Brainerd Dispatch March 17, 2015 • Echo Journal, March 19, 2015
Each Tuesday, Sara Duffield (standing) and Regina Rau (front left) do crafts with residents of the memory care unit at Golden Horizons in Crosslake. On March 3, Barb Warrington (right) joined them to make snowmen. Also pictured: residents Lucille Thomas (center) and Maria Bierman (center right).
PHOTO BY CHELSEY PERKINS/BRAINERD DISPATCH
Caring through crafts Volunteer shares her passion for art with dementia patients CHELSEY PERKINS Staff Writer
On one of the last snowy days of winter, residents in Golden Horizons memory care facility in Crosslake took part in their weekly crafting ritual. This particular Tuesday afternoon in early March, the craft project was snowmen made from Styrofoam balls decorated with colorful scarves, googly eyes and orange toothpicks for carrot noses. Volunteer Sara Duffield of Crosslake patiently displayed scarf fabric color choices to residents Maria Bierman and Lucille Thomas. “Would you like green to match your shirt?” she asked Bierman. Bierman nodded, so she carefully wrapped a tiny scarf around the snowman. Duffield, 74, has been volunteering each week for three years, developing ideas for craft projects, providing supplies and preparing them to be assembled. Most of the residents are unable to assemble the crafts themselves. Duffield gets supplies ready so she and assisted living resident Regina Rau, who Duffield describes as her crafting partner, can make multiple projects. Rau’s involvement with crafting day was a welcome one for Duffield, who has difficulty cutting things out after having a stroke seven years ago. For the past year, Rau has been assisting Duffield with cutting and preparing the felt, fabric or paper for projects. “I’m so happy to help her because I feel so sorry for those people in memory care,” Rau said. “My heart just goes out to them.”
moment of her life, a trait she saw in Rau as their friendship has evolved. “She and I kind of have that spirit together,” Duffield said. “Nothing’s gonna keep her down.” Rau has lived at Golden Horizons for three years after experiencing several health setbacks, including a broken hip. “I feel good,” Rau said. “I feel like a million bucks, but there was the fear that I’m going to fall and I don’t want to break another hip. … Like I told the doctor, the chassis’s gone to hell, but the motor’s in good shape.” Rau visited residents in memory care before she and Duffield met and said she’s one of the few from assisted living who does so. “You don’t have to do anything,” she said. “All you have to Sara Duffield laughs during craft time in the memory care unit at Golden Horizons in Crosslake. do is hold their hand and give Duffield has volunteered each Tuesday for three years. Pictured left to right: Regina Rau, Duffield, Lucille Thomas and Maria Bierman. them a hug.” PHOTO BY CHELSEY PERKINS/BRAINERD DISPATCH Duffield said part of the reason Rau lives on the other side of where she taught children and also Duffield spent time in numerous she is successful with the memory the building intended for people produced giant watercolor paint- other locales. She was born in care residents is by paying close with mobility issues or other dis- ings she sold at art fairs. She said Kansas but grew up in Venezuela attention to how they’re feeling. abilities, but not with dementia or she loves to write poetry and due to her father’s work in the oil “One person is always extrememakes handmade books of her industry. She returned to Kansas ly worried. ‘I think my friends are Alzheimer’s disease. “I’m feeling fine at 89,” Rau poems for Christmas presents before moving to San Francisco, coming and I have to be ready,’ each year. Currently, she’s utiliz- then Oregon, Denver, Minneapolis (she’ll say). It tells me somewhere said. When she met Duffield, Rau ing her “wild creative streak” by and Zimmerman. in her life she needed someone to It was in Zimmerman where tell her, it’s OK,” Duffield said. said she knew she was someone working on a book of Advent she experienced what doctors “So that’s what we try to do with special who would have a positive meditations for next Christmas. Her reasons for volunteering described as a “devastating” these people.” impact with those in memory care. “She is so patient,” Rau said. are not only tied to her education stroke. She attended physical ther“One thing I do understand,” “She is so kind to these people. and interest in art, however; it also apy to relearn how to walk and she added, “is I go over and I sit and regain partial use of her left down with them at the table and They just love her. When she comes from her Christian faith. “I have a feeling that it’s my arm. Her doctors told her if it they love it. You can just see it on walks in, they’re just bubbly.” Duffield began volunteering at place in life to do what Jesus said, weren’t for her history of exercise, their faces.” PILLAGER CLINIC MOTLEY CLINIC BROWERVILLE CLINIC EAGLE BEND CLINIC SARTELL DERMATOLOGY STAPLES HOSPITAL & CLINIC Golden Horizons in her retirement to love others and to give love,” she probably would not have CHELSEY PERKINS may be after moving to Crosslake with her Duffield said. “That’s my way of recovered as well as she has. reached at 855-5874 or chelsey. doing it. When I first started, that But it’s likely her attitude has boyfriend. She earned a master’s degree at age 64 in art therapy and was my idea. Well, I didn’t realize something to do with her recovery. perkins@brainerddispatch.com. Follow on Twitter at www.twitter. She said she would not allow her com/DispatchChelsey. has a background in psychology. how much love you get back.” Before ending up in Crosslake, stroke to become a defining She had an art studio at one time
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March 17, 2015 • March 19, 2015
brainerddispatch.com | Brainerd Dispatch • pineandlakes.com | Echo Journal
Gary Kurilla, 79, retired after 50 years as a real estate agent in the summer of 2014.
