New Horizons October 2015 by Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging

A publication of the Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging

October 2015 VOL. 40 • NO. 10

ENOA 4223 Center Street Omaha, NE 68105-2431 ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED

New Horizons

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

Coping skills In 1977, Joy Johnson (above) and her late husband, Marvin, founded the Centering Corporation in Omaha. The Centering Corporation has become North America’s oldest and largest bereavement center. The Johnsons also helped start Ted E. Bear Hollow, free grief support programs for kids, teens, and adults. Nick Schinker’s profile of Joy begins on page 10.

Nonagenarian Glennis Stout, age 94, is the oldest member of the Intergeneration Orchestra of Omaha. For more information about this flutist and the IGO, please see page 20.

What’s inside Meet ENHSA board member Brenda Carlisle...... 3 October 2015 events calendar............................ 4 Be aware of stinging bees, biting bats................ 5 Bringing sound to your photo collection ............ 6 Making dreams come true ................................. 6 A new dining choice for busy people ................. 9 WoodmenLife donates to meals program ........ 13 Medicare Part D enrollment sites ..................... 14 Drought impacting California’s trees ................ 17 Alzheimer’s may distort time perception .......... 18

Call 402-345-1576 for tickets

Grandparent Resource Center hosts its annual conference

Blue Barn Theatre opens its new venue with Jordan Harrison’s ‘The Grown Up’

The Grandparent Resource Center’s second annual Grandparents as Parents: A Day for You conference was held Sept. 17 at the Barbara Weitz Community Engagement Center on the University of Nebraska at Omaha campus. Topics addressed included legal issues, positive behavioral supports, taking care of yourself, and emotional health. There was also an opportunity for an open discussion about the challenges and rewards of raising grandchildren. Humorist and guest speaker Mary Maxwell lightened up the luncheon with her fun, wit, and humor. The wonderful grilled chicken salad and a deli-

ordan Harrison’s The Grown Up, a story about a 10-year-old boy at his grandfather’s knee listening to a story about a magic doorknob, is the first production at the Blue Barn Theatre’s new location, 1106 S. 10th St. VOTES WANTED PLEASE GO TO

www.lightthebridge.org 100% non-profit addressing hunger VOTES TO DATE • For: 2,715 • Against: 90 • Please vote today to address hunger.

ump ahead 15 years in that boy’s life, and Kai becomes a young TV writer weathering the humiliation of the Hollywood rat race. The Grown Up is a funny and honest tale about living in the moment. Show times through Oct. 18 are 7:30 p.m. on Thursdays through Saturdays and Sundays at 6 p.m. Tickets are $30 for adults and $25 for men and women age 65 and older. For more information or reservations, please call 402-345-1576. Tickets can also be purchased online at www.bluebarn.org.

‘Grandparents as Parents: A Day for You’ was held last month on the UNO campus. cious roll lunch was catered by Sgt. Peffer’s Italian Restaurant. Members of the Grandparent Resource Center Advisory Committee provided desserts and juice. Panera Bread donated the

morning bagels. Thanks to all the members of the Grandparent Advisory Committee who diligently worked over the past year to plan and organize this conference. Also thanks to the great volunteer support from some GRC members and friends as well as ENOA’s SeniorHelp volunteer program. For more information about the Grandparent Resource Center, contact Janet Miller at 402-996-8444.

Soup Supper A soup supper will be held at the Louisville Senior Center, 423 Elm St., on Friday, Oct. 16 from 5 to 7 p.m. The meal will include unlimited soup (vegetable beef, chicken and noodle, mild chili, and clam chowder) and drinks. A free will donation will be accepted. Guests can take a bowl of soup to go for $3. For more information, please call 402-234-2120 or go online to louisvilleseniorcenter@yahoo.com.

Fall Festival You’re invited to attend the Fall Festival Fundraiser at the Papillion Senior Center, 1001 Limerick Rd. (just west of the Papillion Post Office) on Saturday, Oct. 3 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The fun begins with donuts, hot cider, and coffee in the morning and lunch at 11:30 a.m. The meal – which costs $5 – will feature sloppy Joes, chips, and a drink. The festivities will also include music, garage and craft sales, a flea market, a raffle, a bake sale, pumpkin bowling, clowns, prizes, a fire truck, and kids’ activities. For more information, please call 402-597-2059.

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LaVista resident Brenda Carlisle represents Sarpy County on ENHSA’s governing board

er explantion is simple: “My role on the Eastern Nebraska Human Services Agency’s governing board is to learn what all the agencies do, ensure the departments within Sarpy County are fully aware of ENHSA’s services, and make sure that Sarpy County utilizes these services where needed,” said Brenda Carlisle, who represents Sarpy County on the ENHSA governing board. The ENHSA Governing Board consists of elected officials from Douglas, Sarpy, Dodge, Cass, and Washington counties. Board members oversee the activities of the Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging, ENCOR, the Alpha School, and Region VI Behavioral Healthcare in its five-county service area. ENOA provides programs and services designed to help keep men and women age 60 and older living in their own homes with independence and dignity for as long as possible. ENCOR serves individuals of all ages who have developmental and intellectual disabilities. The Alpha School’s mission is to help students with behavioral and emotional conditions that have been unable to maintain a traditional school placement. Region VI Behavioral Healthcare organizes and provides a system of behavioral health programs including mental health, substance abuse prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation services.

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Membership includes a subscription to the New Horizons newspaper. New Horizons Club Send Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging 4223 Center Street to: Omaha, NE 68105-2431 I get the New Horizons regularly and don’t need to be put on the mailing list. I would like to start receiving the New Horizons at home. My address is below.

Before joining the ENHSA governing board in January, Brenda Carlisle spent 18 years on the LaVista city council. serve the residents of Sarpy County’s fourth district in 2013, Brenda was a member of LaVista’s planning commission for four years. She also spent 18 years on the LaVista city council. Carlisle said she entered public service because she wanted to give back to the city and county where she lived. Brenda is also the president of the Sarpy County Museum and vice chairperson of the Sarpy County Chamber of Commerce’s Legislative Committee. Carlisle’s employment resume includes stints as a customer service manager, IT project manager, purchasing agent, and manager for profit improvement for a variety of firms including RFDTV, CSG Systems, ITI Telemarketing, Precision Industries, and Convenient Food Mart.

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member of the ENHSA governing board since January, Carlisle sees ENOA’s role as being an agency that can provide programs and services for older Nebraskans that allow them to live independently in their own homes. She said ENOA’s biggest challenge going forward will be meeting the needs of the growing number of Baby Boomers in eastern Nebraska who need the agency’s proarlisle, age 58, is a LaVista resident grams and services. “ENOA will need to use technology more to provide who graduated services to these men and women,” she continued. from Omaha’s “I am pleased to represent the agencies within ENHSA Bryan High School. and help spread the good work that is provided.” Before being elected to HorizonAD-2010:HorizonAD-08 2/4/10 8:00 AM Page 1

Attorneys at Law William E. Seidler Jr.

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New Horizons New Horizons is the official publication of the Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging. The paper is distributed free to people over age 60 in Douglas, Sarpy, Dodge, Washington, and Cass counties. Those living outside the 5-county region may subscribe for $5 annually. Address all correspondence to: Jeff Reinhardt, Editor, 4223 Center Street, Omaha, NE 68105-2431. Phone 402-444-6654. FAX 402-444-3076. E-mail: jeff.reinhardt@nebraska.gov Advertisements appearing in New Horizons do not imply endorsement of the advertiser by the Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging. However, complaints about advertisers will be reviewed and, if warranted, their advertising discontinued. Display and insert advertising rates available on request. Open rates are commissionable, with discounts for extended runs. Circulation is 20,000 through direct mail and freehand distribution.

Editor....................................................Jeff Reinhardt Ad Mgr................Mitch Laudenback, 402-444-4148 Contributing Writers......Nick Schinker, Leo Biga, & Lois Friedman ENOA Board of Governors: Mary Ann Borgeson, Douglas County, chairperson; Jim Peterson, Cass County, vice-chairperson; Gary Osborn, Dodge County secretary; Brenda Carlisle, Sarpy County; & Lisa Kramer, Washington County. The New Horizons and the Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging provide services without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, marital status, disability, or age.

402-397-3801

Delivering quality legal services since 1957.

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October 2015 events calendar 16 Celebrate 10 Concert Starring Kristin Chenowith Holland Performing Arts Center 8 p.m. 402-345-0606

3 Rockbrook Village Apple Day Craft Show 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. FREE 402-390-0890 Football: The Exhibit Through Jan. 3 Strategic Air & Space Museum 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. $6 to $12 402-944-3100

27th Annual Home & Garden Show Through Oct. 18 CenturyLink Center Omaha $9 402-346-8003

Japanese Ambience Festival Also Oct. 4 Lauritzen Gardens 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. $5 & $10 402-346-4002

17 Plains, Trains, & Autos Also Oct. 18 Strategic Air and Space Museum $6, $11, & $12 402-944-3100

The Best of Sinatra With Clint Holmes Also Oct. 4 Holland Performing Arts Center Saturday @ 7:30 p.m. Sunday @ 2 p.m. $19 to &85 402-345-0606

24 Keyboard Kings Holland Performing Arts Center 7:30 p.m. $19 to $85 402-345-0606

9 Haunted Safari @ Wildlife Safari Park 6 to 9 p.m. $15 and $20 402-9449453

25 Omaha Symphony Symphony Spooktacular Holland Performing Arts Center 2 p.m. $12 402-345-0606

14 Opera Omaha The Barber of Seville Also Oct. 18 Orpheum Theater Wednesday @ 7:30 p.m. Sunday @ 2 p.m. $19 to $99 402-346-4398

Saturday, October 10, 2015 at 11 a.m. German food including brats and potato salad.

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Music and lots of fun. Register to win a $100 VISA gift card.

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October 2015

Fremont Friendship Center You’re invited to visit the Fremont Friendship Center, 1730 W. 16th St. (Christensen Field), for the following: On Thursday, Oct. 15 the annual spaghetti supper fundraiser is scheduled from 5 to 7 p.m. in the main arena at Christensen Field. The menu will include all you can eat spaghetti, tossed salad, garlic breadsticks, and chocolate chip cookies. Tickets are available in advance at the Fremont Friendship Center or at the door for $7. Children under age 5 can eat for free. Proceeds from the spaghetti supper will go to the Fremont Friendship Center for activities and entertainment at the facility. The Fremont Friendship Center is open Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Friday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Lunch is served at 11:30 a.m. A $3.50 donation is suggested for lunch. Reservations must be made by noon the business day prior to the meal you wish to enjoy. For meal reservations and more information, please call Laurie at 402-727-2815.

Dora Bingel Senior Center You’re invited to visit the Dora Bingel Senior Center, 923 N. 38th St., this month for the following: • Oct. 2, 7, 9, 14, 16, 21, 23, 28, & 30: Ceramics class @ 9 a.m. • Oct. 5, 12, 19, & 26: Al-Anon meeting @ 7 p.m. • Oct. 6, 13, 20, & 27: Grief support group @ 10 a.m. • Oct. 7: Holy Communion @ 11 a.m. • Oct. 14: Music by Johnny Ray Gomez from the Merrymakers @ 11:30 a.m. Lunch at noon for $3. • Oct. 21: Foot care clinic from 9 a.m. to noon for $10. • Oct. 28: Birthday party luncheon @ noon. Eat free if you have an October birthday. • Oct. 30: Hard of hearing support group @ 10:30 a.m. Lunch is served on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. A $1 donation is suggested for the meals other than $3 on Merrymakers Day. Round-trip transportation is available for $3. Reservations are required 24 hours in advance for all meals. Other activities offered at the facility include: Tuesday: Free matinee movie @ 12:30 p.m. & quilting @ 1 p.m. Wednesday: Devotions @ 10:30 a.m., Bible study @ 12:45 p.m., Bingo @ 12:45 p.m. Friday: Joy Club @ 9:30 a.m., Bingo @ 12:45 p.m., and Bible study @ 12:45 p.m. For more information, please call 402-898-5854.

