New Horizons Newspaper

A publication of the Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging

July 2012 VOL. 37 • NO. 7

ENOA 4223 Center Street Omaha, NE 68105-2431

PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID OMAHA NE PERMIT NO. 389

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Gerontologist

Being a university professor isn’t all about teaching.

Outside the classroom, University of Nebraska at Omaha Department of Gerontology professor Dr. Karl Kosloski, 62, is widely-known and respected for the extensive research he is conducting on caregiving. Nick Schinker profiles Kosloski and his remarkable career.

See page 13.

First lady

Pulling thread

Sally Ganem, wife of Nebraska Gov. Dave Heineman, visited the Adams Park Community Center in Omaha recently.

Joyce Hart (left) and Jocelyn Worthington are among the Millard Senior Center participants involved in the Little Dresses for Africa project.

See page 12.

See page 22.

Study shows why older adults may have trouble sleeping

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lder animals show cellular changes in the brain “clock” that sets sleep and wakeful periods, according to research in a recent issue of The Journal of Neuroscience. The findings may help explain why older people often experience trouble sleeping at night and are drowsy during the day.

Like humans, mice experience shifts in daily activities and sleep patterns as they age. To find out why, researchers directed

by Johanna Meijer, PhD, at the Leiden University Medical Center in the Netherlands studied the electrical activity of cells in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), an area of the brain responsible for setting sleep-wake cycles.

Consistent with previous studies, the researchers found aged mice showed disrupted sleep behavior and weakened brain network activity in the SCN. But Meijer and colleagues also found changes occurring in individual SCN cells, not just in their networks.

“In fact, the changes at the single-cell level were more severe than the changes at the network level,” said Meijer. This represents a shift in understanding of aging’s effects on the brain.

The researchers made electrophysiological recordings from isolated SCN neurons, a difficult experiment given the advanage of

July 2012

the animals and the small size of this type of neuron. They found aged SCN neurons lack day-night rhythms in some membrane properties. In addition, the team identified age-related reductions of certain potassium currents that are important to the neurons’ rhythmic firing.

Because potassium and other ion channels can be manipulated with drugs, “This work provides a new target for potential therapeutic interventions that can mitigate the age-related decline in the sleep-wake cycle,” said Christopher Colwell, Ph.D., an expert in circadian clock function at the University of California Los Angeles, who was not involved in the study.

Help 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, and sign language classes.

For more information, please call Beth Ellsworth at 402-595-2774 or (toll free) 800-545-6244, or send an e-mail to beth. ellsworth@nebraska.gov.

Helping your plants thrive despite seasonal challenges

By Melinda Myers Summer has arrived and for many gardeners that means heat, drought, and watering bans. This can be hard on gardeners as well as their landscapes. The good news is there are ways to help plants thrive despite these seasonal challenges.

Adjusting landscape care accordingly during the summer months cannot only provide relief for lawns and gardens, but also for the gardener.

Here are some low maintenance ecofriendly ways gardeners can keep their landscapes looking their best throughout the summer months, while beating the heat: • Water plants thoroughly to promote deep drought and pest-resistant roots.Wait until the top few inches of soil are crumbly and moist or footprints remain in the lawn before watering again.

• Avoid light, frequent watering that encourages shallow roots. Shallow roots are less able to tolerate drought and more susceptible to disease and insect problems.

• Spread a two to three-inch layer of shredded leaves, evergreen needles, or shredded bark mulch over the soil in garden beds and around trees and shrubs. Mulching conserves moisture, keeps roots cool and moist, and suppresses weeds.

• Mow lawns high. Taller grass produces deeper roots that are more droughttolerant. A deeply rooted lawn is also more resistant to insects, disease, and other environmental stresses.

• Always mow lawns often enough so you remove less than one third the total leaf surface. Leave the grass clippings on the lawn. They add nitrogen, organic matter, and moisture to the soil.

• Use a low nitrogen slow release fertilizer to give gardens and lawns a nutrient boost. This organic nitrogen fertilizer remains in the soil until the growing conditions are right for the plant.

• Remove weeds from garden beds and borders as soon as they appear. These “plants out of place” steal water and nutrients from your desirable garden plants. Plus, they can harbor insects and diseases that are harmful to your garden plants.

• And don’t forget to take care of yourself while caring for your landscape during the heat of summer. Drink lots of liquid, use sunscreen, and work during the cooler morning and evening hours.

Then when the gardening tasks are done for the day, grab a glass of lemonade, take a seat in the shade, and enjoy the beauty of your handiwork.

Douglas County Health Department offers tips to help ensure your outdoor cooking is safe, healthy

A

Nebraska summer means outdoor cooking, and Douglas County Health Director Dr. Adi Pour said a little planning will help make sure your food is safe.

“The fun is over quickly if someone gets sick from your food,” Dr. Pour said. “But that is something you can prevent.”

Here are some outdoor dining safety rules: • Clean your grill between each use.

• Use a meat thermometer to ensure you thoroughly cook meat and poultry.

• Beef and pork should be “rested” for three minutes to allow the heat to spread and kill more contaminants.

• Always make sure you keep the cold foods cold (41 degrees or below) and the hot foods hot (above 135 degrees.)

• Promptly refrigerate any leftovers.

Dr. Pour said grilled meat needs special attention. You can avoid crosscontamination by putting cooked meat on a clean platter and not reusing a plate that earlier was used for raw meat.

Also, avoid using the sauce you used to marinate meat on cooked food. Remember to wash your hands, utensils, and cutting boards if they have been in contact with raw meat or poultry.

The internal temperature of cooked meats should be: • Beef and pork, steaks, roasts and chops: 145 degrees.

• Hamburger and other ground meats: 155 degrees.

• Poultry: 165 degrees.

If you are reheating any precooked foods, they should be warmed to 165 degrees “You cannot tell by looking at meat if it is safe to eat,” Dr. Pour said. “The only way to know for sure is to use a food thermometer to check if the meat has reached a high enough temperature to destroy pathogens of public health concern.”

Nothing says summer is here like fresh-grilled meats, but nothing ruins a summer outing faster than a food-borne illness.

“Please remember these few simple ideas for your health and safety,” Dr. Pour said.

(The Douglas County Health Department provided this information.)

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Address all correspondence to: Jeff Reinhardt, Editor, 4223 Center Street, Omaha, NE 68105-2431.

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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.

July 2012

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New Horizons

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Examining America’s love affair with ice cream “I scream. You scream. We all scream for ice cream.”

All lovers of the frozen dessert have probably recited this quotation at some time or another, maybe while nibbling down an Eskimo Pie. Incredible as it may seem, that chocolate-coated ice cream-on-astick treat was originally called an ”I Scream Bar.” Introduced in 1934, 14 years after the idea was first conceived by Chris Nelson, who owned an ice cream shop in Onawa, Iowa; the Eskimo Pie spawned a whole lot of imitations.

So how long ago was it that this icy treat was first recorded, becoming the forerunner of dozens of creations that today mark it as America’s favorite dessert and snack?

You may believe it began with what we now call “old fashioned soda fountains” that were often found in drug stores. Many people swear ice cream had its origin at the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair. If you believe that story, you only missed its origin by about 19 centuries Conflicting claims place the first frozen dessert being served in either the reign of Nero (A.D. 37 to 68) or China’s King Tang (A.D. 61 to 97).

Nero was said to have brought ice from mountains and turned it into a dessert by adding fruit. During Tang’s time, China was said to have found a recipe for turning ice and milk into a dessert.

The first ice cream parlor in America opened its doors in New York City in 1776. It was also in this era that colonists first referred to the treat as “ice cream.”

Closer to home, historians say the first Nebraska soda fountain opened in Brownville in 1858, nine years before statehood. A century later it was estimated there were as many as 100,000 soda fountains in the United States, a number that has since dwindled to only a few hundred.

Frozen evolves into soft serve

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oday, soft serve ice cream and upscale ice cream stores dominate the market, but they lack the charm of soda fountains that were extremely popular, especially in the 1920 to 1950s era.

Those popular meeting places for teenagers went well beyond today’s common fare of cones, cups, and milk shakes. They concocted banana splits, black and whites, floats, fizzes, sundaes of all flavors, and shakes that were hand-dipped from real ice cream tubs and sometimes served with the added flavor of malt.

In the Omaha metro area there are five popular old-fashioned soda fountains. They’re located in Springfield, Louisville, Plattsmouth, and in Omaha at Petrow’s Restaurant and the Durham Museum.

Others in Nebraska can be found scattered throughout the state.

What qualifies them as “old fashioned” is the fountain itself, usually rescued from scrap piles as

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drug stores opted for more profitable inventory. These fountains often had marble counters, chrome equipment, and all sorts of serving dishes, each fashioned for a specific ice cream concoction. Customers sat at the counter on swivel-type bar stools, at booths, or at round, glass-topped tables flanked by wire-backed chairs.

Every Omahan who has been around the area since the mid-1900s likely had a favorite soda fountain.

I remember well the fountain at Cris Rexall at 50th & Dodge streets and Baum’s Drug Store in Dundee, both near my workplace. Goodrich Dairies could be found nearly everywhere in the metro Omaha area and one of my favorites was the Irvington Dairy on the outskirts of the city. The latter long ago closed and Goodrich, which once had 50 outlets, is now down to two in the Omaha metro after several changes of ownership.

Petrow’s Restaurant at 5914

Red Mango, TCBY, Yozone, and a whole host of individually owned shops.

Visit your grocery store and you’ll find that ice cream dominates the long lines of frozen food islands.

If you really want to think big, consider visiting “The Ice Cream Capital of the World.” It’s only 120 miles north of Omaha at LeMars, Iowa. You’ll probably know it better as the home of Wells Dairy, makers of Blue Bunny Ice Cream.

Churning out 120 million gallons of ice cream a year validates its claim.

A visit includes going through the museum with its hands-on displays and a tasty treat at the 1920s style ice cream parlor. Admission is free.

No question about it, Americans have a love affair with ice cream.

Mine began in my teen years in Kearney, Neb. My older brother, Bob, worked at Lantz Drug Store, and served as a “soda jerk,” for whichever after friends and relatives delighted in calling him a “jerk.”

Travelogue

By Barc Wade Center St. is a survivor from those days, still making its own ice cream, with seven regular favors and a flavor-of-the-month. It had its start as Fremont Candy Kitchen in 1903, coming to Omaha in 1905 and finally to its present location in 1950. Among its popular ice cream desserts is the Sweetheart Sundae and another is the “Original” Clown Sundae.

Omaha’s Kresge’s and the F. W. Woolworth Five & Dimes had ice cream counters, too. I remember the latter as foregoing the usual round dips of ice cream, opting for a cylindrical dipper.

Ice cream or soft serve

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he diminishing ranks of soda fountains continue to do battle with soft serves available at almost every fast food outlet and even at unexpected places such as retirement communities and rehab facilities where residents and visitors can help themselves to free cones all day long. Fast food restaurants dominate the soft-serve industry but are mostly limited to cones, cups, and shakes.

The old time ice cream stores have also been copied and made upscale at such places as Cold Stone, Baskin Robbins, Maggie Moo’s, the Old Market’s Ted & Wally’s, and Russell Stovers. Some of these are famous for their multiple flavors.

Baskin Robbins is known for its famed 58 flavors and Stover’s for its 24 selections.

Then there are the latter-day contenders that specialize in yogurt instead of ice cream, such as

New Horizons

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July 2012

But it wasn’t because of him that the Lantz Drug Store was my favorite choice for sodas, it was the town’s most popular meeting place for teenagers looking for dates. It was here in the last month of my senior year I encountered a different kind of love affair when I met the date-of-my-life. It lasted 59 years.

I also remember the summer of the Ice Cream Wars, deep into the heart of the Great Depression. Drug stores battled for customers using ice cream as “come-ons.” For a while, ice cream prices seemed to have stabilized at five cents a pint.

Then, one day, Haeberle’s Drug Store across the street from the Lantz Drug Store, brought the price down to four cents. That proved the foolishness of the war and it soon ended.

I even had a rare connection to ice cream, also in my senior year of high school when each morning I was a door-to-door milk delivery man for Fairmont Creamery. In the afternoons I delivered large containers of ice cream to stores. On Sundays I picked up 10-gallon cans of fresh milk from dairy farms, a lot of it destined to become ice cream.

Ever since its beginning, concoctions of ice cream have never quit evolving, each contributing its own history, among them: • Ice cream cones: Thin waffles rolled into a cone shape were in vogue in France in the early 1800s, but didn’t become popular in the U.S. until 1904 at the St. Louis World’s Fair. At that time, cones were rolled by hand, but in 1912 Frederick Bruckman invented a machine for rolling ice cream cones.

His company flourished and was eventually sold in 1928 to Nabisco, which continues to be a major supplier of cones. Frozen Drumsticks, ice cream filled cones, were sold from grocery stores.

My favorite innovation was a process in which the inside of the cone was coated with chocolate.

Other variations include a flat bottom cone often referred to as kiddie cups, cake cones, pretzel cones, sugar cones, and double cones.

• Banana splits: The year 1904 also saw the birth of this combination fruit and ice cream treat, the brainchild of David Evans Strickler a 23-year old apprentice pharmacist at the Tassel Pharmacy in Latrobe, Pa. This classic treat begins with slicing a banana lengthwise then placing each half along the sides of a serving dish called a boat. Three scoops of ice cream are then lined up between the bananas, vanilla topped by crushed pinepapple, chocolate topped by chocolate syrup, and strawberry topped by strawberry syrup, then garnished with crushed nuts, whipped cream, and maraschino cherries.

