50 Plus Magazine - Oct 2011

50 October 2011 | The magazine for active, mature lifestyles

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THINGS TO DO HEALTH COLUMN: NINE STEPS TO BETTER BRAIN HEALTH DR. GERALYN CARDUCCI

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FINANCIAL COLUMN: RETIRING OR CHANGING JOBS? TAKE YOUR 401(K) AND ... ROLL IT RANDALL BEHNKE, FINANCIAL ADVISOR

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FEATURE STORY:

THE MANITALKERS GET PEOPLE TALKING 6-8 ADRC: BOND HELPS DISABLED EARN MORE

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50 Oral Storytelling Preserves History

Table of Contents . October 2011

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THINGS TO DO

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HEALTH COLUMN: Nine Steps to Better Brain Health Dr. Geralyn Carducci

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FINANCIAL COLUMN: Retiring or Changing Jobs? Take Your 401(K) and ... Roll It Randall Behnke, Financial Advisor 5 On the Cover:

THE MANITALKERS GET PEOPLE TALKING 6-8

John Michael DeBartolo speaks during a meeting of the Manitalkers, Manitowoc’s chapter of Toastmasters International. Read more about the organization and some of its participants.

ADRC: BOND Helps Disabled Earn More

Applefest in Two Rivers will be held Oct. 8 at Central Park and the J.E. Hamilton Community House. It will include apple products of all sorts, including a bake sale, baking contest, crafts and other attractions. 50 Plus file photo

OCT. 2 HAUNTED BARN, Lincoln Park Zoo, This event is customized for ghouls and goblins 5 and up. Also held Oct. 22 and 28. Fee charged, 5-9 p.m.

OCT. 7 MARITIME HISTORY GHOST WALK, Wisconsin Maritime Museum, This is a unique Halloween experience. Hear true Lake Michigan tales with an eerie twist. Not for small children. Also on Oct. 14, 21 and 28. Call for reservations, (920) 684-0218

OCT. 8 APPLEFEST, Central Park and J. E. Hamilton Community House, Two Rivers, Enjoy fresh apples, caramel apples, apple pie, other foods, music and entertainment, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. (920) 755-2775 BLACKSMITHING WORKSHOP, Pinecrest Historical Village, Fee charged, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. (920) 684-4445

OCT. 9 THE ART OF TABLE SETTINGS, Rahr West Art Museum. This annual exhibition of table arrangements created by community members is a treasured icon of thematic displays that brings back memories and offers new decorating ideas. Exhibit runs through Oct. 23.

(920) 686-3090

OCT. 10 BINGO, Manitowoc County Expo, Fee charged, (920) 683-4378

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Staff

Pat Pankratz, 50 Plus! Editor 920-686-2138 ppankratz@htrnews.com James Maurer, Advertising Manager 920-684-4433 jmaurer2@manitowoc.gannett.com 50 Plus! is published monthly by the Herald Times Reporter. It also is distributed to select businesses in Manitowoc County.

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THINGS TO DO

OCT. 14 OKTOBERFEST JA! JA! JA!, Palace of Reif Mills Dinner Event Theatre. Also held Oct. 15, 21-23; Friday and Saturday at 7 p.m.; Sunday at 1 p.m., (920) 732-3172

OCT. 15 OWLFEST, Woodland Dunes, Two Rivers. Celebrate the fall migration of the saw-whet owl.

Banding and release demos, kids activities and hikes. Also animal rescue Wildlife of Wisconsin (WOW) with live birds. Fee charged, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. (920) 793-4007, kellye@ woodlanddunes.org

MUSIC OF THE MASTERS, Capitol Civic Centre. The Lakeshore Wind Ensemble presents its opening concert featuring Symphony No. IV “Yellowstone Portraits,” by James Barnes Villanelle, by Paul Dukas, featuring Sadie Cisler, guest French horn soloist. 7:30 p.m., (920) 6822184 FALL FESTIVAL, Point Beach State Forest, Two Rivers.

