F R E E SPRING
2013
What to Eat? Ten tips from dietician April Graff
Perfect Pitching
Harold Schrader is one of the best horseshoe pitchers in the world – and he’s 90
Health Care at Home
How technology can help seniors stay home longer
The Weather Man Paul Douglas talks about his life as a meteorologist at the Senior Expo in May
THINK SPRING!!!
6
Contents
10
13
MATURE LIFEST YLE • SPRING 2013 • VOLUME 5, ISSUE 1
FEATURES 6 Weather or Not
16
Meteorologist Paul Douglas talks about the weather, and how it has been part of his life, at the 2013 Senior Expo.
10 Health Care at Home Good Samaritan Society is using technology to allow more seniors to stay at home, and to stay safe.
13 Ten Tips for Better Health
19
Dietician April Graff shares ideas about how to eat better and live healthier.
16 Horseshoe Hero Harold Schrader has made a name for himself pitching horseshoes.
DEPARTMENTS 4 Publisher’s Note 19 Community Calendar 21 Travel: The Beauty of Beaches 22 Book Review
21
publisher’s notes
Welcome to the spring edition of Mature Lifestyles…
I
am so ready for spring – and with it, the annual Senior Expo at the Verizon Wireless Center! You’ll be seeing the man on the cover, former meteorologist of KARE-TV and WCCO-TV Paul Douglas, there this year. Our story in Mature focuses on his career in weather, including the entrepreneurial opportunities he’s had because of it. He considers Minnesota to be “the Super Bowl of weather” because we have so many extremes. The changing seasons, and even the unpredictable weather, may be why we love living here. It can scare us to death. I have never seen a tornado, but I have driven in blinding snow and it is no fun. Add to that
the terrifying experience of being in a small plane during a thunderstorm, and I would say that I have developed the upmost respect for Mother Nature in Minnesota. Be sure to visit with me – and listen to Paul Douglas – at the Senior Expo on Tuesday, May 14, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Verizon Wireless Center in Mankato. My sister recently gave me a copy of the 2013 Handbook. A few of these really hit home for me, and I thought that sharing them with you would be a great start to this new season of Mature. If you only act upon three or four of these in the year, so be it. We could all be better people if we tried to integrate as many of them as we can into our lives. (continued on page 23)
Mature Lifestyle is a Quarterly Publication of the Home Magazine, Mankato, MN. A Property of Community First Holdings, Inc.
Publisher Kelly Hulke Sales Manager Mary Degrood Sales Executives Yvonne Sonnek Debby Carlson Deena Briggs Dorothy Meyer Editorial/Photography Sara Gilbert Frederick Jean Lindquist Graphic Designer Deb Granger Business Manager Ron Bresnahan Circulation Manager Robin Stenzel Circulation Jim Lawrence Becky Carmody Advertising Information: Home Magazine 1400 Madison Ave., Suite 610 Mankato, MN 56001 (507) 387-7953 fax 387-4775 homemag@homemagonline.com
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On the cover: Paul Douglas
Mature Lifestyles February 2013 5
paul douglas
or Not
By Sara Gilbert Frederick
I
n the summer of 1972, Tropical Storm Agnes stalled right over Lancaster County in Pennsylvania. Agnes had already traveled up the East Coast from the Caribbean Sea, spawning a devastating tornado outbreak in Florida and Georgia that killed six people. But it wasn’t wind that Agnes brought to Pennsylvania. It was rain. The whole state received more than 7 inches of precipitation, with some sections receiving up to 19 inches. By the time Agnes moved on, more than 68,000 homes and 3,000 businesses had been destroyed, and 50 people had been killed. Paul Douglas was 14 years old that summer. The rains flooded his family’s home in Lancaster County, forcing them out of the house. One of the fatalities occurred in the stream that ran just behind their home. “It was pretty traumatic,” Douglas says. But Douglas credits that storm, along with his Boy Scout weather merit badge and a couple of excellent junior high teachers, for sparking an interest in meteorology that became the foundation for his future career – and that will undoubtedly be part of his talk at the Senior Expo in Mankato this spring. “I’ll absolutely work weather into my talk,” laughs Douglas, who was a meteorologist at KARE-TV from 1983 until 1994, and at WCCO-TV from 1997 until 2008. “I see weather as a metaphor for life and for business.” It has been both for Douglas.
Working the Weather Douglas started studying weather in high school; he remembers checking out every book he could find about tornadoes, hurricanes and other storms. He started trying to forecast the weather and learned what worked best by trial and error – and by checking the window to see if he’d gotten it right quite yet. By the time he enrolled at Penn State to study meteorology, he had launched his own consulting company, Total Weather, and was providing forecasts for radio stations on the side. After college, he began his career as a broadcast meteorologist – although he always seemed to be working on projects on the side as well.
Paul Douglas has been forecasting the weather since he was a teenager; his broadcasting career has included stints at KARE-TV and WCCO-TV in the Twin Cities, as well as at WBBM-TV in Chicago.
6 February 2013 Mature Lifestyles
Most of those just happened to be weather-related as well. He developed a three-dimensional weather graphics program for television stations, he says, “because I was bored with what I was using.” After selling that technology, which was already in use around the country and the world, in 1997, he starting working on his next project: Digital Cyclone, a personalized weather service that in 2001 became the first weather app available on smart phone. In 2007, he sold that to Garmin. He’s written books and newspaper columns; he still regularly writes for the Star Tribune in Minneapolis.
