July 2017

JULY 2017

PROS AND CONS OF AIRBNB

MINNESOTA’S RESORT HEYDAY

PAGE 18

PAGE 12

MEDITATION 101 PAGE 14

l a i Aer ts Fea

an Butler, D d n a y t t e B us Juventas c r i C f o s r e c o -found month s their show, i h e t k . a t .C l D l i , n w Washingto of St. Paul, o t , s t n e d u 0 st 0 including 3 PAGE 3

Contents

Guests can rent a suite inside this barn in Rhode lsland for $140 a night through Airbnb.

18 30

→ On the cover Big hearts under the Big Top: Betty and Dan Butler continue to gain national attention for their work at Circus Juventas in St. Paul.

Photo by Bill Raab / exposedtolight.com

No hotel needed Homestay sites such as Airbnb are helping travelers save money.

→ Corrections Ascorbic acid is the chemical name for vitamin C, not citric acid, as stated in the article titled Drink up, water haters in the June 2017 issue of Good Age. Don Shelby’s middle daughter’s name is Lacy Shelby, not Lacey as stated in the article titled Renaissance man in the June 2017 issue of Good Age.

38 Can’t-Miss Calendar 40 Brain Teasers 4 / July 2017 / Minnesota Good Age

July Good Start From the Editor 6 Betty and Dan Butler have made a life teaching circus arts in St. Paul.

My Turn 8 Seeing Mondale and Durenberger reminded me of the good old days.

Memories 10 As a ‘change of life’ baby, I’ve learned that birth order matters.

This Month in MN History 12 Lake Minnetonka experienced a luxury hotel boom in the 1800s.

s S w o . h y R ll a e t i . ..

Good Health Wellness 14 Meditating helps the body and mind and it’s not hard to get started.

Caregiving 16 Essential oils, music and keeping memories can help you thrive.

Good Living Housing 24 People with memory challenges fare better in home-like residences.

Finance 26 Caregivers may need to take special care in managing money.

In the Kitchen 28 You’ll never look at balsamic vinaigrette the same way again.

New Perspectives Senior Living GA 0717 2-3page.indd 1

4:27 PM Minnesota Good Age /6/21/17 July 2017 /5

Good Start / From the Editor / By Sarah Jackson Volume 36 / Issue 7 Publisher Janis Hall jhall@mngoodage.com Co-Publisher and Sales Manager Terry Gahan 612-436-4360 tgahan@mngoodage.com Editor Sarah Jackson 612-436-4385 editor@mngoodage.com Contributors Jake Armour, Jamie Crowson Matt Gulbransen, Carol Hall Julie Kendrick, Kari Logan, Robb Long Dave Nimmer, Lauren Peck, Bill Raab Amy Sutton, Tait Trussell Creative Director Valerie Moe Graphic Designers Dani Cunningham Kaitlin Ungs Client Services Delaney Patterson 612-436-5070 dpatterson@mngoodage.com Circulation Marlo Johnson distribution@mngoodage.com

40,000 copies of Minnesota Good Age are distributed to homes and businesses metro-wide.

Minnesota Good Age (ISSN 2333-3197) is published monthly by Minnesota Premier Publications.

Minnesota Good Age, 1115 Hennepin Ave. Minneapolis, MN 55403 © 2017 Minnesota Premier Publications, Inc. Subscriptions are $12 per year.

6 / July 2017 / Minnesota Good Age

Stunts and students!

Wouldn’t it be great to run

away with the circus?

Imagine the adrenaline rush of swinging through the air on a flying trapeze or the thrill of suspending yourself from silks while spinning and twisting!

These are just two of the amazing circus arts alive and well in St. Paul thanks to one beloved couple — Betty and Dan Butler, the founders of Circus Juventas — who just happen to be this month’s fascinating Good Age Cover Stars.

These two physically fit 59-year-olds have made Photo by Tracy Walsh tracywalshphoto.com a life out of teaching circus arts to ages 3 and older for more than two decades as part of their 501(c)3 nonprofit school.

Though the Butlers consider their greatest accomplishment to be serving more than 2,000 enthusiastic students every year in a 20,000-square-foot Big Top in Highland Park, this month the couple is celebrating another huge honor: Circus Juventas, including a select group of 30 students, will perform on the National Mall at the 50th-annual Smithsonian Folklife Festival in Washington, D.C. (June 29–July 4 and July 6–9).

But you don’t have to be in D.C. to see them in action.

Just as soon as the festival ends, the Butlers will come back to Minnesota to produce their school’s highly regarded summer show (open to the public), featuring some of their most advanced students (July 28–Aug. 13).

Fans of the shows say it’s easy to forget you’re watching students in the productions because the narratives, music, lighting, costumes and stunts are so professional and impressive.

Indeed, Circus Juventas has been called a youth version of Cirque du Soleil.

What an accomplishment for a couple of kids who met in the 1970s and performed in Florida State University’s Flying High Circus. (Since then they’ve had five kids of their own.)

The Butlers’ trip to D.C. highlights Circus Juventas’s highly regarded place among circus schools across the country, said festival organizer Sabrina Lynn Motley, calling Circus Juventas “a national model of ongoing and evolving efforts to unite community life through values that lie at the very heart of circus arts — cooperation, trust and mutual respect.”

I’m inspired by and delighted for the Butlers, and I hope you will be, too!

Building Stable Homes, Strong Futures and Vibrant Communities Since 1971.

NORTHWEST SUBURBS

GREATER MINNESOTA

NORTHERN SUBURBS

ARBOR LAKES COMMONS Maple Grove • (763) 416-0369

DELANO COMMONS Delano • (763) 972-2930

CENTURY TRAILS Maplewood • (651) 288-9162

BASSETT CREEK COMMONS Plymouth • (763) 543-2457

GOLDENDALE HOMES Annandale • (320) 274-5871

CONCORDIA ARMS Maplewood • (651) 280-4680

BOULEVARD GARDENS Minnetonka • (952) 542-9338

ST. MICHAEL’S HOUSING New Ulm • (507) 794-9631

EAST SHORE PLACE Mahtomedi • (651) 770-7964

MAPLE TERRACE Maple Plain • (763) 479-1131

TOWNE CLUB SENIOR HOUSING Rochester • (507) 424-1671

GARDEN TERRACE Little Canada • (651) 481-9028

NORTH GABLES Blaine • (763) 786-0232

WELLSTONE COMMONS Northfield • (507) 645-4146

GARDEN TERRACE COMMONS Little Canada • (651) 481-9028

NORWOOD SQUARE Fridley • (763) 574-2187

MINNEAPOLIS

SILVER LAKE POINTE Mounds View • (763) 785-4771

PLEASANT PLACE Rogers • (763) 428-4494

BII DI GAIN DASH ANWEBI (612) 843-5391

SOUTHERN SUBURBS

ROBBINS WAY Robbinsdale • (763) 537-6868

THE COOPERAGE SENIOR HOUSING (651) 290-6228

FAIRFIELD TERRACE Lakeville • (952) 469-1414

WESTERN SUBURBS

RIVERVIEW APARTMENTS (612) 843-5885

MOUNT CARMEL MANOR West St. Paul • (651) 451-0030

SOUTH HAVEN Edina • (952) 831-3372

ST. ANNE’S (612) 588-4663

OAK RIDGE MANOR Hastings • (651) 437-1367

SOUTH SHORE PARK Excelsior • (952) 474-9036

SEWARD TOWER EAST (612) 339-1711

OAK TERRACE Oakdale • (651) 730-6440

SUMMIT POINT Edina • (952) 920-6113

SEWARD TOWER WEST (612) 333-7472

RED ROCK MANOR Newport • (651) 459-2786

WESTONKA ESTATES Mound • (952) 472-4952

SHINGLE CREEK COMMONS (612) 588-2303

SPRUCE PLACE Farmington • (651) 463-2511

AFFORDABLE RENTS… WAIT LIST OPEN

“WOW! WHAT A GREAT PLACE TO LIVE”

SOUTH HAVEN APARTMENTS • (952) 831-3372

NORTH GABLES • (763) 786-0232

3400 Parklawn Avenue, Edina, MN 55435

654 90th Lane NE, Blaine, MN 55434

• 100 cherry one bedroom homes • Rent is 30% of Monthly Income for Qualified Households

• 50 “just right” one bedroom homes

• SMOKE FREE Community

• Rent is 30% of Monthly Income for Qualified Households

• On-site Laundry Facilities

• SMOKE FREE Community

• Off street parking available

• Convenient laundry facilities

• Pets allowed

• Surface parking; one space per unit • Pets allowed

CALL US AT: (651) 291-1750 OR VISIT US AT: WWW.COMMONBOND.ORG/FINDHOUSING

Good Start / My Turn / By Dave Nimmer

Warm, witty and wise →→Walter Mondale and Dave Durenberger reminded me of how politics used to be

When I was a reporter at The Minneapolis Star and WCCO, back in the days of newsprint and networks, I spent some time covering local government, politics and public policy. Surprising as it might seem today, I came away with a genuine fondness for — and an appreciation of — the politicians who were a part of it.

I was reminded why recently at a forum at the University of St. Thomas (and its Selim Center for Lifelong Learning), featuring Democrat Walter Mondale and Republican Dave Durenberger. Their topic for the evening was When Politics was Not a Blood Sport.

