New Horizons February 2023

New Horizons

Coming of age in North Omaha

By Andy Bradley Contributing Writer

Growing up Black and poor

in North Omaha in the 1950s and ‘60s left an indelible mark on the men and women who convened January 12 at the Schenzel Community Center, 20th and Willis, to share their vivid memories of a bygone era.

Cartoonist sticks to the drawing board

By Nick Shinker Contributing Writer

Jeff Koterba recalls his mother, Helen, sitting with him at the kitchen table when he was a child. Though she had no formal training in art, she used How to Draw books to instruct him and his siblings in the basics of shapes and styles, drawing right along with them.

Later, when he started copying Snoopy from the newspaper comics, it was his father, Arthur, who gave him a firm instruction that seemed harsh at the time but would prove its value later in life. “Don’t copy Snoopy,” his father commanded. “Come up with your own dog; your own character.”

Koterba recalled his father as a creative person. A Union Pacific employee, jazz drummer and TV repairman, the elder Koterba never let Jeff forget “how important it was to be unique, original.”

The lessons were often difficult for a boy to understand. Jeff grew up with his father’s drum set in the tiny living room of their South Omaha home. When his father insisted he learn to play those drums and Jeff didn’t want to practice, he wrapped his hands around Jeff’s and forced him to use the drumsticks. Though resentful at the time, Jeff secretly loved music, and later taught himself to play guitar, mandolin, bouzouki and Irish penny whistle.

“In retrospect, I’m grateful he made me play those drums,” Koterba said. “Without that, I never

would have started a successful swing band,” the Prairie Cats.

The same could be said about his father’s insistence upon being unique in his drawing. A fan of the comics in the Sunday Omaha World-Herald, Koterba started drawing political cartoons for his school paper and taking cartooning classes from Ed Fisher, then the World-Herald editorial cartoonist. In college, he drew for The Gateway, the student newspaper at UNO. He freelanced cartoons and worked other jobs but didn’t give up on his desire to be an editorial cartoonist. In 1989, the World-Herald gave him a unique opportunity, one he knew was too good to waste.

He stayed there at the newspaper’s drawing board for 31 years.

If God were to put a very odd mix of talents and characteristics and experiences in a blender, out would pour Jeff Koterba.

Koterba’s father had Tourette’s Syndrome, a condition of the nervous system that causes sudden twitches or tics, movements or sounds that people cannot stop their body from doing. Jeff inherited Tourette’s from his father. “His was never actually diagnosed. He grew up during the Depression and joked that he couldn’t afford a syndrome,” Koterba said. “Like with him, when I sing, the tics go away.”

When Koterba was 17 years old, just after showering he was standing barefoot in his front yard when from above came a lightning bolt. “It wasn’t a direct bolt,” he recalled.

--Cartoonist continued on page 8.

In recognition of Martin Luther King Jr. Day and in anticipation of Black History Month, several dozen residents of the area recalled what it was like being a kid, a teenager and a young adult growing up on the near north side, a rambling cluster of adjoining neighborhoods roughly bordering 30th Street to the Missouri River, Cuming Street to Ames Avenue.

This was an era punctuated by racial divides, discrimination, violence and ultimately the demise of once safe and flourishing neighborhoods.

Their stories were peppered with touching anecdotes – often positive and hopeful – about family life, community togetherness and eking out a living in a Whitedominated society.

These were bittersweet tales – bitter because of the collective memories of the daily obstacles, challenges and prejudices they faced; sweet because of the intense – but evaporating – sense of family, community togetherness and solidarity.

A sense of place, the feel of a self-sufficient, close-knit community, is perhaps what stood out most with the participants.

“North Omaha was a commu-

nity,” recalled Sharon Green, who moved to Omaha with her family in 1954. They settled in what was once called “the projects,” a series of public housing units built and managed by the Omaha Housing Authority in North and South Omaha. “Back then the projects had a whole different meaning. You were taken care of. You didn’t have to worry about anybody coming in to bother us.”

“We had everything on the corner. You had the lawyer, the baker, the dentist.” Green said.

“You didn’t have to go outside this community for anything.” In addition, “all the neighbors looked out for each other.”

Phyllis Mitchell Butler agreed.

“This community was self-contained. Because they didn’t want us past 30th Street. They didn’t want us past 40th Street, and they sure as hell didn’t want us past 72nd Street.”

Butler, who was born and raised in Omaha, added, “White communities thought they were keeping us away, and thought they were hurting us. But let the world know they helped because they drew us closer together. We were a wealthy community. We didn’t have a lot of money, but we had each other.”

Close-knit, interconnected, intergenerational families were the moral fabric of North Omaha. Pauline Terry said large families were the norm.

“We had one of the smallest families in the neighborhood, and that was five children,” she said.

--Omaha continued on page 9.

ENOA appreciates donations

--See page 16.

COURTESY PHOTO

Call Marsha at 402-444-6536

ENOA is recruiting volunteers to become Ombudsman Advocates

The 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 Ombudsman advocates visit residents in local long-term care facilities and assisted living communities to protect the residents’ rights, wellbeing, and quality of life.

Long-term Care Ombudsmen advocates must complete 24 hours of initial classroom training and 18 hours of additional training every two years.

During the time of the training, the volunteers learn about residents’ rights, aging issues, Medicare, Medicaid, communication skills, how to investigate residents’ complaints, the importance of confidentiality, and 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 three-month 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 to meet with administrators, residents, and the residents’ family members to address concerns.

For more information about ENOA’s Long-term Care Ombudsman Program, please call Marsha Peters at 402444-6536.

NIA Study: Observable traits predict changes in cognitive, physical health

A new measurement system based on phenotypic (observable) data can identify individuals at risk for adverse health outcomes based on their computed “aging score.” After collecting these data from nearly 1,000 people aged 24 to 93, NIAfunded researchers found that individuals with higher biological aging scores exhibited faster physical and cognitive decline, developed multiple health conditions, and had shorter lifespans.

The approach may be a better predictor of health outcomes over time than the traditional focus on a person’s chronological age, which is based on birthdate. Findings from the study were published in Nature Aging.

NIA’s Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging (BLSA), the United States’ longestrunning scientific study of human aging, has shown that the manifestations of aging are highly variable across individuals. Because people age differently, chronological age alone does not provide a complete picture of the influences on and the effects of aging. Phenotypes, which are observable traits based on genes and the environment’s impact on those genes, may provide insight into biological aging. Phenotypes could reveal biological aging at the cellular and molecular level, and indicate how fast health changes will occur, such as the progression of chronic disease and decline in physical and cognitive function.

For this phenotypic study, researchers from NIA, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Yale School of Medicine, and the

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 These gifts

University of Maryland School of Medicine used data from 968 BLSA participants. The researchers organized the phenotypic data into four groups: Body composition such as waist size, energetics such as oxygen consumption, homeostatic mechanisms such as blood pressure, and neuroplasticity/ neurodegeneration such as brain volume and nerve firing.

For each phenotype, the researchers measured the difference between an individual’s changes over time and the sex- and age-specific average changes over time in the study population. Notably, by using these changes over time as a reference, the resulting phenotypic scores accounted for nonlinear rates of change. These nonlinear rates are important because certain measures of aging, such as fitness, do not change in a linear way over time. The study also included changes in mobility and cognitive testing, the number of medical conditions reported by participants, and participants’ lifespan.

The researchers averaged individual phenotypic scores within each phenotype group, then averaged the four group scores to find a participant’s longitudinal (over time) phenotypic-aging score.

Those with higher scores, representing a faster rate of phenotypic aging than the general population, had a more rapid decline in functional aging, a speedier increase in their number of medical conditions, and a shorter lifespan. This longitudinal approach showed stronger associations with changes in physical and cognitive functions than aging measurements that use data from a single point in time. Next research steps could include linking the phenotypic-aging score with cellular and molecular measurements to enhance understanding of the biology of aging.

