A publication of the Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging
November 2013 VOL. 38 • NO. 11
ENOA 4223 Center Street Omaha, NE 68105-2431
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New Horizons ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED
Lawman Nick Schinker profiles Douglas County Attorney Don Kleine. An Omaha native and graduate of the Creighton University School of Law, Kleine was elected as the county’s top law enforcement official in 2006. Page 10.
An asset to Humanity Theo Mosley was placed as a custodian at Habitat for Humanity through ENOA’s Senior Employment Program. His supervisor, Chris Tauber, said Mosley has been a great addition to the organization’s staff. Page 4.
Thelma turns 107 On Oct. 1, Thelma Sutcliffe celebrated her 107th birthday with friends and family during a party at Omaha’s Elmwood Tower. Learn more about Sutcliffe’s secrets to a long and happy life. Page 20.
RSVP 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/VA Medical Center needs volunteer drivers. • Good 360 is looking for respite volunteers to process donations and sort items. • The Douglas County Health Center wants volunteers for a variety of assignments. • Together Inc. is looking for an intake assistant and for a volunteer to coordinate communication efforts. • Keep Omaha Beautiful/Helping Hands, Inc. wants volunteers for onetime yard cleaning projects.
• The Omaha Police Department needs volunteers for its telephone response unit. Spanish speaking volunteers are especially needed. • The American Red Cross wants volunteers for a variety of duties.
• Creighton University/Student Support Services needs volunteers to provide support services and as math tutors. • Alegent Creighton Health Bergan Mercy Medical Center is looking for volunteers for its gift shop, flower shop, and other areas. The following has a volunteer opportunity in Dodge County: • The Fremont Car-Go Program needs volunteer drivers.
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Check the delivery date you prefer December 4, 2013
Tuesday, Nov. 5 Swiss Steak w/Gravy Wednesday, Nov. 6 Breaded Chicken Patty Thursday, Nov. 7 Spaghetti Casserole Friday, Nov. 8 Salisbury Steak Monday, Nov. 11 CLOSED VETERANS DAY
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Friday, Nov. 1 Honey Mustard Chicken Monday, Nov. 4 Ham & White Beans
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ENOA menu for November 2013
December 11, 2013
Tuesday, Nov. 12 Meatball Stoganoff Wednesday, Nov. 13 Roast Beef Thursday, Nov. 14 BBQ Rib Patty Friday, Nov. 15 Apple Glazed Pork Patty Monday, Nov. 18 Sausage w/Sauerkraut Tuesday, Nov. 19 Turkey Breast w/Gravy Wednesday, Nov. 20 Beef Stew Thursday, Nov. 21 Italian Style Pork Patty Friday, Nov. 22 Western Baked Beef Monday, Nov. 25 Meatloaf
Special Delivery Dates Available Deadline for Ordering: November 19, 2013
Tuesday, Nov. 26 Cheeseburger
Order must be pre-paid. Upon ordering, please submit a check for payment to:
Wednesday, Nov. 27 Turkey Breast w/gravy
Foster Grandparent Program
4223 Center Street Omaha, NE 68105-2498 Email: mary.parker@nebraska.gov (402) 444-6536, ext. 246 Fax: (402) 444-6503
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Thursday, Nov. 28 CLOSED THANKSGIVING Friday, Nov. 29 CLOSED THANKSGIVING
U. of Missouri study examines impact of driving cessation on lives of older adults
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or many older drivers, it’s only a matter of time before they’re forced to give up their car keys due to failing eyesight or other health issues. University of Missouri researchers have studied how aging adults’ driving cessation influences their work and social lives. The researchers found older adults’ loss of driving independence negatively affected their ability to work and their volunteerism. The older men and women’s social lives weren’t instantly affected yet dwindled over time.
prepare before they quit driving.” For smoother transitions to non-driver status, Curl suggested older adults think about alternative transportation options early on and include their family members in the conversations. “Older adults have a tendency to think about driving cessation as something for other people, or they think of quitting driving as so far in the future, they postpone planning,” Curl said. “Finally, when seniors do start thinking about quitting driving, it’s too late, and they’re panicked and over
“When seniors do start thinking about quitting driving, it’s too late, and they’re panicked and overwhelmed thinking about all the freedoms they will lose.” “We found that seniors’ productive engagement such as paid work and formal volunteering, decreased when they stopped driving. However, older adults’ ability to connect with people in their immediate environments wasn’t immediately compromised by their transitions to non-driver status,” said Angela Curl, an assistant professor of social work at MU and the study’s lead author. Planning for driving cessation should happen well before older adults have to give up their car keys, and advance planning can help older men and women remain active in society after they quit driving, Curl said. “Often when individuals stop driving, their health and happiness decline,” she said. “For seniors, engaging more in their communities is linked to maintained health, lower rates of depression and financial benefits, and this is why adults need to better
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whelmed thinking about all the freedoms they will lose.”
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any older men and women lack appropriate driving alternatives such as finding rides or using public transportation; yet, Curl found many older adults won’t ask their families for support during this time because they don’t want to become burdens. Family members should offer their help to their aging loved ones instead of waiting to be asked, Curl said. “One way for aging adults to help ease the transition to not driving is to take public transportation once a month as practice before completely losing mobility status or to relocate to a retirement center that provides private transportation to its residents,” she said.
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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 Warren, Sarpy County, vice-chairperson; Jerry Kruse, Washington County, secretary; Gary Osborn, Dodge County, & Jim Peterson, Cass County. The New Horizons and the Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging provide services without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, marital status, disability, or age.
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Two sessions at ENOA Nebraska HHS sponsoring town hall meetings on Medicaid Managed Care system Nov. 21
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Theo’s supervisor at Habitat for Humanity appreciates Mosley’s reliability, attitude
he Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services is sponsoring town hall meetings on Thursday, Nov. 21 from 10 to 11:30 a.m. and from 2 to 3:30 p.m. at the Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging, 4223 Center St. These meetings will focus on the design and development of a long-term services and supports managed care system in Nebraska. In July 2015, Nebraska Medicaid will launch a managed care system for clients with disabilities and/or those over age 65. The managed care program aims to improve the quality of care and reduce the cost of providing these health benefits. “We want to hear from the public, clients, and service providers on how they would like to see this managed care program implemented in Nebraska,” said Vivianne Chaumont, director of Medicaid and Long-Term Care for the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services. “As we’ve shown with our other managed care services, we will provide our clients the right services in the right amount and at the right time after assessing their needs. Important to that service is public input as we make our plans,” she added. For more information, log on the Internet to dhhs.ne.gov.
Theo Mosley (right) with Chris Tauber, his Habitat for Humanity supervisor.
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n April, Theo Mosley was homeless. He didn’t have a car, a telephone, or a resume, so his job search had become frustrating. Then one day, he learned about the Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging’s Senior Employment Program and decided to visit the agency’s office at 4223 Center St. “God told me to go there, knock on the door, and introduce myself,” Mosley said during a recent interview. Senior Employment Program staff members Muriel Duckett, Naomi Himmelsehr, Mary Caywood, and Charles Garrett helped Theo put together a resume, provided computer access so he could look for work, referred him to places he could apply for a job, and eventually placed Mosley in the Senior Community Services Employment Program (SCSEP). SCSEP – also known as Title V – is a community service and work-based training program for older workers. Authorized by the Older Americans Act, the program provides subsidized, service-based training for low-income persons age 55 and older that are unemployed and have poor employment prospects. Participants work an average of 20 hours a week and are paid the minimum wage. This training is designed to serve as a bridge to unsubsidized employment opportunities. In July, Theo was placed at Habitat for Humanity’s Omaha affiliate. Founded in 1976, Habitat for Humanity is an international, non-governmental, non-profit organization devoted to building simple, decent, and affordable housing. Each weekday from 7 to 11 a.m., Mosley performs general custodial duties for Habi-
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tat, whose new Omaha office is located at 1701 N. 24th St. “Theo’s attention to detail in his daily assignments has been a blessing. I have total confidence in Theo’s work. It’s so assuring to be able to count on a person to finish (his duties) without any mistakes or concerns,” said Chris Tauber, Mosley’s supervisor at Habitat. “From day one, Theo has come to the office with the attitude he was going to make people enjoy being around him,” Tauber continued. “Theo has been a great friend (to me), not a co-worker in my mind. His personal skills make people want to work and converse with him. I could tell right away he was going to be a good fit. “Theo will take time out of his day to talk to everyone and see how their day is, (to) say ‘good morning,’ or just bring a smile to their faces. I wish I had two more Theos.” Mosley appreciates what ENOA and its staff members have done for him. “From the moment I walked through the door, it’s been a real blessing and a very positive experience,” he said. Since being placed in SCSEP, Theo said he’s referred others to the Senior Employment Program. “I tell them to go there, give it a shot, and see what happens.” Tauber also thinks highly of ENOA and what the agency has done for Mosley. “It has given him a chance to get back on his feet.” “We’re proud of what we’ve been able to do for Theo,” said Duckett, a job specialist with the Senior Employment Program. For more information on ENOA’s Senior Employment Program, please call 402-4446684 weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Author: Getting rid of your stress isn’t that difficult
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etting rid of stress isn’t that hard to do, according to Santa Barbara, Calif.-based natural health specialist Dr. Kathy Gruver. “You can choose your response to stress. You can learn to let it go,” she says. “We can’t control what is outside of us, but we can change what we think, what we do with our bodies, and what we eat, and we can be healthier, stronger, and lead less stressful lives,” says Dr. Gruver, who has a Ph.D. in natural health and is the author of the new book Conquer Your Stress With Mind/ Body Techniques. “Every major area of our lives offers us the opportunity to make conscious choices that have a significant effect on how we feel, how we look, and what we can accomplish, says Dr. Gruver. “Your mind and body are yours and you get to decide what you have them do. You can take charge of stress any time you want. “We have to realize stress is not really the problem; it’s our reaction to it. As soon as we learn to control our reaction, the stress isn’t as detrimental to us,” she continues. “We create our own stress with thoughts. We think about 60,000 thoughts a day and 50,000 are negative. Our brain can’t tell the difference between what we’re thinking about and what is really happening; this is why we have to be very careful what we’re daydreaming and fantasizing about.” Here is a sample of some of the numerous mind and body techniques she describes to reduce and control stress. • Control your reaction to stress. You have the power. You have to choose to exercise it. Realize stress isn’t the problem. Our reaction to stress is the problem. Learn what you need to do to control your reaction. As soon as you gain control, stress is no longer detrimental. • Out with the bad and in with the good. Say no to negatives. Don’t create your own stress. Push the negative thoughts away. Always have a list of good, positive ideas, pictures, and things you love nearby. Whenever a negative though comes up, choose to push it away and choose to focus on the good and the positive. Rather than saying, “I’m not getting sick,” say, “I
am healthy and well.” This boosts the immune system and stops the cycle of negative thinking.
what you want it to focus on instead. Visualize actively. Draw, doodle, write poems, or do whatever turns you
“We can’t control what is outside of us, but we can change what we think, what we do with our bodies, and what we eat.” • Direct your daydreams. Take control of your mind and body. Focus on the things you want to see happen in your life. If you find your mind wandering, acknowledge it, and then push it away. Focus on
on and helps you turn your ideas into plans, plans into actions, and actions into reality. Change your life and your health for the better. • Take baby steps. Get healthier slowly and steadily. Use the healthy
activities you already do in your life as a mind and body practice. Things like yoga, tai chi, massage, running, and dance can all be used as a meditation. • Do mini-meditations several times a day. There are simple mini-meditations that take just a few minutesto learn and can be done anywhere. They erase the stress response and help return our stress hormones and chemicals to normal. • Pay attention to what your body’s telling you. Often, the body parts that are misbehaving are hinting at our stress. Do you feel like your hands are full and then develop carpal tun-
nel? Who is the pain in your neck? Are you shouldering the burden or feeling like you can’t stomach something? Observing these common phrases can be the key to identifying and releasing our stress. • Don’t reward yourself for bad behavior. When you’re sick, don’t languish and enjoy being in bed any more than necessary. Don’t soak up the attention and consolation people give you for mistakes, painful experiences, or unforeseen accidents and illness any more than necessary to get back on your feet. There are better ways to get love and attention. Choose health!
