A publication of the Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging
December 2015 VOL. 40 • NO. 12
ENOA 4223 Center Street Omaha, NE 68105-2431 ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED
New Horizons
PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID OMAHA NE PERMIT NO. 389
Thank you! Wendy Spencer, CEO of the Corporation for National and Community Service with Carl Vleck, an RSVP volunteer during the National Service Veteran Corps pinning ceremony held November 10 at the Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging. See page 20. Photo courtesy of the Corporation for National and Community Service
Poets
Walt Wheat and Rita Sullivan were among the winners in the 2015 Poetry Across the Generations contest sponsored by the University of Nebraska at Omaha, the Omaha Public Library, and the Omaha Public Schools. See page 7.
Long-term caring Jack Vetter is the chairman and CEO of Vetter Health Services, an Omaha firm that owns and operates long-term care facilities in five states including 23 in Nebraska. Nick Schinker’s profile of Vetter begins on page 10.
December 2015 events calendar 2 Cyrus Chestnut Trio A Jazzy Christmas Holland Performing Arts Center 7:30 p.m. 402-345-0606
12 Boys Town Christmas Family Festival 3 to 6 p.m. FREE 402-498-1141
4 Ethnic Holiday Festival Durham Museum 5 to 9 p.m. $6, $7, & $9 402-444-5071
17 NCAA Women’s Volleyball Championship Also Dec. 19 CenturyLink Center Omaha $56 to $146
Michael McDonald: This Christmas: An Evening of Holiday & Hits Holland Performing Arts Center 8 p.m. $35 and up 402-345-0606 5 Holiday in the Village Rockbrook Village 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. FREE 402-390-0890 Santa Goes to Space Strategic Air & Space Museum 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. $6, $11, & $12 402-944-3100 Ballet Nebraska Presents: The Nutcracker Also Dec. 6 Saturday @ 2 & 7 p.m. Sunday @ 2 p.m. Orpheum Theater $25, $45, & $62 402-541-6946 8 The Wizard of Oz Through Dec. 13 Holland Performing Arts Center Tuesday – Thursday @ 7:30 p.m. Friday @ 8 p.m. Saturday @ 2 & 8 p.m. Sunday @ 1:30 & 7 p.m. 402-345-0606
It may be a rewarding personal journey
The new year is a good time to do some end-of-life planning By Holley Kelley M.S., C.P.G.
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ew Year’s resolutions are a longheld tradition, marking new beginnings and renewed commitments for more of what we hope for, but perhaps fell short of achieving in years prior. Marked with motivation and newfound pledges, the best resolutions often fade to the wayside by February. So this year, how about a New Year’s resolution that makes the top of the list for priorities, is guaranteed to be personally enriching, and is met with complete success in just two months? Instead of planning your life, how about planning your death? We often spend time focusing on specific goals that we easily overlook the omnipresent aspects of our life which are aging and ultimately being a conscious participant in our own future passing. Acknowledging these two inevitable realities creates a wonderful opportunity to personally define your destiny for gracious and dynamic aging, while thoughtfully putting your signature on the specific details of your future providence. It’s letting your body and your spirit depart on your own terms. However, final-affairs planning is also an incredibly important component of your existing life affairs. It’s
22 Mannheim Steamroller’s Christmas Tour Also Dec. 23 Orpheum Theater 7:30 p.m. 402-345-0202 26 Penguins and Pancakes Henry Doorly Zoo 8:30 to 10 a.m. $15 & $20 402-738-2038 31 Holiday Lights Festival: New Year’s Eve Fireworks Gene Leahy Mall 7 to 8 p.m. FREE 402-345-5401 New Year’s Eve @ Henry Doorly Zoo 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Free with zoo admission 402-733-8401 New Year’s Eve @ The Durham Museum 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. $6, $7, & $9 402-444-5071
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far more than just matters such as advance care planning aspects, advance directives, and your last will and testament. It’s really about having peace of mind while you’re living. Done right, it’s a rewarding personal journey involving a multi-layered approach that creates an opportunity for heartening growth, transcendence into new levels of higher consciousness, and confidence your desires will be carried forth. It’s a chance to set the record straight, to unclutter your conscience, and define the legacy you wish to leave. When your affairs are in order, you’ve distinguished your future in spectacular detail as well as eased unnecessary burdens from your loved ones. Doing so provides the perfect opportunity to do a housecleaning self-reflection, to relive what’s special and unique about your life, and to leave behind a distinctive written legacy that serves as a virtual and meaningful remembrance of you. It’s also a way to avoid familial discord by making important decisions about your life and preferences utilizing dependable faculties and sound mind. When final affairs planning is purposefully embraced, it makes the second half of life more rewarding, happier, and more deeply soulful. Consider taking these actions as part of your 2015 final affairs resolutions: --Please turn to page 5.
Dance Wednesdays at Legion Post # 1 You’re invited to attend a dance each Wednesday afternoon from 1 to 4 at American Legion Post #1, 7811 Davenport St. Admission is $2. For more information, please call 402-3920444. VOTES WANTED PLEASE GO TO
www.lightthebridge.org 100% non-profit addressing hunger VOTES TO DATE • For: 2,856 • Against: 90 • Please vote today to address hunger.
Fitness leader examines how what you eat can impact your brain function, cognition
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have a vivid memory of my first day of college. I was a naïve engineering major at the University of Iowa, a member of the Hawkeye marching band, and terrified to death by leaving home for the first time. That’s not, however, why I remember that first day. Between my morning classes and my evening marching band rehearsal, I got a telephone call that my Grandmother had passed away that afternoon at age 85. It wasn’t a sad loss. Grandma spent the last four years in a losing battle to Alzheimer’s. She didn’t recognize me or most of our family and she got easily mixed up with the smallest details. This was my introduction to dementia and Alzheimer’s. Now, nearly 15 years later, I find myself in a similar situation, around people fighting a losing battle to the disease. This time though it’s not by chance but by design. I’m the fitness leader for Hillcrest Health Services. I’m here now because I want to be. I want to help educate people of all ages about how to eat, move, and be healthy in hopes Alzheimer’s and similar modern chronic diseases don’t alter their health and longevity. There’s so much false information in the world of health, fitness, nutrition, and well-being. I hope to be a voice of reason. Alzheimer’s knowledge is still lacking. Alzheimer’s has baffled the medical field for 100+ years. According to the Alzheimer’s Association, every 67 seconds someone in the United States develops the disease. Prevalence of Alzheimer’s and related dementias is also rapidly rising and could reach 135 million people worldwide by 2050, according to Alzheimer’s Disease International. Until now, most research suggested dementia and other forms of cognitive decline couldn’t be prevented, treated, or cured. New evidence, however, suggests we may have been wrong. Did you ever think what you eat might be affecting your cognition and brain function? New research from twin studies suggests lifestyle factors, notably diet, could be responsible for 20 to 40 percent of Alzheimer’s disease risk.
Several studies have been released the past few years linking diet and dementia. In a progressive study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, two diets (the Mediterranean and the D.A.S.H.) were found to demonstrate a decrease in cognitive decline over an 11-year period. In other words, what you eat could be helping or hurting your brain function. After reviewing studies like these and other supporting evidence, Dr. Martha Clare Morris, ScD, of Rush University created the Mediterranean/DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay, also known as the MIND diet. The MIND diet has three foundational principles: emphasizing plant-based, whole foods, and olive oil as the primary oil; limiting animal products and saturated fat; and promoting one fish meal a week because of the strong link between omega-3 and brain health.
Just for the health of it By Michael Pollock, CPT, CES, FMS, FNC
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Hillcrest Health Services Morris developed a prospective study to test her diet. She followed 923 people, ages 58 to 98, for nearly five years and tracked who developed dementia. She then compared those figures to how closely they followed the MIND diet based on a scale of adherence. The results showed a 53 percent risk reduction for those with the strictest diet adherence and a 35 percent risk reduction for those with moderate diet adherence. Just by changing how we eat, we potentially could reduce the chances of dementia by half. Ironically, the MIND diet is simply eating real food, high in nutritional value, and avoiding processed “fake” food. Today, where convenience wins out, we unfortunately find ourselves relying on pre-packaged, and fast foods that tend to lack nutritional value. This standard American diet of processed food may be at the heart of many of our chronic health disorders. Below are the MIND diet’s specific recommendations. As a certified personal trainer and certified fitness nutrition coach, I can tell you eating in this manner certainly can’t hurt anything. If nothing else, Dr. Morris has given us some food for thought. The MIND diet’s 10 top foods to include are: • Six servings per week of leafy vegetables. • At least one serving per day of other vegetables. • At least five servings of nuts per week. • At least two servings of berries (specifically blueberries) per week. • At least three servings of beans per week. • Three servings of whole grains per day. • At least one serving of fish per week. • At least two servings of poultry per week. • Use olive oil as your primary cooking oil. • One glass of wine per day. The MIND diet’s top five foods to limit or avoid are limited red meat, minimal butter and no stick margarine, limited cheese, very little pastries and sweets, and no fried, processed, or fast foods. (Pollock is the fitness leader for Hillcrest Health Services in the Omaha area.)
Celebrate the holidays through Dec. 20 at the Blue Barn Theatre
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ou’re invited to celebrate the holidays as Little Nelly’s Naughty Noel will be on stage at the Blue Barn Theatre’s new location – 1106 S. 10th St. – through Sunday, Dec. 20. Written by Tim Siragusa with songs by Jill Anderson, Little Nelly’s Naughty Noel features a mad gang of bawdy and bold varmints that take a wild and wooly romp through the “Nebraskee” of old. For show dates, times, and reservations please log on to www.bluebarn.org or call 402-345-1576.
December 2015
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New Horizons New Horizons is the official publication of the Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging. The paper is distributed free to people over age 60 in Douglas, Sarpy, Dodge, Washington, and Cass counties. Those living outside the 5-county region may subscribe for $5 annually. Address all correspondence to: Jeff Reinhardt, Editor, 4223 Center Street, Omaha, NE 68105-2431. Phone 402-444-6654. FAX 402-444-3076. E-mail: jeff.reinhardt@nebraska.gov Advertisements appearing in New Horizons do not imply endorsement of the advertiser by the Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging. However, complaints about advertisers will be reviewed and, if warranted, their advertising discontinued. Display and insert advertising rates available on request. Open rates are commissionable, with discounts for extended runs. Circulation is 20,000 through direct mail and freehand distribution.
Editor....................................................Jeff Reinhardt Ad Mgr................Mitch Laudenback, 402-444-4148 Contributing Writers......Nick Schinker, Leo Biga, & Lois Friedman ENOA Board of Governors: Mary Ann Borgeson, Douglas County, chairperson; Jim Peterson, Cass County, vice-chairperson; Gary Osborn, Dodge County secretary; Brenda Carlisle, Sarpy County; & Lisa Kramer, Washington County. The New Horizons and the Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging provide services without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, marital status, disability, or age.
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Ways for caregivers to reduce holiday stress The holidays are a wonderful time of the year filled with friends and family members sharing the joys of the season. The holiday season can also bring about stress, especially for those already overwhelmed with the responsibilities of caring for a loved one. It’s very important for caregivers to understand and recognize the stress and burnout that can occur during what should be a time of relaxation and joy. Many caregivers already have a great deal on their plate and the addition of
holiday shopping, dinners, writing Christmas cards, etc. may add additional stress. Some may reflect on holiday memories that are no longer a reality due to the care their loved one requires. Travel may no longer be possible for the family caregiver and their loved one. At times, the caregiver may even experience criticism from other family members who may disagree with the care being provided. Here are some stress reduction tips for caregivers: • Recognize and man-
age stress through walking, calling a friend, reading a book, taking a long bath, or realizing you’re not able to control everything. • Keep self-care at the top of your things-to-do list. Try to keep your routine tasks to a minimum. Consider calling the Respite Resource Center (402-996-8444) to line up a respite care provider to give you a break from the daily caregiving. • Join a support group and get telephone numbers or email addresses from those with whom you’ve established a friendship. Call
them when you’re feeling stressed. • Simplify your holiday activities and work to not expect perfection. As a caregiver, you have many other things that take your time and energy, so give yourself a break. Ask other family members to help with the cooking, cleaning, shopping, or entertaining. Try some new traditions if your older traditions aren’t working and utilize the help of others. For more information, call the Respite Resource Center at 402-996-8444.
