April • 2014 • 3

2014

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.

32

Content s

Federal officials are consider-ing new Medicare Advantagerules to help protect seniorswhen insurers make significantreductions to their networks ofdoctors and other health careproviders.

The proposals followUnitedHealthcare's decision todrop thousands of doctors fromits Medicare Advantage plansin at least 10 states last fall.

The government's responseis part of the 148-pageannouncement of proposedrules and payment rates fornext year’s Medicare Advantageplans released last month by theU.S. Centers for Medicare &Medicaid Services. Officials saythat the terminations only a fewweeks before Medicare's Dec. 7enrollment deadline may nothave given seniors enough timeto find new doctors, choose adifferent plan or rejoin tradi-tional Medicare, which doesnot restrict beneficiaries to alimited network of providers.

The proposals would givebeneficiaries more than 30 days'advance notice of networkchanges and providers at least60 days' advance notice of acontract termination. EvenMedicare officials need moreadvance notice – "no less than90 days" – so they can ensurethat the remaining providers"will continue to meet requirednetwork standards." Officialsare soliciting suggestions onhow plans should prove thattheir reconfigured networks areadequate.

The physician terminationssparked protests to Medicareand UnitedHealthcare frompatients, as well as physiciangroups across the country, stateofficials and members of

Congress.Nearly 16 million people,

about a third of Medicare bene-ficiaries, are enrolled in privateMedicare Advantage plans,which are an alternative to tra-ditional Medicare. The govern-ment reimburses insurers tocare for these seniors.

Although the announcementdoes not name any insurancecompanies, officials prefacedthe proposals by writing,"Recent significant mid-yearchanges to MAOs' [MedicareAdvantage organizations’]provider networks haveprompted CMS to reexamineits current guidance on theserequirements and to consideraugmenting such guidance inresponse to such changes."

Medicare Advantage rulesallow beneficiaries to changeplans if they move out of thecoverage area or for other spe-cial reasons, but not if they losetheir doctors or hospitals.Otherwise, they can switchplans only once a year, duringthe annual seven-week, fallenrollment period. Since mostbeneficiaries are locked intotheir plans, CMS is consideringwhether to restrict insurers'ability to drop doctors duringthe plan year.

If insurers expect to dropproviders in the coming year,they should say so in the letterhighlighting changes that theyare required to send to planmembers every year before theopen enrollment season. CMSwould also add "required lan-guage" to the letter explainingpatients' rights in the event thatnetwork providers leave theplan during the plan year.

Final rules are expected asearly as April 7, 2014.

Draft Rules Would Help ProtectSeniors When Medicare

Advantage Plans Drop DoctorsBy Susan Jaffe, KHNProduced in collaboration withthe Washington Post

page 3 - Medicare AdvantageRules to Protect Seniors page 4 - Opinion: MakingSure Medicare Advantage isAround for Generationspage 5 -Opinion: GettingVeterans Their Benefits page 17-Are You a Caregiver? page 22 - Final Farewellpage 24 -Laxalt/Lerudepage 38 - Friendship Force

Every Issuepage 18 & 20 - Calendar page 28 - Biggest Little City page 29 - Crosswordpage 31 - Resourcespage 32 - Eydie’s Excerpts page 34 - this ‘n thatpage 36 - Seniors4Travel

Healthpage 6 - Caregiving MadeEasier: Making Food Funpage 10 - CMS: How to Protect Yourself AgainstMedicare Gaps - David Sayen, Region 9page 12 - Center forHealthy AgingAdult Development andSocial Isolation in Later LifeDr. Lawrence J. Weiss, Ph.D., page 14 - Ophthalmology: Dr. Michael Fischer, M.D.page 16 - AARP: CaregiverConnections

Financial page 7 - Peace of Mind forParents, Grandparents -BradleyB. Anderson, Ltd.

Over thepast fewyears, I haveheard frommanyNevada sen-

iors who aredeeply concerned aboutMedicare Advantage and theproposed cuts that may affectthousands of people enrolled inthis successful program. Iremain concerned about thesepotential reductions, which iswhy I have been proactivewhen it comes to making sureMedicare Advantage is aroundfor generations to come.

Unfortunately, PresidentObama's signature health carelaw included major changes toMedicare Advantage thatthreaten the future of this suc-

cessful program. Nearly110,000 of Nevada’s seniors areenrolled in this program and without efforts to protect it,access to Medicare Advantageplans will either be severelylimited or may disappear alto-gether, reducing millions ofseniors’ ability to choose thecare they need and deserve.

As concerned as seniors areabout their health care, they areequally concerned about theirpersonal financial futures. Fiscalirresponsibility, like cutting a half-trillion dollars from theentire Medicare program, isunacceptable and has landedAmerica’s seniors in dire straits.Additionally, burdensome fed-eral regulations and increasingfinancial strains on Medicarehave already limited the care

available to many Nevadans.For these reasons, I have

consistently opposed changesto Medicare that would affectcurrent and near-retirees. Infact, earlier this year I joined 39of my Senate colleagues to senda letter to the Center forMedicare and Medicaid Services Administrator urgingthe agency to protect seniors bymaintaining current MedicareAdvantage payment levels andto ensure continued access and high quality care for America’sseniors.

Medicare is a program thatwas promised to American citi-zens. No question, this promisemust be kept. As a member onthe Senate Special Committeeon Aging, I will be sure to mon-itor these proposed changes

and continue supportingMedicare and MedicareAdvantage.

I am optimistic that thisCongress can bring greater cer-tainty to Nevada seniors, butfirst, Washington must committo prioritizing policy over poli-tics. I look forward to workingwith my Democrat andRepublican colleagues in 2014to make the changes necessaryto ensure security and healthcare access for Nevadans of allgenerations.

For more on this topic, donot hesitate to contact any ofmy offices. Elko: (775) 738-2001 Reno: (775) 686-5770 Las Vegas: (702) 388-6605Washington: (202) 224-6244

4 • 2014 • April

Sen. Dean Heller

OpinionU.S. Senator Dean Heller

Making Sure Medicare Advantage is Around for Generations

April • 2014 • 5

Too manyveterans haveto wait toolong to getthe benefitsthey haveearned and

deserve. For too long, thou-sands of veterans in Nevadawaited over one year toreceive their benefits andmany had to wait more thantwo years. It was an unfairand dreadful situation andthat I took much time toaddress. I supported legisla-tion that provided desperate-ly needed funding to hiretemporary and permanentclaims-processing personnel.I helped Reno secure a$350,000 grant to provide

permanent housing forhomeless veterans. I wrote toleaders in the VeteransAdministration offering helpin addressing Nevada’s back-log of VA claims and I signedon to a letter to PresidentObama asking that he takedirect action to end the cur-rent claims backlog.Following up on these letters,I set up a meeting betweenthe staff of the Nevada dele-gation and the VA DeputyUnder-Secretary of FieldOperations to see what wecan do to help end the claimsbacklog at the Reno VARegional Office. I also helpedensure an increase of morethan $294 million--a 12 per-cent increase over the previ-

ous year--to allay the back-log.

Through these efforts andthe support of my colleagues,the claims backlog is begin-ning to decrease. At theReno Regional Office, theinventory of waiting claimshas been reduced from apeak of 10,490 in April to5,813 as of October of 2013,which is a reduction of 45percent. During that time,they completed 100 percentof claims that were pendingover 2 years and 95.6 percentof all claims pending over 1year.

Improvements have beenmade but there’s still muchwork to be done to demon-strate the depth and breadth

of our appreciation to themen and women who havekept this country safe. ThePentagon projects that warspending will decrease as wecontinue to reduce the num-ber of American troops inAfghanistan. It is only fairthat we use a small portionof those savings to invest inour returning veterans, whohave given so much over thelast 13 years to ensure oursafety. That is why I have lentmy support to legislationintroduced by SenatorSanders, which would opennew clinics and medicalfacilities, expand educationopportunities for veterans,spur hiring of service mem-

(Veterans Bill page 6 )

Sen. Harry Reid

U.S. Sen. Harry Reid

Opinion Getting Veterans the Benefits and ServicesThey Have Earned and Deserve

Food is one of the fewremaining varieties in yourelder’s life. It might be moreimportant to them now thanever before, so fill the housewith food they like, as longas it’s approved by their doc-tor.

Consider your elder’s likesand dislikes and shape theirdiet accordingly. It soundsobvious, but many elderly areforced to gulp down pre-fabliquid drinks and hard-to-handle food, and many do

not get anything resemblingbalanced meals.

