The 77th NevadaLegislative Session gotunderway rather quicklythis month with many billssubmitted that would assistelders and people with dis-abilities.

Significant among thelegislation were billsregarding Alzheimer’s dis-ease and other services.

AB 80 creates the TaskForce on Alzheimer'sDisease within the HealthDivision of the Departmentof Health and HumanServices (HHS). AB 80comes after passage of theAlzheimer’s Disease StatePlan in AssemblyConcurrent Resolution No. 10 of the 2011Legislative Session. AB 80creates a Task Force to for-ward the state plan toaddress Alzheimer's dis-ease. The measure also cre-ates the composition of theTask Force, and requiresthe Task Force to take cer-tain actions to carry outthe state plan, includingresearching and review ofany other issues relevant toAlzheimer's disease.

SB 86, sponsored byHHS, requires the depart-ment to allocate money forcertain programs relatingto persons withAlzheimer's disease andother related dementia.Existing law requires HHSto allocate money to fundprograms that assist seniorcitizens to live independ-ently, including a programthat provides respite careor relief of informal care-takers. (NRS 439.630) This

bill expands that programto include respite care orrelief for informal caretak-ers (families, friends) of anyperson with Alzheimer'sdisease or other relateddementia regardless of theage of the person.

SB 91, sponsored bythe Senate Committee onHHS, will streamline thebackground investigationprocess of people who pro-vide care for the most vul-nerable. Existing lawrequires the administratorof, or the person licensedto operate certain agencies,facilities or homes thatprovide medical or othercare to persons, to obtainbackground informationand personal history ofeach of its employees andindependent contractors.SB 91 provides an exemp-tion of obtaining the infor-mation if there is proof thatthe information wasobtained within the pre-ceding 5 years and wassubmitted to the CentralRepository for NevadaRecords of CriminalHistory; providing thatperson has not been con-victed of certain crimes.

SB 51 transfers thepowers and duties con-cerning the certificationand regulation of interme-diary service organizations(ISO) from the Aging andDisability Services Divisionto the Health Division. SB51 additionally transfersthe regulatory authority ofISOs to the Nevada StateBoard of Health.

r

March • 2013 • 3

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

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

S eniorspectrumnewspaper. comPublishers: Chris & Connie McMullen

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

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

This Issuepage 3 - Legislative Billspage 4 - Opinion: Nevada’s Heroespage 5 - Opinion: Investing in OurFuture to Succeedpage 6 - Senior Law Project to Transition to Private Legal Servicepage 10 - Ridership Changes forBus Service in 2035 Transit Planpage 16 - Reno Elder Exploitationof a Senior Living in a Group Home page 18 - An Aging Society

Every Issuepage 20 - Biggest Little Citypage 23 - Eclectic Observerpage 27 - Crosswordpage 28 - Memory Aid Exercisespage 28 - Eydie Scher - Excerpts

page 29 - Calendar page 30 - this ‘n thatpage 32 - Seniors 4 Travel

Healthpage 8 - Dr. Marion: Caregiving page 12 - Outsourcing Aging Dr. Lawrence J. Weiss, Ph.D. Center for Healthy Agingpage 14 - CMS: Coming Soon: A New Way to buy Health Insurance page 17 - Ophthalmology: Dr. Michael Fischer, M.D.

Financial page 7 - How the American Taxpayer Relief Act Will Affect You - Bradley B. Anderson

March 2013

Legislative BillsIntroduced to Benefit

Seniors, Disabled

Eydie & David Scher • Cover photo: Northern Nevada Medicial Center

4 • 2013 • March

Thecharacterand courageof our mili-tary menand women,past and

present, is what has madeour nation so great. Mydeepest respect and appreci-ation goes to those who havedefended and continue todefend this country.

I am grateful to the nearly300,000 veterans who callNevada home for theimmeasurable sacrifices theyhave made on our behalf.With these men and womenin mind, I sat down with theSecretary for theDepartment of Veterans

Affairs (VA), Eric Shinseki, todiscuss the year ahead forNevada’s heroes. In thatmeeting, I expressed justhow important it is that weensure our veterans receivethe benefits they earned anddeserve. Together, we had aproductive conversationabout changes to TRICAREPrime coverage, the backlogof VA claims in the SilverState, and the growing popu-lation of homeless andunemployed veterans.

While I am optimisticabout Nevada’s economicrecovery, it’s a difficult timefor many of these veterans,especially as unemploymentremains a persistent prob-lem. Reducing veterans’

unemployment is an issuethat I am certain we can allagree on and find a solution.As a member of the biparti-san Congressional VeteransJobs Caucus, I attended aveterans jobs day event,where the discussion cen-tered around the issue ofunemployment among ourheroes.

I’m thrilled to serve onthe Senate Committee onVeterans’ Affairs in the 113thCongress. Both in this roleon the Committee and asyour representative in theUnited States Senate, Ibelieve that we must act nowto help Nevada veterans,which is why I have alreadyintroduced several veterans-

related pieces of legislation.For example, under currentlaw, retired service memberscan fly on military aircraftwhen there is extra spaceonboard. Unfortunately, 100percent disabled veteranswho don’t qualify for retiredpay are ineligible. SenatorJon Tester (D-Mont.) and Iintroduced a bill that willgive 100 percent disabledveterans the same flyingrights as retired servicemembers. Our nation’s dis-abled veterans live every daycoping with the cost of free-dom, and expanding traveloptions for them will helpensure they receive the bene-fits they earned and deserve.

(Heroes page 21)

Sen. Dean Heller

OpinionU.S. Senator Dean Heller Nevada’s Heroes Deserve

the Very Best

March • 2013 • 5

This pastmonth, I hadthe pleasureof address-ing a jointsession ofthe Nevada

State Legislature. The lasttime I spoke before Nevadalawmakers, the state was stillin the midst of a GreatRecession. Thousands ofNevadans, including manyseniors, had lost their jobsand their homes. AlthoughNevada's economy is notback to full strength,progress has been made.Now, as we emerge fromthose difficult times, it iscrucial that we renew ourinvestments in the future –in education and clean ener-

gy.Nevada seniors work hard

to ensure a prosperous eco-nomic future for youngergenerations of Nevadans.That is why I urged Nevadalawmakers to strengthen ourstate’s education system.Education is key to America'shappiness and its competi-tiveness. Today's studentswill compete for tomorrow'sjobs with peers from neigh-boring states and far awaynations. But while othercountries are investing ineducation, this nation – andNevada in particular – is lag-ging. Students need access torole models in the STEMfields, new opportunities tounderstand how businessesoperate, and they need to

build skills to help themmeet the demands of a mod-ern economy. Nevada can nolonger afford to put offinvestments in our children.

Nevada’s next generationisn't the only thing burstingwith energy. The renewableenergy industry has helpedour state attract new busi-nesses and create thousandsof jobs, particularly in north-ern Nevada. The linchpin forthis progress is a state lawthat requires a minimumpercentage of electricity tocome from renewablesources, known as therenewable portfolio standard.The law has given Nevada anopportunity to take controlof its energy future, howeverloopholes allow utilities to

evade the spirit of the law. Imade clear to the legislaturethat they should strengthenthe law to send a messagethat Nevada remains com-mitted to kicking ourdependence on out-of-state,fossil fuels.

