news-review encore january 2012

formerly The Senior Times

EncoreJanuary 2012

Championsfor care

Long-term care ombudsmen upholdrights for residents in nursing homes,

assisted living centers and adult foster homes

Championsfor care

TRICIAJONESEncore editor

The woman in the nursing homewas dying. There wasn’t anythingNancy Kreger of Glide could do to

improve her health or save her life. But as a volunteer for a watchdog pro-

gram on behalf of patients in long-termcare centers, Kreger was accustomed tohelping out where she could.

She knew the sick woman missed herpet dog back at home. When Kreger sawa man walking down the hall with his lit-tle terrier, she went out to speak to him.

Would he mind bringing the doginside one of the rooms for a visit? Inwent the pooch to meet a new friend.

“To see that dog made the differencebetween night and day for her,” Kregerrecalled. “She passed away the next day.She was happy and calm and relieved ...it just made her feel so much better.”

Finding simple solutions to difficultsituations is a valuable skill for volun-teers reporting to the Office of the Long-term Care Ombudsman.

The Salem-based office deploystrained representatives such as 64-year-old Kreger to defend the rights and dig-nity of residents in nursing homes,assisted living centers and adult fosterhomes. That can include anything fromdealing with complaints about cold foodto reports of physical abuse.

Statewide, the service covers 43,000residents. In Douglas County, there arefive active certified long-term careombudsmen responsible for about 1,200residents, and administrators are seekinga sixth to cover the Sutherlin area.

Certified ombudsmen may be alertedto potential problems in a number ofways. Volunteers may receive phonecalls from residents, their family mem-

bers or others who are concerned aboutthe care a person is receiving from alicensed care center. But volunteers alsorely on firsthand observation, schedulingvisits to residents at various times andgetting to know them personally.

Maryln Balaban of Roseburg decided10 years ago she wanted to advocate forlong-term care residents. She attendedsix daylong sessions in Eugene andplunged into a round of visits to get toknow the people she wanted to serve.She admits it was “a little scary” at first.

“My first reaction was, ‘Oh, dear, am Iopening a can of worms?’ Because yougo in there and if you find somethingthat isn’t right, you have to address itand see it corrected,” said Balaban, 75.

She quickly learned she was able to beassertive on behalf of vulnerable peoplewhom she describes as having the rightto good care.

Champions for care –The News-Review, Encore Roseburg Oregon, Monday, January 2, 2012

Sharp-eyed readers alreadyhave noticed somethingdifferent about this

month’s issue, the first of 2012. We’ve started the new year

with a new name for TheSenior Times. Welcome toEncore.

Why Encore? Merriam-Webster’s online

dictionary has a couple of defi-nitions of the word. One has todo with a reappearance or additional per-formance demanded by an audience.That’s not bad, but we like the other defi-

nition even more: “a secondachievement, especially thatsurpasses the first.”

Our publication focuses onarea residents who are movinginto the next chapter of theirlives. It’s a time when doorsopen and opportunities appear.

At the same time, it’s good toprepare for changes takingplace at this stage of life.Finances, health care, nutrition,

legal matters and even travel need to beapproached differently than in decadespast.

All are topics to explore in the pages ofEncore.

The Senior Times has looked at thosetopics over the years as well. As we enter2012, many of our readers fall into thebaby boom generation. It’s dangerous togeneralize, but something we’ve noticedabout Americans born between 1946 and1964 is that they don’t think of themselvesas seniors.

Maybe that’s because they’re concen-trating on surpassing that first achieve-ment in their lives.

This January issue also marks the intro-duction of a columnist, Bob Mayo of

Roseburg. “Now That I Think About It”will offer his perspective on a range oftopics we think will resonate with readers.

Two other columnists, Ronald Culbert-son (“Musings”) and Della Neavoll(“Reading Grandma”) have decided toretire from our pages.

We wish you a dynamic and satisfyingnew year. If you have ideas for stories ortopics you’d like to see covered in Encore,please let me know.

You can reach Encore Editor TriciaJones by email at [email protected] orby phone at 541-957-4216.

New year brings new name for monthly publication

Tricia JonesEncore Editor

MICHAEL SULLIVAN/The News-Review

Certified long-term care ombudsman Maryln Balaban visits James Woodwardrecently at Rose Haven Nursing & Rehabilitation Center, where Woodward is a resident.

So you know ...The Salem-based Office of the Long-term

Care Ombudsman is seeking volunteers tobecome certified ombudsmen in theSutherlin area.

Volunteers set their own schedules,attend monthly support group meetings,and volunteer about five hours a week.

Training sessions will take place in Febru-ary in Eugene and in March in the GrantsPass/Medford area. Mileage and travelexpenses are furnished for Douglas Countyresidents who attend the sessions.

Application packets are available atwww.oregon.gov/LTCO.

For information about the program, or toreport suspected neglect or abuse of a resi-dent in a licensed long-term care center,call 800-522-2602 or send email [email protected].

Long-term care ombudsmen uphold rights for residents in nursing homes, assisted living centers and adult foster homes

Please see OMBUDSMEN, page 4

Monday, January 2, 2012–The News-Review, Encore Roseburg Oregon,

© 2010 Wilson Group. All rights reserved.

elff

talk--

ALL AMERICAN HEARINGSTEINBACH

HEARING CENTER3000 Stewart Parkway, Ste. 102

Roseburg, OR 97470541-673-1785

BEST FOR HEARING

WHY DO I HEAR... BUT DO NOT UNDERSTAND?Study by Cambridge University In England Reveals Key Answer

Just slip it in.

SAVE$400and more -

this week only

The hearing computer is fully automatic.

It is hidden inside and hearing is easy.

Save $400 and more on digital systems.

1 2 3 4F R E E

Buy 1 packageof batteriesGet 1 FREE

Expires 12/17/10Expires 12/17/10Expires 12/17/10

F R E EF R E E

Trial of the newS Series

Call for Appointment.

Lifetime CircuitWarranty!

COMPUTE ASSISTED FITTINGALLOWS PATIENTS TO SEE THEIRHEARING “POP” INTO FOCUS

I -cal retail competitor, we will beat their price by 10% when you buy fromus. Just bring in the competitor’s current ad, or we’ll call to verify the item’s price that you have found. Competitor’s remanufactured, discon-

Low Price Guarantee

“Bring in the talk -- screen down the noise”

01/31/12 01/31/12 01/31/12

Until recently, there was no practical way to identify dead regions of hear-ing cells in the ear. However, a new British-developed pro-cedure using standard test equipment now allows for identifica-tion of dead hearing cell regions. The study suggests that the presence or absence of dead regions may have serious implica-tions in the fitting of hearing aids.

This research reveals that amplifying dead cells is a mistake which will result in poorer speech under-standing in noise. A new type of digi-tally programmable microcircuit is now being released from Starkey—the world leader in nanoSci-encetechnology—that can be programmed to bypass the dead cells. As a result, the patient’s usable hearing cells receive amplifica-tion, thereby improving speech understanding in noise.

“We are employing a like method in our diagnos-tic sound booths using

a sound field speech in noise procedure,” said Linda Knisley of All American Hearing. “This test simulates hearing in a noisy crowd. We are able to determine maxi-mum speech understand-ing by frequency shaping

this new hearing aid.” The results have been phenomenal. For the first time, a patient is able to actually realize the exact percentage of speech understanding improve-ment in noisy listening environments.

These new products come in all shell sizes, including the smallest digital models. During its release, Starkey is offer-ing this new frequency shaping hearing instru-ment on a 30 day satis-faction trial.

Call All American Hearing for a no-obligation appointment.

Some of her cases have been easy to fix.A resident was disturbed by a roommate’sloud television. The care center provided aheadset for the TV watcher.

Another resident had trouble moving hermanual wheelchair because of a slipperywheel. The physical therapy departmentwrapped the wheel with a rubberized bandfor better gripping.

A nurse refused to serve certain foods toa woman with diabetes. Balaban spokewith the nurse, who had the resident sign astatement that she was aware of the effectsher dietary choices could have on herhealth.

Balaban said the rewards of being a cer-tified ombudsman outweigh any inconven-iences. She can arrange her visiting sched-ules to suit herself, she said. She estimatedabout 65 percent of the residents she visitshave no need for intervention. Another 25percent have problems Balaban addressesherself. Of the remaining 10 percent, per-haps half result in a report to a protectiveservice agency and the other half willrequire deeper investigation and possiblylegal action, she said.

Both Balaban and Kreger said it’s notunusual for people in long-term care to behesitant to speak up. They don’t want toraise a fuss, or they fear retaliation.

But the two women also say that carehome professionals often appreciate hav-ing concerns brought to their attention.

Stacy Jones, administrator for RoseHaven Nursing & Rehabilitation Center inRoseburg, said it’s important that residentsbelieve they are able to speak freely.

“So however we can get that informa-tion is really helpful for us, to help us takecare of what we need to,” she said.

Suzzy Purcival, owner and operator ofSuzzy’s Adult Foster Care Home inSutherlin, said she believes certifiedombudsmen are particularly helpful for

residents who have no family nearby.“One (ombudsman) came out here and

got with a gentleman and helped him withsome legal issues he had prior to movinginto foster care. It calmed him down a lot,”Purcival said.

Deputy Ombudsman Molly Twarog,who supervises certified volunteers inDouglas and five other counties, said vol-unteers are most successful in the programwhen they avoid an accusatory tone withcare providers.

“The ombudsman program is required toinvestigate before it advocates,” she said.“We have a responsibility to get the factsand see if there is a problem as describedto us.”

