By Bob Buddemeier

Let me put this as delicately as possible.  You are going to die.  If you are like most people you don’t know when, where, or how, BUT you have some definite positive or negative preferences about the answers to those questions.

A recent presentation by Jan Rowe, RN (ret) and Athera Brockbank, Clinical Manager for Providence Hospital hospice, laid out the choices to be made and actions taken in anticipation of life’s end – both well in advance and when the end draws near.  Their presentation addressed primarily medical issues, with an admonition to also take care of the paperwork and other advance arrangements: will, trust, designating a health care representative, powers of attorney, mortuary arrangements, etc.

This article is a summary of the key points of the presentation, including guidance on where to find further information. A video of the presentation is available for viewing on MyRVM (Go to MyRVM>Staff Departments & Services>Health Services>Educational Resources>End of Life Presentation 2025.

Record of Preferences:  The do-it-in-advance items are preparation of an Advance Directive (AD) and a POLST (Portable Orders for Life Sustaining Treatment) form – and discussion of the contents with your medical provider and your Health Care Representative, who should be willing to support your choices. These are the places to record preferences such as “do not resuscitate” or “do not intubate,” for example.

The POLST is primarily oriented toward emergency personnel and first responders; it needs to be signed by your Principal Care Provider, and should be posted on your refrigerator door.  The AD is also known as a living will but it does not need to be drawn up by a lawyer or notarized; it must be witnessed by two people. It is a flexible document – although standard forms are available, this can be drawn up in any way you want.  Copies should be given to your medical providers and family or friends who may be looking after you or your interests.

Treatment Options: There are two treatment options to be considered in case of serious or terminal illness, palliative care and hospice.  Both require referral by a doctor. Palliative care is for those who are seriously ill and need special care (e.g., for pain management).  The Providence Hospital palliative care operates though their home health care program, for people who can’t conveniently get to a hospital or provider’s office. It can be combined with a medical treatment program.

Hospice is for those with a prognosis of death within six months. It cannot be combined with medical disease treatment, but it does not need to meet home health care requirements. It is focused on the relief of distress and symptoms and attends to the individual’s emotional as well as physical needs during the final stages of life.

Death Management:  In Oregon, the terminally ill patient who wishes to control the circumstances of their death has two recognized options:  Voluntarily stopping eating and drinking (VSED), and Medical Aid in Dying (MAID), enabled by Oregon’s Death with Dignity (DWD) Act.

VSED results in a natural death, is usually painless, and requires no permission or authorization.  However, one’s doctor should be notified, and the process does require determination and may require 24-hour care.  The official cause of death is recorded as either the underlying disease or dehydration.

MAID is described as follows – Oregon’s Death With Dignity Act provides an end-of-life option that allows a terminally ill, qualified person to legally request and obtain a medication from their physician to hasten their inevitable death in a peaceful, humane and dignified manner at a time and place of their choosing.  To be “qualified,” people must be over 18, competent to make decisions, and able to administer the medication themselves.  They must make two separate oral requests and one written request to the  MD or DO who will write the prescription, and have a second doctor confirm that life expectancy is six months or less.  Death is recorded as caused by the underlying condition.

Information and advice: Jan Rowe and Prathiba Eastwood are End of Life Choices Oregon (EOLCOR) volunteers at RVM.  EOLCOR is a 501(C)(3) non-profit that performs the following services free of charge,

• Make home visits to educate clients and loved ones about all of their choices
• Offer emotional support, especially to those without family or caregivers who agree with their choice
• Work closely with hospice personnel
• Help find supportive doctors and pharmacies
• Offer guidance through the MAID process and info about VSED
• Assistance and presence at planned deaths, if requested

RVM permits MAID and VSED in all living situations except the Memory Support Center.  For information on RVM policy and potential support, see Melissa Preston, Aaron Williams, Fr. Joel, or Linda Bellinson.

The RVM library has an information binder entitled “Resources in the RVM Library and Beyond on Death and Preparing for It.”

Offsite Organizations

END OF LIFE CHOICES OREGON                       503-922-1132
www.eolcoregon.org

VSED Resources Northwest                                   360-919-6363
VSEDresources.com

Oregon Health Authority
Oregon.gov/oha
Search “Death with Dignity Act”

Death with Dignity National Center                    503-228-4415
Deathwithdignity.org

Compassion and Choices                                        800-247-7421
compassionandchoices.org

 

 

 

 

 

 

by Joni Johnson

As a person who spends many hours watching TV, I was very interested to see what DIRECTV – Streaming would bring us and how it would compare to our current supplier Spectrum.  I actually went and saw it in action with someone already using it on campus.  I was highly impressed.  It is different from the DIRECTV that uses a satellite dish.  Because it is a streaming service, it offers more flexibility than the satellite dish.  And it provides everything we got from Spectrum plus so much more.  Also, unlike Spectrum, it requires no additional equipment other than the cute little Gemini Air Dongle which is about the size of a very small smart phone and is attached by HDMI directly to your TV.

