Experience - January 2013 by Gannett Wisconsin Media

An introspective publication tailored to those mid-age and beyond

JANUARY 2013

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January Event Calendar medicare options • dining menu readers’ travel tips • and more!

aquatic center group ﬁnds comfort in pool time, friendship

By Lois A. Pﬂum | Photos by Patrick Flood/The Reporter Media

ometimes in the autumn of our lives, we are confronted with arthritis or another life-changing diagnosis or just aches and pains. Some seniors have stiff joints and limited mobility. Others may have serious cardiac issues, or have had knee and or hip replacements. Rather than sit home and brood, a very unique group of seniors have found a wonderful support group with others who may or may not have the very same issues. They have discovered the benefits of heading down to the Aquatic Center, located at 100 West 9th Street, where they congregate several times a week in the small (therapeutic) pool in what is referred to an open adult swim time. According to Barbara Lukas, a frequent participant, she finds this group remarkable. She calls this time an “unorganized group setting,” explaining everybody comes and goes on their own schedule — no structured class.” Some come every day while others come twice or three times a week, whatever their schedule allows. Barbara continues, “Everybody is so welcoming and friendly and we support each other in so many ways.” While most of those in

2 ░ EXPERIENCE

the small pool are women, several men fit it very nicely, as well. Besides chatting with each other in the warm pool, some stretch their arms or legs, kick their feet, or just paddling or scooting around, others “water walk.” Everybody seems to enjoy the benefits of the warm water. It is not necessary that one know how to swim because the

Bill Emmer of Fond du Lac, works out in the pool at the Fond du Lac Aquatic center.

small pool starts out at one and a half feet to four feet in depth, with a life guard on deck at all times. The pool can be entered by either a ramp or by way of steps. According to Peggy Belongia, aquatic manager, explained the water temperature in the small pool is held between 88.5 and 91 degrees, and the air temperature in that area is two degrees warmer than the water. She added, “The pool is 15 feet across and 25 feet long. Barbara originally started to go to the Aquatic Center after she dislocated one of her ankles. She was receiving physical therapy for that in addition to back pain. When her sessions of therapy were finished, her therapist from Agnesian Sports and Spine suggested she continue with exercising in the warm water. Because Barbara was so comfortable in the warm water, she bought a membership. She had to put her attendance on hold for a while when she had a hip replacement in January 2012. She quipped, “Nobody tells how it feels to get old.” As soon as she was able, she was very happy to return to the Aquatic Center. By that time she had already made several friends there. Another long time participant, LaVerne

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Adult Swim Time The swim program is available through the Fond du Lac Recreation Department and the Fond du Lac School District. Peggy Belongia, aquatic manager, also recommends the Joint Efforts (AFAP Arthritis Foundation Aquatics Program), a structured program taught by a certified instructor. For more information about adult open swim or Joint Efforts, contact Peggy at 929-3536. would have done without them. I know they will be there for me if I need them.” Duane and Barb Stoegbauer are also familiar faces there. Barb had knee surgery in 1998 and Duane had two knee replacements. Sometimes he can be found at Aquatic Center every day. These are just a few of those who enjoy the socialization and benefit from the warm water and socialization. Many have formed lasting friendships and have bonded with others thru their participation. Like Barbara joked, “I keep on keeping to try to maintain my mobility and health to enjoy the things I like to do. Others in the group inspire me.” ✦

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Kabat explained her late husband came at 6 a.m. every morning to strengthen his muscles due to Parkinson’s. When she started attending, she found it was really good exercise, especially after she had knee surgery about four years ago. She commented, “It really made a difference and limbers up the body.” LaVerne has nothing but praise for her friends at the Aquatic Center. “We have so much fun and we go out for breakfast at least once a month, sometimes even more frequently, attend movies together, and go out for a fish fry on Fridays, and even have Christmas parties. We just had one.” She added, “ It is a wonderful place for us to socialize and have fun. If one of us doesn’t show up for a day or two, we call to check up on that person. We look out for each other.” When her husband passed away recently, her group of friends were right there to support her. Another participant, Marcia Wilhelms is another regular at the Aquatic Center open swim. After her husband was discharged from St. Agnes Hospital for a very serious condition in 1995, he started going to the Aquatic Center. Marcia attends six days a week and thoroughly enjoys the “wonderful, great bunch of people who soak up the warm water with her. “When my husband passed away, my friends from the Aquatic Center open swim group were right there. I don’t know what I

