At the National Senior Games Association (NSGA) annual meeting in Kissimmee, Fla. last week, Bend was chosen to host the Oregon Senior Games starting June 2014. The event is expected to draw approximately 500 registered participants within the first year, plus an additional 250 support team members and spouses.

Prior to last week, Oregon was one of only two states that did not have an NSGA-sanctioned Senior Games. Discussions between Visit Bend and NSGA began in 2009, and culminated with the NSGA awarding the event to Bend at the annual meeting in February 2013.

“We’re thrilled to have the opportunity to host the Oregon Senior Games in Bend,” explained Kevney Dugan, Visit Bend’s Director of Sales & Sports Development.

“Bend is the ultimate outdoor playground, and this event is an excellent opportunity to showcase the city to a new group of athletes and recreation enthusiasts.”

The Senior Games series is designed for athletes ages 50 and older, and encompasses a wide variety of sports including archery, basketball, golf,
pickleball, road racing, swimming, triathlon, volleyball, and more. Host cities must offer 14 events from the list of accepted sports.

“We’re still in the planning stages in determining which sports we’ll host, which facilities we’ll use, and which dates in June we’ll select for the games,” Dugan noted.

“Most likely we’ll choose events that have proven most popular in other state Senior Games, and venues that will best showcase our city.”

Because the Oregon Senior Games will be sanctioned by the NSGA, the top four finishers in most sports in each age group will qualify for the National Senior Games, as will competitors who meet minimum performance standards in applicable sports. For more information, visit http://nsga.com.

“Hosting the Oregon Senior Games is an important part of our long-term strategy to grow Bend’s tourism industry,” noted Visit Bend CEO Doug La Placa. “Large, well-established senior athletic events like the Huntsman World Senior Games in Utah or the National Senior Games can draw 11,000 to 13,000 people, respectively. While we don’t expect that level of interest initially, we look forward to growing the Oregon Senior Games and broadening public interest in Bend as the ultimate recreation destination.”

In the 2013 Annual Report to Congress, the Trustees announced:

The combined trust fund reserves are still growing and will continue to do so through 2020.

Beginning with 2021, the cost of the program is projected to exceed income.

The projected point at which the combined trust fund reserves will become depleted, if Congress does not act before then, comes in 2033 – the same as projected last year.  At that time, there will be sufficient income coming in to pay 77 percent of scheduled benefits.

The projected actuarial deficit over the 75-year long-range period is 2.72 percent of taxable payroll — 0.05 percentage point larger than in last year’s report.

“The Social Security Trust Funds’ projected depletion dates have not changed, and three-fourths of benefits would still be payable after depletion.  But the fact remains that Congress needs to act to ensure the long-term solvency of this vital program,” said Carolyn W. Colvin, Acting Commissioner of Social Security.  “The projected year for Disability Insurance Trust Fund depletion remains 2016, and legislative action is needed as soon as possible to address this financial imbalance.”

Other highlights of the Trustees Report include:

Income including interest to the combined OASDI Trust Funds amounted to $840 billion in 2012.  ($590 billion in net contributions, $27 billion from taxation of benefits, $109 billion in interest, and $114 billion in reimbursements from the General Fund of the Treasury-almost exclusively resulting from the 2012 payroll tax legislation)

* Total expenditures from the combined OASDI Trust Funds amounted to $786 billion in 2012.

* Non-interest income fell below program costs in 2010 for the first time since 1983.  Program costs are projected to exceed non-interest income throughout the remainder of the 75-year period.

* The asset reserves of the combined OASDI Trust Funds increased by $54 billion in 2012 to a total of $2.73 trillion.

* During 2012, an estimated 161 million people had earnings covered by Social Security and paid payroll taxes.

* Social Security paid benefits of $775 billion in calendar year 2012.  There were about 57 million beneficiaries at the end of the calendar year.

* The cost of $6.3 billion to administer the program in 2012 was a very low 0.8 percent of total expenditures.

*   The combined Trust Fund asset reserves earned interest at an effective annual rate of 4.1 percent in 2012.

The Board of Trustees is comprised of six members.  Four serve by virtue of their positions with the federal government: Jacob J. Lew, Secretary of the Treasury and Managing Trustee; Carolyn W. Colvin, Acting Commissioner of Social Security; Kathleen Sebelius, Secretary of Health and Human Services; and Seth D. Harris, Acting Secretary of Labor.  The two public trustees are Charles P. Blahous, III and Robert D. Reischauer.

Every day in the United States, nearly 10,000 baby boomers reach the official retirement age of 65, many of whom will live well into their 80’s – though not without assistance.

