60 and Better Newsletter, September 2015

MISSION: To create opportunities that allow older residents of Douglas County to remain independent and active in their homes and communities.

September 2015 Volume 42 No. 9

INSIDE

VISIT US AT WWW.DGCOSENIORSERVICES.ORG

SENIOR SCHOLARSHIPS FOR THE ARTS

Calendar���������������������������������������� PG 5

Have you always wanted to take an art class, but never had time? This year, release your inner artist and join a community of lifelong learners by taking a class Leisure and Learning Catalog ������ PG 6 at the Lawrence Arts Center.

Live the Lawrence Life is proud to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Lawrence Menu�������������������������������������������� PG 12 Legalese ��������������������������������������� PG 14 Arts Center by partnering with them to provide visual arts and dance classes to Douglas County residents 55 and over. The program provides 90% off tuition for new students. You pay 10% of class fees, and most supplies are provided by the Arts Center.

A generous family bequest allows this scholarship to be for everyone 55 and over in Douglas County; it is not needs-based. If you’ve been thinking about taking a class, but never did, and you’re over 55, call the Arts Center at 785-843-2787 or fill Choosing Healthy Appetizing Meals Plan out the on-line financial aid form on the Arts Center’s website at Solutions for Seniors (CHAMPSS) offers seniors www.lawrenceartscenter.org.

CHAMPPS

MEALS PROGRAM

age 60 and over choices of what they eat, where they eat and when they eat. Come join the growing number of seniors who enjoy the flexibility of dining options that accommodate their active lifestyles. A registered CHAMPSS member can obtain a CHAMPSS meal at any participating location simply by swiping their CHAMPSS card. Participating locations in Lawrence currently include both Hy-Vee Stores.

Menus are approved by a registered dietitian.

An orientation program will be held October 5 at the Lawrence Public Libary from 2 to 3 p.m. Qualifying individuals will be given the opportunity to sign up for CHAMPSS.To learn more about the program and/or register, contact Jayhawk Area Agency on Aging: 785-2351367; 800-798-1366; TDD/TTY 800-776-3777; jhawkaaa.org.

GROOVIN’ THROUGH TIME DANCE CLASS

Join Lawrence Arts Center’s Dance Education Resident Ellie Goudie-Averill to strut, sway and swing your way through history. Beginning in the Renaissance with the dawn of the minuet and moving all the way through the Charleston in the 20s, the Electric Slide in the 80s all the way to today. We will warm up together, learn the most popular steps and movements of the chosen decade and discuss important dance performances that made waves at that time. Selected readings will be provided and discussions will dance their way around the room. Classes will be held on Wednesdays from 2-3:30 p.m., from September 30 through November 18 at the Lawrence Senior Center.

Call the Lawrence Arts Center, 785-843-2787, to enroll.

DCSS welcomes new staff members. Barbara Sutterfield (L) joined our Community Services department as the new Senior Health Insurance Counseling for Kansas (SHICK) coordinator. Heidi Briery (R) oversees the Senior Wheels department.

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Lee Ketzel to receive KABC Founders Award Kansas Advocates for Better Care (KABC) will honor Lee Ketzel of Lawrence with the Founders Award. The award will be presented to Mrs. Ketzel on October 25, 2015, during the organization’s annual Stand By Me benefit event in Lawrence. Lee will receive the award in recognition of her work as one of the small band of six women who launched a reform movement taking aim at the poor care of older adults in many Kansas nursing homes.

The improvements they sought and won have made unparalleled differences in the lives of thousands of older and disabled adults who have lived in Kansas nursing homes over the past forty years. Making up the band of six were Anna “Petey” Cerf, Lee Ketzel, Harriet Nehring, Bryona Wiley, Katy Pyle, and Jessie Branson, all members of the Lawrence and Topeka communities. Well before it was accepted as the right thing to do, these six Founders were advancing a humane standard of care. Their attitude and belief was that poor care of the elderly and disabled in nursing homes was something that could actually be improved upon, even when the generally held belief and the belief of medical professionals was that it could not be.

In 1975 they formalized their efforts by establishing a non-profit organization, Kansans for the Improvement of Nursing Homes/KINH. What Ketzel and the band of six had in mind from the outset was to identify the root causes of nursing home abuses and to work to correct those abuses. To that end and through the vehicle of KINH, they organized citizen advocates into a force to achieve badly needed care reforms.

Compassion was the catalyst, but the Kansas nursing home reform movement was built on hard facts. Ketzel along with Cerf, Nehring, Branson, Pyle and Wylie toured the state, going into nursing homes and talking directly with older and disabled adults to hear and see first hand what it was like to live life there. What they found were serious problems and abuses hidden in plain sight. They brought the hard cold facts of poor care to the attention of legislators, health care professionals and the public, and advocated for better....better care, better trained nurse aides, better patient care from Registered Nurses, better oversight by the state, and better enforcement for non-compliance with health standards.

The Stand By Me benefit event is open to the public, RSVPs are required and can be made by calling KABC at 842-3088.

Kansas Advocates for Better Care (KABC) is a 40 year old, not-for-profit organization (501 c 3 IRS designated charitable organization), known as Kansans for the Improvement of Nursing Homes prior to 1996. KABC is beholden to no commercial interests and is supported almost entirely by donations from citizens who support our mission of improving the quality of care in all long-term settings. KABC provides assistance to older or disabled adults seeking information and guidance regarding long-term care placements and services and help to resolve problems with the care they receive from facilities or other long-term service providers. KABC provides information and education to public policy makers and advocates for policies that will improve the quality of long-term care in Kansas. (www.kabc.org)

ARTHRITIS FOUNDATION EXERCISE PROGRAM Exercise may be the last thing on your mind when you are tired and your joints ache, but exercise is considered the most effective non-drug treatment for easing pain and improving movement for people managing arthritis and other chronic conditions. The

Arthritis Foundation Exercise Program is a fun and invigorating recreational exercise program, led by specially certified instructors.