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EXPERIENCE ░ 3

January Calendar 2 • lectUre serIes Horicon Marsh Int’l Education Center, N7725 Highway 28 Horicon. 7 p.m. “Making Your Wood Duck Boxes Pro-duck-tive” presented by Wood Duck Society Member, Jeff Bahls. 3 • BrIdAl fAIre 2013 Holiday Inn, 625 W Rolling Meadows Dr. 4 - 7:30 p.m. $6 in advance, $10 at the door. Fashions by Edith’s and Tuxedo Junction. Fashion show at 7 p.m. Music by Record Entertainment. Hair by Twist ‘N‘ Tease Salon. Advance tickets at Edith’s, Downtown Fond du Lac. 5 • foot of the lAke sYnchronIZed skAtInG clAssIc FDL Blue Line Family Ice Center, 550 Fond du Lac Ave. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. $10, 10 years and under free. Nationally-competing synchronized skating teams perform in this day-long event. Concessions available. 5 • pUBlIc nAtUrAlIst proGrAm Horicon Marsh Int’l Education Center, N7725 Hwy 28, Horicon. 10 a.m. Snowshoe or hike the marsh with Naturalist Liz Herzmann. Experience how to track animals in the snow and discover what marsh animals were up to the night before. Explore areas of the marsh typically not accessible during other seasons and see the beauty of the marsh during the winter. Bring your own snowshoes or borrow ours! All hikes allow for easy walking and good access to the marsh. Most programs will run for about one hour.

delicious hearth-cooked meal, prepared with your own hands, in the historic Wade House stagecoach inn. Guests prepare 19th-century dishes on a wood-burning stove and over an open hearth fire just as Mrs. Wade did more than 150 years ago. This participatory event culminates in a wonderful sit-down meal in the lovely Wade House dining room. Reservations required. 12 • trAvelInG on snowshoes throUGh the wonders of wInter eXplorInG nAtUre proGrAm Henry S. Reuss Ice Age Visitor Center, N2875 Hwy 67, Campbellsport. 10-11:30 a.m. Snow permitting, we begin with an introduction to snowshoeing and then head outside along the trails, where we will keep our eyes and ears open for the wonders of winter and the active animals. To register call (920) 533-8322 by January 10. This program is best for people older than 8 years. 12-13 • 2013 wIsconsIn stAte BowlInG toUrnAment Ledgeview Lanes, 170 S. Prairie Rd., Fond du Lac. The WBSA and Fond du Lac welcomes you to the 2013 Wisconsin State Tournament! Karl Ray Lanes is located at 770 S. Military Road. 920-921-3430 15 • senIor dInInG GroUp Oscar’s, 156 Western Ave., Fond du Lac. Cocktails at 5:30, dinner at 6:30 p.m. The Fond du Lac Senior Dining Group invites all men and women over the age of

55 to join them on Tuesday nights. Call Max at 269-4180 or Mary Jo at 960-2532. 18 • toUr the town Art wAlk 130 S. Main St. , Downtown Fond du Lac. 5-8 p.m. Stroll historic downtown Fond du Lac during Tour the Town, a free event held the third Friday of every month. All manner of artists — from painters, jewelry makers, mixed media artists, to cheese artisans and every medium in between — with their wares available for purchase. 18-20 • pee wee A hockeY TOURNAMENT FDL Blue Line Family Ice Center, 550 Fond du Lac Ave., Fond du Lac. 19-20 • centrAl wIsconsIn GUn collectors show FDL County Fairgrounds Expo Center, 601 Martin Ave. Sat. 8-5 p.m., Sun. 8-3 p.m. $5. Buy, sell or trade old and modern guns and accessories at the largest gun show in Wisconsin, with more than 500 6-foot tables. Food and beverages available. 19-20 • 2013 wIsconsIn stAte BowlInG toUrnAment Ledgeview Lanes, 170 S. Prairie Rd. The WBSA and Fond du Lac welcomes you to the 2013 Wisconsin State Tournament! Karl Ray Lanes is located at 770 S. Military Road. The phone number is 920-921-3430.

5 • movIes At the mArsh Horicon Marsh Int’l Education Center, N7725 Highway 28 Horicon. 6:30-8:30 p.m. “Happy Feet Two” (2011).Erik, son of the penguins Mumble and Gloria, is struggling to realize his talents in the Emperor Penguin world. Meanwhile, Mumble and his family and friends discover a new threat to their home — one that will take everyone working together to save them.

27 • concert of chAmBer mUsIc Church of Our Saviour, 363 South Main St. 3 p.m. Selections by soloists and ensembles from the symphonic band, preceded by a recital on the church’s German-built tracker organ. fdlsyphonicband.org 27 • chocolAte fAntAsY Moraine Park Technical College, 235 N. National Ave. 11:30-3 p.m. $10. Chocolate Fantasy is a chocolate lover’s dream! featuring chocolate delights to sample, dozens of gift baskets on silent auction, Festival Foods Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookie Contest, cooking demos from the MPTC Culinary Arts Dept, a raffle drawing and a new hand-made jewelry show and sale.

8 • senIor dInInG GroUp Sebastian’s, 770 S. Main St. Fond du Lac. Cocktails at 5:30, dinner at 6:30 p.m. The Fond du Lac Senior Dining Group invites all men and women over the age of 55 to join them on Tuesday nights. Call Max at 269-4180 or Mary Jo at 960-2532.