The dongle, which replaces a traditional cable box, supports wifi and internet.  It offers a user-friendly interface with a programmable remote, voice control and access to Netflix and Prime Video and all the rest of the apps that you choose.  The system includes 20 hours of cloud-based recording with an option for unlimited recording for $10 extra per month.

WATCHING TV

If you are someone who only watches TV and never records, I think DIRECTV will provide an easier way to access your shows.  Here’s a picture of the remote next to the old Spectrum remote.  As you can see there is only one one and off Button rather than the Spectrum remote that had two power buttons, one for the cable and one for the TV.  The guide is the same.  And now you can actually record a show by using the red dot, which will make recording a real option for those who have never done so before.  When I set up my TV, I had to pay a monthly fee for my recording box.  That fee does not exist in the new system. You get 20 hours of free recording storage.  If you do record, the list is really useful because it is one button to reach the list of already recorded shows and future shows waiting to be recorded rather than toggling through the menu. And when you remove what you have recorded, it gives you space for future recordings

And a truly wonderful addition on the remote is the microphone that enables you to move immediately from one show to another by just mentioning the channel or the app. Here is a a mini video showing how easy it is to use the microphone.  And you can access channels also by just putting in the numbers on the remote.

Using voice control

STREAMING:

For those of you that don’t stream and don’t want to- DIRECTV provides the same channel experience as Spectrum with recording for everyone, so do not worry.  But it does provide an option of streaming some other internet apps when you decide you want to explore it. More information on streaming will be available in May/June after you have played with your tv for a while.

For those of you who stream now, the dongle offers lots of options.  I currently use ROKU to stream and I really like it.  But the negative to using ROKU is that you have to go from the streaming platform to the TV, which requires jumping from Cable to another HDMI port.  I could still do that with DIRECTV.  But I don’t think I will need to do that because all of my streaming Apps (Netflix, Prime, Apple TV, Hulu, Acorn, Peacock, Paramount, PBS plus many more) are visible and programable right on the TV.  So most probably, I can get everything I have streaming with ROKU and also move to watch something being broadcast on TV with one little button choice.

Many of the apps I use cost money, but there are many more free apps available to show you movies and other TV programs.  The benefit of using an app instead of watching something on TV is that they are all available on demand.  For example,  I don’t have to wait for a show to appear on PBS.  I can actually access it on the app whenever I want.  All You need is a Passport account which is free with any charitable contribution to PBS. So if you support PBS, then all you need is that app. Another benefit is that we will be able to access anything we are watching on TV on our phone or tablet as well.  So let’s say that you start watching a TV program on your TV but have to pause because you are going to a doctor’s appointment.  And then you find yourself in the waiting room for some time before you get called.  You can actually access the same program you were watching at home on your smart phone and it will start at exactly where you paused it.

CHANNEL 900

Channel 900 will still be available, but now it will be a channel 900 app with a name like Rogue Valley Manor.  The benefit of it being an app rather than a channel is that you will be able to choose the information you want from a menu rather than having to wait till it scrolls through all of its slides.

Here’s a video that gives you a little idea of everything you get.  It does tell you how to connect your TV to the direct tv dongle.  But don’t worry.  All that will be done for you when they install it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WnBXNY4OL_8

LEARNING THE PROGRAM:

As previously mentioned, DIRECTV will be put onto your TV by support personnel.  So all you need to do is learn how to use it once it is on.

Our fearless leaders are putting together lots of ways to learn how to use the remote. First of all, there will be a list of questions and answers (FAQs) on MyRVM.org.  It is being developed and should be available in mid-March.  The Direct TV roll out will begin in April. In addition, they are gathering together several videos on how to use the program.  From people’s experience, DIRECTV personnel are extremely helpful if you call them for support.  And I am sure that there will be help from both residents and support personnel when we first start using it.

For some, the transition will be very easy.  For others, it might take a little bit to learn what is different.  But I truly believe that once you have mastered the remote you will be thrilled with DIRECTV.  I can hardly wait until it is installed.