Lawrence Parks and Recreation and Douglas County Senior Services are partnering to provide the class this fall at the Lawrence Sports Pavilion Tuesdays and Thursdays at 5:30 pm, from Sept.

15 through Nov. 5.

The class is designed for anyone who is limited by impaired joint motion and/or strength can

benefit from its range of motion.

Additional benefits of exercise include reduced fatigue, so you have more stamina throughout the day. Furthermore, these exercises can help you sleep better, improve your mood and reduce the risk of other health problems, such as heart disease or diabetes, which can accompany chronic conditions.

The class uses research based techniques. These include exercises that gently stretch and move joints through their full

span for flexibility. Resistance and strengthening movements are included to maintain and improve muscle strength. Strong muscles can support and protect joints that are affected by arthritis.

Community based classes also promote a feeling of fun and well-being.

Don’t let arthritis, inexperience or inertia, hold you back. There is never a stage that doesn’t benefit from making the leap from couch potato to exercise.

RAIN: A NATURAL AND CULTURAL HISTORY

By Carol Wall Reviewed by Barbara Watkins After enduring a never-ending rainy May and early June, we finally got hot weather and then, as humans do, started wishing for more rain. Kansans are always checking the clouds, internet, and newspapers to see if it will rain today.

I come by my own interest in rain as a gardener for several decades and genetically.

My father, who grew up on an Iowa farm and became a university dean, went back to school after he retired to earn a MS in meteorology and became a weather observer for a local TV station.

In Rain: A Natural and Cultural History (New York: Crown Publishers, 2015), Cynthia Barnett provides a fascinating global and longterm perspective on the human relationship with rain. Barnett is an award-winning environmental journalist and the author of two previous books Blue Revolution: Unmaking America’s Water Crisis and Mirage: Florida and the Vanishing Water of the Eastern U.S. Barnett notes that “Rain and two more of its wondrous pride-clouds and rainbows have inspired writers, painters and poets for thousands of years.” Although rain has the power to nurture and delight,

it also can be very destructive.

Our costliest natural disaster, Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans, took 1,836 lives and caused $108 billion damage in 2005. “Rain itself is seldom the deadliest factor in a tempest; wind is often the most destructive force in storm disasters.” On a more elemental level, “Rain can warp, swell, discolor, rust, loosen, mildew, stink, peel paint, consume wood, erode masonry, corrode metal, expand destructively when it freezes or seep into every crack when it evaporates.”

Barnett traveled to Scotland to tell the complex story of the invention of the macintosh rain coat and to northeast India, Earth’s rainiest place, which recorded the largest rain fall ever: 1,042 inches in one yearmore than one third of it came in the July monsoons. This region is now subject, however, to increasingly severe water shortages. In addition to global warming, this may be due to “rampant water diversions, mining and deforestation.”

The chapter “Rain Follows the Plow” covers territory and history that some of us know well: Kansas and the Great Plains in droughts of the 1880s and 90s.

“Between 1888 and 1892, half the population of western Kansas and Nebraska gave up and moved back east.” In assessing the regular flooding of the

Mississippi River, Barnett asserts, “Flooding is what makes the Mississippi River what it is.” She quotes renowned University of Kansas environmental historian Donald Worster, who has described flood-control efforts as having a “limited, ambiguous impact on the structure of society and power.” The impact of irrigation, however, is “constant and pervasive.”

For me, the most surprisingand perhaps scurrilous-chapter is the one on rainmakers. These corrupt, scheming entrepreneurs in the late eighteenth century planned to “bomb the hell out of the skies” with “deafening fireworks” to make them rain.

Even the US Congress was caught up in this dubious activity and bankrolled much of it in the desperate drought of the 1890s.

In “City Rain,” which focuses on Miami, Seattle, and Los Angeles, Barnett is especially critical of developers who have paved over much of our city terrain. “Every subdivision and shopping mall, parking lot and pancake house prevents rain from soaking back into the ground. . . . Running over all that asphalt and concrete, rain picks up toxic metals, oil and grease, pesticides and herbicides, feces, and every other impurity that can make its way to a gutter.”

Ironically, Seattle, the “misnamed City of Rain,” has

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BOOK review

served as a model to correct its own urban rain mistakes, using grass instead of concrete, planting trees and shrubs, and creating rain gardens and green roofs to solve its rain run-off problems. In the Florida Everglades, in the past fifteen years, 12,000 acres of wetlands have been reestablished. Native aquatic plants are now thriving, fish have returned, and “snowy egrets, blue herons, and other wading birds that had vanished flocked back in astounding numbers.”

Scientists predict “greater intensity and frequency” of both drought and extreme rains worldwide as it gets warmer. Droughts are worsening in arid regions and wet areas are becoming wetter. “After thousands of years praying for rain . . . mocking rain with irrigated agriculture and cities built in floodplains; even trying to blast rain out of the sky with mortars meant for war, humanity has managed to change the rain,” not always in the ways we intended. Readers of this illuminating book will likely never think about rain-or the consequences of climate changein the same way again.

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Learn What to Expect at

“Welcome to Medicare” September 9

Are you new to Medicare? Do you have questions?

Join our Community Services Program Assistant and Senior Health Insurance Counseling for Kansas (SHICK) Coordinator for this overview of the

Medicare program from noon to 1 p.m., Wednesday September 9. Participants are free to bring their lunch

or reserve one through our Senior Meals program. For more information please call the DCSS Community

Services Department, 785-842-0543 or toll free 1-877-295-3277.