12 • wAde hoUse heArthsIde dInner Wade House Historic Site, W7824 Center St., Greenbush. 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. $45 per person. Enjoy a

4 ░ EXPERIENCE

24-27 • don kohlmAn no check hockeY toUrnAment FDL Blue Line Family Ice Center, 550 Fond du Lac Ave. 26-27 • 2013 wIsconsIn stAte BowlInG toUrnAment Ledgeview Lanes, 170 S. Prairie Rd. The WBSA and Fond du Lac welcomes you to the 2013 Wisconsin State Tournament! Karl Ray Lanes is located at 770 S. Military Road. The phone number is 920-921-3430

8 • Books Between BItes Salem United Methodist Church, 120 Sheboygan St. 12:10-12:50 p.m. Hear a book review on “Gabby: A Story of Courage and Hope,” by Gabrielle Giffords and Mark Kelly. Bring a sack lunch. Coffee and soda available.

10 • An evenInG wIth nAtUre GenesIs of the kettle morAIne Henry S. Reuss Ice Age Visitor Center, N2875 Hwy 67, Campbellsport. 7-8:30 p.m. The glaciers of the last Ice Age gave us the gift of the Kettle Moraine. Learn what processes created these world renowned hills. Appropriate for ages 10 and older. Presenter: Dr. David Mickelson, Geology Professor Emeritus, UW-Madison.

22 • senIor dInInG GroUp Schreiner’s, 168 N. Pioneer Rd., Fond du Lac. Cocktails at 5:30, dinner at 6:30 p.m. The Fond du Lac Senior Dining Group invites all men and women over the age of 55 to join them on Tuesday nights. Call Max at 269-4180 or Mary Jo at 960-2532.

Chime Choir

The Fond du Lac Senior Center Chime Choir recently performed for tenants at St. Peter’s Place. SUBMITTED PHOTO

29 • senIor dInInG GroUp Coliseum, 91 S. Main St., Fond du Lac Cocktails at 5:30, dinner at 6:30 p.m. The Fond du Lac Senior Dining Group invites all men and women over the age of 55 to join them on Tuesday nights. Call Max at 269-4180 or Mary Jo at 960-2532. 31 • dUcks UnlImIted wInneBAGo flYwAY chApter BAnqUet Holiday Inn, 625 W Rolling Meadows Dr. 5-9:30 p.m. $70/per person. Reservations before January 24. Cocktails and raffles 5 p.m., dinner 6:30 p.m.

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EXPERIENCE ░ 5

trip tips from a someday traveler By valerie and Wayne Graczyk

Last month we mentioned having some of our travelers share their experiences with our readers, and they are really excited to share some of their thoughts on traveling.

ast spring we led a great group of travelers to Italy. We traveled to several charming Italian towns including Assisi, Bologna, Venice, Siena and of course, Rome. This tour was designed in such a way that every few days we moved to a new town. It was on this particular trip that I met Cindy Warner. She had the lightest suitcase and her enthusiasm for a simplified method of packing a suitcase just bubbled over. It was simply a delight to observe how she dressed and what she wore each day. In fact it got to be “What will she wear today?” She mixed and matched, wore wrinkle free skirts and also quickly became noticed as the trip’s shopping guru. When she shopped, she was a woman on a mission knowing exactly what she

was looking for and she would leave the bus fully determined to find it. With her enthusiasm embedded in my mind, I invited Cindy to share some of her best packing and shopping tips with our readers. “I was thrilled to join Valerie and Wayne on their tour to Italy in spring of 2012. The 9-day trip required that we take our luggage to various hotels, so one of my goals was to pack light, and by design, also save room for souvenirs while also providing me plenty of appropriate clothing options. Here are some ideas that may be helpful to you: ● Pick a three-color theme that works together. Black, white and coral were my choices; others include navy, camel and red, or brown, green and yellow. Pick one bright color to

Cindy Warner poses for the camera while on a recent trip to Italy. SUBMITTEd PhOTO

6 ░ EXPERIENCE

keep outfits from becoming boring. Add two or three light contrasting scarves — they can really make the outfit using up very little space in your suitcase. ● Select three tops for every bottom. In general make the bottoms a darker color. Choose light, low –wrinkle fabrics such as polyester-rayon or acetatespandex. Crinkled gauze or seersucker hide wrinkles. I wore three “broomstick” skirts for most of my trip — just tie them in a knot and they fit in corners of your suitcase. For footwear you really only need three types — walking shoes, ﬂats or sandals, and dressy shoes. Pajamas, underwear, a hat for shade, one cross-body purse/ bag, a small umbrella and raincoat and your camera round out the mix. ● Layer! I packed several t-shirts, sleeveless tops, cardigans and pullovers and switched them up for all types of events and weather. ● Consider packing items that you can throw away. I took some t-shirts that worked just fine under other items but were not worth keeping any longer, so I threw them away as I went along to make room for souvenirs. ● Think about wearing your bulkiest items on the plane. Coat, jeans, etc. Also keep the eventual security check in mind when you pack. Avoid lace-up shoes, belts and heavy accessories. ● When packing, try rolling instead of folding. It takes less room and causes fewer wrinkles. Try to put heavier stuff at the bottom of suitcase, near the wheels. Put small items, such as belts and scarves, around the outside of the “inner portion of the suitcase” and fill empty spaces with smaller items by snugly fitting them into the corners.

