INSIDE…A Champion: Mary Reese • Templeton High School gathering • Seniors of the Year • Calendar of Events • and more!

ACTIVE RETIREMENT ON THE CENTRAL COAST

SENIORSENIORlivinglivingPublished quarterly by the Paso Robles Press and Atascadero News MAY 2012

Paso Robles Pressand Atascadero News2 • MAY 2012 SENIORliving

CREIG P. SHERBURNE

Staff writer

Atascadero is home to thesixth fastest bicycle in theentire world. It is home to an

elite triathlete who does well at invi-tation-only events in Hawaii. It ishome to volunteers and coaches andteachers. And since 1995 or so,Atas-cadero has been home to Mary Reese— she competed as Mary Rand — anhonest-to-goodness gold medal win-ning Olympic athlete.

Not only is she a gold-medalist,she is the very first British woman toearn a gold medal in an Olympictrack and field event. That event wasthe long jump, and it was in the 1964Summer Olympics in Tokyo. Also atthose games, she earned a silvermedal in the pentathlon and a bronzein the 100-meter relay.

Reese said she’d always been ath-letic, as far back as she can remem-ber.

“I think I was just a natural ath-lete,” she said. “I just loved doingwhat I did.”

Growing up, she said she playedcricket and football — Americanscall it soccer — with her olderbrother and, ever year, would runaround the orchard behind a localpub during some civic games.

In secondary school — Ameri-cans call it high school — Reesemade it to the equivalent of CIFchampionships in the long jump. Shesaid over the four years she com-peted, she placed 11th, then fourth,then second, then first.

“I worked my way up the ladder,”she said, smiling.

So it may be unsurprising that sheclimbed a few more rungs and com-

peted on the international stage at theage of 17, then went to the Olympicsin 1960 at the age of 20.

“In Rome in 1960, I was favoriteto win the long jump,” she said.

One of her preliminary jumpswould have earned her a silver medalthen, if it had counted toward thefinal.

Unfortunately, she said, shefouled a jump and finished ninth. Butshe competed again four years laterand earned her gold.

Another sport Reese excelled atwas the high jump. And that’s wheresome trouble has crept in toReese’s life.

The high jump —Americans call

it the high jump — is a track and fieldevent wherein athletes hurl them-selves up over a horizontal bar with-out the assistance of springs, pulleysor magic. The women’s record forjumping straight up in the air is justless than 7 feet and is held by StefkaKostadinova of Bulgeria, not a magi-cian.

Reese’s problems stem from herlandings. Nowadays, high jumpersfall onto a thick cushioning mat highabove ground level. But in the late‘50s and early ‘60s, when Reese wascompeting, she would fling herselfover a bar about six feet tall and thencome back down again in a pit ofsand at ground level.

Reese said she had her right hip re-placed recently, but is still havingproblems with it and the left. Andthat problem, she said, has led tomyriad other problems, includinglimiting her ability to garden, one ofher passions.

“I got out and I see weeds, but I’mscared to death about pulling them,”she said.

A while back, her hip poppedright out of socket while gardening,an experience she said was “uncom-fortable.”

Back in 1964, Reese was giventhe royal treatment in her hometown,Wells, near Somerset, including a pa-rade. With the 2012 Olympics being

A champion in our midstBritish Olympian Mary Reese will be honored in England — again

Photo by Creig P. Sherburne

Mary Reese, née Rand, shows off the medals and other awards she’s earned over the years in her home office inAtascadero. Here, she holds a book which chronicles her athletic life. She said she had given away all of her copies,so has been buying them back on Amazon and eBay to be able to give to her family members.

Paso Robles Pressand Atascadero News MAY 2012 • 3SENIORliving

MAY 2012

SENIORSENIORlivingliving

Senior Living is published quarterlyby the Paso Robles Press &

Atascadero News

PublisherJason Cross

Advertising DirectorKarli Twisselman

EditorsJosh Petray & Heather Young

Paso Robles Press(805) 237-6060

www.PasoRoblesPress.com

Atascadero News(805) 466-2585

www.AtascaderoNews.com

held in London, the city of Wells hasdecided to recreate the honors of al-most half a century ago. Oh, and shewill also be presented with the key tothe city.