Originally priced at 10 cents, the banana split was twice as costly as other sundaes. About the same time, a similar sundae was introduced but with the banana unpeeled, a concept that didn’t last long.

Each June, Wilmington, Ohio, hosts a Banana Split Festival to lay its claim for originating the banana split in 1907.

• Ice cream sundaes: There are many claimants as the birthplace of sundaes including Two Rivers and Manitowoc, Wisc.; Norfolk, Va.; and Buffalo, NY. But Ithaca, NY, may have the most valid claim.

Records show that on April 3, 1892, the first sundae was concocted at a local soda fountain, made up of a scoop of ice cream, topped by a syrup of your choice and a maraschino cherry, then naming it after the Sabbath.

There have been dozens of variations of this dessert, but none more meaningful than Victory Sundaes, created during World War II, which included a Defense Savings Stamp with every serving.

• Malted milks/milkshakes: The original version in 1885 was more like eggnog and included whiskey. But by 1900 it was claimed to be a “wholesome drink” and included malt powder.

Malt, by the way, was created as a health food in 1873 by Horlick of London. Its recipe called for combining malted barley, wheat flour, and whole milk, then allowing it to evaporate into powder form.

By the 1930s, soda fountains were popular hangouts for students and about the same time the first milkshake machine was invented.

Before that, home-style malts were laboriously hand-dipped and stirred by hand and usually were priced --Please turn to page 5.

Frozen treats...

--Continued from page 4. higher.

Flavors of malts often had a jargon of their own. When declaring you wanted eggs added to your chocolate malt you’d say, “make it cackle.” Vanilla malts were called “white cows,” and strawberry was referred to as “shake one in the hay.”

• Soft serve: Dairy Queen claims it invented soft serve in 1938 in Moline, Ill. It was introduced as an experiment on Aug. 4, 1938. A claimed 1,600 servings were made in two hours. However, in 1934 over a Memorial Day weekend in Hartsdale, NY, an ice cream truck suffered a flat tire and pulled into a parking lot where the contents began to melt. The enterprising driver began selling off the melting ice cream and noted that the “soft” version drew enthusiastic comments. This led to the development of a soft serve machine and product formula.

• Frozen custard: In many parts of the country, frozen custards are more popular than regular or soft serve ice cream. To qualify as custard the treat has to contain a minimum of 10 percent butterfat and 1.4 percent egg yolk. First time custard buyers will quickly note it being heavier than soft serve. That’s because soft serve is generally composed of 50 percent air as opposed to custard’s 15 to 30 percent air.

Selling more custard than any other place, Milwaukee, Wisc., claims the title of “Custard Capital of the World,” though the mixture was first conceived in Long Island, NY, in 1919. In Omaha, Culvers Restaurants, E-Creamery in Dundee, and Freddy’s Frozen Custard in Papillion battle for their share of the ice cream market.

Ice cream on the move

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he familiar sound of a ringing bell on hot summer days is the signal of the arrival of the Frosty Treats mobile ice cream truck, also known as Good Humor trucks. Gaily decorated to attract kids, the trucks roam neighborhoods throughout the warm weather months. A look at their colorful menu, delivered from even morecolorful trucks, makes it clear they know their chief audience—KIDS. The trucks hold dozens of choices including bomb pops, ice cream bars, fudge bars, Jolly Ranchers, and even an ona-stick ice cream treat that resembles a crayon.

That same truck is available for special events of all kinds including birthday parties, office parties, reunions, church and school celebrations, and at retirement homes.

For more information, please call 402-734-5113.

The soda fountain at Petrow’s Restaurant, 5914 Center St. in Omaha.

Stop by one of Nebraska’s soda fountains

By Barc Wade Contributing Writer

O

ne of the Omaha area’s premier soda fountains has a couple of things going for it that few others can claim.

Located at the Springfield Drug Store, this site also features a candy shop with sweets that stir up childhood memories.

You probably think “they don’t make ‘em anymore,” but they do here.Visitors can enjoy treats like Sen Sen, Walnettos, Black Jack Taffy, Kits, Rock Stick, and Candy Necklaces. The drug store also provided a setting for a scene in the 2009 movie Lovely Still, starring Martin Landau and Ellen Burstyn and directed by Omaha native Nik Fackler.

Old soda fountains were a vanishing breed when owner Keith Hentzen went looking for one almost 25 years ago. Not only did he find one, he got it for free, an early 1900s Brunswick stainless steel beauty that makes his drug store a hot spot for a cool treat in the town of 1,500.

Of course that was just the beginning as Hentzen added stools from Exeter, Neb., a back bar from Adams, Neb. and a front bar from Iowa.

The Springfield Drug Store offers a full menu of ice cream concoctions including some with unique names. If you’re really, really hungry order a Husker 61 Sundae, which includes 10 scoops of ice cream and your choice of toppings in a super-size bowl for only $3.95. It’s named for Adam Wade and his football jersey number while on the Cornhusker football team.

As a Platteview High School student, Wade would frequent the drug store always asking for the biggest sundae they could make and so the Husker 61 evolved.

Other Nebraska soda fountains you may enjoy visiting include: • Blake’s Soda Fountain in Louisville.

This popular business is both an authentic old time soda fountain and a floral shop.

The fountain dates to 1937 and was originally located in a drug store two blocks away. It moved to its present site in 1987.

Besides the usual menu of ice cream treats, you can also satisfy your sweet tooth with a purchase of homemade fudge.

• River House Soda Fountain and Antiques in Plattsmouth. As its name implies, it’s two businesses in one location. Jennifer and Bob Roby opened the store in 2006, with its star attraction being an old-fashioned soda fountain discovered and purchased from a barn near Kearney.

For more than 100 years, the building at 402 Main St. featured a 24-foot long, single piece mahogany bar. The original tin ceiling and floor create a great atmosphere for the antiques that are on display and for sale.

A visit here is like stepping back in history 100 years or more. The fountains serves old-fashioned ice cream delights as well as lunchtime sandwiches and other choices Monday through Saturday. There’s a dinner menu on the first Friday of each month. The attraction is easy to find, next to the classic Cass County Courthouse.

• Ivanna Cone in Lincoln. Located in a historic building called “The Creamery” in the Haymarket District, the Ivanna Cone prides itself on producing super premium ice cream in an endless number of flavors.

One of its unique features is producing oneof-a-kind flavors in cooperation with fund raising campaigns by non-profit organizations.

July 2012

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As an example, Friendship Home, a shelter for abused women and their children, was represented by a flavor called Home Sweet Home, a recipe of caramel and French custard with pieces of cinnamon roll and apple pie. Another was Whimsidoodle for the Lincoln Children’s Museum, made with crushed vanilla wafers, nerds candies, and starbursts.

Other flavors have been created for a summer camp for kids affected by AIDS, Meadowlark Sherbet for the music festival of the same name, and E.D.G.A.R. for Each Day Go And Read project of Randolph Elementary School.

• Arapahoe Pharmacy in Arapahoe.

It’s been around for 75 years serving phosphates including Green Rivers, sodas, and sundaes.

• Potter Sundry in Potter. It’s operated by the Potter Historical Foundation in a building where it was claimed that Pinky Thayer invented the Tin Roof Sundae in the 1930s. However, historians have established the Tin Roof Sundae first was concocted in 1893 at Plott’s Soda Fountain in New York State and soon thereafter was being served in other nearby communities.

• Emily’s Soda Fountain in Broken Bow. Located in an 1893 building, it now houses a 1920s Bishop & Babcock fountain and has attracted ice cream lovers from many parts of the world.

• Goeke Variety in Atkinson. Not only does the variety store have an old fashioned fountain, Goeke’s owners have a second one housed in the historic Bassett Lodge in Bassett.

• Keller Pharmacy in Ponca. Near Ponca State Park, which draws over 600,000 annual visitors, Keller’s provides a lot of summertime business.

• Patefield’s Good Old Fashioned Soda Fountain in Laurel. It’s located inside the Main Street Apothecary and makes the claim that many years ago Klown Sundaes were invented here. That claim has plenty of challengers.

• Tooley Drug in Columbus.The Tooley family business has been around since the 1920s and has had a soda fountain most of the time since then.

New Horizons

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Study finds new compounds researchers, physicians can target to diagnose, treat, study Alzheimer’s University of California-Davis researchers have found novel compounds that disrupt the formation of amyloid, the clumps of protein in the brains of people with Alzheimer’s disease believed to be important in causing the disease’s characteristic mental decline.

The so-called “spin-labeled fluorene compounds” are an important new target for researchers and physicians focused on diagnosing, treating, and studying the disease.

The study was published recently in the online journal PLoS ONE. “We have found these small molecules to have significant beneficial effects on cultured neurons, from protecting against toxic compounds that form in neurons to reducing inflammatory factors,” said John C. Voss, professor of biochemistry and molecular medicine at the UC-Davis School of Medicine and the principal investigator of the study.

“As a result, they have great potential as a therapeutic agent to prevent or delay injury in individuals in the earliest stages of Alzheimer’s disease before significant damage to the brain occurs.”

Amyloid is an accumulation of proteins and peptides that are otherwise found naturally in the body. One component of amyloid -- the amyloid beta peptide -- is believed to be primarily responsible for destroying neurons in the brain.

Fluorene compounds, which are small three-ringed molecules, originally were developed as imaging agents to detect amyloid with PET imaging. In addition to being excellent for detecting amyloid, fluorenes bind and destabilize amyloid beta peptide and thereby reduce amyloid formation, according to previous findings in mice

by Lee-Way Jin, another study author and associate professor in the UC Davis MIND

Institute and Department of Medical Pathology and Laboratory Medicine.

The research studied the effects of fluorene compounds by attaching a special molecule to make their activity evident using electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy. This technology allows researchers to observe very specific activities of molecules of interest because biological tissues do not emit signals detectable by EPR.

“We are very excited and hopeful that these unique compounds can become extremely important.”

“The spin-labeled fluorenes demonstrated a number of extremely important qualities: They are excellent for detecting amyloid in imaging studies, they disrupt amyloid beta formation, and they reduce inflammation,” said Voss. “This makes them potentially useful in the areas of research, diagnostics, and treatment of Alzheimer’s disease.”

A major obstacle in developing Alzheimer’s disease therapy is that most molecules will not cross the blood-brain barrier, so that potential treatments given orally or injected into the bloodstream cannot enter the brain where they are needed. Fluorene compounds are small molecules that have been shown to penetrate the brain well.

“We have brought together expertise from diverse fields to get to this point, and what was once a side interest has become a major focus,” said Voss. “We are very excited and hopeful that these unique compounds can become extremely important.”

(The University of California-Davis provided this information.)

Read it & eat

By Lois Friedman readitandeat@yahoo.com

Delicious, yet healthy recipes Take care of yourself and your family. Here are the latest recipes for good health!

The Simple Art of Eating Well Cookbook

By Jessie Price (Countryman, $35) From the pages of this magazine are 400 easy recipes with nutritional data to make healthy meals and share a better way of eating.

Family Circle Healthy Family Dinners (Wiley, $19.99) Nothing too complicated or time-consuming. More than 200 good-for-you recipes. The majority are for complete meals, many are one-pot created using the latest dietary and nutritional science available.

Thrive Foods

By Brendan Brazier (DaCapo, $20) This ironman triathlete shares 200 plant-based recipes with the greatest amount of nutrition gathered from chefs and restaurants around the country. Go for better personal and environmental health.

Salad As A Meal

By Patricia Wells (William Morrow, $34.99) The award-winning cookbook author creates 150 healthy, seasonal light main-dish salads and shares her favorite pantry and equipment suggestions. Did you know salad comes from the Latin word for salt? Beautiful photographs.

Big Vegan

By Robin Asbell (Chronicle, $29.95) Eat more fruits and veggies. More than 350 international recipes to take you on your vegan journey. Welcome to the party! From Acidophilus to over a dozen zucchini ideas and this fresh take recipe using edamame, green soy beans.

Edamame Hummus (Serves 6)

2 cups shelled edamame 2 garlic cloves, peeled 1/2 cup tahini paste 6 tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice 2 tbsp. white miso 2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for serving (optional) 1/8 tsp. ground cayenne Thaw the edamame if they are frozen. You can just put them in a colander and run hot water over them. Drain the edamame well. Put the garlic in a food processor and process to mince. Scrape down the sides, then add the edamame and process until well minced. Scrape down the sides and add the tahini, lemon juice, miso, oil and cayenne. Process until very smooth.

If desired, drizzle with olive oil at serving. Store in a tightly covered tub in the refrigerator for up to one week.

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New Horizons

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July 2012

Pages of Pacific Railway Act, part of Reed Collection to be displayed at Durham Museum July 1 through 31

J

uly 2012 marks the 150th anniversary of a critical piece of legislation that literally established the foundational transportation system of the United States.

The first Pacific Railway Act was signed into law by President Abraham Lincoln on July 1, 1862 and established the Union Pacific Railroad Company to build the first transcontinental railroad west from the Missouri River.

The Central Pacific Railroad was also authorized to lay railroad track from the Pacific Ocean and moving east.

The question of “internal improvements” to the country’s transportation system was constantly before Congress in the 19th century. In the 1850s Congress commissioned several topographical surveys to determine the best route for a railroad, but private corporations were reluctant to undertake the task without federal assistance.