RSVP RSVP is recruiting persons age 55 and older for a variety of opportunities. For more information in Douglas, Sarpy, and Cass counties, please call 402-4446536, ext. 224. In Dodge and Washington counties, please call 402-721-7780. The following have volunteer opportunities in Douglas, Sarpy, and Cass counties: • The Disabled American Veterans need volunteer drivers. • The Douglas County Civic Center/Hall of Justice wants volunteers to host tours. • Bergan Mercy Medical Center is looking for volunteers to help in several areas. • Catholic Charities Christ Child Center North wants volunteers to help older adults with crafts, outings, and other activities. • The Livingston Plaza Apartments need a volunteer teacher. • HELP Adult Services is looking for volunteers to serve as family care companions and for other duties. The following have a volunteer opportunity in Dodge and/or Washington County: • The Blair and Fremont Car-Go Program needs volunteer drivers. • The Danish American Archive Library needs volunteers to help with its archives. • The American Red Cross (Dodge County chapter) is looking for volunteers for a variety of duties. • The Low Income Ministry (Fremont) needs volunteers for its pantry and its clothing center and to deliver food boxes. Please support NH advertisers
Support group for widows, widowers
Exp. 12/31/2015
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THEOS, a group for older widows and widowers, meets at 6 p.m. the second Monday of each month at the Presbyterian Church of the Cross, 1517 S. 114th St. The organization offers weekend activities, Wednesday night dinners, and pinochle twice a month. For more information, please call Dorothy at 402-399-0759, Mary at 402-393-3052, or Joan at 402-393-8931.
End-of-life planning... --Continued from page 2. • Creating a bucket list is a wonderful exercise, allowing you to identify life pursuits and interests you dream of experiencing. It serves as a blueprint for future fulfillment and adventure. Furthermore, it’s a way for you to truly express your soul-driven desires. • What’s equally important is the “kick-the-bucket list.” This defines anything that must transpire so you can consciously and virtuously solidify your life’s passage with genuine peace and comfort. Such items include resolving long-held feuds, making peace or amends, and asking forgiveness from yourself or others. The point is to ensure you remain in complete concord with yourself and those you care about. Completing a bucket list and a “kick-the-bucket” list can be a revitalizing and liberating experience, providing surprisingly new opportunities for spiritually enlightened living. • Funeral planning is another area of importance and allows you to design every detail regarding your life celebration. This soulsoothing exercise can be really enjoyable, allowing you to personally create your own farewell that reflects your self-expression. It may be a last themed festivity for instance, or something with special nuance. Let this be a connection to your living heart and your everlasting spirit. • Well-orchestrated, predetermined funerals encourage healing and heartfelt remembrance for those left behind. Wise funeral planning may also include writing your own obituary, a reflective task that tells the world who you are, who you love, and what’s significant about your life. You’d be
Fremont Friendship Center
surprised to see the immeasurable gratitude this elicits from your survivors. • Family trees, archiving family history, logging important family medical information and financial information are all vital and unique pieces of the final affairs planning puzzle. • Defining who gets what in advance can circumvent family quarrels and conflicts because wishes have been clearly conveyed. Planning and recording all these matters in advance prevents indecision, infighting, and hurt feelings that often plague families. Putting your house in order presents a perfect opportunity to also release those items you no longer need, that don’t contribute to your joy and welfare any more, and that would only be left for your family to sort through and discard. Find other places (shelters, thrift shops, donations to others, etc.) where your things can be loved and appreciated. This can provide a wonderful feeling knowing they bring joy to someone else and a relief to your survivors. • While there are many areas of comprehensive final affairs planning, one area to not overlook is sharing your wishes with your family and medical providers. This is one of the most important aspects related to your planning endeavors. • There’s also a chance for you to impact not only your own healing, but also the healing of your loved ones. Besides leaving a written legacy of your life for them to have as a warm and loving memorial to you, there’s an opportunity to write letters to individual family members and friends. These can be a beautiful gift to those you love when you’re no longer present. Explanations of your decisions, wishes for their future, encouragement, wisdom, requests for family to stay connected, letters to the future bride or grandchildren yet to be born are all ways to impact their lives long after you’re gone. (Kelley is the author of the book Sunrises and Sunsets, Final Affairs Forged with Flair, Finesse, and FUNctionality.)
Nebraska Senior Medicare Patrol Nebraska Senior Medicare Patrol, a Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services program that works to educate and empower older adults to help prevent health care fraud offers tips to help you avoid Medicare scams. • Don’t provide your Medicare number to anyone except your trusted health care provider and don’t speak to anyone claiming to be a Medicare representative about Medicare. • Ask friends and neighbors to pick up your mail while you’re away from home. • Shred important documents before throwing them away. • Read Medicare summary notices carefully looking for possible mistakes and use a calendar or health care journal to record information from doctor visits. • Compare your calendar or health care journal with your Medicare summary notices. • Count your prescription pills. If the total is less than expected, go back and tell the pharmacist. If you believe you may be a victim of Medicare fraud, call the Nebraska Senior Medicare Patrol at 800-942-7830.
AARP is recruiting volunteer tax counselors Volunteers are being recruited for the AARP Foundation’s Tax-Aide program that provides free income tax counseling for low to middle income taxpayers with special attention given to those age 60 and over. While the AARP Foundation is sponsoring the effort, no one is turned away because of his or her income or age. The Tax-Aide program has seven sites where tax counseling is available in Douglas County and three sites in Sarpy County. Tax-Aide volunteers in the Omaha area completed more than 6,000 federal and Nebraska tax returns in 2015, the vast majority of which were e-filed. Because of attrition, the addition of new
sites, and the increasing number of individuals served, the local program needs more volunteers; especially tax preparers who work directly with taxpayers to complete individual tax returns. No prior experience is necessary, and AARP membership is not required. Training for new volunteers begins in December. Training includes instruction in tax law, completion of tax forms, and use of the software needed to complete a return. AARP and the IRS provide all materials. To volunteer with AARP Foundation’s Tax-Aide program, go to aarp.org/taxaide. Email your questions to omaha.taxaide@ gmail.com or call 402-398-9568.
December 2015
You’re invited to visit the Fremont Friendship Center, 1730 W. 16th St. (Christensen Field), for the following: • Dec. 3: Talk on stress relief for caregivers @ 10 a.m. • Dec. 5: Crafts show from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The $1 admission benefits the Fremont Friendship Center. • Dec. 8: Adaptive recreation dance from 6:30 to 8 p.m. • Dec. 9: Music with George and the Juniors @ 10:30 a.m. • Dec. 10: Hearing aid checks and cleaning @ 9:30 a.m. followed by Bingo. • Dec. 11: Westside Christmas Pageant @ 5:15 p.m. • Dec. 15: Cookie exchange @ 10:30 a.m. • Dec. 16: Music by Bill Chrastil @ 10:30 a.m. • Dec. 17: Caroling and hot cocoa @ 10 a.m. followed by Bingo @ 10:30 a.m. • Dec. 21: Blood pressures checks @ 10:30 a.m. • Dec. 23: Friendship Choir will sing @ 10 a.m. followed by music with Wayne Miller @ 10:30 a.m. • Dec. 30: Music by Jim Rathbun @ 10:30 a.m. • Dec. 31: White Elephant Bingo @ 10 a.m. The center will be closed on Dec. 25 and 31. The Fremont Friendship Center is open Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Friday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Lunch is served at 11:30 a.m. A $3.50 donation is suggested for lunch. Reservations must be made by noon the business day prior to the meal you wish to enjoy. For reservations and more information, call 402-727-2815.
Heartland Intergeneration Center You’re invited to visit the Heartland Intergeneration Center – 4318 Fort St. – for the following: • Dec. 1: Crafts with Patty @ 10:30 a.m. • Dec. 3 & 21: Christmas movie @ 10 a.m. • Dec. 4: Christmas Extravaganza fair from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. • Dec. 7: Tour the new Blue Barn Theatre @ 1:30 p.m. and then shop for goodies. • Dec 8: December birthday party with muisc by Joyce Torchia from the Merrymakers @ 10:30 a.m. • Dec 9: Christmas party with a Santa visit @10:30 a.m. Please call 402-553-5300 to make your reservation. • Dec. 10: Field trip to the Mormon Trail Visitors Center @ 10:30 a.m. • Dec 13: Christmas celebration with our Student League @ 2 p.m. • Dec 14: Christmas project with WhyArts? @10 a.m. • Dec 15: Community Alliance Christmas Singers @ 11 a.m. and WhyArts? Community Christmas Party @ 6 p.m. • Dec 17: Open house from 1 to 3 p.m. • Dec 30: New Year’s Eve holiday toast @ noon. The facility will be closed on Dec. 25 and 31. The center is open weekdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Lunch is normally served at noon. A $3.50 donation is suggested for the meal. Reservations are due by noon the business day prior to the lunch you wish to attend. Transportation is available within select neighborhoods for 50 cents each way. Regular activities include Tai Chi classes and Bingo. For reservations or more information, call 402-553-5300.
Camelot Friendship Center You’re invited to visit the Camelot Friendship Center inside the Camelot Community Center, 9270 Cady Ave., for the following: • Dec. 2: Health presentation @ 11:45 a.m. • Dec. 4 & 18: Movie day @ 12:15 p.m. • Dec. 8: Cookie decorating @ 10:15 a.m. • Dec. 9: Christmas party from 5 to 7 p.m. • Dec. 10: Book club @ 10:15 a.m. • Dec. 16: Birthday bash with music by Palle Siebert from the Merrymakers @ 11:45 a.m. • Dec. 21: Chair volleyball @ 10:30 a.m. The center will be closed on Dec. 25 and 31 for the holidays. Other activities include Bingo, pinochle, card games, other games, crafts, candy making, and scrapbooking. The Camelot Friendship Center is open weekdays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Lunch is served at 11:30 a.m. A $3.50 donation is suggested for the meal. Reservations are due by noon the business day prior to the lunch you wish to enjoy. For reservations or more information, please call Amy at 402-444-5972.
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Study examines the rising cost of healthcare
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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 number listed above.
Motorcoach “Dear Santa” at the Lofte. December 13. $99. This play is composed of a number of short scenes that range from the hilarious to the touching. Many views of Santa are seen— from the point of view of the young child who alphabetizes her Christmas list and sends it out in August as well as that of children at various stages of belief—and disbelief…. followed by another delicious dinner at the Main Street Café in Louisville. WinnaVegas Casino Day Trip. January 13. $19. Are you feeling lucky? Come along to Sloan, Iowa and enjoy the slot machines, video poker, black jack, or other fun games of chance on “Senior Day” (40+) where your rewards card allows you to claim $5 of free play and earn credits for dining or free additional play.
Laughlin (There are currently no Laughlin trips available out of Omaha. Check with us for updates on these very reasonably priced charter flights to Laughlin, Nevada. They typically sell out fast.)