“It means you can feed yoursheep on the local green, in front ofthe cathedral,” Reese said, laughing.“They’ll call you a taxi for you if youget drunk, and if you commit a crime,they’ll hang you with a silk cord.”

Reese moved to the United Statesin 1967 and became a permanent cit-izen in 1969. She currently enjoysdual citizenship.

She moved toAtascadero in 1995with her husband, John. And for afew years a few years ago, she par-ticipated in the Atascadero Grey-hound Foundation’s All Comer’sTrack Meet. Her grandchildren camefor the event and competed.

“They loved it,” Reese said with abig smile. “They absolutely loved it.My grandson didn’t care if he camein last, he just loved it.”

As far as athletics go, Reese saidthe biggest thing she wanted wassomething she achieved: being thebest in the world at something.

“I wanted that world record, ifonly for a minute,” she said. “And Igot it.”But, she added with emphasis, thething she’s most proud of in her en-tire life is raising her three daughters.

“The greatest thing for me wasraising my children,” she said. “I feltlike I was the only one who’d everdone it.”

On her upcoming trip back toBrittain, Rand said she may leave hermedals at Millfield School, theschool she attended for secondaryschool.

“It means more over there thanhere,” she said, but added that she’snot yet decided on that one.

In the meantime, Rand, John andtheir dogs live happily and quietly inAtascadero.

Mary Reese:A champion in our midst

Page 2

Templeton High Schoolgrads reunite

Page 4

Seniors of the Year namedPage 5

Steve Thayer saves a lifePage 6

Community CalendarPage 18

Now is the timePage 10

Big-impact in 15 minutes!Page 11

Paso Robles Pressand Atascadero News4 • MAY 2012 SENIORliving

MEAGAN FRIBERG

Staff writer

Six graduates of Tem-pleton High Schoolrecently gathered at a

local restaurant to talkabout their teen years andcatch up on each other'slives. A ten year reunion,perhaps? Or maybe 25-yearreunion? Not quite - manyof these former THS stu-dents are well into their90's and have spent theyears since graduationmaintaining their friend-ships.

"It's great, really, to gettogether," Irene Marquartsaid. "It's a lot of fun justvisiting and reminiscingwith each other."

Although all of thefriends were a bit hesitantto divulge their age or yearof graduation, RudyHamm, who was seatednear his cousin, VelmaHamm, said the two gradu-ated from the same class atTHS.

"We started in firstgrade together at Oakdale,a little country school,"Rudy Hamm said. "Wewent all the way throughschool together, graduatingfrom Templeton HighSchool."

Marquart attendedschool with Rudy andVelma and sat nearbyDorothy Claassen, Velma'sister and Rudy's cousin, asthe group gathered for

lunch at Touch of Pasorestaurant.

"We get together everycouple of months, havelunch, visit and just catchup," Claassen said. The for-mer classmates now live inAtascadero, Paso Robles,Morro Bay and Templetonand have lunch together ata variety of restaurants inthe local area.

Alice Carroll joined herfriends and said she enjoys

"the companionship, verymuch." Virginia Hamm,Rudy's wife, said she wasCarroll's teacher when shewas a senior at THS duringher very first year of teach-ing.

As local high schoolseniors across the countyprepare for graduation inJune, many will move outof the area and friendshipswill change. The formerTHS students, who have

managed to maintain con-tact through the years havea bit of advice for those stu-dents in regards to keepingin touch with one another.

"It's important to main-tain those friendships,"Marquart said. "Especiallythrough the years, and aswe get older. I think it wasVelma's idea to start gettingtogether. She called aroundand here we are."

"I think its really impor-

tant to stay in touch, espe-cially as we get older,"Velma said. "It's nice to seewhat everybody's doingand just have fun together."

The vibrant group hasplans to continue theirmonthly gatherings, enjoy-ing their time together asthey talk about their earlieryears together and sharenews of recent events in thelives of their families.

Templeton High School gradsGroup has fun visiting and reminiscing

Photo by Meagan Friberg

Templeton High School graduates (clockwise from left) Virginia Hamm, Dorothy Claassen, Alice Carroll, Irene Marquart,Velma Hamm and Rudy Hamm gather at a local restaurant recently to reminisce and share stories.

