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Klickitat County Senior Newsletter Klickitat County Senior Services Goldendale 773-3757 White Salmon 493-3068 July 2017 Social Security 2 Medicare Marci 4 White Salmon Events 5 Goldendale Events 6 Menu 7 Fitness after 50 8 AARP Driver Safety 9 Age related Macular Degenera- tion 10 Garden Inside this issue: Klickitat County Fair August 24-27, “Star Spangled Celebration” Thursday, August 24, 11am The Grounds entertainment begins, 5pm County Products & Produce Kick-Off Barbecue. Understanding Dementia Guest speaker, Shanti Potts, will speak on “Understanding Dementia” Where: Goldendale Senior Center 115 E. Main Street When: Wednesday, July 12th from 10:30am to 12pm In this presentation participants will explore what’s normal and what’s not normal as we age. We will begin to define the term Dementia in the context of a Neuro Cognitive disorder that plagues us as we age. We will consider the different types, risk factors to developing, and phases of dementia. We will explore what it means to get a clear diagnosis and learn what each of us can do to remain sharp! There is a Questionnaire in this newsletter for Klickitat County residents to complete on Social Security. It is a confidential questionnaire. Sandy Dement is gathering information from Klickitat County seniors that are interested in providing feedback on what suggestions or selection of suggested changes are they support to address the future issue of sufficient Social Security funding. This information will be used in a future article for the Goldendale Sentinel. Sandy has been writing articles related to the Social Security issues in recent Goldendale Sentinel Publications. You can drop it off or mail it to one of our Senior Service office locations. ---PAGE BREAK--- What Will Social Security Look Like in 20 Years ? Social Security faces a long-term financial imbalance that would force sharp benefit cuts in 2034 unless the government makes changes. The problem stems from falling fertility rates and labor force growth - which reduces collection of payroll taxes that fund the system - and also from the retirement of baby boomers, which increases benefit costs. When Social Security was conceived back in the mid-1930s, it was designed to be a supplemental income source for our nation's low-income workers during retirement. But over the past 80-plus years, Social Security has evolved. For more than 60% of our nation's retired workers receiving benefits, it now represents a major source of their income. In other words, without Social Security income, the poverty rate among seniors would probably soar. One of the biggest ongoing debates on Capitol Hill is what the future might hold for Social Security, both for current retirees and those who will be retiring 20 years from now. The question being asked is: Can folks retiring in 2037 expect a similar level of benefits, adjusted for inflation, as those retirees receiving benefits in 2017? If Congress does nothing, the answer is an almost certain "no." According to the annually released Social Security Board of Trustees report from 2016, the Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance (OASDI) Trust is on track for some major changes over the next two decades. By the trustees' estimates, the OASDI will be paying out more in benefits than it's receiving in revenue by 2020. This is due to a confluence of factors that includes lengthening life expectancies, and the ongoing retirement of baby boomers, which is weighing on the worker- to-beneficiary ratio. Ultimately, the $2.85 trillion currently in asset reserves is projected to be completely gone by 2034. What happens then? Essentially, Social Security would become a budget-neutral program and benefits would be slashed for current and future retirees by as much a 21%. It would pay out only what revenue it's able to bring in. Congress has good ideas for fixing Social Security for future retirees but they cannot agree on what that fix is. If Congress does nothing and allows Social Security to continue on its current path, the trustees predict that a sizable benefits cut is in the future. 20 years may seem like a long time but we all know how quickly the years fly by. ---PAGE BREAK--- KLICKITAT COUNTY SOCIAL SECURITY QUESTIONNAIRE CONFIDENTIAL–NO NAME 1. I am years old. 2. I consider myself to be: basically healthy healthy but cannot exert myself much healthy but not very mobile not that healthy 3. I live: alone. with other family with a spouse. other 4. I rent own my home. 5. I currently receive social security. I took early social security benefits at age I receive my full social security benefit. 6. My social security check is I am also enrolled in Medicare Medicaid Other health plan No health plan 7. I have other income from: m il i t a r y r e t i r e m e n t rental income from property I own other retirement plan from past employment savings other 8. My social security benefit is of my total household income. 