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Hopefully these tips will make your adventure even more enjoyable!” Thank you Cindy! It was amazing to witness how great these packing and shopping tips worked. For our next trip with our “Someday” travel group, I am definitely going to pack lighter and with more intent or purpose. Seeing how well packing can be accomplished is truly inspiring. Once again I invite you to share your excitement or ideas about traveling with us and our readers. Where have you travelled? What did you enjoy and would you return? Share it with us and we will consider it for an upcoming article. Send your ideas to somedaytravel@charter.net and be sure to include your contact information so we can give you credit. Happy New Year and may 2013 be your year of making a “Someday Travel dream come true.” ✦

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Souvenirs can be very personal, but after some serious thought, here are some tips that might prevent you from buying something you regret later: ● Know what an area is famous for. And what similar goods would cost at home. For example, Italy has wonderful leather, wool, and glass. I checked prices at home before I went so I would recognize a bargain when I saw it. ● Buy things you will use. How many t-shirts can anyone have? The gloves, purse, and boots that I bought are valuable additions to my wardrobe and have wonderful memories. ● You have nothing to lose to ask the vendor to get the best price. I like to say “Is this your best price?” It has resulted in some good discounts, merely because I asked. If buying more than one of anything, ask for a quantity discount. ● If you love it, buy it! You may not get a second chance.

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EXPERIENCE ░ 7

Medicare

Inpatient or outpatient?

Staying in the hospital without being formally admitted can cost you thousands of dollars

ean Smith spent five days in the hospital with a fractured spine — lying in a hospital bed, wearing a hospital gown and ID bracelet, eating hospital food, and receiving regular nursing care. But when she was discharged and needed to transfer to a skilled nursing facility for rehabilitation, her family learned that she had never been formally admitted as an inpatient to the hospital at all. Instead, she’d been classified as an outpatient under “observation” — a status that would cost her thousands of dollars. Most patients would regard as meaningless the seemingly slight distinction between the two labels — after all, they’re getting exactly the same kind of care. But it can have costly consequences. Under the rules, Medicare picks up the whole tab for the first 20 days in an approved skilled nursing facility for rehab or other care, but only if someone has spent at least three full days in the hospital as an admitted patient. If instead a patient has been under observation — for all or part of that time — he or she is responsible for the entire cost of rehab. (This situation applies only to Medicare coverage in skilled nursing facilities — which are usually nursing homes — and not to rehabilitation hospitals or inpatient rehabilitation facilities. Such places have different rules to qualify for Medicare coverage, but coverage is not affected by previous observation status while in a regular hospital.) Arnau, an 84-year-old widow from Narragansett, R.I., got hit with a large bill. The skilled nursing facility she went to charged her $3,900 for a two-week stay. And although she had a Medigap supplemental policy, this insurance does not pay the out-of-pocket costs of services that Medicare does not cover. Unwelcome news Her family only learned about the problem the day Arnau left the hospital, says her daughter Mimi Auer, who is considering appealing the decision. At first she thought it was a mistake. But staff at the nursing facility told her they’d had four cases like her mother’s just the previous week. “Four cases of the same situation had to pay for the nursing home because they’d been on observation in the hospital,” Auer protests. “What’s going on here?” Hospitals throughout the country have increasingly classified Medicare beneficiaries as observation patients instead of admitting them, according to researchers at Brown University, who recently published a nationwide analysis of Medicare claims in the journal Health Affairs.

8 ░ EXPERIENCE

for 72 hours or longer in 2009 — an increase of 88 percent since 2007. This research confirms the longtime concerns of consumer advocates. Two years ago, for example, the federal Medicare agency held a “listening session” at which more than 2,200 hospital administrators, physicians, patient advocates, and others called in to discuss the topic of observation status. “Almost everyone who spoke felt the practice was harmful and should be ended,” says Judith Stein, founder and executive director of the Center for Medicare Advocacy. But nothing came of it and so last year the center filed a class action lawsuit against the federal government in an attempt to force change.