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Heartland Family Service Senior Center You’re invited to visit the Heartland Family Service Senior Center, 2101 S. 42nd St. for the following: • Nov. 6: Birthday party with entertainment by Charlie Glasgow. • Nov. 19: Red Hat meeting at the soda fountain in Louisville and shopping at the two boutiques in Louisville. • Nov. 20: Senior crafts sale from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the second floor training room at the Heartland Family Service building, 2101 S. 42nd St. • Nov. 22: Presentation at 10 a.m. by nursing students from Methodist College. The center will be closed Nov. 11 for Veterans Day. The Heartland Family Service Senior Center is open weekdays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Lunch is normally served at noon. A $3 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 specific boundaries for 50 cents each way. Regular activities include Tai Chi classes on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday @ 10:15 a.m. and a nurse visit by Margo Mondays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Call for an appointment. For meal reservations or more information, please call Karen Sides at 402-552-7480 or the front desk at 402-5535300.
Millard Senior Center events You’re invited to visit the Millard Senior Center at Montclair, 2304 S. 135th Ave., for the following: • Friday, Nov. 8: Nursing students from Methodist College will check blood pressure and blood glucose levels for free from 9:30 to 11:15 a.m. • Wednesday, Nov. 13: Dressmaking for young girls in Africa @ 9 a.m. • Wednesday, Nov. 27: Christmas crafts making. Call Susan at 402-546-1270 for details. The Millard Senior Center is open weekdays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Lunch is served at 11:30. A $3 donation (free on your birthday) 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 (join and get a free t-shirt), Tai Chi class (Mondays and Fridays from 10 to 10:45 a.m. for a $1 suggested donation), chair volleyball (Tuesdays and Thursdays @ 10 a.m.), quilting (Tuesdays @ 9 a.m.), card games, quilting on Thursdays @ 9 a.m., and Bingo (Tuesdays and Fridays @ noon). For meal reservations and more information, please call Susan at 402-546-1270.
Participants needed for a COPD Research Study IRB # 024-09-FB A multi-center, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled pilot study to assess the pharmacodynamics, efficacy, and safety of 50mg Tetomilast administered as oral tablets in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease associated with emphysema. (Protocol 197-08-250) Do you have emphysema or think you may have emphysema? The University of Nebraska Medical Center is conducting a clinical trial of an experimental medication for people with emphysema. Participants must be 40 to 75 years of age and be a current or former smoker. You will receive medical testing and medication at no cost to you, and will be reimbursed for your time. If you are interested in participating in this study for people with emphysema, call Sandy at 402-559-6365 or email her at stalbott@unmc.edu.
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Things that cause, ways to alleviate bad breath
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t’s an embarrassing topic. No one wants to admit they have bad breath; worse yet, no one wants to say you have bad breath. Cosmetic dentist Dr. Kevin Sands has the inside scoop on what things to avoid and how to freshen your breath. Causes of bad breath include: • Not brushing or flossing enough. Plaque is a bacterium that forms on your teeth and if not brushed away, can irritate your gums causing gingivitis. This can lead to plaque-filled pockets between teeth and gums.
The impact of soda pop on your teeth’s enamel
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ou may be saving calories by drinking diet soda, but when it comes to enamel erosion of your teeth, it’s no better than regular soda. In the last 25 years, Kim McFarland, D.D.S., associate professor in the University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Dentistry in Lincoln, has seen an increase in the number of dental patients with erosion of the tooth enamel – the protective layer of the tooth. Once erosion occurs, it can’t be reversed and affects people their whole life.
“If a tooth is decayed, a dentist can fix it by placing a filling, but if a tooth is sensitive there is really nothing a dentist can do.” • Dry mouth. Some medications can cause dry mouth, leading to bad breath. Lack of saliva in general can cause bad breath. Saliva helps cleanse your mouth, removing particles that may cause bad odors. Morning breath is the perfect example as the mouth dries out during sleep. • Sinus infection. Post-nasal drip associated with inflammation in the nose, sinuses, or throat can cause bad breath. There are small stones that form in the tonsils and are covered in bacteria that produce an unpleasant odor. • Foods. Certain foods like onions and proteins like beef and fish can cause bad breath. After you digest these foods, they enter your bloodstream, are carried to your lungs, and affect your breath. Meat and fish decompose and give off smelly gases. Here are some solutions: • Create saliva by eating breakfast. Chewing stimulates saliva production and food helps scrub bacteria from the tongue. • Chew gum to stimulate saliva production. • Add a humidifier to prevent dry mouth and increase saliva production. • Drink plenty of water or liquids. • Nasal spray keeps passages moist and helps those who snore or suffer from postnasal drip. • Eat the right foods. Carbs aren’t the enemy. People on high protein, low-carb diets can lead to ketosis. Fat burns, ketones build up and are released through breath. Ketones don’t smell good. Opt for healthy carbs like fruits, veggies, and whole grains. • Vitamin C rich foods prevent gum disease and gingivitis – both causes of bad breath. Foods like berries, citrus fruits, and melon are good options. • Vitamin D in foods like yogurt, milk, and cheese create an unfriendly environment for bacteria growth and can help reduce bad breath. • Gum, breath mints, and mouthwash are all helpful in freshening breath momentarily, but they won’t cure bad breath. Brush, floss, and scrape the tongue that is a major area for bacteria.
November 2013
“I’d see erosion once in a while 25 years ago but I see much more prevalence nowadays,” Dr. McFarland said. “A lot of young people drink massive quantities of soda. It’s no surprise we’re seeing more sensitivity.” Triggers like hot and cold drinks – and even cold air – reach the tooth’s nerve and cause pain. Depending on the frequency and amount of soda consumed, the erosion process can be extreme. She said the National Soft Drink Association estimates the average American drinks 44 gallons of soda a year. Phosphoric and citric acid, which are common ingredients in many popular sodas and diet sodas, alters the pH balance in the mouth and can cause tooth erosion over time. “It can be more harmful than cavities because the damage causes tooth sensitivity,” Dr. McFarland said. “If a tooth is decayed, a dentist can fix it by placing a filling, but if a tooth is sensitive there is really nothing a dentist can do. “Tooth sensitivity can become a lifetime problem, limiting things we like to drink and even food choices. “It hurts to consume cold and hot foods and beverages. Some of my patients tell me when they go outside in the winter they don’t open their mouth because the cold air causes pain. You could crown all your teeth but that is costly and a rather extreme solution.” Dr. McFarland said a significant number of scientific studies have shown a relationship between the consumption of soda and enamel erosion and cavities. She said it’s best not to drink soda at all, but she offers tips for those who continue to drink it: • Limit consumption of soda to mealtime. • Don’t drink soda throughout the day. • Brush your teeth afterwards -toothpaste re-mineralizes or strengthens areas where acid weakened the teeth. • If tooth brushing is not possible, at least rinse out your mouth with water. • Chew sugar free gum or better yet, gum containing Xylitol.
Corrigan Senior Center
Charles Dickens’ relative to perform, sign books in Omaha Nov. 15 and 16
Vols are needed at AARP info center
Charles Dickens spent a lifetime capturing the spirit of those he came across in everyday life. During his career, Dickens edited a weekly journal, wrote 15 novels, five novellas, and hundreds of short stories and non-fiction articles. He also lectured and performed throughout the United Kingdom and the United States. His novels and short stories are included in the world’s top universities as platforms with which to teach history, literature, creative writing, and character development. With an established career as an actor and producer in Oxford, England and after much pleading by those who knew him, Gerald Charles Dickens (great-great grandson of Charles Dickens) became fascinated by his late ancestor’s work. In 1993, Gerald created his first one-man show, a theatrical performance of A Christmas Carol, inspired by Charles’ own energetic readings of the 1860s. Soon, Gerald’s passion for Charles’ works grew and fostered him to write and direct further one-man shows including those he will be performing in Omaha for the Douglas County Historical Society Nov. 15 and 16. After each performance in the intimate setting of the Gen. Crook House Museum, Dickens will meet audience members and sign Charles Dickens’ books. The last two years, Dickens’ shows at the Crook House have sold out. Go to www.DouglasCoHistory.org for more ticketing and event information.
AARP is recruiting older men and women to serve as volunteers at its Nebraska Information Center, 1941 S. 42nd St. (Center Mall).
PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE Friday, November 15 The Magic Words of Dickens The Field Club of Omaha; 3615 Woolworth Ave. 2 p.m.: Afternoon Tea with Mr. Dickens 3 p.m.: Performance $37 DCHS members & students; $40 non-members Sikes & Nancy The Gen. Crook House Museum, Fort Omaha (30th & Fort streets) 6 p.m.: Hors d’oeuvres & Musical entertainment. 7 p.m.: Performance 8 p.m.: Visit with Gerald Dickens $75 DCHS members & students; $80 non-members Saturday, November 16 Book signing Conversations, Rockbrook Village (10909 Prairie Brook Rd.) 10 a.m. – Gerald will sign copies of Dickens’ books. Books and gifts available for purchase. A Christmas Carol Field Club of Omaha, 3615 Woolworth Ave. 1 p.m.: Matinee performance $27 DCHS members/students; $30 non-members A Close Encounter with Mr. Dickens The Gen. Crook House Museum, Fort Omaha (30th & Fort streets) 6 p.m.: Hors d’oeuvres & Musical entertainment 7 p.m.: Performance 8 p.m.: Visit with Gerald Dickens $75 members/students; $80 non-members Book signing/autographs following all performances Exclusive U.S. Agent for Gerald Dickens is Byer’s Choice Ltd. - www.byerschoice.com
Volunteers can choose the days and hours they wish to volunteer at the center that is open weekdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information, please call 402-398.9568.
Retired fed employees meet at Omaha eatery The National Association of 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 402-333-6460. The National Association of 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 402-392-0624.
