A publication of the Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging
January 2013 VOL. 38 • NO. 1
ENOA 4223 Center Street Omaha, NE 68105-2431
PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID OMAHA NE PERMIT NO. 389
New Horizons ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED
Father Bernie Nick Schinker chronicles the career of Father Bernie Byrne, senior associate pastor at Omaha’s St. Wenceslaus Church. A New York City attorney for 39 years and the father of seven children, Father Byrne joined the priesthood in 2006 following his wife’s death. The story begins on page 10.
ON B O ARD
CAT WOMAN
In the fourth of a five-part series titled ENOA board meeting, Washington County Board of Supervisors member Jerry Kruse is profiled. See page 3.
Tanny Liddy and her nonprofit cat shelter, Heartland Cats, are working to match older felines with older men and women. See page 18.
A whole person Wellness Program for adults 50+
RSVP Retired and Senior Volunteer Program
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Monday – Friday: 7 a.m. – 6 p.m. Sat: 9 a.m. – noon
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38th Ave. at Leavenworth St. Parking & entrance from lot 16L off 39th Street between Leavenworth & Jones streets
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The program includes:
• Individualized fitness program • State-of-the-art exercise equipment • Group movement classes • Wellness education
The Retired and Senior Volunteer Program is recruiting persons age 55 and older for a variety of opportunities. For more information in Douglas, Sarpy, and Cass counties, please call 402-444-6536, ext. 229. In Dodge and Washington counties, please call 402721-7780. The following have volunteer opportunities in Douglas, Sarpy, and Cass counties: • Mount View Elementary School wants a TeamMates mentor. • Alegent Health Bergan Mercy Hospital needs volunteers for its information desks and as patient and family escorts.
• Boys Town wants volunteer mentors and a volunteer office assistant. • The Disabled American Veterans need volunteer drivers. • The Ronald McDonald House Charities needs volunteers for general duties. • The Omaha Home for Boys is looking for volunteer mentors. • Pathfinder House is looking for volunteers for movie nights, a walking club, and to socialize with residents. • The Heartland Council New Outlook Pioneers wants volunteers to help with its Hug a Bear Project. • Keep Omaha Beautiful needs volunteers to help with yard cleaning projects (not lawn mowing) for older adults and persons with a disability. • The Omaha Children’s Museum wants a volunteer member check-in assistant. • The Douglas County Historical Society is looking for volunteer to greet
visitors and to serve refreshments. • The Douglas County Health Center wants volunteers for a variety of assignments. • The Omaha Police Department needs volunteers for general duties. • Together Inc. is looking for an intake assistant. The following have volunteer opportunities in Dodge and Washington counties: • The Blair and Fremont Car-Go Programs needs volunteer drivers. • The Fremont Friendship Center needs help with its Tuesday Supper Club. • The Fremont Area Medical Center is looking for volunteers for its information desk on weekends and to help out evenings at the A.J. Merrick Manor. • The Danish American Archive and Library in Blair needs volunteers for a variety of assignments. Please support New Horizons advertisers.
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January 2013
Kruse joined ENOA’s governing board in 2010
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elieving that government spending was spiraling out of control, and wanting a hand in regulating the local tax base, Jerry Kruse decided to run for the District 2 seat on the Washington County Board of Supervisors in 2010.
high-quality programs and services for older adults in Douglas, Sarpy, Dodge, Cass, and Washington counties designed to keep these men and women in
“Our role as board members is to control the purse strings and make wise decisions as ENOA carries out its role.”
their homes for as long as possible. “Our role as board members is to control the purse strings and make wise deci-
Kruse, 64, won the election and shortly thereafter was selected to represent Washington County on the Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging’s governing board. A graduate of Blair High School, Kruse’s nonpolitical career has been spent owning and operating a trucking business in Blair and growing corn and soybeans on a 1,000-acre farm in northwest Douglas County. He recently joined the faculty at Metropolitan Community College where he teaches truck driving. Jerry and Nancy, his wife for 39 years, have two sons, Ross and Brett, ages 35 and 33, respectively. Kruse sees ENOA’s role as providing a variety of
sions as ENOA carries out its role,” he said. While securing the funding ENOA needs to serve the over-60 population in the five-county area it serves
ENOA board meeting will always be a challenge, Kruse said, “The agency does an excellent job doing what it can with the means it’s given.”
b u l C s n o z i r New Ho
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Jerry Kruse represents Washington County on ENOA’s governing board.
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“Make this year’s resolution to have better communications with everyone”
Better communications starts with better hearing! Call today to schedule a hearing test and personal hearing aid demonstration. It’s painless, informative and FREE!…402-571-1207 Customaring e Digital H ow as l s Aids a onth $25/m .C. W.A
“Voice for Older Nebraskans!”
New Horizons Club Send Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging 4223 Center Street to: Omaha, NE 68105-2431
New Open Ear Hearing Aids now professionally fit in one hour!
Hearing loss can cost you more than a hearing aid…
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January 2013
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New Horizons New Horizons is the official publication of the Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging. The paper is distributed free to people over age 60 in Douglas, Sarpy, Dodge, Washington, and Cass counties. Those living outside the 5-county region may subscribe for $5 annually. Address all correspondence to: Jeff Reinhardt, Editor, 4223 Center Street, Omaha, NE 68105-2431. Phone 402-444-6654. FAX 402-444-3076. E-mail: jeff.reinhardt@nebraska.gov Advertisements appearing in New Horizons do not imply endorsement of the advertiser by the Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging. However, complaints about advertisers will be reviewed and, if warranted, their advertising discontinued. Display and insert advertising rates available on request. Open rates are commissionable, with discounts for extended runs. Circulation is 20,000 through direct mail and freehand distribution.
Editor..............................................Jeff Reinhardt Ad Mgr................Mitch Laudenback, 402-444-4148 Contributing Writers......Nick Schinker, Leo Biga, Barc Wade, & Lois Friedman Fremont Delivery.........................Dick Longstein ENOA Board of Governors: Mary Ann Borgeson, Douglas County, chairperson; Ron Nolte, Cass County, vice-chairperson; Bob Missel, Dodge County, secretary; Jim Warren, Sarpy County, & Jerry Kruse, Washington County. The New Horizons and the Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging provide services without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, marital status, disability, or age.
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Immanuel Affordable Communities Immanuel Communities offers beautiful affordable independent apartment homes for seniors who are on a fixed income. Call today to schedule a personal visit.
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Please support New Horizons advertisers!
Fontenelle Tours Omaha/Council Bluffs: 712-366-9596
Quoted prices are per person, double occupancy. For more information about our tours, please call Ward or Kathy Kinney at Fontenelle Tours at the numbers listed above.
2013 Discover Switzerland, Austria, and Bavaria. September 11 – 20, 2013. Fly with us – Ward and Kathy – round trip from Eppley Airfield to the beautiful countryside of Switzerland, Austria, and Bavaria. Four-night stays in two cities: Bern, Switzerland and Innsbruck, Austria. With our Collette Vacations tour guide, we’ll explore the city of Bern and travel the shores of Lake Geneva to the medieval Chateau de Chillon. Enjoy a panoramic train ride through the Swiss Alps to an Alpine ski resort. Visit Lucerne, the “Swiss Paradise on the Lake.” In Salzburg see the Mirabell Gardens (from the “Sound of Music”) and Mozart’s birthplace, visit Oberammergau, see a Tyrolean folklore show, and dine in a 1,200-year-old restaurant owned by Monks. (Early booking saves $250 per person. We will have another presentation on this trip early in 2013. Call for more information.) In Partnership with Collette Vacations (Let us help you find a Collette Vacation to your special destination when YOU want to go. Collette offers trips to numerous destinations both within the United States and throughout the world. Each trip is offered on many different dates throughout the year. Call us for further information.) Laughlin Laughlin in March (by air). March 28 - 31. $300. Includes non-stop, round-trip airfare to Laughlin, Nevada, three nights lodging at the Riverside Resort and Casino on the banks of the Colorado River, and shuttle transportation to and from the airport. Register early…these winter trips fill up fast! Watch New Horizons and our website www.fontenelletours.com for our 2013 trip schedule. Our new address is: 2008 W. Broadway #329, Council Bluffs, Iowa 51501
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January 2013 events calendar 7 Art show featuring Chad Fonfara & Travis Hencey Through Jan. 15 Fred Simon Art Gallery 1004 Farnam St. 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. FREE 402-595-2142
20 Crescendo Concert Series: Prairie Winds Quintet Dundee Presbyterian Church 5312 Underwood Ave. 7 p.m. FREE tickets issued 402-558-2330
10 Midlands International Auto Show Through Jan. 15 Century Link Center 402-341-1500
Omaha Symphony: Breaking Traditions: New Frontiers in Art and Music Witherspoon Concert Hall @ Joslyn Art Museum 2 p.m. $30 402-342-3560
11 Omaha Symphony: Daryl Stuermer of Genesis Also Jan. 12 Holland Performing Arts Center 8 p.m. $25 to $70 402-342-3560 14 UNO Arts Faculty Biennial Exhibition Through Feb. 14 Weber Fine Arts Building @ UNO campus FREE 402-554-2796 15 Memphis the Musical Through Jan. 20 Orpheum Theater Tuesday – Thursday @ 7:30 p.m. Friday @ 8 p.m. Saturday @ 2 & 8 p.m. Sunday @ 1 & 7 p.m. $25 to $95 402-342-0606 US Figure Skating Championship Through Jan. 27 Century Link Center 402-341-1500
21 All Catholic High School Exhibit Through Feb. 1 Lied Art Gallery @ Creighton University 1 to 4 p.m. FREE 402-280-2509 25 Omaha Symphony: Dvorak Festival Also Jan. 26 Holland Performing Arts Center 8 p.m. $25 to $75 402-342-3560 Tomas and the Library Lady Through Feb. 10 The Rose Theatre Friday @ 7 p.m. Saturday @ 2 & 7 p.m. Sunday @ 2 p.m. $18 402-345-4849
18 Deathtrap Through Feb. 10 Omaha Community Playhouse 402-553-0800
27 Omaha Symphony: When I Grow Up Holland Performing Arts Center 2 p.m. $8 & $10 402-342-3560
19 Lucky Peterson 1200 Club Holland Performing Arts Center 8 p.m. $25 (subject to change) 402-345-0606
31 Savion Golver’s Sol.e Sanctuary Orpheum Theater 7:30 p.m. $26 to $59 402-345-0606
January 2013
Read it & eat By Lois Friedman readitandeat@yahoo.com
Recipes, cookbooks to try in 2013 The bounty and joys of the season are reflected in the pages of these lush cookbooks. Sweet wishes to you for the New Year! The Butch Bakery Cookbook By David Arrick (Wiley, $19.99) Thirty “break-the-mold,” masculine aesthetic, grown-up guy cupcake treats. Desserts for dudes from this NYC bakery. Great photos and even a few cake mix recipes! The Rosie’s Bakery: All-Butter, Cream-filled, Sugar-packed Baking Book By Judy Rosenberg (Workman, $15.95) Rosenberg’s star-filled NYC childhood with chocolatecoated memories led her to this award-winning Boston bakery. Try her 250 recipes for cakes, cookies, bars, pies, and fruit desserts. Cakebread, Pudding, & Pie By C. Maritz & M. Guy (Striuk, $25) This South African award-winning husband and wife cookbook writing duo bring you sweet and savory creations from pastries to pot stickers with nostalgia thrown in. Sugar, Sugar By K. Reiner & J. Sanz-Agero (Andrews McMeel, $29.99) These “Sugar Mommas” and law school friends offer recipes for modern-day baking with vintage appeal, sugar stories of the creators, and tips for “sassing them up.” Baked By M. Lewis & R. Poliafito (Stewart Tabori & Chang, $32.50) From their Brooklyn bakery, enjoy 75 recipes arranged by their 10 favorite ingredients: peanut butter, lemon & lime, caramel, booze, pumpkin, malted milk powder, cinnamon, cheese, and chocolate. Try this recipe from the banana section.