RETIREMENT COMMUNITY AT ALVAMAR

YOUR 1ST MONTH FREE RENT TO THE 1ST FIVE NEW RESIDENTS Join us on September 10th or the 24th for Community Coffee and Snacks and have a tour to see what Arbor Court has to offer

785-841-6845

1510 St Andrews Dr, Lawrence | info@arborcourt-lawrence.com

3 WAYS TO MAKE CARING FOR AN AGING PARENT EASIER About 25 percent of Americans say their aging parents need some kind of help - and most of it comes from family. The Pew Research Center survey also found that while caregivers say it can be stressful, 88 percent said it’s also very rewarding. Here are 3 ways you can make taking care of your aging parent easier, and more rewarding, for everyone.

TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF: Remember how airline safety speeches remind you to first put the oxygen mask on yourself, then on your child? A similar principle applies to caregiving. You have to take care of yourself so that you can take care of someone else. It doesn’t help anyone if you’re exhausted or burned out. Make sure you get enough sleep, eat healthy foods, stay active, and make time for yourself with family and friends.

MAKE SOME SIMPLE CHANGES: Whether your aging parent is moving in with you, or staying in their own home, it’s important to make some modifications to make everyday life easier - and safer. Removing throw rugs, adding lighting, and removing clutter and extra furniture can help prevent falls. Changing cabinet knobs or door handles to easygrasp knobs or levers is easier on arthritic hands. You can find a helpful aging-in-place checklist at K-State Research & Extension, and you can find supplies you need at local hardware stores.

GET HELP: Taking care of an aging parent can be difficult, especially if you have children and/or a job, too. Talk to your employer about ways you can minimize stress - some companies offer counseling and resources to help out. If you have older children, they can be involved with cooking, cleaning, or even driving.

Finally, take advantage of local services available, such as housekeeping, in-home nursing, and respite care.

Douglas County Senior Services offers a library for caregivers, a Caregivers Support Group, which meets the 1st and 3rd Mondays of each month, a directory of local services you might need, as well as some helpful online resources. Call 785-842-0543 for more information.

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SEPTEMBER 2015 CALENDAR OF EVENTS

1 Grief Support Group, 10:30 a.m., Grace Hospice, 1420 Wakarusa, Ste. 202. For information call Dave Jenkins, 85-228-0400.

4 Lawrence Chronic Illness Support Group, Location varies.

Please call Rachel at 979-5393 or Jean at 865-0016 for information.

7 DCSS CLOSED for Labor Day Holiday

16 Douglas County Coalition on Aging (DCCOA), 8 a.m., Lawrence Senior Center.

16 Kansas Veteran’s Commission discussion of benefits for lowincome veterans and surviving spouses, 1:30 p.m., Lawrence Senior Center. For information call Rick Massey at 843-5233.

14 Free Blood Pressure Check, 11 a.m. to Noon, Lawrence Senior Center. Provided by Midland Care Connection. No appointment needed.

17 Low Vision/Blind Outreach Ministry Dinner, 5:30-7 p.m., Immanuel Lutheran Church and Student Center, 2104 Bob Billings Parkway (15th and Iowa St. adjacent to KU Campus). This group meets for dinners, social and speaker events, as well as day trips.

RSVP encouraged for purpose of dinner reservations. Anyone in the community that is blind or has low vision is welcome. For information call 843-0620.

14 Breast Cancer Support Group, 5:30 p.m., Presbyterian Manor, 1429 Kasold. For information, call 842-5250 or 840-2768.

21 DCSS Caregiver Support Group, 2:15-3:45 p.m., Lawrence Senior Center. For information call Janet, 842-0543.

15 Parkinson’s Support Group, 2 p.m., First Presbyterian Church.

For more information call Elaine, 760-1026.

28 Breast Cancer Support Group, 5:30 p.m., Presbyterian Manor, 1429 Kasold. For information, call 842-5250 or 840-2768.

15 Stroke Support Group, 4 p.m., Lawrence Memorial Hospital.

For more information call 785-505-2886.

The University Bridge Club of Lawrence meets Saturdays from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Contact Cora at 842-5567 for more information.

15 Grief Support Group, 10:30 a.m., Grace Hospice, 1420 Wakarusa, Ste. 202. For information call Dave Jenkins at 785-228-0400.

If you would like your meeting listed in the calendar of events, please contact DCSS at 842-0543.

2015

9 Welcome to Medicare Meeting, 12 to 1 p.m., Lawrence Senior Center. Informational meeting for those new to Medicare. For information call 842-0543.

FREE BLOOD PRESSURE CHECK

Need your blood pressure checked? Midland Care Connection will be providing free blood pressure checks for seniors at the Lawrence Senior Center on Monday, September 14 from 11 a.m. to noon. Itís wise to monitor your blood pressure as part of your ongoing health regimen. What could be easier than stopping by the Lawrence Senior Center on the second Monday of the month for a quick check? No appointment necessary. Just drop in!

BOCCE BALL COURTS OPEN at Holcom Park Lawrence Parks and Recreation has opened two Bocce Ball courts at Holcom Park, 2700 Lawrence Avenue. A workshop for new players is planned for Sunday, September 13, 2:00-4:00 pm.

No registration or fee is required.

Bocce is fun to play with friends and it’s an outdoor alternative to other popular social games, like billiards or bowling. It’s a game based on strategy, competition and teamwork. Its rules are relatively simple to learn and open to all ages and abilities.

A Helping Hand Home Care • 1-24 Hour In-Home Care Including overnights, weekends and Holidays • Personal Care—Bathing, Toileting • Medication Reminders • Meal Preparation • FAMILY owned and operated • Guarantee of In-Home Services • RN Administrator • Companionship • Transportation • FREE Assessment, No Obligation

for a

Call today

FREE in-home assessment performed by an RN

1425 Oread West Street, Suite 103 www.ahelpinghandhc.com • 785-856-0192

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Leisure and Learning Catalog - Course Description Douglas County Senior Services offers a variety of programs for active Douglas County residents age 55 and over. In our catalog you will also see some Lawrence Parks and Recreation classes, and trips offered by Group Getaways.

