Every year since 1963, Mayhas been the month to appre-ciate and celebrate olderadults and their achieve-ments. It is a proud traditionthat shows our nation’s com-mitment to honor elders con-tributions to our communi-ties. But this year many olderadults are being challenged tomaintain economic vitality inretirement years.

The Leadership Council ofAging Organizations(LCAO), a 68-member coali-tion of national nonprofits,expressed concern regardingthe well-being of America'solder population in a letter toPresident Obama.

The LCAO wrote specifi-cally about the proposedFiscal Year 2014 budget, stat-ing many of the budget pro-posals would be “harmful forAmerica’s seniors by askingthem to pay even more fortheir health care or by cuttingkey benefits they rely on tomeet their basic needs. Halfof the Medicare populationlives on annual incomes of$22,500 or less, and theyalready face significant out-of-pocket health costs.”

In particular, LCAO mem-bers are concerned with thePresident’s proposals to:• Use the Chained ConsumerPrice Index (Chained CPI) todetermine Social Securitycost-of-living adjustments.

Using the Chained CPI hasbeen described as a simple,technical adjustment.However, it is not a technicaladjustment, nor is it a moreaccurate measure of inflationfor Social Security beneficiar-ies. The current measurealready undervalues inflationfor seniors because it fails totake into account health carespending; the Chained CPIwould be even worse. Usingthe Chained CPI would sub-

stantially reduce SocialSecurity benefits for currentand future beneficiaries.While the amount of thereduction would be small ini-tially, it would aggregate overtime.

LCAO additionally oppos-es proposals to cut Medicarebenefits or shift additionalcosts onto beneficiaries,which ignore the widespreadeconomic insecurity experi-enced by older adults andpeople with disabilities. Theywould be hard hit by propos-als that shift costs to benefici-aries, specifically:

• New home health copay-ments would pose significantfinancial barriers, particularlyfor vulnerable, older womenwith long-term and chronicconditions, and could forcemany out of the communityand into more expensiveinstitutional care.

• Imposing a surcharge onMedigap insurance plans thatcover costs not paid byMedicare would further shiftcosts to beneficiaries andresult in individuals foregoingnecessary care.

• Requiring beneficiaries topay higher Part B deductibleswould be especially harmfuland unaffordable for millionswith incomes just above thefederal poverty line ($958 permonth).

LCAO is also opposed tofurther means-testingMedicare premiums, whichwould move away fromMedicare’s original commu-nity intent and understand-able premium structure, andover time would shift costsonto beneficiaries withincome equivalent to just$47,000 today.

r

May • 2013 • 3

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

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

S eniorspectrumnewspaper. comPublishers: Chris & Connie McMullen

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

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

This Issuepage 3 - President’s Budget page 4 - Opinion: Fixing Nevada’s Veteran Claim Blacklogpage 5 - Opinion: Reflecting onOlder Americans Monthpage 6 - President Releases Fiscal Year 2014 Budget Proposalpage 15 - Elders Count Nevada 2013 page 19 - Ruth Wherry is an Amazing Role Model page 23 - Rural Counties RSVP page 23 - Senior Citizen of the Year

Every Issuepage 18 - Calendar page 20 - Biggest Little Citypage 24 - Eydie Scher - Excerptspage 27 - Crosswordpage 29 - Community Resources

page 30 - this ‘n thatpage 32 - Seniors 4 Travelpage 33 - Eclectic Observer

Healthpage 10 - Dr. Marion: Caregiving page 11 - CMS: How Medicare is Improving Coordination of Your Carepage 12 - Unleash the Power of AgeDr. Lawrence J. Weiss, Ph.D. Center for Healthy Agingpage 16 - Ophthalmology: Dr. Michael Fischer, M.D.

Financial page 7 - What to Expect at YourFirst Estate Planning Consultation

- Bradley B. Anderson Anderson, Dorn, Rader

May 2013

President’s Budget ProposalWill Hurt Older Americans

4 • 2013 • May

Over thepast decade,this nationhas relied onmilitary menand women

who have selflessly placedthemselves in harm’s way andvolunteered to serve throughthe course of two gruelingwars. Nearly a million of theseheroes have returned home toface another kind of war, onethat is unnecessary.

All across America, ourtroops are returning home andin return for their service, thiscountry is supposed to providethem much-needed benefits.For a number of reasons, thesebenefits are backlogged, andour heroes are stuck waiting to

be helped.The state of Nevada is home

to more than 10,000 veteranswaiting for answers. These self-less patriots know all too wellthe price that is paid for free-dom, and the last thing theyshould be worried about iswaiting for the assistance theyearned in service to our nation.

As a member of the SenateVeterans’ Affairs Committee, Iwant to do everything I can tohelp the Department ofVeterans Affairs (VA) clear thisbacklog. Just last month, I intro-duced a bill to let governmentagencies dealing with veteranclaims know that it is unaccept-able to delay the veterans’claims process any longer. Mybill demands better collabora-

tion among agencies so thatour heroes receive their bene-fits in a timely manner.

In January, I sat down withthe Secretary for the VA, EricShinseki, to discuss just howimportant it is that we ensureour veterans receive the bene-fits they earned and deserve.And, on a number of occasions,I have spoken at the Veterans’Affairs Committee hearings,asking what we can do to clearthis jam and maintain thepromises made to every veter-an across this country.

The character and courageof our military men andwomen, past and present, iswhat has made our nation sogreat. My respect and apprecia-tion goes to those who have

defended and continue todefend this country.

I am grateful to the nearly300,000 veterans who callNevada home for the immeas-urable sacrifices they havemade on our behalf. I believethat we must act now to helpNevada veterans. Addressingthe claims backlog must be atop priority, and I am commit-ted to doing what it takes tohelp eliminate this problem.After everything our heroeshave done for us, the least wecan do is make sure they areafforded the very best treat-ment in a timely manner. I willcontinue fighting for all of theheroes who call the Silver Statehome.

Sen. Dean Heller

OpinionU.S. Senator Dean Heller Fixing Nevada’s Veteran

Claim Blacklog

May • 2013 • 5

May isOlderAmericansMonth, atime whenthe entirenation

reflects on thecontributions and aspirationsof older generations ofAmericans.

Nevada communities fullyunderstand the critical impor-tance our older leaders play-they are innovators and rolemodels for future generationsof younger Nevadans. Publicservice can take hold in manyways and one way individualscan give back to society is tomentor others to follow theirpath of success. This month’s

theme, “Unleash the Power ofAge” helps to convey that senti-ment- our nation’s olderAmericans have laid a solidpath for others to follow andthey continue to act as power-ful leaders and visionaries.

Nevada seniors have earnedour deference and we need toensure they are looked after.That is why I worked hard togive Nevada’s seniors greateraccess to the best possiblehealthcare services. TheAffordable Care Act gives hard-working Nevada seniors thesecurity they deserve by mak-ing insurance companies playby the rules. In particular, thelaw gradually closes the gap indrug coverage known as the"donut hole" which often causes

seniors to experience financialduress. In Nevada, people withMedicare have saved over$32.9 million on prescriptiondrugs since the law’s enact-ment. In 2012 alone, 22,122individuals in Nevada savedover $13.5 million, or an aver-age of $611 per beneficiary.

This month also allows us tofocus on those seniors whohave fallen on harder times. Allolder Americans should havechances to thrive and Iannounced earlier this monthnew funding from the U.S.Department of Housing andUrban Development- morethan 7 million dollars- to fighthomelessness in Northern andSouthern Nevada. The blight ofhomelessness is a persistent

problem in our state, and olderNevadans are no exception.

All Nevadans should have aroof over their heads and theseHUD grants will go towardshelping Nevada communitiesface the issue of homelessnesshead on by helping to providetransitional housing, perma-nent housing and other sup-portive services to those inneed.

