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Sunday, March 26, 2023 | Special Advertising Section 1 R 2 Learn more at thehomecarecompany.org or call (425) 223-1818 Our approach is simple... We offer prompt, affordable home care solutions for you or your loved ones. If staying at home is not an option for your loved one, we can help you find an alternate care setting free of charge. Small, local, family owned, and with 15+ years of experience, we pride ourselves on offering personalized, caring placement solutions, at no cost to you or your family. We offer prompt, affordable home care solutions for you or your loved ones. We offer the following assistance to help with activities of daily living: Safety/Fall Prevention Personal Hygiene including Showering/Bathing, Dressing, Meal Preparation/ Feeding & Continence Care
1 R Special Advertising Section | Sunday, March 26, 2023 3 !" # $ % & ' # ( # ) Debbie and Michael Campbell of Seattle, on a recent trip to Uzbekistan. AgingWell ! " # $ $$ $ # $ % $ & $ $ *+ , - .
Sunday, March 26, 2023 | Special Advertising Section 1 R 4 Lifelong learning Workshops, lectures and similar experiences help maintain mental health and acuity as we age !" # $ % & ' " ( ) ' ( * " ( # By Corinne Whiting Special to Aging Well PIKE MARKET SENIOR CENTER
1 R Special Advertising Section | Sunday, March 26, 2023 5 As we grow older, participating in continuing education opportunities can keep our brains engaged, minds sharp and spirits buoyed. Proven benefits of ongoing learning range from increased cognitive functioning and a long-term increase in memory skills to enhanced physical and mental health (diminished rates of depression and anxiety, for example). Naturally, attending classes and lectures on a vast range of topics — in person and online — also increases socialization and prevents isolation. The best news: Many offerings are inexpensive or free. Inside one of the city’s most historic institutions, Pike Market Senior Center (PMSC) features a bounty of feefree activities and classes. “Our programming is returning from the pandemic pause that was so difficult for older adults who already found social connection difficult,” says Programming and Member Services Manager Zoé Freeman. Current offerings range from dance and art classes to lifeskills workshops entitled Live It!, and cover concepts like budgeting and communications. Field trips use public transport and contain educational components, too; recent outings have been to the Ballard Locks, the Asian Art Museum, MOHAI, the Suquamish Museum and Chief Sealth’s grave. “Sensory experience, physical exercise and socialization need to be combined in order to create opportunities for older adults to maintain mental agility,” Freeman says. PMSC members must be at least 55 years old, and one joins simply by filling out a form and showing an ID. “We make it as easy as possible,” Freeman says. “We know anecdotally and through surveys that PMSC members feel better physically, are happier and have a more positive experience of life when they participate in the offerings at the senior center,” Freeman says. “Continued learning opportunities are essential to the well-being of older adults. It’s proven that the mind needs exercise both cognitively and socially.” Freeman says a lack of stimulation and socialization can lead to depression and sometimes confusion. “If benign, these can be reversed through increased activity,” he says. “We see people perk up and communicate more with other members as a result of the activities.” Making connections Regional senior centers also provide affordable ways to stay connected and stimulated. Wallingford Community Senior Center offers a variety of ongoing educational classes, ranging from Foliage Friday, a plant-focused lecture and conversation group, to a highly successful tech mentoring program, which gives older adults the needed tools to stay connected in the digital world. They also feature one-off and series lectures, like a nutrition education presentation this quarter by University of Washington students. Anyone can attendWallingford Community Senior Center’s programs, and most are free. Membership provides some minor perks, and sliding-scale payment is available to low-income participants. The Senior Center of West Seattle occasionally offers relevant workshops, too, like a complimentary Brain HealthWorkshop called Civic Coffee Hour on April 18. This Age Friendly Seattle gathering, in partnership with Seattle Public Library, will explore the connections between aging, race, sexual orientation and brain health. Advance RSVP is requested; folks can also tune in virtually at bit.ly/AgeFriendlyLive! TheWest Seattle center’s social worker also runs a weekly Aging Well group (focused on social interaction and mutual support frommembers), and staff members encourage lifelong learning opportunities on topics such as technology, music, games and languages. Last September, they started a new series called History Hour, with monthly lectures hosted by local speakers covering such subjects as the Duwamish River, “Frankenstein” and letter-writing duringWorldWar II. Engaging lectures The One Day University series is a popular choice among seniors, offering entertaining versions of lectures by some of the country’s most sought-after teachers. These one-hour presentations cover topics from art and film to psychology and zoology, with those addressing American history gaining the most interest. Founded in 2006, One Day University produces more than 200 events a year in 60 cities. Kevin Brennan, One Day University’s managing PIKE MARKET SENIOR CENTER SENIOR CENTER OF WEST SEATTLE Continued on page 9
Sunday, March 26, 2023 | Special Advertising Section 1 R 6 GETTY IMAGES Whether 47 or 74, few relish contemplating a future funeral and death. End-of-life planning is a heavy topic — even before you start digging into the details and costs of those details. Yet, arranging and documenting your final goodbyes can avoid confusion, family arguments and very expensive decisions under pressure. Cremation costs can vary by 770% and burial costs by 440%, according to the Seattle-based nonprofit membership organization People’s Memorial Association. PMA’s recently released biennial price survey of Washington funeral homes found that end-of-life costs range from $495 for a direct cremation (no service) to $12,110 for a complete funeral and burial service without a burial plot. Final conversation Practical and profound discussions about death By Lora Shinn Special to Aging Well TALK Real TALK TALK TALK TALK REAL TALK
