May 2020 Homage News
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How R you can deal with www.homage.org isolation 6 VOL. 47 NO. 4 | MAY 2020 Retired doctor has prescription for a good life By Adam Worcester re-engaging a childhood coronavirus and its resultant interest. COVID-19 disease. EVERETT — Shelly Finn Whatever you choose, “Most older people have has a message for older it’s important to maintain been through some crisis like Americans, coronavirus or human contact. Look to this before. You get better no. Homage, colleges, libraries at coping with major events “Just because (your life) and parks for other people through practice,” Finn says. wasn’t what you had before,” who share your interests. She likens COVID-19 to the says the recently retired phy- Build a cohort of peers who arrival of AIDS in the early sician, “doesn’t mean it can’t can regularly check on each ‘90s, when the mysterious be fun.” other. virus was spreading fast and She should know. Spending time with getting it seemed a certain Finn, 59, saw mostly older younger persons, such as death sentence. patients in her 30-year career children and grandkids, As scientists learned more as an internist at the Everett strengthens your social they developed treatments Clinic. She now serves on the safety net and enriches both and precautions that have Homage board of directors, generations. since kept AIDS under and will start a new column “We sometimes just control. for seniors called “The Doc- assume mental health will “We’re going to see the tor is In” in the June Homage. happen,” Finn says. “Like worst of it at the beginning,” “When you look at the physical health, we have to says Finn. “There are way too aging population she has think about it a little more. many unknowns right now. served, then realize as a We have to ask, ‘Am I reach- It’s going to get easier.” human she is going through ing out? Am I trying to When home sheltering to some of the same challenges, remain curious?’” protect against COVID-19 you have this person who Physical fitness is also vital comes to an end, Finn wants brings a unique perspective for older people. The first older Americans ready to to the room,” says Cynthia step, says Finn, is identifying step back into the world with Andrews, Homage Senior what result you’re aiming everyone else. Marketing and Communica- for — flexibility, weight loss, Though life will be dif- tions Manager. “Her energy strength training, etc. ferent when the economy is infectious.” Then, don’t rush it. reopens, seniors can Finn grew up skiing, “A lot of people think they approach it in a positive way hiking, and playing tennis Dr. Shelly Finn serves on the Homage Board of Directors. can go back to what they by exercising Finn’s three during a peripatetic child- were doing at 30,” Finn says. keys to living their best life: hood that began in Arkansas a water park and a worker productive. “You have to start really 1) stay curious, 2) stay active, and included stops in Mon- called her “ma’am.” Her number-one piece of slowly.” 3) stay resilient. tana, Arizona, Idaho, and the “You don’t always see it in advice: stay curious. Finally, the doctor urges “I don’t think anybody gets University of Washington, yourself. You see it in how Everyone can find a pur- older Americans to celebrate to be 59 or 60 without knowl- where she earned her medi- other people react to you,” pose or passion to connect their resilience. edge of their body changing,” cal degree. Finn says. with, she says. It might be They have survived past Finn says. “The question is, She never viewed herself Her goal with the new continuing something you health scares such as the ‘How can I live the best life I as aging until her mid-40s, column is to help older peo- have done all your life, Spanish Flu, AIDS and SARS, can? What’s the next adven- when she took her kids to ple be healthy, happy, and trying something new, or and they will also survive ture around the corner?’” Honoring Marian Harrison, a Snohomish County trailblazer By Ramonda Sosa in Seattle and losing a den mother and a enjoyed the team she opportunities didn’t Homage Social Services her husband in the union representative. described as a “close end there, and Mar- Director Korean War, Marian She became actively knit family, working ian has been a force in Marian Harrison’s returned to the Arling- involved in the union for the common good.” legislative advocacy as trailblazing journey as ton area where she and educator’s rights, The program eventu- well. The first Afri- a reformist and com- remarried and became and Marian’s path for ally lost funding and can American elected munity transformer the mother of seven advocacy, reform and had to end, but Marian the Chair of, not