Now Douglas runs Media Logic Group, which includes several weather information services that he has developed. One of those is Alerts Broadcaster, which gives businesses advance notice of extreme weather so that they can monitor their locations and move their resources around as necessary. “So with a company like 3M that has plants all When: Tuesday, May 14, 9 a.m. - 2 p.m. around the country, we can put them on high alert if we know that a tornado is Where: Verizon Wireless Center, Mankato expected to approach one of their faciliCost: Free ties,” he explains. “We let them know Keynote Address by Paul Douglas at 2 p.m. well in advance that it might be coming. But then, we also tell them when it’s 10 Other highlights: minutes away, and at that point we tell More than 100 exhibitors, plus medical screenings, door prizes, live entertainment them exactly what they should be doing and more. and where the safest place to be is. We’re taking the warning process to the next level for businesses.” He knows that his entrepreneurial spirit might drive his wife, Laurie, a little mathematical formulas that describe crazy. When he decided to launch his how the Earth’s atmosphere is supposed most recent venture, he says, “I think to work in a perfect world. They learn the she wanted to strangle me.” But he can’t latest technology and work with sophisMeteorologist Paul Douglas will give seem to help himself. ticated tools to help predict patterns the keynote address at 2 p.m. in the “It’s a passion and a sickness,” he better. But even when armed with all of admits. “I see new opportunities all Verizon Wireless Banquet Hall, that knowledge and know-how, Douglas of the time, but they don’t all pan out. but there are many other highlights says that there is still an Failure is part of the turf when element of fear associof the Senior Expo: you’re launching new ated with storms and companies, and you’re • More than 100 exhibitors severe weather. “Sometimes I feel like never 100 percent “You always • Medical screenings from sure what will have a healthy I’m more of a therapist local healthcare providers work. But again, fear of it,” he says. than a scientist.” it’s a metaphor • Door prize drawings “If the fear goes for life; you have away, that’s not a throughout the day to keep digging in and good thing. In fact, the • Snacks and beverages available learning new things. It’s essential, older I get, the more respect I have for whether you’re 20, 50, or 80, not to be • Live entertainment Mother Nature.” static but to keep growing, keep trying, Even with modern computer models • Free parking keep throwing things against the wall to and Doppler radar, forecasts still aren’t • AgeWell Room see what sticks.” perfect. They are certainly more precise than they were in the past; it’s unlikely, A free shuttle will be running from Respecting the Storm Douglas says, that another Armistice the Caledonia Community/Curling Douglas says that many of his colleagues Day Blizzard could take Minnesotans by Center to the Verizon Wireless in meteorology share storm stories that surprise. But there is still so much that Center every half hour between are similar to his experience with Agnes. isn’t known about how weather works, “Most people you see on TV as meteoespecially in the changing world we live 8:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. rologists were traumatized by something in, to make guaranteed predictions. “We For more information about weather-related as kids,” he says. “That’s have made progress,” he says, “but we’ll when they started tracking the weather never be 100 percent accurate.” the Senior Expo, visit and wanting to learn more.” That’s a fact of life in Douglas’s verizonwirelesscentermn.com. Learning more helps them understand chosen field, and one that made his what might happen when. They study
2013
(continued on next page)
Mature Lifestyles February 2013 7
Weather or Not (continued from previous page)
position unique among his colleagues in the television newsroom. “I used to tell Don Shelby at WCCO, ‘Why don’t you go on the air and try to predict what the news is going to be?’” he says. “The same thing with Mark Rosen and sports; what would happen if he went out there and tried to predict what the scores were going to be? Meteorologists are the only ones crazy enough to try to predict the future – and to go public with our predictions. It’s kind of goofy when you think about it.”
Talking about the Weather Douglas laughs that sometimes people seem a little scared when they see him coming. He assumes it’s because he’s often been the bearer of bad news, especially when the weekend is coming. “Sometimes I feel like I’m more of a therapist than a scientist,” he jokes. “Especially with June brides who want a big outdoor wedding. They’ll say, ‘Paul, should I rent a tent?’ I always yes, rent the tent. You’re getting married in the wettest month of the year. Rent the tent.” He isn’t at all surprised that people are often eager to talk to him – and to each other – about the weather, especially in Min“Weather is nesota. For very democratic; one thing, it’s a topic that’s why I that always love it.” seems to be on our minds in a state that Douglas describes as “the Super Bowl of weather” because it has so many extremes. And unlike politics or religion, it’s a safe, comfortable topic for most people as well. “It’s the great equalizer,” he says. “Weather is very democratic; that’s why I love it. The one percent is just as impacted by it as the rest of it. Weather is very American that way – everyone is equally impacted by it.” 8 February 2013 Mature Lifestyles
Understanding
Alzheimer’s disease
A
s we age, it’s normal to experience occasional forgetfulness and even some confusion. But when you begin to have consistent issues with thinking, reasoning and remembering, it could be a sign of a more serious condition known as dementia. According to the National Institute on Aging, dementia is the loss of cognitive function and behavioral abilities to the point that it interferes with daily life. The good news is that minor lapses in memory are not typically indicative of dementia. The most common cause of dementia is Alzheimer’s disease – a condition where brain cells decline in function. Understanding Alzheimer’s will help you to be better prepared as a caregiver, patient or supporter.
What are the signs? Alzheimer’s disease usually begins as mild cognitive impairment, which slowly progresses into serious functional difficulties. The major warning signs for Alzheimer’s include:
3. Changes in behavior. Due to changes in the brain over the course of the disease, Alzheimer’s can cause shifts in behavior and personality including: • Confusion • Anxiety and depression • Aggression and irritability • Fear and paranoia 4. Disorientation. People with Alzheimer’s may forget the day, month or year. They may also begin to misinterpret their surroundings and become confused as to where they are – and why. 5. Trouble communicating. Those suffering from Alzheimer’s may experience difficulty recalling the correct name of an object. For example, they might call a shovel a “scooping thing.” This cognitive impairment can hinder their ability to express thoughts clearly and may impact social interactions. Occasionally, this is the first sign of Alzheimer’s. 6. Difficulty performing routine activities. As Alzheimer’s progresses, individuals may find it challenging to complete simple, habitual activities, such as following a well-known recipe. Inability to dress or bathe oneself can also appear in later stages of the disease. 7. Poor judgement. A significant decline in decision-making skills is another symptom of Alzheimer’s disease. As a result, people with dementia are especially vulnerable to scams, embezzlement and other forms of financial harm. They may also begin to neglect personal hygiene.