 

by Bob Buddemeier

Offering advice on surviving a winter storm a month after the major storm of the season may seem a little like locking the barn after the horse is stolen.  However, the approach has the advantage of raising the subject while the experience is still fresh in people’s memories, which may improve the chances of attention, or even action.

The February storm dropped over a foot of snow, and resulted in RVM appeals for cottage residents to stay in place and not venture out.  It also resulted in cancellation of two dinners and replacement with take-out and deliveries.  It could have been worse – snow tapered off on the second day, daytime temperatures were consistently above freezing, and enough RVM employees made it into work so that food could be prepared and road clearing undertaken.

What if?  More snow, colder temperatures, fewer employees at work, and a storm-related power outage.  All possibilities.  We don’t even have to call on the Cascadia earthquake to envision things being pretty bad. The first step in recognizing how bad is to realize that without power most communication is down. An overloaded phone system and word of mouth would be about the only ways to get information about conditions and local plans. Residents, especially those in the cottages, would have to be truly self-reliant — and do so without heat.

Basic advice: pay attention to RVM and the READY Team guidance on emergency equipment and supplies to have on hand.  On MyRVM –> Staff Departments & Services, and then –> Security & Emergency Preparedness.  However, the winter storm prospect creates some emphasis or issues that go beyond the basic lists.

The “don’t go out in the snow and ice” issue: Maybe you need to check on or help a neighbor.  Maybe you don’t have an indoor puppy potty.  Maybe you’re a radio-equipped READY coordinator and a vital link in the face-to-face communication network. Maybe your home is too cold or out of basic supplies and you need to get to the more liveable conditions in a high-rise (and your car is snowed in and the streets uncleared).  It can all be possible if you know the magic word – YAKTRAX.

Yaktrax is the name of a brand of wear-them-on-your-feet traction devices, but like Kleenex and Xerox the brand name has been generalized to refer to the whole class of such items, some of which are at least as good as the named brand. The picture illustrates one of many styles.  What should you get and how do you get some? [Editorial Opinion] (1) Go to the online Amazon catalog, type Yaktrax into the search field and look until you find some that say they are for walking on snow and ice AND have a cumulative user rating greater than 4.5. Prices range from <$20 to the sky’s the limit. Search for “Yaktrax size chart” to relate your shoe/boot size to the S-M-L choices — but adjust your ordinary shoe size to account for the difference in outside dimensions between the shoe and you winter boot. (2) Not an online shopper? Take the boot that you would wear them on, go to REI and tell the salesperson what you want.  And expect to pay a little more.  Remember, concrete or tile surfaces may damage the Yaktrax, which in turn may damage wood or composition flooring.

I also recommend an entrenching tool or similar small sturdy shovel – it’s not a snow shovel, but you can use it to clear a foot-wide footpath, or enough of an area so that puppy can get his butt close to the ground without being totally submerged.  And if you have a snowy driving mishap, it’s a lot better than using your fingernails to get the snow out from around your tires.

Speaking of cars, winter gear belongs both there and in the dwelling.  If your car is in an attached garage, store the gear there, but if you park down the street, it’s best to keep the emergency supplies in the house and move them to the car for trips.

What else what if?  Clothing and bedding that can keep you safely warm, if not comfortable, in sub-freezing weather.  In the cottages, no power means no heat. Don’t forget the peripherals – warm gloves, socks, cap, long johns.  Emergency light sources, food and water for several days, and maybe an emergency radio.  And if you self-evacuate, don’t forget your medicines.

Talk to your neighborhood or floor coordinator for the READY Team — they are there to help with emergency preparation as well as response.  How do you find your coordinator? Glad you asked.  The relatively easy way is to open MyRVM and enter https://files.mwapp.net/files/ff/-coordlookupsept4[155910591].TXT into the address bar (or click the link here). Alternatively, MyRVM –> Staff Departments & Services, and then –> Security & Emergency Preparedness, scroll down a half page and click the left-hand READY icon, then scroll down and click the “coordinator and neighborhood finder” link below the text.  Trust me, it will be worth it.

Beyond that, it’s forethought, caution, and cooperation with other people in the same situation.  There’s no excuse for losing more than one horse.

 

 

 

By Joni Johnson

 

Have you ever had an animal named after you? Right now, I know of only two individuals here at RVM that have met this criterion.  (If there are others, please let me know).  Bob Buddemeier has been immortalized with Anthopleura buddemeieri  It is a small sea anemone called the pink spotted bead anemone.

His deceased wife (and former RVM resident), Daphne Fautin, has many sea anemones named after her.  She has been called the world authority on sea anemones, and has identified at least 19 new species.  Boloceroides daphneae was originally named for Daphne because it was thought to be a sea anemone.  But recently the name was changed to Relicanthus daphneae as a whole new animal suborder.

