New Horizons February 2022

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A publication of the Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging

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

Feb. 2022 Vol. 47 No.2

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New Horizons old • er 74 adul ts since 19

In 1995, Omaha native Mike Hill (left) and Dan Hanley (right) won Academy Awards for their film editing on Ron Howard’s movie Apollo 13. Hill and Hanley were also nominated for an Oscar for their work on Howard’s A Beautiful Mind (2001), Cinderella Man (2005), and Frost/Nixon (2008).

Leo Adam Biga chronicles Hill’s life and career beginning on page 8. nba

SCP donation A food drive led by ENOA’s Senior Companion Program resulted in the donation of nearly 2,900 pounds of non-perishable food items to the food pantry at Omaha’s Juan Diego Center.

See page 3.

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What’s inside Ombudsman training in February .................2 Assessing older Nebraskans’ needs ............2

Dealing with delirium caused by UTIs ..........4 Hemesath’s ‘Conscious Aging’ ....................5 Clutter’s impact on dementia .......................6 Some tips for winter gardening ....................7 A dog’s role in reducing stress ...................11 Changes to cell phone service ...................12 Cancer patients also fight anxiety ..............13 Tips to help avoid slips, falls on ice ...........13

Call Beth at 402-444-6536 for more information

Ombudsman advocate training on Feb. 14, 17, 18

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he Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging is looking for men and women ages 21 and older to join its Long-term Care Ombudsman Program which is co-sponsored by the Nebraska State Ombudsman Program.

ENOA’s Long-term Care Ombudsmen volunteer in local long-term care facilities and assisted living communities to protect the residents’ rights, well-being, and quality of life.

Long-term Care Ombudsmen must complete 20 hours of initial classroom training and 12 hours of additional training every two years. The next training session is scheduled for Feb. 14, 17, and a half day on Feb. 18.

During the training, the volunteers learn about the residents’ rights, aging issues, Medicare, Medicaid, communication skills, how to investigate the residents’ complaints, the importance of confidentiality, and about the federal

and state rules, regulations, and laws regarding Nebraska’s long-term care facilities and assisted living communities.

Before being assigned to a long-term care facility or an assisted living community, new volunteers will make four visits to a site with an experienced Ombudsman Advocate to learn more about what the program entails. After a threemonth probationary period, the new volunteers are certified as Ombudsman Advocates.

Certified Ombudsman Advocates will be assigned to a long-term care facility or an assisted living community where they’ll visit for two hours a week meet confident with adBe to simply ministrators, residents, and the residents’ family members on the go to address concerns.

For more information about ENOA’s Long-term Care Ombudsman Program, please call Beth Nodes at 402-4446536.

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he University of Nebraska at Omaha’s Department of Gerontology is conducting surveys of the needs of older Nebraskans in 2022. A questionnaire assessing the current and future needs of Nebraskans ages 50 and older, as well as the services that are available to address these needs, was mailed to more than 2,000 households in the state during January.

If your household received a postcard last month asking you to participate in this survey, please complete and return the survey as soon as possible.

The University of Nebraska at Omaha’s Department of Gerontology will also be conducting focus group discussions with Nebraskans in each of the state’s eight Area Agencies On Aging (AAA) regions, including the Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging, beginning in May. These surveys are also designed to assess needs and services now and into the future.

The mailed questionnaires and focus group surveys will help inform UNO Gerontology researchers, service providers in the eight AAAs, and officials at the State Unit on Aging as they work together to develop the Nebraska State Aging Plan for 2024 to 2027.

For more information, please contact Dr. Christopher M. Kelly in the UNO Department of Gerontology at 402-554-4124 and at cmkelly@unomaha.edu

Metro Women’s Club

Purchasing medical equipment for your home is not cheap.

Protecting your home medical equipment investments is key to keeping you as independent as possible, so it should be a priority after the purchase.

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UNO questionnaire, focus groups will assess needs of older Nebraskans

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February 2022

The Metro Women’s Club is hosting a social and luncheon on Tuesday, Feb. 8 at the German-American Society, 3717 S. 120th St. The social begins at 11:30 a.m. followed by a noon meal featuring pork schnitzel or glazed chicken.

The guest speaker will discuss suffragist Susan B. Anthony.

Reservations, which are $21 and due by Feb. 3, can be made by calling Ginny at 402-319-1121.

For more information about the luncheon or joining the Metro Women’s Club, please call Ginny at 402-319-1121.

Part of MLK Service Day

Senior Companions, Hy-Vee donate items to the food pantry at Juan Diego Center

Among those attending the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service event at the Juan Diego Center were (from left): Vice-chair of the SCP’s Advisory Council Nicole Chipy, SCP Advisory Council member Deacon Andra Humphrey, ENOA Deputy Director Diane Stanton, SCP Coordinator Beth Paleogos, SCP Advisory Council member Terri Sinclair, SCP Specialist Maddie Cunningham, SCP volunteer Sharon Mead, and Juan Diego Center Pantry Outreach Assistant Gloria Vallecillo.

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collaboration between the Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging’s Senior Companion Program (SCP), the Shadow Lake Hy-Vee supermarket at 11650 S. 73rd St., and members of the community led to the recent collection and donation of nearly 2,900 pounds of non-perishable food items to the food pantry at the Juan Diego Center, 5211 S. 31st St. Sponsored locally by ENOA, the SCP is funded by AmeriCorps Seniors. Senior Companion volunteers offer support and friendship to frail, sometimes isolated older adults in the clients’ homes.

Senior Companions must be age 55 or older, meet income guidelines, and complete an enrollment process that includes references and background checks.

In exchange for volunteering 15 or more hours a week, Senior Companions receive a $3 an hour tax-free stipend, mileage reimbursement, and supplemental accident insurance.

The stipend doesn’t interfere with rent, disability, Medicaid, or other benefits.

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Catholic Charities of Omaha program, the Juan Diego Center provides south Omaha residents with emergency and supportive food services, the Family Strengthening Resource Center, immigration legal services, as well as microbusiness and asset development training.

Catholic Charities of Omaha’s Emergency and Supportive Food Services program includes a pantry at the Juan Diego Center, a pantry at the St. Martin de Porres Center (2111 Emmet St.), food deliveries to homebound older adults, and a mobile pantry available to residents in each of the Omaha

Archdiocese’s 23 counties.

In 2021, Catholic Charities of Omaha’s Emergency and Supportive Food Services program provided 2.75 million pounds of food to more than 222,000 individuals, said the agency’s Director of Emergency and Supportive Food Services Mikaela Schuele.

The January food collection and donation – led by 54 Senior Companions – was part of SCP’s annual service project for the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day observance.

“The donation was a blessing,” said Schuele who thanked the Senior Companions for their hard work and dedication during the three-month food drive.

The Juan Diego Center was selected to receive the items – valued at more than $5,100 – because of its history of providing food, paper products, hygiene items, and training to several Senior Companions and their clients, according to Beth Paleogos, who coordinates the SCP for ENOA. “At one time, one of our volunteers had no food when she moved into a new apartment. I called Catholic Charities, and by the end of the day, they brought boxes of food to her,” Paleogos said.

The Shadow Lake Hy-Vee, managed

by Dan Fuller, donated more than 1,400 pounds of canned goods and other non-perishable food items to match what the Senior Companions had collected and donated to the Juan Diego Center. The supermarket also donated a pallet of frozen turkeys.

“Hy-Vee has blessed us in so many ways over the years,” Schuele said.

For more information on Catholic Charities of Omaha, please log online to ccomaha.org.

To learn more about the Senior Companion Program, please call 402-444-6536.

February 2022

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 five-county region may subscribe for $5 annually.

Address all correspondence to: Jeff Reinhardt, Editor, 4780 S. 131st Street, Omaha, NE 68137-1822.

Phone 402-444-6654. FAX 402-444-3076.

E-mail: jeff.reinhardt@enoa.org 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 9,000 through direct mail .

