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A Linchpin for Missoula’s Book-Loving Community: Fact & Fiction
[Photo by B. James Jokerst] By Gail Jokerst Anyone familiar with the Meg Ryan-Tom Hanks’ movie You’ve Got Mail, knows about the challenges independent bookstores face to stay in business. The plot of this 1998 film revolves around Kathleen Kelly, the owner of an independent bookstore in Manhattan that eventually has to close its doors after a mega-bookstore moves to the neighborhood. Romantically speaking, the ending is upbeat. But from the standpoint of independent bookstores, the outcome definitely disqualifies it for happily-ever-after status. Fifteen years after the film’s launch, many independents are still struggling to hold onto their share of sales to the book-reading public. Competition from chain bookstores and from Amazon’s on-line presence has decimated revenues. But despite the savings these behemoths pass along to consumers, some canny independents have managed to survive. And in the case of Barbara Theroux’s Fact & Fiction in Missoula, not just survive, but flourish. So, what differentiates Fact & Fiction from the scores of independent bookstores that have disappeared? The business’s mission statement, “Where books, authors, ideas and readers interact...” provides a clue. For many Missoulians, Fact & Fiction has become more than a shop to sit down with or buy paperbacks and hardcovers. “This place is personal. We’re building a community (Continued on page 27)
PAGE 2 MONTANA SENIOR NEWS
FEBRUARY/MARCH 2013
FEBRUARY/MARCH 2013
MONTANA SENIOR NEWS PAGE 3
Montana Senior News A Barrett-Whitman Publication
P.O. Box 3363 • Great Falls, MT 59403-3363 406-761-0305 or 800-672-8477 FAX 406-761-8358 montanaseniornews.com email: montsrnews@bresnan.net
New Alzheimer’s Book Available A couple of years ago, I wrote essays for the Montana Senior News about my father having Alzheimer’s and the ability to cope with placing him in a facility. My book, When Forgetting Is A Gift – Placing My Father in an Alzheimer’s Facility is now available on Amazon.com for Kindle or via the free download of a Kindle reader to one’s computer. My wish is to help people going through the common and painful ordeal I did. My book guides the sufferers who must surrender their loved one, and helps them to forgive themselves. In letting go, the afflicted can turn from a life of frustration. Here is the http://www.amazon.com/KathleenClary-Miller/e/B00AXL6GEU/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0. Kathleen Clary Miller Missoula – kathleencmiller@gmail.com Ed: A brief review of Ms. Miller’s book appears in the Caregiving section on page 56.
Are You A Veteran Who Enlisted While Underage? I noted an article in a past issue on recruiting Rosie the Riveter. Well, I belong to a group of military veterans, who enlisted while underage (under age 17 for males & under age 20 for females) and like Rosie, we are in our 80s & 90s. In not too many years there will not be any of us left.
Most of us belong to other veterans groups, but we are unique in that we all enlisted at that teen age, and at least one joined a the Service at age 12. I was 16 when I enlisted. We are a non-profit unit with lifetime membership at only $25. I am Montana State Commander as well as Regional Commander for Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Utah, Colorado, Arizona, and New Mexico. I know there are more Vets out there who enlisted underage, and I would welcome any new Members. We are dying off quickly so join now and enjoy the company, friendship, and camaraderie of other Vets. We have an annual meeting in April, and also meet each year in October at Laughlin, Nevada. I hope to hear from you. Duane K. Enger 03 Santa Fe St., Kalispell, MT 59901 406-755-4294; mtvumsforu@gmail.com.
Choice In Dying Will Increase Elder Abuse Not Dead Yet is a national disability rights group with members in Montana, some of whom are seniors. On behalf of our members, I write to say that we are extremely concerned that assisted-suicide, sometimes called “aid in dying,” will become legal in Montana. It is estimated that there are 21,265 cases of elder abuse annually in Montana, reported and unreported. http://www.eadaily.com/15/elderabuse-statistics/ Statistically, (Cont’d on pg 31)
The Montana Senior News is published six times each year in February, April, June, August, October and December at 415 3rd Avenue North, Great Falls, MT 59401 and is distributed free to readers throughout the state of Montana. The mail subscription rate is $8.00 per year (6 issues). The Montana Senior News is written to serve the reading interests of mature Montanans of all ages. Readers are encouraged to contribute interesting material. Views expressed in opinion stories, contributions, articles and letters are not necessarily the views of the publisher. The appearance of advertisements for products or services does not constitute an endorsement of the particular product or service. The publisher will not be responsible for mistakes in advertisements unless notified within five days of publication. All copy appearing in the Montana Senior News is protected by copyright and may be reprinted only with the written permission of the publisher. Advertising copy should be received or space reserved by the 5th of the month preceding the month of publication.
Jack W. Love, Jr., Publisher/Editor Colleen Paduano Kathleen McGregor Lisa Gebo Jonathan Rimmel Peter Thornburg Sherrie Smith Nann Parrett
Production Supervisor Advertising Sales Advertising Sales Advertising Sales Production Assistant Graphic Artist Distribution Admin/Production Assistant Editorial Assistant
Contributing Writers Bob Campbell Connie Daugherty Clare Hafferman Sue Hart Kim Thielman-Ibes Gail Jokerst Bernice Karnop Craig Larcom Liz Larcom Michael McGough Jack McNeel Dianna Troyer © 2013
PAGE 4 MONTANA SENIOR NEWS
FEBRUARY/MARCH 2013
Fun and creative, our winning Remember When poem puts a mirror in front of us to reflect ourselves in its word play. All readers should appreciate this lighthearted exploration of our yesterdays in the light of our fewer tomorrows. This poignantly worded poem reminds us all that the sands of time will flow forever – like it or not. Thank you to Pearl Hoffman, of Los Angeles for sharing Keeping my Feet Dry While Wading in a Pool of Possibilities with our readers. Pearl is the winner of our $25 Remember When prize for this issue. Remember When contains our readers’ personal reflections, contributions describing fictional or non-fictional accounts from the “Good ol’ Days,”
Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one’s courage. - Anas Nin
or reflections on life in general. Contributions may be stories, letters, artwork, poetry, etc. Photos may be included. Each issue of the Montana Senior News features the contributions deemed best by our staff. The contributor of the winning entry receives a $25 cash prize. We look forward to receiving your contributions for our April/May 2013 issue. Mail your correspondence to Montana Senior News, P.O. Box 3363, Great Falls, MT 59403; email to montsrnews@ bresnan.net; or call 1-800-672-8477 or 406-7610305. Visit us online at www.montanaseniornews. com.
Keeping My Feet Dry While Wading In A Pool Of Possibilities By Pearl Hoffman, Los Angeles Even if... with a nip or two here and a tuck or two there, the surgeon can lift my sagging derriere, siphon my thighs, turn my bosom aggressive, and make my age seem remote and regressive...
and my guru perfects my Transcendental Meditation, and my stylist creates a special coiffure, and my colorist tints my hair “Blonde du Jour,” and my clothes are the newest and hottest creations of some of the latest designer sensations, when it comes to past youth, there is no replay. At 85 years, it’s too late in my day.
And even if... aerobics can keep me fit as a fiddle, firm on the bottom and slim in the middle. and my doctor increases my hormone medication,
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So, even if... I can talk the neat talk; I can’t walk the sweet walk, for in certain positions, my body would balk. With old, tired blood and bones that are crispy, being too frisky is just far too risky. MSN
FEBRUARY/MARCH 2013
MONTANA SENIOR NEWS PAGE 5
Resolutions are working, and Valentine’s Day is upon us. With the luck o’ the Irish, you just may find that special someone to be your Easter bunny by responding to one of these ads – someone to hold your hand during romantic movies, to join you at the parade, or to share that first kiss of spring. Now is the time to get fresh with a new flame! To respond to any of these personal ads, simply forward your message, address, phone number, or email address to the department number listed in the particular personal ad, c/o Montana Senior News, P.O. Box 3363, Great Falls, MT 59403. We will forward your response, including your address, phone number, and/or email address to the person placing the ad. When you answer an ad in this section, there is no guarantee that you will receive a response. That is up to the person who placed the ad. Please be sure you submit your correct address plainly printed, so you can promptly receive responses. Respond to the ads in this issue, and also sit down now and prepare your own ad to run in our next issue. There is no charge for this service, and your ad may lead you down the path of true love! Responses to personal ads appearing in this column can be submitted at any time. However, to place a personal ad in the April/May 2013 issue, the deadline is March 10, 2013. WWF, Interested in corresponding with a white, retired, professional male, age 75-80 in NE Montana or roundabouts. ND, ND, NSO, who is financially secure. I am looking for someone who enjoys the big outdoors, is active, and is in good health. Other musts are, a good conversation, honesty, and not self-centered. I am a 79-year-young Christian lady who looks much younger, as I was a late bloomer. Always active and on the move, I enjoy walks, art, cooking, western music, and the finer things in life like travel and taking in the sights. I am blonde, 5’ 8”, long limbs, shy, kind, and romantic. I like country and suburban living. I am very choosy because I am a one of a kind person with old-fashioned ways. Please send picture and information, and I will do the same if interested. Reply MSN, Dept. 29301, c/o Montana Senior News, Box 3363, Great Falls, MT 59403. MSN SWM, 66, 6’2”, 235 lbs. I love the outdoors and dogs. I have two. I
Sometimes the best words on the page aren’t on the page. To commemorate Talking Book Library Month, MTBL is hosting an open house on Wednesday, March 20 from 2-4 p.m. at 1515 East 6th Avenue in Helena. Enjoy refreshments, meet the staff and local volunteers, tour the facilities and celebrate MTBL’s first born digital local recording Hand Raised The Barns of Montana, a partnership with the Montana Historical Society Press. For more information call 800.332.3400 or visit http://msl.mt.gov/tbl/. MTBL is a Regional Library of the National Library Service.
PAGE 6 MONTANA SENIOR NEWS
Life, Well Lived. At Marquis Grand Park Senior Living, we help people get the most out of every moment. Our mission is to enable them to live life to its fullest!
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FEBRUARY/MARCH 2013
enjoy dining out, drives, some travel, movies, reading, and sports. Go Broncos! I drink socially, no smoking or drugs. I am financially secure and have a house in Miles City. I am looking for a caring lady for whom I can care. I want to find a soul mate with whom I can share the rest of my life. Reply MSN, Dept. 29302, c/o Montana Senior News, Box 3363, Great Falls, MT 59403.
go out to dinner for an evening, likes travel, and enjoys bowling. I work out two days a week. I am also a good cook and would love to cook up a good meal for a nice quite evening at home, so would like to correspond with a gentleman. Reply MSN, Dept. 29305, c/o Montana Senior News, Box 3363, Great Falls, MT 59403.
SWF, 75-years-young, nice looking, 5’3�, average build, non-smoker and non-drugs but do enjoy an occasional drink. I am compassionate, trustworthy, and loyal with many positive traits. I hope to find a gentleman 69-75 from south central Montana but if not, should the situation arise, someone who would be willing to relocate. I am seeking a man who is down to earth, kind, trustworthy, loyal, big hearted, romantic, passionate, and fun. I enjoy my home, gardening, crafts, my pets, and occasionally going on a short trip. I am also very versatile as to doing other things. Please send a recent photo and phone number and I will do the same. Reply MSN, Dept. 29303, c/o Montana Senior News, Box 3363, Great Falls, MT 59403. MSN
DWF, I’m looking for a nice gentleman who is willing to relocate to my hometown. I’m 75, gray hair, 4’8� and 130 pounds. Don’t do drugs, smoke, or drink. I like to fish, hike, picnic, and go on day trips. I love country western music and used to sing it. I make rag dolls and collect rocks, old jewelry, and records of Ronnie Milsap, Marty Robbins, and Tammy Wynette. I have a real sense of humor and like to make people laugh. I don’t drive or have a car and since I live right in town, I do a lot of walking. If this sounds interesting to you, drop me a line and picture, and I will answer all who write. Reply MSN, Dept. 29306, c/o Montana Senior News, Box 3363, Great Falls, MT 59403.
SWF, blond, N/DN/S, 5’5� early 60s. Own home in Hamilton and am active in 12-Step Recovery. Not slim, but I am attractive, eat healthy, and exercise. I’d love to meet a gentleman that would consider relocating with slim to medium build who loves Jesus. Age, height, and race not important, but please be dependable, open, kind, affectionate, and not into any addictive vices. I have a pain and fatigue disability, but enjoy camping, dancing, singing, classic rock, church, art, movies, plays, cards, TV, eating out, laughing, bowling, sightseeing, chivalry, and mutual TLC. I’m trustworthy, honest, outspoken, opinionated, nurturing, tenderhearted, faithful, and funny. Would you like a friendship leading to a Christ-centered committed relationship? If so, please send letter with photo and address. Life’s even better when shared with a loving partner. Reply MSN, Dept. 29304, c/o Montana Senior News, Box 3363, Great Falls, MT 59403. MSN
SWM, 61, seeks companionship with single lady 61-75. Looks and handicapped unimportant in a long-term relationship. I am non-smoker and non-drinker. I live in Great Falls. I own my home and it is all paid for. Please send picture and phone number. I will answer all replies. Reply MSN, Dept. 29307, c/o Montana Senior News, Box 3363, Great Falls, MT 59403. I am a native of the Gallatin Valley. Currently I live in a mobile on my father’s fifteen acres because my mother is gone and I am divorced. I have spent most of my 64 years on a ranch and I loved it. I enjoy camping, hiking, cooking, rides in the country, and crocheting. I am lonely and would love to find a man I could develop a meaningful relationship with. Responders please send a picture and telephone number. Reply MSN, Dept. 29308, c/o Montana Senior News, Box 3363, Great Falls, MT 59403.
WWF into my 60s. Would like to find someone to hang out with and see where it goes. NS, ND, do some drinking. Like fishing, camping, some travel, pets, and a lot more. Write if you’d like to meet me. Must be kind and good sense of humor. I’m seeking a gentleman 75-80 with a sense Will answer all replies. Reply MSN, Dept. 29309, of humor, who is a non-smoker, who has an c/o Montana Senior News, Box 3363, Great occasional drink, would go out dancing or just Falls, MT 59403. SWF, 65-plump! But not overly so... presently getting smaller after knee surgery. Come with loveable lab. Am calm, patient, loyal, moral, and ethical. Desire solid long-term relationship. Love out-of-doors, fishing, hiking, and camping (I also clean my own fish). Would love to share cooking and occasional nights out. Somewhat of an intellectual with college education. Artist and lover of classical music. Just a bit of a “real� cowgirl. Very light drinker, never a smoker. Like good movies, great books, and most of all a great laugh! Prefer someone in south central or southwest Montana, but will write to others. Reply MSN, Dept. 29310, c/o Montana Senior News, Box 3363, Great Falls, MT 59403. SWM, 68- almost 69-year-old Kalispell man, retired, but still full of fun looking for a compatible lady between 50 and 60 years of age. Not more than 100 miles in any direction from Kalispell, however prefer closer in Kalispell area. I want someone who likes to cuddle and hug, who enjoys movies, walking and going to plays and such. I am 5’7� tall, have blue eyes and blond hair. I am also very kind and caring and would be good to you. I like going to church and would be very happy to have someone to go to church with. I want to be able to go out, have some fun, and enjoy each other’s company.
FEBRUARY/MARCH 2013
So please send you phone number and if possible a picture if you are interested. Reply MSN, Dept. 29311, c/o Montana Senior News, Box 3363, Great Falls, MT 59403. 80-year-young widow for four years. Would like to meet a male friend about the same age. Non smoker-light drinker. Country living. I cannot relocate, but have a trailer house for rent if you’re a handy man or would like a horse or animals. I’m not the best dancer, but boy do I like to give it my best try. A sense of humor and to tease and be teased are important. Retired from low rung of medical profession. I live a very full and busy life volunteering, clubs, and chores. I’m independent minded. I love my kids but would like to talk over life with someone in my own age group. Attend church regularly. Non-denominational. Reply MSN, Dept. 29312, c/o Montana Senior News, Box 3363, Great Falls, MT 59403. Ever had a dream you will never forget? I’ve had many! It was the early 70s, Red Lodge, (young, divorced, 2 boys, & 1 baby girl), I dreamed I could see the whole state of Montana
MONTANA SENIOR NEWS PAGE 7
in a cinnamon sky sunset. When suddenly a huge white robed hand shot out of the east and pointed to the NW corner and a voice awoke me saying, “Go!� Well, we moved to Big Fork, the boys graduated and I began to sing for fun and money too. Years later, I dreamed of someone knocking on my door. When I opened it, there stood a Western-styled man whose eyes met mine, our souls touched and we knew we were meant to be “one.� I heard, “you’ll know him when you look into his eyes!� Now after a music partner/husband of 14 years and 9 years single, I’m still waiting and secretly seeking the man God said he was “grooming� for me, to enjoy our golden years together. Are you looking/waiting for me? Do you like who you are? Are you fun? Active? Interesting? Like to fish? And still have a song in your heart? Well, this petite, brunette grandma of seven, who writes, paints, crafts, and fishes is still hopeful. Please send a detailed letter and photo. “Seek and you shall find.� And Happy Valentine’s day as well! Reply MSN, Dept. 29313, c/o Montana Senior News, Box 3363, Great Falls, MT 59403. MSN
First It Was Polio, Now It Is Birth Defects – The March Of Dimes Is There When Needed “Mom, there is something wrong with the baby and he is in the NICU.� I have received this phone call three times. A rollercoaster of emotions and questions followed. I am not only the grandmother in this scenario but I am a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit nurse and I knew the only organization that could help my daughter was the March of Dimes. It was the most difficult time of my life as I watched my grandbabies fight for their lives because they were born too early. I am happy to say that all three babies are now healthy and happy. This is why I participate every year in the March for Babies campaign conducted by the March of Dimes. This year there will be eight walks across
Come experience life.
Montana. This year is special because they are celebrating not only all of the babies and families, but also 75 years of research, education, vaccines, and breakthroughs. Seventy-five years ago, March of Dimes started with the mission to knock out polio – and they accomplished this! Now they have a new mission of preventing premature births, birth defects, and infant mortality. They need our help. I am proudly pushing a stroller with my healthy grandbaby tucked in, for the March for Babies event in Great Falls. Won’t you join me? For more information on a March for Babies event near you, call 406-206-1684! MSN
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PAGE 8 MONTANA SENIOR NEWS
FEBRUARY/MARCH 2013
Funeral Planning Creating a Smart End of Life Plan
JOHNSON GLOSCHAT Funeral Home & Crematory
Erik Fisher
Family Services • Advanced Planning
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Kalispell • Columbia Falls • Whitefish • Glacier Memorial Gardens
By Christopher Hill Like so many families, when we suffered the loss of my mother last year we faced the difficult decision of what to do next. Because we were never willing to accept this as a possible outcome, nor did we think about planning for this incomprehensible loss, we had no idea where to begin or who we could turn to. Most people tend to overlook one of the greatest gifts you will give your family, which is properly preparing them for the inevitable. At best, you might have started your estate planning process by creating a will or trust. However, the harsh reality is that approximately 70% of Americans have no form of estate plan. So by having a will or trust, you have clearly taken a step in the right direction toward preplanning your future financial wishes. The problem is this form of planning fails to accomplish the most important task, which is addressing your family’s immediate concerns. The person, or in most cases people, responsible for taking care of your final arrangements are usually forced to make extremely important decisions, as well as major financial purchases, within a small time frame... usually within 48 hours or so after your death. Of course, you cannot expect to alleviate fully the emotional and financial stresses of your loved ones during such a difficult time, but you can help them tremendously by having a plan that outlines your funeral wishes. Most financial professionals are realizing that an integral part of a sound financial and estate plan is taking care of your funeral services ahead of time. Funeral preplanning gives you the ability to choose your method of disposition, the exact types of services you want, and allows your family to focus more on things such as grieving and recovery. In addition, funeral preplanning is also a good thing for you because it allows you to make extremely important decisions through a calm and clear thought process. Emotionally, it is more likely that you will create a rational and logical end-of-life plan. When preplanning your funeral, here are several general guidelines to begin your preplanning process: • Visit various funeral homes and interview multiple funeral directors • Choose a funeral home and director where you think your family would be most comfortable • Consider bringing family members with you during this selection process • Be aware and informed of bereavement entitlements such as veterans, unions, fraternities, etc. • Consider religious and moral convictions, and discuss them with your family • Determine your method of disposition (burial, cemetery, entombment, cremation, etc.) • Plan your ceremony considering things like casket viewing, religious aspects, who should be included, etc.
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• Itemize your costs • The Federal Trade Commission offers a free funeral-planning guide titled “Caskets and Burial Vaultsâ€? (202-326-2222) which has made it easier for consumers to comparison shop. The FTC Funeral Rule requires funeral directors to give pricing information over the phone, as well as provide you with a readily available General Price List if you visit them in person. This FTC Funeral Rule also allows you to purchase caskets, which are the single largest funeral expense, from outside vendors without the threat of a carrying charge. For more information about The FTC Funeral Rule, you can visit www.ftc.gov. What About Paying For Funeral Expenses In Advance? Although planning your funeral arrangements in advance may help alleviate many of the details, prepaying (also known as prearranging) for your funeral services is a way of taking care of the actual expenses. Prepaying your funeral or cremation is one of the fastest growing, and most appreciated and accepted aspects of funeral planning. Similar to preplanning your funeral, paying your funeral expenses in advance is also becoming widely accepted by many financial professionals as a solid piece of a sound financial and estate plan. When prepaying your funeral plan, the most common and widely used strategies are savings and life insurance, mainly because they tend to be deemed the most reliable and available. However, there are several other strategies to consider when prepaying your funeral costs or expenses: Savings. Although many people choose to set aside savings to pay for funeral expenses, there are several reasons this does not always end up working out as originally planned. First, the savings can be depleted based on unexpected financial circumstances, such as health or financial issues. Second, these funds are not always readily available and liquid upon death due to the challenges and restrictions often found in estate planning. Third, the funds set aside can often be insufficient due to inflation and the rising cost of funeral expenses. Finally, it should be noted that savings are included in a part of one’s estate, and, thus, the taxable consequences can often come into play. Life Insurance. Term life insurance is widely considered a flexible, simple, and affordable way to pay for your final funeral expenses. Although term life insurance has a set term, or set number of years, it also has multiple uses in prepaying for your funeral. Because upon your death it becomes a liquid asset that is usually not part of your estate, it can be used for many things such as funeral, burial, cremation, liquidity, and many other things, including debts or obligations. In addition, there are some types of life insurance that allow the funds contributed to these policies (either in lump sum, monthly, quarterly, semi-annually, or annually) to grow and accu-
FEBRUARY/MARCH 2013
mulate as a cash value that can be accessed if necessary. Therefore, these policies cannot only be used for funeral expenses, but also for other financial planning options that may arise such as financial emergencies, college, etc. Funeral Insurance. Funeral insurance is an insurance policy that is specifically designed to cover any costs or expenses that are directly related to your funeral. If you purchase one of these policies, one of the options you have is to determine exactly which funeral costs or expenses are to be covered, such as flowers, burial plot, grave marker, and much more. Another option you have is for the policy to be paid out in a single lump sum, which can be used to cover your pre-determined costs or expenses, or simply help your loved ones financially as they plan for you. There are many insurance companies that offer funeral insurance packages, and certain funeral homes or funeral companies offer policies.