PLEASE NOTE THE ENROLLMENT AND PAYMENT INFORMATION BELOW* FOR THE PROGRAM(S) FOR WHICH YOU WISH TO REGISTER. To register for a DCSS activity, fill out the class registration form in this newsletter and mail it with

Leisure and Learning CataLog

your check (payable to DCSS) to: Douglas County Senior Services, Leisure and Learning Department, 745 Vermont St., Lawrence, KS 66044. Walk-ins are welcome. For information call 785-842-0543.

• To register for a Lawrence Parks and Recreation activity, go to the Community Building, 115 W. 11th St., 832-7920 or register online at www.lprd.org.

• To register for a Group Getaways trip, contact Darla Bass at 785-215-8875 or email: mygroupgetaways@gmail.com.

More trip information available at http://www.mygroupgetaways.net.

DCSS refund/credit policy (applies to DCSS classes and events only):

A full refund or credit will be given for all DCSS classes, events or trips 30 days prior to the class or event, except event tickets that are bought in advance and are non-refundable. Less than 30 days prior, refunds will be given for medical hardships, approved emergencies, and events canceled or rescheduled by the department.

A 10 percent administrative charge will be deducted from refunds for cancellations less than one week in advance.

Partial class scholarships may be available for seniors who qualify.

Scholarships will be considered upon completion of application in the Leisure and Learning office.

Reasonable accommodations can be made for special needs.

Registrant must specify needs and provide information at time of enrollment.

HEALTH & FITNESS Yoga for Every Body (Douglas County Senior Services) Tuesdays, September 1 October 27, 3-4 p.m. Fee: $32.

Location: Lawrence Senior Center. Instructor: Susan Rieger.

Our person centered care allows each resident to live comfortably and thrive in a place that feels like home while providing the most advanced methods of care.

One campus, two specialties of care.

KEY FEATURES

WEST HOUSE

• Beautiful campus with a secure environment

Designed to care for individuals living with Alzheimer’s and dementia.

EAST HOUSE

Designed to care for individuals with advanced physical needs.

• Private suites and bathrooms • Open kitchen design • Nutritious home-cooked meals • Personalized care and schedules • Engaging programs and activities • 24 hour staff and assistance

This gentle yoga class encourages freedom in all the joints, increases core and leg strength, improves balance, and leaves the participant feeling mentally and physically relaxed and restored. Previous participants report feeling stronger, having more energy, and sleeping better. Please bring a yoga mat and wear clothes which allow you to move easily.

A.M. Walking Club (Lawrence Parks and Recreation) Walking indoors is a chance to exercise in any weather, get your heart pumping and build friendships with other walkers. The public is welcome to walk in the gymnasiums at East Lawrence Recreation Center (7-10 a.m.) and Holcom Park Recreation Center (7-11 a.m.), Monday through Friday. Walkers should plan to accommodate scheduled programming. For more information, contact the Recreation Center, 832-7950.

Pickleball - Open Play (Lawrence Parks and Recreation) Monday-Friday at Lyons Park and Sports Pavilion Lawrence. For competitive, recreational and beginning players. Call Gayle at the Community Building, 8327920, for specific days and times. There is no charge for open play.

Badminton - Open Play (Lawrence Parks and Recreation) Badminton players are enthusiastic about the agility, pace, fitness and FUN of the game. Local badminton fans will be playing at Sports Pavilion Lawrence on Tuesdays, 6-8 p.m., now through mid-October. The court is open to players of all skill levels. Equipment is provided; players are welcome to bring their own.

Personal Training (Lawrence Parks and Recreation) Need help reaching your fitness goals? Lawrence Parks and Recreation has certified personal trainers to help you make your workouts safe, productive and successful. Training and registration are available at all recreation centers. For more information, contact Gayle Sigurdson at 832-7920.

Lifelong Tennis, Beginner (Lawrence Parks and Recreation) Thursdays, September 17-November 5, 11:30 a.m.12:30 p.m. Fee: $82 Location: Jayhawk Tennis. For the player who is just starting to play tennis

Leisure and Learning CataLog

or who has limited playing experience and is still working primarily on getting the ball over the net. Instructor: Jayhawk Tennis. Register at www.lprd. org or any Lawrence Recreation Center.

Lifelong Tennis, Intermediate (Lawrence Parks and Recreation) Thursdays, September 17-November 5, 10:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m. Fee: $82 Location: Jayhawk Tennis. For the player that can place shots with moderate success; can sustain a rally of slow pace and has knowledge of scoring but is not comfortable with all strokes. Instructor: Jayhawk Tennis.

Contra Dance (Lawrence Parks and Recreation) Thursdays, September 3-24, 7:30-8:30 p.m. Fee: $30 Location: Carnegie Building

Contra Dance is a traditional, fun, dance style performed in two long lines, facing each other, to lively fiddle music.

It is a great way to exercise that benefits both the body and brain. All levels of dance experience and fitness are welcome in this friendly, welcoming environment. NSD Instructors: Susan Rieger and Susan MacNally. Register at www.lprd.org or any Lawrence Recreation Center.

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Broadway Dance (Lawrence Parks and Recreation) Tuesdays, September 15-November 3, 1:15-2:15 p.m.

Fee: $31 Location: Community Building Dance to the Broadway classics! Improve posture, balance and motor skills with a combination of Broadway jazz and tap moves to Broadway musical melodies! Instructor: Molly Gordon. Register at www.lprd.org or any Lawrence Recreation Center.

Chair Exercise (Douglas County Senior Services)

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Fundamentals of Estate Planning (Douglas County Senior Services & Lawrence Parks and Recreation) Tuesday, November 10, 6-7:30 p.m. Fee: None. Location: Lawrence Senior Center.

Instructor: Robert Ramsdell.

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Wednesdays and Fridays (ongoing) 11-11:30 a.m. Fee: None. Location: Lawrence Senior Center.