9. If my social security payment were reduced, I would: look for work cut out the expense of sell property I own move in with family other ---PAGE BREAK--- SOCIAL SECURITY QUESTONNAIRE – PAGE 2 Changes are needed soon to keep Social Security paying full benefits. I am in favor of a mix of the following changes (check those you prefer): ❑ Increasing the payroll tax (currently 12.4% of wages, paid half by worker, half by employer). ❑ Raising the “cap” on wages that can be taxed (currently on wages up to $127,000 per year). ❑ Increasing the age of full eligibility (currently 67 for those born 1960 or after) ❑ Increasing the age of early eligibility ❑ Reducing the level of everyone’s benefit by a small percent ❑ Reducing the benefit for people with incomes over $ per year. ❑ Other WHERE TO TURN IN THIS SURVEY: 1) At any Senior Meal center, in White Salmon, Goldendale or any other location. 2) At Klickitat County Senior Services Goldendale Office, 115 West Court Street, MS- CH-21, Goldendale, WA 98620 3) At Klickitat County Senior Services White Salmon Office, 501 NE Washington Street, P.O. Box 1877, White Salmon, WA 98672 ---PAGE BREAK--- Keep Yourself Safe While Enjoying the Outdoors It is become well known that gardening has a variety of health benefits, but seniors need to be cautious and make sure they take proper precautions to stay safe while outdoors. Here are a few tips to do so. Warm up: Digging, watering and raking are all activities that involve multiple muscle use. Before any physical activity, seniors should stretch to make sure they don’t do any damage to their muscles or ligaments. Sunscreen: Seniors should apply sunscreen to exposed skin before spending time outside. Aging skin becomes thinner and more susceptible to sunburn, so it’s important to protect skin by wearing at least SPF 15. Water: Hydration is key for any outdoor activity. It’s important for seniors to drink plenty of water before and after gardening. Early or late: The best time to be outside for physical activity is early morning or late afternoon when the temperature is cooler and the sun’s rays aren’t as intense. Protect yourself: Gardeners should be sure to wear protective clothing to cover exposed skin and help shield themselves from bug bites and scrapes as a result of being in the garden. Examples of safe gardening gear are lightweight clothing to cover arms and legs, closed-toe shoes, hats, & gardening gloves. As the temperature rises, older adults become more vulnerable to heat- related health issues because their bodies don't cool down as quickly as younger people. Fans do not adequately cool down the body during intense heat waves. Avoid extended periods of sun exposure, walking long distances, drink plenty of water and other nonalcoholic non-caffeinated clear beverages. Take cool showers, baths, or sponge baths, wear light weight, light-colored , loose- fitting clothing and hats. Common heat-related health problems to watch for include: dehydration, signs include weakness, headache, muscle cramps, dizziness, confusion and passing out. Heat stroke: body temperature of or above 103 degrees; red, hot skin, fast pulse; headache, nausea or vomiting, confusion and passing out. Drink plenty of fluids. ---PAGE BREAK--- Dear Marci, I am new to Medicare. My income and assets are on the low side and I’m having difficulty paying for my prescription drugs. A neighborhood counselor told me about Extra Help. Do you think this is something for me? Stefano (Rock Springs, WY) Dear Stefano, Extra Help, also referred to as the Low-Income Subsidy (LIS), is an option worth exploring. This is a federal program that helps pay for Medicare prescription drug coverage (Part D) costs. In 2017, if your in- come is below $1,528 for singles ($2,050 for couples) and your assets are below specified limits, you may be eligible. Even if your income or assets are above the limit, you may still qualify for Extra Help because certain types of income and assets may not be counted. For example, if you are a homeowner, your house is exempt. If you are approved for enrollment in a Medicare Savings Program (MSP), then you will be automatically enrolled in Extra Help. Your Extra Help benefits will have the same effective date as your MSP benefits. If you do not qualify for an MSP, but you do qualify for Extra Help, you can apply through the Social Secu- rity Administration (SSA) using either the agency's print or online application at www.ssa.gov. You may qualify for full or partial Extra Help. With full Extra Help, you should pay no Part D premium as long as you choose a plan that offers basic coverage and has a premium at or below the Extra Help benchmark premium amount for your state. The benchmark amount varies by state. You will also pay no deductible and have low copays for your drugs. If you have partial Extra Help, in 2017, you will pay a share of your plan’s premium, an $82 deductible, and reduced copays. If you have Extra