Millard Senior Center You’re invited to visit the Millard Senior Center at Montclair, 2304 S. 135th Ave., for the following: • Oct. 6: Outing to the Serendipity Chocolate Factory. • Oct. 9: Blood pressure checks by and health education information from Methodist Nursing College students. • Oct. 14: Sewing dresses for young girls and women in Africa. • Oct. 30: Halloween party. Wear a costume and enjoy music by Bill Chrastil at noon. The center will be closed on Monday, Oct. 12 for Columbus Day. The Millard Senior Center is open weekdays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Lunch is served at 11:30. A $3.50 donation is suggested for the meal. Reservations are due by noon the business day prior to the lunch you wish to enjoy. Center activities include a walking club @ 8 a.m. (join and get a free t-shirt), quilting day (Thursdays @ 9 a.m.), Mahjongg on Wednesdays @ 1 p.m., Tai Chi class (Mondays and Fridays @ 10:30 a.m. for a $1 suggested donation), chair volleyball (Tuesdays and Thursdays @ 10 a.m.), card games @ 9 a.m., and Bingo (Tuesdays and Fridays @ noon). During Bingo, we have baked goodies from Baker’s or Panera to give away as prizes. For meal reservations and more information, please call 402-546-1270.

Dealing with a Hymenoptera sting DCHD: Be on the lookout for bats

ees, wasps, hornets, and yellow jackets are part of the Hymenoptera species. They become a nuisance in our area from late summer until the first freeze. While a majority of people will only develop a minor local reaction to a Hymenoptera sting, others are at risk for a severe allergic reaction. A typical minor local reaction is a small area of redness and painful swelling at the site of the sting. This will resolve in a few hours to a few days. A severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis) occurs in up to 8 percent of the population. Hymenoptera stings cause at least 40 deaths a year in the United States. One study showed half the patients who died as a result of a bee sting didn’t know they had an allergy to the venom. Symptoms generally begin within several minutes. Symptoms to be alert for include itching, sweating, flushing, a hoarse voice, wheezing, shortness of breath, throat tightness, and lightheadedness. If you’re stung by a bee or wasp, wash the area with soap and water. If there’s a stinger, remove it promptly. Cool compresses every 10 to 15 minutes per hour may be beneficial. Consider an antihistamine (Benadryl) for itching. If you’ve had a previous allergic reaction to a bee or wasp sting, please seek immediate medical attention. Here are a few more tips for dealing with bees and wasps: • Never swing, strike, or run away from a bee or wasp. Quick movements can provoke them to sting. • If you’re eating outdoors, keep your food covered, especially fruit and soft drinks. • Trash containers should have tight-fitting lids. • Pet bowls should be cleaned after using. • Avoid using perfume, aftershave lotions, scented soaps, and shampoos when you’ll be in areas where bees and wasps congregate. • Avoid wearing bright, colored flowery prints. Jewelry that’s shiny may also attract bees and wasps. • If you have a known allergy to bees and wasps, carry an EpiPen. If a wasp or bee stings you, call the Poison Center at 1-800-222-1222.

ouglas County’s bat population appears to be plentiful and active which can be a problem for humans. We’re getting near that time of the year when bats are likely to seek shelter in houses to stay warm during the cooler nights. Because bats can carry rabies – a fatal disease – the Douglas County Health Department (DCHD) and the Nebraska Humane Society are asking residents to protect themselves from these evening invaders. The first step is educating the public to avoid exposure. The next is to make certain proper treatment follows if a bat bites someone. The biggest fear is an individual will be bitten while asleep and not realize they’re infected. That’s because bat bites may not leave an obvious mark. The DCHD defines an exposure to a potentially rabid bat as: • A person has been bitten by a bat. • There’s potential the bat’s saliva has infected a person’s eyes, nose, mouth, or an open wound. • A person awakens and finds a bat in their room. • A bat is found in a child’s room. • A bat is found in a mentally challenged or intoxicated person’s room. The best option is to keep bats out of your home. You can “bat proof” a home by closing any openings larger than a quarter-inch by a half-inch. To do this, you can caulk the opening or use window screens, chimney caps, or stainless steel wool. Outside entry points are especially important to cover. Doors to the outside should be kept tightly closed. As the weather cools, more bats will try to move into homes. The Nebraska Humane Society recently fielded more than 100 calls about bats during one week, according to its Vice President of Field Operations Mark Langan. A laboratory test is needed to confirm if a bat has rabies. If you’re bitten by a bat or exposed to bat saliva, call the Nebraska Humane Society and your doctor. If you have questions about bats, please call the DCHD at 402-444-7489 or the Nebraska Humane Society at 402-444-7800, ext. 1. For more information on bats and how to protect yourself from their bites, just go to the Centers for Disease Control website at www.cdc.gov and enter bats in the search box. (The DCHD provided this information.)

Senior Moving Services

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We offer a full range of moving services that we believe can reduce the stress and anxiety related to your move. We specialize in both the physical and the emotional aspects of this type of move.

Examples of Services: • Provide a complimentary in-home assessment to determine your transitional needs. • Plan, schedule, and coordinate all aspects of the move. • Prepare a floor plan. • Organize, sort, pack, and unpack household contents. • Prepare change of address for mail delivery. • Coordinate transfer of utilities, phone, and cable service. • Disconnect and reconnect electronics. • Unpack and settle your new home including hang the shower curtain, make the beds, and hang the pictures; making your new home feel familiar. • Coordinate shipment of special heirlooms to family members.

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October 2015

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www.seniormovingservices.com •

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Touch and Tell allows users Dreamweaver Foundation is working to fulfill to combine photos, narration dreams for older adults with a termimal illness

By Mark Kresl

long-awaited fishing Since its inception in 2012, The Dreamweaver Foundatrip in Alaska, danc- tion has had a substantial impact on the community. Ron magine being able to not only look through family ing with Ellen Deand Jeanie Carson, with the assistance of devoted board pictures from the past, but to be able to hear the stories Generes, multi-generational members, the outpouring from volunteers, and the generosbehind those pictures in the voices of – in some cases family portraits, a motherity of donors have been able to turn the dreams of a group – long-lost loved ones. Touch and Tell is a program daughter-granddaughter spa of older men and women into realities. that allows picture slideshows to be narrated with the day, and a once-in-a-lifeYou’re encouraged to nominate an older man or woman voices of older adults and their families. It transforms pho- time cruise with the recipiwho has a terminal illness and an end-of-life dream neitographs into narrated storybooks that will last a lifetime. ent’s sisters are examples ther they nor their family Midwest Geriatrics, Inc. is implementing the Touch and of how The Dreamweaver can afford to fulfill to The Tell program at two of its Omaha facilities. A volunteer Foundation has enriched the Dreamweaver Foundation. intern who works with the residents launched the program lives of older adults. Nominate them by visiting recently. The program is run on IPad computers that were The Dreamweaver Foun(www.thedreamweaverpurchased with a grant from the Omaha Community Foun- dation is a non-profit organi- foundation.org) or condation this year. Photographs can be uploaded directly to zation dedicated to fulfilling tacting the organization’s the IPad, taken with the built-in camera, or uploaded by end-of-life dreams for older office to fill out an applicafamilies on their personal devices. adults who have a termition. This is where the fun begins. We ask the resident about nal illness. The foundation Tax-deductible donations to The Dreamweaver Foundathe picture and have them describe their memories. Those makes dreams come true as tion – which has a registered 501(c) 3 nonprofit designation comments are recorded and attached to each picture with a special way to thank and – are always welcome and appreciated. Dreams can range the touch of a finger. Some are honor older men and womfrom $200 to $5,000. funny, some are sad, and some en in their final days and to Donations can be sent to The Dreamweaver Foundation, are surprising. create long-lasting memoAtt: Michele Peel, 13321 California St., Dodge Plaza – The family can get in on the ries for those who give. First Floor, Omaha, Neb. 68154 fun, too. They’re given a passExperts agree depression The Dreamweaver Foundation’s 2015 online auction word they can use to sign in is becoming more comgoes live Friday, Dec. 4 and will end Friday, Dec. 18 at 10 from home, wherever that may mon amongst older adults a.m. Go to www.thedreamweaverfoundation.org to see and be. They can watch the slidewhen challenged with lifebid on the items. show, listen to the stories, and threatening illnesses. FeelIt takes more than money to make a dream come true. add their own commentary. ing isolated due to the lack The Dreamweaver Foundation is always looking for volunof interaction with loved teer drivers, accountants, networkers, chair stackers, hairhe older adults benones combined with living dressers, and party planners. efit in many ways. Touch and Tell allows careon a fixed income can cause For more information, please contact Michele Peel at givers to better know the older men and women devastating effects on the 402-697-5471. featured. The more personal connection that’s quality and duration of an (The Dreamweaver Foundation provided this informacreated increases the comfort level for everyone involved in older person’s life. tion.) the process. It allows caregivers to be a part of their loved one’s history, hear their stories, and provide more personalized care. One of the many challenges in caring for older adults today is determining where and when to utilize the latest technology. It seems there are new programs and opportunities every day, so the challenge becomes sifting through About 31 percent of Social Security growth. them and deciding which ones could make a positive imrecipients say they rely entirely on Social “Any increase in the premiums and outpact like Touch and Tell. Security for all their income, according of-pocket costs of Medicare health plans, While we’re testing this program today, we’re pursuing Medigap supplements, and Part D plans will grants and other funding that will allow us to expand Touch to a new survey from The Senior Citizens League (TSCL). With Social Security shrink Social Security benefits,” Cates says. and Tell. benefits averaging $1,220 per month, this TSCL supports legislation that would More information on Touch and Tell can be found at means an estimated 19 million retirees are provide greater retirement security by www.treasuredstories.com (Kresl is with Midwest Geriatrics and the Senior Health living at or below 125 percent of the federal indexing Social Security benefits to the poverty level. Consumer Price Index for the Elderly (CPIFoundation in Omaha.) “These findings illustrate the rapidly E). In most years that index would progrowing need to provide better economic vide COLA recipients with slightly higher security for today’s older Americans,” says boosts. TSCL Chairman Ed Cates. According to CPI-E data through July TSCL’s survey of nearly 1,200 people 2015, the CPI-E would yield a COLA of 0.8 who receive Social Security and Medicare percent versus zero based on the current law benefits also found one quarter of responmethodology that uses the Consumer Price dents were struggling with growing credit Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical card debt — most often due to medical Workers (CPI-W). expenses. “The CPI-E would provide more retire“Because most older Americans are ment security when older Americans need it less likely to be working or to find jobs, the most,” says Cates. those who rely solely on Social Security According to a TSCL comparison of for income are often forced to put medical COLAs calculated using the CPI-W versus and other living expenses on credit cards,” the CPI-E over a 25-year retirement period, Cates says. “This is an insidiously expenpeople retiring with average benefits in sive way to carry debt, that’s often quite 2015 would receive about $70 per month difficult for older consumers to pay off.” more by the end of 18 years and $113 more TSCL is warning household budget per month after 25 years using the CPI-E. problems for older adults are expected to To provide more secure benefits and to compound next year. The Social Security strengthen Social Security, TSCL surveys Trustees recently confirmed TSCL’s earlier indicate the majority of older Americans projection that there may not be any annual support raising the maximum taxable earncost of living adjustment (COLA) in 2016, ings so high income earners pay taxes on all because inflation is so low. While retirees earnings over $118,500. won’t find out about the COLA until OctoTo learn what you can do to take acber, the majority of them are already strugtion and to sign up for TSCL’s free online gling to cope with Medicare costs that are newsletter, The Social Security & Medicare climbing again after several years of slow Advisor, visit www.SeniorsLeague.org.

