Nov 2014 nh pages by Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging

A publication of the Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging

November 2014 VOL. 39 â&#x20AC;˘ NO. 11

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

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

New Horizons

Visionaries

There are an estimated 5,500 visually-impaired men and women age 65 and older in the Omaha area. Outlook Nebraska Inc. was established in 2000 to enhance the quality of life for the blind and visually impaired. Nick Schinker takes a closer look at ONI in this New Horizons report. Doug Wampler, a program associate at ONI, is seen here with a computer that magnifies type. Page 10.

Special guest Wendy Spencer, CEO of the Corporation for National and Community Service, came to Omaha recently to meet volunteers and staff from ENOA and Nebraskaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s other Senior Corps Programs. Page 3.

The Links

Men and women like Pamela Bell (pictured) who are raising their grandchildren are encouraged attend Mary Link (left)to and theDiana Grandparents as Sapp have Parents Conference on entertained audiences Thursday, Sept. 18. together for 40 years. See page 5.

Since 2009, The Links have performed at several area retirement communities, nursing facilities, and senior centers. Page 18.

Tips to make your holiday shopping safer

t’s hard to believe the holiday season will soon be upon us. Black Friday – the day after Thanksgiving – is traditionally known as the beginning of the holiday shopping season. Many retailers offer special pricing on purchases and often open their doors early or keep them open extra late to accommodate the seasonal shoppers. While the number of shoppers will increase this season, so will the activity of thieves and robbers. Don’t fall prey to crime this season. Follow these easy tips from the Omaha Police Department to help keep you safe this holiday season. • Stay alert to your surroundings and the people around you at all times. • Shop during the daylight hours, if possible. It gets darker earlier this time of year. • If you must shop at night, park in an area with good lighting and ample foot traffic. • Shop with a friend or a group of friends, if possible. There’s safety in numbers. • Don’t buy more than you can safely carry. Ask a store employee to assist you with carrying packages to your vehicle. • Avoid carrying large amounts of cash. Utilize checks, debit cards, and credit cards. • Don’t carry multiple credit and debit cards. Using just one card allows you to keep track of the card more easily. • If you carry a purse, don’t wrap the straps around

Lot #115 – 1998 Redman 14’ x76’, 3 bedroom 2 bath, $13,599

Lot # 260 –1995 Spirit 16x80; 3 bedrooms 2 baths, $17,000

Lot #205 – 1974 Titan, 14’ x 66’, 2 bed 1 bath, $10,000.00

Hearing aids help you hear. Do yours? Call 402-498-6520 to schedule your FREE consultation to: • Meet with an Audiologist • Discuss hearing aids, cochlear implants and other listening devices • Leave with a recommended plan

Call to schedule a free consultation at a clinic near you.

Boys Town Medical Campus - Pacific Street Clinic 14040 Boys Town Hospital Road (139th & Pacific Streets)

Boys Town Medical Campus — Downtown Clinic 555 North 30th Street

Boys Town Audiology 1550 E 23rd Street, Fremont

BOYS TOWN

National Research Hospital ®

Ear, Nose and Throat Clinic 320 McKenzie Avenue, Suite 202 Council Bluffs

Page 2

•

boystownhospital.org

New Horizons

•

November 2014

your arms or shoulders. Carry it by clutching it under your arm or wear a fanny pack. • When sitting down to eat or rest, watch your purchases carefully. Bags can be taken or switched. • Watch out for “friendly strangers” who may offer to help but who are actually distracting you or putting

vehicle to unload packages, place them in the trunk where they cannot be seen. • If you are returning to the store for additional shopping, consider moving your vehicle to another parking stall. Help keep your holiday shopping trips fun and safe by following a few simple holiday shopping tips.

you in a compromising situation. • Have your car keys in your hand before leaving the store to avoid lingering outside your vehicle while you search for your keys. • Check the back seat and around your vehicle before getting into your car. • If you do return to your

For more information on holiday shopping crime prevention, please visit www.opd.ci.omaha.ne.us or call 402-444-6517. (Sgt. Payne, who supervises the Omaha Police Department’s Crime Prevention Unit, has been an OPD officer for more than 20 years.)

Older Nebraskans have free access to legal info 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 adults with questions on topics like bankruptcy, homestead exemptions, collections, powers of attorney, Medicare, Medicaid, grandparents’ 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.

National volunteer leader visits Omaha

Make a donation to help support the

“Voice for Older Nebraskans!”

b u l C s n o z i r New Ho

Join the

today!

Membership includes a subscription to the New Horizons newspaper. New Horizons Club Send Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging 4223 Center Street to: Omaha, NE 68105-2431 I get the New Horizons regularly and don’t need to be put on the mailing list.

Nebraska First Lady Sally Ganem (third from left) invited Wendy Spencer (fifth from left), CEO of the Corporation for National and Community Service, to Nebraska recently. While visiting Omaha, Spencer attended a special program featuring the volunteers and staff from Nebraska’s Senior Corps Programs (the Senior Companion Program, the Foster Grandparent Program, and the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program). Pictured with Ganem and Spencer are (from left): Julie Nash, Nebraska state director for the Corporation for National and Community Service, Beth Nelson, field supervisor for ENOA’s Foster Grandparent Program, Chuck Udstuen, field supervisor for ENOA’s Senior Companion Program, Elisa Stutheit, project director for Aging Partners’ Foster Grandparent Program in Lincoln, Mary Parker, project director of ENOA’s Foster Grandparent and Senior Companion programs, Pat Tanner, project director of ENOA’s Retired and Senior Volunteer Program, and Sonja Workman, project director of the Foster Grandparent Program for the Blue Rivers Area Agency on Aging in Beatrice.

CHOOSING A NEW MEDICARE SUPPLEMENT? • New to Medicare? • Receiving too much “junk” mail? • Insurance agents calling non-stop? • Don’t know what to do from start to finish? Turning age 65 and being new to Medicare should not be confusing. Call me today to learn about your Medicare rights, options, and entitlements. n ith more tha w d te in o p p A ies… nce compan ra u s in e if L 50 Health & ts sts + benefi Compare co

TODAY!

Let’s talk about the benefits that matter most to you.

For more Kim Shulters information Senior Insurance Specialist contact: 402-968-1500 kimshulters@gmail.com

November 2014

I would like to start receiving the New Horizons at home. My address is below. NAME ADDRESS CITY/STATE/ZIP

$25

$10

$50

$15

Other _______

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.

•

New Horizons

•

Page 3

Organizing your garage can improve functionality, increase home’s value

rganizing the garage may be one of the most feared tasks in household history. According to a recent Gladiator GarageWorks survey, nearly three out of four households can only park one car in their two-car garage, illustrating the need for a serious garage intervention. The importance of having a well-organized garage isn’t only for improved functionality – it also helps add overall value to a home. More than 80 percent of real estate brokers or agents recently surveyed said a cluttered, unorganized garage might have a negative impact on a potential homebuyer’s first impression. Since the garage is often used as the “front door” to homes, having an untidy garage can be very unwelcoming. There are a few steps that can help homeowners prepare for the ultimate battle against clutter and reclaim their space in the garage: Clean and prep. Clutter is one of the biggest issues with garage organization. The only way to know what’s in the garage is to remove all the items inside and start with a clean slate. As you remove items from the garage, be realistic about what you do and do not use and move them into categories: • Keep items you use regularly. • Donate or sell items that are still in good shape but aren’t being used regularly. • Toss items that are broken and you don’t need. Have a game plan. First, measure the garage so you can make an accurate plan for storage solutions and factor in large items such as lawn mowers and sporting

Page 4

•

equipment. Next, decide how to group similar items and what your storage needs are. For example, do you prefer to hang items on hooks, store in baskets, or are you able to hide items in cabinets? Start exploring your options with design tools such as the one at www.gladiatorgw.com to finalize your plans. Build your storage system. Use the walls in your garage to get gear off the floor and maximize storage space by choosing storage solutions that are durable and long lasting. Stackable plastic storage bins or shelving units can sometimes reduce clutter, but they aren’t always built to handle extreme temperatures in the garage. They also provide limited design flexibility and access to items when you need them. “Consider a modular storage system for the walls – they get everything off the floor and allow you to customize so you can reclaim your space,” said master builder Karl Champley. “These garage systems are convenient and easy to install giving you the ultimate wall storage solution for baskets, shelves, hooks, and various other accessories. These systems are the perfect way to achieve the dream garage.” Add final touches. Once you have stored large items in your garage, it’s time to add some final touches to maximize efficiency and make your workspace functional. • Keep a trashcan nearby in your work area so it stays free of garbage and debris. • Hang tools near your workbench so you can easily put them back in their proper place. • Utilize smaller bins and storage containers for screws, nails, and other small items so they don’t clutter your space. With these steps in mind, tackling a garage organization project should be much easier. To find additional organizational tips and ideas, visit www.gladiatorgw.com. (Family Features provided this information.)

Annual Holiday Lights Bus Tour scheduled for Thursday, Dec. 18

nce again this year, Touching Hearts at Home and Bloomfield Forum are partnering for the annual Holiday Lights Bus Tour. On Thursday, Dec. 18 (weather permitting), a bus will leave Bloomfield Forum, 9804 Nicholas St., at 6 p.m. Another bus will leave the facility that night at 7:30. Cookies and hot chocolate will be provided. For reservations or more information, please call Touching Hearts at Home at 402-9343303.

New Horizons

•

November 2014

Dora Bingel Senior Center You’re invited to visit the Dora Bingel Senior Center, 923 N. 38th St., this month for the following: • Nov. 3, 10, 17, & 24: Al-Anon meeting @ 7 p.m. • Nov. 4, 11, 18, & 25: Grief Support Group @ 10 a.m. • Nov. 5, 7, 12, 14, 19, 21, 26, & 28: Ceramics @ 9 a.m. • Nov. 5: Holy Communion. • Nov. 14: Music by Deja Blue sponsored by the Merrymakers @ 11:30 a.m. Lunch is $3. • Nov. 19: Foot care clinic from 9 a.m. to noon. The cost is $10. • Nov. 26: Birthday party luncheon @ noon. Eat free if you have a November birthday. • Nov. 31: Hard of Hearing Support Group @10:30 a.m. Lunch is served on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. A $1 donation is suggested for the meals other than $3 on Merrymaker Day. Round-trip transportation is available for $3. Reservations are required 24 hours in advance for all meals. Other activities offered at the facility include: Tuesday: Matinee @ 12:30 p.m. & quilting group @ 1 p.m. Wednesday: Devotions @ 10:30 a.m., and Bible study @ 12:45 p.m., and Bingo @ 12:45 p.m. Friday: Joy Club Devotions @ 9:30 a.m., Tai Chi @ 11:15 a.m., and Bingo @ 12:45 p.m. For more information, please call 402-898-5854.