Help, you will have a Special Enrollment Period (SEP) to change your prescription drug coverage up to once per month. You can choose a new stand-alone Part D plan, enroll in a Medicare Ad- vantage Plan with prescription drug coverage, or disenroll from your Medicare Advantage Plan and enroll in a stand-alone Part D plan with Original Medicare. Changes made usually take effect the first of the follow- ing month. For example, someone may want to change their plan if they need to take a drug that their current plan does not cover. If this person has Extra Help, they have the option of enrolling in a new plan does cover their drug. A drug manufacturer can offer a PAP, which is an assistance program that provides discounts on certain drugs. These programs can be an option if your income and assets are too high to qualify for a Medicare Savings Program and/or Extra Help. There are different PAPs, and each generally offers discounts on a spe- cific type of brand name or generic medication. The drug manufacturers, not the state or federal government, provide the discounts. Each program has eligibility requirements, application instructions, and rules you must follow to get the benefit. For example, some PAPs only work if you do not have Medicare prescription drug coverage. You can contact your SHIP to learn more about PAPs, or vis- it www.rxassist.org orwww.needymeds.org. To find your SHIP’s contact information, you can go to www.shiptacenter.org or call 1-[PHONE REDACTED] for assistance. A SHIP counselor can help you understand your situation and discuss your specific health insur- ance needs. Marci ---PAGE BREAK--- Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat MUSIC 7/3 Simcoe Boys 7/5 Huskey Family 7/10 Old Time Friends 7/12 Simcoe Boys 7/17 Andre 7/19Simcoe Boys 7/24 Simcoe Boys 7/26 Simcoe Boys 7/31 Simcoe Boys 1 2 3 9:30 Exercise 11am Live Music & Dance 4 Office CLOSED Celebrate Freedom 5 9:30Exercise 11am Live Mu- sic & Dance 6 8:30 to 9:30 Hatha Yoga Noon Pinochle 2pm Strong Women 7 8 9 10 9:30 Exercise 11am Live Music & Dance 11 8:30 to 9:30 Hatha Yoga 2pm Strong Women 12 9:30Exercise HR Shopping 11am Live Mu- sic & Dance 13 8:30 to 9:30 Hatha Yoga Noon Pinochle 2pm Strong Women 14 15 16 17 9:30 Exercise 11am Live Music & Dance 18 8:30 to 9:30 Hatha Yoga 2pm Strong Women 19 9:30 Exercise 11am Live Mu- sic & Dance 20 8:30 to 9:30 Hatha Yoga Noon Pinochle 2pm Strong Women 21 22 23 30 24 9:30 Exercise 31 9:30am Exercise 11am Live Music & Dance 25 8:30 to 9:30 Hatha Yoga 2pm Strong Women 26 9:30 Exercise 11am Live Music & Dance 27 8:30 to 9:30 Hatha yoga Noon Pinochle 2pm Strong Women 28 29 White Salmon Events July 2017 ---PAGE BREAK--- Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat MUSIC Ram- blers 7/11 Greg & Larry 7/13 Simcoe Boys 7/20 Jackie 7/25 Greg & Larry Ramblers 7/27 Simcoe Boys 1 2 3 4 OFFICE CLOSED! Celebrate FREEDOM! 5 Coffee & Conversation 10:30am to 11:30am 6 1pm Exercise 1pm Bingo 7 Hood River Shopping 12pm Pinochle 8 Community Days Parade 11am 9 10 11 10am Toenail Care 1pm Exercise 12 10:30am Sup- port Group 13 1pm Exercise 1pm Bingo 14 12pm Pinochle 15 NO Senior Breakfast 16 17 18 1pm Exercise 19 20 1pm Exercise 1pm Bingo 21 The Dalles Shopping 12pm Pinochle . 22 28 29 30 1pm Exercise 31 Goldendale Events July 2017 ---PAGE BREAK--- July 2017 Menu Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 1 Lyle Breakfast 7am to 10am $7pp, Children (6-12) under 5 free. 2 3 WS Chicken A la King 4 OFFICE CLOSED 5 WS Hot Dogs & Baked Beans 6 GD Hot Dogs & Baked Beans 7 8 9 10 WS Cook’s Choice 11 GD & Lyle Cook’s Choice 12 WS Quiche 13 GD: Quiche Klickitat : BBQ Chicken 5:30 Trout Lake 14 15 No Golden- dale Senior Breakfast 16 17 WS Beef & Spanish Rice 18 GD & Lyle Beef & Spanish Rice 19 WS Baked Chicken 20 GD Baked Chicken 21 22 23 30 24 WS Fish 31 Beef Stroganoff 25 GD & Lyle Fish 26 WS Sweet & Sour Meatballs 27 GD Sweet & Sour Meatballs 28 29 Senior Meal Site Locations GOLDENDALE: Every Tuesday & Thursday at 12 noon at the Goldendale Senior Center, 115 E Main Street. WHITE SALMON: Every Monday & Wednesday at 12-noon at the Pioneer Center,501 NE Washington. LYLE: Every Tuesday at 12-noon at the Lyle Lions Community Center. Bickleton: The 2nd & 4th Tuesday at 11:30am at the Bickleton Market Street Cafe. TROUT LAKE: Thursday, July 13 at 5:30pm, at Trout Lake School. Klickitat: Thursday, July 13th at Noon at Klickitat Community Center. Do you play a musical instrument? Would you like to donate your musical talents to the senior meal site? We would love to schedule you for an upcoming meal site music session. Musicians typically play for 30 to 60 minutes. Please contact Virginia in Goldendale, 773-3757 or Jill in White Salmon, 493-3068 to discuss opportunities. ---PAGE BREAK--- Fitness and Exercise Rules That Change After 50 A funny thing happens on the way to 50 and beyond: Your body doesn’t respond to exercise as it did earlier in your life. Fatigue, muscle and joint aches and