Kreger said she and other local ombuds-men do their homework, such as checkingto see whether call lights are answeredwithin a reasonable amount of time. Sheadded she doesn’t hesitate to take the nec-essary steps to resolve a problem if shemeets resistance or lack of cooperationfrom staff. But she also points out that it’sthe wishes of the residents, not their familymembers, that she is bound to see carriedout.

“If a resident doesn’t want to take anymore pills or food, and the family wantsthem to, we make sure the family under-stands the resident wishes to die. It is theirchoice,” Kreger said. “And making sureother people are not making their choicesfor them is something I am absolutelycommitted to.”

Twarog said Douglas County’s ombuds-man program has a good working relation-ship with the county’s senior service agen-cies and case managers, which isn’t neces-sarily the case everywhere.

“Basically, we try to bridge the gapswhere the health care system is not reallymaking it,” she said.

The bridge is apparently sturdy. Its rep-resentatives were given the Governor’sVolunteer Award for OutstandingStatewide Program at a Nov. 4 conferencein Salem. The ombudsman program wasone of seven considered for the honor,according to Gretchen Jordan, the pro-gram’s volunteer coordinator.

Jones of Rose Haven said the ombuds-men she’s seen with residents are not onlyadvocates, but also companions.

“(Residents) look on them as friends,and so they will confide in them aboutthings they might not want to bring to us,”she said.

Balaban said after 10 years of volunteer-ing with the program, she’s become muchmore outgoing. She likes to say she couldwalk up to a doorknob and have a conver-sation with it. More important, though, isseeing the changes she can bring about forresidents who depend on her.

“To see someone’s life improve — that’sthe biggest thing,” she said.

• You can reach Encore Editor TriciaJones by phone at 541-957-4216 or byemail at [email protected].

–The News-Review, Encore Roseburg Oregon, Monday, January 2, 2012

When Experience...When Experience... Matters Most! Matters Most!When Experience... Matters Most!

Open Monday thru Thursday by Appointment • 541-672-01001663 West Harvard Avenue, Roseburg • www.cascadedenturecenter.com

FULL & PARTIAL DENTURE SPECIALIST

Free exam with this ad!

Phillip Dahl L.D.Personally Serving

Douglas County for 33 Years!

Happy New YearHappy New Year

Elegant River Side Retirement Living

Call 541-672-2500 or 1-800-888-5994

1970 W. Harvard, Roseburg, OR 97470www.riverviewterrace.com

fromfrom

SpaciousPrivate Apartments &

Restaurant Style Dining!For Availability & Tours,

contact Sue or Shari

Published byThe News-Review

345 N.E. Winchester St.Roseburg, Oregon 97470

Phone: 541-672-3321

Encore Editor:TTrriicciiaa JJoonneess

Design Editor:JJuulliiee KK.. BByyrrdd--JJeennkkiinnssNews-Review Editor:

VViicckkii MMeennaarrddAdvertising Director:

PPaatt BBrriiddggeess

All contents copyrighted and may not be reproduced without

consent of The News-Review. Encoreappears the first Monday of each month.

Email correspondence regarding thispublication may be sent to

[email protected].

OONN TTHHEE CCOOVVEERR::Certified long-term care ombudsman

Maryln Balaban visits residents recentlyat Rose Haven Nursing Center.


EEnnccoorree

Ombudsmen:CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2


Maryln Balaban of Roseburg, right,chats with Rose Haven Nursing & Reha-bilitation Center resident Mary Rock lastmonth. As a certified long-term careombudsmen, Balaban seeks to ensurethat care center residents have theirrights respected and receive good care.

The start of a new year launches thechallenge of making or the guilt ofbreaking resolutions. This year, my

brother, Jack, has introduced me to thepower of the shame shield. After 60 yearsof carrying the burdens ofCatholic guilt, being theoldest sibling and theever-present female fac-tor, I have finally come tothe conclusion that mybrother may have justinvented the ultimateloophole.

Every January I reviewmy prior year’s resolutionlist and shift those leftundone to the new year’s list. At the topof the 2011 list was getting my affairs inorder.

This doesn’t mean making sure I delet-ed all emails of an illicit nature or thecomings and goings of boyfriends. Mylast will and testament was made with asound mind when my 24 year old sonwas 8. The status of this particular reso-lution has been properly upgraded to the“done” list.

The list also included building a newchicken pen, which sadly still looks ashanty from “The Grapes of Wrath.” Rac-coons are a big threat, so my chickens arepenned up like the gold bars in FortKnox.

Alas, I am sure raccoons will find vul-nerable spots in the fortress this winter.The brick patio I was building before Iinjured my shoulder last year sits unfin-ished, covered in fallen oak leaves. Theseprojects will jump to the 2012 “to do”list.

I used to spend the month of January indeep regret and guilt for the resolutionsgone undone. Granted, my list was unrea-

sonably long, but like straw spun intogold, my brother’s shame shield turnsguilt into opportunities.

My brother generously gave my sister-in-law a diamond shield necklace to ward

off her guilty burdens. Dia-monds have never been thisgirl’s best friend, so myshame shield is more like theStar Trek force field.

“Shields up,” I cry assomeone comes to me withyet one more project for myoverloaded plate. This simplephrase has given me thecourage to say “no” with aguilt-free conscience.

As I look down the old 2011 list, theshame shield is a valuable ally in keepingthings off the new year’s list. If it didn’tget done in a year’s time, the reality is Ieither didn’t need it or it wasn’t all thatimportant.

Some resolutions, like the chicken penand patio, will have to go on the list for2012, but the shame shield protects mefrom the unnecessary guilt that accompa-nies that transition.

In order for you to gain access to yourown shame shield, you must first wish tobe rid of the guilt that burdens you. Thisis the most expensive part of the pur-chase.

Perhaps guilt drives you to accomplishtasks that you would not do ordinarily. Agood healthy dose of guilt goes a longway to spurring us on despite the crick inthe back or the warmth of the fire. Couchpotatoes are often born without this guiltgene.

Recognizing you don’t have to feelguilty or responsible for everything isvery important in using the shame shieldeffectively. This is a huge step in the

acquiring of a shame shield. Shame shields come in all shapes and

sizes. It can be as small as a pebble inyour pocket. It is a reminder, much like apiece of string around your finger. Unlikemy sister-in-law’s sparkling diamondshield, mine is invisible to the naked eye,but is no less powerful and presents itselfon my command.

Part of aging gracefully should be toexamine the long list of to-do’s in our lifeand thoughtfully remove or adjust so thedone list is the longer of the two. Thebenefit of the shame shield is to recog-nize the difference between what has tobe done, what can be done and how tosleep peacefully with what can’t be done.

I highly recommend the shame shieldto all my guilty readers. That is what awise grandma has done.

Eularee Smith is the grandmother of six,a teacher and executive director ofUpStart Crow children’s theater inEugene.

Ward off unnecessary guiltwith this powerful garment


Bill Duncan’s family would like to thank all the dedicated contributors and faithful readers of The Senior Times, a publication

Bill edited since its inception in February 1981 until his sudden death on November 18, 2011. The family also extends its

gratitude to the Roseburg community for their love and support.

~Ada Duncan & Family

HOMETOWN DRUGSInside the Harvard Medical Park

(541) 229-1112

For All Your Pharmacy NeedsFor All Your Pharmacy Needs

Most insurances accepted!FREE for MEDICARE and ATRIO patients

Pharmacist & OwnerPharmacist & Owner Josh Dahlenburg

FLU SHOTSFLU SHOTSNOW AVAILABLENOW AVAILABLE

Eularee SmithWise Grandma

EENNCCOORREEBRIEFS

ROSEBURGClasses address livingwith chronic conditions

Douglas County residents who sufferfrom chronic health conditions are invit-ed to attend a free Stanford University-developed course called “Living Wellwith Chronic Conditions” at UnitedCommunity Action Network’s Roseburgoffice.

The classes will be held from 1 to 4p.m. on Wednesdays from Jan. 15 to Feb.15 at the UCAN office, 280 KennethFord Drive.

Those who suffer from arthritis, can-cer, heart problems, stoke, asthma canlearn about small manageable steps totake toward healthier living.

UCAN partnered with other DouglasCounty health and human serviceproviders and Rogue Valley Council ofGovernments Senior and Disabilities Ser-vices to put on the course.

Registration is requested by Jan. 6.Information: 541-391-3359.

ROSEBURGBlood pressure screenings set

Mercy Medical Center Auxiliary will

provide free blood pressure screenings atthe following sites in January:

• Tuesdays, 11:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.,Roseburg Valley Mall, 1444 N.W. GardenValley Road

• Wednesdays, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., CentralDouglas County Family YMCA

• Thursdays, 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., Wal-mart (depending on construction sched-ule), 2125 N.W. Stewart Parkway.

Information: 541-677-4464.

If I were into bumper stickers, I’d haveone printed that reads, “Living is learn-ing,” and a companion sticker pro-

claiming, “Support your local communitycollege!”

I’ve always considered myself a life-long learner. I graduatedfrom college in my early20s after studying two yearsat a community college andtwo years at a university.

I returned to school in myearly 30s, taking night class-es at a community college toearn a second degree in anunrelated field. In my mid-40s I ventured back toschool at the university levelto obtain my teaching cre-dentials, again in a new discipline.

“Knowledge is power,” goes an old say-ing. But for me knowledge is the breadand water that nourishes an active mind.

I went to college as a young man tolearn, and what I learned was how much Ididn’t know. What I learned was that edu-cation is not a packaged product to beconsumed in one’s youth, in high schooland college, with the expectation that itwill provide enough intellectual nourish-ment to last a lifetime.

Rather, education is a transformative

process that occurs over a lifetime of con-tinued learning. Education has wheels thatwant to turn, that want to take you some-where you’ve never been.