Honey Banana Poppy Seed Bread Yield: One 9” X 5” loaf
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour 1 cup sugar 1 teaspoon baking soda ½ teaspoon salt 3 large very ripe bananas, mashed (about 1 cup) 1/3 cup vegetable oil ¼ cup whole milk ¼ cup honey 2 large eggs 2 tablespoons poppy seeds Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and position the rack in the center. Butter a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan, dust it with flour, and knock out the excess flour. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt. In another large bowl, whisk together the bananas, vegetable oil, milk, honey, and eggs.
Protecting yourself against identity theft, knowing what to do if you’re victimized By Jen Vogt
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any of us share a fear of having our identity stolen. Since there are so many ways this can happen, the task of preventing identity theft can seem daunting. By informing yourself of the ways you might be vulnerable to identity theft, arming yourself with a plan to protect against it, and knowing the steps to take should the theft happen, your mind can be set at ease that your personal information is safe. There are many ways your identity can be stolen, and identifying these risks is one of the best ways to make sure you are not vulnerable to them. We normally think of an act of theft being involved with this process; for example, having your mail or wallet stolen. There are other ways to be aware of as well. Some of these include phone and e-mail scams, rifling through trash, or by purchasing personal information from a business. Some identity thieves may even go so far as to use as change of address form at the post office to divert your mail to another location. These are all scary scenarios, but there are a few things you can do protect yourself from these situations. First, secure your mail. Consider a locking mailbox if you are not home when mail is delivered, or ask a trusted neighbor to hold your mail until you are home. Make sure to stop your mail when you are away from home for an extended time. Second, guard your personal information. Don’t let your wallet out of your sight when in a public place, and consider leaving important documents like your social security card or banking information at home. Never provide personal information to phone or e-mail solicitors. Finally, shred papers you throw out to prevent thieves from going through your trash to find information. Monitoring your mail and bills can help you notice fraudulent activity or ensure that it isn’t taking place. Similarly, make sure to check your credit reports for fraudulent activity on a regular basis. You can make inquiries about your credit history to any of the three national credit bureaus: Equifax, Experian, and Trans-Union. You can receive one credit report per year for free; you will be charged for additional reports during the same year. Knowing how to prevent identity theft is an important precaution to take. However, you should also arm yourself with a plan to follow should the theft occur despite these
precautions. Should your identity be stolen, the first thing you should do is contact one of the three national credit bureaus listed above. You should also take the time to call your creditors to inform them your identity has been stolen. Local law enforcement should also be contacted and informed of the theft.
There are many ways your identity can be stolen, and identifying these risks is one of the best ways to make sure you are not vulnerable to them. Here are a few final tips on handling specific identity theft situations: • If debt collectors call, explain your identity was stolen. You are not responsible for fraudulent bills. Ask for confirmation in writing that you don’t owe the debt and the account has been closed. • If your credit card is stolen, call the card issuer immediately to cancel the account. It’s a good idea to have a list of all credit cards, account numbers, expiration dates, and issuer phone numbers kept in a secure place, away from the cards themselves. • If your checks are stolen, put stop payments on all outstanding checks. Cancel your checking and savings accounts and obtain new account numbers. • If your ATM or debit card is stolen, report it to the bank or issuer immediately. They will issue a new card, account number, and PIN number. Take responsibility for monitoring your statements closely during this process. Imagining these thefts is difficult for most of us because it’s not something we ever want to face. However, we eliminate much of the risk of theft identifying the ways we are vulnerable to identity theft, and eliminating these opportunities for would-be thieves. If a theft were to occur, having an action plan in place can give us the peace of mind we would know what to do should this happen to us or a loved one. The best way to prevent and/or cope with identity theft is awareness. (Vogt is with Midwest Geriatrics, Inc. of Omaha.)
Assistive technology equipment available
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lder adults may notice gradual changes in their hearing, memory, vision, and mobility that could create the need for assistive technology. Some of these older men and women may need a cane, a scooter, a listening device, or a lighted magnifier. One way to learn more about obtaining assistive technology equipment is by logging on to at4all.com, a
free online service that lists and can help you find these devices in Nebraska. The service can help consumers: • Borrow and try the equipment before buying. • Buy used and/or free equipment. • List items they want to share or sell. For more information, please call Assistive Technology Partnerships at (toll free) 1-888-806-6287.
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Dora Bingel Senior Center
Dr. Ruth pens book for Alzheimer’s caregivers
You’re invited to visit the Dora Bingel Senior Center, 923 N. 38th St., this month for the following: • Jan. 7, 14, 21, & 28: Al-Anon meeting @ 7 p.m. • Jan. 8, 15, 22, & 29: Grief Support Group meeting @ 10 a.m. • Jan. 16: Regeneration lunch with music by Pam and Ron @ noon. The cost is $3. • Jan. 17: Red Hat Club meeting @ noon. • Jan. 25: Hard of Hearing Support Group meeting @ 10:30 a.m. • Jan. 30: Birthday party luncheon @ noon. Eat free if you have a January birthday! The center will be closed Jan. 1. A nutritious lunch is served on Tuesday and Friday. A fancier lunch is offered on Wednesday. A $1 donation is suggested for the meals, other than $3 for Regeneration. Round-trip transportation is available for $3. Reservations are required 24 hours in advance for all meals. Other activities offered at the facility include: Foot care clinics Wednesdays from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and Fridays from 9 a.m. to noon. The cost is $10. • Tuesday: Free matinee movie @ 12:30 p.m. • Wednesdays: Nurse @ 9:30 a.m. Tai Chi class @ 11:15 a.m., and Bible study @ 1 p.m. • Fridays: Joy Club @ 9:30 a.m. Bible study @ 1 p.m. For more information, please call 402-898-5854.
Millard Senior Center You’re invited to visit the Millard Senior Center at Montclair, 2304 S. 135th Ave., this month for the following: • Wednesday, Jan. 9: Sewing dresses for little girls in Africa and making shorts for little boys in Africa from 9 to 11:30 a.m. Donations of cotton and doublesided tape are still being accepted. Stick around for lunch @ 11:30 a.m. featuring roast beef with gravy, whipped potatoes, and cake. The Millard Senior Center is open weekdays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Lunch is served at 11:30. A $3 donation is suggested for the meal. Reservations are due by noon the business day prior to the lunch you wish to enjoy. Center activities include a walking club (receive a free tshirt), Tai Chi, chair volleyball, card games, quilting class, and bingo. Walking club participants are encouraged to set goals for themselves. Those meeting their goal will receive another t-shirt and homemade cookies. For meal reservations, please call Susan Sunderman at 402-546-1270.
Heartland Family Service Senior Center You’re invited to visit the Heartland Family Service Senior Center, 2101 S. 42nd St. for the following: • Jan. 3, 10, & 17: Jill from WhyArts on music art @ 10:30 a.m. • Jan. 8: Birthday party featuring singer Joe Taylor from the Merrymakers. • Jan. 15: Red Hat Society meeting @ Gorat’s. • Jan. 24: Trip to the IMAX Theater. • Jan. 31: Luau. The center will be closed Jan. 1 for New Year’s Day and Jan. 21 for the Martin Luther King’s birthday celebration. A nurse visits Mondays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Call 402553-5300 for an appointment. The Heartland Family Service Senior Center is open weekdays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Lunch is normally served at noon. A $3 donation is suggested for the meal. Reservations are due by noon the business day prior to the lunch you wish to attend. Transportation is available for 50 cents each way. Call for details. Regular activities include Tai Chi classes on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday @ 10:15 a.m. TOPPS meets at the center Thursdays at noon. For meal reservations or more information, please call Karen at 402-552-7480 of the front desk at 402-553-5300.