The pair provided a first-hand look at the bipartisan friendships and partnerships they’ve experienced.

Different times I could recall some examples from covering the Minneapolis City Council — when Republicans were still elected to the city’s legislative body. I remembered one of my first assignments as a rookie was to cover a debate between Sen. Everett Dirksen, R-Ill., and Sen. Hubert Humphrey, D-Minn.

They went after each other — loud, lively and loquacious. When they left the hall, they were smiling and chatting, Dirksen with a cigarette in one hand and the other on Humphrey’s shoulder. They would later get together to help pass the Civil Rights Act of 1965.

▲▲Walter Mondale, Gary Eichten, Dave Durenberger (left to right) speak at the Selim Center for Lifelong Learning at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul.

8 / July 2017 / Minnesota Good Age

Still at it At the recent St. Thomas forum, former senators Mondale and Durenberger seemed as affable toward, and comfortable with, each other as their Senate predecessors.

Both have had their share of titles and triumphs. They’ve also known times of trial and trouble; they managed not only to survive, but also to sustain their public service — Mondale with the Humphrey Institute at the University of Minnesota and Durenberger at the University of St. Thomas and its National Institute of Health Policy.

More than 400 people — mostly seniors judging by the overwhelmingly grey hair of the crowd — came to the forum moderated

by Gary Eichten, the retired host of Minnesota Public Radio’s Midday program. From what I observed, the folks who came shared my opinion that the two political icons were warm, witty and wise.

Points taken Included in their “wisdom”: ⊲⊲ Minnesota has an unusually enlightened and active electorate and has served as an example of legislative compromise, particularly the Minnesota Miracle. That miracle occurred in the 1970s when a DFL Governor and a Republican Legislature got together to increase the state’s share of local public-school operating funds and reform the distribution of school aid. ⊲⊲ If there’s to be a breakthrough in gridlock in the federal government, the U.S. Senate will most likely lead the way because senators, at least the enlightened ones, can reflect on the bigger picture, rather than parochial interests, since they’re immune from the pressure of running for re-election

every two years. ⊲ The U.S. House has succumbed to partisan politics, especially since more and more representatives come from gerrymandered (safe) districts where they face no credible opposition. “It helps (to make good policy) to keep incumbents a little nervous,” Durenberger said.

“My party has been controlled by the ‘No New Taxes’ pledge.” ⊲ Money, and the fast-rising cost of campaigns, is a corrupting influence on the political system.

Elected officials must spend more time raising money than making good policy. “Money makes us part-time politicians,” Mondale said, “and full-time fundraisers.” ⊲ The mainstream media generally perform well and are not, as President Trump claims, misleading the American people. Nor are they “brutalizing” the President.

“Mr. Trump has been brutalizing himself,” Mondale said.

“The man is his own worst enemy,” Durenberger added.

When the forum ended, the two shook hands, the audience stood and clapped and I remembered why I still feel the need to address them by their honorific titles: Mr. Vice President and Senator.

Congress could use more like ‘em — idealists but not ideologues.

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.

ogist l o i d u A d e s g Office Licen n i m o c l e W KIM E. FISHMAN in a Warm &

Licensed Audiologist 20+ Years Experience

July is National Ice Cream Month! Get your hearing checked & then go get an ice cream cone.

Read reviews at: tinyurl.com/ChearsReviews www.facebook.com/ChearsAudiologyMinneapolis

952.767.0672 | chearsaudiology.com

We have all price points for those who need less costly options!

Conveniently located at Hwy 100 & 36th St

| St. Louis Park, MN 55416

Chears Audiology GA 0717 H6.indd 1

6/20/17 2:46 PM

Historic Cave Tours

As seen on the History Channel “Secret Passages” Hear, see, and explore stories of the sandstone caves. Hear the legends of mining, mobster massacres, and ghostly lore in a truly unique setting.

45 Minute Walking Tour • No Reservations Needed Tour Times Year ‘Round:

$8.00 Per Person

Thursdays 5 pm • Saturdays 11 am • Sundays 11 am Home of the St. Paul Gangster Tour

Wabasha Street Caves • 651-292-1220

215 Wabasha St. S., St. Paul, MN • WabashaStreetCaves.com Wabasha Street Caves GA 0517 H4.indd 1

4/6/17 3:02 PM

Community + Connection + Independence = Vibrante

If you’re age 55 or older and want to enjoy the company of like-minded women in a private, home environment, Vibrante is the place for you.

Suites v a ailable.

Call for a n conversatio today!

Engaged Living. Thriving Women. | vibranteliving.com Vibrante Living GA 0617 H4.indd 1

Vibrante is a shared living community where women don’t have to age alone: staying vibrant, healthy, engaged... contributing to the greater good.

Call Roxanne at 612.816.6940 to explore living in this luxurious, newly-remodeled four-bedroom home with Lake Nokomis views, complete with concierge services.

12:59 PM Minnesota Good Age /5/8/17 July 2017 /9

Good Start / Memories / By Carol Hall

Sibling rivalry →→Birth order — and age differences — matter as we move through different stages of life

“change of life” baby,

I am what was once called a as my mother was 38 years old and nearing menopause when I was born. She had already reared three children and was tired out.

Her method of dealing with yet another child was to indulge me simply to keep me quiet.

I, of course, took full advantage and became a bratty little princess who was used to getting her way.

My two sisters had the dreaded chore of babysitting me. Adeline, who was the eldest in the family and 14 years older than me, soon married and moved away. Betty — age 9 when I arrived — bore the brunt of it.

And they never let me forget it!

Even years later, after I’d grown up and gone out into the world and fended for myself, whenever Adeline, Betty and I were together, they cast a certain air of superiority over me.

My friend Michael Kearny, a retired psychologist, described my place this way: “Carol, being the youngest and having two much-older sisters, was like an only child 10 / July 2017 / Minnesota Good Age

with three mothers. Betty, who was the youngest of the sisters, was ‘dethroned’ by the arrival of Carol, so she was envious to boot.”

This motherly status was never clearer than when we three would go for a drive in the countryside near our home town.

Betty and Adeline invariably sat in the front seat of the car, talking endlessly to each other, occasionally tossing a question to me in the back seat, but not really listening to my answer.

I was unable to command their attention even after I’d become an airline stewardess, and had what I considered fascinating stories of my travels to share.

Instead, Betty seemed a bit hostile hearing that I’d gone off to Paris for a weekend, using an airline pass, or had a four-day trip layover in Scotland. I thought Adeline would be pleased that I — having prompted the pilots to point it out — had seen clearly from the air her very own home town.

But it didn’t seem to impress her at all.

Bike Rentals

Find Your

Como Lake: 651-487-8046 Minnehaha Falls: 612-729-2660 Lake Nokomis: 612-729-1127 Canal Park, Duluth: 218-722-1180

spot for summer

My mother was 38 years old when I was born. She had already reared three children and was tired out.

Water Rentals

fun

Como Lake: 651-487-8046 Lake Calhoun: 612-823-5765 Lake Nokomis: 612-729-1127 Lake Harriet: 612-922-9226

WheelFunRentalsmn.com Wheel Fun Rentals GA 2017 NR2 H6.indd 1

4/14/17 3:03 PM

Indeed, it mattered not what exciting experience I related to my sisters. They’d just give me the “Oh, that’s nice,” brushoff and go right back to their conversation — that is, until I told them Paul Newman had been a passenger on one of my flights!

Betty and Adeline each had a daughter. Today, the three of us often go out to lunch.

Eerily, it’s déjà vu “all over again:” They talk endlessly to one another, largely ignoring me. Go figure?

Also due to my later birth, I’ve become the family matriarch. Every older relative of mine has passed on.

I’m left with a large assortment of nephews and nieces, including greats and great-greats, of various ages, some who I babysat when they were little.

I’m trying — really trying — to treat each of these individuals as an adult, but it isn’t easy!

Carol Hall lives in Woodbury. 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.

Minnesota Good Age / July 2017 / 11

Good Start / This Month in Minnesota History / By Lauren Peck ⊳⊳ The three largest resorts during Lake Minnetonka’s tourism heyday of the 1880s included Hotel Lafayette, Hotel St. Louis and Lake Park Hotel, drawing in 10,000 guests in July and August and 90,000 tourists overall.

Photo courtesy of the Minnesota Historical Society

Built by the Northwestern Sunday School Association, it was originally envisioned as a retreat for Sunday school conventions and temperance advocates.

But after one season, it transitioned to a tourist hotel, complete with a fleet of boats, baseball grounds, a roller rink and space for summer operas and plays.

Grand verandas →→Lake Minnetonka’s luxury hotel boom drew tourists from around the country In the late 19th century, Lake Minnetonka became an incredibly popular vacation spot for the nation’s elite. Vacationers were eager to exchange the summer heat for a retreat to Minnetonka, “a climate made pure and health-giving by the rarified air of a high altitude and cooled by the grateful winds of the North” as the National Health Journal wrote in 1899.

Minnetonka’s vacation boom started after the Civil War as railroads grew and crisscrossed the country, making it easier for vacationers to reach Minnesota. By the 1880s, Lake Minnetonka was becoming well-known for its array of resort hotels, where visitors could go fishing, yachting and much more.

