All Posts in "The Senior Scene"

Senior housing for LGBTQIA is a first for King County

(Pictured: Laney, one of the residents, talks about Pride Place during a grand-opening of the Seattle apartment building for LGBTQIA+ seniors.)

Six words—“Pride Place is my happy place”—might best summarize how Laney feels about where she lives.

The Seattle musician and theater artist is among the residents of Pride Place, an affordable housing complex focused on housing seniors who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer, questioning, intersex, asexual, and other identities (LGBTQIA+). Located in the heart of Seattle’s Capitol Hill neighborhood, it’s the first housing project of its kind for King County, using transit-oriented development funds with the senior LGBTQIA+ community in mind.

The development is a collaboration since 2017 of Community Roots Housing, an affordable-housing provider founded in 1976 by Capitol Hill community activists concerned about redlining, and GenPride, the first LGBTQIA+ senior-focused organization in Washington.

“Our partnership is determined to put a stake in the ground to stop displacement of the LGBTQIA+ community from their historic neighborhood,” said Christopher Persons, Community Roots Housing’s chief executive officer.

With deep connections to Seattle’s Lesbian and Gay Chorus and other artist collectives with roots in Capitol Hill, Laney is excited about her return to the neighborhood she calls home.

Pride Place “is the kind of home that my friends and I talked about in our 40s and could only dream about,” she said..“After being in the closet for a long while in my last residence, and now that I’m here at Pride Place, I can feel my heart opening up again. Being able to be who I am and continuing to serve my community means everything to me.”

Laney and dozens of others moved into Pride Place . As of May 1, applications are still being accepted at prideplaceseattle.org for the 118-unit building that also features the Pacific Northwest’s first community center for “rainbow elders” and allies. The building is eco-friendly with solar panels, a green roof with bioretention planters, triple-paned windows, and ventilation for energy efficient fresh air circulation.

Largely inspired by a 2018 study from the University of Washington entitled, “Aging in Community: Addressing LGBTQ Inequities in Housing and Senior Services,” Pride Place addresses the housing and service-related needs of LGBTQIA+ older adults (people aged 50-87).  A third of the 419 surveyed reported experiencing discrimination based on their sexual orientation in the sale or rental of an apartment or home. Half of respondents experienced homelessness and felt aging information and referral services were not LGBTQ-affirming, and a third experienced eviction.

“Pride Place is about belonging. Pride Place is not only providing people a place to live, but also providing a welcoming home and safe space for our LGBTQIA+ elders to be their authentic selves without fear or shame,” said Simon Foster, Division Director of Housing, Homelessness and Community Development in King County’s Department of Community and Human Services.

“In the spirit of liberation and opportunity, we celebrate Pride Place and all the people involved in this very important work. We honor your efforts and the legacy being built in Capitol Hill,” Foster said.

Source: King County Community and Human Services’ “Cultivating Connections” blog.

The Senior Scene by — June 5, 2024 in News
TIME & AGAIN: The call of the mall

This photo is from the grand opening of the Bon Marche (now Macy’s) store at the Tacoma Mall in 1964. It was one of many milestones for the iconic indoor shopping center, starting with groundbreaking in 1963 for the $40 million project. It was one of three such centers developed in the Puget Sound region by Allied Department Stores. The others were Northgate Mall (now called Northgate Station), which debuted in 1950 in Seattle, and Westfield Southcenter in Tukwila, which opened in 1968 as simply Southcenter and is the largest shopping mall in Washington. Tentatively named Town Center and later Tacoma Freeway Mart during early planning in the late 1950s and early ‘60s, Tacoma Mall officially opened in October 1965. It has undergone three major renovations since then and seen multiple stores close and new ones open.

The Senior Scene by — June 5, 2024 in Lifestyle, Home, Adventures
Study: Eating eggs can reduce cholesterol

It’s not always easy to know which food is best for avoiding the impact of cholesterol on heart health and overall well-being. Eggs, for example, have often received negative press related to cholesterol. However, new clinical research by the Duke University School of Medicine shows eating fortified eggs, such as the Eggland’s Best brand, didn’t negatively affect cholesterol levels. Additional findings suggest that eating 12 eggs a week can be part of a healthy diet, even for high-risk individuals.

