Living
50+
Lawrence Journal-World | February 16, 2020 | 1C
‘KEEPS ME YOUNG’
Lauren Fox / Journal-World Photo
Jeff Matsui does a boxing workout at Thatchers’ Training Center on Friday.
Lawrence residents say it’s never too late to learn a new discipline By Lauren Fox lfox@ljworld.com
A
t the age of 49, Jeff Matsui asked himself what he was passionate about. It’s a standard question to contemplate when making a career or life change, he said, and Matsui was in the middle of both. He had just returned to the United States after living in Japan for 26 years, where he met his wife and worked as a
“(People) forget life is all about change. And if you don’t embrace it, you get old.”
— Jeff Matsui, certified personal trainer
manager at an IT company. When they moved back, Matsui decided to change his professional course to study personal training. Now, Matsui, 52, is a certified personal trainer and works out six days a week at Thatchers’ Training Center,
where he is one of the oldest clients. Through learning from the trainers there and being surrounded by younger, more sprightly peers, Matsui said he’s discovered the importance of having an open mind. Change can be tough for some people, he said, adding:
“They forget life is all about change. And if you don’t embrace it, you get old.” Matsui is one of three Lawrence residents the JournalWorld interviewed who are more than 50 years old and are embracing change through the study of a new discipline.
‘It keeps me young’ Matsui was 50 when he became a certified personal trainer in April of 2018. He worked for a year as the sole
> SKILLS, 2C
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Living 50+
February 16, 2020
Skills
find creative extracurricular living experiences,” Grove said of his peers in the retirement home. “Because it calms you. And the reward at the end is very emotional. You feel good about the work and about yourself.” Watching television gets boring, Grove said. Weaving baskets keeps him thinking. He laughed when his wife explained why such an activity is necessary. “You know, it takes your concentration and therefore it takes your mind off what part of your body isn’t working,” Marcy said. Many of Grove’s works are inspired by nature. He said it’s impossible to live in Kansas and not take note of it. On Wednesday, light streamed in from recently opened blinds in the living room. “It’s snowing out!” Lauren Fox / Journal-World Photos Above: Bryan Grove creates bowls through basket Grove exclaimed. He gestured at a winterweaving, an activity the former art teacher says inspired basket, blue with helps keep him calm and fill his time. He is picwhite icicles spiking down tured here on Wednesday. the side. “Here, we’ll hold this Left: Grove’s handwoven baskets are pictured on one up and it will disapan end table and on the wall of his apartment, in pear,” he laughed. addition to a handmade quilt, on Wednesday.
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1C
trainer at Planet Fitness — a job he said exposed him to a level of pressure he hadn’t felt in a long time. Matsui then obtained a certification in corrective exercise. Now, Matsui learns through practice six days a week at Thatchers’. On Mondays, he does cardio and resistance training. On Tuesdays, he takes a goju-ryu karate class, followed by kickboxing in the evening. On Wednesday, it’s back to cardio. And that’s just half his week. As Matsui learns about health and wellness through training at the center, his teachers are younger than him. Matsui doesn’t mind. “It keeps me young. It keeps me locked in,” he said. “These guys are full of fire, and they’re passionate about what they’re doing. It rubs off.” What can be difficult, however, is being the oldest person in class. Matsui said he has had to learn not to use his age as an excuse. “Their bar doesn’t have to be my bar,” he said of the younger clients. “I can use my bar to get even better.” With this mindset, Matsui hopes to eventually start a personal training business, working with older clients. “I can really add value to people who are beginners, who are older, who are scared about beginning,” he said. “It just takes a little bit every day.” He hopes to empower older people to discover their strength — as he finds that same strength within himself.
