The Senior Scene

Every Tuesday afternoon from 3 to 4:30, Mountain View Community Center in Edgewood throws open its doors and welcomes folks and their care partners struggling with Alzheimer’s, dementia, Parkinson’s, traumatic brain injuries, strokes and PTSD.

At a recent session, mothers and daughters, husbands and wives, and friends streamed through the door two by two, ready to gather and sing, play an instrument or just listen and take an hour and a half away from their daily lives dealing with the effects of memory loss.

The non-profit program they participate in, Music Mends Minds, Restoring the Rhythm of Life, is a social group in partnership with the Puyallup Rotary Club, which helps fund the program.

Musical director Jeff Brahe leads the local group. Deb Dennison, Lutheran Community Services’ Senior Friends and Social Engagement program manager, and Randy Schneider, who started the group, greet everyone.

Schneider, a Puyallup Rotarian, cared for his wife who suffered from Alzheimer’s until she died. When he brought the idea of Music Mends Minds to Dennison, she was all in.

“Randy is an excellent partner,” said Dennison.  “He brought the model to us and he comes every week and helps set up equipment and makes sure the participants are having a good time.”

Schneider wrote a grant application to Puyallup Rotary to acquire equipment, and the group held its first practice session in October 2018.

Dennison knows firsthand how music can help folks who are dealing with significant loss. When her 29-year-old son was dying and in hospice, harp music helped him pass peacefully.

Dennison and Schneider are true believers that music can comfort and calm patients and their care partners.

“When I see people singing and having a good time and their care partners smiling and laughing, I know that we are positively affecting life in a really kind and quieter way, and when people leave, they often write and tell me that their folks with cognitive loss were happy and enjoyed the activity,” said Dennison.

Michelle Sticka cares for her husband, Don, a retired former assistant principal at Spanaway Lake High School. Don was diagnosed two years ago with Lewy body dementia, the second most common type of progressive dementia.

“For us to have a place to go and be with folks who are experiencing the same thing is important,” said Michelle.

The group meets for 10 weeks and then has two weeks off. “Those two are a long two weeks,” said Michelle.

As soon as Brahe led off with the song “Just the Two of Us” at a recent session, participants began to tap their feet, sing or play an instrument, or just sway back and forth. Everyone participated on some level.

JoAnn Miller brings her husband, Paul, an Alzheimer’s patient, every week. She said the group has changed their lives. 

Wendy Vizzini brings her husband, Chris, who used to play the guitar.

“This group saves me,” said Vizzini. “To hear the music and have conversations makes Chris happy for hours and hours.”

When Charlee Allen arrived with her 84-year-old mother, Ruby Ratterree, after the music had started, Dennison sprung from her chair, greeted them and got them settled.

Allen cares for her mother, who has dementia. “I’m learning how to speak to her differently, and the programs help educate us. It was a treasure to have discovered this program,” Allen said.

More information about Music Mends Minds is available from Dennison at ddennison@lcsnw.org. 

Joan Cronk, who wrote this story, is a freelance writer from Puyallup.

Falls don’t necessarily go hand-in-hand with aging, but when they happen to older adults, the consequences can be dramatic.

The National Council on Aging reports that one in four Americans 65 and older falls each year. Falls are the leading cause of fatal injuries and the most common cause of non-fatal, trauma-related hospital admissions among older adults. Nationally, victims are treated every 11 seconds in a hospital emergency room, and one of them dies every 19 minutes as a result of falling. 

September is National Fall Prevention Month, with the goal to raise awareness about how to prevent fall-related injuries among older adults. In observance of that effort, Pierce County Falls Prevention Day will be held Sept. 24 at the Morgan Family YMCA in Tacoma at 1002 S. Pearl St.

From 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., the event will provide information about causes of falls among seniors and the things people can do to reduce their risk. Along with tips about prescription drug side-effects, foot care and other ways to make them safer, participants can receive fall-risk assessments, balance testing and blood pressure checks. The Pacific Lutheran University Department of Kinesiology will be on hand to provide individual fall-prevention screenings.