(National Institute of Aging provided this information).

Millard Senior Center

You’re invited to visit the Millard Senior Center at Montclair, 2304 S. 135th Ave., this month for the following:

• February 2: Start of Spanish Class @ 10 a.m.

• February 8: Board Meeting @ 9:30 a.m.

• February 8: Making sundresses and shorts to be sent to Haiti and to the Orphan Grain Train which serves all over the world @ 10 a.m.

• February 13: THEOS (To Help Each Other Socially) @ 12:30 p.m.

• February 14: Valentine’s Day Party @ 10 a.m.

• February 15: NR Ne Realty to discuss how to protest taxes on your home, who qualifies etc. @ 10 a.m.

• February 22: P.A.W.S (Puzzles and Words with Seniors) @ 10 a.m.

• February 27: Irrisistible Blueberry Bake Shop & Cafe by Mary Simses @ 1 p.m.

Line dance Thursdays @ 9 a.m.

Chair volleyball Thursdays @ 10 a.m.

MahJongg Wednesdays @ 1 p.m.

Dominoes will be served weekly on Thursday’s @ 12:30 p.m.

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

First United Methodist Church

First United Methodist Church has several excellent adult curriculums available. They are free for any Christian group, which would like to study prayer, discipleship and beliefs.

Call First United Methodist Church at 402-556-6262 if you wish to receive for information about the list of the studies available.

Part of MLK Service Day

ENOA’s Senior Companions, Foster Grandparent Program 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): Mary Parker, ENOA Volunteer Services Director; Beth Paleogos, SCP Coordinator; Chelsea Oliver, SCP Advisory; Lexi Richardson, SCP Specialist; Kailey Edelman, FGP Specialist; Abby Wayman, FGP Coordinator; Sue Trisler, FGP Advisory; Betsy Kosch, Principal of Joslyn Elementary Andra Humphrey, Sr., SCP Advisory; Terri Sinclair, SCP Advisory; and Christine Merrell, Catholic Charities Senior Services Coordinator.

This year’s collaboration between the Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging’s Senior Companion Program (SCP), Foster Grandparent Program and members of the community led to the recent collection and donation of nearly 960 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 Companion and Foster Grandparent Programs 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 (FGP requires 10 or more hours per week), Senior Companions/Foster Grandparents receive a $3.15 an hour (will increase to $4/hour in April) tax-free stipend, mileage reimbursement, and supplemental accident insurance.

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

A 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’ Emergency and Supportive Food Services program has two active pantries, one at the St. Juan Diego Center, which is operated via drive-through and opened five days a week.

The newest addition is located at St. Teresa of Calcutta building (9223 Bedford Ave.), The Market, which is a choice pantry that provides a shopping experience for our community members, is open three days a week.

In addition to the Food Pantries, they have a home delivery service for homebound persons all around North and South Omaha and surrounding areas. They also cover 23 counties of the Archdiocese’s of Omaha with Mobile Pantries and other support.

This year there were a total of 960 pounds of food provided during the recent collection and donations, which added up to $1,897.

“This is so amazing, and the St. Juan Diego Center is so appreciative and thank-

ful, it’s donations like these that help keep our pantry running, bring dignity to our community members, and keep our families not only fed but well nourished,” Catholic Charities of Omaha Pantry Coordinator, Katherine Aparcana said.

“Since about September of last year our pantry has been struggling with donations and has been serving 58% more individuals with 38% less food, which results in providing less items in order to make what we have stretch. What this translates into is our families are not receiving a complete pantry when visiting our location, due to low inventory, which causes them to return to our pantry faster. When all of these factors are taken into account, it really shows the magnitude of how important each donation is.”

In 2022, Catholic Charities provided 2,086,281 pounds of food to 288,672 individuals

“We thank the Senior Companion Program and Foster Grandparent Program, the impact is truly so meaningful,” Aparcana said.

For more information on Catholic Charities of Omaha, please go online to ccomaha.org and any of their social media pages.

To learn more about the Senior Companion and Foster Grandparent Programs, please call 402-444-6536.

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: Ron Petersen, Editor, 4780 S. 131st Street, Omaha, NE 68137-1822. Phone 402-444-6654. FAX 402-444-3076.

E-mail: ron.petersen@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....................................................Ron Petersen Ad Mgr................Mitch Laudenback, 402-444-4148

Contributing Writers.........Nick Schinker & Leo Biga

ENOA Board of Governors: Mary Ann Borgeson, Douglas County, chairperson; Angi Burmeister, Sarpy County, vice-chairperson; Lisa Kramer, Washington County, secretary; Pat Tawney, Dodge County, & vacant, 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.

NEW HORIZONS PHOTO

La Vista Senior Center

You’re invited to visit the La Vista Senior Center, located at 8116 Park View Blvd. The facility provides activity programs and meals Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Please call 402-331-3455 for general Community Center hours.

Meals are served weekdays at 11:30 a.m. Reservations are due by noon the business day prior to the date the participant wishes to attend and can be made by calling 402331-3455.

A $4.25 contribution is suggested for the meal if you are age 60 and older. If you are under age 60, then the meal cost is $11.

In addition to meals being served daily, the La Vista Senior Center offers a variety of activities such as: bingo, outings, cooking classes, computer classes, movies with popcorn, crafts, a variety of card games, quilting, tai chi, exercise classes, musical entertainment and various parties. Please visit our website at cityoflavista.org/seniors for updated information or call 402-331-3455.

Ralston Senior Center

You’re invited to visit the Ralston Senior Center, 7301 Q St., Suite 100 this month for the following:

• February 1, 8 & 15: Bingo @ 12:15 p.m.

• February 8: Board meeting @ 10 a.m.

• February 9, 22 & 23: Bingo @ 1 p.m.

• February 22: The Merrymakers present music by Tim Javorsky @ noon

Lunch is catered in on Wednesdays @ 11:30 a.m. A $5 contribution is normally suggested for the meal. Reservations are due by noon on Tuesday. Play games and bingo after lunch. Contact Diane @ 402-885-8895 for reservations.

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

The Ralston Senior Center will host a double deck pinochle every Friday from 9:30 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Obtain an annual Ralston Senior Center membership for $10.

Contact Ron Wilson @ 402-734-3421 for further information.

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

The Ralston Senior Center will be closed on days the Ralston Public Schools are closed due to the weather.

For more information, please call Darla @ 402-651-5009 or 402-331-1529.

Chard uses darts as an outlet for his competitive nature, exercise

By Ron Petersen

Playing darts is a sociable activity that helps retain handeye coordination and encourages communication amongst players, which helps older people stay active.

Dart players need to have the ability to stand up straight, throw darts, and walk back-and-forth from the board to the line for hours at a time.

For a game that takes a little bit of skill and effort, playing darts is a great way to develop, challenge, and display your skills.

“It gives me a purpose — darts forces you to stand up and move, which is great during the winter, especially when you can’t go outside,” Omaha dart player, Alan Chard said. “More people over the age of 60 should try it out. I wish more senior centers would put dart boards in their centers.”

Alan Chard, 68, who got introduced to darts nearly 45 years ago, has been playing competitively since 2001.

“They used to play people in person, but now we can play online. It’s great,” Chard said.

Chard plays in leagues during the week and a few national tournaments each year. But he has the ability to play against people online in his basement thanks to the technology of GranBoard.

The GranBoard allows dart players to play darts online. The soft-tip dartboard with next generation multiplayer capability is compatible with Android and IOS.

The GranBoard keeps track of the users play and uses AI to match players up with one another from around the world.

“I can talk to people around the world, and I talk to guys from England all the time,” Chard said. “I had a friend come over and he thought it was all about hitting the bullseye. It’s more than just throwing a dart at a board.”