Protecting yourself, your home, against bats, the rabies they carry

he bat population in Douglas County appears to be plentiful this fall, and that can be troublesome for humans. This is the time of year when bats are likely to seek shelter in houses while trying to find warmth from the cooler nights. Because bats can carry rabies – a fatal disease - the Douglas County Health Department and the Nebraska Humane Society are asking residents to protect themselves from these evening invaders. The first step is to educate the public to avoid exposure, and make sure proper treatment follows if a bat bites someone. The biggest fear is an individual can be bitten while they’re sleeping and not realize they’ve been infected, since bat bites may not leave an obvious mark. The Douglas County Health Department defines an exposure to a potentially rabid bat as: • A person has been bitten by a bat. • There’s a potential the bat’s saliva has infected a person’s eyes, nose, mouth, or an open wound. • Someone awakens and finds a bat in their room. • A bat is found in a child’s room. • A bat is found in the room of a mentally challenged or intoxicated person. The best thing to do with bats is to keep them out of your home. You can “bat-proof” your home by closing any openings larger than a quarter-inch by a half-inch. To do this, caulk the opening or use window screens, chimney caps, or stainless steel wool. Outside entry points are especially important to cover. Keep doors to the outside tightly closed. As the weather cools, bats will try to move into homes. The Nebraska Humane Society fielded more than 100 calls in one week recently about bats, according to its Vice President of Field Operations Mark Langan. If you find a bat in your home, calls the Nebraska Humane Society at 402-444-7800, ext. 1. Lab tests are needed to confirm if a bat has rabies. If you believe you’ve been bitten by a bat or exposed to bat saliva, call the Nebraska Humane Society and your doctor. If you have questions about bats, please call the Douglas County Health Department at 402-444-7489 or The Nebraska Humane Society at 402-444-7800, ext. 1. For more information on bats and how to protect yourself from their bites, go to the Centers for Disease Control web site at www.cdc.gov. Enter bats in the search box.

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

Be thankful for these recipes There’s so much to be thankful for. Check out these cookbooks with rural charm. Join the squirrels and stash away some goodies for the cold months ahead while you enjoy the bounty of the season. Southern My Way By Gena Knox (Knox Media, $34.95) A stroll through Georgia. Stories, photos, and eight chapters of multi-generational recipes for everything Southern. Tupelo Honey Cafe By E. Sims & B. Sonoskus (Andrews McMeel, $29.99) Colorful stories, flavors, sayings, photographs, and 125 recipes from this Ashville, NC Blue Ridge Mountain cafe. Think Upsy Daisy Peach Upside-down Cake. Masala Farm By Suvir Saran (Chronicle, $29.95) Stories, experiences, photos, harvests, and survival on a New York farm created by a couple of city boys. Over 80 seasonal recipes “light on the fuss and big on the flavor.” Chelsea Market Cookbook By Michael Phillips (Stewart Tabori & Chang, $29.95) From this historic destination where foodies gather to discover vendors, chefs, and shops, are 100 recipes, tips from the pros, notes, events, essays, and photographs. Each chapter moves you through a complete meal. Pull up a chair and make a cup of one of these chocolates.

The New Horizons is brought to you each month by the Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging.

Lots of Hot Chocolates Jacques Torres Chocolates (Serves 1) For the Chocolate: 1 cup whole milk 2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped, plus more, shaved for the garnish (optional) Whipped cream, for garnish (optional) For Mocha Hot Chocolate: 1 teaspoon freeze-dried coffee granules dissolved in 1 tablespoon of hot water. Make the hot chocolate: Heat the milk in a small, heavy-bottom saucepan over medium heat until slightly warm. Whisking constantly, gradually add the chocolate. Cook, still whisking constantly, just until the milk begins to form bubbles around the edge of the pan. Do not allow the milk to boil. Pour the mixture into a mug. Garnish with whipped cream and/or shaved chocolate, if desired.

about

have questions

aging services

in Douglas, Sarpy, Dodge, Cass, or Washington counties? Log on to

enoa.org

For the Mocha Hot Chocolate: Add the dissolved coffee with the chocolate and proceed as directed above. (Other choices are: vanilla, peppermint, raspberry and spices chocolates.)

The Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging is celebrating 40 years of serving older adults in Douglas, Sarpy, Dodge, Cass, and Washington counties.

you

The Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging’s Web site includes information about: • • • • • • • • • • •

Bath aides Care management Chore services Community education Durable medical equipment Emergency food pantry Emergency response systems ENOA facts and figures ENOA Library ENOA senior centers Grandparent Resource Center

November 2014

24 hours a day, • Homemakers 7 days a week! • Information & assistance telephone lines • Intergeneration Orchestra of Omaha • Legal services • Meals on Wheels • Medicaid Waiver • New Horizons • Nutrition counseling

•

• • • • • • •

Ombudsman advocates Respite care Respite Resource Center Rural transportation Senior Care Options Senior employment Support of adult day facilities • Volunteer opportunities

New Horizons

•

Page 5

Purchase a Christmas gift for an older adult through Home Instead’s BASTAS program

eginning on Saturday, Nov. 1, Christmas trees and wreaths will be put on display at local Hy-Vee stores. The trees and wreaths will include ornaments featuring the names and gift requests of hundreds of local older adults who may be alone on Christmas Day and/or who may not receive a gift during the holidays. The Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging and other area senior communities and agencies are supplying the names of these older men and women. Once again this year, the Home Instead Senior Care franchises in Omaha, western Douglas County, Bellevue, Fremont, and Blair are participating in the Be a Santa to a Senior (BASTAS) Program. Through BASTAS, mem-

bers of the community are encouraged to select an ornament, purchase the gift or gifts designated, and then return the unwrapped gift or gifts to the Hy-Vee store by early December. The Home Instead Senior Care franchises will host gift wrapping parties on Friday, Dec. 12. Volunteers interested in helping wrap these gifts are encouraged to call their local Home Instead office. The BASTAS website – beasantatoasenior.com – features a place where individuals can type in their zip code and find a list of the Hy-Vee stores participating in BASTAS and their addresses. “The Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging would like to thank Home Instead and the men and women who purchase gifts for our clients through the BASTAS program,” said Jeff Reinhardt, ENOA’s director of public affairs. “During the last several years, hundreds of our clients have benefitted from BASTAS and the generous men and women in our service area.”

Home equipment installed, home safety enhanced through Good Samaritan Society’s Founder’s Day Service project

WHITMORE LAW OFFICE Wills • Trusts • Probate

Ask A Lawyer: Q — Aren’t trusts just for rich folks? A — That’s one of the most common misconceptions, the “rich kid with a trust fund.” Actually a living trust is a simple way for your home, belongings, accounts, and/or investments all to seamlessly transition to your spouse, children or other person(s) of your choice upon your death, without the delay, cost, and frustration of probate. Many people assume a will does this, but they are surprised to find that it does not, and that a great deal of trouble could be avoided with a living trust. A trust is appropriate for most people who own a home, property, or have any investments. 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

Page 6

•

New Horizons

•

More than 40 volunteers took part in an effort recently to install grab bars, raised toilet seats, lighting, shower chairs, and other home safety equipment in seven area households occupied by older adults as part of the Good Samaritan Society’s Founder’s Day Service Project. The program was part of the Good Samaritan Society’s expanded vision of helping older adults whether they live in their own home or in a Good Samaritan facility. The Evangelical Lutheran Good Samaritan Society owns and operates more than 240 long-term healthcare centers, senior living communities, and home healthcare agencies in 24 states. The cost for the first annual Omaha service project was $2,383.77. Pictured here is a group of men and women from the Good Samaritan Society’s advisory board, local and regional members and staff from the Good Samaritan Society-Millard, the Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging, the Harrison Street Baptist Church, Faith-Westwood United Methodist Church, Age Advantage, Omaha Electric, and the Omaha Fire Department’s Station 61 who helped out with the home safety equipment installation program.

November 2014

November 2014 events calendar 1 Midland University’s Gospel Honors Choir Featuring Wintley Phipps 7 p.m. Holland Performing Arts Center 6 Autumn Festival An Arts & Crafts Affair Through Nov. 9 Ralston Arena $7 and $8 402-331-2889 7 Comedy Night Henry Doorly Zoo 6:30 to 9 p.m. $50 402-738-2038 Mahler’s Resurrection Symphony Also Nov. 8 Holland Performing Arts Center 7:30 p.m. Tickets start at $22 402-345-0606 8 BAM! It’s a Picture Book: The Art Behind Graphic Novels Through March 29 Joslyn Art Museum 402-342-3300 11 Veteran’s Recognition Day Henry Doorly Zoo 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. FREE 402-733-8401

13 Radio City Rockettes Through Nov. 30 Orpheum Theater Tickets start at $35 402-345-0606

16 Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Requiem Holland Performing Arts Center 2 p.m. $22 402-345-0606 20 Terry Bradshaw: America’s Favorite Dumb Quarterback: A Life in Four Quarters Holland Performing Arts Center 7:30 p.m. Tickets start at $18 402-345-0606 23 Handel’s Messiah Holland Performing Arts Center 3 p.m. FREE 402-321-8210 Musical Colors: Music for Timpani, Strings, and Brass Joslyn Art Museum $36 402-345-0606 26 Tree Lighting & Santa’s Arrival at Shadow Lake 402-357-0046 27 Turkey Trot 5K Walk/Run Midtown Crossing 9 a.m. 402-595-2199 28 Every Christmas Story Ever Told (And then Some) Through Dec. 21 Blue Barn Theatre Thursday – Saturday @ 7:30 p.m. Sunday @ 6 p.m. $25 and $30 402-345-1576

November 2014

(402)-291-5005

Fontenelle Tours

Omaha/Council Bluffs

712-366-9596

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

Motorcoach

Branson Christmas with Daniel O’Donnell. November 10 – 13. $749. Besides Daniel O’Donnell, enjoy “Jonah” at the Sight & Sound Theater, a backstage tour of Sight & Sound, Patsy Cline Remembered, The Brett Family Show with lunch, The Rankin Brothers, and #1 Hits of the 60s. “Christmas Belles” at the Lofte. December 7. $99. Come along to witness a church Christmas program spin hilariously out of control in this Southern comedy ........followed by a delicious dinner at the Main Street Café in Louisville. Kansas City Christmas. December 10 - 11. $319. Enjoy “Sheer Madness” at the New Theater Restaurant, Webster House holiday lunch, Strawberry Hill Povitica Bakery, Pryde’s in Westport, “Christmas in the Park,” Country Club Plaza lights, Crown Center, Federal Reserve Bank tour, and Arabia Steamboat Museum.