EDUCATION, HOBBY & FINANCE AARP Smart Driver Course (Douglas County Senior Services) Thursday and Friday, November 12 and 13, 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. Fee: $15 for AARP Members, $20 for non-members. Location: Lawrence Senior Center.

Death is a certainty, incapacity a possibility. You need to plan for both. Fundamentals of Estate Planning will help you create those plans. The class covers what happens under intestate succession if you die without a plan; the uses of a Will or Revocable Living Trust; an overview of probate administration; the impact of estate and gift taxes; nontestamentary transfer options, such as holding property in a joint tenancy; powers of attorney for financial and healthcare decision-making; Living Wills and Do Not Resuscitate Directives; and a very general overview of how limitations on Medicaid eligibility might affect your assets. The presentation lasts about an hour, followed by an open question-and-answer period. No need to register.

Refresh your driving skills with the AARP Smart Driver Course. You will learn defensive driving techniques, proven safety strategies, and new traffic laws and rules of the road. Plus, there are no tests to pass; simply sign up and learn. Upon completion you could receive a multiyear discount on your car insurance. Lunch from noon to 1 p.m. on your own. Limited spots available, please call 842-0543 to register.

Death Is A Certainty.

Incapacity Is A Possibility.

You

need a plan for both.

Wills | Trusts | Estate Planning | Probate Administration

Robert W. Ramsdell, J.D. – M.B.A.

785-841-4554

Thompson Ramsdell Qualseth & Warner, P.A.

Free Initial Consultation

333 West 9th Street, Lawrence, Kansas 66044

www.trqlaw.com

Bridge 5 (Lawrence Parks and Recreation) Wednesdays, September 23-October 28, 9-11 a.m. Fee: $40 Location: Sports Pavilion Lawrence

Writing Our Family Stories (Lawrence Parks and Recreation) Wednesdays, September 2-23, 6-8 p.m. Fee: $38 Location: Carnegie Building

This course is designed for the advancing player. Classes follow Audrey Grant’s “More Commonly Used Conventions” which introduces and explains the Negative Double and other special doubles, Overcalls, Two-Suited Overcalls, Blackwood, Gerber, Finding Key Cards, Leads and Signals, Forcing 1 No-Trump and 2 Over 1 Game Force. Lessons focus on play and discussion of pre-dealt hands which follow step-by-step sequences designed to familiarize and solidify the concepts of Conventional Bidding.

Instructor: Don Brennaman.

Register at www.lprd.org or any Lawrence Recreation Center

This course will provide guidance in collecting and writing your family stories.

These stories help us stay in touch with who we are.

Preserving these stories will help future generations know themselves better. We will use journaling methods and prompts to inspire your words.

Everyone can do this! We all have stories to tell.

Instructor: Iris Wilkinson.

Register at www.lprd.org or any Lawrence Recreation Center.

American Mah Jongg (Lawrence Parks and Recreation) Wednesdays, September 16-October 21, 7-9 p.m. Fee: $35 Location: Castle Tea Room.

This fascinating rummy-like game was originally played solely by the Chinese ruling classes. Now with patience and a few lessons, anyone can master the intricacies of this classic game. Instructor: Pearl Neaves. Register at www. lprd.org or any Lawrence Recreation Center.

Beginning Spanish (Douglas County Senior Services) Wednesdays, 1-2 p.m. (ongoing) Fee: None.

Location: Lawrence Senior Center Board Room.

Instructor: Jim Bennett. This course will stress some of the basics of the Spanish language and useful words and phrase.

Bring your English to Spanish Dictionary.

Intermediate Spanish (Douglas County Senior Services) Mondays, 1-2 p.m. (ongoing) Fee: None. Location: Lawrence Senior Center Board Room. Instructor: Jim Bennett. Focus is on reading and conversation. Bring your English to Spanish Dictionary.

Laughter Reigns - Join the Theatre Lawrence Vintage Players!

The Vintage Players meet at 1:30 p.m. every second and fourth Tuesday of the month at Theatre Lawrence, 4660 Bauer Farm Drive. Welcome to all Seniors who like to laugh and have fun.

The Vintage Players share skits and one-liners with each other at performances in the community.

For more information on the Vintage Players, please call Mary Ann at Theatre Lawrence, 8437469, ext. 201.

TECHNOLOGY Facebook Fluency (Lawrence Parks and Recreation) Thursdays, September 10 October 1, 7-8 p.m. Fee: $30 Location: Riverfront Plaza. This class will start with creating a Facebook account and walk through how to safely use the many features that are available.

Specific skills taught will include security features; posting pictures, links and videos; messaging and comments. It will end with a “brick wall� session to address individual questions and uses. Instructor: Social Media Club of Lawrence.

Register at www.lprd.org or any Lawrence Recreation Center.

Buy, Sell and Trade Safely on the Internet (Lawrence Parks and Recreation) Mondays, September 21 October 12, 6 -7 p.m. Fee: $30 Location: Carnegie Building.

Are you trying to downsize, but find that your stuff is too few or too valuable for a garage sale?

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This class will teach you how to successfully and safely use the internet to sell your items to a wider market. Instructor: Ashlee Roll-Gregory. Register at www.lprd.org or any Lawrence Recreation Center.

Intro to iPads (Lawrence Parks and Recreation) Tuesdays, September 15 October 13, 10 -11:30 a.m.

Fee: $56 Location: Carnegie Building. Thinking about getting an iPad or already own one and not sure if you are getting the most out of it? This class will be a demonstration and learning session, so please bring your iPad with you. iPads will also be available during class. We will cover the basic operation of the device and apps for recreation, health, education, finance and socializing. Instructor: Jerry Dowdle. Register at www.lprd. org or any Lawrence Recreation Center.

Computer CafĂŠ (Lawrence Parks and Recreation) This time is an opportunity to

meet with other computer users and an instructor to problem solve or learn about new apps, websites and other ways technology can ease our lives.

