New Horizons Holistic healing at the Center PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID OMAHA NE PERMIT NO. 389
A publication of the Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging
February 2024 | Vol. 49 | No. 2
of Nurse’s Practice
EDITOR’S NOTE: Holistic health is an approach to wellness that simultaneously addresses the physical, mental, emotional, social, and spiritual components of health. This story reported by New Horizons represents opinions of Coutrney Allen-Gentry. By Leo Adam Biga eteran Black activist and nurse leader Courtney Allen-Gentry promotes natural healing practices and equitable healthcare policies. The master’sprepared RN is one of America’s few women of color certified as a public health and holistic nurse coach. She specializes in integrating science, spirit and plant medicine into public health. She has her own independent nursing agency, Center for Integrative Nursing and Cannabinoid Sciences. She’s drawn on her experience and expertise to pen Omaha World-Herald columns dealing with nursing profession inequities, her journey as a Black activist nurse, and the need to create a more caring society one personal encounter at a time. Whatever the platform, she assertively speaks truth to power. She attributes her “badass” nature to her late parents, Patricia and Alfred Allen. Her educator mother was a political-social activist. Her entrepreneur father’s family owned Allen’s Showcase and A&A Music in North Omaha. He ran A&A, which supplied North O bars and restaurants with jukeboxes.
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to say their vows and Senior Center. Christie has been got married. volunteering for nine “We decided to years and is currently do our wedding and reception there so there enrolling to volunteer would be a blanket in- at the Montclair Senior vitation for anyone that Center, while Chuck have been there almost would want to come,” two years volunteering Chuck Gladden said. with the holiday gift “It’s where I first saw project. my girl.” “I like volunteering Chuck and Christie both have strong ties to because the people I’ve the Montclair --Love continued on page 8.
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By Ron Petersen enior centers connect older adults to vital community services that can help them stay healthy and independent. It can also be the setting for a couple to fall in love. Chuck and Christie Gladden made the Millard Montclair Senior Center the special site
ENOA is thankful for donations
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Local couple finds love at the Millard Montclair Senior Center
difference as opposed to color. My elders impressed upon me I had a responsibility to our community and neighborhood to model good behavior and Black excellence. There was no place I could go where somebody in the family didn’t hear about it. That’s just the way it was.” She’s proud of a lineage that she overcame and achieved. “My elders spent a long time working for equality and justice. My mother was able to do that through her work as a field rep for the president pro-tem (James Mills) in the California state senate and as an educator in the San Diego school system.”
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Her paternal grandparents, Dorothy “Queen” Allen and Paul Allen, were community movers and shakers whose Showcase live music venue featured major jazz musicians. The couple’s prairie style home on John Creighton Blvd. was itself a showplace. “We were the who’s-who of Black people. We built North Omaha. My grandfather is featured in the documentary ‘Street of Dreams,’ said Courtney. “We were in a segregated community but I didn’t know it. It was just home. It was a lovely childhood. We had wonderful neighbors. Black people had to all live together so it was class that made a
When the ’69 North O riot erupted in response to 14-year-old Vivian Strong being killed by an Omaha cop, her father armed himself to guard the family’s businesses to ensure no damage came to them. They remained untouched. Another time he confronted the man who stole his motorcycle and took four bullets for his trouble, driving himself to the hospital, where it was touch and go, before pulling through. Her older brother Stacy Allen, who took over the family businesses, was a Black Panther. Years later he was the fatal victim of a home invasion robbery in Omaha. He was “a powerful presence” in her life. “For people that know and follow me they know that being a badass is one of my ways to encourage the work of resistance, of overcoming, of standing your ground, and of making noise,” she said. “It wasn’t until the Black Lives Matter movement I was able to write those World-Herald pieces because I had been so traumatized by the riot I couldn’t remember what happened. I had to go back and piece it together.” Nurse Courtney, as she brands herself, was a child when her parents’ volatile marriage ended and the ’69 riot erupted. “Interestingly, after the riot my mom had us stay with a white family in midtown because she felt things were still dangerous in North --Holistic healing for Allen-Gentry at Center of Nurse’s Practice continued on page 9.
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Thank you!
The Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging would like to thank the following donors, including businesses, churches, individuals, and other organizations that purchased gifts for over 700 clients this year. We also received 100’s of gift cards, toiletries, paper products, incontinence supplies, greeting cards, monetary donations, clothing, and cleaning supplies. Every single item we receive goes to a client receiving services through ENOA. We would also like to thank the SeniorHelp volunteers, and every staff member who delivered gifts. Each year we are continuously amazed by the generosity of donors, and this year exceeded any expectations.
Amber Owens Barb Parolek Beta Sigma Phi sorority- Xi Gamma Epsilon, Cindy Kueffer Brad Birkholtz
Linda Garcia Linda Ivory Lorey Kristine Maddy Breeling + family Maddy Noren
Sarpy County Courthouse, Jenni Rock Scheel’s St. Geralds Catholic Church, Robin Staroska
--See page 16.
NEW HORIZONS PHOTO Tim Gaines (left) has been a volunteer for the Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging (ENOA) for the last two years. Gaines has two clients he visits every week, including Jack Prohaska (right).
ENOA’s Senior Companion Program has volunteer opportunities, and is looking for even more volunteers
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Downsizing or Moving To Senior Living?
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By Ron Petersen inding time to volunteer can be difficult in today’s busy society, but the benefits are profound. If you’re thinking about volunteering but don’t know where to begin, consider looking into the Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging’s (ENOA) Senior Companion Program. “It’s been good,” said ENOA volunteer Tim Gaines, about volunteering. “I always wanted to give back and I enjoy doing it.” ENOA’s Senior Companion Program has a mission to recruit and train volunteers to assist individuals in maintaining their independence. Whether it is someone who is lonely and isolated, physically or mentally disabled, or someone living with Alzheimer’s disease, Senior Companions help people in ways true friends help one another.
Senior Companion volunteers visit the homes of older individuals who can benefit from the company of another older adult. Gaines has two clients, including Jack Prohaska. During his visit, Gaines and Prohaska have found plenty of things to do together, which includes playing scrabble, monopoly, chess and other musical games. “When it comes to scrabble, I’ve been on a roll lately. It’s been good for my ego,” Prohaska laughed. “But Tim is picking it up quite well.” Companions stay anywhere from 3 to 8 hours per visit with clients, serving 5 to 25 hours per week with a single client. They talk with their clients about the news of the day, share stories about family, play cards, read mail, listen to the radio, or perhaps watch television. Some Companions even help their clients’ run er-
rands or go grocery shopping. Others prefer to simply visit and be a friend. “Tim is a really good guy,” Prohaska said, “It’s been great to have him around.” To be eligible, volunteers must be at least age 55, meet an income guideline and be able to serve a minimum of 10 hours per week. All applicants must complete an enrollment process including references and background checks. In return for their commitment of 10 hours per week, volunteers receive a tax-free stipend of $4.00 per hour, plus mileage reimbursement and may receive meals while on duty. In addition, volunteers receive supplemental accidental insurance coverage, and other benefits. For more information about the Senior Companion Program, call 402-4446536.
Fake PDF files can be a real threat
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Even as the holiday season comes to an end, cybercriminals continue to target holiday travelers in a recent scam. This scam starts with a simple phishing email and an attachment that appears to be a hotel invoice. Unfortunately, the attachment isn’t an actual PDF file. It’s a complex attack designed to steal your sensitive information. If you happen to download and open the attachment, an error message appears. The message claims that you need an update in order to view the PDF file. But the file isn’t actually a PDF document, and the error isn’t actually for an update. In reality, the file is a form of malware, and if you agree to the update, you’ll launch that malware. Once launched, it quickly scans your device, collects your sensitive information, and sends it to the cybercrimi-
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nals. This malware helps the scammers start off the new year with their ideal gift—your personal data! Follow these tips to stay safe from similar scams: • Cybercriminals are counting on you to click without thinking. Never open attachments received from an unexpected email. • If you booked a hotel for the holidays and received an email about it, check for details that confirm the email’s legitimacy, such as the reservation number, check-in time, and room details. • Remember that this type of attack isn’t exclusive to travel invoices. Cybercriminals could use this fake PDF file technique in a number of scenarios. For more information, visit KnowBe4. com.