The free conference is sponsored by the Pierce County Fall Prevention Coalition and Pierce County Aging and Disability Resources.

 â€œFalls are a scary thing,” said Aaron Van Valkenburg, manager of Aging and Disability Resources, a county government program. He noted that according to the national Center for Disease Control, one of every five falls causes a serious injury such as a broken bone or a head injury.

“Fear of falling can also seriously affect an aging adult’s quality of life, and – sadly — can keep a person from being active and thriving,” Van Valkenburg said. 

Many community centers offer specialized strength and balance programs such as SAIL (Stay Active and Independent for Life) to help seniors prevent falls. Senior centers in Pierce and King counties and Metro Parks Tacoma can be contacted for information about dates and times for SAIL classes.

Additional information is available from Aging and Disability Resources at 253-798-4600.

Sports leagues in Tacoma aren’t just for the young – just ask any of the senior bowlers of the Tacoma Lawn Bowling Club (TLBC). While the recently reborn bowls club has one of the youngest memberships in the county, age isn’t a requisite for bowling – or competing at a high level.

So what’s lawn bowling, or bowls, as it is often referred to? Think a combination of bocce and curling. Standing on a mat, you roll something similar to a bocce ball that curls either to the left or the right without any need to learn a special delivery outside of what you would do in a bowling alley, and attempt to be the closest to the target after all bowls are delivered. A simple game for all ages to learn and play.

And all ages do come out. In 2018, the green (the name for the grass playing surface) at Tacoma’s Wright Park, the home venue for TLBC, saw bowlers ranging in age from 14 to 84. Many tried the sport for the first time, and nearly all came back for more.

In 2019, in partnership with Metro Parks Tacoma, the club is offering a seven-week course to give new bowlers the skills and confidence to compete in a formalized setting. There are two options to sign up for: A spring program on Tuesday evenings, and a summer program on Wednesday evenings. A series of progressively challenging lessons, facilitated by club coach Michael McKinley and lead instructor Rick Walker, can have participants ready to enjoy a challenging and fun game.

If you already know how to bowl, there are league options, as well.

“I bowl for the community, the fun, the beautiful surroundings, and people of all ages from all walks of life,” said Gene Ankli, himself a septuagenarian. “With an atmosphere of friendly competition, it’s good exercise with good, fun people, and it keeps a spring in my step.”

Information on how to get involved, including signing up for instruction through Metro Parks Tacoma, is available at www.tacomabowls.org.

TLBC, now in its 90th year, was started in 1929, and its green was completed in 1936. Club members also compete at Jefferson Park Lawn Bowling Club in Seattle, Portland Lawn Bowling Club and King City Lawn Bowling Club in Oregon, and in Spokane.

Kane Tobin, who wrote this article, is a member of Tacoma Lawn Bowling Club.

It’s summer time, and the listening is easy and free for lots of musical tastes. To find a location near you where outdoor concerts will fill the air with tunes, check out the following list for Pierce and King counties.

