60 and Better | May 2015

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

May 2015

VISIT US AT WWW.DGCOSENIORSERVICES.ORG

Volume 42 No. 5

22ND ANNUAL National Senior Health & Fitness Day

INSIDE Functional Fitness ��������������������������� PG 4 Leisure and Learning Catalog ������� PG 8 Calendar����������������������������������������� PG 11

Menu����������������������������������������������� PG 13

Legalese ��������������������������������������� PG 14

Older adults are a vital part of our society.

Since 1963, communities across the country have shown their gratitude by celebrating Older Americans Month each May. The theme of this year’s celebration is “Get into the Act” to focus on how older adults are taking charge of their health, getting engaged in their communities, and making a positive impact in the lives of others.

The theme also reflects on the 50th anniversary of the Older Americans Act. President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Older Americans Act into law in July 1965. Since that time, the Act has provided a nationwide aging services network and funding that helps older adults live with dignity in the communities of their choice for as long as possible.

These services include home-delivered and congregate meals, caregiver support, Continued on page 3

If You Keep Moving You’ll Keep Improving!

A day long Fitness Crawl will be held in Lawrence on Wednesday, May 27 as part of National Senior Health & Fitness Day. The event encourages all older adults to do something that maintains or improves their health. There are opportunities to participate at several locations around Lawrence throughout the day. Participants may attend one or all of the events and register at each for prizes including a Fitbit health tracker.

The day will open at Sports Pavilion Lawrence with a One Mile Walk Test on the indoor track from 7-8:30 a.m. The test measures your aerobic fitness level based on how quickly you are able to walk a mile at moderate exercise intensity. Measuring your fitness level regularly is one way to find out if you’re making progress and the test is an opportunity to set a baseline or compare your performance to an earlier test. Lawrence Parks and Recreation will offer free demonstration classes in Functional Fitness, Personal Training and the Arthritis Foundation Exercise Program from 8-10 a.m.

The crawl moves downtown at 10:30 a.m. with a free Yoga for Every Body class at Continued on page 3

FREE STATE FESTIVAL PASSES AVAILABLE! What’s one of the most exciting events in Lawrence? Free State Festival, June 22-28!

You know you want to go. Can’t afford a pass? DCSS and ReINVENT Retirement can help you “Live the Lawrence Life.” We have a limited number of VIP and Film passes available to seniors age 50 and over. If you would like to attend this event, pick up a scholarship form and tell us in 500 words or fewer what it would mean to you. Forms are available at the Lawrence Senior Center, 745 Vermont Street, the Lawrence Arts Center, 940 New Hampshire Street, or on our websites. Entries must be received by Friday, June 12. Passes will be available on a first come, first served basis. Get your entry in soon - these passes will go fast! For more information, contact Brenna at 785-842-0543.

The Lawrence Arts Center’s Free State Festival is a week-long celebration of film, music, art, and ideas in the heart of Lawrence’s Cultural District. Started as a small Continued on page 3

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VOLUNTEERS NEEDED

for Senior Health Insurance Counseling Are you looking for a rewarding volunteer opportunity?

Do you enjoy helping others? Do you want to learn how to help people navigate through the Medicare maze? Douglas County Senior Services, Inc., in cooperation with Senior Health Insurance Counseling for Kansas (SHICK), is currently recruiting volunteers to become trained SHICK Medicare counselors. Training will be held in Lawrence on August 18, 19, and 20.

Following training volunteers may choose to offer guidance as a Comprehensive Medicare Counselor, assisting beneficiaries in all areas of Medicare, or they may choose to help with Open Enrollment for Medicare managed care and prescription drug plans. Volunteers may also help in our DCSS SHICK Call Center a few hours a week.

If you are interested in hearing more about these rewarding volunteer opportunities, please contact Criss Tomlin, SHICK Coordinator at Douglas County Senior Services, (785) 842-0543

Skillbuilders

offers education and encouragement Skillbuilders is a series of programs for those who are undergoing a significant life change, such as the death of a loved one, illness, divorce, or residential changes.

The program meets from 10 to 11:30 a.m. in the meeting room on the lower level of the Lawrence Public Library. For more information about Skillbuilders, please contact Pattie Johnston, Outreach Services, 843-3833, extension 115.

