January 2015

JANUARY 2015

Enduring Alzheimer’s

Three local caregivers share their stories / PAGE 30

Gems of Germany UNESCO-protected sites showcase rich history and culture / PAGE 26

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HOUSING RESOURCES PAGE 38

WHY YOU SHOULDN’T TOLERATE DISMISSIVE DOCTORS PAGE 16

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CONTENTS 30 ENDURING ALZHEIMER’S

26

Three local caregivers share how their spouses’ lives, and their own, have been forever changed by this devastating disease.

GERMAN HOLIDAY Roman ruins and many other UNESCO-protected sites abound within a few hours of Frankfurt.

GOOD START

GOOD HEALTH

GOOD LIVING

FROM THE EDITOR 8 Health awareness is key.

ASK THE PHARMACIST 16 Don’t let doctors dismiss your health concerns. Be your own advocate or bring a “bulldog” along.

FINANCE 20 What annunities can do for you

MY TURN 10 I want to live past 75.

MEMORIES 12 Amusing high-school reunions THIS MONTH IN MN HISTORY 14 The Andrews Sisters, born in Minnesota, were music pioneers.

HOUSE CALL 18 Bone-density testing is painless and can help predict future health problems, especially fractures.

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JANUARY 2015

TECHNOLOGY 24 Experimenting with Gmail IN THE KITCHEN 25 Good-for-you smoothies

HOUSING RESOURCE GUIDE

CAN’T MISS CALENDAR 6

HOUSING 22 Don’t let your home become a target of theives.

35 36

BRAIN TEASERS

40

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FROM THE EDITOR ////// SARAH DORISON

HEALTHY, AWARE H

appy New Year!

This is our chance for a fresh start — 12 full months stretched out before us with possibilities and potential.

What are your goals?

Health and happiness?

Oh, how I wish achieving those two goals was easier!

Life is complicated and messy. And aging doesn’t exactly stack the odds in our favor.

What does?

Awareness, I’d say.

To that end, we’re highlighting the topic of health in this issue — especially with our main feature in which three local caregivers share their heartbreaking stories of dealing with Alzheimer’s.

All three of their spouses have been affected by the disease; and the medical, financial and emotional challenges have been steep.

To tell the truth, it’s tough stuff. But it’s reality: There are more 15 million family caregivers providing an estimated 17.7 billion hours of unpaid care each year to their loved ones diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in the U.S., according to 2013 figures from the national Alzheimer’s Association.

Every 67 seconds someone in the U.S. develops Alzheimer’s.

These are sobering statistics. And, yet, the last major drug introduced to fight Alzheimer’s was put on the market in 2003. Yes, that’s more than 10 years ago.

We need more research, more awareness and a national plan.

Fortunately, many Minnesotans are taking action to raise awareness, including Mary Margaret Lehmann of Edina, whose husband, Ken, struggles with Alzheimer’s.

This past summer, Lehmann spoke to the U.S. Senate Finance Committee about her experiences as a caregiver.

“An epidemic is well upon us, and too many families are in situations like ours — facing a fatal brain disease (with) no way to prevent, cure or even slow its progression — (are) left without a support system to guide us,” she told the legislators. “We cannot afford to wait until Alzheimer’s bankrupts the nation.”

Despite everything Lehmann’s been through, she’s putting a positive spin on things by working on advocacy and staying active in local groups for support as well as recreation: “We decided we could continue to be angry or we could try to change other people’s minds about Alzheimer’s,” she said.

That, I believe, is a healthy outlook.

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Sarah Dorison, Editor JANUARY 2015

GOOD START MY TURN ////// DAVE NIMMER

STRONGER, IN MANY WAYS, WITH AGE I

I get a nudge, a gentle elbow in the ribs from time to time that helps me to define this part of life: Let go of resentments. Tell the truth.

Spread the love. And do onto others as you would have them do unto you.

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’m kind of surprised at my reaction, but I find little to disagree with in the attention-grabbing article written by Ezekiel Emanuel for the October issue of The Atlantic, carrying the headline: Why I Hope to Die at 75.

The oncologist — and brother of Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel (President Obama’s former chief of staff ) — contends that living too long can be a loss.

“It renders many of us, if not disabled, then faltering and declining,” he writes, “a state that may not be worse than death, but is nonetheless deprived. We are no longer remembered as vibrant and engaged but as feeble, ineffectual, even pathetic.”

Emanuel doesn’t advocate euthanasia or physician-assisted suicide. He simply states the case for himself, noting that Americans seem obsessed with exercising, consuming juice and protein concoctions, popping vitamins and supplements, all in an effort to cheat death and prolong life.

WHERE I STAND

I’m only five months away from his “drop dead” date and I know first-hand about the issues he raises about diminished function and form. I’ve got macular degeneration. I’m minus a prostate gland. I watch my daily carbohydrate intake to control my adult-onset diabetes.

I’m also aware that my best friend of 57 years died at 69, choosing only hospice care after his diagnosis of pancreatic cancer.

Two other friends, editors Deborah Howell and Beverly Kees, both died instantly in motor-vehicle accidents in their mid-60s. They never got old.

Nevertheless, I’d like to continue this worldly walk, believing I’m neither stupid nor selfish.

Yes, I have more aches and pains.

JANUARY 2015

But I’m also not as anxious or prideful.

And I’m a better man than I used to be, less inclined to put myself at the center of the universe and more apt to think of others who live on the margins.

I’m not claiming sainthood, but I slow down on freeway exits, roll down the window once in a while and give a few bucks to the fragile and forlorn folks with cardboard signs asking for handouts. I give more to charities, offer more rides and make more time for friends.

My mind’s not as quick as it once was — I’m not a candidate for Jeopardy — but it’s more open than it ever was.

HARD LESSONS LEARNED

When I was a private in the U.S. Army, I believed conscientious objectors were cowards. Then I met one and learned differently. I thought gay men were a threat to me. Then I discovered a couple were among my valued friends.

When I was a rookie reporter at The Minneapolis Star, I watched silently as other rookies — females — were assigned to the women’s page. When I

ONLINE Read Why I Hope to Die at 75 and What Happens When We All Live to 100? in the October issue of The Atlantic at tinyurl.com/ the-atlantic-age.

Where adults 50+ can interact, relax and be inspired. got to be The Star’s managing editor, I chose one of them to be the city editor.

She outdid me in substance, strategy and style.

I know more about myself at 74 than I did at 47. I’m not a general, but more like one of the soldiers. I’m more comfortable with process than policy.

I prefer compromise to controversy.

I’ve learned to take a stand rather than bend a principle.

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It’s taken me this long to discern what a spiritual life looks like. This is the part where the questions are existential and the answers can be consequential: Why am I here? What am I to do? In what, in whom, do I believe?

I do have a higher power, the God of my understanding. He/she eluded me for the first 50 years or so.

Now, thanks to some nuns in north Minneapolis, a hillside church in Afton and a 12-step program in the Twin Cities, I get glimpses of God. I don’t hear a voice. Nor do a see a burning bush.

But I get a nudge, a gentle elbow in the ribs from time to time that helps me to define this part of life: Let go of resentments. Tell the truth. Spread the love. And do onto others as you would have them do unto you.

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Dave Nimmer has had a long career as a reporter, editor and professor. Now retired, he has no business card, but plenty to do. Send comments or questions to dnimmer@mngoodage.com.

Let's Dish GA 0115 H4.indd 1

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JANUARY 2015

GOOD START MEMORIES ////// CAROL HALL

REMEMBER WHEN … ?

“Do you remember when … we were in grade school and we dressed up in your mother’s old clothes and hats and played ‘grown up’? — Maryann “Do you remember when … your front porch screen door was hooked shut and your folks were in bed when I brought you home one Saturday night? I had to use a 50-cent piece to flip the hook, so you could get inside.” — Jerry

I

didn’t remember either incident. Nor did Maryann or Jerry recall the ones I related to them.

A recent high school class reunion prompted all kinds of these conversations. This back-and-forth exchange, which always occurs at these things, is fascinating, yet a little eerie.

Hearing other’s experiences that include you is like reading a book about someone else’s childhood — but it really was yours.

Equally disconcerting are pictures of yourself that you’ve never seen before. A classmate, Elaine, produced a yellowed newspaper clipping from 1946 of her and me at a neighborhood Christmas party.

There we were: two 10-year-old girls, posing along with a dozen other kids from our block.

Egad! I scarcely recognized myself. Where did that hideous sweater I had on come from?

Was my hair still braided then?

The whatcha-been-up-to-sincegraduation query is ignored at my reunions. By now everyone knows of everyone else’s career.

And I’m from the era where there was no switching around.

You stuck to your chosen profession throughout your lifetime, which makes the dramatic change one of my classmates made remarkable.