PHOTO BY DAN DETERMAN
Kurilla retires after 50 years BY DAN DETERMAN Staff Writer
After more than 50 years in the real estate business, Nisswa resident Gary Kurilla - former president and founder of Kurilla Real Estate, Ltd. - decided to retire in the summer of 2014. “That was when my license ran out,” Kurilla said. “I decided I wasn’t going to take any more exams. Fifty years of it is plenty.” The 79-year-old Minneapolis native began his career as a Realtor in the spring of 1964 as a member of Roberts Agency, but branched out on his own in 1973 when he founded Kurilla Real Estate, Ltd. Prior to this career path, Kurilla spent time as a locomotive engineer, which included the stretch between Little Falls and Brainerd. His wife, Mattie, has been with him every step of his real estate career. Together, the two have three sons: Nelson, John and Michael. Nelson and Michael have followed in their father’s footsteps and joined the family business. The Kurillas enjoy collecting antiques in their spare time and have adorned the walls of their office in Nisswa with a wide variety of antiques. Their main passion, however,
is flying. Their Cessna 180 seaplane has been used for their business, taking aerial photographs of the real estate and taking potential clients for a ride. Kurilla has been flying for his personal enjoyment for the past 54 years. “We have flown to California, New York, Alaska and everywhere in between,” Kurilla said. Kurilla thrived as a real estate agent thanks to his personality and desire to meet new and interesting people. That trait is serving him well in retirement as well. “We just got back from a month’s vacation (in Florida),” Kurilla said. “The best part of that was meeting all the new people when we were having breakfast.” Though retired and no longer a part of the company’s management, Kurilla still makes his presence felt at Kurilla Real Estate. “I come in every morning,” Kurilla said. “I’ll have coffee every morning with eight to 10 past clients. After that I will go get the mail and pay any bills that need it, and then I’ll go out and do whatever.” In 50 years of business in the lakes area, Kurilla thoroughly enjoyed befriending clients, then watching those clients’ children come into the office as adults and
become new clients. “At times, I miss the people I was accustomed to dealing with over the years,” Kurilla said. “A lot of the old-timers have passed on, which is sad. After 50 years, we have had a lot of clientele from all over the country.” Despite that feeling, he does not regret his decision and he is looking forward to using his time as he sees fit. “We’ll find more time to utilize our cabin in Canada now, which we have had for almost 40 years,” Kurilla said. “That is about as much fun as you can possibly have.” Kurilla is pleased with his career choice, his decision to retire and - above all else - his decision to set up shop in his small lake town. “Of all the places we be could licensed in Minnesota, it is right here in Nisswa for us,” Kurilla said. “That says it all.”
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Womanless weddings represented a guaranteed opportunity to raise funds for civic or charitable causes. This photo was taken April 18, 1918. PHOTO FROM UTSALIBRARIESTOPSHELF.WORDPRESS.COM
Retired Pine River doctor recalls ‘Womanless Wedding’ It was one of many chamber of commerce shenanigans BY TRAVIS GRIMLER Staff Writer
Almost 45 years ago the city of Pine River was in an uproar over a genderbending play at the Pine River school. At the July 14, 1969, performance of “The Womanless Wedding,” that uproar wasn’t due to outrage. It was just so funny! A group of business owners in the town came together to put on a show that was sweeping the state. It was a theatrical performance of a shotgun wedding, but not a single natural woman was on stage. All of the characters, including an infant baby and the proud bride, were played by adult men in their 40s. John Wetrosky, Pine River Chamber of Commerce executive director, said the performance was done in front of a packed audience. After all, everyone knew Dr. Charles Pelzl, Don Dabill, Archie Shamp and the other local business owner celebrities participating in the play. The play came to be under the watchful eye of Dick Houston, then chair of the city’s Chamber of Commerce. “It was chosen at either a chamber of commerce meeting or maybe a drunken brawl. I don’t know. I don’t remember how we chose the cast,” Pelzl said. “It could well be that there was some arm twisting involved, but I succumbed pretty easily. I guess it was just the situation seemed like a fun thing to do. Somebody must have had a script from somewhere else so that there were a few words that we had to memorize, but it was only a few, because we didn’t make that much of it. It was just a fun thing that we did.” “The Womanless Wedding” was an allmale performance that started with civic and fraternal groups in the American south as far back as 1919, according to NCPedia. org. Before the Pine River performance, the play had spread throughout much of the country, including Minnesota.