1 R Special Advertising Section | Sunday, March 26, 2023 7 Here’s the why and how of investigating Seattle-area funerals, cremations, burials and other last wishes. The whys of planning your goodbye Usually, Michael Parks has to convince older adults to talk to their children — a parent often fears burdening adult children with the discussion. Parks, a funeral and cemetery estate planner for over four years at Dignity Memorial in Bellevue, offers talks on the realities of funeral planning and burials at senior community centers and other locations. But the real burden presents itself if a parent doesn’t prepare in any way or communicate wishes in advance, Parks says. Without this guidance, many families argue due to financial, emotional and time pressures. For a funeral and burial, the dozens of decisions involved are as complicated as planning a wedding — with an added time crunch. For example, the venue, invite list, speakers, music, photos and cemetery choices. In addition, families must weigh costs amid shock and grief. “Reports show people spend up to three times more when paying for someone who dies versus when someone preplans,” Parks says. He notes that a bill could easily add up to $30,000 for a funeral due to many micro-decisions that may or may not have a big impact. “Spending is not commensurate with love,” says communications manager Beverly Tryk at People’s Memorial Association, who points out that family members shouldn’t go into debt over purchases that don’t reflect a loved one’s wishes. Cremation and other alternatives PMA recommends researching your funeral and burial options. Costs are generally lowest in Pierce County, followed by King County, Snohomish County and Spokane County. Direct cremation is a more expensive option in King County than other counties, but still less costly than other methods. Washington leads the nation in cremations — about 79% of the deceased or loved ones opt for the method, according to the Cremation Association of North America. Some funeral homes may offer to offset cremation emissions with solar and wind investments. Other “greener” body-care approaches available in the Seattle area include: • Aquamation: This process uses water, pressure, time and a machine to reduce the body to ashes, which are returned to the family — and uses one-eighth the energy of cremation, according to PMA. • Natural organic reduction: This innovative and recently legalized method is known as “human composting.” The body is stored in a large container with straw and wood chips for 4-6 weeks. Many pounds of rich compost are returned to the family. • Natural burial: This method wraps your body in a shroud or simple wood casket, which goes into the earth. If you’re eligible — and not everyone is — you can donate your body to the University of Washington’s Willed Body Program. Afterward, choose between an annual ceremony and group burial service at Evergreen-Washelli Memorial Park or having your cremated remains returned to your family at no cost. Consumers can furnish their own caskets and urns, so shop around. “Check out retailers like Costco and Amazon to increase your selection and combat the funeral home markup,” Tryk suggests. “Funeral homes can’t refuse to accept a casket or urn you purchased somewhere else, and they can’t do anything sneaky like try to charge you for handling it or insist you be there when the delivery happens.” Funeral, memorial and celebration of life services Funerals tend to be more formal and somber and take place in a funeral home shortly after death. When religious, cultural or family traditions are important for families, funeral homes accommodate those needs. Typical traditional funeral services include director and staff services, embalming and other body preparations, viewings, graveside service, transportation and music, flowers, pamphlets or other materials. Higher fees accompany items like a horse-drawn hearse, chapel rental, high-end caskets or cremation urns, dove releases and offsite venue coordination. Memorials also honor the deceased but can take place anytime, anywhere — and the body isn’t usually present. A celebration of life service is similar in a more unconventional, informal way, focusing on the joy of shared recollections. Planner BreeAnn Gale at Pink Blossom Events has organized gatherings that celebrated a whiskey lover’s life with whiskey (and a kilt-wearing server) and an arboretum-based celebration with a “memory tree” featuring attendees’ favorite memories. Gale says costs can range from $5,000 and up, depending on what’s involved. Costs across the board, much like any event, are subject to the services you order, the day of the week and the time of day. For example, a memorial service or reception only might be more expensive Friday-Sunday, on holidays, and in the evening hours. You can always ask about discounts — particularly for a former law enforcement officer, firefighter or clergy. When comparing costs, ask plenty of questions. “There’s no such thing as a dumb question if it’s something that quells your anxiety, brings clarity or helps you make an informed decision,” Tryk says. “If you come up against any resistance to that from a business, don’t work with them. You have a right to an itemized price list and you can’t be forced to purchase a preset funeral package. You have power as a consumer and should use it to be crystal clear on what’s happening.” Note: The Federal Trade Commission’s Funeral Rule ensures your consumer rights and access to transparent price lists. Burial costs in Seattle Visit cemeteries you’re interested in — tour the grounds to get a feel. “I tell people cemeteries aren’t like in the movies — scary with fog on the ground,” Parks says. “Memorial parks are beautiful, lovely places with water, fountains and trees.” Parks says cemeteries don’t tend to lay out price lists quite as explicitly as funeral services, so extra investigation may be involved. Burial spots may range from $3,000 to $70,000 for an individual location, and $150,000 to $450,000 or more for multiperson or family estates, he notes. “Cemetery property, like anything, goes up 10% a year,” Parks says. “It’s like buying a house, where you’ll be there someday, so check out multiple areas before you have to buy and before you need it.” GETTY IMAGES Continued on page 8
Sunday, March 26, 2023 | Special Advertising Section 1 R 8 continued from page 7 Burial plot space where caskets are placed by depth versus side-by-side can cut costs, as can opting for a niche, a granite, marble or glass space where cremated ashes are stored. When comparing pricing at various burial plot locations, ask what’s included when you buy a plot in advance. Bargain-plot hunters can scout out selections on Craigslist and PMA’s website. Just don’t sign anything or hand over money until checking with the cemetery that the deed is valid, Parks says. Consider how to pay Some people set aside funds in a special account for death-related costs. Others prepay for funeral or burial costs to cover expenses and reduce any financial burden on the family. But prepaid funeral contracts can also be confusing, whether called “burial insurance” or “final expense insurance.” Before signing up for a prepaid plan, ask how the plan works, what happens if the funeral provider goes out of business, whether refunds are available, and if additional or unexpected costs might arise later. Find more questions and considerations on the PMA website. Create and share documents PMA suggests making a copy of your Disposition Authorization and Designated Agent Forms for death arrangements and discussing your wishes with survivors. Keep the original documents with essential papers, and ensure your survivors know where to find everything. At a minimum, a “values letter” can outline what’s important to you about your death care. “Your No. 1 concern might be that they don’t spend too much money, following the guidance of your religious leader, or making the most environmentally friendly choices possible,” Tryk says. “This helps prevent family from being locked into a plan that may not be the most costwise decision at the time of your death.” When and if a family member has preplanned, survivors usually just need to pick a date. “Families always ask if it’s inappropriate to be laughing, and I tell them no, because you have some closure,” Parks says. “Now that the pressures of these decisions are done, you’re free to start celebrating their life.” ! " # " $ % # # # $ " ! " ! "# $ % ! & " ' ( ! !
