Senior Edition 2012

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Get to know cataracts risk factors As men and women age, age. The older a person is, a cataract may include they can experience cer- the greater their risk. How- cloudy or blurry vision. tain physical changes and ever, there are several other • Lights may cause a health challenges. Vision risk factors as well. glare, seem too dim or impairment is one condi- * Intense heat or long-term seem too bright. tion that many associate exposure to UV rays from • Sufferers may also find with aging, and cataracts the sun it difficult to read or drive, are a primary concern for * Certain diseases, such as especially at night. those of middle-age and diabetes • Individuals may have older. * Obesity to change their eyeglass Today, more than 22 * High blood pressure prescriptions often. million Americans age 40 * Inflammation in the eye There are no medicaand older have cataracts. * Hereditary influences tions or other treatment According to the Nation- * Long-term steroid use options besides surgery to al Eye Institute, by age * Eye injuries correct cataracts. In the 80, more than half of all * Other eye diseases United States, cataract surAmericans will either have * Smoking gery has a 95 percent suca cataract or cess rate, and have had catapatients often ract surgery. have 20/20 or Cataract is 20/40 vision clouding of post-surgery. the eye’s lens Cataract surthat blocks or gery is also the changes the most frequentpassage of ly performed light into the surgery, often eye. Normally performed as the lens is clear, an outpatient which allows procedure. light to pass It is widely through to the recommended back of the to get regular eye, so that a It is widely recommended to get regular eye eye exams to person can see exams to check for cataracts early on. check for catawe l l - d e f i n e d racts early on. images. If a cataract forms Prevent Blindness Amer- “By getting a complete, and the lens becomes cov- ica provides free informa- dilated eye exam, your ered in an opaque film, tion to the public on every- doctor can discuss with light cannot pass through thing from cataract basics you the best strategy to easily. The result will be to tips on what to expect protect your vision well fuzzy vision, almost like from cataract surgery. Visit into the future,” said Hugh looking through a fogged- p r e v e n t b l i n d n e s s. o rg / R. Parry, president and up window. If cataracts are cataract or call its toll CEO of Prevent Blindness not treated, an individual free number at (800) 331- America. “We encourage may eventually lose most 2020. And, as part of its everyone, especially those of his or her vision. new Healthy Eyes Educa- ages 40 and older, to make One or both eyes can be tional Series, PBA offers their vision a priority by affected by cataracts. In a specific online module scheduling an eye appointthe case of both eyes be- on cataracts, including a ment today.” ing compromised, one eye Power Point presentation is usually worse than the and guide. The organizaSource: Metro Creative other. tion shares this informaConnection The primary risk factor tion about cataracts: for developing cataracts is • Early symptoms of

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Live comfortably on a budget Seniors are one of the fastest-growing segments of the population, as medical advancements have increased life expectancies considerably. Many Baby Boomers have entered retirement age and are joining the ranks of other seniors on fixed incomes. This means they’ll also have to implement strategies to live comfortably on less money. Upon retirement, many retirees are faced with quite a reduction in income and the stark reality of making ends meet with this new level of income. Those who are successful are often those who are adapting and are able to budget cleverly. Here are some ideas to do just that. • Set priorities. What are the necessities that you absolutely cannot skimp on? These may include a mortgage or rent, utility bills and any other loan payments that have already been established. These amounts will have to be deducted from monthly income before you will discover just how much money will be leftover for other things. • Downsize. There is the option to cut back on certain things to free up more money. Many people find it is wise to sell their home and move into a smaller condo or apartment. Not only

will the expenses be less, big with coupons, many there’s a good chance the people believe this is the complex will offer mainte- best way to save at grocery nance — further saving you stores. However, the people on unexpected expenses. doing the couponing are ofConsider downsizing your ten capitalizing on buying car as well. Rather than in bulk and clipping mass making high monthly pay- amounts of coupons — not ments for a brand-new auto practical for senior houseat the dealership, you may holds. It could be in your best interbe able to get a preowned Living on a fixed income est to simply vehicle for a can require reassessing shop for the lower payment priorities and making items you buy frequently at schedule. Or a few changes to the the store that you may have household budget. is selling it at enough in savings to pay for the used car the lowest price. It may inoutright, saving you the crease the number of stops expense of a monthly pay- on your shopping trip, but you can get a really good ment. • Consider shopping at deal in the process. consignment stores. Con- • Get crafty. Sometimes signment stores are popping things that are sold at stores up in all different areas, in- for a high price can be repcluding exclusive cities and licated at home easily with towns. Shopping consign- just a few materials. From ment stores no longer car- tufted headboards to curries the stigma it once did. tains to decorative pillows, Many times the merchan- chances are with a little indise in consignment stores genuity you can make these is brand new or has only items yourself. Or, enlist the been used once. This could help of a friend or family be the ideal place to turn member to assist you in a for housewares, clothing, project that is slightly beaccessories, and even gifts yond your level of experfor others. The prices are tise. typically marked well be- Living on a fixed income low retail value, and you can require reassessing primay find some well-known orities and making a few changes to the household brands. • Shop store sales. With budget. Source: Metro Creative the popularity of shows Connection teaching others how to save