In 1862 Congress passed the first Pacific Railway Act, which designated the 32nd parallel as the initial transcontinental route and awarded alternating 10-mile sections of land to both railroads along their lines. The sale was supposed to offset construction costs.

Union Pacific broke ground at 7th Street and Capitol Avenue in Omaha in 1863 and, at the height of the railroad’s construction, employed 10,000 Irish, German, and Italian immigrants, as well as thousands of Civil War veterans.

The Central Pacific employed more than 10,000 Chinese workers and began laying track from Sacramento, California.

On May 10, 1869, in a ceremony at Promontory Summit, Utah, the last rails were laid and the last spike driven connecting the eastern and western coasts of the United States.

In a special exhibition from July 1 to 31, The Durham Museum – 810 S. 10th St. – will display three pages of the 1862 Pacific Railway Act on loan from the National Archives, alongside several other railroad artifacts from Omaha’s own Byron Reed Collection.

“The National Archives and Records Administration regards the Act as one of

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Abraham Lincoln signed the Pacific Railway Act in 1862.

100 “milestone documents” in our nation’s history, and it has obviously had a momentous impact in the history and growth of our city,” said Christi Janssen, The Durham Museum’s executive director.

“To have the Pacific Railway Act here on July 1, exactly 150 years after it was signed into law and created Union Pacific, is truly extraordinary.”

The Byron Reed artifacts have never been exhibited. Highlights will include: • Reed’s license to be a commercial broker in Omaha, signed in 1862.

• A letter from former Omaha mayor George Armstrong to Byron Reed during the former’s service in the Civil War inquiring about the Union Pacific’s progress in laying railroad track and the growth of Omaha.

• An 1862 letter to U.S. Navy flag officer A.W. Foote from James Buchanan Eads, who oversaw design and construction of the Union’s iron clad naval vessels during the Civil War. Later, he constructed the first road and rail bridge across the Mississippi River.

This historic display is made possible thanks to the generosity of the Union Pacific Corporation.

Infographic outlines statistics on older adults’ online usage, habits

C

reating Results, LLC, a leader in marketing to baby boomers and older adults, recently launched an infographic with statistics and information about what older people do online.

Facts related to e-mail use, top online activities, and the use of Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, and other social networks are broken out by age group.

With all the digital marketing options out there including e-mail, new social platforms like Pinterest, and so on, many organizations struggle with how best to reach older consumers, said Todd Harff, president of Creating Results.

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“This infographic shows where people over 50 are spending their time online, so brands can decide where to spend their marketing time and money,” he added.

The infographic shows baby boomers and older adults make up 50 percent of the U.S. population and 41 percent of the Internet population. Creating Results has detailed the online activities of each generation so marketers can make better decisions.

Facts presented include: • Far more older adults watch TV every day than use e-mail. Far more older men and women use e-mail than social networks.

• Younger boomers (ages 45 to 54) are more likely than their elders to use comments on blog posts and articles, but older boomers (ages 55 to 64) are most likely to post user reviews, both positive and negative.

• Younger boomers make up 32 percent of the Facebook user base, 24 percent of the Twitter user base, and only five percent of the Google Plus user base.

• Only 14 percent of consumers over age 40 said they would want to become a brand’s friend, follower, or fan. The “no thanks” feeling is stronger the older the respondent.

(Creating Results, LLC provided this information.)

www.immanuellifeline.com

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.

2012 MOTORCOACH “Singin’ in the Rain” on a Sunday Afternoon. August 5. $89.

Enjoy another great performance at the Lofte Community Theater in Manley, NE. This Sunday afternoon performance of the musical “Singin’ in the Rain” will be followed by a home-cooked meal at the Main Street Café in Louisville, NE where you will have your choice of three great selections.

Iowa State Fair. August 15. $89. Come along to one of the best state fairs in the country. Enjoy mouth-watering food, free entertainment, grandstand concerts, and plenty of blue-ribbon competition. We will also arrange for (we’ll pick it up, have it on the bus, and return it) rental of a scooter for the day.

Nebraska State Fair & “Chances R.” August 24. $99. Check out the fair’s new location in Grand Island! Besides mouth-watering food, free entertainment, contests, competitions, parades, and just plain fun, enjoy dinner at “Chances R” in York on the way home. We will also arrange for (we’ll pick it up, have it on the bus, and return it) rental of a scooter for the day.

Chicago and the Cubs. August 28 – 31. $699. Take a tour of Wrigley Field, see Cubs vs. Milwaukee Brewers afternoon game, Chicago highlights tour, Adler Planetarium, Food Tour, Willis Tower, Tommy Gun’s Garage dinner theater, Navy Pier, Millennium Park, Magnificent Mile, dinner cruise on Lake Michigan, and much more!

Nebraska Junk Jaunt. September 28 – 29. $245. Come along on our fourth annual “Junk Jaunt,” covering more than 220 miles in central Nebraska. Participating towns have city-wide garage, yard, and bake sales. Two full days of treasure hunting!

NEW --- Follow the Rails Art Trail. October 19 – 21. $439. Join us and a step-on guide for this annual event to discover local art and artists in 11 communities along Highway 2 beginning in Grand Island. Enjoy stops such as Nebraska National Forest, Carhenge, Stuhr Museum, and the Secret Garden, visit art galleries, attend workshops and demonstrations, and learn about the railroad as we travel through the Sandhills. Purchase paintings, pottery, sculptures, and drawings along the way!

Daniel O’Donnell in Branson. November 14 - 17. $689. “Daniel O’Donnell,” “SIX, The Knudsen Brothers,” “Joseph” at the Sight & Sound Theater, “Chubby Checker,” “Gatlin Brothers with Debby Boone,” and the “Brett Family.” A total of six great shows! -- Stone Castle Hotel with hot breakfast buffet each morning, comfortable Arrow Stage Lines Motor Coach, seven delicious meals and plenty of time for exploring the shops in Branson! (Call for availability!)

NEW --- Kansas City Christmas. December 4 - 5. $289. Enjoy a special holiday luncheon at the Webster House, the American Heartland Theater’s performance of “Nuncrackers, The Nunsense Christmas Musical,” New Theater Restaurant buffet luncheon and “The Game’s `Afoot” performance starring Marion Ross from “Happy Days,” lodging at the Drury, and more holiday surprises!

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.)

San Francisco with Lake Tahoe. August 23 - 29. Enjoy a sightseeing tour of San Francisco with the Twin Peaks, Seal Rocks, and Golden Gate Bridge, visit Fisherman’s Wharf, Union Square, ride a cable car, visit the wineries of Sonoma Valley, Monterey, Pebble Beach, the California Railroad Museum in Sacramento, the old west town of Virginia City, and spend two nights at the Montbleu Resort & Spa in Lake Tahoe including a cruise on beautiful Lake Tahoe.

Greece and its Islands. September 23 – October 6. See the Acropolis, Royal Palace, and Olympic Stadium in Athens, visit Thermopylae, Kalambaka, remote monastaries in Meteora, the ski resort town of Arachova, Delphi, tour Olympia where the first Olympic games were held, visit the excavations at Mycenae, ferry across the Aegean Sea to Mykonos, sail to the island of Santorini, see vineyards, whitewashed chapels, volcanic cliffs, mountains, and valleys in this beautiful country.

Alpine Christmas. December 4 - 11. Explore the Christmas markets of Austria and southern Bavaria. Stay in the Austrian Alps in same hotel for the entire trip! Tour Innsbruck, visit Munich, Oberammergau, Salzburg, and much more.

LAUGHLIN Fall in Laughlin (by Air). October 6 - 10. $279. Includes non-stop, round-trip airfare to Laughlin, Nevada, four 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 trips fill up fast!

July 2012

Watch our website at www.fontenelletours.com

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Dora Bingel Senior Center You’re invited to visit the Dora Bingel Senior Center, 923 N. 38th St., this month for the following: • July 2, 9, 16, 23, & 30: Al-Anon meeting @ 7 p.m.

• July 11, 18, & 25: Grief Support Group @ 10 a.m.

• July 11: Regeneration Lunch featuring singing by The Links (sponsored by the Merrymakers) @ noon.

• July 21: Red Hat Club meeting @ noon.

• July 27: Birthday Party Luncheon @ noon. Eat free if you have a July birthday.

• July 29: Hard of Hearing Support Group @ 10:30 a.m.

The center will be closed on July 4.

A nutritious lunch is served on Tuesdays and Fridays; a fancier lunch is offered on Wednesdays. 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: • Tuesday: Free matinee movie @ 12:30 p.m.

• Wednesdays: Crochet class @ 9:30 a.m. Tai Chi class @ 11: 30 a.m.

• Fridays: Joy Club @ 9:30 a.m. Bible study @ 1 p.m.

For more information, please call 402-898-5854.

Fremont Friendship Center You’re invited to visit the Fremont Friendship Center, 1730 W. 16th St. (Christensen Field) to socialize, enjoy a nutritious meal, exercise, play pool, visit the computer lab, play cards, etc. The facility is open 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesdays, and Fridays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Lunch is served at 11:30 a.m. A $3 donation is suggested for the meal. Reservations are due by noon the business day prior to the lunch you wish to enjoy.

This month’s activities include: • July 3: Entertainment by Dale Bruce @ 10:30 a.m.

• July 18: Birthday party with entertainment by Bill Neiderhiser @ 11:30 a.m.

• July 19: Presentation @ 10 a.m. by Karen Kelly from ENOA’s SeniorHelp Program. Bingo follows.

• July 24: Supper Club @ 5:30 p.m. Potluck supper and make your own ice cream sundae. Games follow.

• July 25: Guest from Arbor Manor will do a presentation on infectious diseases and flu shots @ 10 a.m. Music by the Link Duo follows.

• July 26: Leave @ 4 p.m. for dinner in Omaha and a trip to the Lofte Community Theater to watch Singin’ in the Rain.

The center will be closed on July 4.

For meal reservations or for more information, please call Laurie Harms at 402-727-2815.

For a limited time only Are you age 62 or better and want to live independently, but in a catered environment?

Skyline Retirement Community is offering a studio apartment with: • Full kitchen ALL THIS FOR • All utilities included ONLY $600 • FREE satellite TV PER MONTH!!!!!

Limited number of • Library apartments available.

• Chapel • Fitness center with age appropriate classes and a personal fitness trainer on site.

Let me tell you about the wasps and the bees Carol McNulty

Many people see bees and wasps as a threat because they may sting, but this is backwards thinking. Bees and wasps are beneficial insects. Some species pollinate crops and produce honey; others are predators of insects and spiders, said extension educator Barb Ogg, Ph.D. Bees and wasps sting because something is threatening their colony or the bee itself.

In general, there are two types of bees and wasps. One type builds large colonies and is called social bees and wasps. These include honeybees, bumble bees, yellow jackets, and paper wasps. These insects tend to be somewhat aggressive.

Yellow jackets are a type of paper wasp that usually builds colonies underground in old mouse burrows. They aggressively defend their colony and may attack people who get too close to the colony. Vibrations from a lawn mower will trigger aggressive behavior.

Honeybees are much less aggressive.

Many beekeepers work their bees with no protective clothing and may hardly ever get stung.

The other type of bee and wasp is referred to as solitary. Ogg says these bees and wasps do not build large colonies. They usually are predators and prey on spiders, crickets, cicadas, and other insects. Solitary wasps, such as the cicada killer wasp, paralyze their prey and drag it to a burrow.

They lay an egg on the paralyzed prey, which hatches into a larva that feeds on the paralyzed insect.

Solitary warps are not aggressive and would only sting someone who is foolish enough to handle the live wasp.

Most people have a normal reaction to bee and wasp stings. The body’s normal reaction is a local reaction around the sting, characterized by swelling, redness, itching, and pain. Some people have a greater reaction to the sting, but this is still considered to be a normal reaction although the individual is more sensitive to the bee’s venom.

Ogg says to minimize the reaction to a honeybee sting, remove the stinger. To reduce swelling, place a cold compress over the sting or take an antihistamine, such as Benadryl, to reduce swelling. A bee sting will heal on its own and generally shouldn’t need treatment by a doctor.

Difficulty breathing after being stung is a symptom of an allergic reaction and should be brought to the attention of a doctor immediately. Those who are allergic to bee stings may not realize they have an allergy until they are stung a second time, because their body’s reaction to the sting will

Call Angie or Carol at

402-572-1870 7300 Graceland Drive • Omaha 68134 • www.skylinerc.com

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worsen the more often they are stung.

To avoid bee stings, stay away from locations known to have colonies. Second, do not swat at bees and wasps -- quick motions may elicit stinging behavior. Third, perfumes and hairspray may attract bees and wasps. Don’t wear fragrances when you’re picnicking in the late summer and yellow jackets are foraging near trash bins. If you are allergic to bee stings, it may be necessary to remove a colony of yellow jackets in your yard. Contact a pest control professional or the local extension office.

(McNulty is an educator with the University of Nebraska cooperative extension office in Douglas and Sarpy counties.)

Millard Senior Center Stop by the Millard Senior Center at Montclair, 2304 S. 135th Ave. some time.

The 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, Tai Chi, chair volleyball, card games, quilting class, and bingo.

For more imformation or to make meal reservations, call Susan Sunderman at 402-546-1270.

Ralston Senior Center You’re invited to visit the Ralston Senior Center, 7300 Q St., Suite 100 (attached to the Ralston House Apartments). An annual membership is available to anyone age 55 or older for $10.