1 R Special Advertising Section | Sunday, March 26, 2023 9 continued from page 5 director, says that these lectures tend to attract folks who enjoy attending museum openings and symphony performances, or eating out and traveling. Up until the pandemic, gatherings drew 400 to 500 attendees, and up to 700 in Seattle, which Brennan calls a “super vibrant market.” Surveys have shown that about 65% of attendees are in the 50- to 70-year-old range. “If you’re predisposed to learning,” Brennan says, “you’re probably going to age better.” Some of the most popular lectures over the years have included “Hamilton Versus Jefferson,”“The Science of Happiness” and “The Genius and Rivalry of Thomas Edison and Nikola Tesla.” The One Day University program is rebooting and soon will dip back into live events that showcase several professors in a single day, including one planned for Seattle in June. Attendees must register online at onedayu.com/seattle-series-aarp. Brennan finds it “very rewarding to see people enjoying the content,” and he notices a common thread of intellectual curiosity among attendees. The social aspect is no doubt a major draw, too, joyfully witnessed during chatty coffee breaks between speakers. “If you’re in a room of 500 people also interested in Abraham Lincoln, it’s an instant conversation starter,” he says. Continuing education Other learning opportunities are available through established learning facilities like North Seattle College. Myra Kaha, the school’s director of continuing education, says a significant number of the student population are older adults — 26%were born between 1946 and 1964 (the Baby Boomer generation) and 2% between 1928 and 1945. “Currently, we have a robust population of senior students who register for highly popular art classes, movement classes and birding classes,” says Kaha, although none are designed specifically for seniors. In addition to North Seattle’s offerings, Seattle Central College has a new program for seniors. To learn more about its Senior Series, visit ce.seattlecentral.edu/category/broadway-hill-club. Kaha says learning something new stretches your brain, “creating new neuro pathways and keeps you nimble.” “Continuing education classes provide opportunities to continue to be mentally engaged, stay active and socialize with other like-minded individuals,” she says. Our November edition of Aging Well featured stories about the many health benefits of yoga and meditation. If you’re looking for a fun, free way to use these practices to restore and reconnect, an event in Seattle this month may be just right for you. SAM Body & Mind, presented by the Seattle Art Museum, begins with a 60-minute yoga class by Take Care Yoga that will focus on building strength, balance, flexibility and heart. Once you’re centered, it’s time for a sound bowl performance by Biom. These sound healers use music, plant and light therapy to help clear the mind, release stressful energy and reach a deep meditative state. The event concludes with an art activity focused on self reflection, inspired by the artwork in the Olympic Sculpture Park. April 29 at 9 a.m. Admission is free on a first-come, first-served basis at the Olympic Sculpture Park Pavilion Learn More EstateTeams.com | 425.324.7077 | Est. 1986 Estate Appraisals & Sales | Private Consignments Estate Management | Real Estate Brokerage Services Full-Service Family Estate Management WE ARE HERE WHEN YOU NEED US... Looking for a doctor? At One Medical Seniors, we believe in building strong relationships with our patients and the local community. We are currently offering in-practice and community events to keep our senior population healthy and connected. Join us for an upcoming event and bring your friends and family! To learn more, call 206.590.4030 or visit OneMedicalSeniorsWA.com. Medicare 101 April 5, at 2pm Federal Way Practice 1414 S 324th St Ste B207 Federal Way, WA 98003 Medicare 101 April 12, at 11am Renton Practice 64 Rainier Ave S Renton, WA 98057 Tour Day April 20, at 11am Central District Practice 306 23rd Ave S Ste 200 Seattle, WA 98144
Sunday, March 26, 2023 | Special Advertising Section 1 R 10 Preventing pain Why people 50+ should consider getting the shingles vaccine By Al Kemp Special to Aging Well GETTY IMAGES
1 R Special Advertising Section | Sunday, March 26, 2023 11 When Lisa Drover of Edmonds was 53, she awakened one morning to a vague tingling sensation on her left side and abdomen. By the next day, the sensation had turned into a mild stinging, which became increasingly difficult to ignore. “It felt like a sunburn, but on the inside instead of the outside of my skin,” said Drover, now 59. By the time she was able to see her family doctor, faint pink spots had begun to form in the stinging area. After a brief internet search, the diagnosis confirmed what Drover suspected: She had a herpes zoster outbreak, also known as shingles. Drover had a painful skin rash caused by the varicella zoster virus, the same virus that causes chickenpox. After a person recovers from chickenpox, the virus can remain dormant in the body for many years, until it reactivates and becomes shingles. “Of course I had heard of shingles, but nobody I knew had ever had it, so I thought it was quite rare somehow,” Drover said. “For whatever reason, getting the shingles vaccine was never high on my list of things to do.” “The only way to prevent shingles is the vaccine,” said Dr. Anthony Barnett, who practiced medicine for 10 years at the Swedish Issaquah Campus before joining the concierge practice Seattle Premier Health. A shingles rash usually produces painful blisters that typically develop on one side of the face or body and last between 2-4 weeks. “The worst part about it was that the rash seemed to get worse and worse, and it just went on and on, week after week,” Drover said. “Just getting dressed was painful. Or moving side to side. Or bathing.” In very rare cases, the shingles virus can lead to pneumonia, hearing