Editor....................................................Jeff Reinhardt Ad Mgr................Mitch Laudenback, 402-444-4148 Contributing Writers.........Nick Schinker & Leo Biga ENOA Board of Governors: Mary Ann Borgeson, Douglas County, chairperson; Angie Burmeister, Sarpy County, vice-chairperson; Lisa Kramer, Washington County, secretary; Pat Tawney, Dodge County, & Janet McCartney, Cass 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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Ralston Senior Center

ou’re invited to visit the Ralston Senior Center, 7301 Q St., Suite 100 this month for the following: • Feb. 8: Bus to WinnaVegas Casino in Sloan, Iowa @ 7:30 a.m. The bus will return around 4 p.m. The cost is $10. Contact Diane @ 402-885-8895 for reservations.

• Feb. 9: Board meeting @ 10 a.m.

• Feb. 9: Music by Bill Chrastil sponsored by the Merrymakers @ noon.

• Feb. 10 & 24: Bingo from 1 to 3 p.m.

The facility is closed on Feb. 21 for Presidents Day. Lunch is catered in on Wednesdays. A $4.50 contribution is normally suggested for the meal. Reservations are due by noon on Tuesday. Play games and bingo after lunch. Contact Molly @ 402-490-5768 for reservations.

Obtain an annual Ralston Senior Center membership for $10.

The center may be used on weekends for various activities such as weddings, memorial services, anniversaries, family reunions, birthdays, baby and wedding showers, etc.

On days, the Ralston Public Schools are closed due to the weather, the Ralston Senior Center will also be closed.

For more information, please call Diane West @ 402339-4926.

Receive a FREE copy of the New Horizons in your mailbox each month.

To be added to our mailing list, please call 402-444-6654 or send an email to jeff.reinhardt@enoa.org Please provide your name and complete mailing address with zip code when ordering.

Research indicates blocking interleukin 6 may help resolve delirium caused by UTIs

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edars-Sinai researchers have found blocking the action of a protein called interleukin 6 (IL-6), part of the immune system, could help resolve the delirium that often accompanies a urinary tract infection (UTI) in older patients. Their study in laboratory mice could pave the way for clinical trials of IL-6 inhibitors as a treatment for UTI-associated delirium in humans.

Older women are among the most susceptible to developing UTIs, an infection of the bladder and urethra that causes urinary urgency and pain. UTIs can also cause delirium in older people, resulting in a sharp decline in mental abilities that triggers disoriented thinking.

“Up to one-third of older patients hospitalized with UTIs can experience some degree of confusion and reduced awareness of their surroundings,” said Shouri Lahiri, MD, director of the Neurosciences Critical Care Unit and Neurocritical Care Research at Cedars-Sinai and the study’s senior author.

“Delirium affects millions of patients a year in the U.S., contributing to longer hospital stays, long-term cognitive problems, and increased mortality,” he continued.

“Delirium can be a tipping point from which patients never fully recover. This is well established. What is less well established is why this is happening.”

To better understand the specific biological mechanisms behind UTI-associated delirium, Lahiri and colleagues observed laboratory mice with and without UTIs in specially designed mazes. In an arena where the animals could move about freely, uninfected mice spent more time in the center of the chamber. Those with UTIs huddled in the periphery, suggesting they had higher levels of anxiety, a common symptom of delirium.

In a Y-shaped maze with three arms to explore, uninfected mice tended to explore all three arms, while mice with UTIs kept returning to the same arm, suggesting a lapse in short-term memory, another feature of delirium.

The investigators also observed structural changes in the brains of mice with UTIs. In a previous study led by Lahiri, investigators found a connection between ventilatorinduced lung injury and delirium. Lahiri and colleagues theorized in both cases this was because of the reaction of IL-6, which helps regulate immune response to the lung injury or the UTI.

“Occasionally, when the response of IL-6 is excessive, our research indicates there can be brain injury,” Lahiri said. “IL-6 induces changes within the neurons our studies connected with delirium-like behavior.

This is the first time this type of structural and functional change has been demonstrated. We’ve now shown two distinct models of this connection, one non-infectious and one infectious.”

“Delirium can be a tipping point from which patients never fully recover. This is well established. What is less well established is why this is happening.”

In the current study, when investigators treated some of the infected mice with antibodies that blocked the effects of IL-6, the delirium-like behavior of those animals was resolved.

“Treatment with anti-IL-6 antibody in the UTI group normalized all the brain changes, both structural and functional,” Lahiri said. “A wealth of studies have shown a link between IL-6 and delirium, but only this study and our previous study have shown IL-6 may play a direct pathological role in delirium.”

If symptoms are treated early, he added, full recovery is possible. The next step is to design clinical trials with anti-IL-6 antibodies as a treatment for patients with UTIinduced delirium.

Lahiri believes the model he and coinvestigators created could be used to study delirium in other conditions associated with increased incidence of UTI. These include those with pre-existing neurologic disorders like Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, stroke, and multiple sclerosis where delirium can be hard to distinguish from the underlying disease but is important to treat.

“A huge population stands to benefit from these investigations” he said. “We’re looking to apply this model to these other systemic disease conditions and states where the brain dysfunction caused is potentially reversible.”

(Cedars-Sinai provided this information.)

Study: Many baby boomers without dental insurance

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recent survey by Value Penguin found almost 40% of baby boomers are unlikely to have dental insurance coverage, in part, due to Medicare.

Key findings of the survey include: • Baby boomers are the least likely to have dental insurance, and most say it’s due to Medicare. Of the survey respondents, 38% of baby boomers don’t have dental insurance, and 42% within that group say it’s because their Medicare plan doesn’t cover dental cover-

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February 2022

age.

• Nearly 30% of those without dental insurance regret not being covered. And 30% of all Americans (both insured and uninsured) regret not taking better care of their teeth.

• Nearly half (48%) of Americans with dental insurance have skipped dental visits or recommended procedures due to the cost. Among those who aren’t insured, 65% have skipped the dentist for the same reason.

• Those without dental insurance are twice as likely to be unhappy with their teeth as those who are insured. More than one-third (34%) of those without insurance aren’t satisfied with the condition of their teeth, compared with 17% of those who are insured.

• As for consumers who have dental insurance, their main gripe is not enough services or procedures are covered (cited by 25%). In total, 48% of insured Americans have at least one complaint about their dental insurance policy or insurer.

(Value Penguin provided this information.)

Try thinking about spring

Fighting back against your ‘February mood’

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ebruary is NOT my favorite month of the year. It’s the month when winter drags on and the joy of seeing fresh beautiful snow turns into the reality of a muddy snowbank taking forever to melt. This reflects my February mood.

Some people suffer seasonal affective disorder during this time — depression due to a lack of sunlight. I know people who experience this suffering, and it isn’t pleasant. Then superimpose a pandemic that keeps us inside, a pandemic that goes on and on. It isn’t surprising these circumstances stir up feelings of boredom, listlessness, fear, and uncertainty.

The name for this condition was coined many centuries ago. It’s called “acedia.” Monks in the Middle Ages wrote about feelings of isolation that brought on listlessness and the deadening of spirit. It was considered by some to be one of the “deadly sins,” also known as sloth.

Conscious Aging

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By Nancy Hemesath

oday we’d typically describe this mental state as a lack of energy, diffused anxiety, and the inability to concentrate. These are hardly sins, but they do make it harder to be our best selves.

In our contemporary setting, acedia may manifest in many ways. We’re bored to death by eating the same menu over and over when we’d rather go out to eat. Netflix movies aren’t inviting when we would rather go to the theater.

We hear ourselves saying, “I’m so sick of this pandemic.”

Cold days have us feeling cooped up. ZOOM meetings feel like a poor substitute for meeting face to face. We find it hard to be hopeful and optimistic.

Planning seems futile because who knows what will come next.

If you relate to any of these feelings, know you’re not alone. It could be argued that our whole society has a case of acedia.

What to do? First naming this affliction takes away some of its power. Knowing it isn’t a permanent state stirs some hope.

Spring is the best remedy for me. Early signs of life in March usually resolve the February blues. Meanwhile, what can we do stir a little spring in our hearts? I take a cue from The Sound of Music.

“These are few of my favorite things” in the winter: I like to go into the grocery store and see the potted daffodils and hyacinths. Sometimes I purchase one to remind myself of what’s to come. I pull out my Mary Oliver poetry books and visualize the nature scenes she describes. If you don’t have her books, try Googling her.

I enjoy reading a good novel by the fireplace. I make sure I’m free to watch Creighton basketball games. I work on my jigsaw puzzles. I drink a hot cup of tea in the evening.