Buckley Summer Series: Free. All shows at 6:30 p.m. at 251 River Ave. S., next to Youth Activity Center. July 18, Megs McLean (country). July 25, Got ‘90s? Aug. 18, The Coats (a capella). Aug. 8, Wally and the Beaves (‘60s and ‘70s). Information: cityofbuckley.com, 360-829-1921.
Curran Apple Orchard Summer Concert Series (University Place): Free. Thursdays at 6:30 p.m. at Curran Apple Orchard Park, 3920 Grandview Dr. W. Information: apples@curranappleorchard.com.
Des Moines Concert Series: Free, 7 p.m. Wednesdays at Des Moines Beach Park. July 17, Buzz Brump (dance). July 24, Paoli Mejias Jazz Quintet. July 31, Elena Maque. Aug. 7, Ethan Tucker (blues). Aug. 14, Kim Archer (rock). Aug. 21, Whitney Monge (soul). Information: info@desmoinesartscommission.com, 206-870-6527.
Kent Summer Concerts: All shows at 6 p.m. at Kent Station. July 17, Darren Motamedy (smooth jazz). July 24, Afrodisiacs (disco). July 31, Shaggy Sweet (pop, rock). Aug. 7, Stonesy (Rolling Stones tribute). Aug. 14, Folsom Prism (Johnny Cash tribute). Aug. 21, Petty Differences (Tom Petty, Fleetwood Mac tribute). Aug. 28, Swingin’ Sixties Orchestra (Frank Sinatra tribute).
Jazz Under the Stars (Parkland): Free, 7 p.m. at Mary Baker Russell Outdoor Amphitheater at Pacific Lutheran University. July 18, Dmitri Matheny Group. July 25, Dan Duval Good Vibes Quartet. Aug. 1, Eugenie Jones. Aug. 8, Nancy Erickson. Aug. 15, Vianna/Begeron Brazilian Quarter. In bad weather, shows are moved indoors to Lagerquist Concert Hall. Information: plu.edu/jazz/concerts.
Music in the Park (Fife): Free. All shows at 6:30 p.m. at Dacca Park, 2820 54th Ave. E. June 20, The Funaddicts. June 27, Leroy Bell and His Only Friends (R&B, blues, rock). July 11, The Not-Its (children’s dance). July 18, Amber Sweeney (blues). July 25, The Coats (a capella). Aug. 1, 80 Proof Ale (country rock).
Music Off Main (Sumner): Free, all shows on Fridays at 6:30 p.m. at Heritage Park. July 19 and 26. Information: sumnerwa.gov.
Puyallup Concerts in the Park: Free. All shows at 6:30 p.m. at Pioneer Park unless noted otherwise. July 18, Harmonious Funk; July 25, Randy Hansen (Jim Hendrix tribute); Aug. 1, Darci Carlson Band (country); Aug. 8, The Coats; Aug. 15, Washed in Black (Pearl Jam tribute); Aug. 22 at Bradley Park, Whiskey River (Lynrad Skynard tribute). In bad weather, shows are moved indoors at the Pavilion. Information: 253-841-5457, cityofpuyallup.org.
Second City Chamber Series (Lakewood): Shows at 7:30 p.m. at Lakewold Gardens. July 26, “Russian Expansion” (classical). Information: 253-572-8863, sschamberseries.org.
Second Sunday (Tacoma): $3 suggested donation, all shows at 1 p.m. at Seymour Botanical Conservatory at Wright Park. Aug. 11, Cara Francis (jazz). Sept. 8, Joe Contris. Nov. 10, Castletown (Celtic folk rock). Information: info@tacomaparks.org, 253-404-3975.
Summer Sounds (Federal Way): Free. All shows at 7 p.m. at Steel Lake Park, 2410 S. 312th St. July 17, Unified Culture (reggae). July 24, No Rules (classic rock). July 31, Shakespeare in the Park. Aug. 8, Chrome Molly (classic rock). Information: eventassistant@cityoffederalway.com.
Summer Sounds and Cinema (Auburn): Free, 7 p.m. at Lea Hill Park, 31693 124th Ave. SE. July 26, Crème Tangerine (Beatles tribute). Aug. 2, The Marlin James Band (country). Aug. 9, Joanie Leeds (kids) and Nate Botsford (country rock). Movies follow the music. Information: 253-931-3043.
Thursdays at the Lake (Kent): Free, all shows at 7 p.m. at Lake Meridian Park. July 18, Birch Pereira and the Gin Joints (swing, rock). July 25, Aaron Crawford (country). Aug. 1, Stacy Jones Band (blues). Aug. 8, Sundae & Mr. Goessi (vintage). Aug. 15, Mile Twelve (bluegrass). Information: kentwa.gov, 253-856-5200.