problems, blindness, swelling of the brain or death. According to Barnett, there’s a limit to what medicine can do to treat shingles, besides prescribing antiviral drugs and letting the virus run its course. “We do want to start treating people as soon as symptoms occur, but we typically would use antivirals, which can probably slow down and sort of abort the outbreak, but more importantly can reduce the risk of a complication called postherpetic neuralgia,” he said. Postherpetic neuralgia, the most common complication of shingles, is long-term nerve pain, sometimes debilitating, that can last for months or years after the rash goes away, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. About 98% of adults have had chickenpox and are at risk for shingles, according to Washington Department of Health data, and at least 1 million people contract the virus each year in the U.S. About half of shingles cases occur in people older than 60, especially in people who have a weakened immune system, according to the DOH. But shingles doesn’t just affect the aging population. Research has shown that children can catch it, too. In some cases, the shingles virus can produce mild symptoms such as malaise or a general feeling of ! " # $ " # " ! " % $ & ' % # " " " " " " $ " " " " " " " " $ The CDC reports the following effectiveness with the Shingrix vaccine unwellness even before the rash appears, Barnett said. “People can have a prodrome [set of preliminary symptoms] where they can have pain and itching in the area where the rash is going to appear,” he said, an experience consistent with Drover’s symptoms. “On top of the numbness on my side, I felt run down and tired for a couple of days before,” she said. Barnett said the shingles rash typically appears on just one half of a person’s body — abdomen and face are common sites — before eventually blistering and healing over a period of several weeks. For topical relief, the American Dermatological Association recommends calamine lotion, which has cooling properties. Shingles is not particularly virulent, and is very seldom spread by airborne transmission, Barnett said. “Contagion can occur when there is physical contact with the sores, but it’s generally only contagious to people that are naive to the virus — to people who never had chickenpox in the first place,” he added. If a virus-naive person is infected by someone’s rash, that person will develop chickenpox first, and possibly shingles later. The CDC recommends vaccination against shingles for adults 50 and older, as well as those 19 and older whose immune systems are weakened. The shots are given in the upper arm, in two doses separated by 2-6 months. Today’s FDA-approved vaccine is a recombinant vaccine called Shingrix that contains no active virus. However, a live vaccine called Zostavax was in use for years until being discontinued in November 2020 in favor of the new product. Even though Drover is not a likely candidate for reinfection with varicella zoster, she plans to receive the vaccine every five years for protection against postherpetic neuralgia. “It was bad enough the first time,” she said. “There won’t be a second if I can help it.” What to do if you contract shingles To allow your rash to heal quickly, avoid wearing tight clothes, eating unhealthy foods or scratching the rash. Try to stay at home until the rash scabs over. Otherwise, you may pass the virus to another person. Speak to your doctor as soon as you experience the first shingles symptoms. !" # $ " GETTY IMAGES
Sunday, March 26, 2023 | Special Advertising Section 1 R 12 ‘No sticks and bricks’ How Washington retirees traded in domesticity for a life untethered % & ' ' ' ( ) *+ ( By Sarah Szczypinski Special to Aging Well DEBBIE AND MICHAEL CAMPBELL
1 R Special Advertising Section | Sunday, March 26, 2023 13 & ' , ( ' ) - - - ) - ( . / - - 0- ( - ) $! 0 ) . ' ( ' - 1- ) 0 Some refer to themselves as “senior nomads.” Diede Janel, a retired office manager who has primarily lived out of a Toyota Sienna minivan for the last six years, likes to think of her nomadic lifestyle as “no sticks and bricks.” Janel is among a growing number of retired Americans who have traded a fixed home base for full-time travel. In 2014, the Shoreline native was working for a Seattle construction company and feeling restless. She was younger than the average retiree, barely 40, when she quit her job, rented out her condo and sold most of her belongings. Newly unencumbered, she rode her motorcycle to San Diego, where she met a sailboat captain and cruised in the Sea of Cortez for seven months. “I’d always wanted to travel,” she says by phone from a campground in Quartzsite, Arizona. “I wanted to do something more than just Monday through Friday, work, work, work, and then only get to play on the weekends. I thought, there’s got to be a different kind of life out there.” Adventure awaits A different way of life appeals to a majority of U.S. citizens over 50, and travel is a top priority. While more than two-thirds said they were still concerned about the spread of COVID, 67% planned to take an average of four trips last year, according to an AARP report, up 13% from 2021. The majority (76%) said they would stick to domestic destinations, with many opting for fewer crowds and road trips over airline transportation. Even as travel numbers have slowly crept toward pre-pandemic levels, health and safety concerns have curbed retirees’ plans, especially for international travelers. At the time of the AARP report’s publication, only 17% of travelers in this demographic had booked international trips, while 34% said they were still in the planning stages. Despite visitors’ trepidations, the number of retired workers actually living in foreign countries and receiving Social Security benefits grew just over 68% between 2018 and 2021 to more than 695,000, according to the Social Security Administration. DEBBIE AND MICHAEL CAMPBELL DIEDE JANEL DIEDE JANEL Continued on page 14