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JANUARY 2015

Bill, whose father was our small town’s only dentist, went on to dental school, practiced with his father and eventually took over the practice when he died.

But today Bill is a farmer. Full-fledged: crops, chickens, pigs, sheep, cows. It seems it all began with his love of baby chicks (he raised them in hatchery boxes in his room as a kid), which grew into a need for land of his own and even more livestock.

So when his dental patients began heading to big-city dentists and his practice dwindled, Bill closed the door, bought 80 acres north of town and hasn’t looked back since.

He’s a very happy man today.

Only one teacher, Miss Eng (shorthand), attended the reunion. Nearing 100 years old, she brought to mind her companion — typing teacher Miss Kiner — and the prophetic and endearing contribution she made in my autograph book.

Feb. 13, 1952: “Dear Carol, girl of vivid imagination: Your original compositions are good — but too much pep during class to be contained for one full hour.

“If you would temper your enthusiasm at the keyboard just enough to cut down on errors — or else ‘patiently’ erase (neatly) each one, why, Carol, you’d be a marvel in the typing class. I’ve enjoyed you though, Carol, and wish you much happiness always! Miss Kiner.”

Well, the die was cast young.

My typing skills are just as bad today as they were then!

Carol Hall, who now lives in Woodbury, grew up in Southwestern Minnesota. She’s a longtime freelance writer, a University of Minnesota graduate and a former Northwest Airlines stewardess. Send comments and questions to chall@mngoodage.com.

GOOD START THIS MONTH IN MINNESOTA HISTORY

St. Paul Public Schools GA 0115 V6.indd 1

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The Andrews Sisters singing group hailed from Minnesota, including (from top) LaVerne, Patty, Maxene, circa 1952.

THE ANDREWS SISTERS – PIONEERS OF MUSIC T

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he 1941 hit Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy propelled a new style of song and solidified the Andrews Sisters as America’s sweethearts.

Born Jan. 3, 1916, in Minneapolis, Maxene Andrews grew up surrounded by music. By the time she was 16, she and her sisters were accomplished vocalists, so when she proposed forming a singing group, her sisters didn’t hesitate to say yes.

They sang vocal jazz, modeling their group after the popular Boswell Sisters. Maxene sang the high voice, LaVerne, the oldest sister, sang the low voice and Patty, the youngest, sang in between.

JANUARY 2015

In 1931, the sisters won a talent contest at the Orpheum Theatre in Minneapolis and were invited to join the traveling troupe that sponsored it.

They played county fairs and vaudeville shows until they got their big break in 1937 when Decca Records offered them a contract.

At the time, the Big Band era was in full swing. But, from the very beginning, the sisters mixed things up. They sang louder, faster and in close harmony, using their voices to sound like the blare of three trumpets. Some bandleaders resented their focus on vocals. Today, many consider their early work examples of

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a then-new song style called rhythm and blues.

And the public liked what they heard. Throughout their long career, the sisters sold more than 90 million records and had 46 Top 10 songs — more than Elvis Presley or The Beatles. The sisters also made it big in Hollywood, appearing in 17 films.

In 1941, they made Buck Privates, with the comic duo Abbott and Costello. It featured the hit Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy, which was nominated for an Academy Award.

During World War II, the Andrews Sisters performed frequently for the United Services Organization (USO), singing at military bases and hospitals, for Armed Forces Radio and at war-bond rallies. They also spent eight weeks overseas in the summer of 1945. They played more USO tours than any other entertainer besides Bob Hope.

But the sisters fought, as sisters do.

By 1953, Patty decided to go solo and the group broke up. They reunited in 1956 and performed for a number of years, but when LaVerne died of cancer in 1967, Patty and Maxene went their separate ways. Maxene died in 1995. Patty died in 2013.

Brian Horrigan, developer of the Minnesota History Center exhibit Minnesota’s Greatest Generation said: “Every generation has its own ‘soundtrack’ running through their lives, and for the young men and women coming of age during the Depression and World War II — our “greatest generation” — that soundtrack featured, front and center, the Minnesota-born Andrews Sisters.”

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G O O D H E A LT H ASK THE PHARMACIST ////// SUZY COHEN

Don’t let doctors dismiss your concerns D

octors are my friends, so I was dismayed to lose my cool with a physician recently.

My husband, Sam, (who has Lyme disease from a tick bite years ago) developed symptoms that might get diagnosed as “restless legs syndrome.”

The vibrations, creepy crawly sensations and shocks weren’t just in his legs, they were head to toe.

His limbs felt like they contained concrete. This went on for weeks. On a good night, he could sleep two hours. His misery began after starting some new antibiotics.

I accompanied Sam to his appointment. His doctor wasn’t concerned about the full-body problem, which was disrupting both of our lives.

Forty-five minutes into the appointment, he called me out for interrupting him and made a “shh” sign.

It felt confrontational; after all, we pay $350 per hour and I was just trying to get him to focus on the unpleasant symptoms, not an incidental finding on the latest lab.

This was a serious drug-induced reaction needing immediate intervention, yet he outright refused to discontinue the antibiotic because that would “introduce a new variable.”

And likewise, I resisted introducing the variable of my shoe to his forehead!

SPEAKING UP

Just how long should you watch your loved one suffer before you fight with the doctor? Have you ever known a physician who: • Showed little or no compassion?

• Refused to listen or take your detailed history?

• Didn’t fully grasp the gravity of your condition?

• Charged you way too much for the benefit you received?

You’ve been there, haven’t you? After an hour of dillydallying, I presented reasonable suggestions and solutions.

But he disagreed. Sam meekly appealed, but he was worn out and sleep-deprived and besides, drug reactions are my expertise, not his.

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JANUARY 2015

ONLINE Learn more about the National Institute for Functional Medicine — and doctors who specialize in this area — at functionalmedicine.org.

I stopped biting my lip, and this slipped out, “For what we pay, it would be great if you listened to your patient and had a nicer bedside manner!” Infuriated with his abstinence, I walked out in a huff.

ANTIBIOTIC SIDE EFFECTS

Just FYI, the “restless” limb problem may occur with any antibiotic protocol, and it’s sometimes part of a Herxheimer reaction (a response to chemicals released by the death of harmful microorganisms in the body during antibiotic treatment). It’s associated with various neurotransmitter and nutrient deficiencies.

Thankfully, we found a compassionate physician who was both brilliant and merciful (and a specialist trained in functional medicine) who addressed the problem.

When you kill germs (bugs) with antibiotics, you have to clean up an hour afterwards. It’s like wringing out a sponge: Kill the bugs, wring out the dead bug parts (excitoxins).

To accomplish this, doctors sometimes prescribe cholestyramine powder or natural binders like clay, which are taken one or two hours after the taking of antibiotics.

Some binders and supplements reduce your toxic load of glutamate, ammonia and quinolinic acid, three excitotoxic compounds that are unleashed with antibiotic use.

They can make your brain buzz, limbs vibrate or induce restless legs, seizures, clusters, migraines and severe insomnia.

Now, it’s time for you to stop suffering. Speak up for yourself and don’t accept the “wait and see” attitude. Fight for yourself, or your loved one, and — if you want — bring along a pit bull like me.

Suzy Cohen has been a licensed pharmacist for almost 25 years.

G O O D H E A LT H HOUSE CALL ////// DR. MICHAEL SPILANE

The DXA bone-density test O

steoporosis can be very nasty.

Men aren’t immune, but women develop the troubles more often and at an earlier age. Since it’s common and treatment can decrease the likelihood of future bone fractures, early diagnosis is important.

The best means to an early diagnosis is the DXA bone-mineral density test.

DXA (pronounced dexa) stands for dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. It involves X-ray imaging of the lower spine, hip and forearm; and it’s quick, painless and safe.

The DXA test is based on the principal that bone absorbs X-rays in proportion to the density of the bone — the greater the density of the bone, the fewer X-rays that strike the recording plate. After analyzing the data, a computer calculates numbers that reflect the bone’s relative density.

QUANTIFYING DENSITY

The numbers the computer calculates are called T-score and Z-score. T-score is most important, and is a numerical expression of how much higher or lower the tested bone density is compared to the bone density of a healthy 30-year-old of the same sex. A T-score of minus-1.0 or higher is normal bone density; a T-score between minus-1.0 and minus-2.5 is low bone density (osteopenia); and a T-score of minus-2.5 or lower is osteoporosis.

IMPERFECT RESULTS

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DXA is a reasonably accurate test, but it’s not a perfect one. The test is significantly dependent on the skill of both the X-ray technician who administers the test and the radiologist who reviews the X-ray images and the computer-generated data.

JANUARY 2015

Different X-ray machines can also give slightly different results, so it’s important that the same machine be used if results of a test are compared with results of a previous test.

