55 and Better — January 31, 2023

IDENTITY QUEST

Kelvin’s memoir traces embrace of Jewish heritage

Songbook Foundation, Story Cottage join together

To advance one of its signature community outreach programs, the Great American Songbook Foundation has begun a partnership with Story Cottage, a new memory care housing option from Senior Home Companions in Carmel and Indianapolis.

The partnership supports Perfect Harmony, a music resource for older adults developed by the Songbook Foundation in consultation with a board-certified music therapist. Recognizing the power of music to enhance quality of life for seniors – particularly those living with dementia – Perfect Harmony helps caregivers identify generationally appropriate music and activities to engage their clients or loved ones in shared musical experiences.

For many of today’s older adults, the music of choice comes from the Great American Songbook, the popular songs, jazz standards and Broadway and Hollywood favorites of the 20th century that have stood the test of time. Each month, the Perfect Harmony program provides a themed online package of video resources and music activities suitable for individual and group settings, in the tradition of families and friends gathering around a piano and experiencing music together.

“A growing number of family caregivers and elder care professionals are drawing on these resources as

they see the unique power of music to connect us with our memories and with the people around us,” stated Christopher Lewis, executive director of the Songbook Foundation. “We’re grateful to Story Cot-

tage and Senior Home Companions for recognizing the value of the Perfect Harmony program.”

Story Cottage, an innovative concept launched in 2019, provides a private, small-group residential setting for older adults living with memory loss. Constructed much like custom homes, the cottages in Carmel and Indianapolis offer premium safety features and a low patient-to-caregiver ratio.

Diane Kohan, executive director of Story Cottage, has seen firsthand the positive impact that music can have in memory care settings.

“The Songbook provides us with enriching, timeless music for our residents to enjoy,” Kohan stated. “Music can inspire dance and movement in an individual with Alzheimer’s, providing exercise while soothing agitation. Even in late stages of dementia, they may be able to still tap to the beat of their favorite childhood song.”

Kirstin Comment, marketing coordinator for Senior Home Companions, said the Songbook Foundation’s broader mission – which includes maintaining a vast Library & Archives dedicated to the music’s creators and performers – added to the appeal of the relationship.

“We chose to partner with the Great American Songbook Foundation because we believe in the mission of preserving music and all of its history for generations to come,” she stated.

Christopher Lewis serves as the executive director of the Great American Songbook Foundation. (Courtesy of Songbook Foundation)

WESTFIELD FOOT &

The cause of varicose veins

Compiled by Mark Ambrogi

Dr. Jeff Schoonover, chief medical officer of Indiana Vein Specialists, shares some information about causes and treatment of varicose veins and chronic venous insufficiency. What are varicose veins and chronic venous insufficiency?

“This condition typically affects the legs in which large ‘ropey’-type veins develop because of a sequential failure of valves inside the veins and subsequent vein wall dilation. Under normal conditions, these valves work with the calf muscle to pump venous blood back to the lungs and heart against gravity. Over time, these dilated veins can cause a variety of symptoms, including leg heaviness, aching/ pain, swelling, leg throbbing or cramping, skin itching and advanced skin issues including dermatitis and open sores (ulcerations). Varicose veins that present with these issues is termed chronic venous insufficiency. There is also a growing body (of) evidence that this condition may be correlated with restless leg syndrome.” Is there are certain age where most patients typically start to develop these veins?

“Venous insufficiency is driven largely by genetics and environmental factors such as pregnancy and the type of occupation a patient has. Some patients that have a strong family history, both parents affected, may present in their late teens to early 20s. In our practice, we have a significant amount of male and female patients that present in their late 30s/early 40s and beyond.”

Are there some exercises that help?

“We encourage all of our patients to have a regular walking/exercise regimen that focuses on maintaining the calf muscles. For people that spend a lot of time working on computers, we also recommend regular walking breaks. Heel lifts and standing on tiptoes is a great calf muscle exercise as well as doing regular dorsiflexion/plantar flexion range of motion exercises at the ankle. This involves pointing the toes out and then bringing them back when you are in a seated or lying position.”

Any additional conservative measures?

“Our practice also has a team of lymphatic physical therapists that can help with additional exercises for the patient that is presenting with a significant amount of lower extremity swelling that cannot be explained by other causes, i.e., medications, thyroid issues, etc. Due to more screen time with the pandemic, we are seeing a significant amount of patients that have issues with a variant of venous insufficiency that includes a specific type of swelling pattern that can extend from the ankles all the way to the upper thigh. Paying attention to weight, salt and caffeine intake as well as fitted, gradient compression stockings can also help.”

What is important to do it in winter when people might be less active?

“We encourage our patients to use compression stockings following any venous treatment, and (we) find it is easier for our patients to be more compliant with post-procedure stocking requirements at this time.”

What are some of the treatment options?