Sunday, March 26, 2023 | Special Advertising Section 1 R 14 continued from page 13 Short-term rentals and extended stays For Michael and Debbie Campbell, a Seattle couple who retired in 2013 to travel the world by staying in Airbnbs, the pandemic was a shock to their established globe-trotting rhythm. In 2021, The Seattle Times profiled the Campbells, who run the popular website, The Seattle Nomads, where they blog about their travels and provide readers with resources and tips about each location. They’ve visited five more countries since their last interview, bringing their total to 90. Speaking via Zoom call from their Airbnb in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, the same house they were staying in when COVID hit in February 2020, the pair reminisced about how their planned four-week stop had stretched to four months. “The U.S. government was saying to either hunker down, or go back to America, so we decided to hunker down,” Michael Campbell, 77, says. Pre-pandemic, the couple stayed an average of 7-10 days in a single location before moving on. Today, they often return to familiar places for lengthier stretches. “We’ve slowed way down,” Michael Campbell says, noting that they have returned to their current Mexican Airbnb every winter since 2020. Extended stays can be helpful for newly retired travelers who crave stability, but there are caveats to consider. For full-time road-trippers like Janel, stopping overnight at truck stops or store parking lots offers some free lodging, but reserving spaces at privately-owned campgrounds can add up quickly. After wrapping up her biking and sailing adventures, Janel traded the sea for the open road in her minivan, which she recently swapped for a Subaru Outback and a spacious, 15-foot travel trailer. She spends winters in warmer states like Arizona, allowing her to live without heat. But avoiding high campground fees requires flexibility. ! DEBBIE AND MICHAEL CAMPBELL I ND E P END EN T L I V I NG CONT INUE YOUR L I FE STORY WI TH A L I FE OF FRI ENDSHI P OPENING IN 2023 Brand-new and purposely built, come live an inspirational life at Anthology of Edmonds where carefree living is supported by our exciting amenities and endless adventure. Discover a dynamic community that nurtures friendships and encourages you to lead your best life. Call today to learn about the VIP benefits of joining our Charter Club and saving up to $10,000.* *Terms and conditions may apply. Contact us for details. CHARTER CLUB MEMBERSHIP IS FOR A LIMITED TIME ONLY CALL NOW! 425-728-6749 AnthologyEdmonds.com Continue Your Life Story With Us ANTHOLOGY OF EDMONDS 21200 72nd Ave. W. / Edmonds , WA
1 R Special Advertising Section | Sunday, March 26, 2023 15 “There are a lot of national forest lands where you can camp for 14 days for free, and so that’s my mainstay,” she says. “I also have friends from Bellingham all the way down the coast to California and into Arizona that I can visit.” In the future, Janel hopes to save on fuel costs by securing a winter spot at La Posa Long TermVisitor Area just outside of Quartzite, which would allow her to stay put between September to April for a $180 fee. Logistics and budgeting To adjust to their slower lifestyle, the Campbells have similarly had to get creative with planning long-term stays, particularly when securing international tourist visas. When they opted for an extended stay near Paris to visit their daughter and three grandchildren, they applied for a yearlong visa at the nearest French consulate in San Francisco. The application had a long list of requirements, including proof of health insurance that would be valid in France. Although the couple was covered by Medicare and traveled back to Seattle for annual medical checkups, foreign coverage hadn’t occurred to them. “Speaking for myself, if we hadn’t applied for the visa, I’m not sure we would have bought medical insurance because we were going to be outside the country,” Michael Campbell says. Supplemental insurance aside, the Campbells have managed to stick to their original hypothesis for affordable travel: relying on the same budget as if they were living in Seattle. They aim to spend at most $90 per night on lodging, though Debbie Campbell notes that averaging costs across multiple locations allows them to splurge a bit in pricier cities. “What we take out of our retirement account, plus our Social Security, is enough to keep doing this,” she says, adding, “I’mmarried to Captain Spreadsheet, so we keep track of everything we spend.” Janel, who turned 50 this year, doesn’t yet qualify for Medicare and was kicked off Washington State’s Apple Care plan due to residency requirements. She’s been playing “uninsured roulette” thus far. While she hasn’t needed any serious care during her nomadic years, she has found affordable checkups in Mexico through word-of-mouth recommendations from fellow travelers. She keeps her other expenses low doing odd jobs and bartering with friends for gas and food money. Her only fixed expense is a $45 cellphone line; she pays her cousin monthly to stay on his family plan. When asked if she fears the future or aging, her voice brightens, and she says she enjoys her freedom. “It’s not as scary as you think,” Janel says. “Your brain will say, ‘No, I can’t do that; I can’t do it on my own.’ My advice is, just jump. You can always go back.” My advice is, just jump. You can always go back. – Diede Janel “ “ Itwas bestiesatfirst backstroke. Mirabella Seattle is a resident-centered, not-for-profit Pacific Retirement Services community and an equal housing opportunity. FindYourPeople inSouthLakeUnion 116 FairviewAve N • Seattle • 206.331.4271 mirabellaseattle.com Mirabella senior living has a pool. It’s part of our comprehensive health and wellness amenities. But ask any resident and they’ll say it’s for the wildly popular water volleyball league. And yes indeed, friends are made here, just add water. Call today to schedule a tour.