Giving blood is also giving back to yourself, as well How does blood donation benefit me? Your donation appointment will begin with a completely free health screening to check for anomalies in your vital signs or infectious diseases that you could be unaware you had. Your brief screening may even catch a sign or symptom of a deeper issue, like a heart arrhythmia, offering you a proactive glimpse into your overall health. If you give blood regularly, your cardiovascular system will receive a boost thanks to lowered blood pressure and hemoglobin levels, which subsequently decreases your risk for heart attacks. A healthy cardiovascular system and the fulfillment you’ll receive from helping others can even help you live a longer life! Can older adults safely donate blood? A recent study quashed rumors that seniors shouldn’t donate blood, instead proving the opposite: People over 60 are
less likely to have adverse reactions—such as lightheadedness—after donating, and are more likely to be regular donors. In fact, the “Oldest Regular Blood Donor” record is held by a 97-year-old man who’s donated over 292 units—or 36.5 gallons—of blood in his lifetime. Donating blood as a senior also provides a way to meaningfully participate in the community. Your overall well-being will benefit from the feel-good effects of giving to others and you’ll have the chance to connect with a variety of people, directly fighting against the loneliness epidemic that older generations often face. What impact does my blood have on the world? Giving = Living said it best: “When you give, others live.” The American Red Cross/ Blood Services states someone in the United States needs blood every two seconds. You may never know
exactly who receives your blood, but from premature babies to centenarians, a blood transfusion can be the difference between life or death. Whether you choose to give blood, plasma or platelets, your donation is impacting lives throughout the nation, and when you spread the word about the importance of giving blood, others may be inspired to follow in your footsteps of generosity. Who’d have thought saving lives is as easy as a health check, a poke and a free snack? Your New Year’s resolution doesn’t have to be quite so intense—a workout plan or cutting back on caffeine is an achievement in itself— but if you’re inspired to take action and give blood today, visit RedCrossBlood.org. This health tip is brought to you by Tabitha. To learn more, visit us at Tabitha.org or call 308-389-6002.
Getting a good night’s sleep
I am an erratic sleeper. Through my youth and through young adulthood, I slept like a baby. I seldom got up during the night and had regular hours for bedtime and rising. In my 50s, my sleeping became more irregular because I was running a non-profit when money and personnel issues were frequently on my mind. Worries began to interfere with a good night’s sleep. Happily, I am free of the worries that often accompany increased responsibility. However, I do find that I can easily start worrying about other things. When my mind gets going, sleep eludes me until I distract myself with boring podcasts or old reruns of TV programs. I shared this quandary with my nephew who is a psychiatrist. He listened compassionately and then reminded me that it is impossible to worry and have a sense of gratitude at the same time. These two thought patterns are incompatible. When I direct my thoughts to all that is good in my life, my attention
Conscious Aging By Nancy Hemesath
shifts away from worrying about the future. I welcomed this advice but needed to think about how to implement this better mindset. Cultivating gratitude as my mental screen-saver is a challenge. It requires mindfulness of all that is good in my daily life. It means appreciating goodness and beauty in my world. This attentiveness nourishes a sense of gratitude. It means recognizing and enjoying the good qualities of someone or something. Worry is the opposite of mindfulness. Worry projects us into the future, thinking about everything that could go wrong. Mark Twain famously said, “I have known a great many troubles, but most of them never happened.” He also said, “Worrying is like paying a debt you don’t owe.” In reviewing my own life, I can agree. My non-profits managed to survive the
money crunches and personnel dramas. Somehow, I have always survived the set-backs that, in the moment, seemed so monumental. Mindfulness of present blessings takes practice. When I find myself worrying, it is useful to find one thing I can do in the present to reduce the likelihood of the bad thing I am concerned about. I find this reduces the angst and allows me to enjoy what I love in the present moment. The old song comes to mind, “When I am worried and I can’t sleep, I count my blessings instead of sheep and I fall asleep, counting my blessings.” There is wisdom here. (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.)
February 2024
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, 402-444-6654 Ad Mgr................Mitch Laudenback, 402-444-4148 Contributing Writers.........Leo Biga & Andy Bradley ENOA Board of Governors: Mary Ann Borgeson, Douglas County, chairperson; Don Kelly, Sarpy County, vice-chairperson; Lisa Kramer, Washington County, secretary; Pat Tawney, Dodge County, & John Winkler, 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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Weberg’s volunteer and professional firefighting career stretches across over seven decades
By Andy Bradley Contributing Writer he news bulletins were frightful. It was a beautiful and crisp Saturday afternoon in mid-October, 2001. Perfect weather for marching bands competing for honors at the annual competition at Burke High School. A school bus carrying 27 students and three moms from Seward, Neb., headed home after the band’s performance. Just after 2 p.m., the bus entered a complicated construction zone on West Dodge Road, six lanes channeling into two. A wide motorcoach carrying
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high school band members from Norfolk approached from the other direction. The s-curved roadway was narrow and the approaching bus appeared to cross the center line. The 22-year-old school bus driver hugged the white line. Suddenly the bus brushed against a guardrail. The driver executed several corrective maneuvers, before finally smashing through that guardrail, plummeting some 50 feet into the West Papillion Creek below, just east of 168th and West Dodge. Stunned neighbors in the Barrington Park neighborhood raced to render
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aid. They helped evacuate students from the bus, which had landed on its side, water pouring into the carriage. Neighbors later accompanied the terrified teens to awaiting helicopters and ambulances. One held a girl’s head out of the muddy water while rescue personnel worked frantically to free her. The first 911 call came in at 2:06. About five minutes later the first Douglas County sheriff’s officers arrived. Next on the scene was Omaha Fire Department Battalion Six Commander, Al Weberg. Weberg was the guy in charge of rescue operations. His job was to quickly assess the situation, including the availability, adequacy and positioning of personnel and equipment, as well as where the injured will be taken. In recent interviews with New Horizons, Weberg described a massive rescue operation hampered by poor emergency radio communications. This was caused by
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This late 1940s-era Ford fire truck, the department’s first motorized fire truck, was actually driven by Weberg in his early days of firefighting. “I fought many a fire in this,” he said. It is on display in Tribute Hall, which is open to the public as part of the Bennington fire station on north 156th Street. the inadequate number and Department – both served positioning of radio relay concurrently. At age 76, towers. This impeded urgent Weberg is still a member calls for additional mediof the Bennington Suburcal units from surrounding ban Fire District 7 – as it is counties, as well as comnow called – still responds munication with rescue to emergencies of all sorts helicopters, even commuin Bennington, northwest nications with other rescue Douglas County and southpersonnel on the scene. ern Washington County. Compounding matters, Following in his father’s firefighters struggled to footsteps, Weberg joined the extricate the passengers department as a volunteer pinned inside the bus. Solid in 1967, while also takconstruction features of the ing classes in college. He later served two stints as the 2000 Thomas Built bus actually impeded access to the Bennington fire chief, the 78-passenger coach, accord- last culminating in 2020 as ing to the final report issued the community transitioned by the National Transporta- from an all-volunteer rural fire department to a comtion Safety Board exactly bination – part paid, part 20 years ago this month. volunteer – suburban fire Ninety grueling minutes department. later, at about 3:30 p.m., Weberg helped orchesthe last of the injured were transported to area hospitals. trate that transition and was even asked to become its Three students, including first paid chief. “I said ‘Hell two 14-year-olds, and one parent died as a result of the no. Take a look at my date of birth.’ ” accident. As the volunteer chief he The NTSB placed blame for the accident on the State worked 60+ hours a week, and knew those burdens of Nebraska Department of would only intensify as the Roads for a dangerous and paid chief. poorly designed construcWeberg championed the tion zone. transition for several reaThe Seward tragedy is sons. Response times were perhaps the most haunting beginning to lag as the city of the thousands of calls and surrounding area grew, Weberg has responded to and the more seasoned in his nearly 30-year career volunteers were hanging with the Omaha Fire Deup their firefighter hats. partment, and his 55+ year “We lost volunteers pretty volunteer career with the Bennington Fire --Weberg continued on page 5.