Pre-Need Trust Agreements. Another alternative to prepaying your funeral is to consider a Pre-need trust agreement to pay for your costs or expenses. These trust accounts are typically funded with monthly payments that are invested in a fund that is designed to grow over time. Although a trust account is designed to provide the potential for protection against inflation, it is not guaranteed to do so. In summary, although nobody likes to think or talk about dying, it is one of the facts of life. If you are trying to build a successful financial plan, the only way you can be sure your plan works smoothly and efficiently is to be proactive about your planning process. This is particularly true and necessary when creating a proper plan of succession, which I firmly believe should include an end-of-life plan. Article Source: http://EzineArticles. com/2297355. MSN
No More Lifelong Whittling By Saralee Perel When my husband, Bob, and I were hanging out with our friends, Kerry and Rick, we longingly reminisced about the many years we walked our dogs around nearby Eagle Pond. Then it dawned on me that we were all being insane. I’ll explain later. “Were you the mysterious stranger of the pond?” Kerry asked Bob, referring to over 20 years ago when, on every holiday (New Year’s Eve, Halloween, or Valentine’s Day), someone would place bags of biscuits decorated with ribbons for all the good dogs. Along with each display, there would be a guest book that every dog could “sign.” Bob, too shy to tell Kerry he was the stranger, shuffled his feet while I gladly boasted, “Yes! Yes!” We all stopped going to Eagle Pond. We lost our beautiful dog, Gracie. And Kerry and Rick lost their wonderful dogs Onyx and Owen. The memories made it too sad to continue to walk those glorious trails. While seeing the joy on our faces as we remembered the magical paths, I realized, “If we stop going to places that remind us of our loved ones, then we’ll eventually be shutting out one wonderful part of our lives after another. What the heck is the point of that?” Bob and I no longer eat fried clams in the small New England town of Ipswich. He grew up in that area, and with his family now gone, it has been too somber to enjoy those fried morsels dunked in the ambrosia of lemon juice and tartar sauce while we sat overlooking the exquisite marshes. I ask you, “Are we out of our minds to have stopped doing that?” Well, of course. If we keep closing doors because we allow sad memories to overtake the goodness of the times, we will be continuously whittling our lives away. On our ride back from Kerry and Rick’s house, Bob tearfully said, “I can’t go back to Eagle Pond
Birth, life and death each took place on the hidden shelf of a leaf. - Toni Morrison
because I’d feel like Gracie was right there. I’d see her looking back at me over her shoulder hoping I’ll give her the ‘It’s OK!’ sign to keep prancing through the woods.” “Sweets? Would that be a bad thing?” I replied. He thought for a long time. Then he cried. Happy tears of freedom. My sweet husband had finally opened his heart to embracing memories of Gracie, as he realized she will always be a part of the person he is today. Later Bob said, “I found that photo from 1998 when Gracie surprised me with her own holiday bag!” “Those were great times, Bob.” If we close doors because we allow sad memories to overtake the goodness of the times, we’ll continuously whittle our lives away. Hmmm. I wonder if, this coming year, a certain mysterious stranger will once again quietly tiptoe through the woods late at night when nobody will see him hanging his satchel of biscuits. Just maybe the display like a bright star in the dark woodlands will be in place for all the dogs on special days. Perhaps life will be a bit more joyous for Kerry, for Rick, for Bob, for me, and for the hundreds of travelers who will rediscover this extraordinary piece of enchantment in the forest. But especially, may life be brightened with the surprise of magic, the constancy of faith, and the spirit of renewal – for all the good dogs of Eagle Pond… and for those of us who live the memories of the good times. Saralee Perel is a nationally syndicated awardwinning columnist. Her newest book is Cracked Nuts & Sentimental Journeys: Stories From a Life Out of Balance. She can be reached at sperel@saraleeperel. com or www.saraleeperel.com. MSN
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Preventing Falls Among Older Adults Do you know someone who has fallen and broken a hip, been stranded alone on the floor, suffered a brain injury or has moved to a nursing home due to a fall injury? Falls among older adults are common but do not have to be an inevitable part of aging. The good news is that falls are often preventable by understanding and addressing common risk factors. How Big is the Problem? – Each year, one in every three adults age 65 and older falls. Many falls can be devastating in terms of pain, loss of independence, and increased risk of death. According to the Montana Hospital Association, more than 2,500 older individuals are admitted to a Montana hospital each year because of a fall and nearly 1/3 had a hip fracture. Nearly 8 out of 10 hip fractures admissions are discharged to a skilled nursing facility or in-patient rehabilitation. Additionally falls are costly. The total cost for fall-related hospital admissions between 2000-2011was $169 million with 80% of these costs paid by Medicare, but hospital charges are only the tip of the iceberg. The average Medicaid rate for a nursing home stay is $163 dollars a day and 60% of all nursing home admissions are paid by Medicaid.
How Can Older Adults Prevent Falls? Begin a regular exercise program – Exercise is one of the most important ways to reduce your chances of falling. It makes you stronger and helps you feel better. Exercises that improve balance and coordination (like Tai Chi) are the most helpful. Lack of exercise leads to weakness and increases your chances of falling. Ask your doctor or health care provider about the best type of exercise program for you. Have your health care provider review your medicines – Have your doctor or pharmacist review all the medicines you take, even overthe-counter medicines. As you get older, the way medicines work in your body can change. Some medicines, or combinations of medicines, can make you sleepy or dizzy and can cause you to fall. Have your vision checked – Have your eyes checked by an eye doctor at least once a year. You may be wearing the wrong glasses or have a condition like glaucoma or cataracts that limits your vision. Poor vision can increase your chances of falling. • Make your home safer – About half of all falls happen at home. To make your home safer: • Remove things you can trip over (like papers, books, clothes, and shoes) from stairs and places where you walk. • Remove small throw rugs or use double-sided tape to keep the rugs from slipping. • Keep items you use often in cabinets you can reach easily without using a step stool. • Have grab bars put in next to your toilet and in the tub or shower. • Use non-slip mats
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in the bathtub and on shower floors. • Improve the lighting in your home. As you get older, you need brighter lights to see well. • Hang lightweight curtains or shades to reduce glare. • Have handrails and lights put in on all staircases. • Wear shoes both inside and outside the house. Avoid going barefoot or wearing slippers. The Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS) is working with local
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communities throughout Montana to implement a community-based fall prevention program, called Stepping On, to help older Montanans learn how to reduce the risk for falls. Stepping On is a program that meets once a week for seven weeks and promotes strength and balance exercises, home safety, and other strategies to prevent falls. To learn if your community has a Stepping On program or if you are interested in learning more about fall prevention, contact the DPHHS Injury Prevention Program at 406-444-4126. MSN
Made in Montana Marketplace Draws from Across Region The Mansfield Convention Center again hosts the annual Made in Montana Marketplace – March 22-23, 2013 – the largest juried trade show of exhibitors who make products that qualify to carry the distinctive Made in Montana sticker. Toni McClue of Montana Sweetgrass Etc. in Brady understands how important the two-day trade show can be for a producer of Made in Montana products. “I am glad I did the exhibit last year – it was a huge promotion to my business!” Each March, hundreds of wholesale buyers from across the region converge at Great Falls to touch, taste, and try the products; meet the producers in 109 booths; and make deals to carry Made in Montana products in their gift shops, hotels, grocery stores, campgrounds – hundreds of businesses.
“It was a good mix,” one wholesale buyer wrote after a Marketplace. “I came away with two to three new suppliers, and probably could have done more if I’d gotten there earlier and/or needed more new inventory.” The two-day trade show is intended for sellers to exhibit for the purpose of selling product for resale. Friday is exclusively for qualified, registered wholesale buyers. Saturday is open to the public, which helps promote recognition of Made in Montana products among the public. More information is available at www.MadeInMontanaMarketplace.com and at www.Facebook. com/MadeinMontanaMarketplace or by calling 406-455-8510. MSN
Baseball is on the only field of endeavor where a man can succeed three times out of 10 and be considered a good performer. - Ted Williams
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Avoid Toxic Chemicals In Your Life Julia passed on many beautiful qualities to her daughter, Genevieve. Unfortunately, she also passed on a toxic legacy. When pregnant, a study testing Julia’s breast milk revealed high levels of PCB and DDE, chemicals that disrupt the endocrine system. At eight, Genevieve was diagnosed with Type I diabetes, an endocrine disease. Now a mother herself, Genevieve wonders what chemicals are in her body. How can she prevent history from repeating itself for her baby girl? That’s how she found Women’s Voices for the Earth (WVE). Headquartered in Missoula, WVE works to eliminate toxic chemicals that harm women’s health.
Over the last 70 years, breast cancer rates have risen from 1 in 20 to 1 in 8; girls are reaching puberty earlier; Alzheimer’s, obesity, autism, and miscarriage are rising at alarming rates. Research reveals that toxic chemical exposure is playing a role. With WVE’s support, Genevieve is raising her voice with women all across the country, demanding health-protective laws that require evaluation of chemicals before they are used in products. Toxic chemicals affect us all – now is our time to do something about it. To learn more about investing in a clean and healthy future, contact Erin Switalski at 406- 543-3747 and visit www. womensvoices.org. MSN
Butte YMCA Provides Positive Transformations 2012 was a year of powerful transition and foundation building for both The Butte Family YMCA as an organization and many of you in our great community. Hearing all of the stories of positive transformations and new experiences was a highlight of ours in 2012, and the reason we keep pushing to strengthen our resolve to carry out the very best efforts in developing youth and promoting a healthy lifestyle for our members and the community. This year we will be focused on improving fitness and swim lesson programs, continued development of Active 6, and execution of the Fritz Apostle Dream by bringing free swim
lessons to all third graders in our area, and continuing our medical exercise program specifically designed to assist seniors to maintain the highest standard of living and independence. Whatever your starting point, our mission will be to offer the information, instruction and programs to help you truly transcend your believed limitations. We cannot possibly express the gratitude we feel toward all of our dear friends in Butte. You have humbled us with your unwavering support. We look forward to seeing your happy faces grace our facilities. For additional information, contact the Butte YMCA at 2975 Washoe Street, 406-782-1266, or www.butteymca.org. MSN
Do not go where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail. - Ralph Waldo Emerson
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MONTANA SENIOR NEWS PAGE 13
Buy A Home That’s Easy To Live In By Jim Miller My husband and I are both in our 60s and are interested in changing houses to make living more practical and senior-friendly, but aren’t sure what to do. What resources can you recommend to help us figure this out? Most seniors want to live in a house hat’s easy. But being able to do so often depends on how you will get around the house if you develop physical limitations. Here are some helpful resources you can turn to, to get an idea of what types of improvements you should make that will make your home safer and more convenient as you grow older. Get Informed – A good first step in making your house senior-friendly is to do a home assessment. Go through your house, room by room as if you’ve never set foot in it before, looking for problem areas like potential tripping or slipping hazards, and areas that are hard to access. To help you with this, various organizations offer published lists of questions to ask, and things to look for to identify problems. The Fall Prevention Center of Excellence (see homemods.org), for example, offers a number of online checklists including one called “How Well Does Your Home Meet Your Needs?” that you can access directly at homeneedschecklist.org. Or, download and print off the National Caregivers Library “Home Modification Checklist” at caregiverslibrary.org – click on “Checklists & Forms,” then on “Housing” to get there. AARP also has an excellent resource called “The AARP Home Fit Guide” that provides a checklist and tips to keep your home safe and livable as you age. You can access it at homefitguide.org, or if you’re an AARP member, call 888-687-2277 and ask them to mail you a free copy. Personalized Advice – If you want more personalized help, consider getting a professional in-home assessment with an occupational therapist. An occupational therapist, or OT can evaluate the challenges and shortcomings of your home,
make modification recommendations, and refer you to products and services to help you make improvements. Ask your doctor for a referral to an OT in your area. Your local Area Agency on Aging (call the Eldercare Locator at 800-677-1116 for contact information) can also help you find nearby therapists. Many health insurance providers, including Medicare, will pay for a home assessment by an OT if prescribed by your doctor. However, they will not cover the physical upgrades to the home. Another good option is to contact a builder who’s a Certified Aging in Place Specialist. He or she can suggest ways to modify your home that will fit your needs and budget. To find one, go to the National Association of Home Builders website at nahb.org/hireacaps where you can search by state and zip code. Home Modifications Ideas – There are dozens of small, simple things you can do to make your home more user-friendly as you age, such as securing throw rugs with double-sided tape to avoid tripping, installing brighter full-spectrum bulbs in existing light fixtures to improve visibility, and adding grab bars to the bathroom for support. There are also a number of bigger more extensive projects like installing a stair-lift or elevator for multi-floor access, and replacing the tub with a walk-in shower for easier entry and exit. To get a list of more senior-friendly home improvement ideas and illustrations, see the National Aging in Place Council website at ageinplace.org – click on “Practical Advice” then on “Making Your Home Senior Friendly.” Another good resource that’s loaded with tips and universal design ideas is the “AARP Guide to Revitalizing Your Home.” It’s available in bookstores nationwide as well as online at sites like amazon.com for around $16. 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. MSN
One cannot consent to creep when one feels the impulse to soar. - Helen Keller
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Now we all sing with Willie By Bill Hall I have complained several times over the years that Willie Nelson has yet to ask me to sing with him. He has asked practically everyone else. Granted, no professional would want to inflict a voice as toxic as mine on his duets. Suffice it to say, I have terrorized several of our more unruly children into behaving themselves by threatening to sing. Willie Nelson has appeared in concert and on recordings with countless singers and they were not all gems. Willie once sang in public with President Jimmy Carter, who is to singing what Willie Nelson is to marijuana prohibition. I trouble you today with these artistic differences because Willie Nelson recently rose to the top of my bucket list. For years now, I have been aching to see Willie Nelson and Italian opera giant Lucianno Pavarotti. I can’t explain why a person would enjoy the singing of two such diverse performers. But a friend of mine thinks I’m partial to both country and opera music because I’m a storyteller and country and opera numbers have the same sad story lines. They’re both soap operas. They can both break your
heart (or “hort” if you are from Texas). Pavarotti had the misfortune of dying before I got around to hearing him in person, which is a good excuse on his part, but not on mine. I could have gone to see him sooner. My thoughtful wife, knowing of my long interest in hearing Willie live, surprised me with two tickets to his Spokane concert a while back. So we finally heard the great tunesmith sing in person. And that was such an unvarnished pleasure that it went a long way toward making me realize what an atrocity it would be for me to ever sing with Willie Nelson (though I might consider singing with Jimmy Carter if somebody needed the rodents scared out of his peanut patch). When Willie Nelson is on stage, three great gifts to music are present – an historic American song writer, one of the best guitar players in music and a singer with a unique nasal baritone warble that irritates some but absolutely delights Willieophiles. However, it is the song writing that most sets him apart. Just think of any country classic and often, it was written by or with Willie Nelson. He sang a couple dozen of those hits the other night – Crazy, Hot-Blooded Woman, Funny How Times Slips Away, To All the Girls I’ve Loved Before, You Were Always On My Mind, On The Road Again, Good Hearted Woman, Night Life, Family Bible, Bloody Mary Morning, and others. I found myself trying to decide which my favorite was, and failing to do so. Trying to settle on Willie Nelson’s best ever was as pointless as trying to decide which of your children is your favorite kid. It’s an honest sentiment to love them all. I can’t exactly say that Willie Nelson hasn’t
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aged some physically because he has. He’s 78 years old. However, it doesn’t show so much as it might because he has long been a self-designed mature musical character who looked older than he was – a white-bearded man with a wrinkled kisser and a red, white, and blue headband. But now he is beginning to look a bit younger than his actual age. Sometimes our appearance plateaus as the years pass by. But he doesn’t always act his age – in more ways than one. He has been busted again for marijuana possession. The other night, he demonstrated the level of his remorse by singing a song called, Roll Me Up And Smoke Me When I Die. And somebody probably will. There were even a few saggy, graying group-
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ies, a bit tipsy to be sure, who went to the front of the stage to make eyes at Willie. You never get so old that you aren’t a rock star to some people. During the program, he began singing lines of songs and then signaling the crowd to sing the next line, proving that we knew his lyrics and loved him still. While joining that crowd of 4,000 in in lusty song, I suddenly realized it had finally happened – I was singing with Willie Nelson! However, all the others drowned out my voice so no one was injured in the making of that music. Bill Hall may be contacted at wilberth@cableone.net or at 1012 Prospect Ave., Lewiston, ID 83501. MSN
Classic DVDs: Elvis Presley By Mark Fee If it weren’t for Elvis Presley, I may never have begun writing about film. I was a junior at South San Francisco High School in 1966. We were asked to write an essay on Macbeth and other topics, but I couldn’t understand Shakespeare. How was I going to write about Macbeth? In desperation, I wrote a review about one of Elvis’s most poignant and hilarious films, Follow That Dream (1962). The English teacher called me to the front of the room and whispered, “This isn’t Macbeth, Mark.” He shook his head and said, “But the essay is well done. I’m not going to thwart your creativity.” He gave me a B. I gulped and made my way back to my seat. Eleven years later in San Francisco, I wrote about Elvis’s tragic death for the bi-lingual newspaper, Que Pasa (1977). His loss to the music and film world was profound. Elvis’s influence came up again, when I began research on Sr. Providencia Tolan and Hill 57, at the University of Great Falls. I was told Great Falls native, Dan Cushman’s novel, Stay Away Joe was related to Hill 57. Presley’s Stay Away Joe (1968) was filmed in New Mexico and was sloppy and off the wall. Some scenes are very funny, though. Sr. Providencia wasn’t the only nun, associated with Elvis’s movies. Rev. Mother Dolores Hart, whose work was nominated for an Academy Award (2012), was featured with Elvis in Loving You (1957) and King Creole (1958). Elvis fell in love with Mary Tyler Moore, who played a nun in Change of Habit (1969). Presley was a natural comedian and given the right script and director, a fine actor. His talent was largely wasted on bland, mediocre films. He made some unforgettable turkeys, including, Double Trouble (1967) and Kissin Cousins (1964). Elvis sang Old McDonald in Double Trouble. The film was supposed to be a spy spoof. Listed below are some of my favorite Elvis classic DVD’s and a few sleepers worth watching. In King Creole (1958), Elvis plays Danny, a
disadvantaged youth with a timid father. Danny becomes involved in minor theft, but changes when he is offered a chance to sing. He becomes the singing sensation of New Orleans. Danny’s past catches up with him, when a mobster (Walter Matthau) asks him to sing at his saloon. Matthau’s moll, Carol Jones falls for Danny; so does Dolores Hart. Directed by Michael Curtiz (Casablanca, 1942), King Creole proved without a doubt that Elvis could act. He was superb as Danny. The songs are hot. King Creole was one of Matthau’s first films. Rated PG, 3 1/2 stars. Elvis plays a half Kiowa Indian, whose name is Pacer, in Don Siegel’s emotionally charged Western, Flaming Star (1960). Pacer is torn between his mother’s (Dolores Del Rio) Indian heritage and his father’s (John McIntire). Elvis commands the screen as Pacer. Director Don Siegel (Dirty Harry, 1971) was impressed with Elvis’s performance. Marlon Brando was scheduled to play the part of Pacer. Rated PG; three stars. In Viva Las Vegas (1964), Elvis was teamed with voluptuous Anne-Margaret. Elvis plays a race car specialist; Anne is a singer and dancer. Elvis has to win a race in Vegas. Veteran musical director George Sidney (Anchors Aweigh, 1944; Kiss Me Kate, 1955) wasn’t given much of a story to work with. He used his stars’ strengths to offset the script’s weakness for maximum impact. Elvis rocks; Anne sizzles. One of Elvis’s best. Rated PG; three stars. Girl Happy (1965) is one of Elvis’s funniest, silliest and most neglected films. Elvis plays a popular Chicago singer, who is hired by a mobster, to protect his precocious daughter in Fort Lauderdale. It’s spring break in Ft. Lauderdale. Elvis brings along singing buddies Gary Crosby, Joby Baker, and Jimmy Hawkins. Shelley Fabares plays the daughter. The songs are rocking and contagious. Well worth watching. NR; 2 1/2 stars. In the underrated, The Trouble with Girls (1969), Elvis plays the manager of a Chautauqua troupe. The Chautauqua was a popular education/ amusement tent show in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Elvis and the troupe’s co-manager (Marilyn Mason) are attracted to one another, but don’t get along. The plot includes a murder investigation that Elvis becomes involved in. Presley is very convincing and a complete surprise, as the manager. Mason is infectious, irritating, and funny. Rated G; 2 1/2 stars. MSN
A GREAT FALLS COMMUNITY CONCERT ASSOCIATION PRESENTATION
Saturday, February 9 • 7:30 PM Mansfield Theater Tickets available at the Mansfield Box Office 455-8514 • ticketing.greatfallsmt.net
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Where Are They Now? Jayne Meadows
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By Marshall J. Kaplan The other half of one of television’s pioneers and sister to one of television’s most memorable housewives, is currently in her 90s, still as glamorous as ever, and still loves the spotlight. Jayne Meadows was born on September 27, 1920 in Wu-chang, Heilongjiang, China. Her parents were missionaries – her father being a Reverend. Jayne was one of four children. In the early 1930s, her family returned to the United States. Jayne had to learn English, as she only spoke Chinese and other foreign languages. Being so fluent in languages, Jayne was not shy and developed the acting bug. By her early teens, Jayne began getting small roles on the New York stage. By the time she was eighteen, she had appeared in seven Broadway shows, establishing herself as a fine comedienne. And then Hollywood came calling. In 1941, Jayne was under contract. But the studio did not see her as a comedienne – they saw her as a dramatic actress. As a result, she was cast in such films as Undercurrent (1946 with Katharine Hepburn, Robert Taylor & Robert Mitchum); Song of the Thin Man (1947 with William Powell and Myrna Loy); David and Bathsheba (1951 with Gregory Peck and Susan Hayward); and The Lady in the Lake (1947 with Robert Montgomery). As Jayne’s film career began to slow in the late 1940s and early 1950s, she began appearing on television, where she met, fell in love with, and
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married, television pioneer and legend, Steve Allen. The two were television royalty, performing together on numerous shows. What was their partnership like? “Steve was very quiet, even shy. I was the gregarious one. We were not equally talented. Steve was the one who was enormously talented!� The couple remained married until Allen’s death in 2000. Coincidentally, younger sister, Audrey Meadows was also television royalty – as Alice Kramden, opposite Jackie Gleason’s Ralph Kramden on the legendary sitcom, The Honeymooners. Besides her small screen partnership with Steve, Jayne made a name for herself as a regular panelist on top game shows of the day including I’ve Got A Secret and What’s My Line? Although her husband is a TV legend, Jayne’s career is just as strong – appearing regularly as a guest start on TV shows and movies-of-the-week, up to the mid-1990s and earning five Emmy nominations. She is also an author of books and newspaper columns. Jayne’s joy of life has been infectious. She resides in Encino, California in the same home that she and Steve shared. Jayne is still glamorous and can be seen attending festivals and galas. Speaking of I’ve Got A Secret, I asked Jayne if there any secret to life? She answered, “There is only one secret. Love what you are doing!� MSN
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Have Fun And Help Gallatin County Fairgrounds The Gallatin County Fairgrounds has been an integral part of Bozeman Montana and the surrounding communities since 1903. It has been the home of Fairs, Festivals, Montana State University and High School Football and Baseball games, Cattle Shows, and Horse and Automobile racing. Montana Winter Fair has been held on the grounds for 54 years. The Wild West WinterFest (February 16-17) is one of two signature events (Summer Fair is the second) produced and promoted by the Fair Board, staff, and enthusiastic volunteers that serve as fundraisers for the Fairgrounds to make the Fairgrounds available year round and to make many needed improvements. Approximately one-third of the Fairgrounds’ annual budget comes from
taxpayer dollars, the remainder must be generated by the Fairgrounds through these Signature Events and user fees. The Fair and WinterFest provide wholesome, family entertainment in a fun and festive Montana style. This year we will be running the 1st Fairgrounds History Social during the WWWF. We are asking everyone to bring old photos, newspaper clippings, ribbons, and other mementoes to help us build our history archives. Those attending are guaranteed to have a wonderful time, create new memories, and learn about our unique community. We hope you will attend the Wild West WinterFest this year! We will do all we can to make your involvement a positive experience. As always, we appreciate your support! MSN
Can You Recall Your Favorite Childhood River Memory? Maybe it was the first time you turned over a rock and saw a tadpole or crayfish. Maybe it was the day you caught your first trout or the first time you saw a bald eagle. Whatever the occasion, we should all be thankful for that initial experience with flowing water, for many people live their whole lives without ever knowing a river. That is our mission at Watershed Education Network (WEN): to provide river memories and experiences for kids who might not otherwise meet with those special moments. We get young people out of the classroom, into the field, and on the water, where they learn the science behind aquatic ecosystems first-hand.