1. Memory loss. This is one of the most common symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease. People with Alzheimer’s often: • Forget recently learned information • Miss appointments or events and don’t recall them later • Misplace items and set them in strange locations • Eventually forget the names of familiar people and objects • Experience confusion about time and place 2. Problems with reasoning and thinking. Individuals with Winnie Pao, Alzheimer’s often find it M.D., is a increasingly difficult to work Mayo Clinic with numbers, balance their Health System finances or think abstractly. neurologist. This may lead to frequently missed bill payments.
If you notice any of the previously listed symptoms in yourself or a loved one, it’s important to schedule an appointment with your health care provider. Proper and prompt diagnosis is an important first step because other conditions or diseases can also cause dementia.
medication safety
Medicine Collection Program Successful
Two Collection Sites Now Available
B
lue Earth County offers a free medicine collection program for residents in partnership with Xcel Energy Wilmarth Power Plant in Mankato. The program started 15 months ago (December 2011) and since that time, 3,400 pounds of medicine have been collected and disposed of through incineration. Proper disposal of medications protects drinking water and prevents abuse or misuse of leftover medications. The program will continue into 2013 with an added collection site at the new Public Safety Center in downtown Mankato. Medications may be dropped
off anonymously Monday through Friday between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. at either of the two program location sites including; the Sheriff’s Office Lobby at the Blue Earth County Justice Center located at 401 Carver Road in Mankato or the Mankato Public Safety Center at 710 S. Front Street. When the collection box is full, a Sheriff’s Office Deputy and an Environmental Services staff person transport the contents to the Wilmarth Plant (a waste to energy facility) where the medications are burned in their presence. Accepted items include; prescription medications, over-the-counter
o p x E 9th Annual
medications, narcotics and other controlled substances, medication samples, pet medications, vitamins and supplements, liquid medication in glass or leak-proof containers (please put in an additional plastic bag), medicated ointments and lotions, inhalers and street drugs. Non-accepted items include; mercury thermometers, sharps, IV bags, infectious waste, hydrogen peroxide and business medicines. For more information about the Medicine Collection Program call (507) 304-4440 or visit www.blueearthcountymn.gov.
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Mature Lifestyles February 2013 9
Good Samaritan E-Health
Health Care at Home By Sara Gilbert Frederick
M
egan Lensing remembers one Good Samaritan client who wasn’t interested in the “video game” they were suggesting for him. Others have considered it too space-agey or worried that it’s a little bit Big-Brotherish. But when they find out what the WellAWARE system is really about – and what it can do for them – they usually aren’t concerned anymore. “Once they see the benefits of the system, that usually outweighs the concerns,” Lensing says. WellAWARE is a wireless data and communication system that uses a series of sensors in a person’s house to track and monitor their well-being. The various sensors – which look a little like a smoke alarm or carbon monoxide detector – measure motion, impact, heat or humidity; each one feeds information to a centralized date manager, which in turns sends it to authorized caregivers through a private, secure server. The information collected from those sensors – from the number of times the bathroom door was opened overnight to the temperature level near the oven in the kitchen – is reviewed daily by caregivers and helps inform the level of care provided to each particular client. Even as she describes it though, Lensing, the director of marketing for Good Samaritan Society in St. Peter, knows that it sounds a little bit like something out of Star Wars. And in fact, she believes that WellAWARE is indeed the future of health care. But she also sees it helping older adults stay in their own homes, and stay well, right now. “It’s there to enhance, not take away from, their quality of life,” Lensing 10 February 2013 Mature Lifestyles
explains. “It’s all designed with a reason, and it’s all individualized based on each person’s home and health needs.” WellAWARE is part of the suite of home-health care products and services that Good Samaritan makes available to clients. In the last five years, home care has become a bigger and more innovative part of the services offered by the organization, which has been providing long-term care for more than 90 years. Although the business was built on the foundation of providing faith-based care in nursing home settings, it has since grown to offer a continuum of care options that also includes assisted living facilities and home care.
“The cost of nursing home care is outrageous,” Lensing says. “Individuals can’t continue to support it, and neither can the government. So our various services and product lines are designed to be solutions to that.”
There’s no place like home! Being at home may be the most comfortable option that a senior citizen can have. In some cases, it also makes the most sense financially, considering the cost of health care today. Good Samaritan’s WellAWARE system can help older adults stay in their own homes and stay well.
A Suite of Solutions
can be at detecting potential problems and reducing overall health-care costs. Lensing tells one story about a woman who had the WellAWARE system installed when she returned home after a brief stay in a nursing home. The nurse monitoring her data noticed that after a long period of only getting up once a night to go to the bathroom, she was suddenly getting up 13 times a night. “So the nurse called her up and started a conversation about it,” Lensing says. “She asked how she was feeling, if she seemed to have a fever, if there was anything else going on. The patient said that she was fine – but she decided to go to the clinic anyway to have it checked out. It turned out that she had a severe bladder infection that had gone into her kidney and would have gotten much worse if she hadn’t been alerted to check it out.” In that case, WellAWARE saved that client a trip to the emergency room as well as what could have been a long and costly stay in the hospital.