--Weberg continued from page 4. regularly,” he said. “Quite frankly we needed the people to get better service and all the volunteers at that time were getting older.” Recruiting and retaining volunteers can be tough because the responsibilities of volunteer firefighters, emergency medical technicians (EMTs) and paramedics in Bennington are significant. Volunteers are expected to attend at least three or more training courses a month, respond to at least 10 percent of the calls – which now exceed 1,300 a year – and help staff the new fire station on North 156th Street. It’s hard to juggle family and career and firefighting, said Weberg, which makes volunteer recruitment today all the more difficult. As a relatively new firefighter, Weberg and his wife purchased a small home in 1970 cattycorner to the former fire station, which is now the town’s library. He was the first to arrive at the station to respond to a call, which numbered about 300 a year at that time. In two minutes he was geared up and out the station door, even while the town’s emergency sirens were still wailing. “If you were not out the door in two minutes, I would imagine the fire chief would be asking you to write a letter explaining why you were late,” Weberg recalled. Weberg typically balanced at least three jobs at once during his career. These even included simultaneously working for the Omaha Police Department in the Fire Investigation
had multiple car wrecks at it – and she’s a nurse. Now what is now the circle at I don’t talk to her about my Hwy. 31 and Hwy. 36.” calls.” He recognizes that being Weberg has meant much an eyewitness to life and to the residents of northdeath events exacts a perwest Douglas County over sonal toll, including physithe decades. Bennington cal ailments like high blood High School named him an pressure, cholesterol and alumnus of the year, class triglycerides. of 1965. The current paid Still, experienced firefire chief, Dan Mallory, said fighters and EMTs develop Weberg has made a lasting coping mechanisms. “Evimpact on the community erybody’s a cup,” said and the hundreds of rescue Weberg, “and you can only personnel he has trained COURTESY PHOTO throughout the years, both Al Weberg, (far right in this historical photograph), is take so much. When your cup runs over you have to in Bennington and Omaha. standing with his colleagues in front of a Bennington Mallory added “Al is a treaFire Department ambulance in the late 1960s. His dad, learn how to deal with it.” Humor helps him, he said. sured asset for the departAlford Senior, is just to his right. If you think this looks ment and the entire comlike an old bread delivery truck, you are correct. It was He probably harbors some vestiges of Post Traumatic munity. That he continues to outfitted to become Bennington’s first rescue unit in Stress Disorder (PTSD). serve is a testament to how 1968, one of the first departments in the state of “Do I have PTSD? I’m sure much he has given back.” Nebraska to provide a paramedic service I do, but you deal with it the While Weberg has no imto the community. best you can.” mediate plans to retire, he book balance was virtuBureau, and the Omaha He doesn’t share his more won’t continue responding ally impossible most of the Fire Department. Through traumatic experiences with to calls indefinitely. “I do time.” the years he was also a bus enjoy being a firefighter, and Weberg has witnessed just his wife. Once long ago he driver (20 years for the BenI will do this until I feel it’s about every imaginable trag- shared the horrific details nington School District), of a car accident with her taxing me too much . . . that edy over the decades, from brick layer, Omaha Fire multi-fatality auto accidents, and then drifted off to sleep. will be in the near future, Department Chief of Train“I wake up the next mornI’m sure.” house fires and workplace ing, State of Nebraska fire ing and she’s sitting up in When that time arrives, accidents. instructor, battalion chief bed, her eyes are bloodshot, grateful citizens of Benning“You can’t take me down (one of just six in 2001 in she hasn’t slept at all. She ton will certainly assemble a street where I don’t probOmaha) among many other couldn’t sleep because of and issue a collective, ably have a memory,” Wepursuits. what I told her. And I said “Thank you, Al, for your berg said. Just up the road “And all the time I was never again. You don’t tell decades of fearless service here at 204th Street and being a firefighter, I’d get Bennington Road we’ve had them (spouses) what you’re and dedication to protecting off at seven in the morning doing. They can’t deal with our community.” multiple car wrecks. We’ve and then I’d lay brick and block until after dark. Then we’d put on our headlights, Traditional funding sources and lay brick or block until are making it more difficult late, and get up the next for ENOA to fulfill its morning and do it all again.” mission. Partnership Juggling multiple jobs opportunities are available was an economic necessity. to businesses and individuals “So you’re not going to get wanting to help us. rich being a firefighter, I can These opportunities include tell you that point blank. I would like to become a partner with the volunteering, memorials, I was working for $750 a Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging, and help honorariums, gift annuities, month at Omaha Fire and buying my own turnout gear fulfill your mission with older adults. and other contributions. – boots gloves, everything. Trying to make the check-
Eclectic Book Review Club The Eclectic Book Review Club, founded in 1949, is announcing its spring 2024 schedule of author appearances. Each event includes readings and discussion by the noted book’s author. The club will also be celebrating its 75th year with a series of events as a part of various monthly meetings. 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 2024 include: • February 24- Ted Wheeler, local author and journalist will discuss his third novel The War Begins in Paris that has been described as a vivid novel about a journalist during war time. • March 19- John Waters, a former US Marine and Iraq and Afghanistan war veteran writes about a former soldier adrift who finds the hardest part of going to war might be coming home as he shares River City One. • April 16- Tosca Lee, an award winning New York Times best-selling novelist will share her most recent novel, The Long March Home, inspired by true stories of friendship and hope.
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These gifts are tax exempt.
ENOA
$30 = 7 meals or 1.5 hours of in-home homemaker services or 1 bath aide service for frail older adults. $75 = 17 meals or 3.66 hours of in-home homemaker services or 3 bath aide services for frail older adults. $150 = 35 meals or 7.3 hours of in-home homemaker services or 7 bath aide services for frail older adults. $300 = 70 meals or 14.63 hours of in-home homemaker services or 14 bath aide services for frail older adults. Other amount (please designate)__________________________ Please contact me. I would like to learn more about how to include the Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging in my estate planning. Name:_____________________________________
Please ma il with thisyofour donation rm to: Eas
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Address:___________________________________ At Office on Ag ska in tention: Carol G g 4 le 7 8 ason 0 S. 131s City:______________State:_____ Zip: __________ tS O Phone:____________________________________
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Please see the ad on page 3
Thank you to the New Horizons Club members $25 Sherryl Lilley Marta Nieves Susan Puls $20 Eula Nilius $10 Mary Mick Patricia Adams $5 Kathleen Koons
Corrigan Senior Center You’re invited to visit the Corrigan Senior Center, 3819 X St. this month for a variety of activities: • February 5: Council Meeting @ 10 a.m. • February 8: Merry Makers presents music by Deandre Jones @ 11 a.m. • February 9: Super Bowl Party @ 11 a.m. • February 13: Breakfast @ 9 a.m. • February 14: Valentine’s Day Party with Red Ravens @ 11 a.m. • February 15: Mega Bingo @ 12:30 p.m. • February 20: Prize Bingo @ 12:30 p.m. • February 29: Music Bingo by The Music Bingo People @ 1 p.m. 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. BINGOCIZE is a new program Corrigan has implemented which focuses on fall prevention and nutrition education all while having fun playing BINGO. Bingo is played every Monday and Thursday at 12:30 p.m. Cards and puzzles is played every day of the week at 8 a.m. Happy Hands meets on Tuesdays at 9 a.m. to work on crocheting, knitting, and macramé projects. Call 402-731-7210 for more information.
Technology for older adults: The Benefits of video games By Sarah Whitaker With the popularity of Pong starting in 1972, many of those who enjoyed the days of old arcades are starting to rise in age. There is a place where I live called Beercade where they have a bar and arcade set up, and I remember seeing Golden Axe, an arcade game from the early 90’s where you beat up monsters. Even now, games like Space Invaders and Pacman are becoming things of antiquity. Some might even remember playing the originals when they first came out in their college years. While not everyone older than me has attempted video games, some out there are embracing gaming after retirement and even going on into competitive gaming. The Silver Snipers are one of the world’s first senior professional e-teams, even going so far as winning championships. Counter Strike is a popular gaming franchise known as a “first-person shooter” where you run around with weapons to take the other team out. Partnering with Lenovo, this team of seniors is being coached by the great Fredrik Andersson (also known as Jaegarn). According to lenovo-silversnipers.com, The man has had over 20,000 hours into Counter Strike: Global Offensive and has been lighting up the tournaments in his native Sweden, and now helping the Silver Snipers win big. One of their top wins was against their Finnish sister team called the Grey Gunners in Battle of the Nordics, 2022. One of their players, Abbe “DieHardBirdie” Borg, claims the prestigious title of being the oldest e-sports player in the world at 80 years old. After his win in DreamHack in 2019 with the rest of the Silver Snipers, he retired from esports in order to stream his gaming. According to diehardbirdie.com he is a part of several online series and does art when he’s not rocking Counterstrike. If Counterstrike isn’t your game, one only needs to look at the Guinness Book of World Records holder as the oldest living gamer. Hamako Mori was declared the world’s oldest gamer in May of 2020 at the age of 90. While some list her favorite game as Grand Theft Auto 5, her last few streams show her playing Resident Evil 4 Remake and Pokemon Violet. She has
over 560k subscribers on her channel and has seen success as an internet celebrity.
HOW ARE THESE OLDER PEOPLE ABLE TO KEEP UP WITH THE YOUNGER CROWD IN THESE GAMES? According to the University of Arkansas, “After the hour-long video game session, both the experts and non-experts had improved visual selective attention, and the two groups received similar scores on the post-game assessment.” In a study done in 2018, one hour of gaming alone can help visual awareness and attention span, showing that veteran gamers had elevated brain patterns for their work. While they say that there needs to be more research, the fact that Hamako started gaming in the 80’s when her grandchildren wouldn’t stop playing shows what gaming can do for the mind over time. WHAT OTHER ADVANTAGES ARE THERE? According to Arizona State University, “often parents don’t understand that many video games are meant to be shared and can teach young people about science, literacy and problem-solving.” Getting interested in what your kids are playing is a way to bond as well as stimulate the mind. Even if true video games started in the 70’s, the bond shared by younger kids playing what their parents used to can cause them to understand one another and relive precious memories. There is going to come a time in about 20 years where everyone has had a chance to experience video games, and getting connected with them at an older age should be something we should start now to keep people’s wits sharp as well as make some interesting life moments with the ones we love. Sarah Whitaker is a Digital Communication Arts student who volunteers at Florence Home Healthcare Center. She likes video games, professional wrestling, and writing articles to make people’s lives better. She was also shown on 2008’s American Idol Auditions for Omaha.
