MSN August / September 2018

VOL 34 # 6 • AUGUST / SEPTEMBER 2018 INFORMING • ENTERTAINING • EMPOWERING

MONTANASENIORNEWS.COM

HISTORIC

Equestrians are welcome to travel throughout the National Monument. PHOTO COURTESY OF THE NATIONAL MONUMENT.

WILD REMOTE

Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument Article on Page 36

THE BIG SKY ACCORDING TO DALE LIVEZEY

PG 66 Few artists capture the grandeur of Montana’s “Big Sky Country” as memorably and distinctively as Livezey.

MISSOULA MOBILE MARKET FEEDS FRIENDSHIPS WITH LOCAL PRODUCE

PG 31 Garden City Harvest’s Youth Program connects teens with seniors living on limited incomes.

THE GOLDEN VOICE OF THE ROCKIES

PG 30 Steve Keller of Great Falls loves his dual life as a radio DJ and music entertainer.

PAGE 2

MONTANA SENIOR NEWS • AUGUST // SEPTEMBER 2018

ABOUT US

Contributing Writers

Our Staff

MAILING ADDRESS 1985 McMannamy Draw

Kalispell, MT 59901 PHONE 406-761-0305 or 800-672-8477 WEB montanaseniornews.com EMAIL info@montanaseniornews.com

Published six times per year, our paper exists to serve our mature readers. We encourage our readers to contribute interesting material. As such, any views expressed in editorial are not necessarily the views of the publisher. Likewise, this publication does not endorse any particular product or service shown in the advertisements appearing in this paper.

Robert Hunt....................... Publisher Janet Hunt.......................... Chief Financial Officer Kathleen McGregor........... Advertising Sales Diane Brosseau................. Advertising Sales Carol Blodgett.................... Advertising Sales

Digital Specialist Francesca Beckerle........... Advertising Sales Jonathan Rimmel............... General Manager

Graphic Designer Webmaster Nann Parrett...................... Managing Editor Sherrie Smith..................... Production Assistant Ruth Hunt........................... Social Media Manager Peter Thornburg................ Distribution

Holly Endersby Marsha A Goetting Jay Gore Louis Greene Stone Steve Heikkila Genevieve Jessop Marsh Gail Jokerst Bernice Karnop Jack McNeel

Aaron Parrett Mary Terra-Berns KellyAnne Terry Rob Tischler Dianna Troyer Suzanne Waring Alyssa Winberg

All copy appearing in this publication is copyright protected and may be reprinted only with written permission of the publisher.

Contents Brain Games.................................. 4

Entertainment............................... 24

Caregiving...................................... 52

Comics............................................ 7

North Central MT.......................... 30

Nutrition......................................... 56

Home & Lifestyle........................... 8

Cover Story.................................... 36

Fitness............................................ 59

Modern Senior.............................. 16

Money Matters.............................. 40

Travel.............................................. 62

Inspiration...................................... 20

Recreation...................................... 42

All About Montana........................66

Fluffy Critters................................. 22

Health Care.................................... 46

Answers to Brain Games..............70

Š 2018

AUGUST // SEPTEMBER 2018 • MONTANA SENIOR NEWS

Plastics in Water, From Your Cup to the Oceans WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW (STATEPOINT) You may not realize it, but there’s a lot of plastics in water—both in the water you drink, as well as in rivers, lakes, and oceans.

KNOW THE PROBLEM According to recent investigations by Orb Media, 90 percent of bottled water and 83 percent of tap water is contaminated with microplastics. These small pieces of plastic can’t always be seen by the naked eye, but they’re harmful to human health.

What’s more, according to the United Nations Environment Program, only one in five single-use plastic water bottles is recycled, meaning 80 percent end up in the environment, contributing to the 46,000 pieces of plastic floating in each square mile of Earth’s oceans.

Each year, 8 million metric tons of plastics enter oceans, adding to the estimated 150 million metric tons that currently circulate marine environments, according to Ocean Conservancy.

You can take action to protect your health and the environment from harmful plastics.

FILTER YOUR WATER Start by ensuring that the water you and your family drinks is both healthy and safe. Using a water filtration system can help eliminate harmful microplastics present in your drinking water and minimize the need for single-use plastic bottles and pollution. Note: Not all water filters remove microplastics, so knowing which filters address this issue is important as you make a decision.

Water filtration products from LifeStraw, for example, remove chemicals, bacteria, odors, bad taste and 99.999 percent of microplastics from contaminated water, enabling access to safe drinking water on-demand nearly anywhere. This is higher protection than the standard carbon-based filters that are available on the market.

SHOP RESPONSIBLY Another way to effect change? Make sure the brands you support are engaging in responsible business practices to reduce waste.

Avoid single use-plastic water bottles when possible and avoid products with high levels of plastic packaging. Try re-usable storage bags or items made of compostable material. Shop with brands that support cleanups, for example brands that remove trash from oceans and waterways for every product they sell. Or check out groups that post responsible, plastic-free buying guides like 5 Gyres.

To improve your family’s wellness and protect the planet, think water. Avoid consuming microplastics, invest in filtration, and prevent more plastic from contaminating our oceans and environment by shopping responsibly and supporting brands that share these values.

MSN

Remove microplastics and other contaminants from water with a filtration bottle. PHOTO © STATEPOINT MEDIA.

PAGE 3

New device stops a cold before it starts

New research shows you can stop a cold in its tracks if you take one simple step with a new device when you feel a cold coming on.

Colds start when cold viruses get in your nose. Viruses New research: Copper stops colds if used early. multiply fast. If you don’t stop them early, they spread Copper may even stop flu that and cause misery. starts in the nose if used right away But scientists have found a quick and for several days. In a lab test, way to kill a virus. Touch it with cop- scientists placed 25 million live flu per. Researchers at labs and universi- viruses on a CopperZap. No virusties agree, copper is “antimicrobial.” es were found still alive soon after.

It kills microbes, such as viruses and People often use CopperZap bacteria, just by touch. preventively. Frequent flier KarThat’s why ancient Greeks and en Gauci used to get colds after Egyptians used copper to puri- crowded flights. Though skeptical, fy water and heal wounds. That’s she tried it several times a day on why Hippocrates, the “father of travel days for 2 months. “Sixteen modern medicine”, used copper to flights and not a sniffle!” she exheal skin ulcers, and why Civil War claimed. doctors used it to prevent infection Businesswoman Rosaleen says of battlefield wounds. They didn’t when people are sick around her know about viruses and bacteria, she uses CopperZap morning and but now we do. night. “It saved me last holidays,” Researchers say microbe cells she said. “The kids had colds going have a tiny internal electric charge round and round, but not me.” across the membrane surrounding Some users say it also helps the cell. The high conductance of with sinuses. Attorney Donna copper short-circuits this charge Blight had a 2-day sinus headache. and pops holes in the membrane. When her CopperZap arrived, she This immediately stops the mi- tried it. “I am shocked!” she said. crobe from reproducing and de- “My head cleared, no more headstroys it in seconds. ache, no more congestion.”

Tests by the Environmental ProOne man had suffered seasontection Agency (EPA) show copper al sinus problems for years. It was surfaces kill germs that are left on so bad it ruined family vacations them. That way the next person and dinners out with friends. His to touch that surface does not wife Judy bought CopperZaps for spread the germ. As a result of both of them. He was so skeptithis new knowledge, some hospi- cal he said, “Oh Judy, you are such tals switched to copper for various a whack job!” But he tried it and “touch surfaces”, like faucets, be- the copper cleared up his sinuses drails, and doorknobs. This cut the right away. Judy and their daughspread of MRSA and other illness- ter said, “It has changed our lives!” es in those hospitals by over half, Some users say copper stops and saved lives. nighttime stuffiness if used just The strong scientific evidence before bed. One man said, “Best gave inventor Doug Cornell an sleep I’ve had in years.” idea. When he felt a cold coming on he fashioned a smooth copper probe and rubbed it gently in his nose for 60 seconds.

“It worked!” he exclaimed. “The cold went away completely.” It worked again every time he felt a Sinus trouble, cold sores, stuffiness. cold coming on and he hasn’t had People have used it on cold a cold since. sores and say it can completely He asked relatives and friends prevent ugly outbreaks. to try it. They said it worked for Copper even kills deadly germs them, too, so he patented Copper- that have become resistant to anZap™ and put it on the market. tibiotics. If you are near sick peoSoon hundreds of people had ple, a moment of handling it may tried it and given feedback. Nearly keep serious infection away. It may 100 percent said the copper stops even save a life. their colds if used within 3 hours The EPA says copper still works after the first sign. Even up to 2 even when tarnished. It kills hundays, if they still get the cold it is dreds of different disease germs milder and they feel better. so it can prevent serious or even Users wrote things like, “It fatal illness. stopped my cold right away,” and CopperZap is made in the U.S. “Is it supposed to work that fast?” of pure copper. 90-day full monPat McAllister, age 70, received ey back guarantee when used as one for Christmas and called it directed. It is $69.95. Get $10 off “one of the best presents ever. each CopperZap with code MSN6.

This little jewel really works.” Now Go to www.CopperZap.com or thousands of users have simply call toll-free 1-888-411-6114. stopped getting colds.

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MONTANA SENIOR NEWS • AUGUST // SEPTEMBER 2018

PAGE 4

Brain Games

PUZZLES•QUIZZES•GAMES•CONTESTS•BRAIN TEASERS•FUN

ANSWERS TO THESE PUZZLES ARE ON PAGE 70

Sudoku Complete the grid, so each row, column, and 3-by-3 box (in bold borders) contains every digit 1 to 9. For strategies on how to solve Sudoku, visit www.sudoku.org.uk

Western and Native Americana, Music, Mining & Geology, Children’s Books & More Something for everyone!

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AUGUST // SEPTEMBER 2018 • MONTANA SENIOR NEWS

Brain Games

PAGE 5

HOMING PIGEON Submitted by Julie Fink/Brantley You can never lose a homing pigeon—if your homing pigeon doesn’t come back, what you’ve lost is a pigeon.

INVISIBLE Submitted by Julie Fink/ Brantley Did you hear about the Invisible man marrying the Invisible woman?

I guess their children weren’t much to look at, either...

CABIN RENTALS

Fresh mountain streams flow from towering peaks and wildlife abounds with Yellowstone National Park a mere 20 minutes away.

If you have difficulty understanding words clearly over the phone, just fill out this form!

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Equipment available through MTAP includes: • Amplified telephones • Captioned telephones • Loud bell ringers TTYs • Artificial Larynxes • And much more!

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MONTANA SENIOR NEWS • AUGUST // SEPTEMBER 2018

Brain Games

ILLUSTRATION BY FLORENCE PAXTON For this month’s Doodle seek-and-find page, find articles associated with GUYS and GALS. A $25 cash prize is awarded from each issue of the Montana Senior News to the person who finds everything on the list and submits the prettiest Doodle coloring page.

GALS 1. bracelet 2. dress 3. convertible 4. hat 5. high heels

6. new hairdo 7. pet dog 8. purse 9. salad 10. wedding ring

GUYS 1. boats 2. hat 3. mustache 4. pet dog 5. sail boat

Please mail your entires for all contests to the Montana Senior News, 1985 McMannamy Draw, Kalispell, MT 59901, or email to: info@montanaseniornews.com by September 15, 2018 for this edition.

6. T-bone steak 7. tuxedo 8. wallet 9. wedding ring 10. wristwatch

AUGUST // SEPTEMBER 2018 • MONTANA SENIOR NEWS

PAGE 7

s c i m o C

TECHNOLOGY SIMPLIFIED – BIGGER AND BETTER

Wow! A Simple to Use Computer Designed Especially for Seniors!

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new screen opens up. It’s so you never get lost so easy to use you won’t have to ask your children Intel® processor – or grandchildren for help. lightning fast Until now, the very people who could benefit most Computer is in the monitor – from E-mail and the Internet No bulky tower are the ones that have had the hardest time accessing Speech to Text translation – it. Now, thanks to the You talk, It types for you WOW Computer, countless older Americans are Text to Speech translation – discovering the wonderful it can even read your world of the Internet emails to you! every day. Isn’t it time you took part? Call now, U.S. Based Customer Service and you’ll find out why tens of thousands of satisfied seniors are now enjoying their WOW Computers, emailing their grandchildren, and experiencing everything the Internet has to offer. Call today!

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There is finally a computer that’s designed for simplicity and ease of use. It’s the WOW Computer, and it was designed with you in mind.

This computer is easy-to-use, worry-free and literally puts the world at your fingertips. From the moment you open the box, you’ll realize how different the WOW Computer is. The components are all connected; all you do is plug it into an outlet and your high-speed Internet connection.

Then you’ll see the screen. This is a completely new touch screen system, without the cluttered look of the normal computer screen. The “buttons” on the screen are easy to see and easy to understand. All you do is touch one of them, from the Web, Email, Calendar to Games– you name it… and a

NEW

MONTANA SENIOR NEWS • AUGUST // SEPTEMBER 2018

PAGE 8

Home&Lifestyle

GARDEN•REAL ESTATE•RECIPIES•DECOR•ANTIQUES

Five Tips for Safer Senior Living

BY ALYSSA WINBERG It’s no surprise that falls are more common among the elderly. However, senior falls due to unfit living environments are unnecessary and avoidable.

Did you know that one in four Americans over the age of 65 suffers at least one fall each year? Or that every 19 minutes, a senior dies from a fall? Falls are the leading cause of fatal injury and the most common cause of nonfatal trauma-related hospital admissions among older adults, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

We can’t change the fact that seniors are more susceptible to falls, but we can help educate seniors and their loved ones on creating safer home environments.

NO STAIRS For seniors living in a house, it is highly encouraged they live in a single-level home that doesn’t have any steps. It’s important to pay attention to the front porch as well as the garage and interior of the house, to make sure there are no stairs to fall down or trip over. If possible, seniors should stay away from homes that have basements; however, avoiding the basement is also an option if a

house has one. It is possible for a senior to have a home with a basement and never step foot in it. It is encouraged to call a loved one or neighbor when needing to retrieve something from the basement.

© AT Studio, BIGSTOCK.COM

KEEP THE HOME WELL LIT Poor eyesight is a leading cause of accidental falls among the senior community. Keeping the home well-lit can help seniors see things they might otherwise trip over in dim lighting.

Add brighter bulbs and lamps in the home, so everything is visible. It is also recommended to have night-lights on in the home at night.

A senior susceptible to falls should never be in a completely dark home, unless they are on vacation and out of the home.

REMOVE ALL THROW RUGS FROM THE HOME Any rug that can easily be moved or crinkled is dangerous for a senior. They may look

nice, but it is not worth it. Rugs can lead to feet getting caught, creating a loss of balance and an increased risk of falling. Remove all rugs that pose this hazard. The only “rugs” that should be in the home of a senior are bath mats that stick to the ground, to prevent slipping on wet surfaces.

NO ELECTRIC CORDS Today, the typical household has an abundance of electrical appliances with cords running through different areas of the home.

Loose electrical cords can cause people of all ages to trip and fall, but they are more dangerous for those who don’t recover from falls so easily. All loose electric cords and extension cords should be wrapped up and tucked behind furnishings, out of sight.

GRAB BARS Grab bars are an incredible resource for seniors needing some extra help with their balance. Adding grab bars to showers, bathtubs, toilet areas, and even in the bedroom near the bed is a worthwhile investment. Grab bars can aid balance when moving around, stepping in and out of the bath tub or shower, helping to use the toilet, and getting in and out of bed. Grab bars can also be used to catch a fall or maintain balance. MSN

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AUGUST // SEPTEMBER 2018 • MONTANA SENIOR NEWS

Home & Lifestyle

PAGE 9

Homemade Cracker Crust Pizza

Spicy Italian sausage, bing Cherry, and arugula pizza on a cracker crust.

PHOTO BY STEVE HEIKKILA.

BY STEVE HEIKKILA Pizza is often a disappointedly bready affair where the delicious promise of sauce and toppings gets drowned in a doughy sea of blandness. But have you ever had a thin, crispy, cracker crust pizza before? Now that’s a thing of beauty.

I’m talking about crust so thin that it’s hardly noticeable apart from the welcomed bit of crunchy texture it provides. The zesty sauce, cheese, and toppings are the star of the show. It’s also got the added virtue of not being such a carbohydrate bomb, which I also appreciate.

The rub with home-baked cracker crust pizza is that you need an absurdly hot oven to get that crust crispy. This is the basic shortcoming of making any pizza at home, but especially a cracker crust pizza. Pizza ovens run absurdly hot, as in 700° F or higher. Most home ovens only go to 450°.

Or so I thought. I discovered my own home oven—which is by no means a professional kitchen oven but basic Kenmore home oven— goes to 550°. After a good bit of experimentation, I’ve figured out how

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to make incredibly good cracker crust pizza at home. It’s simple really.

You just need to keep a few things in mind.

To ensure the center cooks before the edges burn, make individual-sized pizzas (about 9 inches in diameter) rather than one the size of a manhole cover.

Because you want to roll your cracker crust out to be ultra thin, it helps to use whole wheat flour because, it has less springy gluten in it than refined flours. Providing some fiber makes it healthier for you as well.

A pizza stone is essential—it’s cheap and easy to find. You want to put the stone onto the center rack of a cold oven and then heat it to an incendiary 550°F. Let the oven sit at temperature for a full 30 minutes before you cook your pizzas, to make sure the stone is completely heated through.

The melting point of most silpats is actually lower than 550°F, so don’t cook your pizza on a silpat. Instead, use plain parchment paper.

Go sparingly on the sauce, cheese, and other toppings. Thick application makes the pizza too thick, and the crust won’t crisp up.

That means barely a tablespoon of sauce for a 9-inch pizza, a sparse sprinkling of grated cheese that doesn’t completely cover the sauce, and plenty of space around each solid topping.

This is such a thin and delicate affair that the idea of moving the pizza from countertop to pizza stone is unthinkable.

Just roll out a golf-ball-sized piece of dough directly on the parchment, top it, and put it directly onto the pizza stone.

Because your oven is hotter than Hades, by the time your pizza is cooked, the corners of the parchment paper will be scorched brown.

Don’t freak out. This is okay.

Make sure to cool the pizza on a raised rack. If you don’t then steam from the hot pizza will “sweat” the crust and make it soggy, ruining all of that hard work.

As for toppings, you know what you like, but I’ve provided two of my favorite options just in case.

I adore this pizza. I hope you like it as well.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 10

COMMODITY SUPPLEMENTAL FOOD PROGRAM (also known as Senior Commodity Program or Senior Nutrition)

HAS RELOCATED! You may now find it at Family Service 1824 1st Avenue N in Billings

Health Screening

If you can provide documentation of having lived, worked or played in the Libby, MT area for at least 6 months at least 10 years ago.

Please call toll free 1-855-891-2273 or visit us online at libbyasbestos.org Testing available local & long distance

Those currently participating in the program are welcome Monday through Friday 9:00am–4:00pm If you would like to register for the program or have any questions concerning the program please call Stacy Brown at (406) 384-0054.

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MONTANA SENIOR NEWS • AUGUST // SEPTEMBER 2018

Home & Lifestyle

PAGE 10

PIZZA / CONTINUED FROM PAGE 9

MAKE A CRACKER CRUST PIZZA INGREDIENTS PIZZA CRUST << 1 Package active dry yeast << ¼ Cup warm water (100°-110°F) << 1 Cup 100-percent stone ground whole wheat flour << 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil << Pinch of salt PIZZA SAUCE << 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil << 1 Small onion (finely chopped) << 4 Cloves of garlic (finely chopped) << ½ Cup tomato puree << ¼ Cup tomato paste << 4-Inch sprig fresh rosemary << ½ Teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (more if you like it hot) << 2 Ounces cabernet sauvignon (or other dry red wine) << Pinch of salt TOPPINGS OPTION 1: SPICY ITALIAN SAUSAGE, BING CHERRY, AND ARUGULA << 5 Ounces mild Italian sausage (cooked and crumbled) << 18 Fresh bing cherries (sliced in half and pitted) << 1/3 Cup chopped pistachios << 5 Ounces fresh mozzarella cheese (shredded) << 1 Cup fresh arugula (add after pizza is cooked) TOPPINGS OPTION 2: PEAR, FIG, AND BARBECUE PORK << 1 Teaspoon of fresh thyme (chopped) << 1 Ounces smoked gouda cheese (shredded)

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<< 1 Fresh mission fig (sliced lengthwise into thin pieces) << 1 Small pear (cored and sliced lengthwise into thin pieces) << 1 Ounce of North Carolina style pulled pork barbecue << 1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar (to brush onto fruit before baking) EQUIPMENT << Pizza stone << Parchment paper << Raised wire cooling rack PREPARATION PIZZA CRUST Sprinkle dry yeast into the warm water to wake it up. Let it stand for 5 minutes.

Mix flour, salt, and olive oil until the oil is well integrated, then mix in the yeast and water mixture.

Stir, adding more warm water as necessary until a stiff dough forms. Dough should be slightly sticky.

Knead the dough for 5 minutes. Form the dough into a ball, coat it lightly with more olive oil, and place it into a plastic bag or container with a lid and refrigerate overnight.

PIZZA SAUCE Saute onions in olive oil and a pinch of salt over medium heat in a pan until the onions begin to become translucent (about 5 minutes).

Remove the rosemary needles from the stem and finely chop them. Add the rosemary, garlic, and pepper flakes to the onion mixture, and sauté over medium heat until the garlic is cooked (about 3 or 4 minutes).

Deglaze the skillet with red wine, and let simmer until wine is reduced by about half.

Add tomato puree and tomato paste. Bring to a simmer, and cook for 10 minutes.

Cool sauce completely. Save leftover sauce for another time (you can freeze it).

PIZZA ASSEMBLY Place the pizza stone in the center rack of your oven, and preheat to the oven’s maximum setting (hopefully 550°F). Once the oven comes up to temperature, let it stand at temperature for 30 minutes, to fully heat the pizza stone.

Place a golf-ball-sized piece (1/6 of the total) of pizza dough on a lightly floured square of parchment paper. Roll dough out to an extremely thin round, about 9 or 10 inches in diameter.

Place one tablespoon of sauce onto the crust, spreading it ultra thin to near the edges. The sauce can be spread slightly thicker at the edges, but keep it very thin in the middle.

Sparingly sprinkle with cheese (less than an ounce total). Total coverage is not necessary. Too much cheese will keep the crust from getting crispy.

Sparingly distribute toppings on the pizza. Again, heavier on the edges is preferable to placing a lot toward the center. The edges cook faster.

Place the parchment paper with pizza onto the hot pizza stone and bake until the edges of the crust are a dark golden brown (approximately 5 minutes).

You want to push right to the edge of burning to give the center time to crisp up.

Remove the parchment paper and pizza from the oven, and slide the pizza onto a raised cooling rack. This part is crucial. If you place the pizza on a solid flat surface, the crust will sweat and become soft. Let the pizza cool for a few minutes before cutting it into pieces. MSN

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AUGUST // SEPTEMBER 2018 • MONTANA SENIOR NEWS

Home & Lifestyle

PAGE 11

Late Summer Wines

BY HOLLY ENDERSBY August and September are filled with scrumptious, ripe vegetables from the garden, the smells of jam made from homegrown fruit, and lazy evenings grilling outside with friends and family.

A late August memory of mine is the aroma of lush grapes hanging in huge bunches off the vines my friend’s grandmother grew along a huge trellis. The entire yard was perfumed with the spicy-sweet smell of grapes as they hung ripening in the sun.

When I first smelled, then tasted, the American Niagara wine from Oak Knoll Winery in the Willamette Valley of Oregon, I was transported back to those wonderful years in that back yard. This is a sweet wine but when served chilled (not cold), the aroma and taste are divine. I have never smelled a wine that so perfectly reflected those giant purple globes ripened by the sun.