Sunday, March 26, 2023 | Special Advertising Section 1 R 16 YIFAN WU / THE NEW YORK TIMES New developments that integrate senior housing into age-diverse apartment buildings offer a more affordable alternative to isolated suburban retirement communities.
1 R Special Advertising Section | Sunday, March 26, 2023 17 By Patrick Sisson The New York Times Getting older comes with challenges. For architect and designer Matthias Hollwich, one of the more taxing ones is something often taken for granted: moving. His point — that leaving behind friends, social connections and the purpose of a particular job can be physically and psychologically debilitating for older adults — underscores how developers, architects and city leaders are reimagining the retirement home. “I want to give people the power to change their living conditions without moving away,” he said. Hollwich, a co-author of “New Aging,” is developing a new senior living concept. Aiming to retrofit an office building in Manhattan left bare by remote work, the concept, called FLX Live, will feature communal dining, spa and co-working spaces and shared suites in which older adults, sleeping in private bedrooms with kitchenettes, will share living rooms with younger renters, resulting in lower rent for both parties. Operators will deliberately recruit an age-diverse community. Driven by an aging population, a more active vision of retirement, and a shortage of senior housing options and support services, developers are increasingly embracing this urban village model of housing, which offers a sharp contrast to the typical isolated suburban retirement communities. These projects are becoming more viable as city and business leaders realize that seniors help support local shops including cafes, bookstores and salons. “The stigma around older adults is going away,” said Tama Duffy Day, an architect and principal at the architecture firmGensler. “Hospitality and residential developments understand that older adults are a huge market.” Affordable senior rentals in urban areas would have been a dicier real estate proposition decades ago, when homeownership rates were higher and more mortgage-free older Americans hoped to age in place, decreasing the pool of potential renters. Seniors still predominantly own their homes, but demographics are shifting. An increasing number of adults in their 30s and 40s never plan to own a home, per recent research fromApartment List and the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. Amore diverse older population, increasingly without close family connections and often hard hit during market downturns such as the 2008 recession, means the number of affordable units needed for future seniors is “daunting,” said Jennifer Molinsky of Harvard’s Joint Center on Housing Studies. The United States will have 16 million middle-income seniors by 2033, according to research by NORC at the University of Chicago, a social research organization. This new approach to senior housing, especially for those without serious medical issues, focuses on local resources, a model that not only serves both younger and older renters, but also can offer cheaper rent, because the connection to community organizations and the shared amenities of nearby parks and public programming can reduce the cost of providing such services in-house. Kallimos Communities, a development concept created by Bill Thomas, a leader in progressive senior housing, features multigenerational neighborhoods of 50 to 60 smaller homes, with common spaces and programming staff who will plan group meals and social events. Developments are in the works in Victoria, Texas, and Loveland, Colorado, where Kallimos is teaming up with a local housing authority and plans to break ground in 2024. The initial response has included significant interest from older couples “seeking to be part of a community,” said Megan Marama, COO of Kallimos. In Britain, a model called RightSizer is being used to renovate and refurbish empty Main Street businesses decimated by online shopping and transform them into a mix of senior housing sites and community-focused health and education centers. The plan will reinvigorate local culture and business, said Rory O’Hagan, a director at Assael Architecture, which devised the idea. He added that he was working with developers to get approval this fall for the first site in South London. Many developers of urban senior living rentals have tapped into the value of intergenerational living, integrating senior apartments with younger renters to stave off loneliness and share costs. Bridge Meadows has successfully developed four such facilities in Oregon where seniors, foster children and their foster parents live in the same building. Part of the impetus for the project was seeing elders who felt that “they were being put out to pasture” and wanted to feel vital to a community, said Derenda Schubert, executive director of Bridge Meadows. Her design team is looking at ways to build on a larger scale. Some developers, such as McNair Living and Tabitha, have focused on building senior living facilities near college campuses. Next fall, Tabitha will open a 128-apartment intergenerational facility in Nebraska with the Bryan College of Health Sciences, offering 25 college students a chance to live closer to campus and supplement their classroom learning with real-life experience interacting with and living alongside elders. “The moderate income price point for senior living is poorly served,” said Joyce Ebmeier, Tabitha’s chief of staff. “When you’re competing with high-end product, with lots of grand entrances and grand pianos and plush amenities, you need to think about creating a product that will serve people.” The “awakening” around housing that has a more communal orientation parallels the way cities, in the pandemic era, are rethinking how to reinvigorate downtowns with more residential conversions; strict categories and rules are being revisited, said Day of Gensler. “Cities are becoming more aware of the fact that we need to keep people in these cities and in an urban setting for it to remain active,” she said. I want to give people the power to change their living conditions without moving away. – Matthias Hollwich “ “ GETTY IMAGES Developers are increasingly embracing an urban village model of housing, which offers a sharp contrast to the typical suburban retirement communities.