Programs changing this month at AARP NE Information Center By Tony Harris AARP NE Information Center Omaha is fortunate to have a strong public transit system that connects people, places, and opportunities. Are you using the system to its full potential, or do you want to learn more about public transit options in Omaha? On February 21 at 1:30 p.m., attend the AARP Nebraska Information Center’s presentation on, “What You Need to Know About Public Transportation in Omaha.” Nicole
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Ebat, the Senior Manager of Communications and Community Relations with Omaha Metro, will share more about public transit in Omaha and take your questions. The AARP Nebraska Information Center is located in the Center Mall at 1941 South 42nd Street, Suite 220. Refreshments will be served following the program. AARP Nebraska also invites eligible, local non-
profit organizations and government entities to apply for a 2024 AARP Community Challenge Grant, which funds quick-action projects that help communities become more livable by improving public places, transportation, housing, digital connections, and more. Learn more at aarp. org/CommunityChallenge. The Information Center is open on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. For more information call the Information Center at 402-916-9309.
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Fremont Friendship Center ou’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: Presentation from Nye @ 10 a.m. • February 6: Presentation from Fremont Therapy & Wellness @ 10 a.m. • February 7: Music with Billy Troy @ 10 a.m. • February 8: Mobile Library @ 9:30 a.m. • February 8: Sing-along with Jeanne @ 10 a.m. • February 14: Merry Maker’s Presents the Links for music @ 10 a.m. • February 15: Presentation Fremont Methodist-“Heart Health” @ 10 a.m. • February 19: Center is closed for President’s Day • February 21: Treats from Nye @ 9:15 a.m. • February 21: Music with Bill Chrastil @ 10 a.m. • February 22: Nutrition-“Cutting Down on Sodium” @ 10 a.m. • February 28: Music with The Arthrighteous Brothers @ 10:30 a.m. Craft Show with Amber on Tuesday afternoons @ 1:30 p.m. Tai Chi offered every Tuesday and Friday from 9:15-10 a.m. If you can’t stay for lunch with our friends and you currently participate in any activity at the center, you may now order a Grab-n-Go Meal to take home for your lunch. Grabn-Go meals must be reserved the day before by noon and the person ordering the lunch must come in to the center to pick it up at 11 a.m. The number of Grab-n-Go lunches are limited to a first come first serve basis. Suggested donation is $4.25. For meal reservations and more information, please call Laurie at 402-727-2815.
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Volunteer Connect offers a variety of opportunities 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: • American Cancer Society is looking for volunteers. They have different opportunities for providing food or volunteering in Hope Lodge Nebraska. • Library Volunteer at Ralston’s Hollis & Helen Baright Public Library. • The Sarpy County Museum needs volunteers to be a tour guide or docent for 3rd or 4th grade public school tours. Tours will take place in March and April of 2024, from 9 a.m. to Noon. For more information, contact: Kori at 402-2921880 or museum@sarpymuseum.org. • Food Bank for the Heartland needs
volunteers to pack, sort, and stock shelves to fight hunger Saturday mornings. • VNA Volunteers needed for March 10th, 2024, Art & Soup Event. VNA is looking for volunteers to assist throughout the day with a variety of volunteer opportunities and 2-hour shifts to choose from.
• Volunteers Assisting Seniors (VAS) Volunteers are needed to provide nonbiased Medicare Counseling and Homestead Exemption application assistance. Free training is provided. • Washington County Recycling Association (WCRA) 440 S 3rd St., Blair, NE, is always in need of volunteers. • The Heartland Family Service is hosting a Carnival of Love Gala event on February 24th. They are looking for volunteers to help with silent auction items.
SPEND LESS
on your prescriptions with the
FREE
Douglas County
Ralston Senior Center You’re invited to visit the Ralston Senior Center, 7301 Q St., Suite 100 this month for the following: • February 2, 9, 16 & 23: Double Deck Pinochle or other cards at 9:30 a.m. • February 7, 28: Bingo @ 12:15 p.m • February 8, 22: Bingo @ 1 p.m • February 14: Board meeting @ 9:30 a.m. • February 21: The Merrymakers present music by Mary Link @ 1 p.m. Lunch is catered in on Wednesdays @ 11:30 a.m. A $5.50 contribution is normally suggested for the meal. Reservations are due by noon on Tuesday. Games and bingo will be played after lunch. Contact Darla @ 402-331-1529 for reservations. On days the Ralston Public Schools are closed due to the weather, the Ralston Senior Center will also be closed. Obtain an annual Ralston Senior Center membership for $10. Contact Ron Wilson @ 402-734-3421 for further information.
Florence Senior Center You’re invited to visit the Florence Senior Center, 2920 Bondesson St. At the Florence Senior Center, lunch is served at 11:30 am. A select menu is offered Monday thru Friday. Meal reservations must be made one day in advance. Please call by noon the day before for a meal reservation. Mark Irvin from the Merrymakers will perform at Florence on February 6th at noon. The center hosts activites such as Tai Chi, annual picnics/ special events, bingo, cards, gym & game room access, special guest speakers and socials. They also provide health and nutrition programs. For more information, please call Colleen Metz @ 402444-6333.
Prescription Discount Card
FREE enrollment for Douglas County residents of all ages who are without prescription drug coverage.
AVERAGE SAVINGS OF 20%! • No age requirements. • No income requirements.
This program is offered in a joint effort of Douglas County and the National Association of Counties (NACo).
• Unlimited use for the whole family. • No claim forms to fill out and no annual fee to pay.
For more information call 1-877-321-2652 or visit
nacorx.org
This plan is not insurance. Discounts are only available at participating pharmacies.
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--Love continued from page 1. met there,” Chuck said. “I enjoy what I do and it’s a good place to visit with folks.” Christie grew up in Moville, Iowa until she was an 8-year-old. She moved to Omaha and attended Ralston High School. After graduating high school in 1975, Christie went to the University of Nebraska-Omaha where she got her bachelor’s degree in education. She spent 10 years as an elementary teacher and then went into radiology technology at CHI Health Immanuel for another 10 years. Christie later retired from Marriott International as a worldwide sales agent. Chuck was born in Pensacola Florida and later settled in south Omaha. After graduating from Gross Catholic High School in 1972, Chuck enlisted into the U.S. Air force for five years. He later went to Metropolitan Tech to study civil engineering, and then two years later Chuck got a job with the city of Omaha. He retired after 27 years. In 2022, the couple met playing volleyball at the Montclair Senior Center. They got engaged at the center this last summer and said ‘I do’ on January 5 at the Montclair Senior Center. “We got engaged halfway through bingo, when I yelled, ‘everybody hold on,
Intercultural Senior Center
COURTESY PHOTO Chuck and Christie Gladden got married at the Millard Montclair Senior Center in January. The Millard Montclair Senior Center is the place where they met, volunteer at and it’s the special place where they said, “I do.”
I have something important to do.’ I went over to her, dropped to one knee and the rest is history,” Chuck said. “She’s just gorgeous and she has a great smile. Her crazy matches my crazy.” The day following their wedding, the couple had the reception at the Mont-
clair Senior Center with all of their closest family, friends and even the other volunteers and workers at the center. This month, they will get to spend some time with each other in the sun as they will cap of their celebration with a two-week vacation to Mexico.
You’re invited to visit the Intercultural Senior Center (ISC), 5545 Center St. The Intercultural Senior Center facility – open weekdays from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. – offers programs and activities from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. from Monday to Friday. The ISC offers a light breakfast, lunches, crafts, health presentations, exercise, language classes, citizenship, technology, gardening and more. The ISC also offers mental health support, medical assistance programs, and a food pantry service that can be delivered to your home. Do you need help with your benefits and Medicaid coordination? Our Senior Advocate Team (Case Management Services) can help you in our bus at your doorsteps. Remember that we provide monthly food pantries as well. This month, the ISC will offer Physical Therapy Screening by the College of Saint Mary on February 6th and 7th at 10 a.m., to promote the well-being of our adults. Winter can lead to long days and loneliness so the ISC is partnering with an elementary school where students will be making cards for our Valentine’s Day celebration on February 14th. Don’t miss the Merrymakers musical performance by Mike McCracken on February 21st at 12:30 p.m. The ISC will be celebrating 15 years in our community serving all seniors. Join the open house on March 19th from 3-7 p.m. and discover the new Room of Colors. Lunch reservations are due by 9 a.m. A voluntary contribution is suggested for the meal. Monthly food pantries are available for adults ages 50 and older. For more information, please call 402-444-6529 or visit the ISC website at interculturalseniorcenter.org.
Millard Senior Center You’re invited to visit the Millard Senior Center at Montclair, 2304 S. 135th Ave., this month for the following: • February 7: Board meeting @ 9:30 a.m. • February 9: Craft, making gnomes on a stick @ 9 a.m. • February 12: Bunco @ 12:30 p.m. • February 13: Annual Valentine Pizza Party • February 14: Making sun dresses and shorts for the Grain Train @ 9:30 a.m. • February 16: Sweet Heart Bingo • February 19: Closed in honor of President’s weekend • February 20: Archwell presenting information on Diabetes and Shoes/Socks • February 21: P.A.W.S @ 10 a.m. • February 23: Brandon Cartwright has a class on smart phones @ 10 a.m. • February 26: Book Club @ 1 p.m. • February 27: Mexican Flower Craft @ 9 a.m. Tai Chi every Mondays and Fridays @ 9:30 a.m. MahJongg Wednesdays @ 1 p.m. Chair Volleyball Thursdays @ 10 a.m. Dominoes Thursdays @ 12:30 p.m. For more information, please call 402-546-1270.