Find out if Meals-On-Wheels is available in yourtown, and ask if your elderwould like to receive it.Remember that they mightnot want to consume it ifthey’ve enjoyed a lifetime ofhome-cooked foods.

Find their favorite cook-book and go to the dirtiestpages - that’s where theirfavorite recipes are. Prepareit for them. Plan a diet and

eating routine that allowsyour elder to feed themselvesas often as possible. You alsohave to make eating elder-friendly. If they’ve lost somemanual dexterity, encouragefinger foods, smaller por-tions, and use non-breakableplates.

Be sure your elder getsthe right amount of caloriesfor their age, height, andweight. Keep food fresh andinteresting for them, andmake sure they’re eating reg-ularly. Many elderly loseinterest in food and just don’teat enough. Always be sureto check with your elder’sdoctor for proper nutritionaldetails.

Also, investigate if there

are local restaurants and/orgrocery stores that will deliv-er to your elder’s residence.You can set up a tab ahead oftime. Your elder might reallyenjoy a knock at the doorand a different hot lunch anddinner delivered every day.

Dr. Marion (MarionSomers, Ph.D.) is the authorof "Elder Care Made Easier"and has over 40 years ofexperience as a geriatric caremanager, caregiver, speaker,and expert in all things eldercare. She offers practicaltools, solutions, and adviceto help caregivers every-where. Visitwww.DrMarion.com formore information.

bers, give over 70,000 veter-ans access to job training,help former service membersget the skills they need tocompete in a civilian work-force, improve the quality ofcare and reduce travel timefor our retired heroes. Thislegislation would also helpthe VA further its work toend the backlog of claims forbenefits.

This bill is the next cru-cial step toward ensuring ourveterans can access the serv-ices they have earned andCongress should do every-thing within its power toprotect those who riskedtheir lives to protect thiscountry. Unfortunately, it

seems Republicans are tryingto erase a long history ofbipartisanship in serving ourveterans by insisting thatirrelevant amendments beinserted into the veterans’assistance bill. Democrats inthe Senate, leaders, and vet-erans agree: there is toomuch at stake to play politicswith our nation’s heroes.

I commend myRepublican colleagues whohave broken rank with theirParty in support of veteransand this common-sense leg-islation. I remain committedto working with the VA toget these issues sorted out sothat our veterans can get thebenefits and services theyhave earned and deserve.

6 • 2014 • April

Caregiving Made Easier

Dr. Marion Sommers

Making Food Fun My 82 year-old mother was always a great cook, but she isn't able to make most of her own meals anymore. How can I still make food fun for her?

Kristine, 55, in North Carolina

Veterans Services / page 5

Here is some outstand-ing advice from theAAEPA to pass along

to the parents of your gran-children. A brand new babybrings a special kind of chaosto your home. In the midst ofsleep deprivation, midnightfeedings, and seemingly end-less diaper changes, estateplanning is likely the lastthing on your mind. And yet,making an estate plan is arelatively simple task that canbring an immense sense ofsecurity to your growingfamily. Here are the basics:

GuardianshipYour first order of busi-

ness is to choose a guardianfor your baby. For most par-ents, this is the toughest stepin the entire process; howev-er, it may also be the mostimportant.

A guardian is the adultyou name in your Will totake responsibility for yourchild in the event your childis orphaned before he or shereaches adulthood. You nameyour child’s guardian in yourWill. If you do not have aWill when you die, a judge

will appoint a guardian foryour child. The personappointed might not be theperson you would have cho-sen. Without your input, thejudge would be forced tomake the decision withoutyour guidance.

So, how do you choose aguardian? It can be helpful tosit down and make a list ofyour most trusted familymembers and friends, thennarrow your choices basedon factors such as:• Parenting Style• Religious Beliefs

• Lifestyle• Educational Philosophy• Location• Current Family Size

For many parents, it ishelpful to remember that thedecision you make does nothave to be permanentbecause, let’s face it, circum-stances change. For example,the guardian you choosewhen your child is an infantmight move away by the timeyour child is in elementaryschool, or you might rethink(Peace of Mind page 8)

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

April • 2014 • 7

Peace of Mind for Parents, GrandparentsThe American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys

www.probatebusters.com • blog.wealth-counselors.com

8 • 2014 • April

your choice and settle onsomeone more suited to yourchild’s emerging personality.You can always update yourestate plan to designate anew guardian.

After you’ve settled on aguardian, you’ll want to taketwo additional steps. First,discuss your thoughts withthe potential guardian beforeyou make your Will. You’llwant the person you chooseto be prepared, willing, andable to take on this impor-tant task if the need arises.

Second, make sure thepotential guardian hasenough funds to care for andeducate your child. Manyyoung families find that thebest way to accomplish this iswith life insurance. And last-ly, one of the most importantways you can plan for yourbaby’s future is to plan foryour own and keep the fol-lowing in mind when creat-ing your complete plan.

Revocable Living TrustA Revocable Living Trust

is the cornerstone of manypeople’s estate plans. Thisflexible planning tool coversa number of scenarios. Forexample, a Revocable LivingTrust lets you maintain max-imum control over yourassets while ensuring yourfinances are protected in caseyou become disabled. It alsoallows you to provide securi-ty and support for your lovedones after your death. Onebenefit of a Revocable LivingTrust is that it allows yourloved ones to inherit fromyou without the need forprobate, its expense, delays,and publicity.

Financial Power of Attorney

A Financial Power ofAttorney is a disability plan-ning tool that lets you choosea responsible person –known as an agent – to man

age any assets not includedin your Revocable LivingTrust.

Healthcare Power of Attorney

With a Healthcare Powerof Attorney, you can choosean agent to make medicaldecisions on your behalf.This planning tool ensuresthat a trusted friend or familymember has the authority todirect your medical care ifyou are too sick or tooseverely injured to makedecisions on your own.

HIPAA ReleaseThe Health Insurance

Portability andAccountability Act (HIPAA)is a federal law designed toprotect the privacy of yourmedical information. The lawprevents unauthorized peo-ple from accessing and view-ing your medical informa-tion. A HIPAA Release letsyou name the individualswho should have access toyour medical information.As soon as you emerge fromthe baby fog, get in touchwith an experienced estateplanning attorney. He or shewill tailor a plan just for yourfamily so that you can relaxand enjoy your journey as anew parent with peace ofmind.

The Law Firm ofAnderson, Dorn & Rader isdevoted exclusively to estateplanning. We are members ofthe American Academy ofEstate Planning Attorneysand offer guidance andadvice to our clients in everyarea of estate planning. Weoffer comprehensive and per-sonalized estate planningconsultations.

For more information orto attend an upcoming semi-nar, please contact us at (775)823-9455 or visit us online atwww.wealth-counselors.com.

Peace of Mind / page 7

April • 2014 • 9

Your Original Medicareinsurance covers awide variety of health

services, from flu shots tohospital stays to hospicecare. But it doesn’t covereverything, and it doesn’tcover all your out-of-pocketcosts.

Many services covered byOriginal Medicare requireco-payments, coinsurance,and deductibles. You canpurchase extra insurance tocover these “gaps” inMedicare. Such insurance iscalled Medicare SupplementInsurance, or Medigap. SomeMedigap policies also pro-

vide coverage thatOriginal Medicare does-n’t, like emergency carein a foreign country.

You have to pay forMedigap yourself, andit’s sold through privateinsurance companies.You can buy it only ifyou have OriginalMedicare, not MedicareAdvantage, which ismanaged care providedby private insurers.

Every Medigap policyhas to follow federal andstate laws designed to pro-tect you. Insurance compa-nies can sell you only a “stan-

10 • 2014 • April

David Sayen

dardized” Medigap policyidentified in most states bythe letters A through N. Eachstandardized policy must

offer the same basic benefits,no matter which companysells it.

So beware when you’re

How to Protect Yourself Against Medicare “Gaps”

David SayenRegional Administrator, Medicare Region 9

April • 2014 • 11

Medicare / page 10shopping for a Medigap poli-cy: Cost is usually the onlydifference between Medigappolicies with the same lettersold by different companies.

And there can be big dif-ferences in how much vari-ous insurers charge for thesame coverage.

Here are some of thecosts that Medigap policiesoften cover:• Medicare Part A

(hospital) coinsurance andhospital costs for up to 365days after Medicare benefitsrun out;

• Medicare Part B (medical)coinsurance or co-pays;

• Part A hospice care coinsurance or co-pays;

• Skilled nursing facilitycoinsurance;

• Part A and Part Bdeductibles.