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Noted sex therapist Dr. Ruth Westheimer has written a new book titled Dr. Ruth’s Guide for the Alzheimer’s Caregiver: How to Care for Your Loved One Without Getting Overwhelmed … and Without Doing It All Yourself. The book is published by Quill Driver Books. Westheimer says individuals caring for someone with Alzheimer’s appreciate offers from other people to take on the burden of caregiving for them for a few hours so they can visit a doctor or dentist and take care of their own health needs. “Put the offer in writing and if necessary make the proper appointments for them so you can coordinate both your schedules,” she adds. Studies show Alzheimer’s caregivers suffer high levels of stress leading to health conditions including high blood pressure, lower immunity, slow wound healing, and greater incidence of cardiovascular disease. These problems are often made worse because many caregivers don’t take proper care of their own health, sometimes not seeking medical attention until they need to go to the emergency room. “Caregivers will take the person they’re caring for to the doctor but won’t go themselves,” says Westheimer. “They literally put themselves on the line for their loved ones, because by ignoring symptoms they end up with serious illnesses. A gift of time to visit the doctor can literally save a caregiver’s life.” In her new book, Dr. Ruth gives numerous tips on how Alzheimer’s caregivers can get the help they need, including scheduling time for “relief caregivers” and creating a “help registry” of specific needs and tasks where friends and family can help. Millions of Americans take care of loved ones with Alzheimer’s disease, and many of them feel overwhelmed by the crushing burden of caring for a dependent adult while trying to maintain their own physical and mental health. Sixty percent of caregivers report high levels of stress, and 30 percent of caregivers report feeling depressed. Nearly all Alzheimer’s caregivers report high levels of isolation and feelings their family and friends have abandoned them. Dr. Ruth’s Guide for the Alzheimer’s Caregiver presents the best strategies, tactics, tips, tricks, resources, and attitudes to create the most supportive environment possible for these men and women including: • How to ask for and get family, friends, and neighbors to help. • How to deal with the inevitable storm of
Dr. Ruth Westheimer’s new book sells for $16.95. negative emotions that accompany caregiving. • How to cope with and reduce physical and mental exhaustion. • How to deal with siblings who offer criticism, not help. • Why keeping their job is beneficial to a caregiver’s mental health. • Why placing a loved one in a facility is often the most loving thing to do. • Why trying to control outcomes will merely make caregivers frustrated. • How to keep a caregiver’s social life while taking care of their loved one. • How to help caregiver’s children and grandchildren cope with their loved one’s Alzheimer’s disease. • And because it’s Dr. Ruth, a frank and fearless discussion of the impact of an Alzheimer’s diagnosis on caregivers and their sex life, including sex between Alzheimer’s and non-Alzheimer’s spouses, relationships between Alzheimer’s patients in a facility, and the ethics of seeking a new sexual partner when one’s spouse has Alzheimer’s. Full of practical, no-nonsense advice that will help readers provide the best possible care while minimizing caregiver stress, Dr. Ruth’s Guide for the Alzheimer’s Caregiver provides real solutions to the problems that can be solved without pretending that Alzheimer’s disease is easy to deal with. The book is available for $16.95 from bookstores, online booksellers, and Quill Driver Books (1-800-345-4447), and QuillDriverBooks.com.
Sign up to become a SeniorHelp volunteer The Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging’s SeniorHelp Program has a variety of volunteer opportunities available for persons of all ages that provide services to help older adults in ways that support dignity and independence in their daily lives. For more information, please call Karen Kelly at 402-561-2238 or send an e-mail to karen.kelly@ nebraska.gov. • Companionship: Volunteers are needed to
January 2013
visit clients in the Omaha and Bellevue areas. • Transportation: Drivers are being asked to take older adults grocery shopping, to medical appointments as needed, etc. in Douglas, Sarpy, and Cass counties. • Handyman/home maintenance: Volunteers are needed to provide home repairs in Omaha and the surrounding areas. • Household assistance: Volunteers are being recruited to provide housekeeping, sorting and/or
organizing, do laundry, and to help carry groceries from the car into the home for older adults in the Omaha and Bellevue areas. • Meals delivery: Drivers are needed to deliver midday meals in zip codes 68114 and 68144. • Snow removal: Volunteers are needed to remove snow in the Omaha and Bellevue areas. • Yard work: Volunteers are being recruited to rake leaves, clean gutters, and clean flowerbeds in several areas.
A healthy lifestyle includes dieting, exercising, staying physically active
Online tool address the impact of medications on older drivers
More than 80 percent of drivers age 65 and older regularly take medications, yet only half of them have talked to By Carol McNulty Adults can increase their amount of activ- a medical professional about the possible subsequent safety ity to 300 minutes of moderate activity and issues related to driving. hen trying to lose weight and 150 minutes of vigorous activity for more The AAA Foundation for Safety has developed Roadmaintain a healthy lifestyle, extensive benefits. For two or more days wise Rx, a free online tool that details common side effects it’s important to not only during the week, part of an adult’s exercise of prescription and over-the-counter medications for older focus on dieting and eating should include muscle-strengthening activi- drivers. healthier, but also exercising and staying ties using all major muscle groups. Roadwise Rx gives users an easy way to virtually pool physically active. Koszewski says older adults, age 65 and together their pill bottles and talk to their doctor, according According to nutrition specialist Wanda up, should follow the adult guidelines, but to AAA President and CEO Robert Darbeinet. Koszewski, Ph.D., there is evidence that if they’re unable to meet those guidelines, Certain medications have been shown to increase autoexercising regularly prevents excess weight they should remain as physically active as mobile crash risks by up to 41 percent gain and helps people maintain a healthy possible. Research has shown nearly one in five older drivers use weight. Exercise doesn’t have to be going People age 65 and older should determine five or more prescription medications. AAA felt there was to a gym. It can be as simple as taking a their physical activity effort level relative a need to develop a tool to help older drivers understand the long, brisk walk outside. There are different to their fitness level. They should include safety risks of driving while using multiple medications. suggestions and recommendations on the exercises that will help maintain or improve “In most states, including Nebraska, a motorist may be amount or physical activity different ages their balance to reduce the risk of falling. charged for driving under the influence of drugs, which of people should do during a week. Also, if older adults have chronic condiincludes prescription and over-the-counter medications, “ The recommendation for ages 6 and up tions, they should understand whether those said Fred Zwonecheck, administrator of the Nebraska Ofis at least 60 minutes of moderate-intensity conditions affect their ability to exercise fice on Highway Safety. “For that reason, it’s important to or vigorous-intensity physical activity safely and how those conditions affect that know and understand the side effects of any medications each day. Moderate-intensity activity is activity. being consumed before operating a motor vehicle.” described as aerobic activity that increases For more information on healthy living, For more information, log on to seniordriving.aaa.com. a person’s heart rate and breathing to a five nutrition and a variety of subjects visit or six on a scale of zero to 10. This includes http://douglas-sarpy.unledu and www.exbrisk walking, dancing, swimming, or bicy- tension.unl.edu. ENOA’s SeniorHelp, Chore Program cling on level terrain. (McNulty is an educator with the Uniare available to provide snow removal Vigorous-intensity activity is described versity of Nebraska Cooperative Extension as aerobic activity that greatly increases the Office in Douglas and Sarpy counties.) he Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging has two heart rate and breathing. On a scale of zero programs available that remove snow from to 10, this would rate at a seven or eight and the driveways and sidewalks of older adults in Call 402-552-7210 for details includes jogging, tennis, swimming laps, Douglas, Sarpy, Dodge, Cass, and Washington and bicycling uphill. counties. Wellness programs set for Koszewski says vigorous-intensity activThe agency’s SeniorHelp Volunteer Program prothird Tuesday of the month ity should occur at least three days a week. vides this service for persons age 60 and older that are Muscle-strengthening activity – activity that ou’re invited to attend a series physically unable to remove increases skeletal muscle strength, power, of free EngAge Wellness snow and have no other options endurance and mass – should be included at presentations to be held the available for snow removal. least three days of the week. This includes third Tuesday of each month Volunteers are pre-screened various strength and resistance training and during 2013 at the Home Instead Center before being matched with cliendurance exercises. for Successful Aging, 38th Avenue and ents. Another type of activity that should be Leavenworth Street. ENOA’s Chore Program uses included at least three days of the week The programs – which will feature a paid providers to remove snow is bone strengthening, which produces an guest speaker – run from 4:30 to 5:30 for persons age 60 and older that impact on bones and promotes bone growth p.m. every month. are physically unable to perform and strength. This includes running, jumpTopics will include Social Security these duties. Individuals using ing rope, and lifting weights. (January), downsizing (February and this service will be sent a contribution request based on Adults should encourage children and March), the Affordable Care Act (April), their income. adolescents to participate in activities they community resources (May), finances For more information, please call the SeniorHelp enjoy that are appropriate for their age and (June), legal documents (July), long-term program at 402-444-6536. that offer variety. care (August), home care and MediAll adults should avoid inactivity. It’s care (September), Medicare (October), recommended that adults ages 18 to 64 funeral pre-planning (November), and a exercise for 150 minutes each week at a holiday wrap (December). moderate-intensity or 75 minutes a week For more information, please call the at a vigorous-intensity. Aerobic activity Home Instead Center for Successful Agis activity done in episodes of at least 10 ing 402-552-7210. Wills • Trusts • Probate minutes.
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WHITMORE LAW OFFICE
Ask A Lawyer: Q — What is “accidental disinheritance”? A — Accidental disinheritance occurs when an expected heir is cut out of an estate because of lack of planning, rather than intention. It can occur in a blended family, where “planning” consists of holding property in both names.
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For example, Husband and Wife hold all of their property jointly. Husband is the first to die, and Wife inherits everything. Later, Wife dies without proper planning. Result? Wife’s children receive all the family property. Husband’s children are “accidentally disinherited.” Have a question about estate planning? Give us a call!