Cast from “The Womanless Wedding,” ca. 1890 Trinity College drama group. Image courtesy of Duke University Archives. PHOTO FROM HTTP://WWW.FLICKR.COM/PHOTOS/DUKEYEARLOOK/3176880865/
Pelzl was the star of the show, playing the reluctant groom opposite his friend, Don Robinson (who now lives in Arizona). “I know he at least had a veil with some kind of a head dress,” Pelzl said. “I don’t remember if he had a full gown. He might have.” “He is a great, big guy. He was about 6-foot, 3-inches tall and heavy at that time,” added Tina Pelzl, Charles’ wife. “He might have been wrapped in some kind of a sheet.” The short play began with most of the cast on stage awaiting the bride and groom. Among them was the couple’s wee baby, June Kater, with his baby bonnet, feet and head hanging over the edges of the baby carriage. The groom was escorted to the stage by the future father-in-law (Dabill) with shotgun in hand. “I think he came in with Don and I in the procession, making sure we actually
got there,” Pelzl said. He and Robinson were then joined in union by pastor Bill Walker. “We went through the marriage ceremony and I don’t remember how involved the dialogue was as far as the ceremony, but the only other thing I remember is that after the ceremony was completed, I tried to run away,” Pelzl said. “That, as I recall, running into the audience and going through a full row of people, making everyone stand up as I was going through. By that time the bride had caught up with me and we exited the ceremony from that point on.” The play was a blast and it was one of many. Pelzl and Wetrosky recall that the chamber regularly threw bigger and newer events for Pine River residents. Pelzl and Robinson, for example, were also known for a lip-syncing performance as Sven and Ole. “Don Robinson and I did a skit with
this record of Swedish or Norwegian comedians that had a record of songs,” Pelzl said. “We lip synced the words, but it was a funny song because they had taken well known songs and put these Swedish words to them. We performed that little skit at least three or four times around town.” Around the time of the state centennial, the whole chamber forwent shaving in a beard and mustache growing contest. At the time, the shenanigans of the local business owners were prime entertainment for the small town. “There wasn’t much television or that sort of thing,” Tina Pelzl said. To keep the locals happy, the chamber established a policy of live entertainment very early on and continued that entertainment well into the future. Later chamber entertainment events included a “Pine River Bucks” auction (where boxes of Dilly Bars sold for tens of thousands of promotional PR Bucks and those with only a couple thousand couldn’t buy even a candy bar) and even a contest to raise enough pledges to make a chamber member kiss a pig (the pig ended up kissed on both ends). When live entertainment was king, the local chamber had it all, but today there aren’t many left to tell the story of “The Womanless Wedding,” or the other madcap shows from before cable came to town. Surprisingly, not even the 1969 Pine River Journal recorded the event. Though some have moved out of the area, most of the cast has since died. As Pelzl’s generation has thinned over the years, so have those who remember and experienced the event. While the collective memory of such things might be gradually fading, those who remember, remember it fondly. “It was a great time,” Pelzl said.
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March 17, 2015 • March 19, 2015
brainerddispatch.com | Brainerd Dispatch • pineandlakes.com | Echo Journal
Senior Profile
Spring events announced at Little Falls Senior Center
Gloria Benzie Gloria Benzie was manning the check-in desk at an American Cross blood drive at First Lutheran Church in Brainerd earlier this month. Age: 64 City of residence: Rural Pillager Where did you grow up? West of Bar Harbor How long have you been volunteering with the blood drive? A little more than a year, but has been donating for a long time. “I wish more people would give blood, just knowing you’re helping your fellow man.” Where did you work before retirement? Managed a corporate resort for 16 years and then went to school in her 40s for business management and communication. Worked at Universal Pension for four years. Family? Married to a retired dentist and has four children and six grandchildren. All of her children and her three oldest grandchildren donate blood. What are some of your hobbies? Yardwork, time with family, knitting, crocheting, cooking and baking. She is a self-taught cake decorator and an avid gardener. Her favorites to grow are lettuce, eggplant and zucchini. “I love vegetables anytime, but I especially love the fresh vegetables.” Advice for new gardeners? This year, she’s trying a new method of growing: hydroponic. Many gardeners in Florida use this method, she said, and she’s looking forward to growing plants vertically and on her deck. Favorite book? “Women of the Silk” by Gail Tsukiyama. “I just love pretty much anything.” Favorite movie? “Murphy’s Romance,” starring James Garner and Sally Field. Pets? A half-black lab, half-border collie dog named Belle. “My husband is just nuts about that dog.” Travel? She and her husband own a place in Florida they travel to in the fall and spring.