TSCL reports 19 million retireees are living at or below federal poverty level

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Elder Access Line

Bone health group to meet Oct. 14, Nov. 11

Legal Aid of Nebraska operates a free telephone access line for Nebraskans age 60 and older. Information is offered to help the state’s older men and women with questions on topics like bankruptcy, homestead exemptions, collections, powers of attorney, Medicare, Medicaid, grandparent rights, and Section 8 housing. The telephone number for the Elder Access Line is 402-827-5656 in Omaha and 1-800-5277249 statewide. This service is available to Nebraskans age 60 and older regardless of income, race, or ethnicity. For more information, log on the Internet to http://www.legalaidofnebraska.com/EAL.

he National Osteoporosis Foundation’s Omaha-area Bone Health Group will meet in October and November from 1 to 2:30 p.m. each month in Room 5766 of the CHI/Creighton Medical Center building, 601 N. 30th St. • Oct. 14: Melanie Clark, PT, from VNA will discuss fall prevention. • Nov. 11: Dr. Robert Recker will discuss osteoporosis medications. For more information, please call Susan Recker at 402-280-4810.

Retired and Senior Volunteer Program The Retired and Senior Volunteer Program is recruiting persons age 55 and older for a variety of opportunities. For more information in Douglas, Sarpy, and Cass counties, please call 402-444-6536, ext. 224. In Dodge and Washington counties, please call 402721-7780. The following have volunteer opportunities in Douglas, Sarpy, and Cass counties: • The Disabled American Veterans need volunteer drivers. • The Douglas County

Civic Center/Hall of Justice wants volunteers to host tours. • Bergan Mercy Medical Center is looking for volunteers to help in several areas. • Catholic Charities Christ Child Center North wants volunteers to help older adults with crafts, outings, and other activities. • The Livingston Plaza Apartments need a volunteer teacher. • HELP Adult Services is looking for volunteers to serve as family care companions and for other duties.

The following have a volunteer opportunity in Dodge and/or Washington County: • The Blair and Fremont Car-Go Program needs volunteer drivers. • The Danish American Archive Library needs volunteers to help with its archives. • The American Red Cross (Dodge County chapter) wants volunteers for a variety of duties. • The Low Income Ministry (Fremont) needs volunteers for its pantry and its clothing center and to deliver food boxes.

Volunteer opportunities The Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging’s Foster Grandparent Program, Senior Companion Program, and Ombudsman Advocate Program are recruiting older adults to become volunteers. Foster Grandparents and Senior Companions must be age 55 or older, meet income guidelines, have a government issued identification card or a driver’s license, able to volunteer at least 15 hours a week, and must complete several background and reference checks. Foster Grandparents and Senior Companions receive a $2.65 an hour stipend, transportation and meal reimbursement, paid vacation, sick, and holiday leave, and supplemental accident insurance. Foster Grandparents work with children who have special needs while Senior Companions work to keep older adults living independently. Ombudsman advocates work to ensure residents of nursing homes and assisted living facilities enjoy the best possible quality of life. Ombudsman advocates, who must be age 18 or older, are enrolled through an application and screening process. These volunteers, who are not compensated monetarily for their time, must serve at least two hours a week. For more information, please call 402-444-6536.

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Corrigan Senior Center You’re invited to visit the Corrigan Senior Center, 3819 X St., this month for: • Oct. 5: Medicare Part D open enrollment information from Volunteers Assisting Seniors @ 11 a.m. Stay for a garlic rosemary chicken breast or a deli ham and provolone cheese sandwich for lunch. Bingo will follow lunch. • Oct. 6: AARP Smart Driving course from 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Call 402-731-7210 for more information and to sign up for lunch. • Oct. 7, 21, & 28: Crafts with Anita. There’s a suggested donation of $2 per class for supplies. Oct. 7: Pumpkin painting. Oct. 21: Bat & mummy on a roll. Oct. 28: Fall lantern jar. There’s a limited class size, so sign up today. • Oct. 15: Oktoberfest Dinner & Dance @ 11 a.m. The Red Raven polka band returns to entertain us. The noon lunch menu is pork roast, seasoned red potatoes, peas & carrots, sauerkraut, rye bread, and apple pie. The reservation deadline is noon on Oct. 9. • Oct. 19: Birthday party with music by Billy Troy from the Merrymakers @ 11 a.m. • Oct. 22: Presentation by ENOA’s Michaela Howard on food label reading for healthy choices @ 11 a.m. Stay for a cheeseburger or a chicken cordon bleu salad lunch. Bingo will follow lunch. • Oct. 29: “Monster Mash Halloween Party” @ 10 a.m. Vocalist and keyboardist Bob Ford (Grease Band & The Brits) plays popular Halloween-themed songs and more. Come in costume and enjoy games, treats, and maybe some tricks, too. The noon lunch is pork cutlet or turkey salad. Bingo will follow lunch. • Oct. 30: Halloween lunch & trivia @11a.m. Enjoy a delicious BBQ beef on bun or a ham, turkey, and cheese wrap. Win game prizes. The center will be closed on Monday, Oct. 12 for Columbus Day. Everyone, including new players, is welcome to play chair volleyball every Tuesday and Thursday @ 11 a.m. A noon lunch will follow. Join us for Tai Chi – a relaxing and fun activity that’s proven to improve your balance – Tuesdays and Thursdays at 10 a.m. in our spacious gym. Bingo, ceramics, exercise, woodcarving, and loads of fun are also available. The Corrigan Senior Center is open weekdays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Lunch is served at noon. A $3.50 contribution is normally suggested for the meal. Reservations are normally due by noon the business day prior to the meal you wish to enjoy. For meal reservations or more information, please call Lynnette at 402-731-7210.

THEOS

VOTES WANTED PLEASE GO TO

www.lightthebridge.org 100% non-profit addressing hunger VOTES TO DATE • For: 2,715 • Against: 90 • Please vote today to address hunger.

THEOS, a group for older widows and widowers, meets at 6 p.m. the second Monday of each month at the Presbyterian Church of the Cross, 1517 S. 114th St. For more information, call 402-399-0759, 402393-3052, or 402-393-8931.

Proceed with caution when considering a charitable donation

omeone contacts you asking for a donation to a charity. It sounds like a group you’ve heard of, the request and the charity sound real, and you want to help. How can you tell which charities are legitimate and which are a scam. Scammers want your money quickly and the often pressure people to donate right away. They might ask for cash, offer to send a courier to pick up the funds, or ask you to wire money. Scammers often refuse to send you information about the charity, give you details, or tell you how the money will be used. They might even thank you for a pledge you don’t remember making. Here’s what the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) recommends in case this happens to you: • Take your time. Ask callers to send you information about the charity by mail. For requests you get in the mail, do your research. Is this a real organization? What percentage of your donation goes to the charity? Is your donation tax deductible? How do they want you to pay? Rule out anyone who asks you to send cash or to wire money. • Pass this information on to a friend. It’s likely nearly everyone you know gets charity solicitations. This information could help them spot a scam. If you spot a scam, please report it to the FTC by calling 1-877-382-4357 or 1-866-653-4261 (TTY). You can report the scam online at ftc.gov/complaint. By filing a complaint, you can help the FTC’s investigators identify the imposters and stop them before they can get someone’s hardearned money.

Read it & eat By Lois Friedman readitandeat@yahoo.com

Fantastic recipes for the fall Enjoy this variety of cookbooks and be inspired to create delicious meals and enjoy the cool weather, the pleasures, and the bounty of fall. How To Roast By Michael Ruhlman (Little Brown, $25) This award-winning author/culinary expert shares 20 recipes illustrating roasting methods with step-by-step techniques and advice. He teaches cooking with your senses, using common sense and “knowing thy oven.” Good Cheap Eats By Jessica Fisher (Harvard Common Press, $16.95) How to eat well without breaking the bank. Two-hundred recipes with 70 mix and match suggestions for everyday from scratch meals under $10, penny-wise tips, secrets, and six helpful food designations. Tin Fish Gourmet By Barbara Jo McIntosh ($21.95) This Vancouver author’s latest edition from a wellstocked pantry comes more than 85 tinned seafood recipes. Think anchovies, caviar, clams, herring, mackerel, oysters, sardines, shrimp, and tuna. Fun, Funky, & Fabulous By Jyl Benson (Pelican, $24) “Whatcha Know Good” is part of every recipe and captures the spirit of New Orleans’ casual restaurants today from newly minted to out-of-the-way taste treats. Lust for Leaf By Alex Brown and Evan George (Da Capo, $19.99) Think picnics, potlucks, and the great outdoors. These party guys offer vegan and vegetarian recipes for macho outdoor grilling from cul de sac to campgrounds. Budget Bytes By Beth Moncel (Avery, $18) Slash your grocery bills in half with low cost creations. On a “house-of-cards” budget this author decided to create more than 100 simple, inexpensive recipes with step-bystep instructions and Chef's Tips. Great food on a dime.

The “Real Deal” Chip Dip Makes 1 cup

1 cup light or regular sour cream 2 tablespoons mayonnaise 1 teaspoon lemon juice 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder 3/4 teaspoon salt Freshly cracked black pepper 1/8 teaspoon dried dill (optional) 2 green onions, thinly sliced In a small bowl, combine the sour cream, mayonnaise, lemon juice, garlic powder, salt, cracked pepper to taste, and dill, if using, and stir until well combined. Stir the sliced green onions into the dip. Serve immediately or refrigerate for 30 minutes to allow the flavors to blend.

Law Offices of Charles E. Dorwart 33 years of legal experience • Wills • Living Trusts • Probate • Healthcare and Financial Powers of Attorney • In Home Consultations • Free Initial Consultation 6790 Grover Street • Suite 100 Omaha, NE 68106 Office: (402) 558-1404 • Fax: (402) 779-7498 cdorwartjd@dorwartlaw.com

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October 2015

Heartland Intergeneration Center

Diner’s Choice program offers meals options By Yvette Steffen

n an effort to keep pace with the different ways older Nebraskans are living their lives, the Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging’s Nutrition Division has developed a new meals program for men and women age 60 and older in the Omaha area. ENOA worked with the Hy-Vee store at 5150 Center St. to create the Diner’s Choice program that provides nutritious, well-balanced meals for older adults who want more flexibility and options to better suit their busy lifestyles. The Nutrition Division realized the hours and meals choices at its congregate meals program sites are limited. The Diner’s Choice program allows recipients to have breakfast, lunch, dinner, or anything in between to better work around jobs, appointments, family obligations, or social engagements. Nutrition Division employees work with the Hy-Vee staff and the participants to ensure the program is working well, the meals are tasty, and there’s good customer service. This ENOA/Hy-Vee partnership has proven to be a great match as both organizations are dedicated to keeping older Nebraskans in their homes and living independently for as long as possible.

o become a Diner’s Choice participant, the older adult must meet with an ENOA Nutrition Division staff member to fill out paperwork and then receive a meal card; a swipe card similar to a debit card. After the initial meeting, the Diner’s Choice program is fully automated. The Diner’s Choice participant uses the meal card that has pre-loaded meals

amounts that can be used throughout the month. The Hy-Vee deli staff member swipes the card when a meal is ordered. No other payment is required unless the participant wants to purchase a dessert or soda pop, which aren’t covered under the Diner’s Choice program. To maintain budget control, each participant is allowed one meal per day up to 10 meals per month. Reorders and suggested contributions are mailed to the Nutrition Division. Similar to the congregate meals program offered at ENOA’s senior centers, the Diner’s Choice Program is based on a suggested contribution of $4 per meal. The Older Americans Act funds the meals programs, so certain requirements have to be met. Diner’s Choice program meals must consist of one-third of the dietary guidelines for Americans which equates to one serving of meat, two servings of vegetables, one serving of fruit, one serving of bread or

another starch, and eightounces of milk or coffee. Hy-Vee has a variety of meal options to ensure these dietary needs are met. “I hope Diner’s Choice will become a popular meals option for older adults,” said ENOA Nutrition Division Director Susie Davern. She’d like to see the program expanded into more of ENOA’s service area, particularly places where healthy meal options are limited. “ENOA’s Nutrition Division is pleased to provide this innovative and convenient program; the first of its kind in eastern Nebraska,” Davern said. The Diner’s Choice Program is offered seven days a week from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. only at the Hy-Vee store at 5150 Center St. For more information about Diner’s Choice or other ENOA Nutrition Division programs, please call 402-444-6513. (Steffen is with ENOA’s Nutrition Division.)