I have worked hard tomake the lives of all Nevadaseniors more secure. Actingnow to strengthen our econ-omy through increasedinvestment in education andrenewable energy will ensuresuccess now and in thefuture.

Write Sen. Reid at:Bruce R. ThompsonCourthouse and FederalBuilding, 400 S. VirginiaStreet Suite. 902, Reno, NV 89501

Sen. Harry Reid

OpinionU.S. Senator Harry Reid

Investing in Our Future to Succeed for Nevada Today

The Washoe CountyBoard of CountyCommissioners accepted arecommendation at theJanuary 12, county commis-sion meeting to transitionthe Senior Law Project to aqualified private law firm toassure legal services are pro-vided to low-income seniors.

The commissionersagreed to move forward onthe transition in a collabora-tion with the Nevada Agingand Disability ServicesDivision. ADSD awards com-petitive grant funding forlegal services under provi-sions of the Older AmericansAct.

Commissioners voted 4 to1, with Commissioner KittyJung dissenting, to join in acollaborative process toselect a qualified legal servic-es agency to assure the cur-rent and future legal needs ofseniors are met. The agree-ment came after WashoeCounty District Court, ChiefJudge David Hardy expressedconcern that senior law mat-ters were not being fullyaddressed.

A series of budget cutsforced Senior ServicesDirector Grady Tarbutton tomodify, scale back or elimi-nate service of all depart-ment programs, including

program staffing. After aseries of community meet-ing, it was determined theSLP was the only programthat could be duplicated out-side the county structure inthe community.

Tarbutton requested theSenior Services AdvisoryBoard give him a recommen-dation regarding the futureof the SLP. Following a spe-cial hearing and input fromlegal service experts includ-ing Judge Hardy, it was rec-ommended the programtransition to an outside legalfirm if funding was notfound to sustain its opera-tion.

The SLP is partially fund-ed with ad valorem taxes, indecline due to the recession. Currently, the program isbeing operated under con-tract with the non-profit,Nevada Legal Services untilthe end of June.

A request for proposalsand a contract will be award-ed to begin with the next fis-cal year in July. A transitiontime-frame and county sup-port will be given to the suc-cessful bidder to assure asmooth transition. It wasagreed the SLP will maintainoperation at the current sen-ior center location, assuringcontinued services.

6 • 2013 • March

Washoe County Commissioners Agree to Transition theSenior Law Project to a Private Legal Service

March • 2013 • 7

With the fiscal clifflooming, Congress passedthe American TaxpayerRelief Act of 2012 onJanuary 1, 2013. This lawaverts a number of theautomatic tax increases setto take effect at the begin-ning of this year.

If you’re among the 77percent of Americans whoare affected by the end ofthe Payroll Tax Cut, you’velikely noticed a slightdecrease in your paycheck.The Social Security payrolltax returned to 6.2 percent

this year; last year it was4.2 percent.

Here, in a nutshell, aresome of the other provi-sions the AmericanTaxpayer Relief Act has instore for the public:

Income TaxesMost Americans won’t

see a difference in theirincome tax rates. For mar-ried couples who earn lessthan $450,000 annually(and single filers who earnless than $400,000), incometax rates will remain the

same. Those who earnmore than these thresholdamounts will see their taxrate increase to 39.6 per-cent.

The same earningsthresholds apply to incometaxes for capital gains andqualified dividends. Thosebelow the thresholds willcontinue to pay tax at a rateof 15 percent for qualifieddividend and capital gainsincome, while taxpayerswho earn more than thiswill see their tax rateincrease to 20 percent for

these items.

Alternative Minimum TaxThe Alternative

Minimum Tax (AMT) is aspecial tax adopted in thelate 1960s to ensure thevery wealthy do not avoidtaxes by accumulating toomany credits and deduc-tions. When the tax wasoriginally adopted,Congress failed to index itto inflation, so each yearlawmakers have had to passa provision – a “patch” –increasing the exemption to

(Estate Plan page 22)

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

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

How the American Taxpayer Relief Act Will Affect You

Whensomeone

has undergone a medical orphysical challenge, it can beextremely difficult for themto continue with rehab oncethey return home from thehospital or care facility.

It’s an especially difficulttransition since they nolonger have the stimulationand encouragement of thenurses and professionalsaround them. Your fathercan easily lose his momen-tum, and this will stop him

from reaching a higher levelof rehabilitation and func-tionality. You should do allyou can to keep him moti-vated and improving. But todo that, you must getinvolved. You can’t just givehim the pictures or the videoand the exercises he needs todo. If at all possible, stop byand do the activities withhim. If you can’t be there,suggest that he put on hisfavorite music while he’sexercising.

Time things to a favorite

television show. It can alsobe effective with big sportsfans to have them workoutwhile the game is on. Youmight want to set a specifictime for the workout, andthen call your dad to checkon him.

Most people like it whenothers show their interestand concern this way. Eventhe most disciplined andmotivated person can getdiscouraged, so don’t put aspecific time frame for com-plete healing. It’s important

that you start this process assoon as possible so that hedoesn’t get used to a certainlevel of pain or discomfort orlack of function. As soon asthat mindset starts to set in,you’ve lost the battle.

Find the fun in it andreemphasize the image ofyour father as a healed, andfully functioning individual.Help him visualize a goal. Ifthere’s a family weddingcoming up, dancing with thegrandkids should be a realtarget for him. Good luck!

8 • 2013 • March

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

My father suffered a terrible fall six months ago and has been home from the rehabilitation center for the last few weeks. It seems like he’s losing his will to stick with his exercise program. What can I do? Cheryl, 66, in Nebraska

Dr. Marion Somers

REHABILITATION

March • 2013 • 9

10 • 2013 • March

The RegionalTransportationCommission will considerapproving a new 2035Regional TransportationPlan on March 15. The2035 RTP will determinebus service, routes served,fare prices, new projects,and paratransit changes forpeople with disabilities inWashoe County.

RTC planners are urgingriders of RTC RIDE, RTC

RAPID, ACCESS, INTER-CITY and Sierra Spirit toprovide input on theplanned changes, includingridership in the ADA andnon-ADA service area’s.The plan also will addressconstruction for sidewalks,bike lanes, and new con-cepts to assist riders inrural areas where bus serv-ice is unavailable.

RTC planners are con-sidering changes in service

to accommodate communi-ty needs while still dealingwith financial constraintsresulting from the reces-sion. “Proposed changescould affect and improveroutes throughout the tran-sit network,” explainedMichael Moreno, RTCPublic Information Officer.“Other concepts being con-sidered include newPyramid service, modifica-tion to the North Valleysservice, and a Lake Tahoe(Sand Harbor) weekendsummer service.” Fare pric-ing for transit service willbe presented for input.

“What we heard during

the planning process is theregion's aging populationwill/is increasing signifi-cantly during the 20-yearplanning horizon of the2035 RTP. As a community,we need to prepare now tomeet the need and demand.One of the suggestions inthe RTP is a Dial-A-Rideservice,” Moreno said. The2035 RTP projects ridershipfor people 75 years andolder will grow dramaticallyover the next 20-years.Data shows ridership in theaging population willincrease 140 percent, whileparatransit ridership willgrow by 40 percent.

Ridership Changes in Bus Service in the RTC 2035 Transportation Plan

University of NevadaSchool of Medicine

Your legacy—Make a di!erenceAn anatomical donation, or donating your body to medicine after you pass away, is one way of making a di!erence.