In Partnership with Collette Vacations Quoted prices are per person, double occupancy, and do not include airfare. More destinations available! Classic Danube. 11 days from $3349. Features a seven-night Danube River Cruise visiting Wurzburg, Rothenburg, Munich, and Passau in Germany, Wachau Valley, Emmersdorf, and Vienna in Austria, Bratislava in Slovakia, and Budapest in Hungary. Reflections of Italy. 10 days from $2449. Visit a land rich in history, culture, art, and romance including Rome, the Colosseum, Assisi, Perugia, Siena, Florence, Chianti Winery, Venice, Murano Island, and Milan. Extend your trip in Turin. Irish Splendor. Eight days from $1699. Return to times gone by as you experience fabulous accommodations, stunning scenery, and sumptuous food visiting Dublin, the Guiness Storehouse, Blarney Castle, Killarney, Dingle Peninsula, Cliffs of Moher, Dromoland Castle, and Tullamore Whiskey Distillery. Extend your trip in Dublin. Alaska Discovery Land & Cruise. 13 days from $3069. Featuring a seven-night Princess Cruise, you will visit Anchorage, Mt. McKinley, and Denali National Park, ride a luxury domed railcar to Whittier to board the Princess ship, cruise past the Hubbard Glacier through Glacier Bay to Skagway, Juneau, Ketchikan, through the Inside Passage, and into Vancouver, then fly home from Seattle. Watch New Horizons and our website www.fontenelletours.com for our trip schedule. Our mailing address is: 2008 W. Broadway #329, Council Bluffs, Iowa 51501
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etirees disproportionately feel the burden of the American healthcare system. In fact, a recent study from Fidelity Retirement Healthcare shows the average American couple retiring at age 65 will spend a staggering $245,000 throughout their retirement years on healthcare. This is an increase from last year’s figure of $220,000 and reflects a 29 percent increase in costs from 2005 when it was estimated the same couple would spend $190,000 during their retirement years to cover healthcare. Alarmingly, these numbers reflect only healthcare coverage and don’t take into consideration the costs of nursing homes or long-term care. Among the most commonly cited reasons for the increase in total healthcare costs for retirees is the fact advances in medicine are allowing Americans to live longer than ever before. Recent data suggests for the first time the average newborn will live for 90 years. Clearly, a longer life is something to be celebrated, but focusing on this statistic alone only tells part of the story. Longer lives aren’t the only reason behind the increased cost of American healthcare. Now more than ever, the U.S. relies on expensive prescription medicines and costly medical procedures to treat individuals with illness. These procedures and treatments are directly linked to grow-
ing costs for all Americans. Even with the recent passage of healthcare reform legislation including the Affordable Care Act, Americans continue to struggle under the weight of the healthcare system and costs are expected to continue to rise 4 to 5 percent annually. Although Americans over age 65 make up only 13 percent of the population, they account for 36 percent of all healthcare expenditures. This payment gap is expected to widen as younger generations of unhealthy Americans with chronic illnesses including diabetes and heart disease age in the coming years. By 2050 it’s been projected that one out of five Americans will be over age 65. Medical Director Dr. Tadeusz Sztykowski of the Centers for Integrative Medicine and Healing (CIMH) in Providence, R.I. believes today’s healthcare costs are growing at an unsustainable rate. Further, he states many of these costs can be avoided by utilizing preventative medicine to tackle the root causes of disease before they have a chance to develop into serious illnesses that require expensive treatments.
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y taking preventative measures and choosing healthy lifestyles Americans can avoid much of the healthcare costs. Additionally, CIMH advocates approaching health and wellness with the entire body by combining proven Eastern preventative techniques such as acupuncture with Western medical diagnostic tools to address the underlying causes of disease. Dr. Sztykowski said these methods have proven effective with his 21,000 patients. America has become obsessed with high cost prescription medicines that mask symptoms and provide temporary relief, according to Dr. Sztykowski. Rather than relying solely on treatments that only help in the short-term, he promotes long-term lifestyle changes and treatments that deal with the root causes of disease. An ounce of prevention can prove more valuable than a pound of pills and the best way to reduce healthcare costs is by improving the overall health and wellness of Americans by giving them knowledge that empowers them to take ownership and responsibility for their physical wellbeing, said Dr. Sztykowski. If health can be improved on a generational scale through the use of preventative medicine that encourages healthy lifestyle choices, the cost of healthcare for retirees will be reduced.
Medicare open enrollment sites available through Dec. 7
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uring the open enrollment period (through Dec. 7), Medicare beneficiaries have the option to review and change their Prescription Drug Plans and Medicare Advantage plans. Each year, plans can change premiums, deductibles, and co-pays. Medications that were covered in 2015 may not be covered in 2016. Doctors that may have been in-network on a Medicare Advantage plan this year may not be next year. Medicare’s open enrollment gives you the ability to review your coverage and switch to another plan if there’s one that offers better coverage or pricing. Volunteers Assisting Seniors (VAS) serves as the Nebraska Senior Health Tuesday, Dec. 1 Arlington Senior Center 305 N. 3rd St. 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. 402-478-4774
December 2015
Insurance Information Program (SHIIP) regional office in the Omaha area, providing free, unbiased information to Medicare beneficiaries. During early December, VAS will be scheduling appointments throughout eastern Nebraska for a drug plan or an Advantage plan review during Medicare’s open enrollment period. At these appointments, Medicare beneficiaries can sit down with a trained counselor for assistance evaluating their Medicare Part D and Medicare Advantage options for next year. Assistance is also available outside the Omaha area by calling the SHIIP’s tollfree hotline at 800-234-7119. Here’s a list of VAS’ Medicare enrollment events that are available by appointment only.
Friday, Dec. 4 Goodwill 4805 N. 72nd St. 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. 402-444-6617
Monday, Dec. 7 VAS 1941 S. 42nd St #312 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. 402-444-6617
Frustrations with job search leads Caregiver, retired executive assistant Wheat to pen award-winning poem Rita Sullivan takes first place honors
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n 2012, Walt Wheat was a 62-year-old unemployed technical writer in Florida. He believed his inability to find a job was due to his age. Three years later, Wheat has moved to Omaha, and written a poem about the difficulties older adults face when looking for employment. That poem titled, Would You Hire Them? earned Wheat the Dale Wolf prize in the 2015 Poetry Across the Generations contest. Sponsored by the University of Nebraska at Omaha, the Omaha Public Schools, and the Omaha Public Library, the Poetry Across the Generations competition featured poets age 50 and older and poets in grades seven through 12. Each competitor was asked to write a poem about how the world views and treats older adults and a second poem about how the world views and treats teenagers.
in intergenerational poetry competition
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he $100 Dale Wolf prize was awarded in the age 50 and older category for the poet whose work fits the “traditional, classic, and rhyming style.” Wolf’s family contributes the prize money each year to honor Dale who was a longtime local poet. Walt Wheat won the 2015 Wheat, who said he’s been Dale Wolf prize in the writing poetry as long as he can ‘Poetry Across the remember, has also written several Generations’ competition. short stories for his seven grandchildren and is working on a book of poems titled, Really! I Just Made These Up! “Every time a poem hits me, I put it in the book,” Wheat said during an interview in the northwest Omaha apartment he shares with Arlene, his wife for 43 years. The Wheats have two children. Wheat described poetry as “taking words and putting them together like a big puzzle.” He said a good poem should have a “rhyming scheme” and be simple enough that the reader “shouldn’t have to work too hard to decipher it.” Walt said he plans to use the $100 Dale Wolf cash prize he won to take his family out for an Italian dinner.
ita Sullivan is the primary caregiver for Jim, her husband for 56 years who has Multiple System Atrophy. From time to time, Rita needs a break from her caregiving responsibilities, so she jots down a poem or two. One of those poems, No Dean to Judge My Jeans was recently selected as the winner in the age 50 and older category in the Poetry Across the Generations competition. Sponsored by the University of Nebraska at Omaha, the Omaha Public Schools, and the Omaha Public Library, Poetry Across the Generations also includes a category for poets in the seventh through 12 grades. Each competitor is asked to write a poem about how the world views and treats older adults and a second poem about how the world views and treats teenagers. Sullivan, age 82, said the poem is about her years at Superior (Wis.) East High School where the female Rita Sullivan, 82, took top prize in the students weren’t allowed to category for poets age 50 and older. wear jeans. Rita, a retired executive assistant to the president at the Health Future Foundation, has been writing poetry for six years. “I have some life stories to tell,” she said. The mother of three living children and seven grandchildren, Sullivan said the key to a good poem is “the way the ideas flow.” She said she enjoyed meeting several of the teenage Poetry Across the Generations competitors at the winners’ celebration and poetry slam held on the UNO campus during October. Rita’s not sure what she’s going to do with the $100 first place prize money, but promises, “it will be something special.”
Would You Hire Them?
No Dean to Judge My Jeans
Now, let’s see who has applied. Here’s a senior who is 65. My word, it seems he’s starting very late, But it’s against the law to discriminate! So, call him in and see if we can have a talk, I’ll patronize and then I’ll make him walk! I’ll pull descriptions for job two and three, So he won’t get too upset with me.
Now here I am at 82 No more deans to report to. With confidence I wear my jeans, and I don’t care what anyone thinks. I’ll wear them long and I’ll wear them short I’m an elderly lady kind of sport.
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But sir, you wanted a college degree, And looking here, this man has three. You wanted experience, look what he’s had, As a candidate, he does not look bad! Oh, but see how old he is, If you want, I will give him a quiz. I’ll ask about his family, I’ll get my laughs, then I’ll set him free!
Lookin’ long and Lookin’ lean Feeling stylish in my jeans. Silver buckles in the front, Studded star adorns my butt.
Older people are slow, you see, And I wouldn’t want one working for me. Most have pensions or government checks, You cannot fathom what one expects! They’ll need to see the doctor on some busy day, I would much rather tell them to go away! But sir, these folks get hungry too, And they are dependable, now isn’t that true?
I’ll wear them in the summer, I’ll wear them in the fall, I’ll wear my jeans any time at all. The zipper breaks, An “oh my gosh” I’ll wear them any way I want.
Especially the veterans whom I admire, And I don’t mean to add fuel to the fire. They’ve done so much to make our country great, And you impose on them this fate. No matter what you’ve done or do, This company is not going to hire you! It really hurts when you grow old, The truth of the elderly is still untold!
No more dean to tell me “No.” I’m all dressed up and ready to go To the Chadron rodeo. No one worries, No one cares, What an 82-year-old lady wears.
--By Walt Wheat
--By Rita Sullivan
December 2015
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Hearing loss group to meet on Dec. 10
Please see the ad on page 3
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New Horizons Club membership roll rises
he Omaha Area Hearing Loss Association of America, a support group for hard of hearing adults, will next meet on Tuesday, Dec. 8 at Dundee Presbyterian Church, 5312 Underwood Ave. Participants are asked to enter the church on the Happy Hollow Blvd. (east) side. The 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. meeting will feature social time and a speaker.
$25 Reba Benschoter Lois Salner $20 Mary Erickson $15 Donna Mau Margaret Battaglia
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$10 Ivan Summers Katherine McClary Theresa Pignotti Viola Gabel Patricia Adams $5 Maxine Vlasak Annabelle Keene Linda Atkinson
Reflects donations through Nov. 20, 2015.
he Omaha Area Hearing Loss Association of America meets the second Tuesday of the month from September through December and from March through August. For more information, please contact Beth Ellsworth at ellsworth.beth@ cox.net or Verla Hamilton at 402-558-6449.
Read it & eat By Lois Friedman readitandeat@yahoo.com
Recipes for your family, friends Pull out all the stops and go for some festive gatherings of family and friends. Ideas galore for recipes and gifts in these cookbooks. Cheers. Muffin Tin Chef By Matt Kadey (Ulysses Press, $15.95) From this dietitian, make magic in your muffin tin from appetizers to desserts. Slash cooking time, convenient portion control, kid-friendly snack size, and easily transportable treats. Ideal nosh and edible bliss on every page. From Chronicle: Crackers & Dips By Ivy Manning ($19.95) This blogger's grandmother, Helen’s rolling pin, and a “kitchen angel” help create more than 50 recipes for crackers, snacks, schmears, and even dessert goodies. A Very Nice Glass of Wine By Helen McGinn ($16.95) From this blogger everything you want to know to explore, discover, choose, and learn all about wine with a journal format to record the wines you love. The Hoosier Mama Book of Pie By Paula Haney (Agate, $29.95) A guide to all things pie from this Chicago destination. More than 120 sweet and savory over-the-top recipes for this consummate slow food, seasonally organized with detailed instructions, notes, techniques, and wisdom. The Ultimate Panini Press Cookbook By Kathy Strahs (Harvard Common Press, $19.95) This blogger creates more than 200 recipes to use your panini press for sandwiches and to grill meats, vegetables, and desserts. Mug Meals By Dina Cheney (Taunton, $16.95) More than 100 simple, five-minute recipes for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and desserts. Grab a microwaveable mug, great ingredients, and in a few minutes, you’re ready to eat.