Activities include games, cards, exercise classes, monthly birthday parties, speakers, line dancing, and bingo Visitors also have an opportunity to check out books from the center library.

A variety of volunteer opportunities are also available at the Ralston Senior Center.

For more information, call 402-3394926.

Your will should designate more Dental program for Douglas County residents than who receives your property Douglas County officials recently anBy William E. Seidler, Jr. Seidler & Seidler, P.C. Attorneys at Law

Y

ou’ve probably read about the importance of preparing a last will and testament to designate who receives your property after death. You’ve probably read much less about the importance of beneficiary designations for life insurance policies, annuities, deferred compensation plans, and IRAs. For many people, life insurance policies, annuities, and IRAs are their most valuable assets. These accounts are governed by a contract between the issuing financial company and the owner. The contract spells out all the details of the agreement. These accounts have value not only during the owner’s life, but also can be distributed after the owner’s death. After the account owner’s death, these types of assets are distributed to the beneficiary designated by the owner.

You might assume the beneficiaries named in your last will and testament will receive the life insurance death benefits or sums remaining on deposit in an IRA or deferred compensation plan. Under some circumstances that’s true, such as when the beneficiary designation for the insurance or IRA names the estate of the deceased person or when the account has no beneficiaries and the underlying plan documents provided that the estate will receive the benefits.

H

owever, when a will names one person as a beneficiary and the account beneficiary designation names a different person as beneficiary, it’s the account beneficiary designation that controls who receives the funds in the account.

It’s important that a beneficiary designation form is filled out by the owner, signed by the owner, and then returned to the company issuing the contract or account. An attorney in fact acting under a Nebraska power of attorney isn’t permitted to change the beneficiary designation unless the power is expressly granted in the power of attorney.

In most instances it’s possible to name a primary beneficiary and a secondary or contingent beneficiary who will receive the funds in case the primary beneficiary dies before the account owner.

Or, in some instances, it’s possible to name multiple persons as beneficiaries such as one third to my son, Bob, one third to my daughter, Susan, and one third to my daughter, Mary. One problem that can arise in these types of designations is the determination of who will receive the child’s interest if the child dies before the account owner.

If you anticipate such a situation might occur, check with the company issuing the account to determine the contract rules.

Occasionally account beneficiary designations are legally challenged after the account owner’s death. This can occur if there was a question about whether the owner actually signed the beneficiary designation or if there was a question about the owner’s ability to understand what he or she was signing. In some circumstances an owner’s creditors have sought to have certain types of account funds returned to the estate to satisfy the owner’s unpaid bills.

(The information contained in this column is general.

Slight changes in individual fact situations may require a material variance in the applicable advice. Don’t attempt to solve individual problems based on the advice contained in this column. If you have questions regarding the above, you should contact an attorney.)

nounced a new dental discount card program available to county residents. Careington International Corporation administers the program in partnership with the National Association of Counties (NACo).

This discount card can help Douglas County residents save five to 50 percent on their dental care services, and 20 percent on orthodontic services. This affordable plan starts at $6.95 per month and $59 per year for individuals and $8.95 per month or $69 per year for families..

“The card is easy to use and will save people money,” said Douglas County Board Chair Mary Ann Borgeson. “Cardholders schedule an appointment with a participating dentist or specialist and present their card to receive a discount at the time of service. There are no forms to complete and everyone in the household is eligible to receive a discount.”

With this discount card (which is not an insurance plan) participants will experience significant savings on dental cleanings, xrays, braces, dentures, crowns, root canals, and more.

“Especially during these tough times, NACo is pleased to provide this discount dental program to our member counties,”

said NACo President Lenny Eliason, Commissioner in Athens County, Ohio. “This program is the latest of many valuable offerings that our association provides to our member counties.”

The NACo Dental Discount Card Program can complement health insurance plans or work in conjunction with health savings accounts, flexible spending accounts, and health reimbursement arrangements. It is also a cost-effective way for younger retirees to meet their dental needs.

More information about the NACo Dental Discount Card Program is available at www.nacodentalprogram.com or by calling (toll free) 877-354-6226.

NORTH OMAHA SENIOR COTTAGES Two-bedroom units for rent • $530/month plus utilities Must be age 55 or older Amenities include geothermal heating for lower utility bills, stove, refrigerator, microwave oven, and dishwasher.

Washer & dryer in every unit plus an attached garage and a community garden.

Contact John Boone at Holy Name Housing

402-453-6100

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Corrigan Senior Center You’re invited to visit the Corrigan Senior Center, 3819 X St. this month for: • Monday, July 2: Early July 4 celebration. Proudly wear your red, white, and blue! Enjoy lunch and a special “4th” Bingo. Make your reservations ASAP. • Tuesdays, July 3, 10, 17, 24, & 31: Corrigan Farmer’s Market at 12:30 p.m. Come early for a 10 a.m.

T’ai Chi class, chair volleyball at 11a.m., and a noon lunch.

• Thursday, July 19: Annual Indoor Picnic. The Red Raven polka band will perform at 11 a.m. At noon, Lil’ Willy’s will cater a delicious fried chicken dinner with sides of potato salad, baked beans, tossed salad, a dinner roll, and an ice cream sandwich.

After the noon dinner, stay for bingo. The cost is $5 for the meal and the entertainment.

Call 402-731-7210 for reservations. The deadline is noon on Monday, July 16.

• Monday, July 23: Birthday party with the Pam & Ron Show at 11 a.m. Pam and Ron Cooley are a guitar and vocal duo.

On Tuesdays and Thursdays during July at 10 a.m. a free T’ai Chi class – proven to improve your balance – is offered. Stay for coffee or tea after class.

Also on Tuesdays and Thursdays during July (except July 19), play chair volleyball at 11 a.m. No experience is needed. Stay for lunch and socializing afterwards.

The center will be closed on July 4 for the Independence Day 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 card games, bingo, ceramics, exercise, woodcarving, and loads of fun!

For meal reservations or more information, please call Lynnette at 402-731-7210.

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Influences on older, unemployed workers

By Dr. Stephen A. Laser

able first impressions, and hence no matter how isolated the position being advertised, the ability of the applicant to impress an While probably not politically correct, the fact is the three A’s — age, appearance, interviewer is an important factor.

Finally, there is the matter of attitude. and attitude — have a major impact on the Angry, resentful, and bitter job applicants plight of the older, unemployed worker. If do little to help their cause. Often the interpeople think these characteristics don’t reviewer gets the full brunt of the applicant’s ally matter when evaluating an applicant’s anger and annoyance with their raw deal chances of success in finding a job offer, from a previous employer along with the they are mistaken. natural frustration of a person’s prolonged Studies have shown, for better or worse, personal appearance and the ability to com- job search.

While at the end of the meeting the canmunicate clearly and convincingly are probdidate might feel relieved and momentarily ably the two factors that predict best as to whether a person will ultimately land a job. purged, the poor company representative is There are a number of reasons companies bewildered not knowing what to think.

In other instances a person’s attitude discriminate against older workers – some of them based on financial reasons and oth- is primarily a reflection of their sense of defeatism over the whole job search proers grounded in deeply held biases lacking cess. There is no question that it is a grind. empirical support. On the financial side, A hang-dog attitude that fails to inspire a employers are often worried about paying older, and likely more experienced individu- sense of energy and optimism in the employment interviewer will likely lead to a als higher wages. Obviously, the longer self-fulfilling prophesy and another rejecpeople have been in the workforce with tion letter or rebuff. greater education and job knowledge, the It should come as no surprise that one of higher they expect to be paid. the leading causes of burnout with any acHiring a younger person lowers a company’s labor costs. There is also the widely- tivity results from trying so hard to succeed with little return for one’s efforts. Thus, it is held notion older workers are more likely to get sick, costing a company money in the important to find ways to keep your spirits up and maintain a positive attitude in the face of fast-rising, healthcare expenditures. face of rejection.

On the other hand, there is the misconcep Counterproductive attitudes can also be tion that older employees take more sick apparent when an applicant makes it clear time. The opposite has been proven to the the job being offered is far beneath the case, as more mature employees are less likely to call in sick and abuse personal time person’s experience level and expertise.

On other occasions, bad attitudes emerge to take a long weekend or recover from a when older workers find themselves being late night of partying. interviewed by people the same age as their Besides economic considerations there children, and their resentment is palpable. are prejudices about older employees and Remember, it is not the fault of the intertheir ability to contribute in a changing world. Many companies feel with increased viewer or the HR rep he or she is young. It obviously becomes a red flag to a potential reliance on technical skills, especially the employer if the job candidate cannot seem use of computers and social networking to get along with younger coworkers. tools, older workers are from another era.

Finally, it is easier said than done in While those who entered the workforce beterms of maintaining your cool when the fore computers were so prevalent might be applicant draws interviewers or HR reps behind the learning curve, computer skills that are arrogant, disrespectful, or harboring and being savvy about social networking tools can be learned, often quickly and inex- obvious signs of ageism in their attitudes.

Of course age, appearance, and attitude pensively at a local community college. are not all unrelated to each other. The Among the issues biasing employers older worker may or may not have made against older applicants are the concerns an effort to stay fit. Moreover, those same surrounding personal appearance. Studeffects of aging and appearance also hurt ies have shown there is a bias in favor of one’s self-esteem and adversely impact thinner and more athletically fit applicants a person’s attitude. Furthermore, extra versus those that are overweight.

In sum, attractiveness, in general, plays a weight, graying hair, or no hair makes a significant part on the selection process. De- person look and feel older.

Finally, feeling defeated and depressed spite all of the statements that appearance is can add years to your personal appearance on the outside and it’s what’s on the inside and also lead to unhealthy behaviors like that counts, the fact remains personal appearance has a great deal to do with whether overeating. In other instances, there are even unhealthier behaviors, like alcohol a person is hired, or even called back for a abuse that deteriorate appearance and take second round of interviews. its toll.

For jobs where there is a high degree While no sure-fire ways exist to elimiof contact with the public or a company’s nate all of the effects of aging, appearance, customer base, attractiveness can be more and attitude, there are proven techniques of a factor than some would like to admit, that can mitigate their impact. The key especially when first impressions count in furthering a company’s cause, like getting a is to maintain a level of self-discipline to foot in the door for a sales rep. For example, feel better about your appearance and have my cardiologist looks like an Olympic high a healthier and more productive attitude, which, in turn, will allow you to be viewed hurdler leaping over desks and examining as a more viable job candidate. tables as he sprints into the waiting area to In the end, the onus is on you to show greet the tall, leggy blond offering the latest you can contribute to an organization’s samples of the her company’s cholesterolsurvival and growth in a period of difficult reducing medicine. economic times.

However, for jobs that would be classi(Stephen A. Laser, Ph.D. has more than fied as individual contributor roles, physical appearance is not terribly relevant. Unfortu- 30 years of experience as a business psynately, job interviews involve making favor- chologist.)

July 2012

RSVP Retired and Senior Volunteer Program 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 402-444-6558, ext. 224.

In Dodge and Washington counties, please call 402721-7780.

The following have volunteer opportunities in Douglas, Sarpy, and Cass counties: • The Omaha Visitors Center is looking for a volunteer Ambassador.

• Together needs a volunteer intake assistant.

• 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.

• The Omaha Police Department wants volunteers for a variety of assignments.

• Boys Town wants volunteer mentors and a volunteer office assistant.

• The Disabled American Veterans need volunteer drivers.

• The Douglas County Health Center wants volunteers for a variety of

assignments.

• The Ronald McDonald House Charities needs a receptionist and an operations volunteer.

• ENOA’s Grandparent Resource Center wants volunteers to help walk sheep associated with the Luv a Lamb Program.

• The Omaha Home for Boys is looking for volunteer mentors.

• Omaha Serves needs volunteers to help with disaster recovery.

• Pathways to Compassion Hospice needs volunteers for a variety of duties.

• The Omaha Children’s Museum wants a volunteer member check-in assistant.

The following have volunteer opportunities in Dodge and Washington counties: • The Fremont Chamber of Commerce wants a volunteer for its visitors center.

• The Blair and Fremont Car-Go Programs needs volunteer drivers.

• The Building Blocks Boutique needs volunteers to help with young mothers and babies.

• The American Red Cross needs a receptionist.

• The May Museum is looking for volunteers to serve as tour guides and for its gift shop and garden.

• The Washington County Recycling Center needs volunteers to handle quality control.

• The Fremont Friendship Center needs help with its Tuesday Supper Club.

Douglas County Health Department offers tips to help you avoid the West Nile Virus The Douglas County Health Department has once again received Centers for Disease Control and Prevention funding to provide surveillance for the West Nile Virus.

The department collects mosquitoes in traps every two weeks to assess the types and number of active mosquitoes in the county. The mosquitoes are then shipped to the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services for further processing and to be tested for the West Nile Virus.

The Health Department also collects dead birds to be tested for the virus. Collection of dead birds began in June.

For a bird to be included in the reporting, it should appear to have died within the previous 24 hours and not be decomposed. The public is asked to call the Douglas County Health Department at 402-444-7489 or 402444-7481 to report this information.

The Douglas County Health Department also has some advice to help you avoid mosquito bites: • Apply a mosquito repellant that includes DEET. The CDC also has approved picaridin and oil of lemon eucalyptus. The CDC generally recommends when using

sunscreen and repellant, the sunscreen should be applied first. It is not recommended to use products that combine sunscreen and repellant.