Laughlin Laughlin in November. November 3 - 7. $269. Includes non-stop, roundtrip airfare to Laughlin, Nevada, four nights lodging at the Riverdale Resort and Casino on the banks of the Colorado River, and shuttle transportation to and from the airport. During this trip, the 1950s group “The Lettermen” will be playing at the Riverdale Resort.

In Partnership with Collette Vacations Quoted prices are per person, double occupancy, and do not include airfare. MORE DESTINATIONS AVAILABLE!

Discover Panama. 9 days from $1,699. Get out of the cold this winter! Cruise through the Panama Canal aboard the Pacific Queen and stay at the Gamboa Rainforest Resort. Take a dugout canoe to meet the indigenous Embera people, stay in a community nestled entirely within a volcano crater, visit the Miraflores Locks Visitor Center, have a picnic lunch in an orange grove, and relax on the white sand beaches of Playa Blanca. Take an optional Sunset Safari excursion into the Gamboa Rainforest. Reflections of Italy ...................................................... 10 days from $2149 Shades of Ireland ........................................................ 10 days from $1799 Alaska Discovery with Cruise .................................... 13 days from $3031 Australia ....................................................................... 21 days from $4899 New York City ................................................................ 5 days from $1749 Hawaiian Adventure .................................................... 10 days from $2999 Canadian Rockies by Train.......................................... .9 days from $3099 Discover Switzerland .................................................. 10 days from $2049 African Safari ............................................................... 14 days from $3849 The Galapagos Islands ............................................... 10 days from $4359 Rhine River Cruise ........................................................ 9 days from $2599 Discover Scotland ....................................................... 10 days from $1849 Tropical Costa Rica ....................................................... 9 days from $1349 Rose Bowl Parade......................................................... 5 days from $1449 San Antonio ................................................................... 5 days from $1149 Exploring Greece......................................................... 15 days from $2549 Complete South Pacific .............................................. 27 days from $6399 South Africa ................................................................. 13 days from $2499 British Landscapes ..................................................... 10 days from $2199 Flavors of Thailand........................................................ 4 days from $1549 Nova Scotia ................................................................. 11 days from $2949 Spain’s Classics .......................................................... 11 days from $2099 Beijing China ................................................................... 9 days from $899 Colors of New England ................................................. 8 days from $2299 Heritage of America .................................................... 10 days from $2199 Watch New Horizons and our website www.fontenelletours.com for our trip schedule. Our mailing address is: 2008 W. Broadway #329, Council Bluffs, Iowa 51501

•

New Horizons

•

Page 7

Ophthalmologists: Greater awareness of symptoms can help ensure quicker intervention to prevent vision loss

Please see the ad on page 3

New Horizons Club membership roll rises

You’re invited to visit the Corrigan Senior Center, 3819 X St., this month for: • Monday, Nov. 3: Veteran’s Month kick off event featuring Tim Javorsky’s Salute to Veterans show @ 11 a.m. Stay for a noon lunch of Turkey Cordon Bleu or turkey ham salad. Bingo follows the meal. • Wednesdays beginning Nov. 5: Holiday Art & Social events @ 10 a.m. Every Wednesday in November, make a different art or craft project. Most of the supplies are furnished. Stay for a noon lunch. Nov. 5: BBQ rib patty. Nov. 12: Roast beef. Nov. 19: Crunchy Pollack. Nov. 26: Special turkey lunch menu. • Thursday, Nov. 6: Talk on infectious diseases by Carol Lainoff @ 11:15 a.m. Stay for a delicious baked chicken breast lunch @ noon. Bingo to follow the meal. • Monday, Nov. 10: Birthday party with entertainment by Joe Taylor from the Merrymakers. Celebrate all the November birthdays and enjoy a beef chili or tuna salad lunch. • Thursday, Nov. 20: A special video presentation on Lauritzen Gardens @ 11 a.m. See the story on page 12 for more information. Stick around for a noon lunch of roast turkey, dressing, whipped sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce, a tossed salad, a wheat roll, and pumpkin pie. After the meal, play Mega bingo with $75 in cash prizes to be awarded to the winners. The reservation deadline is 11 a.m. on Friday, Nov. 14. • Wednesday, Nov. 26: The Corrigan family Thanksgiving dinner. Join us at noon for a special turkey lunch with all the fixings including pumpkin pie for dessert. Bingo will follow lunch. The Corrigan Senior Center will be closed on Tuesday, Nov. 11 for Veterans Day as well as on Thursday, Nov. 27 and Friday, Nov. 28 for Thanksgiving. Please remember to make reservations for the Monday, Dec. 2 lunch by noon on Wednesday, Nov. 26. New players are welcome to play chair volleyball every Tuesday and Thursday @ 11 a.m. A noon lunch will follow. Join us for Tai Chi, a relaxing and fun activity that’s proven to improve your balance Tuesdays and Thursdays at 10 a.m. in our spacious gym. Bingo, ceramics, exercise, woodcarving, and loads of fun are also available. The Corrigan Senior Center is open weekdays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Lunch is served at noon. A $3.50 contribution is normally suggested for the meal. Reservations are normally due by noon the business day prior to the meal you wish to enjoy. For meal reservations or more information, please call Lynnette at 402-731-7210.

ore than 142 million Americans are age 40 and older. Around age 40 many people start to notice changes in their eyesight that increase as they get older. By 2030, it’s predicted that more than 90 million people will be age 65 and older; and one in six of these men and women will have vision impairment that can’t be corrected with glasses or contact lenses. For these age groups, greater awareness of common eye symptoms can help ensure quicker intervention to prevent vision loss, according to the American Academy of Ophthalmology. The Academy encourages everyone to know what vision changes to expect and when to seek treatment for signs of a disease or condition that could cause irreversible vision loss. The Academy is providing explanations for the following common visual changes adults may experience as they get older. • Reading a menu or sewing has become increasingly difficult: As the eye ages its lens becomes less flexible, making it harder to read at close range or do “near work.” This condition is called presbyopia. Nearly everyone experiences presbyopia around age 40. The most common treatment is to use reading glasses. • Eyes suddenly burn or sting and water excessively: While seemingly opposite symptoms, these can be a sign of dry eye. Dry eye is very common as people age, especially in women undergoing hormonal changes that can alter the quality of tears the eye produces. For most people, treatment for dry eye is as simple as using over-thecounter eye drops. If these don’t provide relief, an ophthalmologist may prescribe medication or suggest surgical options. • Seeing clouds float in front of vision or occasional flashes of light: The clouds are actually tiny clumps of cells floating in the vitreous gel, the clear gel-like fluid inside the eye, and are also called “floaters.” The flashes of light are caused by vitreous gel pulling at the retina, the lightsensitive tissue lining the back of the eye, as it moves. Floaters and flashes become more common as one

Page 8

November 2014

$15 Charlotte Schopen L. Joann Vorrath $10 Vlasta Kennebeck Jim & Judy Kozol Donna Limbeck $5 A J Braun

Reflects donations received through October 27, 2014.

Corrigan Senior Center

•

New Horizons

•

ages, but a sudden increase could be a sign of a torn retina and an ophthalmologist should be seen immediately as surgery is often a required treatment. • Colors are muted and lights appear to have halos: These can be a sign of cataracts, a clouding of the eye’s lens that nearly everyone develops as they age. Treatment for cataracts is usually surgery, which is one of the most common elective surgeries performed in the United States. Cataract surgery has been shown to significantly improve vision and quality of life. • Central vision seems hazy, making it difficult to recognize faces: This is a common symptom of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Because symptoms usually aren’t noticeable until vision loss has already occurred, routine eye exams are essential to help diagnose AMD early to prevent vision loss. AMD has two forms – wet and dry. Treatment for wet AMD usually includes anti-VEGF injections – a type of drug that blocks the growth of abnormal blood vessels under the retina that cause wet AMD. At this time, dry AMD has no proven treatment but research has shown certain dietary supplements can help to slow its progression. • Trouble seeing at intersections while driving: Deteriorating peripheral vision may be a sign of glaucoma, a leading cause of irreversible blindness. Vision loss is so gradual people affected by the condition are often unaware of it until their sight has already been compromised. Fortunately, most vision loss from glaucoma can be prevented with early detection and medical intervention, emphasizing the importance of seeing an ophthalmologist regularly, especially if a person has certain risk factors such as African or Hispanic ancestry and having migraines, diabetes, or low blood pressure. The most common treatment for glaucoma is medicated eye drops.

he Academy says these explanations are not a substitute for medical advice. “The best course of action when encountering these symptoms is to err on the side of caution and see an ophthalmologist,” said Daniel J. Briceland, M.D., an ophthalmologist and clinical spokesperson for the American Academy of Ophthalmology. “I’ve seen too many patients who have waited too long to see an eye doctor, and now they sadly face permanent vision loss.” To ensure healthy eyes throughout life, the American Academy of Ophthalmology recommends everyone get a baseline eye exam by age 40. In addition, the Academy recommends persons age 65 and older have an eye exam every one to two years, or as recommended by their ophthalmologist. Older adults who haven’t had a recent eye exam or for whom cost is a concern may qualify for EyeCare America, a public service program of the Foundation of the American Academy of Ophthalmology that offers eye exams and care at no out-of-pocket cost for eligible men and women age 65 and older. Visit www.eyecareamerica.org to learn more.