Paso Robles Pressand Atascadero News MAY 2012 • 5SENIORliving

CONTRIBUTED

On Saturday,April 21 the PasoRobles Senior Center heldits annual Senior of theYear

Award Ceremony. This year, that spe-cial title went to two local do-good-ers: Bill Clark and BarbaraMoreland.

“Bill Clark is rarely seen and sel-dom heard, and still somehow hasmanaged to serve more homebound

seniors in our community throughoutthe years than any other volunteer wehave,” said Lynda Holt. “When think-ing about our second recipient, Bar-bara Moreland, the words exuberanceand brilliance are the first to come tomind.”

Added Holt, “She is one of themost positive and joyful peoplewe’ve ever had the pleasure to meet.She always has a warm smile and abit of bling.”

Seniors of the Year named2012 Senior of the Year title goes to Bill Clark and Barbara Moreland

Photo by Hayley Thomas

Above, Paso Robles Seniors of the Year Bill Clark and Barbara Moreland posefor a photo at a celebration held at the Paso Robles Senior Center.

Paso Robles Pressand Atascadero News6 • MAY 2012 SENIORliving

HEATHERYOUNGStaff writer

Atascadero resident SteveThayer was working whenhe came across a car up-

side down in a ditch. He said some-thing didn’t feel right to him, so hepulled over. Once he got out to in-vestigate, he heard a woman callingto him.

“Steve found the woman lyingon her back in the dirt outside hercar,” California Highway Patrol Of-ficer Tami Reece said. “He was notsure if she was thrown from her caror if she crawled out of the brokenwindow. Steve’s first-aid trainingimmediately kicked in and he as-sessed the situation.”

While he checked for signs ofbroken bones, blood, etc., he foundout there her name was Susan andthat her neck and back hurt.

“Steve knew immediately thathe could not move her and that sheneeded help fast,” Reece said.

He then went back to the bus —he was driving 45 students toschool at the time — and radioedfor help. Reece said that afterThayer gave directions to Atas-cadero Unified School District busdispatcher Wendy Moris, he askedfor a volunteer to man the radio sohe could stay with the driver untilhelp arrived.

Atascadero High School studentChris Brebes helped emergencypersonnel find the bus and driverout near Creston.

“It’s something I hope anyonewould do,” Thayer said.

At a special ceremony Wednes-day, the CHP honored Thayer as

Bus Driver of theYear for 2011 forall of Southern California. CHPCommissioner Joe Farrow saidthey all knew Thayer didn’t want tobe there because he said he was“just doing his job.”

Thayer was selected first as theTempleton area Bus Driver of theYear, and then was selected for theSouthern California honor.

“I’m kind of embarrassed bythis whole thing,” Thayer said. “Ididn’t do it because of an award orrecognition, but because someoneneeded help. I’m very honored by

this. I’m humbled.”Thayer has been a bus driver for

11 years for the Atascadero schooldistrict. He said that being a busdriver is a retirement job. For 36years before his retirement, heworked in grocery stores.

He and his wife, Kathi, movedto Atascadero in 1973. They havefive children, Scott of Templeton,Kristin of Atascadero, Brian ofSanta Cruz, Michael of MorganHill and Kevin of Atascadero; and11 grandchildren.

Thayer did not tell his children

about what he did or even aboutgetting the award. Kathi surprisedThayer by having four of five chil-dren and one granddaughter at theceremony in Paso Robles.

Thayer was one of three peoplenominated for the Templeton areaaward. The other two were Kelly K.Jenal-Stainbrook and William“Billy” Bowles, both Paso Roblesschool district bus drivers. The pairperformed lifesaving CPR on acoworker who was not breathing.The coworker walked out of thehospital two weeks later.

Thayer saves woman’s lifeAUSD bus driver gets award from CHP

Photo by Heather Young

Atascadero resident Steve Thayer, center, holds the award he got from the California Highway Patrol on Wednes-day with his family gathered around him. From left are Kevin, Brian holding granddaughter Audrey, 2, Kristin, Kathiand Scott.

Paso Robles Pressand Atascadero News MAY 2012 • 7SENIORliving

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CALENDAR of eventsOn-going Events

MONDAYS

Templeton Lions Club holds bingoevery Monday at the American Le-gion Hall on Main Street. The doorsopen at 4:30 p.m. and games startat 5:30 p.m. For more information,call 434-2844.