These are things I enjoy in the cold of winter.

It’s a universal truth that we see what we look for. There isn’t darkness so dark we don’t see some light coming from somewhere. I’ve just talked myself into seeking “my favorite things” in February and putting my attention there.

I believe this is the best way to handle acedia, by intentionally taking away the darkness and stimulating new energy.

(Hemesath is the owner of Encore Coaching. She’s dedicated to supporting people in their Third Chapter of Life and is available for presentations. Contact her at nanhemesath@gmail.com.)

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February 2022

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Study focuses on scam susceptibility

Results from UK research

early 1 in 3 Americans have fallen victim to a scam, including 23% in the past year. During that time, 2.2 million reports of fraud have been made in the United States, with a collective reported loss of $3.3 billion.

In the past decade, there has been a significant increase in solicitations targeting older adults. Elder fraud – in the form of solicitations via phone calls, emails, letters, computer pop ups, etc. – are impacting not only their life quality overall but also the length of older adults’ lives.

The most reported type of fraud may take various forms (a family member in distress, government official, well-known business, tech support expert, romantic interest, etc.)

These solicitations may ask for donations, advertise services or products that aren’t needed or don’t exist, or ask for another type of assistance.

Older adults are often vulnerable due to loneliness, a desire to help, or due to declines in judgment that ultimately puts them at risk for suboptimal decision making.

The Division of Neuropsychology in the

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Department of Neurological Sciences at the University of Nebraska Medical Center is conducting a federally funded research project on how changes in practical judgment and problem-solving skills may impact older adults in terms of susceptibility to scam and fraud.

The researchers are recruiting individuals ages 60 to 90, with or without cognitive impairment, to examine the role of cognition, brain structures, and genetic factors on susceptibility to scam and fraud victimization. The study involves one or two visits and doesn’t require follow-up visits.

Eligible participants will undergo a brain imaging study (MRI), cognitive testing, and genetic testing at no cost, with compensation for their time.

By identifying when and how changes in practical judgment occur, the researchers are hoping to help prevent victimization for this vulnerable population.

Interested individuals can contact Nadia Pare, PhD (neuropsychologist) by calling 402-552-6094 or by emailing her at UNMCagingstudy@gmail.com.

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February 2022

Persons with moderate dementia shown to perform better surrounded by clutter clutter-free environment may not help people with dementia carry out their daily tasks to a higher degree of success than a cluttered environment, according to a new study from the University of East Anglia (UEA) in the United

Kingdom.

Researchers studied whether people with dementia were better able to carry out tasks such as making a cup of tea at home - surrounded by their usual clutter - or in a clutterfree environment. They were surprised to find participants with moderate dementia actually performed better when surrounded by their usual clutter.

The different environments made no difference to people with mild and severe dementia who were able to perform at the same level in both settings.

“The majority of people with dementia live in their own home and usually want to remain living at home for as long as possible,” said professor Eneida Mioshi, from UEA’s School of Health Sciences.

“So, it’s really important to know how people with dementia can be best supported at home.

One possible route would be by adapting the physical environment to best suit their needs.

“As dementia progresses, people gradually lose their ability to carry out daily tasks due to changes in their cognitive, perceptual, and physical abilities. Participation in daily tasks could then be improved by adapting the person’s environment,” Mioshi continued.

“To this end, we wanted to investigate the role of clutter in activity participation, given the potential to use decluttering to support people with dementia to continue to be independent.”

Environmental clutter has been defined as the presence of an excessive number of objects on a surface or the presence of items that aren’t required for a task.

Mioshi said it’s generally assumed that a person with dementia will be better able to carry out daily tasks when their home space is tidy and clutter free. However, there has been very little research to test this hypothesis.

“We wanted to see whether clutter was negatively affecting people with dementia. So, we studied how people at different stages of dementia coped with carrying out daily tasks at home surrounded by their usual clutter, compared to in a clutter-free setting in a specially designed home research lab,” she added.

Occupational therapist and PhD student Julieta Camino from UEA’s School of Health Sciences, carried out the study with 65 participants who were grouped into those with mild, moderate, and severe dementia.

They were asked to carry out daily tasks including making a cup of tea and preparing a simple meal, both at their own home and at UEA’s specially designed NEAT research bungalow – a fully furnished research facility that feels like a domestic bungalow.

The researchers evaluated performance of activities in both settings, and also measured the amount of clutter in the participants’ homes. Meanwhile the NEAT home setting was completely clutter free.

“We thought that the complete absence of clutter in our research bungalow would play a beneficial role in helping people with dementia with daily living activities. But we were wrong,” said Camino.

“We were surprised to find that overall, people with moderate dementia, in particular, performed daily tasks better at home – even though their homes were significantly more cluttered than our research bungalow.

“It didn’t seem to make any difference how cluttered the participant’s home was,” she added. “The only factor that contributed to how well they could carry out tasks at home was their level of cognition – with those with severe dementia encountering the same difficulties to perform the tasks at home and in the research bungalow.”

(UEA provided this information.)

Fremont Friendship Center You’re invited to visit the Fremont Friendship Center, 1730 W. 16th St. (Christensen Field). The facility is open Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Friday from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

A meal is served weekdays @ 11:30 a.m. Reservations, which are due by noon the business day prior to the meal the participant wishes to enjoy, can be made by calling 402727-2815. A $4 contribution is suggested for the meal.

This month’s activities will include: • Feb. 2: Horse Derby @ 10:30 a.m.

• Feb. 3 & 17: Play Bridge @ 9:30 a.m.

• Feb. 3: Presentation from Nye @ 10 a.m.

• Feb. 8: Diner’s Choice (meals from ENOA and Hy-Vee for a suggested $5) meeting @ 10 a.m.

• Feb. 9: Music by Julie Couch @ 10:30 a.m.

• Feb. 14: Valentine’s Day Dance with treats @ 9:15 a.m. and music by The Links @ 10 a.m. Reservations are due by noon on Friday, Feb. 11.

• Feb. 16: Diner’s Choice (meals from ENOA and HyVee for a suggested $5) meeting @ noon.

• Feb. 16: Play Minute to Win It @ 10:30 a.m.

• Feb. 23: Music by John Worsham @ 10:30 a.m.

The center will be closed on Feb. 21 for Presidents Day. For meal reservations and more information, please call Laurie at 402-727-2815.

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Intercultural Senior Center

ou’re invited to visit the Intercultural Senior Center (ISC), 5545 Center St. The facility – open weekdays from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. – offers programs and activities Mondays through Fridays from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

During inclement weather, call 402-444-6529 to make sure the center is open.

Participants must be fully vaccinated against COVD19 to attend the ISC. Participants are asked to wear a mask and bring their vaccination cards with them when visiting the ISC. The ISC offers a light breakfast, lunch, fitness classes, a technology program Tuesdays at 10:20 a.m. and Fridays at 12:30 p.m., and other activities.

Lunch reservations are due by 9 a.m. A voluntary contribution is suggested for the meal. Please call 402-444-6529 for reservations.

The center will be closed on Feb. 21 for Presidents Day. Monthly food pantries are available for men and women ages 50 or older.

ISC’s SAVE bus can bring case management services to your doorstep.

For more information, please call 402-444-6529.

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Give the gift of spring to winter gardeners

By Melinda Myers

Check the pots occasionally and water when needed to keep the soil slightly moist, but not soggy wet.

Some friends and family may appreciate a Do-It-Yourself ive the gift of spring this winter bulb forcing kit as a gift. Spring flowering bulbs, potting mix, and a container with drainage holes are all that’s to gardeners and needed. Provide directions for assembly, suggestions for non-gardeners alike. A pot of tulips, daffo- providing the cold treatment if needed, and proper care.

Others may prefer a gift that requires minimal care like dils, or other spring flowering bulbs is sure to brighten the Gardener’s Supply Company’s Month of Bloom. Order once and a dreary winter day and elevate the recipient’s mood. these pre-planted bulb gardens are delivered to the recipient monthly Spring flowering bulbs need 12 to 15 weeks of tem- for three, six, or 12 months. Waperatures between 35 and 45 ter when the potting mix starts to dry and enjoy watching the spring degrees to initiate flowerflowering bulbs sprout, grow, and ing. This happens naturally flower. in areas with cold winters.