This wine is made with an original native American grape, so if you’re into buying American, this is the wine for you.

PHOTO BY HOLLY ENDERSBY.

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Serve it with light appetizers or with marinated, grilled chicken, and you will love it. At $8 a bottle, this is a steal.

Another nice transitional wine is the Sauvignon Blanc from Chateau Ste. Michelle in the Columbia Valley of Washington. The 2016 we tried was sprightly, not too sweet, and was the kind of wine you could easily enjoy out on the deck as you watch the sun set. We paired it with clam fritters, and its fresh taste worked well with the pungency of clams. This white wine has a nice balance between crisp and sweet, so it should tickle the taste buds of a wide variety of white wine lovers.

A beautifully balanced red, we enjoyed this summer, which would be perfect now and into the fall, was the Dreaming Tree 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon. This lovely, balanced wine with notes of dark chocolate and traditional blackberry and plum was served with grilled elk steak and it performed superbly with this mild, wild game. My husband is not fan of Cabernet Sauvignon, so when one gets his approval, which this did, I know a wide range of wine drinkers will enjoy it.

Dreaming Tree Winery is the cooperative brain child of musician Dave Matthews and native New Zealander Sean McKenzie.

This California wine is exceptionally smooth with satisfying mouth tannins and is incredibly reasonably priced. If you can’t find it in a store near you, the winery can ship to Montana.

Gnarly Head Old Vine Zinfandel is a terrific transitional wine. Not as light as some summer wines, it is not a heavy, merlot-type for rich winter meals. A group of four of us found this wine simply delicious.

This wine is made from 35- to 85-yearold grape vines. Head trained and spur pruned, these older vines produce smaller grapes in fewer clusters that have increased intensity of flavor, which is why Gnarly Head chooses to make old vine Zinfandel: it’s all about the richness of the juice these grapes produce.

I found this wine to be redolent of ripe blackberries, with a touch of plum, some spice, and a tiny bit of pepper. It’s aged in a combination of American and French Oak barrels, but the oak does not overpower the richness of the berry. We served this wine with smoked salmon pasta, and it was an immediate hit.

Finally, an interesting wine we tried was the Robert Mondavi Private Selection 2016 cabernet sauvignon, aged in bourbon barrels.

Having never tried a wine aged this way, I thought it was something we should explore.

Again, my husband gave this a resounding thumb up. The aging mellowed the edginess right out of the Cabernet Sauvignon without detracting from any of its lovely character.

Two other tasters felt this wine was exceptional as well, and at a huge discount of $6 a bottle, it was an absolute steal. If you can find this wine on sale, buy it. If not, try it anyway as it is perfect with such late summer dinners as grilled burgers, or even pizza, on the deck. MSN

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PAGE 13

My Name is Michelle, and I Think I’m Your Daughter

Mary (left) is reunited with her daughter, Michelle, whom she gave up for adoption after giving birth when she was 16. “Michelle was a gift when she was born. I gifted her to adoptive parents,” she said. “Now I’ve been re-gifted to have her back in my life and to hear her call me ‘mom.’”

PHOTO COURTESY MARY.

BY GAIL JOKERST Imagine receiving a letter that begins something like this: “Hi, my name is Michelle, and I think I’m your daughter.”

If you’re a woman who has never given birth to a baby girl, you’d label this a case of mistaken identity at best, a hoax at worst. But if you did bear a child three decades ago that you gave up for adoption, the letter would probably elicit a much different response.

And that is exactly what happened when Mary Sanchez, living in southern California at the time, opened such a missive in January 1997.

“When I saw the name on the return address, I thought the letter was from an old summer-camp friend that I’d lost touch with. But as soon as I began reading, I realized it wasn’t from her. I was flabbergasted,” remembered Mary. “It was two pages long and included a photo of a pretty woman with her husband and two children.

Coincidentally, she had the same last name as my friend. She also looked enough like her birth father to leave no doubt as to who she was.”

Besides writing about her family, Michelle related how she had hired an investigator specializing in family searches to find her birth parents. Since Michelle’s father’s name was on the legal adoption papers, and men rarely alter their last name, he was easier to locate than Mary, whose last name had changed by this time.

Once the search began, it took just a few weeks to identify both individuals.

As Mary continued reading the letter, she came across two sentences that still warm her heart: “Could we please get together? I would love to meet you.”

“At that point, I just sat down on the couch and started to cry, then I told my husband about her. He was even more flabbergasted than I was, because he didn’t know she existed,” said Mary, who vividly recollected his eight-word response: “You what? Why didn’t you ever tell me?”

According to Mary, her husband, Jose, was more shocked than judgmental.

“He was very accepting of the news,” she said. His support for the two women to connect was immediate as evidenced by his next question to Mary, “When can we meet her?”

“It wasn’t anything that I ever expected to have resolved, so I never talked about it,” explained Mary, who moved to a home for unwed mothers in Los Angeles when she became pregnant with Michelle at 16.

“I wasn’t old enough to care for myself, much less a baby,” she added. After giving birth, she turned the baby over to an adoption agency and signed mandatory paperwork agreeing to never try to locate the child.

“I felt I had given up that right. Plus, I didn’t want to upset her or her adoptive parents. Over the years, I often wondered what had become of her, but never to the point where I’d remotely try to find her,” stated Mary, who appreciated that Michelle made the initial contact by letter rather than by phone.

“I think calling cold turkey would have been hard on both of us,” she said. “When I was ready to reply, I didn’t trust myself to talk on the phone, because I didn’t want to sound like a crybaby,” she admitted. Instead, Mary wrote an email back, inviting Michelle and her family to come to her home. Considering Michelle lived less than 100 miles away, it was logistically simple to arrange.

Unsurprisingly, their initial meeting was one of the most memorable days of Mary’s life.

Her first thought upon seeing her daughter was how much she resembled her birth father.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 14

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I’M YOUR DAUGHTER / CONTINUED FROM PAGE 13

Michelle’s first thought was how much she, herself, resembled Mary—especially her smile.

“It was summer, and we all had cool drinks and just sat around my living room and got acquainted for a few hours. We hugged and kissed. We were both shy and excited at the same time, not sure how we’d be received.

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MONTANA SENIOR NEWS • AUGUST // SEPTEMBER 2018 That quickly passed though,” remembered Mary. “Getting to know Michelle, her husband, and two children was more wonderful than I could have hoped it to be. She is a warm, loving person and was as happy to meet me as I was to meet her. There was no recrimination of any kind. It was just a real feel-good meeting. Before they left, we’d made plans to see each other again.”

One reason Michelle wanted to find her birth mother was to obtain family medical history. The other reason was to see if they might possibly establish a relationship.

Michelle had known from a young age that she was adopted. The man and woman who raised her were the kind of parents whom adoption agencies dream about working with, and they never considered withholding that information. So it was not unusual for Michelle’s adoptive mother to encourage her to find her birth mother.

“In raising Michelle, her parents gave her the self-confidence and permission to do what she needed to do to make her life feel complete,” praised Mary. “I can never thank them enough for that and all they did for Michelle.

Their unconditional love and guidance turned her into the amazing woman she is today. My gratitude knows no bounds.”

The get-togethers continued as often as the two families could synchronize schedules until 2005. That’s when the Mary and Jose bought some property in Ferndale, Mont., that they’d fallen in love with and began a new life there.

“Fewer people, less traffic, no sales tax, clean air, clean water, and a price we could afford—we were thrilled,” Mary said. “It’s the best move we’ve ever made. Jose and I were in total agreement about it.”

To their delight, Michelle visited them for the first time this past summer. She flew into Kalispell, rented a car, and drove to Ferndale with her phone arm hanging out the window taking videos of the lush farm and mountain landscape to share with family and friends back home.

“We did touristy things. Shopped in Bigfork walking hand-in-hand down the street; ate at different restaurants, went down to the Garden of One Thousand Buddhas near Arlee, and drove around Flathead Lake,” recounted Mary. “She was constantly amazed at how gorgeous everything was.”

While it was certainly a mother-daughter reunion, Jose was part of the picture every step and mile along the way. Despite his willingness to give the gals quality time alone together, Michelle had other ideas on that subject. Leaving him at home was never an option as far as she was concerned.

“She insisted he come with us, and he was very pleased to be included,” said Mary, smiling. “Jose is really good at being a piece of furniture. As long you don’t try to sit on him, he’s okay.”

When Michelle left to head back to the airport, Jose’s words summed up Mary’s feelings precisely: “It feels like there’s a hole in the room.”

Although some women might be reluctant to share experiences like this, Mary Sanchez had no such qualms. On the contrary, she valued the opportunity to relate her story.

“I am so privileged to know this beautiful person. People should be aware of the blessings available for them if they will just be more open-minded and less judgmental,” said Mary. “Michelle was a gift when she was born. I gifted her to adoptive parents. Now I’ve been re-gifted to have her back in my life and to hear her call me ‘mom.’” MSN

How the Average Citizen Can Help Bring About Friendlier Politics (STATEPOINT) At a divisive moment in our nation’s history, you may be wondering how average citizens can help bring about friendlier politics.

Experts suggest that it starts with finding common ground among those whose opinions differ from you. Ira Shapiro, a former ambassador who has held senior positions in the U.S. Senate, recently authored Broken: Can the Senate Save Itself and the Country? in order to explore the state of U.S. politics and its future.

Of the U.S. Senate, his area of expertise, he says, “America is deeply divided. But the men and women of the Senate should not mirror—or worse, inflame—the nation’s divisions. Their job is to overcome them,

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AUGUST // SEPTEMBER 2018 • MONTANA SENIOR NEWS finding common ground to take collective action in the national interest.”

Citizens can apply this principle in a number of ways.

Get involved. Attend city council meetings and town hall meetings. But don’t just show up—make your voice heard. Make friends on all sides of the issue. Be a coalition builder.

Discover where your beliefs overlap with others before debating about the issues on which you disagree.

Get in touch. From petitions to postcards to calls and texts, there are numerous ways to get in touch with your elected officials at

Home & Lifestyle

every level of government. Encourage your representatives to work constructively with their colleagues in an effort to de-polarize politics and ultimately be more effective at their jobs.

Speak out. Organize or attend a rally.

Raise money for a political cause that matters to you. Write a letter to the editor of your local paper. Take advantage of the channels available to you.

“The best remedy of all, on both the national and local levels, is to support candidates who are problem solvers and consensus builders, not partisan warriors. Look for

PAGE 15

the candidates who put the country, or the community, first—above party allegiance or personal aggrandizement,” stresses Shapiro, who also serves as a trade law and global policy consultant. More thoughts from Shapiro are available on his website at www.shapiroglobal.com.

Shapiro argues the Senate is in trouble, but it can be saved. Likewise, everyone, including average citizens, can be a champion for a climate of healthier politics, whether it’s around the dinner table, on a social media thread, or at a city council meeting. MSN

Rent Out Your Space Like A Pro (STATEPOINT) From city apartments to beach houses, vacation home rental sites like Airbnb, VRBO and others have become popular among homeowners and travelers alike.

Renting your entire house or even just one room, especially if there’s a big event coming to your town, can be a wonderful way to earn extra income, but it can also expose you to unexpected and potentially costly risks. Before you start seeing dollar signs, learn how to rent your home like a pro.

List Through a Vacation Rental Site: Posting an ad is free on some sites and eliminates some of the legwork involved. Some sites will verify users’ identities, provide guest and host reviews, and let you set your own rental price.

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Have the Right Insurance: What if your renter accidentally spills something on a pricey rug or a valuable antique turns up missing? Or, what if someone slips on a wet floor or falls down the stairs? While some sites offer insurance coverage for hosts and landlords, other sites may require you to provide your own coverage to protect against these types of losses.

You’ll probably need protection if you decide to rent on your own.

It’s important to talk with your insurance agent about how you’re using your home, the potential liability risks and whether your home is adequately protected against property damage, theft, and injuries.

Deepen Your Tax Knowledge: According to the IRS, if you plan on renting your space for fewer than 15 days a year, you don’t need to report the money earned as income. But many vacation rental sites will automatically document the income to the IRS, meaning you could get a letter asking you to pay on unreported income.

If you fall within that 14-day window, you need to write a letter stating the income is not taxable and attach proof. However, if you don’t actually live in the home, then you must report the income.

Rental expenses, such as for advertising or housekeeping, can be deducted, but don’t deduct any personal expenses.

Budget for Extra Costs: While it’s tempting to think about additional income, make sure you understand the fee structure and costs.

Most rental sites charge either an annual fee or a percentage of each booking to cover processing and listing. Some take a percentage of the rental fee and may even charge a service fee to your guest.

Depending on how much of your home you’re renting out, you may need to find another place to stay. Plus, you need to consider the cost of supplies, like linens, as well as hire a cleaning service to tidy up between guests.

Decide whether renting out your home is right for you and your family. If so, it’s time to start sprucing up your place to get ready for guests. MSN

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PAGE 16

Modern Senior

TECHNOLOGY•SCIENCE•KNOWLEDGE•COMPUTERS•MOBILE

Even a Technophobe Can Feel Empowered

BY GAIL JOKERST My friend, Patti, has always encouraged me to persevere and figure out how to solve whatever malfunction happens to be plaguing my iPhone or computer.

“You will feel so empowered when you get this to work” she has often said, prompting me to neither give up or give in to the inner voice that whispers, “You can’t do this.”

Although not a card-carrying technophobe, I’m admittedly close to qualifying, despite owning a cell phone and laptop. I know I’ve only mastered an iceberg-tip of their full potential, but that’s fine with me.

Many of my friends Tweet and Instagram and can’t wait to download the latest app, but I’m content to continue emailing and limp along with my current operating system

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until communication with the outside world becomes no longer possible.

That said, I can’t help but boast of the few times when I’ve Googled for—and discovered—advice on fixing household problems.

Additionally, I’ve also learned what caused the problem in the first place. Since I’m no more a plumber than a Bill Gates, resolving these issues by surfing the internet has definitely made me feel empowered.

The first challenge cropped up after our front-loading washer was installed. As water filled the washer, my husband and I heard loud banging noises. Since we live an expensive distance away from a plumber to make a house-call, we wanted to fix the problem ourselves if possible.

We called friends who we thought might be more knowledgeable than we were on the subject. They were equally clueless, I tried Googling as a last resort. I typed, “water pipes

make loud banging noise when washer fills,” or some variation on that theme.

Not only did we find a solution, we learned the phenomenon even had a name. IIt’s called “water hammering,” a form of hydraulic shock that occurs when the shut-off valve on a high-pressure water line suddenly closes.

We read that installing a “water hammer arrestor,” stocked by plumbing suppliers, would eliminate the noise—and it did.

A few years later, the locking mechanism on that washer’s door ceased functioning, and we couldn’t open the door. Since no information about this dilemma appeared in the troubleshooting section of our owner’s manual, I tried Googling again.

This time I typed something resembling, “door lock won’t release on front-loading washer.” Presto chango, up popped our answer.

This one was called, “How to open a locked washing machine.” To be honest, I don’t recall how we fixed that difficulty. All I know is we did it without calling a repairman or getting a divorce in the process, and that made me and my husband very happy.

Most recently, we drained all the water pipes in our house before leaving for the winter.

Upon returning home, we refilled the pressure and hot water tanks then opened all the faucets as well as the water valves to our commodes.

Alas, one toilet refilled at a speed slow enough to lose a race with a snail. My husband removed the tank cover and pulled out the part he was pretty sure qualified as the

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The KGVA 88.1 FM public radio station is housed on the ANC campus. This public radio station is one of a kind in Montana and offers NPR news, announces live local sporting events, and keeps the communities entertained with local news, music and daily Native language “words of the day.” KGVA 88.1 FM can also be accessed at kgvafm.com or kgvafm.org. To make a contribution to KGVA please visit the ANC website or for more information regarding fantastic opportunities to attend ANC. Visit our website: ancollege.edu or call 406-353-2607 .

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AUGUST // SEPTEMBER 2018 • MONTANA SENIOR NEWS

Modern Senior

culprit, since water to refill the toilet bowl entered via that mechanism.

“I bet this is clogged. If I could get it open and clean it out, I think it’ll work again,” he remarked. Problem was, neither of us could figure out how to open it. Since it was made of plastic, we couldn’t risk drastic measures, like slamming the part against a countertop.

It took awhile, but I finally remembered our past successes with Google. This time

I typed, “toilet refills very slowly” into the search bar. Thus we learned the part in question was called a fill valve and that it had to be cleaned of debris as my hubby had suspected.

We still couldn’t get the darned thing apart, however. Then YouTube came to the rescue.

We found multiple videos showing people disassembling fill valves and saw how the valves were constructed. I won’t say the simple but necessary quarter turn that we

(SAVVY SENIOR) While unlimited highspeed data, video streaming, and mobile hot spot are now standard for most cell phone plans today, a number of low-cost wireless plans are designed with seniors in mind.

These plans offer limited talk time and text, which is ideal for seniors who want to stay connected without spending much money each month. Here are some super cheap plans to consider.

Two other companies that offer low-cost prepaid deals are TracFone and AT&T. TracFone (TracFone.com, 800-867-7183) has a 30-minute talk/text plan for $10 per month, or an even cheaper a 60-minute talk/ text plan for $20 for three months, which averages out to only $6.66 per month.

AT&T (ATT.com, 800-331-0500) has two, low-cost prepaid plans, including the 25 cent per minute call plan, and a $2 daily plan that charges only when you place or receive a call or send a text that day. The fees are deducted from the prepaid balance on your account. But to use AT&T Prepaid, you must prepay into your account either $10 per month, $25 for three months or $100 per year.

PAGE 17

heard about was all that simple to execute, but eventually the valve was unclogged and resumed its rightful place in the tank.

So, while I’d never claim to be high-tech at anything, I must say I’ve become quite adept at asking for and receiving help from my iPhone and laptop. Not only that, I’ve saved enough money in repair costs to splurge on something special. But you can bet it won’t require a download. MSN

Cheap Cell Phone Plans for Seldom Calling Seniors

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CHEAPEST PLANS Prepaid plans are the best deal for seniors who only want a cell phone for emergency purposes or occasional calls. The very cheapest prepaid plan available today is T-Mobile’s Pay As You Go plan, which includes any combination of 30 minutes or 30 text messages for only $3 per month. After that, additional minutes and texts cost 10 cents each.

Phone prices start at $75, but if you have a compatible device, you can use it rather than buying a new one. You will, however, need to pay for a $10 SIM Starter Kit fee, whether you bring your own phone or buy a new one. Visit T-Mobile. com or call 844-361-2792 for more information.

BEST EMERGENCY PHONE If you’re interested in a senior-friendly cell phone that provides top-notched emergency assistance, consider the Jitterbug Flip (GreatCall.com, 800-918-8543).

This is a nifty flip phone that has big buttons, enhanced sound, a simplified menu, and a 5Star urgent response button that connects you to a trained agent who will know

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your locations and will be able to assist you whether you need emergency services, directions, roadside assistance, or a locksmith, or to contact family. GreatCall’s service runs on Verizon’s network.

The Flip phone costs $100, with monthly service plans that start at $15 for 200 minutes.

Or, you can get the 5Star service with 50 minutes of monthly talk time for $25.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 18

A very popular “extra bonus” for banking with Three Rivers is the Heritage Club.

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MONTANA SENIOR NEWS • AUGUST // SEPTEMBER 2018

Modern Senior

CELL PHONES / CONTINUED FROM PAGE 17

FREE PHONES If your income is low enough, another option you should check into is the federal Lifeline program, which provides free or lowcost cell phones and plans through numerous wireless providers.

To qualify, your annual household income must be at or below 135 percent of the Federal Poverty Guidelines—which is $16,389 for one person, or $22,221 for two. Or, you must be receiving Medicaid, food stamps/SNAP, SSI, public housing assistance, veterans pension or survivor’s pension benefit, or live on federally recognized Tribal lands.

To find out if you’re eligible, or to locate wireless companies in your area that participate in the program, visit LifelineSupport.org or call 800-234-9473. MSN Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior.org.

Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of “The Savvy Senior” book.

College Class on Memes Explains to Seniors Creative Ways People Get ‘Snarky’ Online

BY LISA MARIA GARZA, ORLANDO SENTINEL (TNS) Nancy Shutts, 78, first encountered internet memes a couple of years ago when her grandson shared a term paper he wrote for a college class. She couldn’t understand what the big deal was about the silly social media images with text—usually related to current events.

“I am so left-brained, this does not mean squat to me,” said Shutts, who has a degree in medical technology. “But I’m constantly looking at new things to expand my knowledge.”

Shutts and five other seniors came together in a Rollins College classroom to learn about memes and other trending images on the internet from art historian Adrienne Lee. A meme is a still shot—typically from a movie, television show or ad campaign—“that takes on a new life but is rooted in a context that we all share,” Lee explained to the class, offered for people 50 or older through Rollins’ Center for Lifelong Learning.

For example, an image of the late actor Gene Wilder as the title character in the 1971 movie “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory”—with

his top hat tipped upward, head resting on his hand and a smirk on his face—has spawned countless “condescending Wonka” memes.

Popular topics include mocking social media use, fad diets, and overused phrases.

“You know to read those words in a snarky, sarcastic tone because of how he played that character,” said Lee, 39. “Memes are like organisms—they have a mind of their own, and they evolve and mutate.”

The lecture series, also explores other art history topics in relation to modern concepts such as: Are smartphone selfies an electronic version of a self-portrait? Does posting pictures of your brunch on Instagram equate to a stilllife painting?

“It’s that idea that while the media has changed or evolved, the intent really hasn’t— that’s rooted in human nature,” said Lee, adding that she imagines Monet’s Instagram feed would be bursting with depictions of water lilies and haystacks.

Most of Lee’s students said they reluctantly use Facebook to keep track of family and friends but don’t embrace other apps.

There’s a level of narcissism, they said, with constantly sharing carefully crafted details of one’s life on social media.

Apopka resident Yvonne King, who declined to give her age, balked at the idea of redefining art and comparing artists who painstakingly created masterpieces with people who use filters on their photos.

“People that are participating in it to a great degree ... they’re really not doing it for the art,” King said. “This is not an attack on anyone, but there’s quite an element of being very self-centered.”

Lee countered with the notion that all artists are prideful because they’re putting themselves out there through their work.

“All that art comes as a result of artists who are experiencing their world at a particular time ... that’s the real reason we can’t brush off these pop culture references, these social media trends, memes—it’s our visual representation of what’s happening now.”

“Art is for everyone, and through pop culture, I think we find ways to make it more accessible,” she said. MSN

t

SEASON SIXT Y-FOUR SAVE YOUR SEAT. S U B S C R I B E T O D AY.

The Helena Symphony announces the 2018-2019 Season, featuring over two dozen critically-acclaimed guest artists, over 30 masterworks of music, and 16 exciting performances. In addition to the six Masterworks Concerts in the subscription series, subscribers can secure their tickets for Non-Series Concerts now, as well.

Highlights of the Season include guest artists such as renowned Romanian Cellist Ovidiu Marinescu (performing Haydn’s Cello Concerto), internationally-acclaimed Pianist Claire Huangci (performing Saint-Saëns’ Piano Concerto No. 2), Violinist Robyn Bollinger, HSO Concertmaster Stephen Cepeda, and a dozen vocal soloists, including celebrated opera singers Tenor Kirk Dougherty, Soprano Kathyrn Frady, and Baritone Charles Robert Stephens.

Other Season highlights include exciting programs such as PUCCINI’s opera TOSCA in Concert, BRAHMS’ First Symphony, BACH’s epic Mass in B minor with two performances at the Cathedral of St. Helena, and American composer Peter Boyer’s Ellis Island – The Dream of America performed with projected images and the words from immigrants narrated by seven actors, including Mayor Wilmot Collins. Other concerts include the music of Beethoven, Mozart, Haydn, Shostakovich, Respighi, Stravinsky, Mozart, Vivaldi, Saint-Saëns, Prokofiev, and many more.