WHO NEEDS IT?

The U.S. Preventative Services Task Force recommends DXA screening for osteoporosis in women age 65 or older, and in younger women with risk factors such as smoking, previous bone fracture, long-term use of corticosteroid medication, low body weight and a family history of osteoporosis.

Some clinicians argue that a DXA bone-mineral density test isn’t needed in patients with obvious osteoporosis — those with advanced stooped posture, a previous low-impact bone fracture,

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loss of height of more than 2 inches or demineralized bones seen on a spine X-ray. They also feel the test isn’t warranted in the very old.

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TREATMENT, RISK SCORES

Most experts believe treatment of osteoporosis with prescription medication (usually an oral biphosphanate such as Actonel and Fosamax) is justified if a person has a confirmed diagnosis of osteoporosis.

Treatment with prescription medication is also advised for people without a confirmed diagnosis of osteoporosis but who have significant risk factors for the disease. The World Health Organization has developed a widely used tool that uses available scientific evidence to calculate an estimated 10-year risk of a given person having a bone fracture.

The simple FRAX tool uses the T-score from a DXA scan plus questions about age and additional risk factors. Treatment with prescription medication should be considered for anyone with an estimated 10-year fracture risk of 9.3 percent or higher.

If you know your DXA T-score, you can use the FRAX tool to calculate your own estimated 10-year risk of bone fracture. Go to tinyurl.com/frax-risk.

Dr. Michael Spilane, now retired, spent more than four decades practicing and teaching geriatric medicine in St. Paul. Send comments or questions to drspilane@mngoodage.com.

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GOOD LIVING FINANCE ////// SKIP JOHNSON

Boost your portfolio’s immune system with annuities S

avvy investors know that having a mix of investments is the key to potentially growing retirement savings in good times — and reducing losses in bad times. For many that means a mix of stocks and bonds.

However, there’s another investment type many people don’t consider that can boost your portfolio’s immunity to market losses like no other: Annuities.

An annuity by itself won’t make you rich.

What it does is ensure — no matter what happens to the market — that you’ll have money in retirement.

It can even provide you with a steady stream of income for the rest of your life, no matter how long that lasts. Those features are backed by an insurance company. There are three primary forms of annuities:

FIXED ANNUITY

This is a relatively simple product. Consider it an alternative to a Certificate of Deposit (CD).

You put money away for a set amount of time, known as the accumulation phase, and it grows at a fixed rate. These are an attractive choice for those looking for close to absolute certainty in an investment. You know on the front end how much you can expect to receive during the distribution phase.

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That’s set by the terms of the annuity and is backed by an insurance company’s guarantee.

VARIABLE ANNUITY

Unlike a fixed annuity, money invested in a variable annuity is at risk: It can lose value. Your money is put into various investments. With some variable annuities you can choose those investments. In others, the investments are pre-set. If those investments increase in value, the value of your annuity grows. If those investments decrease in value, your annuity loses value. Learn more about how these annuities differ from mutual funds at sec.gov or tinyurl.com/annuities-variable.

INDEXED ANNUITY

This kind of annuity is an attractive option for those who don’t want to worry about losing value, but want the possibility of larger gains. The value of an indexed annuity is tied to a market index like the S&P 500. If the index goes up, the value of your annuity goes up (with one important stipulation I’ll explain later). If the market index goes down, the value of your annuity remains flat: You’re guaranteed (by the insurance company) not to lose a penny.

The amount of any gains you receive in an indexed annuity is decided by how much the

An annuity by itself won’t make you rich.

What it does is ensure — no matter what happens to the market — that you’ll have money in retirement.

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It’s also determined by the annuity’s crediting method. There are two types of crediting methods: • Cap: You receive any gains up to a pre-determined percentage.

For example, if the index goes up 20 percent and the cap is set at 3 percent, your annuity’s value increases only 3 percent.

• Spread: You receive only gains over a pre-determined percentage, but with no limit. If the spread is set at 3 percent and the index goes up 1 percent, your annuity doesn’t increase in value. If the spread is 3 percent and the index goes up 20 percent, your annuity increases 17 percent.

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When you’ve reached the end of an annuity’s term, you have three options for withdrawal: 1) Take it out in a lump sum.

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Because an annuity is a tax-deferred investment, you pay taxes at the time of withdrawal — but only on the increase in value.

The increased certainty that comes with an annuity can boost your confidence that, no matter what happens with the stock market, you’ll have some income in retirement. And that increased confidence can make you a better investor when it comes to the rest of your portfolio.

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GOOD LIVING HOUSING ////// TERESA AMBORD

Away? Don’t let your home be a target O

n an episode of 20/20 a few years back, reporters interviewed a reformed home burglar to find out what makes a home a good target. 20/20 took the man on a ride through a neighborhood and asked him to spot the common security mistakes in homes.

His advice still stands today. And because January and February are popular times to escape Minnesota homes for warmer climates, here are some things to keep in mind.

Security systems: A sign or sticker on a home or in the

yard calling out a security system really does help. After all, thieves value freedom and want to be reasonably sure it’s possible to get in and out.

However, many homeowners who pay for security systems fail to turn them on when they leave. They forget or they think they’ll be gone only a short while, so what’s the harm? But the average home burglary takes 10 minutes. A determined thief can get in and out while you run to the corner market for milk.

is by installing glass-break sensors. With wireless technology, sensors detect the sound and feel of window glass breaking and set off an alarm.

Window air conditioners: Speaking of other entries: An air

conditioner in a window is thief bait. Not because a thief wants the AC, but because it can easily be pushed inside or pulled outside, leaving an open window and access to get inside.

Deadbolts: If you don’t have deadbolts already, get them.

They’re an essential part of home security. Plus, having deadbolts at entry points may qualify you for a discount on your homeowner’s insurance.

Home repair equipment: If you have an ongoing project in

your backyard that requires the use of a ladder, put the ladder away each day. By leaving the ladder accessible you’re giving thieves a way to gain entry to second-floor windows, which are less likely to be locked.

Beware-of-dog signs: These are surprisingly effective. Of

Lighting: Don’t forget outdoor lighting, such as motion-

Cover: Privacy for you equals cover for thieves. Many houses

provide natural attractions for burglars in the form of bushes, hedges and trees that create an obstructed view from the street, which gives thieves a way to get in and out of your home unseen.

Forget hiding a key outside: You may think your hiding place is clever, but remember, for some thieves this is a full-time occupation, so any place you can think to hide a key, they can think to find it. Better to leave a key with a trusted neighbor.

Front door access: Surprising though it may be, the most

Electronics: A home burglar will look for electronic devices

course, if you really don’t have a dog, a thief could spend time watching your home and easily find out. There’s also anecdotal evidence that if a thief sees a large dog dish or a heavy dog toy or a large pair of men’s boots on the porch or in the yard, he or she might think twice.

common entry point for burglars is the front door. Don’t rely on your neighbors to notice. Not to suggest your neighbors aren’t reliable, but they’re busy living their own lives. It’s very common for a burglar to just walk up and knock on a door to see if anyone’s home. As long as he doesn’t act suspicious, he may be able to let himself into your house or backyard without drawing suspicion.

Other entries: Besides the front door, common entry points

for home burglaries are first-floor windows, the back door and the garage. One way to help secure entries that include glass

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sensing floodlights and solar-powered pathway lights. Both of these are fairly inexpensive and may not require special installation. Some motion-sensing lights can simply be plugged into an outdoor wall socket. See mrbeams.com for wireless outdoor lighting.

that have chargers with them. If a charger isn’t close by, a thief may opt not to take a device, even if it’s expensive. It’s just not worth the hassle and cost to replace the charger — and the value of the item without the charger is substantially lower, according to the 20/20 report. So store your chargers elsewhere. Remember this when you travel and leave your electronics in your hotel room, too.

Teresa Ambord is a former accountant, a longtime freelance writer and a frequent contributor to Good Age. Send comments or questions to editor@mngoodage.com.

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GOOD LIVING TECHNOLOGY ////// MR. MODEM

Where can I play with Gmail settings?

How can I explore various

Q&A settings in Gmail without

messing up what I currently have?

Any changes you make to Gmail through its user settings are easily reversible by returning to the setting in question and changing it back. As an alternative, since Gmail is free, you can create a test email account for yourself, then experiment until your head explodes. If you test settings in this manner and find something you particularly like, you can then apply it to your primary account.

When using Excel with Windows 7, I can’t seem to establish a uniform format for dates. If I enter 8/2/2014, it may appear as 8.2.14 or 8-2-14. How can I make dates automatically appear the same every time?

By default, the “short date” display format for Windows (and thus Excel) is “M/D/YYYY.” So Aug. 2, 2014 would be displayed as 8/2/2014.