I’ve never sat down and written out aformal bucket list, but earlier this year,

upon turning 65, I startedthinking seriously aboutwhat I wanted most to learnduring the uncertain amountof time I have left as anupright, sentient being.

What ended up at the topof my mental list was mylongtime desire to learn howmusic is made.

That phrase alone isenough to convey how littleI knew about this mysteri-

ously wondrous creative art. I’ve alwaysloved listening to music, and I am anunabashed shower singer. Yet somehow Ihad made it through six-plus decades ofmortal existence without an inkling of theintricacies of musical composition.

But today, only a few months afterdetermining to plug that gap in my learn-ing, I can say that things have changed. Inow have a basic understanding of howmusic is made. How did I gain this knowl-edge? By enrolling in music classes at ourlocal community college.

I saw the classes listed in the UmpquaCommunity College fall 2011 schedulemailed to my home: music theory 1 and itsco-requisite, class piano. Dare I venture,at my age, back to school, I wondered.

As much as I still love learning, theprocess for me these days often resemblespeering into a dense fog with my highbeams on: mental whiteout. But aftersome deliberation, and my wife’s encour-agement, I decided to give school anothertry. And I’m glad I did.

Not that it wasn’t a struggle, because attimes it was. I spent many hours doinghomework that I’m sure took the young-gun music majors in the class minutes tocomplete. And there were musical con-cepts I grappled with like the biblicalJacob wrestling with the angel.

But I persevered and, as a result, Ilearned more than I ever expected to knowabout musical composition.

I added some retrievable data to thatinformation cloud in my head. Did I learnall there is to know about how music ismade? Far from it.

But at least now I can look at a piece ofsheet music and understand the markingson it that heretofore might as well havebeen written in hieroglyphics. And I cansit down at a piano and hunt and peck outthe tune. I feel good about that. I learnedsomething I didn’t know, something Iwanted to know.

And so I’d like to acknowledge herethose who helped me obtain another sliver

of understanding of the world around me.Thank you, Umpqua Community College,for being a bountiful source of lifelonglearning opportunities.

Thank you, Dr. Jason Heald, for teach-ing music theory in a way that even amusical neophyte of a certain age canunderstand it. Thank you, Donna Spicer,for allowing me to use your piano class asa learning lab for the musical concepts Iwas struggling to comprehend. Thank you,Douglas County, for supporting our localinstitution of post-secondary learning.

A note to those of my fellow senior citi-zens who share with me the obsession tokeep learning until we draw our lastbreath: Umpqua Community Collegegrants seniors age 60 and older a 50 per-cent discount on credit course tuition.

This Gold Card discount applies toselect community education courses aswell. Program details are available at 541-440-4601.

So, next time you receive that UCCclass schedule in the mail, don’t toss it inthe recycle bin unopened. Open it andview the marvelous learning opportunitiesafforded by our local community college.

Now that I think about it, maybe I willhave those bumper stickers printed up.

Bob Mayo of Roseburg worked in thepublic schools system for 17 years and hasbeen a Douglas County resident since1990. His passion is writing fiction.

There’s no age limit on acquiring knowledge –The News-Review, Encore Roseburg Oregon, Monday, January 2, 2012

P.O. Box 805 - Sutherlin, OR 97479 - CCB 185676

Manufactured Home

“As a trade ally contractor of Energy Trust of Oregon, we can help with cash incentives and state energy tax credits to improve the energy effi ciency of your home.”

Funded 100% by dollars you have already given to your utility...listed as “Public Purpose Fund”.

“Your Home Performance Specialist since 2003”

Home ComfortInspections & Services LLC

FREEAir & Duct Sealing

No catches, No out-of-pocket costs…just savings!

...with electric heat, then we can help!

If you are Pacifi c Power Customer who owns or rents a....

Over 90% of new and old homes tested have costly air leaks “holes” in their heating/coolingductwork resulting in higher utility bills and reduced home comfort.

Call us today at … 459-9682…and join over two thousand Douglas County residences that have

already saved up to 30% with this no-cost energy effi ciency improvement; if applicable.

Your private Medicare supplement insurance does NOT cover your

long-term care expenses.For information on long-term care insurance call:

Financial Advisors Corp.

780 NW Garden Valley Blvd., Suite 38BRoseburg, OR 97470

Call Jack H. Whitten, CLU(541) 673-2298

Securities and investment advisory services offered by Lincoln Financial Advisors Corp., a broker/dealer (FINRA/SIPC)and registered investment advisor. Insurance offered through Lincoln affi liates and other fi ne companies. CRN201111-2061498

Also covers Home Health Care. Smokers Rates Available.

Bob MayoNow That I Think About It

EENNCCOORREEBRIEFS

ADA DUNCANFor Encore

Prescriptions are lifelines for manyfolks, but what happens when thatlifeline is impaired or cut off by

lack of funds? With the price of medications these

days, it’s not too difficult to get into thehundreds of dollars, but if you are on alimited or subsistence income, you haveto make some very tough choices – foodor meds.

There is help out there, but not every-one knows about it — or for that matter,where to find it. United CommunityAction Network Rx Assistance Programwants to change that. Program organizersneed someone to train as a communityoutreach presenter.

If you are computer literate and will-ing to take a two-day training course inGrants Pass, this may be a good opportu-nity for you. The job requires that youexplain and deliver information at placeslike clinics, senior centers, retirementfacilities, or pharmacies. If you wantmore details, call Sam at 541-492-3917.

UCAN is the umbrella for other servic-es that may fit your situation better, soconsider the following. Unless otherwisenoted, call Sam at 541-492-3917.

• UCAN Food Bank needs helpers topick up food donations, drive the foodbank truck and work in the warehouse.

• UCAN Trans Link needs one or twovolunteer drivers, using their own cars,available Monday through Friday totransport Medicaid clients. Mileage reim-bursement is available and is paid week-ly.

• Dial-A-Ride is looking for volunteerdrivers to provide transportation for sen-iors and the disabled in their own com-munities, to senior centers for lunch threetimes a week or to the grocery store anddoctor appointments. Each communityhas a fleet of vehicles available. Commu-nities in need are Winston, Sutherlin andReedsport.

• Sutherlin Senior Center Meals onWheels wants volunteers to deliver mealsto the homebound. Volunteers will use

their own car and get a mileage reim-bursement as well as a free lunch. Alsoneeded are servers, dishwashers andclean-up crews. Call Kendra at 541-459-9405 or Sam at 541-492-3917.

• Riddle Community Center Meals onWheels is also looking for volunteerdrivers and an events planner to organizegames and movies. Cleanup helpers andretired nurses to check blood pressurestwice a month would be welcomed.

• Family Care Giver Support Programis offering a two-day training workshopto certify class leaders in the PowerfulTools of Caregiving. Certified volunteersteach those tools to family caregivers infour-hour classes one day a week for sixweeks. Also needed are helpers to spendfour hours once a month working on thenewsletter. If either opportunity is foryou, call Nancy at 541-440-3677 or Samat 541-492-3917.

• Umpqua Valley Rehab and Care Cen-ter is looking for a man who can relate tothe interests of the male residents andwould like to visit with them. For moreinformation, call Gina at 541- 464-7108.

• Douglas County Cancer Serviceswants volunteers to greet the patients andhelp them with financial and personalneeds. Call Dodie at 541-459-1512 orSam at 541-492-3917.

• The Roseburg Veterans Affairs Med-ical Center needs drivers using the VAvan to take patients to and from appoint-ments in the Roseburg area. Volunteersreceive an orientation and training andget a tuberculosis test. Call VoluntaryServices at 541-440-1000 or Sam at 541-492-3917 for an appointment.

• Mercy Medical Center needs helpersfor patients and visitors to the emergencyroom. Volunteers also are needed toescort patients to their cars or push theirwheelchairs. Four-hour shifts are any dayof the week, noon to 4 p.m., 4 to 8 p.m.or 8 to midnight. Call Mercy MedicalCenter Volunteer Services at 541-677-4465 or Sam at 541-492-3917.

• Foster Grandparent Program volun-teers are needed in Oakland, MyrtleCreek and Roseburg to help childrenlearn basic skills in reading, critical

thinking and positive behavior. Volun-teers receive training, a tax free stipendand mileage reimbursement. Service is ina public school or youth-oriented non-profit facility and requires a minimum of15 hours per week. Please contact Bert at541-492-3520 for more details.

• Senior Companion Program needs

volunteers to visit with frail elders, takethem to the doctor or shopping. Volun-teers earn an hourly tax-free stipend,mileage and meal reimbursement. Youwill be required to volunteer a minimumof 15 hours per week. Volunteers areneeded in Roseburg, Myrtle Creek, andSutherlin. Call Bert at 541-492-3520.


Your reasonable monthlyrent includes:

• Exercise and activity room• Month-to-month rent• Resident managers on-site 24 hours• Three chef-prepared meals a day• Large screen TV lounge, library, and billiards room• Weekly housekeeping and linen service• Scheduled local transportation

1800 NW Hughwood, Roseburg, OR 97470

541-673-1774Serving seniors since 1971.

www.garden-valley.com

You can still enjoythe comforts of

HOME HOME

Make volunteer opportunities yourresolution for 2012

News-Review file photo

Ray Fortado, 90, right, and Jess Burr, 80, unload meals at the Winston Communi-ty Center for the Meals on Wheels program.

We all make resolutions at thestart of a new year. The majori-ty of these resolutions circle

around health issues, like weight andsmoking. Of course, I madethe typical silent resolutionto exercise more, and eat abit less. But I also addedsomething else to my list.

Last year I made a reso-lution to connect withfriends more often. Withwork, home and family, theweeks just seemed to fly by,and I realized that I was los-ing that regular connection Iso enjoyed with my friends.So I decided to begin a tra-dition of having a monthly Soup Social.