You’re invited to visit the Corrigan Senior Center, 3819 X St. this month for: • Monday, Nov. 4: Birthday party with entertainment by Michael Lyon from the Merrymakers. • Tuesday, Nov. 5: Veteran’s Month kick-off with students from St. Peter & Paul @ 10 a.m. Stay for chair volleyball @ 11 a.m. and a noon lunch. • Thursday, Nov. 7: Tim Javorsky’s Salute to Veteran’s show from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. Stay for lunch and Bingo. • Tuesday, Nov. 12: Chair volleyball with the LaVista Senior Center participants as our guests @ 11 a.m. A noon lunch and Bingo follow. • Wednesday, Nov. 13: WhyArts’ MoMo Serra will be teaching a free sculpture class @10:30 a.m. Call 402-7317210 to sign up for this course. • Thursday, Nov. 14: T’ai Chi with Sandy @ 10 a.m. Chair volleyball @ 11 a.m. Bingo will follow lunch. • Wednesday, Nov. 20: WhyArts’ MoMo Serra will be teaching a free painting class @10:30 a.m. Call 402-7317210 to sign up for this course. • Thursday, Nov. 21: Turkey Dinner & Mega Bingo! Everyone’s invited to a noon lunch of roast turkey and dressing, whipped sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce, a tossed salad, a wheat roll, and pumpkin pie. Mega Bingo with $75 in cash prizes will be awarded to the winners. The reservations deadline is 11 a.m. on Friday, Nov. 15. • Monday, Nov. 18: “Talking Turkey” program by Catherine from Fontenelle Forest’s Seniors Understand Nature program @ 11 a.m. Then join us for lunch and Bingo. • Wednesday, Nov. 27: Corrigan Family Thanksgiving dinner. Join us at noon for a special turkey lunch with all the fixings and a holiday dessert. Bingo will follow lunch. The center will be closed on Nov. 11 for Veterans Day, and Nov. 28 and 29 for Thanksgiving. The Corrigan Senior Center is open weekdays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Lunch is served at noon. A $3 donation is normally suggested for the meal. Reservations are normally due by noon the business day prior to the meal you wish to enjoy. We offer chair volleyball Tuesday and Thursday @ 11 a.m., Tai Chi on Tuesday and Thursday @ 10 a.m., card games, Bingo, ceramics, exercise, woodcarving, etc. For meal reservations or more information, please call Lynnette at 402-731-7210.
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OMAHA 12100 W. Center Rd.
(NW Corner of 120th & Center)
Belair Plaza (402) 571-1207
Older Nebraskans have free access to legal information 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 1-800-527-7249 statewide. This service is available to Nebraskans age 60 and older regardless of income, race, or ethnicity. For more information, log on the Internet to http://www.legalaidofnebraska.com/EAL.
• LIFE ALTERING IMPROVED QUALITY OF LIFE • AS CLOSE TO NORMAL AS YOU CAN GET • NO FEEDBACK NOISE • CAN HEAR IN NOISY ROOMS
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A new type of laser is being used at UNMC’s Truhlsen Eye Institute
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new laser is helping experts at the Truhlsen Eye Institute at the University of Nebraska Medical Center provide better treatment for eye diseases. This advanced laser can prevent blindness for some patients with serious
conditions. “This new laser with yellow light is the only one of its caliber in the U.S., and there’s only one other being used in the world right now,” said Quan Dong Nguyen, M.D., the McGaw Memorial Endowed Chair in Ophthalmology and director of the Eye Institute. On July 22, the first patient received treatment from the laser for proliferative diabetic retinopathy, the most severe stage of eye disease caused by diabetes. “This laser is the most cuttingedge laser device available today,” said Diana Do, M.D., associate professor of ophthalmology and director of the Carl Camras Center for Innovate Clinical Research at the Truhlsen Eye Institute and the retina specialist who performed the first treatment. “It allows us to apply a large number of laser spots in a variety of patterns,” Dr. Do said. “Overall, it is more effective, efficient, and may be safer than traditional lasers.” Traditional lasers are limited in the number of patterns and pulsing they can accommodate, whereas the new laser allows for more nuanced and problem-specific targeting, Dr. Do said. The laser provides treatment for various rare eye diseases, including retinal vein occlusion, neovascular glaucoma, and retinal tears. In addition, with micropulse application capability, it also can be combined with other therapies to treat diabetic macular edema, the most common cause of moderate vision loss for diabetes patients. “With diabetes rates on the rise nationally and in Nebraska, more and more patients will be able to benefit from the superior treatment that new technology like this can bring,” Dr. Do said. To make an appointment at the Truhlsen Eye Institute, please call 402-559-2020. (UNMC’s Public Relations Department provided this information.)
Medicare Part D open enrollment period runs through Saturday, Dec. 7 Each year, the open enrollment period for Medicare Part D brings changes that can affect plan selections for nearly 50 million Medicare beneficiaries. This year the rollout of the Health Insurance Marketplace will overlap with the Medicare open enrollment timeframe and may be confusing to people on Medicare. Between Oct. 15 and Dec. 7, Medicare beneficiaries have the option to change their Medicare Part D coverage for 2014. This includes anyone using original Medicare, Medicare Advantage, or Part D prescription drug plans. By comparing the health and prescription drug plans available for 2014, it may be possible to save money and get improved coverage by switching to a different plan. In 2014, beneficiaries should remember: • Medicare isn’t part of the Health Insurance Marketplace. Beneficiaries don’t have to replace their Medicare coverage with the Marketplace coverage established by the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Your Medicare is protected and you don’t need to do anything with the Marketplace during the open enrollment period. • Overall, enrollees can expect a year of flat or decreasing Medicare prescription drug costs. The Department of Health Friday, Nov. 1 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Metro Community College 9110 Giles Rd. • Room 222 402-444-6617
Friday, Nov. 8 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Goodwill 4805 N. 72nd St. 402-444-6617
Friday, Nov. 22 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Goodwill 4805 N. 72nd St. 402-444-6617
Saturday, Nov. 2 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. VAS 1941 S. 42nd St. ª Room 502 402-444-6617
Tuesday, Nov. 12 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. VAS 1941 S. 42nd St. Room 502 402-444-6617
Tuesday, Nov. 26 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. VAS 1941 S. 42nd St. Room 502 402-444-6617
Tuesday, Nov. 5 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. VAS 1941 S. 42nd St. • Room 502 402-444-6617 Thursday, Nov. 7 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Dodge County Extension Office 1206 W. 23rd St. (Fremont) 402-727-2775 (Mary Loftis) Friday, Nov. 8 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Dodge County Extension Office 1206 W. 23rd St. (Fremont) 402-727-2775 (Mary Loftis)
Thursday, Nov. 14 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. VAS 1941 S. 42nd St. Room 502 402-444-6617 Friday, Nov. 15 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Metro Community College 204th St. & W. Dodge Rd. Room 131 402-444-6617 Wednesday, Nov. 20 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sump Memorial Library 222 N. Jefferson St. (Papillion) 402-444-6617
Bus tour of Christmas lights is scheduled for Tuesday, Dec. 10 Touching Hearts at Home and Bloomfield Forum are partnering again this year to provide a free holiday lights bus tour of the Omaha area for older adults. On Tuesday, Dec. 10, a bus will leave Bloomfield Forum – 9804 Nicholas St. – at 6 and 7:30 p.m. Refreshments at Bloomfield Forum will precede the tour. In case of snow on Dec. 10, the activities will be rescheduled for Tuesday, Dec. 17. For reservations or more information, please call 402-934-3303.
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and Human Services has reported the Part D monthly premiums should remain relatively stable. However, because of the lower prices, beneficiaries may enter the “donut hole” or “coverage gap” more quickly than before. As a result of the ACA, however, there’s better coverage in the gap once the beneficiary gets there. • During the open enrollment timeframe, Medicare beneficiaries can also review and change Medicare Advantage plans (health and drug coverage combined). Common changes in MA plans can include costs such as premiums and co-pays or changes to covered procedures. Not all plans change every year. Volunteers Assisting Seniors serves as the Nebraska Senior Health Insurance Information Program regional office in the Omaha area providing free, unbiased information to Medicare beneficiaries. VAS will be holding enrollment events throughout the area during the open enrollment (see below). At these events, Medicare beneficiaries can sit down with a trained counselor for assistance evaluating their options for 2014. Assistance is also available outside of the Omaha area by calling 800-234-7119.
November 2013
Monday, Dec. 2 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. VAS 1941 S. 42nd St. Room 502 402-444-6617 Wednesday, Dec. 4 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Immanuel AgeWell 6801 N. 67th Plz. Suite 100 402-444-6617 Friday, Dec. 6 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Goodwill 4805 N. 72nd St. 402-444-6617
Seniors Understanding Nature The Fontenelle Nature Association’s SUN (Seniors Understanding Nature) program offers activities for older adults the second Tuesday of each month at the Fontenelle Nature Center, 1111 Bellevue Blvd. North. The programs, held from 9:45 to 11 a.m., feature an indoor program, an optional nature walk, and refreshments. The cost is $6 per person each month. For more information, please call Catherine Kuper at 402-731-3140, ext. 1019. Here’s this month’s program: • Nov. 12: Backyard Birds in Winter.
Omaha ranks second in percentage of smoke-free apartment listings
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maha is a leader in the national trend for smokefree apartments, according to the official publication of the National Apartment Association, Units Magazine. Omaha (13.6 percent) ranked second behind only Chicago (14.8 percent) with the highest percentage of smoke-free apartment listings posted on Apartment Guide. Douglas County Putting Prevention to Work has joined forces with the Metro Omaha Tobacco Action Coalition (MOTAC) to increase the number of local apartment complexes that offer smoke-free options. The Douglas County Health Department provides technical assistance to landlords and property managers who want to offer smoke-free units to tenants.
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he Douglas County Health Department also provides a toolkit offering everything from resident surveys to nonsmoking signs to make it easy for apartment complexes to go smoke-free. “Not only does smoke-free housing offer a healthy and safe environment for our residents, it also saves us quite a bit of money when turning over the units,” said Scott Lovercheck, community manager at Peony Village, 8215 Burt Plz. “There have been times we would have to apply two or more coats of paint, replace carpets, countertops, and even appliances to clean the apartments after a smoker lived there. This can cost thousands of dollars per unit. The costs are cut dramatically when the resident is a nonsmoker.” Douglas County Putting Prevention to Work’s goal over the next two years is for more than 125 apartment complexes to offer smoke-free buildings. To date, 69 complexes across Douglas County are providing smokefree options which are listed on the MOTAC website. For more information about smoke-free living, contact Douglas County’s Aja Anderson at 402-444-7278.