Keep spring flowering bulb garBulbs are planted in the fall, dens in a cool, bright location to receive the chill they need, extend their bloom time. Once the and add welcome color to plants are done blooming, you can the spring garden.

Those in warmer climates add them to the compost pile.

For those that prefer to enjoy need a different approach. In them a second season and beyond, those areas, low chill bulbs provide some post-flowering care. that don’t need as long a Remove the faded flowers and cold period or pre-cooled move the container to a sunny window. Keep watering bulbs are grown. The prethoroughly whenever the top few inches of soil begin to cooled bulbs also sold as dry. Pour off any excess water that collects in the saucer to pre-chilled, have received prevent root rot and apply a diluted solution of any flowerthe needed cold period and ing houseplant fertilizer. can be grown like annuals.

Once the leaves turn yellow and die or the soil in the No matter where you gargarden warms and the danger of frost has passed, you can den, spring flowering bulbs move them into the garden. Tulips and hyacinths perform can be chilled in a spare best in sunny areas with well-drained soils. These two refrigerator. Keep bulbs away from apples and pears. bulbs tend to flourish for a year or two and then produce few or no flowers. Keep that in mind as you plan for the These fruits give off ethylfuture. ene gas, a natural hormone Daffodils and grape hyacinths will grow in sun or shade that doesn’t harm people, and a variety of soil types. These tend to be long lived as but can hasten ripening and they grow and spread over time. interfere with flowering It may be two years before you have flowers but it’s a when bulbs are stored in the great way to extend the enjoyment of a holiday gift. same refrigerator compart(Myers is the author of more than 20 gardening books.) ment.

G

Camelot Friendship Center

ou’re invited to visit the Camelot Friendship Center, 9270 Cady Ave., this month for the following: • Feb. 11: Council meeting @ 12:15 p.m.

• Feb. 16: Third part of a four-part elder law presentation series @ 11:45 a.m.

• Feb. 17: Jackpot bingo @ 12:15 p.m.

• Feb. 18: The Merrymakers present music by Mike McCracken @ 11:45 a.m.

Other regular activities include chair yoga, card games, Tai Chi, and chair volleyball.

The center is open weekdays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The center will be closed on Presidents Day. Lunch is served weekdays at 11:30 a.m. A $4 contribution is requested for the meal.

Reservations, which are due a day in advance, can be made by calling 402-444-3091.

For more information, please call Barb at 402-444-3091.

February 2022 2022 February

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New Horizons Horizons New

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Page 7 7 Page

Omaha’s Mike Hill made the cut in Hollywood

By Leo Adam Biga Contributing Writer

T

hree decades before winning an Oscar for coediting the Ron Howard feature film Apollo 13 in 1995, Mike Hill paid his way through the University of Nebraska at Omaha as a television assistant film editor. His job was splicing commercials into old movies for a late-night program on Channel 6.

Among the classics he did in this capacity were A Streetcar Named Desire and On the Waterfront.

It was a perfect job for the cinephile who frequented the Orpheum, Omaha, and State theaters downtown and the Indian Hills out west.

Only a few years later, as a Paramount Pictures apprentice editor, fate led Hill to synch-screen dailies (unedited movie or TV film that’s collected at the end of each day for viewing) for Elia Kazan, the director of Streetcar and Waterfront. Kazan’s The Last Tycoon (1976) was shooting on a lot at Paramount.

With the lead and assistant editors away in New York, the dailies job fell to Hill, who delighted in the opportunity. “Kazan was right up there in the pantheon to me,” Hill said from his Omaha home during a recent phone interview.

Kazan, whose rich filmography included A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, Gentleman’s Agreement, East of Eden, A Face in the Crowd, Splendor in the Grass, and Wild River largely left directing movies to write novels. Tycoon was to have been his celebrated return, but it was a rather dull last hurrah. Hill was still thrilled to work with Kazan.

“We’d sit and watch the stuff he shot the previous day,” Mike said.

“He was very economical with what he shot.”

Although Hill had never edited any film or TV show previously, he worked on a dialogue scene featuring Peter Strauss and Teresa Russell set in a parked car.

“I was up all night trying to put this thing together. I showed it to him (Kazan) after dailies the next day and it was terrible,” Mike said.

A chuckling Kazan thanked Hill and offered some advice. “He gave me all these little lessons that really stuck with me. It was really generous. I could tell he kind of took to me in taking me under his wing a little bit,” Mike said.

Hill’s next mentor was New Hollywood maverick Hal Ashby who won an Oscar for editing the film In the Heat of the Night (1967).

Getting to work on major films made by iconic artists was the equivalent of master classes for Hill. “It was one of those lucky things where it just kind of fell into my lap along with practically my whole career. I got to see the way these directors worked. It was really valuable.”

Heady stuff for someone not yet age 30 who left Omaha with

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Mike Hill with his wife, LeAnne Baker, at the Cannes Film Festival in France.

Hill and Baker met in California when LeAnne was a publicist for NBC. no intention of doing film and TV work. Hill graduated from UNO with a criminal justice degree and got hired to work in California’s penal system. Eventually Mike not only broke into the screen industry but learned a craft that turned into a distinguished career.

Notably, he and Dan Hanley formed one of Hollywood’s most successful co-editing film teams.

Cutting every Ron Howard film from Night Shift (1982)) through In the Heart of the Sea (2015). A total of 22 films with dozens of award nominations and billions of dollars in box office returns.

Hill and Hanley are now retired.

“It’s unusual two editors work together as a team with one director for that length of time,” Hill said.

“When I look back at it, it’s pretty amazing.”

Before heading to the west coast, Hill navigated the ‘60s without getting caught up in its extremes.

“What I remember most is the Kennedy assassination in 1963. I remember that affecting me deeply.

It was like, wow, the world is not exactly what I thought it was. It was one of those shocking things – kind of a wake-up call.”

The countercultural drift passed over Hill, the oldest of four siblings whose parents were a business machine salesman father and a stayat-home mom. Mike was born in Omaha but moved around the country following his father’s job before the family settled in Nebraska. Hill spent a year at Benson High School before graduating from Burke High School.

After a false start at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Mike

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transferred to UNO. “The hippies and free love became so much a signature of that decade. I wasn’t involved in that. I didn’t do drugs, I was always a liberal politically, but I didn’t get involved with any antiwar protests.

“I had my head down trying to get through college. My friends and I were all big movie fans, so we went to a lot of movies. When I started the job at the TV station in 1968, I still had three years of college to get through.”

Like most draft-age young men opposing the Vietnam War, Hill said he was trying to avoid being sent to southeast Asia. “There was no way I wanted to end up over in the jungle.”

A high draft lottery number kept Mike out of the military. He began what he thought was the start of a corrections career when he worked as a guard at Chino State Prison in California. Hill hated the job so much he quit after a few months.

Prison culture’s dehumanization hurt his soul.

“I was never in any danger, and nobody ever threatened me, but just everything about it was not appealing. Some of the guards were just as bad or worse than the prisoners.

It wasn’t the kind of atmosphere I wanted to be around.”

He inquired at various Hollywood trade unions about work, and even took acting classes.

“I was doing odd jobs to pay the rent when the editors guild called.

That changed everything. It’s really hard to get into the film business.

In those days you didn’t get in unless there was nepotism involved or things were booming, and they

February 2022

would bring in new people.

“At that time the industry was very busy, everybody was working, and that’s why I got the call from Paramount. They were looking for two people (to work) in film shipping.”

It proved the opportunity of a lifetime. Hill was interviewed by department head James Blakely.

“The reason I hired you is that I liked that you were from the Midwest, you didn’t know anything about the film business, and you didn’t go to film school, so I figured you were a clean slate,” Blakely told Hill.

Most of that job was being a gofer and doing grunt work like delivering film to editors and projectionists and rewinding reels. Mike’s desire to learn how to run dailies himself paved the way to bigger things.

“I learned how to do that from assistant editors who told me if you want to get out of shipping you’re going to have to learn how to synch up the dailies and be an assistant.”

Meanwhile, his future editing partner, Hanley – mentored by veteran studio editor Bob Kern – got hired.

“As I was off doing The Last Tycoon and Bound for Glory, Dan was working with Bob,” Hill said.