The hotels catered mostly to wealthy visitors, and the St. Paul and Minneapolis newspapers frequently published lists of the notable guests and where they were staying.

Flocking to Minnesota St. Louis attorney Charles Gibson is often credited with spurring the Lake Minnetonka area’s popularity. After building a vacation home on the lake in 1870, he oversaw construction of the luxurious Hotel St. Louis in Deephaven in 1879. The hotel had 200 rooms, verandas on every floor and modern amenities such as telephones and electricity.

Another grand hotel that opened that same year was the Lake Park Hotel.

12 / July 2017 / Minnesota Good Age

Hotel Lafayette But the lake’s largest-ever hotel was the Hotel Lafayette at Minnetonka Beach. The 700-foot, Queen Anne-style hotel boasted five floors, some 300 rooms and sat on a peninsula, giving every room a view of the lake. Guests could entertain themselves in a billiard hall, bowling alley and saloon.

And the hotel’s 250-foot dock welcomed various steamboats that regularly crossed the lake.

The Lafayette was the creation of St. Paul railroad baron James J. Hill, who operated the Great Northern Railway. The day after the hotel opened on July 2, 1882, Hill also launched the Belle of Minnetonka, the lake’s largest steamboat, able to haul 2,500 passengers. His railroad also ran its lines straight to the hotel, which claimed the title of the “largest hotel used exclusively for summer business in the world,” according to the St. Paul Daily Globe in 1885.

The Lafayette’s grandeur reached its peak in September 1883 when Hill and his colleagues threw a party at the hotel

to celebrate the completion of the Great Northern Railroad, which stretched from St. Paul to Seattle.

More than 500 guests from around the world attended the celebration, including President Chester A. Arthur, former president Ulysses S. Grant, nine governors, various foreign ministers and an assortment of notable Minnesotans, including Alexander Ramsey, Henry Sibley, Thomas Lowry and Cass Gilbert. Coverage of the party, including the menu, guest list and seating chart, filled nearly two full pages of the St. Paul Daily Globe the next day.

A Southerner’s escape The summer of 1883 was the height of popularity for Lake Minnetonka’s hotels, with the three biggest hotels — the Lafayette, St. Louis and Lake Park — drawing in 10,000 guests in July and August and 90,000 tourists overall.

Many of the people flocking to Minnesota for the summer in the early 1880s were Southerners trying to escape an outbreak of yellow fever at home.

With the surge in Southern tourism, the Hotel Lafayette expanded its accommodations. But when the yellow-fever threat waned, the large hotel was never fully booked again, except on special occasions.

As the area hotels’ income fell, many tried to find ways to attract crowds again. In 1892, the Lafayette invited tourists to a lavish Fourth of July celebration complete with performances by the Great Western Band, eight special trains to take tourists to the hotel and an elaborate fireworks display.

In 1893, the nation was hit with an economic crisis, and the number of

vacationing tourists in Minnetonka only continued to slump. Another issue was the growing railroad system; trains had originally brought vacationers to Minnetonka, but as the railways expanded, people were able to vacation all around the country.

The 1890s also marked the beginnings of automobile tourism in the U.S.

MINI GOLF & BIG FUN Mini Golf

Malt Shop Grilled Cheese

A devastating fire The Hotel Lafayette survived for most of the 1890s, but met an unexpected end on Oct. 4, 1897 when it suddenly caught fire. The blaze was noticed around 11 a.m., but attempts to put it out seemed to be stopped at every turn.

The hotel’s water was turned off for the season, and the nearby telegraph office was also closed. When word of the fire finally spread, a fire engine and crew set out — but had to come from Minneapolis. By the time they arrived, the hotel was in ruins, and anything within 500 feet of the building was burned.

James J. Hill chose not to rebuild the hotel. Within a few decades, most of Minnetonka’s other grand hotels also disappeared from the lakeshore; the Hotel St. Louis was demolished in 1907 and the Lake Park Hotel closed in 1911.

In 1899, the site of the Hotel Lafayette was deeded to the founders of the Lafayette Club, a private club that still exists today in Minnetonka Beach.

Bike rental SurreY rental (612) 861-9348 6335 Portland Ave S. Richfield, MN

5/16/17 11:07 AM TrueValuePharmacy.com

Wheel Fun Rentals MaltTMelt GA 0617 V6.indd 1

True Savings. True Service.

True Value.

Save 82%

UP TO

on your prescriptions with no deductible, co-pays or complicated forms to complete.

• Over 5,000 Medications – Brand and Generic (and Pet Meds too!)

• Prescriptions are a must • Price match *call for details* Quote Reference TVP2017 for a

$10 DISCOUNT OFF FIRST ORDER

Lauren Peck is a media relations and social media associate for the Minnesota Historical Society.

Call Toll-Free 1-800-845-3960 or visit us online at www.truevaluepharmacy.com All pricing US dollars. Prices subject to change without notice.

We accept Visa, MasterCard, personal check or international money order.

Minnesota Good Age / July 2017 / 13

TrueValue Pharmacy GA 0417 V6.indd 2

3/2/17 1:41 PM

Good Health / Wellness / By Tait Trussell

Get mindful →→You can improve your physical health, right down to your genes, by practicing meditation

The cliché “mind over matter” appears to have scientific validity.

Meditation can have significant beneficial health effects, according to a new research study, out of Spain, France and the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

In the study, researchers analyzed the effects of a day of intensive mindfulness on a group of experienced meditators.

After eight hours of mindfulness practice, the meditators showed a striking molecular difference — including reduced levels of pro-inflammatory genes, which resulted in more rapid recovery from a stressful condition.

Genetic changes, meanwhile, were not seen in a non-meditating control group that took part in other quiet activities.

“To the best of our knowledge, this is the first paper that shows rapid alterations in gene expression within subjects associated with mindfulness meditation practice,” said study author Richard Davidson, founder of the Center for Investigating Healthy Minds at UW-Madison.

“Most interestingly, the changes were observed in genes that are current targets of anti-inflammatory and analgesic drugs,” said Perla Kaliman, a researcher at the Institute of Biomedical Research of Barcelona, Spain, where the molecular analyses were conducted.

14 / July 2017 / Minnesota Good Age

Psychosomatics The mind and the body are intimately connected. Our physical health is largely determined by our mental and emotional condition.

Kenneth Pelletier of Stanford Medical School put it this way: “Mind and body are inextricably linked, and their second-by-second interaction exerts a profound influence upon health and illness, life and death.”

Research has implicated chronic stress as a major contributor to a wide variety of diseases and other health issues. According to the American Psychological Association, the six leading causes of death in the U.S. are all linked to stress — heart disease, cancer, lung ailments, accidents, cirrhosis of the liver and suicide.

Staying present In recent years, psychotherapists have turned to mindfulness meditation as an important element in the treatment of a number of problems, including

SANDBERG

FUNERAL & CREMATION SERVICES

Our Family Serving Yours Since 1942

→ Learn more Discover the basics of mindfulness mediation — and find mediation apps for your phone — at mindful.org. Or you can try these basic steps (also from mindful.org): 1. Take a seat.

Find a place to sit that feels calm and quiet to you.

2. Set a time limit.

If you’re just beginning, it can help to choose a short time, such as 5 or 10 minutes.

3. Notice your body.

You can sit in a chair with your feet on the floor, you can sit loosely crosslegged or you can kneel.

Just make sure you’re in a stable position you can maintain.

4. Feel your breath.

Follow the sensation of your breath as it goes out and as it goes in.

5. Notice when your mind has wandered.

Inevitably, your attention will leave the sensations of the breath and wander to other places. When you get around to noticing this — in a few seconds, a minute, five minutes — simply return your attention to the breath.

6. Be kind to your wandering mind.

Don’t judge yourself or obsess over the content of the thoughts you find yourself lost in. Just come back. That’s it! That’s the practice. You go away, you come back, and you try to do it as kindly as possible.

The mind and the body are intimately connected; our physical health is largely determined by our mental and emotional condition.

Luncheon Options

Remodeled and Spacious (chapel seating 200) 2593 E. 7th Ave., North St. Paul, MN 55109

651-777-2600

sandbergfuneralhome.com

Sandberg Funeral GA 0513 12.indd 1

4/9/13 4:16 PM

depression, substance abuse, eating disorders and anxiety.

Increasing your capacity for mindfulness is said to support many attitudes that contribute to a satisfied life. Being mindful makes it easier to savor pleasures in life, helps you become fully engaged in activities and creates a greater capacity to deal with adverse events.

By focusing on the here and now, many people who practice mindfulness find they’re less likely to get caught up in worries about the future or regrets about the past, are less preoccupied, and are better able to form deep connections with others.

If greater well-being isn’t enough of an incentive, scientists have discovered that mindfulness techniques help improve physical health in a number of ways. It can help relieve stress, treat heart disease, lower blood pressure, reduce chronic pain, improve sleep and alleviate gastrointestinal difficulties.

Tait Trussell is a former managing editor of Nation’s Business magazine.

Minnesota Good Age / July 2017 / 15

Good Health / Caregiving / By Kari Logan And although friends and other family members encourage you to take breaks and take care of yourself, anyone who’s been in the trenches knows it’s not always easy. Wherever you go to get away, your heart remains at the bedside.

So, how can you realistically care for yourself while caring for your loved one? Here are three things that worked for me.