Medigap policies general-ly don’t cover long-term care(like care in a nursing home),vision or dental, hearing aids,eyeglasses, and private dutynursing.

The best time to buy aMedigap policy is duringyour Medigap open enroll-ment period. This periodlasts for six months andbegins on the first day of themonth in which you’re 65 orolder and enrolled inMedicare Part B.

Why is this important?Because during open enroll-ment, an insurance companycan’t refuse to sell you anyMedigap policy it offers dueto any health problems youmay have. Nor can you becharged more based on yourhealth status.

In some cases, however,

an insurer can refuse tocover your out-of-pocketcosts for pre-existing healthconditions for up to sixmonths. After six months,the Medigap policy willcover the pre-existing condi-tion.

And remember, forMedicare covered services,Original Medicare will stillcover the condition even ifthe Medigap policy won’tcover your out-of-pocketcosts. But you’re responsiblefor the coinsurance or copay-ments.

A few other points tokeep in mind:• You must have MedicarePart A and Part B to buy aMedigap policy.

• Plans E, H, I, and J are nolonger for sale, but you cankeep these plans if youalready have one.

• A Medigap policy onlycovers one person. If you andyour spouse both wantMedigap coverage, you musteach buy a separate policy.

• Any standardized Medigappolicy is guaranteed renew-able, even if you have healthproblems. This means theinsurance company can’tcancel your policy as long asyou pay the premium.

Although some Medigappolicies sold in the past coverprescription drugs, Medigappolicies sold after January 1,2006, aren’t allowed toinclude prescription drugcoverage. (If you want suchcoverage, you can join aMedicare Part D prescriptiondrug plan, offered by privatecompanies approved byMedicare.)

David Sayen is Medicare’s

regional administrator forArizona, California, Hawaii,Nevada, and the Pacific Territories.

You can get answers to allof your Medicare questionsby calling 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227).

Becoming an adult isquite a process. AsI have observed

over the years, many of us do not do it verywell. What do I mean? Well I am going tostart from the beginning. In my educationat University of California Berkeley andUC San Francisco, I had the pleasure ofmeeting and working with Erik Erikson, aworld renowned developmental psycholo-gist. In fact, he founded life stage develop-mental theory. Erikson explained the chal-lenges throughout the life course by break-ing down our development into eightstages.

The first stage of the Erikson life courseis in infancy, where babies learn basic trustand mistrust. This stage is dependent uponthe mother’s quality of the maternal rela-tionship, reflecting inner perceptions oftrust and meaning. Failure to develop thistrust will result in fear in the baby and a

belief that the world is inconsistent andunpredictable.

The second stage is autonomy vs. shameand doubt. This early childhood of 1-3 yearolds where toilet training is the dominatefocus.

In stage three, preschool children strug-gle to understand the difference betweeninitiative and guilt. Here the child developsthe ability to do things on their own, suchas dress him or herself. If not functioningwell, guilt about making his/her own choic-es will develop. However, most guilt isquickly compensated by a sense of accom-plishment.

Stage four, pre-adolescence childrenlearn about industry vs. inferiority. Thechild compares self-worth to others anddevelops a sense of competence. The childcan recognize major differences in personalabilities as compared to other children.Erikson places some emphasis on the

teacher, who should ensure that children donot feel inferior.

In the fifth stage called adolescence,teenagers experience the challenge of gain-ing identity vs. role confusion. This is atime when 12-18 year olds question the self.Who am I? How do I fit in? Where am Igoing in life? Erikson believes that if theparents allow the child to explore they willfind their own identity. However, if the par-ents continually push him/her to conformto their views, the teen will face identityconfusion.

The sixth stage, young adulthood, iswhen young people gain insight to lifewhen dealing with the challenge of intima-cy vs. isolation. Between the ages of 18-35,dating, marriage, family and friendships aredeveloped. By successfully forming lovingrelationships with other people, individualsare able to experience love and intimacy.Those who fail to form lasting relationships

12 • 2014 • April

Larry Weiss

Adding Life to Years

Dr. Larry Weiss • Center for Healthy Aging

Adult Development and Social Isolation in Later Life

may feel isolated and alone.In stage seven, or middle adulthood,

people experience the challenge of trying tomake a difference – generativity vs. stagna-tion and self-absorption. This second stageof adulthood, between the ages of 35-64, aperson is either making progress in theircareer or unsure of what they want. It isduring this time that a person is enjoyingraising their children that gives them asense of purpose. If a person is not comfort-able with the way their life is progressing,they're usually regretful about the decisionsand feel a sense of uselessness.

In the final stage is old age, which peopleare learning about the challenge of egointegrity vs. despair. This stage generallyincorporates the 65+. Retirement, transi-tioning or encore period has been achievedor in process. Many people look back ontheir lives and feel great accomplishmentand a sense of integrity. Conversely, thosewho had a difficult time during middleadulthood may look back and feel a sense ofdespair.

As we advance into old-old age and tryto maintain our independence in our ownhomes, many of us become isolated andalone. Family move across country, spousesand friends die, and we become less mobile.All these elements lead to social isolationand premature death.

In order to combat any social isolation ordeterioration as we advance into old age,the following actions are recommended:

Participate in social senior groups.Contact your local information center, sen-ior services, or sports club for ideas ofgroups that meet in your community.Senior centers have been established to helpease the transition of aging. They planactivities such as exercise, meals, games, andtrips.

Educate yourself, learn new skills. It’simportant to realize that as you age, youneed to be involved in learning new abilitiesand seeking brain stimulation. Universities,community colleges, and elder learning cen-ters (e.g., Osher Lifelong LearningInstitute) provide great opportunities forbrain stimulation.

Volunteer or find a part-time job. Studieshave shown that people who have had avariety of jobs are more apt to be interestedin continuing socially as they age. Thosewho volunteer live happier and healthierlives.

Finally, church or religious groups are agreat place to find support or social groupsfor elders, as well as a variety of givingmechanisms that contribute to self develop-ment, and preventing isolation.

In short, being healthy and happy, as wellas living longer and stronger lives is a life-long developmental lifestyle that is availableto all. It is advantageous to start early, but itis almost never too late to take action andchange your lifestyle to live longer, healthierlives that “add life to years.”

Lawrence J. Weiss, Ph.D. is CEO of theCenter for Healthy Aging. Dr. Weiss wel-comes your comments on this column.Write to him atlarry@addinglifetoyears.com or c/o Centerfor Healthy Aging, 11 Fillmore Way, Reno,NV 89519.

April • 2014 • 13

Adult Development / page 12

14 • 2014 • April

Optical coherencetomography (OCT) is3-D imaging thatenables ophthalmolo-gists to see and meas-

ure the eye’s tiniest inner structures.While OCT is not new, it has recentlybeen combined with lasers to more pre-cisely conduct cataract surgery.

This new procedure begins with theophthalmologist placing a special deviceon the eye that sends a 3-D image to a

screen. This image is used to instruct acomputer where to make incisions inthe eye and to break up the cataract,after which the fractured cataract isremoved and a manmade replacementlens is set in place.

While this procedure is essentiallythe same as current cataract surgery, itis more precise in making incisions andplacement of the new lens.

It should be noted whether or notperformed with laser, cataract surgery

essentially involves making an incisionin the eye through which the cataract isbroken up and removed, and replacingthe clouded lens with a clear one.

If you would like further informationon today’s topic or an appointment,please call my office at (775) 882-2988.We are located at 3839 N. CarsonStreet, in Carson City. Hours: 8-5 p.m.,Mon. - Fri. by appointment. M/C, Visaand Medicare Assignment accepted.

Michael Fischer

3-D Imaging, Lasers Break Up CataractsMichael J. Fischer, M.D.

Eye Physician & Surgeon

Ophthalmology

April • 2014 • 15

Betweenwork andfamily

responsibilities,caregivers leadextremely busy

and stressful lives. The number ofissues they may face in a caregiving rolecan be daunting – from sorting througha web of insurance and financial issues,to arranging transportation and helpingensure health care needs are met andinstructions followed.

At any time during the year, morethan 530,000 Nevadans are serving ascaregivers – including more than a

third of residents over the age of 50.Recognizing the critical and complexroles that caregivers play – whether car-ing for an aging parent, a spouse oreven a disabled child - AARP Nevada ishosting a series of CaregiverConnections events, designed to helpthose caring for family members con-nect with resources and experts to helpnavigate the difficult issues they faceevery day.