“Treatment of larger-caliber varicose veins can be accomplished by thermal or nonthermal-based catheter techniques that can be done in the office with local anesthesia. This is known as endovenous ablation and closes off the abnormal superficial vein segment at the source of reflux, usually the great saphenous vein. This helps the body to reroute to normal veins and reduce the discomfort associated with venous insufficiency. Another option is the use of sclerotherapy, which is a specialized medication that is injected into the abnormal vein and triggers a low-grade inflammatory reaction and causes it to close. With our procedures only needing local anesthesia to perform, our patients have no down time and are encouraged to be active and take a walk that same day. Prior to considering any of these procedures, a specialized diagnostic ultrasound, known as a venous mapping, is used to evaluate and measure these abnormal vein segments of the legs.”

Schoonover

“Dr. Sullivan has a small-town personality, but big-city

I never feel rushed. He always takes his

Dr. Sullivan is one of the best doctors I’ve ever seen!”

Steve Brennan,

Diabetic Wound Patient

What

Commentary by Linda Barnes

According to APTA Indiana, direct access to physical therapy is defined as the removal of a physician referral mandated by state law to access physical therapists’ services for evaluation and treatment. Direct access or self-referral allows you to seek treatment from a physical therapist/occupational therapist without a referral from your medical provider.

is direct access to physical therapy?

With direct access, you have the power to decide if you need physical and/or occupational therapy.

Benefits of direct access

There are several benefits to direct access, including, but not limited to:

• No waiting for a referral from your medical provider.

• Quicker access to evaluation and treatment.

• Coordination of care with other health professionals.*

• May save money and time if able to treat the condition with therapy versus having expensive tests completed prior to treatment.

• More control over your own treatment choices.

• May avoid surgery.

• Use of alternative pain approaches/decreased use of opioids.

• Improved outcomes/quicker results.

• Improved patient satisfaction.

*Therapy On Wheels will fax a doctor’s order and your plan of care to your doctor. Therapy On Wheels offers outpatient 1-on-1 physical and occupational therapy at patient’s home. Our therapists are skilled in treating many medical illnesses.

Get one-on-one help with your Medicare questions.

I’m Vicki Reasner, a licensed sales agent in Boone, Hamilton and Central Indiana. When it comes to Medicare, it’s important to consider all of your options. What works well for your neighbor may not be the best fit for you. I know the ins and outs of Medicare, and I’m ready to answer your questions and help you find a plan that fits your needs. Take advantage of my knowledge and experience to:

I’m Vicki Reasner, a licensed sales agent in Boone, Hamilton and Central Indiana. When it comes to Medicare, it’s important to consider all of your options. What works well for your neighbor may not be the best fit for you. I know the ins and outs of Medicare, and I’m ready to answer your questions and help you find a plan that fits your needs. Take advantage of my knowledge and experience to:

• Take the confusion out of Medicare

• Take the confusion out of Medicare

• Get help comparing plans

• Get help comparing plans

• Receive one-on-one service

• Receive one-on-one service

• Make enrolling in a plan easier

I look forward to helping you explore your Medicare options so you can enroll in a plan with confidence.

• Make enrolling in a plan easier

I look forward to helping you explore your Medicare options so you can enroll in a plan with confidence.

Vicki Reasner

Licensed Sales Agent 3174072807, TTY 711

vsreasner@gmail.com

www.MyUHCagent.com/vicki.reasner

Linda Barnes is an occupational therapist and the owner/president of Therapy on Wheels, Inc. For more, vis therapyonwheelsinc.com or call 317-332-9861.

Independent Senior Living

What’s Included

Month-to-Month Lease

Gourmet Dining

Transportation

Weekly Housekeeping

Activities & Social Calendar

24-Hour On-Site Staff

Resident Check-In

Emergency Pendant

Utilities (Power, Water, Trash)

High-Speed Internet (WiFi)

HD Cable TV

“I have lived here only since October 2022. Long enough to know what Alan tells you on the video is true.

Very friendly residents, food is good, a real variety of apartments and friendly helpful staff.

Having free transportation to appointments is a blessing. If you have a vehicle there is plenty of parking space.

Laundry facilities are also included in your rent or you can have your own.

Come visit us and you just might be my neighbor.”

Planting your umbrella

Commentary by Valerie Weesner

Please take a minute to visualize something with me. Picture yourself arriving at your favorite beach. You have a big purple umbrella, you plant it in the sand, and you lay out your blanket with your picnic basket and favorite beach chair on it. The sky is blue, the water is inviting, so you decide to go for a swim. You make your way into the water with your beach ball, and your friend or family member comes with you. You play, you swim, you float, and you have a glorious time in the water.

When you come out of the water, you look around for your purple umbrella, but it isn’t where you think you left it. You finally spot it, but it is much farther down the beach than you realized. Funny how that happened . . . you were so busy enjoying yourself that you lost sight of your umbrella.

blessed memory, had macular degeneration. As her eyesight worsened, she continued to drive. She wanted so desperately to continue her life as she knew it that she ignored the fact that she was not capable of doing the very thing that gave her independence. I was her umbrella. Somehow, I had to help her understand that while she felt her driving was just fine, it in fact was not safe for her to be on the road. Without perspective from her favorite niece (sorry Greta), she could have convinced herself that she was still fine and still capable.