By making an anatomical donation, you make it possible for medical researchers, educators and practicing physicians to advance medical science and to contribute to the health and wellness of future generations.

By planning in advance, you can eliminate any confusion about your wishes. When discussing end-of-life issues with your family, consider an anatomical donation to the University of Nevada School of Medicine.

Please call Joyce King at 775-784-4569.

www.medicine.nevada.edu/dept/adp

The Transportation Plan supports safeand healthy communities, economicdevelopment and diversification,

sustainability, and increased travel choices.

Statistics show thegrowing aging populationwill increase ridership pri-marily in the rural commu-nities of Cold Springs (over250%) and Spanish Springs(just under 150%).Population trends and costswill continue to increase asaging baby boomers requiremore specialized services.

RTC ACCESS provides16,453 trips to 1,588 loca-tions within the ADA para-transit boundary, and 470trips to 55 locations outsidethe ADA boundary.

Open House onTransportation Plan

A Community OpenHouse will be held for com-munity input on March 14,at the Terry Lee Wells

Nevada Discovery Museum,4:30 – 6:30 p.m., at 490 S.Center St., in Reno. People interested in theproposed changes can learnmore by visitingwww.YourWashoeRTC.com or writing to theRTC Planning Department,1105 Terminal Way, Suite211, Reno NV 89502.Tel: (775) 348-0480Fax: (775) 348-0450 cleach@rtcwashoe.com

Recommendations:• Expand RAPID: Virginia St. & 4th/Prater

• Restore Service:North Valleys & Reno!Sparks Express

• Expand Service: Spanish

Springs & McCarranLoop

• New Dial!A!RideService: ColdSprings!Lemmon Valley-

Golden Valley; a focus onsenior in outlying areas.

• New Regional Service:Lake Tahoe summer week-ends, other nearby regions.

March • 2013 • 11

Photo: 2035 Regional Transportation Plan

RTC RAPID bus at RTC 4th Street Station

Simple Solutions

Lifesaving Innovations

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Have youever thought

about moving abroad whentraveling in countries likeIndia, Asia, South America,etc. Clearly the cost of livingis less and your dollar wouldgo farther. But what about allthe other factors, such ashealth care, family andfriends, navigating the cul-ture and the language? Wellthere appears to be signifi-cant momentum in relocat-ing abroad as it is seen as aninnovative economic solu-tion for the middle-class inthe U.S. who do not have theability to retire here.

As the U.S. populationgets older and health and

long-term care costsincrease, living a traditionalretirement becomes impossi-ble, especially for the majori-ty of middle-class elders.Traditionally, retired eldershad a company pension,Social Security, home equity,personal savings and finan-cial investments to retire.With the changes in compa-ny pensions, faltering finan-cial markets, the housing col-lapse, threats to SocialSecurity and Medicare, aswell as the increasing costsof care, many elders arestruggling to survive withouta working income. Thosewho are looking at and plan-ning to meet their needs are

exploring the new phenome-non of “outsourcing aging.”

I became interested inthis issue when several of myfriends decided to moveabroad to live. Retirementabroad and/or receivinghealth or medical treatmentsoverseas seems to be aninnovative response to theabove conditions, mainlylack of finances to live andreceive needed care as weage. You see on the news andread about overseas medicaltourism where Americanstravel all over the world toreceive the necessary med-ical treatments that they can-not afford in the U.S. Theytravel, retreat in beautiful

surroundings, and receivemedical treatment for a frac-tion of what it would costhere.

“I have a dream to createa home for the elderly sowonderful that they simplyrefuse to die,” proclaims thesomewhat overly-optimisticmanager of The Best ExoticMarigold Hotel.

In addition, I saw a newmovie that came out thispast year - The Best ExoticMarigold Hotel. This film,based on the 2004 novel,“These Foolish Things,” byDeborah Moggach, takesplace in India and exploresthe notion of "outsourcing"elders from the U.K. to India.

12 • 2013 • March

Adding Life to Years

”

Larry Weiss

Dr. Larry WeissCenter for Healthy Aging

Outsourcing Aging

March • 2013 • 13

Sonny, a young Indian entre-preneur played by SlumdogMillionaire's Dev Patel, opensa once grand, now crublingpalace as a kind of retirementheaven. Early in the action hetells his disapproving motherthat he has a dream to getrich and do some good in theprocess. "A most brilliantone: to outsource old age," hesaid, adding that the possibil-ities were limitless. "Thereare many other countrieswhere they don't like oldpeople, too." Like the U.S.!

Through internetadvertising and informa-tion communication,countries around the worldare catering to the U.S.aging market. This innova-tive approach is gainingpopularity with the media,and is featured in themovie The Best ExoticMarigold Hotel which hasmade a ton of money atthe box office. The moviehad a happy ending formost of the retirees thatparticipated. Romance,love, and happiness, as wellas finding purpose andmeaning in life wereachieved by most of theparticipants. Hence, thehotel was a success withthe help of one of the U.K.elders.

Elders are constantlybeing told they are a bur-den on pension systems,healthcare resources, onfamilies, and economicgrowth. They have sufferedneglect and even abuse inpenny-pinching privatecare homes and hospitals.

The old in our countryare often neglected, andrelegated, confined to mar-ginal spaces in the com-munity either by choice orcondition. Since aging in

the U.K, U.S. and otherindustrialized countries is anexpensive affair, the cheaplabor and care available inthe developing world wouldseem to provide a possiblesolution.

The old face economicpowerlessness and socialinsignificance at home, butthey wield economic powerand gain a new lease on lifein less developed countries.The film thus disrupts domi-nant notions of old age andprovides an alternative per-

spective on transnationalrelations of meaning in life.

If you would ask mostAmericans about where theywould want to receive carewhen needed, they wouldrespond that they want carein the community that theycall home, not overseas.However, more elders aremoving to India and othercountries for health care andlong-term care that cost lessthan it does here. This is aphenomenon that has existedfor a while with surgery, such

as hip replacements, andother expensive medical pro-cedures. It is now occurringin long-term care. This phe-nomenon raises all kinds ofquestions about care andhow we perceive aging.

If you have not seen TheBest Exotic Marigold Hotel, Ihighly recommend it. Therewas one continual messagein the movie that stands out,"In India, we have a saying;Everything will be alright inthe end. So if it is not alright,

Years to Life page 17

Years to Life / page 12

When keyparts of thehealth care lawtake effect in

2014, you’ll have a new wayto buy health insurance foryourself, your family, or yoursmall business: the HealthInsurance Marketplace. TheMarketplace is designed tohelp you find health insur-

ance that fits your budget,with less hassle.

Every health insuranceplan in the new Marketplacewill offer comprehensivecoverage, from doctors tomedications to hospital vis-its. You can compare all yourinsurance options based onprice, benefits, quality, andother features that may be

important to you, in plainlanguage that makes sense.

You’ll know you’re gettinga quality health plan at areasonable price, becausethere’s nothing buried in thefine print.

When you shop at theMarketplace, all your costsare stated up front. So you’llget a clear picture of what

you’re paying and whatyou’re getting before youmake a choice.

Nevada’s Marketplace iscalled the Silver State HealthInsurance Exchange(www.exchange.nv.gov).