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Lowell Drager is unofficial town historian, caretaker for decades of Swanville memories By JENNIE ZEITLER Staff Writer jennie.zeitler@ecm-inc.com

Lifelong Swanville resident Lowell Drager has become the unofficial town historian through his collecting, sorting and maintaining documentation on a variety of Swanville institutions, groups and events. Drager graduated from Swanville High School in 1964 and attended Macalester College, majoring in speech, English and theater. He returned to Swanville in 1968 and has never left. His hiring as a firstyear teacher broke a pattern in Swanville whereby Swanville graduates had not been hired as first-year teachers. For the next 31 years he taught English, directed plays and was the speech team coach for hundreds of Swanville students. After retiring in 1999, Drager rose at 6 a.m. each day for several months. “I never used an alarm clock; I would automatically wake up whenever I needed

to,” he said, “but it took a while to adjust.” Drager compiled a list of Swanville School alumni for the first all-school reunion in 1986, and still keeps it current. He produces an updated booklet every five years. In addition to that, he takes a photo each spring of that year’s graduating class. In 1993 he wrote and had printed a Swanville

“ In retirement, the days go fast. There are so many hobbies and things I like doing.” —Lowell Drager

Centennial Book, which was copyrighted. “There is a copy on file at the Library of Congress,” he said. One of his ongoing projects is maintaining the records for five local cemetaries: Spring Brook, St. John the Baptist, Bearhead Union in Pillsbury, Emmanuel Evangelical Lutheran and East Swanville. This includes recording and photographing each

stone. He has a large threering binder containing documentation of all the businesses that have ever existed in Swanville. “I have read the abstracts of nearly all the businesses in town,” said Drager. To compile this history, he read the minutes of every single city council meeting since 1893. That is something he still does. When a ceramic business owner wanted to take piles of old newspaper books to the dump, Drager intercepted them and acquired many back issues of The Swanville News. He now has a complete morgue of the paper from its inception in January 1900 through the mid 1970s. “Both the Morrison County Historical Society and the Minnesota Historical Society have them all on microfilm,” he said. Before Swanville resident and former Postmistress Imelda Schuman died, she designated one of her antique sorting tables to go to Drager.

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“Everybody comes to me when they’re cleaning out a house,” he said. “If it says ‘Swanville’ or ‘Swanville High School’ on it and it fits through my front door, then I’m interested.” Thanks to Drager’s efforts, the historical societies of both Morrison County and Todd County have a nearly complete set of Swanville Searchlight yearbooks. Drager also has a collection of envelopes, one from each business in town. During the Swanville Centennial in 1993, Schuman was hand-cancelling mail for people as a commemorative. “I had her cancel an envelope from every business that existed on May 24, 1993,” he said. One of Drager’s more recent enterprises is being part of the group of owners of Granny’s Cafe. The Swanville Restaurant Company was established 10 years ago. “I do some of the scheduling, print the menus, do the signs and gift certificates for no charge,” said

Staff photo by Jennie Zeitler

Lowell Drager is pleased with the new suggestion box that John Gessell built and installed at Granny’s Cafe. Drager. “Once in a while I submit a bill for paper, since I go through it by the case.” Drager is also the “public relations inspector” for the cafe. This spring Swanville resident and fellow Granny’s Cafe shareholder John Gessell built and installed a suggestion box, now hanging on the wall near the front door. “It’s for suggestions, ideas, complaints and compliments,” he said. “Those don’t go to the board, and they don’t go to the owners, but they are all taken

care of.” In June, the locks on the door of the cafe were changed, as the board decided that there were too many keys out. “Now there are eight keys out, and we know every person who has one,” said Drager. Drager is also a stamp collector, coin collector and gardener. He grows wildflowers in his back yard. “In retirement the days go so fast,” he said. “There are so many hobbies and things I like doing.”

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