Home care services are available within a 60-mile radius of Good Samaritan’s home health office in downtown St. Peter. Services range from skilled in-home care by registered nurses to TeleHealth, Personal Emergency Response Systems (PERS) and WellAWARE. The goal of each, Lensing explains, is to help seniors safely stay in their own homes as long as possible. Skilled care service is designed for patients who are recovering from an injury or an operation and who would otherwise need to move into a long-term care facility. Under a doctor’s orders, nurses come to the home to provide wound care, administer meds and maintain IVs. It can also include visit by physical therapists, occupational therapists and speech therapists. “We will do whatever we can to help you rehab in your own home,” Lensing says. “It’s especially convenient when you live outside of town, and it’s January, and there’s no one who can bring you in for appointments.” For patients who choose to take part in Proving its Worth what Good Samaritan calls its “Living Such anecdotal evidence is enough to Well @ Home” program, a TeleHealth convince Good Samaritan that Well device is a free service that monitors AWARE is worth the financial investment vital signs on a daily basis. It includes they’ve made in the technology. Medicare, an oximeter to measure oxygen levels, however, needs to see more data before it a blood pressure cuff and a scale; it can also measure blood sugar levels and heart begins paying for the service. That’s why Good Samaritan began a research project rate. Nurses train each patient how to use in the summer of 2010, funded by an the equipment. “It’s extremely $8 million dollar grant, to show easy to use,” Lensing says. that the WellAWARE technol“You put your arm in the WellAWARE is ogy is effectively helping cuff and press start. It’s people stay at home longer, easier than brushing there to enhance keeping people safer and your teeth.” the quality of life reducing the cost of health Clients can also care. elect to utilize a of patients. “We need research projPERS system, ects like this so that insurwhich provides a ance companies and Medicare lifeline or auto alert will see the data and pick it up,” to caregivers in the Lensing explains. event of a fall or other Currently, more than 1,600 people emergency. “It’s designed to help you in Minnesota, North Dakota and South stay at home longer,” Lensing says. Dakota are participating in the project; WellAWARE, meanwhile, is “the most 200 of those are in the St. Peter coverage special thing we have going on,” Lensing area. Although they receive the service says. In the short time its been available through Good Samaritan, they’ve already free of charge, thanks to the grant, Good Samaritan is committed to keeping it heard stories that prove how effective it
“We will do whatever we can to help you rehab in your own home,” says Megan Lansing, director of marketing for Good Samaritan Society.
(continued on next page)
Mature Lifestyles February 2013 11
Health Care at Home (continued from previous page)
cost effective for anyone interested in the service. The monthly fees for WellAWARE are currently between $300 and $400 a month – which is quite minimal when compared to the cost of an assisted living facility. “You could be paying $4,000 or $5,000 a month for assisted living, depending on the services you receive,” Lensing says. Good Samaritan is so convinced that WellAWARE is worth it that it plans to install it in all of its assisted living facilities by the end of the year. “We see it as an enhancement to the care we currently provide,” Lensing explains. They also see it as a bridge to the care they’ll be providing in the future as well. Ehealth is coming, Lensing says, and it will eventually be the most cost effective way to take care of the aging population. That’s why Good Samaritan has invested so much of its own resources into developing and testing the technology. “This is the future of health care,” Lensing adds. “This will prevent the state and the country from going bankrupt.”
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Dietician April Graff
Tips
for Better Health
By Jean Lundquist
A
pril Graff never knows what her day will be like when she reports to work in the morning. Some days, she gives guided tours through the aisles of the Hy-Vee stores in Mankato. Some days, she advises people with food allergies, diabetes, or those seeking to lose weight. Other days, she teaches cooking classes and dispenses recipes. Graff is a licensed and registered dietician who has been employed by Hy-Vee in Mankato since 2008 to help people decide how to eat healthier and with flavor. She splits her time between the two locations in Mankato, providing the same services at each. As a food expert, Graff has lot of tips to help people eat better and stay healthier. But she culled those down to 10 easy ideas that apply to everyone.
1
At every meal, make sure at least half your plate is filled with fruits and vegetables. Fresh, canned or frozen all count—they each offer many of the same nutrients. While fresh is often more visually appealing, it also requires chopping and peeling and results in more waste. With frozen items, it’s possible to prepare only as much as is needed at a single serving.
2
Eat protein at every meal. Protein is found not only in meat and fish, but also in nuts, lentils and beans. Graff says that protein becomes more and more important in our diet as we age.
3
Move every day. Exercise, and especially weight lifting, is important for good health. But weight lifting doesn’t mean buying or using dumbbells, she explains. Hoisting a can of soup counts as lifting weight, too, she says. Lifting your own body weight is even better. That can be as simple as sitting down, standing up, and repeating. “When it comes to muscle, use it or lose it,” she says.
4
Drink more water. Graff advocates for six to eight glasses of water every day – even if you don’t feel thirsty. As we age, our thirst
mechanism fades. In addition, many people take medications that may hinder the thirst mechanism, or require more water to work. Although many of the foods we eat each day deliver water to our body, pure water is the most efficient way to get the moisture we need.
5
Honor your hunger. Graff is not a member of the “Clean Plate Club,” and neither is her family. “Eat when you’re hungry, and stop when you’re satisfied, not full,” she says. Many times we eat because it’s time, because we’re bored or because we’re in a social setting that seems to demand we eat. “If we eat because we’re hungry, we know when to stop,” she explains.
6
Eat whole grains. But beware that packaging can be deceptive and misleading. “Because a bread wrapper says ’12-grain’ doesn’t mean it’s whole grain,” Graff cautions. She suggests reading the list of ingredients (continued on next page) Mature Lifestyles February 2013 13
10 Tips for Better Health (continued from previous page)
rather than relying on what the packaging says. “The ingredients don’t lie. The first word in the ingredient list should be the word ‘whole,’ and that should be followed by the name of a grain, such as wheat.”