A Ron Howard connection that changed the course of these two young men’s careers and lives soon formed.

“Towards the end of his Happy Days (1974 to 1984 TV program) run, Ron started directing TV movies for NBC in the late ‘70s and early ‘80s. Bob and Dan edited those,” Mike said.

--Please turn to page 9.

Hill’s partnership with Dan Hanley, Ron Howard began in 1982

H

--Continued from page 8. ill helped edit a twohour pilot for the television program Cagney & Lacey. “You learn it by doing it. You can watch somebody do it, but until you actually do it you never know if you have the knack for it. I was very fortunate to work with very good editors in TV.” Then came the gig that forged a partnership.

“Dan got me onto Ron’s first studio feature Night Shift (starring Howard’s Happy Days co-star Henry Winkler in 1982). It became our first feature with Ron as a team.”

Hill and Hanley were supposed to be Kern’s assistants, but a couple of weeks before the film’s shooting started Bob had a stroke. Leaning on Kern, who was still able to come into work, Dan and Mike became the film’s editors.

“Ron went along with this. He didn’t know me very well, but he liked Dan and loved Bob, so he wanted to make it work,” Hill said.

“He actually had to fight the studio, (Warner Brothers) which wanted him to hire an established editor.

But he stuck with us. We did a good enough job to make him happy.

“Then Splash (1984) came right along after, and he wanted us to do that. Right after that was Cocoon

Hill and Oscar Award-winning actress Anne Hathaway.

(1985), so it was one after the other.

It just kind of happened – really kind of a whirlwind.”

A

s young New Hollywood rebels, Hill, Hanley, and Howard enjoyed breaking the routine with freespirited hijinks on the movie lot and in the editing suite.

During a recent phone interview, Hanley said he was impressed by Hill’s knowledge of cinema history and said Mike schooled him on

actors, directors, and trends while making sure they haunted Los Angeles’ art cinemas.

In a recent phone interview, Howard said even though Hill didn’t have any film credits when he got on the crew for Nightshift, the Omaha native was ready.

“Mike was excellent. He had been around some good filmmaking and some fine editors, especially Hal Ashby.”

Howard appreciated Hill’s “elevated taste” for shot selection,

rhythm, and performance choices.

“He loved making films, he loved cutting. We had a great rapport. He brought so much to these movies that I’ll always appreciate. And we had a lot of fun doing it, too.”

Film editing is high pressure detail work and close confines can breed conflict. Fortunately, Howard took to the editing duo of Hill and Hanley.

“He liked us personally, we got along great,” Hill said. “Ron liked having two editors. In separate rooms Dan and I worked on separate scenes. Ron would go back and forth seeing fresh stuff. He didn’t like being there all the time anyway.

He didn’t have much patience for it because it’s really not a spectator sport to watch an editor work. He wanted to see what you would come up with on your own and then look at it. That was perfect. Most editors are very envious of that because a lot of directors want to be there over their shoulder. It’s very hard to concentrate when you’ve got somebody watching your every move.”

The trio managed avoiding the pitfalls that derail some teams.

“There can always be personality issues where you just don’t get along.” Hill said.

“Mutual respect” went a long way in preserving their personal and pro--Please turn to page 10.

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February 2022

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Page 9 11/24/21 10:01 AM

Mike’s onscreen roles included bareknuckle brawl with Tom Cruise

Hill and his daughter, Jessica, at a British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) awards dinner in London.

-Continued from page 9. fessional relationship, Hanley said.

“I think we drove each other to a certain extent, but it never felt like a competition. It was about the finished product. We all had the same work ethic and sensibility. It’s kind of unique that we all gelled like that.”

Hill liked having a co-pilot to share the film cuts. “I can’t tell you how many times I needed a fresh eye to get me over the hump on a difficult spot. Dan was able to do that many times, and I think I helped him out a few times. Yeah, it was a great collaboration. He was a great partner.”

The pair devised ways to balance the workload.

“What we’d do at the beginning was flip a coin to see who took the very first scene that came in, and then from there everything just flowed because the second scene the other guy would take, and all the way down,” Hill said.

“We tried to evenly distribute it, too, so that one guy didn’t get stuck with all the really difficult scenes, like the boxing scenes in Cinderella Man (2005).”

I

n the months a feature film’s editing requires, Hill and Hanley each took a pass at the other’s work along the way.

“When you’re going through the final edit reel by reel and you’re just tweaking and trimming to finish it off, a lot of times you’re working on the other guy’s original scene,” Hill said.

Mike said much of film editing entails finding the internal drive of a scene and linking it to the next scene trying to move the story forward. The best editing should be “invisible” so the viewer’s not conscious of the process.

“One of my favorite parts of the process was when the composer came to write the music and we could see how it was going to work with what we had. It was pretty exciting.”

Hill said film editing boils down

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to making a fluid moment by choosing snippets from various takes. The resulting magic creates a seamless whole greater than the sum of its parts.

“You’re piecing a performance together, but it looks all continuous in the viewer’s mind. I did feel a big responsibility to honor the actor’s performance,” Hill said. “It’s not an easy thing. They give you a lot of great material. You’ve got to make sure you get the very best on screen.”

By virtue of operating on “the same wavelength,” Hanley said he, Hill, and Howard developed a shorthand, efficient way of communicating.

Mike said movies and TV shows are rarely edited in the order they appear in the script.

“Once you got them all together, we put index cards up on a wall in order reel by reel. That’s when we start to edit into the story structure.

We have the script, of course, as the road map. If you have a director who has a strong idea or vision about the story then he’s going to guide you through it. Ron did that.

On several movies I felt like, I’m glad he knows what the heck’s going to happen because I don’t.

“Apollo 13, A Beautiful Mind (2001) and Rush (2013) were filled with very complex stuff. You can get lost in all that. But he was always on top of the big picture.”

While editors are free to express their opinions, they realize ultimately it’s the director’s film. Hill said ego is a huge key and imposing a personal editing style rather than adjusting to the director wouldn’t serve the movie.

When a film wrapped, Hill and Hanley moved to a post facility Howard set up in Connecticut.

“He bought a little house in the middle of downtown Greenwich and converted it into offices and editing rooms,” Hill said. “That’s where we did all post-production after the location was done.”

Like actors and directors, film editors can also get typecast. “Editors

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Hill (right) and Hanley (left) with film director, producer, screenwriter, and actor Ron Howard. Hill and Hanley began working with Howard editing his feature film Night Shift. get pigeonholed sometimes as either action or dialogue editors based on what kind of movies they’ve done,” Hill said. “Dan and I were so fortunate to work with Ron because he’s done almost every genre through the years, so we never had that problem.”

Hill and Hanley occasionally worked on non-Howard projects including the Tina Turner biopic What’s Love Got to Do with It (1993). Mike also edited the made in Nebraska film Full Ride (2002).

Once a Howard production ended, Hill could count on a new film starting sooner or later. When a new project emerged, it usually meant going on location. “We had some great locations like New Mexico and Montana,” Hill recalled.

“My favorite location was Ireland when we did Far and Away with Tom Cruise (and Nicole Kidman).”

That 1992 film was memorable because it included Hill in an onscreen fight with Cruise, whose immigrant character makes his way in America as a bareknuckle fighter.

“There’s a montage where Tom Cruise is beating the hell out of all these guys, and I’m one of them. It’s about an hour into the movie. He knocks me to the floor,” Hill said.

Before beginning the fight scene, Howard told Mike to not throw any punches at Cruise.

“They wanted a shot of me hitting the floor. It looked like wood, but it was padded. Ron had me do seven or eight takes falling and I ended up bruising my ribs.”

That’s not Hill’s only screen time.

“Ron put Dan and me in several different movies over the years as extras.”

U

ntil 1986 Hill was based on the west coast, mostly Santa Monica, Calif. He met his wife, LeAnne, then an NBC publicist, during the making of Cocoon. After their daughter, Jessica, was born the couple settled in Omaha in 1988.

Hill’s aware he’s in a long line of Nebraskans to make their mark in film and television. He’d long since

February 2022

reached the top of his profession when he retired in 2014.

“I’d just turned 65 and I was feeling like my time was up. We were in London shooting In the Heart of the Sea. I remember editing on my computer and dozing off. I’d catch myself and have to go back and start over. I started to realize I was getting too old for it or losing my interest. I told Ron, ‘Look, I think this might be my last one. I’d love to finish this one off, but then I think I’m done.’ He was totally understanding.”