Genealogical seminar, conference

he Greater Omaha Genealogical Society is presenting its fall seminar on Friday, Oct. 23 from 4 to 6:15 p.m. and its fall conference from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 24. Both events will be held at Nebraska Methodist College, 720 N. 87th St. The speaker for the seminar and conference is James Beidler, a Pennsylvania native who specializes in German research in his home state. Seminar topics are Hints and Helps: My List of Top Tens and Time and Place: Using Genealogy’s Crosshairs. The conference program is Researching Ancestors

from Germany and Pennsylvania and will include discussions on contrasting German migrations in the 18th and 19th centuries, German research online, beginning a search for Pennsylvania roots, and digging Pennsylvania roots from your desktop. The seminar costs $10 for GOGS members and $15 for non-members. The conference costs $45 for GOGS members and $55 for non-members. There’s a $10 discount for participants singing up before Oct. 14. Lunch is available on Saturday for an additional $5. A vegetarian choice is offered. For more information, please call 402-315-9665, 402-571-7540, or 402-7061453.

Aging with Passion and Purpose Conference on Oct. 19

he fifth biennual Aging with Passion and Purpose Conference is scheduled for Monday, Oct. 19 at the Barbara Weitz Community Engagement Center on the University of Nebraska at Omaha’s Dodge Street campus. Check-in begins at 7 a.m. and the program runs from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The registration fee is $100. The cost includes the conference, ma-

terials, continuing education credits, lunch, parking, and refreshments. The registration deadline is Oct. 9. Generations Working Together is the theme for the 2015 Aging with Passion and Purpose Conference. The theme recognizes the fact the American work force comprises several generations of workers, each with its own social, economic, and cultural contexts and values. Participants will learn

instead of casting blame or taking sides, employers and employees should try to understand the differences, find commonalities, and develop strategies for improving the interaction among the workplace’s generations. The keynote speaker will be human resources expert and business advisor Libby Sartain who was named one of the 25 most powerful women in human resources by Human Resources Executive magazine.

October 2015

You’re invited to visit the Heartland Intergeneration Center – 4318 Fort St. – for the following: • Oct. 1: Homestead Exemptions presentation @ 10:30 a.m. • Oct. 7: Finger nail painting, games, and more from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. with Skutt Catholic High School students. • Oct. 9: Blood pressure checks by and discussions with Methodist College nursing students from 10 a.m. to noon. • Oct. 22: Melodrama at Florence City Hall @ 6:30 p.m. • Oct. 23: Birthday party with Hal Cottrell from the Merrymakers @ 10:30 a.m. • Oct. 26: WhyArts? watercolor painting from 10 to 11:30 a.m. • Oct. 27: WhyArts? Halloween party from 6 to 7:30 p.m. • Oct. 30: Senior Halloween party from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. with activities, trick or treating, and more. The facility will be closed on Oct. 12 for Columbus Day. The center is open weekdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Lunch is normally served at noon. A $3.50 donation is suggested for the meal. Reservations are due by noon the business day prior to the lunch you wish to attend. Transportation is available within select neighborhoods for 50 cents each way. Regular activities include Tai Chi classes (Tuesday and Thursday @ 10:15 a.m.) and a daily walking club. For more information, call 402-553-5300.

Camelot Friendship Center You’re invited to visit the Camelot Friendship Center inside the Camelot Community Center, 9270 Cady Ave., for the following: • Oct. 2, 6, 9, 13, 16, 20, 23, 27, & 30: Tai Chi @10:15 a.m. • Oct. 7: Visit by Methodist College nurses @ 10:30 a.m. • Oct. 8: Book Club @ 10:15 a.m. • Oct. 14: Birthday Bash • Oct. 15: Jackpot Bingo • Oct. 19: Chair volleyball @ 10:30 a.m. • Oct. 21: Music by Joe Taylor from the Merrymakers @ 11:45 a.m. • Oct. 22: Pumpkin carving @ 10:15 a.m. • Oct. 29: Halloween party • Oct. 30: Movie day @ 12:15 p.m. The center will be closed on Oct. 12 for Columbus Day. Other activities include Bingo, pinochle, card games, other games, crafts, candy making, and scrapbooking. The Camelot Friendship Center is open weekdays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Lunch is served at 11:30 a.m. A $3.50 donation is suggested for the meal. Reservations are due by noon the business day prior to the lunch you wish to enjoy. For reservations or more information, please call Amy at 402-444-3091.

WHITMORE LAW OFFICE Wills • Trusts • Probate

Ask A Lawyer: Q — What is a Transfer on Death Deed (TOD Deed)? A — A TOD Deed allows a property owner to execute a deed that names a beneficiary who will obtain title to the property at the owner’s death, without the need for probate. Used mostly when a property has a single owner, the transfer doesn’t take effect until death. You must record the deed before death, but you are free to change your mind and revoke the deed at any time before death. The beneficiary has no rights to the property during the owner’s lifetime and cannot transfer or mortgage the property and his creditors cannot reach the property as long as the owner is alive. Have a question about estate planning? Give us a call! AARP Legal Service Network • No Charge For Initial Consultation

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

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Johnson is working to help ‘center’ people dealing with grief By Nick Schinker Contributing Writer

n his beloved poem, The Road Not Taken, Robert Frost tells of two paths that diverged in the woods and laments his ability to choose only one. At a point in her life when many older adults would kick back and settle into a relaxing retirement, Joy Johnson has laced up her walking shoes and found a way to double back and explore a second path. In 1977, Johnson and her husband, Dr. Marvin Johnson, DMin, founded the Centering Corporation, a bereavement resource center in Omaha. In the years since, the Centering Corporation has grown into North America’s largest grief resource center. “There were seven books on grief in 1977 when we started,” Johnson says. “Now there are more than a thousand.” With its wide array of books and other bereavement materials, the Centering Corporation served as the national emergency grief resource center after the Oklahoma City bombing, the Columbine school shootings, and the 9/11 attacks. Locally, the Centering Corporation was the grief resource supplier following the Von Maur shootings. In the past decade, Centering has supplied more than two million books, videos, and other tools to caregivers and grievers around the world. Naming their business the Centering Corporation was logical, Johnson says. “If you are centered,” she explains, “you can be pushed around by a lot of things, but not be pushed over.” In 2001, along with their daughter, Janet Roberts, and former son-in-law, Benn Sieff, the Johnsons founded Ted E. Bear Hollow, an independent Omaha facility that provides free grief support programs to hundreds of children, teens, and adults annually, as well as training, education, and consultation throughout Nebraska and Iowa. Dr. Johnson died in 2014 at age 82 after battling esophageal cancer. Rather than a funeral, Joy followed his wishes and scheduled a celebration of his life. Held at the Happy Hollow Country Club, family and friends gathered to tell upbeat stories about Marvin and his life. “It was laughter,” she says. “It was happy.” Instead of flowers, people were invited to donate to the Dr. Marvin and Joy Johnson Foundation at the Centering Corporation. The foundation will provide resources to schools that have experienced suicides and other tragedies. It will also fund a memory garden and Caring Cups Coffee Stop for caregivers at the Centering Corporation’s Maple Street office. The coffee shop will offer “Research, Resources, Refreshment, and Renewal” to grief counselors and other health professionals. It is ironic; perhaps, that a woman

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Joy Johnson stands in front of the 150-year-old cottonwood tree that will become a centerpiece of a memory garden that is being installed at the Centering Corporation’s office. named Joy would spend nearly four decades working with people who are saddened by grief. But her name is especially appropriate for her personality, as there doesn’t seem to be an unhappy bone in her body. “I’ve always been a well-centered, happy person,” she says. Johnson is channeling that upbeat personality to travel down her second path as author of a series of books, The BOOB Girls: The Burned Out Old Broads at Table 12. “They are a blend of comedy and mystery,” she says, “and they are doing very well.” Endorsed by comedian Phyllis Diller, Johnson says a local theater group is transforming one of the books into a musical. She has written seven in the series, averaging one book per year.

New Horizons

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“I was just going to write one, but it was such a success I wrote a second, then a third. I’d like to end up with 12, because they are at Table 12.”

orn in Creston, Iowa, Joy was the second daughter of Roy Millard and his wife,

Mary. “My parents lost their first daughter, Roena, to pneumonia in 1922 when she was 3,” Johnson says. “There were no support groups for parents back then, and my mother didn’t handle her depression very well. She decided not to have any more children. Then I came along in 1938. “Even after I was born, she remained very withdrawn. She didn’t want to love me and have another

October 2015

child die.” The lack of support available to her parents sparked an interest in Johnson that she developed as she grew older. It was during a trip to the Clarinda Mental Health Center to conduct a seminar on what was then called “death and dying” on behalf of the United Methodist Church that she met the center’s director of chaplaincy, Dr. Marvin Johnson. “I like to say I met my husband in a mental institution,” she says, smiling. The couple combined their expertise and started the Centering Corporation with nine coloring books for hospitalized children. “At the time, ‘patient education’ was not even a term people used yet,” she --Please turn to page 11.

Joy’s popular series of ‘BOOB Girls’ books combine comedy, mystery help lessen the pain, Johnson says people need to realize that grief isn’t something that one day simply disappears. Depending on a person’s personality, grief can be a shallow cut or slice all the way to the bone. Time may heal all wounds, she says, but not all grief. “It did help me when Marv died, to know a lot about grief,” she says. “But it is hard, there’s no denying that.” To help herself, Johnson made a list of people she could call to share a meal or just chat, which she titled, Someone to Watch Over Me. Now that macular degeneration prevents her from

driving long distances, she has a list of friends who will drive her on adventures to nearby cities. That is her list of “Joy Riders.” It isn’t that Johnson doesn’t grieve. She does, and chooses to do so alone. Outwardly, she chooses to follow a different path, to live a full and happy life that she hopes is an example to others. “Our loved ones who die would want us to have a good life,” she says. “When we live a good life, we honor them. “That’s why I tell people to live a life of gratitude. How could we honor them more?”

A Creston, Iowa native, Joy and her husband, Marvin, started the Centering Corporation with nine coloring books for hospitalized children. --Continued from page 10. says. The Johnsons conducted seminars for nurses and caregivers who work with parents. “Then one of the nurses said, ‘We need a grief book for small children.’ So we wrote one.”