• Thursday, March 19: St. Patrick’s Day party, 2:30 p.m. Live music by Jerry Bierschbach. A meal will be served at 5 p.m. Please make meal reservations by noon March 18 by calling 320-632-8200. • Tuesday, March 24: Estate planning seminar, 3 p.m. Thrivent Financial representative Carlye A. Olsen will present. No products are sold at this event and no registration is required. • Wednesday, March 25: Easter bingo party, 11:45 a.m. Meal served immediately, followed by bingo at 12:45 p.m. Door prizes will be given away. This event is for members only. Please make meal reservations by noon March 24 by calling 320-632-8200. • Sunday, April 12: Pancake, sausage and egg breakfast, 8 a.m.-noon. Cost of breakfast is $6 for adults, $3 for children 6-10 years old and free for children 5 years old or younger. • Every Thursday morning: Fresh doughnut sale, starts at 6:30 a.m. Everyone is welcome to purchase doughnuts. The center is looking for doughnut sale volunteers willing to work 4-7 a.m. and cashiers are needed from 7:30-10 a.m. Please see Kathy Burgardt at the center’s front desk or call 320-632-8009. The center is also looking for cash donations to help pay for the installment of new carpeting in the pool room. To donate, contact Burgardt. The Little Falls Senior Center also offers Bone Builders exercises classes; bingo; card games such as 500, whist, wild rummy and cribbage; and pool tournaments. The “Senior Hotline” is available at the front desk for more details on activities. Lutheran Social Services’ meals program offers hot meals Monday through Friday for dining-in, take out or meals on wheels. Frozen meals are also available for weekends and holidays. For reservations, call 320-632-8200. Everyone is welcome to pick up a monthly menu at the center. The center, located at 510 NE Seventh St., is open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. through 3 p.m. The phone number is 320-632-8009.
Gloria Benzie
Explaining 401(k) fees
Senior Citizens’ Law Project
Many men and women are aware of the importance of retirement planning, and that awareness leads many to enroll in employer-sponsored 401(k) programs. When perusing their quarterly statements, men and women may notice they’re being charged certain fees, which can add up over time, prompting some investors to wonder just what they are paying for. Individual fees: Individual fees may or may not be charged each quarter, as these fees are typically only instituted when the account holder initiates certain processes, such as taking out a loan on his or her 401(k). Such actions incur fees, and it’s important that investors know just how much those fees are before taking any actions with regard to their accounts. Investment fees: Investment fees, sometimes referred to as investment management fees, tend to be the most expensive fees. These are the fees you are paying the company who handles your 401(k) to manage your funds, and they typically are assessed as a
Filing taxes with Social Security income Dear Senior Legal Line: I am 69 years old. I retired from my job in 2013 and started collecting my Social Security benefits. Now that it is my first year with only Social Security benefits as my income, I am confused about if and how I should file my taxes. Signed, Nettie Dear Nettie: Seniors like you, age 65 and older, often have questions about their income tax obligations. Because your income has changed, you have questions and concerns about what will be taxed, how it needs to be reported, and what credits you may qualify for. This article will focus on Minnesota taxes. This and other information can be found in “Seniors’ Tax Issues, Fact Sheet 6” from the Minnesota Department of Revenue. Social Security income is taxed by the State of Minnesota the same way it is taxed on your federal return. If your only income is Social Security, you do not have to file an income tax return. If you have questions about whether your Social Security income is taxable, go to the Internal Revenue Service’s website at www.irs.gov or call 1-800-829-1040. You can also find answers from a tax professional and/or a local tax advice clinic. To find a tax advice clinic in your area, call 211. Between Feb. 15 - April 15, you can call the Minnesota Department of Revenue at 651-297-3724 or 1-800-
657-3989 or visit their website at www.revenue.state.mn.us to get a list of locations of tax clinics within your ZIP code area. If you are a Minnesota resident and you are required to file a federal income tax return, you must also file Minnesota Form M1, the individual income tax return. When you file your Form M1, you use the same filing status that you use to file your federal tax return. If you are not required to file a federal return, then you do not have to file a Minnesota return. However, if Minnesota taxes were withheld from your income or you paid an estimated tax, in order to request a refund, you must file Form M1. Now that you are retired and have a different filing status, you may want to speak to a tax professional to see if you qualify for any new refunds or credits. There are credits for homeowners, renters, charitable contributions more than $500, long term care insurance premiums, etc. There is also a credit called the Minnesota Dependent Care credit. This is not only for those with minor children, but it is also available to those with a disabled spouse or disabled dependent that has lived with you for more than half the calendar year. Let’s switch gears to property taxes. If you can’t afford to pay your property taxes now that your income has