I hope all Nevadans joinwith me in recognizing thisspecial month and the impor-tant contributions our seniorsmake to our communities. Iwill continue to fight to makesure seniors are taken care ofand given opportunities toflourish.

Sen. Harry Reid

OpinionU.S. Senator Harry Reid

Reflecting on Older Americans Month

President Obama releasedhis proposed budget forFiscal Year 2014 last month,but instead of outlining hisown budget vision, the docu-ment is a deficit reductioncompromise that includessome offers made in discus-sions with Republican lead-ers in December. ThePresident’s proposal seeks tostabilize the debt with twiceas many spending cuts asrevenue increases. However,with the House and Senatealready passing their ownbudget resolutions, negotia-tions may begin soon to crafta bipartisan compromise.

The National Council onAging (NCOA) has calledthe presidents proposedbudget a mixed bag for low-income seniors and peoplewith disabilities. It providesan outline of the proposalregarding aging programs:

Older Americans ActWith the exception of the

Senior Community ServiceEmployment Program(SCSEP), the programs of theOlder Americans Act remainessentially level-funded inthis budget-cutting environ-ment.

The Administration onceagain proposes to cutSCSEP—this time by nearly$70 million, or 15 percent.This is surprising and disap-pointing, given that moreseniors are working past tra-ditional retirement age tomake ends meet, and areunemployed for longer peri-ods than any other age groupif they do lose their jobs.SCSEP is the only federal jobplacement and training pro-

gram designed to serve low-income older workers.

Low-Income Home EnergyAssistance Program

The President’s plan pro-poses to cut $500 millionfrom the LIHEAP program.

New InvestmentsNew, long-overdue

investments are being soughtfor elder justice; senior hous-ing; and Alzheimer’sresearch, services, and care-giver support, including:• $2 million for adult protective services.• $25 million for Section 202Housing for the Elderly (with $20 million for newhousing and supportive serv-ices demonstrations).• $10 million for HousingCounseling, includingreverse mortgage counseling.• $80 million to the NationalInstitute on Aging forAlzheimer’s therapies.• $16 million to theAdministration forCommunity Living forAlzheimer’s services andsupports.

Medicare & MedicaidThe FY14 budget includes

$371 billion in Medicare cutsand $22 billion fromMedicaid over 10 years.

Most of the Medicare sav-ings would come from align-ing Medicare prescriptiondrug payments withMedicaid policies throughadditional rebates for low-income beneficiaries (saving$123 billion), and adjustingpayment updates for certainpost-acute care providers

(Budget page 14)6 • 2013 • May

President Releases FiscalYear 2014 Budget Proposal

May • 2013 • 7

Your first meeting with an estateplanning attorney may seem a littledaunting, especially if you’ve never con-sulted an attorney before. There’s noneed to worry, however. This meeting isjust a conversation in which your attor-ney will find out about you, your family,and your goals. After you’ve shared thisinformation, your attorney will be ableto recommend a range of estate planningtools, helping you tailor a plan thatmeets your needs.

Getting to Know YouAt the start of your consultation, your

estate planning attorney will ask youquestions about you, your family, andyour finances. Some of the areas of yourlife that you may need to share about arethose that can impact the type of plan-

ning you’ll need to protect your assetsand family, including:• Whether you’re married,• How many children and grandchildrenyou have,• Whether you’ve had any previousmarriages,• Your age and the ages of the people inyour family,• What assets you own, the value ofthose assets, and how they’re titled,• Whether you currently have a Will, aTrust, or other estate planning docu-ments, and• Which people you want to put incharge of your money, your children,and other important aspects of your lifein case you die or become disabled.

Sometimes, clients have personal sit-uations they are hesitant to share with

anyone – even their attorney. If this isyour situation, the questions your attor-ney asks may seem uncomfortable orintrusive. The reason these questions areasked is so that your attorney knowswhat issues to anticipate. This way, he orshe can help you plan around them.

For example, you might be reluctantto talk about a child born out of wedlockyears ago. First and foremost, rememberthat the information you tell your attor-ney will remain confidential unless yougive permission to disclose it. Second,the reason your estate planning attorneyneeds to know about this child is todesign a plan that accomplishes yourgoals. If you don’t want that child toreceive part of your estate, your attorneyneeds to include language in your estate

(Estate Plan page 8)

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

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

What to Expect at Your First Estate Planning Consultation

8 • 2013 • May

plan disinheriting that child. Otherwise,he or she may be entitled to a portion of your estate that you’d planned to leavefor your spouse or your other children.

Making the Right ChoiceYour initial estate planning meeting

is also a chance for you to decidewhether this particular attorney is a goodfit for you. You’ll want to find out a lit-tle about your attorney’s background andeducation, paying special attention towhether he or she meets the state’s con-tinuing education guidelines.Organizations like the AmericanAcademy of Estate Planning Attorneys(www.aaepa.com) require that theirmembers meet continuing educationrequirements that are often more strin-gent than the standards imposed by thestate. You may choose to begin yoursearch for an attorney on their website.

You also want to be comfortable withyour attorney. Does he or she put you atease? Do you get to do enough talking,or does your attorney cut you off or talkover you? Do you feel that your ques-

tions are taken seriously and answered ina way that you fully understand?

One of the best ways to ensureyou’ve chosen the right attorney is tomake sure that you’re comfortable talk-ing to him or her and you feel that he orshe respects you and takes your concernsseriously.

Putting Your Plan in PlaceAfter your attorney gathers all your

information, he or she will review yourgoals with you and discuss the beststrategies for achieving those goals. Thetwo of you will agree on the appropriatestrategies, and your attorney will puttogether a set of documents that carriesout these strategies. For example, yourattorney may draft a living trust to helpyou maintain control of your assets dur-ing your lifetime, while keeping thoseassets out of probate at your death. Heor she may also draw up powers of attor-ney to designate who will make financialand medical decisions for you, if youbecome unable to handle these mattersfor yourself.

Your attorney’s job is to put together

a plan that achieves your goals, and toensure you understand how it works.When you leave your initial meeting,you should know the basic framework ofyour estate plan as well as the basic pur-pose for each part of your plan. Youshould also know what to expect fromthe estate planning process: the nextsteps and whose responsibility they are.

After you choose the right estateplanning attorney and establish an estateplan tailored to your needs, you’ll beable to breathe a sigh of relief knowingyour future is secure!

About Our Law FirmThe Law Firm of Anderson, Dorn &

Rader, Ltd. is devoted exclusively toestate planning. We are members of theAmerican Academy of Estate PlanningAttorneys and offer guidance and adviceto our clients in every area of estateplanning. We offer comprehensive andpersonalized estate planning consulta-tions. For more information or attend anupcoming seminar, please contact us at(775) 823-9455 or visit us online atwww.wealth-counselors.com.

Estate Plan / page 7

May • 2013 • 9

10 • 2013 • May

Ask Dr. Marion Dr. Marion Somers. Ph.D.

My parents are older and quite frail now, but they still love to travel. In fact,it’s what they live for besides their grandkids. But I worry about their safety.How can I be relaxed when they go on their adventures? Frieda, 64, Arkansas

Youwantyour par-

ents tokeep traveling if that’s whatthey enjoy doing, so I suggestyou help them prepare forany worst case scenarios soyou can feel more at ease.My experience has been thatonce you have all of thebases covered, things usuallygo very smoothly.

