The Senior Scene

Flu activity in Washington is elevated, according to the state Department of Health. It’s not too late to take precautions. But if you do end up with the flu, there are more options than ever for getting fast, affordable care.

“Some people seek care for the flu at hospital emergency rooms, which is generally not the most efficient or affordable,” said Dr. Mark Mariani, a physician executive with MultiCare Health System’s retail health division. “Most people can be treated quickly through their primary care doctors, urgent care clinics, online virtual visits, or our house call service.”

The best protections against flu are frequent handwashing and getting a flu shot. The flu vaccine can reduce the risk of flu by about 50 to 60 percent. There’s still time. The flu shot is effective as long as flu viruses are circulating.

Everyone older than 6 months should get the flu shot, according to the national Centers for Disease Control (CDC), particularly those at higher risk: Adults 65 and older, residents of nursing homes and other long-term care facilities, children younger than 5 years old but especially younger than 2, pregnant women, Native Americans, and people with certain medical conditions (see cdc.gov/flu/highrisk for more information).

If you get a flu shot at a retail pharmacy, let your primary care doctor know so it can be added to your medical record.

Additional protections against flu include avoiding crowded places and close contact with people who are sick, covering your nose and mouth when you cough or sneeze, and avoiding touching your eyes and nose, as this is how flu viruses spread.

Flu symptoms develop quickly and can include high fever, headache, muscle aches, chills, coughing, sore throat, fatigue, runny or stuffy nose, and nausea or vomiting. If you get the flu, stay home and rest, drink plenty of fluids, treat fever and cough with over-the-counter medications, and avoid close contact with others so you don’t pass on the illness. If symptoms don’t improve, seek care—and do it promptly if you are over age 65 or otherwise at high risk of flu-related complications.

Source: MultiCare Health System, a not-for-profit healthcare organization that offers flu shots for adults and children at locations throughout the Puget Sound region, including MultiCare Immunization Clinic at South Hill Mall in Puyallup, Mary Bridge Mobile Immunization Clinic (for children 18 and under), immediate clinics (vaccines for patients 9 years old and older), and MultiCare Indigo Urgent Care clinics (vaccines for patients 19 and older).

For 25 years, the U.S. Naval Undersea Museum in the Kitsap County community of Keyport has strived to connect veterans, sailors and the local community with the history, technology and operations of the undersea Navy.

The museum opened as a preview center in 1991 and proceeded to open as a fully operational museum in 1994.

“The undersea Navy is something the majority of people in our country are not familiar with,” said Olivia Wilson, operations manager for the museum (USNUM). “We want to provide the community with a basic understanding of what the Navy does undersea through exhibits and educational opportunities, free of charge.”

Some of the museum’s biggest attractions include the acquisition of the attack submarine USS Sturgeon’s sail, located in front of the museum, and the Greenling control room that was constructed with real equipment from the Cold War-era fast attack submarine USS Greenling.

“We’re very proud of all of the artifacts,” said Wilson. “It’s a great way to show our visitors the history of the undersea Navy. It’s been a long road, but we’re continuing to grow and bring in new exhibits and programs. We’re trying to keep moving forward and improve on what we can provide for the community.”

The museum also offers hands-on learning opportunities for children in the local community through the museum’s educational programs.

“Over the life of the museum, we’ve grown our educational offerings to weekly and monthly science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) programs,” said Valerie Johnson, a USNUM educator.

Johnson said the museum has partnered with regional schools and community organizations to enhance K-12 experiences, both onsite with Navy STEM days and offsite with Camp Create. “We’ve expanded our outreach capabilities throughout Puget Sound and are serving roughly 10,000 learners a year,” she said.

Since 1999, the museum has been the venue for more than 7,000 retirements, changes of command, meetings, trainings, field trips and other programs.

“We’re more than just a museum,” said Wilson. “We provide an auditorium for local, state and federal entities to rent out for whatever events they have. We have about 20,000 people a year using our facility spaces.”

The museum hosted an event Aug. 10 to celebrate its 25th anniversary.

USNUM was made possible through “the determination” of a core group of founders to share the Navy’s “important undersea history,” said Lindy Dosher, museum director. “Establishing the museum was not easy, but after decades of work, their dream was realized.”

In the years since USNUM became a professional museum institution, it has been accredited by the American Alliance of Museums twice while managing a diverse collection of artifacts.

“We have had a great 25 years, and the staff and I look forward to seeing what more we can do in the next 25,” Dosher said.