changed, there is help. As a senior, 65 or older, you might qualify for the Senior Citizens Property Tax Deferral Program. If you meet the eligibility requirements of this program, your portion of your property tax payment will be no more than 3 percent of your household income each year. The state will loan you the remaining amount the deferred tax - and the state pays it directly to the county you live in. If you move or die, you or your estate then must pay the deferred tax, plus interest, back to the state. Also, any property tax refunds or other refunds will be applied to the deferred property tax amount. If you participate in the deferral program, a tax lien will be placed on your property. You, or your heirs, will need to repay the deferred amount before you can transfer title of the property. This column is written by the Senior Citizens’ Law Project. It is not meant to give complete answers to individual questions. If you are 60 years of age or older and live within the Minnesota Arrowhead Region, you may contact us with questions for legal help by writing to: Senior Citizens’ Law Project, Legal Aid Service of Northeastern Minnesota, 302 Ordean Bldg., Duluth, MN 55802. Please include a phone number and return address. To view previous articles, go to: www.lasnem.org. Reprints by permission only.
percentage of assets invested, meaning the more your 401(k) grows, the more you will pay in investment fees. These fees are automatically deducted from your investment returns. Administration fees: Typically noted as plan administration fees on your quarterly statements, administration fees are the costs associated with the day-today operation of your plan. Record keeping, accounting, legal and trustee services are all paid for under the umbrella of administration fees. Account holders now get more bang for their bucks with regard to administration fees, which typically cover electronic access to plan information, daily valuation and online transactions in addition to the services that have been provided for years. When considering fees associated with their 401(k) retirement plans, it’s important that investors recognize these fees will escalate as their investment returns increase. Recognizing that and budgeting for such fees is an important part of retirement planning.
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March 17, 2015 • March 19, 2015
brainerddispatch.com | Brainerd Dispatch • pineandlakes.com | Echo Journal
The center … energized! Energized: a verb used to describe an action; to give vitality and enthusiasm to. At The Center, we are beginning a program - The Center Energized where individually or in groups we will be taking action. Those actions are categorized into four areas: physical exercise, mental exercise, social interaction and eating healthy. Funded in part by a grant from Crow Wing Energized, the program will kick off at 9:30 a.m. April 1 in the great room. The program will be open to members of The Center for $3 a person or non-members for $5. Everyone who participates needs to be over the age of 45. Once you commit to the program, you will be given a T-shirt, logbook, pedometer and a folder for keeping information in. Throughout the program, participants will receive nutritional fact sheets to assist with healthy eating. The Center Energized logbook begins with April 1 and continues for 22 weeks, ending on August 31. During this time frame, participants will log their increased energy levels in the four categories daily. At the end, the logbooks will be turned into The Center, results tallied and successes celebrated. The Center has many options for participants to utilize to increase all areas of energy levels. There is a library, puzzles, word finds, the daily newspaper and a computer lab for
DeAnn Barry mental exercises. There are a variety of games including bridge, 500 cards, Scrabble, mahjong, dominoes and cribbage. There are art classes for watercolor, oil and folk painting, wood carving and rosemaling. For physical exercise, The Center has a cardio workout room with treadmills, recumbent bikes, a row machine, a HOIST workout machine. There is also a balance room with stretching pieces of equipment, a weight bench and exercise balls. There is a Bone Builders exercise class at 11:15 a.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. For this class, you do exercises sitting in a chair or standing behind it, and you also may use hand and ankle weights if your physician gives you the O.K. Zumba Gold is done at 9 a.m. Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. Once the weather is better and the ice is gone, we will begin a walking group that will start at The
Center and continue to Gregory Park every morning at 10 a.m. Monday through Friday. Once you join a group, you will also be increasing your social interaction! You will be alongside people who have signed on to become energized, have fun and become healthier with doing it all. Giving a friend a call to support them in the program is another way to increase your social interaction. Learning to eat healthy will be an area where we will assist with nutritional fact sheets every week of the twenty-two week program. As we age, our bodies change. We need to change how we eat to adapt. If you have special dietary needs, we will do our best to find you information on how to energize healthy eating choices for you. Just let us know. The Center Energized is an exciting program for us to be able to offer. Our goal is to have 250 participants! Sign up by calling 218829-9345 or stop into The Center, 803 Kingwood St. Sign up at the front desk. If you aren’t sure where to go, just ask our volunteers and they will get you in the right direction. Come join and be energized! The Center Energized program receives additional funding from The Center’s board of directors, Lemieux Wealth Strategies, Good Neighbor Home Health Care and Breath of Life Adult Day Service.