Who loves you and cares for you enough to tell you when you have wandered too far from the self you think yourself to be; that you are not remembering things as well as you used to, or that you are confusing things that used to come easily for you, or that physically you aren’t able to manage things the same way?

I invite you to think about your life in this way: You are the you that came out of the water, but you are also the you standing beside your umbrella. Your umbrella represents you as you see yourself — it is where you plan to be, it’s where you think you are. Your umbrella also represents the people in your life who know you, who you trust and who are resources for you whenever you need them. Your umbrella is what grounds you; it helps remind you of your plans, your goals, your best you.

My question for you is this: Who is your umbrella? Who loves you and cares for you enough to tell you when you have wandered too far from the self you think yourself to be; that you are not remembering things as well as you used to, or that you are confusing things that used to come easily for you, or that physically you aren’t able to manage things the same way? Who can tell you kindly, lovingly, and in a way that you can accept, that you may need to replant your umbrella, set different expectations for yourself, make changes in your life or your expectations of yourself? Who can help replant the umbrella, set up your blanket and carry your basket for you?

Expires March 31, 2023

So, what happens when you find yourself down the beach from your umbrella? Well, you sit down and evaluate your situation. You trust your umbrella. You trust your friends, your family, your loved ones to give that vital information about yourself that maybe you’re not in tune with. You balance your perspective of yourself in the moment with the perspective of your distance from your umbrella.

Dr. Weesner, what the heck are you talking about? Well, I’ll tell you a personal story that may help you understand. My Aunt Ruth, may she be a

Building and maintaining a support system is essential in later years for many reasons, as you likely know. So, as you look around, please think about who you can count on to be your umbrella, how you can communicate your needs and wants with them, and how you are going to allow them to share their thoughts and concerns with you as well.

Valerie J. Weesner, Ph.D., health service provider for psychology, is a staff consultant, for Motion 4 Life Fitness in Carmel

Studio, One-Bedroom, and Two-Bedroom Apartments

What resident Charlene Lakin had to say...

Spencer’s full life continues at Sycamore Reserve

By Mike Beas editorial@youarecurrent.com

Life’s rearview mirror has been good to Verleta Spencer the past 84 years.

A resident of Sycamore Reserve Senior Resort Living, 8275 Craig St., Indianapolis, for nearly a year, Spencer enthusiastically embraces her situation, as well as what lies ahead.

“Actually, I chose to come here. I like it very much. It’s home right now,” said Spencer, a retired minister who was born in the village of Culloden in Tobago in the Caribbean. “I fix my own meals because I like my independence. But what really drew me in when I walked in the front door was how the sales representative was so warm and friendly.”

“Like I tell everybody, we had 54 years together. It was awesome.”

Spencer lived with the youngest of the couple’s four children, Keith Jr., in an apartment in Indianapolis prior to moving to Sycamore Reserve in March of 2022.

Spencer

In her new surroundings, Spencer, a grandmother to 11 grandchildren and a great-grandmother to 13, remains active. She never misses Happy Hour, is from 3 to 4:30 p.m. and includes an hour of entertainment.

“There’s one person, Rhatatat, he’s my favorite. I love his music,” Spencer said. “I also like the fireside chats in the evening and playing board games like Uno, dominos and Yahtzee.”

Spencer is the embodiment of a life well-lived and well-served.

She left her village at age 16 to move to Trinidad, when she was employed as a maid, and began attending Bible school two years later, where she met the man she would eventually marry, Keith Spencer.

Keith, too, worked in ministry, so for 54 years, the couple served in different nations and U.S. states. Keith died on May 24, 2015.

Spencer was 31 when she moved to the U.S.

“My husband and I came to the United States in 1970 because we had friends here,” Spencer said. “We were lucky to be granted a six-month visitor’s visa, and then we got connected to a Baptist church in New Rochelle, N.Y. We got an extension while attending that church, and, eventually, a permanent (visa) because they wanted Keith as a minister

Sycamore Reserve has 97 suites with 14 different floor plans, the largest being the 1,152-square-foot River Burch, which has two bedrooms and two bathrooms. One-bedroom and studio suites also are available. They are between 423 and 520 square feet.

Among the amenities Sycamore Reserve offers are restaurant-style gourmet dining, daily activities, a community garden, wellness program and fitness center.

Residents also benefit from having a 24-hour, on-site staff.

Spencer, who has seen and experienced much in her eight-plus decades of living, feels right at home.

“This place has a warm and cozy feeling,” said Spencer, who previously lived in New Rochelle, N.Y. Springfield, Mass., and Wichita, Kan., while she served in ministry. “And the fact I have an apartment no one had ever lived in before, I like that.”