Other than playing on his dart board every day, Chard will play in leagues during the week at local bars including at Stoli’s Lounge, and then tournaments on the weekends.

“I play almost every day because I am pretty competitive,” Chard said. “It’s

like golf — every game is different, but you’ve got to earn it. You can be hot one game and cold the next.”

This last December, Chard competed in the Tournament of Champions National December Dart tournament at Sean O’Casey’s, in a 16-team triple elimination national tournament.

Chard won his first two matches, but then lost his third match of the tournament. He went on to win three more matches, but then lost in the losers bracket final.

Chard won three more matches to get to the championship, and then won six matches in the championship to be crowned the bracket 18 champion.

“I played really well — I made a change to tweak my motion prior to the tournament. I pulled my elbow in, did a straight follow through and boom I was hitting everything,” Chard said. “It was a battle, but it was really fun. I do not like to lose, and I was mad at myself because I know I should do better.”

Despite playing darts in his 60s, Chard said he can play darts up to five hours in a day, averaging about 400 darts thrown in a day.

“I’ve thrown 472 in one day and I still could have stood there and kept going,” he said. “People my

age can play — it doesn’t matter if you are short, tall, young or old. It’s all mental.”

Don Kuehn who is a 63-year-old dart player in Omaha, also encourages older adults to give the game of darts a try.

“It’s all about comradery — the Omaha dart community is huge,” Don Kuehn said. “People in the dart community here treat each other like family.”

Kuehn, who also plays in regular leagues and tournaments around town, said playing darts does get a little tiring at times but he forgets about the minimal stress he is putting on his body when he is having fun with his friends.

“If you are on your feet all day, you do get a little sore, but it’s fun because it is all about being with the people you know,” Kuehn said.

While darts can help people improve concentration, confidence, handeye coordination, and for some, it can be incredibly relaxing. All you need for the game is a dart board, some darts, and an opponent.

“My advice for people is that this activity will get you out of your chair and it keeps you moving,” Chard said. “Even if it is taking a few steps backand-forth to get darts out of the dart board, plus, it keeps your mind moving.”

COURTESY PHOTO

Omaha native, Alan Chard, won Bracket 18 in the 16-team triple elimination Tournament of Champions National December Dart tournament, at Sean O’Casey’s in Omaha.

Personality changes with age

Recently a friend of mine made the comment that as she grows older, she notices her ego is diminishing. Is this a good thing or bad thing? It depends.

In researching “ego,” I discovered that the word had two distinctly different meanings. In psychology, ego-strength is a good thing because it means the individual has a good sense of self. Personality and individuality are developed along with self-awareness. In other words, such people are comfortable in their own skin. This can be taken to an extreme, meaning people become self-centered, conceited, and hard to be around. People become egotistical with their world revolving around me, me, me.

Taken in another realm of thought, the “metaphysical world,” (meaning that beyond the physical world; the supernatural, transcendent, or spiritual) ego means something quite different. In this world, the ego means the “false self.”

“False self” should not be construed as bad or deceitful. The false self pretends to be more than it is. It is the self we show the world or our self-image shaped by external circumstances.

The false self is shaped by our job, our education, our clothes, our roles, our lifestyle, etc. These are necessary and not negative. They are simply not who we are in our heart of hearts.

When we live out of false self, we can easily idealize or judge ourselves, based on externals. Our “ego” can be bruised when external circumstances change, i.e, the loss of a job, diminished health, the break-up of a relationship. We compare ourselves to others and feel diminished, worrying about what others think of us. Our ego is vulnerable when we rely on externals to determine our worth.

Conscious Aging

By Nancy Hemesath

because it is the veneer of our lives. When my friend said her ego is diminishing, I think she meant the externals were meaning less and less to her as she grows older. She fusses less about how she looks, how much money she takes in or, most importantly, what others think of her. As we grow in awareness of our true self, the false self loses power. Even physical diminishments of aging cannot touch our soul.

Opposite the false self is the “true self.” The true self is our grounded self, who we are in our essence. Some would call this the “soul.” It is who we are within, that which is real despite any changes in external circumstances. This implies a divine spark, a quality that goes beyond all that is transitory.

The ego is transitory

Ironically, as we detach from the ego of the false self, the health of our psychological ego strengthens. We have a healthy sense of self at our core. There is no room for egotism. We are entirely comfortable in our skin because it houses our true self.

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

New Horizons Club gains new members

$25

Donna Mau

$15

Kathy Soula

$10

Joyce Kochen

$5

Kathleen Koons

Anne Coffey

Juliann Rech

Eclectic Book Review Club

The Eclectic Book Review Club, founded in 1949, is announcing its spring 2023 schedule of author appearances. Each event includes readings and discussion by the noted book’s author. The monthly meetings, which include lunch and the author book review, are held at noon at The Field Club of Omaha, 3615 Woolworth. The cost is $16 per person per month.

To reserve a seat, call Jo Ann at (402) 571-5223.

Reservation deadline is the Friday morning prior to the Tuesday meeting.

Authors for spring 2023 include:

• February 21- Eileen Wirth. The Women Who Built Omaha: A Bold and Remarkable History

• March 21- Jody Keisner. Under My Bed and Other Essays

• April 18- John Price. All is Leaf: Essays and Transformations

• May 16- Timothy Schaffert. The Perfume Thief

Corrigan Senior Center

You’re invited to visit the Corrigan Senior Center, 3819 X St. this month for a variety of activities. The Corrigan Senior Center is open weekdays from 8 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. Lunch is served at noon. A $4.25 donation is suggested for the meal. Call 402-731-7210 for more information.

Nebraska Caregiver Coalition announces first Presentation of educational webinar series

The Nebraska Caregiver Coalition is pleased to announce the first presentation for 2023 from the series of four virtual workshops, designed to provide training, education, support and resources for family caregivers.

The upcoming educational workshop is titled, “Becoming the Best Caregiver You Can Be: A Holistic Approach” presented by Dr. Christopher Murray, DC. The presentation will be held via Zoom on Monday, February 6 at 12:00 p.m.

The chronic stress of care giving can lead to mental health issues, as well as chronic issues with physical health and the likelihood of life-threatening diseases in caregivers themselves. This session will introduce Family Caregivers to natural

ways to promote prevention, healing and self-regulation to get you on a path to better health.

The Nebraska Caregiver Coalition focuses on the needs and interests of caregivers of all backgrounds. Its goal is to develop and implement a statewide caregiver awareness program for State Senators, plan and implement statewide grassroots engagement, and identify resources and partnerships to develop and coordinate Nebraska Caregiver Coalition activities.

To register for the February 6th event, please visit: https://go.unl.edu/caregivers. Additional 2023 presentations will be announced at the same link provided. There is no cost to attend any of these sessions, however registration is required.

Immanuel Pathways PACE program provides services for older adults

Live happy, healthy and independently at home. Imagine all your health care needs are taken care of, including transportation to and from appointments and access to enriching social opportunities. Take the stress out of managing communication with multiple providers or agencies. That’s life at Immanuel Pathways. This revolutionary approach to healthy aging enables nursing home eligible individuals to continue living independently with access to all the support they need for whole-person health and wellness.

Immanuel Pathways serves seniors through PACE® (Program of All-inclusive Care for the Elderly), an innovative, national model that offers a complete health plan for individuals with chronic health care needs who wish to remain in their homes. Qualifying individuals receive the care they need beginning with our interdisciplinary centers staffed with a team of health care professionals.

The PACE movement is one that began in the

1970s, when medical professionals were looking for home-based programs to help their patients. The first center was opened in San Francisco and today, there are more than 270 PACE centers in the U.S. The national PACE program was developed at that time to focus on community seniors.