“Our loved ones who die would want us to have a good life.” They understood that young children often can’t concentrate for long periods, yet need a way to understand that being sad is a natural part of grieving. “So we wrote very small, focused books, like, Tell Me, Papa.” In addition to being a storehouse that ships books and other resources worldwide, the Centering Corporation hosts support group meetings for caregivers and training sessions for Stephen Ministers and parish nurses. Hospice staff and students also utilize the corporation’s library. There is a five-week program available to anyone interested titled, The Gift of a Good Death that is both instructional and comforting, Johnson says. “Everyone grieves differently,” she says. “Kids grieve differently than teenagers, and older adults grieve differently than middle-agers. “People say the worst grief is the death of a child. But what if you lose a spouse and a child at the same time? Is one easier

than the other? Of course not. “Grief is not a competitive sport. I say the worst grief is your grief at the moment.”

hile each person grieves differently, there are common elements of grief. Like not knowing what to say after someone’s relative or friend dies. Johnson says everyone struggles to find the words to express grief and support. To illustrate her point, she begins one of her sessions with a clip from a popular British television show, where two friends are talking about what to say to a third friend after the death of her spouse. As one character is mov-

ing toward the receiving line beside the casket, he stops and turns away. “I just don’t know what to say,” he exclaims. His friend offers advice. “Just take her hand and say, ‘I’m sorry for your loss,’ and move on.” “Alright,” he replies. So he makes his way to the widow, takes her by the hand and says, “I’m sorry for your loss. Move on.” Johnson says the film clip gets her audience laughing – and thinking. “Some people say laughter is a defensive mechanism,” she explains. “I disagree. It isn’t a defensive mechanism; it’s an offensive mechanism. It attacks grief.” And though humor may

Joy says laughter isn’t a defense mechanism, it’s an offensive mechanism that attacks grief.

Your home. Your care. Your pace.

Your home is best and Immanuel Pathways’ goal is to help you continue living in your home as long as possible. Our program provides a complete system of health care. The service is called PACE, which stands for: Program of All-inclusive Care for the Elderly. We provide primary and hospital care as well as prescription drugs, transportation and so much more to our participants. Services are provided in the home, at the PACE Center and in the community. For complete program details and benefits, please call 402-991-0330.

5755 Sorensen Parkway | Omaha, NE 68152

www.immanuelpathways.org

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

October 2015

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Catholic Charities serves victims of domestic violence

A Caring Community Called HOME!

esults from a telephone survey of nearly 6,000 older adults who were victims of physical mistreatment indicated 57 percent of the perpetrators were partners or spouses. Domestic violence impacts all generations with more than one in three women and more than one in four men having experienced rape, physical violence, and/or stalking by an intimate partner. Chances are you know someone in a dangerous relationship. It can be hard to watch someone you care about get hurt physically or emotionally, but your friend or family member needs you now more than ever. “Abusers take away someone’s ability to have

Independent & Assisted Living

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control over their own lives. Abusers decide who they can and can’t spend time with, where they can and can’t go, and what they can and can’t do,” said Gwen Inglis-Steinfeld, the domestic violence services supervisor for Catholic Charities. “The last thing your friend or family member needs is you telling them what to do, as well. But that doesn’t mean you can’t do anything to help.” Gwen offers some tips for what to do when you know someone who is in an abusive relationship: • Reach out. Catholic Charities’ 24/7 hotline is here for victims and their family members. Call 402-558-5700 to speak to a trained domestic violence advocate.

• Listen. Ask questions and share your concerns. • Don’t give up. Leaving the abusive environment can be hard, scary, and often dangerous. They need support even if they aren’t ready to leave. • Plan for safety. Help them create and use a safety plan. If you aren’t sure how to do that, reach out to a domestic violence advocate. • Offer a safe place to stay, a ride to work, or to watch their kids. Be honest about how you can help, but don’t offer anything you can’t provide. Most importantly, listen without judgment. As Douglas County’s only shelter serving victims of domestic violence, Catholic Charities has been serving the community for over 37 years. For more information, please call 402-558-5700.

Fire Department can install smoke, carbon monoxide detectors

he Omaha Fire Department’s Public Education and Affairs Department is available to install free smoke and/or carbon monoxide detectors inside the residences of area homeowners. To have a free smoke and/ or carbon monoxide detector installed inside your home, send your name, address, and telephone number to: Omaha Fire Department Smoke/Carbon Monoxide Requests 10245 Weisman Dr. Omaha, NE 68134 For more information, please call 402-444-3560.

Self compassion topic of Oct. 13 program You’re invited to attend a presentation by psychologist and drama therapist Dr. Louisa Foster titled Mindful Self Compassion on Tuesday, Oct. 13 from 1 to 2 p.m. at Second Unitarian Church, 3012 S. 119th St. Research shows having a self-compassion practice acts as an effective buffer against anxiety and depression. Learning to sooth and comfort ourselves increases our sense of gratitude and happiness and enhances our relationships. For more information, please call Gary Emenitove at 402-334-0537, ext. 114.

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October 2015

Survey: Social Security benefits not keeping up with household budget needs

ocial Security benefits aren’t keeping pace with rising household budgets, according to the majority of retirees participating in a new survey by The Senior Citizens League (TSCL). The record low growth in cost-of-living adjustments (COLA) in recent years is creating long-term budget trouble for an estimated 31 million Social Security beneficiaries age 65 and older, says TSCL. When asked to select between four statements that most closely reflected their feelings about their Social Security benefits, 42 percent of survey participants said their benefits “were not

keeping up with household budget needs.” Another 25 percent said their benefits help “keep them out of poverty,” while 9 percent said their benefits were “too low to sustain even basic needs,” and that they didn’t have enough to live on. Only 24 percent of survey participants said their Social Security benefits help them to afford a comfortable retirement. “The promise of Social Security to help retirees live more comfortably in retirement is in danger,” says TSCL Chairman Ed Cates. Since 2010, annual COLAs have averaged just 1.4 percent — less than half the average 3 percent of the decade prior to 2010. In

2010 and 2011, there was no COLA at all. Recently the Social Security trustees have forecast there will be no COLA again in 2016. “Because the COLA sounds small, most people don’t realize the disproportionately large impact this has on their retirement income due to the loss of the compounding effect,” says Cates. Low COLA affect both those currently retired who receive an annual benefit boost when inflation is rising, and people who haven’t even started benefits yet because COLA are used to calculate the initial benefit amount. A year with no COLA would mean a lower initial retirement benefit for some future retirees.

WoodmenLife donates $3,750 to ENOA’s Meals on Wheels program

According to an analysis for TSCL, people who retired in 2009 – with an average benefit of about $1,000 per month – will receive roughly $5,000 less in Social Security benefits through the end of 2015 than they would have if COLA had been the more typical 3 percent. The analysis projects that if inflation remains at the low levels estimated by the Congressional Budget Office, individuals who retired with $1,000 per month in 2009 would lose almost $61,000 in Social Security income over the course of a 25-year retirement. “Today’s retirees simply cannot afford to give up that much,” Cates says.

Christ Child North activities include SAZZY Seniors, mobile food pantry

ou’re invited to join the SAZZY (Smart, Active, Zealous, Zestful, and Young at heart) Seniors weekdays at Christ Child North, 2111 Emmet St. Activities include line dancing, walking, crafts, Bingo, gardening, and field trips. The center is open Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday. In the spirit of the United Way’s National Day of Giving, Catholic Charities is hosting a mobile food pantry on Friday, Oct. 9 from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. (or until the food runs out) at Christ Child North.

rector Dennis Loose and Arlis Smidt, who coordinates the agency’s Meals on Wheels program. Smidt said the money will be used to purchase six electric meal transporters that will help keep the food hot during cold weather. Moritz said the organization’s Social Responsibility Committee receives many requests for donations, but typically selects programs like Meals on Wheels that allow WoodmenLife associates to get involved with them. “We’re very grateful to WoodmenLife for this donation as well as for its many years of volunteer service for ENOA and our clients,” Loose said. “We look forward to continuing our relationship with ENOA and the Meals on Wheels program,” Moritz said. October 2015

Participants are asked to bring boxes, sacks, and a photo ID, and be prepared to fill out any necessary paperwork. This food pantry will not count against the regular patrons’ 30-day limit. For more information, please call 402-453-6363 or log the Internet on to www.ccomaha.org. VOTES WANTED PLEASE GO TO

www.lightthebridge.org 100% non-profit addressing hunger VOTES TO DATE • For: 2,715 • Against: 90 • Please vote today to address hunger.

PARKSIDE

Spencer Owen – vice president of sales for WoodmenLife (left) – presented a check for $3,750 recently to ENOA’s Meals on Wheels program. Accepting the check for the agency were ENOA Executive Director Dennis Loose and Arlis Smidt, who coordinates the home-delivered meals program. Thanks to the generosity of WoodmenLife and its Corporate Responsibility Contribution Program, the Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging’s Meals on Wheels program is getting some help keeping its homedelivered meals hot this winter. WoodmenLife is an Omaha-based fraternal benefit society that offers life insurance and financial products to its members. For several years, WoodmenLife associates have volunteered with ENOA’s homedelivered meals program. WoodmenLife, however, wanted to do more for the agency and the older adults who receive the hot weekday meals, according to Bruce Moritz, director for the organization’s fraternal outreach program. Last month, Spencer Owen, WoodmenLife’s vice president of sales, presented a check for $3,750 to ENOA Executive Di-

TSCL supports legislation that would provide greater retirement security by indexing Social Security benefits to the Consumer Price Index for the Elderly and would provide all retirees moderately higher monthly benefits. To provide more secure benefits and strengthen Social Security, TSCL surveys indicate the majority of older Americans support raising the maximum taxable earnings so high income earners pay taxes on all earnings over $118,500. To sign up for TSCL’s free online newsletter The Social Security & Medicare Advisor, go online and visit the website www.SeniorsLeague.org.

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Independent apartment living for persons age 55+ • Spacious 1 & 2 bedroom apartment homes • Elevator • Washer/dryer in every apartment • Garage included in rent • Beautifully landscaped grounds • Within walking distance of Ralston Park

PARKSIDE

• Emergency alarm system • 24-hour emergency maintenance • Controlled access entry • Community areas on every floor • Microwave • Icemaker • Window blinds furnished

Call today to view your new home in the park!

7775 Park Drive • Ralston, Nebraska

402-339-9080

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Medicare open enrollment sites open Oct. 16 to Dec. 7

Please see the ad on page 3

New Horizons Club gains new members

During the open enrollment period (Oct. 15 through Dec. 7), Medicare beneficiaries have the option to review and change their Prescription Drug Plans and Medicare Advantage plans. Each year, plans can change premiums, deductibles, and co-pays. Medications that were covered in 2015 may not be covered in 2016. Doctors that may have been in-network on a Medicare Advantage plan this year may not be next year. Medicare’s open enrollment gives you the ability to review your coverage and switch to another plan if there’s one that offers better coverage or pricing. Volunteers Assisting Seniors (VAS) serves as the Nebraska Senior Health Insurance Information Program (SHIIP)

$50 Howard Roberts $25 Rose Ann Michalski $5 Carol Bruner Reflects donations received through 9/25/15.

AARP offering driving course AARP is offering a new four-hour, research-based Smart Driver Course for older adults. By completing the course, participants will learn research-based driving safety strategies that can reduce the likelihood of having an accident; understand the links between the driver, the vehicle, and the road environment, and how this awareness encourages safer driving; learn how aging, medications, alcohol, and health-related issues affect driving ability and ways to allow for these changes; increase confidence; know how to share the road safely with other drivers, and learn the newest safety and advance features in vehicles. The fee is $15 for AARP members and $20 for nonAARP members. No tests or examinations are involved, course completion certificates are provided, and auto insurance discounts may apply. Here’s this month’s schedule: Tuesday, Oct. 6 @ 9 a.m. Harrison Heights 7544 Gertrude St. 402-933-8080 to register

Wednesday, Oct. 7 @ Noon Bloomfield Forum 9804 Nicholas St. 402-390-9991

Tuesday, Oct. 6 @ 10 a.m. Corrigan Senior Center 3819 X St. 402-731-7210 to register

Saturday, Oct. 17 @ 1 p.m. AARP Information Center 1941 S. 42nd St. #220 402-398-9568

Friday, Oct. 23 @ 9:30 a.m. Metro Community College 9110 Giles Rd. 402-398-9568

Book review club meets Oct. 20

he Eclectic Book Review Club’s 66th season continues on Tuesday, Oct. 20 at the Omaha Field Club, 3615 Woolworth Ave. The noon lunch will be followed by the 12:30 review each month. The cost is $13 per person per month. For reservations, which must be made by the Monday prior to the review, please call Rita at 402-553-3147. Here’s the fall schedule: • Oct. 20: Emily Getzchman from the Omaha Public Library will review All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr. • Nov. 17: Author Alex Kava will review her book Silent Creed.