The Symphony also announces the Non-Series Concerts for the 2018-2019 Season.

These concerts include the four-decade tradition of Christmas in the Cathedral (Monday, December 3), along with a special chamber orchestra concert featuring tango master Astor Piazzolla’s Four Seasons of Buenos Aires (Sunday, November 4) The Season also includes five FREE Education Concerts throughout the season, complete with narration, actors, and multi-media presentations. Subscribers receive the six Masterworks Concerts at a significant discount and can also secure tickets for the Non-Series Concerts in advance.

In addition to the substantial discounts on season tickets, subscribers also receive the new Bring A Friend Pass, The Art of Listening Newsletter, first access to Non-Series Concerts, and several other benefits. Subscription packages are available in several price ranges, and subscribers can secure tickets to the Non-Series Concerts with their season tickets.

SUBSCRIBING IS EASY! ONLINE: www.helenasymphony.org

Fast and convenient. Select the available seat you prefer.

SYMPHONY BOX OFFICE: 406.442.1860 OR 2 N Last Chance Gulch Ste 1 Symphony Box Office staff are available Monday through Friday, 10 a.m.–4 p.m.

AUGUST // SEPTEMBER 2018 • MONTANA SENIOR NEWS

Modern Senior

Don’t Let Your Personal Data End up on the Dark Web (STATEPOINT) Consumers today give out personal information all the time—from shopping online to signing up for special promotional offers to filling out job applications.

However, there are millions of identity theft victims each year, and when a cyber-criminal steals your information, it will likely be sold on the dark web.

Your social security number, for example, could be sold for as little as $1, according to Experian, one of the nation’s three credit bureaus. The end result is that criminals can open a credit card account in your name, steal your tax return, try to hack into your financial accounts, and conduct other malicious activities.

THE DARK WHAT? The dark web is a mystery to many.

Only one in four people know what it is and what it’s used for, according to the Experian Cybersecurity Survey. It essentially allows criminals to conduct illegal activities in the deepest pockets of the Internet, undetected.

For identity thieves, the dark web is a marketplace for personal information, including phone numbers, email addresses, account passwords, and social security numbers that can be used to commit identity theft and fraud.

While it’s doubtful that your local dry cleaner or gym will be targeted by an identity thief, any database is attractive to a cyber-criminal. Companies can also be victims of rogue employees, and smaller operations have less security. It’s best to err on the side of caution when giving out information.

BETTER MANAGE PERSONAL DATA “Having your personal information exposed can be a threat to your identity and financial future, but there are ways to take control,” said Brian Stack, vice president of Dark Web Intelligence at Experian. “In a digital world, all of us are at some risk for identity theft and fraud. One step to get peace of mind is enrolling in an identity theft protection product, so you are notified if credit is opened in your name or your personal data is on the dark web.”

PROACTIVELY PROTECT YOUR IDENTITY << Only provide personal information when it’s required. << Change online account passwords periodically, and use a unique password for each account. << Never access the Internet with unsecured public Wi-Fi. Only use secured public Wi-Fi with a password for browsing—don’t shop or access accounts, including social media and email. << To log into accounts, enable authentication questions as well as two-factor authentication when available (and don’t use real answers such as your mother’s actual maiden name). << Several times per year, check your credit reports from all three credit bureaus for possible fraudulent accounts.

Wondering if there’s already cause for concern? Experian offers a free Dark Web Triple Scan that searches thousands of dark web pages, networks, and forums for your phone number, email address, and social security number. Learn more at experian.com/ triplescan. MSN

PAGE 19

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PAGE 20

Inspiration

THOUGHTS•PEOPLE•STORIES•PLACES

The Iron Nun

BY JACK MCNEEL One doesn’t normally think of a Catholic nun in terms of running marathons and Ironman competitions. Sister Madonna Buder is not only an exemption to those thoughts but may well be the best at her age to ever compete in the Ironman. Now at 88, she still travels around the country to compete in triathlons; thus the reason for her nickname, “The Iron Nun.” Her story is remarkable. She grew up in St. Louis and entered the Good Shepherd Convent there when she was 23. Running certainly wasn’t on her mind. It was during a conference on the Oregon coast that a priest introduced her to running.

He expounded on the benefits of running, how it “harmonizes mind, body and soul.”

Her immediate thought was, “I thought you were supposed to give a prayer,” laughing as she remembered that event.

That same evening, she went out and ran for about five minutes. The priest met her at the door and said she needed to do that for at least five weeks before she felt the runner’s high.

That was the start, and it wasn’t long before she was introduced to triathlons.

“It just started catapulting from there. I probably was a natural,” she added. Judging by her running career in the years, since that was a major understatement.

She returned to her home in Spokane and saw a notice about the Second Bloomsday Race, but initially rejected the idea of taking part.

Bloomsday is 7.46 miles long, and she’d only been running short distances.

But some personal motivation caused her to change her mind.

“That was the worst thing I’ve ever put my body through,” she said. “Once it was done, I was falling apart, every part of my body was discombobulated. I didn’t even know you were supposed to have a pair of running shoes.”

She found some shoes but had no time to break them in and had blisters to contend with.

“I got through the race,” she said. “There were almost 300 women in my age group, and I ended up being like fourth.”

She said she never wanted to put her body through all that agony again, and the only solution was to keep going, essentially staying in shape.

She continually entered running events, and some seasons did at least 20.

Sister Madonna Buder. PHOTO BY JACKIE MCNEEL.

“Then I got burned out. At that point I was introduced to triathlons. Since then it’s been the way for me to go. It’s not the constant

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AUGUST // SEPTEMBER 2018 • MONTANA SENIOR NEWS pounding. You get a variation and that keeps your body exercised.”

For those unfamiliar with these terms, triathlons involve biking and swimming in addition to running.

That was in 1977, 41 years ago. Many races have followed.

“Your body gets used to it, and it isn’t a big deal,” she said. “All I can say is that when people get older, even though it may not feel good, keep moving, any way you can, just keep moving.”

Sister Madonna Buder was 55 when she attempted her first Ironman. An Ironman starts with a 2.4-mile swim followed by a 112-mile bike ride and ending with a 26.2mile run. Since that first Ironman, she has competed in roughly 45 more.

That alone is beyond remarkable, but it doesn’t tell the extent of her successes.

In 2005 at the Hawaiian Ironman, at age 75, she was the oldest woman to finish an Ironman triathlon. In 2009 she completed the Ironman Canada event in Penticton. That set a record for being the oldest female to complete an Ironman. Next in 2012, when she finished the Subaru Ironman in Canada, she finished in 16 hours and 32 minutes, becoming the oldest, man or woman, to finish an Ironman event.

In 2014 she was inducted into the USA Triathlon Hall of Fame.

One would think that now, at 88, she would retire from running triathlons, but that’s not the case. She doesn’t do Ironman triathlons with their specific distances, but does other triathlons where all three events are involved,

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but at somewhat lower distances. Her last Ironman was in 2014.

What keeps her going?

“It’s like being in a society, because the triathletes have become like family to me. I don’t want to lose that interaction,” she said.

Sister Buder has competed in 377 triathalons over the years, and she’s competed in about 45 Ironman competitions.

She laughed as she told of a Nike commercial she was involved in. “That was quite an experience! The first day was an 18-hour shoot. The second day was a 16 hour shoot.

All that for less than a minute commercial.”

That commercial can be seen if you search for ‘Nike Commercial Sister Madonna’.

This article is obviously about her triathlon history, which is second to none, but religious work fills her days.

Inspiration

PAGE 21

“Whenever I’m in town I visit the jail regularly,” she said. “There has never been a fruitless visit to the jail. There’s always been someone I relate to and am able to inspire with a new way of thinking about themselves. You just never know whose lives you’re going to touch. Just being present to pray with them may be all you need to do.”

Her advice to seniors is to have something creative or physical, to keep them interested.

That will help to live a long life.

“People after a certain age may simply die of boredom,” Sister Buder said. “There are so many volunteer positions—there’s no reason to just sit still all day long. The only failure is not to try. Your effort itself is a success.” MSN

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PAGE 22

Fluffy Critters PET TIPS•BREEDS•CARE•GROOMING

Not One for Little Dogs? Shop Dog Billy Buddy will Change That.

WINNING HEARTS FROM THE BIG APPLE TO THE GARDEN CITY

BY JAY GORE A friend suggested a nice walk down to Park Avenue and 38th street for coffee. Sure, my sister Marcia responded, it was a beautiful day.

It was in the Mid-1990’s in New York city.

On the way they passed a pet store and popped in for a look. They saw birds, cats, and other animals and finally got back to the dog area.

All the while, a little dog was loose in the store, who kept following Marcia around. Kind of a nuisance! Sister kept tripping over the dog.

They looked at all the dogs on display, with no intentions of getting one, then turned to leave. There again was that darn little dog to step over. Marcia asked a nearby clerk what was wrong with the little guy?

He was a Chihuahua, but he was too big for the breed. Many had looked but rejected him for his size. They proceeded to the coffee shop.

Angst began to set in with Marcia as they had coffee. She’d had Maltese and Lhasa Apso dogs in the past, but had been seriously ill for several years and without dogs. She was feeling sorry and taking pity on the little pet store dog and suggested they go back to see him again.

She ended up taking him home.

Billy Buddy settled right into city apartment living and for many years made Marcia a fine companion. He got her out for

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neighborhood walks twice a day. They would go over to the “grassy knoll” a couple blocks away where Billy would do his business and play with other dogs.

When I would make my weekly Sunday call to sister, most of what we talked about was Billy Buddy. I hunt, and the dogs I’ve had were black Labrador Retrievers. I really don’t have a ‘thing’ for little dogs. But I was happy for my sister.

Two events came together in late 2008. Marcia’s memory was failing, and I was concerned about her being out on New York’s streets, getting turned around and not being able to find home. Also, her apartment owners were upgrading and remodeling rooms and wanted to move her to another apartment two floors up.

My son and I flew to New York to check the situation and visit with the apartment manager. Marcia looked at another apartment and became disturbed. They offered to buy her out of her apartment as an alternative, and she accepted. I made plans to move her and Billy to Missoula, to reside in a nice, fifth-floor apartment at the Clark Fork Riverside overlooking the river. She moved there in January 2009.

On a very stormy winter night, my sister, Billy Buddy, and I made the plane trip back to Missoula from New York via Minneapolis on the last flight. I was a wreck, worrying about getting stuck late night in LaGuardia Airport. We made all our flights, however, tired and on nerves.

The best passenger was Billy. He rode his doggy travel bag like a trooper. I was most worried about his barking or presenting other problems, but neither happened.

At the Clark Fork Riverside, Marcia settled in, and Billy was a social hit with the other occupants. He is cute and a very engaging little dog.

The complex has a nice riverside trail for walks, and the two could visit with folks.

After 2-½ years, Marcia’s memory worsened. She and Billy were moved to an assisted living apartment unit, which also had access to nice sidewalks and grassy areas for walking, along with someone to watch after them. But in time, Billy’s pulling and leash tripping led to Marcia having several falls, so I needed to find him a new home. Marcia was saddened but understood the need to let him go.

One of the apartment tenants was an older, wheelchair-bound gentleman named Gilbert, who hailed from Pennsylvania. He offered to take Billy back to the Clark Fork Apartments, which did wonders for Gilbert’s social life. As soon as he had a dog, folks downstairs in the lobby talked to Gilbert regularly. Billy was a real conversation starter. It was a match made in heaven. Gilbert dearly loved Billy Buddy and had two loving years with the little dog.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 69

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AUGUST // SEPTEMBER 2018 • MONTANA SENIOR NEWS

PAGE 23

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PAGE 24

Entertainment

MUSIC•BOOKS•THEATER•DINING•ART•FILM•TELEVISION

The 33rd Annual Montana Cowboy Poetry Gathering and Western Music Rendezvous in Lewistown

BY AARON PARRETT As fully packed as the tourism calendar may be this summer, it would be difficult to find an event that captures the essence of Montana and Western history better than the 33rd annual Montana Cowboy Poetry Gathering and Western Music Rendezvous in Lewistown (August 16-19, 2018).

Montana’s event happens to be the second longest-running cowboy poetry gathering in the country—only one year younger than the National Cowboy Poetry Gathering in Elko, Nev.—and this year the line up in Lewistown will give Elko a run for its money.

Karen Kuhlmann, the executive director of the event, or the “trail boss,” as she prefers to be called, explained that in the

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1870s and ‘80s, cattle owners from Texas and Oklahoma would drive their immense herds north in the summertime to fatten them on the unfenced ranges of Montana, which were then mostly wilderness.

“Their beef as sold in Texas was worth only $4 a head,” she said, “but after a summer in Montana, that cow could earn more than $14 shipped back east on the trains.”

To look after the herds, ranchers often hired young men at loose ends who knew how to work horses and keep cows from straying off. At night, Kuhlmann explained, “the cowboys would sing to the herds to keep them calm. It really has a striking effect on the cattle. Sometimes they’d recite poetry or sing verses to old songs they made up with

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more of a cowboy theme, and that is really how this tradition got its start.”

It’s especially fitting that the promotional materials for the 33rd annual Montana Cowboy Poetry Gathering in Lewistown this year pay tribute to C.M. Russell, since he embodied the spirit of the cowboy era and its connection to poetry and music.

Like most modern cowboy poets and cowboy singers, Charlie himself put in plenty of time in the saddle, working for a couple of the best-known outfits of the authentic cowboy era in Judith Basin country.

Less well-known is that Charlie himself was not above penning a few lines of verse along the way, and he had a little musical talent, playing guitar and banjo in the early days.

That is why, in addition to recitations by some of the country’s premiere cowboy poets, those who attend the 33rd Annual Montana Cowboy Poetry Gathering in Lewistown will also be treated to the chart-topping country songs of Suzy Bogguss, who is this year’s headliner for the event. Past headliners include some of the most prominent names in both Cowboy Poetry (Baxter Black and Red Steagall, for example) and Western Music (Ian Tyson, Michael Martin Murphey, and Riders in the Sky).

Cowboy Poetry gatherings emphasize the “Western” part of the “Country & Western” genre and so provide a mini-history lesson: one of the central tributaries flowing into the

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AUGUST // SEPTEMBER 2018 • MONTANA SENIOR NEWS stream of modern country music happens to trace its headwaters way up on the east slope of the Rocky Mountains in Montana and Canada, at the edge of the Great Plains.

“The eastern side of the Rocky Mountains were some of the last areas to be settled,” Kuhlmann summarized, “as the cowboy era came after all the mining and so forth in the mountains and on the western side.”

In fact, the mission statement of the Montana Cowboy Poetry Gathering (a 501 [c] [3] nonprofit) is “to preserve and celebrate the history, heritage, and values of the American cowboy in the upper Rocky Mountain west.”

According to Kuhlmann, the event got its start when a “handful of Montana ranchers and poets went down together for the first Elko event in 1985 and came back thinking that Montana should put on its own event. So in 1986, the first Montana Cowboy Poetry Gathering was held in Big Timber, under the direction of Gwen Peterson, and then in 1991 moved to Lewistown, mainly because it had become so popular.”

Over the course of the four-day event, attendees will be treated to dozens of musical performances and poetry readings. It will be impossible to take it all in because multiple events take place on different stages simultaneously.

Some of the highlights will include the Friday night “Jam ‘n’ Dance,” and the traditional Sunday morning “Cowboy Church Service.”

All told, the event offers more than 50 hours of family-friendly entertainment showcasing some 70 performers.

Entertainment

PAGE 25

The performers themselves are the heart of the spectacle. “These poets and musicians are the real deal,” said Kuhlmann. “Many of them actually work on ranches and speak authentically to the subject matter. They are oral historians of an important cultural heritage in Montana and the West.”

Cowboy Poetry has become, in fact, a respected subgenre of Western literature, and Kuhlmann noted Montana schoolteachers can actually earn six credits of continuing education (OPI) through the Montana Cowboy Poetry Gathering and Western Music Rendezvous. Not only that, the Gathering has earned numerous literary and arts awards and grants, including a book award this year from Humanities Montana for “encouragement of the written word in poetry.”

Academic credentials aside, Cowboy Poetry events often feature some of the most entertaining and engaging performances you are ever likely to see, and the 33rd Annual Montana Cowboy Poetry Gathering and Western Music Rendezvous in Lewistown is the state’s signature expression of the art, and one of its premiere national showcases. The celebrated Rosebud County, Mont., cowboy poet Wally McRae nailed the spirit of the Gathering in his poem, “Roundup’s Over:” I been mashin’ them critters and brandin’ them calves / Since the wagon pulled out, back in May. / But I rolled out of my bed for the last time this year. / Work’s done. Boys, it’s time now to play. MSN Visit www.montanacowboypoetrygathering.com for a full schedule of events and other details. For more information or to buy tickets, contact Kuhlmann at (406) 538-4575 or kbkuhlmann@midrivers.com.

Cinema by Starlight MONTANA DRIVE-IN MOVIE THEATERS

BY AARON PARRETT When Richard Hollingshead opened the first drive-in movie theatre in Camden, N.J. in 1933, he brilliantly braided together two prominent elements of American culture: the automobile and the Hollywood movie.

Combining two things that are fine by themselves doesn’t always succeed (think nuts and gum), but putting movies together with sitting in your car reflects a stroke of genius right up there with the root beer float.

Hollingshead had another stroke of genius when he came up with his slogan for the drive-in movie theatre: “The whole family is welcome, regardless of how noisy the children are.”

That tagline captured the essence of the experience: you could watch the movie in company with hundreds of other people parked CONTINUED ON PAGE 26

y l r a s E e m o t C h g i N Written by Burton Bumgarner Directed by Christopher DeJohn

Aug 17–Sept 2

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MONTANA SENIOR NEWS • AUGUST // SEPTEMBER 2018

Entertainment

PAGE 26

CINEMA / CONTINUED FROM PAGE 25

in cars in a field on the outskirts of town, but at the same time you could enjoy the relative privacy of your own car.

I remember going to the Sunset Drive-In as a child in Helena, Mont., with my parents, who would fold down the back seats of our station wagon and have sleeping bags and pillows laid out for us.

My dad would clean the windshield with Windex and newspapers before we left the house, and even though my mom would bring a picnic basket full of snacks, we’d still walk

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down to the concession stand to get popcorn in a paper bucket the size of a milk pail, the salty kernels swimming in butter.

I remember seeing Jaws (1975) when it first came out at Helena’s other drive-in, The Sky-Hi Drive-In, as well as Serpico (1973), which was R-rated. When the actors unleashed a torrent of foul language, my mother would reach over the seat and try to cover my ears, which would have been awkward at the regular theatre of course, and when there was violence or nudity, my parents could censor it for us kids by making us cover our heads with our pillows.

And if we got bored by the big screen, we could always run around through the aisles of parked cars, to go play with other kids at the playground situated right in the front, beneath the huge, towering screen.

Twenty years after that first drive-in opened in New Jersey in 1933, the U.S. was home to almost 5,000 drive-ins in the 1950s. Today, fewer than 350 survive, and Montana has only two: one is outside of Butte, the other in Billings.

One of the country’s longest-running drive-ins happened to be the Westernaire in Lewistown, Mont., which operated continuously for 64 years, from 1944 to 2008. Drive-ins slowly declined around the country starting in the 1960s, and by 1980, less than half remained (2400) since the height of their popularity in the late 50s.

Most historians point to the advent of the VCR in the 1980s as the critical factor in that decline, along with the climbing value of real estate on the edges of towns, thanks to the proliferation of box stores (A Walmart now sits on the site that once held the Ski-Hi in Helena).

But a website devoted to drive-in theatre history (driveinmovie.com) identifies an often-overlooked culprit: in 1966 the US Congress passed the Uniform Time Act, more commonly known as Daylight Savings, which meant that in the summer, many drive-ins couldn’t start the films until after 10 PM,

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a change that undercut one of the original features of the concept—namely, that watching a film in a car gave families with young kids a workable entertainment option.

Just south of Butte, off exit 119 on I-15, sits The Silver Bow Drive-In, which happens to be the first Montana drive-in to sport twin screens.

The Hansen family has operated it since it first opened in 1977. The Silverbow has a 500-car capacity and shows two features (one on each screen), seven nights a week during the season.

Though the screen was erected in 1977, the concessions stand and projection booth started out in Deer Lodge, which boasted its own drive-in from 1949-1973.

Like for the Silver Bow Drive-In, parts of the Billings’s Amusement Park Drive-In were relocated from an older outdoor theater. The owner of the Amusement Park said the large screen came from the Park Drive-in Cody, Wyo., (1946-2003). “We then tore down the wood screen tower and hauled it to Billings. We rebuilt it during 2004 and 2005 and opened it in July 2005.” Instead of having two screens, the Amusement Park shows films on each side of the single screen. Other quirky elements give this drive-in its special character: one projection booth is housed in an old railroad train caboose, the other in a 1938 truck that used to belong to the Billings Gazette.

True to its name, the Amusement Park Drive-in offers more than movies “under the stars.” It also features an amusement park with carnival rides.

Though the drive-in movie experience has largely vanished from the American horizon, Montana is fortunate to have a couple of outdoor theatres still thriving.

Next time you’re trying to figure out how to keep the grandkids entertained, consider making the trek to a drive-in to watch a movie on the really big screen from the comfort of your car, just like the old days. MSN

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Entertainment

PAGE 27

The Ballad of Minnie and Pearl BRUCE ANFINSON, 2018 AARON PARRETT Bruce Anfinson puts the “treasure” in The Treasure State. Since the 1970s, he has been entertaining people all over the world with his stories and songs of Montana, delivered in his homespun country style. He plays a handmade guitar with more holes and dings in it than Willie Nelson’s famous axe “Trigger,” its mellifluous tone a perfect match for Anfinson’s folky tenor voice.

His most recent album came out in 2016, but I just heard it played on the radio last Memorial Day. The album is called The Ballad of Minnie and Pearl, and the closing cut happens to be the most honest, unaffected version of the National Anthem you’re ever likely to hear: it’s the kind of version you can imagine Charlie Russell or Teddy Blue Abbott crooning to the cows late at night somewhere in the Judith Basin.

The title takes its name from the first song, an Anfinson original (Grizzly Gulch Music, BMI) about a pair of working horses Anfinson uses around his Last Chance Ranch way up in the mountains, above Helena. He used them for everything from skidding logs to pulling the wagons that he carries folks up to his dining hall in for his world-famous prime rib dinners a few times a summer. It’s one of three Anfinson originals on this album: the other two also offer personal glimpses of the author’s Montana lifestyle, especially “My Old Wood Skis.” He co-wrote “Rhubarb Pie” with another Montana songwriting legend, Jim Schulz.

The album features some other sapphires in the gravel as well. “Wild Prairie Rose” was written by the late Jay Rummel, mostly famous for his graphic artwork, but also admired and respected for his country music and for hosting a weekly show at Luke’s Bar in Missoula back in the 1980s called “Ace Wheeler’s Talent Showcase.”

Rummel died in 1998 and made very few recordings in his lifetime.

Anfinson recounted how the song ended up on the album. “My friend Martin Holt came to me when he knew he was getting close to the end of his life and said, ‘Anfinson, this is a damn fine song, and I don’t want it to disappear. It would mean a lot to me if you kept it alive.’”

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If you’ve ever taken the Gates of the Mountains boat tour on the Missouri River south of Holter Lake, chances are you’ve heard Canadian songwriter James Keelaghan’s song “Cold Missouri Waters.” It’s about the terrible Mann Gulch Fire in 1949 that killed 13 smokejumpers, inspiring Norman Maclean’s posthumous book Young Men and Fire (1992).