For various reasons, you may want to zero-fill your dates and have Aug. 2, 2014 appear as 08/02/2014. Doing this involves a Windows setting, not an Excel setting. Caution: If you change this formatting setting, it will affect how dates appear throughout Windows and other programs running under Windows. It won’t be confined to Excel. I would suggest jotting down any changes you make just in case you aren’t enamored with the result, so you can then change things back if needed.

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To change the default date format in Windows, go to your Control Panel and select “Regional Settings” or “Region and Language.” In the Short Date format list, select whatever format you prefer, then click OK. From this point forward, unless the dates in Excel were formatted using Excel’s Format menu for a given spreadsheet, they’ll display as you have defined them.

We just converted to Linux Ubuntu for our computer operating system at work. If I send clients an attachment using a word-processing or spreadsheet program, will they be able to open it?

As long as you save it in a file format that your client’s computer can accommodate, there shouldn’t be a problem.

If you use a program such as OpenOffice or LibreOffice (comparable to MS Office, but free and frequently used with Linux) to create a document or spreadsheet, you’ll be able to save it in a format that Windows or Apple systems can read. I use LibreOffice and I work with a large number of publication editors who require .DOC-formatted articles. It’s not a problem to simply select the .DOC format when saving my document as opposed to the native LibreOffice .ODT format.

Richard Sherman, a nationally syndicated columnist, first ventured onto the Internet in 1988. Learn more at mrmodem.net.

WORTHY WEBSITES

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This site transforms music from YouTube, SoundCloud or your private music collection and converts it into chords that you can play along with on a guitar, ukulele or piano. It’s a “freemium” service, meaning it’s available in free and paid versions.

The free version allows you to keep three songs in music storage with a maximum song duration of 10 minutes, a maximum file size of 10 MB, plus PDFs of the chord diagrams. You can upload a song from your collection or simply provide a URL for the song you want to convert. Very cool! chordify.net

GREATIST This site’s focus isn’t to tell you what healthy means, but rather to help you define what healthy means to you. Topic areas include Move, Eat, Grow, Play, Discover, Connect. greatist.com/about

GREAT LANGUAGE GAME When you begin, you’ll hear a short recording of a language being spoken. You’re then given multiple choices from which to select your answer. If you have an ear for languages, give it a try. greatlanguagegame.com

GOOD LIVING IN THE KITCHEN

BY MEGAN DEVINE

Sneaky smoothies These smoothies are delicious with or without the greens. (But be sure to give the greens a try: You’ll be surprised how mild they are: You may even want to add more!) Each recipe yields approximately 32 ounces. Blend the ingredients thoroughly and serve immediately.

OATMEAL BREAKFAST SMOOTHIE 1 cup frozen blueberries 1 banana 1 20-ounce can of pineapple (including juice) 1/4 cup fresh baby spinach or kale 1/4 cup dry, quick-cooking oatmeal

PURPLE COW 1 cup grape juice 1 cup milk 2 bananas 1/4 cup fresh baby spinach or kale

MANGO ORANGE RASPBERRY SMOOTHIE 10 pieces of frozen mango (or 1 fresh mango peeled and cut into chunks) 1 cup frozen raspberries 1 cup orange juice 1 cup vanilla yogurt 1/4 cup fresh baby spinach or kale

Megan Devine is an elementary school teacher who lives in Northeastern Minnesota. She blogs at kidsandeggs.com.

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TRAVEL

Touring Germany’s UNESCO sites reveals the country’s rich history and culture

imeworn treasures

BY CARLA WALDEMAR

Rheinstein Castle adorns the riverside in the famous Rhine Gorge north of Rudesheim, Germany.

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he oldest town in Germany is almost not in Germany at all.

From the hillside overlooking Trier, founded in 17 B.C., you could toss a basketball into Luxembourg. If you were Magic Johnson, you’d land the ball in France.

But the Romans, who made this their hub for 500 years, didn’t quibble over geographic labels; they simply set about building what today UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) preserves as heritage treasures. Trier was called the Second Rome, with 80,000 residents in the days of Emperor Augustus, who oversaw the red-brick bridge spanning the Mosel River — the oldest in Germany — as well as in the time of Emperor Constantine, who was never shy about constructing monuments to himself.

This city — one of many UNESCO sites you can tour using Frankfurt as a home base (120 miles to the east) — isn’t much larger today.

In fact, it’s easy to tramp from one monumental wonder to the next. An old Roman storehouse now houses senior citizens. Not far away, you can sign up for gladiator lessons in the vast amphitheater — and prowl the underground passageways where once contestants readied for the fight.

At the official entrance to Constantine’s Imperial Baths sits the emperor’s sculpted foot, big as an SUV, the remains of his statue, once 55 feet tall. Once the gossip center of its day (served by a formidable aqueduct), the baths’ ample chambers are overgrown with grass.

Trier’s time-blackened Roman city gate, Porte Nigra, serves as this old city’s beloved icon.

Stroll through it to behold the main pedestrian drag, marshaled by half-timbered homes-turned-shops and Baroque mansions in sherbet colors. A medieval pilgrim’s cross, marking the market square, stands atop a Roman pedestal.

Romans here led a life of luxe, as documented in the astounding Archaeology Museum, displaying unearthed treasures like the floors of intricate mosaics, a mini-mountain

Merchants selling flowers and souvenirs from colorful stalls light up the marketplace in Trier, Germany.

of gold coins (the most discovered anywhere in Europe), marble busts of the rich and famous and even an itty-bitty leather bikini.

Constantine’s Throne Room has been co-opted as a Catholic basilica, expanded in the 1700s with a wedding-cake palace and formal garden begging for a stroll. Trier’s great, and strange, cathedral, built with stones from the Roman wall — a jumble of add-ons that looks more like a fort than a holy site — isn’t Roman, but Romanesque. Plus Gothic. Plus Baroque, as is the interior dome, from which sculpted figures scramble as a stony trumpeter toots away.

The cathedral boasts as its most prized relic the robe of Jesus. But good luck trying for a glimpse: It’s ensconced in a golden case brought out only on the most holy of days.

Out of Constantine’s turf bounded, almost 2,000 years later, the Emperor’s antithesis — a man whose life’s mission was to replace Imperial control with the power of the common man: Karl Marx. Tour the home of the journalist whose Communist Manifesto set the world ablaze.

Which brings on hunger pangs. Weinstube Kesselstatt, with vine-canopied patio tables offering up-close-andpersonal views of the cathedral, offers vast platters of everything tasty on hand: sausages, cold cuts, smoked fish, creamy cheeses, salad greens. In contrast, Restaurant Christo embodies tradition in the form of homey treats like teerdisch — smoked pork served with a mix of sauerkraut and mashed potatoes. Here — and, indeed, everywhere — Riesling is the tipple of choice. The grapes’ vines carpet every hillside.

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Trier’s Roman city gate, built of sandstone around the year 200, once guarded the northern entrance to the city.

IRONWORKS, FOSSILS

Trier is only the beginning of UNESCOprotected treasures within a 2.5-hour drive of Frankfurt. In fact, a something-for-everyone quartet of UNESCO sites can be easily toured from Trier to Frankfurt and back. And, surprisingly, they’re not all historic buildings.

Volklinger Ironworks, for instance, in Frankfurt, is Germany’s first industrial-heritage UNESCO site, saluting a behemoth factory. Blast furnaces here churned out iron machines and helmets for the armies of both world wars.

Trace the entire process, self-guided or with a guide who might enthrall engineer-nerds, if not all the rest of us. The majestic machinery alone wore out my camera-trigger finger.

Bonus: Part of the space serves as gallery for an emotional photo display of German Reunification 25 years ago.

Grab lunch in what looks like a company canteen, serving hefty blue-collar fare. My potato dumpling, filled with savory meat, was as big as a cantaloupe.

Just 20 miles south of Frankfurt is another unexpected UNESCO treasure: Welterbe Grube Messel, or the Messel Pit. Using the pit

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as a quarry, diggers came upon fossils by the thousands, yours to wonder at via an archaeologist-guided tour — miniature horses the size of collies, a monkey, a crocodile, fossilized animal poo and plenty of vegetation captured in stone: grapes, coffee beans and other signs that a rainforest was the pit’s first tenant. A museum completes the story.

SPEYER HIGHLIGHTS

Streak south another 50 miles to Speyer for a glimpse of its UNESCO-cited cathedral — the biggest in the world when built in 1030, erected in the Emperor’s home town (just because he could).

Today its Romanesque beginnings are embellished by 19th-century “improvements” (or not).

Eight kings lie buried in its crypt.