FREE

HEARING TEST This Week Only

• Find out what you are hearing and what you are not. • We do computerized audiometric testing of your hearing. • This is a wonderful opportunity to determine if hearing help is available.

8313 Cass St., Omaha • 301 E 6th St., Fremont 402-512-5022

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regional office in the Omaha area, providing free, unbiased information to Medicare beneficiaries. During October, November, and early December, VAS will be scheduling appointments throughout eastern Nebraska for a drug plan or an Advantage plan review during Medicare’s open enrollment. At these appointments, Medicare beneficiaries can sit down with a trained counselor for assistance evaluating their Medicare Part D and Medicare Advantage options for next year. Assistance is also available outside the Omaha area by calling the SHIIP’s tollfree hotline at 800-234-7119. Here’s a list of VAS’ Medicare enrollment events that are available by appointment only.

Friday, Oct. 16 Goodwill 4805 N. 72nd St. 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. 402-444-6617

Monday, Nov. 2 VAS 1941 S. 42nd St. #312 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. 402-444-6617

Wednesday, Oct. 21 VAS 1941 S. 42nd St. #312 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. 402-444-6617

Tuesday, Nov. 3 Arlington Senior Center 305 N. 3rd St. 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. 402-478-4774

Thursday, Oct. 22 Dodge County Extension Office 1206 W. 23rd St. Fremont 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. 402-727-2775

Wednesday, Nov. 4 VAS 1941 S. 42nd St #312 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. 402-444-6617

Friday, Oct. 23 Metro Comm. College 204th Street & West Dodge Road 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. 402-444-6617 Friday, Oct. 23 Dodge County Extension Office 1206. W. 23rd St. Fremont 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. 402-727-2775 Monday, Oct. 26 VAS 1941 S. 42nd St. #312 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. 402-444-6617 Wednesday, Oct. 28 Sump Memorial Library 222 N. Jefferson St. Papillion 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. 402-444-6617 Friday, Oct. 30 Metro Comm. College 835 N. Broad St. Fremont 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. 402-727-2775 Friday, Oct. 30 North Bend Public Library 110 E. 13th St. 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. 402-727-2775

October 2015

Friday, Nov. 6 Metro Comm. College 9110 Giles Rd. LaVista 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. 402-444-6617

Thursday, Nov. 19 Washington County Extension Office 597 Grant St. #200 Blair 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. 402-426-9455 Friday, Nov. 20 Metro Comm. College 204th Street & West Dodge Road Elkhorn 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. 402-444-6617 Saturday, Nov. 21 VAS 1941 S. 42nd St #312 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. 402-444-6617

Saturday, Nov. 7 VAS 1941 S. 42nd St #312 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. 402-444-6617

Monday, Nov. 23 Eastern Nebraska Veterans Home 12505 S. 40th St. Bellevue 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. 402-444-6617

Tuesday, Nov. 10 VAS 1941 S. 42nd St #312 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. 402-444-6617

Tuesday, Nov. 24 VAS 1941 S. 42nd St #312 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. 402-444-6617

Friday, Nov. 13 Goodwill 4805 N. 72nd St. 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. 402-444-6617

Monday, Nov. 30 VAS 1941 S. 42nd St #312 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. 402-444-6617

Monday, Nov. 16 VAS 1941 S. 42nd St #312 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. 402-444-6617

Tuesday, Dec. 1 Arlington Senior Center 305 N. 3rd St. 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. 402-478-4774

Wednesday, Nov. 18 VAS 1941 S. 42nd St #312 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. 402-444-6617 Wednesday, Nov. 18 Washington County Extension Office 597 Grant St. #200 Blair 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. 402-426-9455

Friday, Dec. 4 Goodwill 4805 N. 72nd St. 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. 402-444-6617 Monday, Dec. 7 VAS 1941 S. 42nd St #312 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. 402-444-6617

Federal employee groups meet

each month at Omaha eatery The National Active and Retired Federal Employees’ Chapter 144 meets the first Wednesday of each month at 11:30 a.m. at the Amazing Pizza Machine, 13955 S Plz. For more information, please call 402-292-1156.

The National Active and Retired Federal Employees’ Aksarben Chapter 1370 meets the second Wednesday of each month at 11:30 a.m. at the Amazing Pizza Machine, 13955 S Plz. For more information, please call 402-342-4351.

Survey: Alzheimer’s feared more than cancer, heart attack, or stroke

lzheimer’s disease is feared more than cancer, heart attack, or stroke, according to a recent survey of people age 65 and older. The reason: cancer, heart disease, and stroke are treatable, but there’s little that can arrest the progress of Alzheimer’s. That situation is changing. “There are now opportunities to do something, perhaps to reduce your own risk and also to help the next generation see Alzheimer’s disease as preventable,” says Dr. Reisa Sperling, professor of neurology at the Harvard Medical School. By “opportunities,” Dr. Sperling is referring to clinical trials of drugs designed to prevent Alzheimer’s from developing in people who haven’t yet shown symptoms of dementia. Earlier studies, which had disappointing results, tested drugs in people who already had memory loss or even advanced dementia. The reason to begin treatment earlier, she says, is that most successful drugs prevent a disease from occurring rather than arrest a disease that’s already entrenched. Two recent advances have opened the possibility of identifying and treating people at risk who haven’t developed signs of Alzheimer’s—the availability of imaging that can detect amyloid plaques in the brain, and the development of drugs that reduce those plaques. As new drugs are developed, it’s important to test them in thousands of people to determine whether they’re safe and effective. Clinical trials can provide the information to help the FDA decide which drugs should be approved for use. “It’s critical to get a lot of women in these studies because they may be the ones we can help the most,” Dr. Sperling says. Women are twice as likely as men to develop the disease, in large part because we live longer. Women with the APOE4 gene, which increases the risk of developing Alzheimer’s, are three times as likely to get the disease as men who have that gene. And women are four times as likely as men to be the principal caregiver for someone who has Alzheimer’s. To learn about Alzheimer’s studies and get information on participating in them, contact the National Institute on Aging at 800-438-4380 or visit A4Study.org or alzheimers.org.

Film series will take armchair travelers along the Royal Inca Road on Oct. 15

he Omaha World Adventurers film series brings Swiss born author, filmmaker, photographer, and adventurer Karin Muller to Omaha as she presents her film Along the Royal Inca Road at the Village Pointe Theater, 304 N. 174th St., on Thursday, Oct. 15. Show times are 2 and 7:30 p.m. Supported by a National Geographic grant, Muller spent seven months documenting and filming life along the Royal Inca Highway through the Andes and Machu Picchu is an Incan citadel built the coast of high in the Andes Mountains in Peru. Chile. Built more than 500 years ago, the road linked the outposts of the Inca Empire, a region of exquisite beauty that includes the world’s second highest mountain range and a barren coastal desert. Tickets to Along the Royal Inca Road – which are available at the door – are $15. For more information, please call Ralph at 1-866-3853824.

Project Wee Care

ou’re encouraged to support Project Wee Care by donating toothbrushes, toothpaste, combs, deodorant, soap, and shampoo for local families in need through Tuesday, Nov. 10. The toiletries can be dropped off in a bin at the concierge desk at the Walnut Grove Resort Lifestyle Community, 4901 S. 153rd St. For more information, please call 402-861-1611. VOTES WANTED PLEASE GO TO

www.lightthebridge.org 100% non-profit addressing hunger VOTES TO DATE • For: 2,715 • Against: 90 • Please vote today to address hunger.

Group for older computer users in Omaha gathers at Abrahams Library

ou’re invited to join the Omaha Computer Users Group (OCUG), an organization dedicated to helping men and women age 50 and older learn more about their computers. Anyone can join OCUG regardless of his or her computer skills. The organization’s 50 members meet the third Saturday of each month from 10 a.m. to noon at the Abrahams Library, 5111 N. 90th St. Annual dues to OCUG, which has existed for 15 years, are $25. OCUG has a projector connected to a Microsoft Windows 7 computer and a Windows 8 computer to show users how to solve their computer problems. Bring your questions concerning your computer problems to the meetings for answers. For more information, please call OCUG’s president Phill Sherbon at 402-333-6529.

October 2015

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Page 15

Introducing

Hearing loss support group to meet Gov. Ricketts to on Oct. 13 at Dundee Presbyterian honor caregivers

• Companionship • Light housekeeping • Cooking • Grocery shopping/Errands • Personal hygiene/Care • Personalized transportation • And more…

he Omaha Area Hearing Loss Association of ebraska Gov. Pete America, a support group for hard of hearing Ricketts will sign adults, will next meet on Tuesday, Oct. 13 at five proclamaDundee Presbyterian Church, 5312 Underwood tions promoting Ave. Participants are asked to enter the church on the the importance and awareHappy Hollow Blvd. (east) side. ness of Alzheimer’s disease, The 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. meeting will feature social time home care, hospice and paland a speaker. liative care, respite services, The Omaha Area Hearing Loss Association of America and family caregivers on meets the second Tuesday of the month from September Monday, Nov. 9. through December and from March through August. The 1 to 1:30 p.m. event For more information, please contact Beth Ellsworth at will be held in the Warner ellsworth.beth@cox.net or Verla Hamilton at 402-558Chamber at the State Capi• Companionship 6449. tol in Lincoln. • Light housekeeping The Nebraska Caregiver/ • Cooking Respite Coalition is hosting • Grocery shopping/Errandsthe celebration to recognize • Personal hygiene/Care the importance of family Are you caring for a loved one with special needs • Personalized transportationcaregivers and the services such as a developmental or physical disability or a that support their efforts. • And more… chronic health concern? Could you use a break to Prior to the proclamation relax, go to church, go grocery shopping, signings, caregivers are “Empowering the individuals we serve visit a friend, or see a movie? invited to an 11:30 a.m. to to live life to the fullest.” 12:45 p.m. luncheon at the Call us at 402-996-8444 Governor’s Mansion, to learn more about respite care (short-term relief). or 844-443-6769 Toll free: 844-44-EMPOWER To register for the luncheon, that costs $30 per www.empowerhomecare.com Partnerships in Caregiving, Inc. person, send your name and Covering the Eastern Region of the Lifespan Respite Network address along with a check made out to the Nebraska Caregiver Coalition by Friday, Oct. 16 to Hastings Respite Care, Inc.; PO Box 1217; Hastings, Neb. 68902. For more information, please contact Chris Stewart at 402-881-6140.

Introducing

NEED A BREAK?

“Empowering the individuals we serve to live life to the fullest.”

Toll free: 844-44-EMPOWER or 844-443-6769 www.empowerhomecare.com The New Horizons is brought to you each month by the Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging

Concert series at Walnut Grove during October

ou’re invited to attend the free Walnut Grove Theater Concert series this month at the Walnut Grove Resort Lifestyle Community, 4901 S. 153rd St. Here’s the schedule: • Tuesday, Oct. 6: Paul Siebert @ 1 p.m. • Thursday, Oct. 22: 22nd Annual Elvis Presley and Johnny Cash Tribute by Bill Chrastil @ 6:30 p.m. • Tuesday, Oct. 27: Oktoberfest show with Wayne Miller @ 1 p.m. • Thursday, Oct. 29: Oktoberfest show by the German American Band @ 6:30 p.m. For more information, please call 402-861-1611. VOTES WANTED PLEASE GO TO

www.lightthebridge.org 100% non-profit addressing hunger VOTES TO DATE • For: 2,715 • Against: 90 • Please vote today to address hunger.