Caregiver Connections events willbe held in northern and southernNevada, focusing on different topicsthroughout the year – from health care

fraud and senior driving issues to pre-scription management and advocatingfor a loved one in the hospital. Theseinteractive sessions will include presen-tations by experts providing practicaladvice, valuable information andanswers to your caregiving questions.

A current schedule of CaregiverConnections topics and event dates isbelow. All events are free and open tothe community. For updates, and to reg-ister for any session, please visitwww.aarp.org/nv.

Navigating Caregiving Resources• Wednesday, April 30 at 6 p.m. –Edward Pine Middle School, 4800 Neil Road, Reno• Thursday, May 1 at 10:30 a.m. – Neil Road Recreation Center, 3925 Neil Road, Reno

Don’t Be a Victim: Health Care Fraud and You• Thursday, May 15 at 6 p.m. – South Valleys Library, 15650 Wedge Parkway, Reno

We Need to Talk: ConversationsAbout Older Drivers• Thursday, August 21 at 6 p.m. –South Valleys Library, 15650 Wedge Parkway, Reno

You Are Their Voice: Be aChampion for Your Loved One• Saturday, October 4 at 9:30 a.m. –Tamarack Junction Casino, 13101 S. Virginia St., Reno• Wednesday, October 29 at 6 p.m. –Carson-Tahoe Regional Medical Center,Carson City

Medication Madness• Wednesday, November 5 at 6 p.m. –South Valleys Library, 15650 Wedge Parkway, Reno

16 • 2014 • April

Maria Dent

By Maria Dent, Community Outreach Director, AARP Nevada

Caregiver Connections: Learn from the experts, connect with resources

April • 2014 • 17

(NU) - It is estimated that thecare of sick, elderly and disabledfamily members and friendsgenerally falls on the shouldersof more than 42 millionAmericans, and yet most peo-ple don’t think of themselves ascaregivers.

What begins as an act oflove, can quickly turn into amountain of stress and exhaus-tion as the needs of the infirmbecome more demanding. This,in turn, can prompt feelings ofguilt and depression, yet still bevery rewarding for the caregiv-er.

To find out if you’re a care-giver, take the simple quizbelow:• Do you currently help a lovedone with tasks such as cleaning,or keeping up with the yard orlaundry?• Do you help pick up medica-tion or remind a friend or fami-ly member to take their medica-tion?• Do you regularly cook or pro-vide food for a loved one?• Do you drive a friend or fami-ly member to doctor’s appoint-ments, shopping trips or onother errands?• Do you provide personal careto a loved one, such as bathing,dressing or helping them to thebathroom?• Do you help take care of theirfinances or pay their bills?• Are you stressed by the addi-

tional responsibilities you’vehad to take on to help a lovedone?• Do you spend so much timeand energy taking care of yourloved one that you sometimesneglect yourself or your imme-diate family?

If you answered yes to one ormore of these questions, youare a caregiver. This means thatyou could find yourself jugglingnew roles such as nurse, house-keeper, accountant, driver andchef. So that you don’t feel com-pletely overwhelmed and alone,AARP (www.aarp.org/caregiv-ing) has resources that can helpyou manage all of your caregiv-ing responsibilities, as well asways to take care of yourself inthe process.

If you answered no, then youare not (yet) a caregiver, butchances are you know someonewho is, or you will become acaregiver one day. Adding extraresponsibilities to an already fulllife, can be tough, stressful andisolating, which is why AARPcreated the Thanks Project.Take a moment to honor thosepeople who selflessly providecare and comfort to loved onesat ThanksProject.org.

The first step to gaining bal-ance with providing care to aloved one and juggling all oflife’s responsibilities, is identify-ing yourself as a caregiver.

Are You a Caregiver?

April 3 - Bring BeneficialInsects into Your Garden withNative Plants, Washoe CountyCooperative Extension Office,register www.growyourown-nevada.com, (775) 784-4848.

April 3 - Robert Ballard, discov-erer of Titanic wreckage,University of Nevada Reno lec-ture, 7 p.m., Redfield Aud.,

Davidson Mathematics andScience Center, UNR, (775)784-4591.

April 5 - Guided Tours, NevadaMuseum of Art, 1 - 2 p.m.,(775) 329-3333, Reno.

April 8 - Bodymaps: ErikaHarrsch, Jeffrey Zeigler andPaola Prestini, 7:30 p.m.,

Nightingale Concert Hall,Church Fine Arts, (775) 784-4278, www.unr.edu/arts.

April 10 - Soil Basics and theBest Amendments, WashoeCounty Cooperative ExtensionOffice, register www.growyourownnevada.com, (775) 784-4848.

April 10 - 12 - Reno JazzFestival, University of NevadaReno. April 10: Avishai Cohen

with The Collective; April 11:Kneebody. Festival and ticketinformation: (775) 784-4278 orwww.unr.edu/rjf.

April 12 - General Clinic,Student Outreach, School ofMedicine, University of NevadaReno, (775) 682-9254.

April 17 - Tomato Basics,Washoe County CooperativeExtension Office, register atwww.growyourownnevada.com,(775) 784-4848.

April 19 - Tahoe Truckee Earth Day, 11 - 5 p.m., theVillage at Squaw Valley, (775) 771-1828,www.renoearthday.com.

April 23 - Beginning Mediationand Conflict ResolutionCertificate, 40-hour, five-ses-sion, Extended Studies,University of Nevada, Reno.Call (775) 784-4062 or 1-800-233-8928 or visit www.extend-edstudies.unr.edu.

April 26 - Historic Touring,Historic Society, 8 - 6 p.m.,$100, guide: Ron James, (775)688-1190, ext. 231.

April 27 - Earth Day, IdlewildPark, 10 - 5 p.m., (775) 771-1828, www.renoearthday.com.

May 10 - Letter Carriers’ FoodDrive.18 • 2014 • April

APRIL Calendar

Photo: University of Nevada Cooperative Extension class, “Bring benefi-cial insects into your garden with native plants,” 6 to 8 p.m., April 3.

April • 2014 • 19

April 1 - Adult Basketball, 12 noon,Incline Village Park & RecreationCenter Gym, call (775) 832-1300; alsoApril 8, 15, 22, and 29th.

April 2 - Legislative Committee onSenior Citizens, Veterans and Adultswith Special Needs, Nevada LegislativeBldg., room 3138, 9 a.m., Carson City.

April 4 - Brunch and a Movie, City ofReno, $20, Eldorado Buffet and movieat the Riverside Theater, (775) 689-8484, downtown Reno.

April 4 - Senior Coalition, RenownMack Aud., 8 a.m.

April 4 - Capitol Cutups Square Dance,7 - 9:30 p.m., Carson City SeniorCenter; also Friday, April 12, 19, and26th.

April 4 - Senior Dance Club, RenoSenior Center, 8 - 10:30 p.m.; also April11, 18, and 25th, (775) 328-2575.

April 5 - Zumba, 10:10 a.m., InclineVillage Park & Recreation; also April 12,19, 26, and May 3rd. Call (775) 832-1300.

April 6 - Memory Motel, Sunday MusicBrunch, 10 - 2 p.m., Chez Louie,Nevada Museum of Art, (775) 284-2921.

April 8 - Elder Abuse and MentalHealth: Can elder abuse be prevented?10 - 11 a.m., Dr. John Yacenda, Ph.D.,Laxalt Aud., Nelson Bldg., SeniorOutreach Services Education Talk,(775) 784-7506, RSVP to Sina by April4, sinaw@unr.edu.

April 8 - Dr. Jennifer Sasser,Gerontologist, author of “AgingConcepts and Controversies,”Distinguished Speaker Series, SanfordCenter for Aging, 4:30 p.m.: reception,Theatre Lounge, 5:30 p.m.: presenta-tion. RSVP to Collette Witt at collet-tew@unr.edu by April 1, 2014, (775)784-8072.

April 10 - Department of Health andHuman Services, Health Care Financingand Policy State Plan Amendment, 9

a.m., room 2134, Legislative Bldg.,Carson City.

April 11 - 13 - Free Medical Event, HugHigh School, all ages, first come firstserve, large gym, 6 - 4 p.m., Friday andSaturday; 6 - 1 p.m., Sunday, call (775)350-4597 or info@healthycomm.org.

April 13 - Sunday Music Brunch, ChezLouie presents Songstress, Jill Cohn, 10- 2 p.m., Nevada Museum of Art, Reno.