There will not be any trick-or-treating at this year’s event, (920) 794-7480

OCT. 22 HUNGRY FOR HISTORY: MANITOWOC’S MURDER MYSTERY, Manitowoc Heritage Center. Follow the story of the city of Manitowoc’s first murder. A catered meal will follow. Fee charged, 5:30 p.m. (920) 6844445 AN EVENING WITH LIZ CALLAWAY, Capitol Civic Centre, Tony nominee and Emmy Award winner Liz Callaway is one of the top singer-actresses appearing on Broadway today. Her credits include “Cats” and “Jasmine” in Disney’s “Aladdin.” 7:30 p.m. (920) 6832184 CRIME PREVENTION DAY, Manitowoc County Expo. Booths from Parks and Recreation Dept., 4-H fingerprinting, Fire Department, drug collection, and many more, hands-on activities, entertainment and all free, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

(920) 684-4169 Information from www.manitowoc.info/events.html

Nine Steps to Better Brain Health Many of us work on staying physically healthy. If we are going to live a long, healthy life, we want to stay sharp mentally so we can participate and enjoy it.

There are many simple things we can do to keep our brains healthy and sharp.

Even for those at risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease, keeping an active, healthy brain can help delay the onset as well as slow the decline of dementia such as Alzheimer’s.

Simple things we all can do to keep our brains healthy include:

Take Steps to Prevent a Brain Injury Wear a seatbelt.

Never drive while under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

Wear a helmet when riding a bike or motorized vehicle, playing a contact sport, skiing etc.

Avoid falls at home.

While most mild brain injuries do not result in problems, sometimes even mild brain injuries can cause serious, long-lasting problems affecting thinking, memory and/or behavior.

See Your Physicain Regularly and Follow His or Her Advice

Dr. Geralyn Carducci is a physician

Maintaining makes cells multiply and who is board certified in psychiatry. connect. your blood She practices in Manitowoc at pressure, Lakeview Psychological Associates, A big waist boosts your cholesterol 1020 Maritime Dr. risk of dementia later in and blood life. Belly fat increases sugar are all inflammation and important. plaque buildup in your What is good for your heart is good for your brain. blood vessels, limiting blood flow to your heart and High blood pressure increases dementia risk up to 50 brain. Aim for a waist less than 35 inches for women percent. Diabetes can affect your blood vessels to your and 40 for men. Maintaining a healthy weight helps brain. lower your risk for diabetes, hypertension and stroke, which can all affect brain health.

Hearing, vision, medications, chronic conditions and vitamin deficiencies are all issues that may need to be Maintain a Healthy Diet managed to help your brain function better. The better you take care of yourself, the better your brain function A heart-healthy diet may be as good for your brain is likely to be. Reviewing your medications at your as it is for your heart. Choose low-fat protein such doctor visits is also important as they can cause side as fish, lean meat and lean, skinless poultry. Eating effects that may impact memory and brain function. a Mediterranean style diet of whole grains, fresh produce, olive oil (in moderation), fish and nuts cuts Exercise and Maintain a Healthy Weight the risk for early cognitive decline by 28 percent in one study.

Physically active adults are more likely to stay mentally active, too. Brain cells need oxygen too. According to Avoid sugar spikes. Your brain needs a steady level two studies in the Journal of the American Medical of energy from a good diet of whole foods. Processed Association, researchers found that those who engaged foods, sweets and simple carbs cause a spike in blood in regular physical activity scored higher on tests of sugar followed by a rapid decrease in blood sugar attention, recall, and other markers of cognition and levels. Learn about healthy food choices and start showed less decline than more sedentary persons. making them or keep making them, if you already Physical activity increases blood flow to your whole are. body, including your brain. It increases Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF), a growth factor that BETTER BRAIN HEALTH continued on page 4

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BETTER BRAIN HEALTH continued from page 3

Manage Stress Stress decreases BDNF and kills cells and connections in the hippocampal area in the brain.

This area is important to learning and memory. If stressed, meditate, relax, exercise or take a break.

Coping skills, problem solving skills and resilience are important to keep stress from having deleterious effects on your overall and brain health. If you need professional help, get it.

Challenge Your Brain Using your brain in challenging, different ways helps keep your brain healthy and wards off memory loss and makes new neuron connections. Keep your brain fit by doing puzzles, board games, reading, learning a new instrument or language. If you do Soduko then switch to crossword puzzles or reading. You want to do different activities to challenge your brain. Take a different route to work, take up a new hobby or take a class. Learn something new.