But none of this would be possible without the support of people like you. It is only through our members and volunteers that we can fulfill this important mission: educating our children. We are growing and we need your support now more than ever. That is why we are asking you to get involved today. Support us through a membership or volunteer to lead a field trip to a stream near you. Together, we can continue building the next generation of watershed stewards. For more information, call us at 406-541-9287 or visit www.montanawatershed.org. MSN
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Working together. We think that’s the key to better health care for you and your family. And now the doctors and specialists at Billings Clinic and Mayo Clinic are joining forces. We will work together to resolve your hard-to-solve medical problems and to find better answers. For you that means peace of mind, and access to the finest medical knowledge available. Right here at home. Billings Clinic and Mayo Clinic. Working together. Working for you.
To find out more, visit www.billingsclinic.com/mayo
FEBRUARY/MARCH 2013
MONTANA SENIOR NEWS PAGE 19
Take A Spin Into History And Hot Springs With Adventure Cycling By Gail Jokerst Photo Courtesy of Adventure Cycling With a motto like, “to inspire and empower people to travel by bicycle” it’s no wonder Adventure Cycling (AC) offers bicycle tours to suit every ability. Based in Missoula, AC is the largest nonprofit cycle touring organization in North America. Since its beginnings in 1976, when AC arranged a bicentennial ride from Oregon to Virginia for over 3,000 participants, it has drawn cyclists from around the globe to pedal across some of our nation’s most majestic vistas. For bicycle aficionados intrigued by intimate glimpses of Montana and Idaho, AC offers two fully supported tours each summer. Both feature spectacular views of countryside from the saddle of a Trek or Schwinn two-wheeler and both take about a week to complete. They include catered meals, luggage shuttling, and reserved campground sites. In addition, AC provides a “sweep rider” to assist cyclists when help is needed plus a roving mechanic. With the parts arsenal lodged in his fully equipped van, the mechanic can tackle emergencies of any magnitude. And that’s just the beginning of the services on which AC has built its well-deserved international reputation. “Idaho Relaxed is the less challenging of the two tours and has been offered for the past eight years. You don’t have to be a strong cyclist to do it. As long as you’re physically active you can make these miles,” says Arlen Hall, AC’s Tours Director. “It covers around 125 miles with participants averaging 25 miles a day. We wanted to engage as many beginners as possible so we designed this as an easy tour. Since there are activities along
the way such as ice cream stops and swimming, it’s also a great trip to take with teens.” Riding past lush wetlands, lakes, meadows, and forests makes Idaho Relaxed especially enticing for novices or for experienced cyclists seeking a mellow tour. And because the route follows bike trails and old railroad beds, it is traffic free. Participants never have to share the road with cars or trucks. Nor do they have to deal with steep inclines or mountain passes as these routes meander across gentle terrain. Riders begin with the Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes in the Silver Valley of Idaho, which follows an old Union Pacific Railroad bed to Plummer, Idaho near the Washington border. The second half of the tour traverses the Route of the Hiawatha with its memorable railroad tunnels and trestles. Cycle Montana, AC’s other local multi-day tour, has attracted accomplished cyclists for 15 years. It qualifies as an intermediate-plus level expedition. This ride into history and hot springs starts in Missoula then moves on to the Bitterroot and Big Hole valleys. Next, riders pedal along the Pioneer Mountains Scenic Byway towards the Flint Creek and Blackfoot valleys. “With five mountain passes to cross and 410 miles to cover in eight days, this is not an easy tour. Averaging 60 miles daily is not for novices but it is good for those who like to push themselves and enjoy a challenge,”
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observes Arlen. “It’s a great way to stretch yourself.� He has found that while the age range of participants spans from 21 to 75, men age 55 and over – most of whom are retired – comprise the largest demographic. Some 20 percent of the riders on each tour are repeats who can’t resist coming back for more. “Cycling and a healthy life style go together. So these tours attract people who want to stay healthy. Cycling is good for developing lower body strength,� adds Arlen. “It’s a non-weight bearing activity. There is no extra strain on your body but you do have to build stamina by riding more not necessarily by riding faster.� While plenty of differences exist between these two tours, you will also find similarities. “You can ride at 8 miles per hour or 20 miles per hour. But you have to finish that day’s t ride id every ride by 6:00 o’clock. If you don’t wantt to mile of either route, you don’t have to,� explains Arlen. “You can always get picked up by the van at any rest stop along the way.� He estimates that about half of the participants arrive solo and the other half show up with a spouse or partner. The cyclists soon find others who pedal at the same pace and ride together. But they also tend to share a group consciousness. That means they watch out for one another and take turns keeping the slower riders company. “People meet people that also like cycling. Many new friendships and even some romances result from these tours,� says Arlen. “I’ve seen people meet and come back for other tours. Sometimes sharing the same tent.� Since Cycle Montana can accommodate as many as 75 riders and Idaho Relaxed up to 40,
AC has found that camping is the only affordable way to quarter those kinds of numbers in remote country. However, participants who prefer to sleep one or all nights in a motel, if available, can pay to do so. For the 90 percent of the riders who camp, it doesn’t mean they miss life’s luxuries. If no showers are available at the campground, AC brings in a shower van. And all the catered meals are tailored to meet the culinary tastes of each group as well as any specific dietary requirements. As Arlen recalls, before one tour started a man noted on his application that spinach was the only vegetable he could eat. AC’s caterer was up for the challenge. Just for him, she sautĂŠed fresh spinach with different spices nightly or tossed together a spinach salad. “I’m sure he was very generous to the caterer when he tipped her at the end of the tour,â€? says Arlen. Though the sign-ups for both tours opens in October, their rosters don’t tend to fill until about two months before the tours are slated to begin. This year, Cycle Montana runs from June 22 to 29 and Idaho Relaxed runs from July 14 to 19. Both tours typically reach capacity, though Cycle Montana often fills first and generates a waiting list. So, if you have ever contemplated pedaling your way through Big Sky country or the Gem State, get ready to strap on your helmet. This just might be the year to take a spin into cycling paradise. To learn more about Cycle Montana and Idaho Relaxed or other types of tours and services AC offers, visit www.adventurecycling.org/tours or call 800-755-2453. MSN
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MONTANA SENIOR NEWS PAGE 21
Following The Less-Traveled Path: World-Class Adventurer Jon Turk By Gail Jokerst “Two roads diverged in a wood, and I — I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference.” – Robert Frost Considering that Jon Turk trained as a research organic chemist but chose instead to become a professional adventurer and storyteller, these famous lines seem especially relevant despite their being written in 1916. “From an early age, I was drawn to wild places but it was expected that I’d become a professional scientist, like my parents,” says Jon, who was named in 2012 as one of National Geographic’s Top Ten Adventurers of the Year. Jon received this recognition for completing the first circumnavigation of Canada’s Ellesmere Island. For his 27-year-old paddling partner, Erik Boomer, it was an incredible feat. But it was an even more extraordinary triumph for Jon, who is Eric’s senior by 39 years. The 1,485-mile circumnavigation took them 104 days on skis, in kayaks, and on foot. Aside from dealing with unpredictable polar bears and treacherous winds, the twosome also had to pull 220-pound fully loaded kayaks 800 miles across ice. This Arctic expedition capped off a career for Jon that many dream about but few pursue and even fewer succeed at accomplishing. “Each person has an inner path that makes them happy. It’s an individual path. All paths are different. You have to listen to your inner voice and sort them out,” says Jon, who makes his home in Darby, MT and Fernie, B.C. when he’s not
climbing Asian mountains or skiing down Bolivian volcanoes. “We all have expectations coming at us. The way we manage the struggle defines if we’ll be happy. We have the choice: to live magically or chained to technology.” Originally from Connecticut, Jon moved to Montana three times and finally settled here in 1984. Initially, he wrote scientific college textbooks (25 total) to earn his living and support his yen for wilderness exploits. Eventually, though, Jon acquired corporate sponsors. That gave him more freedom to travel to more places and enabled him to write about his travels instead of test-tube experiments. “The combination of landscape and people brought me here each time. It’s a wild landscape with lots of opportunity to interact with unpopulated natural environments. The people are friendly,” observes Jon. “We have divisive political views but on a one-on-one basis, it’s an extraordinarily warm open place. There’s a special combination of community and individuality here.” Reflecting back on his decades as an explorer, Jon can count among his numerous achievements: the first ascent of China’s Lamo-she Peak, kayak passage around Cape Horn, mountain biking across the Gobi Desert of Mongolia, big-wall ascents on Baffin Island, as well as paddling a kayak 3,000 miles from Japan to Alaska. And that is just the short list. Growing up, Jon loved to read adventure books. Classics such as We by Charles Lindbergh, Alone: The Classic Polar Adventure by Admiral
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PAGE 22 MONTANA SENIOR NEWS
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and embarked on his first wilderness adventure. In spite of the hardships, he was smitten. “I bought a beat-up canoe for $40 and took my 12-year-old brother with me. We paddled the Allagash River system, which goes from Mt. Katahdin in Maine to the Canadian border. We were gone three weeks and had no tent. We brought fishing poles but didn’t buy a fishing license so a game warden took them. Then we ACCESS ran out of food,” recalls Jon. ABILITY “On every trip you engage in a certain level of suffering. SufSOLUTIONS, INC. fering hurts but it takes you to a wondrous space where everything is cleaned away 235 Kurtz LanH Hamilton – all the frills are removed. 406-363-9780 877-396-2559 The wilderness teaches us to find an inner space that goes beyond the commotion t )PNF &MFWBUPST of Western civilization.” Of all his adventures, Jon’s Siberian expeditions t *ODMJOF 1MBUGPSN -JGUT have left the deepest imprint on him. His book, The Raven’s Gift, tells of how he t 7FSUJDBM 1MBUGPSN -JGUT came to reside for most of the time between 1999 and 2005 with an aboriginal group of t 4UBJSXBZ $IBJS -JGUT former reindeer herders, the Koryaks. And it tells, most importantly for Jon, how one Koryak, an elderly www.aasimontana.com shaman, healed him of a painful pelvic disorder resulting from a skiing accident. That healing Access Ability Solutions, Inc. changed his life course yet again. Licensed Montana Elevator Contractor Part history, adventure, anthropology, and good old-fashioned story-telling, The Raven’s Gift chronicles how Jon and his Russian paddling comMax Johnson Licensed Montana Elevator Mechanic panion, Misha, ended up in the Siberian village of Vyvenka and how Jon later returned with his wife to learn more about – and from – these hospitable people. High-quality orthopedic surgery “Misha and I were trying to get to Alaska before winter when the ice You don’t have to travel far to would freeze. We were get quality care when you’re paddling past Vyvenka suffering from a sports injury or when a storm blew us to need a total joint replacement. shore,” remembers Jon. Michael Righetti has over 20 To his surprise, a woman
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awaited them on the shore. “Jon and Misha, it is good to see you. We were expecting you,” she told the two men, who had no clue who she was. “Grandmother created the storm. She wants to talk to you.” As it turned out, grandmother was Moolynaut, a spiritual healer who said to Jon during his first visit, “Please come back. It will be good for you.” After Jon returned to Vyvenka a second time, Moolynaut told him that he must believe and if he did, she could heal him. “Aboriginal wisdom is relevant to us in North America. It teaches us the importance of our human connectivity to our natural environment. That makes us feel whole and peaceful,” says Jon. “Magical things are happening around us all the time. We must see the wonder and run with it. Recognize the inspiration and let it take us over.” In an unusual turn of events, a modern-dance choreographer living in Massachusetts, Jody Weber, happened to buy a copy of The Raven’s Gift. Inspired by reading about what happens when a Western man of science encounters something he thinks cannot happen, Jody contacted Jon. “The story was interesting, the way Western civilization has taken over everything. So much wisdom and knowledge have been pushed underground because of that,” says Jody. “How people have survived in such a harsh climate shows what is possible when living in a bold way and paying attention to the earth and what it’s telling us.” “She asked if I’d like to share my message through a joint storytelling-dance performance,” relates Jon, who immediately saw the possibilities of melding these two artistic mediums. The first performance of Synchronicity & the Sacred Space, which Jon takes part in, was held in Boston a year and a half ago. Since then, it has been performed in Alaska, California, and the Northern Rockies. “So far, the response has been great,” says Jody, who took the spirit of what happened to Jon and created the dance. She tells her story through movement while Jon speaks his through words. “It’s a conversation about something larger than ourselves. People want to hear and talk about the message. I hope it will touch people and open our communication with the natural world and older wisdoms
Dizziness wasn’t planned for my workout this morning. Glad I talked to Community’s Nurse on Call. Now, anytime you’re faced with a troubling medical symptom, we’ll put you in the fast lane to easing your mind. Community Medical Center’s new 24-7 Nurse on Call telephone service will give you the answers you need to give you peace of mind. Call us. Our registered nurses will help determine if your symptoms require emergency care or whether they’re issues that can be handled by your primary care provider tomorrow. We are your local, trusted resource to check symptoms fast, without having to look elsewhere. Call us at 406-327-4770. For the level of care you need, when you need it, of course it’s Community. Community Medical Center is an independent, local, non-profit hospital.
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that we’ve ignored. We need to remember what these cultures have to teach us,� says Jody. “Chemistry is important but there’s more. We have to let go of the arrogance that we know how to manage the world and pay attention to see what’s
MONTANA SENIOR NEWS PAGE 23
working or not and make the needed changes.� For more information, visit www.jonturk.net or email jon@jonturk.net. You can also visit www. weberdance.com or email weberdance@rcn.com. MSN
Burns Street Commons One-Bedroom Homes If you are looking for a new place to call home in Missoula, you will want to look at Burns Street Commons. Designed with energy efficiency and comfort in mind, each snug home has energy star windows, super insulation, and a 96-percentefficient central boiler heating system. All one-bedroom homes are ground floor and fully accessible. Inside, warm hued Marmoleum™ resilient flooring covers bathrooms and kitchens with FLOR™ carpet tiles throughout the remainder of the homes. Kitchens are equipped with Kenmore refrigerators, stoves, and Energy Star™ dishwashers. Each home has its own laundry area with hookups provided. Outside landscaped areas and other exte-
rior maintenance (including snow removal) are handled by professionals and are included in the low monthly HOA fee. Burns Street Commons is directly next door to a neighborhood grocery store and a sunny cafĂŠ that opens early and serves meals made from scratch. The homes are one block from a city bus stop. You must income qualify to purchase one of these cozy homes at Burns Street Commons at the $79,000 price (HOA fees $60, average utility bill: $98). Down payment assistance may be available. To learn more, contact Jerry at 406829-8414. MSN
The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute At The University Of Montana (MOLLI) Affectionately known as MOLLI, the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at The University of Montana offers a wide variety of educational programs and social opportunities that promote the lifelong learning and personal growth of older adults (+50). During the fall, winter, and spring terms, the MOLLI program, in partnership with The School of Extended & Lifelong Learning, offers a diverse collection of non-credit, short courses, as well as special member events and community activities. MOLLI courses are open to the public, but membership is required. A treasured Missoula resource, MOLLI courses are taught by distinguished UM faculty, emeritus faculty, and other professionals and are made accessible to community members Adults from all backgrounds and levels of education are welcome to enjoy programs covering the Humanities, Natural and Social Sciences, Fine Arts, and Current Political Affairs. MOLLI welcomes all +50 individuals who are curious and love to learn to become members It is truly learning for learning’s sake – no exams, no grades, just fun Spring Term is April 11 through May 17 Registration opens soon Learn more or register online at www.umt.edu/molli. MSN
Preserving The Heritage Of The Bitter Root Valley The Ravalli County Museum, once the Ravalli County Courthouse, is a cultural hub in the Bitter Root Valley. Supported primarily by the local community, the Museum offers a diverse array of events, programming, and exhibits for visitors. Some events have been taking place annually for the past 34 years and are highly anticipated, not only by the locals, but also by people coming in from outside of the area just to participate. The building boasts nine exhibit rooms where both permanent displays and rotat-
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ing exhibits are shown. Yearly, the Museum is visited by thousands of people of all ages. The Ravalli County Museum has a mission to acquire, preserve, protect, and interpret the historical and cultural heritage of the Bitter Root Valley and its people. This valuable asset is widely utilized for a variety of projects. What’s your pleasure? Elegant music and hors d’oeuvres? How about fascinating, educational,
and historical information? Beautiful works of art? How about a ghostly experience following the sweet tang of fresh made-from-scratch apple pie? All, and more, are found there. For more information on activities that are sure to liven up your year, check the Museum website at www.brvhsmuseum.org or call 406.363.3338. MSN
Missoula United Way Touches Thousands Of Lives Imagine that one charitable donation could touch thousands of lives, providing food, shelter, health care, counseling, and hope to vulnerable children, families, and individuals throughout the year. A single gift to United Way of Missoula County does just that. It puts food on the tables of homebound seniors and hungry families; provides caring mentors and safe activities for kids after school; shelters women and children fleeing domestic violence; screens low-income women for breast and cervical cancer; helps the next generation stay and succeed in school; takes care of children whose families can’t or won’t care for them – and the list goes on. United Way supports dozens of carefully
screened, regularly evaluated programs in Missoula and Ravalli counties that change and save lives every day. United Way also builds a better, stronger, healthier community through our leadership involvement in three community coalitions: Graduation Matters Missoula; Let’s Move! Missoula; and Reaching Home – Missoula’s 10-Year Plan to End Homelessness. We know that we all benefit when a child succeeds in school; when families have a roof over their heads; and when `U_`\ U QbU healthy. One gift to United Way of Missoula County touches thousands of lives. Please make yours today. Call 406-549-6104 or visit www.missoulaunitedway.org for more information. MSN
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MONTANA SENIOR NEWS PAGE 25
Vince Werner Recalls Hectic Pace of World War II seats again as we were exiting the far side. When By Liz and Craig Larcom You could call Vince Werner in April 1944 a the crew still couldn’t see the top of the thunderman on a mission, a man determined to rack up head after the plane went up to 28,000 feet, pilot 50 sortie credits and get back to the States in one Charles J. Schlegel commanded a return to the Bahamas for the night. piece to marry June Devine. Later in the trip, knowing But when the 21-year-old that many crews didn’t even Werner arrived in Italy, ready survive the trip across the for combat as the newlyAtlantic, newly-trained Wertrained navigator of a B-17 ner carefully navigated the heavy bomber, this outcome plane across the trackless was not at all assured. If the Amazon basin, and directed assignment to the Second an 11 1/2 hour flight across Bomb Group which had lost the trackless ocean, from 45 B-17s and 450 crew memNatal, Brazil to Dakar, the bers in three months didn’t westernmost city in Africa. intimidate him, an introduction If the men relaxed then, it to the pilot of the sole survivwas too soon. Encountering ing plane for two recent misbad weather over Sicily, ensions got his attention. gine trouble forced the crew No wonder when Werner to land at a British-held base reflects on his World War II in Sicily for two days. days today, the 90-year-old In the days of combat Missoula man declares, “All I ahead, they would limp back can say is that our particular to base with an inoperable crew members were blessed. engine on their four-engine There wasn’t a purple heart in the bunch, which is a miracle. Vince Werner of Missoula holds art aircraft more than once. We all came back alive and work of the B-17 he rode in as a pas- The Flying Fortress, as the well.� He notes that this was senger in June 2009. The flight was B-17 was dubbed, earned during a period when crew a reminder of the many hours he its name in part for its exlosses were in the 40 to 50 spent as a navigator in B-17s dur- ceptional ability to get back ing World War II. [Photo Courtesy of to base in spite of heavy percent range. damage, and even more so Outcome notwithstanding, Vince Werner] for the many guns it carried. Werner’s stint as a navigator “It had 12 gun positions. It was totally protected. in Europe still included plenty of adventure. Just getting the brand-spanking new B-17 from Front, top, belly, waist and tail. But of course, you Florida to Italy bred tension the first day, when the understand the nose protection was not great,� plane entered a thunderstorm in the Bermuda Tri- Werner says. “You were flying along at airspeed of angle. “We were glued to our seats as the updraft maybe 250, and a fighter might be coming at you pushed us up to over 20,000 feet, and then the at a speed of 450, and that meant closing at 700 down draft phase when all loose objects floated miles per hour. There were only seconds that you about like birds of the air. Then we were glued to could fire a gun up in front, and if they could put
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themselves between the sun and you that would be the desirable way to approach you.” Flak was even worse and, according to Werner, “very disturbingly accurate.” Under clear conditions, the enemy could aim these exploding shells
true, and any aluminum chaff the crew tossed out had minimal effect. Werner didn’t get the gentle introduction to combat that the new crews preferred. With navigators in short supply, he flew often, and often with different crews, from the day after he arrived. “We had a real baptism of fire,” he says. In his time at Foggia Italy, Werner navigated B-17s that reached France, Germany, Austria, Hungary, Rumania, Bulgaria, and Greece. On a typical day, Werner arose at 5 a.m., started engines at 7:30, flew out on a sortie that could last 8 hours, reported damage to the ground crew, debriefed at 5:15, and dined at 6 p.m. The fellows on the ground crews had full days, too. Flak damage and breakdowns saw to that. “You would get back at 4 o’clock in the afternoon and the crews would work until after maybe midnight or on into the morning repairing or doing what they must to the planes, to see that they were operational the next morning. So the ground crews are most unheralded and they are what made the mission possible,” Werner says. Evenings, brief on account of the early schedule, included writing to June, and perhaps attendance at Mass. June herself wrote daily, but the letters arrived in bunches. Werner also kept notes for himself. On his third day of flying he wrote, “Ploesti – the name we all dreaded ‘appeared’ at our target briefing – its rail or marshaling yards.” He went on to add, “No losses in 2nd Bomb Group.” The underscored “No” in his notes reflect his surprise. Usually a hornet’s nest of enemy fighters protected this critical oil storage and refining hub in Rumania, ravaging the bombers. “Three double sorties in as many days. We’ll be finished with my missions in 25 days at that rate. Wow! Am I kiddin’ - don’t I wish. Maybe 150 days, or better yet 100. Two sortie credit,” Werner exults. (When targets were this far from base, the single trip out and back counted as two sorties.) Bad weather would ensure that Werner didn’t keep up this blistering pace, but he blew through
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his requirement in just 98 days, the fastest of any in his original crew. In fact, he tallied 51 sorties because the last one, his fifth trip to Ploesti, counted double. A pleasant surprise in the last days of his tour was the arrival of Tuskegee airmen in their P-51s. At last the bombers could enjoy the protection of fighters all the way to their farthest targets. “Boy, when those red tails, P-51s came, and escorted us all the way to the target, that was wonderful!” Werner recalls. Returning to the U.S. by ship, Werner sped to June’s side, sweltering in his woolens as he married her 68 years ago. What else could he do when the military lost his luggage? But Werner’s contact with his flying team hadn’t finished. Seven children and an architectural career later, Werner reconnected with his B-17 crew for a fiftieth-year reunion in 1995. Radio operator Bill Weckel instigated the effort to bring the gang together, sending hand-written letters to each of the crew members. Because he only had the addresses from 50 years ago, it was a long shot, but engineer James “Rusty” Rust, had not moved. He had kept in touch with Werner. For the next nine months Weckel and Werner sniffed around until they could finally account for all crew members. Four had passed on, and health held one back, but the remaining eight reunited for the Second Bomb Group Association Convention. Now Werner alone remains of the 13 crew members and their replacements. Learning of the passing of the other final two left him shaken in 2010, but he concludes he must yet have things to do. Ever a man with a project, that included taking online exams to earn a Master’s Degree in Architecture from Montana State University in 2010, stepping up from his bachelor’s degree. Currently, he works on a memoir. He also enjoys traveling with June. His life is so full, he says, “There just aren’t enough hours in the day. We run out of time.” MSN