APRIL 30 - Cooking for 1 or 2, presented by Susan Johnson, Douglas County Extension Office MAY 7 - Estate Planning 101, presented by Cheryl Denton, Petefish, Immel, Heeb & Hird, LLC MAY 14 - Adjusting to Change, Paul Reed, VNA and Pattie Johnston, LPL

AARP Tax Aides wrap up another successful season We would like to say a big "THANK YOU" to all the dedicated AARP Tax Aides who helped area seniors (and others) with their tax preparation. The service provided by these tireless volunteers is beyond measure.

Omar Alamillo Janice Andes Barbara Armbrister Mary Baxter Greg Bien Marlene Bien Jane Bireta Carolyn Blake Larry Box Marion Boyle Vern Brobst Mary Jean Clapp Marjorie Cole Sherry Day Sandra Elston Jim Fischer Alicia Fricke Donna Geisler Dick Himes Sue Himes Richard Holzmeister Pat Hooge Mary Johnson Mike Johnson Nancy Johnson Chuck Johnson Rebecca Jordan Vicki Julian Audrey Kamb-Studdard Jim Keefer Mary Keefer Jo Anne Kready Deborah Kurtz

Dean Lebestky Bernice Lorimer Jim Mahoney Kenneth Martin Kendra Martin Connie Matthews Marcy Mauler Marlene Mawson Linda McCoy Jim McMurray Marlene Merrill Sarah Merriman David Miller Gordon Montney Phyllis Payne Joyce Pipes Jo Ramirez Candice Ranney Sheila Reynolds Bob Riedel Alan Shaver Wayne Smithers Randy Tongier Linda Troxel Melissa Warren Allison Whitfield Melissa Wick Linda Wilhite Robert Williamson Alice Yang Maxine Younes Suzy Zhang Mitchell Zielinski

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FITNESS DAY

Continued from page 1

Douglas County Senior Services. Lawrence Public Library will host a brown bag lunch at noon. Bring your own lunch, beverages provided. The program How Exercise Transformed Me will feature speakers Sherry Williams, Harold Jones and Frank Purvis. They will share their personal experiences and the message - “it is never too late to start being active.” Lunch will be followed with a Balance Challenge Course and other free screenings in the library auditorium from 1:30-3:30 p.m. Included at this stop is a 2:30 p.m. demonstration of the Tai Chi for Balance class offered by Lawrence Memorial Hospital.

The Lawrence edition of the national Walk with a Doc program will kick off at the fitness crawl. This program promotes exercise while visiting about general health issues with a local healthcare provider. Anyone interested in taking steps for their health is invited to join Caleb Trent, MD of Lawrence Emergency Medicine Associates at 4 p.m. This 30 minute walk will leave from the Lawrence Public Library Plaza.

The crawl ends with a Zumba Gold session at Holcom Recreation Center. A free demonstration class begins at 5:30 p.m. to include older adults who are still working, but looking for exercise opportunities. Drawing for the Fitbit and other prizes will be held at 6:25 p.m., following the class.

Senior Health & Fitness Day, now in its 22nd year, is always held on the last Wednesday in May as part of Older Americans Month and National Physical Fitness and Sports Month activities.

The theme for 2015, “If You Keep Moving - You’ll Keep Improving!” was chosen from among thousands of entries in a slogan contest for older adults. Carolyn Heeter, age 100, of Vestal, New York submitted the winning theme.

DCSS Board Member Kelly Calvert helped deliver Senior Meals on March 18 as part of our annual March for Meals. Kelly is pictured here (right) with Senior Meals participant Maria Crane.

FREE STATE FESTIVAL

Continued from page 1

independent film festival in 2011 by the Lawrence Arts Center’s Director of Film and New Media, Marlo Angell, the Free State Festival has become an interdisciplinary festival featuring an international slate of more than 10 feature films, 40 short films, outdoor concerts, stage performances, digital media installations, and provocative panel discussions. Last year’s festival attracted approximately 12,000 audience members, and featured soldout film screenings, lively discussions, and packed outdoor performances. Funded in part by a National Endowment for the Arts Creative Placemaking grant, the Free State Festival highlights diverse art and artists with the long-term goal of enhancing the socioeconomic wellbeing of the region and providing opportunities for artists of all disciplines and backgrounds.

OLDER AMERICANS MONTH

Continued from page 1

community-based assistance, preventive health services, elder abuse prevention, and much more.