Use essential oils.

What worked for me →→Taking a break isn’t always a realistic option for caregivers; here’s how to cope until you can

For more than five years, I cooked, paid bills, managed

medical appointments, made multiple runs to the emergency room, sat for hours by hospital beds, booked transitional care facilities and provided physical and emotional support to my elderly parents.

This was all done while working full time and parenting my teenage daughter.

I was often stretched between caring for her and my mom and dad — and the stress of it all took a toll on me physically and emotionally.

Does this sounds familiar? If you’re a caregiver, you know what I’m talking about. Whether you’re providing love and support to an ailing parent, spouse, sibling or friend, the side effects are the same.

16 / July 2017 / Minnesota Good Age

I was unaware of the healing power of essential oils until a friend introduced them to me at a time of desperation in caring for my dad with Alzheimer’s.

The “magic” oils used on the back of his neck and feet brought him peace amid uncharacteristic rage caused by the disease. And when I used them on myself, I felt like I was having a spa day without leaving the care center.

I’m here to tell you that a little splash of lavender on the pillow at night works wonders. Two of the most popular sites for pure essential oils are youngliving.com and doterra.com.

Bring music into the room.

I witnessed the healing power that Glen Miller and Frank Sinatra had on my mother in the hospital! According to Science Daily, the music of Mozart and Strauss can treat hypertension.

Music has the power to soothe and transport you to happier times.

Learn more about the transformative power of music on memory at musicandmemory.org.

OLDER ADULTS WITH

ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE NEEDED FOR AN EXERCISE STUDY Sponsored by National Institute on Aging

Anyone who’s been in the trenches knows it’s not always easy.

Wherever you go to get away, your heart remains at the bedside.

Make notes of memorable moments.

We buy gold, silver, coins, & currency Mill City Numismatics

If you have Alzheimer’s disease and are 66 years of age or older, you might be able to take part in a 1-year exercise study. An exercise specialist will work with you to exercise 3 times a week for 6 months, and monitor your response to exercise to ensure your safety.

You will be followed for another 6 months for additional assessments. You will receive compensation and some participants will receive a free gym membership.

Honest, Knowledgable & Experienced There are rays of light amid the storm that shine in the sharing of a memory, an unexpected smile or a loving glance that says, “Your presence means a lot to me.”

Once you savor that moment, write 3/28/13 Dr. 4:02 Fang PM Yu GA 0717 V6.indd it down in journal. It can be the fuel Mill City Numismatics GA 0513 V6.indd 1 you need to keep you going when you feel like crashing. It can also provide comfort at a time of loss.

For more information, please call (612) 626-9490

Please call Andrew at

(612) 770-6578

1

5/17/17 12:58 PM

Funeral Chapels and Cremation Services

There’s no greater gift than providing love and support when it’s needed most. In the aftermath of my parents’ passing, I grew to treasure some the moments that at the time were the most difficult.

The joy that was found within moments of music, essential oils, a smile and a glance carried me through and it is ever present in my memory.

For more than 25 years, Kari Logan has helped people find the right words to educate, promote and inspire readers across multiple industries, state government and nonprofit organizations.

washburn-mcreavy.com

Family owned and operated for 160 years, Washburn-McReavy is committed to providing the most caring and professional funeral and cremation services.

16 CO NVE NI E NT LO CATI O NS BLOOMINGTON 952.884.8145

COLUMBIA HEIGHTS 763.789.4436

COON RAPIDS 763.767.1000

CRYSTAL LAKE 612.521.3677

DAWN VALLEY 952.941.7686

EDEN PRAIRIE 952.975.0400

EDINA

GLEN HAVEN 763.533.8643

612.781.1999

952.938.9020

HOPKINS

NEW BRIGHTON 651.636.9821

NOKOMIS PARK 612.721.1651

NORTHEAST 612.781.6828

ROBBINSDALE 763.537.2333

612.529.9691

BLAINE PRE–ARRANGEMENT CENTER

612.377.2203

952.920.3996

763.231.0506

UPTOWN

HILLSIDE

SWANSON

MINNEAPOLIS PRE–ARRANGEMENT CENTER

612.377.7841

Minnesota Good Age / July 2017 / 17

Good Living / Travel

Bypassing

The Szechenyi Chain Bridge spans the Danube River in Budapest, Hungary, one of many cities offering homestay options such as Airbnb.

Renting a room — or an entire home — can help you save money while seeing the world, if you’re willing to think outside the hotel box

BY AMY SUTTON

Minnesota Good Age / July 2017 / 19

Bypassing

Y

ou’ve shuffled and cleared your schedule. You’ve picked a destination. You’ve got your flight booked. Now it’s time to think about where you’re going to unpack that suitcase and rest your head while you’re on vacation.

Where you stay while on the road is no trivial decision.

Accommodations represent a significant portion of the average vacation budget, if not the costliest expense. And nothing ruins your sleep like getting a room next to the dreaded ice machine.

If you’re looking to make your vacation dollars stretch, you might try the increasingly raved-about alternative known as home sharing.

Home sharing (also often called homestays) involves booking a stay at an individual’s residence. There are many websites devoted to the business of matching vacationers with locals looking to rent out their homes or individual rooms.

Airbnb.com, founded in 2008, is the most buzzed-about homestay broker, so we’ll start there, but Homestay.com and Bedycasa.com are also popular for worldwide travel, along with a HomeAway.com and VRBO.com (Vacation Rentals

by Owner), which has been at it since 1995 and is typically focused on renting entire homes.

While the trend of homestays (and homestay mobile apps) has grown into to a multi-billion-dollar industry — Airbnb alone is projected to earn $3.5 billion per year by 2020 — many people planning their vacations have either never heard of homestays or are simply nervous about trying them for the first time.

Here are seven reasons to consider a homestay for your next trip.

Travelers can even rent tree houses — in places such as Atlanta and Belize — through Airbnb.

20 / July 2017 / Minnesota Good Age

Save money

To get an idea of the possible savings involved with homestays, let’s take some hypothetical trips around the world and compare a typical hotel’s cost as listed on the popular travel-booking site Expedia versus the cost for homestays on Airbnb at the same place and time — May 2017 for our purposes.

First stop is Budapest, Hungary: Expedia’s average price is listed as $80 a night.

Airbnb lists a multitude of stays between $13 and $50 a night.

Next stop, Shanghai, China: Expedia lists a $150 nightly average.

Airbnb beats it, starting at $12 a night with an average cost of $58.

And finally, San Francisco: Expedia averages at a whopping $249 per night.

Airbnb listings start at $40 and average $168 per night.

Meet residents

Meeting and connecting with locals and making friends is one of the most rewarding things about traveling (extreme introverts not withstanding). So while the option exists to rent an entire apartment or home to yourself and never actually interact with the owner, many homestays can involve sharing space in some manner.

This may simply be the act of picking up and dropping off a key with the owner at the start and end of your stay in a guesthouse.

It could also involve sharing a kitchen and exchanging cooking tips or swapping travel tales over glasses of wine. Some hosts offer sightseeing advice and helpful directions, and some hosts will even take you out on the town and provide hands-on guided tours of the city.

Potential homestay listings will usually describe the level of interaction they’re comfortable with or willing to give if you desire it.

The Farm on the Coast guest suite in a barn near Newport, R.I., can be rented for $140 a night through Airbnb.

Experience unique lodgings

With few exceptions (we’re looking at you, Las Vegas), if you’ve seen one hotel you’ve seen them all.

With homestays, you have endless possibilities to choose from while browsing online. Traditional rustic country homes and modern condo complexes are popular options. But if you want something truly special, homestays can help: How about a houseboat on the Rhine River? A centuries-old castle in Ireland?

A tree house in Belize? You can even rent your own private island for the week.

And the layouts and furnishings can be just as unique as the structures themselves. Some offer the classic charm of a B&B, while others might be decorated with hippie shag carpet and strings of beads in the doorways.

Pick your features

Knees not up to taking six flights of stairs? Want to try your hand at cooking your own locally sourced meals?

Need to do laundry?

Many homestay websites allow you to search specifically for homes or rooms that have amenities you want or need, such as in-unit washers and dryers, wifi, parking, pets, ground floor/elevators access and even hot tub access.

By communicating directly with hosts before you book your stay, you can further spell out any necessary or desired features you need.

Minnesota Good Age / July 2017 / 21

Bypassing

Interesting locations

If you’ve ever nosed around the neighborhood that your typical hotel resides in, you’re likely to notice one thing: Other hotels. Hotels generally cluster together, and your typical corporations (Starbucks, McDonald’s and others) like to cluster around the hotels, too.

This creates a situation that makes it all too easy to never get out and see the “real” city you’re visiting.

With a typical homestay, you’ll likely be staying in a residential area versus a corporate area. This means more local businesses, more local restaurants and more locals surrounding you.

Supporting local folks

When you stay at a chain hotel, the price you pay for your accommodations often goes directly into the bank account of a huge corporation.

Homestays, on the other hand, are usually offered by individuals, families and sometimes small rental companies.

Some hosts put the money away as college savings for their children, some for future home improvements.

Most use it to help with month-to-month bills. A few even donate all their earnings to charities.

Participating in a homestay is a smart choice if you’re attempting to make sure the money you spend stays local and supports the community you’re visiting.