Sunday, March 26, 2023 | Special Advertising Section 1 R 18 KIRKLAND 9750 NE 120th Pl Suite 3 Kirkland, WA 98034 (425) 522 4477 kirkland@glowspaseattle.com WEST SEATTLE 4409 California Ave SW Suite 100 Seattle, WA 98116 (206) 228 7281 info@glowspaseattle.com EXCEPTIONAL CARE Since 2015, Glow Medispa has been at the forefront of skincare medical advances and anti-aging technology. Serving the Greater Seattle area, our medical team delivers the highest level of care. We’re passionate about providing patientcentered care. We don’t believe that one size fits all. That’s why we’ll develop a customized treatment plan that works toward your goals and fits your budget. • Botox, Dysport, and Filler • Laser Skin Rejuvenation When you look good, you feel good. Let Glow Medispa help you refresh your natural appearance with carefully selected procedures and products for vibrant, radiant-looking skin. FEATURED SERVICES In addition to EMFACE, these are our most popular anti-aging services. • Body Sculpting with Emsculpt Neo • GlowLift - a non-surgical facelift
1 R Special Advertising Section | Sunday, March 26, 2023 19 SPONSORED CONTENT Top 3 ways to give your face a lift without a face-lift New scientific advances might make the surgical face-lift obsolete for many of us, using innovative approaches stimulating the face’s natural wisdom and responses. The breadth of options may surprise those who’d like to turn back the clock to regain a smoother, tighter skin texture and the fuller look of youth. After all, a traditional face-lift using surgery can be invasive and a time commitment, requiring total general anesthesia, significant recovery time, and a hefty outlay of cash, notes Dr. Kate Dee, founder of GlowMedispa in Kirkland andWest Seattle. Dee works with clients to review mix-and-match treatment options to create customized, tailored face-lifts for all skin types. Coupled with realistic expectations for tighter skin, plumper facial volume, and looking as we did ten years ago (not 30), you can choose from an intelligent array of nonsurgical, long-lasting options. Genius RF: Smoother skin This device is a skincentric solution for aging or troubled scarred skin. Those treated with Genius RF benefit from tighter, natural-looking, youthful skin with smaller pores and reduced face and neck fine lines. After applying a topical anesthetic, the device uses insulated micro-needling and radio-frequency energy to wake dermis cells and stimulate new collagen and elastin growth at the deepest levels. As a result, the skin thickens, tightens and improves where applied, typically on the lower face and neck. However, clinicians can use Genius RF on the body’s other scars or stretch marks. “It’s a little more downtime, a bigger investment of time and effort,”Dee says — typically one-to-two-hour sessions from start to finish, followed by two to three days of mild redness for most clients. To tighten the skin, Dee recommends one treatment per decade of age, spaced one to two months apart. More treatments may be needed for more extensive skin issues. However, the results can be dramatic in addressing uneven skin texture, sagging skin, large pores, patchy pigmentation and acne scarring, and fine wrinkles. Sculptra: Securing collagen’s full effects This FDA-approved approach differs from other injectables — instead of an artificial “filler,” Sculptra stimulates the body to make its own new collagen in the cheeks, midface and jawline over one to two years. The injectable works by slowly rebuilding lost collagen, the body’s most common protein, and is used to support cells and tissue. A specialist injects poly-L-lactic acid, a synthetic material that’s gradually absorbed by the body and helps stimulate collagen production. Generally, three treatments over a few months or so are needed, but Sculptra continues to actively stimulate collagen production for another year or two; at around year three or four, some clients return for another series.While facial fillers are less expensive, they require more sessions (and additional cost) as they only last a few months, Dee notes. It’s primarily for relatively thin people who’ve lost volume or have lax skin due to age, and hope to augment the cheeks and lift the lower face, Dee says. For more slender people, this injectable approach offers a natural-looking way to help gently plump the face, reduce chin wrinkles and decrease the deep lines around the nose and mouth. EMFACE: Groundbreaking gains in volume and skin Dee’s newest device is the EMFACE, delivering a superpowered, noninvasive treatment that reduces wrinkles and lifts sagging skin to reveal plumper, toned muscles and added volume. The EMFACE attaches using three pads (two to the cheeks and one on the forehead) to rapidly exercise and tone muscles. By doing so, the EMFACE lifts the face’s underlying fibrous sheet to pull up on the facial structure, from forehead to jawline and even the submentum, or under-jaw area, where double chins gather. The result mimics the plump, full cheeks of youth. At the same time, warming thermal energy boosts facial elastin and collagen production, recreating youth’s elastic skin. The results are dramatic. Dee says Emface’s manufacturers used a 3D camera to measure changes and found that the average cheek volume increased as if injected with filler. In general, clients get four 20-minute treatments spaced a week apart. It’s a simple approach for those who desire change but don’t want downtime. “It’s all-natural, just restoring the lift you used to have,” she says. Bespoke Seattle skin treatments Treatment approaches can depend on the person. Some people benefit from Genius RF laser’s skin resurfacing plus Sculptra’s plumping. Others can use the Emface’s muscle toning effects, plus Genius RF — with a little Sculptra to add more volume. After all, we all have unique faces, formed over decades by our “constellation of facial expressions,” she says. So, Dee customizes options for each client. For example, someone bothered by the infamous “11’s” between the eyebrows might require a quick Botox injection to relax the forehead and smooth that angry/worried expression. Dee also combines the treatments with highgrade medical skin care to exfoliate dead skin cells and use serums to stimulate collagen and elastin. A high-quality moisturizer acts as a skin barrier against the elements, while evening retinol refreshes cells. “It’s like putting your skin on a healthy diet, versus eating at McDonald’s,”Dee says. After all, you’ve just gotten a low-stress, quickrecovery, high-impact face-lift. Your skin deserves the best at-home regimen possible. At Glow Medispa, we are driven by science, and everything we do is informed by the latest information and data available. We make a personalized assessment for each patient and strive to bring out your natural beauty. Learn more at glowspaseattle.com. PROVIDED BY GLOW MEDISPA Read story online