Before your parents go ona trip, take the following pre-cautions:• Visit the doctor with yourparents to be sure that they

are healthy enough to takethe trip. Never go againstdoctor’s orders.• Have your parents’ legalpapers in order. I’m talkingspecifically about their wills,healthcare proxies, durablepower of attorney, and DNR.They all need to be in orderin case something happenson the trip.• Gather all of your parents’prescriptions (including eye-glasses) and photocopy themso they can be taken on thetrip in case they need to berefilled. Also, if they have anyallergies, include that infor-

mation.• Be sure they travel withtheir medications on them atall times. Do not put them inthe suitcase in case of theftor loss.• Type out a short list oftheir key contacts including:two next of kin and otherfamily members, lawyer, pri-mary doctor(s), dentist,rabbi/priest.• If your parents wear med-ical bracelets or medicalnecklaces, be sure all infor-mation is up to date includ-ing medicine, allergies, doc-tors’ numbers, e-mail

address, and cell phone num-bers. The same goes for keyfamily member’s contactnumbers.• If they require any extraattention such as a wheel-chair, raised toilets, increasedsafety features, or specialmeals, call ahead and alertthe airline and/or hotel.• Photocopy other importantdocuments such as a pass-port, credit cards, and dri-ver’s license in the event oftheft or loss. This can savetime if replacements areneeded.

Dr. Marion Somers

Elder Travel

If twomechanics areworking onyour car, butthey’re not talk-ing to oneanother, the

results may not be so good.Likewise, if a baseball coach

doesn’t communicate well withhis players, he’s not likely to win asmany games as he could.

Good coordination canimprove outcomes in all sorts ofhuman activities. Health care isno exception.

That’s why Medicare places somuch emphasis on getting doc-tors and other health careproviders to work together moreclosely and to share informationon their patients.

For one thing, Medicare isencouraging the formation ofaccountable care organizations, orACOs.

An ACO is a group of doctorsand other health care providerswho agree to work together andwith Medicare to give you thebest possible care by making surethey have the most up-to-dateinformation about you. ACOs aredesigned to help your providerswork together more closely togive you a more coordinated andpatient-centered experience.

If you have Original Medicareand your doctor has decided toparticipate in an ACO, you’ll benotified of that, either in personor by letter, and the ACO mayrequest your personal healthinformation to better coordinateyour care. You’ll have the optionof declining to have yourMedicare claims informationshared with the ACO.

Your Medicare benefits, servic-es, and protections won’t change.And you still have the right to useany doctor or hospital thataccepts Medicare at any time, justas you do now.

Medicare also gives finan-

cial incentives to doctors andother providers who adopthealth information technology.Health IT can help manage yourhealth information, improve howyou communicate with yourhealth care providers, andimprove the quality and coordi-nation of your care. These toolsalso reduce paperwork, medicalerrors, and health care costs.

One example is electronichealth records, or EHRs. Theseare records that your doctor,other health care provider, med-ical office staff, or a hospitalkeeps on a computer about yourmedical care or treatments.

EHRs can help lower thechances of medical errors, elimi-nate duplicate tests, and mayimprove your overall quality ofcare.

Your doctor’s EHR may beable to link to a hospital, lab,pharmacy, or other doctors, sothe people who care for you canhave a more complete picture ofyour health. You have the rightto get a copy of your healthinformation for your own per-sonal use and to make sure theinformation is complete andaccurate.

Electronic prescribing isanother way to coordinate andimprove care delivery. It allowsyour doctor (or other health careprovider who is legally allowedto write prescriptions) to sendyour prescriptions directly toyour pharmacy.

Prescribers can checkwhich drugs your insurance cov-ers and may be able to prescribea drug that costs you less.

Electronic prescriptions areeasier for the pharmacist to readthan handwritten prescriptions.This means there’s less chancethat you’ll get the wrong drug ordose.

And prescribers can be alert-ed to potential drug interactions,allergies, and other warnings.

May • 2013 • 11

David Sayen

How Medicare is Improving Coordination of Your CareDavid Sayen, Regional Administrator

Medicare Region 9

May is olderAmericansmonth and the

theme is Unleash the Power ofAge. For 50 years May has beena month to recognize olderadults and their contributionsto our society and our commu-nities. The theme has neverbeen more intriguing andappropriate for this time in his-tory. Elders are more produc-tive, active, and influentialmembers of our society thanever.

Unfortunately not manypeople actually know or carethat May is Older Americansmonth. Dr. Herb Randall in arecent article talks about this.He stated that he tried to get

the Las Vegas Division of Parks,Recreation, and NeighborhoodServices to move the AprilSenior Games to May to fur-ther support Older Americansmonth – he was not successful.However, across the countryorganizations are celebratingpeople achieving remarkablethings in later life and above all,giving to others. Many eldersare active, vital members of ourcommunities and demonstratethe positive impacts of thepower of age to improve thelives of others.

The U.S. Administration forCommunity Living actually hasinvited organizations across thenation in a challenge to cele-brate the achievements of older

Americans by nominating lead-ers who use their talents andexpertise to make a positiveimpact, and provide an inspira-tion in the community orbeyond through activity, inno-vation, work, volunteering,changing lives and making adifference. Hopefully you willread and hear about the thou-sands of elders providing inspi-ration and having an impact onindividuals and communitiesacross our country. Accordingto Maya Angelou, "One isn'tnecessarily born with courage,but one is born with potential.Without courage, we cannotpractice any other virtue withconsistency. We can't be kind,true, merciful, generous, or

honest." Let’s explore some of the

ways that we can unleash thepower of age within ourselvesso that we can be healthy,inspire others, and impact ourcommunity.

First and foremost, embraceyour age. The power of positiveperception and thinking hasincredible strength and influ-ence. Keep your brain healthy,fit and flexible through use andby acting out spontaneouslywithout fear or judgment.Embrace the opportunity to beplayful, silly and creative whilebuilding new skills and discov-ering unexpected talent. It’sabout working in harmonywith others, building trust, lis-

12 • 2013 • May

Adding Life to Years

”

Larry Weiss

Unleash the Power of AgeDr. Larry Weiss

Center for Healthy Aging

May • 2013 • 13

tening, responding and havingfun.

Secondly, healthy vital agingincludes eating, sleeping andmoving. In order to have suc-cessful aging we need to eatfresh foods and not too much,obesity is a killer. We need tosleep, which is a great pleasure.We need to be active and keepmoving, the chair/couch is akiller. When we feel good, weshare more, do more, and pro-vide powerful models forchange. Most elders and theboomers becoming elders areon the critical list. I refer you toa recent publication by theMetLife Mature MarketInstitute that Marta Maloneand I authored – “On theCritical List? A MetLife Reporton the Health Status of the 40+Population”, which discusses thecurrent health status of adultsand the associated healthcarecosts that are on a rocky road.We have embraced obesity, dis-ease, and chronic conditionswith getting older. Our focus ison disease management andacute care verses taking stepsas we age to prevent us fromacquiring disease in the firstplace. Look at the models ofpowerful aging around you andthe community. There aremany out there. You too canchoose to be a model.

Thirdly, we can unleash thepower of age by giving to oth-ers, whether we give in workthrough productivity, interper-sonal relationships and love, orsimply by volunteering. EleanorRoosevelt said it very eloquent-ly, "Since you get more joy outof giving joy to others, youshould put a good deal ofthought into the happiness thatyou are able to give."

How do you give happiness?One form of giving that is

not discussed much is throughtouch. Have you ever beenenveloped by loving arms in atime of sadness, soothed by acool hand on your feverishforehead, or rejuvenated by ahug? Then you have experi-enced the very real humancapacity to comfort and relieve.Touch is critical to the health ofthe receiver and the giver, somake a conscious effort to givethrough touch.

Another form of giving isthrough volunteering.According to the Corporationfor National and CommunityService in 2011, older adultsdonated 1.7 billion volunteerhours within the US. Just thenumbers alone are phenome-nal. Overall in Nevada, the2011 amount of volunteeringand civic engagement are lessimpressive: 22 percent of resi-dents volunteer, ranking us48th among the 50 states, 29volunteer hours per resident.Even though less than otherstates, we still have 450,240 vol-unteers contributing 60 millionhours of service, totaling about$1.3 billion of service con-tributed. Volunteering can con-tribute immensely to unleash-ing the power of age.

This year, think about whatyou can do to help Unleash thePower of Age! Think in termsof what you can do for yourself,your health, and for others. Myarticle only raised a few areasthat can enhance that powerand “add life to years”.