Speyer’s tiny Jewish Quarter will gain UNESCO status in 2017 for its newly excavated synagogue, school, ritual bath and homes. To complete the circle with a Protestant homage, Trinity Church — Lutheran since Martin Luther — bids welcome with a painted ceiling hovering above a beyond-Baroque altar, squirming with scrolls of gold.

WHAT’S UNESCO? The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization encourages the preservation of cultural and natural heritage sites around the world that are considered extraordinarily valuable to humanity. There are more than 1,000 sites in 161 countries on the World Heritage List. Many U.S. national parks, the Statue of Liberty as well as other sites are on the list. Learn more at unesco.org.

Break for dinner at the town hall’s rathskeller, where I found my favorite word in the German language — spargel! — on the menu. This springtime treat features logs of white asparagus served with boiled potatoes and all the Hollandaise your conscience will permit. Toast it with Riesling, of course.

RHINE RIVER JEWEL

Indeed, what would a tour of Germany be without wine?

Rudesheim (40 minutes west of Frankfurt) is the classic, postcardperfect half-timbered town on the Rhine River, worthy of awe even if UNESCO didn’t tap it — but it did, for the landscape itself, with grapevines upholstering hills, spangled with crumbling castles and lacy spires of churches.

Board a cruise boat for a lazy, hourlong float through the landscape. Or climb aboard a funicular lift to glide above grape vines marching up the hills to Niederwald — a forest peak rich with boar and deer, overseen

by Germania, statuesque emblem of the fatherland, a don’t-mess-withme Wagnerian goddess standing 100 feet tall.

Trace the town’s wine cellars to Restaurant Rudesheim Schloss, where the Breuer family has spoiled guests at their restaurant-hotel since 1952, arm-wrestling appetizer platters bearing homemade everything: sausages, pates, smoked fish, pickled asparagus.

Then order the classic duck with red cabbage to assure you’ll rival Germania in girth.

Dance it off to the oompah combo playing oldies like Blue Bayou.

Carla Waldemar is an award-winning food/travel/arts writer. She edits the annual Zagat Survey of Twin Cities restaurants and writes food and travel articles for publications around the world. She lives in Uptown.

48 hours in Frankfurt Minnesotans can fly nonstop to Frankfurt.

Although you might tour this area to visit its many stunning UNESCO sites, you’d be wise to allow time to explore the many rich facets of this city, the fifth largest in Germany.

The train from the airport (15 minutes) delivers visitors to the central station, just blocks from the Altstadt — Old City — steeped in history.

Its beating heart is Romer Platz, a lively pedestrian plaza (think mimes, musicians) lined with photo-ready half-timbered houses home to open-air cafes and the tourist office (maps, info, walking tours).

Dart into the platz’s gorgeous St. Nicolai Church of 1240 for a respite, then stride to the Cathedral, its majestic neighbor, topped by a lacy Gothic spire. Holy Roman Emperors were crowned here, and a trio of magnificent medieval altars remains untouched, thanks to clever hiding places during the hideous bombings at the close of World War II. Goethe’s House was destroyed during the war, but the revered poet’s home has been meticulously restored and is open to visits. Gawk, too, at another city icon, the wedding-cake Opera House anchoring its own plaza, busy with outdoor cafes. On the way, you’ll pass the Markethalle, an enclosed marketplace for all that’s fresh and tasty. Pick up cheese, bread and sausage and climb the stairs to the open-air wine bar to eavesdrop on the passing parade.

Shoppers, you’re in luck. Zeil, a vast and bustling pedestrian-only promenade, nails all the name brands. Art and antiques galleries bloom along Fahrgasse and Breurbachstrasse, near the Cathedral.

Lovers of luxe might head for Goethe Strasse. I crossed the river to Sachenhausen, a boho neighborhood of indie designer shops, flower stalls and inviting cafes. It’s also the sector famous for the traditional local apple wine, poured in many a tavern from picturesque gray jugs into special ribbed tumblers.

As you’re sipping, an aging “pretzel boy” approaches, selling fistsized treats from his basket. Or slice into the sausage named after the city — frankfurter — far tastier than our Midwestern imitation, often accompanied by another cherished culinary icon, green sauce. Its bright herbs also flavor plates of boiled potatoes and eggs.

Now you’re fueled for Frankfurt’s forte: the Museum Embankment along the river, boasting side-by-side treasure houses. Whatever your passion, there’s an exhibit to match, starting with the world-famous Stadel (Vermeer, Rembrandt, Raphael, all the German masters) and, in a new addition, provocative post-post-Modernist works, starring Andy Warhol’s Goethe portrait.

Saints glimmer from golden plates in the Icon Museum, while nearby the Jewish Museum showcases unearthed buildings from the former ghetto and its checkered history.

At the tourist office, buy a museum card for admission to 35 museums.

Grab a Frankfurt card for unlimited travel and discounts on city tours.

To start planning your trip, see germany.travel (omitting the .com) or frankfurt-tourismus.de (click “translate” for English).

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Enduring Alzheimer’s Three local caregivers share how their spouses’ lives — and their own — have been forever changed by this devastating disease, as the nation prepares for an epidemic of aging and dementia.

STORY AND PHOTOS BY SHEILA REGAN

I

magine that your husband is lying flat on a staircase landing at a mall, surrounded by dozens of onlookers. You aren’t strong enough to lift him and, yet, you have to do something.

Carol Shapiro experienced the above scenario with her husband, Alan Shapiro. It was just one of many challenging moments on their journey with Alzheimer’s.

It happened at the Galleria Edina shopping center.

Out of the blue, Alan became afraid of the glass railing and collapsed. His legs turned to jelly and he melted like the witch in The Wizard of Oz. Eventually, Shapiro was able to get her husband off of the stairs. He was given a wheelchair, at which point he got up and walked on his own.

“You kind of throw up your arms and think, ‘What am I going to do? How am I going to fix this?’”

Shapiro said.

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THE COSTS OF ALZHEIMER’S

Shapiro is one of more than 15.5 million family caregivers in the U.S., providing an estimated 17.7 billion hours of unpaid care each year to their loved ones diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, according to 2013 figures from the national Alzheimer’s Association.

That’s a contribution of more than $220 billion, not to mention the physical and emotional toll such caregiving can take on friends and family. Indeed, caregivers also suffer physical and emotional stress, amounting, in 2013, to $9.3 billion in additional healthcare costs.

It’s a health issue that will only grow in magnitude as members of the baby boomer generation turn 65 at a rate of 10,000 a day for the next two decades. Every 67 seconds someone in the U.S. develops Alzheimer’s, according to association.

David Foster of Edina, whose wife, Linda, died last year, used up his savings trying to fight her disease. Without any

long-term or disability insurance, he had to pay for his wife’s medical needs out of pocket. Today, at 65, he must continue to work in the software industry. He might have retired under other circumstances.

Foster’s wife was diagnosed in 2003, and was put on Aricept, a drug that slows down the disease for some patients. Foster ordered another drug, Namenda, ordered from Switzerland at cost $500 per month. Even now, Foster doesn’t know if either drug helped his wife at all.

“You’re afraid to stop,” Foster said of the drugs. “The funding of long-term care is a huge problem that nobody’s thinking about — and it’s going to get a lot worse in the next 30 years.”

Mary Margaret Lehmann of Edina, whose husband, Ken, struggles with Alzheimer’s, said symptoms of the disease ultimately led to their bankruptcy.

Her husband’s behavior started changing in subtle ways about 20 years ago. He withdrew from activities he enjoyed — such as working with his hands and spending time with their kids — and he was overcome by negativity.

Then came the money problems, which Lehmann realized later were symptoms of his condition. He would get upset with Lehmann about her spending, and sometimes would refuse to pay his taxes. He also made questionable purchases, such as a Lexus for their son and a house he built with his sister.

On Easter Sunday in 2009, armed with a phonebook, Lehmann’s husband announced he was looking up bankruptcy attorneys.

“I said, ‘You are? For whom?’” Lehmann recalls. “He said, ‘We have to file for bankruptcy.’ I nearly flipped.”

Lehmann is worried about what the future holds. At 5-foot-1, she’s far too small to be able to physically assist her 250-pound husband.

“How am I going to take care of him?” she said.

Looking to the future, Lehmann’s worried their limited funds won’t be enough to provide the around-the-clock care he will eventually need as his condition progresses.

Carol Shapiro, who takes care of her husband, Alan, who suffers from Alzheimer’s disease, got a dog to cheer her up after her husband started forgetting her name. She named the pup Boker Tove, which means “good morning” in Hebrew.

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I can be totally mentally prepared and say, ‘Within the next six months, this is going to be happening,’ and then when it happens the heart takes over and I’m totally unprepared.’