Lox and Bagel Strata Nonstick cooking spray 1/2 cup milk 1 large egg 1 Tbs. minced fresh chives 1 Tbs. finely chopped red onions 1/4 tps. fresh lemon zest 1/8 tps. kosher salt 1/2 “everything” bagel, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (1 cup) 1/4 cup finely chopped smoked salmon Spray the inside of a 12-ounce mug with cooking spray. Add the milk, egg, chives, onions, zest, and salt to a small to medium bowl, and whisk together with a fork. Add the bagel pieces and soak for five minutes, pressing down to submerge. Place the bagel pieces in the mug (discard the liquid). Add the salmon and stir well with the fork to spread evenly. Cover and microwave until the center cooks through for about 2 1/2 minutes. Please support New Horizons advertisers
Get bilingual info via toll free phone line
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Bilingual information about hospice care, palliative care, helping loved ones with grief and loss, and caregiving is available through the Nebraska Hospice and Palliative Care Partnership. The service is available weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 1-877-658-8896
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December 2015
Effort is designed to enhance computer access for older adults, persons with disabilities, special needs
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global effort to create a new computer ecosystem that’s easily accessible to people with disabilities, older adults, and others with special needs is set to become a reality through a $20 million federal grant to the University of Wisconsin-Madison. The five-year project will develop and deploy the first operational version of the Global Public Inclusive Infrastructure (GPII) in a large-scale pilot test. This new infrastructure will be accessed via the Internet, allowing people who have difficulty using today’s technology to select and configure the assistive features and settings needed to enable their use of the information and communication systems encountered in school, work, and the community. “This project will move research to reality,” says Gregg Vanderheiden, an engineering professor and director of UW-Madison’s Trace Center. “The project will help make it so whenever a person encounters something with a digital interface – a computer, Web page, TV, (or) thermostat – the interface on the device or Web page instantly and automatically changes into a form that the person can understand and use.” Vanderheiden, an industrial and systems engineering professor who first conceived of the GPII seven years ago, says users could carry a card, a ring, or a USB flash drive with a special key on it. The key cues the devices to instantly access the users’ needs and preferences — such as simplified interfaces, large type, audio aids, captions, highcontrast screens, and other features. For those individuals who are averse to technology or confused by it, the system could provide simplified interfaces that make computers and other devices vastly more understandable. The technology, Vanderheiden says, has the poten-
tial to be transformative. “Society is creating a world where you cannot get an education or job, travel, or increasingly communicate socially, unless you can use technology and digital interfaces,” Vanderheiden says. “Yet there are many people who, because of disability, literacy, digital literacy, or aging, can’t use the technologies they encounter. As a society we are designing the world out from under these people.” For the last four years, an international consortium has been working on prototypes in Europe, with Vanderheiden serving as technical director. The latest grant, the first from the U.S. Department of Education’s Disability Innovation Fund, will allow Vanderheiden and his international team to build out the GPII’s automatic personalization features and put them into use in a pilot project involving up to 15,000 users. In announcing the grant, U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan recognized the technology’s promise. “When students have access to powerful mobile devices and digital resources that are continually updated, they realize learning doesn’t stop with the last school bell of the day,” Duncan said. “As we build tomorrow’s workforce, this project allows everyone to participate — no matter their disability.” Vanderheiden says the first two years of the grant will be devoted to creating a commercial grade version of the cloud-based system, working with IBM and Microsoft as industry partners. During the last three years, the technology will be deployed to an estimated 15,000 users at the Onondaga Community College and several high schools in Syracuse, New York and at American Job Centers across the country. During the pilot testing, researchers will work with users — those with and without disabilities — to identify the most required and desired features, to optimize the interfaces, and to determine the impact of easier access to communications and information technology. “Our goal is to make it so compelling that people both with and without disabilities will use it, so that those who need it don’t stand out when they use it,” Vanderheiden says. “If you’re a teenager with a learning disability, the last thing you want is something that highlights that you have a learning disability. But if everyone around them is using it as well, then they are just another user with different preferences.” The results of the large pilot tests will be critical to decision-making on the part of industry and government regarding wider implementation of the technology. Vanderheiden says IBM will be evaluating the system for scalability, reliability, and security of the cloud-based service. Microsoft will help ensure the system integrates well with their Windows operating system — one of the primary initial target systems for the GPII. Ultimately, Vanderheiden says, the plan is to make a spectrum of digital devices — from thermostats, to public ticket kiosks, to future home appliances — part of the effort. For more information on GPII, visit http://gpii.net. (The University of Wisconsin provided this information.)
Corrigan Senior Center You’re invited to visit the Corrigan Senior Center, 3819 X St., this month for: • Dec. 2, 9, 16, & 23: Crafts & Social with Anita @ 10:30 a.m. Dec. 2: Make recycled holiday cards, followed by a spaghetti casserole lunch. Dec. 9: Make Santa pillows and stay for a roast beef lunch. Dec. 16: Make holiday ornaments and enjoy a baked ham lunch. Dec. 23: Make pinecone & ribbon ornaments, followed by a country fried steak lunch. A $2 donation is suggested per class. Sign-up for the classes and for lunch by calling 402-731-7210. Dec. 3, 10, & 15: Free WhyArts? workshops led by artist Richard Chung @ 10:30 a.m. No experience is needed. Call 402-731-7210 to sign for the workshops and lunch. • Dec. 4, 11, & 18: Movie Day with popcorn beginning around 9:30 a.m. Stay for lunch and pinochle. • Dec. 7: Christmas Tea Party (by reservation only) @ 10:30 a.m. Enjoy a noon lunch of crunchy Pollock or a deli smoked turkey breast & Swiss sandwich. • Dec. 14: St. Nicholas Celebration featuring chair volleyball @ 10 a.m.; music by the Offuttaires @ 11:15 a.m.; lunch, & Bingo. Wear your holiday clothes and accessories. Seasonal door prizes. Snacks to share are always welcome. Lunch is bruschetta beef or a deli turkey and Monterrey jack wrap. • Dec. 17: Christmas party featuring a roast beef dinner & Mega Bingo. Music by Ben Tomasello (Hit Squad) @ 11 a.m. Lunch includes roast beef, a baked potato, California blend veggies, a tossed salad, a wheat roll, and chocolate pudding. Door prizes will include Hy-Vee gift certificates and more. Wear your favorite holiday clothes. The reservation deadline is noon on Friday, Dec. 11. • Dec. 21: Birthday party with music by Pamela Sue from the Merrymakers. Stay for lunch and Bingo. The center will be closed on Dec. 25 and 31. Everyone, including new players, is welcome to play chair volleyball every Tuesday and Thursday @ 11 a.m. A noon lunch will follow. Join us for Tai Chi – a relaxing and fun activity that’s proven to improve your balance – Tuesdays and Thursdays at 10 a.m. in our spacious gym. Bingo, ceramics, exercise, woodcarving, and loads of fun are also available. The Corrigan Senior Center is open weekdays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Lunch is served at noon. A $3.50 contribution is normally suggested for the meal. Reservations are normally due by noon the business day prior to the meal you wish to enjoy. For meal reservations or more information, please call Lynnette at 402-731-7210.
Legal Aid offering Elder Access Line
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egal Aid of Nebraska operates a free telephone access line for Nebraskans age 60 and older. Information is offered to help the state’s older men and women with questions
on topics like bankruptcy, homestead exemptions, collections, powers of attorney, Medicare, Medicaid, grandparent rights, and Section 8 housing. The telephone number for the Elder Access Line is 402-827-5656 in Omaha and
1-800-527-7249 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.
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Vetter: Right opportunities came at the right time
In addition to owning and operating Vetter Health Services, Jack Vetter and his wife, Eldora, have created the Vetter Foundation which benefits a variety of charities and mission-based organizations that serve people around the world. By Nick Schinker
tion, which benefits charities and mission-based organizations that serve people around the world, as ack Vetter is a caring man who well as working to improve and considers everyone to be his support the quality of education in neighbor, whether they live next health care in the United States. For door or halfway around the world. example, the foundation has helped As a young man strengthened the Water for the World organizaby his faith and the values instilled tion, for which Vetter was a founder by his parents, Vetter had worked and is currently a member of the a variety of jobs in and around his board of directors; construct nearly home of Bassett in the Sandhills of 100 water wells throughout Kenya western Nebraska when an unusual in Africa, and to establish a nonopportunity presented itself. denominational Bible college in It was the mid-1960s, at a time Ethiopia. when nursing homes were first be“We have been blessed beyond ing built in the state as alternatives words,” Vetter says, reflecting on to the old “county poor farms.” A his life in the Elkhorn, Neb., headfriend knew of an opening as the quarters of Vetter Health Services, administrator of a nursing home in “and we believe that giving generValentine, Neb., and suggested Vet- ously will always come back to ter try for the job. you.” Though he had no experience in the industry, Vetter got the position ack Vetter grew up on a ranch – and it changed the course of his near Bassett, Neb., with his life forever. two sisters. His father, Virgil, Today, Vetter is the chairman was a “builder and innovator” who and CEO of Vetter Health Services, worked in a blacksmith shop and Inc., a company he and his wife, El- was a cattle rancher while renting dora, founded in 1975 which owns out the farmland that is still owned and/or operates 32 long-term care by the family. facilities in five states. As a youth, Vetter learned the The couple has channeled a pormeaning of hard work, helping to tion of their success in caring for do chores, milk cows, and drive older adults into the Vetter Founda- the tractor. “I was never afraid of Contributing Writer
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work,” he says. “I enjoyed being busy and I was quite active. I didn’t walk from Point A to Point B. I ran.” He and Eldora were members of two Assembly of God Churches and met as teenagers the day in 1951 they were baptized in the water of Pine Creek. They were married June 6, 1954. Like his father, Vetter worked for a time in a blacksmith shop. He also sold Ford cars, worked in manufacturing for International Harvester, as a yard manager for a livestock company, and for a feed and grain company. He recalls the 1960s as a time when nursing homes were being built throughout western Nebraska. A friend, Bernie Correll, was the administrator for a nursing home in Ainsworth and told Vetter of an opportunity at the Pine View Manor in Valentine. “One day, Bernie said to me, ‘Why don’t you become a nursing home administrator?’” Vetter recalls. “I thought he was crazy. I was working in patched jeans for a feed and grain company.” In 1966, Vetter took advantage of the opportunity and became the administrator in Valentine, soon discovering he enjoyed the job. “Two years later, the same com-
December 2015
pany wanted a director of operations,” he says. “They had moved the headquarters from Ainsworth to Omaha, and they gave me the chance to take that position.” Vetter says he wasn’t sure why he was being led in that particular career direction, but he was always willing to listen. “Looking back, the right opportunities came along at the right time,” he says, “and I was bold enough, brave enough, to take hold of those opportunities.”
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n 1975, he and Eldora purchased their first nursing home, taking out a second mortgage on their home to help manage the $28,000 down payment. As they grew their business, the Vetters had a desire to build their first nursing home, a 60-bed facility in Grand Island. “The early homes we saw weren’t designed very well,” he says. “The owners cut corners, the rooms were too small, and they put two to three people in every room. They always said it cost too much to do it any other way. “We felt that we were never going to sell our buildings, so why not do it right the first time?” --Please turn to page 11.