UNO’s Department of Gerontology seeking poems by and about women The 19th volume of Celebrate, a collection of poems by and about women, will be published during the spring of 2015. The University of Nebraska at Omaha’s Department of Gerontology is requesting the submissions of poems for the book. Poets may submit one to three poems for consideration. The submission deadline is Friday, Dec. 5. If their work is published in the 19th volume of Celebrate, the poet will receive a free copy of the book during the March 2015 Women’s History Month reception. Please submit poems to Jane Meehan, University of Nebraska at Omaha, CB 211, 6001 Dodge St., Omaha, Neb. 68182-0202. Poems can also be e-mailed to Alayna Zach at alaynazach@unomaha.edu. For more information, please call Jane Meehan at 402556-9452.

Blue Barn Theatre

A poem by a former homeless man at peace By Mark Kresl

illiam Neal is a resident at the Florence Home in Omaha. He is in hospice care due to his late-stage cancer. William’s views on life, death, and redemption were formed by his journey in life. Neal spent most of his adult life homeless, “by choice” as he points out. He is

self-educated, articulate, and very thoughtful in how he views the world around him. Most of all, William is at peace. At peace with his life. At peace with his death. At peace with his Redemption. Here is a poem Neal wrote and recently shared with me. (Kresl is the marketing and development manager for Midwest Geriatrics Inc. in Omaha.)

Redemption By William Neal

I’m sitting here, just waiting for the end of man’s demise. I wonder if they’ll ever stop and try to realize.

The lightning brings fright, the mood is low I don’t know where to hide. I close my eyes and pray to God in Him, I will abide.

Their hopes, dreams, and childhood fears have all been washed away. And in their place a darkness grew a love of night instead of day.

He says to me “I’m with you still. I comprehend your fear.” My Father, as He’s with me “Believe! I hold you dear.”

The things we thought so simple the few we left behind. How much more is our sorrow if we refuse to be so kind.

The strife in life, the pains we bear can never forge a truce. But listen for a second more I’m here, and just for you.

The ones we pass, the ones we shun how different do they seem? Can you imagine for a second more it was them, not you, redeemed?

Cast off your doubt and worry refuse to be deceived. Grasp hold the Cross of Glory in Him, you can believe.

The trees close gently around us the rain begins to fall. The birds, they all take shelter as we do both one and all.

Remember one, very simple thing like bread you must have leaven. As you rise above your trials thank your God who art in Heaven.

Every Christmas Story Ever Told (and Then Some) – a hilarious comedy written by Michael Carleton, James Fitzgerald, and John K. Alvarez – will be performed at the Blue Barn Theatre, 614 S. 11th St., from Nov. 28 through Dec. 21. Every Christmas Story Ever Told (and Then Some) is a fast and furious look at the holiday traditions we all remember, and a few we’d like to forget. Show times are 7:30 p.m. Thursday through Saturday and Sunday at 6 p.m. Tickets are $30 for adults and $25 for persons age 65 and older. For reservations or more information, please call 402345-1576.

Arcadia Publishing releases books on Offutt AFB, Omaha’s historic churches Arcadia Publishing has recently released two books that should be of special interest to Omaha area history buffs. Offutt Air Force Base, written by Ben Justman, goes back to a time before the United States Air Force was an established branch of the nation’s military. Justman researched its history and honors the men and women who served at Offutt by displaying dozens of historic images. Omaha’s Historic Houses of Worship, written by Dr. Eileen Wirth and Carol McCabe, explores the fascinating story of how Omaha’s religious buildings and related landmarks came into existence. Readers will be able to trace Omaha’s history of immigration and the architectural style of the city’s churches. Offutt Air Force Base and Omaha’s Historical Houses of Worship are available for $21.99 each through local retailers, online bookstores, or through Arcadia Publishing www.arcadiapublishing.com or 888-313-2665.

Millard Senior Center at Montclair You're invited to visit the Millard Senior Center at Montclair, 2304 S. 135th Ave., for the following: • Friday, Nov. 7: Performance by the Dancing Grannies at noon. No Bingo that day. • Wednesday, Nov. 12: We’ll be making dresses for little girls in Africa from 9 to 11:30 a.m. We need your help even if you don’t sew. On quilting day (Thursdays @ 9 a.m.) we’ll be making Quilts of Valor for our veterans. We’re also making a “mystery quilt.” The Millard Senior Center is open weekdays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Lunch is served at 11:30. A $3.50 donation (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 @ 8 a.m. (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 (Thursdays @ 9 a.m.), card games, and Bingo (Tuesdays and Fridays @ noon). During Bingo, we have baked goodies from Baker’s or Panera we give away as prizes. For meal reservations and more information, please call Susan at 402-546-1270.

to Stevenet anCdas Founder

Presid lution Inc. Strategic Wealth So

Tune in to

Retirement Matters with Steve Casto Sundays @ 5:30 p.m. during KETV Channel 7 news.

Don’t miss Steve’s class where you’ll learn how to pay less taxes and master all the financial industry’s tricks. Discover the solution for protecting your retirement lifestyle that has gotten Steve Casto on CNN and Fox Business and in Forbes and USA Today.

RETIREMENT MATTERS WITH STEVE CASTO w w w. r e t i r e m e n t m a t t e r s . t v 12020 Shamrock Plaza #105 Omaha, NE 68154

402-333-8751

steve@retirementmatters.tv

November 2014

•

New Horizons

•

Page 9

ONI provides jobs, training for the blind, visually impaired By Nick Schinker Contributing Writer

ach day, the people at Outlook Nebraska Inc. prove something that most of us don’t often see: the fact that blind and visuallyimpaired persons are responsible and reliable citizens and are extremely employable if given the chance. The 14-year-old business, situated in the former Continental Can Co. building at 4125 S. 72nd St., manufactures hand towels and toilet tissue from recycled paper. Built on sales to the U.S. government and other customers, the non-profit company has grown from 24 associates in 2008 to its current total of 69. Of those workers, 46 are legally blind or have low vision. Eleven of those persons work in the Outlook Nebraska Inc. (ONI) administrative offices; the rest are employed in the adjacent manufacturing plant. “I don’t come here just for a job,” says ONI Public Relations Associate Rachel Carver, who was born blind. “I am here to promote a mission. We want to break down the misconceptions and show that blind people are just as capable as our sighted peers. We just need a chance.” With the community in mind, the people at ONI are eager for the chance to do more. ONI has launched a $2.3 million capital campaign to renovate its building and to expand its education and training center for blind and visually-impaired people of all ages, including older adults who are gradually losing their eyesight. This renovation project will also include improving ONI’s community and employee meeting space. According to U.S. Census Bureau figures, there are more than 15,000 people in Omaha and the eight surrounding counties who are blind or have significant vision loss. Of those, an estimat-

Benefit banquet on Nov. 7 Outlook Nebraska Inc. is holding its 2014 Celebrate the Capabilities of the Blind banquet on Friday, Nov. 7 at the Embassy Suites in LaVista. Tickets are available for $75 each. A portion of the price is tax deductible. ONI also hosts monthly Insight Lunch and Learn events at its manufacturing plant, 4125 S. 72nd St. in Omaha, where attendees can learn about the non-profit company’s programs and meet the associates who work there. The next luncheon will be held on Wednesday, Nov. 19. For information about the banquet or to make a reservation for the November luncheon, go online to www.outlooknebraska.org or contact the company at 402-614-3331.

Converting floor finisher Melissa Saltzman uses her hands to make certain each roll of toilet tissue is lying on its side before entering the packaging machine at ONI. ed 5,500 are over age 65. To help older adults compensate for vision loss due to macular degeneration and other eye diseases and conditions, ONI wants to educate people about the technologies and devices that are available – from computer software programs and magnifying equipment to smartphone apps that can identify the denominations of various currencies. With this mission in mind, ONI has begun working with the Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging and other community agencies so it can reach the largest number of blind and visuallyimpaired older adults in the community and have the greatest impact upon their lives. “We are a visual world,” says Carver. “The sighted world is not going to adapt. We have to adapt.”

oug Wampler was working as a maintenance man when diabetes robbed him of his vision nearly 20 years ago. Today, he is a program associate at ONI, where he teaches other blind and visually-impaired people how to take advantage of technology designed to help them overcome their lack of sight. “Our biggest goal is upward mobility,” says Wampler, who recently earned a bachelor’s degree in business at Bellevue University. “I bring associates in here and ask them what they know,

Active Living

what they want to know, and then start them on the way to their goals.” For example, Wampler shows people how to use computers equipped with JAWS (Job Access With Speech), a screen reader program for Microsoft Windows that allows blind and visually-impaired users to read the screen either with a text-to-speech output or by a Refreshable Braille display; and MAGic, a screen magnification with a speech software program for low-vision computer users. He also teaches associates how to activate the voice and audio aspects of a smartphone and how to use a variety of helpful phone apps, such as money readers that can identify any old or new currency issued by the United States or 20 other countries. “I even have an app that I can take to a restaurant, snap a photo of the menu, and it will read it to me,” Wampler says. “I can get my mail, snap a photo of it, and it will read my letters and bills to me. Or I can use it to take a photo of a plaque or a poster on the wall and it will read it to me.” ONI employs a production associate who not only has low vision but who also is deaf. “We use the iPad to communicate,” Wampler says. “I can type in what I want to say and it magnifies it for her. She can type her response and it converts it into speech so I can hear what she’s typing.” --Please turn to page 11.