By promoting and engaging in activity, wellness, and inclusivity, more Americans than ever before can ”Get into the Act.” While Douglas County Senior Services, Inc. provides services to older adults year-round, Older Americans Month offers an opportunity to emphasize how older adults can access the home- and communitybased services they need to live independently in their communities.

It is also an occasion to highlight how older adults are engaging with and making a difference in those communities.

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Learn What to Expect at

“Welcome to Medicare” May 13

Are you new to Medicare? Do you have questions?

Join Community Services Program Assistant and Senior Health Insurance Counseling for Kansas (SHICK) Coordinator Criss Tomlin for this overview of the Medicare program from noon to 1 p.m., Wednesday May 13. Participants are free to bring their lunch or reserve one through our Senior Meals program. For more information please contact Criss at Douglas County Senior Services, 785-842-0543 or toll free 1-877-295-3277.

RETIREMENT COMMUNITY AT ALVAMAR

What is Functional Fitness?

By Gayle Sigurdson - LPRD Recreation Programmer Functional fitness exercises are designed to train and develop your muscles to make it easier and safer to complete real-life activities, such as carrying groceries or getting in and out of the car.

Training the muscles in the upper and lower body at the same time prepares them to work together in completing everyday activities at work and home. They also emphasize the core stability that is essential for the balance and agility that reduce the risk of falls.

Functional fitness exercises begin with standing on your own two feet and supporting your own weight. For example, a traditional leg press machine supports your weight while you focus on strengthening the quadriceps. This strengthens your legs, but you may find that you still hold on to the rail when going up and down stairs for stability. Compare that to a functional fitness one legged squat. This exercise is done by standing on one leg on a step stool 3” - 8” high and then lowering the heel of your other foot to the ground, while controlling your

body weight as you go down and back up. This move requires core support and posture alignment.

In addition to stair climbing, an everyday activity that uses these same muscles is dressing from a standing position. Once you can control and balance your own body weight, then you can start working with added weights.

Adding integrated exercises to your routine doesn’t mean abandoning weight machines altogether or leaving your current exercise class. Conventional weight training remains a technique for addressing isolated weaknesses. Functional exercises are being integrated into established programs with the addition of stability balls and “wobble boards.” Ask your trainer or instructor for opportunities to incorporate these techniques into your current practice.

As you add more functional exercises to your workout, you should see improvements in your ability to perform your everyday activities and, thus, in your quality of life. That’s quite a return on your exercise investment.

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presentation May 20 Join Veteran Service Representative Rick Massey for a discussion on cash assistance provided by the VA for lowincome veterans and surviving spouses age 65 and over. The presentation will be held Wednesday, May 20 at 1:30 p.m. at the Lawrence Senior Center. For information, call 785-843-5233.

Liar, Liar Pants on Fire: Data Breaches, Network Hacks and How White Lies Can be a Safer Bet to Protect Your Online Security

60 & Better Page 5

A Letter From District Attorney Charles Branson The news reports on computer network hacks seem to be breaking on a nearly constant basis. How do we react to these constant data breaches without panicking at each new story or on the other hand, becoming complacent to the importance of the security of your personal data? Our new reality is that it is incumbent upon each of us to be vigilant in protecting ourselves from identity theft, account compromise and the security of our personally identifiable information (PII). It takes effort and a bit of creativity, but here are some tips to help protect yourself.

One technique to consider for sensitive bank account and other valuable financial accounts is to use a made up name to create your e-mail account. For example, use whatever e-mail provider you prefer and create a new account that does not use any part of your name. An example would be BqHaLv15@abc.com - in opening an e-mail account up in this manner, you have not given away any of your personal information.

Many of us have long established e-mail accounts that were created with our real names because it was convenient for us. Unfortunately, this habit of convenience also provides valuable details for thieves. Create a new e-mail account that you use only for sensitive banking and financial accounts. Remember: do NOT use your real name! Do not use simple passwords, but instead use a mix of letters, numbers and special characters.