First United Methodist Church
First United Methodist Church has some 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 402-5566262 if you wish to receive more information about the list of the studies available.
Elder Access Line Legal Aid of Nebraska operates a free telephone access line for Nebraskans ages 60 and older. Information is 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 402-827-5656 in Omaha and 1-800-527-7249 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.
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squatters community with a bustling cannabis market. “I found the best cannabis for patients with cancers, blood disorders or autoimmune diseases. I got the weed from a drug dealer there, went back to my friend’s place and used science to find a method of making cannabis oil. I’ve been making it now for years.”
--Holistic healing for AllenGentry at Center of Nurse’s Practice continued from page 1. Omaha and she wasn’t comfortable with us there. The riot changed everything. It leveled North Omaha. I didn’t understand at the time why we stayed with that family, but we felt loved and protected. My mother made it seem like an adventure and it was. The next thing I knew we packed up and left for California in the summer of ’70.” AN APPLE NOT FAR FROM THE TREE Her mother, a battered wife and single mother, left with Courtney and her siblings for San Diego. A former Kellom Elementary librarian and Omaha Opportunities Industrialization Center staffer, Patricia Allen did more than survive, she thrived. “How a Black single mother of five could do that I don’t even know,” Courtney marvels, “but she became this together political person. She was brilliant and had a lot of charisma. Through her I grew up around civil rights leaders Vernon Jordan and Shirley Thomas. We were part of the Black intellectual-political crowd. “My mother ran Hubert Humphrey’s and George McGovern’s campaigns in California, so I’ve been campaigning and canvassing since I was a child.” She’s followed her mom’s road less traveled footsteps by asserting her voice and making waves. “My mother taught me a lot about resilience, crossing boundaries and being in unexpected spaces. She earned her Ph.D. in community education, started after-school programs in California and set the model for them all across this country. What’s really remarkable is that she was in spaces few Black women were in. She was a way-shower and in a lot of ways I’ve become that wayshower. Not because I’m fighting against anything but because the way I see things and work is usually futureoriented. I see things the collective can’t see.” Precocious Courtney graduated high school at 16, married and learned nursing as a U.S. Army Reservist assigned to a MASH unit in Germany. After retiring from the service she worked as a travel operating room nurse in 30-plus hospitals across the nation. Home base was Omaha, where she was an evening supervisor
COURTESY PHOTO
Courtney Allen-Gentry is an RN with a master’s in nursing, is a boardcertified advanced holistic nurse, nurse educator and coach specializing in the integration of science, spirit and plant medicine into public health. at Children’s Hospital. “I was such an experienced operating room nurse I could basically scrub and circulate any surgery. That adaptability came from my military experience of being able to handle emergent or crisis situations. As a travel nurse I was a rock star. I would have a flight waiting for me. I’d get on the plane, arrive at my destination, where there would be a waiting car and lodging, and I’d work three 12-hour shifts, and then fly back home. When my kids were younger I tried to condense as much work into a short period of time as possible.”
A CANNABIS CHAMPION Opposed to such commercial healthcare practices as overprescription of pharmaceuticals and unnecessary surgeries, she’s a proponent of alternative holistic care. She feels too many Americans abdicate responsibility for their own health. “We’ve given up our power to white coats to take care of us.” The practicing herbalist is a cannabinoid nurse scholar, educator and advocate who travels the world presenting workshops on “integrating cannabis science into healing practice while advocating for the spiritual, psychosocial and environmental health and wellbeing of global populations,” she said. She’s presented at international academic-scientific conferences with leading cannabinoid scholars Dr. Raphael Mechoulam and Dr. Vincenzo Di Marzo. On a 2015 visit to Copenhagen she went to Freetown Christiania, a self-governing
ADVOCACY AS A WAY OF LIFE “I believe modeling wellbeing is really one of the only and most effective ways of helping others achieve their own wellbeing,” she said. She’s aware many folks, particularly women of color, feel unheard by their physician and coerced into taking meds or following protocols they’re uncomfortable with. Black Americans disproportionately suffer poor health outcomes due to inadequate access to care, lack of medical guidance and a system that discounts their concerns. “Part of what I do in my coaching practice is advocacy. I have gone to patient appointments. I’ve called physicians, I’ve intervened as a public health nurse advocate. Those are some of the roles I do take on because of medical apartheid, which we’re seeing clearly in the Black maternal health crisis,” Allen-Gentry said. More and more, she said, she sees her job as “helping people continue to live well once they find out they have something going on” with their health. “In order not to die you really have to get to living. Even if the ultimate healing is leaving this life still there’s a way of doing that well to the bitter end.” By nature and nurture she’s long been a searcher. “When I was younger I was always collecting new experiences, new things, new information, and to a certain extent I am still very much doing that.” As her career progressed she felt unvalidated as a Black nurse leader by the white-dominated nursing profession. It bothered her. “When my mother was dying she said don’t worry about all that, forget about the limelight, and just do the work behind the scenes. She told me you don’t need the recognition, you just need to do the work, and so I’ve kept doing the work. I deduced that I don’t need others to anoint me as Black nurse leader. I am one irregardless of what they say.”
February 2024
She said a recent run-in with a white nurse colleague who objected to her framing things through a Black lens “made me more sure that I need to double-down on creating spaces just for healers of color.” Enduring professional snubs and seeing her work misappropriated, she said, has caused her trauma. One trauma she’s experienced range from the domestic abuse she saw her mother suffer to the upheaval of leaving Omaha as a kid to responding to medical emergencies to losing her brother to violence. “The people who do best recovering from trauma are the ones who are able to forget it,” she said. “PTSD is related to a deficient endocannabinoid system – you don’t have enough of that ‘forget juice’ to forget the trauma. I’ve managed handling mangled bodies and other upsetting things by just forgetting about them.” Though her father mistreated her mom, he conquered his demons. “My father was basically a reformed man when he got older whereas my mother could never get past the trauma. She was always angry and held onto the past. My dad grew and changed over time. He didn’t stay this angry, vengeful person. He became much more loving and accepting.” Courtney acknowledges she and her mom had a fraught relationship from each being strong-willed free-spirits inclined to challenge the status quo. “We were very much alike. That was definitely the problem. My entire life I’ve said what I felt like saying. Pointing out the white elephant in the room isn’t always the best thing. My mother used to tell me, ‘You’re always the one that will say what nobody else will say.’” Being an outlier “is absolutely lonely,” she said. “The place I’m saddest in my life is my lack of ability to have a professional collaborative, and I have tried.” Advocating alternative care has meant paying a price. “That’s the space I work in and it’s a very difficult space to market to. It’s been a real process of finding my tribe. I do have a small but devoted following.” HAVING HER VOICE HEARD The treatments she recommends, she insists, are evidence-based. The same holds true for remedies to
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social ills she confronts as a community watchdog. “That comes directly from being a master’s prepared nurse,” she said. “Our responsibility to the public is to make sure what we’re saying or doing is backed up by research and facts. I consider my writing part of the nursing process and giving people the right to self-determination by giving them the information.” As an expression of her desire for a more compassionate society she said she shares her “experience, voice and story as a Black woman, way-shower and wisdom-keeper” via a newsletter and her own YouTube channel. In today’s divided America she reminds us there are opportunities to bridge differences. “We’re all responsible for the humanity of another,” she said. “Love is the force that connects us deeply – I think that’s what meant by being responsible for our brother and sister.” She believes it’s still possible to realize Martin Luther King Jr.’s vision of “the beloved community.” “Every time we’re faced with conflict we have an opportunity to step up into being a beloved community member. We need to think of ourselves as individual ministers. What are we ministering to the collective? Is it fear and anger? Or love and compassion? It starts with loving one’s self. I feel the deepest reflection of how a person expresses in the beloved community is whether they love themselves and how they demonstrate that every day.” She believes no one should suffer needlessly. That’s why she’s consolidated her expertise on cannabis as a healing agent into nursing education materials. The idea is to give nurses trusted info about cannabis medication so that they can bring relief to patients. “My big dream is to get out to nurses around the globe a course and a book I wrote, ‘The Six Rights of Cannabis Medication Administration,’ whose model of care I am trying to set as a new standard of care.” The Six Rights she lays out are: “The right strain, in the right dose, via the right route, at the right time, for the right effect, in the right person.” Her next project may be a memoir about her own eventful life. “There’s a lot of stuff there.” Visit www.cincsciences. com for a free guide to CBD and articles on wellbeing.
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Nebraska Caregiver Coalition announces first Presentation of educational webinar series
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 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 We appreciate your interest in ENOA and the New Horizons.