Jack’s proud of his successful business, global foundation --Continued from page 10. Beginning with the Grand Island facility, Vetter shied away from what had been done before. “I wanted to take a blank sheet of paper and design something that was attractive, functional, and would be a place where people would live in dignity,” he says. “To this day, we don’t compare ourselves with anyone else. We set the standards.” Buildings are only one aspect of what distinguishes Vetter Health Services, Vetter says. “People are another key element,” he says. “We have always believed that if we set a high standard with our mission, our vision, and our values, and set realistic goals to reach that level, our employees will work toward it.” Years ago, the Vetters wrote their mission, “Dignity in Life,” along with vision and values statements, which he says still hold true today: OUR VISION • Quality Life: We will create a living environment that radiates love, peace, spiritual contentment, dignity, and safety while encouraging personal independence. • Quality Care: We will dedicate ourselves to provide personalized care and services that achieve extraordinary results and exceed the expectations of those we serve. • Excellent Teams: We will select and develop team members who radiate warmth, compassion, and respect while skillfully performing their duties. • Outstanding Facilities: We will develop buildings and grounds that enhance quality of life and are recognized as attractive landmarks in their community. • Quality Reputation: We will be known for promoting relationships of trust, confidence, and loyalty through the quality of our services, the honesty of our people, and involvement in our community. • Stewardship: We will be responsible stewards of our resources to serve our residents, ensure the longterm financial stability of the company, reinvest in our people and facilities, and pursue growth opportunities. OUR VALUES • Serving • Integrity • Teamwork
The Vetter Foundation helped fund the purchase of this water well digging equipment used in Kenya. • Excellence “One of our goals is to control the ‘revolving door’ with staff that is common in many other nursing homes,” Vetter says. “That is why we have worked hard to build a culture where people not only want to come and work for us, they want to keep working for us.”
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ince it was formed in 1992, the Vetter Foundation has worked to improve conditions for people in foreign countries and to create and enhance health care training programs here at home. “My wife and I have
always attended church, and missions have been a part of that relationship,” Vetter says. “We have always believed in tithing. When we started our company, we paid our bills but we didn’t really make any money. Then, once we did, we wanted to be able to manage it in a way that would benefit others. So we set up the foundation and starting putting our 10 percent there to go to mission work and toward scholarships for nursing.” In addition to funding the nearly 100 Water for the World well-boring projects, each of which benefits from 1,000 to 5,000 people in
remote African villages, and establishing the Bible college in Ethiopia that bears their names, the Vetters support nearly 50 children each month through the Mission of Mercy/One Child Matters program. “When we do something benevolent,” he says, “we don’t want it to be something that is spent right now and gone. We want it to help people over and over again.”
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n active hunter and fisherman, at age 81 Vetter still comes to work each day. “I’m here because I want to be, not because I
have to be,” he says. “I have a great leadership team. I could be out the door tomorrow for any length of time and not worry.” Of all his work, Vetter says he is most proud of the company he and his wife have built. “I think we have the finest set of nursing homes in the country,” he says. “That gives me great satisfaction. And, because of our success in business, we have been able to benefit a growing number of people through the Vetter Foundation.” People the Vetters consider as their neighbors – even if they live halfway around the world.
Your home. Your care. Your pace.
Your home is best and Immanuel Pathways’ goal is to help you continue living in your home as long as possible. Our program provides a complete system of health care. The service is called PACE, which stands for: Program of All-inclusive Care for the Elderly. We provide primary and hospital care as well as prescription drugs, transportation and so much more to our participants. Services are provided in the home, at the PACE Center and in the community. For complete program details and benefits, please call 402-991-0330.
5755 Sorensen Parkway | Omaha, NE 68152
www.immanuelpathways.org
PACE participants may be fully and personally liable for the costs of unauthorized or out-of-PACE program services. Emergency services are covered. Participants may disenroll at any time.
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UNMC physician involved Study examines quality of life impact on RA patients with total joint replacements Kaleb Michaud, Ph.D., has for a long time listened to patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) talking about an improved quality of life after their total joint replacements. But until now, there’s been little information that actually measures how the surgery impacts quality of life for RA patients. Much more information is known about the outcomes in osteoarthritis (OA) patients with the same surgery, even though RA is the most common inflammatory arthritis indicated for surgery. RA is a form of arthritis that causes pain, swelling, stiffness, and loss of function in joints. Dr. Michaud and his collaborators expanded the number of measurements collected from patients and studied responses of 834 RA patients and 315 OA patients who had their first total knee replacement surgery between 1999 and 2012. “Typically when patients have this surgery, only one or two measures are taken so it’s hard to know how well it works for them,” said Dr. Michaud, an associate professor in the University of Nebraska Medical Center’s Division of Rheumatology & Immunology. He said while the numbers aren’t huge, researchers now have a lot more data on patient-recorded outcomes and quality of life than any other previous source. “There are many studies that show the problems and complications after surgery in patients with RA, yet we showed there was a powerful and positive impact, on average, for them in our study,” Dr. Michaud said. Dr. Michaud said based on analysis, total knee replacement can improve the quality of life in RA patients, however, ultimately the arthritis usually returns. “A new knee can give OA patients 10 to 20 years of painless use whereas RA continues affecting the joint soon afterward,” he said. “It’s an important and effective treatment, but patients with RA shouldn’t expect the same, often dramatic results experienced by their OA counterparts. You’ve gotten rid of a knee plagued by arthritis, not the arthritis itself. Still, it’s an important option that can dramatically improve the patient’s quality of life.”
Florence AARP Chapter 2269 The Florence AARP Chapter 2269 will meet on Monday, Dec. 14 at the Olive Crest Methodist Church, 7180 N. 60th St. (one mile north of Sorensen Parkway). The meeting begins at noon with a lunch that costs $7. On Dec. 14, guests can enjoy a Christmas music program. For more information, please contact Ruth Kruse at ruthkruse@cox.net.
Survey: Only 24 percent of respondents look for advice about their retirement plan’s investments
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or most employees, addressing retirement issues is a costly, abstract, and deeply psychological matter that is apparent from a survey by Schwab Retirement Plan Services. While most survey participants find their 401(k) – a workplace savings plan that lets employees invest a portion of their paycheck before taxes are taken out – a crucial benefit, with nine in 10 calling it a “must have,” most do not seek professional help to improve the plan’s performance. In fact, while 87 percent said they would seek professional help changing their car’s oil, just 24 percent would seek advice about their retirement plan’s investments. “As a professional and rational human being, the survey’s findings do not seem to make sense, but human nature is often this way,” says Reid Abedeen, a partner at Safeguard Investment Advisory Group, LLC. “Health-wise, for example, we know what’s good for us, yet we often choose an option that is unhealthy. Luckily, many of us come to a point in our lives where we finally follow the wisdom of following our own advice, and I would encourage more individuals who are approaching retirement to tend to their financial plans sooner than later.” Abedeen discusses ways in which individuals can VOTES WANTED PLEASE GO TO
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Get a jump on winter!
With Lifeline by Immanuel, you can enjoy an independent lifestyle in your own home — knowing that you can call for help if you ever need it. One push of your Lifeline button connects you to someone with access to your medical history, someone who can evaluate your situation and immediately send help. To learn more about the security and peace of mind provided by Lifeline, call (402) 829-3277 or toll-free at (800) 676-9449. Free activation this month.
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Harrison Heights is a friend filled community with lots of planned events & activities.
We invite you to stop in for a tour of our beautiful 1 & 2 bedroom suites!
Hurry before the snow flies!
Harrison Heights Senior Village
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more easily develop a relationship with their retirement finances. • Procrastination is the thief of time and time is money. Two simple but profound thoughts – the first from Charles Dickens and the second from Benjamin Franklin – sum up the problem of neglecting retirement planning. There are issues many of us would like to ignore and put off, both because it’s hard and complicated, and because we can. Retirement is always something that’s “down the road” – that is, of course, until it’s on your doorstep. Don’t let your future well-being, the ability to afford and enjoy the good life in your golden years, suffer. Admit to yourself retirement planning needs your attention, Abedeen says. Find a professional you trust and take action. You’ll feel better. • Develop a relationship with your money; find someone to talk to about your finances. Over time, adults get into a pattern with money. For example, direct deposit from work, direct withdrawals for bills, groceries, gas, etc. Between habit and automated banking, it’s easy to see why we might be disengaged. Find ways to engage with your finances. There are apps out there that can better connect you with one of life’s most important resources. You might think of it as a game, and it can even be fun. Also, treat your future well-being at least as well as your car. Find a trustworthy professional who can help you get started with increased financial engagement and guide you over time. If you have an aversion to money matters, finding a likeable professional will be important. If you don’t like talking to your financial advisor, you may find yourself maintaining an unhealthy distance. • Contribute as much as you can to your 401(k). Sadly, only about half of American workers have access to a 401(k), so take advantage if and while you can. While many live paycheck to paycheck, try contributing at least a small percentage – perhaps 5 percent of your income, and see how much you miss that money. If this means you have to take on additional debt via credit, then the interest rate may not be worth the contribution. However, retirement funding is nothing to put off, so seriously consider finding financially sound methods for maximizing this important personal investment. • Engage yourself with knowledge; understand your 401(k). There are multiple 401(k) plans offering different options. However, when you have a 401(k) plan from a previous employer, your investment choices are usually limited. One option to consider is comparing the investment choices you have within your current plan with the investment choices you have in the previous plan or plans. You may find the number of investment options between the plans gives you enough diversification to simply keep the money where it is and not change a thing. Another option is to take the old 401(k) from your previous employer and roll it over to an IRA or Individual Retirement Account, with a different financial institution. In most cases this will open up many more investment options to you, and more options mean more opportunity for true diversification.
CALAMAR
December 2015
A 55+ Calamar community
7544 Gertrude Street • LaVista, NE 68128
402-933-8080
Alzheimer’s support groups
Research done at U. of Pittsburgh
Study: Good cholesterol not effective protecting women against atherosclerosis when transitioning to menopause What has previously been known as good cholesterol – high density lipoprotein (HDL) – has now been shown to be not so good in protecting women against atherosclerosis while they’re transitioning through menopause. That’s according to a new study from the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health that was presented recently at the annual meeting of The North American Menopause Society (NAMS) in Las Vegas. Atherosclerosis, better known as hardening of the arteries, typically occurs as the result of high blood pressure, smoking and/or cholesterol. However, HDL, the “good cholesterol”, has well-documented benefits in protecting against the hardening process which can lead to heart attacks and strokes. Recently, medical
professionals have theorized these benefits are diminished during the menopause transition as a result of hormonal alterations—especially estradiol reduction. The University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health led a study to prove exactly how much the quality of HDL is impacted during menopause with regard to its ability to help prevent plaque buildup in the arteries. The study included 225 women in their mid and late 40s who had up to five measures of plaque buildup over a maximum of nine years of follow-up. All participants were tested and diagnosed as being free of any cardiovascular disease at the time of the baseline scan. “What we found is that, as women transition through menopause, increases in good cholesterol were actually associated with greater
plaque buildup,” says Dr. Samar El Khoudary, assistant professor in Pitt Public Health’s Department of Epidemiology who served as the lead author for the study. “These findings suggest the quality of HDL may be altered over the menopausal transition, thus rendering it ineffective in delivering the expected cardiac benefits.” Dr. Wulf Utian, the executive director of NAMS, noted this study suggests additional research is needed to fully evaluate how all lipids are impacted during menopause. “There is such limited data available on this important topic,” says Dr. Utian. “We need to better understand how all lipids are impacted in order to protect patients from heart disease, which is the number one killer of women in this country.”
The Alzheimer’s Association Nebraska Chapter offers several caregiver support groups and specialty support groups each month in Cass, Dodge, Douglas, and Sarpy counties. These support groups offer valuable space and educational opportunities for families impacted by Alzheimer’s disease or a related form of dementia to engage and learn. Call Elizabeth at 402-502-4301 for more information. CASS COUNTY • PLATTSMOUTH Second Tuesday @ 6 p.m. First Lutheran Church 1025 Ave. D
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client services, staff workload, and family and client communication. Staff members said they viewed the social work students as resources and sought their advice on communication strategies as well as behavioral and mental health issues. Staff members also reported the social work students positively contributed to client care and clients’ quality of life by increasing communication among clients, families, and staff. “Because social work students were on hand to help with family communication, nursing staff could focus on critical physical issues that really needed their specialized attention,” Galambos said. “Before, nurses may have been taking care of a wound while also dealing with family dynamics, which could detract from the amount of time to provide physical care. Together, the social worker and nurse provide holistic care to the patients.” Because of the qualitative nature of the study, Galambos said the study results can’t be generalized. However, she said the study findings should encourage health care administrators to think carefully about staffing changes when faced with budget cuts. “Social workers often are the first staff to go when funding decreases, but they’re vital members of the care team,” Galambos said. “The improved quality of care and staff morale we saw in our study seems to come from the interdisciplinary approach that allows patients to get comprehensive, individualized care so they can age in place.” (The University of Missouri provided this information.)