Lawrence J. Weiss, Ph.D. isCEO of the Center for HealthyAging. Dr. Weiss welcomesyour comments on this col-umn. Write to him atlarry@addinglifetoyears.com orc/o Center for Healthy Aging,11 Fillmore Way, Reno, NV89519.

Years to Life / page 12

(saving $79 billion). NCOA is pleased that the

timeframe would be acceler-ated for gradually closing thePart D prescription drugcoverage gap, or the donuthole.

NCOA is concernedabout proposals that wouldshift additional costs ontobeneficiaries, including: • New enrollees to pay high-er Part B deductibles.• New enrollees to pay homehealth copayments.

• Further increasing income-related Part B and D premi-ums, affecting beneficiarieswith incomes above about$47,000.• Increasing Part B premi-ums for beneficiaries whobuy more generous Medigappolicies.

NCOA is analyzinganother proposal that wouldincrease the price differentialbetween brand name andgeneric prescription drugsfor Part D low-income bene-

ficiaries, saving an estimated$6.7 billion over 10 years.

Social SecurityThe budget includes the

controversial proposal toreduce the Social SecurityCost-of-Living Adjustment(COLA) through the use of achained Consumer PriceIndex (CPI), reducing bene-fits by $130 billion andincreasing revenues by $100billion.

Certain vulnerable popu-lations, including beneficiar-

ies over age 76 and individu-als with disabilities who havebeen receiving SocialSecurity for at least 15 years,would receive modest pro-tections from the calculationchange.

NCOA supports updatingthe Consumer Price Indexfor the Elderly (CPI-E) andadopting it for COLA adjust-ments to provide betteraccounting of the out-of-pocket health costs that sen-iors face.

Nutrition AssistanceThe budget request pro-

poses to restore the cut inSupplemental NutritionAssistance Program (SNAP,formerly food stamps) ben-efits scheduled to takeplace this fall.

Funding for theCommodity SupplementalFood Program (CSFP) isprotected, but investmentsto allow six new states tojoin the program wouldonce again be denied.

In reviewing theAppendix of the President’sBudget for theAdministration forCommunity Living (ACL),the proposal seeks to fundCongregate NutritionServices, Home DeliveredNutrition Services, and theNutrition ServicesIncentive Program at FY12levels.

Here are those num-bers: • Congregate NutritionServices (Title III C1) —$439 million• Home DeliveredNutrition Services (Title III C2) — $217 million• Nutrition ServicesIncentive Program (NSIP) — $160 million

14 • 2013 • May

Budget page 6

May • 2013 • 15

The Silver State is experi-encing dramatic growth in itsgraying population, but notall trends in aging are posi-tive.

People ages 65 and olderare projected to increasefrom 11.5 percent in 2010 to16.1 percent by 2030 accord-ing to Nevada StateDemographer Jeff HardcastleHardcastle estimates growthamong adults 65-74 will be asignificant part of the state’spopulation growth, followedby adults ages 75-84.

Demographics aredetailed in the latest editionof Elders Count Nevada(2013). Elders Count Nevada(2013) is the third install-ment in a series of reports

published in 2007 and 2009that provide insight into theoverall health and well-beingof Nevada’s elders. The 2013report utilizes data fromauthoritative sources and hasbeen expanded to includeinformation by geographicregion of residency; thestate’s older veteran popula-tion; impact and prevalenceof substance use, misuse andabuse; and a new chapter ontransportation and infra-structure as it relates toaccess, safety and ridership.

Positive trends identifiedin the report include:• Lower prevalence of obe-sity: In 2011, an estimated18.1 percent of Nevadans 65and older met the criteria for

obesity, compared with abouta third of seniors nationally.• Relatively healthierfinances: Despite the reces-sion and Nevada having thehighest unemployment ratein the nation between 2008and 2010, Nevada seniorsmanaged to maintain a lowerpoverty rate and a highermedian income than seniorsnationally.• Longstanding doctorshortage may be easing:Between 2000 and 2010,medical school enrollmentnearly tripled in Nevada, andthe state is retaining a higherpercentage of its medicalschool graduates than otherstates. In addition, all med-ical schools now require

coursework in geriatric med-icine, which promises moreeffective treatment of seniorillnesses in the future.

On the downside familiarissues in the report continueto be:Divorce: 16 percent of men60 and older are divorced(10.8 percent nationally), andthe rate is 18.7 percent ofwomen 60+ (13.3 percentnationally). Suicides: Since 2008, Nevadahas ranked either fourth orfifth in the nation for sui-cides. The state’s rate is con-sistently above the nationalrate. In 2009 suicide was theseventh-leading cause ofdeath among Nevada adultsages 55-64.

Elders Count Nevada 2013

16 • 2013 • May

Whilethe protein-rich jelly-likematerial (vit-reous) thatfills the eyeis clear and

transparent in our youth, itaccumulates debris as weage.

Tiny clumps of cells, slen-der threads of protein, andtiny knots of vitreous gelfloat through the otherwiseclear vitreous in aging eyesand cast shadows on the reti-na. Older adults may thensee small dots or threads,known at “floaters,” passingthrough their fields of vision.

While these shadow-pro-ducing pieces of debris arerelatively inconsequential,flashes of light and showersof floaters can indicate thatthe vitreous has shrunk suffi-ciently to tear the retina or

detach a portion of it fromthe back of the eye. Thesesymptoms should be imme-diately reported to the oph-thalmologist.

It should be noted whileretinal tears and detach-ments can be repaired by“laser photocoagulation” or“cryopexy” (freezing), thesespot-welding techniquesshould be performed with24-48 hours of diagnosis,making retinal detachment amedical emergency.

If you would like furtherinformation on today’s topicor an appointment, pleasecall my office at (775)882-2988. We are convenientlylocated at 3839 N. CarsonStreet. Hours are 8-5 p.m.,Monday through Friday byappointment. M/C, Visa, andMedicare Assignment areaccepted.

Ophthalmology

Seeing Spots?Michael J. Fischer, M.D.

Eye Physician & Surgeon

May • 2013 • 17

May 11 - Outreach Clinic for OlderAdults, 55+, 8 - 12 p.m., UniversitySchool of Medicine, Student OutreachClinic, (775) 682-8646, http://stu-dentoutreachclinic.org/

May 11 - Western Heritage Festival,Sparks Museum and Cultural Center,Victorian Square, (775) 355-1144,www.SparksMuseum.org.

May 11 - Spitfire Pub and Grille, inaugu-ral golf tournament to benefit CAREChest of Sierra Nevada, three-personscramble, entry fee $100, 8 a.m., WashoeGolf Course, (775) 737-4440 or CAREChest at (775) 829-2273.

May 12 & 26 - Reno Senior Dance Club,Sundays, 2 - 5 p.m., Neil Rd. Rec. Center,

$5, (775) 689-8484.

May 13 - GenealogyClass, 9:30 - 11:30 a.m.,Neil Rd. Rec. Center,$5, (775) 689-8484.

May 14 - Mile HighJazz Band presents"Jazz in the MerryMonth of May," big-band jazz favorites inthe Basie-Ellington tra-dition, Jakki Ford andCindee LeVal, 7:30 -9:30 p.m., at CommaCoffee, Carson City,(775) 883-4154.

May 16 - AmericanHeart AssociationNorthern NevadaDivision’s Heart Ball,Eldorado, honoring thefamilies of congenitalheart defect survivors,(775) 322-7065 or (801)205-2489.

May 18 - Walk forAnimals, SparksMarina.

May 20 - June 10 -Digital Camera Basics,9 a.m. - 1 p.m., $59,

TMCC Meadowood Center, Reno, (775) 829-9010.

May 22 to June 5 - Photoshop ElementsBasics, 9 a.m. - 1 p.m., $59, TMCCMeadowood Center, Reno, (775) 829-9010.