• The Senior Van provides transportation for people over 60 and to persons with disabilities. • Wheel chair, scooter and walker accessible. • Hours of operation are Monday through Friday from 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM, Saturdays 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM. • Reservations are required. • Call 721-2848 to sign up and to schedule your ride. • Curb-to-curb service is $1.50 per ride, each way. • All buses are ADA accessible. www.mountainline.com
721-2848
FEBRUARY/MARCH 2013
MONTANA SENIOR NEWS PAGE 27
Linchpin For Missoula’s Book-Loving Community - contintued from cover of readers and know most of the people who come in,” says Barbara Theroux, who founded the downtown store in 1986. Thanks to her passion and commitment, Fact & Fiction has earned a reputation as a welcoming venue to hold book discussions, meet authors, and hear readings. It is where Missoulians go when they want to find Montana-related books or esoteric travel titles as well as Caldecott Medal, Pulitzer Prize, and PEN/ Faulkner Award winners. Through her citywide outreach efforts, this former school librarian has developed a following of loyal customers. Fact & Fiction supports First Night, Montana Public Radio, area private and public schools and libraries, plus events such as the International Chorale Festival. And that merely introduces the short list. In addition, Barbara’s dedicated involvement with Montana Festival of the Book and the Montana Book Award has made both the store and the Garden City better known. According to Barbara, Fact & Fiction owes much of its success to the University of Montana (UM) and the students and professors it attracts. UM has a 93-year history of bringing writers and readers to Missoula through its Creative Writing Program. “People come to study writing and often stay because they like the lifestyle,” she observes. Through the years, Barbara has sold countless books to those students as well as to the authors who have taught them. Previously the book buyer for UM’s bookstore, which also has a Fact & Fiction section, Barbara discovered early on that authors and professors needed a break from the academic scene and campus bookstore. That, along with her book-selling intuition about Missoula’s reading population, impelled her to start her own downtown bookstore. “Professors would escape the office and come to the downtown store to browse,” she remembers. “I think they and the general public also wanted to
support a woman and a local business.” Missoula’s role as a retirement destination and commercial hub for five valleys has also contributed to Fact & Fiction’s stability. “There are major employers here. Lots of legal, medical, and accounting professionals work in the area. Another blessing we have is the people who retire here so they can experience a mix of culture including music, theater, and lectures. They are very definitely readers,” says Barbara. “Many of them find out about new books through listening to public radio or by reading reviews in The New York Times. All together, this is an educated sophisticated group of people, a wise reading community with money to spend on books.” “We won’t beat Amazon on price so we carry less of the big-name authors like Danielle Steele and John Grisham. We’ve lost that market because of heavy discounts. But we carry more Montana authors,” explains Barbara, “and tourists come in looking for Montana authors and history.” Because Fact & Fiction carries so many Treasure State authors, they tag books throughout the store that are written by or about Montana, which makes them easy to spot. Asked if there are titles customers won’t find on the store’s shelves, Barbara replies, “I don’t carry what won’t sell.” While she may not personally agree with various writers’ stances on religion, politics, or art, Barbara will still stock them if customers request those books. “I’d like to think I’m open-minded enough to be an advocate for the first amendment. It’s important to carry a variety of genres. Reading develops the imagination. It opens the world to anybody and takes you places,” adds Barbara, who relies on the diverse literary tastes of her three co-workers for suggestions of new titles and authors to stock. It seems especially fitting that Barbara has a wealth of idiosyncratic book-selling stories to relate. She tells of a Louisiana law firm that ordered
150 signed copies of a Dave Robicheaux mystery to give to clients one Christmas. The book series’ author, James Lee Burke, was a sought-after writing professor at UM. He still returns to Fact & Fiction – about the only setting where he will now do this – to read to audiences from his latest bestseller. Barbara also enjoys sharing how a neighborhood bar kept ordering cartons of The Last Best Place to sell to customers along with their libations when the popular Montana anthology came out. “Before we had our party to celebrate the debut, the print version of The Last Best Place was gone,” recalls Barbara. “We sold 500 copies in less than a month.” When one of the anthology’s contributors, Richard Ford, showed up for the book signing, Barbara said, “He took five steps inside the door and stayed there for hours autographing books.” As for the future of independent bookstores, Barbara expects a better outcome than what moviegoers saw in You’ve Got Mail. “Things are coming back around for independents,” she says. “People are becoming more conscious of shopping local.” Her advice to any independent bookstore would follow her own path to making Fact & Fiction a Missoula landmark. “You have to be a reader to be a successful bookseller. Or, you have to be savvy enough to read the reviews and talk to people who have read the books. A smart manager hires people who have a passion for books and expertise in different areas. You can teach people a business background but you can’t teach people books. Fortunately,” she adds, “I was in the right place at the right time to get established. I still love what I do and am glad I have the opportunity to continue to do this.” Fact & Fiction is located at 220 N. Higgins, 406-721-2881 and inside the Bookstore at the University of Montana, 406-243-1234. Visit www. factandfictionbooks.com for more information. MSN
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PAGE 28 MONTANA SENIOR NEWS
FEBRUARY/MARCH 2013
Joining Forces And Faiths To Help The Homeless: Missoula’s Family Promise Article By Gail Jokerst Photo By B. James Jokerst Imagine for a moment that you were laid off from work and have zero savings. The rent is due and your unemployment check will not cover it. You have two young children, no family in the area, and no immediate job prospects. What do you do? Well, if you reside in Missoula, one thing you won’t do is find yourself out on the street or living in your car. Not if Family Promise can help it. A unique and effective interfaith partnership, Family Promise brings together people of various religious backgrounds to help homeless families. Their conviction is, “If you can strengthen one family you can strengthen a nation.” Together, Missoulians of the Mormon, Catholic, Jewish, Protestant, and Quaker faiths have embraced this idea, joining forces and faiths to assist those in need of food, shelter, and employment. Twelve host congregations in Missoula currently offer a safety net by taking turns at temporarily housing these families in the buildings where they worship. Since it takes fifty volunteers weekly to provide the necessary meals, transportation,
laundry, and housekeeping services, this is accomplished one week at a time with assistance from 13 smaller support congregations. “There is an ecumenical spirit behind this. We couldn’t do it without the synergy of the whole because it requires the larger group to make
things work,” says Barbara Blanchard, the Family Promise coordinator for Missoula’s First United Methodist Church. “A core group researched the organization and Family Promise provided the
template to start a network. It took two years to convince our local congregations to move ahead and then apply for non-profit status.” “To get 25 churches to agree on anything is challenging,” adds her husband, Pat Mahoney, who was reluctant to get involved when he initially heard about the program. But as Pat learned more, his apprehension vanished. “It was the right thing to do and we had the resources in our congregation to do it.” Family Promise started in New Jersey during the 1980s with one woman’s vision. Karen Olson suspected the religious community would share her concerns about homeless families. And she was right. They found they could accomplish more by working together than they could alone. Their experiment succeeded and word spread. Gradually congregations in other communities followed Karen’s model and took up the challenge. Today 160,000 volunteers from 6,000 congregations in 41 states participate in Family Promise programs. In Montana, Family Promise affiliates also carry on this work in Billings, Bozeman, and Helena. So far, over (Continued on page 73)
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PAGE 34 MONTANA SENIOR NEWS
FEBRUARY/MARCH 2013
Church Ladies With Typewriters Are At It Again! The pastor would appreciate it if the ladies of the Congregation would lend him their electric girdles for the pancake breakfast next Sunday. Low Self Esteem Support Group will meet Thursday at 7 PM. Please use the back door.
The eighth-graders will be presenting Shakespeare’s Hamlet in the Church basement, Friday at 7 PM. The congregation is invited to attend this tragedy. MSN
FEBRUARY/MARCH 2013
MONTANA SENIOR NEWS PAGE 35
These are soooo.... punny I changed my i Pod name to Titanic. It’s syncing now. When chemists die, they barium. Jokes about German sausage are the wurst. A soldier who survived mustard gas and pepper spray is now a seasoned veteran
How does Moses make his tea? Hebrews it. I stayed up all night to see where the sun went. Than it dawned on me. This girl said she recognized me from the vegetarian club, but I’d never met herbivore.
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We know a good Montana story when we hear one.
For more than 40 years, Montana Magazine has been publishing the kinds of stories and photos that really matter to Montanans and those who love the Treasure State from afar. Thanks to those of you who have been with us all these years. And to those who are ready try Montana Magazine for the ďŹ rst time, welcome.
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FEBRUARY/MARCH 2013
I’m reading a book about anti-gravity. I can’t put it down. They told me I had type A blood, but it was a Type-O. A dyslexic man walks into a bra...
Headline: Energizer bunny arrested – charged with battery Did you hear about the cross-eyed teacher who lost her job because she couldn’t control her pupils?
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MONTANA SENIOR NEWS PAGE 37
FEBRUARY/MARCH 2013
BILLINGS
SENIOR LIVING GUIDE
MONTANA SENIOR NEWS PAGE 39
Brought ught to you by
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Introducing
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S
erving the Billings community since 1969, The Goodman Group manages several senior housing and care providers in Billings, Montana that employ over 500 individuals and serve over 450 seniors every day. The managed communities include Westpark Village, a senior living community, Valley Health Care Center and Billings Health & Rehabilitation Community, long term care communities and Innovative Rehabilitation, a therapy services provider. We are excited to announce a significant enhancement to their services available in 2013. First, there will be a new addition to this circle of providers, Generations Home Care, a private duty in-home care and companion service. Second, and most exciting, we are uniting their extensive array of services under one umbrella of experience to create the Generations Health Network.
The Generations Health Network is designed to offer a broad continuum of care where all of an individual’s needs can be met through private duty home care, retirement and assisted living, short-term rehabilitation, long-term care, respite stays, memory care, and end of life care. Generations Health Network focuses on the whole person, their lifestyle needs, medical conditions and care, offering personalized services in the environment of their choice. Tina Vauthier, Executive Director of Westpark Village and Generations Health Network provider, is very excited about this joint venture. She says, “Families that we provide services and care for become our family too. By building a bridge from service to service within our organization, we can ensure continuity of care and enhance that family connectedness.” For more information on Generations Health Network please visit www.GenerationsHealthNetwork.com.
Our Generations Health Network providers:
Generations Home Care™ Private Duty Care • Companion Services Coming in 2013
Westpark Village Retirement Living • Assisted Living Pearl Garden® Memory Care • Respite Care
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PAGE 38 MONTANA SENIOR NEWS
FEBRUARY/MARCH 2013
Burned Biscuits Author unknown Submitted by Julie Hollar-Brantley When I was a kid, Mom liked to make breakfast food for dinner every now and then. I remember one night in particular when she had made breakfast after a long, hard day at work. On that evening so long ago, Mom placed a plate of eggs, sausage, and extremely burned biscuits in front of Dad. I remember waiting to see if anyone noticed! All Dad did was reach for his biscuit, smile at Mom and ask me how my day was at school. I do not remember what I told him that night, but I do remember watching him spread butter and jelly on that ugly burned biscuit. He ate every bite of that thing... never made a face nor uttered a word about it! When I got up from the table that evening, I remember hearing Mom apologize to Dad for burning the biscuits. And I will never forget what he said, “Honey, I love burned biscuits every now and then.” Later that night, I went to kiss Daddy good night and I asked him if he really liked his biscuits
burned. He wrapped me in his arms and said, “Your Mom put in a hard day at work today and she’s real tired. And besides – a little burned biscuit never hurt anyone!” As I have grown older, I have thought about that many times. Life is full of imperfect things and imperfect people. I am not the best at virtually anything, and I forget birthdays and anniversaries just like everyone else. But what I have learned over the years is that learning to accept each other’s faults and choosing to celebrate each other’s differences is one of the most important keys to creating healthy, growing, and lasting relationships. And that is my thought for today... that we will all learn to accept the good, the bad, and the ugly parts of life. Because in the end, it will be our attitudes that create the relationships and tolerance where a burnt biscuit is not a deal-breaker! Do not put the key to your happiness in someone else’s pocket – keep it in your own. So, please pass me a biscuit, and yes, the burned one will do just fine. MSN
The Best Memory System Submitted by Julie Hollar-Brantley
Forget each kindness that you do as soon as you have done it; Forget the praise that falls to you the moment you have won it; Forget the slander that you hear before you do repeat it; Forget each slight, each spite, each sneer wherever you may meet it. Remember every kindness done to you, whatever its measure; Remember the praise by other’s won, and pass it on with pleasure; Remember every promise made and keep it to the letter; Remember those who lend you aid and be a grateful debtor; Remember all the happiness that comes your way in living; Forget each worry and distress, be hopeful and forgiving; Remember good, remember truth, remember heaven’s above you, And you’ll find, through age and youth that many hearts will love you. MSN
PAGE 40 MONTANA SENIOR NEWS
FEBRUARY/MARCH 2013
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A Dollar for Sunday School Submitted by Julie Hollar-Brantley A little boy came home eating a big candy bar. Seeing the candy bar, his mother remembered he had already spent all his allowance money. Surprised, she asked him where he got it. “I bought it at the store with the dollar you gave me,” he said. “But that dollar was for Sunday School,” his mother replied. Smiling, the boy said, “I know, Mom, but the Pastor met me at the door and got me in for free!” MSN
How do you get there? Submitted by Julie Hollar-Brantley A little boy was waiting for his mother to come out of the grocery store when a man approached and asked, “Son, can you tell me where the post office is?” The little boy replied, “Sure! Just go straight down this street a couple of blocks and turn to your right.” The man thanked the boy kindly and said, “I’m the new pastor in town. I would like you to come to church on Sunday. I’ll show you how to get to Heaven.” The little boy replied with a chuckle, “Awww, come on... you don’t even know the way to the post office.” MSN
FEBRUARY/MARCH 2013
MONTANA SENIOR NEWS PAGE 41
Cowboy from Montana Submitted by Julie Hollar-Brantley A cowboy appeared before St. Peter at the Pearly Gates. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Have you ever done anything of particular merit?â&#x20AC;? St. Peter asked. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Well, I can think of one thing,â&#x20AC;? the cowboy offered. â&#x20AC;&#x153;On a trip to the Black Hills out in South Dakota, I came upon a gang of bikers who were threatening a young woman. I directed them to leave her alone, but they wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t listen. â&#x20AC;&#x153;So, I approached the largest and most tattooed biker and smacked him in the face, kicked his bike over, ripped out his nose ring, and threw it on the ground. I yelled, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Now, back off or Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll beat up the rest of you!â&#x20AC;&#x2122;â&#x20AC;? St. Peter was impressed. â&#x20AC;&#x153;When did this happen?â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;A couple of minutes ago.â&#x20AC;? MSN
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FEBRUARY/MARCH 2013
Car Shopping Tips Your next step is to identify specific vehicle features that can help meet your physical needs. So depending on what ails you, here’s what to look for. Hip and knee problems – For comfort, a better fit, and easier entry and exit, look for vehicles that have six-way adjustable power seats that move the seat forward and backward, up and down, and the seat-back forward and backward. Also look for low door thresholds and seat heights that don’t require too much bending or climbing to get into. The ideal seat height is between midthigh and lower buttocks when standing next to the vehicle. Leather or faux leather seats are also easier to slide in and out of than cloth seats. Stiff upper body – If you have difficulty looking over your shoulder to back up or merge into traffic, look for vehicles with a large rear window for better visibility, wide-angle mirrors which can minimize blind spots, back-up cameras, active parallel park assistance, and blind-spot warning systems that alert you to objects in the way. Also, for comfort and fit, consider vehicles that have a tilt and telescoping steering wheel, adjustable seatbelts, and heated seats with lumbar support. Arthritic hands – For easier use, four-door vehicles are recommended because the doors are smaller, lighter, and easier to open and close than two-door models. And to help with painful gripping and turning problems, look for keyless
entry and a push-button ignition, a thicker steering wheel, power mirrors and seats, and a sliding channel gear selector. Diminished vision – Drivers with vision loss due to cataracts, glaucoma, or some other condition will find vehicles with larger instrument panels and dashboard controls with contrasting text easier to see and manipulate. And those with sensitivity to glare will benefit from extendable sun visors, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, and glare reducing side mirrors. Smart Features Resource – To access the “Smart Features for Older Drivers” resource, visit SeniorDriving.AAA.com/SmartFeatures and use their online tool that lets you choose the agefriendly features you want in a vehicle, and the tool will identify the makes and models that best fit your needs. Or, if you don’t have internet access call your AAA (call 800-222-4357 to get your local number) and ask them to mail you a free copy of the “Smart Features for Older Drivers” brochure. You don’t have to be an AAA member to get this free publication. 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. MSN
Would You Take This Call Please Submitted by Julie Hollar Brantley Several men were in the locker room of a private club after exercising. Suddenly a cell phone sitting on one of the benches rang. One of the men picked it up. “Hello? Honey, It’s me. Are you at the club?” “Yes,” the man replied. “Great! I am at the mall two blocks from where you are. I saw a beautiful mink coat. It is gorgeous! Can I buy it?” asked the woman on the phone. “What’s the price?” “Only $1,500.” “Well, okay, go ahead and get it, if you like it that much,” the man replied. “Ahhh and I also stopped by the Mercedes dealership and saw the 2013 models. I saw one I really liked. I spoke with the salesman and he gave me a really good price... and since we need to exchange the BMW that we bought last year, I thought...” “What price did he quote you?” asked the man. “Only $72,000,” she replied. “Okay, but for that price I want it with all the options.” “ O k a y, s w e e t i e . Thanks! I’ll see you later. I love you!” “Bye... I do too.” The man hung up, closed the phone’s cover, held up the phone, looked around the locker room, and asked, “Does anyone know whose phone this is?” MSN
MONTANA SENIOR NEWS PAGE 43
FEBRUARY/MARCH 2013
ACROSS 1. Mt. Everest, McKinley and such 6. Cleopatra’s cause of death 9. Crack in a lip 13. Hot toddy, e.g. 14. Former Chinese communist leader 15. Glowed or beamed 16. Pronouncements 17. “___ to Joy” 18. Bird of prey weapon 19. Hungarian composer Bela ______ 21. Popular winter sculpture 23. Thus far 24. Greenish blue 25. Former refrigerant 28. A snow____ is one for trekking on snow 30. Astronomer’s sighting 35. Miners’ bounty, pl. 37. One who “____ on the safe side” 39. Start eating! 40. Heaven’s Gate, e.g. 41. 1:3, e.g. 43. Captured in fun 44. “Well-_____ machine” 46. Falls behind 47. Like tiny print 48. Like number 1 to hydrogen 50. Cuzco valley empire 52. Jack Kerouac’s Paradise 53. Pottery oven 55. Everybody or everything 57. _______ break 61. Done after a trip 64. Wombs 65. Gas station abbreviation 67. Florida Key, e.g. 69. Turf, as opposed to surf 70. Unagi 71. Heard on sleigh ride? 72. Cab blower 73. Snow falls from it 74. Irregularly notched DOWN 1. Sum it up
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2. Where a baby goes 3. Maryland Institute College of Art 4. Diary note 5. Used for gliding 6. In a frenzy 7. “___ but true” 8. Literature in metrical form 9. Tobacco mouthful 10. River islet 11. Dwarf buffalo 12. In the Ivy League 15. Pitted peach, e.g. 20. Not the same one 22. Indian restaurant staple 24. Feeling no doubt 25. Hot treat 26. Ingredient in infamous cake 27. Played by Yo-Yo Ma 29. Kind of surgeon 31. Marty McFly’s antagonist 32. Tangerine-grapefruit hybrid, pl. 33. Tarzan’s swing rope 34. Snow impression 36. Kind of cell 38. Capricorn or Aquarius, e.g. 42. Extinct Italic language 45. Tiny antelope 49. Result of Truman’s National Security Act of 1947 51. Kind of skiing 54. Ancient Greeks’ harps 56. Lightsaber beam 57. Be quiet! 58. “The Simpsons” palindrome 59. Malicious look 60. Ayatollah’s home 61. Pre-swan state? 62. Greek muse of history 63. Party casks 66. Expresses mild alarm or surprise 68. “___ End” by The Doors MSN
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Wishing You the Happy St. Patrick’s Day St. Patrick’s Day Traditions for Your Family By Beverly Frank here are many different traditions and customs associated with St. Patrick’s Day. The one most people are familiar with is that of wearing green. Let’s look at some of the other traditions and why they exist and what they represent or mean. 1. One St. Patrick’s Day tradition is using leprechauns in your decor and not telling any lies. It is an Irish symbol, and in the holiday theme it is usually a bearded and happy little elf-like creature. The legend goes that these little elves cobble shoes for fairies and that the fairies pay them very well. However, they are miserly, and hide their gold in pots, usually at the end of rainbows so that they can find them again. A leprechaun can’t lie, but can be very evasive and manipulative. Legends claims that if you catch one, you can make them tell you where they have hidden their pot of gold. So, all things leprechaun related, from hunting for leprechauns to using them as decor, to mimicking their inability to lie have become holiday traditions. 2. Like the leprechaun, shamrocks are a traditional St. Patrick’s Day symbol. Irish legend states that St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, chose a three-leaf clover, also known as (the shamrock) as a symbol of the Holy Trinity. If you have the luck of finding a four-leafed clover, it represents God’s Grace, and good luck is attached to it. Hunting through clover patches is an
T
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Luck of the Irish Sunday, March 17th
Irish tradition, and decorating with shamrocks and fourleafed clovers alike, discussing luck, playing games of luck, etc. are all part of the St. Patrickâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Day holiday tradition. 3. Another St. Patrickâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Day tradition is wearing and giving the Claddagh Ring. This is a ring with two cupped hands cradling a heart that has a crown on top. It is a ring given among friends and lovers, and has been the traditional wedding ring of Irish folks since the 17th century. The heart represents love, the hands friendship, and the crown lasting fidelity and loyalty. How one wears the ring determines what it means. If the ring is worn on the right hand, with crown and heart facing out, this means that the wearerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s heart is free. If you are dating, but in love, you still wear it on the right hand, but face the crown inwards. If you wear it on the left hand with the crown facing in, it means you have given your love in marriage, and it is to only one, forever. 4. Corned Beef and Cabbage is the Irish St. Patrickâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Day tradition most people know. Cabbage is and has been a mainstay of Irish diet for years, but it was usually served with bacon. Corned beef became part of the tradition when the St. Patrickâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Day celebrations came to America because many of the immigrants couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t pay as much for bacon and thus substituted corned beef. Article Source: http://EzineArticles. com/?expert=Beverly_Frank. MSN
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• “Stewardesses” is the longest word typed with only the left hand. • And “lollipop” is the longest word typed with your right hand. • No word in the English language rhymes with month, orange, silver, or purple.