7
Limit your sodium intake. Sodium, of course, is salt. The recommended daily allowance for salt is one teaspoon each day. Most Americans eat four to five times that much salt every day. “People tell me they never use the salt shaker at the table,” Graff says, “but that doesn’t mean they aren’t eating too much salt.” An average of 70 percent of the salt we eat each day comes from processed foods. As a preservative and a flavor enhancer, salt is a common ingredient in many prepared foods. Again, reading ingredient lists is a good indicator of what foods contain the most salt. “Many cereals have more salt per serving than a serving of potato chips,” Graff says. To taper down to an acceptable level of salt intake and accommodate our taste buds, Graff recommends moving to “low sodium” or “reduced sodium” products rather than moving directly to “no sodium added” foods. Salt is an acquired taste, and we need to wean ourselves off of it.
fruits, and corn, peas, green beans and carrots for vegetables.” Graff says. “We’re missing out on a whole lot of nutrients and antioxidants.” Graff says some of the most misunderstood but most nutritious vegetables are leafy greens, including kale, collard greens and mustard greens. “They are very bitter, unless you cook them properly,” she explains. They need to be cooked with other foods that are not bitter, such as kale in soups. She also recommends massaging olive oil into kale leaves, lightly sprinkling with them salt and baking until crisp. “My 2-year-old and 3-year-old love kale chips,” she says.
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Eat breakfast every day. We’ve heard for years that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and Graff says that is true. “Breakfast gets our metabolism going, and fuels our brain and gets us thinking,” she says.
9
Take in calcium and vitamin D every day. Sunlight helps our bodies make vitamin D, but that doesn’t always happen here. “October through May, we aren’t making vitamin D in Minnesota,” Graff says. And the other six months of the year, we try to protect our skin from the UV rays of the sun. That means we need another way to take in vitamin D. Nuts, egg yolks and supplements are sources of vitamin D, which is important in helping our bodies use the calcium we take in. Calcium helps prevent porous bones and osteoporosis. It’s more effective with exercise and vitamin D.
10
Introduce variety to your diet. “We think of apples, oranges, bananas and grapes for
14 February 2013 Mature Lifestyles
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HARold SCHRADER
Ringer
A By Jean Lundquist
R
ick Wright, the president of the Minnesota Gopher State Horseshoe Pitchers Association, calls Harold Schrader “the shining star of horseshoe pitching in Minnesota.” “I’ve played him several times, and I’ve never won,” Wright says. “I’ve never even come close.” In 2012, the Easton resident took second place in the world championships in his class in Knoxville, Tennessee. To be a horseshoe pitcher of that caliber is to spread awe. But add to the story that
Schrader is 90 years old, and it becomes even more awesome. Schrader didn’t even take up leaguestyle horseshoe pitching until after retiring from a career in farming, a stint in the Army and 20 years with Swift Eckrich. He was living in Mapleton at that time and walked past a court where a horseshoe league was playing. “I thought, ‘Well, I can do that,’” he recalls. He stopped to talk to the guys, and quickly signed up for the league. Although 1983 was the first time he had pitched horseshoes in a league, it was not his first brush with horseshoes. Schrader grew up on a farm just outside of Easton back in the days when all fieldwork was done with horses. “I went into the barn and found some old
Harold Schrader has a table full of awards and trophies in his living room to attest to his passion for the sport of horseshoe pitching.
16 February 2013 Mature Lifestyles
[horse] shoes, all kinds of sizes and shapes,” Schrader remembers of his childhood. “Then I pounded a stake into the ground, and started throwing those. It seemed to work pretty good.” Now Schrader throws regulation size horseshoes, each weighing two and a half pounds.
World Champion Schrader’s second place in the world championship competition in 2012 was the third time he had placed so high. His moment of glory, however, came in 2006. That’s when he won first place in the world in the tournament held in Gillette, Wyoming. Wright puts that win into perspective. “Not every country does horseshoes, of course,” he explains. “But players do come from around the globe. There are players from Norway, Sweden, Japan and Canada, to name a few… There are enough teams to hold a two-and-a-half week tournament.” To even make it to the national tournament, Wright says, a player must “be at 60 percent or better for three years in a row.” In 2006, Schrader was also inducted into the Minnesota Gopher State Horse shoe Pitchers Association Hall of Fame. “I’m really proud of that,” he says. Wright says a person can be inducted for two reasons: being a talented pitcher, or doing a lot of promotional work for horseshoe pitching. Schrader was inducted because of both. “Harold does both, and does both very well,” Wright says.
Pitching Practice As much as Schrader loves horseshoes, he has no courts in his Easton yard. “There’s a park about a block and a half from here, so I’ve never needed one,” he says. After he played in the leagues in Mapleton, he helped start a league in Easton. “That folded up three or four years ago,” he says. “I suppose it’s an old man’s game,” Schrader says, though Wright says Schrader is one of the best ambassadors and mentors of horseshoes to the young. Even without a league in Easton, Schrader has never wanted for people to pitch horseshoes with or against, thanks to his contacts in the horseshoe world. “One of the biggest leagues in Minnesota is in (North) Mankato at Wheeler Park,” he explains. “Those courts are busy at least four evenings a week.” Schrader says he has pitched horseshoes in nearly every horseshoe pit in southern Minnesota. According to Wright, there are 32 leagues in Minnesota, and between 1,500 and 1,800 semi-serious pitchers in the
state. Wright says there is a tournament somewhere in Minnesota every weekend throughout the summer. It might just be a very well kept secret how popular the sport is, he says. As for the question of what makes a good horseshoe pitcher, Wright believes it is a combination of luck, talent and practice. “Harold is very good at it – he’s just got ‘it,’” Wright says. “But there’s no question he puts a lot of time into practice.”
within six inches of the stake. Six inches is the space between the two ends of a regulation-sized horseshoe. Schrader’s personal best was not when he won the World Championship, he says. It actually occurred in league play. Out of 50 shoes pitched, he had 42 ringers. Schrader sports an inexpensive horseshoe shaped ring on his right hand; he has a table full of awards and trophies in his living room to attest to his passion for the sport. It may be a competitive spirit, or it may be athletic prowess, but Schrader is also more than willing to point out that in 1953, he was on the Delavan baseball team that won the Town Baseball Championship. “Not bad for a farm boy,” he says.