UNO, OPS, Omaha Public Libary are sponsoring contest for poets age 50 and older, students in grades 7 through 12
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ubmissions for the 2014 Poetry Across the Generations competition – sponsored jointly by the University of Nebraska at Omaha, the Omaha Public Library, and the Omaha Public Schools, are due by Wednesday, March 5. The annual event features separate contests for poets in grades 7 through 12 and poets age 50 and older. Participants are asked to write two poems each: one about life as a teenager and another about life as a person age 60 or older. Prizes of $100, $50, and $25 for first, second, and third places, respectively will be awarded. Seven honorable mention finishers will receive $10 each. Winning poets can collect their cash prizes at a Sunday, March 23 poet recognition reception at UNO’s Milo Bail Student Center from 1 to 3:30 p.m. The event will include poetry readings, refreshments, and intergenerational poetry dialogue.
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ll contest entrants are also invited to an Intergenerational Poetry Slam at UNO’s Milo Bail Student Center on Sunday, March 30 from 1 to 3:30 p.m.
Adult poetry submission may be sent to Cindy Waldo, Sigma Phi Omega, Department of Gerontology, CB 211, University of Nebraska at Omaha, 6001 Dodge St, Omaha, Neb. 68182-0202 or online to www. omahapoetsplace.net. Teen poets may submit their poetry to Omaha Public Library, Bess Johnson Elkhorn Branch, Attn: Karen Berry, 2100 Reading Plz., Elkhorn, Neb. 68022 or online to www.omahapoetsplace.net. For more information, contact Cindy Waldo at cwaldo@unomaha.edu.
Law Offices of Charles E. Dorwart 31 years of legal experience • Wills • Living Trusts • Probate • Healthcare and Financial Powers of Attorney • In Home Consultations • Free Initial Consultation 440 Regency Parkway Drive • Suite 139 Omaha, NE 68114 Office: (402) 558-1404 • Fax: (402) 779-7498 Cdorwartjd@aol.com
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Don Kleine making sure innocent victims have a voice By Nick Schinker
It’s a perspective that helps him sleep at night. “I like to think that 99.9 percent of the people in our community are wonderful people. There’s a very small percentage of people out there doing bad things.” People that he may one day meet face-to-face.
Contributing Writer
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s Douglas County Attorney, Donald W. Kleine has been able to do something never done before in a Nebraska jury trial: convict someone of murder without producing the victim’s body. In May 2006, 19-yearold University of Nebraska at Omaha student Jessica O’Grady was reported missing after going to visit her boyfriend, Christopher Edwards at the home of his aunt where he was living. Friends told police O’Grady was going to talk to Edwards because she believed she was pregnant with his child. And though authorities did not find O’Grady – they did find evidence that helped prove their case against her killer. When investigators searched Edwards’ basement bedroom, there was blood covering an eightsquare-foot section of his mattress, splattered across two walls of his room, on a television 10 feet away, and on the ceiling. They also found blood on a large sword they believed was the murder weapon. DNA testing was done. The blood type matched O’Grady’s. Armed with the DNA evidence, prosecutors had an unusual task ahead of them, Kleine recalls. “Jessica had people she called on a daily basis,” he says. “From the moment she got to Christopher Edwards’ aunt’s home, she never called anyone. She didn’t use her cell phone. She never used a credit card. She didn’t touch the money in her bank account.
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Kleine oversees an office which includes 57 attorneys prosecuting cases in a variety of divisions including juvenile, civil, and domestic violence. In essence, we didn’t need a body to prove she was dead. We were able to prove she wasn’t living.” Kleine’s office charged Edwards with murder. A jury heard the evidence and found him guilty. He was given a sentence of 100 years to life.
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he same year Jessica O’Grady was killed, Kleine was elected as Douglas County Attorney. He was reelected to a second fouryear-term in 2010. As the county’s chief prosecutor, Kleine supervises an office with 57 lawyers
in divisions that include juvenile, criminal, civil, domestic violence, bad checks, and victim assistance. His office files an estimated 3,300 felony cases a year and has had 25 murder cases pending at one time. Despite the volume of cases, there are some he cannot forget. Cases where children and older adults are the victims are especially haunting. He remembers the names. And the faces. “Those kinds of cases stay etched in your brain,” Kleine says. “The horrific things these children and older people went through. It’s beyond belief some-
times that a human being could inflict that kind of pain and suffering on someone else, especially someone as defenseless as a child.” He remembers the things no one should ever have to see so that even in death, these innocent victims still have a voice. “It’s important when you go over this kind of terrible stuff every day to meet with the victims’ families and get to know the person they knew,” he says. “You have to try to keep it in perspective, to maintain a balance in life so you don’t become jaded by all the violence.”
onald W. Kleine is the son of the late Donald E. and Elizabeth “Betty” Kleine. He, his brother, and two sisters grew up in the neighborhood just south of Hanscom Park. He attended St. Adalbert Grade School, played sports with his friends, and delivered 100 newspapers each day out of The Omaha World-Herald’s Station D. Kleine attended Creighton Prep High School where he ran cross country and track, and he played Catholic Youth Organization (CYO) basketball and baseball, becoming good enough as an outfielder and first baseman to earn a baseball scholarship to Kearney State (now the University of NebraskaKearney). He worked his way through college in the summers as a carpenter, carman helper, and machinist’s helper at the Union Pacific Railroad, where his father worked in the railyard shops. Studying in college as a business and Spanish major, Kleine wasn’t sure what his future might hold. That’s when a close friend and mentor, the late James P. “Jim” Keenan, made a suggestion. Keenan served as the longtime Acting Douglas County Coroner. He took Kleine aside and told him to sign up for the Law School --Please turn to page 11.
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For $5.00 a plate, you can enjoy a wonderful Thanksgiving meal, complete with entertainment, alongside your loved ones at Hickory Villa. The dinner will begin at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday, November 14th. Please RSVP by November 8th. We can’t wait to see you!
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(402) 392-0767 • www.BethesdaSeniorLiving.com Page 10
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County Attorney believes he’s right where he belongs --Continued from page 10. Admissions Test. Kleine did – and was accepted to the Creighton University School of Law. He earned his law degree in 1977 and clerked for the judges of the 4th Judicial District of Douglas County. In 1978, Kleine joined the Douglas County Attorney’s Office to work for thenCounty Attorney Donald “Pinky” Knowles.
ally joined his firm. Kleine returned to the County Attorney’s Office under the direction of Jim Jansen and in 1991 became Chief Deputy County Attorney. Twelve years later, Nebraska Attorney General Jon Bruning hired Kleine to serve as the Chief of the Criminal Bureau with the Nebraska Department of Justice in Lincoln. In 2006, Kleine returned
Between stints working in the Douglas County Attorney’s office, Kleine was in private practice emphasizing civil litigation and criminal defense. “It was a great way to start out, and it gave me a lot of trial experience,” he says. Five years later, Kleine entered private practice, taking cases with an emphasis on civil litigation and criminal defense. Four other attorneys and retired Judge Elizabeth Pittman eventu-
Assistive technology is available via at4all.com Older adults may notice gradual changes in their hearing, memory, vision, and mobility that could create the need for assistive technology. Some of these older men and women may need a cane, a scooter, a listening device, or a lighted magnifier. One way to learn more about obtaining assistive technology equipment is by logging on to at4all.com, a free online service that lists and can help you find these devices in Nebraska. The service can help consumers borrow and try the equipment before buying, buy used and/or free equipment, and list items they want to share or sell. For more information, please call 1-888-806-6287.
to Omaha, ran for county attorney, and defeated Stu Dornan, who had been appointed to fill Jansen’s shoes when he left for private practice in 2003. “I wanted to come back to Omaha,” Kleine says. “Ever since I worked for Pinky Knowles, it was my goal to one day be the county at-
torney.” And though he has been recruited by his fellow Democrats to run for other offices, Kleine says he is right where he belongs. “I have an impact in this job as great as any other position in public service,” he says. “To me, it is really an honor to sit in this chair, represent the people of Douglas County, and do what we do here.” For now, he isn’t interested in a different political office or stepping across the courtroom to sit on the bench. “I like being an advocate,” he says. “Being a judge is a different role. It’s a very important role, but I like the role I’m in right now.” Things aren’t the same as they were in 1977. Douglas County has grown, and so has the County Attorney’s Office that serves it. “Back under Pinky, it was half, maybe two-thirds the size it is now,” Kleine says. “The metro area is bigger, and Omaha now has some of the problems you’d find in other large metro areas.” Kleine administers a very tight $7.5 million annual budget. With that he has to pay salaries and a host of other costs: extradition fees, expert witnesses, DNA testing, and autopsy fees. Government grants help in some cases, as in the Nebraska Highway Commission’s funding toward drunk driving prosecutions, and the grant money that assists with the truancy diversion program. “The best bang for their
The father of three and grandfather of four, Kleine enjoyed coaching his granddaughter’s CYO basketball team to an undefeated season. buck the taxpayer gets is county services,” Kleine says. “I know that’s the case with our office. I know the job my staff does and I know the hours they work. We are all very fortunate to have such a dedicated group of people.” Dedication is key to public service, he says. That’s a lesson for each new attorney he hires. “It’s a calling,” he says. “You have to have a desire
to do this type of work. You have to be willing to go the extra step. Whether it’s giving someone who comes in our door directions to the office or courtroom they are looking for, or helping the family of a crime victim see that the system works for them, this office is about being a true public servant.” Kleine’s public service goes beyond the county attorney’s office. He serves --Please turn to page 12.
Your home.Your care.Your pace.
Your home is best and Immanuel Pathways can help you continue living there for as long as possible. Our program provides a comprehensive system of health care. The model of service is PACE: Program of All-inclusive Care for the Elderly. Our program includes primary, acute and long-term health care as well as day therapeutic and recreational services and transportation. Services are provided in the home, in the community and at our PACE Center. For complete program details and benefits, please call 402-991-0330.
5755 Sorensen Parkway | Omaha, NE 68152 | www.immanuelpathways.org PACE participants may be fully and personally liable for the costs of unauthorized or out-of-PACE program services. Emergency services are covered. Participants may disenroll at any time.
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Kleine sees each case, trial as an opportunity to learn --Continued from page 11. on the board of directors for Project Harmony (an Omaha metro area Child Advocacy Center he helped create), the Nebraska Supreme Court Subcommittee on Criminal Jury Instructions, and is a member and past president of the board of directors of the Nebraska County Attorney’s Association. He is on the National District Attorney’s Association’s board of directors and has been named a Fellow in the American College of Trial Attorneys. Certified as a legal instructor by the Nebraska Commission of Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice, Kleine is a faculty member at the Creighton University School of Law, where he teaches classes in trial practice and criminal prosecution. He sees each case and trial as a new experience and an opportunity to learn. And despite what the public might think, he says trial juries get it right almost every time.