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over the lazy dog.” uses every letter of the alphabet. • Racecar, kayak, and level are palindromes. They are the same whether they are read left to right or right to left. • There are only four words in the English language which end in “dous”: tremendous, horrendous, stupendous, and hazardous. • There are two words in the English language that have all five vowels in order: “abstemious” and “facetious.” • Typewriter is the longest word that can be made using the letters only on one row of the keyboard. • Cats have 32 muscles in each ear. • Goldfish have a memory span of three seconds. MSN
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Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s raining cats and dogs. Fighting like cats and dogs. Are you a dog lover or a cat lover? No matter how you shake it everyone loves our furry little friends, and they are the theme of the game in this issue! Because we did not have a winning entry from a reader for the December/January 2013 issue, the prize for submitting the featured quiz to appear in this February/March 2013 issue is $50. Congratulations to Patty Ryan Friedrich of Missoula! None of our readers who submitted answers to our How Well Do You Know Your Minutiae? quiz
that appeared in our December/January 2013 issue had all correct answers, so there is no winner of the $25 cash prize. The prize will be carried forward to this contest, so put on your thinking caps and win $50! Two $25 cash prizes are awarded from the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Contest Cornerâ&#x20AC;? in each issue of the Montana Senior News. One prize goes to the person who submits the entry that our staff selects as the featured quiz or puzzle in the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Contest Cornerâ&#x20AC;? for that issue. Be creative and send us some good,
fun, and interesting puzzles! The second $25 prize goes to the person who submits the correct answers to the featured quiz or puzzle from the previous issue. When there is a tie, the winner is determined by a drawing. Please mail your entries to the Montana Senior News, P.O. Box 3363, Great Falls, MT 59403, or email to montsrnews@bresnan.net by March 10, 2013 for our April/May 2013 edition. Be sure to work the crossword puzzle on our website www. montanaseniornews.com.
Cats and Dogs Submitted by Patty Friedrich Below is a grid of scrambled letters, with the words listed below hidden in the grid. Circle all the words you can find in the grid, which may be vertical, horizontal, or diagonal, and drop your answers in the mail to us. Good luck
SAVE PAWS POOCH WATER PLAY BOWL NICE CATNIP LOVE KITTEN CAT VET PET BARK GROWL BED WAG BALL DOG MEOW TREAT BOX BEG
JOY FURRY PUPPY
FUN CUTE
ADOPT SOFT
Answers to How Well Do You Know Your Minutiae? Created by MSN Staff 1. San Antonio 1,359,758 followed by San Diego â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 1,326,179 million 2. Nose and ears 3. Lithium 4. Wynton and Bransford Marsalis 5. Either Arabic or Italian (Italian, from alteration of medieval Latin zephirum, from Arabic èifr, nothing) 6. Haiku 7. 6/5, 1 1/5, or 1.2 8. Hansel & Gretel 9. Shirley McLaine in Irma La Douce; Brooke Shields in Pretty Baby; and Rebecca de Mornay in Risky Business 10. two violins, one viola, and one cello 11. AC: alternating current; DC: direct current 12. I Will Always Love You 13. Robert F. Kennedy 14. King George VI 15. Valley of the Dolls by Jacqueline Susann MSN
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Recommended Reading By Connie Daugherty The Bartender’s Tale by Ivan Doig; Riverhead Books.; New York, 2012 It seems as though every six years Rusty Harry’s life is destined to change suddenly and without warning. Rusty, admittedly “an accident between the sheets” and deserted by his mother when he was an infant, has spent the early years of his childhood being raised by his father’s sister and bullied by his older cousins. Then “more dramatic than anything on the radio there was a thundering knock on the front door.” Tom Harry, the father Rusty adores but hardly knows, appears in the open doorway and announces that he has come to take “the kid” back to Montana with him. “In that moment, my life stopped being cruddy… he was looking at me as if we were the only two in the room.” The man and the boy pile into a “tubby Hudson” and head out of Phoenix bound for Montana. The year is 1954 and Rusty is six years old. He doesn’t even know what to call the man who has rescued him – daddy is for kids, father is a bit formal and doesn’t really suit Tom Harry, finally they settle on Pop. Ivan Doig’s newest novel, The Bartender’s Tale is set in north central Montana sheep country. It is a coming-of-age story with the usual Doig flair for showing rather than telling history through always-memorable characters. Also, as usual, the story is told in Doig’s unique, heart-warming, and infectious style. Another must read from one of Montana’s most well-known authors. Tom Harry is a bartender and owner of the Medicine Lodge saloon – the best bartender there ever was according to folks in Gros Ventre, a small town in the Two Medicine country of north central Montana. “Which is not to say… that he added up to the best human being there ever was. Or the absolute best father of all time.” But he is Rusty’s father and the two of them bond in a sort of gruff no nonsense male-to-male sort of way. “I stayed on as a half-pint participant in the world of my bartending father. He and I occupied the house behind the saloon like a pair of confirmed bachelors… actually the house was where we slept and kept our clothes. We lived at the Medicine Lodge” and “the joint became something like my second parent.” Tucked away in an upstairs back room office with a vent that allows him to see and hear everything that goes on below in the bar, Rusty settles in to a life that he comes to think of a close to ideal. Eventually he even convinces Tom to “hire” him as the Saturday swamper. He especially likes cleaning up behind the bar, “I was never back there in his working domain with the winter light casting a kind of hush over everything without feeling I was someplace special to him, and therefore to me.” Life is about as good as it gets – “this was how I always wanted things to be.” But nothing
MONTANA SENIOR NEWS PAGE 49
ever stays the same. “I turned twelve that year of everything, 1960.” It has been six years since Tom rescued Rusty from Arizona and changed his life completely and now, as he is on the edge of adolescence, his whole world is about to be turned upside down again. First, there is Zoe – the new kid in town who just happens to be a girl – who Tom asks Rusty to befriend. Reluctant at first, Rusty finds himself drawn to this unusual Butte girl and in no time at all they are inseparable and up to all sorts of high jinks. Then one morning Rusty sees Tom “looking as pleased as I’d ever seen him. I almost didn’t want to interrupt the moment.” The Medicine Lodge was chosen as the state “Select Pleasure Establishment of the Year,” by the brewers of Great Falls Select beer. Suddenly Tom Harry, is a celebrity, because bartender Tom Harry is the Medicine Lodge – newspaper articles written about the prize make that point very clear. It’s a fun and exciting ride at first and Rusty is right in the middle of it all. But fame inevitably brings questions and questions bring up the past – a past that Tom is reluctant to remember let alone discuss. “It was a different time back then. He couldn’t change the past, I couldn’t change it, we had to go and together… we weren’t doing too bad with what we had to work with, and we didn’t give a flying fig for other ways of being father and son.” That established, Tom and Rusty continue on their daily routines until one Saturday Tom starts talking about selling the Medicine Lodge. It doesn’t seem to make any sense. The saloon is bringing in more customers than ever – and not just the locals. Father and son are working together, but Tom definitely does not want Rusty to follow in his footsteps. “Now I was horrified as well as shocked. By taking on the job of swamper, I caused us to lose the Medicine Lodge? I was the pebble that started this avalanche?” Rusty tries
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PAGE 50 MONTANA SENIOR NEWS
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everything he can think of to talk Tom out of the decision, but with no luck. Then a stranger walks into the saloon and life takes another unexpected turn. He introduced himself as Del Robertson of the Missing Voices Oral History Project at the Library of Congress. “He stood there restlessly, all pockets and ambition. Even to me, newly hatched from childhood into adolescence, he seemed young in a way other than years… which made his appearance in the Medicine Lodge all the more odd.” Del might be out of his element in Montana, but he is determined and persistent – a man with a mission and impossible to dissuade. Suddenly the past that Tom has tried so hard to ignore is rushing at him from all sides. Proxy, a taxi dancer Tom knew back at Fort Peck appears with her beatnik daughter, Francine who, she claims, is Tom’s. Proxy insists that it’s time for Tom to train the girl in the family business – the business Tom had planned to sell.
Happy Valentine’s Day
Meanwhile Rusty, with Zoe’s help, tries to make sense of it. “Yet a disturbance of some sort was on its way, I couldn’t help but feel it coming, almost like a change in the weather… there are some days in a person’s life… that mark themselves into memory almost from first minute to last.” Ivan Doig gathers together bits and pieces of everyday Montana life and quilts it all together into a colorful patterned story that is sure to touch hearts and memories. The Bartender’s Tale is everything we expect a Doig novel to be and more. Like many of his other novels, Doig allows readers to re-connect with characters from a previous story – in this case Bucking the Sun, the novel centered on the building of Fort Peck Dam. Those of you who are not familiar with Doig’s work will be delighted with his newest contribution to western literature – and you will probably also want to check out Bucking the Sun. Those of you who already know and love his writing will not be disappointed. MSN
Saint or Sinner? In the Wild West, there were two brothers who were desperados-rotten and no good. They rustled cattle, robbed banks and a whole lot more. Finally, one of them caught a bullet and died. His brother, determined to have a proper funeral for his brother approached a Protestant minister and told him that his church’s financial problems would be over IF he would conduct his brother’s funeral and call him a “saint”. The minister refused so he went to the local Catholic pastor and told him that his financial concerns would be over IF he would conduct his brother’s funeral and called him a “saint”. Reluctant at first, the pastor brightened and agreed. This was the eulogy: “ _________ was an awful scoundrel, a bank robbing, cattle rustling no good BUT compared to his brother, he was a SAINT. MSN
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Who takes care of the caregivers? By Susan Frances Bonner, RN, BSN Although there are differences in the definitions of “caretaker” and “caregiver,” the terms are frequently used interchangeably. As a nurse, I had never considered myself a caregiver. After all, my chosen profession was one of service, to help people and therefore I considered myself more of a caretaker. That was until my husband became chronically ill with anklyosing spondilitits, fibromyalgia, and chronic fatigue. Then “caregiver” took on a whole new meaning. I realized that his physician and staff were outside support and that was it. After getting home from a diagnostic test, minor surgery, or an office visit, I was all he had. After getting off the phone with his doctors’ nurse, because he had a reaction to one of the medications he was trying, I was the only one to monitor him, I had to adjust his medication, and I had to document any changes. I was all he had. Of course, my nursing skills jumped right into the fray with both feet, but it was an exhausting endeavor,. This situation forced me to examine my role not only as a nurse, but also as a caregiver. Using our situation as an example, my husband and I do not have friends or family nearby, my husband is fairly young, and can function except when he has a spike in his disease process. Although that can happen at any time, there is no need for 24-hour care. We manage his care together, with collaboration of his physician and staff. Since my husband is the patient, I am the primary caregiver and I am the one who experiences the demands of care giving. It then falls to the caregiver, friends, family, and medical professionals to determine caregiver stress. Some important questions to ask follow. Does the caregiver seem tired and lacking the inability to concentrate? Is the caregiver worried about the patient? Does the caregiver experience back, neck, or headache pain? Has the caregiver experienced any weight
changes? Does the caregiver have problems sleeping? Does the caregiver eat regular meals? In exploring these questions about the caregiver’s health and coping skills, be very gentle. Caregivers may tend to be protective and guarded, since many are imbued with a strong sense of independence and toughness such that they are indestructible and can handle any situation. It is important to remind the caregiver that they have to stay physically and mentally rested in order to take care of their precious charge. Help them with coping strategies, which can include: • Helping them learn how to get enough sleep, i.e. taking naps. • Finding ways for them to manage their time better, such as using check lists to manage their tasks. A checklist will also boost their self-esteem and they can visualize their accomplishments. • Encouraging caregivers to pursue their hobbies and an exercise regimen to fit their needs. Leaving the house will do wonders for their mental and physical health. • Learn about community resources and respite relief for the caregiver. Some web sites to visit for more information include; www.longtermcarelink.net, www.strengthforcaring.com, and www.workingcaregiver.com. So, who cares for the caregivers? Unfortunately, “we the caregivers” have to take control of ourselves. Fortunately, there are many resources to help us. We must not be ashamed to reach out to family members, friends, medical personnel, and community services. After all, being a caregiver is a challenging role, and caregivers must be ever vigilant of taking care of themselves. Susan Frances Bonner, RN, BSN, is the author of Opening A Registered Nurses Eyes; A life Altering Journey Across North America. MSN
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Dehydration: A potentially serious medical condition for all ages By Susan Frances Bonner, RN BSN â&#x20AC;&#x153;Water, water, everywhere, nor any drop to drink.â&#x20AC;? That famous line from The Rime of the Ancient Mariner by Samuel Taylor Coleridge is an appropriate place to start when talking about an insidious medical condition known as Dehydration. This illness is unique because it can be chronic (ongoing), acute (happen suddenly), and can strike anyone at any age. Whether you are in a hospital setting, picnicking with the family, or hiking that favorite trail, there is no setting that dehydration cannot and will not raise its ugly head. And although it is associated with heat and the summer months, winter weather can also spawn this illness. Dehydration occurs when more water is moving out of our cells and then out of our bodies than the amount of water we take in through drinking. Causes of dehydration include diarrhea, vomiting, sweating, uncontrolled diabetes, excessive and prolonged sweating, frequent urination, and severe burns. Infants and young children, the elderly, people with chronic illnesses, people living at higher altitudes, people who are working in hot, humid conditions as well as in extreme cold, and endurance athletes are more susceptible to dehydration than others. While it might seem counterintuitive that a person could become dehydrated in humid conditions, remember that sweat canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t evaporate and cool you as quickly as it normally does, and this can lead to an increased body temperature and the need for more fluids. The three levels of dehydration are mild, moderate, and severe. Below is a list of signs and symptoms of the levels of dehydration. Signs of mild dehydration include thirst, trouble concentrating, fatigue, constipation, depression, and aggravation. Signs of moderate dehydration (may require medical attention) include headache, flushed skin, fatigue, dizziness; nausea; weakness, tingling in limbs, and rapid breathing. Signs of severe dehydration (requires immediate medical attention) include difficulty moving, swollen tongue, difficulty swallowing, numbness, vision problems, being generally incapacitated, confusion, cramps, and kidney failure leading to death. Â&#x201C; Therapy services available to include speech, While this subject may seem dry (no pun intended), dehydration is a potentially life threatening occupational and physical therapy illness that is largely easy to avoid. The best way Â&#x201C; Private rehab wing to treat dehydration is by prevention. Anticipate the need for increased fluid intake by Â&#x201C; Complex wound care taking extra water to all outdoor events and work where increased sweating, activity, and heat stress will increase fluid losses. Encourage athletes and Â&#x201C; Memory care unit specializing in dementia and outdoor workers to replace fluids at a rate that equals the loss. Â&#x201C; Acute & chronic renal disease Avoid exercise and exposure during high heat index days. Listen to weather forecasts, and plan Â&#x201C; Short-term and respite events that must occur outside during times when temperatures are cooler. Â&#x201C; Family oriented Ensure that older people, infants, and children have adequate drinking water or fluids available Â&#x201C; Variety of optional and assist them as necessary. Make sure that any pay sources incapacitated or impaired person is encouraged to drink and provided with adequate fluids. available
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Sip small amounts of water. Drink carbohydrate/electrolyte-containing drinks. Good choices are sports drinks such as Gatorade or prepared replacement solutions (Pedialyte). Suck on popsicles made from juices and sports drinks. Remember our bodies are 75% water, which is somewhat ironic. And even though the first sign of mild dehydration is thirst, it is only a signal of the body’s need for water. Thirst is often satisfied
while the body is still slightly dehydrated. This is especially true in cool climates. Tests by the U.S. Army in cold climates have shown that drinking only when thirsty produces a continuously dehydrated state. Remember too that too much or too little water can kill so maintain the proper balance for good health and comfort. Susan Frances Bonner is the author of Opening a Registered Nurse’s Eyes; A Life Altering Journey Across North America. MSN
Faith Lutheran Home: 50 Years of Caring Welcome to our home and family. For 50 years, Faith Lutheran Home’s priority has been caring for the residents who have entrusted us with their care, well being, and to improve their quality of life. Our staff is loving, caring, and devoted to making our residents feel loved and to feel at home. Our mission is to provide a home for our residents where they are treated with dignity and respect. Careful assessment, personalized assistance, and professional oversight are designed to affirm the dignity of each resident, recognizing that each individual has unique physical, social, and emotional needs to be respected and accommo-
dated. Attentive and professional care help create a safe, stimulating, and loving environment for our residents. Each of the 60 resident rooms are decorated and inspired by the resident’s items and personal touches. Our 15-bed Alzheimer’s and Dementia unit provides the necessary security our residents require. Through patience, loving care, and familiar activities, our residents can enjoy a better quality of life and their families can feel a sense of comfort. For additional information, please call us at 406-653-1400. We would love to show you our 5-star facility. MSN
Providing Excellent Care In A Comfortable Community The Savage Sunrise Manor is an 8-bed assisted living facility located in beautiful northeastern Montana in a small, peaceful community. We pride ourselves on the outstanding personal care we provide to our residents plus three homecooked meals daily and medication assistance delivered by our friendly caregiving team. At The Sunrise Manor, we strive to be a leader in assisted living by providing a friendly, nurturing, and secure residential facility in a friendly community that offers our residents and their families wellness and peace of mind through outstanding personal care, service, and assistance with daily
living. Our philosophy is to recognize and respect the variety of lifestyles, interests, needs, and abilities of the residents we serve. We strive to improve the quality of life that our residents enjoy in an atmosphere of hospitality, wellness, and optimism. We promote dignity, independence, and freedom of choice for our residents and their loved ones. For more information, please call us at 406776-2040 or stop in to see us at 407 Mesa Street South, Savage, MT 59262. We would love to show you our facility. MSN
My Father Fought to Win the Right to Die with Dignity – Now, I’m Fighting to Keep It By Roberta King My father was Bob Baxter, the plaintiff in Baxter v. State of Montana, the case that brought Montanans the choice to end a drawn-out death from terminal illness with a prescription from a physician. I am proud that my father’s name will be forever linked to this additional end-of-life choice. My father was a typical Montanan: a proud and independent guy, a very patriotic ex-Marine. He liked to hunt and fish. He was a truck driver for as long as I can remember, and he loved the freedom of it. His whole life he wanted to do things the right way. My father had first been diagnosed with lymphocytic leukemia, a form of cancer, approximately 12 years before his death. He benefitted from multiple courses of chemotherapy, but it gradually became less and less effective in controlling his disease. During the last year of his life, he developed an aggressive form of lymphoma, which proved to be very difficult to treat, and he was advised he had a very short time to live. My father understood he had no hope of recovery, and that the only medical issues remaining were exactly when his death would occur, and how much suffering he would experience before he died.
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He said, “I don’t know when I’m going to die but I know what I’m going to die of.” And he was right. During the last few months of his life, my father’s disease progressed to the stage where he suffered a great deal and was in a constant state of misery, which his doctors were unable to reduce. His symptoms included severely swollen glands; constant pain and aching that made it extremely difficult for him to sit up; problems breathing; chronic fatigue and weakness; persistent infections; inability to sleep; loss of appetite; weight loss; and horrible episodes of alternating sweating and cold. He had lost about 30 pounds from his normally thin frame by the time he died. I was extremely close with my father. He shared with me a number of times during his last months his feelings about death and the situation he was confronting with his disease. His symptoms were so severe and his suffering so unrelenting that he yearned for death weeks before his life ended. From statements he made to other members of our family and to me, it is clear my father would have availed himself of aid in dying if that choice had been legal in Montana
MONTANA SENIOR NEWS PAGE 57
and available to him. The fact it was not made his suffering and death much more painful and difficult than they otherwise could have been, and deprived him of the right to decide for himself how much suffering to endure before he died. He wanted to do what was legal. There were many options he could have taken, but he wanted to be an upstanding citizen. He wanted his doctor to aid in his dying. That is why he brought the lawsuit that made death with dignity legal in Montana. He did not live to see the Supreme Court’s decision. My father died at my parents’ home in Billings, on December 5, 2008, the same day the district court ruled in his favor. He was 76 years old. Now, Montanans do have the right to legal aid in dying. Some are already working to have the legislature take it away. I am going to be fighting to keep this choice in place, the one my Dad should have had. Roberta King worked as a hospice volunteer for two years at Hospice of Missoula, and is a spokesperson for Compassion & Choices Montana. She can be reached through montana@compassionandchoices.org. MSN
Ask Dr. Marion My 76-year-old father used to laugh all the time, but ever since he started having problems with his health, he stopped smiling and laughing. How can I get him laughing again? Craig in Texas, 52 I use a concept called humor therapy quite often since it has proven to be a very effective device for most of my elderly clients. Good things happen when someone enjoys a belly laugh. It’s like an internal massage for the soul. Humor can take your father away from his aches and pains and concerns, even if it’s just for a moment. That should be the goal of any caregiver. Each person is different, so you have to read the situation. There is no one-way to get someone to laugh again, but it usually works if you draw on his or her past likes. For example, one of my clients was a big Lucile Ball fan, so I bought her a compilation DVD of old I Love Lucy shows. We made a date to watch them, and then sat there laughing together for hours, even though we’d both seen the episodes more than a few times before.