In 2006, Schrader won first place in the world. He was 84.
Ringer Horseshoes pitching is scored in increments of either three points, or one. A “ringer” is achieved when a horseshoe gets around the stake. It doesn’t matter if it touches the stake or not, or whether or not the horseshoe is leaning up against the stake. One point is earned when a shoe lands
Checklist helps older adults select age-friendly fitness facilities
A
lthough mature adults are joining health and wellness facilities faster than any other age group today, many facilities are not prepared or equipped to serve older members. Following is a checklist to help older adults rate and compare their local fitness facilities and choose one that meets their needs. Facility owners and managers can also use this checklist to evaluate their facilities and take steps to become more age-friendly.
1 2
Is the facility’s atmosphere one you feel comfortable in? Are the locker rooms clean, accessible and monitored by staff?
Bits & Pieces
3 4 5 6
Are the membership contracts and marketing materials available in large print?
7
Do the facility’s treadmills start slowly, 0.5 mph?
Are signs visible and easy to understand? Is the music acceptable and set at a reasonable level? Does the facility’s cardiovascular equipment have the following age-friendly features: a display panel that is easy to read, easy to change and easy to understand?
(continued on next page) Mature Lifestyles February 2013 17
Bits & Pieces
Safety Starts With The Floor
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here comes a time to reassess your home for changes that would mean increased safety and independence. Whether you are redesigning for yourself or for an aging family member, consider the physical and mental changes that are a natural part of the aging process. Then plan with those changes in mind. For example, flooring, an important decorative element, is also a very important component for accessibility and safety. Here are some things to consider:
Flooring Choices Changes in flooring thickness require adjustments in gait that may cause hazards. It is best to use the same flooring throughout as much of the home as possible. Some experts recommend low pile carpeting, even in the bathroom. It softens falls and offers slip resistance, particularly in wet areas like the bathroom and kitchen. Avoid thick carpeting because it is harder to maintain and it causes too much drag on wheelchairs, walkers or canes. Eliminate throw rugs, area rugs and scatter rugs. If you must use them, at least use a non-slip backing underneath to make them more secure. Replace worn carpeting especially when it is frayed or has seams that have lifted.
real or creating a tripping hazard when it isn’t. Shiny floors could appear slippery or disturb depth perception, making walking on these surfaces uncomfortable and unsteady. In addition, natural light from a window can cause glare on the shiny surface, making it difficult to see and navigate safely. Colors should be calming, rather than bright, preferably contrasting with the walls and molding to help prevent unnecessary bumps.
Clear Pathways In addition to hallways, every room has a path that is traveled frequently. Safety experts remind us to keep electric cords close to the wall and to remove small clutter from underfoot. Clutter can also include large items that could be bumped into, like hampers, magazine racks, planters, hassocks, coffee tables and wastebaskets. If the furniture by the path could present a hazard, rearrange the room. Furniture is sometimes used for support along the way, so be sure to relocate chairs that rock or swivel and furniture on wheels. Lightweight dining chairs and standing lamps should not be relied on to assist with balance. Padded furniture will provide more cushioning in the event of a fall. Remove or pad bumping hazards. While concentrating on moving from here to there, it is easy to miss things that protrude such as coat hooks, door handles, counter and cabinet edges, shelves, misplaced towel bars and grab bars. Replace worn magnet closure mechanisms for cabinets so they stay closed.
Checklist for Fitness (continued from previous page)
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Do the recumbent bikes or steppers have a wide and comfortable seat with armrest?
10
Does the facility’s strength building equipment have a low starting resistance, less than five pounds?
Does the facility’s strength building equipment have instructional placards that have simple diagrams, easy to read text and font, and correct usage information?
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Does the facility offer programs designed to meet the needs of those with a variety of chronic conditions, i.e. osteoporosis, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, balance abnormalities, muscular weakness?
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Do the classes have different levels of intensity, duration and size?
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Does the facility offer an orientation class or session to help you become familiar with your surroundings?
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Is the staff knowledgeable about the impact that medication can have on exercise?
Is there an extensive screening and assessment process, i.e. balance, functional abilities, osteoporosis?