• Wear loose, long-sleeved shirts, plus pants, shoes, and socks when outdoors.

• Avoid outdoor activity around dawn and dusk when mosquitoes are most active.

• Remove standing water or report it to the Health Department for treatment.

The West Nile Virus can be spread to people if they are bitten by mosquitoes that picked up the virus by feeding on an infected bird. Only a small percentage of mosquitoes carry the virus.

“It is impossible to predict how many West Nile cases we will have this year, but, we have been very effective in reducing the threat,” Douglas County Health Director Dr. Adi Pour said.

In recent years, the number of West Nile virus cases in Douglas County has ranged from 69 in 2003 to a low of two cases a year later. Last year the county reported 10 cases of West Nile virus.

(The Douglas County Health Department provided this information.)

The New Horizons is brought to you each month by the Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging.

Basic computer skills made easy!

LEARN HOW TO:

Dr. David M. Cohen, Ph.D.

• Send and receive e-mails. today to see how we • Use Word, Excel, & PowerPoint. Call can tailor our services to • Use SKYPE for video-conferencing. meet your needs.

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Law Offices of Charles E. Dorwart 26 years of legal experience • Wills • Living Trusts • Probate • Healthcare and Financial Powers of Attorney • In Home Consultations • Free Initial Consultation 11414 West Center Road • Suite 344 Omaha, NE 68144 Office: (402) 558-1404 • Fax: (402) 779-7498 Cdorwartjd@aol.com

Creating awareness of screening benefits for diabetes available under Medicare.

The Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging’s National Senior Corps Association programs have joined forces with Novo Nordisk and the Creighton University School of Pharmacy and Health Professions to help educate older Nebraskans about the 2012 Medicare Diabetes Screening Project.

Men and women age 65 and older will be encouraged to use free preventive diabetes screening benefits offered through Medicare.

For more information, please call ENOA at 402-444-6536 ext. 224 or 246.

School of Pharmacy and Health Profession

July 2012

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Ganem honors Blackburn students, Adams Park participants

S

ally Ganem, wife of Nebraska Gov. Dave Heineman, visited the Adams Park Community Center – 3230 John Creighton Blvd.

– recently to honor and have lunch with students from Omaha’s Blackburn Alternative High School and a group of older men and women from north Omaha that meets at the center on most weekdays.

Ganem helped celebrate the students’ and the older adults’ receipt of the 2012 First Lady’s ServeNebraska Outstanding Community Service Award for Community Partnership in Education for their participation in the Food for Thought project.

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Ganem (with scarf) during her visit to the Adams Park Community Center.

While end-of-life care provides comfort to the patient, it also lets the healing process begin for the family.

The mission of Saint Jude Hospice is simple, and is rooted in the words of Jesus Christ: “Love one another as I have loved you.”

We make no exceptions. We adhere to Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care Services.

Call Saint Jude Hospice at 1-800-HOSPICE and let the healing wings take flight. www.saintjudehospice.org

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July 2012

former principal at Fremont’s Howard Elementary School, Ganem added the Community Partnership and other education-focused recognition programs to the group of ServeNebraska awards given annually to honor distinguished volunteer service by individuals or groups who have helped make Nebraska a better place to live, work, and raise families.

The 2012 awards were originally presented during April in North Platte. The older adults and Blackburn students were unable to attend the ceremonies, but invited Ganem to have lunch with them at the Adams Park Community Center.

Located at 2606 Hamilton St., Blackburn High School is an education program for students who meet entrance criteria. Its courses emphasize improving social, study, and employability skills.

The local Food for Thought program was developed through a partnership between the Omaha Public Schools and the University of Nebraska at Omaha’s Service Learning Academy working in partnership with Building Bright Futures.

The Service Learning Academy promotes projects to link UNO and K-12 academic curricula with community needs.

The local Food for Thought project involving UNO’s Department of Gerontology and Blackburn was designed to help bridge the generation gap in north Omaha. Students from Blackburn’s culinary arts program created healthy meals that were served to older adults at the Adams Park Community Center.

The students and the older men and women then joined together for some friendly conversation.

UNO gerontology students interviewed the center participants and the students to explore ways to best serve minority older adults and to assess the potential benefits of this type of intergenerational activity.

“You add to the quality of living in Nebraska,” Ganem told the group at Adams Park.

She said the Adams Park, UNO, Blackburn, and OPS collaboration was among 80 programs nominated for the award.

“Your program rose above the rest,” the First Lady added.

Colleagues call Kosloski consummate scholar, outstanding researcher

By Nick Schinker Contributing Writer

B

ack when he was struggling to make it through high school, it was a long shot that Karl Kosloski would go to college. Now, 35 years into his career as a dedicated university instructor and renowned researcher, Professor Kosloski doesn’t want to leave.

“I attended a parochial high school until my senior year, and I had to work to help pay my tuition,” Dr. Kosloski recalls. “I had a job at Burger King, and I would work after school sometimes until midnight. Then I had to take the bus home, and I would not get to bed until it was extremely late. I had little possibility of doing all my homework, so I did not do well.

“I had no intention of going to college.”

After transferring to a public school to complete high school, he enrolled at the University of Minnesota. “I sat down in class and they said our first test wouldn’t be until Oct. 18. I looked over what we had to do and said, ‘I can read this stuff by then,’” he says. “That first semester, I got three A’s and a B. I thought, ‘Wow, this is a lot easier than high school.

“I liked it. So I continued on.”

More than simply continue, Kosloski earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in psychology and a Ph.D. in social psychology. He nurtured an interest in gerontology into a love for teaching and research. Theories regarding specific aspects of the aging process have yielded groundbreaking research into caregiving.

Along the way, he has made valuable discoveries and forged lasting relationships.

“Karl Kosloski is the consummate scholar,” says John R. Bartle, Ph.D., Acting Dean of the University of Nebraska at Omaha’s College of Public Affairs and Community Service, which includes the Department of Gerontology.

“He is an award-winning instructor and researcher, recognized as a Fellow of the Gerontological Society of America and by UNO with the prestigious Award for Distinguished Research. His record of published and funded research is remarkable, and has been a major reason why the Department of Gerontology is so well known nationally.”

Dr. Kosloski takes a genuine interest in his students and his fellow educators, Dr. Bartle says.

“He is a patient and dedicated teacher, having educated a generation of young practitioners and scholars,” he says. “Further, he is a helpful colleague, a kind and thoughtful man, and a good friend to many.”

B

orn Oct. 14, 1949, Karl Kosloski grew up in Minneapolis with his brother

Dr. Karl Kosloski with Dr. Julie Masters, chair of UNO’s Department of Gerontology. and three sisters. Their father, Earl, worked in a machine shop at a factory. Their mother, Mary, was a homemaker.

He worked his way through high school and did the same in college. Faced with the choice of which direction to take, as an undergraduate at the University of Minnesota, Kosloski found himself at a crossroads.

“My counselor said I needed to decide between English literature and psychology as my major because that’s where I had all my credits,” he recalls. “English lit didn’t sound too promising economically. Psychology didn’t either, but it seemed a little better.”

About that same time, he met a girl from Kansas City named Donna who was working for Minnesota Paints. They fell in love and have been married for 40 years.

After earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology from the University of Minnesota in 1973, Kosloski wanted to go on to graduate school. The cost of an education once again played a role in the path he took.

“I went where I could afford to go,” Karl says.

He enrolled at Middle Tennessee State University and in 1975 earned a master’s degree in psychology.

“I did quite well there,” he says, “and I was accepted to the doctoral program at the University of Nevada. They offered me paid tuition and a stipend. It was too good a deal to pass up.”

Kosloski studied at the Univer-

sity of Nevada in Reno, where he also served as a teaching assistant, then as an instructor. He received a Ph.D. in social psychology.

While in Reno, Karl and Donna decided to adopt a child and were placed on a waiting list. Five patient years later, they welcomed a daughter, Lisa. “We really hit the jackpot with her,” he says, smiling.

“And it was the only jackpot we ever hit in Reno.”

Dr. Kosloski had been studying role transitions as part of the aging process and focused his work on how retirement affects an individual. After briefly serving as an instructor at Western Nevada Community College, he accepted the opportunity for a post-doctoral fellowship at the University of Washington’s Institute on Aging.

He completed a training program in mental health and aging sponsored by the National Institute of Mental Health.

With his father dying of prostate cancer, Dr. Kosloski sought a way to return home and accepted a position at the College of St. Scholastica. “It wasn’t much money, but it was in Duluth,” he says. “It’s not that close to Minneapolis, but at least it was in Minnesota.”

H

is teaching experience and reputation as a superior researcher grew. While in Duluth, he was contacted by a colleague, Rhonda Montgomery, Ph.D. She was serving as the director of the Institute of

July 2012

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Gerontology at Wayne State University in Michigan and wondered if Karl was interested in a job. Half of his time would be devoted to research. “It was designed to be sort of a temporary thing,” he recalls, “but I actually did pretty well and she kept me around.”

Sharing an interest in the topic of caregiving, Drs. Kosloski and Montgomery have since collaborated on many projects, with an impressive list of co-authored research papers and articles to their credit.

“I became deeply fascinated by this phenomenon of caregiving,” he says. “People want to care for their family members, and they desperately want to succeed.

Yet how it affects them can be remarkably dissimilar. One person can become burned out, one can do the work happily, and one can’t do it without support services.

“I found it to be such a complicated topic that for the last 25 years I’ve been studying the conditions under which people provide support.”

After being at Wayne State in Detroit for five years, he and Donna deeply desired to raise their daughter elsewhere. Dr. Montgomery was offered a position at the University of Kansas in Lawrence, and suggested Dr. Kosloski might want to move there.

“Donna still had family in Kansas City, which is just minutes away from Lawrence,” he says, --Please turn to page 14.

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Karl combines wit, wisdom to engage his students --Continued from page 13. again smiling. “She told me I could do what I wanted, but she was going to Kansas with Dr. Montgomery.”

Dr. Kosloski served as associate scientist at the University of Kansas Gerontology Center, with an appointment at the Center on Aging at the University of Kansas Medical Center, from 1992 until 1994.

“I loved the work but the pay wasn’t that great,” he says. “I started lobbying for a pay raise, and Rhonda said I’d have a better chance at getting a raise if I had another offer on the table.”

He found that offer in Omaha at UNO’s Department of Gerontology. Driven more by curiosity than desire, he came to Omaha and met with then-CPACS Dean David Hinton and Department Chair James Thorson, Ed.D. Both men made immediate and lasting impressions.

“I liked the city and I liked the school,” he says, “but I really loved the people I met. I sensed that it was a special place to be.”

He returned to Kansas and met with Dr. Montgomery, sharing with her the “bad news.”

Kosloski had an offer from UNO – and he was going to accept it.

He has no regrets.

Since coming to Omaha in 1994 as an associate professor, he became a professor in 1997 and served as Department Chair from 2007 to 2009.

He was the 2001 recipient of the UNO Award for Distinguished Research and in 2003 was recognized as a Fellow of the Gerontological Society of America. Kosloski held the prestigious title of Reynolds Professor of Public Affairs and Community Service from 2002 until 2011.

And he’s made quite an impression of his own. Lyn Holley, Ph.D., Associate Professor in the Department of Gerontology at UNO, says Dr. Kosloski has a unique way of combining wit and wisdom that engages his students and colleagues.

“Karl has been my mentor since my doctoral student days,” she says. “He is the most knowledgeable, wise, compassionate, and good humored colleague in a very strong field at UNO. He brings laughter and light to many dark days and dark subjects and gives that freely to all who come within his sphere – young and old, male and female, newcomers and ‘old-timers.’

“I’ve observed him as he helps students raise their dissertation research from the level of mediocrity to excellence, or from the level of defeat to acceptability even while he preserves the student’s self-respect and nurtures their scholarship.”

His research is outstanding, Dr. Holley says.

“I’ve also observed him in many professional situations and say without reservation that he is the best research consultant I’ve met,” she says. “He is sought out by nationally recognized gerontologists at conferences . . . and with Rhonda Montgomery is the author of research that is foundational to the study of caregiving in our field.”

That is why it seems cruelly ironic that the man who has studied caregiving his whole life is now increasingly in need of a caregiver. Like his father, Dr. Kosloski has prostate cancer. In 2006 Karl underwent metastatic prostate cancer surgery and continues to receive hormone shots.

And, for nearly four years, he has been battling the increasingly debilitating effects of Parkinson’s disease.

Tremors inherent to Parkinson’s harass his left hand. His smile is strained. His speech no longer permits him to teach in a large classroom setting.

Problems with the Achilles tendon in his left foot combine with Parkinson’s to make walking even more precarious and now prompt the use of a cane.

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Yet his attitude toward his work is unchanged.

“It’s useful to understand aging; what is supposed to happen as we grow older and what is not supposed to happen,” he says. “I am an example of the negative effects of aging, and at a great personal cost.”

With a laugh, he adds, “I tell my students that apparently there is no limit to what I will do for their education.”

D

r. Kosloski is determined not to let his health dictate the course of his life.

He continues to work on a new book on caregiving he is co-authoring with Dr. Montgomery. “It deals with caregiving identity,” he explains. “It seems that as we go though this process where we become a caregiver, we have to bring our own identity into what we are doing.

If it becomes part of who you are, then what you do can be uplifting. If you see it as outside your role, as something that is ‘not your job,’ it becomes burdensome.

“What we need to understand is that it’s not a new role we are taking on; it’s the transformation of an existing role.”