“I fix my own meals because I like my independence. But what really drew me in when I walked in the front door was how the sales representative was so warm and friendly”

ICE OR HEAT: WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT PAIN RELIEF

Dr. Patrick Siparsky, IU Health orthopedic surgeon

hether you face an injury to your bone or muscle or even arthritis in your joints, orthopedic experts are ready to help. However, slight to moderate pain does not always require a trip to see your doctor. In certain situations, an ice pack or heating pad can help you feel better more quickly. But it is important to know which to use in which situation to prevent further pain or even injury.

When should you use cold therapy?

Cold therapy, such as a cold compress, should typically be used for recent injuries that have occurred within the last 48 hours and in which swelling is a problem. Apply the ice pack or even a bag of frozen food from the freezer to the injury. Make sure to wrap the frozen item in a towel or some kind of cloth. Applying a very cold item directly to your injury can cause damage to the skin and tissue. Make sure you use cold therapy as quickly as possible after the injury occurs, but only use it for short periods of time throughout the day. Stick to around 10 to 15 minutes at a time to prevent damage to your nerves, tissue and skin. For best results, elevate the injured area while using cold therapy.

When should you use heat therapy?

Heat therapy should be used if you have pain or stiffness in your joints or muscles. Ten to 15 minutes of heat therapy can help relieve minor pain. Moderate to severe stiffness or tension can be helped with a longer session, such as a hot bath. For this level of pain, you can apply heat therapy from 30 minutes to up to two hours. A bath or sauna can also be used to treat full body pain. Small heat packs can be used on smaller areas of pain. For larger areas, you can use a larger heating pad, heat wraps or even a heated towel.

When should you avoid cold or heat packs?

Do not use cold therapy or heat therapy for open wounds, rashes or infections. Consult your

doctor on other pain relief methods if you have poor sensation to heat or cold, if you have poor circulation or if you have been diagnosed with diabetes.

What should you do if the treatment doesn’t work?

If cold therapy or heat therapy does not work or makes your pain worse, immediately contact your physician to discuss other treatment options. You should also let your doctor know if you develop any bruising or skin changes after using cold or heat packs.

When should you see a doctor for pain instead?

If you have severe or persistent issues with your upper body, including the shoulder, elbow, wrist and hand, or the lower body, including hips, knees, ankles and feet, an IU Health care team can help

you decide on a treatment plan. Our team has specialists focusing on arthritis, athletic injuries, complex fractures, traumatic injuries and congenital deformities. Our Sports Medicine program can help both recreational and competitive athletes stay in the game. A sports physician near you can assess the nature of your injuries, treat them, and help you avoid further sports injuries in the future. From your first appointment through treatment, rehabilitation and follow-up, we provide expert care to help you return to your previous level of activity quickly and safely.

We help treat your muscle and joint pain so you can move through life at your own pace. Our orthopedics experts are here to help you. For more information or to find an orthopedic specialist near you, visit iuhealth.org/orthopedics.

located at Methodist Medical Plaza North, addresses the issue.

WDr. Patrick Siparsky

Kelvin’s memoir traces embrace of Jewish heritage

By Mark Ambrogi mark@youarecurrent.com

Freddie Kelvin’s memoir begins in Austria several years before he was born when his Jewish parents fled from the Nazis.

“My parents’ escape was an extremely hazardous one,” the Carmel resident said.

“My dad was interviewed by the Gestapo. He saw (Nazis) bringing Jews into the courtyard but leaving without them. In other words, Jews were being picked up to be put in prison behind where he was interviewed, and in many instances were going to be sent to concentration camps.”

Fortunately, Kelvin’s father was interviewed about something he wasn’t involved in, and he was released.

“He couldn’t believe the Gestapo official let him go, and at that point he realized he had to escape as fast as possible,” Kelvin said. “He escaped by a tortuous route, eventually to England. When the Allies were starting to win the war, they said, ‘Now it’s safe to have a child.’”

Kelvin, an only child, was born May 9, 1943. The retired radiologist, who has become a photographer, recently released his memoir, “Urban Nomad.”

“It’s a search for my identity, and where do I belong?” he said. “Writing the book was a cathartic experience because I had to stop and think about my past. I had to be aware of misjudgments. I was carried away by my career beyond what was necessary.”

Kelvin’s mother died when he was 14 and his father was devastated.

“He once told me that if it wasn’t for me, he would have driven the car over the cliff. I was that precious to him,” Kelvin said. “He was very sensitive deep down but was reluctant to show it.”

Kelvin grew up in an exclusively Jewish community in Leeds, England.

“It was a protective community where many were refugees like my father,” he said. “I lived there and then I resolved to leave the community behind me.”

Under advice from his father to avoid discrimination, Kelvin changed his last name from the more foreign-sounding Kohut to the British name of Kelvin.

So, people did not know Kelvin was Jewish when he attended college and applied for medical school.

“In order for me to have a level playing field as I embarked on a career in medicine, it was a great help to be not identified as a Jew and a foreigner,” Kelvin said.

Kelvin’s father did not practice any religion.