— Carol Shapiro, on caregiving for her husband, who has Alzheimer’s disease

GETTING A DIAGNOSIS, DIRECTION

HEALTH CARE WORKERS’ ROLE

The Lehmanns’ troubles were compounded by a significant delay in getting a solid Alzheimer’s diagnosis. They ended up seeing multiple internists and neurologists, both in California where they once lived, and in Minnesota, where they moved to be near their daughter.

They kept getting conflicting feedback.

They saw an internist who said it “might be” Alzheimer’s, and a neurologist who questioned Lehmann about why she felt she was qualified to know if it was Alzheimer’s.

“I said: ‘I’ve just been observing his behavior for 14 years, and I minored in psychology,’” Lehmann said. “I’m a speech pathologist. I’m keenly aware of behaviors in people. I just didn’t feel this was a person I had known all this time.

And he was getting worse.”

The neurologist simply scoffed at her.

Finally — four neurologists and three internists later — Lehmann, after making a connection through the Alzheimer’s Association, was able to find a doctor who diagnosed her husband with the disease.

Annette Peterson, the helpline resource coordinator for the Minnesota and North Dakota chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association, said it’s important for health professionals to understand the emotional impact that accompanies making big decisions, such as knowing when it’s no longer safe to drive, and when additional care is needed.

Caregivers do better, Peterson said, when professionals both understand the disease’s progression and can communicate the patient’s changing needs.

“Just as important is the professionals’ ability to empathize with families and demonstrate sensitivity and support when they are with families,” she said.

Communication includes allowing caregivers time to talk with the doctors openly, and for the caregiver’s own doctor to recognize that they may need additional support. Because of the plethora of paperwork Alzheimer’s entails, coordinating care can be extremely stressful.

That’s one of the reasons advocates stress the importance of a designated coordinator — whether that’s a doctor, nurse, social

New book In No Saints Around Here: A Caregiver’s Days, author Susan Allen Toth reveals the difficulty and dedication involved in caregiving for her husband, James.

Toth, a longtime teacher and writer-in-residence at Macalester College, writes of her desire to keep her husband at home — the home he designed, loved and lived in for a quarter century — until the end, even in the face of his Parkinson’s disease and, ultimately, dementia.

No saint, as she often reminds the reader, Toth finds solace in her

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days as a caregiver, documented in brief, episodic bursts during the final 18 months of James’s life.

Toth’s intimate, unsparing account reflects the realities of seeing a loved one out of life, in sickness and in health: There’s the critical support of some friends and the disappearance of others; the elasticity of time, infinitely slow and yet in such short supply; the sheer physicality of James’s decline

and the author’s own loneliness; the practical challenges, including the right food, the right wheelchair, the right hospital bed — all intricately interlocking parts of the act of loving and caring for someone who’s fading away.

“We all need someone to hear us,” Toth says of the millions who devote their days to the care of a loved one. Learn more at upress.umn.edu.

worker or volunteer, to help families with the many decisions and emotions that come with the disease.

The good news is that biomarkers (such as MRIs and PET scans) can help diagnose the disease earlier, Petersen said.

MOVING FUNDING, RESEARCH FORWARD

FINDING WAYS TO COPE

Improving coordination between health care professionals, caregivers and patients is one of the goals of the National Alzheimer’s Project Act, a piece of legislation signed into law by President Barack Obama in 2011. It charged the Secretary for Health and Human Services with the task of developing a national plan for Alzheimer’s disease.

Mayo Clinic doctor Ronald Petersen, who serves as chair of the Advisory Council on Alzheimer’s Research, Care and Services for the National Alzheimer’s Project Act — which advises the Secretary on Alzheimer’s issues — said the council is working on updating the national plan, first published in 2012.

Goals for the project include increasing funding for research, improving clinical diagnoses, supporting caregivers, education and improving how progress is measured.

Alzheimer’s disease is the sixth-leading cause of death in the country. But funding for research on the disease pales in comparison to that of other conditions such as cancer.

The disease “may be the most critical disorder we’re dealing with,” but the research is severely underfunded, Petersen said.

Caring for Alzheimer’s sufferers, a disease that currently has no cure, costs an estimated $214 billion in care in 2014, including $150 billion in costs to Medicare and Medicaid, according to the Alzheimer’s Association.

And, unfortunately, few drugs are available to counteract the disease. The last time a new drug was approved for Alzheimer’s was in 2003, Petersen said.

To deal with her caregiving-related stress, Lehmann has joined several support groups as well as social groups for people dealing with Alzheimer’s. She also does advocacy work, along with her husband. Last summer, Lehmann spoke to the U.S. Senate Finance Committee about her experiences as a caregiver.

“We decided we could continue to be angry or we could try to change other people’s minds about Alzheimer’s,” she said.

Shapiro, meanwhile, finds comfort in listening to life-affirming music, like Jewish songwriter Debbie Friedman, someone she grew up with in St. Paul.

“Her music helps me keep my spirit alive,” she said. “My kids have always said they don’t want the disease killing us both.”

When her husband was first diagnosed, Shapiro went to her rabbi, who told her: Although her husband might lose his memory, he would never lose his soul. She found that deeply comforting.

Shapiro also threw herself into volunteering for the Alzheimer’s Association. She was anxious to

The funding of longterm care is a huge problem that nobody’s thinking about — and it’s going to get a lot worse in the next 30 years.

— David Foster, board chairman for the local chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association

David Foster of Edina, whose late wife, Linda, suffered from Alzheimer’s, paid a high price financially because of the demands of the disease, including expensive Alzheimer’s drugs.

JANUARY 2015

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help fund raise for research that might prevent the disease from affecting the next generation.

She also joined a support group — “absolutely the best thing I ever did,” she said.

One of the groups she belongs to — which started as a couples group, but now consists of the female caregivers getting together for support — has been renamed “The Pisa Girls,” after Italy’s Leaning Tower of Pisa.

“We are the tower of strength for each other and we lean on each other,” Shapiro said.

Shapiro believes her dog, named Boker Tove, which means “good morning” in Hebrew, has kept her off depression medications. Just saying Boker Tove injects a positive note into her day. She got the dog after her husband began forgetting her name.

As her husband’s condition declines, Shapiro mourns the loss and looks at

what’s the next as the “new normal.” In doing this, she’s found that her heart and her head can be in very different places.

“I can be totally mentally prepared and say, ‘Within the next six months, this is going to be happening.’ And then, when it happens, the heart takes over and I’m totally unprepared,’” she said.

Shapiro sees her role as a caregiver through the metaphor of a backpack.

“It gets really, really heavy,” she said.

“I don’t do much crying when I’m home. I carry the heavy backpack and don’t realize I’m carrying it.

“It’s when I go away that I can take the backpack off. I guess that’s the time when I have time to cleanse and cry and then come back revitalized.”

Sheila Regan lives in Minneapolis. She writes for City Pages, Vita.mn, MN Artists and TC Daily Planet. She also teaches theater for children.

Mary Margaret Lehmann of Edina, whose husband, Ken, struggles with Alzheimer’s, spoke to the U.S. Senate Finance Committee about her experiences as an Alzheimer’s caregiver. Read a transcript of her testimony at tinyurl.com/ m-m-lehmann.

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RESOURCES The Alzheimer’s Association Minnesota and North Dakota Chapter provides resources, support and advocacy for all affected by the disease.

See alz.org/mnnd or call the 24/7 helpline at 800-272-3900.

Act on Alzheimer’s is a volunteer-driven, statewide collaboration preparing Minnesota for the impacts of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias.

See actonalz.org.

The Amherst H. Wilder Foundation, in association with the Alzheimer’s Association, offers resources such as The Caregiving Resource Center and The Memory Club.

See wilder.org or call 651-280-2000 or 651-280-2500.

Remember Together is a national public awareness campaign from the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America, which encourages free, confidential 10-minute memory screenings to help in the early detection of memory problems, including Alzheimer’s disease.

Learn more at remembertogetherafa.org/ free-memory-screening.

JANUARY CAN’T MISS

CALENDAR JAN. 20–25

I Love Lucy: Live on Stage Adapted from the beloved TV program, this new production is set in a 1952 television studio, where audience members watch the classic show unfold right before their eyes.

When: Jan. 20–25 Where: State Theatre, Minneapolis Cost: $39–$99 Info: hennepintheatretrust.org or 800-982-2787

Photo by Justin Namon

ONGOING

Night Trains Lights are turned down low, snow settles across town and miniature Christmas lights dot the makebelieve landscape of an intricate model railroad in this special winter tradition.

When: Through Feb. 28 Where: Twin City Model Railroad Museum, St. Paul Cost: $10 admission; ages 4 and younger can visit for free.