A Sign to Song class is held at theColony Park Community Center,5599 Traffic Way, on Mondays from10 to 11 a.m. The class is a fun wayto learn sign language by signingalong with music. The class is freeand is for adults 50-plus. For moreinformation, call the Atascadero FunClub at 674-7092 or email atas-caderofunclub@charter.net.

Poker for prizes will be played eachMonday from 10 a.m. to noon at theColony Park Community Center,5599 Traffic Way. This activity is foradults 50-plus. There is a $4 fee toplay for the chance to win prizes.For more information or to sign up,call the Atascadero Fun Club at 674-7092.

Bridge is held every Monday,Wednesday and Friday at 11:50 a.m.in the AARP Building at the Atas-cadero Lake Park. To reserve aplace, call 461-4136. The cost is $1to go toward prizes.

TUESDAYS

Ranch Dog Knitting, 5835 TrafficWay in Atascadero, hosts a knitalong every Tuesday from 5:30 to 8

p.m. For more information, call 464-4075.

California Manor, 10165 El CaminoReal, Atascadero, a senior retire-ment community, holds a free exer-cise class every Tuesday andThursday from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m.Community members are welcome.For more information, call 466-0759.

A billiards group meets at theColony Park Community Center,5599 Traffic Way, each Tuesdayfrom 10 a.m. to noon. Pool tableequipment may be checked outfrom the staff at the CommunityCenter. This free group is for adults50-plus. For more information, callthe Atascadero Fun Club at 674-7092.

Mah Jong games are held everyTuesday and Thursday at 10 a.m. inthe AARP Building at the AtascaderoLake Park. For more information,call 461-4136.

The Paso Robles Alzheimer's/De-mentia general interest supportgroup is open to the public andmeets the second Tuesday of eachmonth from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at Emer-itus/Creston Village, 1919 CrestonRoad, Paso Robles. Call Elana at975-8270 for more information.SLO Astrologers meets for free as-trology workshops each month onvarious subjects from basic Astrol-ogy to natal chart reading. All levelsare welcome. Meet the first andthird Tuesday of each month from 6to p.m. at Coast National Bank Com-munity Room, 500 Marsh St. in San

Luis Obispo. For more information,visit sloastrologers.blogspot.com orcall 546-3420.

WEDNESDAYS

California Manor, 10165 El CaminoReal, Atascadero, a senior retire-ment community, holds bingo everyWednesday from 6:30 to 9 p.m.Bingo is open to the community. Formore information, call 466-0759.A ping-pong group will be held atthe Colony Park Community Center,5599 Traffic Way, every Wednesdayfrom 10 to noon. Equipment may bechecked out from the CommunityCenter staff. This group is for adults50-plus and there is no fee to play.Those interested in joining thisgroup, contact the Atascadero FunClub at 674-7092.

Remedial Bridge lessons are heldevery Wednesday at 10 a.m. in theAARP Building at the AtascaderoLake Park. For more information,call 461-4136. The lessons are freeand no reservations are needed.

Pinochle is held every Wednesdayat 10 a.m. in the AARP Building atthe Atascadero Lake Park. For moreinformation, call 461-4136.

North County Multiflora GardenClub meets at 1 p.m. on the secondWednesday of every month at thePaso Robles Community Church,2706 Spring St. Call 462-9128 formore information.

A support group for children ofaging parents meets the second

Wednesday of every month from5:30 to 7 p.m. at The Village at Syd-ney Creek, 1234 Laurel Lane, SLO.Call Wynette at 570-3836 for moreinformation.

THURSDAYS

A horseshoe group will plays eachThursday at 10 a.m. at the Atas-cadero Lake Park horseshoe pit. Thegroup is designed for players 50-plus. There is no fee to play. Formore information, call the Atas-cadero Fun Club at 674-7092.

FRIDAYS

Bunco for prizes will be played eachFriday from 10 a.m. to noon at theColony Park Community Center,5599 Traffic Way. This activity is foradults 50-plus. There is a $4 fee toplay for the chance to win prizes.For more information or to sign up,call the Atascadero Fun Club at 674-7092.

SATURDAYS

Guided meditation meets every Sat-urday at 8600 Atascadero Ave. at1:30 p.m. It is free and open to thepublic. For more information, emailRuthCherryPhD@aol.com, call 545-7939 or go to www.meditationin-tro.com.