“He lost his eldest sister when she was 13,” Kelvin said. “The family said if that’s what God is, we no longer want to practice the Jewish religion.”

After Kelvin’s mother died, his father married a non-Jewish woman who was 30-plus years younger than he was.

“The Jewish community was not very forgiving that he married out of the faith,” Kelvin said. “She was very attractive and very charming. The Jewish community had wanted him to marry somebody his age

that was Jewish. That embittered me a bit because they cared more about keeping the community intact than about the happiness of my father.

“In fact, that marriage gave him a new lease on life, without which he would not have been the same.”

Kelvin moved around during his training as an intern and resident. He spent a year in Canada during his medical training.

Freddie Kelvin pauses with his wife, Anne. (Photo courtesy of Freddie Kelvin)

Continued from Page 10

“I was moving from community to community, and they were always different,” Kelvin said. “Identity change is very complicated. It’s one thing to give up a Jewish ritual, it’s another to have a different identity to be moving from community to community and then to another country.”

When he was 32, Kelvin came to the U.S. to work at Duke University in Durham, N.C., for 10 years in a teaching faculty position in radiology.

“My first wife was a Christian, and we were married in a church,” he said. “I was haunted a bit by ghosts of my Jewish past. To be married in a church was distinctly unusual. An uncle of mine took me to task for doing that. I resolved that if I got married again, I’d get married not at a church but by a rabbi.”

He and his first wife divorced after three years and he met his future wife, a physician’s assistant, while at Duke.

“The rabbi upbraided me and said, ‘In my eyes, you’re not a Jew,’” Kelvin said. “I said, ‘Well, in Hitler’s eyes, I was unquestionably a Jew and I lost part of my family because of that, and you’re telling me I’m not Jewish.’ I was not happy with being told that.”

Kelvin said being Jewish is not only about religious faith but also about ethnic background.

Kelvin said he attends service once a year before the Day of Atonement. He also attends Christmas Eve services at his wife’s church.

“I light Hanukkah candles and that’s the only ritual,”

he said.

Kelvin has been to Israel several times in the past 15 years. He started taking pictures at performing arts events at the Jewish Community Center in Indianapolis.

“I came to realize deep in my heart I was truly proud of my Jewish heritage,” Kelvin said. “The fact I wasn’t practicing being a Jew was not germane and didn’t influence my pride. It took me a long time to realize that deep down being a Jew really mattered.

FINDING HIS PASSION

A few years before retiring from his job as a radiologist, Freddie Kelvin started to develop an interest in photography. After he retired, he began taking photos for performing arts events.

Along with the Jewish Community Center, he also has taken photos at Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra and Indianapolis School of Ballet events and at Dance Kaleidoscope for 15 years.

“The performing arts are very important to me, and my way of giving back to the performing arts for inspiration is to be able to photograph them pro bono,” he said. “I should have never been a doctor because I’m not a scientist. I think at heart, my talents lay in the arts. I was always good at French, history and geography.”

Kelvin said in retrospect, he should have been a lawyer.

He began taking more abstract photos because taking realistic photos can become repetitive.

Kelvin said he is proud to be a featured artist at Carmel Art on Main Gallery for four years.

“Freddie Kelvin has a special eye for detail,” said Kim Greene, one of the co-owners of Carmel Art on Main Gallery. “Because of his background and training as a radiologist, he sees things differently than others and has a gift for capturing light, detail and movement in his photography. We are thankful that he shares this talent with us at Art on Main as one of our estab lished artists.”

For more, visit freddiesfotosforever. com.

The visits to Israel cemented my recognition and affirmation of my Jewishness. There is something about Israel that is heartwarming, because in the Jewish spirit there is openness to discuss everything and anything. They are not shy to share their thoughts.”

Kelvin said people in the Midwest are often less open to saying what they think.

Kelvin said traveling has opened his eyes to how other people live. He retired in 2008 after being a radiologist at Methodist since 1985. He lived with his wife and two children in Zionsville before moving to Carmel in 2008. His daughter, Elizabeth, lives in Philadelphia and has two children. His son, David Kelvin, is single and lives in Houston. Both are Zionsville Community High School graduates.

Kelvin had a major heart attack in 2007. A defibrillator was used on him several times,

“I was not supposed to survive,” Kelvin said. “The fact I’m here, although I don’t believe in miracles, is not that far removed from a miracle.”

Kelvin said he ignored chest pain for 12 hours prior to the heart attack.

“The technicians said I had to see a physician right now,” he said. “I told them I had an annual checkup at 3 o’clock, it’s probably a chest virus.’ They said, ‘No, you have to see someone right now.’”

After an EKG, he was wheeled immediately to the emergency room.

“It was a major heart attack and led to a couple of cardiac arrests,” he said. “So, I’m lucky to be here.”

Freddie Kelvin pauses on vacation at Vancouver Island. (Photo courtesy of Freddie Kelvin)

Karen Sigman Agency LLC

Freddie Kelvin enjoys photographing performing arts. (Photo courtesy of Freddie Kelvin)

The Stratford program benefits residents with Parkinson’s

By Mark Ambrogi mark@youarecurrent.com

The Stratford’s wellness director, Heather Mairn, could see the rising numbers.