Drop-in and enroll ($5 fee) onsite at the Carnegie Building on the second Tuesday of each month from noon-1:30 ART Spencer Museum of Art Senior Sessions Cosponsored by the Spencer Museum of Art and the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at the University of Kansas, Senior Sessions are offered on select Thursdays from 10 to 11 a.m. All sessions for the fall semester will be held at the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, located west of Kasold, off Bob Billings Parkway/15th St. on St. Andrews Drive (1515 St. Andrews Drive).

Accessible parking is available.

September 10 - The Reconstruction of an Italian Renaissance Tempera Painting Celka Straughn, Spencer director

 � �   � � �

�  ­

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of academic programs, shares the reconstruction she made of a fifteenth-century Italian tempera painting. She created it while attending a Kress Foundation technical art history workshop.

September 24 - The Unveiling of Persian Architecture Nilou Vakil, lecturer in the Department of Architecture, traces the roots of contemporary Iranian architecture from the height of the Persian Empire to present day and explores issues of cultural identity, political transformation, and globalization.

October 8 - The Gilded Age in American Art Susan Earle, Spencer curator of European and American Art, discusses late nineteenth-century America when ambitious artists tried imitating their European peers. Learn what made the work of Winslow Homer, Thomas Wilmer Dewing, and John Singer Sargent, among others, so dazzling.

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Downtown Tuesday Painters (Douglas County Senior Services) Tuesdays, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Fee: None. Location: Lawrence Senior Center Conference Room.

Bring your painting project and supplies and join the Downtown Tuesday Painters.

Altered Books (Lawrence Parks and Recreation) Weekend workshop on Saturday, October 3, 10 a.m.- 4 p.m. (lunch on your own) and Sunday, October 4, 1:30-3:30 p.m. Fee: $60 Location: Community Building Have you been saving family photos, greeting cards, postcards and letters for a someday project?

Use those precious mementos to turn an old, neglected book into something new, meaningful and completely unique! All levels of creativity and artistic experience welcome! Enrollment includes all materials and supplies. Instructor: Bridey Stangler. Register at www.lprd.org or any Lawrence Recreation Center.

VIEVE LIFE | SHARE LIFE Right where you live.

Referral and resources for senior care and living.

785-813-1851 www.vievehealth.org

Leisure and Learning CataLog

Painters Palette (Lawrence Parks and Recreation) Saturdays, September12 and 26, 9:30 a.m. - Noon. Location: Community Building

Techniques, styles and tips taught with acrylic paints on canvas or other surfaces. Designed for beginners and experienced painters alike. Class is designed as a drop-in session, so start anytime and attend on the second and fourth Saturday of each month. Bring your own supplies, suggested supply list available from instructor. Instructor: Lori Dalrymple. No registration required, fee of $20 applies to each drop-in session attended.

MUSIC Beginning Ukulele (Lawrence Parks and Recreation) Wednesdays, September 23 October 14, 6-7 p.m. Fee: $29 Location: Castle Tea Room This beginning uke course will cover tuning, basic chords and beginning strum patterns. Share the fun while learning to play commonly known songs. Students brand new to ukulele are welcome!

Ukuleles are not provided. If you are considering buying one, please contact the instructor before class and she will guide you in buying a good starter one. Come share the joy of Aloha! Instructor: Linda Tilton. Register at www.lprd. org or any Lawrence Recreation Center.

New Horizons Band (Douglas County Senior Services) (Resumes September 11, 2015.)

Intergenerational Choir (Douglas County Senior Services) (Resumes in the fall) ENTERTAINMENT

Theatre Lawrence Dress Rehearsal (Douglas County Senior Services) “Hands on a Hardbody” September 17 10 Contestants! 4 Days! 1 Truck! A new lease on life is so close 10 Texans can touch it!

Under a scorching sun for days on end, armed with nothing but hope, humor and ambition, they’ll fight to keep at least one hand on a brand-new truck in order to win it. Only one winner can drive away with the American Dream. Inspired by the true events of the acclaimed 1997 documentary of the same name.

history including Westward Expansion, Bleeding Kansas, and the Civil War. The trip will include a stop at the Louisburg Cider Mill to watch the apple pressing and enjoy local cider. Registration includes transportation and fees, lunch on your own. Co-sponsored with the Watkins Museum of History.

Register at www.lprd.org or any Lawrence Recreation Center.

Safari Museum and Walker Art Gallery (Lawrence Parks and Recreation) Tuesday, October 20, 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Fee: $50

Fort Scott and Louisburg Cider Mill (Lawrence Parks and Recreation) Tuesday, September 22, 8:30 a.m.-6 p.m. Fee: $50

Discover two little known treasures of Kansas. The Walker Art Gallery in Garnett houses a collection of mostly early twentieth century American paintings, sculptures, prints and drawings considered one of the most extraordinary art collections in the Midwest.

The Safari Museum in Chanute tells the remarkable story of Martin and Osa Johnson, photographers, explorers, naturalists, authors and native Kansans. The Johnsons traveled the world from 1917 to 1936 and captured the public’s imagination with their films and books of adventure in distant exotic lands. Registration includes transportation and fees; lunch on your own. Register at www.lprd.org or any Lawrence Recreation Center.

Fort Scott is a restored 1840’s military fort with 20 historic structures that tell the story of three decades of American

Tree Treasures of Old KU (Lawrence Parks and Recreation) Tuesday, September 29, 10 a.m.

Note: Due to limited number of available dress rehearsal tickets, only 2 tickets will be allowed per request. Tickets will be distributed after a random drawing a week before the dress rehearsal date.

DAY/SHORT TRIPS

-12 p.m. Fee: $17 Location: Community Building We’ll tour the University of Kansas by bus, with a short walk in Marvin Grove, to appreciate and learn about the trees and landscapes there. Our focus will be on biology, horticultural uses, and how trees relate to the history of K.U. Limited wheelchair seats available. Tour Guide: Jon Standing. Register at www.lprd. org or any Lawrence Recreation Center.