The Templeton Alzheimer's/Demen-tia general interest support group isopen to the public and meets thefourth Friday of every month from 1to 2:30 p.m. in the conference roomof Rabobank, 1025 Las Tablas

Paso Robles Pressand Atascadero News MAY 2012 • 9SENIORliving

Road, Templeton. Call Elana at 975-8270 for details, and 434-2081 forfree respite arrangements. Co-spon-sored with CAP Adult Day Services.

The North County Parkinson's Care-givers Support Group meets thesecond Friday of each month at11:30 a.m. for lunch and discussionat Coco's, 7300 El Camino Real inAtascadero. Call Rosemary at 466-7226 for reservations and details.

June

SUNDAY, JUNE 3

The ninth annual Paso Pinot &Paella Festival will be held on June 3in Templeton Community Park from2 to 5 p.m. The event will includePaso Robles pinot noir producersfor an afternoon of wine, food andfun. The event raises funds to sup-port youth arts in San Luis ObispoCounty such as the Paso RoblesYouth Arts Foundation. Tickets in-clude a souvenir Burgundy-stylefine wine glass, tastes of 20 pinotnoirs and 20 paellas, live music byIncendio and dancing if youlike. Blankets and lawn chairs wel-come. Tickets are $65 each and onlya limited number will be sold. Formore information or to buy tickets,go to www.pinotandpaella.com.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 6

North County Newcomers Club isopen to all residents who have livedin the North County for two years orless. Monthly general meetings are

held the first Wednesday of themonth from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.For more information, go towww.northcountynewcomers.org.

FRIDAY, JUNE 8

County Supervisor Jim Pattersonwill be available in the Martin PolinRegional Library, 6850 Morro Roadin Atascadero, the second andfourth Friday of each month from 3to 5 p.m. The public is invited to at-tend the open hours to talk with thesupervisor.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 13

County Supervisor Jim Pattersonwill be available in the Santa Mar-garita Library, 9630 Murphy Ave.,the second Wednesday of eachmonth from 4 to 6 p.m. The publicis invited to attend the open hoursto talk with the supervisor.

TUESDAY, JUNE 19

North County Parkinson's care-givers support group meets thethird Tuesday of each month from10:30 a.m. to noon at the First Pres-byterian Church, 610 Main St., Tem-pleton. For more details, callRosemary Dexter at 466-7226.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 20

County Supervisor Jim Pattersonwill be available in the Creston Li-brary, 6285 Adams St., the thirdWednesday of each month from 4to 6 p.m. The public is invited to at-

tend the open hours to talk with thesupervisor.

FRIDAY, JUNE 22

The Atascadero Mayors’ WinemakerDinner will be held at the Pavilion onthe Lake in Atascadero on Friday,June 22. The gala begins at 5 p.m.with open wine sampling. Dinnerwill be served at 6:30 p.m. Thisyear’s Winemaker Dinner is jointlysponsored by Atascadero KiwanisClub and the City of Atascadero. Allproceeds from this fundraiser willgo toward the completion of a newlakeside performance venue whichwill be presented to the city on theoccasion of its bicentennial celebra-tion in 2013. A gourmet meal will beprepared and served by Pacific Har-vest Catering, 33 local winemakerswill participate both during and be-fore the event and there will be asilent and live auction to help raisefunds for the bandstand endeavorand other projects. Each table of sixwill include one winemaker. Many ofthe wineries will also be pouringduring the social hour. Ticket infor-mation is available by calling CathyVan Orman at 464-0632 or going towww.atascaderokiwanis.org.

SATURDAY, JUNE 23

Huntington's Disease support groupmeets the fourth Saturday of themonth from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.at Carriage Vineyards, 4337 SouthEl Pomar, Templeton. For more in-formation, call Mike Brown at 295-9663.

THURSDAY, JUNE 28

The North County Man to ManProstate Cancer Support Groupmeets monthly in the Pavilion Roomat Twin Cities Community Hospital,1100 Las Tablas Road in Templeton,on the last Thursday of each monthat 7 p.m. This meeting is a groupdiscussion. Man to Man is an Amer-ican Cancer Society Program formen to learn about Prostate Cancerdiagnosis and treatment options.The meetings offer objective, unbi-ased information about prostatecancer and encourage men andtheir families to discuss openly andshare solutions to common prob-lems. Man to Man is sponsored bythe American Cancer Society withfacilities provided by Twin CitiesCommunity Hospital. These meet-ings are open to patients, spouses,family, friends and anyone inter-ested. No reservations are neces-sary. For further information, callBill Houston at 995-2254 or theAmerican Cancer Society at 473-1748.

