November/December 2013 60 PLUS In Omaha by Omaha Magazine

Frank Fong

shares his art of living well.

Pioneers in Media

Four Women Who Challenged the Status Quo

Exploring the Many Options of Senior Care

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volume 1 . issue 6

Feature: Exploring the Many Options of Senior Care______________ S4 Gwen’s Tips: Senior Discounts______ S5

We will NOT ld! rso n u be de

Ages 6mos+

CONTENTS

Feature: Pioneers in Media________ S6 Cover: Frank Fong______________ S8 Feature: Train Collecting__________S10 Health: Managing Osteoarthritis____ S12 Style: Dressing for the Holidays_____S14

EMEMBER WHEN MEN AND

women “dressed up” for family gatherings and holiday parties and how that put you in a festive mood? Even if the era of snappy fedoras and crisp cocktail gloves has passed (and come back again, come to think of it), you can still feel like a star in showing your children and grandchildren a touch of glamour. On the nostalgia theme, you’ll see that some boys never grow up—at least when it comes to the romance of model railroads. This issue also features accomplished women who lead active lives after long ago breaking the glass ceiling in media careers. And speaking of active, we’ll introduce you to an amazing man who is living well and tells you how you can, too. Good Reading— Happy Holidays!

Gwen Gwen Lemke Contributing Editor, 60 Plus In Omaha Comments? Send your letter to the editor to: letters@omahapublications.com All versions of Omaha Magazine are published bimonthly by Omaha Magazine, LTD, P.O. Box 461208, Omaha NE 68046-1208. Telephone: (402) 884-2000; fax (402) 884-2001. Subscription rates: $19.95 for 6 issues (one year), $24.95 for 12 issues (two years). No whole or part of the contents herein may be reproduced without prior written permission of Omaha Magazine, excepting individually copyrighted articles and photographs. Unsolicited manuscripts are accepted, however no responsibility will be assumed for such solicitations. Best of Omaha®™ is a registered tradename of Omaha Magazine.

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60PLUS feature Story by Kara Schweiss • Photo by Bill Sitzmann Lisa Arp chats with a couple of her residents at SilverRidge.

Exploring the Many Options of Senior Care

T’S NEVER EASY FOR a family to make

the decision to move a senior into a care facility. But thanks to tighter regulations and consumer demand, the dreary institutions of decades past have been replaced with a spectrum of choices depending on the level of care the individual needs. The senior’s personal physician or medical team, which often includes a social worker, is a good first resource to help guide the family in determining what type of facility is most appropriate. “Safety concerns prompt us to think ‘facility’ instead of ‘stay at home’,” says Dr. Rebecca Reilly with the Methodist Geriatric Evaluation and Management Clinic. “Does the patient need to be reminded to eat? Are they capable of cooking? Do they wander? I’ve been doing this for 20 years and situations still come up that I could never have imagined. S4 60PLUS

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Are people being scammed? Are they going to get locked out in the snow and not know what to do? It’s people who need supervision for their safety.” A skilled nursing facility offers the highest level of care, explains Reilly, and may not always be a permanent placement. In some cases, round-the-clock nursing care is needed only temporarily, such as during a medical recovery period. Assisted living is a good solution for the individual who is relatively stable medically but needs assistance with activities of daily living such as dressing and bathing, or has some mobility limitations. Staff can assist with medications and help monitor medical conditions and care, such as physical therapy. Best of all, meals and housekeeping are provided in a community setting. “Some folks don’t need to be in a skilled

facility. They need to be in an environment where they are getting the care they need and still remaining independent,” says Lisa Arp of SilverRidge, a Gretna assisted living community started by her family 13 years ago. Arp says that assisted living care plans are highly variable and can be modified with changes in a senior’s condition. “The family is totally involved in the care plan,” she emphasizes. Memory care is a specialized type of assisted living care available for patients with dementia. For example, they may be otherwise physically healthy but need care that accommodates some of the special concerns associated with the condition (like wandering). Memory care also provides special activities that help these individuals retain as much independence as possible, Arp says. Independent living communities may provide one or more daily meals and often offer housekeeping services as well, but staff do not assist with nursing and medical care. “This is more about living in a congregate site with activities and amenities,” Reilly explains. Other options are in-home care, which can range from simple companionship to intense nursing care similar to what would be provided in a hospital; and adult daycare, which offers a supervised setting and social stimulation. Eve Lewis is program manager for the Office of Long-Term Care Facilities, which is in the licensure unit of the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services. She recommends that families looking into long-term care that involves regulated facilities—namely nursing homes and most assisted living facilities—take advantage of online resources such as the DHHS website at dhhs.ne.gov and the Medicare site at medicare.gov. Lewis also points out that citizens who have concerns about a particular facility can call DHHS at 800-942-7830 to talk to an ombudsman or launch a complaint. Lewis says, however, that families should keep in mind that care facilities have different personalities depending on such factors as the communities in which they’re located or what activities they offer, and alternatives should be considered. “There are a lot of things to look at in a facility to determine if it’s a good fit,” she says. “This is their home, and just like everyone’s home isn’t the same, not every facility’s going to fit your loved one.” www.OmahaMagazine.com

60PLUS gwen’s tips No doubt you’re already aware of the senior discounts your local grocery offers. But have you considered looking into any of Omaha’s more unique venues for potential discounts? Give these places a try the next time you’re in the need of crafting supplies, literary stimulation, great food, or a little culture. Mangelsen’s 3457 S. 84th St. 402.391.6225 Ten percent discount to patrons 65 and over. An in-store Craft Classroom also offers classes on decorating, designing, and art. Durham Museum 801 S. 10th St. 402.444.5071 $7 tickets for patrons 65 and over. Permanent exhibitions include “Through These Doors: The History of Omaha’s Union Station” and a gallery on the 1898 Trans-Mississippi and International Exposition.