FREE
HEARING TEST This Week Only
• Find out what you are hearing and what you are not. • We do computerized audiometric testing of your hearing. • This is a wonderful opportunity to determine if hearing help is available.
Third Tuesday @ 5 p.m. Immanuel Fontenelle 6809 N 68th Plz. Second Tuesday @ 5:30 p.m. Heritage Pointe 16811 Burdette St.
• FREMONT Last Wednesday @ 2 p.m. Nye Square 655 W. 23rd St. Second Tuesday @ 5:30 p.m. Shalimar Gardens 749 E. 29th St.
First Thursday @ 6:30 p.m. Early Stage Support Group Security National Bank 1120 S. 101st St. REGISTRATION REQUIRED
DOUGLAS COUNTY • BENNINGTON Last Thursday @ 6 p.m. Ridgewood Active Retirement Community 12301 N. 149th Cr.
Second or third Saturday @ 11 a.m. Caring for Your Parents Call Teri @ 402-393-0434 for location
• ELKHORN Third Monday @ 6 p.m. Elk Ridge Village Assisted Living 19400 Elk Ridge Dr.
SARPY COUNTY • BELLEVUE
• OMAHA Second Thursday @ 10 a.m. Country House 5030 S. 155th St. Adult day services provided. Every other Monday @ 7 p.m. Brighton Gardens 9220 Western Ave.
Third Monday @ 7 p.m. Bellevue Senior Center 109 W. 22nd Ave. First Wednesday @ 1 p.m. Eastern Nebraska Vets Home 12505 S. 40th St. Fourth Thursday @ 6 p.m. Hillcrest Health Services 1804 Hillcrest Dr.
Third Wednesday @ 3 p.m. Fountain View Senior Living 5710 S 108th St.
Second Tuesday @ 5:30 p.m. Heritage Ridge 1502 Fort Crook Rd. South
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402-398-1848 11th
Edition ElderCare Resource Handbook available in print and on-line. Offers a complete listing of senior services in the Omaha metro area.
CNA’s, Care
8313 Cass St., Omaha • 301 E 6th St., Fremont 402-512-5022
December 2015
• OMAHA
DODGE COUNTY
Mizzou research indicates adding social workers can improve quality of care, help keep costs down
s a growing population of older adults begins transitioning to assisted living or home health care, more attention has focused on improving the adults’ quality of care while keeping costs low. New research from the University of Missouri suggests adding social workers and social work students supervised by a field instructor to the care team may be one solution. “We found social work students gave new energy and life to residents at an independent living facility and took pressure off nursing staff by taking the lead in helping adults navigate challenging family dynamics or other issues,” said Colleen Galambos, professor and director of the graduate certificate in gerontological social work at MU. “Not only was patient care improved, but also staff morale and workload,” she added. The researchers interviewed employees from a variety of disciplines and positions at TigerPlace, an independent living facility in Columbia, Mo, who had interacted with graduate social work students, residents, and residents’ families. The researchers asked staff members how the students contributed to
First & third Monday @ 1:30 p.m. New Cassel/Franciscan Centre 900 N. 90th St. Adult day services are provided on-site.
Nurses, Home Health Aides & Companions
from 1 hour to 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
www.careconsultants.com
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How much are your savings bonds worth? The benefits of weight training
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on’t panic if you own savings bonds. The new interest rates announced May 1 which were in effect until Oct. 31, apply only to new savings bond purchases. However, since the May announcement that new Series I Bonds will earn a record low 0 percent interest for at least six months, and new EE Bonds will only earn a dismal 0.30 percent (for at least the next 20 years), bond investors are in a bit of a financial tizzy. When a savings bond was purchased and the type of bond (Series I or EE) will determine the interest rates, formulae and terms used to create the overall bond performance. For many older bonds, the new rates are combined with all the prior years interest rates, to create the current overall yield. Investors should use a complimentary online bond calculator which displays current values and interest rates to learn how each of their bonds are performing. Series EE Bonds purchased in May 2005 and after, will earn a fixed rate of interest for the first 20 years. The Treasury sets the fixed rate of EE bonds administratively, based on 10-year Treasury note yields. The rates are also adjusted for features unique to savings bonds, such as the tax deferral feature and redemption option. Series I Bonds are composed of a fixed rate – which remains the same for the life of the bond – along with an inflation rate. The government sets the inflation rate every six months (May and November), based on changes in the adjusted Consumer Price
Index for all Urban Consumers (CPI-U). The inflation rate is likely to change every six months. While the combined rate for new (Series I) bond purchases is currently at 0 percent, keep in mind, a June 2000 Series I Bond is currently earning more than 5 percent. Even in times of deflation, bonds may not earn any interest for a specific period, but they will never actually lose money. Savings bonds are guaranteed and backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government. Determining savings bond interest rates is often confusing. To simplify, savings bond rates are directly tied to the financial markets and often prior interest rate performance. The good news is that interest rates are starting to rise. It’s likely interest rates for savings bonds will follow. Go to SavingsBonds.com/calc to obtain bond values and learn current interest rates with a unique color coded, personalized Savings Bond Inventory Report along with a “what this means to you,” easy to understand explanations. For better bond management, SavingsBonds.com offers a VIP Membership with monthly emailed Alerts and helpful Cash In Reports, along with Bond Tips. The service helps bond owners maximize their investment and avoid losing money.
r u o y d e e n e W
! t r o p p su
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 contributions.
I would like to become a partner with the Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging, and help fulfill your mission with older adults.
ENOA
$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. Please ma il with thisyofour donation rm to: Eas
tern Office oNebraska n Aging Address:___________________________________ Attention : Jef Name:_____________________________________
City:______________State:_____ Zip: __________ Phone:____________________________________
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New Horizons
f Reinha 4223 C rdt Omaha, enter Street NE 6810 5-2431 (402
) 444-665
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December 2015
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hile several studies have touted the health benefits of physical exercise, the American College of Sports Medicine has recommended persons age 50 and older should partake in weight training as part of their physical exercise program. “Weightlifting has long been overlooked as an integral part of healthy aging,” says Robert Drapkin, MD, a board certified physician in Internal Medicine, Medical Oncology, and Palliative Care. While many older men and women partake in regular physical exercise, Dr. Drapkin urges them to incorporate weightlifting into their physical fitness regime. He said weightlifting might help prevent osteoporosis, increase bone density, and improve cognitive functions. A 2009 study of healthy people over age 65 found those who engaged in physical exercise four to five times a week showed 54 percent of the heart benefits found in “master” athletes.
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he health benefits linked to regular exercise are many and include prevention of aging related diseases including heart disease, diabetes, asthma, back pain, joint pain, and cardiovascular disease. “Regular exercise can lessen the symptoms of diseases that are already present and prevent those diseases from getting worse,” says Dr. Drapkin. Weightlifting, also known as strength training, can be beneficial for persons well into their 90s. After just eight weeks of weightlifting, a group comprised of men and women ages 87 to 96 improved their muscle strength by nearly 180 percent. An older woman lessened her risk of hip fractures by more than 40 percent through working out four hours a week, according to a 2002 study. Falls are a leading cause of death in persons over age 65. Regular exercise helps reduce the risk of falling by building balance and flexibility,” says Dr. Drapkin. “However, weightlifting has its own unique benefits and can aid in the prevention of falls.” Weightlifting has been proven to improve muscle strength and balance. It can also make it easier to do daily activities and improve walking ability as it builds endurance. A University of Vermont study found after 12 weeks of weightlifting, a group of healthy older adults ages 65 to 79 were able to walk almost 40 percent farther. Dr. Drapkin cautions older adults should learn how to use weightlifting machines and techniques correctly, as they may not be familiar with the equipment. “Safety is paramount,” he says. “Weightlifting can prevent injuries; however, we want to avoid causing them by using too much weight or moving incorrectly. It’s important to work with a professional in order to learn proper form.” Older adults should check with their physician before beginning any exercise program. VOTES WANTED PLEASE GO TO
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Holiday boutique You’re invited to a holiday boutique on Saturday, Dec. 5 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Harrison Heights Senior Village, 7544 Gertrude St. For more information, please call 402-933-8080.
Dora Bingel Senior Center
Boxing offers a unique workout for older adults
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hen you think of boxing, you may picture greats like Rocky Marciano duking it out with Jersey Joe Walcott. Boxing isn’t just a sport anymore; it’s also a popular way to stay fit among older adults through a version known as fitness boxing. There’s no getting into a ring or taking any punches, so there’s no risk of head trauma. Fitness boxing has adapted the movements of the sport into exercise routines. “This kind of boxing has many health benefits, because it constantly requires you to think, change your position, and change your posture,” says physical therapist Linda Arslanian, director of rehabilitation services at the Harvard University-affiliated Brigham and Women’s hospital. Unlike traditional boxing that requires you to spar with a partner, fitness boxing for older adults involves throwing punches into the air or at a punching bag usually in a class. There are two main types of these exercise classes. In one, you follow a leader and do a series of boxing moves all choreographed to bouncy music, similar to an aerobics class. The moves include a combination of large, sweeping punches (crosses, hooks, and uppercuts); smaller punches (jabs); squats (ducks); and short, quick steps forward and back. The other type of exercise class involves strength training, stretching, and hitting a punching bag. Both types of classes are available for people who wish to remain seated while punching at the air or at a punching bag.