The North County Humane Society,2300 Ramona Road, Atascadero,offers a free pet bereavement sup-port group the last Thursday ofevery month from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.at the Shelter. This group is open toall family members and is led by aBereavement Counselor. It is in-tended to help those who have losta pet to transition from grief, emo-tional pain, and sadness, to appre-ciation and acceptance. For moreinformation, contact Sherry at 466-5403 or sherry.nchs@gmail.com.

Paso Robles Pressand Atascadero News10 • MAY 2012 SENIORliving

BY HERTHA WOLFF-ARENDSpecial to Senior Living

Just recently I had to make the hardest deci-sion of my life: I had to sign the papers thatsent my mother to a nursing home. You

might ask, "What made this decision so hard andpainful?” My mother lives on the other side ofthe world in Germany.

All your life your parents take care of you.They are there for you when you need them, al-ways covering your back with love, support andsometimes financial help. They guide you andnever judge you. They love you and never let youdown. Then the day comes when they can’t keepup the role of the caregiver of their children. Theystart to require care – frail, often sick and in need.This is our time to provide the best care for theones we love so much.

What is the best you can do for your parents?This is where the problem starts and I must hon-estly admit, I don’t know. After my mothershowed severe signs of dementia and almost diedas result of falling in her home (despite having24 hour-a-day caregivers), I was forced to realizethat the best for her is probably what she hatesthe most – leaving her home and moving into anursing home. It felt to me like I was pushing heroff the cliff to save her from a raging fire. I hadthe choice between almost certain death at homeor letting her drop into the unknown – bothpainful options with no good way out. As a re-sponsible daughter, you want your parents to besafe and cared for, and this is why you mostprobably choose the drop off the cliff into a nurs-ing home. It hurts but once they land they are onsafe ground.

When you are confronted by your parents'lives ending, you must deal with questions no-body has prepared you for. As a mom youlearned about raising children, but nobody taughtyou how to accompany your parents to the endof their lives. Many women are able to take theirparents in and provide for everything they need.Others don’t have the option and reach out for

professional help. There are certainly various op-tions. Whatever option you choose, you are incharge and take over the lead.Your parents mightnot cooperate and they will be upset, scared orangry. Your role in this process will not be ap-preciated and suddenly you will find yourselfalone with a load of responsibility and despair.

Women wear many hats. We take care of ourchildren and husbands and often have a day job.On top of that, we want to do the best for our oldparents in a way that everybody is taken care ofand nobody will complain. I call this a "missionimpossible," there is no way you will succeed.

So where to go from here? I can only provideyou with what I have learned and tell you how Iam keeping my head above water. I cherish whatI have and every single day I spend time with my

family, husband and son, showing them my loveand support. I do the same with my mother andconfirm to her every day that I am there for her.I am not perfect, but I am doing the best I canknowing that it is never going to be good enough.I finally learned to accept that fact. Yes, I acceptthat I don’t have the perfect solution for every-body, and I ask for forgiveness and patience.

There is not one day that I am not concernedabout the well-being of my loved ones, but at thesame time I know that I also have to take care ofmyself – my well-being. They need me and Iwant to make sure I can be there for them evenwith my imperfection. I must stay strong andhealthy which is a real challenge in the struggleof paying back. There are certainly numerousmethods to take care of yourself in trying times,but once you understand that your engine needsmaintenance to perform, you can find the bestservice.I wish you all the best for this part of your life. Ihave all the confidence that you will also do thebest you can for the ones you love so much. Savesome time for yourself and keep going. For mypart, I will take a bath now and allow my musclesto relax from the tension that has built up withmy concern about my mother who, like manymothers, needs her children most at this stage inher life.

Please share your own story on my blog,www.BeAWomanAndActLikeOne.com.

