, Reno....688-1653, X1

RESOURCES

In 1981 Corky got thatchance to perform with DickContino, an opportunity herecalls as “the job of his life.”

“Contino was a big star,” hesaid. “He had me on air-planes with him 13-days aweek, for 13-years. We land-ed in every airport in thiscountry three times.”

Corky was a part of theContino band from 1981-1993, a relationship that con-tinues today. There is ascheduled show in Chicagoand a stop in North Dakotathis August. Readers canwatch previous performanceswith Contino athttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FFvpWIC9f30

Corky found his way to Renoanswering an ad his daughter

found in the local paper. Asinger was looking for anarranger who could writeand arrange songs. Corky gotthe job after an auditionthinking it was a short stay.Then out of the blue he got ajob at Colombo’s Restaurantthat started “his real career”.

“The first months I was thereno one came in. Then thesetwo girls came in andbecame regulars. Pretty soonit became so busy on Fridaynights. I nicknamed them theCorkettes. It ended up beingthe busiest part of town.”Corky stayed there until 1997when Colombo’s was floodedby the Truckee River. Hethen gravitated his wayacross town to the Eldorado’sBistro Roxy piano bar. “GreggCarano built that for me, andit’s still there.”

Today Corky is a regularevery other Friday night atthe Washoe County SeniorCenter. He plays with the 9thStreet Band; the senior cen-ter is located on 9th Streetand Sutro. “We have a ball.We draw probably 85 to 100people. It’s fantastic,” he said.“It gives seniors a chance toget out and spread their stuff.They dance every singledance beginning with theFoxtrot.”

The band will play every-thing from Sinatra to Elvis toDwight Yoakam. “We do thewhole spectrum of music,” headds. “The first is theFoxtrot, Swing, a Waltz, aPaul Jones Medley, Cha Cha,and Polka. If we play out ofsequence they get upset.They have certain partnersthey like to dance with and

then take turns.” (SeniorCenter Dance Club: 1155 E.9th Street, Reno: 8-10:30p.m., $7 members/$9 non-members)

Corky also plays the PoloLounge in Reno on the firstand third Wednesday (PoloLounge: 1159 S. VirginiaStreet, Reno: 7-10 p.m.). “All the locals come and seeme. Many I make come upon stage and sing.”

On the alternateWednesday’s Corky can beseen at Abel’s MexicanRestaurant in East Verdi(Abel’s, 2905 US Hwy. 40West, Verdi: 6-9 p.m.).

To read more about Corkyand his schedule of appear-ances visit www.corkyben-nett.com/

August • 2014 • 35

Corky Bennett on the radio program Senior Spectrum’s Editor’s Desk on America Matters Media 101.3 FM.

The book arrived as an unexpect-ed gift from my friend, AnnHenderson. Ann and I met years

ago when she was on the staff ofNevada magazine. More recently, afterrelocating to Las Vegas, Ann has been a

highly valued contributor toRANGE magazine and it was thisassociation that brought BRUSH-STROKES & BALLADEERS -Painters and Poets of the AmericanWest to my door. The handsomebook is published by RangeConservation Foundation andRANGE magazine with C.J. Hadley,publisher and editor. It’s a lovingtribute to Western life, as it was andas it remains.

C.J. Hadley has done a magnificentjob in putting together, in this singlevolume, a marriage of Western artand poetry that makes the book aperfect gift or personal treasure. I’ma Westerner, but one of the cityslicker kind. My only ranch experi-ence was as a child when my Dadbriefly owned an almond orchard.

In later years I rode a horse ... once.Still, despite my lack of experience inthe “other” West, I can appreciate andenjoy a painting like Bill Owen’s“Winter Work” that depicts a seasonedcowboy/rancher heading a heifer home-ward on a golden afternoon.

Baxter Black once had a radio programon KUNR/NPR and I always looked for-ward to his humorous slice-of-lifepoems. (Here’s a brief example from his“The Buckskin Mare” that fills fourpages in the book: “He was every burnt

out cowboy/That I’d seen amillion times/With deadman penny eyes/Like tar-nished brass/That reflectedaccusations/Of his criticsand his crimes/And drownedthem/In the bottom of aglass ...”

What makes Brushstrokes& Balladeers unique is thequality of its production;some would call it a “coffeetable” book; however, it’sanything but and so muchmore. The size is an easy-to-hold 8 ½ x 11 with 142 pagesassembled to enhance boththe poetry and paintings. Asan example, Karen G. Myers’“Cowgirls and Dust” paintingof horses racing across anexpanse of sagebrush is com-bined with William HenryOgilvie’s poem, “Hoofs of the

36 • 2014 • August

Brushstrokes & BalladeersEclectic Observerby Janet Ross

August • 2014 • 37

Horses” with this evocativeline, “On the wings of themorning they father and fly ...”