As part of its on-going reports examining the challenges facing America in the wake of a “silver tsunami” of aging boomers, PBS NewsHour is launching “Taking Care” – a series of reports on the increased demand for and challenges of long-term care.

The series begins Thursday, May 30, 2013 (check local listings) with a profile of one family’s daily struggles with long-term care.

Mary Wyant is an artist and former college professor struggling with dementia.  Like most Americans, Mary and her family had not prepared for the possibility of long term care.  Although she is lovingly cared for by her daughter Rebecca, it is easy to see the tremendous toll long-term care can take on families – financially, emotionally and physically.

Produced with support from The SCAN Foundation, the report is the first in a 6-part series on long-term care that will continue throughout the year with reports that show the magnitude of the problem, the challenges faced by individuals and governments, and some of the models for change being tested.

In addition to the broadcast reports, the series will feature robust online components, including additional material, topical reports and discussions.  Addendums to Thursday’s report on the Wyant family include:

• Health Care Report on the Warning Signs of Alzheimer’s Disease
• Photo Slide Show detailing Alzheimer’s impact on Mary Wyant’s artwork
• Q & A – Viewers can share their experiences and concerns about long-term care and pose questions to Carol Steinberg, President of the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America and Rebecca Wyant, the caregiver featured in the NewsHour report, through the PBS NewsHour comment section and via the NewsHour Facebook page. www.facebook.com/newshour

The SCAN Foundation is an independent, non-profit public charity devoted to advancing a world where all of us can age with dignity, independence, and choice.

PBS NEWSHOUR is seen by over 5 million weekly viewers and is also available online, via public radio in select markets and via podcast. The program is produced in association with WETA Washington, D.C., and WNET.org in New York. Major corporate funding for the PBS NEWSHOUR is provided by BNSF Railway, AT&T and BP with additional support from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and public television viewers. www.pbs.org/newshour

Reducing greenhouse gas emissions can be achieved in a top down manner—via legislation mandating reductions in fossil fuel emissions—or in a bottom-up fashion with individuals and businesses doing their part by driving and flying less, conserving more and embracing greener forms of energy. Environmental leaders would like to see Americans take both paths to cut greenhouse gas emissions as fast as possible.

The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), a leading green group, has proposed a five-step plan for Americans to follow to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 80 percent by mid-century. Step One is to cut global warming pollution via “strong legislation that caps carbon emissions and makes polluters pay for the global warming gases they produce.” Step Two involves investing more in green jobs and clean energy. Producing more fuel efficient cars constitutes Step Three. Creating green homes and buildings is Step Four. Step Five: Build more sustainable communities and transportation networks.

Individuals need to play a role, too, by altering our behaviors to reduce our individual carbon footprints. NRDC has several suggestions along these lines as well. Walking, biking or using public transit instead of driving is one. If you must drive, make sure for best gas mileage that your car is tuned and your tires are properly inflated. If in need of a new car, look into a hybrid or electric that consumes less or no gasoline.

On the home front, weatherization can go a long way to lower heating and air conditioning needs, thus saving significant amounts of energy. Also, upgrading old appliances to more energy efficient models and switching out old lightbulbs with new compact fluorescents (CFL) or LEDs will keep carbon footprints down. If your utility has a green energy option—with power from wind, solar or other renewables—choose it, even if it costs more than the coal-based electricity. And for things you can’t change there are carbon offsets you can buy that support renewable energy projects that will offset your carbon emissions.

But perhaps the most important tool we have as individuals for battling global warming is our voice. “Send a message to your elected officials, letting them know that you will hold them accountable for what they do—or fail to do—about global warming,” instructs NRDC. On the group’s website you can customize a letter to President Obama urging him to finalize a carbon pollution standard for new power plants, and direct the Environmental Protection Agency to set tough new standards for existing plants.
Environmentalists are optimistic that President Obama will take strong action to fight global warming during his second term. But even if he convinces Congress to pass binding legislation limiting carbon outputs, each of us will continue to play an important role through how we lead our own day-to-day lives.

Annual net carbon uptake by these trees is estimated at 21 million tons and $1.5 billion in economic benefit.

In a study published recently in the journal Environmental Pollution, Dave Nowak, a research forester with the U.S. Forest Service’s Northern Research Station, and his colleagues used urban tree field data from 28 cities and six states and national tree cover data to estimate total carbon storage in the nation’s urban areas.  The study resonates with tree stewards here in Portland.

