April 2015
COMMUNITY LIFE
By KC Cowan and Don Snedecor
The Southwest Portland Post
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Find a new slant on calligraphy:
A group show, “Play! Whimsical
Words & Calligraphic Capers,” opens
at the Multnomah Arts Center Gallery
this month. The show features two-
dimensional works as well as artist
books by members of the Portland
Society for Calligraphy. Opening
reception is Fri., April 3 from 7 – 9 pm
at the MAC, 7688 SW Capitol Hwy. The
show runs through April 28.
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A look at vision loss: Join
experts at Oregon Health &
Science University’s Casey Eye Institute
for an in-depth look at efforts to
improve the diagnosis and treatment
of macular degeneration, the leading
cause of vision loss among older
people. Saturday, April 11 from 9:30
a.m. to 12 p.m. at OHSU Casey Eye
Institute, MacDonald Auditorium, 3375
SW Terwilliger Blvd. Free, but advance
registration is requested. Call 503-494-
3537 for more information and to
register.
Introduction to birdwatching:
Would you like to learn how to
identify local birds, attract birds to your
CALENDAR/NEWS
backyard, and how to become a birder?
Jens Tomas Larsen will share photos
of common birds in Portland, printed
and online resources, and best tips to
a spectacular birding experience, such
as what kind of weather to look out
for, when and where to see a swallow
roost in fall, and much more. Saturday,
April 11, 2 – 3:30 pm at the Capitol Hill
Library, 10723 SW Capitol Hwy. Call
503-988-5385 for more info. Free.
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Jewish Community Orchestra:
This top-notch community
orchestra performs Mendelssohn,
Magnard and Berlioz in its spring
concert. Sunday, April 12 at 3 pm at the
Mittleman Jewish Community Center,
6651 SW Capitol Hwy. Tickets available
at the door. $10 adults, $8 seniors and
$5 students.
Under the Big Top: Auction
night to benefit Wilson High
School. The All-School Auction takes
place Saturday, April 18 at 6 p.m. at the
Mittleman Jewish Community Center,
6651 SW Capitol Hwy. Door prizes,
entertainment, and the chance to win a
1.08 carat diamond worth more than
$6,000. Proceeds benefit the Wilson
High School Foundation. Tickets are on
sale now through the school website:
www.pps.k12.or.us/schools/wilson.
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Shredding confidential
documents in Raleigh Hills:
The annual Raleigh Hills Business
The Southwest Portland Post • 5
Association Shred Event will be held
Thursday, April 23, 12 to 4 p.m. at the
New Seasons in Raleigh Hills, 7300 SW
Beaverton Hillsdale Hwy. Free. The
folks at Accu-Shred will be taking
paper products and shredding it on
site. Other recycling: Eco Binary is
accepting used electronic equipment,
Interstate All Battery accepting
household dry batteries, Cartridge
Network accepting spent ink cartridges
from printers. Visit the RHBA website
for more information.
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Electronics recycling: Do you
have electronic items that you
want to get rid of and keep out of our
landfills? Take them to the Sunstone
Montessori School (6318 SW Corbett
Ave.) on Saturday, April 25. For a small
donation, they will take them off your
hands. Everything from televisions and
video cassette recorders to ink
cartridges, scanners, laptops, cell
phones, and more are accepted. The
recycling event will held from 10 a.m.
until 2 p.m. For more information call
Green Century Electronics Recycling at
503-764-9963.
Make the sun pay! Learn why solar
is a smart choice for your home at a
solar for residential workshop. Topics
include: how solar works in Oregon’s
climate; available solar technologies
and how they fit into your overall
energy use; assessing your site for
solar; how financial incentives and tax
SPRING SWING: Maestro Yaacov Bergman
leads the Portland Chamber Orchestra in
works by American composers Meyer,
Barber and Bernstein, April 25-26 at Lewis
& Clark College, Agnes Flanagan Chapel.
Featuring violinist Aaron Meyer (shown
above), guitarist Tim Ellis, soprano Nicole
Greenidge, and tenor Brian Tierney.
Visit www.portlandchamberorchestra.org
for details.
credits can cover up to 80 percent of the
cost. Hillsdale Library, 1525 SW Sunset
Blvd. Saturday, April 25, 2 – 3:30 p.m.