The Center Energized program launches April 1 and will continue through the summer.
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Is our community dementia friendly? I don’t think I was the only one with tears running down my cheeks when Tim McGraw sang Glen Campbell’s Oscar-nominated song, “I’m Not Gonna Miss You,” at the Oscars. The song deals with Campbell’s struggle with Alzheimer’s disease. He was diagnosed with the disease in 2011. Rather than hiding it, Campbell and his family chose to give the world an inside look at his battle with the disease as they embarked on an emotional and triumphant nationwide tour. The documentary movie, “I’ll Be Me,” chronicles the diagnosis and what they thought would be a fiveweek tour. Instead, it went on for 151 spectacular sold-out shows over more than a year across America. The film documents the amazing journey as Campbell and his family attempt to navigate the wildly unpredictable nature of his progressing disease using love, laughter and music as their medicine of choice. Off stage, Campbell suffered, but on stage his music was amazingly intact. The documentary was released to theaters and will be available on DVD this spring. I highly recommend seeing this movie.
Also at the Oscars (I stayed awake for the whole show!), Julianne Moore won the award for best actress in her portrayal of early onset Alzheimer’s patient in “Still Alice.” It sounds like I’m a real movie fan, but really, the national exposure to Alzheimer’s disease is long overdue. In Minnesota alone, 88,000 people over age 65 live with the disease and the number is growing. In Minnesota, 245,000 caregivers are caring for family members with Alzheimer’s and other dementias. Seventy percent of people with Alzheimer’s live in their own homes and need support from families and community members. These numbers cannot be overlooked any longer. What about our community? Are we dementia friendly? Are we informed, safe and respectful of individuals with dementia and prepared to support people living with Alzheimer’s and those touched by the disease? Do we know enough about the disease to not shy away from friends or folks we see in the community that struggle? Is this something that, unless you’ve been exposed to it, you would rather know nothing about? I hear from families over
Deb Cranny and over that friends quit visiting after a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s. Is it because they don’t know what to do, say or how to act? What if employees in restaurants, banks, retail stores were aware enough to recognize signs of Alzheimer’s and other dementias and shaped their customer service to be responsive to that? What if a caregiver in this situation handed you a card at your work that said, “The person I’m with struggles with Alzheimer’s. Please be patient.” Would you know how to react? Are our public spaces and transportation supportive of folks with memory loss? What about our emergency response systems? Is there an opportunity for our children to be aware? Do they
Take a chilling trip across the pond
Laurel Hall Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy are living their “happily ever after” when a coach races up to the manor and their quiet world is turned on its head by a shocking murder. It is a brilliant idea that James executes in her usual clever way. If you’re a fan of David Tennant, most famous for portraying the beloved 10th doctor on “Doctor Who,” you have probably heard of his more recent series, “Broadchurch.” The series was shown on BBC America in the United States rather than PBS, but it is available on DVD from the library. While it did prompt a lessthan-stellar U.S. television version titled “Gracepoint,”
the better option is to read Erin Kelly’s novel inspired by the first season of the U.K. show, also titled “Broadchurch.” Other authors that follow in the same classic British mystery vein include Tana French, whose first novel “In the Woods,” about an Irish detective with a horrific childhood secret that may be coming back to haunt him, as well as the new Agatha Christie’s Poirot mystery by Sophie Hannah, “The Monogram Murders,” which was the first novel officially approved by the Christie estate. If you love to write as much as you like to read good books, make room on your schedule this Saturday for our Write Basics conference at the Brainerd American Legion from 1:004:30 p.m. Our speakers this year are the nationally known author Ellen Hart and Loft Literary Center teacher and writer Marge Barrett. This set of workshops is free, but we ask that you register by calling the library at 829-5574. See you there!
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Baby Boomers make up the largest generation of Americans born in United States history. Boomers include anyone born between the years 1946 and 1964, as the number of births began to rise as World War II veterans returned home from battle. The greatest number of Baby Boomers were born in 1957, when numbers
peaked at 4,300,00. That equates to roughly 8 children born per minute throughout the year. By 2019, the last of the Baby Boomers, or those born in 1964, will be eligible for many senior benefits offered to people age 55 and up. Ten years later, most will be eligible for retirement.
Did You Know?