Howard said he feels the loss of his longtime editing team. “I certainly miss those guys. We were a unit and I looked forward to postproduction as a chance to have six months to hang with Dan and Mike.

I miss them as friends as much as I miss them as talented collaborators.”

Hill and Hanley remain close.

“He’s a great guy. I love him like a brother,” Hanley said.

Studio politics is something Hill doesn’t miss. “It got worse and worse. A lot of the notes we would get from the studio were just so absurd. It was kind of obvious a lot of these people didn’t know anything about filmmaking.”

I

n retirement, Hill can turn off his editor’s brain to watch a movie. “When I’m enjoying a movie I don’t think about the editing at all,” he said. “If it’s a lousy movie or it’s not very well edited, then I’ll start thinking about it.”

Hill’s anxious to see Howard’s new film Thirteen Lives when it opens in April. The picture dramatizes the 2018 Tham Luang cave rescue in Thailand.

Reviewing his career, Hill is content being an answer to a trivia question: Name three current Nebraska residents who are Oscarwinners?

The answers are director Alexander Payne, cinematographer Mauro Fiore, and Mike Hill. Not bad company for a former prison guard and film splicer.

Older adults, caregivers needed for UNO study on stress levels, dogs

SSA, VA combine to create fact sheets about their programs

he University of Nebraska at Omaha is looking for older adults and their in-home family caregivers for a study on the effects of pet dogs on chronic stress levels.

The study will investigate chronic stress in older adults and their caregivers as well as the effects a pet dog can have on stress levels.

To measure stress, researchers will study the hormone cortisol which is found in saliva and in hair.

Volunteers – who must be age 65+ – will need to provide two hours at their homes.

They’ll be asked to answer several surveys online or on paper and provide a saliva sample and a hair sample to measure stress levels. Volunteers who have a dog in their home are asked to provide a saliva and a fur sample from the dog to measure its stress level.

For more information, please contact Amanda Crawford at amandacrawford@unomaha.edu or 402-8859516.

The Social Security Administration and the Department of Veterans Affairs have joined forces to create a fact sheet, Social Security Disability and Veterans Affairs Disability — How Do They Compare?

This quick reference explains the differences between each agency’s disability program. Through the SSA’s partnership with the VA, it hopes to help veterans navigate each agency’s programs more easily.

Go to ssa.gov/people/ veterans to view a fact sheet and other resources, including information on returning to work, links to VA healthcare and benefits programs, and disability benefits for wounded warriors. It also has resources for the parents and spouses of veterans.

There are important differences between Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and VA disability benefits. Just as important, a veteran who receives benefits from the VA could also be eligible for SSDI.

T

Please see the ad on page 3

New Horizons Club gains new members $25 Ruth Perwinkle Marcia Carlson Reba Benschoter $5 Kathleen Koons List reflects donors through January 21, 2022.

Alzheimer’s Association programs The Nebraska Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association is hosting free programs in February and March: • Feb. 16 @ 1 p.m.

10 Warning Signs of Alzheimer’s and Dementia • March 16 @ 1 p.m.

Healthy Living for Brain and Body For more information, please contact the Nebraska Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association at nebraskainfo@alz.org or 402-502-4300.

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February 2022

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New Horizons

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Page 11

You may require a phone upgrade

I

f your mobile telephone is more than a few years old, you may need to upgrade your device to avoid losing service before your mobile provider shuts down its 3G network. For more information on how you can prepare for 3G retirement, contact your provider directly.

Mobile carriers are shutting down their 3G networks which rely on older technology to make room for more advanced network services including 5G. As a result, many older cell phones will be unable to make or receive calls and texts, including calls to 911, or use data services. This will affect 3G mobile phones and certain older 4G mobile phones that don’t support Voice over LTE (VoLTE or HD Voice).

Upgrades may have been needed as early as Jan. 1, 2022, though plans and timing to phase out 3G services may change and will vary by company.

Some carrier websites provide lists of devices that won’t be supported after 3G networks are shut down.

You may need to upgrade to a newer device to ensure you can stay connected. Carriers may offer discounts or free upgrades to help consumers who need to upgrade their phones.

Some devices may only require a software update to enable VoLTE (HD Voice) or other advanced services. If you purchased your phone independent of a mobile provider, you should be able to check whether your device is 4G LTE (with VoLTE or HD

Voice) enabled by checking your phone’s settings or user manual, or by searching your phone’s model number on the internet to determine whether you need to purchase a new device or install a software update.

Other phone services, such as certain medical devices, tablets, smart watches, vehicle SOS services, home security systems, and other connected products may be using 3G network services. Don’t forget about devices that use cellular connectivity as a back-up when a wired internet connection goes down. If the device isn’t labeled, contact the monitoring company or other service provider to confirm how the device connects and whether your device may be impacted.

In addition, although they don’t cover the cost of the new devices, other FCC programs may be able to assist eligible consumers with the cost of phone or internet services.

The FCC’s Lifeline program may be able to assist eligible consumers in getting connected to phone and internet services. The program provides a discount on phone service for qualifying low-income individuals.

In addition, The FCC’s Emergency Broadband Benefit Program provides a temporary discount of up to $50 per month towards broadband service for eligible households during the COVID-19 pandemic.

For more information on consumer issues, visit the FCC’s Consumer Help Center online at fcc.gov/consumers.

As long-term marriages grow, love changes, but never ages

By Paula Crozier

D

ean Martin, Frank Sinatra, and Nat King Cole sing in the background during February at our house. So do Dinah Washington, Sarah Vaughan, and Tony Bennet. And every one of them sings about love.

Hearing these crooners throughout my life, created a romanticized view of how love would really be for me, and I believed for everyone. And then I got married. Our romance started so wonderfully we couldn’t stand to be apart. We loved every little thing about each other. I knew the moment I could look into my husband’s eyes and know I’d clean him up from illness, wash and fold his dirty socks and underwear, and love him even when he wasn’t at his best. I knew he was the one.

Our love has definitely changed over the last 23 years of marriage and we’re actually excited about rekindling our relationship now that our daughters are in college. We still have one daughter at home who will live close by us all her life we hope, as she has spoiled us so with her Down syndrome. But for right now, we’re relishing the fact we’re in our late 40’s, early 50’s, have grey hair, and don’t care what people think of what we wear attitudes.

We enjoy the early bird specials because, well, they’re darn tasty and the cafés aren’t so busy. We love lighting the fireplace and watching documentaries, old movies, and comedies as our “night out.” We dance to songs from the ’80’s successfully embarrassing our girls and we smile the entire time we’re doing it.

Our love is deeper now than earlier in our marriage. It’s about knowing we’ve been through some “stuff” and are actually living through it. It’s about longing just to be held and comforted together. It’s about knowing we have a kiss goodbye in the morning and a huge hug and a kiss hello when we arrive home.

And we realize now, we’ll always be in love. We’re always human and that means we’ll never tire of being people to whom love is very important and critical to overall health.

Whether it’s an intimate encounter, comforting one another, enjoying similar interests and hobbies, or holding hands as we take walks together as we age, love may be experienced and shown differently, but that connecting with a loved one will never age.

(Crozier is with Midwest Geriatrics, Inc.)

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Join us for a monthly series of candid conversations focused on providing answers to questions and solutions to challenges facing Omaha mature homeowners.

How to Pay for Assisted (or Senior) Living

Come listen to our Panelists to sort out the issues and give you the TRUTH!

February 23, 2022 1:30-2:30 p.m.

LOCATION:

Millard Public Library 13214 Westwood Lane Omaha, NE 68144

Call 402-201-8051 to reserve your seat!

Hosted by: Bud & Jane Thomsen

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February 2022

Palliative care may be helpful

Oncologists see mental health distress in majority of patients

M

ore than 80% of oncologists frequently see mental health distress in their patients with cancer, and more than 90% said the distress has a significant impact on their patients’ health outcomes.

These findings were released recently in the latest edition of Oncology Insights, a report published by Cardinal Health Specialty Solutions based on surveys with more than 240 U.S. oncologists.