The next vulnerable area to consider is whether to provide honest answers to online security questions. You may believe people do not know your

mother’s maiden name or the make/ model of the first car you drove, but are you certain? It is the age of social media and many of our “secrets” are no longer secret. If a thief can guess any of those things, he is more than halfway home to breaking into your account. Now all he must do is type in your anniversary date for your password and your account security is toast. So what is an honest person to do? Tell a lie! In fact, lie, lie, LIE on your answers to the security questions - just do not forget what answer you used. For example, if the site requests the model of your first car, put down balloon or some other nonsense answer. The sad truth is when you truthfully answer online security questions; you are giving away pieces of your PII. Your PII is valuable to you and unfortunately, it is also valuable to scammers. While going the extra mile to protect it may create some minor headaches and hassles, those inconveniences are small in comparison to having your bank account drained, your identity stolen or any of the other ways a thief or scammer may wreck havoc in your personal or financial life.

What can you do to guard against becoming the victim of a data breach?

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) suggests these tips: • Review your bank and credit card statements regularly to look for suspicious transactions.

• Periodically review your credit reports to make sure someone has not obtained credit in your name.

• Pay attention to notices from

retailers or your bank about a security breach • Be on guard against scams offering “help” after a data breach You can view their full release at FDIC Consumer News or at https:// www.fdic.gov/consumers/consumer/ news/cnspr14/databreach.html Unfortunately, no single tip can guarantee that you will never become the victim of a data breach, a network hack or of identity theft, but you can make it as difficult as possible for the thieves. If the worst does happen, you will be ready to put the brakes on the damage FAST. If you would like

speak to our staff about online safety or if you would like to get copies of publications relating to this issue, my consumer protection division can be reached at 785-330-2849. We are always ready to serve the citizens of Douglas County.

(Some of the information in this article came from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. The information in this article is not intended to provide legal advice.

Legal advice can only be provided in an attorney-client relationship. This information must not be relied on as a substitute for obtaining legal advice from a licensed attorney.)

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Mister Owita’s Guide to Gardening: How I Learned the Unexpected Joy of a Green Thumb and an Open Heart

By Carol Wall Reviewed by Barbara Watkins This poignant memoir is full of unexpected twists and turns in the life of a middle-aged woman who is open to learning about herself and others and the rudiments of gardening. If we, too, are open to these adventures in life, Mr. Owita’s Guide to Gardening (G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 2014) will teach us a lot.

Carol Wall, a fifty-two-yearold writer and teacher, is happily married with three grown children in Roanoke, Virginia. A white woman in a lily-white neighborhood, she is embarrassed by her garden, “the ugliest one on the block.” One day she observes a dark-skinned man

working in her neighbor’s beautiful, well-tended gardens. She does a little sleuthing and learns that his name is Giles Owita from Kenya. He works part time at a local supermarket bagging groceries and at a garden center, which brings him landscaping jobs. He is an expert gardener.

(She learns later that he has a PhD in horticulture.) She hires him to resurrect her gardens. When she observed him at the supermarket, “He seemed like a man who’d already found the peace that everyone on God’s green earth was searching for.”

When Giles first comes to her garden, she asks him to remove the azaleas she hates and other shrubs. He does not do so. Instead, she observes him applying a fertilizer and anti-

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fungal. He smiles and tells her that “soon they will be blossoming.” All of her “anger and petty annoyance melted away.” She suddenly thought that this moment with Giles was something she had been waiting for all of her life. “From the start something flowered between us and around us.” They work together in her gardens and become good friends.

She also becomes friends with his wife, Benita, a hospital nurse, and learns that they attend the same church.

He asks about her aging parents, whom she had just helped move to an assisted-living facility. He then describes his tribal perspective on one’s ancestors’ whether living or dead. They are still “actors in our lives, a source of wisdom and protection.”

In the course of their time together, Carol and Giles both have serious health issues. Ten years after an initial breast cancer, she worries constantly and is angry about having to deal with its uncertainty. It makes her realize that she is not in charge of things. She wanted her gardens to be ”healthy and lush and well taken care of - just the way I wanted to be myself.” As someone who has dealt with breast cancer twice, I share her perspective.

She has a double mastectomy due to a recurrence of breast cancer. He has had HIV-AIDS, melanoma and chemotherapy for that, and at the end of the book suffers a serious stroke.

Carol is also dealing with her father’s dementia and mother’s deteriorating health.

In the past, Carol had hated to get her hands dirty, working in the garden. Now she learns its pleasures.

As her fingers explore the dirt,

BOOK review

her mind is flooded with precious childhood memories - the “sound of bare feet . . . playing games of softball, kickball, tag, or red rover.”