“We saw that Parkinson’s disease is starting to be diagnosed at younger ages,” Mairn said. “Prospects come in their 50s with Parkinson’s. It’s growing quickly to where it’s going to eventually beat out Alzheimer’s (disease) (in numbers afflicted). In order to make sure we can take care of that population, we needed to get something in place.”

Parkinson’s disease is a progressive disorder that affects the nervous system. Symptoms often start slowly, with hand tremors being one of the first signs.

Joe Green, The Stradford’s social director, Neal Miller, its lifestyle advisor, and Mairn formed a task force to address the issue in the fall of 2020.

“We decided we needed to look at Parkinson’s disease and really help,” Green said.

The Stratford program at the Carmel senior living center, called emPowerD, launched in January 2021.

Miller said national data shows incidence of Parkinson’s disease is 50 percent higher than originally projected. It’s also now the second-most common age-related neurodegenerative disease in North America.

“We have folks living here that are living with Parkinson’s disease and don’t know it,” Miller said. “(Researchers) do suspect that it’s exposure to something in the environment, but as of now we don’t know what causes it and we don’t know how to prevent it.”

Mairn said a lot of programs focus on the physical aspect of the disease, but that is only part of what is needed.

“We know it’s not just physical,” Mairn said. “A huge part of living with Parkinson’s is managing your medicines and physical exercise. In order to deal with these symptoms daily, those two need to be together. We also know that to help a person as a whole, it’s more than physical.”

There is no cure for Parkinson’s.

“We realize when you get diagnosed with Parkinson’s, you are in a fight for the rest of your life,” Green said. “It doesn’t go away. You have to train like a professional the rest of your life. That’s really hard, physically, but maybe even harder mentally. We want to provide them a way to still have drive and ability to say I want to live and keep going. We do that by taking care of your mind and spirit.”

Green said Parkinson’s affects everyone a little differently and everyone is in different stages.

Miller runs a Parkinson’s support group for those that live in The Stratford, but the public also can attend the meetings. They are at 3:30 p.m. on the fourth Monday of each month.

Miller said The Stratford put the program together with the help of Noblesville-based Indiana Parkinson’s Foundation and its director, Kim Williams.

“They’ve been really helpful in educating us and

getting us information, so we can get it to the residents,” Green said.

Miller said The Stratford has held an education programs on Parkinson’s.

“We try to get it out to the community that these resources exist,” Miller said. “If people take advantage of them, they can live with a high quality of life. We tell folks here that It’s not a death sentence like a lot of people think it is.”

Green said the social programs are inclusive, including those without Parkinson’s.

“It’s also where the spouse/caretaker can also take part,” Green said. “We’re doing meditation and art and therapeutic stuff. It’s more to get them to deal with their emotions. This is a family disease, as is dementia. It affects the spouse and caretaker just as much.”

Mairn, a certified Parkinson’s trainer, said the group meets twice a week for 45 minutes to work on each

aspect of Parkinson’s disease, such as balance, cognition and strength.

“The camaraderie they developed is amazing,” Mairn said. “It’s a small family, and that’s huge when you are fighting something like Parkinson’s because you are not alone.”

Green said sometimes people are slow to accept the signs of Parkinson’s disease.

“If you admit it, then it’s real,” he said. “We’re trying to provide a soft space for them to land.”

Mairn said she has seen success with the program.

“I have seen our members improve strength, maintain balance capabilities and increase endurance since the program began,” Mairn said, “Strength training is a significant component to maintaining muscle mass and is vital for long-term management of the disease. Members have also realized improved mobility and sleep.”

Jeff Klindera, a resident of The Stratford, does a modified pull-up with the bar. (Photo courtesy of The Stratford).

Common causes of heel pain

Commentary by Dr. David Sullivan

Heel pain is one of the most common conditions I see in my office since our feet absorb all the pressure of our daily activities. Below are the four most common causes of heel pain.

Plantar fasciitis

The most common cause of heel pain is Inflammation in your plantar fascia. This ligament runs along the bottom of your foot, starting at your heel bone. When it gets overstretched, it becomes inflamed. You’ll experience pain, most often at the spot where the fascia connects to your heel bone, and usually right when you wake up in the morning. This condition can also cause pain in your mid-foot and arch. Overuse is the most common cause of plantar fasciitis.

Achilles tendinitis

Your Achilles tendon connects the calf muscles to the heel bone. When it gets overworked, tiny tears and inflammation set in. In addition to pain at the back of your heel, tendinitis can increase your risk for a ruptured Achilles tendon.

Bursitis

At the back of your heel sits a fluid-filled sac called a bursa that pads your muscles, ligaments and bones. If it becomes inflamed, you’ll experience pain that gets worse throughout the day, localized deep at the back of your heel.