The results showed that in just three years — 2007 through 2009 — the ratio of Medicare observation patients to those admitted as inpatients rose by 34 percent. Medicare tells hospitals that the decision to admit or discharge a patient who is under observation can most often be made in less than 24 hours. “In only rare and exceptional cases do reasonable and necessary outpatient observation services span more than 48 hours,” says the Medicare Benefit Policy Manual. But the Brown University study found that more than 10 percent of patients in observation were kept there for more than 48 hours. And it identified more than 44,800 who were kept in observation

More out-of-pocket costs The suit alleges that the practice of putting patients in observation status not only denies them coverage for post-hospital rehab care in a skilled nursing facility, so they must either pay the full bill — more than $30,000 in the case of two plaintiffs — or forgo treatment. It also classifies them as outpatients while they’re in the hospital. Therefore, their Medicare coverage comes not under Part A (hospital insurance), but Part B (which normally covers doctors’ services and outpatient care). For some patients, this can mean paying more out of pocket. The practice “doesn’t make any sense” because people only go into the hospital when they’re sick, Stein says. “They [go] either on orders of a doctor or because, having arrived at the emergency

Under Observation … Here’s what you can do to help avoid big bills, however, if you, or someone you’re looking out for, is placed under observation in the hospital: ● Ask about your status each day you are in the hospital. It can be changed (from inpatient to observation, or vice versa) at any time. ● Ask the hospital doctor to reconsider your case or refer it to the hospital committee that decides status. ● Ask your own doctor whether observation status is justified. If not,

ask him or her to call the hospital to explain the medical reasons why you should be admitted as an inpatient. ● If, after discharge, you need rehab or other continuing care but Medicare won’t cover your stay in a skilled nursing facility, ask your doctor whether you qualify for similar care at home through Medicare’s home health care benefit, or for Medicare-covered care in a rehabilitation hospital. ● If you go to a skilled nursing facility and have to pay for it yourself, you can try formally appealing

Medicare’s decision. When you receive your quarterly Medicare Summary Notice, make a copy and highlight the facility’s charge. Send this to the address provided on the notice with a letter saying you want to appeal Medicare’s decision of noncoverage on the basis that you should have been classified as an inpatient during your hospital stay and not placed under observation. If this is denied, you can go to a higher level of appeal, following instructions on the denial letter.

ACTION PUBLICATIONS ● JANUARY 2013

department, they were told they should stay.” And yet, she adds, “those who ended up in the nursing home with no payment were not aware — and neither were their families — that they were in observation status until they were discharged from the hospital. And then they were informed.” The lawsuit calls for observation status to be abolished — or at least for patients to be notified in a timely fashion of their status and given the opportunity to make a swift appeal against the decision. Some of the center’s clients reported stays of up to 14 days in observation, Stein says. What determines whether a patient is classified as an inpatient or placed under observation? Usually the call is made by the hospital, which, in many cases, may overrule the patient’s own physician. But Medicare’s guidelines are not clear, and many experts suggest that hospitals are placing more and more patients under observation to protect themselves against new policies that penalize hospitals for unnecessary admissions and frequent readmissions of the same patient. Unintended consequences? In an effort to rein in spiraling costs, Medicare is now taking a tougher line with hospitals, sending auditors to investigate not only fraud but also cases in which the agency thinks that “medically unnecessary” hospitalizations have occurred. Also, to improve the quality of care, Medicare will soon start penalizing hospitals that readmit patients in less than 30 days — raising the question of whether hospitals might label people as observation patients so that they cannot be counted as readmissions if they happen to

return. Cost-control measures are “perfectly understandable,” says Zhanlian Feng, the Brown University study’s lead author. “On the other hand, those policies may have unintended consequences.” The American Hospital Association (AMA) says that hospitals are placed in an untenable position. On the one hand, they risk penalties if they admit patients for short stays. Yet they anger patients who are put under observation. “Hospitals cannot win no matter how they handle the situation,” the group argued in a friend-of-the-court brief. The AMA says the observation policy has caused confusion for physicians, as well. “The AMA supports rescinding the three-day stay policy, as well as counting observation care toward the [stay] … for as long as this requirement remains in place,” it said in a letter to the Medicare agency. Meanwhile, under the status quo, hospitals are allowed to place patients in observation at any time during their hospital stay — even retroactively. Hospital staff only are required to inform patients of their status before they leave the hospital. Avoid the trap Consumer advocates advise patients or their families to press the hospital for information and alert their own doctors. Many primary care physicians no longer look after their own patients in the hospital — that role often is now assumed by a hospital doctor — and they are not always aware of the implications of observation. After news of the lawsuit hit the headlines, the Center for Medicare Advocacy heard from a doctor in a prominent hospital who said that until then he hadn’t realized that the practice had caused any problems for patients. “He said he thought it was just a billing issue, so he hadn’t paid any attention to it,” Stein recalls. ✦

2012 Transportation Services

Fond du Lac County Department of Senior Services 1-800-215-5494 Service Type Elderly

Walk-on vans 60+ years of age

Escort

Frail; physician certiﬁed

Handi-Van

Wheelchair use or mobility impaired No age restrictions

Priorities

Cost

Medical, Employment, Nutrition Personal Business, Education/Training, Social/Recreation

$2.50 each way $2.50 each way $2.50 each way $2.50 each way

Medical, Therapy, Dental

Within FdL County $2.50 each way Outside FdL County $6.00 each way

No priorities 6:00 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. (Mon-Fri)

Senior Service Transportation Service Phone Numbers ELDERLY VAN: 60+ years of age ......................................................... 929-3936 HANDI-VAN: Wheelchair or mobility impaired, no age restriction....... 929-3110 ESCORT: Frail, no age restriction ......................................................... 929-3936 Senior Dining & Mobile Meals (60+ years of age) 929-3937 WI-5001552523

WHY GO ANYWHERE ELSE?