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January 2013
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Researchers: Slowing the rise of Alzheimer’s will require early diagnosis, tests, treatments
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Tuesday, Jan. 1 CLOSED FOR HOLIDAY Wednesday, Jan. 2 Italian Pork Loin
Friday, Jan. 4 Garlic Rosemary
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Friday, Jan. 18 Pepper Beef Patty Monday, Jan. 21 CLOSED FOR HOLIDAY
Monday, Jan. 7 Western Baked Beef Tuesday, Jan. 8 Cheese Lasagna Roll
Wednesday, Jan. 23 Beef Italiano
Wednesday, Jan. 9 Roast Beef
Thursday, Jan. 24 Apple Glazed Pork
Thursday, Jan. 10 Chicken Pot Pie
Friday, Jan. 25 Meatloaf
Friday, Jan. 11 Sliced Ham
Monday, Jan. 28 Turkey Breast
Monday, Jan. 14 Pork Dijon
Tuesday, Jan. 29 Ham & White Beans
Tuesday, Jan. 15 Soft Shell Beef Taco
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Thursday, Jan. 17 Sausage w/Sauerkraut
Tuesday, Jan. 22 BBQ Chicken on a Bun
Wednesday, Jan. 16 Cranberry Dijon Chicken Breast
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and non-diseased brain tissue and could lead to a test for early detection of AD. AD, Parkinson’s disease, and Dementia with Lewy Bodies have specific molecular signatures caused by epigenetics — mechanisms that determine how and when DNA is expressed — that could assist in accurate diagnosis and earlier treatment. A new mouse model for AD gives researchers more control over an Alzheimer’s-related protein in mice, and could lead to better research on effective treatments. “Being able to detect AD early — perhaps even before symptoms begin — is an essential pre-condition if we are to develop effective treatments that slow or stop the changes that occur in the brain during Alzheimer’s. Our studies in mice already tell us this,” said Sam Gandy, PhD, MD, of the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City, an expert on AD and dementia. “Being able to distinguish AD from other neurodegenerative diseases will help us give the right treatments to the right patients,” he added. This research was supported by national funding agencies such as the National Institutes of Health as well as private and philanthropic organizations.
ENOA menu for January 2013
Thursday, Jan. 3 Country Fried Steak
Send your questions,comments, story ideas, etc. to
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urtailing the imminent rise in Alzheimer’s disease will require early, accurate diagnostic tests and treatments, and researchers are closer to achieving these two goals. New findings in medical imaging, molecular analysis of neurological diseases, and development of treatments using mouse models were presented at Neuroscience 2012, the annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience and the world’s largest source of emerging news about brain science and health. AD is the most common cause of dementia and affects 5 million people in the United States. By 2015, this number could increase to 13 million people. These new findings show: • Changes in brain function occur many years before symptoms in people with AD. These changes could be detected by PET scans and might one day be used to identify people at risk for developing the disease. • A new drug that targets biochemical changes in proteins improved symptoms and increased survival in a mouse model of AD, but just how it works is a mystery. • An antibody-based probe that uses nanotechnology and magnetic resonance imaging can distinguish between diseased
January 2013
Wednesday, Jan. 30 Cheeseburger Thursday, Jan. 31 Swedish Meatballs
Adams Park Senior Center open three days a week
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he Adams Park Senior Center opened last month at 3230 John A. Creighton Blvd. The facility will be open Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Lunch will be served at noon. A $3
donation is suggested for the meal. Lunch reservations are due by noon the business day prior to the meal the older adult wishes to enjoy. For meals reservations or more information, please call 402-444-5164.
Among those who attended the Adams Park Senior Center – 3230 John A. Creighton Blvd. – on opening day last month were (from left): Carl Sirls, Parker Moore, Ernestine Elliott, Chester Fisher, and Edward Martin.
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Corrigan Senior Center January 2013 events calendar You’re invited to visit the Corrigan Senior Center, 3819 X St. this month for: • Thursday, Jan. 3: Talk titled, What is SAD? Healthy Lifestyles for You in the New Year by community health educator Carole Lainof, RN, MSN @ 11 a.m. Lunch and bingo follow the presentation. • Monday, Jan. 7: Watch the Frankie Yankovic polka band video with Lou Paska @ 11 a.m. on our big screen TV. Stay for lunch and bingo. • Monday, Jan. 14: Welcome 2013 party. Everyone is welcome for this day of lunch, entertainment, and bingo. The popular Yesterday’s Kids will perform at 11:15 a.m. with some special songs for the New Year. Stay for a noon lunch followed by bingo. • Thursday, Jan. 17: New Year’s Month Dinner and Mega Bingo. This is your chance to win part of the $100 cash bingo jackpot. Enjoy dinner and raffles. The noon lunch is a breaded chicken patty with chicken gravy, mashed potatoes w/gravy, green beans almandine, a lettuce salad, a wheat roll, and apple pie. A $3 lunch donation is suggested. An additional $3 activity fee donation includes three bingo cards. The reservation deadline is noon on Friday, Jan. 11. • Monday, Jan. 28: Birthday party featuring saxophone player Tim Javorsky sponsored by the Merrymakers @ 11 a.m. Tim has his own jazz band – Sarabande Jazz – and plays songs from jazz greats like Louie Armstrong, Stan Getz, and David Sanborn. Enjoy a tasty noon lunch followed by bingo. The center will be closed on Tuesday, Jan. 1 for New Year’s Day and Monday, Jan. 21 for the Martin Luther King, Jr. birthday celebration. The Corrigan Senior Center is open weekdays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Lunch is served at noon. A $3 donation is normally suggested for the meal. Reservations are normally due by noon the business day prior to the meal you wish to enjoy. We offer chair volleyball, card games, bingo, ceramics, exercise, woodcarving, and loads of fun! For meal reservations or more information, please call Lynnette at 402-731-7210.
enoa.org
The Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging’s Web site includes information about: • • • • • • • • • • •
Bath aides Care management Chore services Community education Durable medical equipment Emergency food pantry Emergency response systems ENOA facts and figures ENOA Library ENOA senior centers Grandparent Resource Center
24 hours a day, • Homemakers 7 days a week! • Information & assistance telephone lines • Intergeneration Orchestra of Omaha • Legal services • Meals on Wheels • Medicaid Waiver • New Horizons • Nutrition counseling
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Ombudsman advocates Respite care Respite Resource Center Rural transportation Senior Care Options Senior employment Support of adult day facilities • Volunteer opportunities
January 2013
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Byrne’s life has taken him from the courtroom to the altar By Nick Schinker Contributing Writer
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hen the Rev. Bernie Byrne visits with the children at St. Wenceslaus School, they call him, “Father.” But when he visits his own children, they just call him, “Dad.” After a successful career as a trial attorney, the widower and father of seven decided that rather than simply retire; he’d pursue another calling with a second career as a Catholic priest. Today, Byrne is “Father Bernie” to the parishioners at St. Wenceslaus Church in Omaha, where he serves as senior associate pastor. He brings unique insight to his role as confessor and counselor. He has been married with children and thus has something in common with the couples and parents he advises. He has endured the death of a loved one, having been beside his wife during her unsuccessful battle
against leukemia. And he is humble. “I think I am the most fortunate man alive,” he says. “God opened a little window for me, and I was lucky enough to climb through it.”
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t doesn’t take long to figure out the 78-year-old Father Byrne “isn’t from around here.” The accent of his native Brooklyn, N.Y., betrays him after just a few sentences. He is the youngest of three children born to Bernard and Catherine (Cuite) Byrne. “We were a small family,” he says, “as Irish families go.” A plumber by trade, his father worked in the shipyards during World War II then opened a plumbing business where his brother, Tom, also worked. “We lived in a lovely row house about 20 feet wide and 30 feet deep, and it had a back yard,” Byrne recalls. “Dad used to say we were the luckiest family in the world, and I
believed it.” After St. Thomas Aquinas Grade School, where he learned under the watchful eyes of the Sisters of Mercy, he and his brother attended St. John’s Preparatory School in Brooklyn. “Our mother got a job in a dry cleaning plant to help pay for our tuition,” he recalls. “It was horrendous back then. I think it was about $200 a year.” He joined the Marine Corps Reserves as a boy and upon his discharge at age 19 joined the Army. “All my friends in high school studied German,” he says. “After school, they joined the Army and were stationed in Germany. So I tried to do the same thing after the Marines, but I ended up in Fairbanks, Alaska.” Byrne served almost two years there. “After going through six months of night and six months of daylight I was ready to move on,” he says. He heard that he could secure an early discharge if he could prove he
Father Bernie and Brawny, his 12-year-old dog, enjoy the sunshine on a late fall morning.
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had been accepted to a university, so he wrote to St. John’s University, then situated in Brooklyn. “I was about 22 or 23 when I enrolled,” he says. “Alaska convinced me I had to get an education.” While at the university, he tapped into an interest in the law that had been brewing since high school. “I always liked watching lawyers on TV and in the movies,” Byrne says. “I remember one movie when I was young with John Wayne in it. He was testifying and the lawyer was yelling at him over and over, ‘Answer the question! Answer the question!’ “John Wayne just smiled and said, ‘Sorry sir, I’m not a lawyer. I can’t talk without thinking.’”
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here was a “professional option program” that Byrne chose while in college which allowed him to graduate in three years and obtain a law degree in three more. “It was a way to save an entire year’s tuition, so I did that,” he says. “I received my doctorate in law in 1960.” He had also been fortunate enough to marry his “lovely sweetheart,” Marion Priola. “She was from Brooklyn,” he says. “We met at a CYO Sunday dance in Queens. I was just out of the service and trying to be cool. I looked across the room and saw the most beautiful girl in the world. “It took me 30 minutes to work my way over to where she was, and when I got there she was gone. So I looked around and she was 10 feet behind me. She was even more beautiful than I’d first thought. It was love at first sight – at least it was for me.” Upon receiving his law degree his first offer was hugely disappointing. “It was for $50 a week,” he says. “They said if I worked there for a year then maybe I’d get a raise. I turned it down and sent out 75 letters. I got only one reply, and they wrote that there was no job available.” One year after graduation, he accepted a job with an insurance company for $7,000 a year. “We had a reunion and all my classmates were jealous when I told them about it,” he says. Byrne later joined a New York law firm and wound up specializing in defending physicians and hospitals against malpractice suits. He tried cases in New York, Colorado, Nebraska, and Iowa. “It was hard work,” he says. “Trying to learn all the medical intricacies of a case was not easy. It was exciting and challenging but a lot of work.” The couple’s first child, John, was born while they lived in Brooklyn. After they moved to Northport, N.Y., on the north shore of Long Island, six daughters were born: Marian (named after her mother, Marion, but with an “a” because, Byrne says, “She always thought --Please turn to page 11.