Their “effect was hypnotic.”

She delights in Giles’ transformation of their property: pruned trees, azaleas blooming, a new, all-white flower garden in the backyard. She loves to tell her mother that he planted new deep-red rose bushes like the ones they had had in their family home.

After Giles’ death, summer arrives in Carol’s yard but it doesn’t feel the same without him. She notices that a hummingbird is regularly visiting the last shrub that Giles had planted and is drinking from its bright red and yellow flowers. At one of their regular lunches, Carol tells Benita about the hummingbird. In a “mesmerized tone of voice,” Benita tells Carol about a hummingbird that had visited Giles’ garden each day the previous summer. Giles would watch it from their picture window in his wheelchair. “We have looked in vain for that hummingbird this season,” she said. . . “It has not visited our yard at all this year.”

As Giles’ student, Carol learned many lessons. Perhaps the most important one was “his example of the gracious acceptance of the handicaps and afflictions his life had brought him.” He had shown her that “the earth is full of hidden treasures. . . In every moment there exists a lifetime. Every day brings something good.”

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AICR HEALTHTALK

Karen Collins, MS, RD, CDN - American Institute for Cancer Research So many people seem to be taking up yoga. What is really known about its health benefits?

There are many forms of yoga, and any effects on health likely vary with the type and amount. Some forms of yoga place more emphasis on physical postures and stretching or flexibility, others on breathing or meditation. Other forms of yoga include faster-moving series of movements. Studies on yoga and its healthy benefits are often small, short-term, and without clear comparison groups, so for now conclusions are tentative, but early research is promising.

A recent review of multiple studies found some evidence that yoga compared to doing no exercise may help reduce blood pressure and blood triglyceride levels and possibly LDL cholesterol. Limited research ties continued yoga practice to lower markers of inflammation and it may help improve low-back pain, especially after several months. Some research also suggests yoga has potential to improve quality of life and decrease the fatigue experienced by cancer survivors, at least after several months of yoga practice.

If you are considering trying yoga, experts advise starting with guidance of a well-trained instructor and asking about how the form of yoga practiced matches the benefits you seek. If you have any health problems, talk with your healthcare provider before starting more than a basic breathing and meditation practice. Women who are pregnant and people with certain medical conditions, such as high blood pressure, glaucoma (a condition involving fluid pressure within the eye that may lead to blindness), and sciatica (pain, weakness, numbing, or tingling that may extend from the lower back to the calf or foot), should modify or avoid some yoga poses.

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Leisure and Learning CataLog

Leisure and Learning Catalog - Course Description

• 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.

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.

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.

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 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.

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.

• 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.

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HEALTH & FITNESS

Yoga for Every Body (Douglas County Senior Services) Tuesdays, May 5 - June 30, 3-4 p.m. Fee: $30. Location: Lawrence Senior Center. Instructor: Susan Rieger.

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 the East Lawrence Center and Sports Pavilion. For competitive, recreational and beginning players.

Call Gayle at the Community Building, 832-7920, for specific days and times. There is no charge for open play.

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.

Chair Exercise (Douglas County Senior Services) 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, May 14 & 15, 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. Fee: $15 for AARP Members, $20 for nonmembers. Location: Lawrence Senior Center.

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 multi-year discount on your car insurance. Lunch from noon to 1 p.m. on your own. Limited spots available, please call 842-0543 to register.

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.

ART Acrylic Painting Class (Douglas County Senior Services) 2nd and 4th Saturdays, 9:30 a.m.

- 12 p.m. Fee: $20 per session.

Location: Lawrence Senior Center.

Instructor: Lori Dalrymple (local area and national artist).

Join Lori as she teaches acrylic painting to students of all levels of expertise. No need to pre-register.

Supplies not included. If you already have supplies please bring

Leisure and Learning CataLog

them and if you are starting out and need assistance in getting supplies, please call Lori at 785-917-0118.

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.

Senior Sessions - Spencer Museum of Art Co-sponsored by the Spencer Museum of Art and the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at the University of Kansas, Senior Sessions are offered on select Thursday mornings from 10-11 a.m. All talks are free and open to the public. All Senior Sessions for the spring semester will be held at the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, located west of Kasold, off Bob Billings Parkway/15th Street, on St. Andrews Drive (1515 St. Andrews Drive). Accessible parking is available.