Hadley has provided a briefbiography for every artistand poet included in thebook. Many turn out to beNevadans, but all areWesterners. Hadleyexplains her choices of thepoets in this way: “Fromtwenty-nine years attendingthe National CowboyPoetry Gathering in Elko,Nevada ...dozens of cowboypoetry books, hundreds oftracks on CDs ...” Art direc-tor for the book, JohnBardwell, selected many ofthe artists and they are asupremely talented lot,including Bardwell himselfwith his high desert scenicpainting, “Kickin’ Up Dust”.

The final poem inBrushstrokes & Balladeers

may say it best, with theaccompanying painting byDavid Graham entitled“Sandstone Sanctuary” of asingle cowpuncher sittingastride his trusty horse asthe sky darkens with thethreat of thunderstorm.

From Red Steagall we havethis excerpt from his tributetitled “Hats Off to theCowboy”:

“The city folks think thatit’s over.

The cowboy has outlivedhis time–

An old worn-out relic, athing of the past,

But the truth is, he’s stillin his prime ...”

Brushstrokes & Balladeers isavailable from WashoeCounty Library, but you’resure to want a copy to keepand you can find one atSundance Books, Reno.

Brushstrokes / page 36

C.J. Hadley

38 • 2014 • August

NOTE: This is notthe sort of article Iusually write; there isnothing light-hearted

about it. I don’t claim to be especiallyknowledgeable about world affairs but Iwould like to share an interesting expe-rience we had last month.

As I sit in front of the computer, nationsaround the world are reeling from theshock of the Malaysian plane crash andspeculating as to blame. There ismounting concern about the extent ofRussian involvement and news analystsare providing hourly updates. Much ofthat is focused on President Putin’squestionable reaction along with con-cern as to what will transpire.

Coincidentally, we recently had occa-sion to hear about other deeply rootedfears about Russia. My husband’s latestlecture-engagement cruise took us (atthe end of June) to Russia via the Baltic.We have traveled there many times andnever tire of the incredible art, beautyand history of St. Petersburg; there is somuch to see in that city that cruiseships usually remain for several days.While we were there this time we had afascinating exposure to two contrastingperspectives.

We had tickets one evening to attend aRussian Folklore show but instead of thetraditional dancers we had seen in thepast, the Russian Army Band put it on.The majority of the performance was

national music and, while well done,wasn’t what the audience had expected.Our guide, however, was clearly excitedabout it and spoke extensively about hisfeelings of patriotism. The followingday we took a boat ride along the Nevaand had a guide whose feelings werejust the opposite. A native of St.Petersburg, he had been schooled in thewest and is vehemently and vocallyanti-Putin and anti-establishment; tworadically different points of view fromtwo young men in their 30s.

The others ports of call were familiarsince the Balkin itinerary is invariablythe same with every cruise line; Berlin,Oslo, Helsinki, Stockholm and Tallinn.

(Perspectives / page 40)

this ‘n thatby Anne Vargasannevargas3@gmail.com Perspectives

Everything old is new again?

August • 2014 • 39

But this time there was thedelightful addition ofLithuania, where we hadnever been before.

The sun was shining the daywe arrived, a welcomechange after ten days ofrather dreary weather. Our

tour guide spoke perfectEnglish and gave us anon-stop history lessonfocused primarily onwhat life had been likeunder Soviet rule andhow grateful the peopleof Lithuania are for thelife they now live.

She spoke extensivelyabout current anti-Russian feelings andfears about PresidentPutin’s dream, to reunitethe Baltic nations undera Eurasian Union. (Mr.Putin has stated that thegreatest disaster of the21st century was thedissolution of the SovietUnion.) She also told usthey are afraid that whathappened in Ukrainewith the acquisition ofCrimea by Russia couldhappen in Lithuania and

the neighboring nations.This was particularly inter-esting to us because severalof my husband’s lectures onthis cruise were on that sub-ject.

There were three stops onthe tour, the first being a vil-lage where we were met by agroup of women in theireighties. They wore identicalattire and welcomed us bysinging several nationalsongs and telling stories.

One of them talked abouther grandfather who, at theage of 6, was sent with hismother and three siblings toSiberia where they lived forten years under unbelievablyharsh conditions. Sheshowed us on a map themany places they had beenforced to go, always withoutwarning, each being worse

than the last. Many peopledied during their internment;her grandfather’s family wasamong the fortunate becausethey all survived and wereultimately even reunited withtheir father, after 13 years.

All the Lithuanians in theSiberian labor camps sangsongs, which is what keptthem going. One of thesongs contained the wordVolga. The Russians couldn’tspeak their language butassumed that since the wordVolga was in it, it must beabout Russia (the VolgaRiver). They didn’t realizethe song was actually anti-Russian, about stayingtogether, about outlasting theSoviets and upholding theirheritage while waiting forpeace. Every one of thewomen had a personal storylike this.