Oregon Trail Tour (Lawrence Parks and Recreation) Thursday, October 8 10 a.m.12 p.m. Fee: $17 Location: Community Building Let’s explore the route that hundreds of families in covered wagons followed through our area in the 1840s in what was then Indian Territory. We will meet near the gazebo in South Park, drive east toward Blue Mound, the first landmark on the 2,000-mile trail, and follow the route including the trail marker crossing the KU campus.

Tour Guide: Katie Armitage.

Register at www.lprd.org or any Lawrence Recreation Center.

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Leisure and Learning CataLog

meal with all the fixin’s in the restored dairy barn.

Enjoy 2 hours of wholesome entertainment. For reservations: Call 785-215-8875 or email: mygroupgetaways@gmail.com

For more information about the trips listed below, check the Group Getaways website: www. mygroupgetaways.net, or call 785-215-8875. Fliers available at the Lawrence Senior Center.

October 19-30: Washington DC (tentative date-details coming soon) November 4-5: Kansas Combo! Lindsborg and Concordia

December 1-3: Ozark Mountain Christmas in Branson

to start off the weekend. Limit 1 free bag per person, while supplies last.

December 6: Christmas with the Nelsons! And tour St. Joseph, MO.

Pool & Coffee (Ongoing) - Lawrence Senior Center, Monday, Wednesday, Friday, 8 a.m.

ALSO HAPPENING AT THE SENIOR CENTER

- Baldwin Senior Center, Monday - Friday, 9 a.m.-1 p.m.

Popcorn Fridays (Ongoing) Every Friday, 1:30-3:30 p.m.

Fee: None, but donations appreciated. Location: Lawrence Senior Center. Join us each Friday afternoon to enjoy a bag of freshly popped popcorn, just like you’d get at the movie theater. What a perfect snack

Bingo (Ongoing) - Lawrence Senior Center: Thursdays, 11-11:45 a.m.

- Eudora Dining Center: Wednesdays, 12:30-1 p.m.

GROUP GETAWAY TOURS Chicken-n-Pickin’ Ranch Duling Family Dinner Theatre - Thursday, October 1. Cost: $79 - includes motor coach transportation, tour director, lunch, show and $5 Group Getaways Green.

“Fried Chicken Getaway” to Walnut, in Southeast Kansas.

Fabulous fried chicken

Home Health | Hospice | Rehabilitation | Help at Home (785) 843-3738

●

www.kansasvna.org

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LAWRENCE MEMORIAL HOSPITAL WALK-TOBER 2015

October is National Walking Month and an ideal time to get outdoors and walk. Sign up for WALK-tober 2015, a free walking program to complete during October on your own or with your own group. Participants will also receive health and wellness tips and healthy recipes. There will also be optional group walks offered a few times during the month. Enrollment deadline is 9/25. To enroll, contact aynsley.anderson@lmh.org or (785) 5053066 or janelle.martin@lmh.org or (785) 505-3070. Attendance at an orientation session is recommended for those who have not participated previously. Orientation dates: Saturday, 9/12, 9:00 am, Thursday 9/17, 12:00 pm or 6:00 pm. To enroll in orientation, go to lmh.org or call LMH Connect Care at (785) 505-5800.

SEPTEMBER Menu Entrées

Tuesday, September 1 - Chicken & Noodles Wednesday, September 2 - Turkey & Gravy Thursday, September 3 - BBQ Brisket Friday, September 4 - Chicken Enchiladas Monday, September 7 - CLOSED for Labor Day Holiday Tuesday, September 8 - Chicken Nuggets Wednesday, September 9 - Beef & Vegetable Stew Thursday, September 10 - Taco Salad Friday, September 11 - Pork Tenderloin Monday, September 14 - Chili & Beans Tuesday, September 15 - Chicken Spaghetti Wednesday, September 16 - Rib Sandwich Thursday, September 17 - Baked Chicken Friday, September 18 - Swiss Steak

Offering you Quality and Services Above the Rest Nine Deficiency Free Surveys Restaurant Style Dining Still One All Inclusive Price for Care and Services

Stop by today and talk with Director Sue Brown.

321 Crimson Avenue, Baldwin City, KS • 785-594-4255

Monday, September 21 - BBQ Beef Tuesday, September 22 - Peppercorn Chicken with Rice Wednesday, September 23 - Ham & Pinto Beans Thursday, September 24 - Stroganoff Meatballs & Noodles Friday, September 25 - Boneless Pork Chop Monday, September 28 - Polish Sausage & Sauerkraut Tuesday, September 29 - Beef Enchiladas & Black Beans Wednesday, September 30 - Chicken Fried Steak (Menu subject to change without notice.)

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RESERVATIONS ARE REQUIRED FOR ALL RIDES.

Kansas Commission on Veterans’ Affairs presentation September 16

Join Veteran Service Representative Rick Massey for a discussion on cash assistance provided by the VA for low-income veterans and surviving spouses age 65 and over. The presentation will be held Wednesday, September 16 at 1:30 p.m. at the Lawrence Senior Center. For information, call 785-843-5233.

O.U.R.S.

(Oldsters United for Responsible Service) Dances • September 2015

SERVING LAWRENCE, LECOMPTON, EUDORA, & BALDWIN CITY RESERVATIONS AND INFORMATION call 785-865-6925

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 6

Senior Wheels strives to meet the transportation needs of customers who are 60 years or older in Douglas County.

Accompanying spouses & caregivers are also eligible to ride at no additional charge.

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 13

Our drivers provide Door to Door assistance.

PLEASE NOTE: All Dances are held from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Eagles, 1803 W 6th St. Carry-in meal at 7:15 p.m. Cover charge is $7 per person. Everyone welcome.