increased injuries seem to happen with greater frequency. Unfortunately, it’s not your imagination. It happens to the best of us as a natural consequence of aging. In fact, some of the “standard” fitness rules no longer apply, at least not in the same way as they did in your 30s and even 40s. Here’s how the rules change after 50 and how to stay injury-free as you age. Old rule: Stretch a few days a week New rule: Stretch after every workout, and then some Warming up before a workout increases circulation, raises heart rate and body temperature, prepares muscles for exercise and increases joint range of motion. Old rule: Focus on cardio New rule: Resistance training takes center stage Bone density and muscle mass drops rapidly after 50 making resistance training a crucial part of a complete exercise program. You still need cardio, of course, for reducing heart disease risk, which accelerates after 50. Old rule: Slow and steady cardio works best New rule: Use interval training to pump up the fat burn Going for an easy stroll with a friend may be a good way to get fresh air, but it won’t do much for calorie burning. Continue cardio for its heart health benefits, but focus on intervals since interval training for 30 minutes versus moderate, continuous exercise decreases belly fat. Moderate, continuous cardio does not. Old rule: Take one day in between each weight training workout New rule: You may need longer than a day between workouts Taking a day off in between workouts gives muscles time to recover, but you may need more re- covery time after age 50. You need to focus more on recovery after 50. Tissue recovery takes more time and more effort to support that recovery. The exact amount of time depends on your baseline fitness level. How do you know when you’ve had enough rest? If you find soreness isn’t going away and is impacting your next workout this may indicate early signs of injury or not enough recovery time. Old rule: Warming up is an option New rule: Always include a thorough warm-up Warming up before a workout increases circulation, raises heart rate and body temperature, prepares muscles for exercise and increases joint range of motion. Warm-ups are particularly beneficial after 50 to mediate some of the changes that occur with aging, mainly decreased tendon elasticity. By Linda Melone, & Wellness BloggerJune 22, 2017 ---PAGE BREAK--- Caregiver Support Group SPECIAL SPEAKER Shanti Potts Date: 2nd Wednesday, July 12 Time 10:30am to 12pm Place: Goldendale Senior Center 115 East Main Street MAY HOURS TRANSPORTATION 660.75 Hours NUTRITION 948.5 Hours NEWSLETTER 20 Hours SR. EXERCISE 13 Hours MUSICIANS 18 Hours “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.” Margaret Mead Volunteer Hours AARP Driver Safety Class An AARP Driver Safety Class taught by Jim and Penny Rutledge is scheduled for September 18 and 19 at the Pioneer Senior Center, 501 NE Washington St., White Salmon. This 8 hour class for adults 50+ years of age is completed in two sessions. The class will run from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on both Monday and Tuesday. You must participate in both days. Participants will work through an interesting, interactive curriculum emphasizing defensive driving techniques. There are no tests and no driving is involved. Washington State has authorized auto insurance discounts for those who complete this course. Check with your insurance carrier for more information. To register for the AARP Driver Safety Class call Jill Parrott, Klickitat County Senior Services, at 493-3068. You do not need to be an AARP member to enroll. A fee is charged to cover the cost of materials. The cost is $15.00 for AARP Members and $20.00 for non-members. Please be prepared to make payment by cash or check the first day of class. Credit or Debit cards are not accepted. Members will have to provide their membership number when they sign in on the first morning of class. ---PAGE BREAK--- What you should know about AMD Perhaps you have just learned that you or a loved one has age-related macular degeneration, also known as AMD. If you are like many people, you probably do not know a lot about the condition or understand what is going on inside your eyes. What is AMD? AMD is a common eye condition and a leading cause of vision loss among people age 50 and older. It causes damage to the macula, a small spot near the center of the retina and the part of the eye needed for sharp, central vision, which lets us see objects that are straight ahead. In some people, AMD advances so slowly that vision loss does not occur for a long time. In others, the disease progresses faster and may lead to a loss of vision in one or both eyes. As AMD progresses, a blurred area near the center of vision is a common Over time, the blurred area may grow larger or you may develop blank spots in your central vision. Objects also may not appear to be as bright as they used to be. AMD by itself does not lead to complete