May 23 - Multidisciplinary Managementof Parkinson’s Disease, 8:15 - 4:35 p.m.,Best Western Airport Plaza Hotel &Conference Center, Reno, call (775) 682-8470, www.medicine.nevada.edu/ngec.

May 24 - Trip to Old Town Sacramento,deadline for registration, trip is May 29,lots of walking, $15, City of Reno, (775)356-3176.

May 27 - Senior Day at The ACES BallGame, Memorial Day, game at 12:45p.m., $10, call (775) 689-8484.

May 28 - SOS Education Talk, KennPettiford, the Senior Chorus, and SilverSteppers, “Unleash the Power of Age,” 10- 11 a.m., Laxalt Auditorium, Reno.

May 28 to June 20 - Microsoft Word2010, 9 - 11 a.m., $79, TMCCMeadowood Center, Reno, (775) 829-9010.

May 31 - Closing Ceremonies of OlderAmericans Month, 11 - 1 p.m., Neil Rd.Rec. Center, raffle prizes, lunch, over 40activities, call (775) 328-2575.

June 1 - ABC’s of Diabetes, Nevada andCalifornia Diabetes Association, diabetesand living healthy, contact ndaca@dia-betesnv.org.

June 9 - Twenty-ninth Annual Pops PartyConcert, Governor’s Mansion, 3 p.m.,(775) 883-4154.

June 10 - Fort Churchill State HistoricPark, 8 - 5:30 p.m., $15, call City of Reno,(775) 689-8484.

June 19 - 30 - Reno Tahoe SummerSenior Games, Opening Ceremonies, 11- 1 p.m., Neil Rd. Rec. Center; ClosingCeremonies June 30, registration fee $15plus $5 per sport, call (775) 689-8484.

18 • 2013 • May

Calendar

May • 2013 • 19

Ruth Wherry is one example thatage is just a number. A practicingregistered nurse in Carson City,

Wherry provides care to seniors withchronic disability and long-term illness-es at a Carson City nursing facility.

At 86-years-old, Wherry works 12-hour days, full-time night shifts at theCarson Rehabilitation Center. Ruth hasbeen a nurse for 66-years. Having prac-ticed the majority of her career in DesMoines, Iowa, she “retired” from criticalcare nursing at age 75, and moved toCarson City to live closer to her daugh-ter and young grandson, Ben.

Daughter Mary Wherry, also a regis-tered nurse who works for the state,says her mother immediately beganpracticing as a nurse when she settledin Carson City. “Ruth has positivelyimpacted the lives of hundreds ofclients living in Carson City and thesurrounding communities in her cur-rent job, and in her prior employmentin home health,” said Mary. Ruth workslong shifts, 6 p.m. till 7 a.m., threenights on and three nights off. Workingkeeps painful osteo- and rheumatoidarthritis manageable.

“Working not only allows her to be amodel for her peers on how to fightthrough the pain to stay active, but alsokeeps her limber so she can enjoy hergolden years by traveling.”

Echoing Mary, Ruth said, “I feel Iam in good health,” but dealing withosteo- and rheumatoid arthritis can bechallenging. “I get up stiff and have toget on the move to limber up and exer-cise.”

Working in the Carson rehabilitationfacility is a perfect fit. Having had twoknee replacements herself, she is aninspiration to people facing physicaltherapy. It allows Ruth to give peopleplenty of encouragement.

(Wherry page 22)

The triplets in the picture are Ruth Wherry’s grand nieces & nephew. The grandmother of the children is Ruth’s niece.

Celebrating Older Americans Month

Ruth Wherry is an Amazing Role ModelCaring for others has been her lifelong mission

Nevada’snewofficial

slogan “AWorld Within a State Apart”has generated a lot of commentboth for and against.

Whatever you may think ofit, it is at least a proactiveattempt by the Governor topublicize the state and itsuniqueness. While the sloganitself is just part of the newadvertising campaign, it ismeant to complement thestate’s official motto of “BattleBorn”. It has prompted a greatdeal of criticism in the press.

As Shakespeare famouslysaid, “A rose by any other namewould smell as sweet.” The newslogan is merely the latestattempt to cast Nevada in amore aromatic embodiment.

Some critics of the newappellation have said that it ismerely a makeover of thefamous “Reno, Reno” slogan of

yesteryear. That slogan wasdeveloped by the RSCVA’sadvertising man Roy Powers inconsort with the ad agencyMedia Consultants headed upby long-time Nevada commu-nications personality BobCarroll.

In speaking with Carrollabout the famous pitchline, henoted that it was designed toshow both sides of the Renoexperience. One side of it wasdedicated to the many seasonaloutdoor recreations that wereabundant in the area and theother side was to show theexcitement of the nightlife andgaming. To get the messageacross a well-known TV per-sonality named Jesse White,who had become famous as theMaytag repairman, was hired.The campaign went on formany years and was wellreceived because it showed thediversity of Northern Nevada.

Another reason the “Reno,

Reno” title was chosen was thatit blended perfectly with theadditional tagline “Twice asFriendly”. This was in responseto what Carroll and Powers hadlearned from numerous focusgroups that informed them thatThe Biggest Little City wasviewed as a friendlier placethan its rival Las Vegas.

Many slogans have comeand gone for both the Renoarea and the state but none canrival the enormously successful“What Happens in Vegas Staysin Vegas” that gained nationalprominence.

As for the state itself the bestslogan that was developed inthe past was “Nevada – Bet OnIt”. It was created by the TysonCurtis and Wilson Agency inconsort with the NevadaEconomic DevelopmentAuthority. The subliminal mes-sage even promoted the hush-hush experience of gamblingwithout referring to it by name.

The worst slogan recentlyadopted by the RSCVA was “ALittle Bit Left of Center”. Inaddition to being almostincomprehensible it was suc-ceeded by an equally nebulousslogan “Far from Expected”.

Whatever the case may be,we are sure to see many moreattempts to cast Reno, Vegasand the state itself in a moreprovocative light. It is a sadcommentary on the creativeprocess that we cannot adoptan enduring slogan such as“The Big Easy” of New Orleans,“The City with BroadShoulders” of Chicago, “The BigApple” of New York or“Virginia is for Lovers”.

Throughout the long historyof the Silver State it is amazingthat the battered old slogan“The Biggest Little City” hasoutlasted many of its succes-sors. That famous moniker hasappeared on millions of post-cards and in hundreds ofmovies and numerous publica-tions.

I can recall another Renoslogan that was prevalent in the‘50s and ‘60s. That was coinedby world travelers and top ech-elon jet setters who created thephrase for our little hamlet of“The Paris of the West”. Eventhe most jaded globe trotterwas amazed at his first experi-ence in Reno which at thattime was a 24-hour city ofactivity. Virginia Street in thosedays was awash with people at3 o’clock in the morning andthe vibrant nightlife continueduntil dawn. Although Reno hasmellowed a bit in the ensuringyears, it still possesses many ofthe amenities found in some ofour largest metropolitan cities.Long live “The Biggest LittleCity in the World”.

20 • 2013 • May

BIGGESTlittleCity Harry Spencer

Do Slogans Matter that Much?

May • 2013 • 21

Living close to Mary and Ben pro-vides plenty of support for Ruth to livean independent life helping others.Ruth is so involved in her work that sheis often found giving other family mem-bers advice, long distance.

“I have to give a loud huzzah to our

saintly cousin, Ruth Wherry,without whom I don’t think we’dhave gotten through this experi-ence with any sanity,” MarkNemmers of Sacramento writeswhile visiting with his brotherBarry, hospitalized after a seri-ous accident.

“She’s been a daily lifelinefor Sherry and me in herinsistence on staying on topof absolutely everything thehospital has been doing forBarry, including providingher own additional recom-mendations, most of whichthe doctors and nurses haveincorporated into his careroutine.” Nemmers said.“Ruth is nothing short ofawesome.”