OMAHA SENIOR LIVING SERIES
FEBRUARY TOPIC
ILLUMINATING AND DE-MYSTIFYING SENIOR LIVING
*NEW LOCATION!*
Omaha Public Library
Wednesday SWANSON BRANCH February 21, 2024 9101 West Dodge Rd Omaha, NE, 68114 East Entrance
Speaker:
Michele Magner Inspired Caring Call (402) 212-5282 to reserve your seat Refreshments Provided!
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Hosted by: Nebraska Realty Senior Real Estate Specialists
New Horizons
and learn how to help ourselves and others around us impacted by grief and the ripple effect. As Mourning Hope’s Founder, Pam Dinneen has dedicated the past 35 years of her life to supporting grieving youth and families. Dinneen’s passion is to companion people, walking with them through the most difficult times in their lives, helping them find hope, healing and happiness again. 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 7th event, please visit: https://go.unl.edu/caregivers. Additional 2024 presentations will be announced at the same link provided. There is no cost to attend any of these sessions, however registration is required.
Nebraska, other states look to boost home care options
• Do you have a comment about the agency and how it serves older adults in Douglas, Sarpy, Dodge, Cass, and Washington counties?
2.00 pm - 3.00 pm
The Nebraska Caregiver Coalition is pleased to announce the first presentation for 2024 from the series of four virtual workshops, designed to provide training, education, support and resources for family caregivers. The upcoming educational workshop is titled, “Grief and the Ripple Effect” presented by Pam Dinneen, LMHP, FT, Founder of Mourning Hope in Lincoln, Nebraska. The presentation will be held via Zoom on Wednesday, February 7 at 12 p.m. Caregivers have many different roles and experiences, many of those involving loss. It may be loss of independence, loss of time, loss of dreams or loss of identity. Relationships may be altered and that can also bring about loss. Learning of serious diagnosis is another loss we experience as we anticipate all that lies ahead that may be changing our lives. When we experience loss, we grieve. Each of those losses impact other aspects of our lives and the lives of those around us, creating a ripple effect. During this session, learn more about loss and grief, debunk some of the myths,
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Stan Morton, 84, admits being skeptical at first when an occupational therapist visited his Englewood, Colorado, apartment this year. “People in my stage of life tend to hear, ‘you need to do this, you need to do that’ pretty much all the time,” says the retired government employee. “Everybody’s got an opinion.” But the therapist didn’t tell him what to do. Instead, she asked him what challenges he faced and worked on solutions to help make it easier and safer to continue living independently. Relying on supplemental oxygen 24 hours a day, Morton had been pulling a 50-foot tube through his apartment. After talking with the therapist, he began rolling up the tubing in his left hand to avoid tripping on it. Letting older adults like Morton set their own goals is a key part of what’s known as the CAPABLE program, a unique model for delivering short-term, home-based services to help older adults overcome challenges with daily activities and remain living at home. The program is one of the innovative ways that states across the country are working to provide more longterm care services in homes
February 2024
and communities instead repairs and modifications of in nursing homes and by a handyperson. Studies other institutional settings, show participants are less according to AARP’s latest depressed, have improved Long-Term Services and confidence about completSupports State Scorecard. ing tasks without falling and AARP used 50 spending, experience reduced limitaquality and access indicators tions in their daily lives. to rank each state’s longFor Morton, the program term care system. added a railing to prevent For the first time since him from slipping out of AARP began publishing the bed, an extra handle in the Scorecard in 2011, more bathroom to help him get than half of Medicaid longout of the tub and a medicaterm care dollars nationwide tion dispenser with an alarm for older adults and people to remind him when to take with physical disabilities his pills. went to home- and commuThe program also saves nity-based services instead money by helping to avoid of institutions. hospital and nursing home In the Central region, stays. Last year, Colorado Colorado, New Mexico, invested $2.3 million to Kansas and Texas rank expand CAPABLE. among the top 25 states for A WIDENING GAP HCBS spending. Demand for home- and “This is a big deal,” says Susan Reinhard, senior vice community-based services, president of the AARP Pub- through programs like CAPABLE, has increased— lic Policy Institute, which fueled in part by the COVpublished the Scorecard in September. “We are seeing a ID-19 pandemic that took a horrific toll on nursing home breaking point.” CAPABLE, which stands residents. Polls have shown that most older Americans for Community Aging in want to age in place. Place—Advancing Better But America’s rapidly Living for Elders, is curaging population, combined rently offered at sites in 22 with persistent shortages in states. Over the course of four to the long-term care workforce, means the chasm five months, each person in the program receives multi- between the availability of ple visits by an occupational and access to HCBS care is poised to widen. therapist and a nurse, as well as minor home --Home Care continued on page 11.
American Heart Month: ‘Reclaim your rhythm’ during the month of February February is American Heart Month, a time to pay special attention to understanding, preventing and treating heart disease – the leading cause of death in the nation. Over 874,000 Americans died of cardiovascular disease in 2019, according to the American Heart Association’s “Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics – 2022 Update.” This February, the 59th American Heart Month, the AHA is urging people all over the country to “reclaim your rhythm.” What does that mean? Quite simply, the AHA is encouraging people to reclaim control of their mental and physical well-being after two difficult years of the COVID-19 pandemic. For American Heart Month, the AHA and other organizations reinforce the importance of heart health, the need for more research and efforts to ensure that millions of people live longer and healthier. Here are just a few examples of how you can reclaim your health: • Doing at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity a week (or, just getting started and working your way there) • Eating healthy (the
AHA’s Heart-Check mark can guide you in the grocery store) • Not smoking or vaping • Maintaining a healthy weight • Controlling blood sugar, cholesterol and blood pressure • Getting regular checkups • Learning Hands-Only CPR • Following COVID-19 safety protocols • Finding ways to relax and ease your mind, such as meditation Caring for yourself and others are great ways to counter the pandemic’s heavy toll on health. Also, taking care of your heart is good for your brain. That’s because many of the risk factors for heart disease, including high blood pressure, diabetes and obesity, are also related to brain diseases such as stroke, Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias, experts note. Heart disease has remained the leading health threat during the pandemic, and more people are reporting lower physical and emotional wellness. Many people have delayed or avoided seeking medical care. Unhealthy use of alcohol and other substances has been on the rise.
--Home Care continued from page 11. “We’re going to see a dramatic increase in the 80-plus and 85-plus population” as boomers get older, said Robert Applebaum, a senior research scholar at Miami University’s Scripps Gerontology Center in Ohio. States are working to address the issue on multiple fronts, including increasing support for family caregivers. In Oklahoma, lawmakers this year passed a bill creating a tax credit for family caregivers to help offset the out-ofpocket costs that arise when caregiving. Another way states are improving HCBS: Giving more older adults control over their care, allowing them to choose what services they receive and to hire their own workers. Nationwide, these “self-directed” care programs increased enrollment by 10 percent or more in 35 states, according to the Scorecard. In the Central region, six states—Colorado, New Mexico, Kansas, Texas, South Dakota and Oklahoma— have improved their performance in enrolling people in such initiatives in recent years, the Scorecard shows. In Colorado, participants can hire a family member, neighbor or friend to be a paid provider as long as they meet basic qualifications, said Bonnie Silva, director of the state’s Office of Community Living. The practice not only allows an individual to get help from someone they know and trust but also helps family caregivers, who
All these things can increase the risk of heart disease. For nearly a century, the AHA has worked to encourage people to live healthier and longer, free of heart disease and stroke. But the first American Heart Month didn’t come until 1964. President Lyndon B. Johnson, among the millions of people in the country who’d had heart attacks, issued the first proclamation for American Heart Month in 1964 to spotlight heart disease. Since then, U.S. presidents have annually declared the federally designated event for February. The first Friday of American Heart Month, Feb. 4, is also National Wear Red Day as part of the AHA’s Go Red for Women initiative. Coast to coast, landmarks, news anchors and neighborhoods go red to raise awareness and support the fight against heart disease – the No. 1 killer of women, causing 1 in 3 deaths. That’s more than all forms of cancer combined. (Information provided by the American Heart Association).
are often already providing unpaid care. WORKFORCE CHALLENGES One of the biggest challenges states face in expanding HCBS is the shortage of direct-care workers, such as home health aides. The Scorecard shows that nationwide, wages for direct-care workers are lower than for jobs with similar or lower entry requirements. In most states, the shortfall is more than $5,000 annually. In 2021, the median pay for direct-care workers was around $30,000. Low wages are compounded by the fact that some direct-care workers may receive little training and few or no benefits for jobs that are physically and mentally demanding. Colorado allocated more than half of the $522 million it received in federal COVID-19 relief funds aimed at enhancing HCBS to addressing the workforce challenge, Silva said. Some of that money went to increase the base wage for directcare workers to at least $15.75 per hour. Before, worker pay averaged $12.41 per hour, Silva said. States are raising wages and increasing benefits, but demand for HCBS is only growing, says Carrie Blakeway Amero, the AARP Public Policy Institute’s director of long-term services and supports. “They need to keep doing it and double their efforts,” she said.