Stay Connected Make opportunities to get together with loved ones and friends. This is even more important if you live alone. Social connections protect us from stress and depression and are associated with less dementia and a slower onset and decline of dementia.

A study of over 2,700 American men and women ages 65 and older found that social and productive

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activities that did little to help fitness played a role in mortality. Those who were least likely to seek outside social activities — church and travel included — were 20 percent more likely to die from all causes than those who socialized the most. Other studies have suggested that social ties might even ward off dementia and keep you mentally sharp. Fewer social ties were associated with an increased likelihood of cognitive impairment and higher mortality.

Of course, from time to time, we all may decide to decline social events to manage our lives and our stress. In addition, social disengagement can be a sign of mental decline.

Avoid Alcohol, Drugs and Tobacco Alcohol can shrink brain mass and disrupt brain signaling chemicals (neurotransmitters) in the brain, affecting memory and cognitive functions.

Alcohol is also a CNS depressant.

Some studies have found a link between smoking and brain cell damage. Marijuana use is also linked to cognitive impairment and memory deficits.

Get Adequate Sleep Sleep is necessary to help the brain’s ability to store and recall information. Some experts think sleep inhibits stress hormones. Six hours seems to be the minimum needed. However, some studies have shown college students were better able to learn new skills on eight hours of sleep.

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If you are unable to get adequate sleep for more than two weeks see your physician. There could be something medical to address. For instance, sleep apnea can interfere with restful sleep and can have long-term consequences to the lungs and heart.

The bottom line is there is much you can do now to keep your brain healthy in the future.

Retiring or Changing Jobs? Take Your 401(k) and ... Roll It If you’ve decided to retire, lost your job, or are changing jobs, you may be wondering what to do with your 401(k) plan account. It’s important to understand your options.

If you leave your job (voluntarily or involuntarily), you’ll be entitled to a distribution of your vested balance. Your vested balance always includes your own contributions (pretax, after-tax, and Roth) and typically any investment earnings on those amounts.

It also includes employer contributions (and earnings) that have satisfied your plan’s vesting schedule.

In general, you must be 100 percent vested in your employer’s contributions after three years of service (cliff vesting), or you must vest gradually, 20 percent per year until you’re fully vested after six years (graded vesting). Plans can have faster vesting schedules, and some even have 100 percent immediate vesting.

You’ll also be 100 percent vested once you’ve reached your plan’s normal retirement age.

It’s important for you to understand how your particular plan’s vesting schedule works, because you’ll forfeit any employer contributions that haven’t vested by the time you leave your job. Your summary plan description (SPD) will spell out how the vesting schedule for your particular plan works. If you don’t have one, ask your plan administrator for it. If you’re on the cusp of vesting, it may make sense to wait a bit before leaving, if you have that luxury.

Roll It While this pool of dollars may look attractive, don’t spend it unless you absolutely need to. If you take a distribution you’ll be taxed, at ordinary income tax rates, on the entire value of your account except for any after-tax or Roth 401(k) contributions you’ve made. And, if you’re not yet age 55, an additional 10 percent penalty may apply to the taxable portion of your payout. (Special rules may apply if you receive a lump-sum distribution and you were born before 1936, or if the lump-sum includes employer stock.)

If your vested balance is more than $5,000, you can leave your money in your employer’s plan until you reach normal retirement age. But your employer must also allow you to make a direct rollover to an IRA or to another employer’s 401(k) plan. As the name suggests, in a direct rollover the money passes directly from your 401(k) plan account to the IRA or other plan.

This is preferable to a “60-day rollover,” where you get the check and then roll the money over yourself, because your employer has to withhold 20 percent of the taxable portion of a 60-day rollover. You can still roll over the entire amount of your distribution, but you’ll need to come up with the 20 percent that’s been withheld until you recapture that amount when you file your income tax return.

Randall Behnke is a financial advisor and president of Integrity Investments & Insurance Management Inc., 3121 Calumet Ave., Manitowoc. Visit www.LiveLifeSecure. com for more information. He can also be reached at (920) 686-8222.