The museum, housing an 18,000 square-feet exhibit hall, is one of the largest maritime museums on the West Coast and holds the country’s most comprehensive collection of undersea-related artifacts and documents from more than 150 years of naval undersea history and technology.

USNUM is one of 10 museums headed by the Naval History and Heritage Command, located at the Washington Navy Yard in Washington, D.C. More information about the command and USNUM is available at.history.navy.mil and history.navy.mil/content/history/museums/undersea.html.

Allen Lee, who wrote this article, is a mass communications specialist for Navy Public Affairs.

It is obvious as soon as you walk into the Sumner Senior Center that people are having a lot of fun.

Tables of eight are scattered throughout the room, and the chairs fill quickly. Before lunch is served, there are 56 people in the room, visiting, dancing, and enjoying the company of others.

Five days a week, lunch is offered to seniors 60-plus for a mere $3. And the lunch is nutritious and served with smiles, laughs and hugs.

Kris Korsmo volunteers at the Sumner center three days a week as a greeter. She said being there among all her friends and helping them sign in and get settled makes her feel good.

Catholic Community Services meal site supervisor Ginger Rang runs the show at the Sumner site, as well as all the kitchens in King and Pierce counties, and clearly loves her job, which is rigorous to say the least.

After greeting all the guests on a recent day at the Sumner site, Rang moved to the dance floor for a quick spin with 94-year-old Joe Welch. Rang loves to dance and said, “They call me Ginger Snap.”

Rang’s job is filled with hugs, lots of smiles and a dose of laughter from all the guests.

“I get a lot out of my job and love working with my team,” she said.

If a relief cook doesn’t show up at one of the sites, Rang straps on an apron and takes over for the day.

Kitchen volunteer Sherrie’ Nelson has been a volunteer since 2014.

“I like the fellowship and teamwork, and it has added to my life,” said Nelson, who was homeless when she came to the center and met a 94-year-old woman who took her into her home.

“I was homeless for five months and lived in my car. Now every place I sit in her home, there is peace,” said Nelson.

On this particular day at Sumner Senior Center, The New Band blasted out music as the crowd poured in, and it wasn’t long before many moved to the dance floor, swaying to the music.

Arretta Robison was there with her husband of three years, Larry Heister. The couple, holding hands and grinning, were happy to share how they met at one of the senior center lunches.

Married for 58 years when her husband died, Robison said that the senior center scared her. She finally made the trip after realizing she just “wasn’t going anywhere,” and soon thereafter met Heister.

“We both said ‘Never again,’ and yet, here we are,” she said.

Mazie, the dog mascot of the senior center, arrived with her owner Sharon Swartz and was greeted by one and all. “Mazie gets a lot of loves here,” said Swartz.

Arlene Gallagher, who has volunteered at the center for five years, said she came to the center to play Bunco and met another volunteer. “Now I volunteer three days a week and I meet a lot of really cool people. Sometimes this is their only meal of the day, and if there are leftovers, they can take a ‘to go’ box home,” she said.

Catholic Community Services offers 17 meal sites in Pierce County and 12 in King County. In March, 6,370 meals were served in Pierce County by 107 volunteers.

Angie Long, program director for Stafford Suites, a senior living community across the street from the senior center, noted the center is funded by the City of Sumner and “is a community rather than a place, and I get to make a difference.”

Long chooses the programs and activities. On this day, there was a movie after lunch, something all the guests look forward to.

“The lights go down and guests eat cookies and popcorn. People tell me they would never miss a movie day, and they aren’t picky about the movies,” Long said, adding,

 â€œThe goal is (to be) a place for everyone.”

Joan Cronk, who wrote this article, is a freelance writer and frequent contributor to Senior Scene.

MEAL SITE PRICES INCREASING
Catholic Community Services (CCS) is raising the prices on its senior meal site meals in Pierce and King counties.

Starting Jan. 2, suggested contributions (for people 60 and older) and fees for anyone under 60 will be $3.50 and $6 per person, respectively, in Pierce County. In King County, the new rates will be $4.50 and $6.50. The increases, which range from 25 cents to 50 cents, are necessary to keep up with costs for the federal-funded meals, according to CCS.

As part of its senior nutrition program, CCS operates 30 meal sites, many of them senior or community centers. Monthly menus and meal site locations are published in Senior Scene. Additional information is available from CCS at ccsww.org.