For now, he relies on his wife, Donna, who works with special needs children for the Omaha Public Schools, to act as caregiver while he adapts to his limitations. They enjoy spending time in Minnesota, for example, visiting friends and family, camping and boating, and plan to continue taking trips there. But he has sold his fishing boat and transitioned to a pontoon boat.

“There’s less chance of me falling off,” he says,

chuckling.

This fall, Dr. Kosloski will move from the large classroom to a smaller setting, where he will teach a graduate seminar in program evaluation. He continues to supervise the doctoral program. And he is proceeding with his research.

“I am very lucky, very blessed to be in this college, in this department,” he says. “Before I came here I had never been in any one place more than five years. Once I got here, the thought never occurred to me to leave. I’ve had opportunities, but none have been better than this.”

He says he is grateful for his wife’s patience and love, and he takes immense pride in his daughter, who at 28 is attending the University of Nebraska Medical Center and focusing on neurobiology. “Coincidently,” he says, “she studies Parkinson’s.”

He knows better than most of us what lies ahead, but there is no self-pity in his voice or his attitude. As Dr. Holley puts it, “Karl represents the best of the academy and the best in human character.”

“One thing I’ve learned is that there are so many people who are worse off than me,” he says. “I feel like I’ve had a good run.”

His goal each day is to continue to prove his worth.

“I just want to make sure I’m still productive here,” he says. “I still try to be useful, because for me, it’s not over yet.”

Not by a long shot.

Despite battling prostate cancer and Parkinson’s disease, Dr. Kosloski continues to supervise the doctoral program in UNO’s Department of Gerontology.

July 2012

Doctor offers tips to help runners avoid knee injuries Are runners doomed to suffering with sore knees? It is true that runners sustain an average of four injuries for every 1,000 hours of running. That means that runners who pound the pavement for five to 10 hours per week might suffer two injuries over the course of a year. It’s also true the knees account for 42 percent of those injuries.

But knee injuries aren’t inevitable or necessarily debilitating, according to Dr. Michael Bernstein of the Somers Orthopaedic Surgery & Sports Medicine Group. “Running does put stress on the knees and knee injuries are common in runners, but they are also correctable,” he says.

The most common knee problems are patellofemoral pain syndrome, also known as runner’s knee, iliotibial band syndrome, and patella tendonitis. Runner’s knee occurs when the kneecap (patella) moves improperly and irritates the surrounding cushioning cartilage, which eventually wears away causing tenderness in the front of the knee and underneath the kneecap. The iliotibial tendon runs along the outside of the upper leg, from hip to knee, and may be subject to friction, causing inflammation and pain on the outside of the knee (or hip).

These conditions - as well as others that affect runners’ knees - can be painful and worrisome,” says Dr. Bernstein, “but they are also avoidable. Overuse and poor running form are often to blame but runners can take steps to prevent knee pain and continue their workouts.”

Dr. Bernstein’s top tips for keeping knees healthy include these measures: • Train smart: Increase running speed and distances gradually. Don’t run too many miles without adequate rest between runs. Incorporate one or two days of rest each week and mix a few easy (or short) runs in with the hard (or long) ones. Use proper form: land with feet under the body’s mass not out in front of the body, which can result in over-striding and cause a knee injury.

• Cross train: Focusing on just one method of exercise can throw the body out of balance. Running tends to develop the muscles in the back of the thighs (hamstrings) more than those in the front (the quadriceps), and the imbalance is enough to contribute to the development of runner’s knee. Adding exercises that decrease impact will help prevent injury. These are cycling, swimming, and elliptical machines.

• Strengthen and stretch: Strong muscles stabilize joints. The integrity of the knee depends on the alignment and strength of the entire leg from the hip joints to the feet.

Strengthening the muscles of the lower body strengthens the knees for running. Exercises should include one-legged resistance and one-legged balance exercises, along with leg extensions, leg curls, and isometric exercises.

Stretching before and after running will keep muscles limber and joints flexible. It also keeps the iliotibial band from causing friction and gets the blood flowing, especially in cool weather. In addition to preventing knee injuries, stretching can also help runners prevent hip injuries, shin splints, and foot cramping.

• Wear the right shoes: There is no single best running shoe. The size and shape of each runner’s foot, body weight, stride pattern, and running surface are factors in shoe selection. Choosing a shoe with the right balance of cushioning and stability - the shoe’s ability to control motion and correct irregularity in the stride, such as the ankle rolling inward - are key to protecting the knees. A specialist can assess these factors, fit you with the right shoe and determine if you would benefit from special inserts (orthotics) in your shoes.

Keep in mind also that failing to replace worn shoes is a major cause of running injuries. Most runners should replace their shoes between 350 and 550 miles, which may be before they show wear. Even without obvious signs of wear, the shoe will gradually lose its shock absorption capacity and may also start to lose some of its stability.

Dr. Bernstein has one more important reminder for runners: “In addition to doing everything possible to prevent knee injuries, cut back your mileage at the first sign of pain. The sooner you reduce the workload on the knee, the sooner healing can start. If the pain persists, see a doctor.

And when the pain is gone, rebuild your speed and mileage gradually. Treat your knees well and they will carry you pain free through many miles.”

ENOA menu for July 2012 Monday, July 2 Cheese Lasagna Rollup

Tuesday, July 17 Sausage w/Sauerkraut

Tuesday, July 3 BBY Rib Patty

Wednesday, July 18 Spaghetti Casserole

Wednesday, July 4 CLOSED

Thursday, July 19 Breaded Fish

Thursday, July 5 Roast Beef

Friday, July 20 Glazed Ham

Friday, July 6 Turkey Tetrazzini

Monday, July 23 Country Fried Steak

Monday, July 9 Creole Pork

Tuesday, July 24 Turkey a la King

Tuesday, July 10 Swiss Steak

Wednesday, July 25 Pork Loin

Wednesday, July 11 Turkey Breast

Thursday, July 26 Swedish Meatballs

Thursday, July 12 Oven Fried Chicken

Friday, July 27 BBQ Chicken Leg Quarter

Friday, July 13 Cheeseburger

Monday, July 30 Ham and Macaroni Casserole

Monday, July 16 Sweet and Sour Pork

Tuesday, July 31 Soft Shell Beef Taco

r u o y d e e n e W

! 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 Phone:____________________________________

4223 Ce f Reinhardt Omaha, nter Street NE 6810 5-2431 (402

July 2012

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City:______________State:_____ Zip: __________

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) 444-665

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Page 15

Susan Sublett honored ENOA’s SeniorHelp program volunteer opportunities

by LeadingAge Nebraska offers The Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging’s SeniorHelp

Susan Sublett, R.N., a community nurse at House of Hope Alzheimer’s Care, 4801 N. 52nd St., was recently named the 2012 Caregiver of the Year by LeadingAge Nebraska.

LeadingAge Nebraska represents the state’s missiondriven, not-for-profit providers of health care, housing, and service for older adults.

“All work is good work as long as it is meaningful and you are making a difference,” said Sublett, who has been employed by Midwest Geriatrics, Inc. in Omaha for 30 years.

Midwest Geriatrics, Inc. is the parent company of House of Hope.

“Caring for seniors is like a puzzle; every piece is equally important,” Susan said

WHITMORE LAW OFFICE Wills • Trusts • Probate

Ask A Lawyer: Q — What is the difference between a will and a living trust?

A — A will states your desires for your property at your death, but can’t avoid the time and expense of probate, which can leave your loved ones in limbo for some time. It also doesn’t provide any protection if you become unable to care for your property. With a trust, you remain in control unless you become incapacitated, at which point the trust provides management of your assets for your benefit until you recover.

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 402561-2238 or send an e-mail to karen.kelly@nebraska.gov.

• Companionship: Volunteers are needed to visit clients in Omaha zip codes 68102, 68104, 68105, and 68112 as well as in Fremont.

• Transportation: Drivers are being asked to take older adults grocery shopping every other week in the Omaha area, to medical appointments as needed in the Omaha area, and to transport an older adult in Bellevue to the food bank twice a month.

• Handyman/Home Maintenance: Volunteers are needed to provide home repairs in the Omaha area. Other projects include installing a hand railing in a garage for an 82-year-old in Fremont, building a ramp for a 78-year-old in Fremont, and caulking windows and repairing the floors in a trailer home in Murray.

• Household Assistance: Volunteers are being recruited to provide housekeeping, sorting, and organizing in the Omaha area, and to grocery shop by a list for 65-year-old in Bellevue.

• Meals Delivery: Drivers are needed to deliver midday meals in Omaha zip codes 68114, 68134, and 68144 • Lawn Mowing: Volunteers are needed to mow lawns in the Omaha area.

• Painting: Volunteers are being asked to paint the inside and outside of homes in the Omaha area and to paint and seal a basement wall and railing in Bellevue.

• Yard: Volunteers are being recruited to clean gutters, rake, trim bushes, haul debris, and wash windows in the Omaha area. Other projects include cleaning windows for a Springfield resident and cleaning a yard in Fremont.

Retired men needed for twice weekly bridge club

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etired men are being recruited to play bridge on Mondays and Wednesdays from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Pipal Park Community Center, 7770 Hascall St. Members can choose to play either or both days. Players are assigned dates to play so all the tables will have four players.

Substitute players are needed each week because of scheduled absences.

New players are asked to begin by becoming substitutes. As openings occur, subs can move into weekly positions if they wish.

Walk-in players usually can’t be accommodated.

The cost is 25 cents per day, with proceeds going to prizes for the winners. Occasionally, small donations are requested to replace the cards and to provide printed materials.

To learn more about this opportunity to join a group of retired men for a friendly afternoon of bridge, please call John at 402-391-7976.

Have a question about estate planning? Give us a call!

AARP Legal Service Network • No Charge For Initial Consultation

7602 Pacific Street, Ste 200 • (402) 391-2400 http://whitmorelaw.com

Expires soon.

OMAHA 12100 W. Center Rd. (NW Corner of 120th & Center) Belair Plaza Open: Monday - Friday 8 a.m. - 4 p.m. evenings by appointment

(402) 571-1207

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FREMONT 33 West 6th Street (402) 727-7866 1-800-239-7866

“Lowest prices on the latest technology guaranteed.”

www.glassmanhearing.com

Research: Raising the retirement age would have a major impact on persons in blue collar professions

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aising the Social Security retirement age for American workers would likely have little impact on the overall financial health of the program, new research shows, but definitely would hurt those men and women in occupations whose retirement typically is hastened by decades of manual labor.

According to the American Institute for Economic Research (AIER) which published the analysis, “people whose jobs require more physical activity and manual labor tend to retire earlier.”

Further increasing the full retirement age would impact them disproportionately, AIER Research Fellow Dr. Shelly X. Liang said, because many “are no longer physically capable of doing their jobs and need to retire earlier, regardless of incentives.”

Dr. Liang examined the occupational categories found in the Current Population Survey, a joint project of the U.S. Census Bureau and Bureau of Labor Statistics, to determine the occupations with the highest and lowest percentage of individuals over age 65 who were no longer working.

Her sample examined the period between 1980 and 2011. Occupations were tracked for only five years after retirement in the Current Population Survey so people who have been retired for more than five years are not included in these numbers.

Of the sample included, fewer than five percent of the workers in many white collar professions were retired at age 65 including agricultural managers, financial managers, managers in education and related fields, food and hospitality industry managers, computer analysts, scientists, lawyers, chief executives, and public administrators.

The only blue-collar professions in which

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the vast majority of workers were still employed after age 65 were hairdressers and cosmetologists.

By contrast, in most blue collar professions, much higher percentages of workers were retired at age 65, including nearly 14 percent of truck, delivery, and tractor drivers; nearly 15 percent of nursing aides, orderlies, and medical attendants; 18.5 percent of gardeners, groundskeepers, and auto mechanics; 19 percent of kitchen workers; 21.6 percent of farm workers; 23 percent of carpenters; and 32 percent of machine operators, production supervisors, and foremen.

“This suggests raising the full retirement age may not result in later retirement,” Dr. Liang said. “Instead, it may simply reduce benefits for older people who are no longer physically capable of doing their jobs and need to retire earlier.”

(The American Institute for Economic Research provided this information.)

Girl Scouts donate cookies to ENOA

Traci Cherrington (left), product program manager for the Girl Scouts Spirit of Nebraska, presented 239 cases of cookies (2,868 boxes) recently to ENOA’s Chris Gillette.

Thanks to a donation by the Peter Kiewit Foundation that was matched by the Girl Scouts Spirit of Nebraska, the summer of hundreds of older Nebraskans was made a little sweeter recently.

Nearly 2,900 boxes of Girl Scout cookies were donated to the Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging.

The cookies were distributed to participants in ENOA’s Meals on Wheels Program, Choices Division, Grandparent Resource Center, Senior Companion Program, Foster Grandparent Program, Ombudsman Advocate Program, Care Management Division, Senior Employment Program, SeniorHelp Program, Senior Care Options/Medicaid Waiver Program, Retired and Senior Volunteer Program, and the Congregate Meals Program.

“ENOA would like to thank the Kiewit Foundation and the Girl Scouts Spirit of Nebraska for this donation,” said Chris Gillette, director of ENOA’s Community Services Division.

$1 Celeste Williams Reflects donations through June 22, 2012.

Call 402-398-1848

ElderCare Resource Handbook is available online, as hard copy Copies 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 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 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 402-398-1848.