“As cities and suburbs grow and grow, trees and urban forests are becoming increasingly important to the health and well-being of our environment” said Jenn Cairo, City of Portland Urban Forester.  “Trees provide carbon storage, filter stormwater, help cool the air, and provide wildlife habitat.  This study is a reminder of the many values of trees and we hope it spurs even more people to care for them.”

Cairo noted that the Portland Parks & Recreation (PP&R) Urban Forestry division actively partners with neighborhood volunteers to manage the urban forest and quantify the carbon sequestration benefits street trees provide to their communities through the Neighborhood Street Tree Inventory Project (TIP).  Portland community volunteers in a TIP project are taught to collect street tree data and utilize it in ways including

-Identifying space for more tree plantings and

-Creating Neighborhood Tree Plans to promote good tree management.

Since 2010, nine Portland neighborhoods have completed such projects.

“The street trees in those nine neighborhoods alone are estimated to provide over $34,000 worth of annual carbon sequestration benefits, with an estimated 480 tons of carbon sequestered per year,” said Cairo.  “We’re tallying the dollar value of carbon sequestration city-wide as more neighborhoods complete inventories; eight more are participating this summer. And our carbon sequestration capacity will increase if we continue our careful stewardship of our urban forests.”

To volunteer with the Neighborhood Street Tree Inventory Project, please contact trees@portlandoregon.gov.

Nationwide, carbon storage by trees in forestlands across the country was estimated at 22.3 billion tons in a 2008 US Forest Service study; additional carbon storage by urban trees bumps that to an estimated 22.7 billion tons.

According to the US Forest Service, carbon storage and sequestration rates vary among states based on the amount of urban tree cover and growing conditions. States in forested regions typically have the highest percentage of urban tree cover. States with the greatest amount of carbon stored by trees in urban areas are Texas (49.8 million tons), Florida (47.3 million tons), Georgia (42.4 million tons), Massachusetts (39.6 million tons) and North Carolina (37.5 million tons).

The total amount of carbon stored and sequestered in urban areas could increase in the future as urban land expands, says the Forest Service. Urban areas in the continental U.S. increased from 2.5 percent of land area in 1990 to 3.1 percent in 2000, an increase equivalent to the area of Vermont and New Hampshire combined. If that growth pattern continues, U.S. urban land could expand by an area greater than the state of Montana by 2050.

The study is not the first to estimate carbon storage and sequestration by U.S. urban forests; however it provides more refined statistical analyses for national carbon estimates that can be used to assess the actual and potential role of urban forests in reducing atmospheric carbon dioxide.

More urbanization does not necessarily translate to more urban trees. Last year, Nowak and Eric Greenfield, a forester with the Northern Research Station and another study co-author, found that urban tree cover is declining nationwide at a rate of about 20,000 acres per year, or 4 million trees per year.

The exhibit features photographs, postcards, and objects from an era in Newport’s history remarkable for an active summer tourism business. Bay Beach, Nye Beach, and Agate Beach were the hot spots for summer events including surfing, a ladies’ race, clam bakes, sun bathing, hot sea baths, and numerous other activities. Among the objects are bathing suits from the period, promotional materials, hats and umbrellas.

“This exhibit takes the visitor back to a lively time in history and notably in Newport. I think the bathing suits and photographs are of particular interest,” Steve Wyatt, executive director of the Society, said. “One of the photographs, surfers on Agate Beach, is new to the collection and slightly different from one commonly seen.”

The Lincoln County Historical Society is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the preservation and interpretation of the history of Lincoln County.

Entrance to the museum and exhibit is by donation. The museum is open 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.

Rather than plowing the money back into retirement savings, the Grovers took their two daughters as well as their spouses and children along on an eight-day safari in Tanzania.

Total cost for 11 people: around $65,000.

“It’s a lot of money, there’s no way to get around that part,” Grover said. But considering that price included 11 flights, two guides, almost all meals and an unforgettable experience spending time with her kids and grandkids, she said it was a bargain.

Now Grover, who lives in Pittsburgh, is plotting another family adventure – to take her whole brood on a cruise around the Galapagos Islands next year. The route is one of the most popular with multigenerational family groups like hers, which is why Grover had to nail down plans a year in advance in order to secure a ship.

Industry analysts say the increase in popularity in multigenerational travel is being driven by spry baby boomers who are gathering up their dispersed kin to spend quality time together.

A soon-to-be-released survey from MMGY Global, a travel industry research company, finds that around 5.5 percent of all vacation trips now consist of grandparents, parents and children traveling together. However, there is not a great deal of historical data to compare the growth overall in the industry in recent years.