“I’ve personally tried maybe 200 jury trials and I marvel at the tremendous job citizens do as jurors and at how well the system works,” he says. “There is a very small number of cases where we might have issues, but that is what the appellate courts are for. “Aside from the defendant, no matter where you sit in a courtroom, you have a responsibility to the public. I don’t know anyone who takes that lightly.” Kleine has three children. Don is an assistant United States Attorney and Philip is a deputy prosecutor in Sarpy County. Daughter Kevin Maureen serves the County Attorney’s office as a victim/witness coordinator. “They always said they didn’t want to go into trial work because they saw how stressful it was for me,” Kleine says, smiling. He also has four grandchildren: Luke, Emily, Donovan, and Beckett. Kleine has been married to his wife, Kim, for 19 years. A registered nurse
We need your
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Kleine says aside from the defendant, no matter where they sit in a courtroom, people have a responsibility to the public. who previously worked at Creighton’s ER and was a flight nurse; Kim is operations director for Home Care and Hospice at Alegent Creighton Health. As a volunteer, Kleine has coached sports teams and worked with community youth programs that include the Ralston Optimists, Ralston All-American Foot-
Traditional funding sources are making it more difficult for ENOA to fulfill its mission. Partnership opportunities are available to businesses and individuals wanting to help us. These opportunities include volunteering, memorials, honorariums, gift annuities, and other contributions.
I would like to become a partner with the Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging, and help fulfill your mission with older adults.
ENOA
“I want my office to be eager to take on cases when our seniors are the victims. I think it’s important that the criminals who prey on these people be held accountable,” he says, “and to inform our older citizens so they can do everything possible to defend themselves and not become victims.” When they are victimized, Kleine and his office will do all they can to be certain that justice – and the public – are served.
Yes, I am MovingOn. We know life changes, and when it does, MovingOn will make the transition easier. MovingOn provides a comprehensive service that helps Seniors and their families with moving, downsizing, and estate liquidation. As a Senior Move Manager, we give families peace of mind by decreasing stress and taking care of all the details.
$30 = 7 meals or 1.75 hours of in-home homemaker services or 1 bath aide service for frail older adults.
Our services include:
$75 = 17 meals or 4.75 hours of in-home homemaker services or 4 bath aide services for frail older adults.
• Packing and unpacking household contents.
• Planning, scheduling, and coordinating the move. • Arranging for changes in utilities, cable service, and mail delivery.
$150 = 35 meals or 9.5 hours of in-home homemaker services or 8 bath aide services for frail older adults. $300 = 70 meals or 19.25 hours of in-home homemaker services or 16 bath aide services for frail older adults. Other amount (please designate)__________________________ Please contact me. I would like to learn more about how to include the Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging in my estate planning. Please ma il with thisyofour donation rm to: Eas
tern Office oNebraska n Aging Address:___________________________________ Attention : Jef Name:_____________________________________
City:______________State:_____ Zip: __________ Phone:____________________________________
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ball, Ralston Youth Baseball, and United Soccer. He has served as a coach for his granddaughter, with a basketball signed by her team that signifies a recent undefeated season displayed proudly on his office shelf. He also enjoys spending time with his 85-year-old mother, and focuses his attention to the community’s older residents, working to educate them in ways to protect themselves from becoming victims.
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New Horizons
4223 Ce f Reinhardt Omaha, nter Street NE 6810 5-2431 (402
• Arranging for an estate sale, auction, donation pickup, or shipping. • Arranging for temporary storage. • Preparing your new home after the move, including the kitchen, bathroom, bedroom, and closets, making the new home feel comfortable. • Coordinating the “after the move” cleaning and then staging and preparing your previous home prior to the listing or closing.
Call today for a free estimate.
402-651-2711 movingon@cox.net www.movingonomaha.com
) 444-665
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Katie Wray
Addressing some common myths about Alzheimer’s By Jen Vogt
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ovember is National Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness Month. This focus on Alzheimer’s disease brings awareness to this terrible illness and the 5.2 million individuals in the United States who suffer from it.
If your memory loss starts to impact your daily living, contact your physician to discuss your concerns. Despite the fact that it is the sixth leading cause of death in our country, many myths are still prevalent in conversations about Alzheimer’s disease and memory loss. • Myth: Memory loss is a natural part of aging. Reality: Occasional memory problems are part of getting older. It’s normal to forget the name of a person you’ve just met, or misplace an item in your household. However, Alzheimer’s disease is more than just occasional memory loss. It
causes the brain cells to malfunction and ultimately die. It can cause you to forget the name of a family member or forget which road to take to return home. It can be difficult to tell the difference between normal memory loss and the memory problems associated with Alzheimer’s disease or another type of dementia. If your memory loss starts to impact your daily living, contact your physician to discuss your concerns. • Myth: Only older people can get Alzheimer’s disease. Reality: Although the majority of people who have Alzheimer’s are older, it can also strike people as young as age 30. This type of Alzheimer’s is called earlyonset Alzheimer’s. In the United States alone, around 200,000 individuals in their 30s, 40s, and 50s suffer from early-onset Alzheimer’s disease. • Myth: There are treatments available to cure or stop the progression of Alzheimer’s disease. Reality: At this time, there is no treatment to delay or stop the progression of Alzheimer’s disease. There are drugs available that keep symptoms associated with Alzheimer’s from worsening. These drugs typically help for six to 12 months in half the individuals who take them. • Myth: Alzheimer’s disease is not fatal. Reality: Alzheimer’s disease has no survivors. Because Alzheimer’s disease destroys brain cells, it will cause changes to the memory, loss of body function, and erratic behaviors. It steals a person’s identity and their ability to walk, talk, think, and connect with those around them.
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ne of the biggest risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease is simply growing older. As such, it’s one of the most feared diseases among aging adults. Bringing awareness to this horrible disease shines a light on its victims and the support needed for their caregivers. (Vogt is with Midwest Geriatrics, Inc. in Omaha).
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We want to hear from
you!
• Do you have questions about the Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging, its programs or services? • Do you have a comment about the agency and how it serves older adults in Douglas, Sarpy, Dodge, Cass, and Washington counties? • Maybe you have a story idea for the New Horizons?
Send your questions,comments, story ideas, etc. to
DHHS.ENOA@nebraska.gov We appreciate your interest in ENOA and the New Horizons. Please support New Horizons advertisers
Participants needed for a COPD Research Study IRB # 397-11 A clinical outcomes study to compare the effect of Fluticasone Furoate/Vilanterol Inhalation Powder 100/25-mcg with placebo on survival in subjects with moderate chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and a history of or an increased risk for cardiovascular disease. (Protocol HZC113782) Do you have COPD and a history of cardiovascular disease? The University of Nebraska Medical Center is conducting a clinical trial of an investigational medication for people with emphysema. The study drug combines a long-acting beta-agonist with corticosteroid in a single inhaler. You may be eligible if you: • Have a diagnosis of moderate COPD. • Have a history or risk of heart disease. • Are between 40 and 80 years of age. • Are a current or former smoker. You will receive an investigational study drug or placebo, & study-related medical and study procedures at no charge. Please call Sandy Talbott at 402-559-6365 or email her at stalbott@unmc.edu if you are interested in participating in this study.
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Sarpy/Cass Health Department sponsoring hospice workshop, series of health clinics
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he Sarpy/Cass Department of Health & Wellness in partnership with Hillcrest Health Services and Partnerships in Aging, is sponsoring a free hospice workshop on Monday, Nov. 4 from 5 to 6:30 p.m. at Hillcrest Health Services, 1902 Harlan Dr. in Bellevue. The workshop – which is part of National Hospice and Palliative Care month – is designed for persons who want to learn more about end of life care options and the hospice care experience. Participants will explore hospice care from the perspective of the caregiver and family while discussing the fear of death. The hospice philosophy and insurance coverage options for hospice services will also be addressed. “Our goal is to empower individuals facing life-limiting illness to make informed healthcare decisions reflective of their values, beliefs, and preferences for care at the end of life,” said Nicole Evans, community health educator for the Sarpy/Cass Department of Health & Wellness. For more information, please call Evans at 402-3394334, ext. 209.
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he Sarpy/Cass Department of Health & Wellness is also offering low-cost diabetic foot care and basic healthcare screenings for residents of Sarpy and Cass counties. For $5, individuals can receive a blood pressure check, weight screening, diabetic foot care, toenail trimming, and health information from a registered nurse. Here’s the clinic schedule: • Bellevue Senior Center: Fourth Thursday, 1 to 3 p.m. • Eagle Senior Center: Second Tuesday, 10 a.m. to noon. • Louisville Senior Center: First Wednesday, 10 a.m. to noon. • Papillion Senior Center: Third Wednesday, 10 a.m. to noon. • Plattsmouth Community Center: Third Monday, 9 to 11 a.m. • The Sarpy/Cass Department of Health & Wellness: Third Friday, 8 to 10 a.m. To make an appointment, please call Nicole Evans at 402-339-4334, ext. 209.
Someday this button might save your life. For now, it sets you free.
Health information available through Harvard iBooks Need to know what happens in the heart when a heart attack is underway, how doctors open up cholesterol-clogged arteries, or how to cope with the irregular heart rhythm known as atrial fibrillation? The answer is a click away: a new series of interactive iBooks focused on the heart and heart disease was recently released by Harvard Health Publications, a division of Harvard Medical School, and Orca Health. This series of iBooks allows users to view the heart in ways and detail they’ve never seen before. Using stunning interactive 3D animations powered by Orca Health, narrated videos, and content from Harvard Medical School, the books give users in-depth information about 10 common heart conditions and procedures. The topics range from angina and angioplasty to mitral valve prolapse and sudden cardiac arrest. All of the books are available for download on an iPad via iBooks or on a computer via iTunes. Use the keyword “Orca Health.” These 10 iBooks mark the second major production from the partnership between Harvard Health Publications and Orca Health. In January 2013, they launched the HeartDecide app in the Apple App Store. Harvard Health and Orca expect to continue to co-develop additional apps, iBooks,
BBB: ACA may be attractive to identity theft scammers
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he Better Business Bureau is warning consumers that with medical insurance exchanges mandated by the Affordable Care Act that opened Oct. 1, scammers may find the ACA to be an attractive way to prey on vulnerable people in attempts to steal their identities and money. “Scammers are already making calls to consumers, masquerading as government representatives, in an effort to gather sensitive financial and personal information,” said Jim Hegarty, BBB’s president & CEO in Nebraska. “Consumers who receive such calls should ignore them. If you provide information, it could be used to steal your identity or to access your accounts.” An older adult from Hastings received a phone
With Lifeline by Immanuel, you can enjoy an independent lifestyle in your own home — knowing that you can call for help if you ever need it. One push of your Lifeline button connects you to someone with access to your medical history, someone who can evaluate your situation and immediately send help. To learn more about the security and peace of mind provided by Lifeline, call (402) 829-3277 or toll-free at (800) 676-9449. Free activation this month.
www.immanuellifeline.com
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and other patient education content. “We set out to develop the best medical iBooks on the iBookstore, just like we’ve done with our Decide Series of patient education apps on the App Store” said Orca Health CEO Matt Berry. “I think the end result, with its interactive 3D animation, videos, augmented reality, and multisensory learning, rivals any iBook on the iTunes Store—regardless of category.” The 10 heart-focused iBooks are the first for either party and are a new foray into an uncharted digital patient education market. “We think these iBooks set the standard for patient education—not only in the United States, but considering the reach of the iBookstore, around the world,” says Anthony L. Komaroff, M.D., professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and editor in chief of Harvard Health Publications. “The videos and animations explain some things better than just written words can do. And tapping a medical term lets you hear how it is pronounced, something the printed word cannot do. The iBook platform makes possible a truly new type of book.” For more information, contact Anthony L. Komaroff, M.D., of Harvard Health Publications at hhpmedia@hms.harvard.edu or 617-432-2648.