Drawbacks

▲▲A Pirate’s Life For Me houseboat is moored in Charleston, S.C. and costs for $289 a night through Airbnb.

22 / July 2017 / Minnesota Good Age

There are always tradeoffs when choosing between accommodations.

When choosing a homestay, you’re foregoing the professional, streamlined systems and stability hotels typically offer.

And that means you’re left to deal with people who are acting as individuals and serving you as they feel best, not how the boss trained them to or according to tried-and-true policies.

Hosts can be faced with medical emergencies or a death in the family and can end up cancelling your reservation, leaving you to book another place on short notice.

Booth Manor Residence

WILLS, ESTATE PLANNING

JAMES G. ROBAN

For Seniors 62+

Attorney at Law

LEARN MORE For tips on navigating Airbnb for the first time, go to tinyurl. com/airbnb-good-age. For more information about other up-and-coming homestays, see tinyurl.com/homestaygood-age.

• 1 Bedrooms • Based on Income • Utilities Included • Service Coordinator • Resident Activities & Programs • Community Room • Smoke-Free Building

261 Ruth Street North St. Paul (651) 738-2102 Will: $40 PoWer of Attorney: $30 HeAltH CAre DireCtive: $70

Roban, James GA 1116 12.indd 1

1421 Yale Place, Mpls

612-338-6313

10/20/16 Booth 1:41 PM Manor GA 0114 12.indd 1

12/6/13 10:14 AM

SINCE 1971

Maybe the power goes out and your host — without a backup generator — leaves you with no hot shower that morning and/or no TV for the afternoon.

Promotional photos, of course, tell only half the story. Sometimes a neighborhood has roosters (not pictured) that act as a 6 a.m. alarm clock whether you want it or not.

Your chances of something inconveniencing you or going wrong increase when you book a homestay.

The best way to avoid many potential drawbacks is to really research your choice: Check the description thoroughly, read all the recent reviews, have an online chat or phone conversation with your potential host.

Be sure you understand payment, refund and cancellation polices — and the full charges you’ll be expected to pay.

Amy Sutton is an experienced world traveler with 14 countries under her international belt. She’s adding No. 15 this year by spending seven months in Vietnam.

Join Utopia Tours on one of these Fall & Christmas Motorcoach Tours 2017 FALL PACIFIC COAST TOUR fly back from San Francisco Sept 1 – 13 | 13 days Seattle; Vancouver; Victoria-2 nts – Butchart Gardens; Cal. Redwoods & Wine Ctry; S Francisco-2 nts

BLACK HILLS & MEDORA TOUR Sept 6 – 10 | 5 days Medora-Fondue & Musical; Black Hills – Deadwood – 2 nts; Mt Rushmore, Bear Country & more

DOOR COUNTY & MACKINAC ISLAND

NEW ENGLAND FALL COLORS TOUR + DC & NY

Sept 17 – 22 | 6 days

Sept 26 – Oct 11 | 16 days Gettysburg; DC – 3 nights w/sightseeing; NY – 2 nts in Times Sq area +sightseeing; Plymouth; Lincoln, NH; 1,000 Islands; Niagara Falls

Door County-Sister Bay 2 nts; Fish Boil, Al Johnson’s; SS Badger Carferry across L Michigan; M Island – 1 night

FALL CAROLINA’S & GEORGIA TOUR Oct 16 – 26 | 11 days Asheville, NC- Biltmore; Myrtle Beach-2 nights & shows; Charleston-Ft Sumter; Savannah-2nts; Nashville-GOO

CHRISTMAS BRANSON TOURS Nov 13 – 18 | 6 nights 5 great shows!

Daniel O’Donnell; Showboat/lunch; Clay Cooper; Hughe’s Bros; Presley’s

Nov 28 - Dec 3 | 6 nights 5 great shows!

MOSES; Showboat/lunch; Lennon Sisters & Osmonds; the Dutton’s; Presley’s

NOVA SCOTIA, PEI, & CAPE BRETON ISLAND + BOSTON fly return Sept 15 – 29 | 15 days Ottawa; Montreal; Q City-2 nts; Fredricton; PEIsland; Cape Breton-2 nts; Halifax; ferry Digby to St John; Boston 2 nts

FALL NASHVILLE & PIGEON FORGE TOUR Oct 13 – 21 | 9 days Nashville-2 nts; Grand Ole Opry, General Jackson; Gatlinburg-2 nts; Pigeon Forge-Dollywood; Show; Ark Encounter; Creation Museum

NASHVILLE COUNTRY CHRISTMAS Dec 2 – 7 | 6 days Paducah-Quilt Museum; Nashville – 2 nts at the Opryland Resort, Dinner Show, GOOpry; General Jackson lunch cruise

WINTER 2018 TOURS

Florida & Key West; Texas & Rio Grande; Southwest US & more!

Information available soon.

Check out our tours on UTOPIATOURS.COM 320-763-8687 or 1-800-872-8445 Utopia Tours GA spec V2.indd 1

3015 Hwy 29 S., Suite 4038 Alexandria, MN 56308

11:51 Minnesota Good Age / 6/20/17 July 2017 / AM 23

Good Living / Housing / By Sarah Jackson

SIZE MATTERS → Smaller housing clusters at Emerald Crest offer residences that are easier to navigate

When most people see Emerald Crest by Augustana Care communi-

ties, they say they don’t look like other memory care facilities.

And they don’t.

Buildings in Emerald Crest communities — in Burnsville, Minnetonka, Shakopee and Victoria — look more like clusters of large, single-family homes.

Each community has from two to five homes. Inside each home is a central living and kitchen area, surrounded by 12 to 15 suites for residents who share those common areas.

Developed in 1998 by eldercare housing experts Joe Guertin and Greg Getchell, the Emerald Crest model of care is based on research that shows people with memory challenges fare better in smaller, home-like residences that are easier to manage and navigate.

And it’s not just the structure that’s unique at Emerald Crest communities, said Christine Drasher, director of admissions at Emerald Crest.

Emerald Crest’s occupational therapy program — created by Theresa Klein, a Twin Cities cognitive clinical specialist — is designed to help people with cognitive issues function at the highest level possible by focusing on their abilities instead of deficits.

Occupational therapists provide structure throughout the day designed to help restore rhythms, connections and routines that may have been lost, Drasher said.

Emerald Crest provides three levels of care. ⊲ The Vine Program offers a support system that serves as an extension of home for people in early stages of cognitive decline. ⊲ The Spring Program includes more structure through familiar activities that keep residents engaged. ⊲ The Marigold Program involves even more support and specially designed activities such as multisensory environments to stimulate brain activity and capabilities.

Do you know of a new or interesting senior housing facility in the Twin Cities that might make a good Housing Spotlight? Write Minnesota Good Age editor Sarah Jackson at editor@mngoodage.com with the subject line HOUSING SPOTLIGHT.

HOUSING SPOTLIGHT ▲ Each Emerald Crest community includes between two and five homes, each featuring a single common area shared by residents who occupy 12 to 15 adjoining suites.

24 / July 2017 / Minnesota Good Age

South St. Paul HRA ⊳ Residents at Emerald Crest share common spaces in a single large home with 12 to 15 private rooms.

• 50+ Community • Income Based Rent • All Utilities Paid • Newly Remodeled • Elevators • Controlled Entries • On Site Caretaker Call for an appointment 651-554-3270

Transitions

South St Paul HRA GA 0317 12.indd 1

2/8/17 4:55 PM

can be difficult.

But selling a home shouldn’t be.

We are here to help you & your family with your next move.

→ Emerald Crest Locations: Burnsville, Minnetonka, Shakopee and Victoria Opened: Established in 1998; joined Augustana Care in 2009 Ages: 55 and older Number of units: Each home includes 12 to 15 rooms, ranging from 200 to 400 square feet in size, clustered around a central living room, kitchen and dining area. Homes include gardens so residents can enjoy the outdoors in fine weather.

Cost for a single resident: Housing costs $3,200 to $4,000 per month.

Residents also pay for health-care services, according to the level of care they require. Additional care packages are available to meet each resident’s health and safety needs.

Resident coordinators/caregivers provide varied levels of assistance 24 hours a day, seven days a week (including monitoring, supervision, assistance), including daily living skills such as eating, dressing, grooming, bathing and toileting, according to each resident’s care plan (determined by a registered nurse and occupational therapy assessment). Care package fees begin at $2,100 per month.

Ownership: Emerald Crest is part of the Minneapolis-based nonprofit Augustana Care, which offers housing, health care and community-based services for older adults and others in need, serving 3,000 people daily and more than 12,000 annually.

Mary Frances Miller mfmiller@cbburnet.com

952-300-7874

Info: emeraldcrest.com and augustanacare.org Minnesota Good Age / July 2017 / 25

Miller M Frances GA 0717 V4.indd 1

6/20/17 2:49 PM

Good Living / Finance / By Matt Gulbransen

CAUGHT IN THE MIDDLE

→→Managing your finances while caring for others requires setting firm boundaries

If the term “Sandwich Generation” makes you feel hungry, it shouldn’t. It should

make you feel squeezed, or “sandwiched” in a tough situation.

The Sandwich Generation is made up of middle-aged adults who are taking care of a child and also have a parent over age 65.