Immanuel Pathways

PACE centers are hubs for seniors to receive medical appointments, life enrichment, social opportunities, wellness activities and more. With transportation to and from the center, as well as meals and snacks provided, this program is invaluable to community seniors and their families. Services at Immanuel Pathways include, but are not limited to:

• Primary care

• Prescription drugs

• Physical and occupational therapy

• Dentistry

• Social services

• Nutritional counseling

• Recreation and life enrichment

• Transportation

Families and participants alike love Immanuel Path-

ways. Participants have reported better self-rated health status, less pain with daily activities, less likelihood of depression and better management of health. Plus, for those eligible for Medicare and Medicare, Immanuel Pathways costs are provided at no charge. As part of a nationwide program, there are eligibility requirements for PACE services at Immanuel Pathways. Participants must:

• Be 55 years or older

• Live in an Immanuel Pathways service area

• Assessed to meet nursing facility level of care

• Able to live safely at home with the support of Immanuel Pathways

Immanuel Pathways serves nearly 600 community seniors in Nebraska and Iowa. For more information regarding the program and eligibility visit Immanuel.com.

PACE® participants may be fully and personally liable for the costs of unauthorized or out-of-PACE® program agreement services. Emergency services are covered. Participants can disenroll at anytime.

Fake Facebook support scams

Facebook pages are typically used by organizations and public figures to connect with their community.

Anyone can make a Facebook page, even cybercriminals. Using social media, cybercriminals spoof brands and organizations to trick people into trusting them.

The scam starts with a fake email that looks like it’s from Facebook. The email states that your account has been deactivated and will be deleted in 48 hours un-

less you click a link. If you click the link, you’re taken to a real Facebook post from a page named “Page Support” that uses the Facebook logo.

The post directs you to click another suspicious link that takes you to a fake login page.

If you enter your login credentials, you’ll give cybercriminals access to your Facebook profile and the ability to scam your friends and family.

Bellevue Senior Community Center celebrates Christmas

NEW HORIZONS PHOTOS

Christine Coulson (top) performed at Bellevue Senior Community Center’s annual Christmas Party, located on 109 W. 22nd St. Bellevue. Guests received various treats and listened to live Christmas music.

What you should know about CBD

By Laine Alber

CBD, cannabidiol, is a naturally occurring chemical compound found in hemp plants.

Industrial hemp is a form of cannabis that has less than 0.3% THC, the psychoactive component of marijuana that makes users feel high.

There are many misconceptions about CBD and its uses, but it has been proven through numerous studies that CBD is not mind altering like marijuana and it does not give users a “high” feeling.

CBD’s prime function is to support the endocannabinoid system (ECS). Everyone has an endocannabinoid system, and this part of our bodies is responsible for controlling some of our most critical functions such as sleep, pain control, inflammatory and immune responses, mobility, muscle

We want to hear from you.

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

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

• Do you have a story idea for the New Horizons newspaper, or would you like to receive a FREE copy each month?

Please send your questions, comments, and story ideas to:

enoa.info@enoa.org

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health, and anxiety.

The FDA has not approved CBD for any specific disease state or condition, but due to the endocannabinoid system’s pivotal role in everyone’s body, CBD can have numerous beneficial uses.

An individual may use CBD for inflammation, insomnia, anxiety, or pain.

CBD has been legal federally and at the state level in Nebraska since 2018, and there are other pharmacies in Nebraska already selling CBD products.

Nearly all products currently on the market use CBD oil that has to be administered topically or under the tongue with a dropper. This is because CBD is very lipophilic and has very poor absorption. Ultimately, this results in messy administration, a poor taste, and high doses needed in order to achieve a

therapeutic effect. However, this is not the case for AquaSolRx CBD products. AquaSol products utilize a patented Liquid Structure technology to achieve increased bioavailability and consistent dosing. This is the same exact technology being used in clinical trials with the FDA on CBD.

With this patented Liquid Structure, AquaSol CBD products have convenient and consistent dosing, offer ten times greater absorption into your bloodstream, and have a lower cost per effective dose, meaning you are paying less for better results. CBD does interact with other medications, which is why CBD products should be bought from pharmacies with trusted healthcare providers instead of local CBD stores.

(David Kohll of Kohll’s RX)

Why your heart is the ‘brain’ of love

In 1991, scientists discovered that the heart, in all its persistence, also has a “cardiac brain.”

Although pain, it seemed, could always be associated with the brain, researchers found that a “broken heart” or anguish, and even the joy we feel from great moments of love in our life are actually centered in our “intrinsic cardiac nervous system.”

The heart speaks to our brain not only biologically, biophysically and biochemically, but also energetically and neurologically. Comprised of over “40,000” neurons, our heart is capable of feeling and helping our flight or fight response. Scientists discovered that the “heart brain” carries more messages to the brain than receives them and that means that everything your mom told

you was correct. Your heart feels every bit of you and responds as such. Fear, shame, joy, love, excitement – all felt through this “heart brain” that sends signals up to the brain via the Vagus nerve which then redirects to the different areas of the brain for responses.

The heart is not just a blood pump, but rather, a central beginning to the neural network that helps the brain interpret “feelings.” It is the subjective part of ourselves and that’s why we have “broken hearts,” hearts “filled with love,” “we take heart,” “have a change of heart,” we are hard hearted’, soft hearted” and have a “big heart.”

Intercultural Senior Center

You’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 from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Participants must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 to attend the ISC. Men and women are asked to wear a mask and bring their vaccination card with them when visiting the center.

The ISC offers a light breakfast, lunch, fitness classes, programs, and activities. Technology classes are held Tuesdays and Wednesdays @ 10:20 a.m. and Wednesdays and Fridays @ 12:30 p.m.

Lunch reservations are due by 9 a.m. A voluntary contribution is suggested for the meal. Please call 402-4446529 for reservations.

Monthly food pantries are available for men and women ages 50 and older.

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

The ISC will be closed on February 20 in Observance of President’s Day.

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

Nebraska Wind Symphony

Join the Nebraska Wind Symphony on February 19th, 2023 for its annual Middle School All-Stars Concert.

Nebraska Wind Symphony will provide a rich and exciting musical experience for middle school horn students this year, complete with guest artists and plenty of great horn music.

The concert will include Ralph Vaughan Williams’ classic Flourish for Wind Band and selections from Carl Orff’s tour-de-force Carmina Burana.

The wind symphony will feature guest artist Ross Snyder on Will Pitts’ Dynamo for Horn and Wind Ensemble. Guest artists Horns of the Heartland will feature on Mozart’s Concerto No. 3 for Horn and Joseph Wilcox Jenkins’ American Overture.

The Middle School All-Stars will join the wind symphony on Malcolm Arnold’s The Padstow Lifeboat, Kevin Day’s Ember Skies (guest conductor Lindsey Bogatz) and Ed Huckeby’s Horn-A-Plenty (guest conductor Deb Lund).

“It sounded like an explosion, or a gunshot right inside my head, with this blinding white ball of light. I was struck down, and I believed I was dying. But I felt very calm. Afterward, I really didn’t feel right physically for weeks.”

Though never forgotten, he is unsure if that event had any lasting effects, physically. “Through the years, I’ve had little bouts of atrial fibrillation (an irregular and often very rapid heart rhythm or arrhythmia) that could be from the lightning, or not,” he said.

Five years ago, he came close to dying again, when a drunk driver rear-ended his car. “This guy plowed into me and spun my car 360 degrees across the street,” Koterba said. “It hurt my right shoulder, my drawing arm and my hand, which is also my strumming hand. I still have about 10 percent paralysis. It took a lot of physical therapy to keep drawing, but playing music took a back seat.”

Dedicated to his work, few of his World-Herald followers even knew it happened.