HEALTH PLANS FOR ALL OF LIFE’S STAGES GUIDANCE TO HELP YOU CHOOSE
Contact me today to learn what Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota and Blue Plus have to offer. As your local, licensed agent, I can help with: ➜ Small group plans ➜ Medicare plans ➜ Individual plans Together, we’ll find the plan that’s right for you.
Diane Stydnicki and
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<Agency/Agent Name> Dave Straka <Agency/Agent contact (218) 829-1166 | TTY 711 123 N. 1st St., Brainerd, MN information> TTY 711
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Blue Cross offers Cost and PDP plans with Medicare contracts. Enrollment in these plans depends on contract renewal. Plans are available to residents of the service area. You can also call Blue Cross for plan information or to enroll. Call 1-877-662-2583, TTY users call 711, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., Central Time daily.
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Caring for a loved one can be difficult.
Baby Boomers are the largest generation of Americans born in US
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The producers of public broadcasting’s Masterpiece series know that their viewers love a good British mystery, and have taken many shows originally produced in Britain and made them hits in the United States, as well. On the heels of the smash success of “Downton Abbey,” a dark and dramatic version of Hilary Mantel’s Booker Prize-winning “Wolf Hall” (and its sequel “Bring Up the Bodies”) comes to our screens beginning in April. These books are ones I recommend reading before watching the show to appreciate the intricate plotting of the conspiracies and deceptions inside the court of King Henry VIII. Thomas Cromwell, the villainous first Earl of Essex and the king’s chief minister, is the protagonist in Mantel’s novels, though certainly no one comes out free of blame. Another British literary great, P.D. James, gave a twist to a famous family from history (though Mr. and Mrs. Darcy are entirely fictional, of course) when she wrote “Death Comes to Pemberley,” set six years after the end of “Pride and Prejudice.”
roundtable discussions to gather ideas and to get the ball rolling. ACT on Alzheimer’s is a statewide, volunteer-driven collaboration preparing Minnesota for the personal, social and budgetary impacts of Alzheimer’s disease. Passionate and committed partners, supporters and communities are taking part in the work and making a difference. Our community is honored to be part of this group and has received a grant to identify our needs and work toward our vision of being a dementia-friendly community. Refer to www.ACTonAlz.org for more information. To envision a world without Alzheimer’s is a lofty goal. Raising funds for support and research is very necessary to fight this disease. We can also make a difference locally by making our community a safe and healthy place for those who suffer from Alzheimer’s and other dementias to live. It can be a place where families, friends, and caregivers can easily help take care of their loved ones in a safe and friendly environment and get the support they need themselves. We need your help. See you on March 24.
understand some of the things that may be affecting their grandparents or others in their family? I have recently talked to a family where the younger members do not know what is happening and tend to be nervous and giggle when their grandparent can’t answer the appropriate way. Is this what we want? Do we have health care systems that are dementia aware and responsive to needed services? Do we have enough services to support the family caregivers, from support groups to availability of respite care for that well-deserved break? If we could be better, how do we go about it? An opportunity awaits our community. The local ACT on Alzheimer’s group will host a community meeting from 4-5:30 p.m. March 24 at First Lutheran Church, 424 S. Eighth St., Brainerd, and you should be there. At this meeting, the results from ACT on Alzheimer’s survey conducted in the community over the last several months will be discussed. There will be priorities and goals established for our journey to become a dementiafriendly community. There will be
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March 17, 2015 • March 19, 2015
brainerddispatch.com | Brainerd Dispatch • pineandlakes.com | Echo Journal
Medication safety tips for children and adults Prescription and over-thecounter medications can save lives and help people of all ages manage certain conditions. When used correctly and under the guidance of a physician, medications are largely safe. It’s when medicines are used off-label, shared or taken in error that reactions and injury can occur. The American Academy of Pediatrics and their Healthy Children Organization warns that more than 7,000 children visit hospital emergency rooms every year for problems related to medication errors. Children are not the only ones in danger. Adults can make mistakes with their medications as well. For
example, seniors who may be managing several different types of medications can inadvertently cause dangerous drug interactions by mixing the wrong pills. Pharmacists work diligently to help prevent medication errors. However, the general public can also do their part. The American Society of Health-System Pharmacists and the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy offer these medication safety tips. When a new medication is prescribed, ask the doctor to explain more about it, including its intended purpose and any common side effects to be expected. Make sure your doctor knows about all the medica-
tions you are taking, including non-prescription products, herbal remedies, dietary supplements, and vitamins. Some medications do not mix with seemingly innocent ingredients. Keep a running list of any medicines you take so you can easily and accurately share this information with your physician. Question anything that you do not understand. Check the prescription for dosing information. For refills, make sure the refill information conforms to the original prescription strength. Fill all prescriptions at the same pharmacy and develop a rapport with the pharmacist so that potential drug interactions will be flagged.