May 14 - What Makes that Art?!

David Cateforis, KU professor of art history, addresses the question “What Makes that Art?” May 28 - Mirror with a Memory: Daguerreotype in Nineteenth Century America. Ph.D. candidate Jennifer Friess leads the discussion.

MUSIC New Horizons Band (Douglas County Senior Services) (Resumes in the fall) Intergenerational Choir (Douglas County Senior Services) (Resumes in the fall) ENTERTAINMENT Theatre Lawrence Dress Rehearsal (Douglas County Senior Services) South Pacific by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II, from the Pulitzer Prize novel by James Michener. Thursday, June 11, show starts at 7:30 p.m. Fee: None.

Location: Theatre Lawrence.

TONY AWARD WINNER! 1950 (10 of them!) and again for Revival in 2008

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Set in an island paradise during World War II, two parallel love stories are threatened by the dangers of prejudice and war. Nellie, a spunky nurse, falls in love with a French planter, while Lt. Joe Cable loves an innocent Tonkinese girl. Songs include Some Enchanted Evening, Nothing Like a Dame, and Bali Ha’i.

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 Underground Railroad Tour (Lawrence Parks and Recreation) Tuesday, June 2, 9 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

Fee: $25 Transportation provided from the Community Building. Tour guide: Martha Parker. Registration deadline: Tuesday, May 26 The Underground Railroad was vital in the safe passage for the runaway slaves to achieve freedom.

The abolitionists who participated

Continued on page 10

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risked their lives as well as their families by aiding the slaves. Many slaves were safely led through the Wakarusa Valley. Join us for a tour of the route and visit to the Wakarusa Valley Heritage Museum. Our tour guide will be Martha Parker, author of the book Angels of Freedom. Register at the Community Building, 115 W. 11th St., 832-7920 or www.lprd.org.

Tree Treasures of South Park: A Walking Tour (Lawrence Parks and Recreation) Wednesday, June 3. 10 -12 p.m.

Fee: $12 Meet at the South Park Bandstand. Tour guide: Jon Standing. Registration deadline: Wednesday, May 27 We’ll walk around some of the sidewalks at South Park to appreciate and learn about the many different kinds of trees there.

Emphasis will be on the biology, history, and horticultural uses of these wonderful specimens.

We’ll start at the bandstand along the eastern edge of the park. The walk will be wheelchair friendly.

Register at the Community Building, 115 W. 11th St., 8327920 or www.lprd.org.

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WILLS, TRUSTS, POWERS OF ATTORNEY, LIVING WILLS, AND PROBATE

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Leisure and Learning CataLog

Cows & Criminals - BRAND NEW! - Osborne, Kearney, MO. (Group Getaways - Darla Bass) Wednesday, May 20. Cost: $99. Includes motor coach transportation, tour director, Shatto Dairy Farm Tour, lunch, Jesse James Farm Home & Museum, $5 Group Getaways Green. Join Group Getaways for a fun filled day in the Northwest Missouri countryside. Visit Shatto Milk Company, a small family owned and operated dairy farm located in Osborne. From cheese curds to ice cream, this dairy farm is not to be missed. Milk a cow if you want!

Hot lunch made from scratch, homemade cobbler and Shatto Ice Cream. Then head to Kearney, MO for a tour of the Jesse James Farm Home and Museum. This is the house he was born and raised in. The museum houses the largest collection of the James’ Family artifacts. See Jesse’s clothing, boots, and original letters from Reverend James to his wife, and more. The furnishings in the home are original. View temporary Civil War exhibit. Reservations: Call 785-215-8875 or email: mygroupgetaways@gmail.com.

Odd Couple (Female Version) & Elk Farm - Garnett KS. (Group Getaways - Darla Bass) Saturday, June 13. Early Bird Discount: $79/After May 8: $89. Includes: motor coach transportation, tour director, Elk Ranch Tour, lunch, production “Odd Couple-Female Version,” DQ treat, $5 Group Getaways Green.

First stop is the Valley View Elk Ranch, a family owned farm

similar to an Amish farm. The owners will take us on a tram tour for an up-close look at the elk.

June is the best time to visit the frisky calves! We’ll learn how valuable all parts of the elk are; from the food to the medical uses.