Another one of my clients used to love telling jokes, so I bought him a joke book. We spent a good part of one day reading the book. From then on, he would have a joke or two to tell me every time I visited, and the jokes always lifted his spirits. We also watched standup comedy shows on cable television. So try using humor therapy. I’m sure your father will be smiling again in no time. It’ll also provide you with some lighthearted moments, and I know you probably need that as well right now. Dr. Marion (Marion Somers, PhD) is the author of Elder Care Made Easier and has over 40 years of experience as a geriatric care manager, caregiver, speaker, and expert in all things elder care. She offers practical tools, solutions, and advice to help caregivers everywhere through her book, web site, iPhone apps (Elder 411/911), crosscountry speaking tours, and more. Visit www. DrMarion.com for more information. MSN
New Alzheimer’s Book Now Available When Forgetting Is a Gift is the true story of Kathleen Clary Miller and her father, Bill Clary, and is set to become the classic on Alzheimer’s in the family. It is a book Alzheimer’s families will read with a tissue in one hand and a pen in the other. Cathartic and prescriptive both, this moving and beautifully written work meets the demand for a book that shares this life-altering experience with others similarly affected, who are, literally, crying out to know that they are not alone. Despite a plethora of books focusing on the medical aspects of Alzheimer’s, there is little that speaks directly to the experience of surrendering a loved one to Alzheimer’s. As Miller says, “I wrote this book because it wasn’t there.” Here, at last there is help. It is time for this beautiful little book to speak for itself.
Aging has enough difficulties. Getting the care you need shouldn’t be one of them. Highgate Senior Living offers full care for all, no matter what your age or ailment. Our team of compassionate professionals can handle almost anything, including complex medical issues and post-acute hospital care. In fact, we specialize in services normally provided in skilled nursing, such as diabetic care and oxygen management, injectable medications, wound care, feeding tubes, catheter monitoring, two-person transfers, and hospice. Just call any of our three Assisted Living/Memory Care communities in Montana, and we’ll make sure your move into Highgate is one of the easiest things in your life right now. Highgate at Billings 406-651-4833
Highgate at Bozeman 406-587-5100
Highgate at Great Falls 406-454-0991
PAGE 58 MONTANA SENIOR NEWS
Northeast Montana Health Services
Faith Lutheran Home Proud to be a Five Star Long Term Care Facility
“We don’t treat illness. We treat people.”
1000 6th Ave. North Wolf Point, Mt., 59201 (406) 653-1400
FEBRUARY/MARCH 2013
Beginning as a three-part series in a California newspaper, Miller’s stirring account has since been published across the country and appeared in excerpt in the Fall 2007 Johns Hopkins Memory Bulletin with an introduction by Dr. Peter V. Rabins, co-director of the Johns Hopkins Medical School
Division of Geriatric and Neuropsychiatry, and author of The 36-Hour Day. The book is available on Amazon.com at the following link: http://www.amazon.com/KathleenClary-Miller/e/B00AXL6GEU/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0. MSN
Healthy Independent Living Promotes Quality Of Life Volunteers of America’s elderly service programs provide very low income seniors affordable housing and create opportunities that enhance the ability of seniors to live healthy, independent, and high quality lives. We are committed to costeffective, quality housing with programs to meet social needs for the elderly, while maintaining a positive environment for personal growth and fulfillment. We operate Aspen Grove and Magic City Terrace as HUD 202 PRAC housing programs serving very low-income senior citizens. Aspen Grove includes 64 unfurnished onebedroom apartment homes with full-sized stoves and refrigerators. Each apartment home has heat and air conditioning controlled by the resident. We offer an elevator and a laundry room inclusive of
washers and dryers for the convenience of our residents. Magic City includes 84 unfurnished onebedroom apartment homes with full-sized stoves and refrigerators. Each apartment home has heat and air conditioning controlled by the resident. We have elevators, trash chutes, and laundry rooms on each floor equipped with washers and dryers at no charge for the convenience of our residents. Aspen Grove & Magic City Terrace has a Community Administrator who lives on-site and oversees the administration, maintenance, and repair of the building and grounds. For additional information, please call 406248-9117, 406-281-8329, or visit our website www. voanr.org/Services/Affordable-Housing. MSN
Celebrating 50 Years of Caring...
Montana Gerontology Conference Scheduled The Montana Gerontology Society will be holding its 31st Annual Conference titled, Envisioning Care: Today, Tomorrow and Beyond on April 24-25 at the Holiday Inn in Bozeman. Educational sessions will be offered to professionals in the field of aging, as well as to the public. Pamela Mokler, who has over 20 years of experience in the Aging Network, will be the keynote speaker on April 24. She is passionate about helping reform the current elder care system into a common sense interconnected system that works for payers, providers, and most importantly, our nation’s elderly. (From Pam’s website at http:// pamelamokler.com/PMM.html). Bill Serdahely will be the keynote speaker on April 25. In the mid 70s, he was a tenured, full professor in the Dept. of Health and Human Development at MSU, conducted research on near-death experiences (NDE’s) by interviewing and counseling people with these experiences for more than 20 years, and has been a hospital chaplain for more than five years. Dr. Serdahely has also written the book 50 Bits of Wisdom for My Grandchildren. (From http://xlibris.com). MSN
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MONTANA SENIOR NEWS PAGE 59
Coping With Difficult Feelings By Lisa M. Petsche Caring for an aging relative involves physical, psychological, emotional, and financial demands. It can be particularly challenging when the person has heavy hands-on needs, a difficult personality, or mental impairment. Caregivers may experience a variety of distressing emotions along the way. The most common ones, along with precipitating factors, are: â&#x20AC;˘ Guilt because, unlike their relative, they enjoy good health; they havenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t, until recently, been significantly involved in their relativeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s life; they have mixed feelings about being a caregiver; they made a promise that they would never place their relative in long-term care and theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re not sure if they can keep it. â&#x20AC;˘ Resentment because they have had to make personal and financial sacrifices, such as giving up a job, leisure pursuits, or letting other relationships slip; their relative has treated them badly in the past; their relative is demanding, and critical and they donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t feel appreciated; family members arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t providing much help with their relativeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s care; family members are critical of their care provision. â&#x20AC;˘ Frustration due to the helplessness of being unable to change the course of their relativeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s illness; personality differences between them and their relative; having to contend with nuisance behaviors, such as repetitive questioning and rummaging; being unable to reason with their cognitively impaired relative. â&#x20AC;˘ Anxiety and fear stemming from safety concerns, such as falls or, if their relative has dementia, household accidents, wandering away from home or physical aggression; concerns about what the future holds in terms of their relativeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s disease progression, care needs, and their own physical and mental health. â&#x20AC;˘ Loneliness arising from social isolation; feeling no one understands what they are going through; having to do things alone that they used to do with their relative, such as attending social events; being unable to relate to their relative in the usual ways due to changes in his cognition. â&#x20AC;˘ Anger that their relative is ill or disabled; he is overly dependent on them; he refuses mobility aids or other recommended equipment; he refuses community support services. Feelings of anger may be directed towards their relative - especially if his lifestyle may have contributed to his disease, family members, healthcare providers (continually finding fault with them) or God, or they may be non-specific.
Some emotional red flags are frequent crying, frequent irritation by small annoyances, difficulty controlling oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s temper, feeling overwhelmed, feeling inadequate, and feeling hopeless. In severe cases, burnout can lead to abuse of the care receiver; this signals the need for immediate help. Coping strategies If you are a caregiver, read on for some strategies to help keep stress manageable. â&#x20AC;˘ Look after your health: eat nutritious meals, get adequate rest, exercise, and schedule regular medical checkups. â&#x20AC;˘ Stay connected to your friends and your faith community or other supportive groups. Find at least one person with whom you can talk openly, who will listen and empathize. â&#x20AC;˘ Accept the reality of the illness. Focus on your relativeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s abilities, not disabilities, and the things you can still do together. â&#x20AC;˘ Acknowledge your relativeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s right to make decisions you disagree with (provided he is mentally capable). â&#x20AC;˘ Let go of past grievances. Seek counseling if necessary to help you move forward in your relationship with your relative. â&#x20AC;˘ Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t promise your relative you will never place him in long-term care, because you do not know the future. â&#x20AC;˘ Take things one day at a time. Recognize One Year Anniversary that there will be good days and bad days, and be extra good to yourself AN Y ON REEK on the bad ones. Memory Care Community â&#x20AC;˘ Remind yourself that you are doing your best and are only human. Give yourself permission to feel all emotions that surface. QFDJBMMZ t "MM TUBÄ&#x2030; BSF TQFDJBMMZ â&#x20AC;˘ Join a community NPSZ DBSF USBJOFE JO NFNPSZ DBSF caregiver support group or an Internet group if it t -JDFOTFE OVSTFT BSF TFT BSF is hard to get out. VST B EBZZ PO TJUF IPVST B EBZ It is very important that as a caregiver, you BTU OJOF t 8F PÄ&#x2030;FS BU MFBTU OJOF acknowledge that you TDIFEVMFE BDUJWJUJFT B EBZ UJWJUJFT B EBZ cannot do it alone. Accept offers of help. Ask &YQFSJFODF PVS DPNNVOJUZ EFTJHOFE other family members to share the load and be FYDMVTJWFMZ GPS UIPTF XJUI NFNPSZ MPTT specific about what you need. Find out about community support ser /&&5.#' 5, -# ( 355R55 -*#. 5-. 355R55 )/,&35 , vices, including respite care options, and take 24 Hour On-Site Licensed Nursing full advantage of them. .BKFTUJD -BOF t #JMMJOHT (West End) Information can be obtained from your local www.canyoncreekmontana.com office on aging. MSN
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Anna Winkler Is Eighty, Fit, and Loving It! Article & Photo By Kim Thielman Ibes On February 19, 2012 Anna Winkler lit the candles on her 18th birthday cake — one she most likely made herself. On this special day, she was surrounded by her husband and a group of friends, many of whom are thirty to fifty years her junior. The activities of this day reflect Anna’s secret to successfully navigating the not-so-inevitable perils of aging. “Stay active and stay connected,” says Anna with a twinkle in her bright blue eyes. “You have to do something to stay physically fit,” she states matter-of-factly. “If you’re physically fit, you’re also mentally fit.” Anna walks the talk, hiking in the summer, swimming in a lap pool throughout the year, and working out with her personal trainer twice a week. She scoffs at the mention of the expense of a personal trainer. “It’s more important to come here than go to the mall. I spend the money this way, instead of shopping.” Though her husband originally set up the sessions a little over 15 years ago, Anna has embraced them as the key to retaining her independence. She relies on her trainer’s guidance to keep her strong, flexible, and fit without injury, and to keep her accountable during each workout. Over the years, 80-year-old Anna and 52- year-old Anne Goertzen have become more than trainee and trainer. Their easygoing camaraderie is evident in the way they often finish each other’s sentences. “This is very important because I like to come here, even though I know I have to work,” beams Anna. “You have to work out with someone that really knows what they’re doing,” she adds. “If I come in and say I’m hurting here,” as she points to her left knee that was replaced two
years ago, “Or here,” pointing to her right knee that will be replaced this year, “Anne knows how to correct it.” By keeping her muscles strong, Anna was not only able to avoid knee surgery for a number of years, but after surgery, she bounced back much more quickly than she would have without her workouts. Anna delights in the fact that during routine physical examinations with her doctor, he nearly falls over in shock when he asks if she can stand and touch her toes and she actually does it. Goertzen notes that Anna’s core, the major muscles of her abdomen, lower and mid-back, is actually stronger now — fifteen years later at age 80, than it was when Anna started her training sessions at age 65. What resonates with Anna on a daily basis is her increased quality of life at age 80. She has the energy, mobility, and desire to lead a very active and full life at an age when many find themselves confined in less desirable circumstances. A self-described late-bloomer, Anna didn’t start driving until age 35, skiing until age 50, and working out with a trainer until age 65. Her bones lack the strength they should have, given the malnutrition she experienced in her youth. “Like many, we suffered periods of hunger after the war in East Germany. We didn’t have meat, we didn’t have milk, we had what we were able to grow,” recalls Anna. She firmly believes that without Goertzen’s weekly workouts, she would be in a wheel chair due to the weakness in her knees and joints. “I always feel more vigorous when I leave my workouts. They give me a boost.” Anna’s active mindset goes beyond the physical, though it’s her physical activities that give her the energy to pursue her other passions, such as writing and keeping up with her many, though much younger friends. She claims not to have many friends her own age, enjoying the contact and energy her younger friends provide. “My mother was like that, too,” she says. “She always felt people of her age were,” Anna smiles and continues, “senile.” For Anna, the secrets of aging well are quite simple: stay positive, stay active, and stay connected. “You have to have a person that nails you down to do something, keeps you accountable.
Take the Worry Out ut of of Living Living g Alone! Alo one! Lifeline is a simple, wireless device worn as a pendant or wristband that allows the wearer to call for help with the push of a button from anywhere in and around your home. For the price of a daily cup of coffee, Philips Lifeline can help you maintain your independence, and also give your family peace of mind.
Call today. Serving these cities and areas: Billings Ɣ Bozeman Ɣ Butte Ɣ Havre Ɣ Helena Ɣ Great Falls Ɣ Missoula 1-800-357-4799 Ɣ www.HomeHealthNursing.com
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MONTANA SENIOR NEWS PAGE 61
It doesn’t have to be a personal trainer, perhaps a friend you go hiking with,” counsels Anna. She also believes you need to have passion for life; hers is writing and sharing her early experiences during the war with interested parties. Anna is taking writing classes online, has joined a local writing club, and is busy writing her memoir. She recently put together a presentation on World War II experiences, titled Images of War, for a high school class.
Anna Winkler refuses to let her chronological age define her. “It’s actually never too late,” said Anne Goertzen, from Forever Fit Personal Training in Bozeman. “You can start working out at any age and still feel the benefits.” Goertzen cautions that when you begin at a later age, it’s important to have professional guidance, so you don’t jump in and hurt yourself.
“You want to keep the body moving in a full range of motion, especially as we age,” said Goertzen. “If we don’t work on this, we start to narrow our focus down, shorten our range, our ability to move sideways, up, and down.” For Anna, turning 80 is simply a new and wondrous chapter in her life. Her active lifestyle and quality of life go hand in hand. MSN
By Edward A. Joseph In The Invisible Gorilla: How Our Intuitions Deceive Us, authors Christopher Chabris and Daniel Simons assert, “It might seem counterintuitive, but the best thing you can do to preserve and maintain mental abilities may have little to do with cognition at all.” Like most people, I noticed a decline in my cognitive skills as I aged, especially when I broke the Medicare barrier. Some examples: my ability to pay attention; my slowness in retrieving information; my difficulty in quickly switching from one task to another. And like most people, I have been enticed to “exercise my brain” by a variety of entrepreneurs, including Mozart CD sellers, video game purveyors, and chess, crossword, and Sudoku publishers. As Chabris and Simons noted, there have been scientific studies into the mental benefits of playing chess, listening to Mozart CDs, and using certain software programs like Brain Age, Medal of Honor, Tetris, or Rise of Nations. And a number of these studies do show you can improve a specific skill, say your ability to pay attention, by “exercising your brain” – but it requires considerable time and effort and the specific skill enhanced is not necessarily transferable to other mental tasks. For example, if you spend hours doing Sudoku puzzles you will get better at doing them, but where you put your car keys may still be a problem. As we age some loss of cognitive functioning is inevitable, but Chabris and Simons emphasize that there is one activity for which there is significant scientific evidence for a “healthier and younger” brain: aerobic exercise. Doing an aerobic exercise, i.e., an activity that increases the heartbeat and the supply of oxygen to the body, for as little as 30 minutes three times a week can lead to clear improvement in doing mental tasks, especially in what are called “executive functions” like planning and multitasking. In addition, Chabris and Simmons mention one study where people walking aerobically for 45 minutes three days a week actually preserved more gray matter in their frontal brain regions compared to another group of people that had only done stretching and toning exercises for the same amount of time. After learning about the benefits of aerobic exercise for a healthier and younger brain, it was
a “no brainer” that I should start doing something with my new knowledge. The thought of climbing mountains, running marathons, or speed racing on a bike, however, had me reaching for my Sudoku book. I decided on walking three days a week. I also added small “aerobic bursts” by going up stairs in a vigorous manner or occasionally jogging in place for a minute or two. I still do Sudoku and crossword puzzles for enjoyment, but for my brain health, I have gone
Aerobic Exercise For A Healthier Brain aerobic. Walking vigorously on a regular basis has also improved my mood, and of course, it is good for the heart. Aerobic exercise for a better mood, healthier heart, and healthier brain: What’s not to like? After checking with your doctor that it is safe for you to do an aerobic exercise, get that heartbeat going and oxygen flowing. Contact the author at edwardajoseph@optonline. net/. MSN
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Goal Is Independent Living Montana Independent Living Project (MILP) is a non-profit agency working to support the development and expansion of community based services that directly facilitate independence, productivity, and quality of life for people with disabilities. MILP is one of four centers for independent living serving a 14 county service area in Montana. One recent project involved a NCST grant targeting communities in rural Meagher and Wheatland counties in central Montana, which have limited services and several hours’ travel to major towns. This project was designed to create diverse transportation opportunities for individuals age 65 and older and those with limited access to appropriate transportation. Among the solutions was a voucher program
for qualifying individuals to pay family, friends, neighbors, or professional vendors for rides to doctor appointments, social events, shopping, and other personal destinations. This resulted in the establishment of “rider share boards” and a local transportation advisory council in each county to facilitate community members’ sharing rides to and from various destinations at no cost to participants and to explore options for sustainable funding to support the transportation needs of their communities during 2013. Thanks go to these other folks who were great team members: Beth Hunt from Meagher County and Mel Holman from Wheatland County, as well as Karen Erdie the AAA Director from Area II. For more information contact MILP at 406-442-5755 or visit www.milp.us. MSN
Basic hygiene helps prevent illness
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By Susan Frances Bonner, RN, BSN It’s that time of year again, folks. The temperatures are low, the snow is blowing, and some of the oldest creatures known to man are free to lay havoc on our immune systems. Yes, it’s winter. And with colder weather come colds, flu, and upper respiratory infections. Hygiene is an age-old subject that is as timely as ever, and one thing is clear, since the days of Florence Nightingale, good hygiene is the hallmark of maintaining good health and preventing the transmission of disease. The term hygiene is derived from Hygeia, the Greek goddess of health, cleanliness, and sanitation. Hygiene is also the name of the science that deals with the promotion and preservation of health. Hygiene is most often associated with cleanliness and preventative measures. In medicine, hygiene practices are employed to reduce the incidence and spreading of disease. Keeping oneself clean to help keep you and your family healthy seems like a basic practice that everyone should know how to do. But most people take hygiene for granted. Take hand washing for instance. In this day and age of hand sanitizers, specialty paper towels, and all kinds of wipes, this basic preventative measure has become obsolete. Yet it is the most efficient, cheapest, and easiest way to prevent the transmission of disease and illness. So, let’s review this age-old practice. You should wash your hands before: preparing or eating food; after going to the bathroom, after changing diapers or cleaning up a child who has gone to the bathroom; before and after caring for someone who is sick; after handling uncooked foods, particularly raw meat, poultry, or fish; after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing; after handling an animal or animal waste; after handling garbage; before and after treating a cut or wound; and after handling items contaminated by flood water or sewage. Just as hand washing is the first step to good hygiene, keeping one’s body and clothes clean is the next phase. My husband, who was a New York inner city paramedic made sure that every time he came home from work he would take his work clothes off at the front door of our home, put it in a garbage bag, and then take a shower. A practice that I continued throughout my nursing career. As a travel nurse, I was very cognizant of keeping clean. I could not afford for my family or me to get sick because we were traveling across the United States. I also did not want to be a “typhoid Mary” and carry illness wherever I went. And because of my vigilance neither happened. To bring this issue home, I will give you an example of how important hand washing and cleanliness really are. While working in a facility for the developmentally disabled, the medical staff was informed that there was a shortage of
FEBRUARY/MARCH 2013
flu vaccine. The medical staff had to come up with preventative practices to decrease the instance of flu, which could run rampant in a facility that housed about one hundred patients and staff. After some research, we decided that we would emphasize good hand washing practices and increase the duties of the cleaning staff so that the facility would be cleaned twice as much. Patients were given extra baths and told how and when to wash their hands. During that year there were fewer cases of flu than at any other time, even without the flu shots. Soap and water are cheap, easy, and a sure way to keep you and your family illness free. So forget those fancy antibacterial solutions; keep it simple and keep it clean! Susan Frances Bonner, RN BSN, is the author of Opening A Registered Nurses Eyes; A life Altering Journey Across North America. MSN
Travel tips for the heart smart among us Provided by www.spot55.com Far too many people see taking vacations as a free pass to eat whatever they want and worry about the consequences afterwards. How many times have you promised yourself to go on a diet as soon as you returned from that luxury cruise or holiday visit to see the family? We are all guilty of that. But for those of us who are at elevated risk for heart disease, there is no such thing as taking a vacation from a healthy lifestyle. Here are some of the most helpful heart healthy travel tips to help keep you on track while you vacation. Plan heart healthy travel activities. Wherever you go, there will be plenty of opportunities to get your exercise, even if you are on vacation mode. Hopping aboard a cruise ship? There is plenty of room to walk around each day to keep your heart and muscles pumping. Cloistering up in a romantic hotel for a few days? Seek out nearby health clubs where you can get a day pass, or use your hotel’s gym services. Create a daily agenda and stick to it. There is nothing easier to do than to fall into relaxation mode because you have nothing special planned and are in no rush to do it. But if you make sure to plan out your activities in advance, you won’t have the opportunity to let last night’s dinner go to work on your waistline – you’ll be too busy being on the move, which is one of the best possible heart healthy travel tips. Eat smart. Heart healthy travel is only an impossibility if you have convinced yourself that there is no way in the world to eat healthy when you are on vacation. Fortunately, as long as you recognize that’s just an excuse to enable you to ignore your heart health, there is no reason why you should not be able to eat smart wherever you are. Opt for heart healthy or vegetarian dishes when you are dining in restaurants and choose fruit desserts instead of cardiovascular no-no’s. Be aware of your surroundings. Vacation destinations that experience extreme climates (whether hot or cold) can be unhealthy for those with existing heart issues. Plan ahead by researching the climate of your destination and by finding out what the expected forecast will be when you are there. Pack vacation attire that matches up well with the expected climate. Over-exerting yourself in hot or humid weather is bad for you, but so is overdoing it in cold weather. Altitude is another important consideration, because the higher the altitude, the less oxygen your body gets - making your heart work harder even when resting. You do not have to avoid vacation destinations with high altitudes, but it is a smart idea to hold off on any high-energy activities until you have had a couple of days to acclimate. There are many ways to achieve heart healthy travel that will not cause you any major health setbacks, but in the end, it is entirely up to you to ensure you make those smart choices. MSN