known for improving eye-hand coordinaYou’re invited to visit the Dora Bingel Senior Center, tion, especially if you’re sparring on a bag, 923 N. 38th St., this month for the following: hitting padded targets, or just “shadow” • Dec. 1, 8, 15, & 22: Grief support group @ 10 a.m. boxing. • Dec. 2: Christmas party with music by Billy Troy from “There are studies that show trying to hit the Merrymakers @11:30 a.m. Lunch is $3. a target with your hands improves eye-hand • Dec. 2, 4, 9, 11, 16, 18, & 23: Ceramics @ 9 a.m. coordination and possibly makes you feel • Dec. 2: Holy Communion served more alert and attentive,” she explains. • Dec. 7: Book club Better eye-hand coordination may also • Dec. 7, 14, 21, & 28: Al-Anon meeting @ 7 p.m. translate into an easier time picking up a pill • Dec. 16: Music by the Physician’s Mutual Band @ or a pen. 11:30 a.m. Lunch is $1. • Dec. 16: Foot care clinic from 9 a.m. to noon for $10. nother benefit of fitness boxing – if • Dec. 17: Red Hats at 10 a.m. you’re able to stand while doing it – • Dec. 23: Birthday party luncheon @ noon. Eat free if is better balance. “You’re changing you have a December birthday. your position and challenging your balance. Lunch is served on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. The more you do that, the better your balA $1 donation is suggested for the meals other than $3 on ance reaction becomes,” says Arslanian. “If Merrymakers Day. you encounter a crack in the sidewalk, you Round-trip transportation is available for $3. Reservamay be more successful protecting yourself, tions are required 24 hours in advance for all meals. because your strength and reaction time Other activities offered at the facility include: Tuesday: may have improved.” Free matinee movie @ 12:30 p.m. & quilting @ 1 p.m. Fitness boxing isn’t for everyone. “I’d Wednesday: Devotions @ 10:30 a.m., Tai Chi @ 11 a.m., say you’d have to be very careful if you Bible study @ 1 p.m., Bingo @ 1 p.m. Friday: Joy Club @ have osteoporosis or osteoarthritis of the 9:30 a.m., Bingo @ 1 p.m. hands. In that case, you should consider For more information, please call 402-898-5854. shadow boxing only, and make sure your hands don’t make contact with a target,” Millard Senior Center says Arslanian. Also, with any activity that is potentially You’re invited to visit the Millard Senior Center at Montaerobic, you should check with your physi- clair, 2304 S. 135th Ave., for the following: cian before starting. • Dec. 1: Treat Day If you’re interested in trying this exercise • Dec. 9: We’ll sew dresses for women in Africa @ 9 a.m. to change up your routine, you’ll likely find • Dec. 11: Mission Belle Singers @ 11 a.m. classes at health clubs, community centers, • Dec. 12: We’ll attend Christmas with the Omaha Symor your local YMCA. And if you do start a phony at the Holland Center. class, remember to take it slowly. • Dec. 16: P.A.W.S. “You’ll want to start at a comfortable • Dec. 22: Christmas party @ 9:30 a.m. Stephanie’s here’s no proof fitness boxing is level of intensity and gradually increase, Quartet will perform. Bring treats and a gag or a white superior to any other types of exerand stick with it,” says Arslanian, “It’s not elephant gift to exchange. cise, but it does have many health about high intensity, it’s about consistency.” The Millard Senior Center is open weekdays from 9 a.m. benefits. One is strength. “You’re swingto 2 p.m. Lunch is served at 11:30. A $3.50 donation is Walnut Grove ing your arms, moving the muscles of your suggested for the meal. Reservations are due by noon the arms and shoulders, and increasing your business day prior to the lunch you wish to enjoy. December events calendar upper-body strength. And when you’re in Center activities include a walking club @ 8 a.m. (join the boxer crouch with a wide stance, with You’re invited to attend several free and get a free t-shirt), quilting day (Thursdays @ 9 a.m.), your knees slightly bent, you’re strengthen- events this month at the Walnut Grove ReMahjongg on Wednesdays @ 1 p.m., Tai Chi class (Moning your core muscles, back, and legs,” says sort Lifestyle Community, 4901 S. 153rd St. days and Fridays @ 10:30 a.m. for a $1 suggested donaArslanian. • Dec. 1: 2 Guys & A Tune @ 1 p.m. tion), chair volleyball (Tuesdays and Thursdays @ 10 Stronger muscles can make it easier to • Dec. 8: Talk by Cathy Wyatt on The a.m.), card games @ 9 a.m., and Bingo (Tuesdays and get up out of a chair or carry a bag of groSandwich Generation @ 1 p.m. Fridays @ noon). Play Pickleball Fridays from 9 to 10:15 ceries. • Dec. 12: Holiday Boutique from 10 a.m. a.m. During Bingo, we have baked goodies from Baker’s or Fitness boxing is also a great aerobic to 2 p.m. Panera to give away as prizes. exercise. Aerobic exercise gets your heart • Dec. 13: Millard West High School For reservations, please call 402-546-1270. pumping and helps lower the risk of high band performance @ 3:30 p.m. blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, and di• Dec. 16: Faith Westwood Methodist abetes. It can strengthen bones and muscles, Church children’s choir @ 6:30 p.m. burn more calories, and lift mood. Aerobics • Dec. 19: Dance recital @ noon. can also boost your endurance, which helps • Dec. 22: The Links @ 1 p.m. you climb a flight of stairs or walk farther. • Dec. 31: New Year’s Eve with Wayne Plus, aerobic exercise is associated with Miller @ 7 p.m. improvement in certain brain functions. To RSVP or for more information, please Arslanian says boxing in particular is well call 402-861-1611.
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A new treatment for essential tremors ‘Lung Force’ works to educate
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he Ohio State University’s Wexner Medical Center is one of six locations nationally studying the safety and effectiveness of a promising new technology using ultrasound to treat patients suffering from essential tremor as part of a multi-center Food and Drug Administration trial. Nationwide, 50 patients whose tremors can’t be controlled with medication will be treated with the Exablate Neuro by INSIGHTEC, which uses Magnetic Resonance-guided focused ultrasound to treat tissue deep in the brain without incisions or radiation. “This is brain surgery without cutting the skin,” said neurosurgeon Dr. Ali Rezai, principal investigator at Ohio State’s Wexner Medical Center and director of the Center for Neuromodulation at Ohio State’s Neurological Institute. “This is a highly innovative technology, also known as high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU). It allows us to deliver more than 1,000 ultrasound waves under MRI guidance to converge precisely on a pinpoint area of the brain to stop the tremor during a single treatment session.” Essential tremor is the most common movement disorder, affecting about 10 million people in the United States, and millions more worldwide, according to the International Essential Tremor Foundation.
It’s a progressive and debilitating neurological condition that causes a rhythmic trembling of the hands, head, voice, legs, or trunk. Treatment options include medications that aren’t always effective or deep brain stimulation (DBS), said Ohio State neurosurgeon Dr. Vibhor Krishna “This therapy is very precise,” Dr. Krishna said. “Effective surgical therapies can mean a difference between living independently and living with significant disability. So working through these research studies, we’re trying to establish this is an effective treatment for these patients to improve their quality of life in terms of personal life, professional life, and social life.” Last month, Stephen Palovchik, 71, of Delaware, Ohio, became the first patient treated with this technology at the Wexner Medical Center.
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D
uring the four-hour surgery in the intraoperative MRI-surgical suite, Palovchik was awake and gave real-time feedback to the team of neurosurgeons, neuro-radiologists, neurologists, and nurses. His feedback helped the team determine the exact brain cells to target with 1,024 beams of ultrasound focused on one spot deep in the brain that controls involuntary movements. “Individual ultrasound beams pass through the scalp, skull, and brain tissue without causing any harm, but at the target, the multiple beams converge to a precise focal point,” Dr. Krishna said. “This is a permanent treatment in which some brain cells causing the tremor are burned away. The patient has immediate results when surgery is done: the tremors are gone,” he added. Palovchik is pleased with how well he can now sign checks, feed himself, and brush his teeth without assistance, and calls the focused ultrasound technology “a gift from heaven.” The technology is a new treatment option for older patients who aren’t good candidates for traditional DBS pacemaker surgery in which tiny electrodes are surgically implanted into the brain and connected to a small pacemaker-like device that has been implanted into the chest wall, Krishna said. The pacemaker delivers electrical signals that regulate abnormal brain activity, alleviating disabling symptoms such as tremors, and restoring function. “If these good results are sustained over time, then focused ultrasound therapy will become a more routine therapy for the future,” Dr. Rezai said. “In addition to treating essential tremor, we hope to use this technology in the future for Parkinson’s disease, depression, obsessive compulsive disorder, and epilepsy.”
The National Active and Retired Federal Employees’ Chapter 144 meets the first Wednesday of each month at 100% non-profit 11:30 a.m. at the Amazing Pizza Machine, 13955 S Plz. addressing hunger For more information, please call 402-292-1156. The National Active and Retired Federal Employees’ VOTES TO DATE Aksarben Chapter 1370 meets the second Wednesday of • For: 2,856 • Against: 90 each month at 11:30 a.m. at the Amazing Pizza Machine, • Please vote today to 13955 S Plz. HorizonAD-2010:HorizonAD-08 2/4/10 8:00 AM Page 1 address hunger. For more information, please call 402-342-4351. www.lightthebridge.org
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www.seidler-seidler-law.com 10050 Regency Circle, Suite 525 Omaha, NE 68114-5705
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211 network can offer information about community, human resources The 211 telephone network has been established in parts of Nebraska to give consumers a single source for information about community and human services. By dialing 211, consumers can access information about human needs resources like food banks, shelters, rent and utility assistance; physical and mental health resources; employment support; support for older Americans and persons with a disability; 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.
Maplewood Estates Lifestyle • Community • Convenience • Family Values
Get 6 months of FREE lot rent for moving a single wide home Amenities include: into the park, or $3,500 for • Playground • Off street parking doublewide for moving expenses. • Clubhouse • Pool • RV’s welcome Call for more information.
402.493.6000
402-397-3801
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L
ung cancer is the top cancer killer of both women and men, killing almost twice as many women as any other cancer. Anyone can get lung cancer, yet awareness among women remains low. The American Lung Association in Nebraska encourages everyone in the state to learn more about lung cancer, as greater awareness can save lives. Lung cancer diagnoses have nearly doubled among all women in the past 37 years, yet only 1 percent of women cite lung cancer as a top-of-mind cancer concern. To raise awareness about lung cancer, the American Lung Association launched Lung Force, a nationwide initiative that unites women in the fight against lung cancer, encouraging them to raise their voices for change. “Lung cancer is the leading cancer killer among women, and unfortunately, most lung cancer cases are not diagnosed until later when treatment options are limited,” said Julia McCarville, executive director of the American Lung Association in Nebraska. “Early diagnosis and treatment can save lives, that’s why we’re raising awareness about this disease and screening options.” Only 17 percent of lung cancer cases among women are diagnosed early, according to the Lung Association. However, this might change as millions of Americans at high risk for lung cancer now have access to potentially lifesaving lung cancer screening which can detect lung cancer before there are symptoms when it’s easier to treat. “Screening provides new hope, but we also need a greater investment in research to defeat lung cancer,” said McCarville. “We desperately need more personalized treatment options and early detection methods for the more than 100,000 women who will be diagnosed with lung cancer in 2015, and more than 500 here in Nebraska.” Recognizing the need for increased research funding, the American Lung Association advocates for increased funding for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the National Cancer Institute (NCI) for better treatment and early detection of lung cancer. Through Lung Force, the organization will also invest $10 million in lung cancer research and $5 million in increasing public health promotion over five years. “Lung cancer has been in the shadows for far too long. If you or a loved one has been touched by lung cancer, share your story to inspire others to do the same,” said McCarville. Learn more about your risk and to share your voice to defeat lung cancer by visiting lungforce.org.
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Nebraskans about lung cancer
December 2015
Call: 12801 Spaulding Plaza www.maplewoodestatesonline.com Omaha, NE 68164
Pick up your free copy of New Horizons each month The New Horizons is available at locations throughout eastern Nebraska. Stop by and pick up a free copy each month at one of the following: Adams Park Senior Center 3230 John Creighton Blvd.
Evans Tower 3600 N. 24th St.
Life Care Center 6032 Ville de Sante Dr.
Ridgewood Apts. 6801 Spring St.
Aksarben Manor 7410 Mercy Rd.
Florence Home 7915 N. 30th St.
Livingston Plaza Apts. 303 S. 132nd St.
Rorick Apts. 604 S. 22nd St.
The Ambassador 1540 N. 72nd St.
Florence Senior Center 2920 Bondesson St.
Louisville Senior Center 423 Elm St.
Royal Oaks/House of Hope 4801 N. 52nd St.
American Red Cross 3838 Dewey St.
Fremont (Neb.) Friendship Center 1730 W. 16th St.
Lutheran Home 530 S. 26th St.
St. Bernard Church 3601 N 65th St.
Mangelsen’s 84th & Grover streets
St. Bridget Church 4112 S. 26th St.
Maple Crest Condos 2820 N. 66th Ave.
St. Joseph Tower 2205 S. 10th St.
Mercy Care Center 1870 S. 75th St.
St. Joseph Villa 2305 S. 10th St.
Millard Manor 12825 Deauville Dr.
St. Mary’s Church 811 S. 23rd St. Bellevue
Arlington (Neb.) Senior Center 305 N. 3rd St. Bank of Nebraska 7223 S. 84th St. Bellewood Court Apts. 1700 Lincoln Rd. Bellevue Bellevue Library 1003 Lincoln Rd.
Friendship Program 7315 Maple St. GOCA 3604 Fowler Ave. Gold Coast Square 1213 Gold Coast Rd. Papillion Hallmark Care Center 5505 Grover St.
Millard Montclair Senior Center 2304 S. 135th Ave.
Bennington (Neb.) Senior Center 322 N. Molley St.
Heartland Family Service Senior Center 4318 Fort St.
Mission Vue Apartments 406 E. Mission Ave. Bellevue
Benson Tower 5900 NW Radial Hwy.
Hickory Villa 7315 Hickory St.
Bickford Cottage 11309 Blondo St.
Hillcrest Care Center 1702 Hillcrest Rd. Bellevue
Monarch Villa 201 E. Cedardale Dr. Papillion
Bellevue Senior Center 109 W. 22nd Ave.
Dora Bingel Senior Center 923 N. 38th St. Blumkin Home 333 S. 132nd St. Camelot 6 Apartments 9415 Cady Ave. Camelot Friendship Center 9270 Cady Ave.