Page 16

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October 2015

California’s four-year drought is creating problems for state’s redwoods, sequoias

alifornia is home to two of the three redwood tree species: coast redwoods and giant sequoias. The coast redwood is the Earth’s tallest tree, growing more than 360 feet tall, with a trunk that can extend to 24 feet wide. The “General Sherman” giant sequoia tree at Sequoia National Park in California’s southern Sierra Nevada mountain range is the “undisputed King of the Forest,” being not only the largest living tree in the world, but the largest living organism, by volume, on the planet. General Sherman is 2,100 years old, 2.7 million pounds, 275 feet tall, and 100 feet wide at its trunk. Redwood forests offer shelter to many animals, including mountain lions, American black bears, Roosevelt elks, and mountain beavers. According to the National Park Service, approximately 280 species of birds have been recorded within the boundaries of redwood national and state parks. Just over 800 bird species occur in all of the United States, so that equates to approximately one third of the country’s birds. “Redwoods are an iconic key species,” said Anthony Ambrose, a postdoctoral researcher with the Depart-

ment of Integrative Biology at the University of California (UC), Berkeley. “They’re the tallest, oldest, and largest trees in the world. Everybody around the world knows about them. People love them, even if they’ve never visited them. They’re beautiful forests and beautiful trees.”

or the past four years, California has been suffering a grueling drought. Agricultural economists at UC Davis recently calculated the drought will cost the state $2.74 billion in 2015. Drought can reduce tree growth rates and may even lead to tree death. Coast redwoods receive up to 40 percent of their water supply from fog, which is created from warm, moist air rising from the cold surface waters of the Pacific. Giant sequoias grow in mountain habitats where an abundant winter snowpack recharges the groundwater they depend upon and use in the summer. However, during the past two winters, much of the giant sequoia range had little to no snowpack. As a result, groundwater levels have dropped, sometimes below the roots of immense giant sequoias that are greater than 1,000 years old, says Todd Daw-

Immigration turmoil topic of AARP meeting on Oct. 19 The Florence AARP Chapter 2269 meets each month at the Olive Crest Methodist Church, 7180 N. 60th St. (one mile north of Sorensen Parkway.) The meetings begin at noon with a lunch that costs $7 per person each month. Here’s the schedule of programs for the rest of 2015: • Oct. 19: Immigration turmoil with Joann Feller. • Nov. 16: DJ music and karaoke with Jonathan Kellerk. • Dec. 14: Christmas music program. For more information, please contact Ruth Kruse at ruthkruse@cox.net.

son, a UC Berkeley Professor of Integrative Biology who’s been studying redwood ecology and physiology for over 25 years. For the coast redwood, the drought impacts are not as severe as they seem to be for the giant sequoia. Trees at the edges of the coast redwood range, including the southern end of the range in the Santa Lucia Mountains south of Big Sur, seem to be the most affected. Here, young trees have lost a lot of their leaves, and have not grown very much, if at all, Dawson said. “Many trees are experiencing the highest levels of water stress we’ve ever measured. We’ve not seen much tree mortality, but many trees have thin crowns and do not look healthy,” Dawson said. “Our biggest question is just how far can these trees be pushed? If the winter does not bring good rainfall and a normal snowpack throughout the state I am not sure how our state trees will do. We are likely to see some mortality as we are seeing in some of the pines and firs in California. But how bad this will be - only time will tell.” (EarthTalk® is produced by Doug Moss & Roddy Scheer and is a registered trademark of Earth Action Network Inc.)

Bilingual information Bilingual information about hospice care, palliative care, helping loved ones with grief and loss, and caregiving is available through the Nebraska Hospice and Palliative Care Partnership. The number for the Cuidando con Carino Compassionate Care HelpLine is (toll free) 1-877-658-8896. The service is offered weekdays, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Billie Holliday tale on stage through Oct. 24

erforming Artists Repertory Theatre is presenting Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays through Oct. 24 at the Part Theater inside Omaha’s Crossroads Mall. Written by Lanie Robertson, the play’s 11 performances – which feature Tiffany White-Welchen – begin at 7 p.m. Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill is set in a dive bar on the Southside of Philadelphia in 1959 during one of the

legendary singer Billie Holiday’s last performances before her untimely death. The play recounts events in Holiday’s life in an intimate setting through song and narrative. White-Welchen (Billie Holiday) is an Omaha native who studied and graduated from Drake University in Des Moines. She made a name for her self performing at local venues throughout Omaha. Tickets, which are $37, can be purchased by calling 402-706-0778. More information is available online at www.performingartistsrepertorytheatre.org.

October 2015

Alzheimer’s caregiver sessions The Alzheimer’s Association is sponsoring a series of free caregiver education sessions the third Thursday of October and November. The 5:30 to 7 p.m. programs will be held in the boardroom at the Visiting Nurse Association, 12565 W. Center Rd. Walk-ins are welcome to attend. Here’s the schedule: • Oct. 15: Understanding and Responding to Dementia-Related Behavior. • Nov. 19: Holiday Tips for the Caregiver. For more information, please contact Elizabeth at 402-502-4301 or echentland@alz.org.

Free programs on tap for October, November The University of Nebraska Medical Center’s EngAge Wellness program and The Art of Aging are cosponsoring a series of free programs the third Tuesday of each month through November. The 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. presentations will be held at the Home Instead Center for Successful Aging, 38th Avenue and Leavenworth Street. Here’s the schedule: • Oct. 20: On the Move! Successfully Getting from One Home to Another with Mike Fujan of True North. • Nov. 17: Home for the Holidays: A Recipe for Peace with Diane Hendricks from UNMC. To register or for more information, please call 402552-7210.

Dance Wednesdays at Legion Post #1 You’re invited to attend a dance each Wednesday afternoon from 1 to 4 at American Legion Post #1, 7811 Davenport St. Admission is $2. For more information, please call 402-392-0444.

Speaker series continues on Oct. 13 at Wanut Grove You’re invited to attend a free series of monthly programs with speakers through December in the theater at the Walnut Grove Adult Living Community, 4901 S. 153rd St. • Tuesday, Oct. 13: 55+ Community Resources and Support with Michaela Williams from Care Consultants for the Aging. • Tuesday, Nov. 10: Swallowed by A Snake: Everyone Grieves with Joy Johnson from the Centering Corporation and Ted E. Bear Hollow. • Tuesday, Dec. 8: The Sandwich Generation: Caring for Family with Cathy Wyatt from the Art of Aging. Each program begins at 1 p.m. To RSVP or for more information, please call 402-8611611.

TRAINING

Would you like to provide a respite for someone who is caregiving for a loved one with special needs but don’t know where to start?

Consider this to be a great training opportunity that is being offered at NO CHARGE.

Partnerships in Caregiving is conducting REST Training Saturday, October 24th, 2015 • 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at St. Matthew Evangelical Lutheran Church, 1725 South 60th Street, Omaha NE 68106. Please contact Ellen at (402) 996-8444 to get more information or to register. You may also email: edbenne@gmail.com

Maplewood Estates Lifestyle • Community • Convenience • Family Values

Move-in Specials Get 6 months of FREE lot rent for moving a single wide home Amenities include: into the park, or $3,500 for • Playground • Off street parking doublewide for moving expenses. • Clubhouse • Pool • RV’s welcome Call for more information.

402.493.6000

Call: 12801 Spaulding Plaza www.maplewoodestatesonline.com Omaha, NE 68164

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Page 17

Persons with Alzheimer’s disease often have a distorted sense of time passage

P Someday this button might save your life. For now, it sets you free. With Lifeline by Immanuel, you can enjoy an independent lifestyle in your own home—knowing that you can get help if you ever need it. In a fall or emergency, every second counts. Lifeline by Immanuel with AutoAlert is a medical alert pendent that can automatically call for help, even if you can’t push your button. Getting you connected to someone with access to your medical history, someone who can evaluate your situation and immediately send help. To learn more about the security and peace of mind provided by Lifeline, call (402) 829-3277 or toll-free at (800) 676-9449.

www.immanuellifeline.com

Fontenelle Tours

Omaha/Council Bluffs

712-366-9596

Quoted prices are per person, double occupancy. For more information about our tours, please call Ward or Kathy Kinney at Fontenelle Tours at the number listed above.

Motorcoach Branson Christmas. November 9 – 12. $729. Enjoy SIX–The Knudsen Brothers, Dixie Stampede, Shoji Tabuchi, Pierce Arrow, Dublin’s Irish Tenors with the Celtic Ladies, Mickey Gilley, and the Trail of Lights, as well as Landry’s Seafood House. “Dear Santa” at the Lofte. December 13. $99. This play is composed of a number of short scenes that range from the hilarious to the touching. Many views of Santa are seen—from the point of view of the child who alphabetizes her Christmas list and sends it out in August as well as that of children at various stages of belief—and disbelief. Followed by another delicious dinner at the Main Street Café in Louisville.

Laughlin Laughlin in October. October 14 - 17. $259. Includes non-stop, round-trip airfare to Laughlin, Nevada, three nights lodging at the Riverside Resort and Casino on the banks of the Colorado River, and shuttle transportation to and from the airport. You will also have the opportunity to enjoy the “Legends of Motown: Music of the Spinners, Four Tops and Temptations” show at the Riverside Resort on these dates. Laughlin in November. November 5 - 8. $279. Includes non-stop, round-trip airfare to Laughlin, Nevada, three nights lodging at the Riverside Resort and Casino on the banks of the Colorado River, and shuttle transportation to and from the airport. It is a very affordable way to get away for a while. During this stay, you will have the option of seeing The Lettermen perform at the Riverside Resort, and Toby Keith at the Laughlin Event Center. You can also browse at the International Gift and Craft Show at the Edgewater Casino.

In Partnership with Collette Vacations Quoted prices are per person, double occupancy, and do not include airfare. More destinations available! Classic Danube. 11 days from $3349. Features a seven-night Danube River Cruise visiting Wurzburg, Rothenburg, Munich, and Passau in Germany, Wachau Valley, Emmersdorf, and Vienna in Austria, Bratislava in Slovakia, and Budapest in Hungary. Reflections of Italy. 10 days from $2449. Visit a land rich in history, culture, art, and romance including Rome, the Colosseum, Assisi, Perugia, Siena, Florence, Chianti Winery, Venice, Murano Island, and Milan. Extend your trip in Turin. Irish Splendor. Eight days from $1699. Return to times gone by as you experience fabulous accommodations, stunning scenery, and sumptuous food visiting Dublin, the Guiness Storehouse, Blarney Castle, Killarney, Dingle Peninsula, Cliffs of Moher, Dromoland Castle, and Tullamore Whiskey Distillery. Extend your trip in Dublin. Alaska Discovery Land & Cruise. 13 days from $3069. Featuring a seven-night Princess Cruise. You will visit Anchorage, Mt. McKinley, and Denali National Park, ride a luxury domed railcar to Whittier to board the Princess ship, cruise past the Hubbard Glacier, through Glacier Bay, to Skagway, Juneau, Ketchikan, through the Inside Passage, and into Vancouver, then fly home from Seattle. Watch New Horizons and our website www.fontenelletours. com for our trip schedule. Our mailing address is: 2008 W. Broadway #329, Council Bluffs, Iowa 51501