After joining the editorial page staff at the World-Herald, Koterba wasn’t content to just draw political cartoons. A skilled storyteller, he wrote editorials and columns. He spoke at schools and countless events and gatherings, and was a twotime TEDx speaker, sharing insights into his life, his craft and the newspaper business. He took part in a video series for the newspaper’s website and was twice nominated for a Heartland Emmy award.

Honored by the National Cartoonists Society, National Headliner Awards and Great Plains Journalism Awards, his cartoons have appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post and USA Today.

After an invitation from Nebraska astronaut Clayton Anderson, his cartoons flew aboard the space shuttle Discovery. His work has been included in multiple exhibits in the U.S. and Europe, alongside Picasso and Banksy.

He also wrote a popular memoir, Inklings, that Entertainment Weekly called “a powerful and moving portrait of an artist.”

“I was always doing things that I felt brought value to the newspaper,” he said.

Which is why it came as a shock in September 2020 that Koterba was among many longtime employees suddenly laid off by the World-Herald’s new owners.

When Warren Buffett sold his stake in the WorldHerald to Lee Enterprises in early 2020 it didn’t take long for layoffs, buyouts and pay cuts to become the headline of the day. Unknown to him, Koterba’s name was on one of those lists.

After all he had done to bring recognition to the World-Herald and his craft, with more than 12,000 political cartoons to his credit, Koterba left the newspaper not with a handshake but a cold slap to the face. He was denied the opportunity to draw one final cartoon; even to say goodbye to his coworkers. Instead, he was escorted to the door by security.

“I can’t say I was angry, but I was hurt,” he recalled. “I asked to do a final cartoon and the answer was like, ‘No. You don’t exist anymore.’ That was the hardest thing.”

Though that was more than two years ago, Koterba says he still runs into people who recognize him or his name and ask him what happened; why he left the paper and what he is doing now.

Today, Koterba is still at the drawing board.

After his son, Josh, told him about Patreon, an online platform where people support independent artists’ work, he joined its roster of talents. While continuing to draw political cartoons on national issues for the distribution service Cagle Comics, he has a growing list of more than 230 people whose Patreon memberships range from $6 to $100 per month.

He was invited to serve as an artist-in-residence at Pottawattamie Arts, Culture and Entertainment (PACE) in Council Bluffs, an invitation

he is very happy to have accepted.

He also fills in for Otis Twelve on the morning show at KVNO radio, a gig he says he absolutely loves. “I’m no expert in classical music; just a regular guy,” he says. “But I love the show. The station, the people, everyone at KVNO is so kind and thoughtful. They really care about the listener, and how the music brings joy.”

He said the radio show has renewed a connection with the people of Omaha and the area. “I don’t draw local cartoons anymore. There’s no market for it,” he says. “But through KVNO, I’ve come to enjoy Omaha in a way I haven’t been able to for a while; to connect with Omahans in a way I never have before.”

He still loves to draw, now also using an iPad so he can work anywhere, and he has returned to oil painting, “but those take weeks; months.”

He hopes to continue growing his subscriber base on Patreon (visit patreon. com/jeffreykoterba for more information) and to launch a podcast geared toward creativity. “I believe everyone is creative in some way,” he says. “All things take creative thought, and I want to celebrate that.”

He also continues to perfect his French, a language he took up four years ago. From that interest, he created a French conversation group. “When I started, it was just me. Now, there are more than 300 people.”

In a life full of so many twists and turns, one thing is certain. Jeff Koterba will continue to create cartoons as unique as the person who draws them. Even when his mind is as blank as the page he is staring at.

“I have a job to do. I know I will come up with something,” he said. “I can’t just sit there and wait for lightning to strike.” Again.

(Paula Crozier, Director of Marketing, Florence Home Healthcare Center)

--Cartoonist continued from page 1.

COURTESY PHOTO

Omaha native and former Omaha World-Herald cartoonist, Jeff Koterba, has cartoons that now appear in over 850 publications around the world.

Green added, “we had a very high respect for our elders. We made sure we took care of them, and everybody took care of their own.”

Likewise, everyone looked after one another’s children. Neighbors became instant surrogate aunts and uncles when a parent passed away.

“We made sure all those kids were taken care of,” Green said.

Many families had two working parents, often laboring in multiple lower paying jobs. But kids generally didn’t see themselves as poor, said Terry. “We thought our parents were wealthy, making big money,” although many jobs were menial labor in the stockyards, packing plants or railroads.

“These were the moneymaking jobs,” she said.

Butler added, “Nobody had more than anybody else, and if you did, you didn’t brag about it.”

Despite the positives of North Omaha community closeness and the proximity of stores, recreation, and services, many residents longed to move westward, but were prohibited by redlining, according to Terry. Redlining was a now-illegal federal government-sanctioned practice of restricting home loan lending in predominantly Black neighborhoods. The Home Lenders Loan Corporation justified the practice by tagging such areas as “hazardous and unfit for investment.”

Even loans for home or property improvements were hard to come by. Green recalled, “When we first lived on 24th Street, we were not allowed to do any construction.” For example, her family wanted to build a new garage, but couldn’t secure the financing to do so. Redlining was eventually banned by the Fair Housing Act of 1968.

Securing a seat in many restaurants was not possible, either. Terry recalls trying to nab a stool at the counter at a local “five and dime” store. Accompanied by her brother and several friends, they ordered hamburgers, fries and drinks, which were typically prepared to go.

“No, we want to sit at the counter and eat,” Terry said. But the counter attendant barked, ‘Oh no,’ We asked why not. And he replied ‘It’s the law. It’s a rule,’ and he called for the

In a forum recognizing Black History Month sponsored by the Schenzel Community Center, senior members discussed their experiences growing up in North Omaha. Among those participating were (from left): Center Director Pastor Ed King, Sharon Green, Bessie Howard (program coordinator), Pauline Terry, Phyllis Mitchell Butler, Robert Anderson and Rugenia Morrow.

manager for reinforcements. The manager then insisted, in no uncertain terms, ‘You kids are going to have to take this and go.’ And we said, ‘No.’ That was our first taste of militancy. We didn’t leave. We just sat there and ate.”

In addition to experiencing discrimination in housing and dining, participants in the forum also described discriminatory practices in education, recreation, transportation and employment. Black families, for example, were not welcomed at Omaha’s Peony Park, but instead crossed the Missouri to enjoy Playland Park in Council Bluffs.

Highly symbolic of efforts to further isolate Black Omahans, the North Freeway, a project first envisioned in 1954, effectively erected a physical barrier bisecting and marginalizing Omaha’s African American Community. In addition, wide swaths of homes and businesses were bulldozed, displacing countless families. Community activists blocked the planned extension of the freeway beyond Fort Street, but the thoroughfare nevertheless opened in 1989.

“The North Freeway was purposely designed to cut straight across the Black community,” said Green. It was a matter of “divide and conquer.”

Also contributing to the splintering and fracturing of the North Omaha community were a series of riots in the mid to late 1960s. Terry recalls them vividly.

“I was there. I was right in the midst of it all. I was probably one of the militant children because the young man I was courting wanted to be a Black Panther. We

ing Tech, North and Central High Schools. For example, former Tech principal, Carl Palmquist, who served from 1950 to 1971, was lauded by those who attended Tech, especially for his focus on strong vocational education and training in the trades. Nevertheless, disparities between schools became obvious. Terry recalled taking a field trip to a West Omaha high school and was struck by disparities in textbooks.

“What we learned is the schools out west had the current books, and Tech High had the books that were four or five years older,” she said.

as well as, in 1948, the first African American female to graduate from the Creighton University Law School.

“What I found as a young person was an inspiration,” said Terry. “And my inspiration was Judge Elizabeth Pittman. When you’re around people such as Judge Pittman, you have a different philosophy about everything.”