Under the health carelaw, you and your family alsowill have new protections.Health insurance companies

14 • 2013 • March

David Sayen

Coming Soon: A New Way to Buy Health Insurance David Sayen, Regional Administrator

Medicare Region 9

For more information, call 1.775.858.1900or visit www.gentiva.com

March • 2013 • 15

can’t refuse to cover you, orcharge you more justbecause you have a chronicor pre-existing condition.And they can’t charge morefor women than for men.

Here are three things tokeep in mind about theHealth InsuranceMarketplace:

• It’s an easier way to shopfor health insurance. TheHealth InsuranceMarketplace simplifies yoursearch for insurance by gath-ering all your options in oneplace. One application, onetime, and you and your fam-ily can explore every quali-fied insurance plan in yourarea -- including any free orlow-cost insurance programsyou may qualify for, such asMedicaid or the Children’sHealth Insurance Program.

• Most people will be ableto get a break on costs.Programs that lower costsare available for almosteveryone. You may be eligi-ble for a free or low-costplan, or a new kind of taxcredit that lowers yourmonthly premiums rightaway. New rules andexpanded programs meanthat even working familiescan get help paying forhealth insurance at theMarketplace.

• Clear, apples-to-applescomparisons. All healthinsurance plans in theMarketplace present theirprice and benefit informa-tion in simple terms you canunderstand, so you don’thave to guess about yourcosts.

Starting on October 1,

2013, you’ll be able to enrollin a health plan through the Silver State Health InsuranceExchange. Detailed informa-tion will be available aboutall the insurance plansoffered in your area.

You can sign up now atwww.exchange.nv.gov to gete-mail updates that will letyou know how to get readyto enroll in the plan of yourchoice.

If you have difficultyfinding a plan that meetsyour needs and budget,there’ll be people availableto give you personalizedhelp with your choices.These helpers aren’t associ-ated with any particularplan, and they don’t receiveany type of commission, sothe help they give you willbe completely unbiased.

Www.exchange.nv.govwill be much more than any

health insurance websiteyou’ve used before.Insurance companies will compete foryour business on a level andtransparent playing field,with no hidden costs or mis-leading fine print. You’llhave more choice, more con-trol, and more clout when itcomes to health insurance.

Insurance coverageoffered through the SilverState Health InsuranceExchange takes effect onJanuary 1, 2014.

David Sayen is Medicare’sregional administrator forNevada, California, Arizona,Hawaii, and the Pacific TrustTerritories. You can alwaysget answers to yourMedicare questions by call-ing 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227).

Medicare / page 14

SKILL. EXPERTISE. TECHNOLOGY.

SAME-DAY APPOIN MENTSIf you’re experiencing minor illnesses or injuries, you can get care right when you need it at Renown Medical Group, which has 14 convenient locations offering same-day appointments.

Renown Medical Group offers expanded Urgent Care hours: Monday – Friday, 8 am – 7 pmSaturday and Sunday, 9 am – 5 pm

For an appointment, call 982-5000 or to ! nd additional locations in Reno,Sparks, Fernley, Fallon or Silver Springs, visit renown.org/medicalgroup.

16 • 2013 • March

Sentencing in Reno Elder Exploitation CaseInvolving a Senior Living in a Group Home

775.323.7189 | www.waltonsfuneralhomes.com

Cookie

funerals?

Nevada AttorneyGeneral Catherine CortezMasto announced thatCarol Nanas, 62, of Reno,was sentenced in a case offinancial exploitation of anolder person. The caseinvolved Nanas’, a managerand caregiver of JC GroupHome II, an assisted livingfacility, access to and use ofa group home resident’spersonal bank account.

“We must ensure that allof our citizens are protect-ed and kept safe andhealthy in their homes,whatever their age and liv-ing arrangements,” saidMasto. “We are fortunateto have discovered and

stopped this before therewas greater harm to thevictim and before the prob-lem had become widespread.”

The investigation beganin 2012 after the Aging andDisability Services Divisionof the Nevada Departmentof Health and HumanServices provided informa-tion to the AttorneyGeneral’s Medicaid FraudControl Unit (MFCU) thata group home resident hadbeen financially exploitedby Nanas.

The investigationshowed that Nanas with-drew money from the resi-dent’s account, gambled

some of the money andsent some of the money toan ailing relative in thePhilippines. Nanas admit-ted to taking the money.Nanas entered a plea of nocontest and was convictedof a misdemeanor offenseof exploitation of an olderperson. Justice of the PeacePatricia Lynch sentencedNanas to time served of 13days jail and ordered Nanasto repay $2,000 in restitu-tion and costs.

The case was investigat-ed and prosecuted by theMFCU, which investigatesand prosecutes financialfraud by those providinghealthcare services or

goods to Medicaid patients.The case was prosecuted byMatthew Jensen, SeniorDeputy Attorney General.The MFCU also investi-gates and prosecutesinstances of elder abuse orneglect. The MFCU can becontacted at (775) 684-1191or (702) 486-3187.

Carol Nanas Washoe County Detention Facility

March • 2013 • 17

Retinopathyis a long-term com-plication ofdiabetesthat can

lead to blindness. Macular edema, caused byfluid leakage, involvesswelling of the central por-tion of the retina and posesa further threat to vision.

Over time, retinopathy canprogress to proliferativediabetic retinopathy, whichentails the abnormal growthof blood vessels on the opticnerve. While injections ofcorticosteroid can be usefulin reducing the risk of pro-gression of diabeticretinopathy, new researchshows that steroid treat-ment does not prevent the

progression of macularedema or improve thevision of patients with dia-betic retinopathy any betterthan laser photocoagula-tion. Thus, because usingsteroids in the eye has beenlinked with glaucoma andcataracts, lasers are thetreatment of choice.

About 700,000 people in theUnited States have prolifer-ative diabetic retinopathy.

If you would like furtherinformation on this topic orwould like to make anappointment, please call myoffice at (775) 882-2988. Weare conveniently located at3839 N. Carson Street.Hours are 8-5 p.m., Mondaythrough Friday by appoint-ment. M/C, Visa, MedicareAssignment accepted.

Ophthalmology

Shining Light on Diabetic Eyes

Michael J. Fischer, M.D.Eye Physician & Surgeon

Years to Life / page 13then it is not yet the end."What better way of addinglife to years.

Please note that theCenter for Healthy Aging is anon-profit organization andwe depend on support fromthe community to continueour message of “adding life toyears.” We are partneringwith the Big Horns basketballteam in Reno on March 24that 3 p.m. to have a benefitbasketball game to raisefunds for seniors to keepthem in their communitiesand not be hospitalized(TCONN – Transitional Care

of Northern NV and Lifeline Personal EmergencyResponse programs). Pleasesupport our efforts with yourdonations. Contact MartaMalone at 775-848-1260 forsponsorship, donation, andticket information. Thankyou.

Lawrence J. Weiss, Ph.D.,is CEO of the Center forHealthy Aging. Dr. Weisswelcomes your comments onthis column. Write to him atlarry@addinglifetoyears.comor c/o Center for HealthyAging, 11 Fillmore Way,Reno, NV 89519.

The Truckee MeadowsRegional PlanningAgency held a work-

shop on February 21, on“Demographics and theAging of our Population,” apresentation for elected lead-

ership in Washoe County.TMRPA Executive

Director Kimberly Robinsonsaid the workshop is just thebeginning of a series of pre-sentations to educate gov-ernment leaders and the

community on the needto prepare for an agingsociety.