This Month’s Crossword Puzzle
This Month’s Sudoku
(Information provided by AARP).
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Digital games could be a good idea for memory in older adults
La Vista Senior Center
ou’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 402-331-3455. 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, arts and 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.
A study in 2023 showed that older adults who play digital puzzle games have the same memory abilities as people in their 20s. The study, from the University of York, also found that adults aged 60 and over who play digital puzzle games had a greater ability to ignore irrelevant distractions, but older adults who played strategy games did not show the same improvements in memory or concentration. It is known that as humans age, their mental abilities tend to decrease, particularly the ability to remember a number of things at a single time – known as working memory. Another study, conducted by North Carolina State University, showed that seniors who play video games regularly or even occasionally report better overall emotional well-being. Research conducted on 140 people who are at least 63 years old or older showed interesting results which caregivers may want to use in caring for their own families.
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.
VIDEO GAMES AND EMOTIONAL WELL-BEING: RESULTS OF THE STUDY Those who participated in the study were asked how often they played games before being given a series of tests. Approximately 61 percent of respondents said they played on occasion, with 35 percent admitting to playing at least one time a week. Results from the study showed better well-being over those who didn’t play video games at all. Those who said they never played tended to experience more depression and felt more negative emotions. DO OLDER ADULTS PLAY VIDEO GAMES? Research has shown a growth in the number of older adults who are playing online games. For example, PopCap Games con-
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ducted a customer survey, which showed 76 percent of the players are women. Seventyone percent are over 40 years of age, while almost half (47 percent) are over the age of 50. PopCap Games is the maker of Bejeweled, a popular game with older adults. A study at the University of Montreal looked at connections between gaming and tissue growth in different areas of the brain. The results showed increased gray matter in the hippocampus of the group playing Super Mario compared to the groups who took piano lessons or didn’t engage in any activity. BENEFITS OF STRATEGY GAMES Complex strategy video games have benefits for mental health, according to research. Games such as Rise of Nations helps to improve memory and enhance cognitive skills. Playing video games, even occasionally enhances short-term memory and also compel players to swiftly transition between various tasks, fostering cognitive flexibility and adaptability. Playing challenging games can train the brain to maintain focus in other areas. The key is to improve at the game and continually be learning. VIDEO GAMES ENCOURAGING PHYSICAL ACTIVITY Some games provide specific mental benefits while others focus on physical aspects or the fun factor. For instance, a recent release, The Beatles: Rock Band is at least partially geared towards baby boomers and seniors and encourages physical activity. Other games, such as Brain Age, focus more on improving memory and enhancing visual recognition skills. The ability to stay focused and think quickly is essential in games of speed or those with time limits while critical thinking is necessary for many strategy games. (Information provided by Lifeline).
Sweetening the deal on sugar
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We know overconsuming sugar can lead to health problems like diabetes and heart disease, but how do we know what kinds of sugar to eat less of to help reduce our risk of developing these conditions? We want to focus on added sugar.
levels and small amounts of energy that lead us to crash in energy later. For this reason, we want to try and limit our consumption to no more than 12 tsp (48g) per day. For perspective, one 12 oz can of regular pop/soda has 8 tsp of sugar.
WHAT IS ADDED SUGAR? Added sugar includes honey, brown sugar, adding syrup to our pancakes, and sugar to our coffee for some examples. Added sugars typically don’t contribute much nutrition to our bodies other than a spike in our blood sugar
NATURAL SUGAR On the other hand, we can worry less about natural sugar which includes sugar from fruit, vegetables, and lactose from dairy. These foods have so much nutrition in them that the sugar from fruit, vegetables, and lactose from dairy helps balance the natural sugar content in our bodies. If you are someone that wants to work on reducing added sugar, these are some strategies to help you: 1. Choose water or un-
February 2024
sweet tea when possible over sugar sweetened beverages. 2. If you enjoy having a pop/soda, think about working on a switch to drinking diet. 3. Utilize artificial sweeteners like Splenda and Stevia in baking or sweetening tea and coffee. 4. Have a sweet treat and also balance it out by having a nutrient dense option with it – such as a scoop of ice cream topped with berries. 5. Work on reducing your portion size of the sweetened food/drink. Submitted by Karen Rehm, Wellness Services Manager, Nebraska Safety Council. To schedule a “Healthier & Happier You” presentation, contact Karen at 402-483-2511 ext. 102 or send an email to Krehm@ nesafetycouncil.org.
Mobility scooter versus power wheelchair and a vehicle lift When considering purchasing a scooter or a power chair, you might have a lot of questions. There are many differences between motorized scooters and electric wheelchairs. By understanding these distinctions, you will be able to choose which mobility product is right for your needs. One of the biggest differences between a scooter and a power chair is how they are operated. Mobility scooters are equipped with a tiller and handlebars, as opposed to a power wheelchair, which is operated using a joystick. Your range of mobility in operating a device may indicate whether a scooter or power chair is best for you. Another difference is the number of wheels they have. An electric scooter typically has three or four wheels, whereas an electric wheelchair typically has six wheels or more. Most power chairs have two large drive wheels and four smaller wheels called casters for added stability. Power wheelchairs come standard with captain’s style seating and there may be optional seating available. The Jazzy Select 6 power wheelchair offers a few seating options to choose from. Scooters usually come with standard vinyl seating, although the seat can be adjusted and may be able to swivel. When it comes to comfort, electric wheelchairs are equipped with a heightadjustable foot platform that can flip up when not in use. Leg room on a scooter can vary depending on the type of mobility scooter chosen. A three-wheel scooter offers more leg room for taller individuals, while a fourwheel scooter is equipped with a broader wheelbase to ensure even weight distribution for stability. Some scooters are extremely portable making them very conducive for traveling. They can be taken apart and placed in your small area in your backseat or trunk in less than 30 seconds. They can be assembled just as quickly. There are also folding travel scooters and power chairs that don’t even need to be disassembled to just place in your back seat or trunk and they are commercial airline approved. If you have a scooter or power chair that doesn’t easily disassemble plus is heavier, a vehicle lift is a
great option. When working with a scooter/power chair company, tell them what kind of vehicle you have. They will then match the vehicle with the scooter or power chair to confirm which vehicle lift is appropriate. There is almost always a vehicle lift solution for your power chair or scooter. Of course, if you want the ultimate vehicle lift, just purchase a wheelchair van. Wheelchair vans are an excellent option to get out and go anywhere. To determine whether you need a motorized wheelchair or an electric scooter, ask yourself where the mobility product will be used. While many motorized scooters and electric wheelchairs can be used both indoors and out, power chairs offer more maneuverability indoors. With its front-wheel drive design, the Jazzy Select motorized wheelchair is extremely compact and maneuverable. In contrast, many scooters are more rugged and designed for outdoor use. The scooter could be equipped with suspension components for navigating varied terrain. Another point to consider when choosing between a scooter or a power chair is your method of paying for the mobility device. Medicare may cover a portion of the cost of a power mobility device for use in your home, providing it is shown to be medically necessary. You need to schedule a face-toface examination with your doctor to discuss your needs for a mobility device. During the exam, your physician must first consider the use of a cane, walker or manual wheelchair, before considering a scooter or power chair. A face-to-face exam and a special prescription from your doctor are required before Medicare considers to help pay for your mobility scooter or electric wheelchair. If you have private insurance, they generally follow Medicare guidelines. Many people find they can get around in their residence safely with a cane or walker, but if they want to go to the park, grocery store, or a family event, then they don’t feel so stable or safe. They feel like a scooter or power chair will keep them more stable and able to keep up. Since they can get along without the power
chair or scooter in their own home then Medicare/insurance will not pay for the chair and often the person pays out of their pocket. When choosing a company that will provide your scooter or lift chair, you should consider the following: • Do they have scooter/ power chair specialists on staff? Ask to speak with their Assistive Technology Practitioner. This is someone who is certified and trained to fit people properly for wheelchairs, power chairs and scooters. • Do they have vehicle lift options on display, so you can see options to be able to use your power chair or scooter outside the home? • Do they have on hand travel (folding) scooters and power chairs? • Can they modify your vehicle on site, so it can adapt your scooter or power chair? If you answered “yes” to all of the above, then you likely are working with an excellent mobility company. Often a power chair or scooter are your legs. Therefore, it’s important to be diligent to be sure you get what’s best for you.
Estate Planning Services Students from the University of Nebraska College of Law will help area adults aged 60 and older prepare their wills, powers of attorney, health care powers of attorney and living wills. Pre-registration is required, limited spots available. This is a free service co-sponsored by the Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging and the Department of Health & Human Services, State Unit on Aging. Documents will be prepared in advance by student attorneys following phone consultation(s) and then finalized during your scheduled appointment in the Omaha area at the Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging on Friday, April 12. To register for an appointment, contact the University of Nebraska College of Law Clinical Program at 402472-3271. Callers should press “0” when you hear the recording. Registration deadline is March 5, 2024.