Today, positive role models are in short supply, participants agreed. Robert Anderson suggested fractured families are to blame for many of today’s issues in North Omaha.

didn’t know how dangerous it was. I have a picture of him sitting on a stool with two guns, holding each gun up. I though I was Angela Davis, Jr., sitting there trying to scare somebody. But we didn’t scare anybody. We only scared ourselves. We hurt ourselves more than we hurt anybody else,” she said. “But it was still worth some of the effort.”

While historical evidence suggests a disturbing pattern of substandard, segregated and resource-poor schools in North Omaha, forum participants generally recall with fondness their experiences in high school, includ-

When Supreme Courtordered bussing started in 1976, a practice that continued until 1996, Black families feared for the safety of their children. Terry described, “there were some people of a different ethnicity that would talk about shooting our people if they got off the busses in their neighborhood.”

Pastor Ed King, director of the Schenzel Community Center, asked the group to share thoughts about the challenges faced by young people today in North Omaha. Many suggested a dearth of positive adult modeling. Terry recalled how impactful it was for her to grow up next door to Judge Elizabeth Pittman, the first Black judge and the first woman judge in Nebraska,

“There is no family structure at home and the gangs have become their family,” he decried. Unfortunately, “gangs provide that organization and structure. Now we don’t see a lot of successful black men and women.”

Anderson summarized what seemed to be the sentiment of the group. North Omaha was once a thriving, vibrant and caring community – “a self-contained community that showed love for one another. We don’t have that now.”

Yet optimism reigns among the seniors at the Schenzel Center because their purpose remains not just to share a meal and play games twice a week, but to engage, mold and mentor the young people next door at the Hope Center for Kids.

ANDY BRADLEY PHOTO

Volunteer Connect offers a variety of opportunities

Do 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:

• Fremont Area Habitat for Humanity construction projects and the Homestore.

• Volunteers to help with Heat the Streets event on Saturday, March 4.

• Partnership 4 Kids is looking for volunteers to serve as Goal Buddies (5th grade) and Group Mentors (6-12th grade). If you are interested.

• Siena Francis House, volunteers to assist with serving breakfast and lunch.

• Volunteers Assisting Seniors VAS Volunteers are needed to provide nonbiased Medicare Counselling and Homestead Exemption Application Assistance through

Volunteers Assisting Seniors. Free training is provided.

• Washington County Recycling Association WCRA 440 S.3rd St., Blair, NE, 8-noon Saturday mornings, currently 1-4 pm Tuesday afternoons, is always in need of volunteers. People don’t have to sign up.

Flaherty Senior Consulting

Caring for a loved one is difficult, and the challenges are amplified during a pandemic. Join Flaherty Senior Consulting for a series of Solutions Group gatherings that will address the questions and challenges caregivers face.

Solutions Groups provide opportunities for caregivers to learn how to deal with various issues, obtain skills and knowledge, engage in discussions, and interact with others in similar circumstances.

Upcoming meeting dates and locations are:

• March 14, May 9, July 11, Sept. 12, Nov. 14

• Write greeting cards of encouragement to residents in skilled care and assisted living facilities.

• Men and women are needed to write greeting cards of encouragement for residents living in skilled care and assisted living facilities.

• Volunteer Connect wants men and women to participate in a focus group.

• Volunteers are needed to knit/sew baby caps/clothing and prayer shawls.

St. Vincent de Paul Church 14330 Eagle Run Dr.

• Feb. 15, April 19, June 21,

Aug. 16, Oct. 18, Dec. 13

St. Timothy Lutheran Church 93rd and Dodge streets

• Feb. 2, April 6, June 1, Aug. 3, Oct. 5, Dec. 7

The Servite Center of Compassion 72nd St. and Ames Cr.

• March 25, May 20, July 22, Sept. 23, Nov. 18

Faith Westwood United Methodist Church 4814 Oaks Ln.

The Solutions Groups are facilitated by Nancy Flaherty, MS, CDP, president of Flaherty Senior Consulting. She has extensive experience working with family caregivers and caregiver groups.

Registration is required to attend each gathering. Masks are mandatory and social distancing will be observed. Visit flahertyconsulting.net or call 402-312-9324 for more information.

Flaherty also provides private consultations with family caregivers to help them develop individual plans for their loved ones.

For information on private consultations, Solutions Group meeting times, and/or to register to attend a Solutions Group, email Nancy at flahertyconsulting@cox.net or call/text her at 402-312-9324.

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 $4.25 contribution is suggested for the meal.

This month’s activities will include:

• February 1: Horse Derby @ 10:30 a.m.

• February 2: Presentation from Nye, “Don’t Slip” @ 10 a.m.

• February 7: Craft Class (Valentine’s Day Cards) @ 1:30 p.m.

• February 8: Music with Julie Couch @ 10:30 a.m.

• February 14: Valentine’s Day Party with Bingo and Trivia

• February 14: Craft Class (Photo/Inspiration Boxes) @ 1:30 p.m.

• February 15: Music with Ben Tomesillo @ 10:30 a.m.

• February 22: Music with THE LINKS! Mary and Diana @ 10 a.m.

• February 24: Merry Maker’s Presents Rockin’ Woody! @ 10:30 a.m.

• February 28: Board Meeting @ 1:30 p.m.

Walking Club returns: During the month of February and March, you may walk from 9-9:30 a.m., every Thursday.

Craft Class is every Tuesday from 1:30-2:30 p.m.

Tai Chi offered every Tuesday and Friday from 9:15-10 a.m.

For meal reservations and more information, please call Laurie at 402-727-2815.

COURTESY PHOTO

Metro Community College created a space for everyone: Digital Express. Located right in the heart of North Omaha, Metro Community College provides Wi-Fi, technology, meeting rooms and a digital library to people in the community that want to learn and connect.

A space for the community to access, connect and engage: Digital Express

Metro Community College welcomes a space created for everyone: Digital Express.

The Digital Express provides multi-generational technology services and programming, one-on-one assistance with technology, low-cost-device repair, and spaces to gather and relax. It is a space created for everyone in the heart of North Omaha.

As a Digital Express patron, Metro Community College allows access to services and resources.

The services and resources include:

• Technology Checkout and Support: Use our desktop computers, laptops, iPads, children’s STEM kits, gaming consoles, Nintendo Switch, and other tech devices or bring in your own device. One-onone assistance provided.

• Low-Cost Device Repair: Bring in your broken devices (mobile phone, laptop, or tablet) to Reboot Central Powered by iFixOmaha to be repaired by a certified technician; you pay only for the parts. Drop off your device and return at a convenient time to pick up and pay.

• Digital Library Services: Check out books and videos and access digital resources including audiobooks, electronic books, magazines, newspapers, streaming videos and research databases.

• Meeting Rooms: Reserve a Huddle or Family room at no charge for a two-hour maximum on a first-come-first-serve basis. Use a Huddle room with technology built into the room including screens to mirror your laptop image. Bring your children and reserve a Family room for both work and play; includes desktop computer and a TV.

• Print, fax and scan your documents at a reduced cost.

• Workshops: Currently offering Medicare and Homestead Exemption workshops provided by VAS (Volunteers Assisting Seniors); call the Digital Express at 531-622-2000 for additional information and to reserve your spot. Coming mid-2023: Participate in workshops learning

the basics of computers including Chromebooks, using Email, searching and using the Internet, accessing digital library resources, and much more.

The Digital Express is located on the north end of Metropolitan Community College’s Fort Omaha Campus in Building 10 at 5300 North 30th Street (30th and Fort Streets) on bus route 30 to North 30th Street. Parking lots are conveniently close to the Digital Express building and handicap parking is immediately in front of the building.

To sign up for your Digital Express account (no charge), call Metro Community College at 531-622-2000, email Metro Community College at digitalexpress2@mccneb. edu or come in to the Digital Express with your photo ID. Metro Community College collects only basic information to provide you access.