If you would like more information about the articles in the “Bits & Pieces” section, call the Senior LinkAge Line® at 1-800-333-2433. The Senior LinkAge Line®: A One Stop Shop for Minnesota Seniors is a free statewide service of the Minnesota Board on Aging and Area Agencies on Aging. Specialists
Color and Pattern
provide one-to-one assistance with helping older adults age well and
Contrasting colors create the illusion of differences in height, possibly providing a warning when the depth difference is
live well. Call 1-800-333-2433 for assistance Monday through Friday from
18 February 2013 Mature Lifestyles
8:00am to 4:30pm or chat with a specialist online during these hours at www.MinnesotaHelp.info.® Mature Lifestyles February 2013 18
What to Do and Where Sojourner of Gratitude by Terri DeGezelle Through 3/29, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Blue Earth County Historical Society Mankato Stargazing with Mike Lynch 3/1, 7 p.m.-9 p.m. – Fairmont Airport (507) 238-4207 “And Then There Were None” 3/1-2, 7:30 p.m. – Ted Paul Theatre, MSU Early Center for Performing Arts (507) 389-6661 River Hills Boat & Vacation Show 3/3, 11 a.m.-6 p.m. – River Hills Mall (507) 387-7469 Merely Players presents “James and the Giant Peach” 3/8-9, 7:30 p.m.; 3/9-10, 2 p.m. Lincoln Community Center, Mankato (507) 388-5483
Community Easter Egg Hunt 3/30, 12 p.m. – Jaycee Park Mozart in Me Concert III 4/6, 11 a.m. – Mankato YMCA Exercise Room – (507) 625-8880 St. Peter Reads Book Festival 4/6, 1 p.m.-5 p.m. St. Peter Community Center 600 S. 6th St., St. Peter (952) 933-7588 “Legally Blonde” Musical 4/11-13, 7:30 p.m. – Ted Paul Theatre, MSU Earley Center for Performing Arts (507) 389-6661 2013 Mankato Area International Festival 4/14, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Centennial Student Union, MSU (507) 389-1281
Live Music by Betty and Ocho 3/9, 6 :30 p.m. Chankaska Creek Ranch and Winery
“Legally Blonde” Musical 4/18-20, 7:30 p.m. – Ted Paul Theatre MSU Earley Center for Performing Arts (507) 389-6661
Gingerbread Craft Show 3/15-17, 10 am.-9 p.m. River Hills Mall – (651) 457-8980
Mankato Walk to Defeat ALS 4/20, 9 a.m. – Mankato West High School – (612) 672-0484
Surrounded by History 3/15, 6 p.m.-9 p.m. – Centennial Student Union Ballroom, MSU – (507) 345-5566
Mankato Gorilla Fun Run 4/20, 4 p.m. – Earley Center for Performing Arts, MSU (507) 386-0207
Merely Players presents “James and the Giant Peach” 3/15-16, 7:30 p.m.; 3/16-17, 2 p.m. Lincoln Community Center, Mankato (507) 388-5483 Civil War Symposium: 1863…The Turning Point 3/23, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Summit Center, 518 S. 5th St., Mankato www.boyinblue.org or 507-345-5566 Music on the Hill: Heavenly Lengths by Mankato Symphony Orchestra 3/24, 2 p.m. – Chapel at Good Counsel (507) 625-8880 Full Moon Snowshoe & Chankaska Winery Tour 3/27, 5:30 p.m.-9:30 p.m. – Bent River Outfitter, 530 N. Riverfront Dr. (507) 388-2368 YWCA Women of Distinction Event 3/28, 5 p.m.-8:30 p.m – Verizon Wireless Center – (507) 345-4629
What’s Happening
Betsy’s Birthday Party 4/27, 12 p.m.-3 p.m. 332-333 Center St., Mankato (507) 345-9777 Hubbard House Open Every Saturday and Sunday, 5/4-26 Hubbard House, 606 S. Broad St., Mankato – (507) 345-5566 Victorian Tea Party 5/4, 1 pm.-4 p.m. – Hubbard House, 606 S. Broad St., Mankato (507) 345-5566 Walk MS: Mankato 5/5, 11 a.m.-4 p.m Myers Field House, MSU (800) 582-5296 Merely Players presents “The Taffetas” 5/10-19, 7:30 p.m.; 5/12, 2 p.m. Lincoln Community Center, Mankato (507) 388-5483
Spring Calendar of Events For More Events on Theater & Dance; Music, Visual Arts; Sports & Game; Fitness & Wellness; Nature; History of Festivals & Expos, Visit us at www.GreaterMankatoEvents.com
OLD MAIN VILLAGE A Tradition of Choice
1400 MADISON AVENUE, MANKATO
SENIOR SERVICES Our Businesses Are Here To Serve You! • Home Health Services • Estate Planning • Food & Drink • Business Products • Bridal Shop
• Physical Therapy
• Shopper Services
• Pain Clinic
• Medical Supplies
• Travel Center
• Post Office
• Hearing Aid Center • Arts, Craft, & Fabrics • Eye Care Services
• Dermatology Clinic
• Prosthetics
• Insurance Needs
• Hair Salon
• Car Care • Chiropractic Care • Sewing Center • Medical Clinics • Dialysis Center
Handicapped Accessible Easy Parking Safe Mall Walking Madison East Center 507.388.9353 20 February 2013 Mature Lifestyles
A Senior Living Community
• Independent & Assisted Living • Delicious Meals • Historic Setting 301 South Fifth Street • Transportation Mankato, Minnesota 56001 • Heated Pool & Spa • Short Term Stays • Pets welcome www.oldmainvillage.com
(507) 388-4200
A Platinum Service® Community Managed by The Goodman Group
Travel
By Sara Gilbert Frederick
E
very February, my in-laws fly to Florida and spend a few weeks at the beach. Most of the plans they make revolve around the beach: walking on it to the coffee shop every morning, sitting on it for several hours every afternoon, returning to it every evening to watch the sunset beyond the horizon. They are there for the beach. Beaches are a favorite destination for northerners each winter, and with good reason. They are, by their very nature, relaxing. All you have to do at the beach is sit, listen, watch and maybe, if you’re more motivated, search for shells. As you soak up the sun and sift the sand between your fingers, the rest of the world melts away. They are also, by their very nature, beautiful. There’s something magical about the intersection of water, sand and sun that gives every beach some sort of beauty. Some are more secluded and pristine; others are rugged and wild, or big and busy. They are all beautiful. Which makes it quite a challenge to compile a list of the best beaches to visit. So consider this just a starting point for a winter getaway this year.
Hilton Head, South Carolina Beaches aren’t the only attraction on this South Carolina island. Visitors enjoy the many golf courses and the spas at this more upscale destination – but they also appreciate the soft, powdery sand and the pristine nature of the beaches that encircle the island. Crowds tend to congregate at Coligny Beach, but Alder Lane is also a beautiful, less busy option.
Miami Beach, Florida This is the beach to choose if you’re hoping to see and be seen. Soaking up the sun is often just a prelude to a party in Miami Beach, where entertainment options are almost as plentiful as the sandy shores.
Cape Cod, Massachusetts Looking for a laid-back beach? Then the Cape is calling. Although it has been popularized by the political set, Cape Cod is a lovely option for those of us who are less powerful and popular as
well. Many of the beaches are quiet and secluded, making them an ideal spot for a little rest and relaxation.
