Formerly Senior Focus
April 2017
Vol. 44, No. 3
Published by The Daily Herald and Senior Services of Snohomish County
Senior Services to launch new brand Page 2
A house filled with pets — and love Page 7
Tips for boosting your recall ability Page 10
Program stimulates seniors with memory issues
www.homage.org
Page 12
Walker, 90, keeps on truckin’ Page 13
Columns
Savvy Senior . . . . . . . . . . 3 History . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Washington Watch . . . . . 6 Travel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Volunteers . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Tech Talk . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
VOL. 44 NO. 9 | OCTOBER 2017
Learn about programs and services available to seniors by visiting www .sssc .org .
Meals on Wheels volunteer Pam Timm places food (Dan Bates / The Herald) in the refrigerator and freezer
By Caitlin Tompkins
Herald Writer
Pam Timm is standing door with a cart of brown at his front grocery bags. “She’s my favorite lady,” Mike Kerasotes, 67, said. Timm, 66, delivers meals to him each week. She has been a volunteer with Meals on Wheels for six months. During that time, Kerasotes has battled cancer. “When you get $80 in food stamps, it doesn’t go very far. Without you, I wouldn’t have made it through radiation,” he said to Timm. Last year, Meals on Wheels volunteers
and staff served more than ple throughout the county 1,000 peoof 152,000 meals. Senior — a total Snohomish County has Services of managed the local chapter of Meals on 42 years. Each of the meals Wheels for is approved by a nutritionist. Most are and have helped diabeticslow sodium blood sugar under control, keep their said Martha Peppones, director of the nutrition program.
Since the program started, been a growing demand. there has Staff were able to bring the waiting list about 300 to 60 people last down from year.
Adaptation helps couple battle
Commentary: Housing affordability crisis requires solutions.
Music wellness facilitator Noah Plotkin leads a drumming and singing session with Michael Folio as Cheryl Levin-Folio looks on.
Broadway Plaza.
“That’s 60 too many,” Peppones said. “Those are people who still need The program may be facing meals.” tial financial cuts if PresidentsubstanDonald Trump’s proposed budget approved. Nearly half of for 2018 is the program’s funding comes from the federal government through the Older Americans Act and Community Development Block Grants. The grants are removed under the budget slated to be plan. That would affect 150 meal recipients in Snohomish County, Peppones said. “Fortunately, it’s only a proposal,” she CONTINUED ON PAGE 15
early-onset Alzheimer’s
By Karen Berkowitz
for a laugh. “I think the next time we our clothes off,” she gently should take HIGHLAND PARK, Illinois told him. “I made light of it,” she Levin-Folio can’t anticipate — Cheryl said. “I never milestone of memory loss every new correct him. That’s not fair to Michael. as she and ” In the five years since her husband, Michael Michael Folio, navigate Folio was diagnosed with early his Alzheimer’s disease. onset Alzheimer’s at age 56, Sometimes quick thinking the Highland comes in Park couple handy, as it did when has adapted their daily Michael forgot routine many times over. one day to take off his clothes before They’d been together for stepping into the shower. years, but Rather than married correct her husband, less than four months, Cheryl joined when him in the shower with her clothes on CONTINUED ON PAGE 16 Chicago Tribune
(Mark Ukena, Chicago Tribune) NON PROFIT ORG US POSTAGE PAID SOUND PUBLISHING 98204
for Lorna Jenkinson at
Meals on Wheels’ future uncertain under president’s propos ed budget
Music therapy enables stro to regain some languag ke patients e through song
By Rashod Ollison
The Focus is a publication of SENIOR SERVICES OF SNOHOMISH COUNTY 11627 Airport Rd ., Suite B Everett, WA 98204-8714
Page 2
Hero’s Cafe welcomes veterans each month for coffee and conversations.
years, who sits within arm’s The Virginian-Pilot reach of him, nodding. They’re all in a small NORFOLK, Virginia — When the Johnny Cash room inside Fort Norfolk melody frustrates James Medical Center — Rodriguez in his wheelchair and Rodriguez, he chuckles, shakes his head and says, Bowdish on a low stool sandwiched between “I don’t know.” an Tracy Bowdish gen- imposing keyboard and a tly pushes him, taking computer desk. Bowdish is a music therapist with Senhis hand into hers as she tara’s Music and Medicine leans closer and sings in bell-clear perfect pitch lyr- Center. In a promotional ics from “I Walk the Line. clip for the program, she ” The goal is to get Rodri- mentions that her blindguez to find the words, still ness helps her to engage patients, to “see who they a difficult task since Music therapist Tracy J. his Bowdish plays the guitar stroke in summer 2011. are beyond the stroke.” As Bowdish holds Rodri- leads James “Jim Bob” Rodriquez in singing songsand But his progress has been during their session “remarkable,” says San- guez’s hand, singing lyrics in Norfolk, Virginia. at Sentara Neurology Specialists Rodriquez suffered a stroke dra, Rodriguez’s wife of 47 CONTINUED ON PAGE 16 2011 and Bowdish is helping him regain some in speech through music. (Bill Tiernan / The Virginian-Pilot)
Page 2
Business teams show their community spirit during Month of Caring. Page 3
Early area shools were rustic and rough-hewn structures. Page 4
Dental care contributes in important ways to your overall health. Page 8
Homage Senior Services has many opportunities for engaged volunteers. Page 14
Protect yourself from fraud following major data breach. Page 16
Columns History . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Washington Watch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Tech Talk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Savvy Senior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Volunteers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Saraless Perel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Homage is a publication of HOMAGE (formerly Senior Focus) 11627 Airport Road, Suite B Everett, WA 98204-8714
Learn about programs and services available to seniors by visiting www.homage.org.
Valentina Bogdanova, 74, loves working in the gardens that nearly surround the Bakerview Apartments, where she has lived for 20 years. The units are among 16 affordable and subsidized properties leased to seniors by the Everett Housing Authority. (Dan Bates / The Herald)
Finding a place to call home Amid the region’s real estate boom, those with low or fixed incomes often need help locating housing
By Megan Brown Special to The Herald Seniors are pros at budgeting. For some, that might mean clipping coupons, chasing bargains or skimping on a new winter coat. But even the savviest savers might be in financial trouble when faced with a dramatic rent increase. Low-income seniors are getting squeezed out of one of the nation’s hottest housing markets. Western Washington has become home to high-paying employers, leading to increased wages and an influx of mainly young residents from around the world. Housing prices have soared as a consequence, and price hikes are projected to continue, with Seattle-based housing finder Zillow.com forecasting a 5 percent increase in home prices by next August. Zillow.com considers this market “healthy.” But that’s probably not the word a fixed-income retiree would use. When budgeting alone isn’t enough, low-income senior housing programs offer an affordable solution. “Usually it’s because people are on a fixed income and something happened like their landlord raised the rent and now they can no longer afford to live where they were living,” said Amy Hart, lead housing social services coordinator for Homage Senior Services. “Our ultimate goal is to keep our aging and disabled residents in their homes. Our service coordinators link residents to resources so they may age respectfully,” said Ramonda Sosa, social services director with Homage. Homage is present in 22 senior housing properties throughout Snohomish County to link residents with social services such as Medicaid, transportation services and Meals on Wheels. “It’s our goal to help seniors age in place rather than having to go to assisted living, retirement centers, rehabilitation centers CONTINUED ON PAGE 7
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