Baseball is a slow, sluggish game, with frequent and trivial interruptions, offering the spectator many opportunities to reflect at leisure upon the situation on the field: This is what a fan loves most about the game. - Edward Abbey
THERAPY CENTER at WESTVIEW HEALTH CARE
MONTANA SENIOR NEWS PAGE 63
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Do Not Overlook Your Hepatitis C Test Did you know that the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends a one-time hepatitis C (HCV) test for anyone born between 1945 and 1965 (Baby Boomers)? This one-time test will identify 800,000 people who can then seek medical care and treatment. More than 4 million Americans are infected with HCV and most – 7 out of 10 – do not know they are infected. You are at
higher risk for HCV if you: • Ever injected or snorted drugs, even once, even a long time ago • Ever served in the military • Had a blood transfusion before 1992 • Have had injections, dental work, or surgery performed outside the United States Many people infected with HCV do not have symptoms and may not realize they are sick until the liver has become damaged. If untreated an
HCV infection can lead to serious health problems including scarring of the liver, liver cancer, and death. The good news is that HCV is curable, 80% of the people who take HCV medications clear the virus from their body. At Open Aid Alliance we offer a very low cost HCV antibody test with results in only twenty minutes, please call 406-543-4770 or visit www. OpenAidAlliance.org to schedule a test. MSN
Colon cancer awareness: Colon cancer can be prevented March is colon cancer awareness month, and we would like to share some information all Idahoans should know about this deadly disease. Colorectal cancer is the third most commonly diagnosed cancer in the United States and is the second leading cause of cancer death in men and women combined, killing almost 50,000 people each year. Ninety percent of new cases and 95% of deaths from colorectal cancer occur in people 50 or older. The good news is that colon cancer rates in the United States have decreased by more than 10% over the past 5 years largely because of increased awareness and use of colon cancer screening. Unfortunately, less than half of Idahoans who should have routine screening are currently being screened. Colonoscopy is the Montana Oral Surgery AND
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most effective method used for colon cancer detection, screening, and prevention, because most colon cancer starts as a benign growth called a polyp. Colonoscopy is used to detect and remove precancerous polyps before they become cancer. Most colon cancer can be cured if detected early, however once the cancer spreads many are incurable. Early detection is vital. Risk factors for colon cancer include: age over 50, personal history of colon polyps, family history of colon cancer or colon polyps , chronic inflammation of the colon (ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease), cigarette smoking, inactivity, and obesity. Who should have colonoscopy? • Anyone 50 or older • Anyone with a family history of colon cancer or colon polyps in close relatives. • Symptoms that might suggest colon cancer such as change in bowel habits, diarrhea, constipation, blood in stool, weight loss, abdominal pain or bloating, weakness, or fatigue. These symptoms can also be associated with many other health conditions and should be discussed with your health care provider. Remember. Be aware. Colon cancer is preventable. Ask your health care provider about colon cancer screening. Get the test. Get the polyp. Get the cure. MSN
FEBRUARY/MARCH 2013
MONTANA SENIOR NEWS PAGE 65
Here Is Help For Your Diabetes & Heart Disease By Shirley Schneiter Like the rest of the country, the incidence of diabetes in Montana continues to increase. Recent data reports that 48,000 Montanans, 6.4% of the population, have diabetes. This is an increase from 2.8% from 1990. Approximately 176,000 Montanans between the ages of 18-64 years old have pre-diabetes. Pre-diabetes is a condition in which a person’s blood glucose levels are higher than normal but not high enough to be classified as diabetes. Risk factors for pre-diabetes are similar to the risk factors for type 2 diabetes, which include being overweight and inactive, a family history of diabetes, and a history of gestational diabetes. In January of 2008, the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS) funded four healthcare facilities in Montana to provide a prevention program for both type 2 diabetes and heart disease. These programs are using the successful model of the National Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) that demonstrated a 58% reduction in the incidence of diabetes and improvement in cardiovascular risk factors such as elevated cholesterol and blood pressure. The Montana Cardiovascular Disease and Diabetes Prevention Program is currently available at 14 sites across Montana. Eligibility for the program is based on specific risk factors for diabetes or heart disease, such as being overweight, pre-diabetes, high blood pressure, or elevated cholesterol. Adults who meet the eligibility criteria, and are referred by their providers, may enroll in the program after meeting individually with a lifestyle coach. The program consists of two phases. Initially the groups meet weekly for 16 weeks and then monthly for six months. The two major goals of the DPP are to achieve a 7% weight loss and a minimum of 150 minutes per week of moderate intensity physical activity. During the weekly onehour sessions, participants learn about healthy eating, physical activity, problem solving, and coping skills. They also keep a daily food record including their intake of fat grams and physical activity minutes. The follow-up phase includes six monthly sessions focusing on maintaining weight loss and lifestyle changes. The first 820 participants to complete the initial 16 weeks of the Montana program lost an average
of 15 pounds. Forty-five percent of participants achieved the 7% weight loss and 66% achieved a minimum of 150 minutes a week of physical activity. This compares to 50% and 74% in the National DPP, respectively. Overall, participants also saw improvement in blood pressure, blood glucose levels, and cholesterol numbers. The lifestyle changes required to achieve these results are often small and quite achievable for most people, and the rewards are numerous. Sometimes it might be as easy as starting the day with a healthy breakfast, to help control what is eaten later in the day, and scheduling physical activity into your day as you would schedule other
important activities. Most importantly, these types of small lifestyle changes are less difficult to maintain over time than it is to make drastic changes in your daily life. Ask your provider if you are at risk for developing type 2 diabetes and heart disease. If so, now is the best time to take steps towards improving your health. Shirley Schneiter is a Registered Dietitian and Certified Diabetes Educator and is the coordinator of the Diabetes and Heart Disease Prevention Program at Community Medical Center, Missoula. MSN
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MONTANA SENIOR NEWS PAGE 67
Diabetes Can Have Lasting Effects On Your Kidneys And Feet By G. Gregg Neibauer DPM Alpine Foot & Ankle Clinic, Missoula Most of us are familiar with Save the Whales, the conservation effort to educate us about marine mammals, the risks they face, and the opportunities for their preservation. Similarly, you or a loved one may have diabetes, so it is important to consider this article an opportunity to learn to “Save the feet.” What is the connection between diabetes and feet, and why do we need to save them? Many people may not realize that their feet are at risk when they have diabetes, which can cause nerve dysfunction and such damage that the feet become numb to the point that a person cannot feel pain or injuries to their feet. Unchecked, a person may continue to walk and go about normal activities, unaware of wounds and infections, which can result in amputation. Fortunately, education can prevent many of the unwanted consequences of diabetic foot problems. This diabetes-caused nerve dysfunction in the feet is called diabetic peripheral neuropathy and typically starts in both feet (most often in the toes), causes numbness to the feet and toes, but can also cause pain, shooting pains, burning, a
hot sensation, tingling, or pins and needles. The sinister part of this disease is numbness that leads to damage that is not perceivable to the patient. Dr. Paul Brand is quoted as saying, “Pain is God’s greatest gift to mankind.” The loss of this ‘gift’ is precisely what occurs with diabetic neuropathy. Another consequence of diabetes is decreased blood flow to the feet, which decreases skin quality and integrity and amplifies problems such as blisters or cuts. Decreased blood flow to the feet reduces the healing potential of injuries or wounds, can cause pain due to reduced oxygen or nutrients being delivered to the feet, and lead to more critical concerns such as gangrene. Patients with diabetes often develop foot deformities such as bunions or hammertoes. These deformities change the shape of the foot/feet, making fitting into shoes more difficult. If a shoe does not fit well, friction or rubbing may occur on a foot deformity. This in turn may lead to a blister or sore, which may then lead to an infection or amputation. Given these risks to the feet from diabetes, what can prevent their occurrence? First, a diabetic patient should work with their doctor to control their blood sugar. Emphasis should be placed upon diet
and exercise, very effective strategies in blood sugar control. Although medication or insulin may be required to control blood sugar, the key is to control blood sugar, which will lead to better overall health. Second, diabetic patients should establish care with a podiatrist and at the very least have an annual foot exam where the podiatrist will evaluate for neuropathy, poor circulation, foot deformities, and skin integrity. The purpose of this exam is to establish the patient’s risk level as a basis for the closeness of subsequent monitoring. It also gives the patient knowledge of the particular risks and how to remain vigilant against any potential foot complications. Remember that many of the diabetic foot complications can be prevented. The old phrase “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” really rings true when talking about diabetic foot disorders. So please, get your or a loved one’s feet checked, and Save the Feet! For more information, contact Dr. Neibauer, DPMnAlpine Foot & Ankle Clinic, Missoula at www. alpinefoot.com. MSN
Focus on Your Kidneys During National Kidney Month What you do not know can’t hurt – right? Wrong, says the National Kidney Foundation of Colorado, Montana, & Wyoming. More than 26 million Americans – 1 in 9 adults – suffer from chronic kidney disease, millions more are at risk, yet most don’t know it. Because kidney disease often has no symptoms, it could be wreaking havoc without causing any pain. Due to the spiraling rates of the two leading causes – diabetes and high blood pressure – kidney disease is on the rise, yet prevention is possible. Proper diet, weight loss, even mild exercise, control of blood pressure, and blood sugar can all make a difference; and anyone who is at risk should be tested with simple blood and urine tests. In the state of Montana, almost 1 in 3 adults has been diagnosed with high blood pressure, making them at high risk for kidney disease – a connection that is often not made. The kidneys work 24/7 to filter 200 liters of blood each day, removing two liters of toxins, wastes, and water in the process. March is National Kidney Month and the National Kidney Foundation of Colorado, Montana, & Wyoming is urging all Montanans to acquaint themselves with this vital pair of organs. To get started, let’s put to rest some rumors about the kidneys? • The kidneys just clean the blood. FALSE! Filtering the blood by removing waste products and creating urine is just one major function of the kidneys. They also help the body maintain a stable chemical balance of salt, potassium, and acid. They produce hormones that stimulate red blood cell production and help regulate blood pressure. • If you have kidney disease you must go on dialysis. FALSE! People with end stage renal disease (ESRD), also known as stage 5 kidney
disease, need to begin dialysis or receive a kidney transplant to survive. But more than 26 million Americans are currently living with kidney disease and the majority of them are not on dialysis. Unfortunately, many with early stages of kidney disease do not know they have it. That is why it is sometimes referred to as a silent killer. • Kidney disease is a manageable condition. TRUE! Proper diagnosis and treatment can prevent and slow kidney disease from progressing to kidney failure. Proper diet, weight loss, even minimal exercise, control of blood pressure and blood sugar can all make a difference. • If you experience lower back pain, it’s probably kidney disease. FALSE! Pain is not common with kidney disease. Lower back pain often accompanies kidney infections, block-
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ages, and kidney stones. Muscular and arthritic pains are more common causes of back pain, but it’s always best to see your physician to be sure. • Kidney disease affects certain people more than others. TRUE! Anyone can get chronic kidney disease at any age; however, some people are more likely than others are. You may have an increased risk for kidney disease if you are older, have diabetes, have high blood pressure, have a
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family member who has chronic kidney disease, are an African American, Hispanic American, Asian, Pacific Islander, or American Indian. If you are in one of these groups, ask your doctor about being tested. • It’s possible to recover from a kidney injury. TRUE! When properly diagnosed and treated, it’s possible to recover from acute injury to the kidneys. It’s important to note that acute kidney injury places people at a higher risk for developing kidney disease later. Certain medications that are cleared by the kidneys, such as some painkillers, should be avoided. There are proactive steps you can take to reduce your risk. • Maintain a healthy weight. Obesity directly causes kidney disease because the kidneys have to work harder to filter out toxins and meet the metabolic demands of the increased body mass index (BMI) in obese individuals. This is called hyperfiltration and in the long term, it is associated
with increased risk of developing kidney disease. Indirectly, obesity increases the major kidney disease risk factors – Type 2 Diabetes and high blood pressure. • Exercise regularly. It’s true; exercise does a body good – including your kidneys. Aim to get 30 minutes of physical activity at least 5 times a week. Of that, 10 minutes at least 2 or 3 times a week should include light weight training. If you have joint issues, swimming is a good option. Small lifestyle tweaks such as walking more and taking the stairs can have a big impact on your health over time. • Eat a balanced, low-salt diet. Diets high in sodium increase blood pressure levels. High blood pressure damages the kidneys over time, and is a leading cause of kidney failure. Avoid or limit high calorie drinks: soda, fruit punch and juices, some coffee drinks and alcohol. A bonus to drinking lots of water? It helps prevent painful kidney stones. • Quit smoking. You’ve heard this a million
times, but there’s a good reason. Smoking causes diseases in every organ of the body, including the kidneys! Smoking causes restriction of blood vessels, and smokers are more likely to have protein in the urine, an early sign of kidney damage. • Avoid long-term use of Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (over-the-counter painkillers, known as NSAIDS). Long-term use of over-the-counter painkillers, especially in high doses, has a harmful effect on kidney tissue and structures. These drugs can also reduce the blood flow to the kidney. Follow directions given, they are there for a reason. Early detection, medical intervention, and lifestyle changes if needed are the keys to slowing or stopping the progression of kidney disease. The National Kidney Foundation of Colorado, Montana, & Wyoming conducts its Kidney Early Evaluation Program (KEEP), a FREE early detection screening. To find out dates and locations, go to www. kidneycmw.org or call 800-596-7943. MSN
DPHHS Diabetes Project Promotes Healthy Lifestyle Changes To Prevent Type 2 Diabetes Diabetes program offers tools and resources to help Diabetes affects nearly 26 million Americans and an estimated 79 million adults are at risk for developing the disease. In Montana, diabetes affects more than 62,000 adults. It is estimated that 270,000 adult Montanans have pre-diabetes, which is a risk factor for type 2 diabetes. Type 2 diabetes can be prevented or onset delayed by lifestyle changes. The Montana Diabetes Project and National Diabetes Education Program (NDEP) are changing the way diabetes is treated by working together to help people better understand how to make the necessary changes in their day-to-day life in order to prevent type 2 diabetes or manage their diabetes to prevent complications, and live healthier lives. “Even if you know what to do to improve your health, figuring out how to do it, and fitting it into your daily routine can be a big challenge,” said Anna Whiting Sorrell, Director of the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services. “That’s why it’s important to set goals and make a plan to prevent type 2 diabetes or manage diabetes to prevent complications.” The Montana Diabetes Project is working with diabetes educators and the NDEP to help people make a change to live well by bringing behavior
change tools to the community – tools to help people better understand how to make healthy changes in their day-to-day life. So how do Montanans get started making these healthy changes? According to Sarah Brokaw of the Montana Diabetes Project, it is about choosing a goal and working toward it. The NDEP’s “Make a Plan” is a great tool that can help and is available at www.diabetes.mt.gov. “Once a plan is in place, the NDEP provides a number of tools to help people reach their goals,” Brokaw said. “Whether it’s to eat healthier, be more active, lose weight, or cope better with stress and emotions, the NDEP offers tools and resources to help.” For more personalized assistance, Brokaw states Montana diabetes educators can also help tailor specific plans. Local diabetes educators can be reached by contacting local hospitals or online at www.diabetes.mt.gov. For those at risk for type 2 diabetes, the Montana Cardiovascular Disease and Diabetes Prevention Program is a 10-month program available at 15 sites across Montana and at several telehealth sites in southeast Montana. This evidence-based program has been shown to reduce the risk of diabetes by 58 percent and improve lives through simple lifestyle changes. MSN
FEBRUARY/MARCH 2013
Grade-A Grocery List: Tips To Prevent Type 2 Diabetes By the National Diabetes Education Program (NAPSI) - If you have a family history of diabetes, or you have been told by a health care professional that you are at risk for type 2 diabetes, it is important to take steps now to reduce your risk. Studies show that people at high risk for type 2 diabetes can prevent or delay the onset of the disease if they lose as little as 10 pounds - by walking 30 minutes a day, five days a week and making healthy food choices. A healthy diet does not have to be expensive. Start by planning meals and making a grocery list ahead of time to take charge of what you eat. Follow these tips by the National Diabetes Education Program (NDEP) while grocery shopping to help you and your entire family make healthy food choices: • Don’t go to the store hungry. You may buy food you do not need. • Read and compare food labels. Choose foods with fewer calories that are lower in saturated fats, trans fats, cholesterol, sodium (salt), and added sugars. Check the serving size and the number of servings. Food labels are based on one serving, but many packages contain more. When you compare calories and nutrients between brands, check to see if the serving size is the same. • Focus on fruits, vary vegetables. Buy a variety of frozen, canned, or in-season fresh fruits such as melons, berries, and oranges rather than
fruit juice for most of your fruit choices. Choose fruit without added sugar or syrup. Buy in-season, leafy dark green vegetables such as broccoli and spinach, and orange vegetables such as carrots or squash. Choose vegetables without added salt, butter, or sauces. • Look for calcium-rich foods. Buy low-fat or skim milk instead of whole milk. If you cannot drink milk, choose fat-free or low-fat lactose-reduced milk or try calcium-rich leafy green vegetables such as kale or collard greens. • Make your grains whole. Buy whole wheat bread, crackers, cereals, brown rice, oatmeal, and barley. • Go lean with protein. Buy lean meats. For poultry, remove the skin before cooking. Vary your protein choices with more fish, nuts, seeds, beans, and peas such as pinto beans and split peas. For a free copy of Get Real! You Don’t Have to Knock Yourself Out to Prevent Diabetes, contact the National Diabetes Education Program at www. YourDiabetesInfo.org or call 1-888-693-NDEP (6337); TTY: 1-866-569-1162. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ National Diabetes Education Program is jointly sponsored by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) with the support of more than 200 partner organizations. MSN
Eye Care Coverage Under Medicare By Jim Miller Many people are confused with what Medicare will and will not cover when it comes to eye care. Here is a breakdown of how Medicare handles different types of vision care services, along with some additional tips that can help you get affordable care when needed. Medicare Coverage – If you have original Medicare (Part A and B), it’s important to know that “routine” vision care like eye exams, eye refractions, eyeglasses, or contact lenses is generally not covered. But, “medically necessary” eye care usually is. Here is a list of what is covered: • Eye surgeries: Any surgical procedure that helps repair the function of the eye like cataract removal, cornea transplant, glaucoma surgery, etc. • Eyeglasses or contacts: Only if you have had cataract surgery. • Medical eye exams: Only if you are having vision problems that indicate a serious eye condition like macular degeneration, retinopathy, glaucoma, or dry eye syndrome. • Glaucoma screenings: Annual screenings for those at high risk (have diabetes, a family history of glaucoma, are African-American or Hispanic). • Diabetic eye exams: If you have diabetes, yearly exams for diabetic retinopathy. • Macular degeneration: Certain treatments are covered. You also need to be aware that of the eye care services that are covered by Medicare, you are still responsible for 20 percent of the cost – Medicare pays the other 80 percent. To help with this out-ofpocket expense, some Medicare supplement policies provide gap coverage. Or, if you have Medicare Advantage, some plans provide eye care benefits. Be sure you check with your plan administrator. Ways to Save - If you find your eye care needs are not covered, or you cannot afford the 20 percent out-of-pocket that Medicare does not cover; there
MONTANA SENIOR NEWS PAGE 69
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are other ways to save. For starters, if you need a refractive eye exam or a new pair of eyeglasses, many optometrists and eyeglass dealers offer discounts – usually between 10 and 30 percent – to those who request it. Memberships in groups like AAA and AARP can also provide lower rates. Another way to get low-cost eye care is at an optometry school. Many offer affordable care provided by students that are overseen by their professors. See opted.org for a directory of schools and their contact information. Assistance Programs – Depending on where you live, there may also be some local clinics or charitable organizations that provide free or discounted eye care or eyeglasses. Put in a call to your local Lions Club to see what is available in your area. To reach your local club, visit lionsclubs.org or call 800-747-4448 to get the number to your state Lions Club office, which can refer you to your community representative. Or, if you need medical eye care, check into EyeCare America. This national program provides comprehensive medical eye examinations to people
65 and older, and up to one year of treatment at no cost. They accept Medicare or other insurance as full payment. And if you do not have insurance, care is free. To learn more or to find out if you qualify, visit eyecareamerica. org. If you are under age 65, some other services that can help include Mission Cataract USA (missioncataractusa.org), which provides free cataract surgery to low-income people who do not have insurance. Vision USA (aoa. org/visionusa.xml, 800-766-4466), which provides free vision care to uninsured and low-income workers and their families. And the Knights Templar Eye Foundation (214-888-0220, knightstemplar.org/ktef), which provides financial assistance for eye surgeries to low-income people who do not have private insurance. 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. MSN
Save That Spit – It Could Be Crucial By Tait Trussell, Senior Wire A simple fluid in everybody=s mouth – saliva – could lead the way to dramatic cancer prevention. Scientists have determined saliva contains biomarkers, elements reflecting the presence of a disease. These biomarkers have the power to detect potentially fatal pancreatic cancers earlier. According to Dr. David Wong, saliva can also lead to the diagnosis of other types of cancer, although the research findings regarding this are still to be announced. Research done by Dr. Wong and his colleagues at the University of California=s School of Dentistry reveals that pancreatic cancer can be detected with precision early enough to provide treatment. This is important given that pancreatic cancer caused death in 35,000 of the 42,000 patients diagnosed with it in 2009 (American Cancer Society). Thus, early detection is vital. Pancreatic cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer death in the United States. According to the researchers, the risk of developing pancreatic cancer, for both men and women, is about one in 72. It is known as the Asilent killer@ because its symptoms do not appear until it has reached an advanced stage. These signs are abdominal pain, jaundice, weight loss, and itchy skin. Remission is rare, according to the World Health Organization. The pancreas is a pear-shaped organ about six inches in length. It lies behind the stomach and cannot be felt by a doctor during a physical examination, adding to the difficulty in diagnosing the cancer. Pancreatic cancer is so prevalent and so deadly that it was crying out for some means of early diagnosis. Dr. Wong says that Athe ability to implement safe, cost-effective, widespread screening could be the answer to saving thousands of lives each year, and that is what we are after.@ A multidisciplinary group from the UCLA School of Dentistry, UCLAs David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA=s School of Public Health, and the Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, also at UCLA, cooperated on this important project. The UCLA researchers altered genes to find four biomarkers that differentiated pancreatic cancer victims with non-cancer subjects, with A90 percent sensitivity and 95 percent specificity.@ One of the researchers, Dr. James J. Farrell, explained that “not only are these saliva-based You may qualify for free assistive telephone equipment through the diagnostic methods for pancreatic cancer simple and noninvasive, they may also represent an Montana Telecommunications Access Program! improvement in specificity and sensitivity over currently used procedures, such as blood tests, for pancreatic cancer detection,@ Equipment available through The Montana Telecommunications MTAP includes: Access Program (MTAP) provides Amplified (louder) telephones Captioned telephones FREE assistive telephone equipment Loud bell ringers to those who qualify, making it easier TTYs (text telephones) to use the phone to do business or Artificial Larynxes keep in touch with family and friends. Much, much more!