My plan was to make a couple of potsof soup, invite friends and family to stopby for a bowl. No RSVP required. Justshow up, say “Hi,” have a bowl of warmhomemade soup, and go on your way.

Each month I kept with a seasonaltheme, so the winter months offeredhearty, soul-warming soups, like turkeybarley and Sichuan beef noodle soup.The summer months had soups like gaz-pacho, vegetable minestrone, and roastedcorn and salmon chowder.

Through all my soup experiments Iended up with quite a nice collection ofdelicious soups. And I found that my

soup-making ability improved greatly.My favorite for the year was one that I

made for the December gathering. Ifound an interesting roasted chestnut

soup by Mark Bittman, pro-fessional food writer andauthor.

In his “The Minimalist”column with the New YorkTimes, he shares his simplebut delicious soup recipeusing an ingredient withwhich I have no prior expe-rience — the chestnut.

I had to look for freshchestnuts in the produce sec-tion of the grocery, and Ieven found some grocers

sell jarred chestnuts that are alreadyroasted and peeled. The best thing aboutthis soup, besides its short list of ingredi-ents, is that it is wonderfully creamy intexture.

There is no cream added to the soup.The silky texture comes entirely from thechestnuts. Enjoy!

Nancy Goodale Graham is a registereddietitian who teaches and counsels in theCardiovascular Wellness and Rehabilita-tion department at Sacred Heart MedicalCenter at RiverBend in Springfield. Youcan contact her at [email protected].

Enjoy this winter soup asJack Frost nips at your nose


696 NE Winchester St. • Roseburg • 541.673.2724

Artistic Denture Center

Are Your DenturesCausing you painPremium Premium DentureDenture

$$825825

Basic Denture

$$299299Basic Basic PartialPartial

$$399399

Premium Premium Partial

$$875875

“We’ll help you decide“We’ll help you decidewhat is right for you”what is right for you”

Receive a

FREEEXAMwith this ad

NancyGoodale Graham

Nutrition

RRooaasstteedd CChheessttnnuutt SSoouupp

www.nytimes.com/2000/12/20/dining/the-minimalist-no-cream-creamy-soup.html

10 large chestnuts, peeled or unpeeled2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil or butter2 cups chopped celery1/2 cup chopped onionSalt and fresh black pepper4 cups good chicken stockChopped celery leaves or parsley for garnish

1. If you have peeled chestnuts, proceed toStep 2. Otherwise, preheat oven to 350degrees. Using a sharp paring knife, make an Xon the flat side of each chestnut. Roast them inan open pan for 10 to 15 minutes, or until theskins begin to open away from the meat.

Remove both outer and inner skins while chest-nuts are warm.

2. Place olive oil or butter in deep skillet orcasserole, and turn heat to medium. A couple ofminutes later, add celery, onion and a goodsprinkling of salt and pepper, and cook, stirringoccasionally, until onion is translucent, about10 minutes. Add stock and chestnuts, bring to aboil and partly cover. Lower heat, and simmeruntil chestnuts are mushy, about 30 minutes.

3. Carefully puree soup in a blender, or cooland then puree. Measure and add water to total6 cups of liquid. Reheat, adjust seasoning ifnecessary and serve, garnished with celeryleaves or parsley.

Yield: 4 servings.Per serving: 216 Calories, 10 g Fat, 2 g Satu-

rated Fat, 23 g Carbohydrate, 7 g Protein, 2 gFiber, 385 mg Sodium.

ear Reader, It gives some folks, like my

husband, a sense of security tokeep receipts. Every single

receipt, for every single thing we buy.Even the cash register receiptfor the bag of carrots I boughtat the market yesterday — thecarrots we ate for dinner lastnight.

“You never know, Suzanne,we might need that receipt.”

Yes, dear, you never know.Three days from now wemight get a bad case of carrotsalmonella and lucky us,we’d have the receipt for evi-dence. But following my husband’s logic,wouldn’t we also need to save the plasticbag the carrots came in? The bag with theprinted bar code showing when the carrotswere picked, processed, shipped andreceived by the store. Shouldn’t we havesaved the rest of the “evidence,” too?

This is why we have boxes in our housemarked, (or worse, unmarked) “SAVE!”Because it’s comforting for my husband toknow that even though our electric fondue

pot quit working 12 years ago, causing us tothrow it out, at least we still have thereceipt. Ah, the memories!

My husband might not agree, but when Ihear, “The receipt’s in a box somewhere,” I

know what it really means is,“The receipt might as well bein the trash pile at the dump.”Boxes of receipts and stuffwe thought we might needsome day, boxes we pay$59.95 a month to store(houses in Florida don’t havebasements).

What could I buy with$719.40 each year? A longweekend in a nice hotel,

shoes, or what about a real day of pamper-ing? The total spa package: a massage,manicure, pedicure, and facial. But, not toworry dear, of course I’ll save the receipt!

Thanks for reading with me. It’s so goodto read with friends.

Suzanne Beecher, author of “Muffinsand Mayhem: Recipes for a Happy (if Dis-orderly) Life,” can be reached [email protected].

Tossing a receipt is asure ticket for regret

Suzanne BeecherCommentary

D


Take advantage of our Hospitality Program designed for those requiring services after an illness, hospitalization, or those that are just needing a rest. If you have ever wondered about Retirement living, but were hesitant, maybe due to cost

or age, why not explore the experience on us, FREEFREE of charge. And see what you think!

541-839-4266200 SW Frontage Rd. • Canyonville, OR

www.ForestGlenRet.com

Up to 5 days FREE!*Up to 5 days FREE!*

For reservations, please call:For reservations, please call:

Retirement Does Have It’s Benefits!Retirement Does Have It’s Benefits!

Great FoodGreat Food

Great FriendsGreat Friends

Cozy place to lay your headCozy place to lay your head

*Ask Administrator for qualifying details.

Iconsidered myself a town girl while Icollected childhood memories inIowa. Although smaller than Oregon,

the Midwest Hawkeye State contains 99counties spread over the rolling flat farmbelt.

At an early age I learnedthe first two numbers onIowa auto license platesdenoted the county wherethe owner resided.

Since they had been listedin alphabetical order, num-ber 62 announced MahaskaCounty, which is where Ilived in Oskaloosa, the coun-ty seat with a population of10,000.

I recall seeing the first red and greensignal light in my hometown during the1920s. It was placed on a post in the mid-dle of the intersection of High Avenueand Market Street, the central point fromwhich the numbered or lettered thorough-fares had been designed.

The traffic light confused drivers, whodid not know whether to turn left beforethe post or drive around it to travel left. Itwas soon changed to hang in the centerfrom diagonally-crossed cables attachedto the top of the four corner light posts.

Since there were no snow plows, cars

made their own tracks, leaving frozenridges or melting slush. Several uniquebrick streets had been laid. Most notablewas lengthy North Ninth Street, wherethe Decoration Day parade participants

marched toward ForestCemetery.

From the single trafficlight I could view theentire midtown squarecity block that contained apark with shade trees andsidewalks.

In the center stood apermanent open-air band-stand. Steps led to the ele-vated band platform. Anenclosed storage space

was underneath the platform. Duringseven to eight months of the year, ironbenches lined both sides of the walkwaysavailable to everyone.

I often gazed at the nearby full-figurebronze statue of Chief Mahaska, imagin-ing how he and Princess Oskaloosa hadbeen influential among the local Fox andCrow Indians.

Laura Kruse shares her reminiscingabout life with readers of The SeniorTimes. This is the first of a two-part series.

Scenes from a small Iowa town, Part 1

Laura KruseMemory Moments

My interest in genealogy began in1965 when I was 19 years old. Isent for a book about genealogy

that I saw advertised in a magazine, andalso joined a class of aspiring genealogistsat our church. My, how different genealogi-cal research was then.

I was fortunate, though, that my parentsand grandparents were all living so I couldinterview them and search forinformation in their memories andhomes.

Though genealogical researchhas changed a lot since then, it isstill a good idea to begin yoursearch in this way, if possible.

Older living relatives will havememories and records that willgive you a great start. Photos,obituaries, letters, journals, etc.,can often be found that will helpmake your ancestors become realpeople to you.

I soon learned that several ofmy mother’s ancestors had beenOregon and Douglas County pio-neers.

How exciting it was for me tobe able to go to cemeteries, museums,libraries, ancestral home sites and court-houses to learn more about my family.

As the years passed, genealogicalresearch began to change as interest in itgrew and technological advances made iteasier. That interest encouraged the devel-opment of local organizations and facilitiessuch as our Douglas County Museum andthe Genealogical Society of Douglas Coun-ty.

Early in my research I began to usemicrofilm of records to find more informa-tion. Microfilming has been used forgenealogical records since about 1938.

Old records such as censuses and news-papers have been photographed and storedon rolls of film that can be read onmachines called microfilm readers. Forexample, all the existing old DouglasCounty newspapers are on microfilm keptat the Douglas County Library and at theDouglas County Museum, and can beaccessed using microfilm readers.

The Genealogical Society of Utah (nowcalled the Family History Library) began

sending volunteers to many places in theworld to photograph genealogical recordsto be made available for anyone to searchin this way.

There are currently more than 2.4 millionrolls of microfilm there, containing recordsform 110 countries, territories and posses-sions.

One might ask how all these records canbe available to us here in Douglas County.

That brings me to a developmentthat I was privileged to be a partof in 1977.

The Roseburg Family HistoryCenter, a branch of the FamilyHistory Library, was established.At first it was in Myrtle Creek.Soon it was moved to Roseburgas space was made available atthe new meetinghouse of TheChurch of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. At that time I servedas the staff training director.

Now most of these 2.4 millionrolls of microfilm can beordered and used at the FamilyHistory Center.