blindness, with no ability to see. However, the loss of central vision in AMD can interfere with simple everyday activities, such as the ability to see faces, drive, read, write, or do close work, such as cooking or fixing things around the house. Who is at risk? Age is a major risk factor for AMD. The disease is most likely to occur after age 60, but it can occur earlier. Other risk factors for AMD include: • Smoking. Research shows that smoking doubles the risk of AMD. • Race. AMD is more common among Caucasians than among African- Americans or Hispanics/Latinos. Family history and Genetics. People with a family history of AMD are at higher risk. At last count, researchers had identified nearly 20 genes that can affect the risk of developing AMD. Many more genetic risk factors are suspected. You may see offers for genetic testing for AMD. Because AMD is influenced by so many genes plus environmental factors such as smoking and nutrition, there are currently no genetic tests that can diagnose AMD, or predict with certainty who will develop it. The American Academy of Ophthalmology currently recommends against routine genetic testing for AMD, and insurance generally does not cover such testing. Does lifestyle make a difference? Researchers have found links between AMD and some lifestyle choices, such as smoking. You might be able to reduce your risk of AMD or slow its progression by making these healthy choices: • Avoid smoking *Exercise regularly *Maintain normal blood pressure and cholesterol levels *Eat a healthy diet rich in green, leafy vegetables and fish FROM: The National Eye Institute ---PAGE BREAK--- How is AMD detected? The early and intermediate stages of AMD usually start without Only a comprehensive dilated eye exam can detect AMD. The eye exam may include the following: • Visual acuity test. This eye chart measures how well you see at distances. • Dilated eye exam. Your eye care professional places drops in your eyes to wid- en or dilate the pupils. This provides a better view of the back of your eye. Using a special magnifying lens, he or she then looks at your retina and optic nerve for signs of AMD and other eye problems. • Amsler grid. Your eye care professional also may ask you to look at an Amsler grid. Changes in your central vision may cause the lines in the grid to disappear or appear wavy, a sign of AMD. • Fluorescein angiogram. In this test, which is performed by an ophthalmologist, a fluorescent dye is injected into your arm. Pictures are taken as the dye passes through the blood vessels in your eye. This makes it possible to see leaking blood vessels, which occur in a severe, rapidly progressive type of AMD (see below). In rare cases, complications to the injection can arise, from nausea to more severe allergic reactions. Optical coherence tomography. You have probably heard of ultrasound, which uses sound waves to capture images of living tissues. OCT is similar except that it uses light waves, and can achieve very high-resolution images of any tissues that can be penetrated by light—such as the eyes. After your eyes are dilated, you’ll be asked to place your head on a chin rest and hold still for several seconds while the images are obtained. The light beam is painless. Questions to ask your eye care Professional Below are a few questions you may want to ask your eye care professional to help you understand your diagnosis and treatment. If you do not understand your eye care professional’s responses, ask questions until you do understand. • What is my diagnosis and how do you spell the name of the condition? • Can my AMD be treated? • How will this condition affect my vision now and in the future? • What should I watch for and how should I notify you if they occur? • Should I make lifestyle changes? FROM: The National Eye Institute ---PAGE BREAK--- Non-Profit Organization U.S. Postage Paid White Salmon, WA 98672 Permit #77 Senior Newsletter Edited by Virginia Annual Senior Picnic Daubenspeck Park, Bingen, WA Friday, August 18th ALL SENIORS IN KLICKITAT COUNTY ARE WELCOME TO ATTEND OUR ANNUAL PICNIC. Lunch will be served at 12pm—noon. Music and socializing starts at 11am. Food, drinks, and place settings will be provided by Senior Services. Anyone who has lawn chairs they would like to bring, please do so. Our Klickitat County Senior Advisory Board will be recognizing our county volunteers and presenting the Volunteer of the Year Recognition Award. Please call the Goldendale or White Salmon Senior Services office to sign up for the picnic as we need a count of persons attending so Cindy & Jackie will be able to provide enough food. If you need transportation to the picnic please call your nearest Senior Services office to get on the bus list. Goldendale, call Stacy at 773-3060 and White Salmon, call Lisa at 493-4662. Senior Newsletter 115 W. Court St. MS-CH-21 Goldendale, WA 98620 [PHONE REDACTED] PO BOX 1877 501 NE Washington Avenue White Salmon, WA 98672 [PHONE REDACTED]