Father Bernie ordained as children, brother watched
Byrne says God opened a small window for him and he was lucky enough to climb through it. --Continued from page 10. Marion with an ‘o’ was masculine.”); Maureen, Eileen, Cathy, Erin, and Kristine. “We were lucky,” Byrne says. “I always made enough to support my family.” And he won more cases than he lost. “It took a lot of research. I had to read mountains of prior records to see if the patient had similar experiences or symptoms in the past. I had to get experts to testify. I had to know what I was talking about. “Most of the verdicts are in favor of doctors and hospitals because in most of the cases they follow good, safe procedures,” he says, “but medicine is not risk free.” And despite all the work he’d done for doctors, they could not save his wife who died of leukemia in 1990.
Father Bernie in the library at St. Wenceslaus Church.
Born and raised in Brooklyn, Father Bernie attended law school at St. John’s University, graduating in 1960.
comfort. So he said a prayer and touched her forehead with the Sign of the Cross, not using the sacramental oils. “From a look of extreme fear a look of peace came over her,” he recalls. “She said, ‘Father, never forget me.’ That’s when I thought maybe God was telling me something.” Byrne never finished the diaconate program. Though he was too old for the Archdiocese of Omaha to sponsor as a seminarian, he was accepted at the Sacred Heart School of Theology in Hales Corners, Wis., which specializes in “preparing men with life experiences” for the priesthood. He obtained sponsorship from the n 2001, before the age limit Diocese of Superior (Wis.), took for the program was set at 55, Byrne was accepted to the Per- summer school classes and completed the three-year program in 2-1/2 manent Diaconate Formation of the Archdiocese of Omaha. As he years. He was ordained June 25, 2006 – with his brother, Tom, and advanced, Byrne performed many acts of service, including taking the six of his seven children watching. “They got me a beautiful chalice Eucharist to hospitals and visiting that I use at Mass every day,” he the patients. It was during one of those visits, he says, that he first felt says proudly. Byrne served as a parish pastor in God might have something beyond Wisconsin until the urge to return to the diaconate in mind for him. Omaha proved too strong. He met “There was a woman from Africa and she was very sick and very with Omaha Archbishop George J. Lucas about being assigned here afraid,” he recalls. “I went to give her the Eucharist but she pushed my and received approval. He lives at the St. Wenceslaus hand away. Then she said something, took my finger, and touched it rectory with the other priests and his dog, Brawny, a Labrador named for to her forehead. “The person in the room who was the brand of paper towels. “Housebreaking him was tough,” Byrne there to translate said, ‘She wants says. you to anoint her.’” Byrne enjoys being with his Although only a priest can adfamily and his 16 grandchildren, minister the Anointing of the Sick, especially during the holidays. “I Byrne knew the woman needed Byrne retired from practicing law and like many active men couldn’t simply sit down and watch game shows on television. He and his wife had bought a home in Omaha in the 1980s when John attended Creighton University and the other children moved here. With his wife gone, Byrne became active in the Knights of Columbus at St. Leo Church. He briefly opened a law office. And he continued running, a hobby that started when he was 45 and ran in the Chicago Marathon. But he wasn’t running away from his old life. He was running toward a new one.
celebrated Thanksgiving Mass, then went to Maureen’s, then dinner at my son’s, then dessert at Cathy’s.” He still finds time to run. “I’m not a very good runner, but I have endurance.” In 2012 he participated in the Lincoln Half Marathon and finished in --Please turn to page 20.
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January 2013
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On June 25, 2006, Byrne was ordained in Superior, Wis.
New Horizons
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Evaluating America’s recycling efforts
See the ad on page 3
A
New Horizons Club gains new members $10 Grace Beck Margaret Janssen Sheila Bracken $5 Ida Maio Patricia Holt Susan Johnson Ellen Thompson Reflects donations received through December 21, 2012.
Estee’s presentations promote laughter Kirk Estee believes laughter is the best medicine, and to that end, the Omaha humorist is available to provide 35 to 40-minute comedic presentations tailored to a variety of audiences of all ages. These audiences can include, but are not limited to independent and assisted living center residents, support groups, parent and grandparent organizations, employee groups, and educators. Estee said his presentations are similar to those provided by Will Rogers and Mark Twain. “The philosophy of live, love, laugh, and be happy, can continue to play an integral and supportive role as we journey through life,” he added. For more information, please contact Estee at 402-6160460 or kirkestee@gmail.com.
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It’s a great time to learn to live well with diabetes! Medicare covers 2 hours of dietitian one-to-one visits every year for persons with diabetes! Diabetes education offers: • One-to-one consultation - Let our dietitians help tailor a new nutrition plan for you, help you with weight management, or any aspect of diabetes management. • Diabetes education classes - If you want to focus on prevention, are newly diagnosed, are struggling to control your diabetes, or need a refresher - we have a class for you. To find our more, call Jean at 402-399-0777 X230 TODAY!
Frederick Square • 2910 South 84th St. • Omaha, NE 68124 (402) 399-0777 • www.diabetes-education.com NH1
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New Horizons
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Recycling products uses as little as five percent of the energy required for virgin production of materials such as aluminum. is far more indiscriminate because everything just goes to the landfill.” Brown says the availability of curbside recycling programs varies throughout the country, as does their success. For example, New York City was a pioneer in recycling, but when the city became strapped for cash, recycling rates fell precipitously to just 15 percent and have not recovered. “New York City officials claim it is more expensive to recycle than to send trash to landfills and incinerators for disposal, and that they have to weigh those costs against environmental goals.” On the other end of the spectrum is San Francisco, which has been steadily increasing its recycling and composting and is now up to more than 77 percent. Even more incredibly, the city is aiming for zero waste by 2020. Brown lauds San Francisco for structuring its recycling program to promote the desired behavior. “Curbside fees are charged on a ‘pay as you throw’ basis for trash, while
recycling and compost are free, creating a financial incentive for following the law and sorting your waste.” Brown says programs like San Francisco’s prove recycling can be economically viable besides being good for the planet. She acknowledges we’ve come a long way with recycling but there is still great potential to do more. A November 2011 report entitled More Jobs, Less Pollution by a coalition of groups including the BlueGreen Alliance, the Natural Resources Defense Council, and Recycling Works! advocates that the U.S. government mandate diverting 75 percent of our waste coast-to-coast by 2030. The result would be 1.5 million new jobs as well as significant pollution reduction and savings in water and other resources. EarthTalk® is written and edited by Roddy Scheer and Doug Moss and is a registered trademark of E - The Environmental Magazine (www.emagazine.com).
ElderCare handbook available online, as hard copy
SCHEDULE AN OFFICE VISIT OR AN EDUCATION CLASS TODAY!
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mericans still don’t recycle as much as they could. Nonetheless, the practice is already considered a huge success given that it keeps about a third of the solid waste we generate out of our quickly filling landfills and saves natural resources while generating much-needed revenue for struggling municipal governments. Recycling also helps us keep our carbon footprints down. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, recycling one ton of aluminum cans conserves more than 1,665 gallons of gasoline. Of course that doesn’t mean the progression from virtually no recycling just 40 years ago to today’s U.S. average of 33.8 percent has always been smooth. Some types of materials, especially mixed plastics, have proven difficult and/or expensive to recycle, causing skeptics to question the overall value proposition. But well managed recycling systems that focus on profitable resources like glass, paper, and metals have been a big success. And why wouldn’t they be, when recycling uses as little as five percent of the energy required for virgin production of materials such as aluminum? Sara Brown of the Presidio Graduate School reports while recycling has gained significant momentum during the last two decades, it has still not yet realized its potential. “Unfortunately, recycling pick-up services aren’t cheap and it’s viewed as a redundant service; extra trucks mean extra cost. On top of that, single stream recycling requires investment in technology to sort the loads efficiently,” she says. “Trash, on the other hand,
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opies of the 2012 to 2014 ElderCare Resource Handbook are available online or as a hard copy from Care Consultants for the Aging. The 10th edition of the publication provides information about programs and services for older adults in eastern Nebraska. Divided into five sections, the ElderCare Resource Handbook lists options for medical support, home health care and support services, living options, senior services, and government, financial, and legal services. The ElderCare Resource Handbook is
January 2013
available three ways: • For $7 at the Care Consultants for the Aging office, 7701 Pacific St., Suite 100. • By sending your name, address, and a check or money order for $10 to Care Consultants for the Aging, 7701 Pacific St., Suite 100, Omaha, Neb. 68114. The book will be mailed to you. You can also order the resource handbook using your credit card by calling 402-398-1848. • By logging on the Internet to www. careconsultants.com. Click on the Resource Handbook tab. For more information, please call 402398-1848.
A guide for safe night driving
Diabetes educational programs The Diabetes Education Center of the Midlands is offering a series of programs this month that will be held at its 2910 S. 84th St. location. • Jan. 12: Living Well with Diabetes support group meeting from 10 to 11:30 a.m. This class is designed for persons with diabetes, their family, and friends. • Jan. 14 to 17: Diabetes management class from 4 to 8 p.m. (day 1) and 5 to 8 p.m. (days 2 through 4). • Jan. 21 & 24: Basic skills diabetes class from 5 to 8 p.m. • Jan. 23 & 30: Pre-diabetes class from 4 to 6 p.m. (day 1) and 5 to 6 p.m. (day 2). This class is designed for persons diagnosed with pre-diabetes or who are at high risk of developing diabetes. To register or for more information, please call 402-3990777.