Embark on an active lifestyle at Hickory Villa! • Spacious Floor Plans • Enriching Activities and Outings • Pets Welcome • Transportation Available Call to schedule a tour today! For more information, visit our website at:

www.BethesdaSeniorLiving.com

Hickory Villa • Assisted Living 7315 Hickory St. Omaha, NE 68124

(402) 392-0767 Page 10

•

New Horizons

•

November 2014

Outlook Nebraska working to create new center, partnerships --Continued from page 10. Many of these apps are new and can cost $100 or more. But cost isn’t the only factor blind and visually-impaired people have to overcome. Wampler says blind and low-vision people face many misconceptions. “Mostly it’s a lack of knowledge and understanding,” he says. “Do you know the top reason why most people won’t hire someone who’s blind? They say they don’t know how we will be able to get to the bathroom and back to our workstation. Well, in 19 and a half years, I haven’t had that problem.” ONI employees who can’t see also can’t drive, and they must find a way to and from work each day. Some utilize public transportation such as MOBY, a shared, advance reservation curb-tocurb complementary para-transit service for metropolitan area American Disabilities Act certified residents. Others obtain rides from relatives, friends, or neighbors who work nearby. Wampler, who lives in Nebraska City, relies upon a neighbor who works in Omaha. “I pay to let him drive me,” Wampler says, smiling. “But jobs change and I can’t count on him forever. I’m on my fifth driver from Nebraska City. “It’s a challenge we face that other people take for granted.” Wampler would like to help a growing number of older adults overcome the challenges that eyesight problems can present. “I want to help people stay independent,” he says. “Not just people who are retired and live on their own, but also those who are still active in the workforce and want to keep their jobs despite their vision issues. “It’s a lot easier to keep the job you have than find a new one.”

dogs and a lunchroom with vending machines and microwave ovens that speak to the users. Associates like eight-year employee Joe Hernandez say ONI is a great place to work. “I like it here,” says Hernandez, whose combination of nearsightedness and farsightedness renders him legally blind. “It’s not like they make it easier for those of us who can’t see, but they don’t make it more difficult, either. We all have an equal opportunity to succeed.” John Wick, ONI’s director of fund development, says the company wants to take the qualities it has developed as an employer and extend them into the community. “We want to reach out to corporations and businesses whose employees are losing sight or who have lost sight and train them, (and) enable them to remain working,” Wick says. “We want to be a resource for the community.” The company has a history of working with regional providers of services to people who are blind. ONI took the lead in creating the Coalition of Vision Resources, a collaborative group of 18 agencies in Nebraska and Iowa that focus on vision. The coalition helps make Nebraska and Iowa residents aware of vision resources in the area, and the agencies make referrals to each other as appropriate.

he manufacturing area at ONI is impressive. Massive machines hum as rolls of paper weighing more than a ton each spin and unwind. The huge, recycled fiber sheets are being converted into rolls of hand towels and toilet tissue. As Nebraska’s largest employer of blind and visually-impaired people, ONI takes its sighted and unsighted associates into consideration. Paths that weave throughout the plant are painted bright yellow for the visually impaired and are lined with metal strips for those who use canes to navigate. Machine controls are set to speech so associates can hear the various production stages, settings, and functions. The mix of sighted employees, whose duties include operating forklifts; and blind associates acts as a team emphasizing collaboration, cooperation, and verbal communication. Other plant features include space for service

Plant associate Dan Gonzales stands beside a computer station where lowvision workers can monitor production of two-ply toilet tissue via cameras that show various areas inside the machine.

ONI also collaborates extensively with the Nebraska Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired and the Iowa Department for the Blind in finding jobs for blind and visually-impaired individuals, along with Workforce Development in the two states. Now, ONI wants to take its in-house Education and Training Program and offer new services to children, adults, and older men and women. “We are hoping to create community-wide partnerships that will help us create, strengthen, and grow these programs,” says Rick MacInnes, ONI’s director of marketing. “These partnerships are going to be the key to our success.” ONI’s Office Manager Dan Kraemer says the programs for older adults will help create confidence by reducing some of the fears that accompany diminishing eyesight. “We want to help preserve independence and make people less reliant on entitlements,” Kraemer says. Wick says ONI’s programs for the adult and older adult populations that result from the capital campaign and renovation will be focused on maintaining or regaining the ability to cope and progress through vision challenges. “Our goal is to help them understand that they can learn from ONI and the many others who are enduring the same challenges,” he says. “Camaraderie is a wonderful tool. At ONI, we can drive results by giving them options and applying what they learn.” For older men and women, ONI wants to: • Provide instruction to enable them to use assistive technology; • Consult with nursing facilities to become better equipped to provide assistive devices; • Network with post-secondary institutions educating those who will work with older adults with blindness and vision problems; and • Create social programs and peer support groups. The prospect of ONI extending educational services to blind and visually-impaired older adults has the full support of the Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging, says the agency’s CHOICES Division Director Janelle Cox. “It’s difficult for anyone to be told they are losing their eyesight but especially for older adults who want to maintain a job and their independence,” Cox says. “ONI has access to a lot of resources for the visually impaired, and they have created a very successful, hands-on training model for their business. “ENOA is eager to open up the educational piece with them and help them reach out to the community.” ONI’s Rachel Carver says that of all the challenges blind and visually impaired people must --Please turn to page 12.

Do you have a loved one in a nursing home? Do you have a loved one who will soon be going into a nursing home? Before you send another check to the nursing home, visit nebraskamedicaidplanning.com or call Chartered Advisor for Senior Living, Mark Guilliatt. Not affiliated with any government agency.

14301 First National Bank Parkway Suite 100 • Omaha, NE 68154

630 North D Street Fremont, NE 68025

1-800-886-8673

402-727-4845

November 2014

•

New Horizons

•

Page 11

Show times are 2 and 7:30 p.m.

Film will take you on a Middle Eastern adventure

he third installment of the 201415 Omaha World Adventurers film series will be held on Thursday, Nov. 13 as filmmaker Rick Ray presents his The Promised Land: Adventures in the Middle East. Show times are 2 and 7:30

p.m. at the Village Pointe Theater, 304 N. 174th St. A former backpacker turned cinematographer, writer, and director, Ray has produced films on destinations like Borneo, Lebanon, Syria, and Iceland. He also spent two years tracking down rare archival

Filmmaker Rick Ray will be in Omaha on Nov. 13.

footage of the Dalai Lama’s youth and the Chinese takeover of Tibet. Ray was granted a one-hour audience with “His Holiness” which was used to craft the documentary 10 Questions for the Dalai Lama. The Promised Land: Adventures in the Middle East will take viewers to the Middle East, a region where its residents have witnessed acts of brutality between enemy tribes and clans for decades. Armchair travelers will make stops in Israel, Jordan, Turkey, Jerusalem, and the Cedars of Lebanon. Tickets to The Promised Land: Adventures in the Middle East – which are $14 – are available by cash or check at the door. For more information, please call RJ Enterprises at 1-866-385-3824.

Outlook Nebraska... --Continued from page 11. overcome, the greatest is fear. “As I grew up, I was terrified I was going to go somewhere and get lost,” she says. When she lived in Minneapolis and had to travel to job interviews around the city, the businesses provided directions – but each step was geared for someone who could see. “I had to then go on the computer and get the directions that would help me,” she recalls. Computers can also be helpful tools for older adults who are losing their eyesight, but many older men and women have to get past their fear of technology. “They have to know that no matter what they do, even if they mess up, they aren’t likely to break the computer,” Carver says. “This is just one way they can learn and do things and find ways to deal with their vision problems, and we can help them.”

ONI is located at 4125 S. 72nd St. in Omaha.

Video on Lauritzen Gardens to be shown Nov. 20 at the Corrigan Senior Center Duane Iwen from Omaha’s Lauritzen Gardens, will present a free 30-minute video titled Walk Through the Garden, on Thursday, Nov. 20 at 11 a.m. at the Corrigan Senior Center, 3819 X St. The video will showcase the beauty and diversity on display at Lauritzen Gardens, 100 Bancroft St. Highlights will feature a tour of Lauritzen’s 20 gardens – including the Storz Rose Garden – a look at the Mt. Fuji replica, and listening to a model train chug through a miniature version of downtown Omaha. Guests are encouraged to stick around after the video for a turkey lunch. Meal reservations, which must be made by noon on Friday, Nov. 14, are available by call Lynette Staroska at 402-733-7210.

Someday this button might save your life. For now, it sets you free. With Lifeline by Immanuel, you can enjoy an independent lifestyle in your own home — knowing that you can 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

Page 12

•

New Horizons

•

November 2014

DCHS bringing Charles Dickens’ relative to Omaha for holiday shows

harles Dickens never passed through Omaha on his tours of America. Luckily, however, the Douglas County Historical Society (DCHS) is bringing the spirit of Dickens through town again this holiday season. Gerald Dickens, a great-great grandson of Charles Dickens, will return to Omaha with his dynamic one-man shows Nov. 20 through 22. Gerald, an accomplished actor, director, and producer from Oxford, England, continues Dickens’s tradition of “American tours.” Audiences will delight in his portrayal of well-known Dickens characters, marvel at his energetic ability to retell the classic tales, and thoroughly enjoy a unique connection to literary history. His five public performances will include a Friday afternoon tea and a Saturday afternoon matinee at the Field Club of Omaha, 3615 Woolworth Ave. Intimate evening presentations, limited to 50 guests, will be held at the historic General

AARP offering driving course

Crook House Museum, 5730 N. 30th St. For ticket information, please call the Douglas County Historical Society at 402-455-9990 ext. 102. You can also send an e-mail to admin@douglascohistory.org or visit www.douglascohistory.org online. Here’s the performance schedule by venue for A Christmas Carol and Beyond. Delight in the classic Christmas story of Ebenezer Scrooge, meet some of Dickens greatest characters in Nicholas Nickelby, and discover two Dickens tales and personalities you never knew in Doctor Marigold and The Signalman.

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

General Crook House Museum • The Signalman: November 20 @ 6 p.m. • Nicholas Nickleby: November 21 @ 6 p.m. • Doctor Marigold: November 22 @ 6 p.m. The cost is $75 per performance and includes cocktails and heavy hors d’oeuvres. Field Club of Omaha • Doctor Marigold: November 21 @1:30 p.m. A traditional afternoon tea will be served, followed by a 3 p.m. performance. The cost is $37 for DCHS members and $40 for non-members. Group rates are available.

Saturday, November 8 Noon to 4 p.m. AARP Information Center 1941 S. 42nd Street (Center Mall) Call 402-398-9568 to register Wednesday, November 19 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Midlands Community Hospital 11111 S. 84th St. (Papillion) Call 1-800-253-4368 to register

Charles Dickens’ great-great grandson Gerald Dickens.

• A Christmas Carol November 22 @ 1 p.m. The cost is $20 for DCHS members and $25 for nonmembers.