Never in human his-tory have people lived solong. We are living

An Aging Society

18 • 2013 • March

longer and having fewerbabies says Sociologist, JamesJackson. “We are becomingan aging society, and it is notjust about growing old orbecoming aging BabyBoomers; it’s also aboutaging Generation Xers andMillennials.” The BabyBoomers, he explained, “arean introduction to what’sabout to happen in the per-manent shift.” Aging hasbecome a permanent state ofsociety.

Washoe County Planningand Development Division,Senior Planner, ChadGiesinger would agree. The55-64 age group in WashoeCounty absorbed 27.3 per-cent of all the populationgrowth. “Nearly 25 percentof the population is now overthe age of 55 (up from 19.6%in 2000).

Giesinger is also quick topoint out that seniors are notthe only population to payattention to. The Hispanicpopulation grew dramaticallyin Washoe County. Giesingersaid the 2000-2010 Censusshowed Hispanics grew by22.2 percent (a 5.6% increasesince 2000), followed by non-Hispanic whites (31.1%), andAsians (8.5%). The medianage for Hispanics held steadyat 34.6 years.

With “one out of every 4people over the age of 55,”Robinson says the TMRPA isplanning for an aging society.The shift in population hascome silently but steadily

over the past decade. It willeffect how Americans live,work, plan their families,how they organize theirthinking. When SocialSecurity was enacted, peoplewere expected to retire byage 62. Today, people canexpect to live 15 yearsbeyond retirement age.

Nevada StateDemographer, Jeff Hardcastlesaid employment growth forolder adults will occur infood services, arts, entertain-ment, recreation and retailtrade, adding there is roomfor growth in healthcare andsocial assistance. Health andsocial services may point tothe need to provide servicesin a growing, aging popula-tion.

Senior Services DirectorGrady Tarbutton says “Agingin Place” for Washoe CountySeniors will help meet basicneeds. Tarbutton says theEldersCount 2013 survey(University of Nevada-Reno,Sanford Center for Aging)showed that people are lessobese, have higher incomes,are physically active, havefewer falls, and lower hospi-tal and nursing home read-missions. But he said, statis-tics show seniors have lowerlife expectancy, high mortali-ty rates, poverty, lack ofnutrition, are medicallyunderserved, have highhealth care expenditures, andhave limited access to homeand community based serv-ices offered by the state.

March • 2013 • 19

John TysonLocal Storyteller/

Northern Nevadan

*Based on 2011/2012 Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Health Plan ratings and Consumer Assessment of Health Plans Study - Medicare & You Handbook. **Based on comparison of plans provider networks offered in northern Nevada counties. ***Based on comparison of Medicare Advantage plans offered in northern Nevada counties. ****Based on CMS Medicare Advantage/Part D Contract and Enrollment Data for October 2011.Senior Care Plus is a 4-Star Rated Plan. Plan performance summary star ratings are assessed each year and may change from one year to the next. Senior Care Plus is a health plan with a Medicare contract, available to anyone with both Medicare Parts A and B. A member must be a resident of Carson City County, Churchill County, Douglas County, Lyon County, Storey County or Washoe County and continue to pay his or her Medicare Part B premium. John Tyson is a paid spokesperson for Senior Care Plus. Material ID: Y0039_2012_SeniorSpectrumJan File & Use: 01032012 A Medicare Advantage Plan from Hometown Health.

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Long-timefamous

Nevadan Jack Streeter, whopassed away recently, wasone of the last “men tomatch my mountains” in thisarea.

Many thought the charis-matic individual, who startedoff as District Attorney ofWashoe County following hisheroic exploits in WWII,would continue on to politi-cal prominence.

A towering physical pres-ence, he commanded respectin all the venues in which heappeared. Unfortunately, asfar as politics was concerned,he was anything but “politi-cally correct” in his feelingsor vocal statements. I canonly recall one occasionwhere I witnessed him give avery strong politician-type

speech. It was at the dedica-tion of the new tower of theVA Hospital in Reno whichhad been named in hishonor. At that time heunequivocally stated that theUnited States should lookinward to its own problemsrather than acting as a“policeman to the world.”

If there would be a posterboy for the “GreatestGeneration,” as TV journalistTom Brokaw has named it,Jack Streeter would certainlyfill that bill.

Previous accounts of hisheroic performance in WWIIhave adequately listed hisawards which made him themost decorated Nevadan ofthat epoch struggle. Whatthose accounts failed tomention was his humor andgenerosity. His son brieflytouched on it during his final

service when he mentionedthe incident where leaving atip for the hotel maid wasmore important than goingto a prescheduled businessmeeting.

Probably the best insightinto his aggressive demeanor,which must have helped himto be a Golden Glove cham-pion, was exhibited at theGin tables of the ProspectorsClub. While the acceptedprotocol was to quietly say“Gin” and gently place yourcards on the table in front ofyour opponent, Jack had amore forceful routine. Hewould utter a loud “Bang”and slam his cards downthus further intimidating andunnerving his already appre-hensive opponent. On otherrare occasions when the

20 • 2013 • March

BIGGESTlittleCity Jack Streeter RememberedHarry Spencer

Jack Streeter and U.S. Senator Richard Bryan at VA Medical Center towernaming ceremony. File photo - Connie McMullen

March • 2013 • 21

You have the power to influence.Immunize Nevada wants to remind you the best way to protect yourself and your loved ones against the flu is to get vaccinated. This season, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are recommending that everyone 6 months and older get a flu vaccine.

To learn more, visit InfluenceNevada.org

Funding provided by the Nevada State Health Division by Grant Number 5H23IP922549-10 from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Southern NevadaImmunization and Health CoalitionSNIHC

tables were turned onhim, he would retaliate bytearing the full deck ofcards in half. He alsooften performed this samefeat if the telephone direc-tory was handy.

It probably is a littleknown fact that Jack alsowas highly influential injump starting the politicalcareer of one Bill Raggio.He approached the younglawyer who was startingout in private practice andoffered him a job asAssistant DistrictAttorney. When Streeterleft the DA’s office afterone term, Dyer Jensensucceeded him for a singleterm. Then in 1958 it wasRaggio’s turn to run forDA, a post he held for thenext twelve years.

My most long-termcontact with Jack waswhen he accompanied ajunket to Harold Smith,Jr.’s casino in Sveti StefanYugoslavia. The highlightof our relationshipoccurred late one eveningwhen I was informed thatthree native Yugoslavianswho were not allowed togamble were causing adisturbance in the bar

area. I first sought out Joe Keshmeri, Junior’sbodyguard, to assist me intaking care of the ruckus.Keshmeri said he had bet-ter check with Junior firstand disappeared. As thesituation grew worse, Isearched for other helpand found Streeter dozingon the couch in the lobby.

Accompanied by Jackand the late Jack Knorpp,we headed to the bar andresolved the problem. Onthe return flight fromYugoslavia our plane wasdelayed by a mechanicalfunction and we spentseveral hours at the air-port in Shannon Ireland.This meant that ourarrival in San Franciscowould be delayed untilaround midnight. As weapproached the SF airport,Jack came up to me andnoted that one of hisclients, Harvey Gross,owner of the WagonWheel Casino at LakeTahoe had offered to payfor hotel accommodationsfor the junketeers whocould not get a flighthome at that late hour.