I have spent hundreds ofhours there reading about my ancestors.For example, I was able to trace my Frenchancestry from civil registration recordsgoing back to 1792 and from churchrecords even back into the 1500s.

Also in 1977, Douglas County reachedanother genealogical milestone whenUmpqua Community College began hold-ing community education classes in geneal-ogy, as it still does today. And it was myprivilege to teach those first classes.

Something happened to me in 1979 thatbrought my genealogical activities to ascreeching halt for a time. I gave birth totriplets. So I stayed home for a few years tocare from them and their five older sib-lings. Now that they are grown, I am agenealogist again. I began serving weeklyas a volunteer in the Family History Centerabout 16 years ago.

It is one of the greatest joys of my life.

Patricia Gausnell is a volunteer in theRoseburg Family History Center. For moreinformation about the center, call 541-672-1237.

Getting to the roots of researching ancestry

in Douglas County

PatriciaGausnellFamily Tree

Wish you could have seen that?Well, now you can.

www.nrtoday.com


THISYEAR

I WILLBETTERHEAR

7 5 - DAY T R I A L

AGXPROTECTION

PLAN

*Applicable with the purchase of an AGX5, 7, or 9.

YEAR WARRANTY*YEARS FREE BATTERIES* YEARS LOSS AND DAMAGE INSURANCE*

Call us today to make an appointment with Dr. Scott Anderson

541.378.49361367 W Harvard Ave • Roseburg

www.roseburgaudiology.com

Offer ends 3/31/12

HEARING CONSULTATIONFREE

Jan. 16 is Martin Luther King, Jr. Day —a national holiday. To some, the day meansmore than an observance of the birthday ofthe civil rights leader. It isalso a day to be of service toothers.

The MLK Day of Serviceis a part of United We Serve,the President’s national callto service initiative. It callsfor Americans from all walksof life to work together toprovide solutions to our mostpressing national problems.

A great way to be of serv-ice to others is to help some-one you know who may need assistanceapplying for Social Security, Medicare, orthe program that provides extra help withMedicare prescription drug costs. Each ofthese is easy to do atwww.socialsecurity.gov.

Some people who need these benefitsmay not be comfortable with computers ormay not even know applying online is anoption. But now it’s easier than ever toapply for such benefits from the conven-ience of a home computer at www.socialse-curity.gov.

For example, it’s easy to apply for retire-

ment benefits at www.socialsecurity. It cantake as little as 15 minutes from start to fin-ish, and once the application is electronical-

ly submitted, in most cases, thereis nothing more to do.

It’s even easier to apply forMedicare, for people who do notplan to begin their Social Securi-ty retirement payments yet butwho do want Medicare coverage.

The application takes about 10minutes and can be found atsocialsecurity.gov/medicareonly.

People who already haveMedicare coverage, but who havetrouble meeting prescription drug

costs, can apply for Extra Help online atwww.socialsecurity.gov/extrahelp.

This holiday, you may want to make a tripto see the new Martin Luther King, Jr.memorial in Washington, D.C., or listen to arecording of a memorable speech. You canalso make your Martin Luther King Day aday of service to someone who can use yourhelp. Lead them to www.socialsecurity.gov.It may be easy for you, but it may be adream come true for the person you help.

Alan Edwards is an information special-ist with the Social Security Administration.

Carry forward spirit of serviceby helping others apply online

Alan EdwardsSocial Security

Driving home in my Smart Car fromPortland airport several weeks ago, Istarted a Neil Diamond CD. One of

his best songs — besides “Coming to Ameri-ca” of course — is about new beginningsand brand-new starts.

As Neil and I sang together, Ireflected on 2011 and the reso-lutions I made as the yearapproached. I did well, butenjoyed many surprises as well.Indulge me as I recap 2011 andlook forward to 2012.

2011 — Go to bed early onNew Year’s Eve so I can getup bright and early and spendNew Year’s Day hiking withmy favorite hiking partners.

Yup, I did it, although our 2012 hike willbe on New Year’s Eve day because I willbe in church on Sunday, New Year’s Day.

2011 — Spend a good part of the dark andrainy Oregon January in Costa Rica. SunnyCosta Rica was a huge success.

For 2012, I plan to dust off my skies andenjoy the mountains of Oregon.

2011 — Watch “Globe Trekker” on TVwhether I am home or not.

I got tired of Globe Trekker. For 2012: MyDVR and I have become devoted to “Danc-ing with the Stars.”

2011— Add two new countries, IvoryCoast and Botswana, to my favorite interna-tional destination, Africa.

Ivory Coast no, but Botswana, Zambiaand Namibia, yes. For 2012: I am lookingat the Canadian Maritime provinces,Bermuda and the big island of Hawaii.

2011 — Arrive in Salt Lake City, Utah,and Washington, D.C., in time for the birthof two more grandbabies, numbers sevenand eight.

Babies arrived, Grandma made it to SaltLake. A little health blip prohibited theWashington, D.C., visit, but three weekslater I met baby Aya. For 2012: No babieson the radar screen, as far as I know.

2011 — Visit my favorite domestic desti-nation, New York City, at least twice in 2011and see as many Broadway shows as human-ly possible.

Yes, twice to New York and a total of 13shows. It doesn’t get better than that. For2012: I am taking a group to the Big Applein the spring. Come and join us, we have agreat time.

2011 — To laugh until I cry and my stom-ach hurts.

Oh yes, and it felt great. For 2012: Do ittwice as much.

2011 — Continue to shop for travel cloth-

ing at Goodwill Industries and SalvationArmy stores.

I found great buys. For 2012: NortheastStephens Street in Roseburg is loadedwith great resale shops where I did some

of my Christmas shopping. Ido love a bargain.

2011— Escort RoseburgConcert Chorale and CoosBay Choir to London.

The choir was a huge hitin London. For 2012: Since Ihave retired from massivegroup travel, my one andonly group is to New York.

2011— Not to skydive orbungee jump. Para sailing,

yes. Ditto for 2012, but I did watch bungee

jumpers off the Victoria Falls (Zimbabwe)Bridge. Silly people.

2011 — Be even more grateful for theabsolutely charmed life I get to lead and thepeople in it.

For 2012: Always the same, forevermore.

2011— Find someone who has a motorcy-cle with a sidecar and go for a spin.

I didn’t find any takers. For 2012: If you areout there, I am game.

2011 — Figure out how to downloadbooks on CD to the new iPod.

I still can’t figure it out. For 2012: is aniPhone the answer?

2011— Eat gelato at least twice dailywhen in Italy, as much European cheese andchocolate as I can stand, and Middle Easternfood wherever possible.

Success! For 2012: more of the same.

2011 — Celebrate 40 years of marriagewith my favorite person. Any place togetherwould be great.

We did it, celebrated in Ireland, Scot-land,Wales, England, Scandinavia, Italy,France and Iceland. For 2012: Forty-oneyears is looking good; probably back toItaly.

2011 — Continue to savor every opportu-nity to treasure old friends and make newones.

I am still basking in the glow of thegreatest ‘retirement’ party a girl could everimagine — friends, friends and morefriends. For 2012: More fun with friends;bring it on.

2011— Keep sharing what I learn from theworld with those who care to read about it.For 2012: I hope I don’t ever stop learningand sharing from the world, and I hope myreaders enjoy it.

How it went whileon the go in 2011

Gloria JohnsonAround the World


Retiring early? Be sure you stillhave health insurance. A govern-ment website, www.healthcare.gov,

is a good place to explore your options,and www.dol.gov/ebsa also providessome useful guides.

Here are some steps to take: First, seewhether your employer provides earlyretiree health coverage. Many employersgot help paying for retiree coveragethrough the Affordable Care Act, whichencouraged them to maintain retiree bene-fits during these tough economic timesand to reduce plan costs for retirees. In2010, about 4.5 million retirees anddependents benefited from this help.

Second, see if you can get coveragethrough your spouse’s employer.

If your spouse’s plan offers you cover-age, you have a special opportunity toenroll when you lose your own job-basedcoverage, even if it is not the normal openenrollment season.

Third, read notices from your employercarefully to find out if you are eligible forCOBRA (or other continuation benefits).Be sure to apply and pay premiums with-in the deadlines. Though COBRA isexpensive (you pay the full cost of premi-ums), it is probably a better deal than youcould get if you shopped for an individualplan: Under COBRA, you won’t becharged more due to your health, and youcan’t be denied coverage due to your pre-existing conditions.

Fourth, if you are retiring due to dis-ability, check with the Social SecurityAdministration about whether you shouldapply for benefits. You will have to wait anumber of months to receive Medicare,but applying for Social Security gets theprocess started. Veterans and federalemployees should check their optionsunder the Veterans Administration and theFederal Employees Health Plan, respec-tively. If your income is low and youhave a permanent disability, you may alsoqualify for Medicaid, and there is nowaiting period for that. For more infor-mation, check with your state Medicaidagency at www.medicaid.gov/Medicaid-CHIP-Program-Information/By-State/By-State.html.

If you are already uninsured and arehaving trouble finding a plan that willaccept you, try the Pre-existing ConditionInsurance Plan, www.pcip.gov. This plan,established under the Affordable CareAct, covers people who have been unin-

sured for at least six months and whohave a health condition or who have beenturned down by other insurers based ontheir health. Premium costs are similar towhat healthy people pay for insurance.

Once you find coverage for now, keepwatching for the date you can apply forMedicare — usually three months beforeyou turn 65. You’ll need to apply soonthereafter in order to avoid late penalties.

Good news is coming in 2014. That’swhen adults will have more options foraffordable coverage under the PatientProtection and Affordable Care Act.