Anfinson’s rendition of the song is an unaffected, simple arrangement that strikes to the heart of the tragedy, sung in a plaintive, authentic voice. Anfinson does some excellent covers of other gems, including Tom Russell’s “Throwing Horseshoes at the Moon” and Ian Tyson’s “The Gift.”

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Anfinson is joined in his efforts on the CD by some legendary northwestern talent, including Ken Nelson, who played both bass and piano as well as co-producing the album, and C.M. Russell scholar and impersonator Rafael Cristy on the musical saw. Brian Oberlin chimes in on some tasteful mandolin chops, and Elana James ices the musical cake with some soulful violin.

The Ballad of Minnie and Pearl is widely available online at venues such as CD Baby and Amazon.com, or you can order directly from Mr. Anfinson at www.bruceanfinson.com. MSN

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STEVE KELLER OF GREAT FALLS LOVES HIS DUAL LIFE AS RADIO DJ AND MUSIC ENTERTAINER

BY AARON PARRETT Steve Keller might have the greatest job in the world. He keeps his own hours, works out of his home, and most important—he loves what he does.

Though you may not have ever met him in person, you probably feel like you know him, because you’ve heard him talking to you almost every day for the last 20 years—if you listen to the radio, that is.

Keller is the morning voice of 97.9 The River and afternoon voice of 92.9 Kool. He may also be heard on 107.3 The Mighty Mo, and 105.3 KMTX (down in Helena). If you listen closely, you’ll recognize his distinctive voice in any number of radio spots as well.

His golden voice has that perfect radio timbre, the kind that could sell ketchup to a fellow in a brand-new white suit.

But he’s not just a disc jockey, either I you like to go out on the weekend and hear live music, chances are good you’ve seen Steve Keller the musician also. He plays in at least three bands, a couple of which play somewhere around Great Falls or central Montana pretty much every weekend.

Between spinning tunes in the radio studio Family Dining and playing live music in nightclubs, Keller Take-Out Orders knows music and knows how to brighten Cocktails people’s lives.

801 Smelter Ave “For as long as I can remember, I’ve just Great Falls Next to Longhorn Lounge & Walmart always known I wanted to be an entertainer,” he said. “I have just always had a natural incliMenu Online PekingGardensWest.com nation to put myself out there and entertain.”

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you want to leave the dial right where it is.

“Radio work is all about making a connection with the audience,” he said. “If you’re a DJ, you have to learn to do that with your voice.”

Keller was born in Ione, Wash., not far from Spokane. When he was in high school, he moved to Kellogg, Idaho with his mother and step-father, where he graduated in the early 1980s. Immediately after graduating, he began his career in radio, attending broadcast school in Spokane and going to work in 1981 for radio station KALE in the Tri-Cities area of Washington.

A year later, he was on a news station in Cheyenne, Wyo., for a while, but in 1983, he began his impressive career on the Montana airwaves.

Meanwhile, he spent his leisure hours playing music.

“When I was a little kid, maybe 3 years old, I was hit hard with Beatlemania. My mother bought me a little turntable, and I just couldn’t get enough,” he said. “As a kid I was dissecting a lot of music without really knowing it.”

Keller started guitar at 10 and picked up piano a year later. By 12, he was putting it all entral Independ ent Li C h together, recording himself playing multiple vin ort g tracks on a 4-track recorder.

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AUGUST // SEPTEMBER 2018 • MONTANA SENIOR NEWS When Keller talks about what he does, his eyes light up, and the enthusiasm level inches up like the needle on a VU monitor.

While in the air room in front of the microphone, he spins tunes ranging from classic rock to new country, with a wide variety in between. While onstage behind the microphone, he brings a similar flexibility to his repertoire.

With local Great Falls legends, The Thrillbillies, he showcases his eclectic tastes and versatility.

“A Thrillbillies performance is really a variety show,” he explained. “We play solid country, like Dwight Yoakum, but we cover the Eagles also. We even do some Monkees songs, but also some interesting stuff by Adele and Bruno Mars. And there’s an emphasis on improvisation: we all lock into a song, and everyone gets to take a ride for a while when its their turn.”

When he’s fronting the Steve Keller Band, he likes to cover more mainstream, classic material.

Centeral Montana

“It’s a lot of classic covers from the 80s and 90s, but we throw in a few original tunes, too,” he said.

The true mettle of a cover band depends on their ability to energize a crowd on a weekend night in a working-class town like Great Falls, and the last time I saw them at The Loading Zone, it was clear they were having a good time on stage, and the patrons were into it.

They’ve been together 11 years now, and they perform like a well-oiled machine that is happy to be plugged in and running.

“One of the great things about being an entertainer is that you can entertain people at any stage of life,” Keller said over lunch at Jaker’s one afternoon. “As long as you’re alive, there’s time to do what you want to do.

And I’ve always wanted to do that. I’ve been lucky to be able to do it. But I think people sometimes forget it’s never too late to what you want to do with your life.” MSN

Missoula Mobile Market Feeds Friendships with Local Produce

GARDEN CITY HARVEST’S YOUTH PROGRAM CONNECTS TEENS WITH SENIORS LIVING ON LIMITED INCOMES

BY GENEVIEVE JESSOP MARSH The teens call it Big Red: an old bread delivery truck painted deep red and emblazoned with the Garden City Harvest logo. Each week of the summer, youth aged 15 to 18, hired by Garden City Harvest’s Youth Harvest Project grow food at one of our four farms and load up Big Red with sustainably raised, fresh produce. They make stops at affordable senior housing around town, setting up a farm stand at each location.

Seniors can buy produce with the change in their pockets, right outside their front doors.

The proximity, the low cost, and the intergenerational connection all come together to make a dynamic connection between two often isolated and under-nourished groups.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 32

PAGE 31

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PAGE 32

MOBILE MARKET / CONTINUED FROM PAGE 31

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The teens are far from the stereotypical farmer.

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Garden City Harvest staff members recruit these teens from Missoula’s Youth Court and area high schools. They’ve usually been through more rough stuff than your average 15-year-old.

On the other end of the spectrum, Glengarra Place, which is funded by HUD, has 40 apartments for seniors 62 and older. To live there (and at most of the housing these teens visit) you must be on a fixed income that is 50 percent or less of Missoula’s median income.

But these seniors aren’t what the teens expect, either. Sylvianne Wright, one of the Youth Harvest teens, explained her first impression.

“I was expecting something so much different. It seems like. . . I’m not going to say a sorority or a frat—those are like crazy—but it’s kind of like that. It’s a nice little community.”

These residents don’t appear isolated and alone: they seem friendly and open.

O’Connor attempted to explain: “The feeling of being a part of a neighborhood and a community is a really important part of this stage of our life. When people feel cast aside...” Her voice trailed into a frown. “The coming together of the elderly people and the young people here is a blessing for everybody.

There aren’t very many venues that provide for that. They help us feel hopeful.”

By the end of the season, the seniors throw a potluck for the group, using ingredients

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they had bought from the Mobile Market for their dishes.

At the same time, O’Connor likes breaking down some of the senior stereotypes these teens might have. “We’re exposing them to an opportunity to crack their stereotypes. You can’t teach someone anything if they’re not open to you,” she said. “You know some of these kids haven’t talked to anybody over 40.”

When I arrived at O’Connor’s apartment, she was in the middle of preparing a birthday meal for a friend. Despite a hip dislocation earlier this year, she bustled about, closing cupboards and pouring me a glass of water.

Her apartment smelled wonderful: stuffed turkey breast just out of the oven and last year’s strawberries thawing on the counter, destined for a cobbler.

On Mobile Market days, the teens spend the morning harvesting produce for the seniors.

The PEAS Farm, where they grow food, is a 10-acre plot in the Rattlesnake neighborhood of Missoula. It is an urban farm, nestled in between houses and Rattlesnake Creek. Most every vegetable that can handle the harsh Montana climate grows there—much of it going to the Missoula Food Bank, some to Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) shareholders, and some to volunteers.

The farm is staffed by Garden City Harvest, along with UM Environmental Studies program students working on their college degrees.

A diverse group keeps the farm’s heart beating. Everyone shares a meal—made with freshly picked produce—with whomever is working that day.

The teens then load up Big Red and are off to the seniors.

Glengarra residents call Big Red “the little red wagon,” a variation on Big Red that tells you they love it as much as the teens who arrive in it do.

According to Wright, Youth Harvest has been such a big milestone in her life that she wants to get a tattoo of Big Red to remember her time here.

Her emotional development has been a long journey. She talked a lot about the lessons she had learned along the way, “When I first started working here, I didn’t know how to express myself. When I would get angry I would scream and break things,” she said. “I don’t have a closet door anymore, because I ripped it off the hinges and kicked it into billions of pieces.”

Her brother, eight years her senior, filled in for her father who struggled with depression

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AUGUST // SEPTEMBER 2018 • MONTANA SENIOR NEWS after her mom left. It has taken many years, but she has repaired relationships with both her parents.

When she came to Garden City Harvest, she was in what she calls her “whatever” phase. In other words, she didn’t have much faith in herself. She didn’t want to apply to Youth Harvest, even after a beloved teacher encouraged her.

Wright applied, never thinking she’d get a call back. She got the call for an interview and eventually got the job. But every step of the way was “whatever, I probably won’t get it.”

But she got it and she came.

“The first day I was like, ‘this is going to suck,’ and then two hours in I was like, ‘this is awesome.’” Since then, she has dedicated herself to the work.

“Working here I learned how to healthfully communicate and tell them how I am feeling,” she said. Before this program I didn’t know how to be in touch with my emotions.”

Part of Youth Harvest involves daily group therapy to cope with emotions, as well as lessons in life skills.

“My work ethic has improved so much... and my money management,” said Wright.

“Without this program, I’d still be some sad little girl.”

Centeral Montana

PAGE 33

Sylvianne mulching onions are at the PEAS Farm. PHOTO BY GENEVIEVE JESSOP MARSH.

According to O’Connor, the program builds community from the ground up.

“The skills they’re learning through this youth program—it’s something that’s applicable for their whole lives,” she said.

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MONTANA SENIOR NEWS • AUGUST // SEPTEMBER 2018

Centeral Montana

Shari Jenkins Schmit Finds Her Niche Professionally, she uses

BY SUZANNE WARING her maiden name. Leanin’ Tree markets her cards under her moniker, “Hotter Than a Shari Jenkins Schmit was visiting a friend in Butte when her friend remarked with dismay, “I wouldn’t have to pray so much if I didn’t Pistol, Shari Jenkins.” misbehave so often!” Jenkins grabbed onto the remark, but not in the Instead of marketing way her friend expected. b o u t i q u e c ar ds , L ean i n ’ “That’s a great jingle for one of my cards. May I use it?” she asked.

Tree, with headquarters in Jenkins, 60, lives in Great Falls, Mont., but she is known throughout Boulder, Colo., provides racks the nation for the Leanin’ Tree cards she designs. to 20,000 different busiLiving in the West provides her with card themes that she always nesses, such as convenience writes herself. One-liners spouted by her father, Jerry Jenkins of stores, farm supply stores, Lewistown, have given her the best material to adapt for her cards. airport businesses, and box She starts with the jingle and then designs the card around what stores. Some racks display she wants to say. Always listening, especially to the joke’s punch only Jenkins’ designs. At all line, she has an unconventional sense of humor, which is an asset, times Leanin’ Tree uses at Shari Jenkins Schmit is highlighted by a backbecause “Funny is what sells.” least 45 of Jenkins’ designs. ground color scheme that she frequently uses.

PHOTO BY SUZANNE WARING. If a design sells frequently, it will continue to be displayed.

Adding to what is popular, she provides the company with new designs throughout the year.

Jenkins is especially busy January through June. That’s when she needs to finish her Christmas and Valentine card designs. Birthday cards are her best sellers, followed by friendship cards.

Mostly women buy her cards, so Jenkins frequently features women in her artwork.

Cowgirls are prevalent theme in her work, due to her love of Western history. Black, red, and turquoise are her favorite colors to use. As a digital collage artist, her trademark designs are easily recognizable.

Pam Hansen Alfred, Agent “From antique stores’ dusty corners to thrift shops’ aisles, Get a 30 Month CD State Farm Agent FDIC-insured CD 2817 10th Avenue South from picking up dead bugs in my driveway to pulling a shock of Great Falls, MT 59405 % chokecherries from a bush, you name it, my scanner has seen Bus: 406-453-6010 APY* 6HW DVLGH PRQH\ ZLWK D À[HG UDWH RI UHWXUQ ,·OO EH it. I scan everything from barbed wire to vintage petticoats, WKHUH WR VKRZ \RX UDWHV DQG WHUPV WKDW FDQ KHOS \RX UHDFK \RXU JRDO from shotgun shells to buttons, from jewelry, and, yes, to a Bank with a Good Neighbor . dead dragonfly,” said Jenkins.

CALL FOR MORE INFORMATION. in Town The artist proud of her roots. She grew up riding horses Open Lunch and doing ranch work southeast of Big Sandy, Mont., with her & Dinner two sisters and parents. *Annual Percentage Yield as of 04/11/18. Advertised rates are subject to change at the Bank’s discretion. The minimum balance required to earn the stated APY is $500 (rates apply “I am the self-proclaimed rock-picking queen of Chouteau to deposits less than $100,000). A penalty may be imposed for withdrawals prior to maturity.

Special Term CDs renew automatically into the next highest Standard Term CD. Some 406-538-9510 County,” she said with a laugh. She attended Montana State products and services not available in all areas. FDIC basic coverage amount is $250,000 per Mon-Sat 11-9 depositor, per insured bank, for each ownership category. IRA and ESA CDs are not available University, graduating from its Northern campus. for terms less than 12 months. Callers who are hearing or speech impaired should dial 711 or use a preferred Telecommunications Relay Service.

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A card Shari Jenkins Schmit designed, using her friend’s remark. PHOTO BY SUZANNE WARING.

work, but sometimes I wish I had studied art to have gained insight from others.”

Following her husband, Mike Schmit, who works for Northwestern Energy, she has lived in Havre, Lewistown, Butte, and now Great Falls. During those years, they raised six children.

For many years, Jenkins’ career was in fund raising. She has a degree in planned giving from the College of William & Mary and worked as the development director for Central Montana Medical Center in Lewistown.

She also did fundraising for the Great Falls’ Poor Claire’s monastery. She was hired to do fundraising at The History Museum; however, when personnel learned that she was talented as a graphic and exhibit designer, she spent considerable time designing at the computer.

Starting out in 2008 by designing her own line called Bookmark cards, Jenkins hired distributors. A card on a rack at the airport in Dallas caught a Leanin’ Tree employee’s eye. That card prompted the company to

Centeral Montana

PAGE 35

For now, Jenkins knows that there are jinfind Jenkins through the Internet, to sign a gles out there to adapt and cards to design for contract with her, and to buy her company public enjoyment. Even though she is nearing in 2013. retirement age, the thought of slowing down For the past several years, Jenkins has doesn’t enter her mind. She has too many also licensed her designs with Ganz, a leading ideas that she wants to foster into existence manufacturer and wholesaler in the U.S. gift both at the Collins Mansion and through market. Her designs have been featured on creating distinct designs. MSN items such as mugs, wine glasses, and glass trays. Ganz items with Jenkins’ designs are found in 15,000 stores across the country.

Jenkins has been successful in venturing beyond greeting cards and gift items to posters and wall art. She won the 2009 Bozeman Sweet Pea Poster Contest and has designed several posters for events held in Butte, such as the Folk Festival, Christmas Stroll, Farmers’ Market, and the Dust to Dazzle event. Each year she designs a poster for the annual Cowboy Poetry gathering in For more informa�on, call Lewistown. Recently an exhibition of her 406-727-7151 | 1109 6th Ave N, Great Falls www.cambridgecourtassistedliving.com posters highlighting Butte events was held at the Uptown Café in Butte.

This year she will be a featured artist at the juried Western Design Conference (WDC) that celebrates museum-quality, one-of-a kind functional Western art capturing the IFTS spirit of the West. Held annually in Jackson, AMING & G CUSTOM FR Wyo., WDC brings together artists, scholars, collectors, interior designers, architects, and 406-265-3125 fashion designers with a passion for Western ue #401 220 3rd Aven e design.

Atrium • Havr Upper Level m insgallery.co When Jenkins isn’t at the computer crehpg@highpla ating collages for different projects, she, her husband, and son, Jerry, are restoring the Collins mansion that was built in 1891 for T. E. Collins, a statewide banker, politician, MONTANA CANCER SCREENING PROGRAM and real estate mogul.

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Cover Story

MONTANA SENIOR NEWS • AUGUST // SEPTEMBER 2018

Historic, Wild Upper Missour

National M

BY HOLLY ENDERSBY Lewis and Clark spent three weeks in 1805 exploring the upper Missouri River breaks on their epic journey across our nation. Today, much of what this intrepid duo and their team saw is still evident in this wild and remote section of our country.

At 495,502 acres, the area has room to roam both for visitors and the animals calling this special area home. Managed by the BLM, “The Breaks,” as locals call it, is a paradise for hikers, hunters, equestrians, anglers, and boaters, with badlands sprouting out-croppings, steep bluffs, grassy plains, and, of course, the mighty Missouri River and its tributaries.

The Monument stretches from Fort Benton to the Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge, including 149 miles of Wild and Scenic River designation.

Parts of the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail and the Nez Perce National Historic Trail go through the monument.

The Interpretive Center in Fort Benton and field offices in Lewistown and Havre offer information about the region.

Visitors can pick up maps, find out about local outfitters, or learn the history of the two historic trails. They can also keep informed about possible road closures and safety tips.

“There are so many historic ties to this land,” explained Josh Chase, acting monument manager.

“There are stories connected to all the old homesteads and the two historic trails,” he said. “In fact, visitors can rent one of the

homesteads, the Gilmore Cabin, to get a feel for life in pioneer days.”

A large part of the monument is accessible only by foot, horseback, or water craft, most often canoes or kayaks.

“Visitors are free to travel wherever they want in the monument,” said Chase, although some private land lies within the property.

“People can do dispersed camping, as long as they care for the resource, and really get

It’s such a remote, “wild landscape, and the river is a great way to experience it.

”

a chance to enjoy solitude not often available in other places.”

Equestrians can camp and ride anywhere but need to use certified, weed-free hay throughout the monument, according to Chase.

Canoeing the Missouri River through the monument is one of the most popular ways of visiting this remote, wild country. The land has changed little since Lewis and Clark first saw it on their river trip through the area.

Outfitters licensed to guide single- and multi-day trips are easy to find, and nonguided trips are allowed as well. Chase advises people to go to the monument website, look at the travel map, and order the boater’s guide when planning a river trip here. The travel map currently shows 10 launch sites.

“A couple-day canoe trip is an excellent way to sample this country,” Chase explained.

“It’s such a remote, wild landscape, and the river is a great way to experience it.”

While canoeing, be sure to bring fishing gear, as anglers can often get into golden eye and trout with occasional sightings of paddlefish and two kinds of sturgeons. In all, 49 fish species have been counted in the river. Be sure to have a valid Montana fishing license before you wet your line.

Birders will enjoy the wide array of species found here. From bald eagles nesting in cottonwood groves along the river to greater sage grouse on leks in the spring, pheasants hiding in riparian areas to grassland birds moving through on spring and fall migrations, you’ll stay busy with binoculars every day. At last count, 233 bird species have been listed within the monument.

In late fall, the rut begins to heat up, and game species become more obvious. Whitetailed deer, elk, pronghorn antelope, big horn sheep, and mule deer all inhabit this wild land. Hunting is legal here as long as all game regulations are followed.

Folks interested more in scenery than fishing, hunting, or boating can enjoy short walks within the monument that have spectacular views.

“The Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument is really remote and not ‘on the way to’ some place else,” explained Chase.

“This National Monument is a destination, not a pass through.”

It’s a slice of wild America that you shouldn’t miss! MSN

AUGUST // SEPTEMBER 2018 • MONTANA SENIOR NEWS

Cover Story

Monument

Paddlers enjoy the Upper Missouri Breaks’s Class-I float through 149 miles of wild and scenic surroundings. PHOTO COURTESY OF THE NATIONAL MONUMENT.

Scenery in the “Breaks” is wide-open and spectacular. PHOTO COURTESY OF THE NATIONAL MONUMENT.

d and Remote ri River Breaks

PAGE 37

PAGE 38

MONTANA SENIOR NEWS • AUGUST // SEPTEMBER 2018

Central Montana

Montana Heritage Orchards

BY SUZANNE WARING “An apple a day keeps the doctor away,” has been good advice for well over a hundred years. This little bit of wisdom has been lost on Montanans from pioneer days to the present time basically because locally grown fruit has been seemingly non-existent, especially to the central and eastern part of the state.

Brent Sarchet, Montana State University Extension Agent of Lewis and Clark County, and Toby Day, Montana State University Extension Horticulture Specialist, have set out to change that. It may take a while, but progress is being made to grow resilient apple

trees through the Heritage Orchard Program that started seven years ago.

At that time, Sarchet, Day, and Roger Joy, owner of the Canyon View Nursery at Corvallis, Mont., speculated that numerous old orchards might be scattered throughout the state. With this idea in mind, the Heritage Orchard Program came into existence.

Sarchet and Day sought and received funding through a specialty crop block grant from the Montana Department of Agriculture, set up criteria for the heritage orchards, and then developed a web site.

“We didn’t advertise the heritage orchard program any more than that,” said Sarchet.

South Boulder Apple Farm when the trees were young. PHOTO BY SUZANNE WARING.

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“Once the web site was active, people began contacting us.”

Currently 60 heritage orchards have been identified through this program. Some orchards are over 100 years old. Likely the two most famous are found at Plenty Coup State Park near Pryor, Mont., and Wild Horse Island, located in Flathead Lake. Heritage orchards are mostly comprised of apple trees, but five orchards have a few pear trees. Plum trees have also been found.

The criteria for a designated orchard are to have five trees or more, and for them to be at least 50 years old. Day and Sarchet identify the cultivars in each orchard through a Montana State University lab that can test for DNA. To do that, they must already have the DNA of that cultivar to make a comparison. So far, a few of the apples from the orchards have been unidentifiable.

Next, the extension experts take branches (called scions) from the heritage orchards to Joy, who then grafts them onto hardy stock. These men think that if these orchards had remained for almost 100 years, often with minimal care, they will be hardy trees for Montanans to raise throughout the state.

Starting this year, statewide nurseries had 100 heritage trees available for sale.

Next year 200 to 300 will be available.

Proceeds from the sale of apple trees are divided among the nurseries, the grafter, the orchard program, and the original

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AUGUST // SEPTEMBER 2018 • MONTANA SENIOR NEWS

Central Montana

Boulder Apple Farm,” said Sarchet. We have done a lot of pruning to this orchard, which stimulates growth. It is thriving again.”

People who know about the heritage orchards speculate that no disease plagues the trees in these orchards, and that is why they have lived on. Some of the trees do have fire blight, but they seem to live despite the disease.

A real detriment to the trees is the animals that come into the orchard.

Bears will crawl up as far as they can to retrieve the apples from the top Susan Iannitti and Mike Arterbury, standing in front of one of the apple trees, care of the tree. The deer will for the South Boulder Apple Farm. PHOTO BY SUZANNE WARING. stand on their hind legs and lean into and against the tree. Both break off branches and cause owners, who receive 10 percent to maintain damage in their pursuit. their orchards.

“The turkeys follow the deer into the In addition to setting up the Heritage orchard and attempt to pick up the apples Orchard Program, the two experts have helped that the deer have knocked off. Then we get to the orchard owners care for the trees, so they observe the skirmishes that go on between the will thrive rather than just exist. One emphadeer and turkeys,” said Iannitti. “To protect sis of the program is to teach orchard owners the trees, we try to pick the apples before the how to prune their trees. animals realize they are ready to eat.”