In every situation inhis life Jack Streeter was aforce of nature.

Senator Tester and Ialso joined forces touphold the honor of mili-tary service with theintroduction of the StolenValor Act. This legislationmakes it a federal crime tolie about receiving a mili-tary decoration or medalin order to profit or bene-fit financially. Our mili-tary men and women con-tinue to put themselves inharm’s way to protectAmerican interestsabroad. Congress must doall that it can to preserve

the integrity of the decorations and medals award-ed to those who haveserved our country.

After everything ourheroes have done for us,the least we can do ismake sure they are afford-ed the very best treat-ment. I will continuefighting for all of theheroes who call the SilverState home.

Write Sen. Heller at: Bruce ThompsonFederal Building, 400 S.Virginia Street, Ste. 738,Reno, NV 89501.

Nevada Heroes / page 4

Streeter / page 20

tkeep middle classAmericans from being sub-ject to the AMT. This year,Congress increased theexemption from $50,600 to$78,750. It also went a stepfurther, providing that in

future years, the exemptionwill be indexed for infla-tion.

Estate and Gift TaxesCongress voted to retain

the $5 million federal estatetax exemption, adjusted for

inflation. Thismeans thatfor 2013, theestate taxexemption is$5.25 millionfor an indi-vidual and$10.5 millionfor a marriedcouple. Thetop estate taxrate has beenincreasedfrom 35 per-cent to 40percent.

The gifttax and theestate taxremain uni-

fied, meaning that yourlifetime gift tax use issubtracted from the total$5.25 million exemptionamount remaining at yourdeath. The gift tax alsoincludes an annual exclu-sion amount – for 2013,the annual exclusion in$14,000. This means thatyou may give away up to$14,000 to as many differ-ent individuals as youchoose without dippinginto your lifetime exemp-tion amount.

IRA Charitable RolloverFor a limited time –

2012 and 2013 only –Congress has extended theIRA charitable rollover pro-visions. This means that anindividual over the age of70! can take funds fromhis or her IRA to make acharitable donation of up to$100,000 without thatamount counting asincome.

While the AmericanTaxpayer Relief Act simpli-fies estate planning from anestate tax standpoint – atleast for most Americans –it does not eliminate theneed to plan.

You still need an estateplan to make sure yourwishes are followed, to passon your hard-earned wealthand protect your lovedones’ inheritances fromlawsuits, divorce, long-termcare expenses, guardian-ships, probate and otherrisks. An estate plan willalso help your family navi-gate life’s transitions withminimal stress and conflict.An experienced estate plan-ning attorney can help youput together a plan tailoredto your goals and your fam-ily’s needs.

The Law Firm ofAnderson, Dorn & Rader,Ltd. is devoted exclusivelyto estate planning. We aremembers of the AmericanAcademy of Estate PlanningAttorneys and offer guid-ance and advice to ourclients in every area ofestate planning. We offercomprehensive and person-alized estate planning con-sultations. For more infor-mation or attend anupcoming seminar, pleasecontact us at (775) 823-9455 or visit us online atwww.probatebusters.com.

22 • 2013 • March

Estate Plan / page 7

March • 2013 • 23

It’s February 6th as I writethis, working a monthahead to meet the March

deadline has me battlingwriter’s block. I could writeabout a trip to see my son inSouthern California ... butthat hasn’t happened yet. Itwould nice to mention thebright spots of color in thegarden, mostly gold and pur-ple crocus ... but they’ve yet toput in an appearance.

I can, however, recom-mend a recently viewed docu-mentary film on DVD.“Buck” is the story of a horse-whisperer and follows him ashe crosses the country hold-ing a series of clinics for train-ing horses (and people). BuckBrannaman’s story is one oftriumph over adversity. As achild he and his brother were

trick ropers, taught and pro-moted by a violent, alcoholicfather. Put in foster care afterthe abuse the boys sufferedwas discovered, Buck slowlycame out of his shell andfound his true calling.

More than fifty years agomy husband and I were ran-domly chosen to participatein an A.C. Nielsen televisionsurvey. A representative ofthe company attached a small,black box to our television setand sent us viewing dairies torecord what we watched on aweekly basis. (Each diarycame with a single, crisp dol-lar bill, a thank-you for ourtime.) Diaries arrived everyfew months and we never didlearn the significance of theblack box, which I suspectwas a ruse to keep us honest

about recording our viewinghabits. In January wereceived a call; once againwe’d randomly been contact-ed by the Nielsen Companyand asked to participate in aviewing survey. One weekthe end of January. Samekind of diary, but this timethere was a separate diary foreach television set in thehouse. No black box but,again, a single crisp dollar bill(what, no increase for infla-tion in fifty-years?). What didwe record? Lots of PBS pro-grams, part of the SuperBowl, evening news and ourfavorite sports (figure skatingand rugby).

Kishwar Desai is the win-ner of the Costa First NovelAward for her socially rele-vant mystery, “Witness theNight.” Set in Northern India,the story revolves around amass murder, but it’s the sta-tus of women in India thatcombines with recent head-

lines to make one aware of thegender discrimination stillrampant at all levels of societythere. If you’re a member of abook club, do consider“Witness the Night” a possi-bility for future discussion.(Barnes & Noble or Amazon.)

Our Sparks neighborhoodshopping centers (Prater Wayand McCarran) continue theirdown-market trend. In addi-tion to a Dollar Tree and BigLots that have been with usfor several years, we now havenew 99-cent and FamilyDollar stores. A few of theempty store fronts are beingfilled, but that old, 100 per-cent occupancy situation isn’tlikely to return any time soon.As a nation of consumers,seems to me the dividebetween the haves and have-nots continues to grow at analarming rate.

As March arrives, Springdoes, too. Stay warm, be well,and watch for the green.

ECLECTIC OBSERVERby Janet Ross

We get asked all the time.What’s your secret?How do you do it? Yes,

there are the standard answers.“He makes me laugh!” “We nevergo to bed angry.” “We’re a team!”“We agree on most everything.”“We like the same things.” Thetruth is we don’t agree on much.He does make me laugh. Wehave had some serious knockdown and drawn out fights. Icry. He yells. We are both fromthe Bronx. Being from the EastCoast seems to be a factor inlong-term marriages.

I cringe when asked how longwe’re married. David exploits it.Couples married this long gracethe newspapers and mostly lookand act the part. We hope wedon’t. Go ahead, count on yourfingers to determine our ages. I

can’t lie. I’lladmit I was 19and David was22. We cer-tainly didn’tknow what wewere gettinginto. It waskind of anescape fromour parentsalthough wewere and stillare wildly inlove. In fact,we express itdaily.

For onething, we com-plement eachother. He ismath proficientand is a superfinancial man-ager but wasalmost kickedout of bothHigh Schooland college due

to bad behavior and sucky grades.I am the English major andteacher. Okay, I am the straight Aquiet one. I correct his spellingand writing; that helps him getahead in business. This is beforespell check!

Let me back up a little. Ipromise it won’t be excruciatinglong.

July 1960: My brother introduces us by

the apartment pool. David joinsthe Navy. The tight uniformsimpress me. He has them tailormade to fit.

Meanwhile, I am dating a guywho lives on my floor. He is incollege and takes me out in hiswhite convertible. He plans to bea lawyer and eventually doesbecome a district attorney.