You will be able to buy a policythrough an exchange where you can easi-ly compare plans. The act also requiresinsurance companies to provide simple,easy-to-understand summaries of benefitsthat will help you cut through the red tapeand figure out what each plan actuallyoffers in terms of benefits.

Many middle-income individuals andfamilies will qualify for tax credits tohelp them pay the cost of premiums, andthey will get help with other plan costs.

In addition, come 2014, insurance com-panies will no longer be able to turn youdown or charge you more based on yourhealth status or pre-existing conditions.This is a provision that will help manypeople in the 55- to 64-year-old agegroup. Studies show that uninsured peo-ple in this age group are especially likelyto have chronic conditions, forgo neededcare, and to have been turned down byinsurers based on their health status.

Also in 2014, more low-income adultswill be able to get help through the Med-icaid program. Right now, in most states,you must be permanently disabled, olderthan 65 or have dependent children to getMedicaid.

But in 2014, most adults who earn lessthan 133 percent of the federal povertylevel (that’s about $19,564 for a family oftwo) will qualify. Older adults who havelost jobs and those with temporary dis-abilities will benefit from this Medicaidimprovement.

Consumer assistance programs, foundonline atwww.familiesusa.org/resources/program-locator, can help you understand moreabout your coverage choices and rights,now and in 2014.

Ron Pollack is the executive director forFamilies USA.

Factor healthinsurance into

early retirementThe Douglas County AARP Driver Safe-

ty Program Team is offering three classesfor the month of January.

The course is designed for drivers aged50 and older, however, it’s open toyounger people as well. You do not need tobe a member of AARP to take the course.

Course fees are $14 per person. AARPmembers will receive a $2 discount.

Oregon law requires all auto insurancecarriers to offer a discount on premiums toqualified graduates, age 55 and older ofapproved programs such as this one.

Beginning this year, the course has beenconsolidated into six hours of instructionduring one session. Participants must com-plete the six hours to graduate and receivethe benefit.

All classes will be held between 9 a.m.and 4 p.m. Each participant is encouragedto bring a sack lunch.

Following is a schedule of area classesfor this month.

• Jan. 19 — Mercy Community Educa-tion Center, 2459 Stewart Parkway, Rose-burg. Instructor: Pete Benham.

• Jan. 19 — Room 4, Oakland CityHall, 637 Locust St., Oakland.

• Jan. 24 — Linus Oaks, 2665 Van PeltBlvd., Roseburg. Instructor: ACJ Jekofsky.

To register for any of the above classes,call 541-679-9571 or visit www.aarp.org.

For information about future classes, orto request a class for your organization,call Pete Benham, district coordinator, at541- 672-1016.

AARP offering driver safety classes for January


By KATHY MATHESONAssociated Press

PHILADELPHIA — At age 62, Don-ald Carter knows his arthritis and otherage-related infirmities will not allow himto live indefinitely in his third-floorwalkup apartment in Philadelphia.

But as a low-income renter, Carter haslimited options. And as a gay black man,he’s concerned his choice of senior livingfacilities might be narrowed further bythe possibility of intolerant residents orstaff members.

“The system as it stands is not veryaccommodating,” Carter said. “I don’treally want to see any kind of negativeattitude or lack of service because any-one ... is gay or lesbian.”

Experts say many gay, lesbian, bisexu-al and transgender seniors fear discrimi-nation, disrespect or worse by health careworkers and residents of elder housingfacilities — ultimately leading many togo back into the closet after years ofbeing open about their sexual orientation.

That anxiety takes on new significanceas the first of the 77 million babyboomers turns 65 this year. At least 1.5million seniors are gay, a number expect-ed to double by 2030, according toSAGE, the New York-based group Ser-vices and Advocacy forGLBT Elders.

Recognizing the need,developers in Philadel-phia have secured a siteand initial funding forwhat would be one of thenation’s few GLBT-friendly affordable hous-ing facilities. They hopeto break ground on a 52-unit, $17 million build-ing in 2013.

Anti-discriminationlaws prohibit gay-onlyhousing, but projects canbe made GLBT-friendlythrough marketing andlocation. And while pri-vate retirement facilitiestargeted at the gay com-munity exist, such resi-dences are often out ofreach for all but thewealthiest seniors.

Census figuresreleased last week indicate about 49 per-cent of Americans over 65 could be con-sidered poor or low-income.

Gays are also less likely to have bio-logical family to help out with informalcaregiving, either through estrangement

or being childless, making them moredependent on outside services. And thatmakes them more vulnerable, SAGEexecutive director Michael Adams said.

“They cannot at all assume that theywill be treated well or given the welcomemat,” he said.

Cities including San Francisco andChicago also haveprojects on the drawingboard. But the firstand, so far, only afford-able housing complexfor gay elders to bebuilt in the UnitedStates is TriangleSquare-Hollywood inLos Angeles.

Open since 2007, the$22 million facility has104 units available toany low-income senior62 and over, gay orstraight, according toexecutive directorMark Supper. Resi-dents pay monthly renton a sliding scale, fromabout $200 to $800,depending on theirincome. About 35 unitsare set aside for seniorswith HIV/AIDS and for

those at risk of becoming homeless, Sup-per said.

The Triangle’s population is about 90percent GLBT and it has a waiting list ofabout 200 people. The project’s develop-er, Gay & Lesbian Elder Housing, plansto build a second facility in Southern

California in the next 18 months, Suppersaid.

But what took so long for the need torecognized? Chris Bartlett, executivedirector of the GLBT William Way Cen-ter in Philadelphia, noted that advocatesspent the better part of two decadesdevoting their energy to programs forthose affected by HIV or AIDS, whichwere decimating the gay community.

While AIDS remains a priority, Bartlettsaid, the crisis mentality has passed andallowed the community to focus on otherthings. He said he looks forward to theWay Center providing social services atthe planned Philadelphia senior housingfacility, in a sense repaying those wholed the gay liberation movement.

“Don’t we owe it to them ... to ensurethat they have an experience as eldersthat’s worthy of what they gave to ourcommunity?” Bartlett said.

The Philadelphia group has been tryingto get its project off the ground for abouteight years but has been stymied by loca-tion problems, a tough economy and stiffcompetition for federal housing tax cred-its.

Rejected once for the credits, develop-ers recently reapplied and hope for a dif-ferent answer this spring, said MarkSegal, director of the Dr. MagnusHirschfeld Fund, which is spearheadingthe project. It’s planned for a thrivingsection of the city affectionately knownas the Gayborhood.

“I’m extremely optimistic,” said Segal,also publisher of the Philadelphia GayNews.

However, Adams said the real solution

lies not only in building more facilities,but in cultural competency training forstaffers at existing elder programs. ThePhiladelphia Corporation on Aging, theprivate nonprofit that serves the city’sseniors, began offering such seminars tohealth care workers a couple of yearsago, said Tom Shea, the agency’s directorof training.

“They’re going to be seeing a diverseslice of the aging population in Philadel-phia ... and we need to be sensitive to alltheir needs,” Shea said.

Adams suggested that discriminationfaced by today’s GLBT elders coulddiminish in the decades ahead, since hesaid opinion research shows that youngergenerations are less likely to harbor anti-gay biases than older generations.

“So we hope that the passage of timewill provide part of the solution,” hesaid. “But of course, today’s LGBT eld-ers can’t wait for that.”

Jackie Adams, 54, of Philadelphia, saidbeing diagnosed with AIDS many yearsago meant she never thought she’d livelong enough to need elder housing. Butnow Adams, who was born male andlives as a female, is part of a local initia-tive focused on GLBT senior issues.

On a limited income after losing herjob as an outreach worker for those withHIV, Adams said affordable, GLBT-friendly senior housing is badly needed.She is not related to Michael Adams.

“I would be incomplete if I had to gofrom wearing stockings and dresses to(work boots) and jeans,” Adams said. “Iwould like to be able to live in a commu-nity where I could fully be me.”

Advocates: Gay-friendly senior housing neededMark Segal, direc-tor of the Dr. Mag-nus HirschfeldFund and publisher of thePhiladelphia GayNews, poses for aDec. 14 photo-graph at the site ofa planned, gay-friendly affordablehousing facility inPhiladelphia.

The Associated Press

Homosexual population fears discrimination by health careworkers as it enters old age

“I don’t really wantto see any kind of

negative attitude orlack of service

because anyone … isgay or lesbian.

Donald CarterPhiladelphia 62-year-old

”

DOUGLAS COUNTYVolunteers sought to aid foster kids

The Oregon Judicial Department isseeking volunteers for the Douglas Coun-ty Citizen Review Board, which meets toreview cases of children in foster care.

Boards usually meet once a month.Before meeting, members receive infor-mation on each case.

The children in question have beenplaced in foster care while their familiesreceive services to allow the children toreturn home. If that isn’t possible, thechildren require other permanent homes.

In many cases, the children have suf-fered abuse or neglect.

At review meetings, board membershear from all parties involved in a child’scase. They look at services being provid-ed to the parents, progress made by par-ents, treatment plans for youth offendersand other details.

After the board reviews the case, itsmembers make findings and recommen-dations and sends them to the people andagencies involved, as well as the courts.

Training and support are provided byOregon Judicial Department. Limitedfinancial assistance is available to those

meeting eligibility requirements. To apply, visit the board’s website at

www.ojd.state.or.us/crb. Information: 888-530-8999, ext. 8585,

[email protected].

ROSEBURGWorkshop offered on Alzheimer’s

An Alzheimer’s Association workshopon the basics of the disease will beoffered in Roseburg on Jan. 10.

The workshop, “The Basics: MemoryLoss, Dementia and Alzheimer’s Dis-ease,” will take place from 2 to 3 p.m. inConference Room 2 at the Mercy Com-munity Education Center, 2459 StewartParkway.