They’re feeling the pressure as they take care of both generations, physically, emotionally and financially. A 2013 study by the Pew Research Center found almost half of adults in their 40s and 50s today belong to the Sandwich Generation, which isn’t a generation in terms of birth years, but rather a potentially challenging, increasingly common stage of life.

If you’re a card-carrying member of the Sandwich Generation, how do you care for your finances while also caring for others?

Talk it over Step one is having an honest and open discussion. More than half of adult children say they haven’t had a detailed conversation with their parents about finances, according to a study by Fidelity.

Talk to your parents early, before they need financial help. Ask them where they keep a copy of their estate plan, how they plan to handle long-term care and what happens when one spouse outlives the other.

You may learn some important information, or you may give them the kick-start they need to take care of these steps.

Set ground rules Meanwhile, you should also discuss your expectations with your children once they’ve grown up and graduated from college.

I recommend setting boundaries before writing a big check or letting a grown child move back home.

You should agree upon how long your children can live with you and how much they’ll pay for expenses such as rent or groceries.

Don’t feel obligated to put your own retirement in jeopardy to help your adult children financially. You can convey the message pragmatically by telling your kids you don’t want to be a burden on them someday.

Use the right accounts In addition to a traditional savings account, be sure to utilize accounts that will help you reach your goals. ⊲⊲ Parents with young children can start a 529 plan to save for college expenses. The money saved won’t be taxed as long as it’s used to pay for approved educational expenses, such as tuition, fees, books, supplies and room and board.

26 / July 2017 / Minnesota Good Age

⊲⊲ A Flexible Spending Account (FSA) can be used to cover healthcare costs for you, your spouse, your children and your parents if they’re declared as your dependents. The money you contribute is pre-tax and can be used to pay for qualified medical costs.

Note: FSA funds typically must be used by the end of the year. ⊲⊲ Don’t put off saving for your own retirement in a 401(k), IRA or Roth IRA.

Work as a team Many times, taking care of elderly parents is left to one person.

Get help from your siblings or other family members.

It happens all too often that members of the Sandwich Generation are forced to leave their jobs to take care of parents, leaving behind not just a salary, but also 401(k) contributions and future advancement within the company.

Getting help from other family members may allow the primary caregivers to stay on the job.

Consult a professional If you’re struggling in any of these areas, it may be time to bring in a third party.

Meet with a financial advisor who works closely with a team of professionals, including an elder law attorney and a tax professional.

Don’t be a martyr. Don’t derail your own retirement for your parents or your kids.

Matt Gulbransen is the President of Callahan Financial Planning in Woodbury. Learn more at cfpcorp.net.

Good Living / In the Kitchen

Eat your

greens!

Balsamic vinaigrette is a go-to recipe for many home cooks, but sometimes it can be overpowering and even a bit sour. This five-minute recipe solves that little issue with two secret ingredients (maple syrup and Dijon mustard), dramatically reinventing this go-to dressing for just about any summer salad.

28 / July 2017 / Minnesota Good Age

MAPLE-BALSAMIC VINAIGRETTE 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil (or less to taste) 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup 1 clove garlic finely minced or pressed (optional, but delicious) Salt and pepper to taste ⊲⊲Shake together all ingredients in a jar with a tight-fitting lid (or whisk in a bowl) until well combined. ⊲⊲Pour over mixed greens or spinach and toss gently. ⊲⊲Serve immediately. ⊲⊲Store in the refrigerator.

Serving suggestions: We like this dressing tossed with spinach or mixed greens, topped with cherry tomatoes, Amablu cheese crumbles from Faribault (now sold at some Target stores), Fisher glazed pecans (from Costco or Menards — life changingly good) and grilled chicken, shrimp or portabella mushroom slices. You can also drizzle it over summer berries.

Why make your own? Most salad dressings (yes, even the fancy ones) are made with canola oil.

Even the “olive oil” dressings list the olive oil after canola. They also contain preservatives and stabilizers, necessary to keep them from separating and for longer shelf life.

Vinaigrettes are cheaper to make at home and they taste much better, too!

Source: Adapted from Steve Lehman of St. Paul. He and his family produce maple syrup every year at Samara Sugar Bush in northern New York state.

Under the

B T

Dan and Betty Butler founded their circus training and performance company in 1994 and today serve more than 2,000 students a year in their 20,000-square-foot facility in St. Paul.

Photo by Robb Long

Big Top

If

you happen to be in Washington, D.C. in early July, be sure to visit the National Mall for the 50th-annual Smithsonian Folklife Festival.

You’ll be able to see a hometown favorite — the performers of St. Paul’s own Circus Juventas — showcasing their local artistry on a national stage.

This year’s festival theme is circus arts, and Circus Juventas (after an intensive two-year vetting process) was selected to be one of the participants.

Sabrina Lynn Motley, director of the festival, said Circus Juventas, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, is widely known as one of the most prominent community-based youth circus organizations in the U.S. “It’s become a national model of ongoing and evolving efforts to unite community life through values that lie at the very heart of circus arts — cooperation, trust and mutual respect,” she said.

Circus Juventas founders Betty and Dan Butler take their St. Paul show to Washington, D.C. • • • • • BY JULIE KENDRICK • • • • • Minnesota Good Age / July 2017 / 31

Under the

Big Top

Trapeze and trampolines A few weeks before they travel to the nation’s capital with 30 students and six coaches, the founders of Circus Juventas, Betty and Dan Butler, can be found where they almost always are on a weekday afternoon — under the Big Top at their St. Paul headquarters.

They discuss the performance they’ll present at the festival, an abridged version of their 2016 sold-out show Wonderland, which takes audiences on a high-flying, topsy-turvy ride through Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland (and its sequel, Alice Through the Looking Glass).

The show features acrobatics, trapeze, dance, flying silks, trampolines and other circus arts. When not on stage, students at the festival will present educational demonstrations and participate in workshops led by circus professionals.

It’s a thrilling prospect for everyone in this St. Paul-based “circus family,” and a long way from the Butlers’ humble beginnings in 1994 when they operated out of Hillcrest Recreation Center in Highland Park as Circus of the Star (a reference to the North Star State of Minnesota).

“Of all the stages Circus Juventas has had the benefit of performing on — including international locations in Italy, Germany and Sweden — this is our greatest honor,” Dan Butler said.

In the midst of preparations for the D.C. trip, the Butlers are also getting ready 32 / July 2017 / Minnesota Good Age

▲ In July, Circus Juventas performers will present a shorter version of their 2016 show Wonderland, featuring acrobatics, trapeze, dance, flying silks and other circus arts, at the 50thannual, 10-day Smithsonian Folklife Festival in Washington, D.C. Photo by Dan Norman

for their school’s annual public summer show — Nordrsaga, focused on Norse mythology — featuring their most advanced students’ work.

The Butlers, both 59, still found time to sit down for a few moments to reflect on all that has led them to this once-in-alifetime opportunity.

The early days Dan and Betty met as teenagers at the Sailor Circus in Sarasota, Fla. He was a catcher on the flying trapeze, and she was an aerialist on the cloud swing.

They began dating at age 16 and together went on to perform at Florida State University’s Flying High Circus, which still exists today in Tallahassee, Fla. They married at age 22. Dan Butler became a successful real estate broker in Atlanta. The couple hit a few roadblocks in those early years, and decided to move to Minnesota for a cultural change, and to allow Dan Butler a short stay at Hazelden.

The Butlers still stayed connected to their circus roots, however, including attending Sailor Circus reunions in Florida.

After one reunion in April 1994, Betty Butler wondered, “Wouldn’t it be great if we could do something in Minnesota?”

And so they did, gradually growing Circus Juventas to create the largest performing arts youth circus school the U.S. (if not North America), with more than 2,000 students learning every year under a $2 million, 20,000-square-foot, vinyl-domed Big Top, completed after a major fund-raising campaign in 2001.

The Butlers’ five children — Rachel, 31, Sarah, 28, Zach, 26, Caleb, 19, and Danny, 15 — have all performed with circus.

Today Rachel works as a lead instructor and artistic department lead under Betty Butler’s direction. Sarah has a full-time teaching position in the Minneapolis school district, but stays involved by coaching on Saturdays. Danny is performing in the summer show.

Longtime St. Paul residents, the Butlers moved to Mendota Heights as their family grew — when, as Betty Butler put it, “We realized we needed four bedrooms.”

Inspiration and support The Butlers are pioneers of a unique contemporary youth circus arts school model that’s heavily influenced by Cirque du Soleil.

An international performance company based in Canada, Cirque du Soleil blends traditional circus feats to create artistic performances, incorporating narrative story lines, world music, custom costumes and character-driven performances.

“We’re often called a youth version of Cirque du Soleil, which

▲▲Betty and Dan Butler met at Sailor Circus in Florida in the 1970s and went on to establish Circus Juventas in St. Paul in 1994.

is really an honor, because that organization has been inspirational to us,” Betty Butler said. “We always have a strong, usually historical, narrative to each of our shows, and we have a depth of production values that is atypical for a youth circus.”

That includes “quasi-professional level” lighting, sets and music and unique, contemporary-style circus arts with a global flair.

Over the years, the Butlers have gathered an impressive number of supporters, including former U.S. Senator Norm Coleman, who once offered high praise for Circus Juventas teachers: “They take ordinary kids and teach them to do extraordinary things.”