401(k) or IRA? Assuming both options are available to you, there’s no right or wrong answer to this question. There are strong arguments to be made on both sides. You need to weigh all of the factors, and make a decision based on your own needs and priorities. It’s best to have a professional assist you with this, since the decision you make may have significant consequences — now and in the future.

Reasons To Roll Over To An IRA: You generally have more investment choices with an IRA than with an employer’s 401(k) plan. You typically may freely move your money around to the various investments offered by your IRA trustee, and you may divide up your balance among as many of those investments as you want. By contrast, employersponsored plans typically give you a limited menu of investments (usually mutual funds) from which to choose.

You can freely allocate your IRA dollars among different IRA trustees/custodians. There’s no limit TAKE YOUR 401(k) continued on page 9

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The Manitalkers Get People Talking STORY BY TARA MEISSNER 50 Plus correspondent Founded in 2010, the club is a local chapter of the Toastmasters International, which promotes confidence development through learning and practicing the art of public speaking, according to Manitalkers President Bruce Bitter.

“I speak better to people … I don’t say all the ‘ahs.’ When people say the ‘ahs,’ they don’t sound confident. I have confidence now,” said Leah Sturtz, who has been with the organization for about a year.

Juliet Kosarzycki, a national professional speaker, is a strong proponent of the Toastmasters program and said, “When a person practices speaking, the individual gains confidence and that shows up in every part of life. That person becomes a better leader in the community, at work, at home, and in one’s own life.”

Speaking from personal experience, she continued, “The world opens up for you when you are willing to use your voice to share your unique message and ideas.”

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Sturtz owns a massage therapy business, Take Time Therapeutic Massage, and has found the meetings, held twice monthly, have helped her improve her skills talking with customers.

“In school they teach you to talk to doctors.

I’m learning to talk in less technical words to customers,” she said. “It’s going well.”

The Toastmasters have a prescribed method for developing public speaking skills. Each member works through a book giving 10 speeches, each about 5 to 7 minutes in length, in front of the local group. There are consecutive curriculums and contests that further develop the members’ skills.

According to its Web site, “For nearly a century, Toastmasters International has been helping women and men of every background, education level and economic standing develop the competency they need to become effective communicators and inspired leaders.”

Debby Erdmann said the group meetings, which begin with a social pot luck dinner followed by the scheduled speakers, are comprised of great,

From left, Bruce Bitter, Barbara Bellin, Leah Strutz and Debbie Erdmann get together at a recent Toastmasters meeting in Manitowoc. Submitted

Left to Right: Manitalkers President Bruce Bitter Debby Erdmann Juliet Kosarzycki John Michael DeBartolo friendly people who have patience for those developing their public speaking skills.

Manitalkers a year ago.

“It feels like a family,” she said.

Bitter finds the Manitalkers group has helped him in his work in the insurance business.

Erdmann has penned a humorous devotional book, “The Inside Scoop on God,” which is in the hands of an agent who recommended she hone some speaking skills to market the book once it sells. She joined

“I am able to think more quickly on my feet,” he said.

“The format teaches communication and leadership skills.”

“It builds the person,” Sturtz added.

Veteran Toastmaster member John Michael DeBartolo has been finding local chapters of the international group for more than 30 years, starting in Michigan in the 1980s. As he traveled for work, he has participated in Nebraska, Connecticut and different places, he said.

“I find it exciting,” he said.

MANITALKERS continued on page 8

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CROSSWORD: SWEET TOOTH ACROSS 1. LIVELY DANCE IN 2-4 TIME 6. *A MAIN INGREDIENT OF CUSTARD 9. BACK TALK 13. SINGLE-CELL PROTOZOAN 14. SECOND PERSON PRONOUN 15. *TYPE OF FLOUR USED IN MANY CAKES AND COOKIES 16. SURFACES OR COATS, V. 17. CASH GIVER 18. “PLAYED” DURING SCHOOL 19. HURRIES 21. *CHOCOLATE SQUARE 23. TO DO THIS IS HUMAN 24. *SOME CANDY BAR WRAPPERS ARE MADE OF THIS 25. CEILING PROP 28. IT GOES UP AND DOWN 30. RUN OFF 35. FLYING SAUCERS 37. *TYPE OF CHOCOLATE 39. *THE SWEET IN SWEET TOOTH 40. CHILD’S INANIMATE FRIEND 41. PRESS IT TO ACTIVATE 43. HINDU PRINCESS 44. RUSSIAN PRISON 46. ACTRESS LOLLOBRIGIDA 47. LEO OR LIBRA, E.G. 48. 7-______ 50. ARIAL, E.G.