When it comes to meeting your financial goals, you really only need to see one person. At Edward Jones, we strive to meet all your financial services needs while providing exceptional personalized service. Because we serve individual investors and business owners, all of our energy and resources are dedicated to helping you reach your long-term financial goals. That’s why we live and work in your community. We meet with you face to face to discuss the key steps to creating your financial strategy. You talk, we listen, and we get to know you.

Estate Planning*

Mutual Funds

Annuities

Insurance

Online Account Access Individual Retirement Accounts

Retirement Plan Rollovers and Consolidation

Portfolio and Retirement Plan Reviews For more information or to schedule a complimentary financial review, call or stop by today.

Steven Millin, AAMS 68 N. Main St. Fond du Lac, WI 54935 (920) 923-0970 800-743-2996

Doug Shireman, AAMS

885 Western Ave., Suite 300B Fond du Lac,WI 54935 (920) 923-4401 888-923-4667

Pam Tollefson

Adam VandeSlunt, AAMS

68 North Main Street Fond du Lac, WI 54935 (920) 923-0970

1003 W. Main St. Waupun, WI 53963 (920) 324-2530 888-324-2535

Ben Baertschy

Dan Sprader, AAMS

EXPERIENCE is published by Gannett Wisconsin Custom Publishing. Contents of the section are for Action Reporter Media. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior consent of Gannett Wisconsin Custom Publishing. For information, contact Jen Memmel at 920-907-7901. General Manager / Richard Roesgen | Advertising Director / Lisa O’Halloran Advertising MANAGER / JEN MEMMEL | Graphic Artist / JAMES HOSLET

*Estate-planning services are offered through Edward Jones Trust Company. Edward Jones Trust Company and Edward Jones are separate subsidiaries of the Jones Financial Companies, L.L.L.P.

www.edwardjones.com �� WI-5001590775

JANUARY 2013 ● ACTION PUBLICATIONS

Fee $3.00 each way

Joe Heeringa

14 W. Main Street Waupun, WI 53963 (920) 324-2188

928 S. Main Street, Suite 600 Fond du Lac, WI 54935 (920) 923-1020

Member SIPC

976 E. Johnson St., Suite 700 Fond du Lac, WI 54935 (920) 923-3934 877-923-3934

EXPERIENCE ░ 9

senior dining menu TUESDAY, JAN. 1 No Meals Served

THURSDAY, JAN. 10 Spaghetti and Meat Sauce Italian Green Beans Parmesan Cheese Tossed Salad w/Italian Dressing Ice Cream Italian Bread

WEDNESDAY, JAN. 2 Pork Chop Suey Fluff y Rice Soy Sauce Japanese Blend Vegetables Chow Mein Noodles Lime CC Salad Strawberry Shortcake w/Whipped Topping White Bread

FRIDAY, JAN. 11 BBQ Chicken Sweet Potatoes Mixed Vegetable Macaroni Salad Molasses Cookie White Bread

THURSDAY, JAN. 3 Roast Beef Mashed Potatoes Homemade Gravy Broccoli Sunshine Salad Ranger Cookie Whole Wheat Dinner Roll

MONDAY, JAN. 14 Ring Bologna Ketchup & Mustard German Potato Salad Whole Kernel Corn Under the Sea Salad Pineapple Upside Down Cake White Bread

FRIDAY, JAN. 4 Meatloaf w/Ketchup Baked Potatoes Margarine/Sour Cream Rivera Blend Vegetables Apple Rings Blueberry Torte Wheat Bread

TUESDAY, JAN. 15 Sliced Turkey Bread Dressing Gravy Baby Whole Carrots Cranberry Sauce Lazy Dazy Cake Vienna Bread

MONDAY, JAN. 7 Pork Chop in Gravy Red Jacket Potatoes Margarine Pat Squash Coleslaw Banana Cake Marble Rye

WEDNESDAY, JAN. 16 Tuna Noodle Casserole Peas Ambrosia Salad Carrot Cake w/Cream Cheese Frosting Wheat Bread

TUESDAY, JAN. 8 Meatballs in Mushroom Gravy over Rice Carrot Coins Pickled Beet Salad Peach Cobbler Sourdough Bread WEDNESDAY, JAN. 9 Salisbury Steak Whipped Potatoes Gravy Zucchini & Tomatoes Mandarin Oranges Pumpkin Torte Wheat Bread