November 2013
call of this nature. The person calling said he was from Medicare, and due to the ACA, new Medicare cards needed to be mailed. Therefore, he was required to verify what account the consumer was using to have her Social Security checks deposited. The caller also asked for the older women’s age, address, phone number, and the correct spelling of her name. Thinking this was a legitimate call; she gave him all of the information requested. The consumer was then transferred to a “Senior Medicare Representative” who told her the conversation had been recorded and he wished to verify the information she had provided. “Always be cautious when anyone is calling and asking for personal information of any kind,” Hegarty said. The BBB offers the fol-
lowing tips: • Never give out personal information including your bank account numbers, date of birth, credit card number, or Social Security number. • Don’t rely on caller ID. Some scammers are able to display a company’s name or phone number on the caller ID screen. • The government rarely communicates via phone calls. Most of the time, it uses traditional postal mail to communicate with consumers. The government rarely calls, emails, or texts, so you should view such contacts as suspect if they claim to represent the government. Consumers are urged to contact the BBB at 402-3917612, BBB’s toll-free Senior Line at 877-637-3334, or go to bbb.org, for a BBB Business Review for more information.
November 2013 events calendar 1 Christmas Stamps Display Through Dec. 31 Boys Town Free 402-498-1141 7 Autumn Festival, An Arts & Crafts Affair Through Nov. 10 Ralston Arena $7 & $8 402-331-2889 Organist Cameron Carpenter Orpheum Theater 7:30 p.m. 402-345-0606 8 Big Nate Through Nov. 24 The Rose Theater Friday @ 7 p.m. Saturday @ 2 & 5 p.m. Sunday @ 2 p.m. $18 402-345-4849 Peter Gross from Wild Kingdom Holland Performing Arts Center 8 p.m. 402-345-0606 11 Veterans’ Recognition at the Henry Doorly Zoo 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Free for veterans 402-733-8401
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14 A Night in Treme Holland Performing Arts Center 7:30 p.m. 402-345-0606 16 Wish Upon a Star Acappella Omaha Chorus Of Sweet Adelines International Papillion-LaVista High School 7 p.m. $15 donation 402-932-0155 or 402-960-4500 22 A Christmas Carol Through Dec. 22 Omaha Community Playhouse Wednesday – Saturday @ 7:30 p.m. Sunday @ 2 p.m. 402-553-0800 23 Holiday Lighting Ceremony Midtown Crossing Free 24 Handel’s Messiah Holland Performing Arts Center 3 p.m. 402-321-8210 29 Sounds of Christmas Starring Elisabeth von Trapp & The Carolian Brass Holland Performing Arts Center 8 p.m. 402-345-0606
Diabetes Education Center schedule
he Diabetes Education Center of the Midlands is offering an open house, classes, and a support group this month: • Nov. 4 to 7: Diabetes management course from 5 to 9 p.m. on Nov. 4 and 5 to 8 p.m. Nov. 5 to 7. • Nov. 9: Open house from 9 a.m. to noon. • Nov. 12: Insulin pump therapy & continuous glucose monitoring fair from
6 to 7:30 p.m. • Nov. 18: Intensive insulin management class from 4 to 6 p.m. • Nov. 19 & 21: Basic skills selfmanagement from 5 to 8 p.m. each evening. • Nov. 23: Living Well With Diabetes support group from 10 to 11:30 a.m. • Nov. 26 & Dec. 3: Pre-diabetes class from 4 to 6 p.m. on Nov. 26 and 5 to 6 p.m. on Dec. 3. The classes, open house, and support group will be held at the DECM office, 2910 S. 84th St. To register or for more information, please call 402399-0777, ext. 230.
November 2013
WHITMORE LAW OFFICE Wills • Trusts • Probate
Ask A Lawyer: Q — What is “accidental disinheritance”? A — Accidental disinheritance occurs when an expected heir is cut out of an estate because of lack of planning, rather than intention. It can occur in a blended family, where “planning” consists of holding property in both names. For example, Husband and Wife each have children from a prior marraige. They hold all of their property jointly. Husband is the first to die, and Wife inherits everything. Later, Wife dies without proper planning. Result? Wife’s children receive all the family property. Husband’s children are “accidentally disinherited.” 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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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.
2013 - 2014 Daniel O’Donnell in Branson. November 4 - 7. $689. See Daniel O’Donnell, Mel Tillis, Red, Hot…& Blue!, Dinner with Yakov, The Legends in Concert, and your choice of either Miracle of Christmas or The Haygoods. Christmas at the Lofte. December 8. $99. Enjoy another Sunday afternoon performance of “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever” followed by dinner at Parker’s Smokehouse after the play. Kansas City Christmas. December 11 - 12. $299. Enjoy a special holiday luncheon at the Webster House, New Theater Restaurant buffet dinner and evening performance of “Never Too Late” starring George Wendt from “Cheers”, “Christmas in Song” at the Quality Hill Playhouse, Toy & Miniature Museum, tour of Strawberry Hill Povitica Bakery, shopping at Crown Center and Zona Rosa, and lodging at the Drury. “Hello Dolly” Featuring Sally Struthers. January 26, 2014. $129 ($119 before 11/26/13). Join us for this Sunday evening performance of the only Sioux City performance of “Hello Dolly” starring Sally Struthers from “All in the Family.” Branson’s “Brother South” in Sioux City. March 31, 2014. $99 ($89 before 1/31/14). Spend a fun afternoon at the Orpheum Theater reminiscing, singing, and swaying to rock and roll, honky tonk, and classic country performed by “Brother South” from Branson. “Harvey” at the New Theater. April 2, 2014. $139. ($129 before 2/2/14). Take a Wednesday trip to Kansas City and enjoy lunch and “Harvey” starring Judge Reinhold from “Fast Times at Ridgemont High” and “Beverly Hills Cop.” West Side Story. May 6, 2014. $129. ($119 before 3/6/14). Enjoy an exciting Tuesday evening at the only Broadway performance of this incredible musical at Sioux City’s Orpheum Theater. “Miracle on South Division Street” at the New Theater. May 21, 2014. $139. ($129 before 3/21/14). Take a Wednesday trip to Kansas City to see Connie Stevens perform with her real life daughter while enjoying an awesome lunch! “Rat Pack Show” at the new Kauffman Center. June 1, 2014. $169. Here’s your chance to check out the new Performing Arts Center in Kansas City with great seats for this special Sunday performance. Because of ticket deadlines, please reserve by 12/15/13. “Smokey Joe’s Cafe” at the New Theater. June 21, 2014. $139. ($129 before 4/21/14). Come along on a Saturday trip to Kansas City and enjoy a rock ‘n’ roll musical revue, as well as a wonderful lunch buffet at the New Theater. Featured songs include: On Broadway, Hound Dog, Jailhouse Rock, Stand By Me, Spanish Harlem, Love Potion #9, Young Blood, Yakety Yak, I’m a Woman, and Kansas City. Arrow Rock, Blackwater, & the Clydesdales. August 9 - 11, 2014. $TBD. Shop and explore in a Missouri village that is a National Historic Landmark, attend the historic theater, and tour the ranch where the Budweiser Clydesdales are raised. Nebraska Junk Jaunt…with a Twist. September 26 – 27, 2014. $TBD. Join us for this garage sale extravaganza, but with a new route and a new motel. This is truly a fun adventure, whatever you’re hunting for! Branson Christmas with Daniel O’Donnell. November 10 – 13, 2014 $TBD. Show line-up to follow at a later time. IN PARTNERSHIP WITH COLLETTE VACATIONS New York City. May 15 - 19, 2014. Five days. Two Broadway shows, Greenwich Village, Wall Street, Ground Zero, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York Harbor Cruise, and Ellis Island. Stay at the Sheraton Hotel and Towers in the heart of New York. Six blocks from Central Park! Northern National Parks. July 15 - 22, 2014. Eight days. Salt Lake City, Jackson Hole, Yellowstone National Park, Old Faithful, Grand Teton National Park, Park City. Four-night stay at the Snow King Lodge in Jackson, Wy. Reflections of Italy. Sept 10 - 19, 2014. 10 days. Rome, Coliseum, Assisi, Perugia, Siena, Florence, Chianti Winery, Venice, Murano Island, Como,Lugano, & Switzerland. Spectacular South Africa. Nov 10 - 22, 2014. 13 days. Enjoy springtime In South Africa including Johannesburg, Soweto, Kruger National Park, a Safari Game Drive, a lagoon cruise in the Knysna Featherbed National Reserve, an Ostrich Farm Visit, Cape Winelands, Cape Town, Table Mountain, traditional African dining, and more. A trip of a lifetime! LAUGHLIN Laughlin in November (by Air). November 29 – December 2. $329. Includes nonstop, 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. During this trip Larry Gatlin and the Gatlin Brothers will entertain at the Riverside Resort and Smokey Robinson will perform at the Edgewater Resort. Watch New Horizons and our website www.fontenelletours.com for our trip schedule. Our new address is: 2008 W. Broadway #329, Council Bluffs, Iowa 51501
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2014 Health Care Changes! Ways to protect your personal information COVERAGE DISCONTINUED IN 2014? Call me…I can help. Don’t miss out on learning about your 2014 health care options. ith more than Appointed w ies… Life compan 50 Health & ts efi en b + sts Compare co !
What you don’t know
TODAY
could COST YOU!
Let’s talk about the benefits that matter most to you.
Kim Shulters
For more information contact:
Senior Insurance Specialist
402-968-1500 kimshulters@gmail.com
Here are some tips to help older adults protect their personal information. • Leave Social Security numbers, checks, credit cards, Medicare cards, and financial statements in a locked security box at home or safety box at the bank. • Use a locked mailbox for incoming and outgoing mail. • Invest in a small crosscut shredder and destroy unneeded personal documents, receipts, pre-approved credit offers, unused or old checks, and any other items that include personal information about you or your accounts. • Don’t give out your Social Security number, mother’s maiden name, account numbers, or passwords to strangers who
contact you, especially by phone, Internet, or email. Legitimate businesses will never contact their customers and ask for this information. If you’re doing business with them, they’ll already have your pertinent information. If there’s any question, contact the company directly with the information you have, not the phone numbers or email the stranger provides. • Check your credit reports and financial statements regularly. If you notice any suspicious activity on your accounts or bill, contact the bank or company immediately. Be aware of the following telephone scams: • Anyone asking for personal information. Scam-
mers may pose as banks or government agencies and ask the victim for personal information to verify their identity. Any company calling the individual should be able to provide this information without asking. • Fake charities. Older individuals are often generous when it comes to charity, and scammers know how to exploit this quality. Make sure to check out the validity of charities by going to Guidestar.org or by calling the organization back at a listed number. • Wire transfers. There are several scams that target older victims and attempt to have them wire money. (This information was provided by Experian’s ProtectMyID.)