Registration required; register online,
in the library or by calling 503-988-5234.
Southwest residents organizing aging-in-place network for seniors
By Erik Vidstrand
The Southwest Portland Post
By 2030, the Portland metro area is
expected to grow to almost 395,000
people aged 65 and older. Even if all
these seniors wanted to move into
retirement homes, there simply aren’t
enough facilities available, now, or
being built to accommodate this many
people.
On top of that, approximately 75
percent of these seniors don’t have
enough retirement savings to be able to
afford the costs which could be $3,000
and much more per month.
According to a recent American
Association of Retired Persons
survey, almost 90 percent of older
adults want to grow old in their own
homes and neighborhoods. For many
baby boomers (born from 1946-64),
their vision of aging doesn’t include
retirement homes.
To address this concern, there has
been a growing concept to create
supportive communities of people who
want to age-in-place. Villages are been
organized all over the country, the first
one in Beacon Hill in Boston.
These aging-in-place villages are a
group of like-minded individuals in a
geographic area who come together to
figure out and develop the resources
they will need to age comfortably in
their own homes.
In the Portland area, Villages NW, a
local organization, is in the process of
forming a nonprofit corporation. In the
meantime, the organization has created
seven hubs, one of them in Southwest
Portland.
Named River West Village, with
boundaries from the Willamette River,
to Hwy. 26, to Lake Oswego, was
created over a year ago. Approximately
30 people, mostly elderly, attended an
orientation on a blustery Sunday in
mid-March.
Dr. John Dougherty (left) stresses a point as River West Village participants C.B. Wright,
Darl Kleinbach, Sharon Marcus, and John Mouser look on. (Photo courtesy of Hsi Li Sui)
The seniors expressed wanting to
retain their independence, mobility,
and social activities as best as possible.
According to Dr. John Dougherty, an
independent researcher who has lived
in Hillsdale for many years, individuals
have been forming alliances with each
other for a long time just by living
together.
“We’d like everyone to become a
member,” he continued, “so we can
help provide you with services that
aging seniors will need.”
“Once the River West Village is
up and running in 2017,” according
to committee member C.B. Wright,
“membership fees could be under
$1,000 and perhaps even lower. This fee
would provide a variety of services that
would normally costs thousands and
thousands of dollars a year.”
Coordinators said it will take at
least 100 members to make it feasible.
There are over 11,000 elders alone in
Southwest.
Discussion turned to the fact that
young and old will be needed to help
to age-in-place. “The Village” will need
to draw its volunteers not just from
its members, but from the broader
community, which further nurtures
intergenerational interaction and
relationships.
Audience members brainstormed a
list of services that they would like to
see, including yard and house projects.
Rides will be needed, especially
when driver licenses are revoked.
“That’s when the isolation sets in,”
commented one audience member.
“There will be rides to take people
to their appointments,” Dougherty
said, “as well as to remain engaged in
cultural events. Some may want to go
to a party or a concert, even stop for
a drink.
“We’re not just talking about knitting
and bridge groups,” Dougherty smiled.
Most ride-shares stop at certain times
and are restrictive.
“Help with computer issues will also
be needed,” Dougherty replied. “A
senior ‘geek-squad’ will be available at
no cost…if you’re a member.”
Others suggested a list of networks,
a calendar of social and recreational
events, and educational outings such
as trips to OMSI or the World Affairs
Council.
“There are lots of logistics to make this
program a reality,” Wright explained.
“We want everyone to feel safe for
those who come into your home.”
“This is not a model to provide
healthcare or replace other services,”
Dougherty assured, “but we do need
volunteers, committees, and people
with specific skills to help promote
the village.
“We’re all skilled, talented, but we
just have grey hair.”
The next informational overview will
be at the Hillsdale Community Church
on Sunday, May 17 from 12 to 1:30 p.m.
For more information, visit www.
villagesNW.org or call 503-281-4698.
Word to your Mother!
Mention “Mother's Day” in your
retail display ad in May and save
20 percent off the open rate, with
this special offer. Includes, space,
design, position and color. You
must mention this offer to get the
deal. Call Don or Harry at 503-244-
6933 to place your ad. Deadline is
April 20.