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eople diagnosed with dementia often have a distorted sense of time passing. Clinicians often comment on their patients with dementia preparing and arriving for their appointments many hours before they’re scheduled. Dementias such as Alzheimer’s disease progressively impair cognition, causing problems with memory, planning, and dayto-day functioning, making it difficult to do things like shopping and cleaning. Accurate time perception is critical in our modern society, so this disorientation significantly affects those with dementia and their families and careers. The population is aging, and with this comes an increased prevalence of dementia, Alzheimer’s disease being the most common. There are neurological reasons why those affected by dementia judge the passage of time differently, and can access remote memories from many decades ago while unable to remember events of the past few hours. Those with dementia judge the passage of time quicker than older adults without dementia, as well as younger adults. This is for prospective time perception, where people are instructed to estimate an upcoming time interval; and retrospective time estimation, where people judge time after the event has occurred, requiring them to mentally travel back in time. As a practical example, a person with dementia is likely to underestimate how long they waited at a bus stop (if asked when the bus arrived; retrospective time perception) and how long they will be on the bus for their specified journey (if asked as the bus started; prospective time perception). Those diagnosed with dementia may underestimate time due to difficulties in recollecting all events in the short-term past, creating a feeling of a relative empty time travel. Someone without dementia may remember the boy riding his bike, the yellow car parked next to the shop, the noisy lawn mower, and the couple playing tennis on their walk to the bus stop; while someone with dementia is likely to remember fewer of these events, creat-

October 2015

ing the sense that less has occurred and therefore less time has past. There is a link between the perception of time and memory function in those with dementia. Family members often report their loved ones with dementia sometimes live in the past, even reverting back to first languages spoken. This is because memory isn’t just one process in the brain, but a collection of different systems. Those with Alzheimer’s disease may have impairments in short-term memory, however remote memory can be left relatively intact. So they’re able to remember public and personal events many decades ago, but unable to recall what happened earlier that day. A fascinating case study illustrates this dissociation in remote and short-term memory in persons with Alzheimer’s disease. A retired taxi driver diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease showed remarkable spatial memory of downtown Toronto where he had driven taxis and worked as a courier for 45 years. This was despite showing impairments in short-term memory and general cognitive functioning. But while those with Alzheimer’s disease can typically remember events in the distant past better than those in the immediate past, they still perform worse than older adults without Alzheimer’s disease in memory retrieval. Interestingly, it appears events and facts most frequently retrieved and used over a lifetime are those better recalled by those with Alzheimer’s disease in late life, rather than those encountered at any particular age. This frequency of use memory pattern is mirrored in bilingual people with dementia. A woman commented her grandmother, who immigrated to Australia from Greece over 50 years ago, is increasingly conversing in Greek despite predominantly speaking English for decades. Those with dementia often revert to their first language. This commonly begins with utterances from the first language appearing in conversation from the second language. This occurs more often in those less proficient in their second language, rather than being related to the age of acquisition of their second language. So, how does this happen? Probably because familiar memories rely more on the brain’s cortex, its outer layer, while short-term memories rely more on a structure called the hippocampus. The hippocampus is typically affected at the start of late-life dementias such as Alzheimer’s disease, with regions of the cortex affected subsequently. Families and friends of those affected by dementia often don’t know how to respond when their loved ones rely on these remote memories, at heart, living in the past. It’s certainly not the case these remote memories should be ignored or suppressed. Rather than trying to bring the person with dementia back to reality, families and careers may try to enter their reality; building trust and empathy, and reducing anxiety. This is known as validation therapy but many families and careers will practice this technique without knowing its name. Reminiscence therapy has also been shown to increase mood, well-being and behavior in those with dementia. This involves the discussion of past activities, events, and experiences (usually with the help of artifacts such as photographs, music, and familiar items). There is nothing that can completely protect us from a future diagnosis of dementia. But a cognitively stimulating lifestyle can at least delay the onset of dementia. This means using your memory and other cognitive skills as much as possible, for example, working in a mentally challenging job, doing crossword puzzles, and engaging in social activities. The more frequently we recall and use memories over our lifetimes, the more likely we will have access to them in our old age.

Alzheimer’s support groups The Alzheimer’s Association Nebraska Chapter offers several caregiver support groups and specialty support groups each month in Cass, Dodge, Douglas, and Sarpy counties. These support groups offer valuable space and educational opportunities for families impacted by Alzheimer’s disease or a related form of dementia to engage and learn. Call Elizabeth at 402-502-4301 for more information. CASS COUNTY • PLATTSMOUTH Second Tuesday @ 6 p.m. First Lutheran Church 1025 Ave. D DODGE COUNTY • FREMONT Last Wednesday @ 2 p.m. Nye Square 655 W. 23rd St. Second Tuesday @ 5:30 p.m. Shalimar Gardens 749 E. 29th St. DOUGLAS COUNTY • BENNINGTON Last Thursday @ 6 p.m. Ridgewood Active Retirement Community 12301 N. 149th Cr. • ELKHORN Third Monday @ 6 p.m. Elk Ridge Village Assisted Living 19400 Elk Ridge Dr. • OMAHA Second Thursday @ 10 a.m. Country House 5030 S. 155th St. Adult day services provided. Every other Monday @ 7 p.m. Brighton Gardens 9220 Western Ave. Third Wednesday @ 3 p.m. Fountain View Senior Living 5710 S 108th St.

First & third Monday @ 1:30 p.m. New Cassel/Franciscan Centre 900 N. 90th St. Adult day services are provided on-site. • OMAHA Third Tuesday @ 5 p.m. Immanuel Fontenelle 6809 N 68th Plz. Second Tuesday @ 5:30 p.m. Heritage Pointe 16811 Burdette St. First Thursday @ 6:30 p.m. Early Stage Support Group Security National Bank 1120 S. 101st St. REGISTRATION REQUIRED Second or third Saturday @ 11 a.m. Caring for Your Parents Call Teri @ 402-393-0434 for location SARPY COUNTY • BELLEVUE Third Monday @ 7 p.m. Bellevue Senior Center 109 W. 22nd Ave. First Wednesday @ 1 p.m. Eastern Nebraska Vets Home 12505 S. 40th St. Fourth Thursday @ 6 p.m. Hillcrest Health Services 1804 Hillcrest Dr. Second Tuesday @ 5:30 p.m. Heritage Ridge 1502 Fort Crook Rd. South

Women’s Health and Wellness Conference The 18th annual Omaha Women’s Health and Wellness Conference will be held on Friday, Oct. 30 from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the La Vista Conference Center, 12520 Westport Pkwy. The conference, which is open to the public, offers a day of new health insights, encouraging and empowering messages, health screenings, exhibits, and fun. The conference, Stepping Stones to a Healthier You, will feature three keynote presenters and six health education sessions from which to choose. It will kick off with a continental breakfast and a morning health fair hosted by Nebraska Medicine with more than 40 vendors offering health screenings, education, demonstrations, massages, consultation, and products available for purchase. The registration deadline is Friday, Oct. 23. The cost of the conference is $59 which includes lectures, exhibits, breakfast, lunch, and refreshments. Continuing nursing education credit is available for an additional $30. Low-cost screenings will include a lipid profile, glucose profile, and complete blood. A thyroid-stimulating hormone test will be available for $7. Flu shots are $20. The conference is hosted by the Olson Center for Women’s Health, UNMC, Nebraska Medicine, the University of Nebraska at Omaha, and WELLCOM. The Platinum Plus sponsor is Essentials Natural Family Health. For more information and registration, call 402-559-6345 or go to http://omahawomenshealthandwellness.org/agenda.

Get resource info via 211 network The 211 telephone network has been established in parts of Nebraska to give consumers a single source for information about community and human services. By dialing 211, consumers can access information about food banks, shelters, rent, utility assistance, physical and mental health resources, employment, support for older Americans and persons with a disability, donations, and volunteer opportunities. The 211 network is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The information is also available online at www.ne211.org.

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October 2015

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New Horizons

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Glennis Stout, 94, wants to play the flute forever master’s degree in music from the University of Michigan in 1969. “I wanted to learn all I could about playing the flute,” Stout recalled. “Each teacher has so many different ideas.” At one time, Glennis, her husband, and oldest son played together in the Plymouth Symphony Orchestra. “That was great,” Stout said as a smile appeared on her face. After her husband died in 2005, Stout moved back and forth between Omaha and Ann Arbor a few times, before settling in Omaha two years ago.

I At age 94, flutist Glennis Stout is the oldest musician in ENOA’s Intergeneration Orchestra of Omaha. Stout is 83 years older than IGO alto saxophonist Macy Klein. By Jeff Reinhardt New Horizons Editor

n 1933, United States President Franklin Delano Roosevelt addressed the nation during his first fireside chat. That same year, Nazi leader Adolph Hitler was appointed Chancellor of Germany, The Lone Ranger debuted on the radio, and seventh-grader Glennis (Metz) Stout began playing the flute. Fast forward 82 years, and Stout, now age 94, is still playing the flute beautifully, today as a member of the Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging’s Intergeneration Orchestra of Omaha. The IGO features musicians age 25 and younger and age 50 and older, according to Chris Gillette who co-founded the ensemble 30 years ago. Gillette is also the director of ENOA’s community services division.

In 1969, Glennis earned her master’s degree in music from the University of Michigan at age 48.

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During the 2015-16 season – under the musical direction of conductor Chuck Penington – the IGO’s 50 members range in age from 11-yearold alto saxophonist Macy Klein to Stout. “The IGO musicians learn so much from each other,” Gillette said. “I don’t know where else you can find a young musician sitting next to and performing with a former Omaha Symphony Orchestra member.” The IGO next performance is scheduled for Sunday, Oct. 18 at the Maple Ridge Retirement Community, 3525 N. 167th Cir. The Scoular Foundation is sponsoring the 2 p.m. concert. Admission is free.

rowing up in Wichita, Kan. Stout began her musical journey as a pianist. By age 12, however, Glennis became “passionate” about playing the flute. “I don’t know why I became so attracted to the flute. I guess I always loved the sound of it,” she said during an interview in her apartment at Omaha’s Immanuel Village. “When I first heard my junior high school band, I knew I had to play the flute with them,” Glennis added. At age 22, Stout enrolled in the Eastman School of Music at the University of Rochester. After graduating from the New York college in 1945 with a bachelor’s degree in music, Glennis joined the New Orleans Symphony. On the train ride from New York to Louisiana, she met a French horn player named Louie Stout. Stout was also traveling to the “Big Easy” to join its symphony orchestra. Glennis and Louie fell in love, got married, and had three sons: Louis, Gordon, and Richard. Louis Jr. has played with symphony orchestras in several cities including Toledo, Ohio; Ann Arbor, Plymouth, and Flint, Mich.; and Omaha. Gordon is a professor of percussion at Ithaca College in New York and a renowned marimba player. Richard is a violinist in North Carolina. His grandfather, Louis Metz, made one of Richard’s favorite violins. Following his years in New Orleans, Louie Stout Sr. played in symphony orchestras in Kansas City and Chicago before joining the University of Michigan faculty in 1960. He taught the French horn there for 28 years. Once the couple’s three sons were raised, Glennis went back to school and earned her

New Horizons

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October 2015

n 2013, Glennis began playing the piano and flute each Sunday morning at her Methodist Church in Benson. Her desire to play in an orchestra again one day, however, remained strong. Louie Stout, Jr. knew Penington and suggested Glennis try out for the IGO in May. The nonagenarian passed the audition and completed a series of three-hour summer rehearsals. Then in August she debuted with the ENOA orchestra at the Sumtur Amphitheater in Papillion. “I’m a better flutist now than when I was younger because I’ve had some good teachers and I know more about music today than ever before,” Stout said. Penington said the Intergeneration Orchestra of Omaha is fortunate to have Stout as a member. “She’s a spectacular musician with a lifetime of experience.” The younger IGO members are able to learn a great deal from a lady who has been playing the flute for 82 years. “I teach them fingering techniques they might not know,” Stout said. Penington said Glennis should serve as an inspiration to the younger orchestra members as an example of what life has to offer. “We’re thrilled to have her,” he added. Stout said playing alongside the younger musicians has made her realize how lucky she is to have played the flute for so long. “I want to play forever,” she said. To learn more about the IGO, please call Gillette at 402-444-6536, ext. 221.

Stout met her husband, Louie, on a train from New York to New Orleans. Both played with the New Orleans Symphony.