We’ll also sample products. Next, back to town for a visit to the Chamber Players Theater for a hot lunch and enjoy a wildly funny production! “Unger and Madison are at it again! Florence Unger and Olive Madison, that is, in Neil Simon’s hilarious contemporary comic classic: the female version of The Odd Couple. Instead of the poker party that begins the original version, Ms. Madison has invited the girls over for an evening of Trivial Pursuit. The Pidgeon sisters have been replaced by the two Constanzuela brothers. But the hilarity remains the same.”

Enjoy a DQ delight on the way home! Reservations: Call 785-215-8875 or email: mygroupgetaways@gmail.com.

Chicken-n-Pickin’ Ranch Duling Family Dinner Theater (Group Getaways - Darla Bass) Saturday, May 30. Cost: $89.

Owner Karen Duling has invited us to her farm in Walnut, KS for a fabulous fried chicken meal with all the fixin’s. Enjoy 2 hours of wholesome entertainment. New band, new show! Reservations: Call 785-215-8875 or email: mygroupgetaways@gmail.com.

Welcome to Jamesport, Missouri Wednesday, May 13. (Group Getaways - Darla Bass) Step back in time on this “Amish Getaway” and enjoy a slow-paced day in this

fast-paced world. The Amish live in modest homes on rural farms, and travel by means of horse drawn buggies. Their peaceful lifestyle revolves around a closeknit family, the discipline of their faith, and the utilization of the land. They do not use electricity, and fieldwork is done with the aid of horses and horse-drawn implements. Includes a guided tour through an Amish home and farm and shopping at Amish country stores. A new local guide, extended tour/shopping time AND a deluxe Amish meal! Cost: $99.

Reservations: 785-215-8875 or email: mygroupgetaways@gmail.com ALSO HAPPENING at Senior Services...

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

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

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

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

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

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

5 Grief Support Group, 10:30 a.m.

Grace Hospice, 1420 Wakarusa, Ste. 202. For information call Dave Jenkins, 785-228-0400.

6 Kaw Valley Older Womens League (OWL), 2-3:30 p.m., Kenneth Doud Room, United Way Building, 2518 Ridge Court. Social time begins at 1:30.

8 Lawrence Chronic Illness Support Group, Location varies.

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

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

MAY 2015 CALENDAR OF EVENTS

For more information call 785-505-2886.

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

21 Alzheimer’s Association - Heart of America Chapter Caregiver Support Group, 5:306:45 p.m., Lawrence Memorial Hospital, Conference Room D-South. For information contact Kelly Jones at alz.org or 913-831-3888.

2015

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

20 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.

21 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.

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

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

compassion

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

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

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

For more information call Elaine, 760-1026.

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

Home Health | Hospice | Rehabilitation | Private Duty (785) 843-3738 www.kansasvna.org

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DINING CENTER LOCATIONS

Please call by 11 a.m. on the day before to make a reservation. All meals are served by Noon. All DCSS Dining Centers meet accessibility guidelines established by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

A donation of $3.25 per meal is suggested. To cancel a meal at any of the dining centers please call 785-842-0543 and leave a message.

Lawrence Senior Center

Kathryn Newman, coordinator 842-0543 745 Vermont, Lawrence

Babcock Dining Center

Margaret Hawkins, coordinator 842-6976 Babcock Place Apartments 17th & Massachusetts, Lawrence

Eudora Dining Center

Carol Mason, coordinator 760-2102 Pinecrest II Apts.

924 Walnut, Eudora

Baldwin Senior Center

Maxine Scott, coordinator (785) 594-2409 1221 Indiana, Baldwin City For information about meals in Lecompton, call 842-0543.

“What’s for lunch?”

“Grab & Go”

Senior Carry-out Meals Available

On the go? In a hurry? No time to sit and eat?

Senior Meals Grab & Go is the answer!

Carry-out meals are available to seniors age 60 and over and their spouses who need a fast, nutritious meal on the go. Call any Senior Dining Center at least a day in advance to reserve your meal, and it will be ready to Grab & Go. A donation of $3.25 per meal is suggested. For more information about the Senior Dining Center nearest you, see the listings in this newsletter. Home delivered meals for homebound seniors are also available.

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

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.

Our drivers provide Door to Door assistance.

RESERVATIONS ARE REQUIRED FOR ALL RIDES except for fixed stops.

SCHEDULE EARLY: Due to a heavy demand Call the Senior Meals Program at 842-0543 for for transportation, rides may be scheduled as far information.

in advance as 7 days or as little as 48 hours.