Topics discussed include symptoms andeffects of Alzheimer’s disease and otherforms of dementia, how Alzheimer’saffects the brain, causes and risk factors,how to get a diagnosis, treatment andways the Alzheimer’s Association canhelp.

Advance registration is required.Information: 1-800-272-3900, infoal-

[email protected].


www.westharvardfurniture.com

“Your Friends in the Furniture Business”

AVAILABLE FOR NEXT DAY DELIVERY!

On in stock productThe Amazing Viscoelastic

Mattress Developed by NASA.

Power

Hours: Mon-Fri 9-6Sat 10-5; Sun 12-5

$493.00

Douglas County’s Seating Specialist

Several Styles & Colors Available

Prices Starting At

It took only hours after the news ofSteve Jobs’ death on Oct. 5 for themedical journalists and bloggers to

begin. Did he “succumb to alternative medi-

cine?” Did he put his life in jeopardy bychoosing, as one writer put it, “woo”over medicine? And, as his biographerWalter Isaacson claims, didhe ultimately express regretfor trying so long to beathis cancer with these meth-ods?

In 2003, Jobs was diag-nosed with pancreatic can-cer, not the PatrickSwayze/MichaelLandon/Luciano Pavarottikind (with the grimmest ofprognoses) but a rare formcalled islet cell neuroen-docrine cancer, which is much moretreatable if managed aggressively fromthe get-go.

Jobs declined the surgery that was ini-tially recommended and instead pursueda regime of acupuncture, diet, herbs, andsupplements.

Months later, when these remediesproved to have been of no benefit, Jobshad surgery, chemotherapy, and eventual-ly, a liver transplant. But by that time, hisodds of survival had plummeted.

While the debate will probably go onfor years over what kind of care Jobschose, didn’t choose, or should have cho-sen, the issue is really not his treatmentchoices, but his right to choose them.

He chose to be autonomous, and in thiscase, reportedly to the dismay and dis-tress of his doctors, family, and friends,to follow his own path.

Given that your spouse, partner, parent,or best friend is competent (a legal deter-mination, not a medical one) to make lifeand treatment decisions, given that theyunderstand the benefits and consequencesof their choices, whatever they decide todo or not to do is their own decision.

If we try to take control of another

competent adult’s behavior, the resultingresistance will not lead to compliance orcooperation, but to an unwinnable powerstruggle with plenty of anger and resent-ment to go around.

But that doesn’t at all mean that weshould give up.

When it comes to trying to help some-one, to guide, protect or toprovide for that person, wecan often make a differ-ence and effect change ifwe first realize that themost difficult task is read-justing not his or her wayof thinking or behaving,but ours.

It doesn’t matter whetherwe are dealing with an auntwho won’t wear her hear-ing aids, an uncle who

won’t quit smoking, a spouse who won’tlose weight or a parent who won’t acceptoutside help in the home. What we needto do, after stepping back and taking adeep breath, is to get help.

Yes, they are the one with the problem,but we are the ones who need help. Andthere is plenty out there — doctors, nurs-es, social workers, case managers,friends, other family members, websites,even blogs.

In these ridiculously frustrating andludicrously exasperating situations,where we are only trying to help and ourefforts are met with resistance and rejec-tion, we often need to be reminded andencouraged to value baby steps oversweeping reforms.

We need to appreciate the value ofpatience over expediency, to embraceflexibility over the hard line, to choosenegotiating over dictating and to sharecontrol rather than trying to assume it.

Gloria May is a registered nurse with amaster’s degree in health education with acertified health education specialist desig-nation.

Caring for others can mean letting go of control

Gloria MayNurse News

IN BRIEF


State officials say seniors are more sus-ceptible to falling ill as temperatures drop.

The Illinois Department on Aging isoffering tips for seniors this winter. Theaging department’s director is JohnHolton. He says the flu season runsthrough April and a flu shot is stronglyrecommended for people ages 50 years orolder.

The other tips include checking the fur-

nace, keeping thermostats above 65degrees and dressing in layers both indoorsand out.

State officials also recommend that sen-iors keep active, eat well, drink 10 glassesof water each day, stock up on non-perish-able food supplies and keep extra medica-tions in the house.

Do not shovel snow or walk in deepsnow. Strain from the cold and hard laborcould cause a heart attack and sweatingcan lead to chill and even hypothermia.

Health officials offer winter tips for seniors


The spouse of a deceased person inheritsa different share of the deceased per-son’s estate, depending on the circum-

stances. Property held in joint title between spouses

passes to the surviving spouse. A deceasedperson’s will may also leave property to thesurviving spouse.

The surviving spouse may elect to declinethe amount of property provided for thespouse under the deceased person’s will andinstead may elect to receive a share of thedeceased person’s estate as provided bystatute. This is sometimes referred to as the“elective share.”

The amount of the elective share is deter-mined by the length of time the spouse anddeceased person were married to each other.For a marriage that has lasted 15 years ormore, that amount can be as much as 33 per-cent of the deceased person’s estate. The per-centage is less for marriages of shorter dura-tion.

In a change from prior law, assets placed ina trust by the deceased person are now subjectto the elective share of the surviving spouse.

If a person dies without a will, the intesta-cy statutes specify what share of the estate thesurviving spouse receives. If all descendantsof the deceased person are also descendantsof the surviving spouse, the spouse receivesthe entire estate. If there are descendants ofthe deceased person who are not descendantsof the surviving spouse (stepchildren, forexample) the spouse receives half of theestate and the deceased person’s children andother descendants receive the other half.

Finally, the share to be received by the sur-viving spouse is often governed by agree-ments made previously. These can be throughprenuptial agreements that waive inheritancerights, or through joint reciprocal wills madeby both spouses that contain agreements notto change their wills or adopt trusts thatwould circumvent the agreed inheritancesprovided in the wills.

Bruce R. Coalwell has been an attorney inRoseburg since 1981. He is with the law firmof Dole, Coalwell, Clark, Mountainspring &Mornarich.

Inheritancecan vary by estate

Bruce CoalwellElder Law

WASHINGTON (AP) — Starting in2012, the government will charge a newfee to your health insurance plan forresearch to find out which drugs, med-ical procedures, tests and treatmentswork best. But what will Americans dowith the answers?

The goal of the research, part of a lit-tle-known provision of President BarackObama’s health care law, is to answersuch basic questions as whether that newprescription drug advertised on TV real-ly works better than an old generic cost-ing much less.

But in the politically charged environ-ment surrounding health care, the idea ofmedical effectiveness research is eyedwith suspicion. The insurance fee couldbe branded a tax and drawn into the vor-tex of election-year politics.

The Patient-Centered OutcomesResearch Institute — a quasi-govern-mental agency created by Congress tocarry out the research — has yet to com-mission a single head-to-head compari-son, although its director is anxious tobegin.

The government is already providingthe institute with some funding: The $1-per-person insurance fee goes into effectin 2012. But the Treasury Departmentsays it’s not likely to be collected foranother year, though insurers would stillowe the money. The fee doubles to $2per covered person in its second yearand thereafter rises with inflation. TheIRS is expected to issue guidance toinsurers within the next six months.

“The more concerning thing is not theinstitute itself, but how the findings willbe used in other areas,” said KathrynNix, a policy analyst for the conservativeHeritage Foundation think tank. “Willthey be used to make coverage determi-nations?”

The institute’s director, Dr. Joe Selby,

said patients and doctors will make thedecisions, not his organization.

“We are not a policy-making body;our role is to make the evidence avail-able,” said Selby, a primary care physi-cian and medical researcher,

But insurance industry representativessay they expect to use the research andwork with employers to fine-tune work-place health plans. Employees and fami-ly members could be steered to hospitalsand doctors who follow the most effec-tive treatment methods. Patients goingelsewhere could face higher copayments,similar to added charges they now payfor “non-preferred” drugs on their insur-ance plans.

Major insurers already are carryingout their own effectiveness research, butit lacks the credibility of government-sponsored studies.

Not long ago, so-called “comparativeeffectiveness” research enjoyed supportfrom lawmakers in both parties. Afterall, much of the medical research thatdoctors and consumers rely on now isfinanced by drug companies and medicaldevice manufacturers, who have a built-in interest in the findings. And a drugmaker only has to show that a new medi-cine is more effective than a sugar pill— not a competing medication — to wingovernment approval for marketing.

The 2009 economic stimulus billincluded $1.1 billion for medical effec-tiveness research, mainly through theNational Institutes of Health. It was notconsidered particularly controversial.But things changed during the congres-sional health care debate, after formerGOP vice presidential candidate SarahPalin made the claim, now widelydebunked, that Obama and the Democ-rats were setting up “death panels” toration care.

As a result, lawmakers hedged the

new institute with caveats. It was set upas an independent nonprofit organiza-tion, with a .org Internet address insteadof .gov. The government cannot dictateSelby’s research agenda. And there arelimitations on how the Health andHuman Services department can use theresearch findings in decisions that affectMedicare and Medicaid.

Selby says the institute is taking seri-ously the term “patient-centered” in itsname. Patients will not be merely sub-jects of research; they and their repre-sentatives will be involved in setting theagenda and overseeing the process.

“We are talking about patients as part-ners in the research,” said Selby. Find-ings will be presented in clear language— a kind of Consumer Reports approach— so that patients and doctors can easilydraw on them to make decisions.

“Our goal, our hope, is that over time,by involving patients in research, twothings will happen,” said Selby. “One isthat we will start asking questions in amore practical fashion, so the resultswould speak more consistently to ques-tions that patients want to know theanswers to. And two is that, by ourexample of involving patients in theresearch, trust will rise.” He expects tounveil the institute’s proposed researchagenda in the next few weeks.