Research also suggested that such eggs could potentially reduce levels of “bad cholesterol” (LDL cholesterol) in older individuals and those with diabetes, and may help increase levels of “good cholesterol” (HDL cholesterol) in older individuals. The eggs may also increase Vitamin B12 levels, helping support a healthier lifestyle. (More information about the study is available at EgglandsBest.com/EggStudy).

Dawn Jackson Blatner, a registered dietitian and nutritionist, said this clinical study helps clarify the confusion regarding the nutrition of eggs and can help people feel more confident about including fortified eggs as part of a healthy diet, even for people who are at high risk for heart disease. She also shared tips for people who may be looking to lower their cholesterol levels:

  • Eat more fiber-rich food for a healthy heart and lipid levels. They include whole grains, fruit, vegetables, beans, lentils, nuts, and seeds.
  • Switch to more heart-smart fats to add flavor, such as olive oil, nuts, seeds, avocado, and fish. Decrease  food that’s higher in saturated fat, like butter, cheese, fatty meat, and fried food.
  • Choose eggs wisely. Not all are created equal. Eggland’s Best have more than double the omega-3s and Vitamin B12, 25 percent less saturated fat, 10 times more Vitamin E, and six times more Vitamin D compared to ordinary eggs.

SALMON AND AVOCADO TOAST IN FIVE MINUTES

(Pictured: This salmon and avocado toast recipe includes eggs.)

Dawn Jackson Blatner , a nutritionist and dietitian, shares her favorite recipe for a salmon and avocado toast that contains healthy fats and wholesome ingredients

Prep time: 5 minutes. Cook time: 5 minutes.

Total servings: 2 avocado toasts.

Ingredients:

2 Eggland’s Best eggs, large.

1 teaspoon olive oil.

2 slices whole grain bread, toasted

1/2 avocado.

1 cup raw spinach or arugula.

2 ounces smoked salmon.

Black pepper, to taste.

Instructions:

1. In a skillet over medium heat, add olive oil, eggs, and cook until eggs are over-medium.

2. Top each piece of whole grain toast with equal amounts of (in this order) sliced avocado, spinach, salmon, and a cooked egg and sprinkle of pepper.

Allergy information: No added sugar (can be gluten-free if gluten-free bread is used).

Source: Brandpoint Features

The Senior Scene by — June 5, 2024 in Food, People

Seventy-eight percent of Baby Boomers ages 60 to 78 believe their age would be a contributing factor when being considered for a new position and a similar percentage think age counts against them in job-hunting, according to a study commissioned by the American Staffing Association and conducted online by The Harris Poll.

By comparison, 55 percent of Gen Z (ages 18 to 27) feel this way, along with 51 percent of Gen X (44 to 59), and 39 percent of Millennials (28 to 43).

The news comes as on the heels of reports that 19 percent of U.S. adults 65 and older were employed last year—close to double the number from 35 years ago.

The survey also found that 68 of Boomers believe their age puts them at a disadvantage when finding a new job, compared with 53 percent of Gen X, 29 percent of Millennials, and 48 percent of Gen Z.

Overall, 53 percent of Boomers say their age limits their career opportunities. The Boomer generation is also far less likely to search for a new job in 2024 compared with their younger counterparts.

“It’s time for a paradigm shift in how the U.S. labor market views older workers,” said Richard Wahlquist, chief executive officer o American Staffing Association (ASA). “Discrimination based on age is illegal and can’t be tolerated. But routing out persistent and growing ageism requires much more than stepped-up legal enforcement. Policymakers and human resources leaders need to work together to correct and overcome the misconceptions, stereotypes, and biases—conscious and unconscious—of the past. Mature workers have the knowledge as well as workplace skills accumulated over a lifetime that America needs today and will need even more in the future.”
ASA’s survey was conducted online by The Harris Poll from Jan. 5–9 among 2,094 adults 18 and older, of whom 1, 294 were employed.

Source: American Staffing Association is a national organization with state affiliates that provide advocacy, research, and education involving personnel staffing in the workplace. More information is at americanstaffing.net.

The Senior Scene by — June 5, 2024 in Personal Finance/Consumers