April 14 and 28 - Senior Dance Club,City of Reno, 2 - 5 p.m., 2nd and 4thSunday, Neil Rd. Recreation Center,(775) 689-8484.

April 23 - Task Force on Alzheimer’sDisease, 1:30 - 4:30 p.m., LegislativeBldg., Carson City.

May 1 - Opening Day Older American’sMonth, Reno Senior Center,Information Fair, entertainment, lunch.Call (775) 328-2575 for details.

May 31 - Closing Ceremonies OlderAmerican’s Month, Neil Rd. RecreationCenter, Colin Ross entertainment. Call(775) 334-2262 for information.

20 • 2014 • April

Senior

April • 2014 • 21

A FinalFarewell Constructing an Obituary

More than merely a "good-bye" to your loved one, this isa farewell which can, inchronological order, celebratetheir life. We’re offering gener-al guidelines, but feel free tobe as creative as you, and yourfamily members, feel is appro-priate.

Officially, an obituaryserves as notification that anindividual has passed away anddetails of the services that areto take place. An obituary'slength may be somewhat dic-tated by the space available inthe newspaper. Therefore it'sbest to check how much roomyou have before you beginyour composition. Rememberthat the obituary shouldappear a few days prior to thememorial service, so people

can make plans to attend.

What to include?Naturally, it’s vital that the

full name, along with the loca-tion and date of passing isincluded. You may wish toconsider placing a photographwith the text, though theremay be extra charges from thepublication. If you wish, men-tion where your loved oneresided. This will normallyonly include the city, state andcounty.

In a concise manner, writeabout the significant events inthe life of your loved one.This may include the schoolsthey attended; degreesattained; military service;career information; and alsoany special interests enjoyed.

It’s common to include alist of those who have sur-vived your loved one. The listshould include (where applica-ble):• Parents

• Spouse and children• Siblings• Grandparents

The surviving relatives list-ed above may be listed byname. Other relatives are usu-ally not mentioned by name,but may be included in termsof their relationship to thedeceased.

At the end of the obituary,be sure to list the details ofthe time and location of serv-ices and reception.

Do's & Don'ts• If you don't know where tostart, read other obituaries togain an idea of how personaland touching an obituarymight be.• Use such terms as "visita-tion will be from" or "friendsmay call from."• Rather than using the phrase"in lieu of flowers," merelystart the final paragraph of theobituary with the words"memorial donations may be

made to."

Final considerationsAll information to be

included in the obituaryshould be verified with anoth-er family member, to makesure you remember everythingcorrectly. If appropriate, youmight consider interviewingyour family member ahead oftime, to make sure you captureeverything they wish to be inthere. Since most newspaperscharge by the word when plac-ing an obituary, it might notalways be feasible to mentioneverything we’ve stated here.

Planning a funeral service isintensely personal. Whethersimple or elaborate, private orpublic, the Walton’s FuneralHomes staff will help you tocraft a service befitting thelegacy your loved one leavesbehind. For more information,visit www.waltonsfuneral-homes.com.

22 • 2014 • April

April • 2014 • 23

The synchronicity began with theJanuary 2014 meeting of theSierra Sundays Book Club. Our

bimonthly discussion was to featureRobert Laxalt’sThe Basque Hotel.As a transplantedNevadan, I wasfamiliar with theLaxalt name,specifically that ofPaul Laxalt, a for-mer Governor andUnited StatesSenator. Wrong-

headed, I made the assumption thatRobert’s slender, slice-of-life novellafound a publisher on the coat-tails ofhis politically prominent, older brother.In fact, a special edition of Robert’sSweet Promised Land was used asa”vote-getting instrument” for PaulLaxalt’s Senate campaign several yearsafter the book was originally published.

As I read Robert Laxalt’scoming-of-age novel, I felt itcould have been writtenabout an even earlier time inCarson City; the 1930s set-ting could just as easily havebeen fifty years prior.Having worked in CarsonCity in the 1980s, the smalltown feel was still evidentdespite the rapid changes.Laxalt had written an inter-esting account of his barelydisguised childhood with hisunique Basque heritage,strong family values, and therough-and-ready Westernlife in Northern Nevada.

It was February when Ireceived an email from myEditor Connie McMullen, atSenior Spectrum andGeneration Boomer. WarrenLerude was the author of a recent biog-

raphy about Robert Laxalt. Mr. Lerudehad enjoyed my recent column of book

reviews; would I be interestedin doing an article about hisbook? How flattering. I’d bedelighted.

With Robert Laxalt - TheStory of a Storyteller in hand,the synchronicity continued.Laxalt was born in Alturas,California; I’d had a collegeroom-mate from Alturas.Laxalt married a JoyceNielsen; my maiden namewas also Nielsen (no rela-tion). Jack and Silas Ross fig-ured in Laxalt’s life story; Ihad been married to a Ross(again, no relation). Laxalthad spent time and writtenabout Chimayo, New Mexico;I had been there in the sum-mer of 2012. And, finally,author Lerude’s wife is namedJanet.

However, what follows isnot a book review, but a taleof two prestigious Nevadans.

24 • 2014 • April

Laxalt/LerudeBy Janet Ross

Warren Lerude

Both share acclaim asauthors and journalists.Both can attach the prestigeof the Pulitzer Prize to theirresumes. Most importantly,both have served the State ofNevada as promoters of thisunique region with theirwriting, contributions to thecommunity, and mentorshipthrough education.

In Lerude’s Preface toRobert Laxalt - The Story ofa Storyteller he states, “I tellthis story as one of the manywriters Bob Laxalt influ-enced. But even more so, itis told by Laxalt himselfthrough processes and expe-riences that took him towrite seventeen acclaimedbooks, scores of nationallyand internationally publishedmagazine articles, and hun-dreds of daily newspaper andwire service stories. His ownwords, through careful attri-

bution, frequently come tolife in this story.” Lerude’sbook is as much of a tributeto a mentor and friend as itis an account of an excep-tional life.

Robert Laxalt was born inAlturas, California, in 1923,to Theresa and DominiqueLaxalt, the second of fivechildren. Both parents hadcome to the United States asFrench Basque immigrantsseeking a better life.Dominique spent most of hisadult years as a solitarysheepherder in the Sierra ofCalifornia and Nevada, whileTheresa ran the FrenchHotel, a Basque boardinghouse in Carson City, andkept the growing familyintact.

Robert’s childhood washeavily influenced by a caseof rheumatic fever. Thelengthy confinement led him

to a life-long love of reading.In World War II he was frus-trated when denied regularmilitary service due to aheart murmur. Strings werepulled by US Senator PatrickMcCarran after a plea fromRobert and he was given aposition with the StateDepartment. Laxalt foundhimself shipped off to theBelgian Congo where arecurring case of Malariaended his African servicewithin a year.

On his return to CarsonCity, Laxalt made the deci-sion to attend the Universityof Nevada, Reno, as anEnglish major. Not only didhe meet the love of his lifeand future wife, JoyceNielsen, while a student, buthis career as a writer beganas a reporter for local news-papers. He eventually found-ed his own press service, the

Capital News Bureau, beforesecuring an affiliation withthe United Press (UP).Feature articles for nationalmagazines followed.

Laxalt’s first book, a col-lection of Old West storieswas published in 1953, but itwas Sweet Promised Landpublished by Harper &Brothers, New York, in 1957,that brought Robert Laxaltattention on a national scale. The tender story of accom-panying his father to hisFrench Basque homelandtouched readers and provid-ed a glimpse into the livesand emotions of our coun-try’s Basque (and other)immigrants. Laxalt went onto write more books, manyof them about his family andNevada life. He was a con-tributor to NationalGeographic with articles

(Laxalt page 26)

April • 2014 • 25

about the West, and Basques here andin the Pyrenees.

It was inevitable that Robert Laxaltwould return to his alma mater, theUniversity of Nevada, Reno, and he did.To the benefit of all Nevadans (andespecially its Basque citizens), Laxaltwas a co-founder of the Center forBasque Studies. He also served as aconsultant to the Library of Congresson Basque Culture, founded theUniversity of Nevada Press, was awriter-in-residence at the University ofNevada, Reno, and became the firstoccupant of the Distinguished AuthorChair.

In 1983 Laxalt retired from theUniversity of Nevada Press andassumed the role of a master teacher forthe Donald J. Reynolds School ofJournalism at the University. Heremained an active educator and men-tor until the end of his life in 2001.