ENOA is offering a variety of volunteer opportunities A recent survey commissioned by Sylvania Automotive Lighting revealed that 55 percent of drivers have never changed their headlights or don’t know the last time the headlights were changed. Driving at night makes some people nervous – and with good reason. There are far fewer drivers on the road at night than during the day, but about half of traffic fatalities happen after dark, according to the U.S. Federal Highway Administration.
headlights can dim up to 20 percent over time. A recent survey commissioned by the brand revealed that 55 percent of drivers have never changed their headlights or don’t know the last time they were changed. Here’s how to check your headlights:
or hazy, replacing the bulbs may not be enough. Consider a headlight restoration kit, which restores headlights to like-new condition and performance light output. The SYLVANIA Headlight Restoration Kit includes a proprietary UV
Always change headlight bulbs in pairs. If you only change one, the new one will likely be brighter than the old one, causing an uneven field of illumination. Fortunately, there are things you can do to make night driving safer. Here are some tips to prepare your car for night driving: • Keep it clean: Make sure your windows, headlights, taillights, and signal lights are clean so they are easier for other drivers to see. • Switch your rearview mirror to the night setting: Flipping the small lever at the bottom of your mirror changes the angle of its reflective surface. You’ll still see the lights from the cars behind you, but they will be less bright in your eyes. • Make sure your headlights are aimed properly: If your headlights are misaligned, it can make it harder for you to see, and it can disturb other drivers on the road. • Check your headlights at least once a year: According to SYLVANIA Automotive Lighting,
• Park on a level surface facing five feet from a building wall or your garage door, then turn on your headlights. • If the circles of light are bright and white, they are in good working condition. • If they are yellow and dim, the bulbs should be replaced. If you do need to change headlights, consider upgrading to a premium bulb, such as SilverStar ULTRA bulbs by SYLVANIA. They provide up to 40 percent increased down road visibility, up to 50 percent increased side road visibility, and up to 50 percent brighter light, compared with worn standard halogen headlights. Always change headlight bulbs in pairs. If you only change one, the new one will likely be brighter than the old one, causing an uneven field of illumination. If the lenses on a vehicle’s headlights are cloudy
Block Clear Coat that protects headlights from UV rays and offers long lasting results. Learn more by logging on to www.sylvania. com/auto. Here are some more tips for safe night driving: • Don’t get caught in the glare. If light from oncoming vehicles shines directly into your eyes, look down and to the right. Look toward the white line on the side of the road. This lets you see cars around you with your peripheral vision, but cuts down on the glare. • Use your lights appropriately. When following other vehicles, use your low beams so you don’t disturb the other drivers. • Increase the distance between you and the cars ahead of you. It’s harder to judge the speed of other vehicles at night, so you need to give yourself plenty of room to stop safely. (Family Features provided this information.)
January 2013
The Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging’s Foster Grandparent Program, Senior Companion Program, Ombudsman Advocate Program, and Senior Medicare Patrol Program are recruiting older adults to become volunteers. Foster Grandparents and Senior Companions must be age 55 or older, meet income guidelines, have a government issued identification card or a driver’s license, able to volunteer at least 15 hours a week, and must complete several background and reference checks. Foster Grandparents and Senior Companions receive a $2.65 an hour stipend, transportation and meal reimbursement, paid vacation, sick, and holiday leave, and supplemental accident insurance. Foster Grandparents are placed with children who have special needs while Senior Companions work to keep older adults living independently. Ombudsman advocates work to ensure residents of nursing homes and assisted living facilities enjoy the best possible quality of life. Ombudsman advocates, who must be age 18 or older, are enrolled through an application and screening process. These volunteers, who are not compensated monetarily for their time, must serve at least two hours a week. The Senior Medicare Patrol program helps Medicaid beneficiaries avoid, detect, and prevent health care fraud. These volunteers, who are enrolled through an application and screening process, are not compensated monetarily for their time, For more information, please call 402-444-6536.
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Lewy Body Dementia support group
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he Metro Omaha Lewy Body Dementia (LBD) Support Group will meet on Tuesday, Jan. 15 at 1 p.m. at the Millard branch of the Omaha Public Library, 13214 Westwood Ln. LBD is a group of progressive brain diseases that are the second leading cause of degenerative de-
Making your laundry room energy friendly
mentia among older adults, affecting more than 1.3 million American families. More information about Lewy Body Dementia is available online at www. lbda.org/go/awareness. For more information about the support group, please log on to annt88@ cox.net or call Ann Taylor at 402-452-3952.
Retired fed employees meet at Omaha eatery The National Association of Retired Federal Employees’ Chapter 144 meets the first Wednesday of each month at 11:30 a.m. at the Amazing Pizza Machine, 13955 S. Plz. For more information, please call 402-333-6460.
The National Association of Retired Federal Employees’ Aksarben Chapter 1370 meets the second Wednesday of each month at 11:30 a.m. at the Amazing Pizza Machine, 13955 S. Plz. For more information, please call 402-392-0624.
Hotline for Disability Services can answer questions, make referrals
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ersons with disabilities and their families often need to work with a variety of community and state agencies in order to get the services and support they need. In Nebraska, there’s a program to help answer questions that are encountered along the way and to help find the appropriate resources. The Hotline for Disability Services provides information and referral services to Nebraskans who have questions or concerns related to a disability. This includes information about services available in a certain area, transportation, special parking permits, and legal rights. Questions may be answered by telephone or e-mail and other information may be obtained by accessing the Hotline’s website. The Hotline for Disability Services website provides general agency and program information regarding services for persons with disabilities. The site may be searched by entering an agency name or by selecting a category, service, county, city, age, or disability. Examples of categories to choose from include: accessibility, advocacy and support, employment, financial, housing/residential, etc. Information regarding each agency includes a description of their services, as well as information on how to contact them. Interested individuals may call the Hotline toll-free at 800-742-7594. Questions for the Hotline may also be sent by e-mail to shari.bahensky@nebraska.gov. The website for the Hotline can be accessed at: www. cap.ne.gov. Click on “Search the Hotline for Disability Services.”
W
hile there are many ways to green your laundry room, one place to start is with detergent. Luckily, in 2009 the federal government phased out phosphates, harsh chemicals that help break down minerals and loose food bits during the wash cycle, because their presence in wastewater causes algae blooms in downstream waterways.
Since vinegar is ludicrously inexpensive when compared to fabric softener, consumers can save money and the planet. But mainstream detergents still often contain the surfactant nonylphenol ethoxylate (NPE), which researchers have identified as an endocrine-disrupting estrogen mimic, meaning exposure to it can cause reproductive and other human health problems. Bleach, a corrosive chemical known to burn skin and eyes on contact and damage lungs when inhaled – and which can react with ammonia to produce toxic gases – is also a common ingredient in detergents. Sarah van Schagen tested and reviewed six leading eco-friendly detergents for Grist Magazine. To qualify for consideration, each needed to be “free and clear” of dyes and perfumes and also “concentrated” in order to save water, packaging, and extra carbon emissions from transport. The contestants included detergents from Earth Friendly Products, Biokleen, Mountain Green, Planet, Seventh Generation, and All. Each did a respectable job getting clothes clean and smelling fresh, with most performing just as well as mainstream brands. Seventh Generation Free & Clear was the overall winner for its combination of eco-friendly ingredients, good stain fighting, pleasant but not “perfumey” scent, and low price. Another way to green the laundry room is to lose the fabric softener. Mainstream varieties, whether dryer sheets or liquid, contain harmful chemicals like benzyl acetate (linked to pancreatic cancer), benzyl alcohol (an upper respiratory tract irritant), ethanol (linked to central nervous system disorders), limonene (a known carcinogen) and chloroform (a neurotoxin and carcinogen). Many dryer sheets also contain tallow, a processed form of beef or mutton fat. “You can avoid these health risks, the
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January 2013
Replacing an older clothes dryer with a newer EnergySTAR model will help reduce your household’s electricity consumption. animal fat, and the waste simply by using vinegar to soften your clothing,” reports Josh Peterson of The Discovery Network’s Planet Green. “Add a 3/4 cup of vinegar to your final rinse cycle and your clothes will come out soft.” And since vinegar “is ludicrously inexpensive when compared to fabric softener,” consumers can save money and the planet at the same time. Of course, swapping out that old water hogging, energy-gulping washing machine for a new model that meets federal EnergySTAR standards will save lots of electricity and water. EnergySTAR certified washing machines use about 20 percent less energy and 35 percent less water than regular washers, and also have greater capacity so it takes fewer loads to clean the same amount of laundry. Their sophisticated wash systems flip or spin clothes through a stream of water and rinse them with repeated high pressure spraying instead of soaking them in a full tub of water. Likewise, replacing an older clothes dryer with a newer EnergySTAR model will help reduce your household’s electricity consumption. If possible, ditch the dryer altogether and hang your clothes to dry outside. EarthTalk® is written and edited by Roddy Scheer and Doug Moss and is a registered trademark of E - The Environmental Magazine (www.emagazine.com).