Start

your

shopping

early this year while supporting two valuable

programs in your community! The 21st Annual Foster Grandparent Program’s and Senior Companion Program’s

Poinsettia Sale

form, and then is th te le p m o c e Pleas a check mail it back with t Program ) n re a p d n ra G r te s Fo (made out to the to:

Sale a i t t e s n i o P FGP/SCP Street 4223 Center 68105 Omaha, NE 246 . t x e , 6 3 5 6 444 v hs.ne.go

@dh mary.parker

21st Annual Poinsettia Sale Company: _____________________________________________________________ Contact Name: ________________________________________________________ Address: ____________________________________ Phone: ___________________ City/State/Zip: _______________________________________________________ Email: ________________________________________________________________

Single Stem

Multiple Stem

(5-7 Blooms) $11.

(10-12 Blooms) $22.00

Red _____ Pink _____ White _____ Total _____ $11 = ______

Red _____ Pink _____ White _____ Tri-Color ______ Total _____ $22=_______ Total Price $___________

Check the delivery date you prefer December 4, 2014

December 10, 2014

Special Delivery Dates Available Deadline for Ordering: November 19, 2014 Order must be pre-paid. Upon ordering, please submit a check for payment to:

Foster Grandparent Program

4223 Center Street Omaha, NE 68105-2498 Email: mary.parker@nebraska.gov (402) 444-6536, ext. 246 Fax: (402) 444-6503

Order on-line at enoa.org.

(A $1.00 processing fee per plant will be charged for on-line orders)

November 2014

•

New Horizons

•

Page 13

SMP helping Nebraskans to prevent Medicare fraud, abuse Nebraska Senior Medicare Patrol, a Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services program that works to educate and empower older adults to help prevent health care fraud offers 10 tips to help you avoid Medicare scams. • Don’t provide your Medicare number to anyone except your trusted health care provider. • Ask friends and neighbors to pick up your mail while you’re away from home. • Shred important documents before throwing them away. • Read Medicare summary notices carefully looking for possible mistakes. • Use a calendar or health

care journal to record information from doctor visits. • Compare your calendar or health care journal with your Medicare summary notices. • Count your prescription pills. If the total is less than expected, go back and tell the pharmacist. • Medicare Part D plans change annually. • Don’t speak to anyone claiming to be a Medicare representative about Medicare. • Medicare loses billions of dollars each year. It’s up to you to help fight fraud. If you believe you may be a victim of Medicare fraud, please call the Nebraska Senior Medicare Patrol at 800-942-7830.

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

VAS is hosting open enrollment events for Medicare prescription drug plans through Sunday, Dec. 7

edicare beneficiaries will have an opportunity to change their Medicare prescription drug plans for 2015 during the open enrollment period through Dec. 7. By comparing prescription drug plans Medicare beneficiaries may be able to save money and receive improved coverage by switching to a different plan. During the open enrollment period, Medicare beneficiaries can also review and change their Medicare Advantage plans. These changes may include the cost of premiums, co-pays, and out-ofpocket maximums. Medicare beneficiaries should realize not all Medicare Advantage plans change each year. It’s also important they check with their physicians to make sure they’ll continue to accept their Medicare Advantage plan in 2015. Many Medicare beneficiaries have already received notice that their Humana Advantage plan won’t be accepted at Catholic Health Initiatives (CHI) facilities that were formerly known as Alegent/Creighton Health System in 2015. DOUGLAS COUNTY Saturday, Nov. 1 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. VAS 1941 S. 42nd St. Suite 312 Thursday, Nov. 6 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. VAS 1941 S. 42nd St. Suite 312 Friday, Nov. 7 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Goodwill 4805 N. 72nd St.

DHHS.ENOA@nebraska.gov We appreciate your interest in ENOA and the New Horizons.

Monday, Nov. 17 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. VAS 1941 S. 42nd St. Suite 312

•

Tuesday, Dec. 2 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. VAS 1941 S. 42nd St. Suite 312 Friday, Dec. 5 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Goodwill 4805 N. 72nd St. DODGE COUNTY

Friday, Nov. 21 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. MCC Elkhorn campus 829 N. 204th St.

Friday, Nov. 14 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. MCC Fremont Campus 835 N. Broad St.

New Horizons

Tuesday, Nov. 25 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. VAS 1941 S. 42nd St. Suite 312

Thursday, Nov. 6 1 to 5 p.m. North Bend Library 110 E 13th St.

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

•

Saturday, Nov. 22 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. VAS 1941 S. 42nd St. Suite 312

Wednesday, Nov. 19 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. VAS 1941 S. 42nd St. Suite 312

Dance Wednesdays at Legion Post #1

Page 14

Medicare supplement (Medigap) plans don’t need to be reviewed annually during the open enrollment period, but beneficiaries do need to know their Blue Cross Blue Shield Medicare supplement plans aren’t affected by the ongoing negotiations between BCBS and CHI/ Alegent Creighton Health System. Men and women with BCBS supplements can continue to see their CHI physicians and hospital care teams. Volunteers Assisting Seniors (VAS) serves as the Nebraska Senior Health Insurance Information Program regional office in the Omaha area. VAS can provide free, unbiased information to Medicare beneficiaries. VAS will host a series of open enrollment events throughout the area through Dec. 7 (see the schedule below). Medicare beneficiaries will have a chance to sit down with a trained VAS counselor for assistance in evaluating their Medicare prescription drug plans for 2015. Contact VAS at 402-444-6617 to schedule an appointment. Assistance is also available outside the Omaha metropolitan area by calling SHIIP at 800-2347119.

November 2014

SARPY COUNTY Wednesday, Nov. 12 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Sump Library 222 N. Jefferson St. Papillion WASHINGTON COUNTY Thursday, Nov. 6 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Arlington Senior Center 305 N 3rd St. Monday, Nov. 17 9 a.m. to Noon Extension office 597 Grant St. Blair Tuesday, Nov. 18 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Extension office 597 Grant St. Blair

Sweet Adelines to perform on Nov. 15 he Acappella Omaha Chorus of Sweet Adelines International will host its annual fall production on Saturday, Nov. 15 at Papillion/LaVista High School, 84th Street and Centennial Road. The 7 p.m. show is titled Reflections. More information on tickets, which are $15, is available by calling 402-9320155 or logging on the Internet to www.acappellaomaha. com.

Business coach has ideas to help women transform their relationships with money

o women have different relationships with money than men? Very definitely, says entrepreneur and business coach Meriflor Toneatto. “For women, money is an emotional currency, tied to our sense of self-worth and confidence, which can lead us to financial pitfalls that ultimately limits what we pursue in life,” says Toneatto, a certified business and life coach and author of Money, Manifestation & Miracles: 8 Principles for Transforming Women’s Relationship with Money. A woman’s emotional relationship with money directly impacts her overall level of satisfaction in life – or lack of it, Toneatto says. “Wealth isn’t just about money; it’s about the quality of a woman’s overall life,” she says. “Greater awareness of how you feel about your life can yield helpful insights regarding your relationship with money, which can immediately change for the better.” There are a number of ways to start doing that. Toneatto reviews eight of them: • Give yourself permission. For better or worse, women tend to seek support or permission for significant life decisions. Skip a step and give yourself permission. It’s important to have an open mind and heart as you proceed with financial self-improvement which includes being grateful for who you are right now, warts and all, for arriving at this moment in your life. • Be honest. Total honesty is the best way to get to the root of your feelings, beliefs, and atti-

tudes about money. Women often keep secrets about their true feelings, especially regarding money. • Put yourself first. Commit to taking care of yourself and putting your needs at the top of your priority list. Think of it as “self-full” rather than “selfish.” When you love yourself, you’ll experience positive changes that will benefit those around you and you’ll operate better. “Selffullness” may include scheduling uninterrupted time alone for reflection, reading, meditation, physical training, and other ways to get in touch with your emotions. • Start a money journal. Consider keeping a gratitude journal and, taking it a steep further, a financial journal. What you focus on will grow, so focus on being grateful about money and you’ll start to see positive changes in your life. • Practice forgiveness. A key way to move beyond your emotional obstacles with money is to let them go and forgive. Practicing forgiveness is a powerful way to remove what’s standing between you and having more money in your life. • Feel prosperous and rich now. Prosperity and wealth is a state of mind. It’s essential that you don’t feel poor because that brings your thoughts toward poverty. Your goal is to take stock of what you have now, embellish it with gratitude, and enjoy the return. • Pay attention to synchronicities. As you begin to work on transforming your relationship with money, pay attention to what comes back to you as a result of your intention. Be aware of coincidences, synchronicities, and opportunities that come your way. This may include new clients at unexpected places, hearing references to new books or even a mentor, or the possibility that you’re at the right place at the right time. • Celebrate the big and small – have fun. We always notice the big things in life, but we tend to overlook the little steps we took to get there. They all count. And, take heart in your journey – an adventure of self-discovery, love, courage, and possibility. This is at the heart of true, lifelong self-improvement. “Just like other crucial life factors, such as health and spiritual well-being, a healthy financial relationship is a lifelong commitment, and what I detail here is just the beginning,” she says. “Maintaining the right money mindset will require further guidance for some women.”

Alzheimer’s support groups available in Dodge, Douglas, Sarpy counties The Alzheimer’s Association Midlands Chapter offers several caregiver support groups and specialty support groups each month in Dodge, Douglas, and Sarpy counties. These support groups offer valuable space and educational opportunities for families impacted by Alzheimer’s disease or a related form of dementia to engage and learn. Please call Elizabeth at 402-502-4301, ext. 205 for more information. DODGE COUNTY

• OMAHA

• FREMONT Last Wednesday of month @ 2 p.m. Nye Square 655 W. 23rd St.

Third Tuesday @ 5 p.m. Immanuel Pathways 5755 Sorensen Pkwy.

Second Tuesday @ 5:30 p.m. Shalimar Gardens 749 E. 29th St. DOUGLAS COUNTY • BENNINGTON Last Thursday @ 6 p.m. Ridgewood Active Retirement Community 12301 N. 149th Cr. • ELKHORN Third Monday @ 6 p.m. Elk Ridge Village Assisted Living 19400 Elk Ridge Dr.