David and I date on and off.The drive-in movie is our usualleave destination. I pay and hesleeps. I return him under theGW Bridge at midnight to bepicked up by buddies going backto his ship.

May 1962: David’s ship pulls into New

York for Memorial Day Weekend.We will spend the day at PalisadesPark in New Jersey, an amuse-ment park. He is acting weird.He decides to change course andreturn home. He turns the cararound. Of course, it’s my car heis driving. I protest to no avail.

Alone in my apartment, hegets down on one knee and says,“Eydie Bram, Will you marry me?”I almost faint as he places the gor-geous ring on my finger. Hismom helped him pick it out. Ithought she didn’t like me. It’salready been cleared with my dadwho granted his permission.Yes, yes, I say yes! The date ischosen, March 16, 1963.

24 • 2013 • March

The Story of Us!

Eydie’s Excerpts

Eydie and DavidNorthern Nevada Medical Center

March • 2013 • 25

March 16, 1963-exactly 50 years ago today

Pink is the chosen color.Yes, I distinctly rememberthe pink floral dress my bestfriend and maid of honorwears. She buys it atAlexanders, a discount store like Walmart but tells Grace,David’s mom that it camefrom Bloomingdales. Bothmoms wear pink. David, hisdad, my dad, and his brotherand mine, sport tails and tophats. He crushes the glassthe rabbi puts in front ofhim. Cheers and applausering out and it is official.

I wrote this for us!

Are we crazy or somewhatinsane?So many couples splittingand yet we remainHappier together than weever could be apartMore in love now than wewere at the start

Looking for reasons, it would be hard to defineNot knowing what to expectat any particular timeSharing a lifetime, reaching a dreamKnowing what having a best friend can meanDiscussing our thoughts and our innermost feelingsOur anxieties and hopes, –always revealingA bond that joins us – some-thing extraordinarily strongTo always be wanted –To always belong!

To be continued…Comments always appreciat-ed: eydies@aol.com

26 • 2013 • March

March • 2013 • 27

Answers page 28

28 • 2013 • March

Crossword p.27

March • 2013 • 29

March 8 - Red Thunder, The Next Generation,10:30 a.m., Reno Senior Center MultipurposeRoom, Washoe County Library and PioneerCenter Youth Programs.

March 8 - Internation Women!s Day LunafestCelebration, 6:30 - 9 p.m., Joe Crowley StudentUnion, presented by Zonta Club of GreaterReno.

March 8 - Art Afternoon: Workshop & Social forSeniors, 1 - 3 p.m., $7/$6 members, NevadaMuseum of Art, Reno.

March 8 - 29 - Northern Nevada Artwork, middleand high school students, Holland ProjectGallery, Reno. Scholastic Art Awards Ceremony,March 14, 6 - 7 p.m., Nevada Museum of Art.

March 9 - Reno Youth Jazz Orchestra, BartleyRanch Regional Park, 7 p.m., every Saturday,(775) 828-6612, www.washoecountyparks.com.

March 9 - E-Book Cafe, Sierra View Library, 11 -12 p.m., (775) 827-3232.

March 12 - Wendy Damonte!s Stories, 10 - 11a.m., Laxalt Auditorium, Nelson Building, SeniorOutreach Services, (775) 784-7506.

March 14 - Landlord/Tenant Seminar, 2 p.m.,Reno Senor Center Art Room (775) 328-2608.

March 15 - Are You Wearing Someone Else!sShoes?, 10:30 - 11:45 a.m., Reno Senior CenterGame Room, Orthopedic Surgeon Rowlin, (775) 328-2575.

March 19 - Emergency Food Pantry, RenoSenior Center, doors open at 7:30 a.m., limitedto first 300 people, income restrictions apply, call (775) 328-2575.

March 19 - Food Bank Truck (CSFP), 9:15 -11:15 a.m., Reno Senior Center, income restric-tions, sign up at the truck in the parking lot.March 12, 11:45 - 12:30 p.m., Sparks SeniorCenter. March 20, 9 - 10 a.m., Sun Valley SeniorCenter. Call (775) 328-2575 for more informa-tion.

March 19 & 22 - Rumors by Neil Simon, AgelessRepertory Theatre, Circle!s Edge, 1117California Ave., charter.net/agelessrep.

March 21 - Living Will Seminar, 2 p.m., RSVP byMarch 14, Senior Law Project, (775) 328-2592.

March 21 - Marion Blackwell, presented byBlack Rock Design Institute, recognized archi-tect, $10/$8 members, (775) 329-3333.

March 27 - Veterans Benefits Outreach, 10 - 12p.m., Reno Senior Center South Hallway, (775) 328-2575.

Calendar

Despiteall the fret-ting and

middle of the night anxietywe did board a plane for ourmulti-leg trip, arriving inSingapore at two a.m. Sincethe ship was still at sea wewere to spend whatremained of the night in anairport hotel.

Our travel arrangementsare made by the cruise line,all we had was a name. Wecollected our luggage con-taining the things we would-n’t need instead of the thingswe would and headed towardthe door, hoping hotel shut-tle buses would be running

at that hour and that thehotel wasn’t too far away. Itwasn’t. The Crown Plaza

Airport Hotel is literally atthe airport. We pushed theluggage cart down the corri-dor and directly into sheerAsian luxury. Trust me--it’sworth a flight to Singaporejust to stay there.

By noon we had boardedthe ship and were takingturns unpacking in the lessthan spacious cabin thatwould be home for the next25 days. My husband cur-rently lectures for four lovely,upscale cruise lines, each ofthem featuring somethingparticularly terrific. (Just forfun I did a spread sheet list-ing what we like best about

each). On three of thoselines our accommodationsare wonderful; on this one,cabins (also known as state-rooms, depending on thecruise line) are quite smallbut we manage to peacefullyco-exist without inflictingbodily harm to one another.

We sailed off into thesunset at five headed forHong Kong via Viet Nam,the latter being the reasonwe had chosen this itinerary.I wanted to see the placewhere my husband had spenta year and he wanted to seehow it had changed. We arealways on board for twoback-to-back cruises and thisfirst one was just eight dayswith 640 passengers repre-

senting 37 countries on a 700passenger ship.

Day two was a sea/lectureday and we started meetingour multinational fellow pas-sengers. They were all verynice but even after all theseyears we continue to beamazed because every cruisehas its own unique characterand personality. The dura-tion of this one, combinedwith the multitude ofnations, proved to be a bitless cohesive than the subse-quent 17-day cruise whenthere was more time formeeting/bonding and Brits,Americans and Aussies weredominant. This cruise linehas “open seating” for dinnerwhich means you can eat

30 • 2013 • March

this ‘n thatby Anne Vargasannevargas3@gmail.com

Doing What We Do—Again, continued In part one (February issue) I was preparing for our pending cruises in Asia,

convinced I had packed incorrectly (I had) and worrying about everything even though we have done this over a hundred times.

Part Two

whenever you like withwhomever you like so wehad many delightful eveningswith new friends.

On day three we sailedinto Saigon. The name hasbeen changed to Ho ChiMinh City but both namesare used and to us it willalways be Saigon. My hus-band traveled throughout thecountry as an advisor to theVietnamese during the VietNam War (known in thispart of the world as theAmerican War) but he wasbased at Camp Tran HungDao nearby. It was the firstof the four days we were tospend in Saigon during thecourse of the two cruises; thesecond cruise would repeatthese ports of call and addothers. Our visits coincidedwith Tet (Lunar New Year inViet Nam) and the air ofexcitement was infectious,much like our holiday seasonbut greatly magnified.