Travel agents and hotel groups say bookings of large family groups are increasing. Preferred Hotel Group, for instance, says traffic to its dedicated family travel website (preferredfamily.com) is on track to double this year over last year. In 2011, a company survey found that 40 percent of active leisure travelers had taken a multigenerational trip that year.

WHO PAYS?

On many of these excursions, grandparents foot the bill for the whole group. The price tags can be exorbitant. For the Grovers, part of the impetus for the Galapagos trip – which could cost up to $90,000 – comes from the need to take required minimum distributions from their individual retirement accounts.

The Internal Revenue Service requires distributions after age 70-1/2.

It is possible to travel on the cheap, too.

Jon Andre, a certified financial planner with Financial Management Group in Cincinnati, Ohio, had a client who for her 70th birthday, took her whole family on a $500 ziplining expedition at a resort in southern Ohio.

“She was getting a little agitated that her grandkids were spending most of their time inside in front of TV,” he says.

WHERE TO GO

Judy Gross and her husband, who live in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania, find that their budget of around $30,000 works best for a beach resort for their brood of 10. They typically travel during winter vacation or spring break. Most recently they all went to the Turks & Caicos islands in the Caribbean.

“The hardest thing for me is the grandchildren want to go someplace different every year,” says Gross, who turns 70 in June.

Showing up at a vacation destination with 10 people of varying ages and interests can be chaotic. Gross highly recommends all-inclusive meal plans. On their last trip, the self-titled chief executive officer of her family only pre-booked three days of meals for the family, which made it difficult and expensive to organize meals on the remaining days.

Hotels are increasingly changing to accommodate groups like this, trying to be more family-friendly with villas and suites, says Preferred Hotel Group’s Michelle Woodley, senior vice president of distribution and revenue management.

Cruises are another popular option with families. The industry will add another 12,000 new beds in 2013, bringing total capacity up to more than 350,000, according to the Cruise Lines International Association, a trade group.

For groups larger than 16 on off-peak vacations, cruise lines start to kick in some discounts, such as offering one free bed as well as points that can be traded for services, said Lauren Goldenberg, a Philadelphia-based travel agent who runs The Family Traveler agency with her sister, Mindy.

HEAD OFF CONFLICTS

But with so many people of varying ages in close quarters for days at a time, family harmony can be in jeopardy without advance planning, Goldenberg added.

The first step is to look at meeting the needs of the children – how long a plane trip can they tolerate, what activities can they do, will they eat anything beyond chicken nuggets?

Next she suggests finding a place where family members can amuse themselves during the day, usually on their own dime, and come back together for a pre-arranged evening meal, often paid for by the family elder.

She recently booked a trip for a group of 15 to Scottsdale, Arizona, for a grandparent’s 75th birthday. The location worked since family members from California, Boston and Washington, D.C. could all get there on non-stop flights, which they paid for individually. The resort had villas where each family could sleep on its own, for less than $500 a night per family. There was a spa, a pool, tennis, mountain biking and hot-air ballooning.

“Plenty of grandparents come back these trips and say, it was best ever. We got away from electronics and enjoyed each other’s company,” Goldenberg said.

(Editing by Lauren Young, G Crosse)

According to the Environmental Working Group (EWG), a non-profit working to protect public health and the environment, a key first step in warding off cancer is lifestyle change—“stopping smoking, reducing drinking, losing weight, exercising and eating right.” The American Cancer Society reports that smoking and poor nutrition each account for about one-third of the 575,000 U.S. cancer deaths each year.

But smoking and obesity are obvious and other cancer triggers aren’t so easily pinpointed. In 2010 the President’s Cancer Panel reported that environmental toxins play a significant and under-recognized role in many cancers, causing “grievous harm” to untold numbers of Americans. And EWG reports that U.S. children are born “pre-polluted” with up to 200 carcinogenic substances already in their bloodstreams.

Given this shocking fact, it may seem futile to try to reduce our bodies’ chemical burden, but it could be a matter of life and death. EWG lists several ways anyone can cut their cancer risk. First up is to filter our tap water, which can include arsenic, chromium and harmful chemicals. Simple carbon filters or pitchers can reduce contaminants, while more costly reverse osmosis filters can filter out arsenic or chromium.

The foods we choose also play a role in whether or not we get cancer. Eating lots of fruits and vegetables is healthy, but not if they are laden with pesticides. Going organic when possible is the best way to reduce pesticide exposure. And when organic foods aren’t available, stick with produce least likely to contain pesticides (check out EWG’s “Clean 15” list of conventional crops containing little if any pesticide residue). EWG also suggests cutting down on high-fat meats and dairy products: “Long-lasting cancer-causing pollutants like dioxins and PCBs accumulate in the food chain and concentrate in animal fat.”