THURSDAY, JAN. 17 Roast Loin Mashed Potatoes Gravy Brussels Sprouts Applesauce Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Sourdough Bread FRIDAY, JAN. 18 Beef Stew over Dumpling Garden Blend Vegetables Chilled Plums Chocolate Pudding Wheat Bread

MONDAY, JAN. 21 Hungarian Goulash over Pasta Harvard Beets Carrot Raisin Salad German Apple Cake Wheat Bread TUESDAY, JAN. 22 Ham in a Pineapple Sauce Scalloped Potatoes Wax Beans Perfection Salad Sherbet Russian Rye WEDNESDAY, JAN. 23 BBQ Rib O’Brien Potatoes Spinach/Lemon Juice Tossed Salad w/Ranch Dressing Butterscotch Pudding Rye Bread THURSDAY, JAN. 24 Tender Beef Steaks in Gravy Parsley Potatoes Cream Style Corn Chilled Peaches Peanut Butter Cookie White Bread FRIDAY, JAN. 25 Macaroni & Cheese Stewed Tomatoes Fruit Cocktail Fluff Apple Crisp Corn Bread Muffin MONDAY, JAN. 28 Ham Loaf Au Gratin Potatoes Wisconsin Blend Vegetables Copper Penny Salad Fresh Fruit Marble Rye TUESDAY, JAN. 29 Chili Winter Blend Vegetables Cheese Slice Crackers Apricots Hunter’s Pudding Russian Rye WEDNESDAY, JAN. 30 Southern Fried Chicken Mashed Potatoes Gravy Red Cabbage Pea & Cheese Salad Ice Cream Dinner Roll THURSDAY, JAN. 31 Pizza Casserole French Cut Green Beans Lettuce Salad w/French Dressing Vanilla Pudding w/Cherries Vienna Bread

Meal Sites FoNd dU LaC

● Riverview Apartments, 101 Western Ave. (Mon.-Fri.) – 11:45 a.m. ● Westnor Apartments, 653 W. Arndt St. – noon ● Portland Square Apartments, 55 N. Portland – 11:45 a.m. ● Senior Center, 151 E. First St. (Mon.-Thurs.) – 11:45 a.m.

NoRTh FoNd dU LaC

● Northgate, 350 Winnebago St. noon

RIPoN

● Russell Manor, 504 Russell Dr. – 11:45 a.m. ● Willowbrook Apartments, 615 W. Oshkosh St. – noon

WaUPUN

● Senior Center, 301 E. Main St. – noon

ELIgIBILITY

All persons 60 years or older, or married to someone 60 years of age or older are eligible for the Fond du Lac County Elderly Nutrition Program. No person shall be excluded from participation in, be denied beneﬁts of, or be subjected to discrimination on the grounds of: race, color, creed, sex, national origin, or their ability to pay.

NUTRITIoN

Each meal contains 1/3 of the current Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) established by the Food and Nutrition Board of the National Academy of Sciences: ● Meat or alternative – 3 oz. cooked ● Vegetable and fruit – 2 half cups ● Bread or alternative – 1 serving ● Butter/fortiﬁed margarine – 1 teaspoon ● Dessert – half cup ● Milk – half pint.

REgISTRaTIoN

Those attending are required to preregister at least one day in advance by 1 p.m., either by signing up at a meal site or by calling: ● Fond du Lac Courthouse — 929-3937 ● Waupun Senior Center — 324-7930.

doNaTIoNS

There is a suggested donation of $3 for those 60 years of age or older or married to someone 60+. Meals on Wheels suggested donation of $3.50.

CaNCELLaTIoNS

Once an individual has registered for a meal, they are expected to attend. If they must cancel due to illness or emergency, they should call the Senior Services Oﬃce (929-3937). Those on Meals on Wheels may cancel by calling the Senior Services Oﬃce before 8:30 a.m.

VoLUNTEERS

Volunteers are needed for the Senior Dining Program of the Fond du Lac County Dept. of Senior Services. Call 929-3114 for more information.

*Menus are subject to change • *2% milk, and margarine. Esther Mukand-Cerro, R.D, C.D.• Alyson Koehn F.S.D. Fond du Lac County Senior Services Department – 929-3937

10 ░ EXPERIENCE

ACTION PUBLICATIONS ● JANUARY 2013

Lincoln House

The Lincoln House offers affordable housing for older adults who cannot or choose not to live alone. Overlooking beautiful Taylor Park, our home offers all the comforts of home along with the following amenities:

• Medication management • Care call system in each bedroom & bathroom • 24-hour supervision ASSISTED • Family-oriented home setting L IVING FOR • Caring & trained staff OLDER • Home-cooked meals A DULTS • Community & home activities • And more... LINCOLN HOUSE: 342 Forest Ave. FRANKLIN HOUSE: 349 W. 11th St.