MANITALKERS continued from page 7

Ironically, DeBartolo describes himself as an introvert, who gets nervous before giving a presentation, regardless of whether it’s a small social group like the Manitalkers or a large group for a work-related training session.

his participation in Toastmasters as helping him be able to deliver these speeches.

“I look at the audience and say, this speech is for you,” he said.

“I love watching the audience,” Sturtz added.

DeBartolo describes the Toastmasters as a “safe environment” and a “great place to practice.”

The mission of the Manitalkers club is to provide a mutually supportive and positive learning environment in which every individual member has the opportunity to develop oral communication and leadership skills, which in turn foster self-confidence and personal growth.

At work, he does human performance presentations and has had audiences up to 1,000 people. He credits

Newcomers are welcome. Toastmasters meetings are held at 7 p.m. on the first and third Wednesdays of each

“It drains me,” he said, but, “once I did it, I was hooked.”

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52. OFTEN RUSHED IN TENNIS 53. SNOOPY 55. ___ GOO DOLLS 57. *FINAL COURSE 61. *REDUCE TO PURE STATE, AS IN SUGAR 64. FRENCHMAN’S LOVE 65. TOP SEED 67. BEATS WITH A WHIP 69. MEXICAN REVOLUTIONARY 70. CONTEND 71. SUGGESTIVE OF THE SUPERNATURAL 72. POPULAR SCANDINAVIAN NAME 73. BUGLING ANIMAL 74. RUB OUT DOWN 1. BETWEEN GENERATIONS 2. WET NURSE 3. BULGARIAN MONEY 4. LIKE ONE WITH HIGH BMI 5. *BAKED CONFECTION 6. YOUNG HAWK 7. ACQUIRED 8. SOUTHERN SOUP 9. BEST IN ____ 10. ALSO SPELLED “EON” 11. JAPANESE VODKA 12. EYE INFECTION 15. GREATER THAN SUM OF PARTS? PL. 20. WEAR AWAY 22. RELIEVE FROM

24. ADD VITAMIN D TO MILK, E.G. 25. *A JUDY BLUME CHARACTER 26. STATE OF ENTANGLEMENT 27. _____ PROSEQUI 29. OPPOSITE OF YIN 31. MONGRELS 32. ONCE MORE 33. DISEASE OFTEN ASSOCIATED WITH DOGS 34. “ALL THE NEWS THAT’S FIT TO _____” 36. MEMBER OF EASTERN EUROPEAN PEOPLE 38. BINGO-LIKE GAME 42. WHERE DEER AND ANTELOPE PLAY 45. PLURAL OF GENUS 49. NEITHER HERE ___ THERE 51. *ENGLISH ______ 54. ONE OF BEN FRANKLIN’S INVENTIONS 56. OIL TANKER 57. LETTERMAN, TO HIS BUDDIES? 58. AFRICAN CHIEFTAIN 59. SAME AS SOLOS 60. POUT 61. SMELL BADLY 62. NOVELIST ROBERTS 63. ARMOR CHEST PLATE 66. ZIP OR ZILCH 68. EXAMINE OR WATCH

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month. The group is open to all who want to improve communication and leadership skills. Meetings are held in the Village Hall, St. Mary’s Felician Village, 1635 S. 21st St. To learn more about Toastmasters International, go to www.toastmasters.org, visit Manitalkers Toastmasters Club on Facebook, or attend a meeting as a guest. Call (920) 682-5015 for additional information.

TAKE YOUR 401(k) continued from page 5

on how many direct, trustee-to-trustee IRA transfers you can do in a year. This gives you flexibility to change trustees often if you are dissatisfied with investment performance or customer service. It can also allow you to have IRA accounts with more than one institution for added diversification. With an employer’s plan, you can’t move the funds to a different trustee unless you leave your job and roll over the funds.