Finding composure amid change Art calms Bryan Grove. And Grove, 76,
2C • Lawrence Journal-World
has learned that as he more important. and his wife grow older, “All the other issues finding soothing activithat we have — physities becomes increasingly cal issues — we just sit
down, put that to one side, and get focused on something like this,” Grove said of the artistic endeavors that he and his wife, Marcy, pursue. Marcy crochets. Grove weaves baskets. In their apartment in Meadowlark Estates, Grove’s handmade quilts line the walls, and his woven baskets sit atop end tables, coffee tables … all types of tables. He learned how to weave baskets in the ’80s, and he taught the skill to his pupils for the later end of his 46-year career as an art teacher and professor. But he
‘We can still be adventurous’ Monday night, Amy only dabbled in the trade Berkley flowed natu— a few baskets here and rally from a plié to a dégagé, but not long ago, there that he used as exshe was having trouble amples for his students. When Grove moved to simply turning around Lawrence in 2018, he com- in her car to check her mitted himself more fully blind spot. The 55-year-old signed to the art form and now has a collection of baskets, up for an adult ballet class at the Lawrence many with abstract designs and a few sunflower- Arts Center after realizing she was becoming themed baskets that sell stiff and out of shape. quite well in a CottonBerkley knew she wood Falls gift shop that would likely be one of stocks his work. the oldest members in Grove called the process of spinning yarn the class, but that didn’t bother her. She’s comaround thin rope to create baskets with intricate fortable putting herself out there, and the designs “therapeutic.” “I think it’s important for the people here to > BOLDNESS, 4C
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Get where you need to go Supporting transportation for seniors a true collaborative effort By Michelle Meier
the county’s K-State Research and Extension Office, the Housing Authority, the LawrenceDouglas County Health Department, the Visiting he Senior ReNurses Association and source Center for the Lawrence Parks and Douglas County Recreation Department. is a part of nuBoth the City of Lawmerous collaborations, rence and the Douglas but one of the most County Commission meaningful areas of were on board recognizcollaboration has been ing the transportation providing transportaneeds of area seniors as tion for seniors across well as other services Douglas County. for seniors, including The Senior Wheels congregate meals and program at SRC dates socialization. back to 1973. In truth, From day one, the the need for senior organization now known transportation was the as the Senior Resource impetus for the origiCenter has been worknal agency, then called ing with area agencies to Douglas County Planning serve seniors in Douglas Council on Services for County, and the need for the Aging, or COA for transportation remains a short. Gary Condra, the key component to SRC director of Cottonwood services. By 2008, the at the time, applied for program was renamed funding through the Senior Wheels and had Older Americans Act and grown to a fleet of two Title III that helped fund buses, three vans and a minivan designed to 13 part-time drivers to provide local transporta- meet the demands for tion for those in need. transportation in our That minivan, called Bus community. Later in 62, began service on Aug. 2013, in partnership with 14, 1973. the local government, an As the momentum additional van was added grew, Al Bramble, a Law- and dedicated to resirence minister who was dents of Baldwin City. also associated with the In 2019, the Senior Jayhawk Area Agency on Wheels program proAging in Topeka, began vided a total of 9,732 to bring together key rides for seniors ages individuals to develop 60 and older across the first board of direcDouglas County, totaltors. This group was a ing 83,591 miles. These strategically selected rides served seniors as group of community well as area partners to leaders with key ties to ensure that residents of other community and Douglas County could state resources including get to various medical
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Lawrence, Senior Wheels provides transportation to some participants to and from the program each day. Last year, that totaled more than 1,100 rides. Starting in 2019, SRC began working with the United Way of Douglas County on funding that assists low-income seniors who need transportation to medical appointments. This is part of a bigger collaboration with LMH Health, particularly with oncology and dialysis patients, to ensure that seniors are able to access medical care. The collaboration is an effort to help LMH Health improve health
outcomes for seniors with funds to transport seniors who might otherwise miss follow-up appointments or avoid care altogether. In 2019, SRC provided a total of 5,444 rides for various medical appointments. Expanding on the dedicated program in Baldwin City, SRC has worked with the City of Eudora and City Commissioner Ruth Hughs to launch a similar program in Eudora. As of December 2019, Senior Wheels has a dedicated van, driven by Eudora volunteers, that now serves the residents of Eudora. In the first month of service, the Eudora program
> WHEELS, 4C
TH OPE IS NI SP NG RI NG !