A Caring Community Called HOME! Independent & Assisted Living

• No Entrance Fee • Medicaid Waiver Approved • All Utilities & Housekeeping Included • Spacious 1 & 2 Bedroom Apartments

49th & Q Street • 402-731-2118

July 2012

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New Horizons

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Page 17

Legal information

Lewy Body Dementia support group meeting Legal Aid of Nebraska operates a free telephone ac- scheduled for July 17 cess 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 1-800-527-7249 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.

T

he Metro Omaha Lewy Body Dementia (LBD) Support Group will meet on Tuesday, July 17 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 dementia 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.

Letters to ENOA

A ents.

rlis Smidt, who coordinates the Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging’s Meals on Wheels Program, recently received the letter below from the son of one of the program’s recipi-

Thank you for all your service and great food you delivered to my dad.

He passed away on June 3.

May God bless you all!

Keeping your electronic devices alive Mobile telephones, laptops, tablets, game consoles, cameras, and other electronic devices are a big part of American life. In fact, Americans own an average of 24 electronic products per household, according to the Consumer Electronics Association.

With technology changing so rapidly and new “it” devices hitting the market every few months, a lot of those devices get discarded quickly. That adds up to a lot of potential e-waste.

In fact, a recent survey sponsored by RadioShack found: • More than 90 million American adults age 18 and older have unused technology products lying around the house.

• As part of that pile of retired tech, a third of mobile phone users report owning unused phones — and more than half of those with unused phones own two or more.

Some unused electronics just collect dust, but many get thrown away. The Environmental Protection Agency’s most recent report showed nearly 1.8 million tons of e-waste was simply trashed.

Fortunately, it’s easier than ever to keep old electronics out of the waste stream.

• Donate. Donations give schools, nonprofits, and lower-income families access to equipment they might not otherwise afford.

Before donating, check with the organization to see what they need.

• Trade up. If you are ready to upgrade to something new, programs such as RadioShack’s Trade & Save let you swap retired technology for store credit toward your purchase.

Simply bring eligible working electronics and accessories to a participating store or log on to www. radioshacktrade-andsave. com for appraisal information.

When you complete your trade-in at a store, you’ll immediately receive the appraised value in the form of a store gift card (except where prohibited by law).

Trade-ins may also be completed via mail by requesting a free shipping label

available on the program website. In that case, a store gift card for the trade-in value will be mailed after the product is received.

There’s even a free Trade & Save app available to appraise your unused technology using iOS and Android devices. Products traded in are refurbished or recycled.

• Recycle. Electronics in nonworking condition should be recycled. Check www.earth911.com or www.e-stewards.org to find a recycling center near you.

Many states have regulations about disposing and recycling electronics. Learn more about your state’s laws at www.electronicstakeback.com.

• Don’t forget the batteries. Recycling your rechargeable batteries is another easy step you can take.

Retailers like RadioShack also recycle rechargeable batteries. To date, the company has collected more than 5 million pounds in rechargeable batteries through Call2Recycle (www.call2recylce.org).

Don’t let your old electronics gather dust or add to the waste stream. It just takes a few simple steps to put your devices to better use.

(Family Features provided thin information. Photo courtesy of Getty Images.)

Ombudsman Advocate

Thank you again.

A Division of ENOA

F.L.V.B

T

he Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging is offering volunteer positions to individuals to become Ombudsman Advocates for residents of long-term care facilities and assisted living communities.

Immanuel Affordable Communities Immanuel Communities offers beautiful affordable independent apartment homes for seniors who are on a fixed income.

Ombudsman Advocates listen to the residents’ needs and work to resolve issues.

Call today to schedule a personal visit.

Volunteers serve two hours per week in long-term care facilities and assisted living communities and determine their own flexible work schedule.

To apply to become an Ombudsman Advocate for ENOA in your community, please contact:

Income guidelines apply

Immanuel Courtyard 6757 Newport Avenue Omaha, NE 68152 402-829-2912

Assisted Living at Immanuel Courtyard 6759 Newport Avenue Omaha, NE 68152 402-829-2990

Affilated with the Nebraska Synod, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

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Trinity Courtyard 620 West Lincoln Street Papillion, NE 68046 402-614-1900

www.immanuelcommunities.com

New Horizons

•

The Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging Ombudsman Advocate Division 402-444-6536, ext. 239

July 2012

Tips to keep you driving safely Since January 2011, nearly 10,000 Americans turn age 65 every day, joining the fastest growing age group in the nation. According to a recent American Automobile Association (AAA) survey of that booming population, nearly half of older adults worry about losing their freedom and mobility when the time comes for them to transition from driver to passenger.

From understanding how vision changes affect one’s ability to drive at night, to researching the effects certain medications can have on one’s driving ability, it’s important to get the facts about driving for older men and women. Use these tips from AAA to ensure you and your family members are driving safely:

Each day, nearly 10,000 Americans turn age 65.

• Find the right fit: Many older men and women don’t realize their car may not be optimally adjusted to fit them. For example, sitting too close to the steering

Ensure the medications you take — both prescription and over-the-counter — will not impair your ability to drive safely.

• Evaluate your driving: It’s important to take time to consider one’s driving “health” and habits. For instance, when was the last time you had an eye exam?

You can take a Driver 65 Plus self-assessment at www.seniordriving.AAA. com to get a clear picture of just how good your driving skills really are, and get suggestions for improvement.

• Be aware of how aging affects driving habits: Older adults may not notice the gradual ways age can impact their driving ability. For instance, by age 60, your eyes need three times the amount of light to see properly as they do for people age 20, which means it’s more difficult to see at night.

Likewise, one-third of Americans suffer from hearing loss by age 65, which means older drivers may be unable to hear high-pitched noises such as emergency response vehicles.

Reaction times can be slower for older adults as well. But preventative measures can go a long way: • Older men and women should increase the distance between their car and the car in front of them, to allow more time to react to sudden braking.

• Eliminating distractions in the vehicle and avoiding heavy traffic can also help older adults identify emergency sirens.

wheel can cause an injury, should the airbag deploy during a collision.

• Make sure you have at least 10 to 12 inches between your chest and the steering wheel.

• When seated properly, you should be able to see the ground in front of your car within 12 to 15 feet and 1 1/2 car widths left and right.

Visit www.car-fit.org to assess the safety of your vehicle, find the proper seat and mirror adjustments and more.

• Talk with your doctor and pharmacist: Ensure

the medications you take — both prescription and over-the-counter — will not impair your ability to drive safely. In addition, make sure all your medications go through one pharmacy so the pharmacists on staff can better assess any potential drug interactions.

To help older drivers and their families deal with driving and mobility challenges related to aging, AAA has launched a new website (www.seniordriving.aaa. com) to make a comprehensive suite of tools and resources available at the click of a button.

From an Ask-the-Expert feature to Roadwise Review — an online screening tool that measures functional abilities linked to crash risk — and more, all of the features are free to site visitors. The site also offers links and resources to help families find other means of transportation when their loved one is no longer able to drive safely.

(Family Features provided this information.)

Local Alzheimer’s disease chapter offers a variety of support groups The Alzheimer’s Association Midlands Chapter offers several caregiver support groups including: • New Cassel Retirement Center, 900 N. 90th St. The group meets the second Wednesday of the month at 4:30 p.m. This is an early stage group designed for a couple (a caregiver and a loved one age 65 or older with early stage dementia). Contact Kelly @ 402393-2113 or Betty @ 402-502-4301 for more information.

• Memorial Community Hospital, 810 N. 22nd St. in Blair.

The group meets the second Monday of the month at 6:30 p.m. This group is designed for caregivers. Contact Evonne @ 712-6423170 or Colleen @ 402-426-8790 for more information.

• The Ralston Senior Center, 7301 Q St., Suite 100.

Meets the first Monday of the month at 9:30 a.m. This group is designed for caregivers. Contact Ernestine @ 402-659-9251 for more information.

AARP needs vols for its information center

A

ARP is recruiting older men and women to serve as volunteers at its Nebraska Information Center, 1941 S. 42nd St. (Center Mall).

Volunteers can choose the days and hours they wish to volunteer at the center which is open weekdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

For more information, please call 402-398-9568 or 402-393-2066.

Quilts on display at Sarpy County Museum through August 25

A

n exhibit featuring more than 75 quilts will be on display at the Sarpy County Museum through Aug. 25. The museum is located at 2402 Clay St. in Bellevue.

The museum is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and the first Sunday of each month from 1 to 4 p.m.

While donations are appreciated, admission is free.

For more information, please call 402-292-1880 or log on the Internet to www. sarpycountymuseum.org.

Book reviews, rates food at 30 of America’s favorite chain eateries

S

ummertime may mean road trips. Each rest stop and eatery provides dozens of food options with only one shot to get the meal right. Too many similar choices can make for a dining disaster.

Good, Better, Best Dining Out: A No-Nonsense Guide to America’s Favorite Chain Restaurants is the first book to review and rate 30 of America’s favorite chain eateries.

Published by Alpha Books, the pocket-sized book – which sells for $14.95 – is perfect for travel and is ready to inspire diners with its delicious meal suggestions, easy-tofind references, and multitude of options.

Good, Better, Best Dining Out contains everything a hungry person needs to know about the nation’s most popular restaurants. The book is divided by broad categories and supplies Good, Better, and Best options for each as well as: • Restaurant profiles with the best dishes from each.

• Restaurant type: American, Mexican, Italian, Asian, etc., • Top breakfasts, appetizers, salads, entrees, and desserts.

• The best Gluten-free, low-calorie, and vegetarian options.

“Our goal was to create a guide that people could use quickly and efficiently no matter where they live or travel,” explained Josh Dinar, author, cofounder, and publisher of DiningOut magazine.

All the restaurant brands surveyed for the book are full-service and have at least 75 domestic locations spread across all regions of the country.

We want to hear from

you!

• Do you gave questions about the Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging, its programs or services?

• Do you have a comment about the agency and how it serves older adults in Douglas, Sarpy, Dodge, Cass, and Washington counties?

• Maybe you have a story idea for the New Horizons.

Send your questions,comments, story ideas, etc. to

DHHS.ENOA@nebraska.gov

July 2012

We appreciate your interest in ENOA and the New Horizons.

•

New Horizons

•

Page 19

ENOA is recruiting older adults for a variety of volunteer opportunities

T

he 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 work 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.

VAS sponsors monthly workshops for people new to Medicare system Volunteers Assisting Seniors (VAS) sponsors free New to Medicare workshops on the last Wednesday of each month for persons: • Approaching Medicare age who are confused about their options.

• Who are employed but aren’t sure how Medicare works with their employer

insurance.

• Who are caring for their parents and have questions about Medicare coverage.

The New to Medicare workshops are held at Vatterott College, 11818 I St. For more information or to register, please call VAS at 402-444-6617 or visit www.vas-nebraska.com.

Farmers Market at Drew Health Center Wednesday afternoons

Letters to ENOA Janelle Cox and Mandy Lozier from the Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging’s Choices division recently received this letter from the family of one of its clients.

The Farmers Market at the Charles Drew Health Center – 2915 Grant St. – returns Wednesdays through Sept. 5 bringing the nutritional benefits of fresh fruits and vegetables to Omaha families. The markets feature six to eight vendors selling eligible items.

WIC vouchers will be accepted at the Charles Drew Farmers Market which is open from 3 to 5:30 p.m. for the general public.

“The North Omaha community has a great new resource with the Charles Drew Farmers Market,” said Mary Balluff, division chief for health and community nutrition with the Douglas County Health Department.

The Charles Drew Farmers Market accepts SNAP, Farmers Market WIC, and Senior Nutrition coupons.

WIC participants will be able to use Farmers Market nutrition coupons to buy the locally grown fresh fruits, vegetables, and herbs for their families.

Sponsors include the Creighton University Medical Center, WOWT Channel 6, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Nebraska, the Omaha Farmers Market, and the Charles Drew Health Center

To Janelle and Mandy: I just wanted to express my heartfelt gratitude for your services. Your working with my timeframe to have a representative come out and start an intake while I was in town has provided me with some comfort during this difficult time for my family.

Mandy Lozier was wonderful with my folks. Her kind manner was totally appreciated. I just hope now my family will utilize your services.

My family will be needing so much in the future in such a short time.

Again, thank you.

J.S. and family

Information available through 211 network

T

he 211 telephone network has been established in parts of Nebraska to give consumers a single source for information about community and human ser-

vices.

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, support for children and families, 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).

Do

you

about

?

have questions

aging services

in Douglas, Sarpy, Dodge, Cass, or Washington counties?

Log on to

enoa.org

The Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging’s Web site includes information about:

ife Is What You Make It...

L Make It Great, Blossom at Saint Joseph Tower!

• Quality living at an affordable price

• Outstanding activities program

• Licensed nurse staff and certified staff on duty 24 hours a day

• Locally owned & operated

Page 20

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New Horizons

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• • • • • • • • • • •

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

July 2012

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

• • • • • • •

Ombudsman advocates Respite care Respite Resource Center Rural transportation Senior Care Options Senior employment Support of adult day facilities • Volunteer opportunities

Older poets are encouraged to enter poems by Sept. 21

P

oets age 50 and older are encouraged to submit their poems to a contest sponsored by the University of Nebraska at Omaha, the Omaha Public Library, and the Omaha Public Schools.

Called Poetry Across the Generations, the contest includes cash prizes for first ($100), second ($50), and third places ($25) as well as honorable mention (seven prizes at $10 each).