Heel fracture

Your heel is susceptible to fractures, either from trauma or from built-up stress. With a stress fracture, your pain may come and go, getting worse when you’re active or at the end of a long day. With a traumatic fracture, pain will come on suddenly and will likely be constant. The only way to diagnose either injury is with an X-ray. When your heel hurts, you just want to feel better. And, to get better, we need to see you in our office so we can properly diagnose your heel pain and provide the most effective treatment.

A board-certified foot surgeon and wound specialist, Dr. David Sullivan is the owner of Westfield Foot and Ankle, LLC. Contact him at drs@westfieldfoot.com.

Marquette is a not-for-pro t senior living community, giving you the life you want to live. With a wide variety of beautifully designed residential options and maintenance-free living, our community gives you the exibility and control over everything you do.

Spiritually connect with us at 4 p.m. daily for Mass in our beautiful chapel. Our community also offers various dining venues, a state-of-the-art aquatic center, and wellness programs for endless opportunities — and it’s all just steps from your front door. Call

Writing an ethical will

Commentary by Lisa Dillman

Alegal will is an important legal document that outlines a person’s wishes regarding their assets (i.e., a home, IRA, bank accounts, etc.) following their passing. However, there’s often a lot more you may want to bestow upon your loved ones that doesn’t require an attorney’s help. Perhaps the start of the year is a good time to start brainstorming the legacy you’d like to leave behind. How do you want to be remembered?

How to write an ethical will

The wishes laid out in an ethical will typically hold more emotional value than monetary value. An ethical will can be in the form of individually handwritten letters addressed to whomever you’d like to include. Even a video recording of yourself reading your ethical will would be timeless way for your thoughts and wishes to be cherished. Your ethical will could be given to your loved ones prior to your passing, or you may wish to keep it with your other legal documents, to be found following your passing.

Three things to Include in your ethical will:

• Wisdom: After living through life’s hills and valleys, you may have some words of advice you’d like to offer to future generations. You could also include stories or fables you were told as a child, fun family traditions, your biggest regret, or a life-changing lesson.

• Sentimental keepsakes: Cookbooks, picture albums, your wedding dress, trinkets – all things that may not hold commercial value but are worth a lot more in the eyes of your loved ones.

• Words of praise: An ethical will is an excellent place to recognize the people who have had a major impact on your life. Letting your loved ones know what they’ve meant to you can provide great closure following your death.

Duke Tumatoe has his teaching moments

By Mark Ambrogi mark@youarecurrent.com

Duke Tumatoe has never stopped performing. Tumatoe and the Power Trio still perform approximately 75 shows a year, mostly across the Midwest. He also performs on radio shows. He has been a regular contributor on “The Bob & Tom Show” since the 1980s.

But in the last 20 years, Tumatoe returned to teaching to share with others his guitar skills by giving lessons in his Carmel home.

“I’ve made a lot of good friendships doing it, and it’s been fun because I’ve been able to provide for people that have played before a better understanding of what is going on,” Tumatoe said.

Tumatoe said one pupil’s adult daughter bought lessons for her dad.

“He started from scratch, and he’s come along,” Tumatoe said. “He’s able to play ‘Happy Birthday’ and a couple of songs. It’s very exciting for him. To go home and sing ‘Happy Birthday’ to his wife was quite a thrill for both of them. It’s fun to watch people get something out of the lessons.”

Tumatoe said some people are able to renew an activity they had years ago but had gotten away from.

“They are able to come back, and I am able to give them a focus on how music really works,” Tumatoe said. “It’s been rewarding to me on a personal level, and it’s exposed me to some different types of songs that I would not have been drawn to otherwise.”

Tumatoe said he limits his number of students to 20.

“I still write a lot for commercials and personal songs,” he said. “I still need time to sit down with the guitar and not feel like it’s a workday. As I’ve gotten older, I realize it’s also necessary for me to practice diligently basic things to make sure I keep command of my hands and my mind focused.”

Tumatoe, whose given name is Bill Florio, was one of the early members of REO Speedwagon, playing guitar from 1967-69, but departed because he realized his passion was playing the blues. Tumatoe and the All-Star Frogs started playing in 1969. The group disbanded in 1983, after which he started the Power Trio.

“The keyboard player, James Hill, (and me) have played together off and on since 1966,” Tumatoe said. “It’s a group of guys that have worked together for a good period of time.”

John Fogerty, of Creedence Clearwater Revival fame, produced Tumatoe’s live album called “I Like My Job” in 1989.

Through the years, Tumatoe became known for his numerous renditions of “Lord Help Our Colts,” which started on “The Bob & Tom Show.”

Tumatoe started playing drums when he was 10 years old and began playing guitar when he was 15.

Tumatoe moved to Westfield from Champaign, Ill., in 1980. Then in 1987, he moved to Carmel. His wife, Mary Anne, had spent her teenage years in Carmel.

“I’ve been very blessed in my life. God has had a plan for me,” Tumatoe said. “It’s been very wonderful. (Performing) is what I’m supposed to do. It’s really the only thing I do well.”