Anxiety disorders and depression were cited by more than 80% of oncologists as the types of mental health distress seen most frequently in their patients, but personality and addiction disorders were also mentioned.

Despite the high prevalence of mental health concerns, only a third of the surveyed oncologists said they frequently refer patients for mental health treatment and nearly half said there aren’t adequate resources available to support the mental health needs of cancer patients.

“Recent research indicates that mental health generally has declined since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

This is particularly concerning for patients with cancer who are already at an increased risk for mental health distress,” said Heidi Hunter, President of Cardinal Health Specialty Solutions.

“Our latest oncology survey shines a light on this issue and provides insights on additional education and resources that could help oncologists to provide much-needed support to patients.”

The survey also explored oncologists’ views on the effective use of palliative care for patients with advanced cancer.

• While there was strong agreement among oncologists (68%) that early introduction of palliative care leads to better outcomes for patients with advanced cancer, only 17% said they refer patients to palliative care at the time metastatic disease is diagnosed.

• The top barriers to delivering effective palliative care cited by survey participants were resistance from patients and caregivers (39%) and lack of staff dedicated to palliative care (28%).

• A strong majority of the surveyed oncologist (74%) said better tools are needed to educate patients with advanced cancer about how palliative care can enhance their quality of life. In addition, 45% said better data and predictive analytics are needed to help clinicians determine when to refer patients for palliative care.

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Suggestions for staying safe in winter When it comes to preventing slips and falls on ice, a little effort can make a big impact. By using ice-melt on sidewalks, parking lots, and other frequently traveled areas, you can help protect people.

Here are some tips to keep in mind when it comes to salt, ice-melt, and preventing slips and falls on ice: • There’s a science to ice-melt compounds: Throwing more compound on ice won’t necessarily help it melt faster.

• Watch the temperature: Ice-melt compounds are only effective down to specific temperature limits that vary by product. The temperature of the air, pavement, and the type of product used will affect the rate at which ice melts.

• Easy access to salt: Place salt buckets or containers near high-traffic areas to help them remain less susceptible to falls.

• Black ice warning: As snow melts during the day, it can refreeze into a micro-thin sheet of ice nearly invisible to the eye.

HorizonAD-2010:HorizonAD-08 8:00 AM • Go slow on ice and snow:2/4/10 Short walks

may provide a false sense of security. Freezing rain and black ice can make outdoor walking conditions precarious.

• Snow can be sneaky: Light, fluffy snow may weigh as little as five pounds per cubic foot, but compact, wet snow can weigh as much as 20 pounds.

• Stretch out: Before shoveling or salting, stretch your lower back, arms, legs, hamstrings, and shoulder muscles to help avoid strains.

• Form matters: When shoveling or lifting salt containers, keep your back straight and bend your knees, keeping them a shoulder-width apart. Lift with the legs, not the back.

• Footwear: Boots with deep treads are preferred over shoes with smooth, nontreaded leather or hard plastic soles and those with high heels.

• Change of shoes: Wear winter footwear that provides adequate slip resistance outdoors, then change into regular footPage wear1once indoors.

Attorneys at Law William E. Seidler Jr.

www.seidler-seidler-law.com 10050 Regency Circle, Suite 525 Omaha, NE 68114-5705

402-397-3801

Delivering quality legal services since 1957.

Nebraska Wind Symphony

he Nebraska Wind Symphony’s 45th season continues on Sunday, Feb. 20 as it presents the Middle School All Stars Concert at 7:30 p.m. The performance will be held in the University of Nebraska at Omaha’s Jan & John Christensen Concert Hall inside the Janet and Willis Strauss Performing Arts Center.

Middle school oboe, bassoon, and bass clarinet players will perform with members of the Nebraska Wind Symphony.

Per UNO policy, masks and social distancing will be required at the concert.

Tickets – which are available at the door or online at nebraskawindsymphony.com – are $15 for adults, $10 for older adults, and free for children and students.

Do you need transportation to and from your medical appointments?

Check with your insurance provider to see if non-emergency medical transportation is covered under your plan.

February 2022

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Senior Companions, Foster Grandparents

M

en and women ages 55 and older who want to earn a tax-free stipend while making an impact in their community are encouraged to join the Senior Companion Program and the Foster Grandparent Program.

Sponsored locally by the Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging, the SCP and FGP are national programs of AmeriCorps Seniors.

Senior Companions help other older adults maintain their independence by visiting them at home to discuss the news, read mail, play cards, run errands, etc.

Foster Grandparents serve as positive role models for children who need special attention with education, health-

care, and social development in schools, Head Start programs, and child development centers.

SCP and FGP volunteers must meet income guidelines and complete an enrollment process that includes references and background checks.

In exchange for volunteering 10, 15, or more hours per week, Foster Grandparents and Senior Companions receive a $3 an Millard Senior Center hour tax-free stipend, mileage reimbursement, an anYou’re invited to visit the Millard Senior Center at Mont- nual physical examination, supplemental accident insurclair, 2304 S. 135th Ave., this month for the following: ance coverage, and other • Feb. 4: Treat Day. Bring treats to share.

• Feb. 7, 14, & 28: Spanish class for beginners @ 10 a.m. benefits including an annual recognition luncheon.

• Feb. 9: Board meeting at 9:30 a.m.

The stipend does not in• Feb. 9: Making sunterfere with rent, disability, dresses @ 10 a.m. for Medicaid, or other benefits. women in Africa.

For more information on • Feb. 11: Pizza party the FGP and SCP, please and Jackpot Bingo. Sign call 402-444-6536. up by Feb. 9.

• Feb. 13: Dress in your favorite team colors for The Super Bowl weekend.

New Horizons • Feb. 18: Dr. Joel Marley will do posture checks is brought from 9 to 11 a.m. to you • Feb. 22: Make gnomes from socks. Sign up by each month Feb. 18 and bring a sock by the on Jan. 22.

• Feb. 28: Book Club Eastern @ 1 p.m. will discuss A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Nebraska Office Towles.

The center will be closed Feb. 21 for Presidents Day. on Aging.

For more information, please call 402-546-1270.

Retirement Mortgage Specialist Call me today to see if you’re qualified

Terry Williams 402-301-4500

Loan Officer/Retirement Mortgage Specialist NMLS: 658551

terry.williams@fairwaymc.com

Licensed in: NE, IA, SD, MN, KS, MO, CO, FL, AZ, IL, IN, CA, WY

www.terrywilliams.com

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February 2022

Knowing the differences between transport chairs, manual wheelchairs will help you make the right choice

By Bijou Fidegnon, A.T.P. & David Kohll, Pharm.D.

C

onsumers should know there are a few differences between a transport chair and a manual wheelchair. It’s important to understand these differences in order to make the best choice for your needs.

A transport chair – also known as a travel chair – is a piece of mobility equipment that helps transport a person from point A to point B. The person using the transport chair isn’t able to propel the transport chair manually because the wheels are small ranging from eight to 12 inches.

Transport chairs are designed for caregivers to push so the chairs are made to be lightweight and easy to fold. This way the caregiver can easily lift the chair in and out of the car.

It’s common to use the transport chair indoors and outdoors.

For indoor use, transport chairs are usually used in small or tight spaces such as tight doorways. For outdoor use, transport chairs are normally used to get a patient from the car to a nearby location such as the doctor’s office.

A standard manual wheelchair is propelled by the user who must have adequate upper body strength. The user utilizes the large rear wheels on the sides to maneuver the wheelchair effectively indoors and outdoors at home and in the community.

The manual style is the most common type for men and women who use the wheelchair to complete the activities of daily living such as toileting, grooming, dressing, and eating.

Outdoors, due to the larger rear wheels, manual wheelchairs are able to be maneuvered extensively across most surfaces.

There are several differences between transport chairs and manual wheelchairs including: • Wheels: A transport chair has four small wheels ranging from eight to 12 inches each. The eight-inch wheels are typically found on transport chairs that can hold up to 300 pounds. The 12-inch wheels are typically found on heavier duty transport chairs that can hold up 400 pounds. The bigger wheels provide a smoother ride.

The standard manual wheelchair has four wheels. The two up front wheels – known as caster wheels – are typically three to 12 inches each. The two rear wheels are normally 24 inches each.

• Seat size: Transport chairs come in a variety of sizes ranging from 17 to 22 inches wide.