The Digital Express is opened on Monday through Thursday from 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and Saturday 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

More participants are needed for UNMC’s study on scam vulnerability

Nearly one-third of Americans have fallen victim to a scam. During the past decade, there has been a significant increase in solicitations targeting older adults.

Elder fraud and abuse are impacting older adults’ life quality and longevity. Frauds and scams may come in the form of solicitations via phone calls, emails, letters, computer pop ups, etc.

These solicitations may ask for donations, assistance, or advertise unnecessary or non-existent services or products.

The goal is to take advantage of vulnerable individuals.

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

The Division of Neuropsychology in the 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 scam and fraud.

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 any follow up visits.

Participants will undergo a brain imaging study (MRI), cognitive testing, and genetic testing with compensation for their time.

To learn more, contact Erica Aflagah, PhD at 402-559-3158 or wnl@unmc.edu.

Respite Across the Lifespan

Life can bring on stress for many of us. Finding ways to relieve stress are important to our overall health and well-being. Caregivers are not immune to this stress.

Please contact Respite Across the Lifespan at edbennett@unmc.edu or 402-559-5732 to find out more about respite services and to locate resources in your area.

Superpole™ led to super results

By BevVan Phillips

It was starting to look like trouble. Getting in and out of bed might be the final straw that would drive Stan Martin from his home. Installing a relatively inexpensive floor to ceiling grab bar made what had been a frustrating experience for him and a back breaking job for his wife safe and do-able. The solution along with a few other inexpensive pieces of equipment has worked well for almost a year so far, and he and his wife continue to live in their comfortable and beautifully furnished townhome.

Stan and Karen Martin are Illinois natives that moved to Omaha 49 years ago for Stan’s career at Union Pacific. They raised their family in the area and never left. They down sized in 2017 and moved into their current house, planning to stay there to age in place. At that time, Stan used a walker for long distances, but didn’t need a walker to get around in the home. His weakness and mobility problems due to a medical condition increased faster than either of them expected.

Terry

By late 2021 mobility became a significant issue within the home. He experienced frightening falls with injuries and even sitting on the side of the bed became precarious. His wife Karen pitched in to help but it grew harder to help him move to a sitting position, help him stay upright and get his shoes on.

“I told him that I couldn’t keep helping or it would hurt my back,” she said.

They realized that to be able to accomplish their goal of staying in the home

they would need to do something. They didn’t want to make a lot of structural changes to the house and were looking for solutions that would be flexible and easy to modify if Stan’s mobility continued to change.

The floor to ceiling pole, Superpole with Superbar™, was one of the pieces they chose.

Once the pole was in place and he was shown how to use it, he used the pole to sit up and slip his feet out of bed with just a little help from Karen. It was so easy to stand up and reach his walker that he sat back down on the bed and stood extra times during the training session just because he could.

The floor to ceiling pole the Martins selected with the help of their home modification advisor is a Superpole with Superbar™ by Healthcraft Products, Inc. It was installed by a local home modification company. There are a few other manufacturers that also offer floor to ceiling poles.

The Martins selected The Superpole with Superbar™ because it didn’t require Stan to pull a button to move the horizontal bar which would have been hard to do with his Arthritis. The bar locks in place every 45 degrees so he uses it in one position to pull up to sitting and to lie down, and in another position to sit on the side of the bed and to move to a walker or wheelchair.

The Superpole™ system also had accessories to accommodate a tall, angled ceiling. Information about Superpole with Superbar™ can be located on the website https://healthcraftproducts.com.

In addition to the pole itself, a non slip mat on the hardwood floor was purchased to keep his feet from slipping on the floor.

Floor to ceiling poles like the one the Martins selected are as sturdy as grab bars when installed properly, but can be removed if a person’s

needs change or they decide to move.

Floor to ceiling poles can be installed by handymen or knowledgeable homeowners. They are not tension bars like a tension shower rod. The poles are lengthened during installation so that they are wedged tightly between the floor and ceiling. Most floor to ceiling poles do not attach to the floor. When the floor is carpeted, the base of the pole will sink into the carpet like heavy furniture.

When an installation is made on carpet it is a good idea to check and see if the pole needs to be slightly lengthened as it compresses the carpet. Some manufacturers recommend and provide holes to use screws to secure the pole to ceiling joists or to blocking.

With the Superpole™it is important to locate the ceiling joists and follow manufacturer’s installation instructions to avoid damage to the ceiling. When properly installed they don’t mar the ceiling including texture on the ceiling.

Stan has been using his Superpole with Superbar™ successfully for eleven months now. At night when he is tired, he still needs a little help moving his feet up into the bed.

Before the installation of the Superpole with bar he needed a great deal of help moving his feet in and out of bed both morning and night. He needed physical help sitting up and then balancing while sitting on the side of the bed. Even though he is now temporarily using a wheelchair, it is still fairly easy for him to sit on the side of the bed and to stand up by himself using the Superpole™.

His wife stated, “He sometimes doesn’t even wait for me. I will just hear him moving the bar on the pole and he is up before I can walk back into the room.”

They reflected that even with professional installation, the total cost of the floor to ceiling grab bar was less than the cost of two days stay in a skilled nursing facility they know of. That is a small price to pay for such a large accomplishment.

BevVan Phillips is an Occupational Therapist with over 35 years experience helping people with home modifications and assistive technology.

Phillips

PHILLIPS PHOTO Stan Martin uses the Superpole with Superbar™ to get out of bed independently.

Less house, more comfort

Retirement is certainly not meant to be stressful, but owning a house that is larger than we need can too often lead to a challenging situation of having unused space, too much “stuff,” and the costs of dealing with deferred maintenance and repairs.

THE COSTS OF REPAIRS AND MAINTENANCE

One of the biggest benefits of moving to a smaller home, apartment, or apartment community is that it should come with fewer responsibilities in terms of upkeep.

Perhaps you no longer want to deal with a yard or garden. In this case, you might find an apartment or apartment community appealing.

Housing where there is less outdoor space, or where the outdoor space is maintained by a property management team, is ideal for people looking to move away from home owner responsibilities.

A larger than needed house also comes with more maintenance. Regular repairs and maintenance can become extremely time consuming and costly. If not taken care of, these seemingly small maintenance chores can create a whole host of new problems and expenses.

Living in a smaller home,

apartment, or apartment community where a maintenance team or service takes care of these items can relieve some or all of the burdens these issues can cause.

LIVE A MORE ENJOYABLE LIFE

There are many reasons to downsize, but another of the most common I see is that homeowners want to relax, relieve the stress of a larger house, and enjoy their retirement without the hassle of keeping up a big house.

Without the stress and hassles of repairs and maintenance of a larger house, you can have more free time to enjoy family, friends, travel, and other items that bring more joy to your life.

IS YOUR HOUSE CAUSING YOU STRESS AND FINANCIAL HARDSHIPS?

I have seen numerous times how wanting to stay in a house too long can cause not only financial problems but health related problems also.

As I’ve mentioned before in this column, it’s understandable to want to stay in a person’s house as long as possible.

But there may come a time when it’s not good for the home owners physical or financial health.

I have witnessed owners that have spent all the money they had, and even borrowed money against their house to do updates and repairs they thought they needed to do to sell their house, only to realize they would not recoup those

amounts from the sale. Or, that the repairs and updates they did have funds for was not enough to get the house into a “retail” sale ready condition.

There is no “one size fits all” solution when it comes to updating a house, especially when getting a house into a “retail” selling condition.

Just be aware of the issues and true costs involved when making these kinds of improvements.

AVAILABLE RESOURCES

Just know that whether you want to stay in your house or look into downsizing options, there are resources available.

Services that can take care of mowing lawns, snow removal, interior and exterior maintenance.

Services that can make living in your house more comfortable and accessible, including walk in bathtubs, stairlifts, and shelf reorganizing.