An IRA may give you more flexibility with distributions. Your distribution options in a 401(k) plan depend on the terms of that particular plan, and your options may be limited. However, with an IRA, the timing and amount of distributions is generally at your discretion (until you reach age 70½ and must start taking required minimum distributions in the case of a traditional IRA).

You can convert your 401(k) plan distribution to a Roth IRA. You’ll have to pay taxes on the amount you roll over (minus any after-tax contributions you’ve made), but any qualified distributions from the Roth IRA in the future will be tax-free.

Reasons To Roll Over To Your New Employer’s 401(k) Plan: Many employer-sponsored plans have loan provisions. If you roll over your retirement funds to a new employer’s plan that permits loans, you may be

able to borrow up to 50 percent of the amount you roll over if you need the money. You can’t borrow from an IRA — you can only access the money in an IRA by taking a distribution, which may be subject to income tax and penalties.

A rollover to your new employer’s 401(k) plan may provide greater creditor protection than a rollover to an IRA. Most 401(k) plans receive unlimited protection from your creditors under federal law. Your creditors (with certain exceptions) cannot attach your plan funds to satisfy any of your debts and obligations, regardless of whether you’ve declared bankruptcy. In contrast, any amounts you roll over to a traditional or Roth IRA are generally protected under federal law only if you declare bankruptcy.

You may be able to postpone required minimum distributions. For IRAs, these distributions must begin by April 1 following the year you reach age 70½. However, if you work past that age and are still participating in your employer’s 401(k) plan, you can delay your first distribution from that plan until April 1 following the year of your retirement.

If your distribution includes Roth 401(k) contributions and earnings, you can roll those amounts over to either a Roth IRA or your new employer’s Roth 401(k) plan (if it accepts rollovers). If you roll the funds over to a Roth IRA, the Roth IRA holding period will determine when you can begin receiving tax-free qualified distributions from the IRA. So if you’re establishing a Roth IRA for the first time, your

Roth 401(k) dollars will be subject to a brand new 5-year holding period.

On the other hand, if you roll the dollars over to your new employer’s Roth 401 (k) plan, your existing 5-year holding period will carry over to the new plan.

This may enable you to receive tax-free qualified distributions sooner. When evaluating whether to initiate a rollover always be sure to (1) ask about possible surrender charges that may be imposed by your employer plan, or new surrender charges that your IRA may impose, (2) compare investment fees and expenses charged by your IRA (and investment funds) with those charged by your employer plan (if any), and (3) understand any accumulated rights or guarantees that you may be giving up by transferring funds out of your employer plan.

Outstanding Loans In general, if you have an outstanding plan loan, you’ll need to pay it back, or the outstanding balance will be taxed as if it had been distributed to you in cash. If you can’t pay the loan back before you leave, you’ll still have 60 days to roll over the amount that’s been treated as a distribution to your IRA. Of course, you’ll need to come up with the dollars from other sources.

Securities and investment advice offered through Capital Financial Svcs.,Inc. Broker Dealer~Investment Advisor~Member FINRA~SIPC 3121 Calumet Ave. Manitowoc, WI 54220

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ADRC: BOND Helps Disabled Earn More JUDY RANK | for 50 Plus!

from the Health Center to the other facilities.

The Social Security Administration (SSA) recently announced the beginning of the Benefit Off set National Demonstration (BOND) project. Wisconsin is one of 10 sites around the country that SSA has asked to test policy changes to encourage workers with disabilities to return to gainful employment. BOND will allow SSDI beneficiaries to earn more and keep more of their benefits than currently possible.

Medicare Enrollment

SSA will randomly select SSDI beneficiaries to participate in the BOND test. SSA will continue to provide Medicare coverage to BOND participants earning over the limit of $12,000 per year. Individual participants can only participate in the BOND for five years. The test will run from 2011 until September of 2017.

