July 19, 2019
T he C olumbia P ress
Senior Moments
with Emma Edwards
Watch out for the 5-second
rule and other germ adages
Yellow is said to be the color
of “sunshine, hope and hap-
piness.” I feel more bouncy,
happy and even more cre-
ative in the summer, when
there’s more sunshine.
So it should be all good,
right? Maybe not all good,
but it can be better if we fol-
low a few guidelines, espe-
cially regarding the heat.
There’s a pamphlet for se-
niors put out by the U.S.
government a few years ago,
“Eight Simple Steps for Old-
er Adults to Beat the Heat.”
I encourage others to pick
up a copy in case we’re
somewhere with “excessive
heat events” or “heat waves”
this year.
The pamphlet points out
“elderly people do not adjust
as well as young people to
sudden changes in tempera-
ture.”
Maybe we have some warm-
er weather coming around
the corner in our area.
If so, be careful. But at the
same time, try to soak up a
little of it. Fifteen minutes
a day is good for us, but not
several hours.
One suggestion many of us
already take advantage of:
“Visit air-conditioned build-
ings in your community if
your home is not air-condi-
tioned.”
I know several seniors who
do their daily walking in one
of our air-conditioned big-
box stores.
Another step is to “drink
plenty of water.”
Track water intake using
refillable water bottles or
keep a daily log.
The daily water consump-
tion needs of the elderly are
no different than that of the
young. One baseline rec-
ommendation is one cup of
water for every 20 pounds
of body weight (six to eight
glasses per day).
Another science fact is that
seniors are very much at risk
of infection, more than at
any other time of our lives.
Most of us have heard the
five-second rule; if food
drops on the floor, pick it up
quickly before it’s contami-
nated.
Instead, an article in the
July 2010 National Geo-
graphic says we should ap-
ply the “zero-second rule”
because bacteria (including
salmonella) can stay alive up
to four weeks and immedi-
ately transfers to food upon
contact.
Another study conclud-
ed that the rim of a single
cup can contain as many as
10,000 bacteria.
Cup sharing is totally dis-
couraged!
Also, bad news for chip
dippers; double-dipping can
spread more germs.
This is critical news since
the older we get, the more
fragile our digestive systems
become.
I have to share a little story
I read recently.
A local television reporter
visited the nursing home to
interview a wise old man cel-
ebrating his 100th birthday.
“Are you able to get out and
walk much?” the reporter
asked. “Well, I certainly walk
better today than I could 100
years ago.”
Remember, when the sun is
shining we can do anything.
“No mountain is too high, no
trouble too difficult to over-
come.”
7
Children’s meal program continues this summer
Summer food programs
for children are being of-
fered throughout Clatsop
County.
“When school is out
during summer, some stu-
dents may not get the nu-
trition or learning oppor-
tunities they need, causing
a ‘summer gap’ that is diffi-
cult to make up once school
starts again in the fall,” said
Jessica Visinsky, outreach
coordinator for Oregon De-
partment of Education.
More than 300,000 chil-
dren in the state are eligible
for free or reduced-price
lunches during the school
year, only 38,908 participate
in the summer programs, ac-
cording to ODE.
Free meals are available
weekdays through Aug. 23 at
the following locations:
• Warrenton Grade School,
820 S.W. Cedar Ave., 11:45
a.m. to 12:15 p.m. (503-440-
1859).
• Warrenton Community
Library, 160 S. Main Ave.,
11:45 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. (503-
861-2281).
• Hammond park near
former library, 861 Pacif-
ic Drive, 11:45 a.m. to 12:15
p.m. (503-861-2281).
• Astoria High School,
1001 W. Marine Drive,
11:30 a.m. to noon (503-
325-4177).
• Astoria Parks and Rec-
reation Day Camp, 1555 W.
Marine Drive, 11:30-11:55
a.m. (503-325-4177).
• Peter Pan Park, Sixth
and Niagara streets, noon
to 12:20 p.m.
• Emerald Heights, 2-12
McCain Road, 11:30 a.m. to
noon.
Other sites are in Seaside,
Jewell, Ilwaco and Long
Beach.
Citizens needed for planning commission
Two seats are open on the
Clatsop County Planning
Commission.
The panel makes land-use
decisions on variances, con-
ditional uses and subdivi-
sions and deals with zoning,
transportation,
economic
development, housing, farm
and forest issues. It also
makes recommendations to
the Board of County Com-
missioners on amendments
to the comprehensive plan
and its implementing ordi-
nances.
The Planning Commission
meets at 10 a.m. on the sec-
ond Tuesday of each month
in Astoria.
The open positions are for
vacant terms ending June
30, 2023. The open seats cur-
rently represent the Clatsop
Plains and Northeast plan-
ning areas, however resi-
dents from Elsie-Jewell and
the Seaside unincorporated
area are urged to apply.
The county also seeks a
local representative for the
Northwest Oregon Area
Commission on Transpor-
tation. The board advises
the Oregon Transportation
Commission.
The deadline to apply is 4
p.m. Aug. 9. For more infor-
mation, contact Gail Henrik-
son at 503-325-8611.
The Board of Commission-
ers will consider the appoint-
ments at its Aug. 28 meeting.
Applications for either po-
sition are available from the
County Manager’s Office,
800 Exchange St., Suite 410,
Astoria, or online at www.co.
clatsop.or.us.
County Fair: Opens Tuesday
Continued from Page 1
and the talent show at 6:30
p.m. Saturday.
All-day carnival passes are
$20 (if purchased early at Ag-
Bag Forage Solutions or the
fair office) or $30 at the gate.
Tickets to the Midland con-
cert are $40 reserved or $35
general and are available at
Lewis and Clark Bank, MN
Workwear, Teevin Bros and
Lum’s Auto.
Tickets also are available
online at brownpapertickets.
com.
Senior lunch menu
Boat for sale
2012 18-foot Hewescraft
Sportsman 180 fishing boat,
$24,000. One owner, com-
pletely serviced in June, 438
hours on motor/very few on
kicker. Only non-ethanol gas
used. Call Gary at 503-861-
9673.
Monday, July 22: Chicken and apples, brown rice, green
beans, three-bean salad, bread pudding.
Thursday, July 25: Shrimp in garlic butter, spaghetti with basil
pesto, broccoli, romaine salad, chocolate cake.
The Warrenton senior lunch program is at noon (doors
open at 10:30 a.m.) Mondays and Thursdays at Warrenton
Community Center, 170 SW Third St. Suggested donation is
$6 for ages 55 and older; $7 for those younger. For more
information, call 503-861-3502.