My brief synopsis of Robert Laxalt’slife has several omissions, most moreinteresting than the bare facts presentedhere. For a complete picture of RobertLaxalt’s life one needs to consultWarren Lerude’s loving tribute to afriend who is still considered by manyto be Nevada’s premier author.

Lerude’s own story is one-hundredpercent Nevadan. Born in Reno in1937, Warren attended Mt. Rose ele-mentary school, Billinghurst JuniorHigh and Reno High School beforeexploring a major in Journalism at theUniversity of Nevada, Reno beginningin 1955. His college studies were inter-rupted by a two-year military obligationin the US Navy.

As he resumed his college studies,Lerude served as editor of the campusnewspaper, The Sagebrush in 1960.After graduation, Lerude’s first post-education job was as a reporter for theAssociated Press (AP) in Reno. Thiswas followed with assignments to othercities before an opportunity with theReno Newspapers brought Warren backhome with his wife and young family in1963. In the space of twenty yearsLerude climbed the career ladder atReno Newspapers, serving as reporter,editor, publisher and president.

During this time heled a team of journaliststo a Pulitzer Prize forEditorial Writing in1977. In thirty editorialshis team took local gov-ernments to task foraccepting the taintedphilanthropy of notori-ous brothel owner JoeConforte. (RobertLaxalt was twice nomi-nated for a Pulitzer Prizebut did not win theaward.)

Of his newspaperyears, Lerude is mostproud of editorials thatforced local authoritiesto fund a swimmingpool for the residents ofthe area near TrainerJunior High. He com-mented, “Newspaperscan make a difference”and “We rattled lots ofcages.”

After his time withReno Newspapers, Lerude returned tothe University of Nevada, Reno, as aprofessor of journalism and helpedfound the Donald J. Reynolds School ofJournalism. (He ended his teachingcareer after 28 years to become a pro-fessor emeritus.)

Lerude also served on the launchcommittee for USA Today and has beena consultant and lecturer on writing,ethics and editing.

Warren and Janet Lerude have beenmarried for 52 years and have two sonsand a daughter. They currently dividetheir time between a home in Reno anda get-away condo in San Francisco.

Lerude’s connection and eventualfriendship with Robert Laxalt beganwhile he was a reporter for RenoNewspapers and continued throughbrother Paul Laxalt’s political cam-paigns in the 1960s. In the 1980sRobert Laxalt approached his friend,Warren, to suggest he write a bookabout a University of Nevada, Reno,graduate who served in the SpanishCivil War. (The result, published in1986, with co-author Marion

Merriman, was American Commanderin Spain: Robert Hale Merriman andthe Abraham Lincoln Brigade.)

In 1988, amid growing interest aboutBasque culture, Lerude joined Laxalt ona fund-raising trip for a memorial statuededicated to Northern Nevada’s sheep-herders. They visited four Basqueprovinces in Spain and three in France.The result is a monument in Reno’sRancho San Rafael Park (north side ofMcCarran) by sculptor NestorBasterretxea in 1989.

With their dedication to the writer’slife, both Robert Laxalt and WarrenLerude have enriched the lives of allwho read their words. Whether you area native Nevadan, or a newcomer tothis State, you can appreciate the dedi-cation to making a difference fromthese exceptional individuals.

Note: You can find books by RobertLaxalt and Warren Lerude at mostWashoe County Libraries. Lerude’sbiography, Robert Laxalt - The Story ofa Storyteller, is available for purchase atSundance Books, Reno, or online atwww.basquebooks.myshopify.com.

26 • 2014 • April

Laxalt / page 25

Warren Lerude at his Reno home with collected books & memorabilia.

April • 2014 • 27

28 • 2014 • April

It was a brisk spring day in1965 when I received a callfrom my friend, Rod

Campbell, at Incline Village invit-ing me up to the Lake to meetsomeone he figured I wouldenjoy.“Who would that be?” I asked. “He’s afellow from LA who is intending tobuild a racquet club up here,” Campbell

replied. “Doesn’t he know how toughthe winters are up at the Lake?” I asked.“Doesn’t seem to bother him,” was Rod’sresponse. He then asked if I could meetthem up at The Chateaux for lunch thatday.

The fellow from LA turned out to bePeter Paxton, who had been in theinsurance business in SouthernCalifornia. He was a superb golfer andhad recently taken up the sport of ten-

nis. Full of energy and enthusiasm,he had purchased enough land atTahoe to build a 6-court facilitycomplete with clubhouse amenities.Since Campbell had been the realestate agent on the deal, he had sug-gested to Paxton that I would be agood PR man for the club. Wenegotiated over lunch and came toan agreement.

Paxton noted that he planned toopen the club around the middle ofJune and was proposing a ProTournament to mark the event. Itwas up to me to publicize the open-ing.

True to his word, he got such stellarplayers as Pancho Gonzales, RodLaver and Ken Rosewall, plus severalother well-known Pros. I managed

to enticeGovernor GrantSawyer to be onhand to throw outthe first tennisball.

Driving over theMount Rose sum-mit that openingday, I was sur-prised to find lightsnow falling.However, themini-storm didnot reach Lake

level and the tournament went on asscheduled. Laver beat Gonzales in thefinals and the Tahoe Racquet Club wasopen for business.

The enterprising Paxton then managedto get entertainer Dinah Shore as hisfirst member and the membership soonsoared to almost 300.

I didn’t think that I would see suchhigh-caliber tennis ever again. However,last month I was a guest at the BNPParibas Open in Indian Wells,California. This magnificent tennisfacility is second only to the US OpenComplex in Flushing Meadows in theEast.

Actually, the ‘Tennis Garden’ as it isknown, has a significantly larger foot-print than its eastern cohort. Coveringmore than 121 acres, the facilityincludes a Main Stadium of 16,100seats, a Stadium 2 that includes 8,000seats, with the Main Stadium having 12broadcast booths, 44 stadium suites,and an 8,000 square foot food commis-sary. In Stadium 2, there are 6 broad-cast booths and 3 fine-dining restau-rants.

Additionally, the site includes two19,000 square foot Shade Structures, 29world-class courts, 4 acres of outdoorexposition space, a full-service, year-round tennis club and 4 Box Offices.

However, the magnitude of this magnif-icent facility is almost overshadowed bythe star power of the top names inMen’s and Women’s Tennis who wereon hand for this year’s Tournament.The defending champions were RafaelNadal on the Men’s side and Maria

(Tennis page 30)

BIGGESTlittleCity

by Harry Spencer

Tennis Anyone?

April • 2014 • 29

April • 2014 • 31

• NEVADA INFORMATION.....................211• Aging and DisabilityServices ........................................................688-2964• ALZHEIMER’S ASSOCIATION1301 Cordone Ave, Suite 180, Reno........786-8061• CARE CHEST7910 N. Virginia Street, Reno.....................829-2273• COMMUNITY SERVICES AGENCY,1090 East 8th, Reno.........................................786-6023• ELDER PROTECTIVE SERVICESADSD.…................................................................688-2964• FOOD BANK (TRUCK)....................331-3663• FOSTER GRANDPARENt........358-2768• HAWC CLINIC, 1055 S. Wells,Reno........................................................................329-6300• MEDICATION MANAGEMENt,Sanford Center for Aging.............................784-1612• NV STATE WELFARE.....................684-7200• CENTER FOR INDEPendent LIVING, 999 Pyramid Way, Sparks......353-3599• RTC ACCESS TRANSPORTATIONInformation.........................................................348-0477• RENOWN MED. LOW INCOMECLINIC, 21 Locust, Reno..........................982-5270• RSVP, Reno...................................................784-1807• RSVP, Rural CountiesCarson City..........................................................687-4680• SANFORD CENTER FOR AGING,UNR........................................................................784-4774• SENIOR COMPANION.................358-2322• SENIOR Community Services Employment, AARP, 1135 Terminal Way,Reno........................................................................323-2243Job Connect, Reno...........................................284-9600Sparks....................................................................284-9520• SENIOR LAW PROJECT....334-3050• SENIOR OUTREACH SERVICES.........................................................................784-7506• SENIOR SAMPLER (Assist. League)1701 Vassar St., Reno...........................324-2003• SHIP (State Health Ins. Adv. PGM)...............................................................800-307-4444• SilVER COLLEGE, 5270 Neil Rd.,Reno…….....................................................829-9010• Social Security1170 Harvard Way, Reno..........888-808-5481• Veteran’s REsourceCenter, 419 Plumb, Reno...........284-8387• Veteran’s Benefits5460 Corporate Drive, Reno....688-1653, X1

RESOURCES

30 • 2014 • April

Sharapova on the Women’sside. Other top namesincluded Roger Federer,Novak Djokovic, AndyMurray, and StanislasWawrinka. Men’s Doublesfavorites, the Bryan brothertwins were also in atten-dance and early in the firstweek they performed amini-outdoor musical con-cert.