International influences Though only a small minority of students who age out of the program ever work professionally in a circus, Circus Juventas students have gone on to work with Bello Nock, Big Apple Circus, Cirque Du Soleil, Cirque Eloize, Ringling Brothers and Wallenda Enterprises.

“Of course many of our students go on to college, and we encourage that,” Betty Butler said. “Only about 10 to 15 percent pursue a circus career. But this is a solid place to be if you want to pursue that dream. We were the one of the first circus schools to a hire international coaching staff, and we have an integrated pedagogy of theater and dance.”

One of the international coaches Betty Butler mentions is Chimgee Haltarhuu, a Mongolian native who formerly performed with the Mongolian State Circus and Ringling Brothers.

“I always think of Betty and Dan as terrific parents,” Haltarhuu said. “They have made it a priority of the program to be inclusive to all children in the community, and the training teaches selfdiscipline and confidence, along with amazing circus skills.”

Many former students are now performing all over the Minnesota Good Age / July 2017 / 33

Under the

Big Top

Betty and Dan Butler, who have been in circus performance arts for much of their adult lives, are still active in teaching classes to a variety of ages groups at Circus Juventas. Photo by Jake Armour

We’re often called a youth version of Cirque du Soleil, which is really an honor, because that organization has been inspirational to us.

— Betty Butler, co-founder of Circus Juventas of St. Paul

34 / July 2017 / Minnesota Good Age

world, Haltarhuu said, adding: “And it’s all thanks to Betty and Dan. I am happy and proud to be here.”

Another coach, Mostapha Hassouni, who was born in Morocco, performed in Europe as an acrobat for Ringling Brothers and then performed in Las Vegas. While visiting a friend who was working for Circus Juventas, he was impressed by the lifestyle he found in the Twin Cities — and by the Circus Juventas programming, geared toward ages 3 to 21.

After being approached by the Butlers to teach acrobatics, he moved to the Twin Cities and became a coach.

“My son was turning 5, and I thought it was time to live somewhere new,” he said, adding: “These are good people. They work so hard for the kids, and they have built something amazing. The circus is like a family, and they are very much a family because the circus is their life.”

→ Smithsonian Folklife Festival This 50th-annual event takes place in Washington, D.C., June 29 to July 4 and July 6 to 9. All events are free and open to the public. The festival is held on the National Mall between Seventh and 12th streets, adjacent to the Smithsonian Castle.

Learn more at festival.si.edu.

→ Circus Juventas This nonprofit performing-arts circus school focuses on ages 3 to 21, but also offers a few classes for ages 22 and older, including Adult Core Conditioning (designed to prevent injury, improve posture and increase integrated strength) and Adult Circus Arts (including trapeze, hoops, juggling, unicycle and more). Summer camps are offered for age 6 to 15.

→ Nordrsaga Described as “a rollicking adventure through the nine realms of Norse mythology,” this production is told through the cirque-nouveau style of physical feats in the tradition of Cirque du Soleil. This open-to-thepublic summer show features the most advanced students of Circus Juventas, which also offers a public show in the spring, featuring beginning and intermediate students.

When: July 28–Aug. 13 Where: Circus Juventas Big Top, 1270 Montreal Ave., St. Paul.

Cost: Tickets start at $18.50 for ages 65 and older and are available through Ticketworks (ticketworks.com or 612-343-3390) or through Circus Juventas (651-699-8229).

Info: circusjuventas.org

Energy and activity Nancy Hall, a data systems specialist at Circus Juventas, loves working in an environment where she can see a trapeze swinging overhead.

She’s also a bit dazzled by the world-class instructors.

“When I see those coaches working with students as young as toddler-aged, I’m so impressed,” she said. “I feel that Betty and Dan are still continuing to grow this idea, and God knows what they could build, given enough time and resources. The shows are stunning, the quality of the work is amazing, and it’s all because of these two people and their dedication — to safety and quality.”

As the afternoon moves into early evening, students arrive and the Big Top takes on a feeling of highly focused energy and activity.

A trapeze swings rhythmically across the vast space, guided by a young woman dressed in a black leotard and tights. Below her, a squadron of unicyclists is circling the ring as an instructor calls out encouragement and guidance.

A second home In an upstairs office, surrounded by scenic renderings of previous shows, Sofie Clough, 15, stands alert and still while being measured for a troll costume for the summer show.

Clough, who lives in Southwest Minneapolis and attends Washburn High School, has spent five years as a Circus Juventas student, in classes like Acrobatics 1000 (“Acro 1000”), Handstands, Spanish Web, Bungee Trapeze, Cube, Trampoline, Team Acro and Flying Trapeze Basics.

She also participates in a Circus Juventas work-study program.

“This is my second home,” she said. “Without Circus Juventas, I can’t imagine what I would be doing.”

Clough said one of the most notable things about the Butlers is they always seem to have smiles on their faces.

One of Dan Butler’s often-repeated phrases, “May all your days be circus days,” especially resonates with her: “Whenever he says that, I think of how it captures all of what Circus Juventas is about — fun, exhilarating, death-defying acts you want to think about and do every day.”

Even though many of these activities carry with them a potential for danger, the Butlers maintain a strict “safety-first” focus.

Jessie Seehof Carlson, a 43-year-old yoga teacher who lives in South Minneapolis, has three children, Isabella, 8, Leo, 6 and Delia, 4, who have been taking Circus Juventas classes for three years.

Minnesota Good Age / July 2017 / 35

Under the

Big Top ⊳ Students practice the splits on the high wire at Circus Juventas, which has a domed vinyl and aluminumframe roof, plus bleachers to seat 940 people for periodic performances.

Photo by Dan Norman

“I’ve been in many meetings during which Dan is clear with the kids about his safety priorities,” she said. “I’ve also come to appreciate how the staff and instructors praise students for things like enjoying themselves or rebounding from a ‘mistake.’

They hold the kids accountable, and I appreciate the way that gives kids their own power and sense of self-control.”

Ideal retirement The Butlers are working on a gradual leadership transition — and hope to retire within five to seven years. But they point to a circus ethos of remaining highly active for many years.

“Our role models were training well into their 80s,” Dan Butler said. “One of our mentors, Willie Edelston, was with the Flying Hartzels. He’s 94 now, drives a red sports car and has a girlfriend.”

Dan Butler dreams of spending time on a beach in Florida and having plenty of time for daily kite surfing.

Betty Butler talks about buying a pop-up trailer and circumnavigating the globe.

“I’m a traveler at heart,” she said. “I’d love to visit all the youth circuses on the planet.” ▲ Students as young as 3 can take classes at Circus Juventas in St. Paul, which offers performances in the spring and summer. This student is juggling with a circus prop called a diabolo. Photo by Dan Norman 36 / July 2017 / Minnesota Good Age

Julie Kendrick is a contributing writer for many local and national publications. She lives in Minneapolis. Follow her on Twitter @KendrickWorks.

Of all the stages Circus Juventas has had the benefit of performing on — including international locations in Italy, Germany and Sweden — this is our greatest honor.

— Dan Butler, co-founder of Circus Juventas, speaking of the St. Paul school’s invitation to the Smithsonian Folklife Festival in Washington, D.C.

The Butlers have found a heart and a home in the world of the circus at their Circus Juventas school in St. Paul.

Photo by Robb Long Minnesota Good Age / July 2017 / 37

Looney Lutherans

→ The Maplewood Area Historical Society will present this family-friendly improvisational variety show, featuring three wacky gals, promoting their new (fictional) cookbook with music, comedy and audience interaction. Chef Mickey Michlitsch will offer Minnesota comfort foods in a pre-show picnic. Guests will be encouraged to browse the grounds before stepping into the barn to see the 75-minute show, cooked up by one of the writers from the Church Basement Ladies musicals.

When: July 14–16, 21–23

Where: Bruentrup Heritage Farm, Maplewood

Cost: $15–$40

Info: maplewoodhistoricalsociety.org

July 4

July 8–16

Red, White and Boom

Raspberry Festival

→ Celebrate Independence Day on the downtown Minneapolis riverfront with morning races, live music, food, family-friendly activities and a grand finale of fireworks at 10 p.m.

→ Going on its 83rd year, this nineday event kicks off with a first-ever Running of the Bulls race on July 8. Family Day on July 15 includes an arts and crafts fair, a soapbox derby, Big Wheel races, kids’ activities and fireworks. On July 16, see the Grande Day Parade at 1 p.m. on Mainstreet.

When: July 4 Where: Minneapolis Cost: FREE Info: mplsredwhiteboom.com

July 6–9

Hamel Rodeo → Watch professional rodeo cowboys and cowgirls compete in this 37th-annual event.

When: July 6–9 with a special family matinee at 1 p.m. July 8 Where: Corcoran Lions Park, west of Maple Grove Cost: $9–$18; family Day (July 8) matinee tickets are $10.

Info: hamelrodeo.org

July 6–Oct. 22

Heartsongs → This tribute to “the legendary ladies of country music” — from the theater company behind the Church Basement Ladies — features jukebox songs of love, heartbreak, family and faith, celebrating the power and resilience of women.