As for longevity, Ruthsays her parents never drankor smoked, and believed inserving good nutritious food threetimes a day. She credits her motherwith keeping the family healthy andwell-fed during the Depression. “Sheserved as a good role model.”

If there is one thing that Ruth

would empathize that is, “Always to helppeople.” After family, caring for othershas been the main focus of her life.

“Ruth Wherry is very inspirationalwith what she does,” states MaryLiveratti, former Nevada Health and

Human Services Deputy, andaging administrator. Shedeserves any kind of recogni-tion of what older workerscan do.

Without dedicated olderworkers like Ruth, who hasdevoted 66-years to provid-ing care for others, much ofthe country would be hardpressed to meet the growingneeds of an aging population.This year’s theme duringOlder Americans Month,“Unleash the Power of Age,”emphasizes the importantrole of older adults. RuthWherry is a great example ofhow older adults can be pro-ductive, active, and influen-tial members of society. Wecelebrate Ruth and just asimportantly - her family - forrecognizing the achievementsand the value that her dedi-cation brings to the commu-nity.22 • 2013 • May

Ruth comforts her daughters puppy at a family gathering.

Wherry / page 19

May • 2013 • 23

The Nevada RuralCounties Retired and SeniorVolunteer Program (RSVP)will be honored for 40 yearsof service in rural Nevada byKNPB, Northern Nevada’sPublic Broadcast station.

KNPB’s Brent Boynton inthe show “A Conversation,”filmed a training session fea-turing actual recipients ofRSVP services. Many saidthe programs had changedtheir lives, enabling them toremain independently.

“The NV Rural CountiesRSVP partnered with theAlzheimer’s Association toprovide state of the art train-ing for family caregivers andrespite volunteers on how tomore effectively assist per-sons suffering from

Alzheimer’s disease,” saidJanice R. Ayres, ExecutiveDirector and CEO of RSVP.

The training sessions,which were a series of three,gave volunteers and care-givers the opportunity tolearn more about how todeal with Alzheimer’s dis-ease, which affects millionsin the country. In taking thetraining session, caregiversreceived regular breaks fortwo to four hours per week.

“A Conversation” withBrent Boynton featuringRSVP will air on Channel 5/PBS – KNPB on May 10, at8:30 p.m.. The program willalso air on May 12, at 11 a.m.Viewers can go towww.knpb.org to see theshow after the initial airing.

KNPB Highlights Rural RSVP

Frank Pati, a 76-year-oldfrom Mesquite, was chosento be the very first NevadaSenior Citizen of the Year forhis many years of selflessservice in improving the livesof seniors.

Pati is a pioneer in seniorsoftball and is also known as“Mr. Senior Softball.” He isthe founder and chairman ofthe Mesquite Senior Games.

The senior softball tour-naments organized by Patiinclude “the CAN-AMGames which draws teamsfrom Canada and through-out the United States.

According to MesquiteMayor Mark Wier, “Frankhas single handedly broughtteams from 42 states to par-ticipate in a number of

Senior Games events eachyear.”

The Nevada Delegationof the National Silver HairedCongress (NSHC) in part-nership with the AgingServices DirectorsOrganization (ASDO), estab-lished the Nevada SeniorCitizen of the Year award.

Nevada Senior Citizen of the Yearby Dr. Herb Randall

Frank Pati, 76, NV Senior Citizenof the Year. Mesquite Senior Games

Itry nottoackno

wledgemy age

but it refuses to relinquishmy body parts. People usedto call me a workout aholic.Let’s see. Before I was mar-ried, I kept in shape withoutexercise. It must have start-ed after I had a few kids.Remember, this was waybefore healthy eating andexercising became a mantrafor America.

Then:A tennis court lies empty

across the street from us.Our neighbor plays a littlebut entices us to use it. Nolessons are taken. We justtake to the game and bring

our kids into it. Yes, there isa huge drawback. Tennisballs hide in the poison ivysurrounding the court. It’seither get the itch or newballs each time. Even as ourgame improves, the poison-ous plant waits for a strayball to devour it. Since NewYork winters are harsh,spring arrives with a flourishof new 3 leaf plants thatspread like our cheat grass.

David starts playing whenhe is a kid. Yeah, he was akid at one time. We have aghastly picture of him toprove it. No, it refuses to behung up in this house. Wewatch Jimmy Conners andChris Evert play on the ten-nis circuit. Conners playswith a metal racket called theT 2000. Both David and I

get the rackets and play withthem for years. When thelarger head Prince racketcomes out, I switch and sodo the kids. Not my hus-band. It takes years to swayhim. Those old rackets hangin our game room. You see,he doesn’t throw things out.I’m still here! Eventually hebites the bullet and gets alarge head racket. New ten-nis rackets today are prettypricey.

Tennis is not myonly form of exer-cise. Our familyalways has a dog. Iam dog walker extra-ordinaire and poop-er-scooper. If I canwalk, I can jog.Tennis sneakersbecome joggingshoes. Never do Iexceed at runningthe speed limit oreven come close. Itis kind of slow plod-ding along but I do itregularly and contin-ue when we move toCalifornia. A parkwith trails is close tous and not to beavoided. David playssoftball and I run. Adifferent dog runsalong side of meevery other year, butI use the same oldknees.

A Fitness club becomesalmost a daily ritual. Classesare taken and weights arepicked up. Muscles appearwhere they never werebefore. I could do it allrather easily. In my 30s I amat the top of my game. The40s don’t slow me down.The 50s are a piece of cake.Teaching full time makes it abit more difficult time-wisebut I persevere. I take on thegrand kids in arm wrestlingand win although that ischanging as the ratiobetween our ages elongatesor at least appears to. Timeeventually takes its toll.

Ouch, there is a lot ofpain in my knees. I do theshots. They wear off. Mysurgeon advises me to have aknee replaced. It’s bone onbone. How did this happen?I wore out my knees with allthe jogging, tennis and ski-ing. Arthritis also makes thelist. Thankfully, Medicarekicks in just in time. My firstever surgery slows me down.I’m bouncing back but there’smore to come. Two yearslater, I am back for the otherknee. Gee, I never thoughtabout wearing out body partsbut I do now. Good thingthey make spare ones.

Now: Let me bring you up to

date. Depending on my sub-bing schedule, I go the healthclub 1, 2 or even 3 times perweek. I’m sure you realizethere are lots of clubs youcan go to and join in the fun.You can swim, take classes,workout with weights andmachines or just hang outwith friends like you wouldat a coffee klatch, minus the

24 • 2013 • May

Eydie’s Excerpts Kicking out the KinksEydie Scher

David’s old T2000 and firstoversize racket

May • 2013 • 25

coffee. You can dress in fineworkout wear or just come inwearing ratty sweats.

Usually, I take the same classes, always in the morn-ing. Working out past noonis simply for walking the puppy.

Do you know some class-es begin at 4:50 a.m.? Can

you imagine working out atthat ungodly hour? They’reon the schedule. I skip theones that begin at 6 a.m.This body is simply not readyat that time. Classes I takeinclude body sculpting. Itinvolves mostly liftingweights and knee bends.With my knees, that part is

not a favorite. Fat Blasterproves a bit tough. Quicklythe instructor switches fromweights to spinning bikesand back. A friend suggests Itake Power Pilates. I knowthis is beyond my abilitieswhen the instructor asks meto hold onto the pillar hold-ing up the ceiling. First Idecline but there I am bare-

foot and holding onto it fordear life and balance. Iseveryone staring at me? Idoubt it. Nobody cares howgood or bad you are in theseclasses. I have to tell you, Iam now on the old side ofthe groups. Mostly it’syounger women and theoccasional male who straysinto the studio. Why don’t I

Favorite class with instructor Becky

26 • 2013 • May

take seniorclasses? I’mnot sure myclub evenhas thembut would Ieven admitto being asenior. Noton your life!!