Standard manual wheelchair seat sizes vary from 16 to 20 inches wide.

• Weight: Transport chairs are lightweight in comparison to the standard manual wheelchairs and range from 18.75 to more than 27 pounds.

Standard manual wheelchairs range in weight from 35 to more than 50 pounds.

• Armrests: Most basic transport chairs have fixed armrests, but higher end models offer the option to remove the armrests or flip them back and out of the way.

Most standard manual wheelchairs offer removable armrests. Some higher end models also offer the option to remove the armrests or flip them back out of the way.

• Brakes: On most transport chairs, the brakes are located on the rear wheels. The caregivers may have to apply the brakes if they brakes aren’t reachable by the user. If brakes are a concern, some higher end transport chairs offer hand brakes and rear wheel brakes.

On standard manual wheelchairs, the brakes are positioned on the large rear wheels. The wheelchair user can safely and effectively apply the brakes while seated in the wheelchair.

For many people, a wheelchair is their legs. Therefore, each consumer should have their wheelchair customized to their specific needs and diagnosis.

(Fidegnon and Kohll are with Kohll’s Rx in Omaha.)

‘Social Security Statement’ offers information on earnings, benefits

K

ilolo Kijakazi, acting commissioner of the Social Security Administration, recently announced information about changes to the Social Security Statement, available online through the my Social Security portal at socialsecurity.gov/myaccount and by mail.

The Social Security Statement is one of the most effective tools people can use to learn about their earnings and future Social Security benefits. This fresh look will allow millions of people to see their earnings information and estimates of future benefits quickly and securely.

“One of my top priorities is to provide information to people in clear and plain terms about Social Security’s programs and services.”

“One of my top priorities is to provide information to people in clear and plain terms about Social Security’s programs and services,” said Kijakazi. “The streamlined Social Security Statement contains clear messaging and makes it easier to find information at a glance, helping to simplify our complex programs for the public.”

The agency conducted extensive research, review, and testing to make the updated Statement easy to understand.

The new Statement is shorter, uses visuals and plain language, and includes fact sheets tailored to a person’s age and earnings history. It also includes important information people can expect from the Statement, such as how much in Social Security benefits a worker and family members could expect to receive and a personalized earnings history in a clear, concise manner.

Examples of the new Statement and fact sheets are available online at socialsecurity.gov/myaccount/statement.html.

More than 61 million people have already created my Social Security accounts. U.S. citizens ages 18 or older can easily view their redesigned Social Security Statement online by creating a my Social Security account.

People ages 60 or older who don’t receive benefits and don’t have a my Social Security account will receive their Statement by mail three months before their birthday.

Workers should check their Statement at least once a year for accuracy.

People can check information and conduct most Social Security business through their personal my Social Security account. If they already receive Social Security benefits, they can start or change a direct deposit online, request a replacement SSA-1099, and if they need proof of their benefits, they can print or download a current Benefit Verification Letter from their account.

In addition to obtaining their personalized Social Security Statement, people not yet receiving benefits can use their account to request a replacement Social Security card online if they meet certain requirements. The portal also includes a retirement calculator and links to information about other online services such as applications for retirement, disability, and Medicare benefits.

Many Social Security services are also conveniently available by dialing toll-free at 1-800-772-1213. People who are deaf or hard of hearing may call Social Security’s TTY number at 1-800-325-0778.

Charles E. Dorwart Massih Law, LLC 40 years of legal experience • Wills • Living Trusts • Probate • Healthcare and Financial Powers of Attorney • Medicaid Planning • In-home consultations • Free Initial consultation 226 N. 114th Street • Omaha, NE 68154 Office: (402) 558-1404 or (402) 933-2111 chuck@massihlaw.com www.dorwartlaw.com

Omaha Fire Department

T

he Omaha Fire Department’s Public Education and Affairs Department will install free smoke and/or carbon monoxide detectors inside the residences of area homeowners.

To have a free smoke and/ or carbon monoxide detector installed inside your home, send your name, address, and telephone number to: Omaha Fire Department Smoke/Carbon Monoxide Requests 1516 Jackson St. Omaha, Neb. 68102 For more information, please call 402-444-3560.

ENOA’s Volunteer Connect program offers a variety of opportunities

D

o you have some spare time, a skill to share, and wish to contribute to your community?

Private and non-profit agencies are looking for your help.

Please contact Tia Schoenfeld with the Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging’s Volunteer Connect program at 402-444-6536, ext.

1045 for more information on the following volunteer opportunities: • Omaha Performing Arts is looking for O-Pa Ambassadors. Program volunteers will have an opportunity to help patrons experience a variety of extraordinary events at the Holland Center and the Orpheum Theater.

• Volunteers are wanted to knit/sew baby caps/clothing.

• Bi-lingual volunteers are needed to translate training materials and flyers.

• Volunteers are being recruited to provide hope to older adults living in care facilities through telephone conversations.

CLASSIFIEDS Lamplighter II

Some of the nicest, newer 1 & 2 bedroom apartments. Elevator, w & d, heated parking garage. Small complex. By bus & shopping. No pets or smoking.

93rd & Maple • 402-397-6921

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

Cartagena Painting Service

Commercial/Residential Interior/Exterior/Insured Free estimates 402-714-6063 cartagenapainting@yahoo.com

I AM COLLECTING • War relics • Omaha Police Department badges • South Omaha Police Department badges

RICK’S

Call 402-551-9038

HANDYMAN SERVICES

Big jobs or small, I’ll do them all.

(Bonded & insured)

402-658-1245

Rickfitzlerhomeimprovement.com

TOP CASH PAID

Best & honest prices paid for: Vintage, Sterling, Turquoise, & Costume jewelry, old watches, old quilts, vintage toys, old postcards, advertising items, military items, pottery, and antique buttons.

Also buying estates & partial estates.

Call Bev at 402-339-2856

Senior Citizens (62+) Accepting applications for HUD-subsidized apartments in Papillion & Bellevue.

Bellewood Courts

1002 Bellewood Court Bellevue (402) 292-3300 Bellewood@KimballMgmt.com

FOR SALE Please support New Horizons advertisers

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

Managed by Kimball Management, Inc. PO Box 460967 Papillion, NE 68046 www.kimballmgmt.com

402-318-7946 to learn more.

Haul away, garage, basement, rental clean out…

Johansen Brothers Call Frank

402-312-4000 deFreese Manor

Subsidized housing for those age 62 and over with incomes under $30,750 (1 person) or $35,150 (two persons) 2669 Dodge Omaha, NE 402-345-0622

We do business in accordance with the Fair Housing Law.

February 2022

Call or text Angie at

GET RID OF IT!

Monarch Villas

201 Cedar Dale Road Papillion (402) 331-6882 Monarch@KimballMgmt.com

SARA PLUS Power Sit to Stand lift device, hospital bed, and other home medical equipment.

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Thank you!

The Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging staff would like to thank the following businesses, churches, individuals, and organizations that purchased more than 1,000 Christmas gifts for 532 ENOA clients in 2021. This list also features the names of businesses, churches, organizations, and individuals who donated greeting cards, ornaments, money, clothing, paper products, cleaning supplies, toiletries, and other items for the men and women the agency serves in Douglas, Sarpy, Dodge, Cass, and Washington counties. We’d also like to thank the SeniorHelp program volunteers and the ENOA staff members who delivered the gifts to the recipients this year.

Barb Parolek

Mindy Crouch and family

Cindy Kirstine

Omaha Fire Department

BLUEBARN Theatre Cindy Kueffer CORE Bank

Notre Dame Alumni Club of Omaha Omaha Senior Resource Group

Covenant Presbyterian Church

OWLS Gethsemane Lutheran & Good Shepherd Lutheran Churches

Dreamweaver Foundation

Rebecca Frans/College of St. Mary

DeDe Gould

Phoebe Headley

Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging staff members

Rebecca & Jeff Frans

Karen Paschal

St. John Vianney Catholic Church

Home Instead Senior Care Omaha Linda Ivory

Lorey Kirstine

Maddy Breeling Millard Lumber

Ryan & Maria Headley

St. Gerald’s Catholic Church

St. Patrick’s Catholic Church (Fremont) SeniorHelp Program volunteers Scheels

United Republic Bank