Unfortunately, many of thetop seeds were eliminated inthe early rounds of play,leaving only Federer andDjokovic on the Men’s sideand Li Na on the Women’s.

In addition to the acres ofRetail on the expansivegrounds, there was a displayof high-end automobilesincluding Rolls Royce, Bentley, Maserati, RangeRover, Jaguar and Audi. Thedoors to these sparklingbeauties were left open sofans could enjoy theergonomics of the interiors.

Back to Stadium 1 itself, we

witnessed many hours oftop-flight competitionbetween both men andwomen in Singles andDoubles. Also, we saw anexhibition put on by four ofthe top Wheelchair Tennisplayers in the country. Themini-set ended in an 11-10score. Another feature ofthe stadium was the use ofthe ‘Kisscam’. This was aroving shot on the large TVscreen that caught couplesunawares and was focusedon them until they osculat-ed.

By now, the results of theParibas Tournament are inthe record books and thetop players are moving onto Miami for the SonyOpen. With state-of-the-art, more powerful racquetsand better conditioned bod-ies, the current crop of ten-nis greats may far-eclipsethose of the last century.However, I still relate toGonzales and Laver withtheir wooden racquets andwhite tennis balls of yester-year.

Tennis / page 28

PLAYBALL! Thesun beatsdown. The

odor of hot dogs mingles withbeer and permeates the nos-trils. The crack of the bat andthat ball is well hit. Going,going and it’s gone. Feet poundthe bases. Thunderous cheersring out. The stands rock withstamping clapping and

whistling. He doffs his hat toacknowledge the unstoppableovation. Jeter has hit his firsthome run of his last season.Baseball is BACK!

This is the “it” season. It’sDerek Jeter’s last as a Yankee.The Yankees need to win theWorld Series with him and forhim. In an era of bad sportsrole models, everyone agreesthat Jeter sets an example that

the other athletesshould follow.

I know most ofyou are NOTYankee fans but Ido hope you likebaseball. Take MeOut to the Ballgame regularlyplays on my piano and on thosewhen I teach Music at schools.

No, we won’t be going backto New York this year since we

were recently there and we didsee our idols play. We will tryand catch most of the Yankeegames on TV but we’re think-ing about our recent trip backto the Bronx and what baseballhas meant to David to me. Yes,he actually wrote his part of thestory along with some creativeediting on my part.

David: Growing up in theBronx I had a great childhoodeven though my dad died whenI was 6 in 1947. I would walkout of my apartment on thecorner of Walton and ElliotPlace, near 170th Street andhave 40 kids to play with. Wehad punch ball, and basketball,(we used the fire escape ladderfor the hoop.) Of course wehad the schoolyard at PS 64 asa last resort when the cops gotour last stickball bat and wecouldn’t swipe one of our par-ents broom handles for a newone. But it was baseball andthe New York Yankees thatstick in my mind.

At 9 or 10 years of age, Iwould hang out on the cornerby Jerome Ave and 170th Streetwhere the Police AthleticLeague commonly known asthe PAL would pick up disad-vantaged kids, take us toYankee Stadium, put us in thebleachers, buy us a hot dog andsoda, and then return us backto our corner. Yeah, I was reallydisadvantaged. My Mom hadto take a border in to pay therent. She slept on the couchwhile my brother and I shared abedroom. 32 • 2014 • April

Eydie’s Excerpts

by Eydie & David Scher Play Ball

For 25 games a year the PAL was mymother’s babysitter even though at this agewe traveled every place by ourselves on thesubway.

Yankee Stadium had the clubhouse forthe teams out by the bullpens in the out-field. We would hang over the bleacherwalls to get signatureswhen the players cameon or off the field. I hadthem all, Mantle,Marris, Berra, Martin,Ford and others famousYankees. Unfortunatelywe had a fire in myapartment and I lost allmy Yankee signatures.That was sad. Though Ihave some extraordi-nary memories.

The new YankeeStadium is built whereMacomb’s Dam Parkwas located includingBabe Ruth fields. Thiswas the nearest park to where my friendsand I lived. We played on those fields allthe time and in the summer there was apond with sprinklers to run under. It wasanother way to cool off in the summerbesides opening the fire hydrants.Everyone rushed out in bathing suits, orjumped right in clothes and all. Hey, the

water was cold. Either the fire departmentor the police specifically traipsed the citylooking for those gushing waters and shutthem down.

Years later, when I told my children

about the fantastic childhood I had, theyhad difficulty understanding it since I waswithout a dad. There was never a lack ofkids to play with and the games only endedwhen our mothers screamed for us tocome in for dinner. My kids had maybe 2good friends, and had to be driven to and

from everywhere. My wonderful childhoodbegan every time I walked out of my apart-ment building.

Parking near thestadium is $30 plus;David gives theattendant an extra$5 to get us outearly. Now let’s dosome math. Thirty-five dollars for park-ing, plus $180 fortwo tickets to thegame, plus $6.50 fora Nathan’s hot dog,$7 for fries, and $3for a drink plus theprice of the carrental. Do you haveyour calculator out?Is it worth it?Absolutely.

Yankee attireadorns everyone,including us. If youwant to buy aYankee jersey at thestadium, I suggestyou think again.They vary from $95

to $250 depending on whose number youwant. I borrowed one. Naturally it is num-ber 2, Derek Jeter.

That summer was a perfect time to visitthe new Stadium with Jeter. A-Rod andRivera still playing. The tributes will be lav-ish for the Yankee captain. His announcedretirement before the season is indicativeof the private person he is. He wants to exitthe game in his own way, without fanfarebut of course, that will not happen. ThisHall of Famer in waiting meets all the rightcriteria.

It will be hard for die hard Yankee like usto cheer for a team with lackluster names,at least to us. Perhaps others will replicatethe stature Derek Jeter brought to the gamebut not likely.

I don’t know when we’ll be going back tothe Bronx. Hey, we can still see theYankees when they play in Oakland. Yes, itis already in the planning stages with ourfamily.

Go Yankees and good luck Jeter for oneheck of a season. You can count on us tocheer you on.

April • 2014 • 33

Jeter at Bat

34 • 2014 • April

We traveledto Asia inFebruary

last year for two-back-to back cruises. Itwas a good trip, one Ihad wanted to make.

I saw and did everything I wanted tosee and do so when I said there wouldbe no more trips to Asia, I meant it; Ididn’t need to return. We traveled toAsia In February this year for two-back-to back cruises. Such is my life; whatcan I say?

We do this traveling because myhusband has enjoyed the opportunity tobe a guest lecturer on luxury cruiseships for a lot of years, something I fre-quently write about. Although I alwayshave a wonderful time once I am onboard, I often lack the appropriate

enthusiasm ahead oftime.

We have been homefor 24-hours and mydeadline for this articleis tomorrow. The goodnews: It’s an excuse toignore the luggage, thelaundry and the stack ofmail. The bad news: Iam jet lagged and mymind is blank. Since Ihave no clear idea whatto write I offer a kaleido-scope snippet of the past five weeks.

We flew over on Singapore Airlines,an experience someone I met has on hisBucket List. Understandably; whoknew flying in this day and age can bethat pleasant, even in economy class. Abevy of lovely young women, clad in

Sarong Kebaya,graciously attend-ed to our needs.They seamlesslylowered them-selves to the floorwhen speakingpleasantly to thepassengers, smil-ing always. Theyserved wonderfulfood and therewere no plasticforks!

The first cruisetook us fromSingapore to HongKong in warm(aka hot & humid)weather and placidwaters, revisitingmuch of what wehad seen last year.A other chance tosee everything weloved about VietNam, the highlightbeing another boattour around themagnificent, mys-

tical Monoliths. (If you are unfamiliarwith these, Google it; you may decide togo see them yourself.) We visited aCambodian School in the equivalent ofa commune where homes are huts andthere is no running water, but therewere a lot of smiling faces. The chil-dren greeted us with excitement, eagerto sing the song they had practiced. Afamily traveling with us had plannedahead and distributed lollypops. Thechildren’s delight was touching foreveryone.