First Tuesday @ 5:30 p.m. Heritage Pointe 16811 Burdette St. Third Saturday 10:30 a.m. to noon Younger Onset Support Group For persons age 65 or younger and a loved one Methodist Hospital 8303 Dodge St. REGISTRATION REQUIRED First Thursday @ 6:30 p.m. Early Stage Support Group For persons age 65+ caregiver Security National Bank 1120 S. 101st St. REGISTRATION REQUIRED • RALSTON Third Monday @ 9:30 a.m. Ralston Senior Center 7301 Q St. • Suite 100

• OMAHA Second Thursday @ 10 a.m. Country House 5030 S 155th St. Adult day services are provided on-site.

SARPY COUNTY • BELLEVUE

Every other Monday @ 7 p.m. Brighton Gardens 9220 Western Ave. Men’s Group Third Wednesday @ 11:30 a.m. Alzheimer’s Association office 1941 S. 42nd St. Third Tuesday @ 6:30 p.m. Fountain View Senior Living 5710 S 108th St.

Third Monday @ 7 p.m. Bellevue Senior Center 109 W. 22nd Ave. First Wednesday @ 1 p.m. Eastern Nebraska Vets Home 12505 S. 40th St.

First and third Monday @ 1:30 p.m. New Cassel/Franciscan Centre 900 N. 90th St. Adult day services are provided on-site.

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.

November 2014

Second Tuesday @ 5:30 p.m. Heritage Ridge 1502 Fort Crook Rd. South

A Caring Community Called HOME! Independent & Assisted Living

ENOA offering a variety of volunteer opportunities

he 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

Fourth Thursday @ 6 p.m. Hillcrest Health Services 1804 Hillcrest Dr.

• No Entrance Fee • Medicaid Waiver Approved • All Utilities & Housekeeping Included • Spacious 1 & 2 Bedroom Apartments

49th & Q Street • 402-731-2118 www.southviewheightsomaha.com

•

New Horizons

•

Page 15

Making Medicare make sense Q: I already have health insurance from the Marketplace. Is there anything I need to do to keep my plan next year? A: This year, open enrollment for the Marketplace will begin Nov. 15 and continue until Feb. 15. If you’re satisfied with the plan you have now, and if it’s still offered next year, you won’t have to do anything. As part of the renewal process in the federally-facilitated Marketplace, generally, if consumers do nothing, they’ll be auto-enrolled in the same plan with the same premium tax credit and other financial assistance, if applicable, as the 2014 plan. It’s a good idea to go back to the Marketplace and shop around anyway for several reasons.

New plans may be available to you, your plan’s premium and coverage may change, and even if your income hasn’t changed, the amount of tax credit you’re eligible for may change. Of course, if your family situation has changed since you enrolled, or if your income has changed – either up or down – it’s very important to go back to www. healthcare.gov and update your account to make sure you’re getting the correct amount of tax credits. Help is available at the Marketplace call center (1-800-318-2596) 24 hours a day except for major holidays. (This information was provided by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.)

Flu Shots

Get your Flu Shots at any Kohll’s anytime… no appointment needed!

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 need volunteer drivers. • The American Cancer Society is looking for volunteers to assist walk in guests and for other duties. • The Douglas County Health Center wants volunteers for a variety of assignments. • Bergan Mercy Medical Center is looking for volunteers to help in several areas. • Rebuilding Together wants volunteers to work on home projects. • The Omaha Convention & Visitors Bureau is looking for volunteers for a variety of duties. • Together Inc. needs an intake assistant. • Mount View Elementary School is looking for a TeamMates mentor. The following have a variety of volunteer opportunities in Dodge and/or Washington County: • The Blair and Fremont Car-Go Program needs volunteer drivers. • The Fremont Friendship Center wants volunteers to facilitate classes. • The Danish American Archive Library needs volunteers to help with its archives. • The American Red Cross (Dodge County chapter) is looking for volunteers for a variety of duties. • Low Income Ministries wants volunteers for its food pantry and clothing center.

Caregivers focus of educational sessions

he Alzheimer’s Association is sponsoring Caregiver 101 educational sessions in November and December. The courses provide an opportunity to share information, education, and support for caregivers. Walk-ins are welcome to attend. The sessions, which run from 5:30 to 7 p.m., will be held at the Visiting Nurse Association, 12565 W. Center Rd., Suite 100. Here’s the schedule: • Nov. 6: Holiday Tips for Caregivers. • Dec. 11: Conversations about Dementia. For more information, please call Elizabeth at 402502-4301.

Page 16

•

New Horizons

•

November 2014

UNMC neurologist involved in study Display on identity examining neck manipulation, stroke at Durham Museum

edical treatments involving neck manipulation may be associated with stroke, though it cannot be said with certainty that neck manipulation causes strokes, according to a new scientific statement published recently in the American Heart Association’s journal Stroke. Pierre Fayad, M.D., a University of Nebraska Medical Center neurologist, was part of the 13-member team that co-authored the statement. Dr. Fayad is professor in the UNMC Department of Neurological Sciences and director of The Nebraska Medical Center Stroke Center. Jose Biller, M.D., of the Loyola University Health System in Chicago, headed the research group. Cervical artery dissection (CD) is a small tear in the layers of artery walls in the neck. It can result in ischemoc stroke if a blood clot forms after a trivial or major trauma in the neck and later causes blockage of a blood vessel in the brain. “Cervical artery dissection is an important cause of stroke in young and middle-aged adults, and it is often unrecognized,” Dr. Fayad said. “Most dissections involve some trauma, stretch, or mechanical stress,” Dr. Biller said. “Sudden movements that can hyperextend or rotate the neck – such as whiplash, certain sports movements, or even violent coughing or vomiting – can result in CD, even if they are deemed inconsequential by the patient.” Although techniques for cervical manipulative therapy vary, some maneuvers used as therapy by health practitioners also extend and rotate the neck and sometimes involve a forceful thrust. There are four arteries that supply blood to the brain: the two carotid arteries on each side of the neck, and the two vertebral arteries on the back of the neck. The influence of neck manipulation seems more important in vertebral artery dissection than in internal carotid artery dissection. “Although a cause-and-effect relationship between these therapies and CD has not been established and the risk is probably low, CD can result in serious neurological injury,” Dr. Biller said. “Patients should be informed of this association before undergoing neck manipulation.” The relationship between neck manipulation and cervical artery dissection is difficult to evaluate because patients who already are beginning to have a cervical artery dissection may seek treatment to relieve neck pain, a common symptom of cervical artery dissection that can precede symptoms of stroke by several days. You should seek an emergency medical evaluation if you develop neurological symptoms after neck manipulation or trauma, such as: • Pain in the back of your neck or in your head; • Dizziness/vertigo; • Double vision; • Unsteadiness when walking; • Slurred speech; • Nausea and vomiting; • Jerky eye movements. “Tell the physician if you have recently had a neck trauma or neck manipulation,” Dr. Biller said. “Some symptoms, such as dizziness or vertigo, are very common and can be due to minor conditions rather than stroke. Giving the information about recent neck manipulation can raise a red flag that you may have a CD rather than a less serious problem, particularly in the presence of neck pain.” (UNMC’s Public Relations Department provided this information.)

PARKSIDE

he Durham Museum – 801 S. 10th St. – will be the site of a highly interactive and entertaining exhibition titled Identity: An Exhibition of You through Jan. 11. Identity uses hands-on stations that shed new light on how our genetics, brains, and social relationships help make us who we are. At the same time, the exhibit reveals how science is providing new insight into the way we think about our personal identity. Each area is presented in a fun and creative way that’s easy for children and adults alike to grasp, and highly personalized so each visitor will experience the exhibit differently. Admission to the Durham Museum is $9 for adults, $7 for seniors, $6 for children ages 3 to 12, and free for members and children ages 2 and younger. For more information, please call 402-444-5071.

LIVE SMOKE FREE!

Independent apartment living for persons age 55+

• Spacious 1 & 2 bedroom apartment homes • Elevator • Washer/dryer in every apartment • Garage included in rent • Beautifully landscaped grounds • Within walking distance of Ralston Park

PARKSIDE

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

Call today to view your new home in the park!

7775 Park Drive • Ralston, Nebraska

402-339-9080

The New Horizons is brought to you each month by the Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging

We need your

! t r o p p su

I would like to become a partner with the Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging, and help fulfill your mission with older adults.

ENOA

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.

$30 = 7 meals or 1.75 hours of in-home homemaker services or 1 bath aide service for frail older adults. $75 = 17 meals or 4.75 hours of in-home homemaker services or 4 bath aide services for frail older adults. $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:____________________________________

November 2014

•

f Reinha 4223 C rdt Omaha, enter Street NE 6810 5-2431 (402

New Horizons

) 444-665

•

Page 17

Mary, Diana link audiences to their favorite songs, memories

Guitar player-vocalist Mary Link.

he crowd members settled into their seats as the guitarist-vocalist and the keyboard player-vocalist finished tuning their instruments and their voices. “Hello Westgate, it’s good to see y’all,” Mary Link on guitar said before turning left and facing her musical partner and keyboard player Diana Sapp. Within seconds, the room at Westgate Assisted Living – 3030 S. 80th St. – was filled with the sounds of the Hank Williams classic, Hey Good Lookin’. “OK Westgate, let’s hear ya,” Mary shouted. “How ‘bout cookin’ somethin’ up with me,” the audience members sang back as they nodded their heads and tapped their toes. As the show progressed on a recent fall afternoon, the Westgate residents joined in the fun as they shook maracas and added their own touches to songs like Beer Barrel Polka, Rock Around the Clock, and Don’t Get Around Much Any More. All in all, just another typical show by Link and Sapp, AKA The Links. This energetic and talented duo first performed side by side in 1975 when Mary and Diana, then ages 12 and 22, respectively, became 40 percent of a musical quintet (three ladies and two men) called Young and Restless. During the next seven years, the ensemble toured the metro Omaha bar and dance club circuit, disbanding when one of its members got married and moved to Spain. Two years after Mary graduated from Millard South High School in 1982, she joined a local band led by the legendary Johnny Ray Gomez. Gomez, whose show biz career has spanned more than a half-century, served as Mary’s early musical mentor. “He pushed me out into the spotlight and helped me grow as an entertainer,” she said. During a 1985 show with Gomez at Anthony’s Steakhouse, Mary met her future husband, Jim Link. Jim and his brother, John, were performing at Omaha’s Club 89, and stopped at Anthony’s after their own show. The Links were based in Nevada where they performed in Las Vegas, Reno, and Lake Tahoe casino lounges. Mary moved to Reno and married Jim in 1986. For the next 10 years, Jim, John, Mary, two drummers, and a guitarist – collectively known as The LINKS – delighted fans in Nevada and the Midwest with their unique style of comedy and music. The LINKS last show – in February 1989 – was at the Showboat Hotel in Las Vegas. In 1996, Jim and Mary relocated to the Omaha area to raise their sons, Nicholas and Christopher, and to be closer to family.