Country Melody

Dr. Cook’s Medicine Show

SCHEDULE EARLY: Due to a heavy demand for transportation, rides may be scheduled as far in advance as 7 days or as little as 48 hours.

You should be ready to board 15 minutes prior to your scheduled ride.

COST: $ 3.00 for each one way trip within the city limits of each community. $15.00 for trips outside of the city limits.

(Example: a one way trip from Eudora to Lawrence) For detailed policy information, please call 785-865-6925 and ask for a Policy Manual. Baldwin City has a Volunteer Transportation Program.

For Reservations or information about rides in Baldwin City call 785-594-3376.

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 20 Barbed Wire

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 27 (Business Meeting 5 p.m.)

Borderline Country

DCSS Board of Directors Dennis Domer, Chair

Judy Wright,Vice Chair

Kathy Clausing-Willis, Secretary

Doni Mooberry, Treasurer

Judy Bellome Kelly Calvert

Dr. Phil Godwin Hank Booth

Ellen Paulsen Steve Tesdahl

Trinity In-Home Care Services: Light Housekeeping Meal Preparation Grocery Shopping Personal Care Daily Living Support Mobility Assistance

Companionship Medication Reminders Local Transportation Community Integration Caregiver Relief Respite Care

w w w. t i h c . o r g • P h o n e : ( 7 8 5 ) 8 4 2 - 3 1 5 9

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LEGALESE

by Molly Wood

Q: My mother died recently, and she has some debts credit cards, some unpaid utility bills, and a car loan. I was my mother’s agent under her Power of Attorney and a joint owner on her bank account. What happens to these debts? Am I liable to pay them?

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A: The authority of an agent under a durable power of attorney dies with the principal. So you generally would have no liability to any of your mother’s creditors as an agent after her death. In fact, that is often a problem; the agent is willing to pay the debts with the deceased’s remaining resources. But if your only access to assets came as a function of your appointment under your mother’s Power of Attorney, you would be helpless to act.

The car loan is likely a “secured” debt, that is, the property that was purchased with the loan proceeds can be taken back - repossessed - if the debt is not paid. Also, if the repossessed car is not worth the amount owed, the creditor may seek a judgment for the difference.

For example, if you owe $20,000 on your car, but it is only worth $15,000, the loan company can repossess the car and seek a judgment on the remaining $5,000. You do not give any specifics in your question, but it might be advisable to contact the loan company and make arrangements to allow it to pick up the car. Also, you

do not state whether anyone other than yourself would expect to inherit from your mother. Again, depending upon who would inherit the car if the loan was paid, the car’s value, and the amount owed, it might be advisable to pay the loan company.

Creditors of a deceased debtor have six months to bring a claim on an “unsecured” debt. Both the credit card bill and the unpaid utilities are unsecured debts, because the debts are not related to specific property that could be forfeited. To bring a claim against a deceased person, a creditor must open a probate estate (in the county where the debtor resided or owns property) in district court, serve notice to all the heirs and other creditors, and attempt to liquidate the estate to pay the deceased person’s debts. A prudent creditor would not undertake the time and expense of this process unless it was confident that the deceased person had assets that would satisfy its claim. Again, without more specific information, itís hard to predict whether your mother’s creditors would

choose to pursue their claims in court.

Finally, you say that you are the joint owner of your mother’s bank account.

At your mother’s death, therefore, you became the sole owner. Generally, unless some fraudulent action on your part caused you to become the joint owner, a joint bank account is not part of a deceased person’s estate, and any money in that account could not be claimed by unsecured creditors.

Death is a fairly effective, though drastic, method of avoiding paying debts.

(Editor’s Note: Molly M. Wood is a partner at Stevens & Brand, LLP in Lawrence, Kansas where she confines her practice to Elder Law, especially seniors with longterm care issues. If you have a legal question or concern, call the Kansas Elder Law Hotline, a toll-free legal advice and referral service for Kansas Seniors, 1-(888)353-5337. An Elder Law Project attorney is available in Lawrence by appointment at Douglas County Senior Services, 842-0543.)

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LIVING. Made Easy.

Village Cooperative of Lawrence is a community for active adults 62+ that want to own where they live, have someone take care of the operations and maintenance, live within a community of their peers, and all for an excellent value.

Call to learn more:

(785) 330-5041 Come and see what makes us different!

www.VillageCooperative.com

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Experience the latest in hearing aid technology!

Oticon’s Inium circuit is available in all models and uses smart frequency shifting and phase inversion technologies to suppress feedback while still maintaining a high level of audibility. Users experience the best possible signal fidelity through quiet operation and clearer distinctiveness of sounds.

Siemens’ Aquaris model is the only truly waterproof, rustproof, and shockproof hearing aid available. Siemens also makes rechargeable hearing aids and hearing aids that mask tinnitus while amplifying.

785-843-8479 1112 W. 6th St. Ste. 100 Lawrence, KS www.marstonhc.com

Marston Hearing Center is an authorized dealer for Oticon, Phonak, Resound, Starkey, and other major brands. We provide parts and in-house repairs for most hearing aids as well as manufacturer repairs on all makes of hearing aids.

Call Gerald Whiteside, Au.D., CCC-A today!

Editor: Janet Ikenberry Interim Executive Director: Dennis Domer

Printer: Lawrence Journal-World 609 New Hampshire, Lawrence, KS 66044 Douglas County Senior Services, Inc., is funded by Douglas County Mill Levy • Older Americans Act through the Jayhawk Area Agency on Aging • Kansas Department on Aging • Kansas Department of Transportation • special grants • project income • fund-raising activities • and your donations.

Douglas County Senior Services, Inc. does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, age, sex, color, ancestry, national origin, disability, sexual orientation or size. If you feel that you have been discriminated against, you have the right to file a complaint with Douglas County Senior Services. 842-0543.

(TDD: 1-800-766-3777).

Toll free: 1-877-295-DCSS (1-877-295-3277) On the web: dgcoseniorservices.org