appointments, access groceries and food sources, engage in social activities and enjoy aspects of quality of life such as entertainment. There were even 403 rides for area seniors who are still working. The Senior Resource Center continues to collaborate with area partners and area government to meet the transportation needs of aging seniors. One such collaboration is with the Program of All-inclusive Care for the Elderly via Midland Care in Lawrence. Although Midland Care has its own vehicles to transport seniors to the PACE facility in
provided 14 rides, with new requests increasing each week as awareness of the program has spread. Senior Wheels has also expanded service to Lecompton to provide a shopping shuttle between Lecompton and Lawrence to assist seniors with access to groceries and other necessities after the loss of the grocery store about a year ago. This has been a coordinated effort with Just Food to alternate the shuttle’s services opposite the weeks that Just Food’s Cruising Cupboard takes its mobile pantry to Lecompton. Senior Wheels is one of only a few area programs with vehicles that can accommodate riders who use wheelchairs. Senior Wheels also coordinates with the Lawrence Transit T-Lift branch and Independence Inc. to ensure there are options for accessible transportation for those with various levels of mobility. The other two partners serve riders of all ages but work closely when they can’t accommodate a rider to ensure there is access among the three providers. In 2019, Senior Wheels’ rides for individuals who use wheelchairs totaled 1,788, not including riders with other mobility aids who utilize the ramped vans for ease of access. The hardest part of the program is turning riders
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Wheels
Douglas County line,” said Heidi Briery, director of transportation services at SRC. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3C Currently, Briery is working with the away. Currently, parDirector of Mobility ticipants are asked to Management, a partner call a minimum of three of Topeka Metro, to business days in advance collaborate on ways that to schedule a ride as the various transportation demand is very high. For partners in the area can local rides, the Senior work together to meet at Wheels dispatcher will the county line or each work with riders to provide transportation schedule a ride further one way to better faciliout. Senior Wheels works tate seniors who need to tirelessly to avoid turning get to specialist appointthem away completely. ments or meet with “We turn away an friends across county average of five rides a lines. month to seniors needing “I am really excited rides to Topeka or other to see this progress as destinations outside the I know there is a huge Senior Wheels service need for our riders to get area, which ends at the to the VA hospital and
Living 50+
4C • Lawrence Journal-World
remains steadfast in support of maintaining this service to the community. “It creates an incredible feeling of pride when — Megan Poindexter, executive director of the SRC I see the Senior Wheels vehicles dwoing their service for the comother medical providers transportation program critical funding. The City munity,” she said. “The that are just outside of has come a long way of Lawrence supports the dedicated team of drivers our service area,” Briery since 1973, and the lonprogram by providing are compassionate, hardsaid. “I am hopeful we gevity of the program is a accommodations for fleet working and dedicated to can finally find a solution testament to the continparking at SRC’s building the riders they care for. between several memued dedication of many downtown. Both entities Each vehicle is a tangible bers of the Urban Corricommunity partners are safeguarding the live- example of the power of dor Coordinated Transit and the Senior Resource lihood of the program. partnerships which — all Council to extend to both Center to provide an SRC also works with together — serve the the Topeka area in the affordable means of the Kansas Department greater purpose of caring for our friends and near future and work to transportation for seof Transportation on get where we can get se- niors in Douglas County. grant funding for several neighbors.” niors to the VA hospital The Douglas County Senior Wheels vehicles — Michelle Meier is the in Leavenworth one day commissioners continue and some operating director of community engageas well.” to support the efforts expenses. ment with the Senior Resource Overall, the Senior of SRC and the Senior SRC Executive DirecCenter for Douglas County. Resource Center’s Wheels program with tor Megan Poindexter
“Each vehicle is a tangible example of the power of partnerships which — all together — serve the greater purpose of caring for our friends and neighbors.”
Boldness
the class on Monday, a concentrated expression on her face. Hanan Misko, dance CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2C school director for the Lawrence Arts Center benefits have been and Monday’s fill-in marked. instructor, told the stu“I definitely feel that dents before class that after class I’m standing he found their choice to taller and pulling my enroll “honest,” a truly core in,” she said. autonomous decision Berkley is a postdocto do something for toral fellow at the Unithemselves. versity of Kansas School He said in a followof Nursing and specialup interview that he is izes in aging. Exercise always inspired by the is vital in aging well adult enrollees. and healthily, she said, “I do find it very noting that recently she encouraging to know recognized that she must other adults who are apply this knowledge to maybe at a later stage herself. than I who are doing new Berkley had taken things,” the 32-year-old some jazz and modern said. “It tells me there is dance classes in college. something more to look She wanted to take a forward to. beginner’s ballet class to “Sometimes we forget learn the proper founda- or we don’t realize that tion of the dance form, we can still be adventurand knew doing so with ous. We can still try new a class would be less things and grow. That lonely than learning from isn’t something that’s videos online. only for our youth.” Ashley Golledge / Journal-World Photo With seven classmates, Amy Berkley takes an adult ballet class at the Lawrence Arts Center on Monday, Feb. 10. After being — Reporter Lauren Fox can be reached she practiced various at 832-7266. Follow her on in the class for a while, “I definitely feel that after class I’m standing taller and pulling my core in,” combinations on the Twitter: @bylaurenfox Berkley said. bar at the beginning of
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