For more, visit duketumatoe.com.

Duke Tumatoe still performs approximately 75 shows a year. (Photo courtesy of Duke Tumatoe)

Lisa Dillman is an attorney at Applegate & Dillman Elder Law. The firm has offices in Indianapolis, Carmel and Zionsville. Find out more at applegate-dillman. com.

Resolutions to avoid scammers

Submitted by Better Business Bureau

editorial@youarecurrent.com

The loss of money, personal information and perseverance of scammers continue, with online purchase scams as the riskiest of scams. Better Business Bureau recommends adding a few precautionary steps to the New Year’s resolution list, along with the weight loss and financial goals, to help make the upcoming days and months fraud-free.

• I resolve to be cautious with email. Be wary of unsolicited emails from a person or a company. Remember, scammers can make emails look like they are from a legitimate business, government agency or reputable organization. Never click on links or open attachments in unsolicited emails.

• I resolve to never send money to strangers. If you haven’t met a person face-to-face, don’t send them money. This is especially true if the person asks you to transfer funds using a pre-paid debit card or CashApp. Money sent to strangers in this way is untraceable, and once it is sent, there’s no getting it back.

• I resolve to do research before making online payments and purchases. When shopping online, or if asked to make a payment online, research the retailer before entering payment information. Ask: Is this a person or business I know and trust? Do they have a working customer service number? Where is the company physically located? Would I be making payments through a secure server (https://....com)? Have I checked to see if others have complained?

• I resolve to use my best judgment when sharing my personal information. Sharing sensitive personal information with scammers opens the door to identity theft. Never share financial information, birthdate, address, Social Security/Social Insurance number or Medicare number with an unsolicited caller.

• I resolve to be social media smart. Make use of privacy settings on social media and only connect with people you actually know.

Don’t miss this limited-time incentive on a new home in a fun-filled active adult community, packed with amenities and things to do! This featured home has an invaluable bonus room with a full bedroom and full bath. Offer available on select to-be-built Central Collection homes (Monroe and Shafer floorplans) and select Central Collection inventory homes when you sign a purchase agreement between 2/1/23 – 2/15/23. This limited offer makes Osborne Trails even more desirable!

For more information, please contact Carol Feipel, Greg Randolph, Sunny Salmon, Tamywa Thurman, Kim Yoder and Anastasia Brasco at 317-659-3230.

*Offer available on select Central Collection floorplans (Monroe, Shafer floorplans only) in the Osborne Trails community if buyer signs and delivers a purchase agreement between 2/1/23 – 2/15/23 and closes and fully funds on or before the date specified in the purchase agreement. Offer limited to the standard Bonus Room option and upgrade package offered in the specific community in which the home is located (“Standard Bonus Room”), as selected by the purchaser at the time the purchase agreement is fully executed (ARV not to exceed $34,000). Lennar offers other lower level options and upgrades not included in the Standard Bonus Room Package, and purchaser will be obligated to pay for such additional options and upgrades if selected by purchaser. Offers, incentives and seller contributions are subject to certain terms, conditions and restrictions. Certain incentives could affect the loan amount. Lennar reserves the right to change or withdraw any offer at any time. Age restrictions apply to the occupants/owners in this community as permitted under the Fair Housing Act. This means for some communities that a designated percentage of the homes in the community must be occupied by at least one person 55 years or older (80% or 100%, depending on the community). There may also be minimum age requirements for other residents in the home, and/or a certain number of younger residents permitted in the community. These communities publish and adhere to policies and procedures that demonstrate the intent to operate as age 55 or older housing, and comply with HUD’s rules for age verification of residents. In other communities, all residents must be age 62 years or older (with limited exceptions). You are encouraged to review community documents and disclosures for applicable restrictions before purchasing. Please consult with a Lennar New Home Consultant regarding any questions regarding this community’s age policies. Features, amenities, floor plans, elevations, and designs vary and are subject to changes or substitution without notice. Items shown are artist’s renderings and may contain options that are not standard on all models or not included in the purchase price. Availability may vary. Plans to build out this neighborhood as proposed are subject to change without notice. Please see your New Home Consultant and/or home purchase agreement for actual features designated as an Everything’s Included feature. Sq. ft. and acreage are estimated; actual sq. ft. and acreage will differ. Garage/bay sizes may vary from home to home and may not accommodate or be accessible to all vehicles. Models/lifestyle photos do not reflect racial or ethnic preference. Scenes may be of locations or activities not on a Lennar property. All product and/or company names are trademarks TM or registered trademarks ® of their respective owners, and use of these marks does not imply any sponsorship, endorsement, support, or affiliation between the trademark owners and Lennar. This is not an offer in states where prior registration is required. Void where prohibited by law. Copyright © 2023 Lennar Corporation. Lennar, the Lennar logo, Everything’s Included and the Everything’s Included logo are U.S. registered service marks or service marks of Lennar Corporation and/or its subsidiaries. Date 01/23 LNIND1207