• More about Hertha Wolf – ArendHertha Wolff – Arend lives in Paso Robles

with her husband, young son, five horses, twogoats and two dogs. She relocated to the UnitedStates from Germany about seven years ago andis finding her way through a new culture. Herbusiness focuses on mentoring women throughher book, “Be a Woman and Act Like One, Suc-ceeding in Business and Life." Along with herbook, her blog, eblasts and seminars focus onhelping women become more successful in busi-ness and life by teaching them about what shecalls “living your femininity with strength.”

Now it is your time to pay backWhen your parents need you most

Paso Robles Pressand Atascadero News MAY 2012 • 11SENIORliving

The American baby boomergeneration isn't content sit-ting still - they live full lives

working, traveling and pursuingtheir favorite hobbies.Age is only anumber for this determined groupwhose population is pushing an es-timated 78 million. If you are oneof the many active baby boomers,you understand your health is a pri-ority, but that doesn't mean youwant to spend long hours each daymaking sure you stay well. Luckilysome of the best things you can dofor yourself only take a matter ofminutes each day.

Dr. Wendy Bazilian (wendy-bazilian.com), a doctor of publichealth, registered dietitian and au-thor of "The SuperFoodsRx Diet:Lose Weight with the Power of Su-perNutrients," knows the impor-tance of optimizing health for babyboomers. Simple healthy activities,when done on a daily basis, canhave a huge cumulative effect onhealth and wellness. Here are fourbig-impact health activities fromDr. Bazilian that you can do in 15minutes or less:

1. Be flexible with gentle stretchesStretching might seem like a

basic physical activity, but its posi-tive effects can be substantial. Es-pecially for boomers, stretching forfive to 15 minutes each day canhelp keep muscles and joints flexi-ble, and help increase overall bodyhealth. Plus as you age, stretchingcan help maintain your mobilitylevels and decrease the risks offalls. Try gentle stretches to getyour blood flowing in the morningor before you take a walk. Want to

try something different? Yogablends stretching and strength for awonderful workout for people of allages.Time requirement: 15 minutesor less

2. Get an oil change - in yourkitchen

The right kind of oils can bene-fit your health and wellness, and thewrong ones can put you at risk forhigh cholesterol, heart disease andeven cancer. Cooking healthymeans stocking your pantry withthe right kinds of oils so you canenjoy the foods you love the rightway. Two to keep on hand are extravirgin olive oil and organic grape-seed oil. Olive oil contains mo-nounsaturated fats which can helpboost healthy HDL cholesterolwhile at the same time help to re-duce unhealthy LDL cholesterollevels. Lower cooking temperaturesor cool/room temperature usage isbest. Organic grapeseed oil has amore neutral flavor and a highsmoke point, allowing for highertemperature cooking while using alighter hand in measures with thishealthier cooking oil. Time require-ment: five minutes or less

3. Consider taking an omega-3 fishoil supplement

Recently, there's been a lot oftalk about omega-3 essential fattyacids and their ability to preventcommon disease as well as benefitbrain and overall health. Becauseyou can only get these essential fatsthrough what you eat, Americansoften don't get as much as theyneed. Include food sources like wildsalmon and sardines, as well as

plant sources like walnuts andflaxseeds. Luckily, you can fill anutritional gap by incorporating ahigh-quality fish oil supplementinto your daily routine. A high-quality supplement can mean morebenefit to your health; UltimateOmega-D3 from Nordic Naturals isa good example and great option.Time requirement: two minutes orless

4. Eat more fresh fruits and veggieseach dayFew foods can provide the high lev-els of nutrients your body needsthan fresh produce, yet more than80 percent of us are not gettingenough. It's important to aim to

make half your plate fruits and veg-etables at meals every day. And tryto incorporate fresh fruits and veg-gies daily, and don't forget aboutfrozen and dried options withoutadded sugars or preservatives.They're super nutrient-rich, too. Thetasty options are endless - fromberries, apples, bananas, and cher-ries to broccoli, tomatoes, carrots,cabbage, and kale. Be adventurousand try a new recipe that features aveggie you've never had before. Or,taste local flavors by visiting yourneighborhood farmers market.Whether for a snack or with a meal,fresh produce is great for any babyboomer's diet. Time requirement:five minutes or less

Big-impact health activitiesIn 15 minutes or less!

Paso Robles Pressand Atascadero News12 • MAY 2012 SENIORliving