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The study was small, including only 90 people. About half were age 69, and about half were age 67. The researchers acknowledged the limitations of the findings. But they plan to move ahead to test saliva biomarkers in a larger group of people. The physicians and scientists are in agreement that, while at this stage we can=t entirely prevent cancer, the next best development is to detect it as early as possible to enhance the prospects of a successful outcome. Dr. Wong states that advances in technology coupled with altered gene expression in saliva could differentiate pancreatic cancer patients from non-cancer subjects, and that the discoveries involved with pancreatic cancer could be applied to detecting early signs of other cancers, including breast cancer. Other new research is also being conducted with breast cancer patients. A recent study, involv-
MONTANA SENIOR NEWS PAGE 71
ing more than 4,000 nurses who had been diagnosed with breast cancer, found that breast-cancer patients who take aspirin three to five times a week may be able to reduce their risk of death by as much as 50 percent. The study also determined that patients taking aspirin were not only more likely to survive, but also less likely to have their cancer reappear or spread to other parts of their body. Those involved in the long-range study at Brigham And Women=s Hospital in Boston said more research is needed. The chief investigator, Dr. Michelle Holmes, said the study did not definitively prove aspirin contributed to the women=s survival rate. Clinical trials were called for to examine the question further. Other research advises against aspirin because of dangers from high blood pressure and internal bleeding. MSN
Women And Heart Disease By Marge Samsoe, MA, CDE Women and men are different in many ways but heart disease and stroke are still the leading cause of death for women over age 35 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the same as men. How are we different? â&#x20AC;˘ Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re smaller than men are generally. â&#x20AC;˘ Our blood vessels are also smaller, so plaque buildup affects us earlier. â&#x20AC;˘ Estrogen protects against heart disease until menopause. â&#x20AC;˘ Women tend to live longer so women tend to be older when symptoms occur. For that reason, they also have a higher likelihood of already having diabetes, high blood pressure, and cholesterol problems by the time they develop heart disease. â&#x20AC;˘ Smaller blood vessels are more difficult to balloon, stent, and bypass. â&#x20AC;˘ Symptoms often tend to be more subtle in women than in men. Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s symptoms may include nausea, dizziness, fatigue, shortness of breath, anxiety, and â&#x20AC;&#x153;just not feeling right.â&#x20AC;? Menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s typical symptoms of cardiac trouble may include pressure, tightness, or discomfort in or radiating to the chest, neck, jaw, teeth, shoulders, upper back, or down one or both arms. Both women and men may also develop any of the above symptoms. A person who has diabetes is also more likely to have more subtle symptoms. Ways to prevent or rehabilitate from heart disease or stroke are: â&#x20AC;˘ Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t smoke â&#x20AC;&#x201C; smoking increases your risk by over 50%. â&#x20AC;˘ Check and control blood pressure, lipids, and blood sugars. Blood pressure should optimally be less than 115/75 at rest. LDL cholesterol should be less than 130 if no risk factors for heart disease. If you have risk factors for heart disease, LDL should be less than 100. If you have either heart disease or diabetes, the LDL goal is less than 70. HDL cholesterol should be over 50 for women (over 40 for men). Triglycerides should be less than 150. Fasting blood sugars should be less than 100. â&#x20AC;˘ Exercise aerobically at least 30 minutes/day
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Missoula’s Family Promise - continued from page 28 49,000 homeless people nationwide have received meals, shelter, and support with finding homes and jobs. Of those 49,000, some 60 percent are children. According to Barbara, the program essentially functions the same wherever it is located. Typically, people hear about Family Promise through their own religious affiliation or through agencies that are assisting them. Families can remain in the program for 12 weeks at a time before they are rotated out. “Most of the homeless people we’ve met have lost all sense of choice. They want to get back on their feet and are embarrassed about their situation. So we focus on families that have hit hard times because of things like high medical bills, foreclosures, and job loss. We do not focus on people who have been involved with physical abuse, addictive, or criminal behaviors. We aren’t equipped to handle those problems,” Barbara explains. “Every family has its own room in the edifice where they can leave their belongings. If there are not enough rooms, separating curtains are hung in fellowship halls. Family Promise provides the roll-away beds that are moved weekly from church to church.” Each evening in Missoula, two overnight volunteers – one from a host and one from a support congregation – sleep in these buildings of worship along with the guest families. They handle any emergencies and come morning put out breakfast fare before leaving. After breakfast, everyone departs. Children attend school or receive daycare. Adults go to a day center where they receive help writing resumes, searching for jobs, or finding affordable housing. An on-site social worker helps with housing, job plans, and networking with agencies that could assist them. “We provide a doorway to existing services that people may not otherwise know about. The intent is to help people find housing and a job and transition them out of the program. It’s a hand up, truly temporary relief, not a long-term program like food stamps,” says Pat. “We don’t just give people fish, we teach them how to fish to support themselves.” And speaking of fish, every evening a dinner crew from the host and support congregations brings in a hot meal. Volunteers sit alongside guests to break bread together. At First United Methodist Church, if everyone present wants to say grace, they sing a verse from Johnny Appleseed that is familiar to young and old alike: Oh, the Lord’s been good to me. And so I thank the Lord For giving me the things I need: The sun, the rain, and the apple seed; Oh, the Lord’s been good to me. “No proselytizing by any group is allowed. We don’t discuss religion. And we are not servants. This is a partnership. Everyone helps,” emphasizes Barbara. “Guests can make the next day’s
lunch for themselves with the dinner leftovers or fix a sandwich to take along with them.” Since host and support congregations work closely together to offer these services, one of the program’s fringe benefits for volunteers is getting better acquainted with people of other faiths. People they might not otherwise have met. “You get exposed to such diversity. I’ve learned to appreciate volunteers from other organizations. I’ve met ministers, priests, pastors, and rabbis. It’s a common thing we all want to do. It’s not about our theology,” says Pat, a retired physicist. “It’s the individual faith in action.” One of his favorite evenings as an overnight chaperone occurred when he chatted for hours with a volunteer from a support congregation, the Spirit of Peace, who happened to be a chemist. The two scientists covered a wide swath of conversational territory discovering how much they had in common. For many volunteers, one of the toughest things they face is not interfering with family interactions. “We don’t intervene when we see parenting skills that are lacking,” comments Barbara. “We don’t lecture or judge. Some of these people may never have had positive role models. We have an opportunity to do that if we can encourage them to try something different.” In addition, the volunteers also have an opportunity to do some fun things together with the families. For instance, birthdays are celebrated with cake and ice cream, at Halloween pumpkins are carved and costumes provided, and year-round families are treated to the Caras Park Carousel with unlimited rides and pizza. Seeing people who are struggling to keep their families together has touched Barbara and Pat in many ways. “It gives us a frame of reference for how lucky and grateful we are,” says Barbara. “When I see people worse off, it gives me an appreciation of what we have,” adds Pat, “a home, our health, and family.” Among the other joys of the program Barbara and Pat have witnessed is the knowledge that onethird of the Missoula families who have participated have now transitioned to their own apartments. “Family Promise works. It helps people get out of a hole and back to a more normal environment. This is about community giving – people helping people. It’s not about entitlements or handouts,” sums up Barbara. “Everyone has a special gift to offer and help our fellow man. You can have all kinds of programs but if a program doesn’t come from the
inside out, it’s just a program.” To learn more about Family Promise or to make a tax-deductable donation, visit www.familypromisemissoula.org or www.familypromise.org. MSN
It pays to question your statements!
Questioning a $9 charge on a Medicare statement resulted in the return of $1.37 million to Medicare! You can help stop Medicare waste, fraud and abuse by reading your statements. For assistance, call the Montana SMP nearest you.
1-800-551-3191 Montana SMP is a statewide program administered by Missoula Aging Services. This ad was supported, in part, by a grant from the Administration for Community Living, AoA, DHHS. Points of view or opinions do not necessarily represent official AoA policy.
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while ago – it turns 78 in August of this year. Jean C. Setzfand is Vice President of the Financial Security Team in the Education and Outreach group at AARP. She leads AARP’s educational and outreach efforts aimed at helping Americans have a financial ‘peace of mind’ in retirement. jsetzfand@aarp.org. MSN
How To Settle Your Loved One’s Estate By Jim Miller Serving as the executor of an estate may seem like an honor, but it is also a big chore. Here is what you should know to help you prepare for the job. Understand the Duties – As the executor of an estate, you are essentially responsible for completing her earthly affairs after she dies. While this may sound simple enough, you need to be aware that the job can be tedious, time-consuming, and difficult depending on the complexity of her financial and family situation. Here is a rundown of some of the different duties. • Locate her will and compile an inventory of everything in her estate: real estate, cars, stocks, bonds, mutual funds, IRAs, bank accounts, insurance policies, etc. • Apply to appear before probate court. • Notify the beneficiaries named in her will. • Handle day-to-day details like terminating her leases, credit cards, subscriptions, and notifying banks and government agencies (such as Social Security and the post office) of her death. • Set up a checking account in the name of the estate that you will use to pay expenses like utility bills, mortgage payments, homeowner’s insurance, funeral expenses, taxes, legal fees, etc. • Prepare and file final income tax returns. • Distribute assets to the beneficiaries named in her will. Get Organized – If you agree to take on the responsibility of an estate, your first step is to meet and make sure there is an updated will. You should also find out where all the important documents and financial information is located. Being able to put your hands quickly on deeds, brokerage statements, and insurance policies will save you a lot of time and hassle. Get Help – If there is a complex estate, consider hiring an attorney or accountant to guide you through the process at the estate’s expense. Find out if they use anyone in particular for legal or tax advice. If so, get their names and information. Once they pass, you can either use them or hire someone else. Whomever you choose, make sure they have experience dealing with estates. If you need help locating a professional, the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (naela.org) and the National Association of Estate Planners and Councils (naepc.org) are good resources to help you search. Diffuse Family Problems – If they have children, find out if there are any conflicts among them or any other beneficiaries. If there are some potential problems, you can make your job as executor much easier if everyone knows, in advance, who will be getting what and why. So ask them to
tell their beneficiaries what they can expect. This includes the personal items, too, because wills often leave it up to the executor to distribute heirlooms. If there is no distribution plan for personal property, suggest they make one in writing. Fee or Free – As the executor, you are entitled to a fee paid by the estate. State law determines the amount, which can range anywhere from one to five percent depending on the size of the estate. But if you are also a beneficiary, it may make sense for you to forgo the fee. This is because the estate fee is taxable income, while Uncle Sam and most states do not tax inheritances. Savvy Tip – For more help, Nolo (nolo.com; 800-728-3555) offers a resource book called The Executor’s Guide: Settling A Loved One’s Estate or Trust ($30), which gives advice on how to settle an estate. 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. MSN
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How to Divvy Up Your Stuff By Jim Miller Divvying up personal possessions among adult children or other loved ones is a task that many parents dread. Deciding who should get what without showing favoritism, hurting someone’s feeling or causing a feud can be difficult, even for close-knit families who enter the process with the best of intentions. Here are some tips to consider
that can help you divide your stuff with minimal conflict. Problem Areas – For starters, you need to be aware that it’s usually the small, simple items of little monetary value that cause the most conflicts. This is because the value we attach to the small personal possessions is usually sentimental or emotional, and because the simple items are the things that most families fail to discuss. Family battles can also escalate over whether things are being divided fairly by monetary value. So for items of higher value like your jewelry, antiques and art, consider getting an appraisal to assure fair distribution. To locate an appraiser, visit appraisers.org. Ways to Divvy – The best solution for passing along your personal possessions is for you to go through your house with your kids (or other heirs) either separately or all at once. Open up cabinets, drawers and closets, and go through boxes in the attic to find out which items they would like to inherit and why. They may have some emotional attachment to something you’re not aware of. If more than one child wants the same thing, you will have the ultimate say. Then you need to sit down and make a list of who gets what on paper, signed, dated, and referenced in your will. You can revise it anytime you want. You may also want to consider writing an additional letter or create an audio tape, CD, or DVD that further explains your intentions. You can also specify a strategy for divvying up the rest of your property. Some fair and reasonable options include: • Take turns choosing: Use a round-robin
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process where family members take turns picking out items they would like to have. If who goes first becomes an issue, they can always flip a coin or draw straws. Also, to help simplify things, break down the dividing process room-by-room, versus tackling the entire house. • Have a family auction: Give each person involved the same amount of “play money,” or use “virtual points” to bid on the items they want. This can also be done online at eDivvyup.com, a website for families and estate executors that provides a fair and easy way to distribute of personal property. For more ideas, see “Who Gets Grandma’s Yellow Pie Plate?” A resource created by the University of Minnesota Extension Service that offers a detailed workbook or interactive CD for $12.50, and DVD for $30, that gives pointers to help families discuss property distribution and lists important factors to keep in mind that can help avoid conflict. You can order a copy online at yellowpieplate.umn. edu or by calling 800-876-8636. It’s also very important that you discuss your plans in advance with your kids so they can know ahead what to expect. Or, you may even want to start distributing some of your items now, while you can still alive. 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. MSN
Can Social Security Checks be Garnished? By Jim Miller Whether your Social Security benefits are garnishable or not depends on who you owe. Banks and other financial creditors, for example, can’t touch your Social Security checks. But if Uncle Sam is collecting on a debt, some of your benefits are fair game. Here’s what you should know. Creditor Protections – If you have credit card debts, medical bills, unpaid personal loans, or pay day loans, you’ll be happy to know that your Social Security benefits are safe from your creditors (those you owe). But, be aware that your creditors can still take legal action against you to recover what you owe them, and depending on your state’s law, they may be able to garnish your wages and tap into other allowable assets, if you have any. But they can’t take the money you receive from Social Security. Nor can they touch Supplemental Security Income (SSI), veteran benefits, federal employee and civil service retirement benefits, and benefits administered by the Railroad Retirement Board Administration. To ensure your Social Security or other
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government benefits are protected from creditors, you need to have them direct deposited into your bank account, or to a Direct Express Debit MasterCard account (see godirect.org). Benefits deposited by check into your bank account aren’t protected. Also, be sure you don’t transfer your benefits to another account, or else the protection is void. And don’t have credit cards or other loans at the bank where your benefits are deposited. Money owed to a bank, if it also holds the deposit account, can be frozen. Government Garnishment – If, however, you owe money to Uncle Sam, it’s a very different story. The federal government can garnish a portion of your benefits for repayment of several types of debts, including federal income taxes, federal student loans, child support and alimony, nontax debt owed to other federal agencies, defaulted federal home loans, and certain civil penalties. (If you receive SSI, those benefits cannot be garnished under any circumstance.) How much can actually be garnished depends on the type of debt. If you owe back taxes to the IRS, 15 percent of your Social Security benefits can be taken each month until the debt is paid in full. The government uses the Federal Payment Levy Program to garnish your payments. If you owe money on a student loan – it doesn’t matter how long ago you were in school – the first $750 of your monthly benefits is off-limits to garnishment. After that, the government can shave off up to 15 percent. And if you owe past or current child or spousal support, you could lose as much as 50 to 65 percent of your benefits. Delinquent child support and alimony cases are processed through the national Court Ordered Garnishment System. In these situations, the maximum reduction to your benefits depends on the state where you live. The garnishment is limited to either the maximum allowed under state law or the maximum under the Consumer Credit Protection Act, or CCPA, whichever is less. You also need to know that before your Social Security benefits are
More than 47,000 Montanans Could be Eligible for Property Tax Assistance The Montana Department of Revenue estimates that more than 47,000 Montanans could be eligible for property tax assistance, but have not filed for it. The Property Tax Assistance Program (PTAP) provides property tax assistance to anyone who meets the qualifications, and there is no age restriction. In order to qualify for this program, taxpayers must own and occupy their home as their primary residence and meet the income requirements that can be found on our website at revenue.mt.gov. Depending upon the taxpayer’s qualifying income; they may be entitled to a property tax reduction on their primary residence, and in some cases that amounts to hundreds of dollars. “Property tax assistance is a great program,” said revenue director Mike Kadas. “It offsets property taxes so that you can spend your money on other necessities such as food, heating, clothing, and medicine.” For an application, taxpayers can contact their local Department of Revenue office. All taxpayers that applied in the prior year will be automatically mailed an application the last week of January, whether or not the benefit was granted. For additional questions, please phone our call center at 1-866-8592254, or 406-444-6900 if calling from a local Helena number. MSN
How to Locate Discounts If You’re 50 or Older By Jim Miller One of the great perks of growing older in the U.S. is the many discounts that are available to boomers and seniors. If you don’t mind admitting your age, here are some tips and tools to help you find them. Always Ask – The first thing to know is that not all businesses advertise them, but many give senior discounts just for asking, so don’t ever be shy to ask. You also need to know that while some discounts are available as soon as you turn 50, many others may not kick in until you turn 55, 60, 62 or 65. Search Online – Because senior discounts are constantly changing and can vary greatly depending on where you live and the time of the year, the Internet is one of your best resources for locating them. To get started go to SeniorDiscounts.com, a massive website that lists more than 250,000 discounts on a wide variety of products and services like airlines, car rentals, travel, recreation, local transportation, shopping, restaurants, hotels, state and national parks, medical services, pharmacies, museums, and more. You can search for discounts by city and state or ZIP code, or by the category you’re interested in, free. Or, for $13, you can become a premium member and get additional, select discounts.
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garnished, you’ll receive several letters of notice from the IRS, and be given ample opportunity to make a pay arrangement. If you don’t, the agency will start docking your monthly checks. Get Help – If you believe your accounts are being frozen or garnished improperly, you’ll need to seek legal help. The American Bar Association provides links to free and low-cost legal help in your area at findlegalhelp. org. Or, call the Eldercare Locator at 800-677-1116 for referrals. 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. MSN
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Another great website for locating 50-and-older discounts is Sciddy. com. Launched in 2011, this site also lets you search free by city, state, or ZIP code, as well as by business or category. Join a Club – Another good avenue to senior discounts is through membership organizations like AARP, which offers its 50 and older members a wide variety of discounts through affiliate businesses (see discounts.aarp. org). Annual AARP membership fees are $16, or less if you join for multiple years. If, however, you’re not a fan of AARP, there are other alternative organizations you can join that also provide discounts such as The Seniors Coalition or the American Seniors Association. Or, for federal workers, there’s the National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association. Types of Discounts – Here’s a brief rundown of some of the different types of discounts you can expect to find. Supermarkets: Many locally owned grocery stores offer senior discount programs, as do some chains like Kroger, Publix, and Fry’s which offer some discounts on certain days of the week but they vary by location. You’ll need to ask! Retailers: Many thrift stores and certain retailers like Kohl’s, Bealls, Dressbarn, and Ross Stores offer a break to seniors on a certain day each week.
Travel: Southwest Airlines provide by far the best senior fares in the U.S. to passengers 65 and older, while Amtrak offers a 15 percent discount and Greyhound offers 5 percent off to travelers over 62. And, most hotels in the U.S. offer senior discounts, usually ranging from 10 to 30. Car Services: If you’re renting a car, most car rental companies provide discounts to customers who belong to organizations like AARP. And some Jiffy Lube and Midas service centers offer discounts to seniors for auto repair and maintenance. Restaurants: Senior savings are common at restaurants and fast food establishments, ranging from free coffee, to drinks, to discounts off your total order. Chains known for their senior discounts include McDonald’s, Wendy’s, Burger King, Applebee’s, Arby’s, Chili’s, and Friendly’s. Entertainment: Most movie theaters, plays, ballets, symphonies, museums, zoos and aquariums provide reduced admission to seniors over 60 or 65. And seniors over 62 are eligible to get the “America the Beautiful – Senior Pass” for $10, which provides a lifetime of free access into all national parks and federal recreational lands. 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. MSN
Loren Pinski’s Upcoming Peace Corps Adventure - continued from page 32 my spare time, I’ll teach the village children English. And I hope to learn tips from the local carvers and maybe share some carving techniques with them.” As Loren explained it, the need these days is not so much for volunteers experienced in a particular field but volunteers experienced in life. Flexible people with strong communication and problem-solving abilities top the list. That is why the Peace Corps and the countries they aid are seeking mature volunteers like Loren along with current college graduates. “Older volunteers bring a lot of practical experience. For instance, someone who has taught for 20 years brings the skills learned during that time in the classroom to any job. Aside from that,” says Loren, “in many cultures older people are greatly respected and admired for what they have to offer. In Africa, this goes back to the tribal elder mental-
ity. It’s a very real thing in other parts of the world. They honor life skills.” While you might expect Loren to be nervous about possible uprisings from nearby African countries, he’s not. “Zambia seems to be pretty stable. The conflict in the Congo is in the north and Zambia is near the southern border,” he points out. Nor is he concerned about mastering the Zambian dialect he will soon be speaking. “I’ve studied Spanish, Italian, Greek, and Russian and can learn quickly,” he tells you. Additionally, the knowledge that his next home will be a thatch-roofed mud hut with no running water— never mind hot showers or electricity—doesn’t faze Loren. Quite the contrary. He relishes the idea of living in a culture completely different from his own; meeting whatever challenges arise; and becoming a contributing part of that culture.
So, what is Loren’s biggest dilemma right now? It appears to be something far more mundane: how he can stuff two years’ worth of clothing plus a tent and sleeping bag into two suitcases. For sure, he won’t leave behind his trusty chisels and knives so he can continue carving and use this widespread art form to bridge divides with his new neighbors. But he has yet to figure out exactly what else will go into those two suitcases. “Learning to live and work in Africa is going to be work but I’m looking forward to it,” sums up Loren. “Instead of getting out the golf clubs, I prefer to get out my passport.” For more information about the Peace Corps, visit www.peacecorps.gov. To learn more about Loren’s wood carving and follow his adventures in Africa, go to www.lppcarver.com. MSN
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