Susan Iannitti owns South Bolder Apple In addition to the orchard itself, Iannetti Farm in Cardwell, Mont., and she brought her has restored the cider barn and kept the apple heritage orchard back to life with a little help press to authenticate the orchard. from Sarchet and Day. “An orchard was planted here because “From the research I have done, there there was a gold mine up the road. The origwere once over a 150 apple trees in this inal orchard owner could have easily sold the orchard,” she said. “When I bought this apples to the mine workers,” said Sarchet. property 17 years ago, 100 remained, but they “We think the orchard was planted about the had not been well cared for, and many were time that the irrigation ditch that runs along dying,” she said. When she finally entered the upper side of the orchard was dug.” the orchard into the Heritage Orchard proThe heritage orchards throughout the gram, only 40 remained. state have one thing in common. They all “So far we have identified Wealthy and have some source of supplemental water.

Wolf River apple cultivars at the South

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For instance, the original owners of the South Boulder Apple Farm would flood the orchard, using water from the irrigation ditch. Some orchards are reside along a creek or near a spring.

“Often crabapple trees have been found in the orchards. These hardy trees were used for cross pollination,” said Sarchet. These orchards are also often found on southern and/or eastern hill slopes, where they have adequate sunshine.

“With the right cultivars, the best possible soil conditions, good sites for planting, and supplemental water sources, I feel certain that apple trees can grow anywhere in Montana,” said Sarchet. “This is one way to add locally grown fruit to our diets.”

Instead of “An apple a day, keeps the doctor away, the wording of the apple adage, originating in Wales around 1860, was “Eat an apple on going to bed, and you’ll keep the doctor from earning his bread.” Either way, Montana may have locally grown apples available to enjoy and maintain health in the years to come.

To learn more about the Montana State University Extension Heritage Orchard Program, go to mtorchards.org. MSN

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Money Matters

BUDGET•MEDICARE•TAXES•ESTATE•INVESTMENT•RETIREMENT

Open a Montana Medical Savings Account Before Dec. 31 for 2018 Tax Savings MARSHA A. GOETTING, PH.D., CFP® Have you had any medical expenses so far this year that haven’t been covered by your health insurance policy or a flexible spending account (FSA)?

If you said yes, did you know you can open a Montana Medical Care Savings Account (MSA) by Dec. 31 to cover those expenses and save state income taxes? If you establish an MSA and deposit up to $3,500, (the maximum in 2018) that amount is used to reduce your 2018 Montana adjusted gross income, thus reducing your state taxes.

This tax advantage does not apply to your federal income taxes and should not be confused with the Federal Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) or Federal Flexible Spending Plans (FSAs). You do not have to be in a high deductible health insurance plan to be eligible for an MSA. Unlike an HSA, you can be age 65 and over and still be eligible for an MSA. Any unused money deposited in your MSA during the year it was deposited. It remains in the account and earns interest that is free from Montana income taxation.

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That money in the MSA can then be used for eligible medical care expenses in future years.

If you have taxable income over $17,900, you could save about $242 in state income taxes by depositing the maximum $3,500 in a Montana MSA during 2018. Individuals may contact their financial institution, such as a bank, savings bank, or credit union, to establish an MSAI. If you have already paid your 2018 medical bills either by check, cash, or credit/debit card, you can add up those eligible expenses, make a deposit by December 31, and reimburse yourself from the MSA account on the same day for eligible expenses paid January through December.

The key word is paid. You can reimburse yourself for paid eligible medical expenses

by the end of the year. But if you haven’t yet paid those bills because your health insurance company hasn’t sorted out what it will pay and what you still owe, you still can reimburse yourself for those unpaid 2018 eligible expenses during 2019.

The amount you can use to reduce your Montana income is the total deposited, not the amount used for medical expenses during the tax year. For example, if you deposited $3,500 in an MSA but only used $500 for eligible medical expenses during 2018, you still get to reduce your income by $3,500.

The remaining $3,000 is available for paying medical expenses in future years.

A husband and wife who each establish an individual MSA can receive a $7,000 reduction in income. They will save about $484 on their state income taxes. Joint tenancy accounts for an MSA are not allowed. Only individual accounts are eligible for the Montana MSA deduction. Thus, husbands and wives must open separate MSA accounts.

MSA amounts held in the name of a husband or wife can be used to pay the medical bills of either spouse or their dependent children, or anyone. For example, if a husband

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Will you be able to maintain your lifestyle in retirement? Will you have enough to cover your monthly bills without depleting your savings?

Are you at risk of outliving your money?

While such concerns are common among Americans approaching retirement, protecting part of the money you’ve saved to ensure monthly income for life can make a difference in your confidence about the future, suggests a new study.

A new survey by the Alliance for Lifetime Income looked at the emotional and physical well-being of Gen X and Baby Boomer households and compared those with some form of protected lifetime income, such as an annuity or pension, to those who were unprotected and relying solely on savings and Social Security.

Eighty-eight percent of protected households say they are confident that their retirement money will help them achieve their lifestyle goals, while only 63 percent of unprotected households feel confident.

“The American retirement discussion has traditionally focused on accumulating assets rather than how to turn some of those savings into a guaranteed monthly income that will last as long as you do,” said Colin Devine, educational advisor at the Alliance for Lifetime

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which is on the Web at www.irs.gov/pub/irspdf/p502.pdf.

What happens to your MSA if you die?

Check to be sure you have placed a payable on death designation (POD) on your MSA account.

Parents of the deceased account holder, a surviving spouse, and lineal descendants can transfer the inherited MSA into their own MSAs. This means the transfer is not subject to income taxation to the deceased person, spouse, parents, or any lineal descendants.

Stepchildren are considered lineal descendants if that relationship was created before the child’s eighteenth birthday.

PAGE 41

An MSU Extension MontGuide will help you decide if you would benefit from a Montana medical care savings account. The publication (MontGuide 199817 HR) is free at your local MSU County or Reservation Extension office. You may also download it free from the web at msuextension.org/ publications/FamilyFinancialManagement/ MT199817HR.pdf. MSN Marsha A. Goetting, is the MSU Extension Family Economics Specialist. She may be reached at goetting@ montana.edu.

Income. “People don’t realize that Social Security is estimated to replace only about 40 percent of the average person’s income, which leaves millions of Americans vulnerable to outliving their hard-earned savings.”

To get confident about your financial plan for retirement, Devine said you should understand all your options for protecting a portion of your retirement income from the impact of market volatility and longer lifespans.

The Alliance outlines nine key questions you should ask your financial advisor, to make sure you’re on track to having the lifetime income you can count on for the retirement you want: 1. Why is protected monthly income in retirement important?

2. How much protected monthly income will I need in retirement?

3. What if my expected monthly income is less than what I need to last my lifetime?

4. Are there costs associated with guaranteed protected income?

5. What if I need access to my money in an annuity?

6. Can annuities help protect me from investment losses?

7. How do I know that my protected income is safe?

8. Are there other strategies for protected monthly income?

“Discussing these topics with your financial advisor can help you become better informed

about your income planning options, putting you one step closer to creating a financial plan that delivers what you need to live the life you want in retirement,” said Devine.

Visit www.RetireYourRisk.org for more information on how to create and protect your retirement income.

Don’t succumb to anxiety about your financial future. With the right knowledge, you can help ensure a comfortable retirement.

MSN

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PAGE 42

Recreation

SPORTS•ACTIVITIES•FISHING•HUNTING•CAMPING

Bull’s Eyes

BY: MIKE MCGOUGH (PACIFICO REFLECTIONS) For years his prowess with a rifle was unchallenged. He never shot anything but a bull’s eye. In fact, some folks said, he was so good he could light a stick match with a single shot from his .22 at a hundred yard. A fellow once said he could even do it blind folded. No one had ever seen him do it, but everyone believed he could just the same.

In search of a human-interest story, a new writer for the local paper, decided to pay him a visit. She didn’t believe anyone could hit a bull’s eye every time, so she decided to check it out for herself. She went out to his farm on the edge of town, and sure enough, there was all the proof she needed. On the side of the barn that faced the house there was one bull’s eye after another. The bull’s eyes were in no particular pattern, but every one was shot once right through the center.

She quickly came to the obvious conclusion that he may in fact really be that good.

Then she spotted a hole that wasn’t even close to a bull’s eye. On a closer look she found that it was a hole made by a .22 round. Still amazed, she started toward the house to meet this guy who was a perfect shot. She had some questions about that stray shot, but guessed that maybe he was trying to teach someone

© Drknuth, BIGSTOCK.COM

else to shoot. Surely, a man who was that good couldn’t miss a whole bull’s eye.

As she started toward the house, she heard someone whistling. An older fellow came around the side of the barn and said, “Hi, can I help you?” He was carrying a bucket of white paint and a small paint brush.

“Yes,” she said. “I’m new around here and I’ve heard a great deal about a man who is a perfect shot. I wanted to meet him and learn how he got so good.” She told him she was working on a story for the county paper.

“I suppose it’s me you’re looking for, but I must warn you, I’m not nearly as good as folks like to think I am.”

“You sure couldn’t tell from how many times you hit the bull’s eyes on the other side of the barn,” she countered.

“Oh that,” he said. “It’s really not that hard if you have some paint and a brush.”

“No, not painting the bull’s eyes, I know anyone can do that,” she said. I mean shooting each one of them dead center. Can you really light a match at a hundred yards?” He didn’t answer, but just motioned her to follow him around the barn. She guessed that he was about to paint another bull’s eye on the barn, then he’d walk up to the house and he’d show her how he shoots them.

He looked around on the side of the barn for a while, then he found it. She thought he was looking for an open spot. Instead, he was looking for that stray shot. With a steady hand and a clear eye, he painted a bull’s eye right around that stray shot. He laughed while he was doing it, and she joined him in his amusement. “Been doing this for years, and folks been believing it about that long too.”

He told her that once he had been a great shot and still was better than most. But he said for some reason, folks thought he was a lot better than he was. He said he liked his shooting reputation and didn’t figure it

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AUGUST // SEPTEMBER 2018 • MONTANA SENIOR NEWS caused any harm letting folks believe he was a whole lot better than he actually was.

She spent some time with him that afternoon and he shared a little about his life and a pretty simple philosophy he had developed.

He said folks tend to believe about each other what their perceptions tell them is true. He said reputations, whether good or bad, are more the result of people’s perceptions than truth or fact. He also said that once folks get a notion in their head about someone, whether its good or bad, they just seem to want to hold onto it.

Recreation

PAGE 43

He said he hoped she wasn’t too disappointed and started to ask if she would keep his little secret. Then settling back in his chair he said, “No, it actually makes no difference whether you tell folks what you saw or not. What they’ve come to believe about my shooting abilities is now far more believable than the truth will ever be.”

She never did write the story, because she knew he was right. And besides, she had her own reputation to think about! MSN

Golfing on the Brain

BY MARY TERRA-BERNS Several recent studies have found that when we spend time outside, in a natural setting, our creativity and problem solving abilities improve.

“Exercising in nature can have more mental health benefits than on a treadmill.” said David Straker, adjunct assistant clinical professor of psychiatry at Columbia University Medical Center. Fortunately, Idaho and Montana offer endless opportunities to get outside and improve our prefrontal cortex-mediated executive processes.

Both states offer abundant venues for recreating in a variety of natural settings. Hiking, biking, fishing, hunting, floating, paddling, wildlife watching, and photography are some of the more popular activities. National parks have exceptional scenic landscapes to take in, community parks offer space for relaxing or tossing a ball with your dog, there are even parks for playing Frisbee golf and, of course, numerous traditional golf courses.

Playing a round of golf on any one of the many outstanding courses in either Idaho or Montana benefits the brain and body just as much as any of the other outdoor activities. Walking and swinging a club increases blood flow, improving nerve cell connections in your brain, which in turn improves strategic thinking and hand-eye coordination.

You burn around 1000 calories per round, a little less if you are using a cart, a little more if you are walking. Also, focusing on that little white ball both near and far improves vision by working the eye muscles.

It takes about four-and-a-half hours to play 18 holes, and the continuous exposure to all that green vegetation reduces stress, helps decrease anxiety, and relaxes the body. In addition, various studies indicate a little bit of vitamin D from the sun also helps reduce heart disease and depression, among other health risk factors.

Both Idaho and Montana have top-rated courses, public and private, in a variety of natural settings. If you want to add a little more bulk to your brain’s grey matter, check out the Old Works Golf Course in Anaconda for some history with your golf. This course was built on the historic Anaconda copper smelter property. Many copper smeltering relics have been incorporated into this Jack Nicklaus Signature design course.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 44

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Recreation

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A stick.

GOLFING / CONTINUED FROM PAGE 43

If you like Jack Nicklaus-designed courses, hop over the border to the Idaho Club, just east of Sandpoint, Idaho. It has 11 holes on the Pack River and adjacent wetlands and seven on the Moose Mountain side. With water and/

or vegetation on either side of the fairway, you want to keep your ball going as straight as possible.

The Idaho Club course is designed to be a bit tough; however, all of the golfers I know say the same thing about tough courses, “That’s the point, we want to be challenged.

That is what makes it fun.”

Another “fun” challenge is landing your ball on the famous 14th hole floating green at the Coeur d’Alene Resort Golf Course, ranked one of Americas best 100 courses by Golf Digest. So many balls end up in the water that divers periodically collect them.

Amateur golfers feel more connected with professionals when they play a well-designed course that is just as challenging for them as a U.S. Open course is for the golfing elite.

U.S. Open courses are supposed to be difficult, and amateur golfers can empathize when they watch top pros like Phil Mickelson have a really, really bad day.

According to one study out of Sweden, conducted at the Karolinska Institute, golfers can expect an extra five years of life.

So, just keep that in mind every time you shank a ball or keep landing it in the sand traps. MSN

How About a Good Swift Kick?

BY LOIS GREENE STONE You’ve heard of “break a leg” before going on stage...so how about “sprain an ankle” before a golf tournament? Here’s a true tale filled with bravery, action, suspense, and personal accomplishment, even though it happened quite a while ago. Got your hankies in hand? I’m relating an honest situation, and, if you stop reading this, perhaps you’ll stay number two when disaster threatens to doom your sports’ dreams.

Private country clubs usually have tennis courts and a pool in addition a golf course.

Most offer both golf and tennis invitationals, and, at the club we belong to, the men’s tennis preceded the men’s golf tourney by a week. More tennis trophies to trap flit through my husband’s head as he signed up for the annual net event with a guest. He eyed the permanent plaque in the club’s TV room and mentally polished the blank bronze awaiting engraving. He’d been playing “A” tennis but “B” golf most of the summer. © Jure, Bigstock.com Invitational was a gala beginning mid-afternoon on “Men Only Day”, ending with a stag dinner and card-playing. The sets went as he’d margined; a four-way play-off remained. I called the club.

No, I couldn’t speak to my husband, he was still on the courts. I couldn’t even drive out to see the match on “Men Only Day”. (Ah yes, “men only” did exist... even most of the original Ivy League universities followed that.) I re-dialed much later. When he didn’t respond to a page, I assumed he must be in the shower.

With the phone cradled against one ear, the other caught a sound of our electric garage door rising. I never expected him home so early. Sure, he must be dropping off the silvery statue for safety before returning to the club. A limping man with a pregnant-looking ankle and third place prize entered. He’d jumped at the net when the playoff began, came down sideways on his foot and sprained an

AUGUST // SEPTEMBER 2018 â&#x20AC;˘ MONTANA SENIOR NEWS ankle. He continued, hopping like a kangaroo but looking like a crane, earning a third place rather than the coveted prize.

X-rays revealed no break. An elastic brace with metal stays supported the ankle that needed rest and elevation but instead, saw golf shoes the next week. As his mid-season golf slump was still secure, my husband reasoned, he might as well play in the golf invitational.

Pivot or not, he wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t hitting the ball very squarely, so how much worse could he be with an all-arms swing?

He practiced in the yard: no hip turn, no rolling to the left side of foot at follow-through, no weight shift. Disaster.

Usually a fierce competitor, he was miserable

but felt heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d be more miserable missing this annual happening.

He actually played his best round of the year! He had to play with his feet together, and somehow, this kept him from keeping his weight on his right foot, which was giving him a poor swing until his injury. He heard a few negative comments about a stupid-looking swing, but was still so happy to be competing, he dealt with it; when he played well, besides, he was amazed.

When his large, discolored ankle descended to normal looking, he begged me, before the next big golf tourney, to kick him on his foot.

Funny, one October when I accidentally did re-injure that spot, he won an autumn menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

Recreation

PAGE 45

singles, menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s doubles, and, with me, a mixed doubles tennis tourney. And played one of his low-scoring rounds of golf!

Ah, now the club is gender-equal for most things, and women no longer have to be off the grounds on â&#x20AC;&#x153;menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;sâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; dayâ&#x20AC;?. The guest-days are still segregated and no one has dared to see what would happen if a male signed up for a ladiesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; event. But I still wonder now, 2018, before my mate signs up for a golf event whether I should kick him and give him that edge? MSN Lois Greene Stone, writer and poet, has been syndicated worldwide. Collections of her personal items/ photos/ memorabilia are in major museums including 12 divisions of the Smithsonian.

UM Observatory to Host Summer Stargazing Nights Juric. Star trails at the University of Montanaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Blue Mountain Observatory. Photo

by UM student Ashley Juric. MISSOULAâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; Community members are invited to explore planets, nebulas, star clusters and distant galaxies throughout the summer during stargazing nights at the University of Montanaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Blue Mountain Observatory.

UMâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s observatory is located atop Blue Mountain at an elevation of 6,300 feet.

Astronomers from UM and the Western Montana Astronomical Association will speak on what is viewed through the telescopes, point out constellations, show attendees how to find interesting celestial objects with the naked eye or a pair of binoculars.

The events are family-friendly, and all ages are welcome. Free public events will take place Fridays: Aug. 3, Aug. 10, Sept. 7 and Sept. 14.

Golf

Attendance is limited to 150 people each night.

This summer the Blue Mountain Observatory also will offer some limited attendance nights for those who would like a more personal experience. These nights will take place on Saturdays: August 4 and August 11. Tickets for these nights cost $20 per person, with attendance limited to 25 people or less.

Attendees are required to reserve a ticket for each person in their group via an Eventbrite link accessible from the Blue Mountain Observatory page at http://hs.umt. edu/physics/Blue_Mountain_Observatory/.

More information is available on the website about the observatory, the two types of observing night options, detailed directions, and a useful map.

Observing begins about an hour after sunset. Participants should wear warm clothes

for cool evenings and bring a flashlight for the walk from the parking area to the observatory.

Smoking and alcohol are strictly prohibited at all events.

Viewing nights will be canceled if the sky is cloudy, smoky, or if thunderstorms threaten.

Before heading to the observatory, look for weather and cancellation updates on the Blue Mountain Observatory Facebook page or via voicemail at 406-243-4299. A final update will go out the evening of the observation to the email address attendees enter as part of their Eventbrite registration. MSN For information on all events, visit the Blue Mountain Observatory webpage or email BMO@mso.umt.edu.

For additional questions leave a voice message at 406-243-4299.

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MONTANA SENIOR NEWS • AUGUST // SEPTEMBER 2018

PAGE 46

Health Care

MEDICINE•PREVENTION•DIAGNOSIS•TREATMENT

These Old Dry Eyes

BY CARRIE LUGER SLAYBACK (SENIOR WIRE) I can’t see clearly out of my right eye, I have a headache, and in spite of blinking, the eye is uncomfortable. I have extreme dry eye. I went to an ophthalmologist, who plugged my tear ducts. Didn’t help.

The doc gave me a sample prescription of Xiidra, which would have cost $600 a month if it worked. It did not.

A second ophthalmologist prescribed prednisone drops, which helped the irritation but not the blurry vision. What the heck is happening to my eye?

In my next appointment with him, I said, “I suspect low estrogen is the culprit.”

“Absolutely,” he agreed.

“What should I do about that?” I asked.

“Talk to your gynecologist,” he replied with a shrug, “I do eyes.”

He wrote directions for diluted baby shampoo eye-wash, 5-minute warm compresses, eye drops four times a day, eye gel at night, a prescription for prednisone drops, and fish oil or flaxseed oil supplements.

He fixed me with a stern gaze. “You have a scratched cornea. You’ve lost vision. Stick to the treatment to try to recover it.”

© Prometeus, BIGSTOCK.COM He knows the cause is estrogen but treats the symptoms. Oh well, estrogen replacement research turns up conflicting information regarding whether it helps dry eyes, and I’m not inclined to take it anyway.

Let’s see what’s behind this doctor’s treatment: BABY SHAMPOO WASH Removes dirt and makeup, a step toward eliminating “blepharitis,” a dandruff of the eyelids, which can cause dry eye.

WARM COMPRESSES, GENTLE MASSAGE WITH CLEAN CLOTH Loosens accumulated oil blocking eyelid glands.“This treatment is most important of all!” he emphasized.

OVER-THE-COUNTER EYE DROPS Mayo Clinic and the doc both recommend preservative-free eye drops, applied 4x a day to lubricate the surface of the eye.

OVER-THE-COUNTER EYE GEL Apply at bedtime as the thick coating causes blurred vision for a short time.

ANTI-INFLAMMATORY MEDS I was on a tapered dose of Prednisolone.

Week one, four drops tapering to a single drop on week four. The very first drop magically reduced eye irritation and continued to diminish the scratchy feeling with each dose. Relief!

After a month, he prescribed one drop a day for another month. Quick cure—though prednisone is, I’m anxious to stop it, as it

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AUGUST // SEPTEMBER 2018 • MONTANA SENIOR NEWS causes glaucoma and cataracts. Short duration, recommended.

FISH OIL OR FLAXSEED OIL OR DIETARY FLAXSEED I’ve opted for two tablespoons of ground flaxseed in my morning oatmeal. I’ve read that people benefit more from dietary sources of omega 3s than supplements.

Last week, late to watercolor class at the senior center, I told fellow artists I’d been to the doctor for dry eye. All around the table, males and females had the same diagnosis. I shouldn’t have been surprised to read a 2014 Journal of Ophthalmology article, which tags dry eye’s overall societal burden at $55.4 billion. Because so many people over 50 have dry eye, the health care system spends

Health Care

“$3.84 billion to support cost of ocular lubricants, cyclosporine, punctal plugs, nutritional supplements, and doctor visits as well as loss of workplace productivity.”

Dry eye “raises the risk of falling twofold… risk of hip fracture, threefold,” and the risk of depression doubles. Untreated dry eye can result in permanent vision loss.

The dicussed the causes of dry eye, including “polypharmacy,” referring to seniors’ growing list of prescription drugs responsible for dry eye, including antihypertensive drugs, diuretics, antihistamines, antidepressants, and ibuprofen among others. Lasik surgery can also contribute.

Some practical suggestions to alleviate dry eye include wearing wraparound sunglasses, visors, and ball caps outdoors, taking blink

PAGE 47

breaks from screen time, using a humidifier inside during dry times, and NO SMOKING. Since I typed the first paragraph above, 6 weeks have passed. My eye has improved. One morning recently, I could see clearly out of it. As I type this, the cloudiness returns. Yes, I follow the regimen outlined by the doctor and will continue to do so, but my job is to sit in front of a computer. I love research and writing. My eyes don’t.

And, yes, I’m blinking. MSN Carrie Luger Slayback an award winning teacher and champion marathoner, shares personal experience and careful research. Contact her at carriemisc@icloud.com.

Make A Social Network to Save Your Life

BY WINA STURGEON, ADVENTURE SPORTS WEEKLY (TNS) The headlines in the news, while rarely cheery, have been particularly glum of late. Much more attention is being paid to the rising toll of suicide.