It was very poignant and Ilearned much that I shouldhave known but didn’t.Everyone was so clearlygrateful for the fact that forthe last 20 years they havebeen able to enjoy the free-doms most of us take forgranted. They can ownproperty, or more accurately,re-claim the property thathad been theirs in the firstplace. However, they fearthat could all end if Putin’snew objective becomes areality.

Without question we foundthe tour to be very meaning-ful and the cruise itself to besignificant in terms ofenlightenment. So I wantedto share this with readers;something to think about aswe follow the news.

40 • 2014 • August

Perspectives / page 38

From the producers ofIlluminaire comesSpectra, a second mis-

chievous excursion into thespectrum of light and fire.This show has a more edgy,raw, European feel with ele-ments of live percussion, theNew Berlin style Circus aswell as powerful lasers andeffects. This combination offabulous costumes, aerialacrobatics, exotic contortionand a unique blazing fireperformance will appeal toanyone who enjoys a funshow with a high visualimpact.

This is where elegance indance meets the wild of cir-cus, where traditional showsare inverted and steam is thefuel of laughter. A dazzlingdisplay of light and fervor offlaming passion.

Reserve tickets for “Spectra”in the Eldorado Showroomtoday! Tickets prices start atjust $25.95 with dinner andshow packages from only$39.95. Children ages 5 - 12and Seniors over 60 receive adiscounted price for regularseating.

August • 2014 • 41

Spectra Comes to RenoShow Opens August 19

What was your most memo-rable trip to date? Althoughwe’ve taken numerous trips

we consider memorable, the mostmemorable was in September 1991 toCzechoslovakia, now the CzechRepublic.

It was our second visit there in as manyyears. The first visit in May 1990, fivemonths after the country’s VelvetRevolution (break-away from commu-nist rule), was meaningful, as well. Butfor reasons we’re about to share, the1991 trip had special significance.

It had long been Carolyn’s desire to findthe long-lost relatives her grandparentsleft behind when, in 1912 and 1914,they left their homes in Bohemia(which was at that time part of theAustrian-Hungarian Empire) forAmerica. The two later met and mar-ried in Omaha, Nebraska.

Carolyn’s grandparents passed away andher father, aunt and uncle were unableto provide any helpful information.With the little clues we had (a pictureand a letter) we’d been unsuccessful inlocating any family during our first trip.

Our second trip to Czechoslovakiacoincided with that of Oley Hrdlicka, aCzech American friend who hadreturned to Prague for the first timeafter escaping communistCzechoslovakia in 1948. Without Oleyas our guide and interpreter, ourunmatchable experiences the followingdays in Czechoslovakia would not havehappened.

After sharing with Oley our meagerclues, he studied the maps and plottedour course. The following morning in

our rental car, a Czech-madeSkoda, the three of us headedsouth for Tlumacov. It’s not onthe map but we’d been told thatwas near the town of Domazlice.

Through the beautiful, serenecountryside we traveled. Then,there was Tlumacov, a villagethat looks like it came straightout of a children’s farcialize.Rounding the bend was an olderlady dressed in traditionalBohemian garb (colorful skirtand apron, long red stockings andbabushka on her head) herding her gag-gle of geese down the road. At the onlystore in town we inquired about mygrandmother’s Vitek family, and weredirected around the corner and downthe block.

And there, before the day was over, wewere warmly welcomed by my father’sfirst cousin, his wife, son, daughter-in-law and three grandchildren. They alsowalked us down the road to meetanother family of cousins. After a long,emotional day of sharing family storiesand meals, late in the evening we head-ed back to Prague.

As we drove away from those loving,gracious people – our family – little didwe know what the following day wouldbring.

It was raining hard the next morning aswe and Oley drove into EasternBohemia in search of my grandfather’sbrother and family. We had our photofrom an old family album with thename “Havlickuv Brod” stamped on thebottom. Nobody back home knew whothe people in the picture were, only thatit came from the Old Country. After

arriving in Havlickuv Brod and makinginquiries we learned that Grandfather’sbrother was no longer living but thatthe brother’s daughter lived in a nearbyhamlet of Kvetnov. She had no tele-phone so off we went, unannounced, insearch of her.

Frantiska Havlickova answered ourknock at the door. Oley introducedourselves, and we showed her the pic-ture. “It is of me”, Frantiska said. “It ismy wedding picture.” Another firstcousin to my father! She invited us intoher modest home and before we couldprotest put meat into the oven to cook.She had a large jar of red berries fer-menting on the counter and a bouquetof fresh flowers on the table. Welearned that she worked in a potato fac-tory. Had we arrived any other day wewould not have found her at home.After several hours of eating and shar-ing, we bid Frantiska farewell.

This trip was the beginning of anenduring relationship between Carolyn’sAmerican and Czech families. As ithappened, we returned again the fol-lowing year. The purpose of that visitwas to find a flat for us in Prague –where we lived for the next two years.

42 • 2014 • August

Seniors4Travel

Robert Boyd & Carolyn Prusa

What’s Your Most Memorable Trip?