Poets are asked to submit two original poems. One of the poems is to be about life as a teenager while the other poem should be about life as a person age 60 or older.

Entries, which are due by Sept. 21, can be sent to Poetry Across the Generations, Att: Cindy Waldo, VP Sigma Phi Omega, University of Nebraska at Omaha, Department of Gerontology, CB 211, 6001 Dodge St., Omaha, Neb. 68182-0202.

Entries can also be submitted online to www.omaha.poetsplace.net.

Submissions should be formatted on an 8-½ inches by 11 inches paper with a 1-½ inch top and left margins. In the upper right hand corner of each page, the poet should include their name, address, telephone number, e-mail address, and the titles of their poems.

The prizes will be awarded on Sunday, Oct. 14 at a recognition event from 1 to 3:30 p.m. at the Milo Bail Student Center on the UNO campus.

For more information, contact Cindy Waldo at cwaldo@unomaha.edu.

Submit your videos to OCVB for ad campaign

T

he Omaha Convention and Visitors Bureau (OCVB) announces the Welcome to the Weekend video campaign, an opportunity for Omaha residents and visitors to capture what they feel are the great things to do in Omaha. In addition, they have a chance to be featured in an upcoming Visit Omaha commercial.

Through July 31, entrants can submit videos of their fun Omaha weekend moments online at www.omahaweekend.com.

“Show us something new – off the beaten path places, shops, and restaurants that make the weekend uniquely Omaha,” said OCVB Executive Director Dana Markel.

“We want to see this city’s attractions, events, and hidden gems through your eyes.”

A grand prize winner will receive a two-night stay at an Omaha hotel, a $100 restaurant gift card, and passes to Omaha attractions. Additionally, four second prize winners will receive passes to Omaha attractions.

In August, a select number of videos will be chosen as Welcome to the Weekend commercials for the Visit Omaha campaign to be aired regionally starting this fall.

“We’re looking for great videos of people embracing the freedom of a weekend in Omaha,” Markel said.

For more information on creating and submitting your Welcome to the Weekend video, visit www.omahaweekend.com.

AARP’s educator appreciation promotion offers discount for its driver safety program AARP is offering individuals age 50 and older that work or who have worked in a school environment an opportunity to enroll in its driver safety program for $5 during July and August. That’s a savings of as much as $9 for each participant in this four-hour class that reviews and teaches proven driving safety strategies.

Participants may include but are not limited to teachers and support staff (i.e. drivers, nurses, cooks, janitors, and secretaries). Church, pre-school, and home school educators are also eligible to receive this special rate.

There are no tests or exams and participants may qualify for a discount on their auto insurance.

Here’s the class schedule: Monday, July 9 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

(Includes a free lunch) Rolling Hills Ranch 4323 N. 132nd St. Call 402-391-1055 to register Thursday, July 12 1 to 5 p.m.

Bellevue Senior Center 109 W. 22nd Ave. Call 402-293-3041 to register Friday, July 13 Noon to 4 p.m.

Metro Community College 9110 Giles Rd. Class ID: AUAV-004N-70 Call 402-457-5231 to register Saturday, July 14 Noon to 4 p.m., AARP Information Center 1941 S. 42nd St. Call 402-398-9568 to register

Tuesday, July 17 Noon to 4 p.m.

Midlands Hospital 11111 S. 84th St. Call 800-253-4368 to register Friday, July 20 Noon to 4 p.m.

Metro Community College 2909 Babe Gomez Ave. Class ID: AUAV-004N-71 Call 402-457-5231 to register Saturday, July 21 Noon to 4:15 p.m.

Dora Bingel Senior Center 923 N. 38th St. Call Cindy @ 402-898-5854 to register Friday, July 27 Noon to 4 p.m.

Metro Community College 204th Street & West Dodge Rd. Class ID: AUAV-004N-72 Call 402-457-5231 to register

Saturday, Aug. 11 • 1 to 5 p.m.

AARP Information Center • 1941 S. 42nd St. Call 402-398-9568 to register

Medicine Roundup Empty your cupboards while giving to a worthy cause.

Bring your unused prescription or over-the-counter medications in their original containers to either of our communities.

We’ll remove your personal information and donate them, expired or current, to indigent countries that are less fortunate.

Saturday, July 14, 2012

}

10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

To date, your donations have helped more than 1,000 people in Central America…Be community minded!!!

Woodbridge Harrison Heights Senior Village

Senior Village

or

7205 North 73rd Plaza Circle Omaha, NE 68114

7544 Gertrude Street LaVista, NE, 68128

402-573-5555

402-933-8080

SELF

July 2012

•

New Horizons

•

Page 21

Millard Senior Center participants making dresses for girls in Africa “I enjoy sewing and this is an easy way for me to give back,” Hart adds.

Center manager Susan Sunderman and participants Valerie LePatourel, Bobbie Heller, and Nancy Eliuk soon joined the effort.

“This is a great way to help underprivileged people in other countries.

It’s a blessing for the little girls in Africa who don’t have cute dresses.”

J

Participants in the Little Dresses for Africa project at the Millard Senior Center include (from left): Joyce Hart, center manager Susan Sunderman, Valerie LePatourel, Jocelyn Worthington, and Bobbie Heller. Nancy Eliuk was not present.

ocelyn Worthington uses a pair of scissors to cut off the top part of the brightly colored pillowcase creating a hem.

She then draws outlines on opposite corners of the fabric before creating two armholes. After folding under a 3/8th-inch strip at the top of the material and smoothing the fabric with a hot iron, Worthington picks up a needle and some thread.

Across the table, Joyce Hart is loading a new spool of thread into a sewing machine. Hart is preparing to stitch a casing in the material inside of which a six-inch piece of elastic will be inserted.

These hardworking ladies are among the participants in the Little Dresses for Africa project at the Millard Senior Center, 2304 S. 135th Ave. Little Dresses for Africa is a nonprofit Christian organization that provides relief to African children.

Volunteers make small, medium, large, and extra large dresses from pillowcases that are then distributed through orphanages, churches, and schools in 31 African nations.

According to information on its website, Little Dresses for Africa has received more than 500,000 donated dresses from organizations

Joyce Hart adjusts the thread on her sewing machine.

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New Horizons

in all 50 states.

After learning about Little Dresses for Africa on the Internet, Hart started the project with her daughter and other members of Omaha’s Christ Community Church, 404 S. 108th Ave. Hart and Worthington – who met while taking a water aerobics class at the Montclair Community Center (which also houses the Millard Senior Center) – decided to introduce Little Dresses for Africa at the senior center.

“It’s a mission project and that’s where my heart is,” Worthington says.

Ruby Thornwall donated some fabric she brought back from Africa.

•

July 2012

Millard Senior Center participants have donated pillowcases and other material, thread, and biased tape for Little Dresses for Africa.

Participant Ruby Thornwall provided some fabric she brought back from her trip to Tanzania.

During each of the initial twohour sewing sessions, the ladies made 10 to 12 dresses for the girls and an occasional pair of shorts for young African boys.

“I get a good feeling when I do this,” Worthington says. “I’m not just serving the community I’m also serving the Lord.”

“This is a great way to help underprivileged people in other countries,” Sunderman says. “It’s a blessing for the little girls in Africa who don’t have cute dresses.”

She says Little Dresses for Africa also benefits the participants. “It gives us a sense of purpose.”

For more information on Little Dresses for Africa, which begins again in September, please call Sunderman at 402-546-1270.

Jocelyn Worthington says the project makes her feel like she’s serving the Lord.

Letters to ENOA Chris Stewart from the Respite Resource Center, received the letter below from the family members of a client the program was able to help.

Housed at the Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging, the Respite Resource Center is state funded and serves persons caring for a loved one of any age with special needs.

For more information, please call 402-996-8444 or log on the Internet to respitenetwork.org.

Dear Chris:

Theatre organ show on Sunday, Aug. 12

T Enoa Aging he River City Theatre Organ Society will present Hurray for Hollywood II on Sunday, Aug. 12 at the Rose Theater, 20th and Farnam

streets.

The 3 p.m. performance will feature El Capitan Theater organist Bob Richards back from California by popular request.

The Pathfinders men’s chorus from Fremont, Neb. and pianist Alex Zsolt will accompany Richards as he plays the Rose’s mighty Wurlitzer organ.

I had the opportunity to attend the (Respite Resource Center’s) caregiver dinner and truly enjoyed myself. I met some wonderful people at my table, got to reconnect with some old friends whom I saw at the dinner, and got to relax and eat a meal not prepared by me and not cleaned up by me. I won a quilt thanks to the Quilter’s Guild, and enjoyed a sinful dessert. Thanks to all who contributed to that wonderful night.

Thank you so much.

For more information, call 402-421-1356.

Tickets can be ordered by mail through the RCTOS, 2864 Katelyn Cr., Lincoln, Neb. 68516.

For more information, log on the Internet to www.rctos.com or call 402-421-1356.

New Horizons Newspaper

CLASSIFIEDS

R&J

Access bilingual resource information through toll-free telephone HelpLine

B

ilingual information about hospice care, palliative care, helping loved ones with grief and loss, and caregiving is available through the Nebraska Hospice and Palliative Care Partner-

ship.

The number for the Cuidando con Carino Compassionate Care HelpLine is (toll free) 1-877-658-8896.

The service is offered weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Fed employee groups 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.

Omaha Fire Department can intall 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.

Julie Kessel-Schultz, LCSW

Specializing in:

General admission seating is available for $15 in advance or $20 at the door the day of the show.

Will transfer your cassettes, LPs, & 8-tracks to CD. Also VHS tapes to DVD.

POOL TABLES

Tree Trimming Beat the falling leaves!

Chipping & removal. prunings chipped.

JohnYour Bouska Experienced & insured.

1913 Farnam St. #708 Senior discount.

68102-1915

402-894-9206

OLD STUFF WANTED (before 1975) Postcards, photos, drapes, lamps, 1950s and before fabrics, clothes, lady’s hats, & men’s ties, pictures, pottery, glass, jewelry, toys, fountain pens, furniture, etc.

Call anytime 402-397-0254 or 402-250-9389

deFreese Manor

Subsidized housing for those age 62 and over with incomes under $25,050 (1 person) or $28,600 (two persons) 2669 Dodge Omaha, NE 402-345-0622

Lamplighter II

Moving, refelting, assemble, repair, tear down. Used slate tables.

We pay CASH for slate pool tables.

Some of the nicest, newer 1 bedroom apartments. Elevator, w & d, heated parking garage. Small complex. By bus & shopping. No pets or smoking.

Big Red Billiards 402-598-5225

402-345-3232

Please support New Horizons advertisers

Please call 402-444-4148 or 402- 444-6654 to place your ad

93rd & Maple • 402-397-6921

A+ Heartland Concrete Const.

Call 402-444-4148 or 402-444-6654 to place your ad in New Horizons

Driveways, garage floors, sidewalks, retaining walls. patio specialists.

Insured/references.

13 year BBB Member

PAID THROUGH 402-731-2094 APRIL 2012 TOP CASH PAID Integrity Builders Free estimates & inspections • Roofs • Windows • Siding • Gutters

Storm damage specialist

Call Colin @ 402-510-7360 BBB Honor Roll member

REPUTABLE SERVICES, INC.

TOP CASH PAID

Best & honest prices paid for: Old jewelry, furniture, glassware, Hummels, knick-knacks, old hats & purses, dolls, old toys, quilts, linens, buttons, pottery, etc.

Also buying estates & partial estates.

Call Bev at 402-339-2856

Best & honest prices paid for: Old jewelry, furniture, glassware, Hummels, knick-knacks, old hats & purses, dolls, old toys, quilts, linens, buttons, pottery, etc.

Also buying estates & partial estates.

Call Bev at 402-339-2856

• Remodeling & Home Improvement

Senior Citizens (62+)

• Safety Equipment Handrails Smoke and Fire Alarms

Accepting applications for HUD-subsidized apartments in Papillion & Bellevue. Rent determined by income and medical expenses.

• Painting Interior & Exterior • Handyman Services • Senior Discounts • Free Estimates • References • Fully Insured Quality Professional Service Better Business Bureau Member

402-4 5 5-7 0 0 0

Monarch Villa West 201 Cedar Dale Road Papillion (402) 331-6882 Bellewood Courts 1002 Bellewood Court Bellevue (402) 292-3300 Managed by Kimball Management., Inc. We do business in accordance with the Fair Housing Law.

Certified Grief Recovery Specialist

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Enoa Aging July 2012

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New Horizons

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Page 23

Get more bang from your buck while supporting

ENOA’s Meals on Wheels Program Part of the proceeds from the sale of fireworks at the Big Bear Fireworks’ tent, located northeast of 168th Street and West Maple Road (in the Shoppes at Elk Creek), will benefit the Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging’s Meals on Wheels program.

The tent will be open daily from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. through July 4.

ENOA is one of 35 local non-profit agencies selected to benefit from the fireworks sales program.

Liam Townley (left) and Kevin Toner are among the sales staff at the Big Bear Fireworks tent near 168th Street and West Maple Road.

In 2011, the first year fireworks could be sold legally within Omaha’s city limits, Independence Day revelers purchased about $2.7 million in pyrotechnics.

Of that total, roughly $425,000 was donated to area non-profit groups.

Each weekday, ENOA delivers hot, nutritious meals to more than 800 homebound recipients through its Meals on Wheels program.

For more information on ENOA’s Meals on Wheels program, please call

402-444-6766.