For more information or a tour call 922-7072 • www.rsifdl.org

WI-5001591200

Serving the people of Fond du Lac since 1971

CHAPEL OF THE RISEN CHRIST MAUSOLEUM

Social Security announces 1.7 percent benefit increase in 2013

Monthly Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits for nearly 62 million Americans will increase 1.7 percent in 2013, the Social Security Administration announced. The 1.7 percent cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) will begin with benefits that more than 56 million Social Security beneficiaries receive in January 2013. Increased payments to more than 8 million SSI beneficiaries will begin on Dec. 31, 2012. Some other changes that take effect in January of each year are based on the increase in average wages. Based on that increase, the maximum amount of earnings subject to the Social Security tax (taxable maximum) will increase to $113,700 from $110,100. Of the estimated 163 million workers who will pay Social Security taxes in 2013, nearly 10 million will pay higher taxes as a result of the increase in the taxable maximum. Information about Medicare changes for 2013, when announced, will be available at www.Medicare.gov. For some beneficiaries, their Social Security increase may be partially or completely offset by increases in Medicare premiums. The Social Security Act provides for how the COLA is calculated. To read more, please visit www.socialsecurity.gov/cola

OPENINGS AVAILABLE

“Liberty House goes above and beyond their call of duty to help the residents and their families.”

Liberty House offers you an affordable alternative: Thoughtful, personalized assistance that respects each individual’s privacy and pride. Family-style assisted living in a clean, safe environment with a range of services.

New Chapel Cross Niches for Cremation from $1697 Family visitation 7am - 6:30pm

• PRIVATE ROOMS • HOME-COOKED MEALS • MEDICATION SUPERVISION

Call for a no-obligation tour and free information folder

Darlene Hoffmann General Manager

Tours available by appointment.

Office: 8am-3:30pm MondayFriday or by appointment

Liberty House

We can provide a permanent lasting memorial for your loved one. Your ﬁnal statement … an eternal afﬁrmation of love. Crypts, Niches for cremation, our new beautiful Cross of Calvary Cremation Garden, Graves, Monuments and Headstones.

CALVARY CEMETERY • 686 Fond du Lac Ave • (920) 923-2202 www.calvarycemeteryfdl.com

WI-5001590766

JANUARY 2013 ● ACTION PUBLICATIONS

• STAFF ON DUTY 24 HOURS • PERSONAL CARE ASSISTANCE • ON STAFF ACTIVITIES PERSON

701 S. MAIN ST., FOND DU LAC • 922-5445

A State Licensed Class C – Community-Based Residential Facility Judith Jones, Administrator WI-5001591196

EXPERIENCE ░ 11

30 Years

Helping the Hearing Impaired of Fond du Lac

The Audiology Center

Promise �� 24-Hour Rehabilitative Nursing Care One-on-One Treatment Times Physical, Occupational, and Speech Therapy �� Nondenominational Pastoral Care

(920) ��

WI-5001597263

Greg Wiersema, MST-CCC/A Clinical Audiologist Not just a Hearing Instrument Specialist, but a Masters Degreed Audiologist specializing in diagnosis and treatment of hearing loss for all ages.

AUDIOLOGY CENTER of FOND DU LAC 221 Fond du Lac Ave, FDL (920) 923-4678

MAYVILLE NURSING AND REHABILITATION CENTER Providing a

Personalized

Approach to Recovery At Mayville Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, our goal is to ensure your return home and improve your quality of life. Our therapy team will develop a customized treatment plan to address your unique recovery needs with the objective of a safe return home following your surgery.

During your visit, you can expect the following: • A tour of our 26 bed Audubon Rehabilitation Unit with separate dining, nurses station and entrance. • An interview to identify your speciﬁc needs. • An introduction to your Therapy Team while touring our state-of-the-art rehabilitation department. • An introduction to the facility’s key associates. • Meet with the Director of Social Services to begin planning your successful discharge home. • Assistance from the Admissions Team to help you complete the pre-admission paperwork, ensuring your easy transition from the hospital. • Our Business Office Manager is here to answer any insurance questions pertaining to your stay with us. (Please bring your insurance cards to your appointment). • Our Admissions Department will notify the appropriate staff at the hospital that you have pre-registered at Mayville Nursing and Rehabilitation Center.

305 S. Clark Street . Mayville, WI 53050 . www.mayvilleskillednursing.com WI-5001591205

12 ░ EXPERIENCE

Call 920.387.0354 to schedule a free pre-surgery consultation. ACTION PUBLICATIONS ● JANUARY 2013

WI-5001596867

Advanced, short-term care.

· I Will Not…Inflate prices to MSRP or above just to offer a large percentage off or unrealistic discounts. · I Will Not…Nearly double the price of a stock (one size fits all) canal hearing aid just to offer “Buy One, Get One Free.” · I Will…Offer fully digital hearing aids that are custom fit and programmed for your specific loss. · I Will…Provide personalized service and diagnostic testing, as a nationally certified audiologist with over 30 years experience. · I Will…Be convenient and accessible with office hours Monday thru Friday - not just a few days a week.