Eons ago,I’d take spin-ning classesand keep upfairly well. Today, I take aspinning class and watch theclock hands move in slowmotion. Maybe you’re think-ing why I have not men-tioned Yoga. At my club, it’sone of those 6 a.m. classesalthough that may change.

You’ve heard aboutZumba? It’s a crowded classand I stand somewhere inthe back of the room butwhere I can still see theinstructor. Gosh I wish she’d

slow it down a bit. I enjoythe breaks between songsand the music’s not bad.

Yes, new kinks pop upafter some workouts.Usually they remind me myage the day after.

Getting older is no funbut neither is the alternative.I’m staying with it and doingmy thing. In the meantime,“Bring on the Motrin!”

Comments always appre-ciated: eydies@aol.com

May • 2013 • 27

Answers page 28

28 • 2013 • May

Crossword p.27

May • 2013 • 29

NEVADA INFORMATION .............211AARP INFO. CENTER ..........328-2506ALZHEIMER’S ASSOCIATION,1301Cordone Ave, Suite 180, Reno-786-8061CARE CHEST, 7910 N. Virginia Street,Reno ............................................829-2273COMMUNITY SERVICES AGENCY1090 East 8th, Reno ..................786-6023ELDER PROTECTIVE SERVICES,ADSD.…......................................688-2964FOOD BANK (TRUCK)..........331-3663FOSTER GRANDPARENT PRO-GRAM.........................................358-2768HAWC CLINIC, 1055 South Wells,Reno ............................................329-6300MEDICATION MANAGEMENT PROGRAM, UNR .....................784-1612NEVADA STATE WELFARE-684-7200NORTHERN NEVADA CENTER FORINDEPENDENT LIVING, 999Pyramid Way, Sparks................353-3599RTC ACCESS TRANSPORTATIONSERVICES Information.............348-0477RENOWN MED. LOW INCOMECLINIC, 21 Locust, Reno.........982-5270RSVP (RETIRED & SENIOR VOL-UNTEER PROGRAM)............784-1807SANFORD CENTER FOR AGING,UNR.............................................784-4774SENIOR COMPANION PROGRAM......................................................358-2322SENIOR EMPLOYMENT, AARPSenior Community ServicesEmployment Program, 1135 TerminalWay, Suite 102, Reno.................323-2243Job Connect……...........Reno - 284-9600......................................Sparks - 284-9520SENIOR LAW PROJECT.......328-2592SENIOR OUTREACH SERVICES ......................................................784-7506SENIOR SAMPLER (AssistanceLeague),1701 Vassar St., Reno-324-2003SHIP (STATE HEALTH INSURANCEADVISORY PROGRAM)..800-307-4444SOCIAL SECURITY,1170 HarvardWay, Reno...........................888-808-5481VETERAN’S ADMINISTRATIONMedical Center, 1000 Locust St., Reno ......................................................328-1293VETERAN’S BENEFITS, 5460Corporate Drive, Reno.......688-1653, X1Source: Washoe County Sen. Services

RESOURCES

Ha LongBay in theGulf ofTonkin is

the stuff of myths. Sixteen-hundred islands and islets,most of them uninhabitedand unaffected by a humanpresence, form a spectacularseascape of limestone pillarsand the hours we spent sail-ing through them werebreathtaking. According toVietnamese legend theislands were created by agreat dragon living in themountains. As it chargedtowards the coast, its flailingtail gouged out valleys and

crevasses. When it finallyplunged into the sea the areafilled with water, leaving onlythe pinnacles visible. JamesBond fans may recognize itas the setting for a lair in oneof his movies.

We docked in Ha LongCity (not quite as impressive)after lunch and opted to goby cab that afternoon to visitthe Fish Market. Vibrant andteeming with activity, it isthe heart of the Old City, dis-tant from the port andassuredly not on tourist itin-eraries. We wanderedthrough the damp andmuddy labyrinth, looking at

tubs and plastic buckets offish (over 400 varieties) freshfrom the sea, flailing wildlyin attempt to live. We werethe only western faces in thecrowd and were greeted withshy but startled smiles. Ourown smiles and gestures ofrequest with my iPhoneresulted in photos they wereeager to view. The adjacentmarket features open stallswhere one can purchase pro-duce, clothing, a pedicure orshampoo. Many homes donot have running water sosuch services, even in theopen, are a part of life. Thefollowing day we would visit

Hanoi but the fish marketlingers in memory.

Three days later we werein Hoi An, a starkly differentplace. A charming town thatat one time was dying due tolack of commerce, it nowenjoys a reputation as thegastronomic capital of thecountry. Hoi An and out-standing cuisine havebecome synonymous andrestaurants vigorously viewith one another to beamong the top.

Mei is a dynamic youngwoman who was told by herfather when she was five thatshe should learn to cook in

30 • 2013 • May

this ‘n thatby Anne Vargasannevargas3@gmail.com

Doing What We Do—Again, Part fourStill roaming in Viet Nam

Ha Long Bay, the fish market, cooking school and the seventy-seven dollar $7 dress. “Majestic and mysterious. Inspiring and imperious”

May • 2013 • 31

this ‘n that / page 30order to help support herfamily. She now owns threerestaurants along with a culi-nary academy. I took the tourthat included her cookingclass, another highlight ofour time in Viet Nam. Wefirst went to the local marketto shop, a market so denselycongested it was nearlyimpossible to move. Mei hadinstructed us to hold oneanother’s hands as we madeour way through the maze,advice that seemed silly untilwe got there. (The one manwho chose to ignore thatwisdom blinked his eye andlost us and was sheepishlyshaken when we eventuallyfound him.) It was fascinat-ing to be introduced to andtaste the many varieties ofproduce and herbs alien tomost westerners.

The cooking school is anattractive, state of the art

wonder complete with over-head mirrors. We learned touse new implements to peelexotic fruits and sipped gin-ger tea as we prepared every-thing we would eat, ultimate-ly enjoying a veritable andmemorable feast.

Contentedly full with anhour to peruse the townbefore the bus was to leave, Iwandered and dripped. Idon’t cope well with intenseheat and I had been perspir-ing (and complaining,according to my spouse) eversince we arrived in Asia. Isaw a tiny shop displaying apretty blue dress that lookedcool & comfortable. Therewas no place to try it on butit was only $7 so I promptlybought it even though, as myhusband later reminded me,we would be leaving thecountry in two days and Iprobably wouldn’t need it.

I was delighted with mypurchase but not so delight-ed when I discovered, whileon the bus, that I had left itat the shop. There was notime to go back but Hao, ourfriendly tour guide, offeredto retrieve it for me the nextday and send it to me if Iwished. I foolishly said yesand gave him my address,assuring him I would happilypay for the postage.

A month later, memoryhaving faded, I was startledwhen a package arrived.Inside the padded envelopewas the pretty blue dress(that looked ludicrouslyabsurd as I shivered in mysweaters) along with a notefrom Hao telling me thepostage was $25. Wishing Ihad just left the dress behindbut appreciative of hisefforts, I went immediatelyto wire the money. Never

having done this before I wasnot anticipating the $10 feefor sending $25. The cost ofthe $7 dress was now $42.The young woman handlingthe wire transaction cheer-fully told me this was new toher, as well. I should havepaid attention. She alsoassured me the money wouldbe available to Hao immedi-ately and that all he had todo was to present his ID toclaim it.

I e-mailed that news toHao and thanked him. He e-mailed me saying he neededthe number on the receipt.The receipt I could not find.Another $25 and another$10 fee later, my $7 prettyblue dress is hanging in mycloset, yet to be worn.Somehow it doesn‘t seemquite so pretty any more.

Next month: Abandonedin Israel

32 • 2013 • May

Who says you can’thave a nice holidayright here in

Northern Nevada? Traveleast on Interstate 80 andyou’ll find lots of interestingNevada attractions.