Info: tcmrm.org or 651-647-9628

THROUGH JAN. 4

The Hothouse This Twin Cities debut of Harold Pinter’s 1950s play is a satirical dark comedy about incarceration, madness and the loss of identity in

the modern age, as presented by Dark & Stormy Productions.

When: Through Jan. 4 Where: Artspace Grain Belt Bottling House, Minneapolis Cost: $15–$25 Info: darkstormy.org or 612-724-5685

THROUGH JAN. 4

British Arrow Awards Celebrate the creativity of advertising with this screening of the best commercials of the year.

When: Through Jan. 4 Where: Walker Art Center, Minneapolis Cost: $12, $10 for members Info: walkerart.org or 612-375-7600

JAN. 7–18

Branson on the Road Following the tradition of traveling road shows from decades’ past, this production brings the music and legacy of Branson, Missouri, to audiences across the country.

When: Jan. 7–18 Where: Plymouth Playhouse, Plymouth Cost: $28–$39. Group discounts are available.

Info: plymouthplayhouse.com or 763-553-1600

JAN. 8–31

Out There Startling, striking and provocative performance works are at the center of this annual festival, combining stage performances, workshops, JANUARY 2015

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JANUARY CAN’T MISS

CALENDAR lectures and other activities.

When: Jan. 8–31 Where: Walker Art Center, Minneapolis Cost: $20–$25 for individuals shows, $75 package price Info: walkerart.org or 612-375-7600

JAN. 9–FEB. 19

Omnifest Five films will be shown on the science museum’s massive screen at this popular yearly film festival. This year’s movies are Hubble, D-Day: Normandy 1944, The Living Sea, The Greatest Places and Flight of the Butterflies.

When: Jan. 9–Feb. 19 Where: Science Museum of Minnesota, St. Paul Cost: $8 for adults, $7 for children and seniors. Receive a 15 percent discount on each additional same-day screening.

Info: smm.org/omnifest or 651-221-9444

THROUGH JAN. 11

Benevolent Beasts Artist DC Ice showcases her latest scratchboard paintings, full of mysterious creatures, rich colors and imaginative scenarios.

When: Through Jan. 11 Where: Gallery 360, Minneapolis Cost: FREE Info: gallery360mpls.com or 612-925-2400

JAN. 13–FEB. 11

Film Independent Spirit Awards Films in four categories, including Best Documentary and Best First Feature, are screened for Walker Art Center and Independent Filmmaker Project MN members.

When: Tuesdays and

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JANUARY 2015

JAN. 9

Winter Wonderland Curator’s Glögg Tour Enjoy a special tour of the Turnblad Mansion and the institute’s holiday exhibits while sampling varieties of Swedish glögg and snacks from the institute’s restaurant, FIKA. When: 6:30–8 p.m. Jan. 9 Where: America Swedish Institute, Minneapolis Cost: $50, $45 for members. Register online.

Info: asimn.org or 612-871-4907 Wednesdays, Jan. 13–Feb. 11 Where: Walker Art Center, Minneapolis Cost: Free for Walker and IFP MN members Info: walkerart.org or 612-375-7600

JAN. 16–MARCH 7

Outside Mullingar This is the regional premier of a Tony Award nominee for Best New Play, a touching rom-com set in rural Ireland by the Pulitzer-, Oscar- and Tony-winning writer, John Patrick Shanley.

When: Jan. 16–March 7 Where: Old Log Theatre, Greenwood Cost: $24–$30 Info: oldlog.com or 952-474-5951

JAN. 21

Zoo Speaker Series Dr. Jim Perry will discuss his personal travels and endeavors aimed at preserving internationally recognized

World Heritage sites, whose plants and animals are being affected by climate change in this talk titled: What ‘World Heritage’ Will We Leave for Future Generations?

When: 7–9 p.m. Jan. 21 Where: Minnesota Zoo, Apple Valley Cost: FREE. Register online.

Info: mnzoo.org or 952-431-9200

JAN. 22–FEB. 1

St. Paul Winter Carnival A huge variety of free and low-cost activities await attendees of this celebration — first held in 1886 — including parades, cultural celebrations, ice and snow sculptures and a giant snow slide. Special signature events take place each day, so be sure to check the website for full details.

When: Jan. 22–Feb. 1 Where: Various areas throughout St. Paul Cost: Most events are free Info: wintercarnival.com

JAN. 24–25

JAN. 31

Winter Carnival Orchid Show

History Forum: The Cold Warrior

The Orchid Society of Minnesota transforms the Marjorie McNeely Conservatory into an orchid paradise with hundreds of plants from private and commercial collections. A selection of plants will also available for purchase.

When: 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Jan. 24–25 Where: Como Zoo Park and Conservatory, St. Paul Cost: $5 for adults, $3 for ages 3 to 12 Info: orchidsocietyofminnesota.com or comozooconservatory.org or 651-487-8201

Learn about the successes and defeats of Eisenhower’s presidency from historian, author and professor Robert J. McMahon.

When: 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Jan. 31 Where: Minnesota History Center, St. Paul Cost: $15, $11 for members.

Reservations are required.

Info: minnesotahistorycenter.org or 651-259-3015

TUESDAYS AND THURSDAYS JAN. 27

History Lounge Randy Croce will discuss the lives and work of the more than 600 builders who worked on the State Capitol, showing clips from his documentary, Who Built Our Capitol?

When: 7 p.m. Jan. 27 Where: Minnesota History Center, St. Paul Cost: Free with museum admission ($11 for adults, $9 for seniors and students, $6 for ages 6 to 17, free for ages 5 and younger) Info: minnesotahistorycenter.org or 651-259-3000

Strengthen and Stretch for Older Adults In a class designed for ages 50 and older, learn how to strengthen and stretch your muscles with a certified fitness instructor.

When: 10:45 a.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays Where: Southwest Senior Center, Minneapolis Cost: $2 per class, paid on a quarterly basis Info: mschoenberger@voamn.org or 612-822-3194

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SUNDAYS JAN. 30–FEB. 1

Contempo Physical Dance The dance company will perform one of their defining works, Motirô, showcasing their fusion of Afro-Brazilian dance, contemporary dance and capoeira.

When: Jan. 30–Feb. 1 Where: Cowles Center for Performing Arts, Minneapolis Cost: $20–$25 Info: thecowlescenter.org or 612-206-3636

Music Under Glass Enjoy live music from local artists, along with beer and wine for sale, in the Sunken Garden of the Marjorie McNeely Conservatory. Upcoming artists include the Parisota Hot Club, the Jake Jones Band and the Dan Israel Trio.

When: 4:30–6:30 p.m. Sundays Where: Como Zoo Park and Conservatory, St. Paul Cost: FREE Info: comozooconservatory.org or 651-487-8201

if you are a fan of determination, then you are already a fan of Special Olympics. volunteer, support, coach or compete.

specialolympicsminnesota.org

JANUARY 2015

Special Olympics MNP 2010 V6 filler.indd 1

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Housing resources • Memory care

• Assisted living

• Independent housing

Augustana Care of Minneapolis •••• Our full continuum of care offers everything from independent living to skilled nursing, all on one campus! We offer in-home care, restaurant-style dining, a bank, pharmacy, grocery store, coffee shop, beauty shop, medical clinic, fitness center, and more!

1007 E 14th St, Minneapolis 1510 11th Ave S, Minneapolis 612-238-5555 minneapoliscampus.org

We are a family-owned company whose services include the following: weekly, bi-weekly, and monthly cleaning; move in/ move out cleaning; organizing; preparing houses for market which includes but isn’t limited to: painting, wallpaper removal, changing fixtures, deep cleaning, staging, packing, and much more.

1616 Texas Ave S St. Louis Park 612-250-8631 cleanslatemn.com

•

CommonBond builds stable homes, strong futures, and vibrant communities.

As the largest nonprofit provider of affordable homes in the Upper Midwest, CommonBond has been building and sustaining homes with services to families, seniors, and individuals with disabilities since 1971.

1080 Montreal Ave St. Paul 651-291-1750 commonbond.org/findhousing

Como by the Lake Senior Apartments • Exceptional senior living at Como by the Lake Senior Apartments and community.

Great location that is just across from beautiful Como Park. Heated underground parking and two elevators. Small pets are always welcome.

901 E Como Blvd St. Paul 651-489-3392

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• Condominium

Crest View Senior Communities • •

Salvation Army Booth Manor •

Crest View Senior Communities offers senior housing, assisted living, memory care, short-term rehab, skilled nursing, and home care. Five great locations in Columbia Heights, and Crest View Senior Community at Blaine is under development and taking reservations.

4444 Reservoir Blvd NE Columbia Heights 763-782-1601 crestviewcares.org

Conveniently located across from Loring Park, this 21-story high rise, with 154 onebedroom apartments is designed for seniors 62 years of age or better, offering many services and amenities. It also combines the convenience of being near downtown with the serenity of the great outdoors.