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February 2024
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Food insecurity increased to one in 10 adults ages 50 and Older in 2022 Every year, millions of Americans ages 50 and older experience food insecurity, meaning they have limited or uncertain access to adequate, nutritious food. Food insecurity can lead to hunger and is associated with poorer health outcomes among older adults; in fact, adults ages 60 and older who are food insecure are more likely than those who have food security to have health conditions such as di-
abetes, high blood pressure, congestive heart failure, asthma, and depression.
ing relative stability during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021 that was likely influenced by shortterm pandemic-related relief measures. Factors such as rising food prices and the end of some states’ Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) emergency allotments in 2021 and 2022 may have played a role in the increase in food insecurity in 2022. Food insecurity preva-
TRENDS IN OLDER-ADULT FOOD INSECURITY Between 2021 and 2022, food insecurity increased substantially among adults ages 50 and older, from 7.9 percent (9.4 million) to 9.8 percent (11.8 million). This rise reversed a decade of downward trends in food insecurity, includ-
lence increased among all age groups in 2022, but food insecurity prevalence decreases with age. People under age 50 experience food insecurity at about 2.1 times the rate of those ages 70 and older. Access to Social Security benefits and senior nutrition programs may Be simply confident play aon role lower food theingo insecurity prevalence among older adults. Food insecurity among adults ages 50 and older varies widely by
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state, but it tends to be more prevalent in Southern states. DIFFERENCES IN OLDER-ADULT FOOD INSECURITY BY DEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS In 2022, certain subgroups of adults ages 50 and older experienced considerably higher levels of food insecurity than others. • American Indian and Alaska Native, Hispanic, Black, and Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander: Food insecurity was most prevalent among those who were American Indian/ Alaska Native (22.7 percent). Prevalence among this group increased nearly 40 percent between 2021 and 2022, from 16.3 percent to 22.7 percent. Food insecurity prevalence hovered around 18 percent among those who identified as Hispanic, Black, or Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, compared with 7.2 percent of those identifying as white and 4.6 percent of those identifying as Asian. • Low educational attainment: Food insecurity prevalence was highest among adults ages 50 and older without a high school diploma and decreased with increasing levels of educational attainment. • Low income: Unsurprisingly, food insecurity prevalence decreases with increasing income; 23.4 percent of adults ages 50 and older with household incomes below $30,000 were food insecure, compared with less than 3 percent of those earning $100,000 or more. Nearly 11.8 million Americans ages 50 and older—or about 1 in 10—faced food insecurity in 2022, equating to a 25 percent increase in food insecurity prevalence from the previous year. Factors such as rising food prices and the end of some states’ SNAP pandemic-related emergency allotments in 2021 and 2022 likely played a role. Differences in food insecurity prevalence vary by demographic factors, with persistent racial and ethnic disparities that are rooted in longstanding inequities across domains such as employment, housing, and health care. (Information provided by AARP).
Flaherty Senior Consulting 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 12, May 14, July 9, Sept. 10, Nov. 12 St. Vincent de Paul Church 14330 Eagle Run Dr. • Feb. 21, April 17, June 19, Aug. 21, Oct. 16, Dec. 18 St. Timothy Lutheran Church 93rd and Dodge streets • April 4, June 6, Aug. 1, Oct. 3, Dec. 5 The Servite Center of Compassion 72nd St. and Ames Cr. • March 23, May 18, July 27, Sept. 28, Nov. 30 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. 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.
Malcom X selected to Nebraska Hall of Fame The Nebraska Hall of Fame Commission during Black History Month, selected Malcolm Little, also known as Malcolm X and El Hajj Malik El Shabazz, as the next member of the Nebraska Hall of Fame. Ron Hull, chair of the Nebraska Hall of Fame Committee said that Malcolm X’s impact is still felt today. “Malcolm X used the lessons he learned early in life and his intellectual power, dedication and perseverance in the fight for freedom and equality for all during the Civil Rights Movement in Malcolm X America. His work and his legacy continue to impact the citizens of the world,” he said. To be eligible, the person must have been born in Nebraska, gained prominence while living in Nebraska, or whose residence in Nebraska was an important influence on their lives and contributed to their greatness. In addition, the inductee can only be considered 35 years after their death. Malcolm X was one of three finalists chosen in for consideration. Malcolm X was born Malcolm Little at
University Hospital in Omaha, Nebraska, on May 19, 1925. He was the son of Earl and Louise Little, 3448 Pinkney Street. Reverend Little helped organize the Universal Negro Improvement Association. After threats by night riders, the family moved to Milwaukee and later to Michigan, where Reverend Little allegedly was murdered. During his mother’s illness, Malcolm was sent to Boston, then to New York, where he committed burglary. While serving a six and one-half year prison sentence, he became self-educated and converted to an American sect of Islam. After leaving prison, Malcolm took the name Malcolm X, studied under Elijah Muhammad, and became outspoken about mistreatment of Blacks. His Autobiography of Malcolm X was published in 1964. During a pilgrimage to Mecca, he converted to orthodox Islam. He abandoned concepts of racial antagonism and counseled the need for human brotherhood and international cooperation. Malcolm X formed the Organization of Afro-American Unity in 1964 and became renowned as an articulate spokesperson for human rights. Malcolm X was assassinated on February 21, 1965, in New York City.
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Camelot Friendship Center You’re invited to visit the Camelot Friendship Center, 9270 Cady Ave., for regular activities, which include Chair Yoga, card games, Tai Chi, Pinochle, 10 Point Pitch, and bingo, this month for the following: • February 7: Wacky Wednesday (all day) • February 8: Lunch N Learn with Archwell Health @ 11:45 a.m. • February 14: Valentine Day Party @ 11:15 a.m. • February 15: Joyce Torchia with Merrymakers to perform @ 11:45 a.m. • February 15: Jackpot Bingo @ 12:15 p.m. • February 16: Book Club @ 12:30 p.m. • February 19: Camelot is closed for President’s Day • February 21: “Craft Day” Learn the art of Greeting Card Making @ 12:30 p.m.. Every Wednesday – Chair Volleyball @ 10 a.m. Every Monday – Card Game: Manipulation @ 10 a.m. Every Monday – Pickleball @ 10 a.m. Grab N Go meals are available. For more information, contact Barb at 402-444-3091 or barbara.white@cityofomaha.org.
I AM COLLECTING • War relics • Omaha Police Department badges • South Omaha Police Department badges
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Call 402-551-9038
Senior Citizens (62+)
Subsidized housing for those age 62 and over with incomes under $33,300 (1 person) or $38,050 (two persons)
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This Month’s Crossword Answers
Call Frank
402-312-4000
This Month’s Sudoku Answers
February 2024
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Thank you!
The Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging would like to thank the following donors, including businesses, churches, individuals, and other organizations that purchased gifts for over 700 clients this year. We also received 100’s of gift cards, toiletries, paper products, incontinence supplies, greeting cards, monetary donations, clothing, and cleaning supplies. Every single item we receive goes to a client receiving services through ENOA. We would also like to thank the SeniorHelp volunteers, and every staff member who delivered gifts. Each year we are continuously amazed by the generosity of donors, and this year exceeded any expectations.
Amber Owens Barb Parolek Beta Sigma Phi sorority- Xi Gamma Epsilon, Cindy Kueffer Brad Birkholtz BLUEBARN Theatre Chris Gillette Cindy Kristine CORE Bank, Gloria Garcia Covenant Presbyterian Church, Robin Johnson Dreamweaver Foundation, Callie Getzschman HomeCare Advantage, Rosemary Miranda Ramirez Jana Halloran Jeff & Trish Bergman Jeri Petersen Jim Jennings & Pat Zalesky Jordan Sieh Julie Sorensen Kailey Edelman Karen Hankins Kimberlee Richardson Krystal Skradski Gage Laconna Killings
Linda Garcia Linda Ivory Lorey Kristine Maddy Breeling + family Maddy Noren Mike & Debby Kaipust Midland Heights Apts., Debbie Katz Mike Osberg Misty Swierczek Notre Dame Alumni Club of Omaha, Dan McGill Omaha Senior Resource Group Pat Gromak Peace Presbyterian Church, Susan Scholl Phoebe Headley Preceptor Alpha Sigma, Dawn Chaples Prelude Consulting, Alicia Patterson Presbyterian Church of the Cross Ryan & Marla Headley Right at Home, Jenny Andreoli Robin Dyer Sandra Bianchi
If you would like to donate for the holidays in 2024, please contact Danielle Bliven at 402-561-2219.
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Sarpy County Courthouse, Jenni Rock Scheel’s St. Geralds Catholic Church, Robin Staroska & Deb Banchor St. John Vianney Catholic Church, Deacon Chris Hanson St. Patrick Church (Fremont), Mary Narans St. Stephen the Martyr Catholic Church, Teresa Ziska, Social Justice Committee Tod & Teresa Clark Tom & Diane Stanton Tom & Lisa Haley United Republic Bank, Amy Pelz United Way, Fratina McCraney UNMC Engage Wellness, Lesley Wadhams & staff UNMC Geriatrics, Travis Weyant & staff UNO Dept. of Gerontology, Kara Negley