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

Daily fixed stop: 1:15 PM Monday through Thursday from the Lawrence Senior Center.

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.

MAY

Menu Entrées Friday, May 1 - Chicken Salad Monday, May 4 - Meatloaf Tuesday, May 5 - Chicken Strips Wednesday, May 6 - Sweet and Sour Chicken Thursday, May 7 - Beef Enchiladas Friday, May 8 - Tuna Salad Monday, May 11 - Sweet Meatballs and Rice Tuesday, May 12 - BBQ Beef Wednesday, May 13 - Chicken Lasagna Thursday, May 14 - Beef Hot Dog Friday, May 15 - Chicken Sandwich

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O.U.R.S.

(Oldsters United for Responsible Service)

Dances • May 2015

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.

SUNDAY, MAY 3 Country Melody

SUNDAY, MAY 10 Dr. Cook’s Medicine Show SUNDAY, MAY 17 Barbed Wire

SUNDAY, MAY 24 (Business Meeting 5 p.m.) Borderline Country SUNDAY, MAY 31 Country Oaks

Monday, May 18 - Polish Sausage Tuesday, May 19 - Beef Goulash Wednesday, May 20 - Chicken Enchiladas Thursday, May 21 - Baked Ham Friday, May 22 - Turkey Sandwich Monday, May 25 - CLOSED for Memorial Day Holiday Tuesday, May 26 - Teriyaki Chicken and Rice Wednesday, May 27 - Spaghetti and Meatballs Thursday, May 28 - Rib Sandwich Friday, May 29 - Grilled Chicken Pasta Salad (Menu subject to change without notice.)

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

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LEGALESE

by Molly Wood

Q: I’m widowed, and I’m thinking about getting married again. My children want me to do whatever makes me happy, but I am worried about whether I’m causing future problems for them, especially problems keeping our property separate.

A: If you want to be

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absolutely sure your property, savings, and income is protected from your potential marriage partner’s children and his or her future medical expenses, don’t get married.

No kidding. You cannot enjoy the legal benefits of marriage - favorable income tax treatment, Social Security dependent benefits, and the right to inherit from a deceased spouse, to name a few - without bearing the legal responsibilities of marriage. Plus, unless you and your intended have very reasonable children who will never fight about money, your marriage could set up the circumstances for what you want to avoid: Causing future problems for them.

Among the legal responsibilities of marriage is the obligation to support your spouse. You must provide for your spouse’s “necessary” expenses, and food, shelter, and medical care are all necessary expenses. So, for example, if your spouse gets Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, ALS, Multiple Sclerosis, senile dementia, COPD, emphysema, or any number of other severe impairments, you are legally liable to pay for any health care expenses he or she incurs. Just because you prefer to set aside your property and savings for your

needs and for your children’s inheritance doesn’t relieve you of your legal obligation of support. This is true even if you have an iron-clad prenuptial agreement, so consider carefully whether you truly wish to commit to spend your money to benefit your new spouse “in sickness and in health, ‘til death us do part.”

Generally, a prenuptial agreement is enforceable upon divorce or death. But most of us would recoil at the suggestion that divorce is appropriate when our spouses are sick, and for good reason.

Divorce of a sick spouse is at odds with the loyalty and commitment inherent in the marriage relationship, and divorce of an incompetent spouse presents some tricky legal issues. But the only way to escape legal liability for the future health care needs of your spouse is to cease being spouses, and the legal method to dissolve the marriage relationship is to ask the Court for a decree of divorce.

Even in death, you cannot be assured that your property and savings will be distributed to your children without controversy. In this situation, a prenuptial agreement would be helpful, but not bullet-proof. If, for

example, you and your future spouse agree to keep all your property separate, but you purchase property - home, car, CDs - as joint owners, you have acted inconsistently with your prior agreement.

So at your death, your survivors - your children and your spouse, who is not related to your children - have competing interests in your estate.

There are a lot of very good reasons to marry that have nothing to do with the law. But marriage is a legal contract that can become the subject of disputes, and the resolution of that conflict can be time-consuming and expensive. As you consider whether you will remarry, keep that in mind.

(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.)

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

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60 & Better Page 15

60 & Better Page 16

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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.

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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 Executive Director: Kristin Scheurer

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