Former Medicare administrator GailWilensky says that agenda should focuson high-cost procedures and drugs onwhich the medical community has notdeveloped a consensus, and which havewidely different patterns of use aroundthe country. A Republican, Wilenskybelieves opposition to the institute’swork is shortsighted.

“This just strikes me as a componentof finding ways to treat better and spendsmarter,” she said.

New fee to fund medical research

The International Council on ActiveAging, the professional association thatleads, connects and defines the active-aging industry, searches health-and-well-ness research studies every year to findthe most relevant to adults ages 50-plus.Here’s this year’s list:

1. Expectations: If you’ve followed ahealthy lifestyle this year, keep going. Ifyou need to make lifestyle changes, startby anticipating success-and don’t let agebe a barrier.

2. Enthusiasm: Few people arethrilled with every aspect of their lives,but many have at least one area — fami-ly, friends, work, hobbies — that theyfeel good about. Identify an activity orconnection that sparks your enthusiasmand make it your lifeline.

3. Energy: Having the energy andmotivation you need to age well are hall-marks of healthy living. If you’re tiredall the time, get a checkup to try todetermine the cause and the solution.

4. Eating: Eating a balanced diet andmaintaining a healthy weight are keys tophysical and mental health. If you needto lose weight or make changes in yourdiet, keep your expectations high.

5. Exercise: Staying physically activefuels the body and mind. If you’realready exercising regularly, keep it up.If you’re getting started, know your fit-ness level, then set goals and progress atyour own pace.

6. Engagement: Get involved in yourcommunity. Volunteering and otherkinds of civic and social engagement cancontribute to better health.

7. Emotions: Everyone feels down attimes, but full-blown depression is amajor cause of disability. If you’re feel-ing out of sorts for two weeks or more,talk with your doctor or take an onlinescreening test at www.mentalhealth-screening.org.

8. Education: Lifelong learning isimportant to living an independent andfulfilling life as you advance in age.Start now to learn new subjects or physi-cal activities — it’s good for the brain.

9. Effort: Changing expectations andembarking on new behaviors take energyand effort, but the results are well worthit.

10. Enjoyment: A healthy life gener-ally is a joyous one. Savor the process ofbeing or becoming active, engaged andtruly alive in 2012.

Turn to these 10 e-words for a better 2012


PHOENIX (AP) — They may havenearly 200 birthdays between them, butVic Marana and Paul Midkiff keeprolling.

The tandem have bowled together forthe past few years on the Nite Owls inthe Sun City Owls League at LakeviewLanes.

“We’re probably the oldest bowlers outthere,” Marana said.

Midkiff is 101 years old and has“rolled balls at anything standing up inalleys.”

Marana is 96 and bowls in threeleagues, including the Owls, where hefired a 544 series Dec. 8.

“It’s something I enjoy, and it gives mesomething to do,” Midkiff said. “I getexercise and enjoy the (Sun City Owls)league because it’s a social league.”

Midkiff bowls Mondays and Thursdaysand uses a 12-pound ball.

“I had to drop down last year; I used a15-pound ball for a long time,” he said.

The Sun City centenarian carries a 123average and notched a 178 game during arecent game. Despite playing 10-pin and7-pin for as long as he can remember,Midkiff said he’s never had a perfectgame. His best game was a 286.

"The 10 pin or the seven pin alwaysstayed up on me,” he said. “For whatever

reason, when I’d get close, one of thosepins wouldn’t fall. Now I just try to stayconsistent and let my arm swing free andeasy.”

Marana credited his late wife, Desde-mona, for getting him into the league.The Minnesota native said he’s alwaysbowled as far back as high school, wherehe also played football and basketball.

“(Bowling) is a great place to meetpeople,” Marana said. “Plus, I alwayswanted to be in the top position. So thatkept me coming back. When we retired,my wife said I had to do something andpushed me to join a bowling league.”

Marana said he used a 16-pound ballfor a long time, but following a battlewith prostate cancer, he developed backpain and his doctor suggested using alighter ball.

“I went to a 10-pound ball, but that feltlike I was bowling with an apple,”Marana said. “So I went up to a 13-pound ball and so far, so good.”

So good is right. As part of his 544series, Marana rolled a 212 game. That’s54 pins over his 158 average. But likeMidkiff, Marana is still searching for per-fection.

“I rolled some 245s with the 16-poundball,” Marana said.

Marana, who is of Sicilian heritage,said there is one recipe that has helpedhim bowl well into his 90s.

“Spaghetti,” Marana said. “I eat lots ofspaghetti.”


Vic Marana, 96, left, and Paul Midkiff, 101, watch a teammate bowl during leagueplay at Lakeview Lanes in Sun City, Ariz., on Dec. 22. They are the two oldest play-ers in their local league.

Age not slowing downelderly Arizona bowlers

Paul Midkiff, 101, and VicMarana, 96, keep rolling along

ROANOKE, Va. (AP) — With retireesincreasingly worrying about outliving theirsavings, Friendship Retirement Communityis looking to address the concern by focus-ing on architecture.

The Roanoke retirement community thatcurrently is home to nearly 900 people is inthe early stages of developing a researchpartnership with two of Virginia's leadingarchitecture schools. The aim is to defineand design the senior retirement communityof the future.

The vision includes a walkable communi-ty, or at least one that doesn't rely on cars,plus a community market, recreationalamenities and homes that can be adaptedwith technology as a person's needs changewith age.

The assignment proposed by Friendship isfor students studying architecture at VirginiaTech and the University of Virginia to createa retirement community that can maintain areasonable price with little or no rateincreases, while adapting to the physicalneeds of aging residents.

This isn’t just an academic exercise butone that Friendship will use as it plans toexpand its campus beginning with construc-tion on new residences in the spring.

“The most desirable and cost-efficientmethod of aging — aging in place — is dif-ficult, even under the most ideal condi-tions,” said Friendship CEO Russ Barks-dale. “Research from both universitiesshows the correlation between health andhousing concerns of elderly individuals, andyet most retirement facilities designed andbuilt even within the last five years are notoptimal for our nation's growing elder popu-

lation.”Few homes, whether institutional or not,

address both the health and housing needs ofpeople as they grow older, Barksdale said.He wants Friendship to be part of a solutionthat changes that.

Retirement costs are rising.This year, the national rates at nursing

homes and assisted living facilities national-ly increased 4.4 percent and 5.6 percentrespectively, according to the 2011 MetLifeMature Market Institute national market sur-vey of long-term care costs.

Locally the picture is similar, with retire-ment communities implementing annualincreases of close to 4 percent, Barksdalesaid.

On average, Virginians pay a monthlybase rate of $3,811 for assisted living and$217 a day for a private nursing home room,according to the MetLife report.

At the same time, individual retirementaccounts are shrinking as retirees face avolatile stock market and ailing economy.People have seen the equity in their homesfade, and for the past two years Social Secu-rity payments have not included a cost-of-living adjustment. (There will be a 3.6 per-cent cost-of-living increase in 2012.)

Plus, Barksdale said, often seniors are notliving in an ideal environment. Some arespending too much money for care theydon't require, while others can't afford thecare they need.

“Too often in our industry, seniors aremoved quickly into assisted living and thenskilled nursing,” Barksdale said. “Each level is more costly and requires themto give up more and more independence.”

Should you age disgracefully? Jane Baskin, author of “Jane of the Jun-

gle” ($16.95, iUniverse.com), thinks youshould.

“People say there’s something to be saidfor aging gracefully,” says Baskin.“Baloney. Between the longer life spanand the economy, it’s time to age with atti-tude.”

Other advice from Baskin: • If it sags, lift it. 13.1 million plastic

surgery procedures were performed in2010. Why not?

• If it’s gray, dye it. • If it’s baggy, throw it out.• If it’s stuffy-sedate, avoid it.• If it’s lonely, check out Meetup.com

(this is not a dating site).To the many seniors crippled by the

recession, she says, “If your choices havebeen cut back, you may be bent, but youdon’t have to be broken. Hit the road. Live

cheap. Live in an RV, stay with friends,live in your car. Be like you were whenyou were young and carefree, and thumbyour nose at misfortune.”

Mind you, Baskin is not trying to denyaging. “Of course we’re going to getolder. But over the hill has become a verylong trek these days,” she says. “We haveto do it differently.”

“I believe in a whole second stage of life– ‘Life 2.0.’ Rather than becoming sedate,this is the time to kick up your heels. Thisis the time to not give a tinker’s damnwhat people think of you. It’s a secondchildhood, the last one you’ll ever have.”

So, skip the muumuu and the rockingchair. Skip the tea parties unless the com-pany is lively and the tea is spiked.

Jane Baskin is a writer and clinicalsocial worker.

Do not go quietly into that great age

Architecture studentshave retirement in mind


Douglas County’s Specialists in:

Jeff Byars had multifocal lens surgery in October 2011.

Before the Surgery

“At the time I had to wear

trifocals. I needed corrective

lenses to drive and read road

signs on the freeway, reading

glasses to read and interim for

the computer. I chose Weston

Eye Center because I feel very

comfortable with the polite

staff and have confi dence in

Doctor Weston.”

After the Surgery

“I no longer need glasses to

read or drive. I can read street

signs a long way off now. It

has just been amazing! I even

have to go get my drivers

license changed because it says

I have to use corrective lenses

and now I don’t have to!”

• Cataracts• Glaucoma

• Macular Degeneration• Dry Eyes / Low Vision

Jon-Marc Weston, MD, FACSSteven Tronnes, OD, FAAO

Medicare Assignment Accepted | Certified Ambulatory Surgical Facility

2435 NW KLINE, ROSEBURG

541.672.2020

“I feel very comfortable with the polite staff and have confi dence in Doctor Weston”

news-review encore january 2012

Documents