When: July 6–Oct. 22 Where: Plymouth Playhouse Cost: $29 Info: plymouthplayhouse.com

38 / July 2017 / Minnesota Good Age

When: July 8–16 Where: Hopkins Cost: Most events are FREE. Info: raspberrycapital.com

July 11–15

Rondo Days → Celebrate the best and brightest of Minnesota’s African-American histories, achievements and culture with live music, a senior dinner, 5K walk/run, grand parade, family-friendly festival (July 15) and more.

When: July 11–15 Where: Venues throughout St. Paul Cost: FREE Info: rondoavenueinc.org

Photo by Tammy Brice Photography

July

Can’t-Miss Calendar

Can’t-Miss Calendar July 12–Aug. 9

Music in the Cafe → Enjoy free music over the lunch hour hosted by KFAI Radio’s Larry Englund in Landmark Center’s Musser Cortile atrium.

Visitors are encouraged to bring their lunch or purchase one from Anita’s Cafe.

When: Noon July 12 (Miss Myra and the Moonshiners — sultry vintage jazz), July 26 (Little Riddles — American roots music) and Aug. 9 (Brian Wicklund and Mike Cramer — bluegrass fiddle performers) Where: Landmark Center, St. Paul Cost: FREE Info: landmarkcenter.org

July 14–16

Highland Fest → Join in a wide variety family-friendly activities, including live music and art, a petting zoo, wiener-dog races, inflatables, games, food and beverage vendors, a community picnic, Zumba in the park, wine tastings, a movie in the park and more.

When: July 14–16 Where: Highland Park neighborhood, St. Paul Cost: FREE Info: highlandfest.com

July 18–April 8

Musical Theater Series → The Ordway Center for the Performing Arts’ 2017-2018 musical series will feature three Ordway-produced shows and one Broadway tour (Kinky Boots) to illuminate a variety of diverse musical styles and universal themes.

When: Jesus Christ Superstar (July 18–23), In the Heights (Sept. 12–17), Annie (Dec. 7–31) and Kinky Boots (April 3–8, 2018) Where: The Ordway, St. Paul Cost: Subscription packages for the series start at $130.

Info: ordway.org

July 19–Aug. 16

Rhythm on the Rails → This new, free summer concert series will feature live music, family fun, food/ brew vendors and more. Acts include Church of Cash, a Johnny Cash tribute band (July 19), The Outer Vibe (July 26), Chris Hawkey (Aug. 2), Lost Highway (Aug. 9) and Martin Zellar (Aug. 16).

When: 6–10 p.m. Wednesdays July 19–

Aug. 16 Where: Lewis Street, downtown Shakopee Cost: FREE Info: downtownshakopee.org

July 22

Puppetry Festival → The Puppeteers of America’s National Puppetry Festival attracts more than 400 puppet artists, featuring many award-winning puppet performances that are open to the public.

When: July 17 to 22. On July 22, a free family day will feature puppet shows, music, puppet exhibits and a puppet store from noon to 5 p.m. with a puppet parade at 4 p.m.

Where: Concordia University, St. Paul Cost: $5–$15 Info: nationalpuppetryfest.org

July 29–30

Loring Park Art Festival → View and purchase artwork from 140 juried artists of all media and enjoy family-friendly activities, food vendors and live music.

When: July 29–30 Where: Loring Park, Minneapolis Cost: FREE Info: loringparkartfestival.com

July 30

10,000 Lakes Concours d’Elegnace → See rare and valuable automobiles, watercraft and motorcycles on the shores of Lake Minnetonka, alongside local vendors, fine food, live music and a kids’ area. This year, visitors can take a ride in a vintage automobile or cruise around Excelsior Bay in a historic wooden boat. Proceeds will benefit Bridging, a nonprofit organization serving the greater Twin Cities.

When: 10 a.m.–4 p.m. July 30 Where: Excelsior Commons, Excelsior Cost: $20–25 Info: 10000lakesconcours.com

→ More online!

Find more events on the new Minnesota Good Age website at mngoodage.com/cant-misscalendar.

Serving people of all ages, abilities and backgrounds, HOBT collaborates with SCHOOLS and COMMUNITIES on unique, interactive ART RESIDENCIES that nurture the creative spirit and encourage a sense of joy and wonder.

Visit hobt.org or call 612.721.2535 for more information.

Minnesota Good Age / July 2017 / 39

In the Heart of the Beast MNP 2016 V6 filler.indd 1

7/6/16 10:36 AM

Brain teasers Sudoku

Word Search CAREGIVING EXERCISE FAMILY HAPPINESS HEALTH INDEPENDENCE LIVING LOVE

ACTIVITY AGING ASSISTANCE CARE COMMITMENT DEDICATION EMOTIONS

MEDICAL PARENT RESPONSIBILITY SUPPORT TENDERNESS TIME VITAL

A

T

T

J

H W

F

R

V

E

G

E

Z

H

R

C

L

N

R

U

A

P

D

C

G

X

O

T

E

X

T

A

K

E

O W

P

N

Q

E

Z

L

S

V

K

I

C

J

W M

P

A

P

R

K

A

P

F

O

B

V

I

Q

Y

L

T

P

C

I

E

O

F

L

L

P

I

D

U

C

S

A

I

U

H

N

G

N

I

G

A

T

E

M

I

R

S

T

M

S

T

E

C

L

E

N

Y

M

S

E

E

I

T

I

M

E

X

S

R

A

O

A

S

N

T

H

Y

B

Z

V

O

T

A

S

F

I

A

T

S

N

O

I

T

O M

E

C

Z

R

I

T

F

J

T

U

L

L

I

V

I

N

G

A

O

T

A

Cryptogram

A

J

X

I

T

E

N

D

E

R

N

E

S

S

C

Break the code to reveal a quote from a famous person.

Each letter represents another letter.

M

K

T

E

C

N

E

D

N

E

P

E

D

N

I

I

Y

W

I

N

N

C

E

N

U

P

B

B

Y

D

Source: Joyce Meyer

L

Y

S

A

L

S

F

R

L

B

K

Q

G

Y

E

Y

B

X

V

G

B

J

R

L

Q

I

U

E

J

D

Y

Clue: Y = I

Q N W Y N T N

J S N X F N U F

F A X F

J Y L F

F A N

Word Scramble

Z M O

Complete the following words using each given letter once.

K X R

J Y T N

Z M O S

L X D Y W Z

AL X R E

F A N

H M S W E

Y U

X

S

S

V

L

V

L

ES

A

U

VES A

E

O

.

2. 69.4 years old

3. 24.4 hours

Z M O .

1. 49.2 years old

A N X W F A Z

TRIVIA

Answers 40 / July 2017 / Minnesota Good Age

Trivia TIME AND AGE 1. What is the average age of a caregiver, according to the Family Caregiver Alliance?

2. What is the average age of a care recipient?

3. Family caregivers spend an average of how many hours per week providing care?

Source: caregiver.org

SUDOKU Values, Salves, Loaves

WORD SCRAMBLE CROSSWORD

Answers Minnesota Good Age / July 2017 / 41

I believe that the greatest gift you can give your family and the world is a healthy you.

CRYTPOGRAM

Crossword

Across 1 “Hometown Proud” market chain 4 First-string squad 9 Actor McGregor 13 Election Day mo.

14 “Lord Jim” author Joseph 16 Field-plowing site 17 Law of the jungle, in the Old West 20 Freezer cubes 21 Top-notch 22 Texter’s gratitude 23 1867 territorial acquisition dubbed “Seward’s Folly” 28 Old King Cole was a merry one 29 Reason for unbalanced books 30 Southeast Asian language 31 __ hasty retreat 34 Walk-__: bit parts 35 1973 Helen Reddy chart-topper 42 / July 2017 / Minnesota Good Age

38 CBS forensic series 40 African virus 41 ID on an auto title 44 Causes pain 47 Refreshing break 49 Melted yellow square on a burger 52 “Let me think ... ” 53 Smell 54 U.S. intelligence org.

55 R. Kelly hit whose last title word is aptly rhymed with “sky” in the lyrics ... and a hint to the starts of the other four longest puzzle answers 61 Extremely 62 On __ knee: kneeling 63 Suffix with human 64 Celtic language 65 Pulled into piles, as leaves 66 Hi-__ graphics

Down 1 With one flat, musically 2 Largest living primate 3 Guacamole fruit 4 Perform on stage 5 You, to Yves 6 Opposite of WSW 7 Pianist Claudio 8 College focus 9 Little newt 10 Serves food to 11 Bow-and-arrow wielders 12 Santa Fe’s st.

15 Dummy 18 Monster’s loch 19 61-Across: Ger. 23 “You’ve Got Mail” ISP 24 NBA great Bryant 25 “The Clan of the Cave Bear” author Jean 26 Place setting disc 27 Elvis __ Presley 32 Bill with cocktails 33 Decorate 35 Like desperate circumstances 36 Baldwin of “30 Rock” 37 Laundry 38 __ of commerce 39 Hot seasons 41 Competes to get 42 “That’s not true!”

43 Bridal bio word 45 “Star Trek: T.N.G.” counselor 46 Flip of a hit single 48 Teller’s comedy partner 50 Tarp, e.g.

51 Hockey venue 52 Bee home 56 Soapmaking supply 57 “Beats me,” in texts 58 Mediocre grade 59 Tack on, as tax 60 Golf hole meas.