Fort Lauderdale, St. Petersburg, Florida Unlike Miami Beach, Fort Lauderdale isn’t designed for the party set. With 23 miles of beach, it’s more appropriate for the family looking to carve out a spot to sit, swim and play in the sand. And in St. Petersburg, which is on Florida’s western coast, you can watch dolphins playing just off shore and pelicans swooping into the surf.
San Diego, California There’s something for everyone on the shores of San Diego, from the family-friendly Coronado Beach to the adventurous La Jolla Shores, which is particularly popular with snorkelers and kayakers. There’s also Blacks Beach— which is best known for being a clothingoptional option.
Hawaii You clearly can’t go wrong with Hawaii. Both the “Big Island” and Maui are known for their abundant and beautiful beaches – and both offer a variety of settings, including big, busy beaches as well as smaller, more tucked away locales. They also offer an opportunity to try your hand at surfing, to go snorkeling or explore the geographic oddities that the islands are known for (one beach on the Big Island, for example, has green sand).
Mature Lifestyles February 2013 21
119 N. Minnesota Ave., St. Peter
507-388-3940 • 507-934-1740 www.dishdoctorsmn.com Upfront fee, monthly fees, and limits on number and type of receivers will apply. All prices, packages, programming, features, functionality and offers subject to change without notice. Local and state sales taxes may apply. Programming is available for single-family dwellings located in the United States. All DISH programming, and any other services that are provided, are subject to the terms and conditions of the promotional agreement and Residential Customer Agreement, which is available upon request. Hardware and programming sold separately. Customer must subscribe to minimum programming. All services marks and trademarks belong to their respective owners.
22  February 2013 Mature Lifestyles
Publisher’s Note (continued from page 4)
HEALTH: Drink plenty of water. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a beggar. Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants, and fewer foods that are manufactured in plants. Live with the 3 Es: Energy, Enthusiasm and Empathy. Make time to pray. Play more games. Read more books. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day. Sleep for 7 hours. Take a 10-30 minute walk daily – and while you walk, smile. PERSONALITY: Don’t compare your life to others – you have no idea what their journey is all about. Don’t have negative thoughts or worry about things you cannot control; instead, invest your energy in the positive, present moment. Don’t overdo, keep your limits. Don’t take yourself too seriously – no one else does. Don’t waste your precious energy on gossip. Dream more while you are awake. Envy is a waste of time, you already have all you need. Forget issues of the past and don’t remind your partner of his/her mistakes of the past – it will ruin your present happiness. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone. Make peace with your past so it won’t spoil the present. No one is in charge of your happiness except you. Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn, problems are simply part of the curriculum that appear and fade away like algebra class – but the lessons you learn will last a lifetime. Smile and laugh more. You don’t have to win every argument – feel free to agree to disagree.
Kelly Hulke, Publisher
Dr. Ruth’s Guide for the Alzheimer’s Caregiver by Dr. Ruth K. Westheimer with Pierre A. Lehu c. 2012, Quill Driver Books $16.95 / $18.95 Canada, 188 pages
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our mother scared the daylights out of you last week. She said she was going for a quick walk but when she didn’t return three hours later, you went looking for her. You were frantic, she was confused, you were embarrassed. She has earlystage Alzheimer’s and you’re trying to cope but things are getting worse for her. Things are getting worse for you. You never thought you’d have to be a parent to your parent, but here you are. And in the new book “Dr. Ruth’s Guide for the Alzheimer’s Caregiver” by Dr. Ruth K. Westheimer with Pierre A. Lehu, here’s some help. It’s not the job you grew up wanting but you’ve taken the responsibility anyhow. Being a caregiver for someone with Alzheimer’s may be a burden and there may be joy in it – but however you see it, you’re not alone. Dr. Ruth says there are some fifteen million people just like you, caring for a parent, partner, spouse, or relative. That amounts to over $183 billion of unpaid care each year. And that can be overwhelming. For starters, the authors say, don’t “draw lines in the sand.” Remain flexible, figure out other ways to do what needs doing, and never turn down offers of help; even delegating the tiniest chores will feel like a relief. And don’t even think about doing housework when you’ve got some precious time to yourself. “Alzheimer’s is a terrible disease, but it mustn’t claim two victims,” say the authors. Ignoring that fact may lead to Caregiver Burn-Out.
Book Review by Terri Schilichenmeyer
Recognize that your feelings are probably going haywire. You may have crushing guilt, anger, or sadness. You might feel lonely, shameful, or depressed. Maybe you’re filled with grief. Don’t repress those feelings; instead, manage them by preparing for or deflecting them. Preparing early for other inevitabilities will help, too. Learn to understand Alzheimer’s and its stages, as well as possible treatments. Teach children and grandchildren to adapt, and learn how to get siblings to pitch in. Find a good lawyer. Know how to deal with combativeness, frustration, and when it’s time to seek new accommodations. Let’s lay this on the table: Dr. Ruth’s Guide for the Alzheimer’s Caregiver includes information on sex. You’d be disappointed if it didn’t, wouldn’t you? The thing is, that’s not the focus in this fine book. With extreme sensitivity, authors Dr. Ruth Westheimer and Pierre Lehu offer comfort and direction for caregivers who want to avoid being overwhelmed by their situations. This book touches on a lot of aspects on both sides: there’s personal and practical info for caregivers, as well as insight on how the patient might be feeling. I liked the individual stories included here, and the authors’ advice seems sound – even when the advice is to ask a professional. Overall, this is one of those books you hope you’ll never need, but you’ll be glad you’ve got it if you do. For Boomers, elders, and caregivers now and in the (possible) future, Dr. Ruth’s Guide for the Alzheimer’s Caregiver sheds a lot of light.
Mature Lifestyles February 2013 23
RICKWAY CARPET and Window Treatments 1107 Cross Street, North Mankato
507-625-3089
www.rickwaycarpet.net
M - Th 9 am - 8 pm Fri. 9 am - 6 pm Sat. 9 am - 4 pm Closed Sun.