Sunday, March 26, 2023 | Special Advertising Section 1 R 20 years. These included trouble falling or staying asleep, waking up too early, feeling unrested and napping during the day. In a different study, published in 2014, scientists found that a little more than half of the 6,050 older adults surveyed had either one or two insomnia symptoms over the past month. Research suggests that women are more likely than men to report poorer sleep quality in general. And sleep begins to elude them earlier in life, usually starting around the menopausal transition (or the years leading up to menopause), which typically begins between 45 and 55, according to the National Institute on Aging. What exactly causes these changes? The truth is that no one knows for sure. “We’re only just starting to understand why all of this happens,” said Luis de Lecea, a professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Stanford University. One explanation might have to do with an aging brain. In a study published in February, de Lecea and his team found that a particular cluster of neurons responsible for wakefulness became overly stimulated in aging mice, disrupting their sleep cycles. This shift “likely also happens to humans,” he said, because the part of the brain that regulates sleep in mice, called the hypothalamus, is similar to that of humans. (Many sleep studies are conducted in mice for practical and ethical reasons.) Researchers have also found that the suprachiasmatic nucleus, another brain region that regulates the body’s circadian rhythms, deteriorates in mice with age. This results in sleep disorders, including trouble falling asleep at regular times. Certain lifestyle changes can lead to sleep disruption later in life, too, said Adam Spira, a professor and sleep researcher at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. As people retire, their days become less structured and routine. They may wake up later or nap during the day, which can make it harder to fall asleep at night, creating a vicious cycle. Researchers have also found links between depression, loneliness, grief over the loss of a loved one and poor sleep in older adults. And in a 2014 study, Spira concluded that older adults who struggled with certain activities or household chores, like laundry, grocery shopping, meeting with friends or taking a walk, were more likely to report insomnia symptoms than older adults who were able to participate in those activities. For women, hot flashes, night sweats and higher rates of depression, anxiety and stress — common symptoms of the menopausal transition — are also correlated with poor sleep. But researchers are still not exactly sure why those perimenopausal symptoms might be more severe and frequent in some women, and how best to address them. Of course, certain medical conditions that are more prevalent in older adults can also wreak havoc on sleep, Singh said. Weight gain, for example, can increase the risk of develBy Alisha Haridasani Gupta The New York Times Q: As I’ve gotten older, I’ve found it harder and harder to fall and stay asleep. Why is that? A: Dr. Abhinav Singh, medical director of the Indiana Sleep Center and a sleep professor at Marian University College of Osteopathic Medicine, likes to answer this question with an analogy. Think of your ability to sleep as though it were a car, he said. As it ages and clocks more miles, it begins to fall apart; it needs more repairs, and its ride becomes less smooth. The same thing happens with your sleep, Singh said. Researchers have found that sleep quality does indeed get a little rusty with age: Older adults are more likely to take longer to fall asleep, wake up more frequently throughout the night and spend more time napping during the day compared with younger adults. They also spend less time in deep, restorative sleep, which helps with bone and muscle growth and repair, strengthens the immune system and helps the brain reorganize and consolidate memories, Singh said. Your melatonin levels, which play an important role in sleep-wake cycles, also go awry with age, he said. It is no surprise, then, that when researchers surveyed more than 9,000 people ages 65 and older in a landmark study published in 1995, they found that 57% of them reported at least one sleep complaint over three JOYCE LEE / THE NEW YORK TIMES Research has found that sleep quality does indeed get a little rusty as you grow older, but it’s not a fate you have to live with, experts say. oping a condition like sleep apnea, which can cause you to snore, gasp for air or feel like you’re choking while you’re sleeping. And medications, like diuretics for blood pressure, can also impair sleep because they can lead to more trips to the bathroom. They really can “act like darts into your sleep board,” Singh said. Are sleepless nights a fate you have to live with? The good news is that the same habits that improve sleep for people in general will work for older adults with changing sleep patterns, too, Spira said. Going to bed and waking up at the same time every day, avoiding naps and late-afternoon caffeine, following a healthy diet and exercising regularly are all things that will help your sleep, research suggests. In fact, one small study published in 2022 found that at least 40 minutes of either aerobic or resistance training four times a week helped older adults fall asleep faster and stay asleep for longer. Keeping consistent mealtimes every day can also help maintain a routine, which, in turn, can help regulate sleep, Singh said — as can spending time outside in sunlight, which helps keep melatonin production and the body’s circadian rhythm in check. Older adults who are on medications should also check with their doctors about whether the drugs might be interfering with their sleep and if there might be alternative options or a different dosage, he added.
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