Page 18

•

The Links during a recent performance at Westgate Assisted Living.

Keyboard player-vocalist Diana Sapp.

iana Sapp, who has a daughter, Amy, and two grandchildren, Logan and Olivia, reunited musically with Mary Link in 1997. The pair also worked together at the Nashua Paper Company. On the same day in 2008, Diana – A Ralston High School graduate – and Mary both lost their executive level positions with Nashua due to a series of job cutbacks. “That was the best thing that ever happened to us,” Mary said. “Absolutely,” Diana added. The pair was now able to focus their careers full time to music. Performing then as The Links Duo, in 2009, Mary and Diana followed Gomez’s advice and took their talents to the Omaha “senior market.” These days, The Links do as many as 25 shows a month at area retirement communities, assisted living facilities, and senior centers. The girls can also be seen entertaining in area casino and club venues and at private parties. Christine Coulson, Westgate’s activity director, said she tries to book The Links every three to four months. “They’re enthusiastic, professional, well dressed, and they meet the musical needs of our residents.” Eight to 10 of The Links’ performances each

month are sponsored by the Merrymakers, a nonprofit organization dedicated to brightening the lives of older adults through quality music. “We also perform in North Platte, Des Moines, and everywhere in between,” Mary said. A typical performance is 45 to 60 minutes long and features 10 to 15 songs ranging from Glenn Miller’s In the Mood to Elvis Presley’s Teddy Bear. “Our favorite songs are what the audience enjoys the most,” Diana said. “We love any song where we can get them to sing along.” When asked about their continued popularity, The Links’ answers were simple. “We have fun,” Mary said. “We don’t go to work, we go to play.” “We try to connect with the audience,” Diana continued. “We’re blessed to be able to do what we love.” The recent show at Westgate ended as the Links performed their version of Under the Boardwalk, made famous by The Drifters. After the final notes were played, Mary and Diana went into the audience to exchange some kind words and a hug or two. “Listening to their presentation is infectious,” said Westgate resident and audience member Al Nelson. “It’s just what we need.”

New Horizons

Mary Link (left) and Diana Sapp have performed side by side musically since 1975.

•

November 2014

Radio City Rockettes to perform in Omaha Nov. 13 to 30 The legendary Radio City Christmas Spectacular starring The Rockettes is coming to Omaha’s Orpheum Theater for a series of 34 shows from Nov. 13 to 30. During their more than 80-year history, the Rockettes have become famous for their USO Tours during World War II, Super Bowl halftime appearances, and their role in President George W. Bush’s 2001 inaugural ceremony. “We’re especially proud to present this iconic production in Omaha for the first time and to be one of only three cities (along with Nashville and Houston) on this tour,” said Joan Squires, president of Omaha Performing Arts who is bringing the holiday favorite to Nebraska. During a 20-year history of playing to audiences outside New York City as well as its 82-year run at the Big Apple’s Radio City Music Hall, more than 75 million people have enjoyed the Christmas Spectacular. The Rockettes will dance their way through an aweinspiring journey with dynamic scenes, an array of dazzling costumes, dramatic lighting effects, a full size double decker bus, and a 50-foot LED screen that will transport the audience to New York City’s Times Square and Santa’s workshop. For more information on show dates, times, and tickets which start at $35, please contact Ticket Omaha at 402345-0606, online at TicketOmaha.com, or at the box office inside the Holland Performing Arts Center, 1200 Douglas St. Groups of 10 or more can call 402-661-8516 or 866434-8587.

Hearing loss support group to meet at Dundee Presbyterian on Nov. 11

he Omaha Area Hearing Loss Association of America, a support group for hard of hearing adults, will next meet on Tuesday, Nov. 11 at Dundee Presbyterian Church, 5312 Underwood Ave. Participants are asked to enter the church on the Happy Hollow Blvd. (east) side. The 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. meeting will feature social time and a speaker. The Omaha Area Hearing Loss Association of America meets the second Tuesday of the month from September through December and from March through August. For more information, please contact Beth Ellsworth at ellsworth.beth@cox.net or Verla Hamilton at 402558-6449.

Nature programs for older adults each month at the Fontenelle Nature Center 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 are the programs for the rest of 2014: • Nov. 11: Sustainable Living Wherever You Are with Don Preister of Green Bellevue. • Dec. 9: Glacial Creek Restoration – Allwine Prairie with Dr. Thomas Bragg and Barbi Hayes. Law Offices of Charles E. Dorwart 33 years of legal experience • Wills • Living Trusts • Probate • Healthcare and Financial Powers of Attorney • In Home Consultations • Free Initial Consultation

CLASSIFIEDS NEED PART TIME GROUND HELP Good exercise for a retired person. Galen’s Tree Trimming, Inc.

POOL TABLES Moving, refelting, assemble, repair, tear down. Used slate tables. We pay CASH for slate pool tables.

Big Red Billiards 402-598-5225

OLD STUFF WANTED

Chipping & removal. Your prunings chipped. Experienced & insured. Senior discount.

Best & honest prices paid for: Nice old vintage and costume jewelry, old watches, vintage toys, Fenton glassware, old postcards, advertising items, military items, pottery, and antique buttons. Also buying estates & partial estates. Call Bev at 402-339-2856

REPUTABLE SERVICES, INC.

Senior Citizens (62+)

• Remodeling & Home Improvement

Accepting applications for HUD-subsidized apartments in Papillion & Bellevue. Rent determined by income and medical expenses.

• Safety Equipment Handrails Smoke and Fire Alarms • Painting Interior & Exterior

Monarch Villa West 201 Cedar Dale Road Papillion (402) 331-6882

Managed by Kimball Management., Inc. We do business in accordance with the Fair Housing Law.

Please support New Horizons advertisers

HOUSE CLEANING No job too large. No job too small.

You deserve a clean house! REFRESH CLEANING SERVICES JUDY: 402-885-8731

Buying or selling? Use the New Horizons CLASSIFIEDS

402-894-9206

Bellewood Courts 1002 Bellewood Court Bellevue (402) 292-3300

93rd & Maple • 402-397-6921

TOP CASH PAID

PAID THROUGH July 2014 Tree Trimming Beat the falling flakes!

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.

402-894-9206

(before 1975)

Military, political, toys, jewelry, fountain pens, pottery, kitchen ware, postcards, photos, books, and other old paper, and garden stuff, tools, old household, etc. Call anytime 402-397-0254 or 402-250-9389

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

• Handyman Services • Senior Discounts • Free Estimates • References • Fully Insured Quality Professional Service

FOR SALE Like new motor chair. Red Invacare M61 Pronto wheelchair with power elevating seat. Seat moves up and down up to five inches to make tables and counters more accessible. 300-pound capacity. Original discounted price was $3,852 Asking 1,200 402-657-9657

Better Business Bureau Member

402-4 5 5-7 0 0 0

ENOA Aging

6790 Grover Street • Suite 100 Omaha, NE 68106 Office: (402) 558-1404 • Fax: (402) 779-7498 cdorwartjd@dorwartlaw.com

November 2014

•

New Horizons

•

Page 19

Maplewood Estates

}

Support for local Book review series ends Nov. 18 widows, widowers The Eclectic Book Rethe Omaha Field Club, 3615

Lifestyle • Community • Convenience • Family Values

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.

THEOS, a group for older widows and widowers, meets the second Monday of each month at the Presbyterian Church of the Cross, 1517 S. 114th St. The organization offers weekend activities, Wednesday dinners, and pinochle twice a month. For more information, call Dorothy at 402-399-0759, Mary at 402-393-3052, or Joan at 402-393-8931.

Amenities include: Playground Off street parking Clubhouse • Pool RV’s welcome

402.493.6000

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

Please support New Horizons advertisers

view Club’s 65th season will conclude on Nov. 18 with Maggie Montclair (Janet Laird) on Surviving Widowhood and 79.4 Ways to Celebrate Your Old Age. The review will be held at

Woolworth Ave. A noon lunch is followed by the book review at 12:30 p.m. The cost is $13. For reservations or more information, please call Rita at 402-553-3147.

Fire Department can install free smoke, carbon monoxide detectors

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

Cancer support group meeting on Nov. 19

en and women dealing with cancer and cancer treatments are invited to attend a social and support group meeting on Wednesday, Nov. 19 from 5 to 7 p.m. at Clancy’s Pub, 777 N.

114th St. The festivities will include a program by Q Street Group, a local barbershop quartet.

Omaha Computer Users Group You’re invited to join the Omaha Computer Users Group (OCUG), an organization dedicated to helping men and women age 50 and older learn more about their computers. Anyone can join OCUG regardless of his or her computer skills. The organization’s 50 members meet the third Saturday of each month from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at

Your home.Your care.Your pace.

the Abrahams Library, 5111 N. 90th St. Annual dues to OCUG, which has existed for 15 years, are $25. Members will have access to updated laptop computers with Microsoft Office 2010, the Microsoft 8 operating system, a Power Point projector, and a printer. Each month, OCUG meetings address members’ questions and teach new techniques. For more information, please call OCUG’s president Phill Sherbon at 402333-6529.

Retired fed employees meet each month

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

5755 Sorensen Parkway | Omaha, NE 68152 | www.immanuelpathways.org PACE participants may be fully and personally liable for the costs of unauthorized or out-of-PACE program services. Emergency services are covered. Participants may disenroll at any time.

Page 20

•

New Horizons

•

November 2014

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.