And, services that can assist with packing & moving, finding the right senior living community, and the best real estate solutions for your specific needs.

Ben Souchek is an author of the book Home Downsizing Secrets, and the owner and founder of Home Downsizing Solutions, a company that specializes in helping home owners transition from their current house to a new home, apartment, or other senior living community for more than 25 years.

Volunteers needed for research

The Department of Gerontology at the University of Nebraska at Omaha is looking for individuals who are 50 years and older that are currently serving as an unpaid, family caregiver to an individual with Mild Cognitive Impairment, Alzheimer’s Disease or Frontotemporal Dementia.

The study will involve one virtual visit for one hour and will be conducted over the internet. Compensation for study participation is available.

The experiment involves completing online questionnaires/interview and computer tasks.

To be eligible for the study, you must be 50 years of age or older and currently serving as an unpaid family caregiver to an individual who is 40 years of age or older with Mild Cognitive Impairment, Frontotemporal Dementia, or Alzheimer’s disease, for five hours a week or more, for at least six months.

In addition, to be eligible you should

have comprehension of written and spoken English and have completed a minimum of two years of high school or higher.

You are not eligible for the study if you have a diagnosis of a neurological or psychiatric disease (e.g., stroke), history of drug abuse, vision, hearing, cognitive, or motor difficulties, or if you are currently pregnant.

To learn more about the study, contact Naomi Adjei at the Aging Brain and Emotion Lab at 402-554-5961 in the Department of Gerontology at the University of Nebraska at Omaha or by email at ABELabUNO@ gmail.com.

Souchek

Medicare to expand mental health counseling access

Buried deep in the recesses of the 4,100-page omnibus package to fund the federal government recently passed by Congress and signed by President Biden, is an Act which will expand access to mental health professionals for Medicare beneficiaries.

The Mental Health Access Improvement Act (S. 828 / H. R. 432) will allow Mental Health Counselors (MHCs) and Marriage and Family Therapists (MFTs) to become covered Medicare providers. This part of the omnibus package will

become effective January 1, 2024. The Act received bipartisan support.

The implementation delay will allow federal government to make arrangements for MFTs and MHCs to

serve as Medicare providers. This Act will expand the pool of mental health professionals available to Medicare beneficiaries by over 200,000. Many Medicare beneficiaries in the

rural and underserved parts of Nebraska do not have geographically accessible mental health providers available. Bipartisan sponsors of this Act hope to alleviate this accessibility gap not only in Nebraska but in rural areas throughout the country.

Currently, psychiatrists, psychologists, clinical social workers and psychiatric nurses can be reimbursed for mental and behavioral mental health services provided to Medicare beneficiaries. Before the passage of this act, mental health

counselors (MHCs) and marriage and family therapists (MFTs) could not be reimbursed by Medicare for their services.

Many federal programs already recognize and reimburse the mental health services provided by MFTs and MHCs including the Department of Veterans Affairs and Tricare.

MHCs and MFTs are licensed in all 50 states to provide independent mental health services. These professionals must obtain a master’s or doctoral degree in counseling, two years postgraduate supervised experience and pass a national exam to obtain a license to practice independently.

Mental health issues are common among older adults: 4 in 10 people 65 and older stated that they have experienced mental health concerns for themselves, family, or friends, according to a May 2022 survey from CVS Health and Morning Consult. In addition, 1 in 5 older adults, ages 50 to 80, said their overall mental health had worsened since the start of the pandemic, according to a May 2021 University of Michigan poll.

Volunteers Assisting Seniors provides free and unbiased Medicare information at 402-444-6617 or by email at vas-nebraska.org.

1941 South 42nd Street, Suite 312 Omaha, Ne. 68105 (The old Center Mall on the corner of 42nd and Center) www.vas-nebraska. org.

SCOOTERS

for Nebraskans ages 60 and older. Information

offered to help the state’s older men and women with questions on topics like bankruptcy, homestead exemptions, powers of attorney, Medicare, Medicaid, and Section 8 housing.

The number for the Elder Access Line is 402-8275656 in Omaha and 1-800527-7249 statewide.

This service is available to Nebraskans ages 60 and older regardless of income, race, or ethnicity.

The Legal Aid of Nebraska hours of operation are 9 a.m. to noon and 1 to 3 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and 9 a.m. to noon on Friday.

Sprain and strain prevention advice

Chances are, you have felt the pain of a sprain or strain.

These injuries have the potential to slow us down not only in our work life, but also in our personal lives as well. Often when we strain or sprain a body part, it can “sideline” us from life for up to eight weeks.

To stay in the game, follow these tips:

PRE-LIFT TIPS

• Determine the weight of the load to be lifted or carried.

• Are you able to do it alone? Is help or mechanical assistance needed?

• Does the size/shape of the load present any problem?

• Will you have to turn or change direction while carrying the load?

• Is the route you will take clear of obstructions or slip, trip, and fall hazards?

• Do you have a backsupport belt, and are you always wearing it properly?

LIFTING FROM GROUND LEVEL

• Get as close as possible to the load.

• Bend your knees, not your back.

• Get a good grip on the object and test its weight.

• Keep the load close to your body and lift using your legs.

• Be aware of your balance and what part of your body is doing the work. It should always be your legs.

LIFTING FROM OVERHEAD

• Make certain that you are standing on a stable surface before you attempt to lift.

• Bring the object off the shelf or support carefully, maintaining your balance.

• Whatever the task, get help for heavy loads.

LIFTING FROM A SHELF, DISK, ETC.

• Pull the load close to your body and test it for weight.

• Shift the weight of the load to your legs by keeping it close.

• Avoid reaching and lifting at the same time.

SETTING LOADS DOWN

• Bend your knees, not your waist.

• Set down the corner or edge of the object closest to you first – keeping your fingers out from under the load.

TIPS WHEN CARRYING

• Look ahead to make certain the way is clear.

• Set the load down if it becomes too heavy or unstable.

• Avoid stairs whenever possible. If unavoidable, use the banister or wall to help you maintain balance.

• Have someone open doors, gates, etc. for you.

• Change direction by moving your feet not your hips.

• Keep shoulders, hips, and feet pointing in the same direction.

• Never twist at the waist while carrying a load.

MOVING CARTS, HANGING LOADS

• Remember to push, not pull whenever possible.

• Position the load so that your legs supply the force.

• Use hands and arms for control and direction of the load.

• Keep hands & fingers inside the load whenever possible.

• Watch for pinch or shear points on carts, dollies, or hoists.

For other great resources and services, contact the Nebraska Safety Council at 402-483-2511 or go online to www.nesafetycouncil. org.

Thanking you for donations

NEW HORIZONS PHOTO

The Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging (ENOA) thanks, Omaha Senior Resource Group (OSRG), for the generous toilet paper donation. Pictured (from left) are Matt Jetter, Suzanne Wickey, Katie Kreifel – Members of the Omaha Senior Resource Group.

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 ENOA clients in 2022. 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.

Dick Varner

Barb Parolek

Deacon Chris Hanson

Cindy Kirstine

Robin Johnson

Linda Ivory

Dan McGill

Ryan & Marla Headley

Owls Gethesmane Lutheran & Good Shepherd Lutheran Churches

St. John Vianney Catholic Church

Covenant Presbyterian Church

Notre Dame Alumni Club of Omaha

St. Geralds Catholic Church

St. Patrick’s Catholic Church

United Republic Bank

HomeCare Advantage

College of St. Mary OT Dept.

UNMC Geriatrics

UNMC Engage Wellness

Prelude Consulting

Sarpy County Courthouse

LinkedIn

Preceptor Alpha Sigma

Peace Presbyterian Church

UNO Department of Gerontology

Common Spirit Health

Midland Heights Apts.

Home Instead

Kinghorn Gardens

BLUEBARN Theatre

SCHEELS

Methodist Physician’s Clinic