1421 Yale Place Minneapolis 612-338-6313

Jones-Harrison • • •

Clean Slate •

CommonBond Communities •

• Housing co-op

Located on the shores of Cedar Lake in Minneapolis, Jones-Harrison is a nonprofit organization offering 24-hour skilled nursing care, assisted living apartments, and comprehensive rehabilitation services. We’re known for our innovative memory-loss programs and arthritis care, which includes warm water therapy and a full-service fitness center.

3700 Cedar Lake Ave Minneapolis 612-920-2030 jones-harrison.org

Mary T. Inc. • • • • Family owned and founded on a history of care, Mary T. Inc. has been providing services to seniors since 1976. We offer support through rental villas, senior apartments, assisted living, personal and home services, home health, and hospice care.

Anoka, Coon Rapids, Savage 763-754-2505 marytinc.com

Oak Meadows • • • Award winning Oak Meadows has a 17 year track record of providing excellent service and care to seniors and their families. We offer 62 independent, 48 assisted, and 12 memory care apartments. Lifesprk provides 24/7 on-site homecare.

8131-8133 4th St N Oakdale 651-578-0676 oak-meadows.org

South St. Paul HRA • South St. Paul HRA manages one-bedroom apartments for ages 50 and over, which are designated for low to moderate-income persons. Rent is based on income. The building amenities include all utilities paid, an on-site caretaker, security building, after hours answering service, elevators, community room, resident activities & services, and laundry facilities. Call today to set up an appointment.

125 3rd Ave N South St. Paul 651-554-3270 ssphra.org

Southview Senior Communities ••• Southview Senior Communities owns and operates six senior communities that feature independent living, assisted living, and memory care apartments.

Our beautiful, spacious apartments have several size and floor plan options. Our staff provides a variety of engaging activities for residents all day.

Southview Senior Living West St. Paul 651-554-4838 Lilydale Senior Living Villas of Lilydale Lilydale 651-454-6853 Shoreview Senior Living Shoreview 651-484-9822 Oak Park Senior Living Villas of Oak Park Oak Park Heights 651-439-9995 Inver Glen Senior Living Inver Grove Heights 651-450-0707

ADVERTISER LISTINGS • Long term care

• New construction

Arbor Lakes Senior Living Maple Grove 763-478-2141 southviewcommunities.com

St. Benedict’s Senior Community ••• St. Benedict’s Senior Community is a leader in health care and housing lifestyle options for seniors. Whether speaking about the campus in St. Cloud or Monticello, our philosophy remains the same; offer independence and choices for vital aging.

St. Cloud Campus: 1810 Minnesota Blvd SE St. Cloud 320-203-2747 Monticello Campus: 1301 E 7th St Monticello 763-295-4051 centracare.com

• Services

St. Paul Public Housing Agency • • The Congregate Housing Services Program of the St. Paul Public Housing Agency provides services to assist persons with disabilities, mental health issues, brain injury, and challenges of aging to live independently in their homes.

Edgerton, Iowa, Montreal, Ravoux & Valley High Rises 651-292-6035 stpha.org

SummerCrest Condominiums •

•

SummerCrest Condominiums is a 55+ community located next to Edinburgh Golf Course. These one and two bedroom condos feature an open kitchen and living room, large bedrooms, and laundry. Enjoy a Guest Suite, Party Room, Fitness Studio, Woodshop, and more!

3800 85th Ave N Brooklyn Park 612-710-9502 summercrestcondominiums.com

Walker Methodist • • • •

•

Walker Methodist specializes in lifestyle, housing, and healthcare services for older adults. We own, operate, and manage housing communities, provide rehabilitation services, and operate leading

sub-acute transitional care centers that help people recover from hospitalizations or surgeries so they can return home.

Anoka, Lakeville, Maplewood, Minneapolis, St. Anthony, & West St. Paul 612-827-5931 walkermethodist.org

The Waters Senior Living • • •

•

“The Waters Way” is the integration of well-being into everything we do at The Waters Senior Living. We partner with the University of Minnesota’s Center for Spirituality & Healing and offer a RN primary nursing model to help seniors thrive in all aspects of their lives.

The Waters of Plymouth, 763-270-5220 The Waters of Edina, 952-322-7500 The Waters on 50th, 612-200-9552 The Waters of Oakdale, 651-393-5260 The Waters on Mayowood, opening March 2015 The Waters of Highland Park, opening October 2015 The Waters of White Bear Lake, opening Spring 2016 Corporate Office: 952-358-5100 thewatersseniorliving.com

JANUARY 2015

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BRAIN TEASERS

SPONSORED BY MINNESOTA COLLEGE SAVINGS PLAN

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1. 1895 2. 20 teeth 3. 32 teeth 4. 4 1/2 feet (Motor neurons run from the spinal cord to the big toe.) 5. 60 to 70 percent 6. 3,500 calories Sources: University of Minnesota-Duluth Employee Wellness/Human Resources, the Mayo School of Health Sciences and the University of Nebraska Medical Center

TRIVIA

ANSWERS

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The best gift you can give a child isn’t found in a toy store.

TRIVIA FOR YOUR HEALTH 1. X-rays were discovered in what year?

2. How many baby teeth do children have?

3. How many teeth do adults have (including wisdom teeth)?

4. How long are the longest cells in the human body?

5. When it comes to professionals who make medical decisions, what percentage is based on laboratory testing?

6. How many calories do you need to burn to lose one pound of fat?

If you don’t do what’s best for your body, you’re the one who comes up on the short end.

CRYTPOGRAM Reflex, Result, Refuel ANSWERS

WORD SCRAMBLE

You can get there. We can help.

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JANUARY 2015

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Cremation Society of Minnesota

ABOUT CREMATION Q. How does the Cremation Society of Minnesota work?

A. The Cremation Society is notified immediately

at the time of death. The member’s body is taken to the Society’s crematory. It is held until proper medical authorization and a cremation permit is secured. It is then cremated.

Q. What happens to the ashes after cremation?

A. The member’s remains are handled according to their written instructions. They may be picked up by survi-vors or delivered for a fee.

Q. What is the cost for cremation?

A. “Our current cost for our basic direct cremation service is $1,595.00.” It includes removal of the body from the place of death, cremation, filing of necessary papers, and a cardboard container suitable for burial. The charge for non-members, who we also serve, is more.

Q. How do I become a member?

A. Fill out the registration form and mail it to our

near-est location. Enclose a one-time membership fee of$15.00 per person. The fee covers setting up and maintaining records. It is not refundable nor an offset to final service costs. We will register you and send you a wallet-sized membership card, and a certificate of registration.

Q. What are the benefits of prepaying for services?

A. Prepayment provides two benefits – it removes a

stress from survivors and guarantees that services will be performed at today’s cost.

Q. Where can I learn more?

A. You may call or visit any one of our locations, or

visit us at cremationsocietyofmn.com or email us at csminnesota@aol.com

REGISTRATION FORM

Name Address Telephone (

)

INFORMATION REQUIRED ON THE DEATH CERTIFICATE Date of Birth

(will remain confidential)

Place of Birth

Sex ❏ M ❏ F

Race

Hispanic ❏ Yes ❏ No

Father’s Name

Social Security #

Mother’s Name

Marital Status ❏ Married ❏ Never Married ❏ Widowed ❏ Divorced If married, spouse’s full legal name, including maiden Are you a Veteran? ❏ Yes ❏ No

If Yes, enclose a copy of your discharge paper.

AUTHORIZATION FOR CREMATION I, the undersigned, authorize and request the Cremation Society of Minnesota or its assigns to cremate the remains of , and further authorize and request that the following disposition of the cremated remains be made: .

I will indemnify and hold harmless the Cremation Society of Minnesota and the crematory from any claims to the contrary including all liability and claims related to the shipment and storage of the cremated remains.

Signature

Date

Witness Signature

Date

Address Telephone (

)

Email address

NEXT OF KIN – Please list at least one.

Name

Relationship

Address Telephone (

)

PAYMENT PLAN – You are not a member until this form is on file and your registration fee is received.

“Our current cost for our basic direct cremation service is $1,595.00.” ❏ I wish to preregister with the Cremation Society of Minnesota

Registration Fee:

❏ I wish to prepay for my Basic Cremation, I understand my pre-payment will be placed in an insurance policy to be used at time of death ❏ I wish to register at this time but not prepay

$15.00 $

Total Paid: $ GA 01/15

PLEASE MAIL FORM TO THE NEAREST CHAPEL LISTED BELOW

Complete Cremation Services PROFESSIONAL · DIGNIFIED · ECONOMICAL

CremationSocietyOfMN.com