Study: Nebraska is lacking in primary care physicians A University of Nebraska Medical Center study has found that Nebraska is woefully lacking in primary care physicians across the state. The shortage is even more dramatic in rural parts of the state. “The number of primary care physicians in Nebraska is 30 percent lower than previously reported by the American Medical Association (AMA) and rural areas are hit the hardest,” said Jim Stimpson, Ph.D., director of the Center for Health Policy in the UNMC College of Public Health and co-author of the report. “This is alarming in light of the thousands of people who will be entering the system seeking care as a result of the health care reform law,” he said. Dr. Stimpson said there are 1,410 primary care physicians in Nebraska. It’s anticipated the state will need 1,685 primary care physicians to meet the increased demand resulting from health care reform by 2014. The study, which compared national data from the AMA to that collected by the UNMC Health Professions Tracking Service (HPTS), determined there are 63 primary care physicians per 100,000 Nebraska residents as compared to 84 as reported by the AMA. And of the 93 counties in Nebraska, 11 – all rural – do not have a primary care physician, Dr. Stimpson said. Another alarming finding, he said, is the number of primary care physicians older than age 65 has grown by 78 percent in the past five years. As these physicians start to retire, Dr. Simpson said, it will add significantly to the overall shortage of primary care physicians in the state. The study focused on primary care specialties in four categories: family medicine, internal medicine, pediatrics and obstetrics/gynecology. “The HPTS data provides a very clear picture of the number of health care providers in the state, not just in the number of physicians working, but also in actual working hours and place of work,” Dr. Stimpson said. The HPTS has been tracking health professionals in the state since it began in 1995. While the AMA data might report a physician available in two rural counties, the reality is more often than not one physician is covering both counties with a practice in one and satellite office in the other, he said. “Policy makers need accurate and timely data on the current and projected supply of health care workers as they make decisions that affect the delivery of health care,” Dr. Stimpson said. On a positive note, Dr. Stimpson said the study found ethnic diversity among primary care physicians increased by 7 percent in the past five years. Also, the ratio of women to men shifted over the past five years with women comprising an 11 percent higher share of the primary care physician workforce. (The University of Nebraska Medical Center’s public relations department provided this information.)
Older Nebraskans have free access to legal info egal Aid of Nebraska operates a free telephone access line for Nebraskans age 60 and older. Information is offered to help the state’s older men and women with questions on topics like bankruptcy, homestead exemptions, collections, powers of attorney, Medicare, Medicaid, grandparent rights, and Section 8 housing. The telephone number for the Elder Access Line is 402-827-5656 in Omaha and 1-800-5277249 statewide. This service is available to Nebraskans age 60 and older regardless of income, race, or ethnicity. For more information, log on the Internet to http://www.legalaidofnebraska.com/EAL.
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$7 fee includes skate rental
Ice skating rink at UNMC open through March 1
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he public ice skating rink on the University of Nebraska Medical Center campus remains open through March 1. The rink is located east of 42nd Street between Emile Street and Dewey Avenue on the north side of the Sorrell Center. Hours of operation are 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 4 to 8 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays; Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; and noon to 8 p.m. on Sundays. The rink is closed on Mondays, New Year’s Eve, and New Year’s Day. Admission is $7 with skate rental and $5 without skate rental (cash or credit cards only). For more information, please call UNMC at 402-5590697.
Seniors Understanding Nature
Fontenelle Nature Association’s monthly programs begin Jan. 8
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he Fontenelle Nature Association’s SUN (Seniors Understanding Nature) program offers activities for older adults the second Tuesday of each month at the Fontenelle Nature Center, 1111 Bellevue Blvd North. The programs, held from 9:45 to 11 a.m., feature an indoor program, an optional nature walk, and refreshments. The cost is $6 per person each month. For more information, please call Catherine Kuper at 402-731-3140, ext. 1019. Here’s this month’s program. Jan. 8: Trumpeter Swans near Atlantic, Iowa.
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These Happy Hands The triggers that cause overeating are busy hands
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any people often find themselves eating and overeating without rhyme or reason. Perhaps you always seem to feel hungry or eat “because.” TOPS Club, Inc. (Take Off Pounds Sensibly), the nonprofit weight-loss support organization, explains the triggers that cause these behaviors and offers solutions to help curb thoughtless overindulgence. • Because it’s there: “It’s Monday and we could all use a pick-me-up after the weekend,” said a co-worker. The local sandwich shop offers a free cookie with the purchase of a combo meal. The auto body shop replenishes a spread of sweet treats throughout the day while you wait for your service to be completed.
The Happy Hands are a group of ladies who meet every Tuesday at the Corrigan Senior Center, 3819 X St. They knit and crochet a variety of items including hats, mittens, scarves, and slippers and donate them to several local organizations including Christ Child Catholic Charities, Omaha South High School, Gilder Elementary School, Ashland Park-Robbins Elementary School, Pawnee Elementary School, and the Stephen Center. The Happy Hands are (back row, from left): Janice Marstiller, Elaine Wasser, Joan Grandel, Marge Arauza, and Luella Jackson. Front row, from left: Frances Norton, Donna Panek, Ivy Forrest, and Ann Nicholson.
“So many people start every day on a diet and routinely skip breakfast in an effort to compensate for last night’s behavior with the hopes of losing weight.”
Programs, services available for the deaf, hard of hearing The Nebraska Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing offers a variety of programs and services including: • Specialized telecommunications equipment such as a free amplified telephone and ring signaling devices. • An assistive devices loan program. • Presentations about the concerns of the deaf and hard of hearing. • Sign language classes. For more information, please call Beth Ellsworth at 402-595-2774 or (toll free) 800-545-6244.
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for support and guidance. Even a quick workout releases tension, generates extra energy, and stimulates feel-good endorphins. Relaxing behaviors, like getting a quick massage or taking a hot bath also help calm the system. If you’re celebrating, remember the occasion is about being with loved ones and creating memories – not about the food. Check in with your hunger level and see if you’re actually hungry, or if you’ll be simply satisfied by the company. • You’re bored: If you know boredom is a trigger for thoughtless eating, have a list of strategies in place to keep yourself busy and entertained when you feel like you don’t have anything else to do. An activity that occupies your hands is ideal like
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When food is in plain sight, it’s convenient to grab a handful simply because it’s there. Be mindful, take personal inventory, and ask yourself if you’re truly hungry at that moment. There are times when you may need to remove yourself from the situation or move the temptation out of reach, if necessary. • You skip breakfast: It can be difficult to fit a meal into the typical morning rush, but breakfast is considered the “most important meal of the day” for a reason. A study in the American Journal of Epidemiology showed people who regularly skip breakfast are nearly five times as likely to be obese than those who don’t. Breakfast provides your body and mind with the fuel necessary to take on the day and get your metabolism out of its resting state and back to burning calories. “So many people start every day on a diet and routinely skip breakfast in an effort to compensate for last night’s behavior with the hopes of losing weight,” says Nicholas Yphantides, M.D., M.P.H., Medical Editor for TOPS. “In reality, skipping breakfast is much more likely to cause weight gain rather than weight loss. Overweight and obese individuals are much more likely to skip breakfast in comparison to healthier and leaner individuals.” Unprocessed, fiber-rich foods like steelcut or slow-cooked oatmeal, grapefruit, whole-grain and low-sugar cereals, and low-fat dairy are all best bets. If possible, prepare your breakfast ahead of time or bring your breakfast with you to work if you aren’t able to find the time to eat at home. • You’re emotional: Emotions are a common eating trigger. You may typically celebrate happy news with a gourmet dinner and dessert, or soothe sadness with a large bowl of ice cream. Anger or stress can lead to munching on a seemingly bottomless bag of chips. While eating creates a temporary sense of physical fullness, it only temporarily distracts from the feelings bothering you. In actuality, the unhealthy decisions are likely to leave you feeling guilty with a sense of regret, which may start a vicious cycle of continued unhealthy decisions. Instead, reach out to a friend or family
January 2013
giving yourself a manicure, reading a book, playing a game on the computer, or writing in a journal. Go for a walk with a friend and/or with your dog. This will also take you away from the kitchen and should help cravings subside. Drinking a glass of water is filling. Snacking on celery or watermelon or chewing a piece of gum can also help curb appetite. • You don’t get enough sleep: Lack of sleep or the typical mid-afternoon energy slump, can lead a person to binge on sugary or salty treats and beverages for a boost. Researchers at Columbia University note people who sleep two to four hours a night are 73 percent more likely to be obese than those who get seven to nine hours. Those who get five or more hours of sleep a night are 50 percent more likely to be obese than normal sleepers. “There is substantial evidence suggesting some important links between adequate sleep and a healthy weight,” notes Yphantides. “Recent research has indicated the production of certain hormones – leptin and ghrelin – may be influenced by how much or how little we sleep. Inadequate sleep can influence these hormone levels in our body in such a way that when we’re sleep-deprived, we may not be as satisfied when we eat and our appetite may be enhanced. Additionally, it’s harder to be disciplined and make the right decisions when we are exhausted. One way we may try to perk ourselves up is to consume extra fuel. All these actions contribute to excess caloric consumption and resulting weight gain.” Getting consistent exercise can improve the quality of sleep and make you feel more rested. Avoid exercising less than three hours before bedtime though, as it can make it more difficult for you to fall asleep. To combat an afternoon lull, drink a large class of refreshing, cold water; take a walk around the office, or head outside for a quick walk. A change of scenery, fresh air, and sunshine can be invigorating and give you a jolt of positive energy. (Take Off Pounds Sensibly provided this information. To find a local TOPS chapter, log on to www.tops.org or call 800-9328677.)
Campaign to educate Nebraskans about the benefits of hospice care
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o help families understand what hospice is and how it can improve the quality of life, the Nebraska Hospice and Palliative Care Association created the Hospice lets me be… awareness campaign. “Hospice is the process of helping patients live well during the final phase of life,” Dr. Lisa Mansur explains within the campaign video. “They are not so much afraid of dying. They are afraid of suffering and they want a plan of care,” she adds. “Our studies show many people have a misconception of what hospice is and they don’t know how to find or access hospice services,” says NHPCA Executive Director Heath Boddy. “This multi-media awareness campaign uses a variety of elements that can be found online at www.hospiceletsmebeme.org to help people begin the conversation about end-of-life care.
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dditionally, Boddy said the awareness campaign was created to encourage patients and their families to tell their stories about hospice care and how it benefits or has benefited their lives. These stories of real Nebraskans sharing their hospice experiences are at the core of the campaign. In the campaign video, a hospice patient named Helen shares her story about turning to hospice care after frequent trips to the hospital. While at first, she thought hospice was a “death sentence,” she now feels it has increased her quality of life. Hospice allows her to stay in her own home to do the things she loves. The video also shares the story of Fred, whose estranged father received hospice care. Thanks to hospice, Fred was able to reconnect with his father months before he died. Additional tools and resources including other stories from hospice patients, hospice provider information, and tools to help you start the conversation, can be found at www.hospiceletsmebeme.org. (The Nebraska Hospice and Palliative Care Association provided this information.)