One in four boomers will live past 90
Advisor offers some retirement planning tips
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t’s no wonder baby boomers worry about outliving their retirement savings. One out of four 65-year-olds today can expect to live past 90, and if they’re married, one of every four will live even longer. With 10,000 boomers turning 65 every day, it’s a big worry for 26 percent of the U.S. population. “The biggest concern for boomers is living too long, or getting sick, and running out of money,” says Rao K. Garuda, an engineer-turned-independent financial planning advisor specializing in work with older, high net worth business owners, and professionals. “The average 65-year-old retires today with $500,000 to $1 million in assets, and while that might sound like a lot to a 20-year-old, it isn’t,” Garuda says. Even if you plan to continue some kind of work post-retirement – as many people do whether because they must or because they enjoy it – it’s imperative to plan ahead for the day you can’t work, he says. “Equally important, people deserve the freedom to make choices about how they’ll spend their last 20 or 30 years, especially if they’ve spent 45 years going to work every day. That’s part of the American dream,” Garuda says. “And you don’t have to earn a fortune to save a fortune!” Garuda shares four things everyone should know about preparing for retirement: • Save first, then spend. Most people spend first, then try to save what’s left, Garuda says. The secret is to make saving first your priority. “The people who save first will always be the people who are employing everyone else!” he says. The more you can save the better, but that will vary at different stages of your life. At the minimum, 10 percent is a good rule of thumb. • Take advantage of tax-free savings. Taxes are the biggest expense anyone has. Besides federal, state, city, and death taxes there are 59 other different ways your money is taxed, Garuda says. “If you save $1, Uncle Sam will help you by waiting for his cut of that $1. With planning, you can put him on hold for about two
November 2013
generations,” he says. With tax-free compounding, a relatively small amount of money saved can yield huge returns years from now. • Decide how you’ll manage risk. There is risk in everything, and Garuda warns those who simply choose to ignore it do so at their own peril. Others choose to “go broke safely.” They avoid risk to such an extent, they lose money.
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good example is people putting all their savings in CDs that pay just 1 percent. Since that’s lower than the rate of inflation, they’re losing money. In some cases, people transfer risk to someone else, for instance, when they buy homeowners insurance. Finally, they choose to manage their risk emotionally, psychologically, and technically through asset allocation rebalancing and other tools that allow you the amount of risk you’re willing to assume while still providing opportunities for growth. • Create tax-free income. “My favorite question to ask people is, ‘What have you done to create tax-free income?’’’ Garuda says. There are many ways to do this – Roth IRAs, life insurance, tax-free bonds, (and) annuities -- but most involve working with a knowledgeable financial planner. “ An indexed life insurance policy is a great idea; it protects your money while offering a lot of benefits. But it’s like a Swiss army knife – there are a lot of ways to use it, and most people don’t know how to use it properly,” Garuda says.
Financial expert Mary Hunt’s book was written for women By their own admission, 92 percent of women surveyed don’t believe they’re educated enough to reach their retirement savings goals. For the woman who needs a knowledgeable guide who speaks her language, personal finance expert Mary Hunt offers a comprehensive but approachable resource for saving and retirement planning. In The Smart Woman’s Guide to Planning for Retirement: How to Save for Your Future Today, Hunt takes an often terrifying topic and assures women that it’s only too late if they don’t start now. “I think women need a different kind of book,” says Hunt. “One without all the jargon, charts, and mind numbing data; one that simply and honestly cuts through the miles of complicated information and gives you just the facts and the motivation you need in a warm and conversational way. The way we’d chat over coffee about something that is very important to both of us.” The Smart Woman’s Guide to Planning for Retirement is built on six strategies every woman needs to prepare for the future starting right now no matter her age. Hunt breaks down what women should do during each decade of their lives. She also shares vital catch up moves for women starting in each age range including the five critical steps everyone in their 50s should take today. She openly shares the fact she has made many financial mistakes and is playing catch up to be able to retire herself. “I’ve done all the hard work of making lots of mistakes,” says Hunt. “I’ve suffered my share of failures as well. Let me save you time and money.” Before she was a financial guru, Hunt dug her family out of more than $100,000 in credit card debt. She knows firsthand the psychological and emotional struggles that accompany debt and how to save money. It took her 12 years to rack up the debt, and 13 years to become debt free. After turning her financial life around, Hunt set out to help others live debt free. In 1992, she founded Debt Proof Living, an organization dedicated to helping men and woman battle the stifling impact of consumer debt. Her interactive website features financial tools, resources, and information for her thousands of online members. The Smart Woman’s Guide to Planning for Retirement: How to Save for Your Future Today, a 224-page hardcover, is available from booksellers for $17.99.
Volunteer opportunities The Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging’s Foster Grandparent Program, Senior Companion Program, Ombudsman Advocate Program, and Senior Medicare Patrol 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. The Senior Medicare Patrol program helps Medicaid beneficiaries avoid, detect, and prevent health care fraud. These volunteers, who are enrolled through an application and screening process, are not compensated monetarily for their time. For more information, please call 402-444-6536.
Dead of the Day celebration
Among those who enjoyed the Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) celebration last month were Josefina Garcia (left) and Balbina Nicolas.
Singer Carmelita De La Guardia accompanied by guitarist Allan Anderson, entertained the guests at the Intercultural Senior Center.
ltar displays, food, live music, cultural performances, a raffle, and a haunted house were among the activities at the fifth annual Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) celebration Oct. 25 at the Intercultural Senior Center, 2021 U St. Dia de los Muertos is a Hispanic holiday focusing on the gatherings of family and friends who pray for and remember loved
ones who have died. Private altars – which are built to honor the deceased – feature sugar skulls, marigolds, and the favorite foods and beverages of the deceased. The Intercultural Senior Center is open Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Lunch is served at 11:30 a.m. For more information, please call Carolina Padilla at 402-444-6551.
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AARP offering two different driving courses AARP is offering a four-hour driving safety class designed to boost driver safety awareness while improving driving skills. No tests or examinations are involved, course completion certificates are provided, and auto insurance discounts may apply. The fee is $12 for AARP members and $14 for non-AARP members. Here’s this month’s schedule: Friday, November 8 9 to 1 p.m. Metropolitan Community College 9110 Giles Rd. Class ID #: AUAV 004N 70 Call 402-457-5231 to register
Saturday, November 9 Noon to 4 p.m. AARP Information Center 1941 S. 42nd St. Call 402-398-9568 to register
Wednesday, November 13 Noon to 4 p.m. Midlands Community Hospital 11111 S. 84th St. Call 800-253-4368 to register
AARP is also 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. • Learn the newest safety and advance features in vehicles. The fee is $15 for AARP members and $20 for non-AARP members. No tests or examinations are involved, course completion certificates are provided, and auto insurance discounts may apply. Here’s this month’s schedule: Friday, November 8 Noon to 4 p.m. AgeWell at Immanuel Hospital 6801 N. 67th Plz. Call 402-829-3200 to register
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BBB warns consumers about sweepstakes scams The Better Business Bureau in Nebraska is warning consumers about another sweepstakes scam. An older man from Wausa received a phone call informing him he had won $450,000 through the American Family Network. Before funds were made available, however, the caller told the Nebraskan he’d have to pay $4,500 in advance “due to the government’s ‘Patriot Act’ that requires recipients of large amounts of money to pay 1 percent.” When the consumer said he didn’t have the money, another person called to tell him they got a $3,000 loan for him and he’d only have to send a cashier’s check for $1,500 to receive the $450,000 prize. When the consumer
didn’t send the requested funds, he received several calls from a Las Vegas “attorney” and his “secretary” claiming they represented American Family Network and tried to convince him to pay the $1,500. The man told the attorney he had contacted the BBB and was informed he shouldn’t have to pay anything to collect a sweepstakes prize. “I advise consumers to be extremely leery of letters, faxes, emails, or phone calls telling them they’ve won prizes, lotteries, or sweepstakes,” said the BBB’s local President Jim Hegarty. If you get a call telling you that you’re a prizewinner, the BBB recommends looking for these red flags: • Lottery tickets must be purchased. Sweepstakes
Home Instead Senior Care program allows you to Be a Santa to a Senior
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nce again in 2013, the Home Instead Senior Care franchises in Omaha, western Douglas County, Bellevue, Fremont, and Blair are participating in the annual Be a Santa to a Senior Program (BASTAS). Through BASTAS, local senior communities and agencies, including the Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging, identify older adults who may be alone on Christmas Day and/or who may not receive a gift during the holiday season.
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eginning Friday, Nov. 1, the names of these men and women and their holiday gift wish lists are placed on ornaments that are displayed on a Christmas tree or wreath at area Hy-Vee and Walgreens stores. Members of the community are encouraged to select an ornament, purchase the gift or gifts designated, and then return the unwrapped gift or gifts along with the ornament to the store by Monday, Dec. 2. The Home Instead Senior Care franchises will host gift-wrapping parties on Friday, Dec. 13. Volunteers interested in helping wrap the gifts are encouraged to call their local Home Instead office. The BASTAS web site – beasantatoasenior.com – features a place where individuals can type in their zip code and find a list of the participating Hy-Vee and Walgreens stores and their addresses. “The Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging and hundreds of our clients have been the beneficiaries of the BASTAS program for several years. We thank Home Instead Senior Care and the men and women that have purchased gifts for their incredible generosity,” said Jeff Reinhardt, ENOA’s director of public affairs.
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usually involve application paperwork you’ve finished. • Don’t pay any money to collect supposed sweepstakes winnings. If you have to pay to collect your winnings, you’re not winning — you’re buying. Legitimate sweepstakes don’t require you to pay insurance, taxes, shipping, or handling charges • Hold on to your money. Scammers pressure people to wire money through commercial money transfer companies because wiring money is the same as sending cash. When the money’s gone, there’s very little chance of recovery. Likewise, resist any push from the caller to send a check or money order by overnight delivery or courier. • A lottery application or win announcement comes via telephone or mail from outside the country. • The letter, fax, or email is full of grammatical and spelling errors. • The caller is pressuring for personal information.
Christmas story at Blue Barn Theatre Nov. 29 to Dec. 22 Jacob Marley’s Christmas Carol by Tom Mula will be on stage Nov. 29 through Dec. 22 at the Blue Barn Theatre, 614 S. 11th St. Marley was dead to begin with and what happens to Scrooge’s mean, sour business partner? To escape his own chains, Marley must redeem Scrooge. So begins a journey of laughter and terror, redemption and renewal, during which time Scrooge’s heart is opened, but not before Marley discovers his own heart. Show times are 7:30 p.m. Thursday through Saturday; Sunday, Dec. 1, 8, and 15 at 6 p.m. and 2 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 15. Tickets are $25 for adults and $20 for persons age 65 and older, TAG members, and groups of 10 or more. For reservations, please call 402-345-1576.