Flowers were everywhere,shops would close for daysand families were congregat-ing from afar.

From my husband’s com-parative perspective, Saigonseems to be a blend of whathe remembered and a pur-suit of prosperity.Skyscrapers are everywhere.Cho Lanh, the area where hehad lived, was not to befound but the Cathedral ofNotre Dame remainsunchanged. There are stilltypical teeming open foodmarkets and ramshackleshops and, startlingly, a mod-ern mall featuring LouisVuitton, Yves Saint Laurentand Gucci across the street.

I wanted to see theMekong Delta. The shipoffered a tour which took usby bus through the country-side followed by a boat rideup the river and then onto aSampan. What I hadn’t real-ized was that once the boatdocked (using that term

loosely) we had to step ratherprecariously in groups offour across a wobbly rampwithout handrails into theSampan. We were instructedto put our foot carefully intothe middle lest we tip it over.

I have written in othercolumns about my spirit ofadventure: it’s non-existent. Iwas absent the day the angelsdispensed that, receiving asurplus of timidity instead.Risk-taking of any kind hasalways been an alien con-cept--the most dangerousthing I did as a child was toride a merry-go-round.Much as I wanted to experi-ence riding through these

jungle waters I wasn’t sure Icould muster the courage.As I watched everyone elsewarily make their way intothe tiny vessel I seriouslyconsidered just staying onthe boat. I kept moving tothe back of the line so I couldrepeatedly see how otherswere managing, thereby end-ing up in the last Sampan.Big mistake. The minute thelast four passengers (3 othersand me) stepped onto thatwobbly ramp the boat leftbecause it was to meet uselsewhere.

The Sampan I wasattempting to board (afterforgetting the instructionsabout stepping in the middleand nearly tipping it over)was missing part of a floorboard and water was unnerv-ingly visible but the youngman navigating it gestured a“no problem” sign. He maynot have found that disturb-ing but he wasn’t able to start

(this ‘n that page 32)

March • 2013 • 31

this ‘n that / page 30

instructions on how to getout of a Sampan and even ifwe had there was nowhere togo. And there are snakes in that river. I practiced deepbreathing and told myselfeverything would be all right.

I was saved from yieldingto hysteria only because thewoman in front of me hadn’t;she was so upset I occupiedmyself trying to reassure her.The motor never did startbut eventually anotherSampan came along and thenavigator tied a rope to oursand pulled us up through themuddy canal. It was hot andhumid but beautiful andserene. It is also exactlywhere my husband did hisjungle warfare training and Itried to envision how it musthave been for him to wadethrough those waters infatigues and boots, holding arifle at his chest.

I found the intensehumidity & heat for theentire trip to be challenging--just ask my husband howmuch I whimpered as Iwaded around in a perpetualpuddle of perspiration--but itwas great for the complexion.I bought & wore a traditionalVietnamese cone hat whichhelped but I couldn’t get itinto the suitcase so it won’tbe seen In Reno.

Before leaving Saigon Iwould face my claustropho-bic demons on a visit to theCu Chi Tunnels, described inPartThreenextmonth.And no,that’s notme in thephotobelow; the demons won thatround.

As we were in theprocess of planning aroad trip through

Death Valleyand on to LasVegas our inter-net server wentdown, which ledto additionalcomputer issues.You’re familiarwith the phrase, “what cango wrong….?” Net result,we were left without accessto the internet for a few days.To us it felt like more thanjust a minor inconvenience.

You see, all of the prepara-tions for our upcoming get-away, including motel reser-

vations, determiningthe best routes, sitesto see, etc., were beingmade on the internet– as has become ourcustom.

Which leads us tothe topic of the

month…. making vacationplans via the internet.

We’ve discovered thatonce we pick a destination,there are many good internetresources to help us work

out the details. If you areflying, for example, many air-line companies offer vacationpackages that are less expen-sive than booking the air andhotel separately. Online trav-el companies such as Expediaand Frommer’s also offerpackage deals. Don’t forgetto ask for the senior dis-count.

We’ve had good experi-ences with Expedia.com.When comparing an airlineflight booked throughExpedia with the fare of thesame flight offered through

the airline itself, Expedia isoften less expensive.Lodging, car rental, cruisesand other vacation packagescan also be booked throughthe company.

Today Frommer’s is alarge, reliable company withan easy-to-maneuver web-site, and guidebooks on justabout any place you couldever dream of. But back in1957 when the internet wasyet to be, Robert was inEurope on business andlooking for the best possible

(Seniors4Travel page 33)

the motor despite repeatedattempts.

The other Sampans wereall way ahead of us and theboat was gone. Now what?We hadn’t gotten any

32 • 2013 • March

this ‘n that / page 31

Seniors4Travel Robert Boyd & Carolyn Prusa

A man travels the world in search of what he needs and returns home to find it.- George Moore, Irish Novelist

travel deals. Arthur Frommer had recently written a travelguidebook called “Europe onFive Dollars a Day” whichserved Robert well.

Previously, whileFrommer was a U.S. soldierserving in Europe, he wrote aguidebook called “The GI’sGuide to Traveling inEurope.” Both publicationsproved to be very successful.Frommer’s business expand-ed to publishing several trav-el magazines. Now in hiseighties, Frommer writes atravel column with hisdaughter Pauline Frommer.They also have a weeklyradio program and writetravel blogs. Pauline pub-lished a guide titled “SpendLess and See More.” It canbe downloaded from theFrommer’s website.

If you are planning a roadtrip, AAA TripTik® is anonline assist worth a look.Simply go to the website,plug in beginning and endingdestinations. A road mapmarked with the suggestedroute appears on the com-puter screen, along withdriving directions, road con-ditions, AAA-rated dining,lodging, campgrounds,events and sightseeing on theroute. You can also bookyour trips online throughAAA - cruises, air, auto

rental, hotel, etc. – a click ortwo with the mouse on thisuser-friendly website and it’sdone. Discounts are availablefor AAA members.

AAA publishes a maga-zine called “Via” which oftenincludes information on localareas of interest. As AAAmembers we’ve visited thelocal AAA office off SouthVirginia Street for compli-mentary travel guides. Forour upcoming road trip, wewere able to obtain detailed

maps and brochures onplaces to stay and things todo in Death Valley andsouthern Nevada.

The country’s majornewspapers are also pub-lished online and have week-ly travel sections with scadsof information on interestingplaces to go. We’re particu-larly fond of the New YorkTimes. National Geographic,Travel & Leisure, AFAR andTravel 50 & Beyond are greatmagazines with websites for

travel ideas. So get going! If you’ve got

a computer with internetaccess, you can start plan-ning your vacation right now– without leaving the house.

March • 2013 • 33

(Seniors4Travel page 32

34 • 2013 • March

April 5-7On Sale Now!On Sale Now!

FOR TICKETS CALL 775-686-6600 OR VISIT WWW.PIONEERCENTER.COM OR AT THE PIONEER CENTER BOX OFFICE (MON. - FRI. 11AM-6PM)

RESERVATIONS AVAILABLE FOR GROUPS OF 20+

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