one, began generations children. Marian’s community transfor- continued to advocate but two Democratic before she was born. days weren’t limited mation took hold. for the community. Legislative Districts. Perseverance and to raising children ■ Ultimately, Marian Marian has held key dedication are in Mar- and taking care of the Volunteering evolved found herself serving positions in the Sno- ian’s family lineage. home though. She to school board posi- on Governor Booth homish County League Her great grandmother learned and worked tions and from there Gardner’s Committee of Women Voters and Louisa Donnelson, in the Arlington Com- she launched into on Education Reform is currently the Chair born into slavery, made Marian Harrison munity, becoming the other community and the Snohomish of the North Unit of her way from Abbeville, first African American service. Marian vol- County Foster Care the League of Women South Carolina to Ever- on the farm for 8 years to work in the Arling- unteered with at risk Review Board to work Voters. She has ett. Grandma Louisa after the marriage ton School District as youth on the Fam- with ‘out of home’ assisted with countless married a Norwood, failed. Times were a teacher aide. Marian ily Policy Council as placement of children but found herself hard for the family; started volunteering part of the Health and and reuniting families. widowed at a young Marian described the after being asked to be Safety Network, and Volunteering CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 age and remarried Mr. farming community as Donnelson, who, inter- a “family” and “there estingly, also was from for each other,” and ATTENTION SENIORS AND EMPTY NESTERS Abbeville, SC. Louisa shares a memory of and her husband, along an older farmer car- Are you thinking of selling a place you call HOME? with her son George rying a large sack of Washington Norwood, potatoes nearly a mile his wife, and their son to their home to help George Washington her family with food. DON’T DO A THING! Until… you’ve read this report: Norwood Jr., moved to During this post-de- Everett before the turn pression era farm life 11 THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW to Pass a Home Inspection… of the 20th century. was a struggle. The Marian’s father George Danish, German and BEFORE you list your home for sale… not after! Washington Norwood Japanese families in Jr. had met and mar- the area stuck together ried her mother in for community pros- A new report has been prepared which identifi es Chicago during WWI. perity. This dedication the 11 most common problems, Marian’s mother was to community and from Normal, Illinois, mutual support would and what you should know about them and moved to Everett influence Marian in the where her husband’s years to come. before you list your home for sale. family lived. After the ■ war Marian’s mother Marian started and father moved to a school in Arlington, farm on Jordan Road graduated from Marys- This report is courtesy of Authority Real Estate. east of Arlington. The ville High School, *Not intended to solicit properties currently for sale. only African Ameri- attended Everett Com- can family in the area, munity College and Marian’s mother and University of Wash- GET YOUR FREE COPY TODAY! ext 3159 the children remained ington. After living 800-344-0807 2 May 2020 Homage Comment: Honoring older Americans By Rep. Rick Larsen ask for your personal information. Seniors eligible Congress. I am working hard to strengthen Medi- Washington’s Second Congressional District for the payment may check the status of their pay- care, protect Social Security and advocate for ment at irs.gov/coronavirus/ other critical resources for May is Older Americans Month, a great time get-my-payment. seniors in Northwest Wash- to celebrate the contributions older Washingto- I have also been an advo- ington, including veterans’ nians make to communities here in the Pacific cate for strengthening senior benefits and nutrition assis- Northwest. More than 125,000 seniors (age 65 and nutrition programs. Accord- tance. For example, last year, older) lead active lives in Washington state’s Sec- ing to Food Lifeline, the need I supported reauthorization ond Congressional District, including my mom for food here in Washington of the Older Americans Act who still calls Arlington home. has nearly doubled since the which helps provide a vari- As the country continues to deal with COVID- beginning of the pandemic. ety of vital social services, 19 and the necessary public health measures to The Families First Coronavi- including Meal on Wheels, prevent further spread, I am working on behalf rus Response Act provided assistance for caregivers and of Washington’s seniors.