Get resource info via 211 network The 211 telephone network has been established in parts of Nebraska to give consumers a single source for information about community and human services. By dialing 211, consumers can access information about: • Human needs resources like food banks, shelters, rent and utility assistance. • Physical and mental health resources. • Employment support. • Support for older Americans and persons with a disability. • Volunteer opportunities and donations. The 211 network is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The information is also available online at (www.ne211.org).
We need your
! t r o p p su
I would like to become a partner with the Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging, and help fulfill your mission with older adults.
ENOA
Traditional funding sources are making it more difficult for ENOA to fulfill its mission. Partnership opportunities are available to businesses and individuals wanting to help us. These opportunities include volunteering, memorials, honorariums, gift annuities, and other tax deductible contributions.
$30 = 7 meals or 1.75 hours of in-home homemaker services or 1 bath aide service for frail older adults. $75 = 17 meals or 4.75 hours of in-home homemaker services or 4 bath aide services for frail older adults. $150 = 35 meals or 9.5 hours of in-home homemaker services or 8 bath aide services for frail older adults. $300 = 70 meals or 19.25 hours of in-home homemaker services or 16 bath aide services for frail older adults. Other amount (please designate)__________________________ Please contact me. I would like to learn more about how to include the Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging in my estate planning. Name:_____________________________________
Please ma donationil your tax deducti with this fo ble rm to: Easter
n Office oNebraska n Aging Address:___________________________________ Attention : Jef City:______________State:_____ Zip: __________ Phone:____________________________________
4223 Ce f Reinhardt Omaha, nter Street NE 6810 5-2431 (402
) 444-665
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The New Horizons is brought to you each month by the Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging.
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Liddy’s Heartland Cats saves felines’ lives, finds them new homes
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n 2006, near the end of a decades-long career in corporate America – including 26 years with First Data Resources – Tanny Liddy decided she “wanted to do something fun.” She opened a cat boarding business in southwest Omaha called Feline Boutique and Country Club. These days, the operation, which has moved to Liddy’s home, is still going strong. Over the Thanksgiving weekend, for example, 57 furry guests occupied Tanny’s basement accommodations.
“The cats I take in live with me until they’re adopted or they die.”
By 2010, Liddy had decided to expand her commitment to the felines, so she started a nonprofit shelter called Heartland Cats. “Heartland Cats provides a safe and loving sanctuary for cats regardless of age, illness, or disability,” Tanny said. “Our no-kill shelter works to prevent needless euthanasia by offering shelter, adoption, hospice care, and long-term care. “The cats I take in live with me until they’re adopted or they die,” Liddy said. “We do not euthanize them unless it prevents suffering.” Recently, Heartland Cats began a
L Sassy Mae peruses life from her special perch high above the action at Heartland Cats in southwest Omaha. program designed to have cats ages 8 and older adopted by older adults. At any given time, as many as 40 older tabbies are ready for adoption through the organization which is certified by the state of Nebraska. Liddy said older cats are generally harder to place because most people prefer cute, energetic kittens. “All the older cats want to do is sit on your lap,” she added.
Tanny Liddy has operated Heartland Cats in the basement of her southwest Omaha home since 2010.
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The adopted felines are spayed or neutered, receive a wellness check, and are current on their vaccinations. While adopting a cat may not be for everyone, Liddy said the only physical requirements for an older tabby owner are the abilities to clean out a litter box and to fill the food and water bowls. If the adoption doesn’t work out for some reason, the older person may bring the cat back to the shelter. “I’ll try to re-home the cat or they can live out their life here,” she said. To date, no older man or woman who adopted a feline from Heartland Cats has returned the pet. iddy said there are many potential benefits to cat ownership for an older adult including lower blood pressure, better overall health and mental well-being, and lower rates of depression. A study at the University of Minnesota found people who don’t own a cat were 30 to 40 percent more likely to die of cardiovascular disease than individuals with a Felis Catus. Reuben Minthorn, who lives in VA-subsidized housing in west Omaha, recently adopted Pepper, a 12-year-old cat from Liddy. The pair have become a good match. “I have white hair, so I’m the salt and he’s the pepper,” Minthorn said during a telephone conversation.“He’s very affectionate and he obeys me,” Reuben continued. “Pepper is my friend.” --Please turn to page 19.
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The older cats that are adopted through Heartland Cats receive free food (including special diets), litter, medicine (when necessary), and veterinary care for the duration of their lives. “The new owner’s only expense will be the cost of licensing (around $13 a year). And for apartment or house renters, a pet deposit fee may be applicable,” Tanny said.
Running a cat shelter requires Liddy to spend four hours daily cleaning and spending $1,200 a month on supplies.
January 2013
Tanny and her shelter...
OFD can install free smoke, carbon monoxide detectors The Omaha Fire Department’s Public Education and Affairs Department is available to install free smoke and/or carbon monoxide detectors inside the residences of area homeowners. To have a free smoke and/or carbon monoxide detector installed inside your home, send your name, address, and telephone number to: Omaha Fire Department Smoke/Carbon Monoxide Requests 10245 Weisman Dr. Omaha, NE 68134 For more information, please call 402-444-3560.
CLASSIFIEDS Tanny loves cats because of their independent nature and because they interact like humans. --Continued from page 18. Tanny said she loves cats due to their independent nature and because they interact like humans. That love is tested each day as it takes her four hours to clean the kennels, wash dozens of blankets, comb the cats’ hair, feed and medicate the animals. Liddy spends around $1,200 each month on cat food, medicine, litter, and veterinary care. Those funds come from her boarding operation and tax-deductible monetary contributions. The shelter also needs donations of cat beds, blankets, paper towels, and other cat equipment. Despite the hard work and expense, it’s obvious to shelter visitors that Tanny loves every minute spent operating her cat shelter. Based on the number of Felis Catus that surround and rub against Liddy’s legs, it’s obvious the tabbies return her affection. For more information on Heartland Cats, please call 402614-5657 or log on the Internet to www.heartlandcats.org.
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Moving, refelting, assemble, repair, tear down. Used slate tables. We pay CASH for slate pool tables.
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Enoa Aging January 2013
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Byrne...
Tips for your winter workout routine
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ust because the weather is cold this time of year, doesn’t mean you have to give up on your workout routine. Here are a few winter workout tips from Aaron Ruth, strength and conditioning coach at St. Vincent’s Sports Performance in Indianapolis, which works with more than 300 professional and amateur athletes. You can stay fit no matter what the temperature is outside.
When it’s cold outside, the body tends to concentrate blood flow to the core, which can leave your hands, feet, and ears susceptible to frostbite.
The Byrne family at son, John, and his bride, Leslie’s, 1989 wedding at Omaha’s St. Margaret Mary’s Catholic Church. --Continued from page 11. 3 hours and 15 minutes. “I placed first in my age group – 75 plus,” he says, smiling. “But there were only three in my age group. The second guy finished eight minutes behind me, and they’re still looking for the third guy.” Byrne’s accomplishments illustrate that age should not be a limit to what a person takes on or achieves. “It’s really up to the individual,” he says. “There are great young priests, great old priests, and great priests in between. There are a lot of older guys going in who maybe won’t be a priest for 25 years but can still put in a good 10 years. And I think God needs a lot of help right now. “I feel very enriched by all this. When I am helping people, hearing confessions, or saying Mass, it’s a wonderful feeling that’s hard to put into words. I feel grateful and humble.” And though he has experienced both marriage and the priesthood, he says combining the two would not be feasible. “Having seven kids and 16 grandkids, I think it would be impossible for a priest to focus on his responsibilities and be married,” he says, smiling. “There are days I barely have time to talk to my kids on the telephone.” No matter how busy he gets, Byrne hopes to be able to answer the call, whether it’s from his children – or a higher power.
Whether helping people, hearing confessions, or saying Mass, Father Bernie says being a priest provides a wonderful feeling for him.
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tasting Rockin’ Refuel® Intense Recovery protein fortified milk. Made with 100 percent real milk, Intense Recovery is packed with 20 grams of natural protein and features a 2:1 carb to protein ratio, which is ideal for optimal muscle recovery. • Wear sunscreen: It might be cooler outside, but you can still get sunburned. Choose sunscreen that blocks both UVA and UVB rays, and has an SPF of at least 30. Don’t forget to protect your lips with a
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• Don’t skip the warm up: In colder weather, your muscles are tighter, making them more prone to muscle pulls and strains. Spend a little more time warming up your body to help you avoid injury. • Stay hydrated: When it’s cooler outside, you generally drink less water. But when you exercise, you still sweat and lose fluids and electrolytes. Be sure to drink plenty of water before and during your workout to avoid dehydration. • Dress in layers: Exercising generates body heat and sweat, and when sweat starts to dry in cold weather you can get chilled. Dress in layers that can be removed when you start to sweat. Start with a thin layer of synthetic material that will draw sweat away from your body. Then add a layer of fleece or wool, and top it all off with a waterproof and breathable outer layer. • Protect your extremities: When it’s cold outside, the body tends to concentrate blood flow to the core, which can leave your hands, feet, and ears susceptible to frostbite. Wear gloves, warm socks, and a hat or headband. • Have a post-workout refueling plan: What you put in your body after you work out is just as important, if not more, than what you put in it before. After exercising, refuel and rebuild your muscles with essential carbs and protein by drinking great
lip balm that has sunscreen. • Vary your routine: Beat the winter workout blues by changing up your routine and by having fun. Get the whole family moving by doing things together such as building a snowman, going ice skating or sledding, making snow angels, and having a snowball fight. For more tips for your winter workout or to purchase Rockin’ Refuel Intense Recovery, visit www.rockinfuel.com. (This information was provided by Family Features.)
When exercising during coolder weather, spend a little more time than usual warming up your body to help avoid injury.
January 2013