This isn’t even including celebrities who seem to have had it all but were fighting inner demons the world knew nothing about. I live in Utah, which has the fifth highest suicide rate in America. While most attention is paid to young folks who harm themselves, this fatal act is committed more often by seniors than by the young.

The Washington Post addressed it in a story which included this statistic: “Seniors, many of them depressed, commit suicide at an alarming rate. White men 85 and older are more likely to commit suicide than Americans in any other age group—taking their lives at four times the rate of the general population.”

The lifestyle changes that come with aging are one of the main reasons those 55 and older give up on life. Loneliness is a big factor.

Consider this: a job provided interaction with others on a frequent basis. Co-workers didn’t actually have to be friends. Just a greeting or casual conversation was a psychological boost.

Often, those associations end with retirement. The schedules and daily routines continue for those still employed there, but those who retire are no longer part of that world. Communication and casual friendships based mainly on working together come to an end.

Few humans can be happy in social isolation. Many seniors who suddenly—or gradually—have little to no social contact feel useless and unwanted. This often is why lack of friends or closeness with nearby family end up resulting in depression. Many experts feel that suicide among those 60 and older is almost always accompanied by depression.

Depression has one thing in common with the flu: it can be defined and recognized by its symptoms. Those include insomnia or waking up before dawn and being unable to get back to sleep; trouble concentrating and retaining information; feeling worthless, useless CONTINUED ON PAGE 48

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Health Care

PAGE 48

SOCIAL NET / CONTINUED FROM PAGE 47

and helpless; loss of interest in favorite hobbies and activities; constant feelings of sadness; growing thoughts about suicide.

Before depression takes over and rules your life, making it almost impossible to find new friendships, start establishing a social network. An easy way to begin is by volunteering. The work of volunteering, of giving to others, can also boost self-esteem, which is vital to preventing depression and thoughts of suicide.

groups to wine tastings to fun evenings out for dining or going to a movie, even physical fitness or stargazing parties.

You may have to actually force yourself to seek ways to get involved with others again. But doing so will help provide more satisfaction with being alive, rather than the sad alternative. MSN © Monkey Business Images, BIGSTOCK.COM

Also look for local groups and organizations based on your favorite interests or activities. This can range from discussion

Recognizing and Treating Depression in Retirement

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BY JIM MILLER (SAVVY SENIOR) Depression is unfortunately a widespread problem among older Americans, affecting approximately 15 percent of the 65-and-older population. Here’s what you should know, along with some tips and resources for screening and treatments, and how Medicare covers it.

IDENTIFYING DEPRESSION Everyone feels sad or gets the blues now and then, but when these feelings linger more than a few weeks, it may be depression. Depression is a real illness that affects mood, feelings, behavior and physical health, and contrary to what many people believe, it’s not a normal part of aging or a personal weakness, but it is very treatable.

It’s also important to know that depression is not just sadness. In many seniors it can manifest as apathy, irritability, or problems with memory or concentration without the depressed mood.

To help you get a handle on the seriousness of your loved one’s problem, a good first step is for them to take an online depression-screening test.

Do this for free at Mental Health America, a national nonprofit organization that offers a variety of online mental health screening tools at MentalHealthAmerica.net—click on “Take a Screen” in the menu bar. Or at HelpYourselfHelpOthers.org, which is offered by Screening for Mental Health, Inc. Both of these tests are anonymous and confidential, they take less that 10 minutes to complete, and they can help you determine the severity of your husband’s problem.

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GET HELP If you find someone is suffering from depressive symptoms, that person needs to see a doctor for a medical evaluation, to rule out possible medical causes. Some medications, for example, can produce side effects that mimic depressive symptoms—pain and sleeping meds are common culprits. It’s also important to distinguish between depression and dementia, which can share some of the same symptoms.

If a person is diagnosed with depression, a variety of treatment options are available, including talk therapy, antidepressant medications, or a combination of both.

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a particularly effective type of talk therapy, which helps patients recognize and change destructive thinking patterns that lead to negative feelings.

For help finding a therapist who’s trained in CBT, ask your doctor for a referral, check your local yellow pages under “counseling” or “psychologists,” or check with the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies (FindCBT.org), or the Academy of Cognitive Therapy (AcademyofCT.org).

To search for therapists who accept Medicare, use Medicare’s Physician Compare tool. Go to Medicare.gov/physiciancompare

AUGUST // SEPTEMBER 2018 • MONTANA SENIOR NEWS

Health Care

psychologist” in the “What are you searching for?” box.

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and type in your zip code, or city and state, then type in the type of profession you want to locate, like “psychiatry” or “clinical

MEDICARE COVERAGE You’ll be happy to know that original Medicare currently covers 100 percent for annual depression screenings occurring in a doctor’s office or other primary care clinic. Medicare also pays 80 percent of its approved amount for outpatient mental health services, like counseling and therapy services, and will cover almost all medications used to treat depression under the Part D prescription drug benefit.

PAGE 49

If a couple gets Medicare benefits through a private Medicare Advantage plan, the private company must cover the same services as original Medicare, but will likely require individuals to see an in-network provider.

Contact your plan directly for the details. MSN Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior.org.

Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of The Savvy Senior book.

Make the Most of Your Doctors Visit

BY JIM MILLER (SAVVY SENIOR) No doubt about it, studies have shown that patients who help their doctors by providing important health information and preparing themselves for appointments tend to get better care than patients who don’t. Here are some simple things we can all do to help maximize our next visit to the doctor.

BEFORE APPOINTMENTS Gathering your health information and getting organized before your appointment are the key steps to ensuring a productive meeting with your doctor. This is especially important if you’re seeing multiple doctors or are meeting with a new physician. Specifically, you need to: Get your test results: If you’re seeing a new doctor for the first time, make sure he or she has copies of your latest X-ray, MRI or any other test or lab results you’ve recently had, including reports from other doctors that you’ve seen. In most cases, you’ll need to do the leg work yourself which may only require a phone call to your previous

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Know your health history: Being able to talk to your doctor about any previous medical problems and procedures, even if they’re not the reason you are going to the doctor this time, can make an office visit much more efficient. Write it down if it’s complicated. Genetics matter too, so knowing your family’s health history can also be helpful.

Prepare a list of questions: Make a written list of the top three or four issues you want to discuss with your doctor. Since most appointments last around 15 to 20 minutes, this can help you stay on track and ensure you address your most pressing concerns first. If you’re in for a diagnostic visit, you should prepare a detailed description of your symptoms.

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Health Care

PAGE 50

DOCTOR VISIT / CONTINUED FROM PAGE 49

DURING APPOINTMENTS The best advice when you meet with your doctor is to speak up and get to the point. So right away, concisely explain why you’re there.

Don’t wait to be asked. Be direct, honest and as specific when recounting your symptoms or expressing your concerns. Many patients are reluctant or embarrassed to talk about their symptoms, which makes the doctor’s job a lot harder to do. It’s also a good idea to bringing along a family member or friend to your appointment. They can help you ask questions, listen to what the doctor is telling you and give you support.

Also consider taking some notes or ask the doctor if you can record the session for later review. If you don’t understand what the doctor is telling you, ask him or her to explain it in simple terms so you can

Send your questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior.org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of “The Savvy Senior” book.

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Ruby’s Story

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understand. And if you run out of time and don’t get your questions answered, ask if you can follow up by phone or email, make another appointment, or seek help from the doctor’s nurse.

For information, the National Institute on Aging offers an excellent booklet called “Talking With Your Doctor: A Guide for Older People” that can help you prepare for an appointment.

To get a free copy mailed to you, call 800-2222225 or visit order.nia.nih.gov. MSN

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FAMILY ORIENTATION—THE JOURNEY BEGINS “Not everyone in the family understood why we needed help from outsiders,” recounted Ruby’s daughters, Tammy and Beth. Joined by an Alzheimer’s Association Care Consultant, Ruby’s adult children met for a Family Orientation. In that supportive setting, the siblings gave voice to their hopes and fears, one by one expressing their desire that their mother be allowed to live out her remaining years with dignity in the comfort and familiarity of her own home.

They were assured they would have the support of the Alzheimer’s Association throughout the journey that lay ahead, which would last another nine years.

MEDIC ALERT+SAFE RETURN PROGRAM—IT’S 3AM, WHERE’S MOM? The imposing silhouette of a uniformed police officer filling her bedroom doorframe at three in the morning is an image that Tammy remembered vividly, his presence pulling her sharply awake. Instantly she registered that her We’re here to help you mother wasn’t asleep in the adjacent bed. She’d woken and wandered two miles from home in nothing but pajamas and slippers before being turn wear and tear, discovered and returned by the police. Though previously enrolled in the Into Recovery and Rejuvenation.

Medic Alert+Safe Return program, Ruby’s bracelet had gone unworn, the battle to get her to wear seeming not worthwhile…until now.

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AUGUST // SEPTEMBER 2018 • MONTANA SENIOR NEWS SUPPORT GROUPS—“IT WAS LIKE A FAMILY.” Tammy and Beth were initially reluctant to an Alzheimer’s Association Support Group, though once there they found comfort and relief. “It was like a family,” shared Tammy. The Support Group provided essential release and guidance for the family, even “giving us permission to grieve and express anger.”

24/7 HELPLINE—“SOMETIMES I JUST NEEDED SOMEONE…” “I can’t tell you how many times I called the Helpline,” remembered Beth. “They gave us the tools, affirmed our emotions…sometimes I just needed someone to tell me I was doing okay.” An important resource for information, referrals, and practical assistance, the 24/7 Helpline (800.272.3900) offers critical emotional support as well.

“I would hear the familiar, caring voice and I would just start crying,” said Beth.

WALK TO END ALZHEIMER’S—RUBY’S TEAM Tammy smiled at the memory of their first year as a Walk to End Alzheimer’s team.

“There were only about eight of us. We didn’t even have a sign.”

From that small, informal assembly of family and friends, Ruby’s Team now proudly wears their own red team t-shirts and is one of the largest family teams at the Walk to End Alzheimer’s, raising thousands of dollars and untold awareness.

Held annually in more than 600 communities nationwide, the Alzheimer’s Association Walk to End Alzheimer’s® is the world’s largest event to raise awareness and funds for Alzheimer’s care, support and research. This inspiring event calls on participants of all ages and abilities to join the fight against the disease!

Fundraising dollars fuel the mission: participation in the event helps to change the level of Alzheimer’s awareness in communities.

When Ruby passed away just one month shy of the 2015 Walk to End Alzheimer’s, no one would have questioned their decision to sit the year out. Her family instead redoubled their efforts, finding a therapeutic release in the activities that provided them a continued and meaningful connection with their mother.

Health Care

PAGE 51

Fondly Tammy and Beth remembered their mother’s involvement in prior Walks. The meaning of the event was somewhat of a mystery to her, but Ruby seemed to innately understand that the growing sea of red t-shirts was a tribute to her, a fact that brought tears to her eyes.

It was a long and difficult nine-year journey, and both Tammy and Beth reflected fondly on the experience.

“We would do it all over again,” Tammy began. “In a heartbeat,” finished Beth. “Our family’s goal, from that very first meeting, was realized. Mom went to heaven from her home…with dignity…surrounded by love.” MSN To take the first steps toward joining or participating in a Walk to End Alzheimer’s in your community, visit www.alz.org/walk or call 800.272.3900.

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PAGE 52

Caregiving

SUPPORT•INSIGHT•COMFORT•SERVICE•ENCOURAGEMENT

Guardians from Hell Undermine Rights of Elderlies PART 1: STATE WARD VIRGINIA WAHAB PROHIBITED FROM SEEING BELOVED DAUGHTER, HER WARD OF CHOICE

BY GRETCHEN RACHEL HAMMOND (TABLET) At 92 years, Virginia “Jean” Wahab hadn’t lost any of the vitality and health she maintained throughout her life.

She had raised two daughters as a single mom and made a home for them in the Detroit suburb of Oak Park, Mich. Wahab worked on her feet and didn’t retire from her job at a local family restaurant until she was 88.

Fiercely independent, Wahab was quite happy living at home after retirement. She had a healthy social life. She did her own grocery shopping and chores. She so rarely needed to pay a visit to a hospital that her health insurance was barely touched.

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Her eldest daughter, Mimi Brun, converted

to Judaism at the age of 18. She went on to become a prolific Jewish artist, who sold her work all over the world. In 2010, she began to establish art schools for children under 12 in France and then Chicago. Although Brun was estranged from her younger sister, she and her Catholic mother were extremely close.

Wahab’s legal affairs were in order, including a durable power of attorney she had signed in January 2016, who named Brun as a patient advocate (the handler of her medical needs) as well as gave Wauhab’s daughter charge of her financial affairs should she ever become incapacitated. Wahab’s home was also registered in Brun’s name in a quit-claim deed Wahab signed in 2014.

The two talked on the phone every day.

Brun particularly relished visits with her mother, during which she gifted her mother some of her artwork. Wahab was an eager collector of Brun’s work.

That was two years ago. Everything has changed since then.

In 2016, after a fall at her home, Wahab was diagnosed with

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a slight cognitive problem, but otherwise deemed healthy. Her doctor recommended that Brun find her mother a short-term rehab facility.

“I looked for a Jewish one,” Brun said.

“They were all full. I found Lourdes because it had a five-star reputation.”

On February 23, that year, with the approval of her HMO, Wahab was admitted for short-term rehabilitation at Lourdes Senior Community in Waterford, Mich.—a nonprofit

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AUGUST // SEPTEMBER 2018 • MONTANA SENIOR NEWS eldercare facility founded by Dominican nuns in 1948. According to the organization’s 2016 IRS form 990, Lourdes listed end-ofyear assets of $22,096,166. Expenses totaled $14,476,851.

Brun said she made her mother’s meals and went to each of her physical and occupational therapy sessions.

“The insurance granted her up to 120 days,” Brun remembered. “She was excelling like a champ, but the therapist at Lourdes started telling me she suspected Mom should not live alone. Mom and I decided that I was going to go back to France and Chicago, put my businesses on hold, rent out my homes, and move my work and studio to Mom’s. It was what she had dreamed about—to spend the end of her life living with me.”

Brun left for France, placing her aunt and sister in charge of caring for Wahab while she was in rehab.

“I called Lourdes every day,” Brun said.

“Then the insurance cut off.”

Brun asserted that she spoke to Lourdes social worker Sara Van Acker and pledged that she would enter into a payment plan. Shortly thereafter, however, she received an email from a Lourdes administrator, which stated “Your payment plan with Sara Van Acker was not approved by me. I cannot receive partial payment nor be patient for your payment plan time frame.”

On June 6, Lourdes filed a petition for guardianship on the grounds of a $31,416.65 past-due bill. Brun said that the petition notice was sent to an address that was not hers. The petition shows that the address used to serve Brun belongs to an apartment complex in Harper Woods Mich.—one hour’s drive from Lourdes and 30 minutes from Oak Park. On the address, no apartment number is listed. It is also not the address listed on the Power of Attorney paperwork Brun said she provided to Lourdes.

Brun rushed back to Michigan. On the morning of June 29, 2016, she attended a hearing presided over by Oakland County Probate Judge Linda Hallmark, one of four judges serving there. Hallmark vacated Wahab’s power of attorney and appointed a local attorney Jon Munger as Wahab’s guardian. According to Brun, neither she nor her mother ever requested Munger’s services.

Also appointed by the court was a man named Matthew Jason Brown, another local lawyer. Brown was named as Wahab’s guardian ad litem (GAL)—a person entrusted with

Caregiving

investigating what course of action is in the best interest of a person unable to care for themselves. The June 29 hearing was also attended by two representatives from Lourdes: Van Acker and Lisa Hibbert from the organization’s accounts receivable department.

According to court transcripts from that morning, Van Acker stated she had filed the petition for guardianship because “there’s a concern about the nursing home being paid.”

Brown wanted to know if an application for Medicare benefits for Wahab had been made.

“Not to my knowledge,” Van Acker replied.

“Are you familiar with [Wahab’s] medical condition?” Brown wondered, to which Van Acker answered “slightly.”

When Brown asked Brun if she had any objection to the petition, Brun replied “I am contesting this hearing because I was not served. I’ve had no time to get a lawyer.”

“Well, you’re here Ma’am,” Hallmark replied, “and it’s a guardianship, so there is some urgency about it, so we’re going to proceed.”

When Brun protested that she had been appointed as Wahab’s guardian through a power of attorney, Hallmark quickly rebuked her.

“That’s different than an appointment by the court,” Hallmark said. “Has any court appointed you guardian?”

“No, but I haven’t applied for it yet,” Brun replied. “I’d like to petition for it, but I need time.”

Hallmark did not respond to this request.

In delivering his report to the court, Brown went on to state that he had visited Wahab at Lourdes only two days earlier. During that visit, he said, he “explained to Wahab her rights and gave her a copy of [the petition].”

“She didn’t have any objection to the appointment of a public administrator at that time,” he added. “But I would note that she was not oriented to date, time, and place.”

Brown also stated that he “went over [Wahab’s] medical condition with Ms. Van Acker and she went over with me sheets that said she was suffering from dementia, unspecified lack of coordination, osteoarthritis, two… type two diabetes, muscle weakness, and hypertension.”

Transcripts from that day indicate that

PAGE 53

Hallmark never asked for medical reports to prove Brown’s assertions.

Brun told Hallmark that she had witnesses who would speak on her and Wahab’s behalf.

Those witnesses, however, were never called.

“My mom needs love,” Brun went on to tell Hallmark. “No one loves my Mom more than me. When I asked my mom ‘what’s your greatest desire?’ she said ‘I want to go home.

I want to go home with you.’”

“I want to take her home,” Brun begged Hallmark.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 54

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MONTANA SENIOR NEWS • AUGUST // SEPTEMBER 2018

Caregiving

GUARDIANS / CONTINUED FROM PAGE 53

“I’m going to grant the petition,” Hallmark said. “I would like to appoint Mr. Munger [as guardian]. If he thinks that an independent medical or some other action is required that’s fine. I’m also going to appoint [Munger] as special fiduciary to make sure we have the

Medicaid application on track. I’ll revoke the power of attorney today. If it’s appropriate that [Brun] should serve, if you want to get counsel and bring the matter in, we’ll consider that.”

“She hasn’t lost any of her rights…”

Hallmark added, speaking of Wahab. “She has a guardian, and it’s Mr. Munger …”

Brun made one last desperate plea. “Is there a reason why?”

“Yes,” Hallmark replied. “Because she’s in need of a guardian, and I’m appointing Mr. Munger. That’s why.”

Hallmark never mentioned the grounds by which she was revoking the power of attorney.

The court adjourned.

AUTHOR’S NOTE Brun’s fight to have her mom released from Lourdes would eventually result an injunction restraining her from entering Lourdes premises, denying her visitation rights (even when chaperoned by a nun and a locally renowned, retired judge). She also got a bench warrant for her arrest.

Munger assumed control of all of Wahab’s accounts and forced his way into Wahab’s home to change the locks and take valuable personal belongings to hold as collateral for the $25,000 his client purportedly owed to Lourdes. Meanwhile, he was legally permitted to bill his ward for any and all work on her behalf.

Brun finally got a break in October 2017 when attorney Lisa Orlando became Wahab’s new Guardian ad Litem.

Orlando reported in her new client’s defense. “In the opinion of this GAL, it is Virginia Wahab, a 94-year-old-woman, who

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is paying the price of these ongoing legal disputes and suffering harm by not being able to see her daughter for more than 17 months,” she said. “To isolate and prohibit an aging Mother from seeing her daughter is heartbreaking to this GAL. Mimi Brun has priority... and is Virginia’s choice to be her Guardian.

She concluded by citing Michigan statutes.

“Under MCL 700.5313(3)(b), [Brun] has priority over a professional guardian,” she wrote. “‘If suitable and willing to serve as guardian, the court shall appoint an adult child of the legally incapacitated individual.’”

Under MCL 700.5313(2)(b), [Brun] is Virginia’s choice to serve as her guardian. I discovered no clear and convincing evidence why the Petition should not be granted.”

Yet, Munger still remains as the sole guardian for Wahab, who is still at Lourdes.

Despite her best hopes, Brun has yet to see her mother and bring her home.

The question remains as to why the Oakland County Probate Court effectively became a debt collector for a nursing facility and why the now 95-year-old Wahab is still held there, despite her new Guardian ad Litem’s opinion that Brun replace Munger as guardian and family members’ pleas to Hallmark that Wahab be allowed to go home with her daughter. MSN Find Part II of this series in the next edition of Montana Senior News (Oct./Nov.). To read an extended version of Part I, visit montanaseniornews.com/ guardians-from-hell

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Could You be Required to Pay Nursing Home Costs of Family Members?

BY TERESA AMBORD (SENIOR WIRE) The answer may be yes, depending on where you live and the circumstances.

Most of us feel some degree of obligation to take care of our parents when they can no longer care for themselves. But if your parents (or other adult relatives) haven’t taken the steps to plan for the worst possibilities—such as the cost of living in a nursing home—the costs could be enormous. That can be frightening and frustrating if your parents have neglected or refused to prepare with long-term care insurance or adequate savings or other arrangements to cover the costs.

Even with insurance, no policy covers everything. Sometimes the government will step in to fill the needs gap. But not always.

No federal law requires you to pay for the care your elderly relatives need. But before you breathe easily, some states do have such requirements. They’re called “filial responsibility statutes,” or “relatives’ liability,” and they vary by state.

Currently about 30 states have filial statutes. These statutes have been around for years, and the truth is, they are rarely enforced. However, that may be changing.

AGING POPULATION As the percentage of our population that is elderly or otherwise dependent grows, we should all be prepared for the possibility that we have to step up to the plate or be held accountable.

Filial statutes allow civil suits, so that nursing homes and government agencies can bring legal action to recover the cost of care from family members. Before you get too

comfortable, it’s a good idea to find out what your state requires. Some even allow jail time if family members fail to provide filial support.

One well-known case that went to court in Pennsylvania ended with a man being ordered to pay $93,000 to cover the cost of his mother’s outstanding debt to a nursing home (Health Care & Retirement Corp. of America v. Pittas).

Be aware, this is not just for people with aging parents in nursing homes. It can also be parents of an adult child who requires health care services. In one case, a couple was pressured to pay the medical bills for their 47-year-old son who passed away. In yet another case, it was determined in court that siblings each had financial responsibility to share the support of their mother who required in-home care.

WHAT DOES A FILIAL STATUTE REQUIRE? Again, it varies by state, but in general they look at factors such as the assets and income of the person in question. I’m not in the legal profession, but I always caution people—out of common sense—about putting their names on any account or document that involves or could involve financial responsibility. But filial statutes in general require family members to pay for necessities such as food, clothing, housing, and medical care.

And if you’re the family member of someone who has racked up high medical costs, such as the 47-year-old man who died, you may be asked to prove that you don’t have assets to pay medical costs. If you truly don’t have the means, you may not be forced to pay, but don’t assume the authorities won’t dig deeply to make sure you really can’t pay.

Some states have alternate approaches to enforce filial statues, if they enforce them at all. If this is a concern for you, find out if your state allows you to declare you are not responsible for the medical costs of your adult family members. You may also be able to forfeit your inheritance rights to pay for the care received.

Caregiving

PAGE 55

CRITERIA THAT MUST BE MET FOR FILIAL RESPONSIBILITY LAWS TO KICK IN According to MedicalAlertAdvice.com: << Your family member must be receiving some state government financial aid. << He or she must have medical or nursing home bills without the ability to pay the bills, in a state that has filial responsibility laws. << Family members must be considered indigent, which means that the cost of their care must exceed their Social Security benefits. << There must be reason to believe that you as the family member have the money to pay the bill and a lawsuit must be filed against you.