Cruise two took us from Hong Kongto Beijing. Instead of dripping withperspiration, we were layering ourclothing and coping with stormy seas.After two days of 12-16 foot waves (anda lot of empty seats in the dining room)we arrived in Shanghai for (1) A visit toan enchanting (even in the rain) ancientChinese village known as The Venice ofthe East and (2) An incredible ChineseAcrobat performance by children ages10-14 who have trained six-hours a daysince the age four. It more than equaledCirque de Soleil.

We were scheduled to depart fromShanghai at noon on day two but due toheavy fog the local authorities closedthe port and we ended up staying therefor another 36-hours, much to every-one’s delight because it’s a great city.We were also delighted to learn we hadavoided another, even more seriousstorm.

We visited the island of Okinawa

this ‘n thatby Anne Vargasannevargas3@gmail.com

Anne Vargas

Never say never again, again

where we had lived for threeyears. The changes in thepast 44 years were astonish-ing. Benjo Ditches (opensewage) were something welearned to live with; nowthere are monorails andhigh-rise buildings.

The best part about thislife is the interesting peoplewe have been able to meet;everyone has a story.Understandably many ofthose encounters are short-term “shipboard” relation-ships but others have contin-ued due to the ease of emailand we hear from newfriends all over the world.

There were 220 passen-gers staying on the ship forthree months. Their perspec-tive of the cruise is vastly dif-ferent from that of the pas-senger who comes on for aholiday; every two weeksthey see 500 new faces.

Fred and Susie wereamong the three-monthgroup, noticeable because oftheir ready smiles and enthu-siasm about everything.They took the rather strenu-ous 3-day excursion to visitAngkor Wat while the shipwas in Cambodia and Fredmore than managed theextensive climbing of all thesteps in intense heat. Whydo I mention this?

Fred is going to celebratehis 91st birthday soon, some-thing he hadn’t expected todo after being diagnosedwith cancer and sufferingseveral TIAs. The prognosiswas grim so Susie decided anadjustment in life-style mightbe worth a try. They arenow strictly vegan, eatingonly plant-based food, whichthe chef prepares for him forevery meal, another incentiveto stay on board for a long

while. Their new regimewasn’t easy for Susie, a self-described foodie who studiedat the Cordon Bleu and theEscoffier School in Paris.The original intent was to tryit for 3 months while waitingfor the next round of tests onFred’s cancer. Those testresults were so astonishing,the doctors presented hiscase to an international con-gress and articles have beenwritten about his extraordi-nary, almost miraculousimprovement. They are adelightful couple, joyfullyseizing every moment of life.

Time to get off the waterand onto a plane.Departing from Beijingwas an endless securitynightmare so we weregrateful to finally be onboard and anxious totake off. As we weretaxing down the runway

one of the passengers hyster-ically decided she didn’t wantto fly, insisting she had to getoff so we had to return to theterminal. This interestingsituation delayed us for anhour.

However, we are safelyback in Reno so I can say itwas a “good flight” althoughflying on that airline proba-bly wouldn’t be on anyone’sBucket List. I’m home andI’m happy and I don’t plan tofly to Asia again. Unless Iwere guaranteed SingaporeAirlines.

Now I’d better get to thatlaundry.

April • 2014 • 35

36 • 2014 • April

It had been almost sevenyears since we last visitedLos Cabos. The opportuni-

ty to return came this pastmonth, thanks to an invitationfrom daughter Ann and herhusband Michael.

For a bit of history, LosCabos means “the cape” andrefers to an area extending east-ward from Baja California’ssouthernmost tip. We stayed atFiesta Americana Grand LosCabos, located along the areaknown as The Corridor, con-sisting of nearly twenty miles ofpristine beaches, ritzy resorts,and expensive golf coursesstretching along the Sea of

Cortez between Cabo SanLucas and San Jose del Cabo.

Isn’t it ironic that the breath-taking Sea of Cortez separatingthe Baja peninsula from themainland was named for theSpanish explorer, HernandoCortez, by all accounts a ruth-less fellow who conqueredMexico and enslaved manyMexican natives. It was his fol-lowers who endowed the coun-try with the Spanish language.

The four of us occupied aspacious two-bedroom condowith a patio directly facing thesea. Most early mornings wecould be found on the patio,steaming mugs of rich coffee in

hand, watching the sun comeup and whales off in the distantwaters.

While we can’t think of abetter way to begin the day, wedo love the drama of going outto sea for a close-up view of themagnificent giant sea animals.Which we did.

We opted for a privatewhale watching excursion on apontoon boat navigated by ahappy-go-lucky captain whoassured us he was the bestwhen it comes to finding theideal whale catching locationsin the Sea of Cortez. Aftershowing us the cooler filledwith beer and inviting us tohelp ourselves, he headedstraight out of the harbor and,like a homing pigeon, took usto an area where the whales –females and their offspring, pri-marily – swam around andaround our boat, surfacing anddiving as if on command.Meanwhile, the porpoises wereputting on their own show.What can we say? It wasthrilling.

The weather was perfect –warm and sunny with highs inthe mid-80s. In Los Cabos itonly rains six or seven days ayear so there’s very little humid-ity (just like home).

The waters of Cabo areknown for some of the world’sbest deep-sea fishing, surfingand scuba diving, but not reallyfor swimming — it’s rougherthan it looks — but gorgeousjust the same. Luckily, theFiesta Americana Grand LosCabos makes up for it by offer-ing several stunning pools withincredible views.

Cabo is easy to get aroundby car. There’s basically onemain road, and it’s nearlyimpossible to get lost. Taxi andshuttle services are available atLos Cabos InternationalAirport and at the resorts.Because we spent much of ourtime at our resort where nocars are needed, we took a taxito and from the airport, andwent by shuttle to Cabo SanLucas for the whale-watchingexpedition.

Because several flights land-ed at the airport within min-utes of ours, wait time to getthrough customs was an hourand a half. On the return, weentered the US in SanFrancisco. Getting through UScustoms took nearly as long.

Uppermost on our mindswhenever we travel out of thecountry, don’t forget the pass-ports. We’ve made a habit ofcarrying several photocopies ofour passports, one for eachsuitcase, one for the wallets,etc., in the event the original islost or stolen. We also lockpassports, wallets and othervaluables in the safe providedin each rental, as recommend-ed.

We did not bother exchang-ing US dollars for Mexican cur-rency. Everywhere we went,American money and/or creditcards were gladly accepted.

Fiesta Americana GrandCabo Resort has a hotel as wellas time-share units. Visit formore information at: www.fies-taamericanagrand.com

Mexican tourist office:www.mexsense.net.

Seniors4Travel Robert Boyd & Carolyn Prusa

A Week of Sun and Fun at the Fiesta Americana Grand Los Cabos

April • 2014 • 37

38 • 2014 • April

The Friendship Forceof Reno-Tahoe is cele-brating 25 years of

providing opportunity forpeople to explore new coun-tries and cultures, andchange the way they see theworld.

The Friendship Force ofReno-Tahoe is the localchapter of the FriendshipForce International (FFI), anon-profit program thatenables visitors to stay asguest with locals in theirhome while traveling. FFIprepares an itinerary of cul-tural activities, invitingmembers from clubs orother countries to come andstay with local members forup to a week. Mi Casa EsSu Casa (My house is yourhouse) is a great way toexplain the Friendship Forceand the experience it offerspeople while promotingpeace and global under-standing across boarders.

Ruth and Loren Hart,who have been members for21 years, say the local chap-

ter was founded in April1989, and is always lookingfor new members to hostother clubs from around theworld to form new meaning-ful friendships and promoteuniversal understanding.Members have hosted bothIncoming and OutgoingExchanges, sharing experi-ences from the farthestreaches of the world.

Outbound ExchangesThe Friendship Force of

Reno-Tahoe is one of morethan 360 FFI chapters in 60counties. There are over20,000 members worldwide.The FFI offers members achance to see the worldthrough the eyes of its citi-zens, enjoy travel opportuni-ties and serve as ambassa-dors to other clubs.

Inbound ExchangesAs a members of the

Reno-Tahoe FriendshipForce, people host FFI clubmembers who are visitingfrom other countries or fromother states in the US. Itoffers a host of new experi-ences and new friendshipswhile sharing what theNorthern Nevada communi-ty has to offer.

People interested inbecoming members of theFriendship Force of Reno-Tahoe can find out moreabout the chapter by calling(775) 425-0533 or visitingwww.ffreno-tahoe.org.

Explore Different Cultures, Travelthe World, Make New Friendships