Polka night at Ozone scheduled for Nov. 7 You’re invited to attend another Barry Boyce polka night on Thursday, Nov. 7 at the Ozone inside Anthony’s Restaurant and Lounge, 7220 F St. There is no cover charge for the event which will run from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m.
November 2013
Read it & eat By Lois Friedman readitandeat@yahoo.com
Boxes filled with party ideas Good things come in boxes of various sizes. Host and create a variety of food and drink parties and projects by opening one of these boxes. They make great holiday gifts. From Chronicle Books: Wine Wars Design By Anne Donnard ($19.95) A trivia game for wine geeks and wannabes. Challenge your knowledge of the fruit of the vine. Learn about growing grapes and making wine, selecting, storing, and tasting wines, and the art, science, and business of wines. The Wine Tasting Party Kit ($24.95) Host a great wine gathering using this all-inclusive kit for theme gatherings to BYOB events. Winerd Design By Emily Dubin ($35) The wine tasting game that crushes grape fears and is a party in a box for up to four players or teams. Beer Tasting Tool Kit By Jeff Alworth ($24.95) Everything you need to know to evaluate and host a beer tasting party. 99 Bottles of Beer Design By Dave Selden ($12.95) A set of three beer journals to record your notes on a variety of beer styles. Chili Cook-Off In A Box By Gina Hyams (Andrews McMeel, $14.99) Host a chili cook-off with judge badges, table tents, scorecards, prize ribbons, etc. Try this Texas prize winning recipe:
Aimee’s New Fangled Cowtown White Chicken Chili (serves 7 to 9) 1 tablespoon olive oil 2 medium onions, chopped 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped 1 four-ounce can green chiles, chopped 4 cups cooked and shredded chicken 2 teaspoons ground cumin 1 & 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper 6 cups vegetable broth 3 Fifteen-ounce cans Great Northern white beans, drained and rinsed 2 tablespoons flour Salt and pepper Garnishes: Sour cream, freshly grated Colby Jack cheese, and tortilla chips Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onions and sauté about 10 minutes, until translucent. Add the garlic, chiles, chicken, cumin, oregano, and cayenne pepper. Sauté for two more minutes. Add vegetable broth, beans, and flour. Cover, bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer for two hours or longer, stirring occasionally. Add salt and pepper to taste. Ladle into individual bowls and garnish with a dollop of sour cream, freshly grated cheese, and tortilla chips.
AARP Nebraska, Kids Can are offering classes in computer skills, photography The AARP Nebraska Information Center and Kids Can are collaborating to offer classes in basic computer skills for older adults. The classes – which will be taught at Kids Can, 4860 Q St., – are scheduled for Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday afternoons through mid-December. The cost of the course is
$15. You don’t have to be an AARP member to take the class. A one-afternoon class on the basics of digital photography is also available through AARP and Kids Can. To sign up for either course or for more information, please call 402-3989568.
Film will take armchair travelers around the world Tuesday, Nov. 19
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ilmmaker Doug Jones will present Around the World, One Man’s Journey as the third installment in the 2013-14 Omaha World Adventurers travelogue se-
ries. Around the World, One Man’s Journey will be shown at 2 and 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 19 at the Village Pointe Theater, 304 N. 174th St. Drawn from more than one million feet of film, Around the World, One Man’s Journey was shot on six continents and in more than 70 countries. Highlights of the 80-minute journey include the Eiffel Tower, the Taj Mahal, The Pyramids, Big Ben, the Berlin Wall, the Great Wall of China, the Kamakura Buddha, the Treasurers of Tutankhamen, Iguazu Falls, Machu Picchu, the Carnival in Rio, and Alaska’s glaciers. The Eiffel Tower in Paris. Armchair travelers will also enjoy stops in Hollywood, Hong Kong, Moscow, Tokyo, and along the shores of the Amazon River. Tickets, which are $13, are available at the door. Prorated season tickets to the Omaha World Adventurers film series are also available. The Omaha World Adventurers series is a RJ Enterprises, Inc. production. For more information, please call 866-385-3824.
S e l l Yo u r H o u s e “As Is,” At a Fair Price, On the Date of Your Choice !!!! • We use private funds so we can close fast. • You don’t have to do any repairs. • Move when you want. • Leave any or all of your stuff. • No Commissions or Fees. We pay Closing Costs. Call Today for a Free Report: (402)-291-5005 or www.7DaysCash.com The Sierra Group LLC / We are a Professional Home Buying Company BBB Member Member of The Sierra Group LLC is a licensed real estate agent
OFD can install free smoke, carbon monoxide detectors
T
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.
Home Aide, LLC Our caring staff assists older people to live independently in their own home by helping them with the tasks of everyday living. For more information, call
(402) 504-3535 homeaidellc.net
Maplewood Estates Move-in Specials Get 6 months of FREE lot rent for moving a single wide home into the park, or $3,500 moving expenses. Call for more information.
A+ Heartland Concrete Const.
Tree Trimming
TOP CASH PAID
Best & honest prices paid for: Old jewelry, furniture, glassware, Hummels, knick-knacks, old hats & purses, dolls, old toys, quilts, linens, buttons, pottery, etc. Also buying estates & partial estates. Call Bev at 402-339-2856
Interested in providing respite care for people with a disability? Contact the Respite Resource Center today to learn more. 402-996-8444 or echentland@gmail.com
Playground Off street parking Clubhouse Pool
402.493.6000
Please call 402-444-4148 or 402- 444-6654 to place your ad
POOL TABLES
Hoveround Motorized Wheelchair Very good condition. $995 cash. For more information, call 402-571-0841
402-731-2094
Amenities include:
Call: 12801 Spaulding Plaza www.maplewoodestatesonline.com Omaha, NE 68164
Moving, refelting, assemble, repair, tear down. Used slate tables. We pay CASH for slate pool tables.
Driveways, garage floors, sidewalks, retaining walls. patio specialists. Insured/references. 13 year BBB Member
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Lifestyle • Community • Convenience • Family Values
CLASSIFIEDS • FOR SALE •
We are locally owned & operated, which makes our rates more affordable.
Big Red Billiards 402-598-5225
Beat the falling leaves!
Lamplighter II
Some of the nicest, newer 1 bedroom apartments. Elevator, w & d, heated parking garage. Small complex. By bus & shopping. No pets or smoking. 93rd & Maple • 402-397-6921
OLD STUFF WANTED (before 1975) Postcards, photos, drapes, lamps, 1950s and before fabrics, clothes, lady’s hats, & men’s ties, pictures, pottery, glass, jewelry, toys, fountain pens, furniture, etc. Call anytime 402-397-0254 or 402-250-9389
PAID THROUGH March 2013 402-894-9206 Chipping & removal. Your prunings chipped. Experienced & insured. Senior discount.
deFreese Manor
Please support New Horizons advertisers!
Subsidized housing for those age 62 and over with incomes under $25,450 (1 person) or $29,100 (two persons)
Senior Citizens (62+) Accepting applications for HUD-subsidized apartments in Papillion & Bellevue. Rent determined by income and medical expenses.
2669 Dodge Omaha, NE 402-345-0622
Monarch Villa West 201 Cedar Dale Road Papillion (402) 331-6882 Bellewood Courts 1002 Bellewood Court Bellevue (402) 292-3300
REPUTABLE SERVICES, INC. • Remodeling & Home Improvement
Managed by Kimball Management., Inc.
• Safety Equipment Handrails Smoke and Fire Alarms
We do business in accordance with the Fair Housing Law.
• Painting Interior & Exterior • Handyman Services • Senior Discounts • Free Estimates • References • Fully Insured Quality Professional Service
ENOA Aging November 2013
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Better Business Bureau Member
402-4 5 5-7 0 0 0
New Horizons
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Bellevue Senior Singers director Cash Maintaining a positive outlook, focusing on the future receives the Jewell of Bellevue Award Centenarian honored at Elmwood Tower
are among the keys to Thelma Sutcliffe’s longevity the second of three children (an older sister passed away in 2011 at age 106 and a younger brother) in their family. Her father came to Omaha from Germany in the 1880s. Thelma’s mother was an Iowa native who moved to Nebraska in 1902 with her parents and eight siblings in a covered wagon. Thelma was married to William Sutcliffe – a United States Postal Service employee – for 47 years before his death in 1974.
T
hese days, Sutcliffe says she feels well after overcoming some serious health conditions over the years including two battles with breast cancer. Thelma keeps busy doing Photo by Eva Swanson crossword puzzles and playing bridge with friends. She Thelma Sutcliffe stays active doing also enjoys looking out the crossword puzzles and playing bridge. west-facing window of her By Jeffrey Spencer Krogh at Elmwood Tower, 21st floor apartment where a midtown Omaha complex she gets a spectacular view n 1906, Teddy Rooswhere Thelma has lived for of Omaha. evelt was president of nearly 40 years. Sutcliffe says among her the United States, an Among the guests who at- secrets to living a long, hapearthquake in San Frantended the celebration were py, and productive lifestyle cisco killed more than 3,000 Sutcliffe’s nephew Warren are never dwelling on the people, and Thelma SutSorenson, age 86, and his negative, looking forward cliffe was born. 89-year-old wife, Irene, who to the future with curiosity Fast forward to October live in Sun City, Ariz. and optimism, leaving the 2013, when Sutcliffe celBorn Oct. 1, 1906 on past to take care of itself, ebrated her 107th birthday a farm northwest of the and always searching for the at a party hosted by Lottie Benson area, Sutcliffe was best in people.
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Bellevue Mayor Rita Sanders (right) presented The Jewell of Bellevue Award to Betty Cash at the Bellevue Senior Community Center.
B
etty Cash, who is retiring as director of the Bellevue Senior Singers after serving in that capacity for 25 years, recently received the Jewell of Bellevue Award. Since 1967, the Jewell of Bellevue Award has been presented to men and women who have displayed dedication, excellence, and service in the city of Bellevue. The Jewell of Bellevue Award – the highest honor the city of Bellevue can bestow upon its residents – was presented to Cash by Bellevue Mayor Rita Sanders in a ceremony at the Bellevue Senior Community Center. During Cash’s quarter century of directing the Bellevue Senior Singers, the vocalists made approximately 250 performances at area churches, senior centers, and social clubs. Betty also helped out with the Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging’s Meals on Wheels Program for 25 years.
Please see the ad on page 3
New Horizons Club gains new members $25 Barbara Maus Roy Wiese Mabel Podkovich $20 Cynthia Hadsell • Quality living at an affordable price • Licensed nurse and certified staff on duty 24 hours a day • Located in scenic downtown Omaha
• Medication administration and daily living assistance • 10 spacious floor plans with large closets • Numerous educational, social, spiritual and wellness programs
Contact Saint Joseph Tower Assisted Living Community to learn more.
www.StJosephTower.com 2205 S. 10th St.
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Omaha, NE 68108
New Horizons
(402) 952-5000
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November 2013
$10 Charlotte Schopen Monica Richert Gilberta Yater $5 Linda Spencer Alan Goodman Peggy Hovorka Bev Schumacher Reflects donations received through October 25, 2013.