Hooper (Neb.) Senior Center 208 N. Main St. Immanuel Courtyard 6757 Newport Ave. Immanuel Medical Center 6901 N. 72nd St.
Montclair Nursing Home 2525 S. 135th St. Nebraska Urban Indian Health Coalition 2240 Landon Ct. New Cassel 900 N. 90th St. Nehawka (Neb.) Senior Center North Bend (Neb.) Senior Center
Carter Lake Senior Center 626 Locust St.
Immanuel Trinity Village 522 N. Lincoln St. Papillion
Central Park Tower 1511 Farnam St.
Immanuel Village 6803 N. 68th Plz.
Oak Valley Apts. 12425 Krug Ave.
Christie Heights Senior Center 3623 P St.
Intercultural Community Senior Center 3010 R St.
OEA Apts. 122 S. 39th St.
Chubb Foods 2905 N. 16th St. W. Dale Clark Library 215 S. 15th St. Corrigan Senior Center 3819 X St. Croatian Cultural Society 8711 S. 36th St. Crown Pointe Retirement Center 2820 S. 80th St. Crown Tower 5904 Henninger Dr. deFreese Manor 2669 Dodge St. Dodge (Neb.) Senior Center 226 N. Elm St. Douglas County Housing 5449 N. 107th Plz. Durham Booth Manor 3612 Cuming St. Eagles Club 23rd & L streets
Jackson Tower 600 S. 27th St. Kay Jay Tower 25th & K streets Kohll’s Pharmacy 50th & Dodge streets Kohll’s Pharmacy 4230 L St. Kohll’s Pharmacy 2923 Leavenworth St. Kohll’s Pharmacy 12739 Q St. Kohll’s Pharmacy 3427 S. 84th St. Kohll’s Pharmacy 617 N. 114th St. Kohll’s Pharmacy 1413 S. Washington St. Papillion Kubat Pharmacy 4924 Center St.
Oak Grove Manor 4809 Redman Ave.
OEA Manor 320 N. 22nd St. OJ’s Mexican Restaurant 9201 N. 30th St. Omaha Nursing Home 4835 S. 49th St. The Orchards at Wildwood 7454 Gertrude St. Papillion Senior Center 1001 Limerick Ave. Park East Tower 539 S. 26th St. Park Tower North 1501 Park Ave.
St. Mary Magdalene Church 1817 Dodge St. St. Vincent DePaul 5920 Maple St. Sarpy County Courthouse 1261 Golden Gate Dr. Seven Oaks at Notre Dame 3439 State St. Skyline Manor 7300 Graceland Dr. Snyder (Neb.) Senior Center 2nd & Elm streets Social Security Office 7100 W. Center Rd. Suite 200 Social Settlement 4868 Q St. South Omaha Eagles 6607 Sunshine Dr. Southview Heights 49th & streets Swanson Library 9101 W. Dodge Rd. Joe Tess Restaurant 5424 S. 24th St. Thrift Store 7328 Maple St. Trinity Cathedral 18th Street & Capitol Avenue Twin Tower Apts. 3000 Farnam St. Underwood Tower 4850 Underwood Ave. Veterans Hospital 4101 Woolworth St.
Petrow’s Restaurant 5914 Center St.
Ville de Sante Terrace 6202 Ville de Sante Dr.
Phil’s Foodway 3030 Ames Ave.
Village Inn 309 N. Fort Crook Rd. Bellevue
Phil’s Foodway 4232 Redman Ave. Pine Tower 1501 Pine St.
Eagle (Neb.) Senior Center 509 4th St.
LaVista (Neb.) Senior Center 8116 Parkview Blvd.
Plattsmouth (Neb.) Senior Center 308 S. 18th St.
Elmwood (Neb) Senior Center 144 N. 4th St.
Leo’s Diner 6055 Maple St.
Ralston (Neb.) Senior Center 7301 Q St.
Elmwood Tower 801 S. 52nd St.
Leo Vaughn Manor 3325 Fontenelle Blvd.
Remington Heights 12606 W. Dodge Rd.
JC Wade Manor 3464 Ohio St. Walgreen’s Pharmacy 5038 Center St. Weeping Water (Neb.) Senior Center 101 E. Eldora St. The Wellington 501 E. Gold Coast Rd. Papillion
Omaha Sertoma Club
Volunteer opportunities
Members of the Omaha Sertoma Club encourage area residents to collect used and unwanted clothing, shoes, hats, caps, belts, purses, bedding, and towels by cleaning out their closets and other places these items are stored. Those items can then be put into bags and taken to and placed inside the donation bin at the Westside Community Center building near 108th and Grover streets. The0 tax-deductible donations will be recycled and sent to people overseas. For more information, log on to www.sertoma.org. Law Offices of Charles E. Dorwart 33 years of legal experience • Wills • Living Trusts • Probate • Healthcare and Financial Powers of Attorney • In Home Consultations • Free Initial Consultation 6790 Grover Street • Suite 100 Omaha, NE 68106 Office: (402) 558-1404 • Fax: (402) 779-7498 cdorwartjd@dorwartlaw.com
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he Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging’s Foster Grandparent Program, Senior Companion Program, and Ombudsman Advocate 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. For more information, please call 402-444-6536.
Computer users group meets each month at the Abrahams Library You’re invited to join the Omaha Computer Users Group (OCUG), an organization dedicated to helping men and women age 50 and older learn more about their computers. Anyone can join OCUG regardless of his or her computer skills. The organization’s 50 members meet the third Saturday of each month from 10 a.m. to noon at the Abrahams Library, 5111 N. 90th St. Annual dues to OCUG, which has existed for 15 years, are $25. OCUG has a projector connected to a Microsoft Windows 7 computer and a Windows 8 computer to show users how to solve their computer problems. Bring your questions concerning your computer problems to the meetings for answers. For more information, please call OCUG’s president Phill Sherbon at 402333-6529.
Respite Resource Center Are you a family caregiver? A family caregiver is someone who is responsible for attending to the daily needs of a loved one. Family caregivers are responsible for the physical, emotional, and often financial support of another person who is unable to care for himself or herself due to an illness, injury, or disability. The care recipient may be a family member, life partner, or friend. Are you a family caregiver who is curious about how you can take a break from caregiving? The Respite Resource Center invites caregivers to a free informational meeting explaining respite and how to find respite care providers. The meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, Dec. 8 from 6:15 to 7:30 p.m. at the Swanson Library, 9101 W. Dodge Rd. For more information, please call 402-996-8444. VOTES WANTED PLEASE GO TO
www.lightthebridge.org 100% non-profit addressing hunger VOTES TO DATE • For: 2,856 • Against: 90 • Please vote today to address hunger.
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RSVP volunteers honored during Fremont celebration
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New Horizons
onoring two men and one woman who volunteered more than 1,000 hours during the last year, a delicious meal, and musical entertainment by Joe Taylor were among the highlights at the RSVP’s annual recognition banquet held last month at the Gathering Hall in Fremont. Sponsored locally by the Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging, RSVP is a Corporation for National and Community Service program. RSVP volunteers help out at a variety of staNovember 13, 2015 tions including hospitals, nonprofits, schools, and nutrition sites. Special recognition was given to Mavis Lindberg, Leroy Lindberg, and Cathy, Neil Rosenbaum for providing 4,100, your ad for the classified section for the December issue. Please let me 3902, and 1582.75 hours of Here’s volunteer if this is okay. If you have any changes, give me a call @ 402-444-4148. service, respectively, duringknow the last Once ad is approved mail your check for $16.00 to: year. For more information on RSVP, New Horizons please call 402-444-6536, ext. 224. c/o Jeff Reinhardt, Editor 4223 Center Street A Caring Community Called HOME! Omaha, NE 68105
Newspaper
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Ph. 402-444-6654
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FOR SALE Selection of knitting needles. Various sizes. Call Florence at 402-333-3671
Professional Writer
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POOL TABLES Moving, refelting, assemble, repair, tear down. Used slate tables. We pay CASH for slate pool tables.
RSVP Coordinator Pat Tanner (left) and RSVP Field Interviewer Deb Marquardt with RSVP volunteer Neil Rosenbaum. Rosenbaum was honored at the luncheon for providing 1,582.75 hours of service during the last year.
Lamplighter II
93rd & Maple • 402-397-6921
edits MEMOIRS to publish on Amazon. Call Eve @ 402-578-2563
HOUSE CLEANING
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Hello Medicare & U Helping to review your EVERYONE Medicare options. Deserves a Insurance agent ori Clean House! w H zo Jon Lundt (NE & IA) REFRESH 402-332-6403 49th & Q Street • 402-731-2118 CLEANING SERVICES jplundt@gmail.com JUDY: 402-885-8731 www.southviewheightsomaha.com Eastern Nebraska a Office on Aging • 4223 Center Street • Omaha, NE 68105 rask
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New Horizons Newspaper TOP CASH PAID
WHITMORE LAW OFFICE Wills • Trusts • Probate
Ask A Lawyer: Q — What is the difference between a Living Trust and a Living Will? A — A Living Trust is about your property and finances. It takes care of your assets, both while you’re alive and after your death, and makes sure your wishes are carried out. A trust can avoid the need for a court-appointed conservator if you are disabled and can help avoid probate if you die. A Living Will is a directive to healthcare providers about your medical wishes. It makes sure that if you are not capable of speaking for yourself, your wishes are known and will be carried out.
Best & honest prices paid for: Nice old vintage and costume jewelry, old watches, vintage toys, Fenton glassware, old postcards, advertising items, military items, pottery, and antique buttons. Also buying estates & partial estates. Call Bev at 402-339-2856
Senior Citizens (62+)
Subsidized housing for those age 62 and over with incomes under $25,500 (1 person) or $29,150 (two persons)
Johansen Brothers Call Frank
402-312-4000 OLD STUFF WANTED (before 1975)
Military, political, toys, jewelry, fountain pens, pottery, kitchen ware, postcards, photos, books, and other old paper, old clothes, garden stuff, tools, old household, etc. Call anytime 402-397-0254 or 402-250-9389
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deFreese Manor
Accepting applications for HUD-subsidized apartments in Papillion & Bellevue. Rent determined by income and medical expenses.
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December 2015
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ENOA salutes its veterans, the volunteers who serve vets
Photo courtesy of the Corporation for National and Community Service
Nebraska Congressman Brad Ashford pins Senior Companion Program volunteer Bernie Barrow during the Nov. 10 ceremony.
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ebraska Congressman Brad Ashford, Wendy Spencer, CEO of the Corporation for National and Community Service, and a proud group of volunteers were among the special guests at the National Veteran Corps pinning ceremony held Nov. 10 at the Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging. As part of the nation’s 2015
Veterans Day celebration, Senior Corps volunteers across the United States were given a specially designed National Veteran Corps pin. Ashford and Spencer attended a pinning ceremony in Omaha that honored ENOA’s Senior Corps volunteers who are veterans and Senior Corps volunteers who serve veterans. Sponsored locally by the Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging, the Senior Companion Program, the Foster Grandparent Program, and RSVP are Corporation for National and Community Service programs. Senior Companions give support and friendship to frail older adults in homes and adult day facilities. Foster Grandparents are matched with children needing extra attention at schools, hospitals, mental health facilities, Head Start programs, and domestic abuse shelters. RSVP volunteers help out at a variety of sites including hospitals, nonprofit agencies, schools, food banks, and nutrition sites.
She also read a special statement from President Barack Obama praising the men and women of the National Veteran Corps for their dedicated military and volunteer service. For more information about volunteer opportunities available through the Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging, please call Mary Parker at 402-444-6536, ext. 246.
T Wendy Spencer, CEO of the Corporation for National and Community Service.
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he Veterans Day festivities at ENOA began as a group of ROTC members from Bellevue West High School presented the American flag, and then led the participants in singing The Stars Spangled Banner. Ashford, whose father flew a B-26 bomber on 60 missions during World War II, thanked the volunteers for their service. “The United States has the world’s most exceptional military and the world’s most exceptional volunteers.” “Every day should be Veterans Day,” Spencer said during her remarks.
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December 2015
ENOA’s Executive Director Dennis Loose thanked and congratulated the volunteers.