Bob Buddemeier described the discovery and naming of “his” sea anemone.

“Daphne and I were in Papua New Guinea.  She was looking for sea anemones, and we were in a place where earthquakes had moved the coast and islands upwards out of the sea.   I was looking for a sample that could be age-dated to find out when these earthquakes had happened. We were at the shoreline, and I was looking at coral heads that had been raised up out of the water, because that was a definite clue that something had taken them out of their environment, pushed them up. And corals are pretty good for carbon dating. So Daphne was squishing around in the water, and I was hitting these uplifted corals with a hammer to try and see what shape they were in, and I saw this little fleshy stuff in some of the pores on the coral. I said, Daphne, I think there’s an anemone here, a little anemone. She looked up and she said, ‘No, that’s too high; that’d be out of the water. They wouldn’t live there.’ I said, well, but there’s something here that looks like it’s alive. So just come and tell me what it is. She came over and said, ‘well, hmm, that that does look sort of like an anemone. Let’s take some home.’

So we did, and it was an anemone. It turns out that it pretty much always lives very high in the intertidal and it only needs to get wet occasionally. It keeps itself wet for a long time, so it doesn’t have to be down in the water where you expect anemones to be.  Once people started looking for it, it turned out to be pretty common.  It took Daphne a number of years to get around to describing it in the scientific literature.”  But eventually, she did and so Anthopleura buddemeieri was named.

 

I asked Bob how he felt about being the namesake of a new species of anemone and he said “It’s sort of good because probably that’s the thing that will last the longest.  People are still using names of things that were named in the 1700s so that will be the last thing that disappears from being associated with my name in terms of whatever I’ve done.”

Some think  having an animal named after you is exciting because it signifies a unique and lasting legacy in the natural world, essentially immortalizing your name by associating it with a specific species.  It often highlights your contributions to science, conservation or a particular field related to the animal’s habitat.  It’s a tangible way to be remembered and connected to the natural environment.  Seeing an animal named after someone can inspire others to pursue careers in science.

Taxonomy and the naming of species is pretty standard. The name is italicized when printed, the Genus (the first part of the name) is always capitalized, and the species name (second part) is always lower case and ends in a Greek or Latin word or grammatical form.  The ae in daphneae is the Latin feminine possessive and the i at the end of buddemeieri is the masculine possessive.  Typically, a new species is not named after the person who described it. Its name may be descriptive, or it may be named after a person who is in some way notable.

For example, Phialella zappai is a species of jellyfish. It was named for musician Frank Zappa^[1] by Ferdinando “Nando” Boero, a jellyfish expert from Genoa, Italy who admired Zappa. Boero wrote to

Zappa, hoping to meet the musician. Zappa replied saying “there is nothing I would like better than having a jellyfish with my name”, leading to a meeting and eventually a friendship between the two of them.  Other animals named after famous persons include Megapropodiphora arnoldi, a seemingly muscled fly which bears more than a little resemblance to Arnold Schwarzenegger, aside from being only 0.395 millimeters long.

There is also a sightless beetle found in the damp caves of Slovenia named Anophthalmus hitleri. Appropriately, Anophthalmus hitleri, or “eyeless Hitler,” is a significant predator that Doug Yanega, an entomologist at the University of California, Riverside, said is probably near the top of the micro-animal food chain and “eats anything smaller and weaker than it.” Still, the connection to the despot has been deemed so unsavory that when the creature was featured on a Yugoslavian postage stamp in 1984, its Latin name was withheld.  The beetle’s  name is causing an uproar in the taxonomy world because of whom its species name stands for, and efforts are being made to change it.  The is not simple, because The International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature, which administers the rules for naming animals, is reluctant to authorize changes for reasons other than a change in the scientific status of the critter. (From Press Reader 12/29/2023

Another eye-catching name is Gorilla gorilla gorilla, an endangered Gorilla subspecies (the Western Lowland Gorilla).  As scientists are commonly no longer familiar with Greek or Latin, more translation errors are likely to crop up — for example, Scelidosaurus was intended to mean ” Limb Lizard” but it actually translates to “Rib of Beef Lizard”. Another example of a name that I find odd is Brachiosaurus. It translates to “Arm Lizard” which I’m sure many of you can agree is not the most notable feature of the animal.

What names do you find interesting? Here is a list of some of the odd ones:

https://listverse.com/2020/09/05/top-10-hilarious-scientific-names/