A reminder that Medicare Part D annual enrollment begins earlier this year on Oct. 15 and runs through Dec. 6. It is important that everyone in a Part D plan or advantage plan review their current plan to be sure they are enrolled in the most cost effective alternative for 2012. Most plans change either their monthly premium, deductible, co-payment or all three. A visit to the ADRC last year resulted in a Part D enrollee saving $6,000 by doing a review and switching to a different plan.

The focus of the program is on the caregiver to help them provide good care for themselves so that they can be a good caregiver. Prior registration is necessary and can be done by contacting the Aging & Disability Resource Center (ADRC) at (920) 683-4180.

Nine volunteers have taken training with the benefit specialist at the ADRC through Medicare to assist with the Part D reviews this year.

Appointments should be made for the review.

These appointments can be made at the Manitowoc or Two Rivers Senior Centers and at the ADRC. You are asked to bring a listing of your medications, your Medicare card and proof of income if you think you may qualify for assistance in paying for the plan or drugs, or if you are on medications that may put you in the gap during the year so that options can be explored to assist with paying for the medications while in the gap.

‘Parade of Homes’

Voter ID

The public in invited to attend a “Parade of Homes” offered by the county’s nursing and rehabilitation centers on Saturday, Oct. 8. The event will be an opportunity to learn about the delivery of long-term care options in the county. You will learn what is available if you run out of money and need care, how one becomes eligible for long-term care resources, and what are the different options in the county.

Judy Rank, director of the ADRC, will explain the state’s 2011-13 budget cap on Family Care and IRIS programs and the options it does present.

Voters will be required to have a photo ID beginning with the Spring elections in 2012. This ID can be obtained through the local Wisconsin Deparrtment of Transportation, Division of Motor Vehicle Dept (DMV). The DMV is required to provide free ID cards to any U.S. citizen who will be at least 18 years of age on the date of the next election, but you must request that the identification card be provided without charge for the purpose of voting.

If you are an SSDI beneficiary who receives a BOND notice in a letter or a phone call, be sure to contact BOND. If someone in your family or a friend receives a notice or call, encourage that person to respond.

You can call toll-free: voice 1-877-726-6309; TTY: 1-877-726-6390.

‘Powerful Tools’ The next “Powerful Tools for Caregiving” six-week program is set to start on Friday, Oct. 7, from 9:30 a.m. until noon at Aurora Medical Center in Two Rivers. This is a program for the family caregiver that teaches techniques to reduce personal stress and improve communication skills that can help the caregiver communicate more effectively with medical professionals and family members.

The “Parade of Homes” will start at 10 a.m. at the Manitowoc Health and Rehabilitation Center with Rank’s presentation. Lynn Seidl Babcock will also be available to talk about the Personal Care Workers (PCW) program as a long-term care option. This will be followed by a presentation on the nursing home’s role as a rehabilitation center and the future rehabilitation centers provide for long-term care.

Individuals will then be able to tour the rehabilitation center of most nursing homes in the county from 11:30 to 3 p.m. A bus will provide transportation

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Other forms of ID that can be used include a Wisconsin DOT issued driver’s license, an ID card

issued by a U.S. uniformed service, a U.S. passport, a certificate of naturalization that was issued not earlier than two years before the election date at which it is being used, an unexpired driving receipt issued by the DOT, an unexpired ID card issued by a Wisconsin accredited university or college that contains date of issuance, signature of student and an expiration date not later than two years after date of issuance.

Individuals with questions about the ID can contact the ADRC at (920) 683-4180.

Judy Rank is executive director of the Manitowoc County Aging and Disability Resource Center.

Autumn in the Air Autumn in the Air G G V K X M I M Y E V T Y C X

T A U J K Y E S D N Z B O S V

P N J A A G D R E J G O S T D

Z U X L A C A V L V L I I O E

T G M I F K K A W W A Z B R N

V X L P I H M E E F P E K M S

T O A N K N A A T R E D L W K

F G G G N I T P E X P F K I P

Z K L Y I H N P C Y B W H N Q

W O L L E Y A S A M D Q D D L

X R X R E O P Q N B S G P O H

G L V A U Y P T R F Y G Z W G

F O O T B A L L U Q B I K G C

E M U B T Y E I F S D U M N A

A Q U A V Q S U S Q Z K T R V

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