Pharmacists are well versed in medications and may be able to inform you as to the safety or risk involved in taking an over-the-counter product at the same time that you are on a prescription. Many pills look the same. If you are confused and taking multiple medications, keep medications in the original packaging and doublecheck the labels before taking any medications. Use the right dosing tools. A spoon from the kitchen is not accurate for measuring out a teaspoon of medication. If you take multiple medications, use a pillbox to keep
pills organized. The box makes it easier to manage medications and serves as a reminder if you have or have not taken a medication on a given day. Store medications as instructed on the label. The bathroom medicine cabinet may not be an ideal place to store medications, as bathrooms get damp, and that can compromise the integrity of the pills. Also, bathroom cabinets are readily accessible by all, including kids. It’s better to store drugs out of sight and reach of children. Keep dangerous medications locked away. Routinely discard expired
or unneeded medications. Medicine take-back programs for disposal are a good way to remove medicines from the home and reduce the chance that others may accidentally take the medicine. Consult with a doctor before beginning or ending medication. Medicines play important roles in personal health. When used correctly, medications are assets, but caution should always be taken to ensure safe usage and storage of any medications.
Snack foods that promote better sleep According to the National Sleep Foundation, changes in sleep patterns are a part of the aging process. Many people experience difficulty falling asleep and then staying asleep as they age, and that difficulty can make men and women over 50 feel more tired during the day. But even though difficulty sleeping may be a part of aging, that does not mean men and women over 50 cannot take steps to improve their sleeping patterns. For example, certain snack foods may help to improve quality of sleep, especially when these foods replace less healthy snacking options. While men and women over 50 should always consult with their physicians before making any changes to their diets, the AARP notes that the following are a handful of snack foods that promote better sleep.
The primary ingredient in hummus is chickpeas, which are loaded with tryptophan, folate and vitamin B6. Both of which aid in better sleep. METRO PHOTO
tophan, folate and vitamin B6. Folate has proven especially beneficial to older men and women who need help regulating their sleep patterns, while vitamin B6 helps the body regulate its clock. Peanut butter: Peanut butter is another snacking item loaded with tryptophan. Spread some peanut butter on a carbohydrate, whether it’s a slice of toast or some crackers, before going to bed, and you may enjoy a better, longer sleep. Walnuts: Like cherries, walnuts contain melatonin, which can contribute to a longer, more restful night’s sleep. Walnuts also can help regulate stress, which is a leading cause of sleeping difficulty. Many men and women experience difficulty sleeping as they age. But the right foods may just help combat such problems and help men and women get a more adequate night’s sleep.
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Did You Know? If you have psoriasis, an autoimmune skin condition marked by red, flaky patches on the body, you also could be at risk for a certain type of arthritis. Psoriatic arthritis, which causes stiffness, swelling and pain in and around the joints, affects up to 30 percent of people with psoriasis, says the National Psoriasis Foundation. While psoriatic arthritis can develop at any time, it is most common in people between the ages of 30 and 50. This type of arthritis can develop slowly or come on quickly and be severe. Just like psoriasis itself, psoriatic arthri-
tis tends to go through periods of flare-up and remission. Typically, the skin condition precedes the joint disease in 85 percent of patients. Keep in mind that a severe case of psoriasis will not necessarly translate into a severe case of arthritis. Psoriatic arthritis may be treated like other forms of arthritis. Doctors may prescribe anti-inflammatory drugs, antirheumatic drugs, exercise, and complementary therapies.Those who have psoriasis and have begun to experience joint pain and stiffness should talk to a doctor about potential therapies.
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Almonds: Magnesium is a mineral with muscle-relaxing properties, and almonds contain enough magnesium to help men and women get a better night’s sleep. A small amount of almonds before bed might be enough to make falling and staying asleep easier. Bananas: Much like almonds, bananas provide a substantial amount of magnesium. Bananas also contain the amino acid tryptophan, which many people associate with Thanksgiving turkey. While tryptophan might be most often associated with the sleepiness people feel after eating a holiday meal, it also has been linked to better sleep quality, so a banana shortly before bed might be just what you need to fall and stay asleep. Cheese and crackers: One more traditional snack may just help you get a better night’s sleep. Cheese and crackers contain tryptophan and carbohydrates, which can induce a better night’s sleep and help you fall asleep sooner. Cherries: Cherries contain the sleep hormone melatonin, and the AARP notes that recent studies indicated that participants who drank tart cherry juice on a daily basis fell asleep more quickly and slept longer and better than participants who did not. Hummus: The primary ingredient in hummus is chickpeas, which are loaded with tryp-