We just returned fromour first road trip of thesummer, having spent a fewrelaxing days at our favoriteB&B, the Old PioneerGarden Inn in Unionville.

UnionvilleTucked away in the

foothills of Buena VistaCanyon, Unionville is not a

place you just happen upon.First, from Interstate 80 atthe Mill City/Unionville exityou must travel south onHighway 40 for over twentymiles, then west on a gravelroad for about three milesmore. Even so, this historicmining ghost town is hiddenfrom view until you’re rightthere upon it. Mark Twainlived in Unionville for a brieftime seeking his fortune(unsuccessfully) by miningfor silver.

The Old Pioneer GardenInn, operated by Mitzi andDavid Jones, offers a beauti-ful respite from the stressand business of everyday life.The inn’s renovated historichouses are furnished withantiques. Breakfast (includ-

ed) and dinner (extra) iscooked and served by Mitziin her house from producegrown on the farm. Wenoticed goats, sheep, chick-ens, geese, dogs and cats onthe property, and fell head-over-heels in love with asuper friendly, two-week oldgoat named Hattie that ranup to the fence whenever wecame near. David said shewas hoping we were going tofeed her. And, we thoughtshe just liked us!

With no internet, cellphone service, radio or TV,it’s one of our favorite placesto stay. Their telephonenumber is (775) 538-7585.

LovelockLovelock, located along

I-80 between Reno andWinnemucca, was once astopping-off place for pio-neers trekking west toCalifornia. Today it’s a pop-ular stop for travelers in needof gas and food. We hadlunch at the Cowboy Caféand enjoyed it a lot. Onother occasions we’vestopped at a nice Lovelockcity park next to the PershingCounty Courthouse for apicnic lunch. If you do gothat way, check out the ironrailing behind the court-house. Capitalizing on thecity name, couples areencouraged to reaffirm theirlove for one another byattaching a padlock to it. Agreat many folks have donejust that.

Paradise ValleyNorth of Winnemucca via

Highway 95 is ParadiseValley. There, at the base ofthe Santa Rosa mountains,you’ll find another relaxingB&B, the Stonehouse

Country Inn. Phone: (775) 578-3530 Fax: (775) 578-3716. Email: stonehouse@m-hip.com.

Pyramid LakeAbout 28 miles north of

Reno, Pyramid Lake is one ofthe largest natural lakes inthe state of Nevada.Pyramid Lake is also thebiggest remnant of ancientLake Lahontan, the colossalinland sea that once coveredmost of Nevada. And, it’shere that the Truckee Riverexits. Pyramid Lake is sur-rounded by unusual rock for-mations, including thePyramid Lake Stone Mother.Pyramid Lake’s significantrole in the history of thePaiute Indian tribe also addsto its mystique and the manymyths and tales surroundingit.

Pyramid Lake consists offive fish: The LahontanCutthroat Trout (PyramidLake holds the world recordfor this species), Cui-ui(kwee-wee), SacramentoPerch, Tui-chub and TahoeSucker.

Because this popular fish-ing and boating spot is on anIndian Reservation, if fishingis your passion you will needto buy a special fishinglicense. You can do thatCrosby’s Lodge in the com-munity of Sutcliffe along thewestern banks of the lake.Crosby’s also carries gro-ceries. Sit at the Crosby’s barand listen to the music – orthe fish stories – there’sbound to be some.

Crosby’s also offersovernight accommodations.Take Pyramid Highway northfrom Sparks or Hwy 447 offI-80 near the Fernley exit.

Seniors4Travel Robert Boyd & Carolyn Prusa

Once a mother, alwaysa mother, so whenmy son (who lives in

the Los Angeles area) men-tioned a craving for rhubarbpie I felt the need to findsome for him. Consideringthe distance - and difficulty -I wasn’t about to bake a pieand send it, but I did consultthe computer and Google®provided a SouthernCalifornia source.

Du-par’s Restaurant &Bakery has been a LosAngeles institution since itsfounding in 1938 by part-ners, James Dunn (the “du”)and Edward Parsons (the“par”). Located at the cornerof West 3rd Street andFairfax, at the world-famousFarmer’s Market, the eateryhas long been popular withAngelinos and tourists alike.Noted for its breakfasts andfresh fruit pies, the coffeeshop atmosphere of the1930s has been retained withred leatherette booths andwaitresses in perky uniforms.

Du-Par’s menu lists 24different pies, with rhubarbas one of the standards. Itwas mandatory then, that ona recent visit to my son, weget him a piece of rhubarbpie. On a Saturday in Marchwe found a parking spot onthe top level at The Grove’sgarage. (The Grove, a popu-lar shopping mall - often theplace for celebrity sightings -sits next to the FarmersMarket.) We pushed ourway through the mobs at theopen-air Grove, faced evenmore crowded walkwaysthrough the covered FarmersMarket, to find Du-Par’s aquiet and uncrowded havenfor a late lunch.

I opted for a combo thatincluded a bowl of Du-Par’sfamous yellow split-pea soup,half a roast turkey sandwich,and a slice of pecan pie.(The combo was a bargain,but way too much food.Generous portions are stan-dard at Du-Par’s.) My sonchose a French Dip tri-tipsandwich, fries, fresh lemon-ade and, of course, rhubarb

pie. He described his pie as“good.” Faint praise, perhaps,though it did have a prettylattice top of flaky pastrywith large chunks of pinkrhubarb filling. Requestfilled and mother’s dutydone.

Rhubarb has been a partof my life since childhood.My maternal Grandmotherserved fresh stewed rhubarbeach spring. Her Englishancestry decreed that mostdesserts be served with a

dollop of custard (cookedslowly until it coated a silverspoon), and chilled stewedrhubarb was no exception.Through the years I’ve mademy own (stewed) rhubarbsauce, but have yet toattempt soft custard fromscratch (instant vanilla pud-ding is a poor substitute).

When we moved toSparks in the seventies, addi-tions to the back yard includ-ed three rhubarb plants.

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ECLECTIC OBSERVERby Janet Ross

34 • 2013 • May

Two remain to this day. Thelarge, dark green, wrinklyleaves at the end of lightgreen stalks are an attractiveaddition to the garden. Ihadn’t realized there is morethan one variety of rhubarb;the stalks of ours remaingreen but taste the same asthe pinky-red variety.(Those handsome leaves arepoisonous warns the SunsetWestern Garden Guide, andstalks should be harvested bypulling from the base, nevercut. As a perennial, rhubarbwill disappear during the

winter month to return inthe spring for harvest inApril through June.)

My favorite rhubarbrecipes are for a pie, fromBetty Crocker’s PictureCookbook and a super-easyfresh rhubarb crisp. I’vetried using frozen rhubarband found it disappointing,so make either of these treatsusing only fresh rhubarb.

BETTY CROCKER’SRHUBARB CUSTARD PIE

For a 9" pie you’ll need anunbaked pie shell, preferably

in a deep pie dish. Beatslightly 3 Eggs, add 3 TbspMilk. Mix and stir in 2 cupsSugar, 1/4 Four, 3/4 TspNutmeg. Mix in 4 cups cut-up pink Rhubarb. Pour intopastry shell. Dot with 1Tbsp Butter.

Bake at 400 degrees for50-60 minutes. Cool beforeserving.

FRESH RHUBARB CRISP Mix and put in a greased

8 x 8 x 2" pan: 4 Cups cut-upRhubarb, 1 Cup Sugar, 1/4Cup Flour, ! Tsp Cinnamon,

! C Water. Top with a mix-ture of: 1 C Flour, ! Oats, 1C Brown Sugar, ! Cup melt-ed Butter.

Bake at 375 degrees for 35minutes.

Enjoy! And, if you’reheaded to Los Angeles, youcan check out Du-Par’s atwww.du-pars.com. TheFarmers Market location isopen 24 hours daily. (Thereare now branches of therestaurant in Point Loma,Studio City, Oxnard and -surprise - Las Vegas.)

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