Eliminating stain- and grease-proofing chemicals (Teflon, Scotchgard, etc.) is another way to cut cancer risks. “To avoid them,” says EWG, “skip greasy packaged foods and say no to optional stain treatments in the home.” And steer clear of BPA, a synthetic estrogen found in some plastic water bottles, canned infant formula and canned foods. “To avoid it, eat fewer canned foods, breast feed your baby or use powdered formula, and choose water bottles free of BPA,” reports EWG. Personal care products and cosmetics can also contain carcinogens. EWG’s “Skin Deep” cosmetics database flags particularly worrisome products and green-lights others that are healthy.

Another cancer prevention tip is to seal wooden outdoor decks and playsets—those made before 2005 likely contain lumber “pressure-treated” with carcinogenic arsenic in order to stave off insect infestations. Of course, avoiding too much sun exposure—and wearing high-SPF sunscreen—when using those decks and playsets is another important way to hedge one’s bets against cancer.

CONTACTS: EWG, www.ewg.org; President’s Cancer Panel, http://deainfo.nci.nih.gov/advisory/pcp.

“Being a park host volunteer is perfect for me. I enjoy talking to people. I like to be outside on the trails. The times and duration are entirely up to me, although it makes sense to volunteer on sunny, weekend days when the need is the greatest!” Carter said.

Volunteer park hosts help pass out info on Portland Parks and Recreation’s famous Washington Park and attractions like the International Rose Test Garden, Oregon Zoo, Portland Childrens’ Museum, World Forestry Center, Portland Japanese Garden and Hoyt Arboretum.

“I joined the Park Host program some ten years ago when I happened across a fellow in a yellow vest near the Rose Garden. Bob was handing out maps and answering questions from tourists,” said Carter. “I asked him about his job, found it was a volunteer position, and that I could apply. I did so and was soon the proud owner of a yellow ‘park host’ vest, a batch of literature about the park, and a bundle of maps to hand out.”

“Because the Rose Garden area was nicely covered with volunteers, I chose to walk the trails in Washington Park and the Hoyt Arboretum. There I found many tourists in need of a map and directions. They had questions about the park, wanted to see a particular tree or feature, or were just seeking advice on where to hike. My first day I encountered a couple who was lost. The map did not overcome their despair, so I walked them back to their car.

I live near the park and frequently hike the trails year-long. People are usually friendly, but with the yellow vest and the handful of free maps, people become unusually engaging and talkative. I’ve had the pleasure of meeting individuals from all over the country and the world as they enjoy the beauty of Portland’s parks. Occasionally, I remind people that their dogs should be leashed, but I’ve never had a bad experience from anyone.”

Park hosts are valued ambassadors who give directions, hand out pamphlets, and answer basic questions on Washington Park and its attractions.Volunteers can pick their days and hours and volunteer outside with Portland Parks & Recreation at Washington Park.

For information, call Harry Landers, curator of the International Rose Test Garden, for more information at (503) 823-3636.

A complimentary barbecue will be served from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. There is no admission charge, but donations will be accepted for Loaves & Fishes, the “Meals on Wheels People.” Since the inaugural year of the event, $6,000 has been donated to Loaves & Fishes to support efforts to provide food and a sense of community to the elderly and disabled.

A shuttle service will be available, and there will be people directing traffic.

Georgia Hockett is one of the few women drivers to enter her car in the show. Her 1956 Ford Thunderbird hard top convertible was a wedding present from her husband. The gift was a dream come true for Georgia, who has always adored old cars and dreamed of owning one since high school.
Their love of cars is what drew George and her husband together and remains a common interest. Hockett’s husband has painstakingly restored her Thunderbird, installing a 1993 motor and repainting it a sparkling purple. Her husband is also entering his 1960-era Mustang.
An event this scale drives some fun facts, including:
•    Number of bottles of water provided: 2,500; number of hot dogs served: 2,000; number of hamburgers: 2,000; gallons of soda: 200
•    Number of volunteers: 20-plus
•    Number of car owners: 175 (Some participants bring two cars.)
•    The oldest car: 1911; newest: 2012.

Since the car show always coincides with the start of summer, the sun has shone brightly most years. More information is available by calling Kellie at 360 254-2866.

Touchmark at Fairway Village offers people 55-plus years a full life. As a full-service retirement community, it offers a wide range of retirement homes, lifestyle options and services, including an on-site health and fitness club for people age 40 and up. More information is available at Touchmark.com.