If you don’t know the laws in your state or have questions, discuss this with your attorney. It’s not an area of law that is widely known. Ask. MSN

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PAGE 56

Nutrition

FOOD•HOLISTIC•WELLNESS•LONGEVITY•PREVENTION

Making the Most of Local Produce (STATEPOINT) Fresh, local produce is in its prime, making now the perfect time to take part in the farm-to-table movement. Whether you join a community supported agriculture (CSA) group or shop at your local farmers’ market, it’s easy to taste the elevated flavor profile of just-picked fruits and veggies.

Make the most of the season with these tips for storing, cooking and savoring fresh produce.

Next, properly store produce to help to extend its life. If fridge space is limited, consider cooking down greens by either partially boiling or sautéing prior to putting them away, depending on what recipes you’ve selected for those items.

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PLAN, PRIORITIZE, PREPARE Plan what produce you will purchase ahead of time. Many farmers’ markets and CSAs distribute eNewsletters or flyers that highlight what’s available. You can also search for seasonality charts in your region to get an idea of what items are at their peak, and plan accordingly.

Once you’ve shopped, prioritize your goods. Use tender greens and any ripe fruits and veggies right away. Roots, bulbs and squash tend to last longer and can be saved for later in the week.

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SMOOTHIES, SAUCES, SOUPS Smoothies are a delicious, easy way to pack a lot of produce and nutrition into a meal.

And if you’re processing the toughest whole foods, like dark, leafy greens, be sure to use a high-powered blender.

Take advantage of tomato season, preparing pasta sauces to enjoy now or freeze for those months when they aren’t readily available from local growers. Try adding red and green bell peppers, and even carrot shavings, to boost the nutritional value of a veggie Bolognese.

Soups make use of veggies now and later. Warm weather calls for cool concoctions like gazpacho or cucumber dill soup. A cabbage soup that combines hearty potatoes, onions and carrots can be made for cool fall nights or stored in your freezer for winter.

USE IT UP Remember that nearly all parts of produce are usable. Vegetables like beets, carrots, kohlrabi and turnips have edible greens that make an excellent addition to morning smoothies or a nutrient-rich stir-fry.

Compost any remaining scraps.

Don’t be afraid of bruises or dents. Greens with slightly wilted leaves can be blended with a bit of water and frozen in ice cube trays for future use in soups or smoothies. If you see a great deal on fruit like strawberries or cherries, buy them and combine with sugar and pectin for an easy freezer jam, or dry them out for on-the-go snacks.

Shopping for whole foods at farmers’ markets or joining a CSA is an opportunity to help local farmers and explore your culinary interests. The availability of specific fruits and vegetables ebbs and flows; capture each at its peak to enjoy the bounty throughout the year. MSN

Behold: Ancient Ginger Makes Aging More Comfortable

BY WENDELL FOWLER (SENIOR WIRE) We—my lovely wife Sandi and I—discovered ginger is infinitely more than a baking spice, or savory curry and beverage flavoring. Tingly, irresistibly fragrant ginger possesses a constellation of curative applications as well. The flowering herb native to China, India, Africa, the Caribbean, and other warm regions around the world has been widely used as a folk medicine for thousands of years.

Ancient Greek literature referred to ginger as a digestive aid.

In 500 BC, Confucius wrote of never being without ginger when he dined. Dioscorides proclaimed ginger warms and softens the stomach. An expensive spice at the time, ginger was the Alka-Seltzer of the Roman Empire.

AUGUST // SEPTEMBER 2018 • MONTANA SENIOR NEWS

Nutrition

PAGE 57

For many millennia, Asian Ingesting ginger along with diaIndians and ancient Chinese betes medications might cause considered ginger a tonic for all your blood sugar to go too low. ailments. Afternoon tea dances Your family physician may not were popular in the early 1900s, know too much about anything and midday teas of steeped, other than pills and discourage warming ginger, cinnamon, you, so seek naturopathic advice orange slices and chamomile as well. Mother Nature has had were served to get folks fired up billions of years to perfect her to trip the light fantastic. healing apothecary. It’s never too Centuries of research suplate to reconnect with the earth. ports ginger as a remedy for Every night, Sandi and I travel sickness, nausea, indigesbrew a powerful tea of pH-raistion, flatulence, diarrhea colic, ing Bragg’s apple cider vinegar, irritable bowel, loss of appetite, freshly grated or powdered ginchills, cold, flu, poor circulation, ger, a pinch of cayenne, raw menstrual cramps (bloating, honey and turmeric. Neither of us heartburn, indigestion and gasrequire pain relievers – and I have trointestinal problems such as arthritis and knee replacements. © Volff, BIGSTOCK.COM stomach cramps). Got arthritis or Yes, it may be difficult for rheumatism? Ginger’s potent anti-inflammasome seniors to eat more ginger. Cultivating a a result, I’m consistently therapeutic. Consult tory compounds relieve joint and muscle tissue taste requires open-mindedness and a robust your care provider, but for heaven’s sake, irritation, get your blood a-flowing, stimulate desire to stay healthy. Perhaps the health don’t fear nature’s healing apothecary. energy circulation and increase metabolism. benefits of ginger might amaze you enough WebMD informs medications for high Historically, ginger, a modified stem to include more of it into your diet so that blood pressure (calcium channel blockers) used for reproduction, has been used as you can benefit from what the ancients knew. mildly interacts with ginger and might reduce an anticlotting and antispasmodic agent, Become the unique, beautifully aging being blood pressure in a way similar to some medanti-fungal, antibacterial and antiviral. The you are. MSN ications for blood pressure and heart disease. noble, knobby root is an expectorant, promotes sweating and relaxes peripheral blood vessels. It’s used to help headaches, heart, menstrual problems and diabetes. WebMD counsels ginger might decrease blood sugar.

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Nutrition

PAGE 58

Chai Taking Western World by Storm

BY WENDELL FOWLER (SENIOR WIRE) Inspired by the revelation that my daily cup-o-joe rendered my temple’s pH unhealthily acidic, I gradually cut down and began ordering frothy, heavenly sweet chai latte at our cozy neighborhood coffee shop.

Oh my gosh, it was too delicious and I began ordering it regularly. Due to my unknowing, I let a barista brew the heady concoction. Well, one day I ask how it was sweetened: “Lots of sugar. It’s a powdered mix we buy.” Ugh… cue heart sinking and a jaunt to the tea shop.

Chai—rhymes with pie—dates back over 5,000 years when a king in India ordered a healing spiced beverage to be created for use in Ayurveda, a traditional medicinal practice in which herbs and spices are used for healing.

There are scores of people in the modern world who cannot live without it. The spices in chai have been used for millennia to promote overall health, well-being, and to treat various illnesses.

NatureChronicle.com shares: Chai tea is derived from the leaves of tea plants and is believed to have originated in the forest lands of Western China, Tibet and Northern India. There is no exact time chronicled to claim the birth or discovery of chai tea but according to a Chinese legend, it was discovered in 2737 B.C. by the emperor of China, Shen-Nung. Tea is known as “cha” in Chinese and later this word moved westward and into the middle Eastern languages and

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finally settled down as “ chai” in most parts of Asia and mainly in India.

Though the word “ chai” is a household name in India today, it still owes its discovery in India to the prince turned monk, Siddhartha of Lumbini (Lord Gautam Buddha). According to the preaching and texts of Buddhism, propagating-Buddhism Siddhartha was traveling towards China during the sixth century and it was during that tour that he miraculously discovered the power of chai tea.

The more I researched, the more benefits I discovered. Chai improves digestion, enhances the immune system, fights inflammation and has antioxidant properties. According to Ayurvedic (ancient Indian) medical philosophy, spices in chai are considered calming, vitalizing and mentally clarifying. Cherished for centuries in India, chai is traditional a blend of cardamom, ginger, cloves, cinnamon and black peppercorns—dominant chai spices readily available in India. Vanilla, nutmeg, mace, star anise or fennel may also be seen in some traditional recipes has been used to preserve health and increase peace of mind.

The heat from ginger and black pepper was believed to stimulate digestion; the antiseptic properties in cloves were thought to help relieve pain; cardamom was used as a mood elevator; cinnamon supported circulation and respiratory function; and star anise was known to freshen breath. Many say steamy hot chai tea tastes like wassail.

   

No one is suggesting you immediately stop drinking coffee. Just be aware of what java does to your pH (acidity / alkalinity) and then gradually work chai into your habits.

Chai can be steeped in water alone, a mixture of water and milk (nut milks too), or in milk alone, depending on your preference. Never boil milk, though, or you could scald or burn it, leaving an off flavor. Avoiding dairy? Try almond, cashew, hempseed or coconut milk and honey to the delicious, healing tea.

This human behavior of clinging to outdated, destructive eating patterns from a time that no longer exists incubates the majority of today’s largely preventable disease, aggressive social behavior, and diminished quality of late life. That, and not enough self-love to make changes to end the suffering or, meh, it’s too late in life, why bother now?

Mindful change in your senior years can add more quality to the NOW. I can lead you to the water, or tea in this case, but it is you who must take a drink. Your “Earth Suit” is a marvel of the universe experiencing human form. Each of your trillions of cells reacts positively or negatively to what you consume, whether it be food, beverage, fear, TV or newsprint. How life plays out depends on the choices you make. We are at last discovering what Eastern practitioners have known for centuries. This ancient beverage is rightfully treasured by civilizations throughout the world. Honor your health one fragrant sip at a time. MSN

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AUGUST // SEPTEMBER 2018 • MONTANA SENIOR NEWS

PAGE 59

Fitness

STRENGTH•EXERCISE•MOVEMENT•FLEXIBILITY•MOBILITY

Cultivating Vigor

BY CARRIE LUGER SLAYBACK

Susceptibility increases: My less active friends have joint replacements, some have diabetic or pre-diabetic conditions. They are on a variety of cholesterol and blood pressure (SENIOR WIRE) When our kitchen cupboards medications. So far, I have no chronic condipulled away from the wall, I hired a contractor tions except osteoporosis, bone loss. Yes, this to nail them back into place. He talked me into month’s health challenges are notable, but a new kitchen, resulting in a prettier and more none called chronic. serviceable kitchen than I ever dreamed of.

Chronic conditions fester—I’ve observed, While I wrote him bigger checks than I ever friends who are inactive, experience significant dreamed of, he said, “This is your last bite of weight gain and have “lifestyle” conditions, the apple.” each with its own prescription. Specialists Training for a marathon at 71, I had no time prescribe cardiac, blood sugar, or orthopedic for his ageist blather. pain medications, but who is watching the My new kitchen raised my standard of livmix of meds? ing, but four years later, the white cupboards According to Dr. Gill, “People tend to take show signs of age. an increasing number of medications [which] My husband and I do too. © Monkey Business Images, BIGSTOCK.COM are likely to have side effects on their own I’m sitting in a hotel lobby. We’re here or in combination, not all of which are predictable. Our kidneys and to hike Sequoia National Park’s trails, but my husband’s so sick liver may not tolerate the meds as well as we did earlier in life.” AARP with the flu/cold that we’ll return home after just a day with the online lists “10 Drugs That May Cause Memory Loss.” Although we big trees. This month a tooth fell out of my head—poof. Gone. I’m are lucky to live at a time when medicines extend life span, I fear that in the midst of an implant, hag-like, waiting three long months to the mix of drugs people take could cause “festering” health problems fill the gap in my smile. My right eye’s vision, affected by severe for seniors. dryness, requires treatment. The flu/cold affecting my husband So far, I don’t fear falling. Running and hiking over uneven surfaces today, felled me last week. gives me fairly surebalance. I do fear future lack of independence and So, at 74 and 80, have we bitten off most of that apple? Does hope to postpone its advent with robust health. sickness define our future?

Here’s my list for resisting the slide to disease and dependence: My editor sent me Ronnie Bennett’s blog with her question, “Are 1. Get out at least half hour every day. Move fast enough to sweat.

You Aging “Normally?” She quotes Yale’s Dr. Thomas Gill, professor 2. Add a few days of weight training. of geriatrics whose signposts for each passing decade are: << The 50s: Stamina Declines CONTINUED ON PAGE 60 << The 60s: Susceptibility Increases << The 70s: Chronic Conditions Fester << The 80s: Fear of Falling Grows << The 90s & Up: Relying on Others So, the slide toward loss of independence comes with decreasing energy, decreasing immune response, and decreasing coordination.

I’m turning 75 in a few months and planning to run a marathon next year. I will hike Monday with a power-hiking group of younger women. I work out at the gym most days, eat a Mediterranean diet— vegetables, fruit, whole grains, fish, and have no chronic conditions and rarely fall ill. These practices do not guarantee healthy aging.

However, being at ideal weight, eating as above, engaging in daily aerobic exercise does diminish deterioration. Let me shine a personal light on Gill’s “signposts,” without assigning age to them.

Decline of Stamina: True, I’m a slower runner in my 70s. However, I fill my day with writing reading, gardening, grandmothering, running, SUBSCRIBE TODAY! hiking, weight training, classes, cooking and more. With a morning Send $15 to: 1985 McMannamy Draw, Kalispell, MT 59901 run and afternoon gym workout, I sleep soundly. I haven’t noticed OR Subscribe Online at: decreased stamina.

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Fitness

PAGE 60

VIGOR / CONTINUED FROM PAGE 59

3. Eat more fruit and vegetables, less meat and lots of fish. Stick to whole grains.

Party with friends but next day, go back to vegetables.

4. Cultivate relationships.

5. Get vaccinated for flu, shingles.

6. Get yearly check-ups.

7. Follow your interests.

I set out to discuss “normal aging.” Actual age isn’t as important as vitality. Yes, I’m having my first dental implant, eye problem and take an osteoporosis prescription, but I’m hoping to paint my best painting Tuesday in art class. I invite you to join me in making that apple last as long as possible. MSN

Carrie Luger Slayback an award winning teacher and champion marathoner, shares personal experience and careful research. Contact her at carriemisc@icloud.com.

Lose Weight and Scare Your Friends

BY SAM BEESON (SENIOR WIRE) “Please tell me you’re not sick.” Her eyes were filled with concern. Her voice was hushed. She had the appearance of being braced for bad news. She hadn’t seen me in a while and my appearance had her frightened. I laughed.

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Several months ago, my doctor told me that my blood sugar levels were a little high.

Nothing to be too concerned about, he said, but you may want to lose a few pounds, eat better, no sugar, and cut down on the carbs.

It was a death sentence. No sweets? Cut down on carbs? I love carbs…and sweets.

But, I didn’t want to get Type II diabetes at this stage of my life so I took his advice to heart.

When you are young, and you lose weight, people come up to you and say, “Hey you look great! What diet are you on? Atkins? Vegan? Gluten free? Paleo?”

(Speaking of which….what is “paleo?” I picture a variety of delectable Dino-dishes such as Brontosaurus Burgers, T-Rex Ribs, Velociraptor Wraps). But when you get on the serious side of middle aged, and you

start shedding some pounds, people immediately think you are on death’s door.

I bowl in a bowling league. Usually, for bowling I wear loose fitting shorts and t-shirts. Baggy clothes that are comfortable to move around in, and are not very form flattering. Not that I cared about that at all.

However, this particular night I had been called in to work on the night shift right after my league was finished. So I showed up to bowl wearing my work-casual dress duds. Well, my dress clothes fit me more like clothes should, so my bowling league friend could tell how much weight I had lost (about 50 pounds).

As she saw me enter the bowling alley, she said she thought I looked scary thin. I’m NOT scary thin. I’m far more scary than thin, in fact. But for someone who might not see me that often in clothes that actually fit, she thought that my weight loss was dramatic and concerning.

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Being told I looked like I might have a health issue is a bit disconcerting. But the truth is, I haven’t felt this good in 30 years—the last time I weighed what I do now. Nonetheless, I took it as a compliment. My diet was working.

In the past, my idea of dieting was trying not to eat anything larger than my head.

But that diet failed in spectacular fashion.

So, completely on my own, I changed my eating habits. I have not eliminated anything completely. I feel if you completely take stuff that you love away, you’re going to cheat, feel bad, and drop your diet. Instead, I make

Fitness

an active choice to eat less than I normally would. Instead of seconds (or frequently for me, thirds), I limit my food intake to a single portion on my plate. I supplement the yummy carbs with veggies, and have greatly reduced sweets. On top of that, I walk about a mile per day.

That’s it. That’s all it took for me to lose so much weight that I worried my friends.

It doesn’t come off fast, but it comes off fast enough that in less than a year, people might think that you are suffering from some horrible disease. (Disclaimer, I am not a doctor, nor have I ever played one on TV. Any diet should be monitored by your health care professional. I am not a lawyer either, but I still feel obliged to say that.)

The lesson to learn here is simple. When you see an older person who looks like they have lost a significant amount of weight, don’t assume they are sick. But ask them anyway.

If they are, they’ll appreciate your concern. If they’re not, they’ll appreciate you noticing.

(Oooh! Tricera-chops! I think my DinoDash restaurant might be a thing!) MSN

PAGE 61

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PAGE 62

Travel

CRUISES•GETAWAYS•CULTURE•VACATIONS

Saving America’s Grasslands ZUMWALT PRAIRIE PRESERVE

BY HOLLY ENDERSBY Early morning sun was igniting the native grass pastures on the Zumwalt Prairie Preserve as our truck topped a rise and we saw sixty head of cow elk grazing peacefully like drops of caramel candy. The August landscape was a mix of golden pastures and green draws where the cows would go as the heat of the day made them look for shade. Elk are heat intolerant and the timbered draws of the Zumwalt Prairie Preserve are one reason, along with the lush bunchgrass, that the herds are so abundant. And this fall is the perfect time to hear bugling bull elk as they challenge each other for possession of cows.

Tucked away in northeast Oregon near Enterprise, the Preserve isn’t off a freeway.

You don’t come here by accident. People come to the Preserve because of the rich wildlife, the immense landscape and the solitude. Almost twenty years ago, The Nature Conservancy purchased 33,000 acres of the larger 330,000 acre Zumwalt Prairie, the largest remaining grassland habitat of its type in North America.

And few people know about it today.

But, one hundred fifty years ago, Chief Joseph and his band of Nez Perce sure knew

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about it: they traditionally hunted elk and deer here. This high plateau with rocky soil and short growing season never attracted farmers when white America moved West.

Because of that, the native bunchgrass species were never plowed under, saving this unique ecosystem for future generations of wildlife.

Cattle ranchers were the settlers here and ranching still is the economic driver.

The Zumwalt Prairie Preserve with Lightning Creek and the Wallowa Mountains in the background. COURTESY OREGON DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND GAME.

The Nature Conservancy sees the Preserve as a living laboratory where they work with the latest science to integrate wildlife with cattle grazing by ranchers who have lived and worked on the prairie for generations.

Keeping intact landscapes from development while maintaining healthy habitats for

wildlife and cattle is the goal of this Preserve.

Satellite imagery is being used to monitor grass health in pastures across the Preserve to ensure that cattle don’t graze too long in anyone place.

On any given day, the Preserve is home to the highest known population of breeding raptors in North America. These birds flourish because the intact grassland provides habitat for ground squirrels, a favorite food of raptors. The rodents feed Ferruginous and Swainson hawks, kestrels, prairie falcons, huge golden eagles floating high on thermals and rough-legged hawks migrating south in the fall. Stop your vehicle on any of the roads through the preserve and you won’t wait long to see numerous raptors in the clear sky. Be sure to bring along binoculars and a bird book because not only will you see raptors, but native songbirds as well as ground nesting birds like the Columbian sharp-tailed grouse and the horned lark live here. These ground nesting birds are one reason the Conservancy does not allow dogs in the Preserve.

No matter what time of year you visit, you’ll see plenty of elk. In the fall, bulls bugle to attract cows, to intimidate rivals and to announce that they are the “biggest and baddest” in the area. This is typically the only time you will see mature bulls with cows.

During the breeding season, which usually starts in early September and continues until

A beautiful facility overlooking the Tongue River Valley and small town of Ashland in Southeastern Montana. We call it “The Miracle On The Hill.” The Heritage Living Center relies solely on donations. Your gifts of support will be everlasting and appreciated by our Native American elders/residents at the Heritage Living Center. We hope you consider supporting our family members, relatives and friends.

We would like to invite you to a two day visit or as our weekend guest. Please call the Heritage Living Center 406-784-2840 mention the AD and we will set up a date for your complimentary stay.

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AUGUST // SEPTEMBER 2018 • MONTANA SENIOR NEWS sometime in October, you will see large antlered bulls jealously guarding their harems.

The rest of the year you will see magnificent bulls in bachelor bands of four-ten at a time. On a recent August visit, we saw one large bull with a group of eight cows, but all the others we saw were in bachelor bands.

Taking the Canyon Vista Trail, a beautiful trail that ends in awesome views, we saw several enormous bulls sky-lighted on canyon rims. Because the Preserve controls hunting on the property, these monarchs of the ungulate world are common.

Mule deer are abundant on the Preserve as well. Notable for their large ears and their bounding run, called stotting, the males come into the rut in late October and early November and are easier to see then. The Nature Conservancy protects these deer and the bull elk by limiting the number of hunters allowed on the Preserve. A small number of

Travel

Land Owner Preference tags are issued to the Conservancy by Oregon Fish and Wildlife because of the habitat they provide for the elk and deer and the sheer numbers they have on the land. The Conservancy gives these tags to Wallowa County nonprofits to auction or raffle off. So far, over $300,000 has been raised for local charities through these tags.

Black bear, cougar, coyotes and badgers also call the Preserve home, so keep a sharp look out for these species as well.

The Nature Conservancy is busy working to restore riparian areas along creeks to enhance habitat for native fish and birds.

Planting native species helps to improve the flow and function of the creeks. Visitors to the Preserve will also see exclosures. These are fenced areas where the Conservancy has planted quaking aspen. The fences keep hungry cows, elk and deer from eating the trees, allowing them to grow to maturity.

PAGE 63

A good way to sample the Preserve is to walk the four designated trails. The Horned Lark Trail is a 1.9 mile loop; Patti’s Trail is an easy 2.3 mile loop; the Harsin Butte Trail is a steeper climb of .8 miles but well worth the effort and finally the 1.8 mile Canyon Vista Trail is not to be missed for the sheer beauty of the scenery. No matter when you visit the Zumwalt Prairie Reserve, you’re sure to see abundant wildlife in a rare grassland landscape.

For more i n f ormati on go to www. nature.org and put in Zumwalt Prairie in the search box.

To get to the Preserve from Enterprise, take Hwy 82 towards Joseph for about 3 miles then turn left onto Crow Creek Rd. Continue about 5 miles then turn right on the Zumwalt/ Buckhorn Road for approximately 13 miles.

MSN

Head North of the Border to Nelson, British Columbia

BY BERNICE KARNOP The West Kootenays, just north of the Idaho border in British Columbia, provide an enticing playground for visitors. The mountains, lakes, and rivers are the backdrop to outdoor recreation that draws skiers, hikers, paddlers, and mountain bikers. It also draws those who simply want to enjoy a beautiful drive through stunning mountain scenery, coniferous forests, gorgeous wildflowers, and a number of Provincial Parks.

And the area is dotted with pleasant towns worth a stop. Nelson, for example, sits in the midst of the scenery, overlooking the west arm of Kootenay Lake (spelled Kootenai in the U.S.). This small city is known for its large and fun arts and culture scene.

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Nelson was incorporated in 1897, but it already had a good start by that time. In 1887, the Silver King Mine on Toad Mountain brought rapid growth, and the railway arrived in 1892. Nelson had a copper and lead smelter in 1896-1907, and following that boom, the economy thrived on the lumber industry. Today it’s a service center for the Kootenay region.

For visitors, this offbeat Victorian town comes to life through its historic buildings and art culture. In an organized effort, the town deliberately restored its old buildings instead of demolishing them.

More than 350 structures in Nelson are heritage sites and a treasure to all who know handcrafted buildings like these will not be built again.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 64

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PAGE 64

MONTANA SENIOR NEWS • AUGUST // SEPTEMBER 2018

Travel

Many of the old structures are stores, and open for individuals to explore.

Others are restored private homes. The Chamber of Commerce provides walking/driving tour brochures.

Baker Street is the heart of downtown Nelson. As one can imagine in such an area that encourages an active life-style, boutiques sell gear for mountain biking, hiking, rock climbing, kayaking, and backcountry touring. These mix with arts and crafts stores and fashionable clothing venues. Visitors mingle with locals at sunny sidewalk cafés or at an upscale coffee shop. Nearly all of the restaurants double as art galleries. Festivals, street musicians, sidewalk artists, and other special events add to the fun.

In the winter people come to ski at Whitewater Ski Resort, half an hour from downtown.

Whitewater includes cross country ski trails and heli-skiing tours.

Outdoor recreation is around every corner in the summer. Favorite summer spots include nearby Kokanee Creek, Kokanee Glacier Provincial Park, and West Arm Provincial Park, where one can enjoy sandy beaches, hiking trails, water sports, wildlife, and bird watching. In town, there’s Lakeside Park and Gyro Park, from which one can walk up to a scenic lookout.

Travelers may drive north to Kaslo on Highway 31 to see the restored S.S. Moyie, a luxury craft that the Canadian Pacific Railway brought here in 1898 to ferry people across Kootenay Lake. Over the next decades, it was used and abused for various purposes and retired in 1957.

The city of Kaslo lovingly restored it and today the S.S. Moyie is a National British Columbia Historic Landmark, open daily from May to October. The site includes a visitor center that is built to look like a Canadian Pacific Railway station, and a beach along Kootenay Lake. Nearby are good restaurants and other shops.

Nelson is on the International Selkirk Loop, a 280-mile scenic byway through southeastern British Columbia and adjoining parts of Washington and Idaho. Tourists who drive north from Nelson on 3-A will arrive at Balfour. Here motorists find a working ferry, one that’s part of Highway 3-A. It takes vehicles and walk-on passengers on a 35-minute ride across one of British Columbia’s largest natural lakes. The ride is free even though the mountain and lake scenery is priceless. The ferry takes traffic from Balfour to Kootenay Bay on the east. From here Highway 3-A continues south along Kootenay lakeshore and right on into Idaho. MSN

BRITISH COLUMBIA / CONTINUED FROM PAGE 63

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Find Retiree Travel Perks

BY JIM MILLER (SAVVY SENIOR) Literally thousands of different travel-related discounts available to retirees that usually start anywhere between the ages 50 and 65. These discounts—typically ranging between 5 and 25 percent off—can add up to save you hundreds of dollars on your next trip. Here’s how you can find them.

WAYS TO SAVE The first thing to know is that most businesses don’t advertise them, but many give senior discounts just for the asking, so don’t be shy.

You also need to be aware that when it comes to senior travel bargains, the “senior discount,” if available, may not always be the best deal. Hotels, resorts, airlines and cruise lines, for example, offer advanced bookings along with special deals and promotions from time to time that may be a lower rate than what the senior discount is.

Before you book, always ask about the lowest possible rate and the best deal available.

Another way retirees with flexible schedules can save is to be flexible when you travel.

Last minute travel deals can offer huge savings, as well as traveling during off-season or off-peak times, and avoiding holidays.

AUGUST // SEPTEMBER 2018 • MONTANA SENIOR NEWS Club memberships can also garner you a wide variety of travel bargains. AARP, for example has dozens of travel discounts available on hotels, rental cars, cruises and vacation packages—see AARPadvantages. com. Annual AARP membership fees are $16 or less if you join for multiple years.

Or, if you don’t agree with AARP, there are alternative organizations you can join like the Seniors Coalition or the American Seniors Association that offer discounts on hotels and rental cars.

TYPES OF DISCOUNTS Here’s an abbreviated rundown of some of the different travel discounts you can expect to find.

Transportation: For airline travel, Southwest has fully refundable senior fares to passengers 65 and older, and British Airways offers AARP members $65 off economy travel and $200 off business club travel. American, United, and Delta also offer senior fares in certain markets but are extremely limited.

For traveling by train, Amtrak provides a 10 percent discount to travelers 65-plus, and a 10 percent discount to passengers over age

Travel

60 on cross-border services operated jointly

by Amtrak and VIA Rail Canada.

Greyhound bus lines also offers a 5 percent discount to passengers 62 and older.

And most car rental companies offer 10 to 25 percent discounts to customers who belong to membership organizations like AARP or AAA. Hotels: Many U.S. hotels offer senior discounts (at varying ages) usually ranging between 5 and 15 percent off. For example, Marriott offers a 15 percent discount to travelers 62 and older at over 4,000 locations worldwide. And Wyndham hotel group offers 60-plus guests best available rate discounts.

Restaurants: Some restaurant chains offer senior discounts, ranging from free drinks, to senior menus, to discounts off your total order. National chains that offer these deals include Burger King, Chili’s, Chick-fil-A, Dunkin Donuts, Golden Corral, IHOP and Wendy’s. Offers can vary by location.

Cruises: Royal Caribbean and Carnival Cruise lines offer discount rates to cruisers 55 and over.

Entertainment and Attractions: Most movie theaters, museums, zoos, aquariums, public golf courses and even ski slopes provide

Wyoming Mountains Come Alive with Music GRAND TARGHEE’S SUMMER MUSIC FESTIVAL

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PAGE 65

reduced admission to seniors over 60 or 65.

If you’re 62-plus, you’re also eligible for the “Senior Pass,” which provides a lifetime entry to 2,000 national parks and recreation sites.

You can obtain this pass in person at one of the federal recreation sites for $80, or online for $90 at Store.usgs.gov/senior-pass.

To look for other travel discounts on the go, download the Sciddy app at Sciddy.com.

This app lets you search for senior discounts and can send you alerts when you’re at an establishment that offers them. MSN Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior.org.

Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of “The Savvy Senior” book.

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Music of top Americana and bluegrass bands will echo in the mountains near Alta, Wyoming in August during concerts at Grand Targhee Ski Resort. The 31st Grand Targhee Bluegrass TTY 711 Festival is slated for Aug. 10 to 12.

“The best part about Grand Targhee’s music festivals is the vibe,” said Jennie White, marketing director. “Great music and an amazing outdoor amphitheater make for a special festival feel during six days of incredible music, camping, and activities for all ages.”

At the bluegrass festival for the first time this year, the showcase bands, the Infamous Stringdusters and Greensky Bluegrass, are scheduled to perform two nights instead of one. Other performers are Red Molly, the Mammals, I’m with Her, Joe Craven and the Sometimers, and the Missy Raines Trio.

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The bluegrass festival attracts not only fans, but aspiring musicians Our complimentary amenities include: who will participate in the 13th Annual Targhee Music Camp Aug 6 to Full Hot Breakfast Buffet • Evening Reception • Parking • Premium Bedding 9. Participants should be intermediate musicians.

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“We have a lot of new acts, with something for everyone,” said White.

A list of bands and schedule may be found at grandtarghee.com under music events. MSN

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MONTANA SENIOR NEWS • AUGUST // SEPTEMBER 2018

PAGE 66

All About Montana

LOCAL PEOPLE•LOCAL STORIES•LOCAL FUN•LOCAL BUSINESSES

The Big Sky According to Dale Livezey

BY AARON PARRETT If you’ve ever visited Helena, Mont., odds are good that you have seen a Dale Livezey painting. Some of his most avid collectors live in the Capital City and have his art hanging proudly in their homes, but his works also hang in such prominent venues as On Broadway, Gulch Distillers, and Governor Steve Bullock’s office in the Capitol.

If you’re planning to visit the Queen City of the Rockies in August, be sure to stop by the Holter Museum (12 East Lawrence Street in Helena) and immerse yourself in the experience of Livezey’s magnificent artwork, exhibiting now in a show titled, “Big Sky: Paintings by Dale Livezey,” running through Septem 16th in the Baucus Gallery.

Few artists have been able to capture the grandeur of the Montana “Big Sky Country” as memorably and distinctively as Livezey. Scale is part of his technique: the paintings featured at the Holter are immense, with the largest of them measuring in the neighborhood of 5 by 9 feet. The colors strike the eye with all the force of a sunset along the Rocky Mountain Front, and indeed, many of his landscapes are set

in the country around Augusta and Choteau.

You’ll see the landmark buttes that rise up from the bottomlands and urge the eye toward the seemingly infinite expanse of the Montana skyline.

Among the elements that make Livezey’s renderings unique, however, is his compelling use of twilight, which has a tendency to bring the landscape into an unusual and unexpected focus, revealing dimensions of mountain and prairie that are often flattened or overwhelmed in the full light of midday. It’s a secret known well to fly fishers and romantics that the hours most conducive to success in either domain are the times either early in the morning or evening, when the light takes on a kind of silvery, purplish cast, lengthening shadows and collapsing perspectives.

Some of the paintings featured in this show even depict the Big Sky in the early hours of settling night, with a full moon hanging high over the horizon line.

“River’s Edge,” for example depicts the encroaching night as if in the very act of replacing the day, a thin pink band of fading sunlight near the horizon and a brilliant yellow moon sailing through a band of teal

“Evening’s Flight” (48″ x 120″ oil) PAINTING BY DALE LIVEZEY.

beneath Livezey’s signature purple that portends the coming darkness.

“Just before Dark” shows the landscape fully immersed in the blue of night, the landforms locked in kinship with blues and violets that blur the line between land and sky.

Livezey employs another distinctive habit that lends considerable force to his images of the Montana landscape: he depicts the land in its raw state, untrammeled by telephone lines or highways or

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AUGUST // SEPTEMBER 2018 • MONTANA SENIOR NEWS any of the other distracting trappings of civilization. It’s as if he has captured the state of the land in its pristine form in the twilight dawn before humanity appears.

His paintings show a side of our state that we glimpse arounds us all the time, but never fully get to see, especially from a highway.

And yet he paints what we imagine we’d like to see, and often say we’d like to see.

With few exceptions (two snow geese appear in mid flight in “Evening’s Flight,” and a couple of Sandhill Cranes grace a darkened field in “Sandhills”), Livezey’s landscapes show no animal life at all, merely the hills carpeted with grass and sage and the rivers lined with cottonwood and willow.

Paradise Found

All About Montana

PAGE 67

As captivating as encountering a single painting on a wall in a fine restaurant may be, it’s impossible to convey the overwhelming experience of standing in the Baucus gallery surrounded by Livezy’s images. When the docent on duty directed me back to the display, he casually said, “Prepare for breathtaking. I hear a lot of ‘oohs’ and ‘aahs’ from the patrons passing through.”

The room is vast, but the nine paintings on display exceed the space altogether, reminding visitors that the Big Sky, as Livezy so masterfully captures it, goes far beyond the horizons that try in vain to contain it. Its brilliant colors remind us of mysteries evoked in the contemplation of space and time beneath the artist’s brush. MSN

Arts Council stepped forward to save the building. They shared with county commissioners, Paradise school board members, and many people in Sanders County a vision that the former school buildings could be transformed for such purposes.

WHERE ART, HISTORY, AND COMMUNITY THRIVE

BY DOUGLAS WILKS

CONTINUED ON PAGE 68

Paradise, Montana is nestled in the rugged, mountainous northwest part of the state. It was once the home of a large Northern Pacific Railroad roundhouse, a tie plant, and an elementary school for the children of the railroad employees.

Paradise Elementary School is the only large, three-story building remaining. It was in use from 1910-2013. Several generations of children have passed through the doors of the brick building that rests on top of a hill near the Paradise Cemetery on the eastern edge of town. Declining enrollment and fewer families staying in the very small rural community resulted in the school’s closure. The future of the 103-year-old structure was uncertain.

The historic school building and its newer gymnasium and cafeteria have been saved and are now known as the Paradise Center. Both structures are in the process of being transformed into a visual and performing arts, community, and visitor’s center. In 2013 a group of a dozen senior citizens who were active artists in the Sanders County

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MONTANA SENIOR NEWS • AUGUST // SEPTEMBER 2018

All About Montana

PARADISE / CONTINUED FROM PAGE 67

They formed a non-profit organization, the Paradise Elementary School Preservation Committee, to apply for grants and raise donations for updating and remodeling.

Many of the old desks and classroom items were kept intact as one classroom would be maintained as a museum and reminder of those who had attended the school. Another former classroom has been remodeled and now serves as an interactive showcase for geological history.

One room contains a 3-Dimensional, topographical map of the region showing Sanders County, Montana Highway 200, and the Clark Fork River. The map is very interactive, enabling visitors to press buttons to see current locations of major geological sites, rural communities, lakes, and major rivers.

One informational panel and series of lights indicate how the area was impacted from Glacial Lake Missoula.

A third-floor classroom has been repurposed as a painting studio and contains 12 large, custom-made easels for artists. Local artist and musician Rudi Boukal and Paradise Preservation

adults 18 years and older—drawing, watercolor, acrylics, pastels, color theory, caricatures, air brush techniques, pottery, and sculpture.

Photography and other performing art classes may soon be offered sometime in the not too distant future.

The annual Artists in Paradise event occurs at the Paradise Center July 19-21, where a wide variety of art isbe available for purchase. Visitors can also win art through drawings as well as speak with local artists from Sanders County.

A guided tour of the Paradise Center will also be offered.

Since its opening in 2013, the center has hosted 35 events with more than 3,500 attendees for wedding receptions, art events, plays, and concerts.

To learn more about the Paradise Center, visit www.paradisecentermt.org, email paradisecenter@icloud.com, or call (406) 826-0500.

Paradise Elementary as of July 2017.

PHOTO BY DOUGLAS WILKS.

Committee member John Thorson made the easels. Several painting classes have been held in this studio within the past year.

The Visual Arts Committee of Sanders County Arts Council has offered classes for

Douglas Wilks is a freelance writer and photographer living near Plains, Mont. He was for a brief time a reporter for the Clark Fork Valley Press in Plains. He has had a passion for photography for over 40 years.

Aging Conference In Helena

BY AARON PARRETT Six or seven years ago, my wife’s grandfather lived for a while at the Rainbow Hotel in Great Falls, an apartment building set up in large part for people of advanced age

(the sign advertises it as “Senior Living”).

Grandad was 92 at the time, but down the hall lived a semi-famous character named Walter Breuning, who was 112. Grandad laughed when I told him, “That guy could call you ‘junior!’ He’s 20 years your senior.”

Walter died a few years later—a few months shy of 115.

While it’s not exactly an exploding demographic, the number of people who live to be a hundred is trending upward, and the “Governor’s Centenarian Banquet” is one of

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AUGUST // SEPTEMBER 2018 • MONTANA SENIOR NEWS the features of the 50th Annual Governor’s Conference on Aging being held September 25-27, this year (2018) at the Radisson Colonial Hotel in Helena.

There’s no question that 80 seems to be the new 60, and the motto for this year’s conference is appropriately enough, “Rock Your Age: Celebrating Aging in Montana.”

According to Jackie Stoeckel, Program Specialist in the Aging Bureau of the Senior and Long-Term Care division of The Department of Health and Human Services, Montana’s 2010 census showed we had 175 centenarians, and future projections estimate that by 2025, we will have over 3000 people in Montana over the age of 100!

Stoeckel also noted that demographic projections show the rural areas of Montana will be profoundly impacted by an aging population: some counties may expect by 2020 that 30 to 40 percent of their populations will be over 65.

The median age of the state right now is about 40, but some counties (Carter County, for example,) is almost 51.

Keynote speakers for this year’s event include Lance Robertson, Assistant Secretary for Aging, Administration for Community Living, who will present “Celebration of Aging”; Elaine Ryan, Vice President for State

LITTLE DOGS / CONTINUED FROM PAGE 22 © graphicphoto, Bigstock.com

At 96, after a short illness, Gilbert peacefully passed with Billy in his lap. I was tasked with going to Gilbert’s apartment to get Billy, his food, and supplies. I then took the little guy to Showcase Dog Grooming on Higgins.

A young lady working there, Kalina, 27, quickly became attached to Billy. Having experience in the dog business, she knew older dogs were difficult to adopt out. She thought Billy adorable and noticed he was comfortable and social around people, so she adopted him.

She managed his meals and exercised him with frequent walks. He lost at least two pounds and became perky as ever.

Billy Buddy wore special goggles and sat in a basket as Kalina biked him to work each day, where would take his place on a bench with another “front room” dog, to oversee the business operation.

No one knew exactly how old he was—at least 15, but he has lived a great life into his senior years.

With only ever having large dogs, I have normally eschewed little dogs. They are barky and prone to nip at folks.

But Billy Buddy has shown me that the size of the dog does not matter concerning the quality of relationship it can have with a human. No doubt, this little dog has brought joy, pleasure, happiness, and positive companionship to three very diverse people.

This New York City puppy came to the Wild West and won hearts...lots of hearts. MSN

All About Montana

Advocacy for The American Association of Retired Persons (AARP), who will present a talk on how to “Disrupt Aging”; Lynn MullowneyCabrera, Executive Director of the Alzheimer’s Association (Montana Chapter), will offer a presentation about “Lessons from Lifelong Teachers”; Nanette Whitman-Holmes, Director of Life Enrichment at Touchmark in Helena, will be talking on the “Best Friend Approach to Caretaking”; and William Marcus, one of Montana’s most familiar radio voices from MTPR, who will accompany the host and producers of Backroads of Montana (MT PBS Series) to talk about “Backstories of Backroads of Montana.”

The conference will offer numerous breakout sessions as well during the day, covering topics ranging from “Health Promotion for

PAGE 69

Rural Communities” to “Power of Attorneys— What you should and should not do.”

For gerontologists as well as the lay public with connections to aging relatives, this conference promises to be interesting and enlightening.

The conference features live entertainment as well, including performances by Montana’s beloved Drum Brothers and also The Geriactors.

Registration for the event is $75 and information is available at dphhs.mt.gov/sltc/ aging/GovernorsConferenceonAging. Lodging is of course available at the Radisson, and with a special conference rate available.

For additional information, contact Jackie Stoeckel, (State of Montana): jstoeckel@ mt.gov or 406-444-6061. MSN

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PAGE 70

Answers to Brain Games PUZZLES•QUIZZES•GAMES•CONTESTS•BRAIN TEASERS•FUN

4TH OF JULY QUIZ ANSWERS We have a contest in every issue of the Montana Senior News. Last issue June/July we challenged you to flaunt what you know about the history of Independence Day. Submissions were entered into the drawing to win $25.

The results are in, and the winner is of the cash prize is Rebecca Orford of Missoula, Mont.

Please mail your entries for all contests to the Montana Senior News, 1985 McMannamy Draw, Kalispell, MT 59901, or email to info@ montanaseniornews.com by September 15, 2018 for this edition.

Thanks to all who participated in our contest for the June/July 2018 issue.

FOURTH OF JULY QUIZ SOLUTIONS 1. What year did Congress officially declare the Fourth of July as a national holiday? 1870 2. What other country celebrates independence on the Fourth of July?

Philippines 3. What was the printed version of the Declaration of Independence called? Dunlap Broadside 4. Which U.S. state was the first to declare Independence Day a holiday in 1781? Massachusetts 5. Which U.S. President was born on July 4?: Calvin Coolidge 6. Besides being founding father U.S. Presidents, what did Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, and James Monroe all have in common?

They died on July 4 7. Which U.S. city was the first to celebrate the Fourth of July?: Philadelphia 8. What year did the use of fireworks officially become part of the Fourth of July celebration in the U.S.? 1777 9. Where was the Declaration of Independence stored during World War II? Fort Knox

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10. Who was the last to sign the Declaration of Independence?

Thomas McKean 11. Who was the first to sign the Declaration of Independence?

John Hancock 12. Who was the oldest signer of the Declaration of Independence?

Ben Franklin 13. What does “Patriotism” mean in Latin? Homeland 14. What is the symbol of U.S. freedom? The Liberty Bell 15. What are the first seven words of the Declaration of Independence?

“When in the course of human events…”

16. Which was the first state to be admitted into the Union? Deleware 17. How many times did “United States” appear in the Declaration of Independence? Zero 18. What was the name of the major battle victory that occurred on July 4?

Battle of Vicksburg, under Ulysses S. Grant 19. How did the Liberty Bell crack? It was rung for the first time 20. How many people signed the Declaration of Independence? 56

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Brain Games Answers

SUDOKUANSWERS

PAGE 71

Proud of our Reward-Winning Writers REGULAR MSN CONTRIBUTER HOLLY ENDERSBY WINNER OF NATIONAL CONSERVATION AWARD

We are proud to announce that one of our regular contributing writers, Holly Endersby, is the 2018 recipient of the Outdoor Writers Association of America’s top conservation award­­—the Jade of Chiefs Award.

Presented by the organization’s Conservation Council, the Circle of Chiefs, The Jade Award represents “an affirmation of OWAA’s adherence to, and support of, the principles of conservation.”

Endersby is only the third woman to receive this honor since it was established in 1958. MSN

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About Our Contributing Staff Writers Holly Endersby has been an award-winning outdoor writer for 25 years, working in newspaper, magazines, TV, and web-based magazines. She enjoys horse packing in wilderness areas, fishing, hunting, snow and water sports, yoga, and hiking. She was the first Conservation Director for Backcountry Hunters & Anglers.

Steve Heikkila is a writer, photographer, cook, webmaster, social media guy, grocery shopper, and head dishwasher living in Portland, Ore. He is the author of the food-blog Slow Burning Passion.

Genevieve Jessop Marsh fell in love with sustainable agriculture in Vermont, studying it in Missoula, Montana, and now working to create community through agriculture at Missoula’s Garden City Harvest. She writes, reads (and listens to) novels, tinkers in her backyard, and adventures with her daughter and husband with a tent and sturdy walking shoes.

An author and musician, Dr. Aaron Parrett is a professor at the University of Providence. He runs a vintage print shop, the Territorial Press in Helena, Mont.

Mary Terra-Berns is a freelance writer and editor with a master’s degree in fish and wildlife sciences from Texas A&M University. She has worked with, and written about, rare animals like wolverines and Canada lynx, not-so-rare species like black bears and burbot, and interesting people and topics from home and abroad. She enjoys hiking, fly-fishing, biking, running and spending time with her husband and two large mischievous dogs.

Dianna Troyer is a freelance writer based in Pocatello, Idaho. She enjoys family and friends, skiing, riding horse, and hiking.

Gail Jokerst writes about any topic that catches her fancy, from avian species to baking with zucchini. Contact her at gailjokerst@gmail.com.

Bernice Karnop writes from her home in Great Falls under the supervision of a tortoise shell cat she calls Millie. Her great grandfather was a Montana pioneer who arrived at the gold fields in 1863.

A multifaceted interest in Montana people and their communities keeps Suzanne Waring looking for topics to research in old newspapers and books and people to interview. During the busy times of her first career, Suzanne Waring wrote, “I raise a garden no matter what.” That statement is still true during her second career as a writer.

Request for Submittals Jack McNeel was born and raised in Idaho. His working career was spent with Idaho Fish and Game Department but after retirement he launched a career as a free lance writer and photographer for many publications, primarily about Native American subjects, hunting, fishing, and travel. He now lives in Hayden, Idaho.

Readers are encouraged to submit interesting material such as: articles, letters to the editor, jokes, poems, and photos. Please send your submissions to: nann@montanaseniornews.com or to 1985 McMannamy Draw, Kalispell, MT 59901.

MONTANA SENIOR NEWS â&#x20AC;¢ AUGUST // SEPTEMBER 2018

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