Senior Discounts Aksarben Cinema 2110 S. 67th St. 402.502.1914 Senior Mondays offer $5 movies all day for patrons 60 and over. Movies before noon Tuesday through Sunday are also $5. Senior discounts for all other movie showings: $6 weekday evening and matinee, and $7 Friday and Saturday. The Bookworm 8702 Pacific St. 402.392.2877 Ten percent discount to patrons 65 and over. A Baker’s Dozen reward program offers a coupon after purchase of 12 items, excluding sale items. Strategic Air and Space Museum 28210 West Park Hwy, Ashland 402.944.3100 $11 for patrons 65 and over. Permanent exhibits are dedicated to the Vietnam Memorial Wall, World War II bombers, and Ashland, Neb., native and astronaut Clayton Anderson.

60PLUS TIPS Farmhouse Café & Bakery 3461 S. 84th St. 402.393.0640 Ten percent discount to patrons 65 and over. Open Mon.-Sat., 6 a.m. to 9 p.m., Sunday, 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. Also offers catering and carryout. WheatFields 1224 S. 103rd St. and 1206 Howard St. 402.955.1485 and 402.991.0917 A senior menu is available for patrons 65 and over. Features smaller portions of breakfast, lunch, and dinner at a discounted price.

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60PLUS feature Story by Judy Horan • Photos by Bill Sitzmann • Location Foodies

Carol Schrader

Ann Pedersen

Rose Ann Shannon

Eileen Wirth

Pioneers in Media They challenged the system one job at a time.

ILEEN WIRTH ENTERED THE

Omaha World-Herald newsroom in 1969 and wondered, “Where are the women?” Unknowingly, she had become one of the newspaper’s first female city reporters. Dr. Wirth broke through gender barriers again as the first female chair of the journalism S6 60PLUS

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department at Creighton University, where she has been a professor since 1991. Her story as a pioneer is mirrored in media throughout Omaha. ROSE ANN SHANNON walked into the KMTV newsroom 40 years ago as an intern, looked around for other female reporters,

and found none. Today more than half of the journalists at KETV—where she is the station’s first female TV news director—are women. Shannon was a KMTV reporter, photographer, anchor, and assignment editor before joining KETV in 1986. In 1974, ANN PEDERSEN became the first full-time female reporter at WOW-TV (now WOWT). One year later, she was named the station’s first female anchor for a daily newscast. She became WOWT assignment editor and later assistant news director before leaving in 1988 for a 13-year career at WCCO-TV in Minneapolis as director of news operations. CAROL SCHRADER proved herself as an intern at KMTV before moving on to a full-time job as a reporter at KLNG Radio and, in 1979, at KETV. She became one of the first women to anchor a KETV evening newscast, the first female news director at KFAB Radio, and the first host of the NET program Consider This. The time was ripe 40 years ago for women to enter what had been a mostly male environment, says Wirth. She wrote about pioneer women journalists across Nebraska in her book From Society Page to Front Page. “Young men were being drafted into the Vietnam War, so there was a shortage of journalism graduates,” says Wirth, who had three job offers upon graduation. “It was a combination of a good economy and a massive group of young women coming of age in the civil rights environment.” The landmark Civil Rights Act of 1964 mandated that employers hire without regard to gender or race. “Representative Martha Griffiths of Michigan added the clause banning sex discrimination,” says Wirth. “It was seen as a joke.” Opponents in Congress allowed the clause to go through because they mistakenly thought it would kill the entire civil rights bill. Instead, for the first time in American history, working women had a legal tool. “The public wanted to see more individuals on air who represented them,” adds Pedersen. “Blacks and women brought new ideas. That’s the great advantage of having a well-integrated newsroom. You get different points of view.” “I knew I got my job because I was a woman, but I didn’t want to do my job www.OmahaMagazine.com

as a woman,” she says. “I wanted to be a journalist.” “We didn’t mind rattling a few cages,” says Wirth. Schrader rattled her first cage as a KMTV intern one night in 1973 by insisting on covering the shooting of a police officer. “I asked them to send me, but they just laughed. I told them, ‘I’m off in 20 minutes, and I’m going to drive there anyway.’” They sent her to the hospital with a camera. “I got a check for $10. I’ve never cashed it.” She challenged the status quo again when she got into a verbal battle with Mayor Bob Cunningham in 1977 at a news conference she covered for KLNG Radio. She held her own. Two days later, KETV called to ask if she wanted to be the station’s “weather girl” and a reporter. “I think we rattled cages just by being there,” says Pedersen, who remembers insisting on receiving the same camera the male reporters got. “You did have to stand up for yourself.” When Pedersen arrived at WCCO-TV, she learned that the general manager would not pay her more than he paid his executive assistant. “But in the end, I was paid on par with other news managers,” she says. Discrimination came more from the audience than from her supportive male coworkers, says Shannon. “Viewers didn’t like our voices. They said, ‘You’re taking a man’s job.’ There were times when I felt I had to work harder, longer, smarter because I had something to prove.” Women brought story ideas into the newsroom that the male reporters had ignored, Schrader notes. “[We] were raising issues that were newsworthy but were not on the radar for men.” Pedersen is now a public relations director in Omaha. Schrader is a real estate agent. Wirth is creating a new generation of journalists at Creighton University. Still at KETV, Shannon has seen big changes during her career. “I tell people I’m as excited about doing news today as when I walked in the door 40 years ago.” Author Judy Horan began her career at WOWT at about the same time as the women profiled here, becoming the first woman in management in Omaha television. www.BestOfOmaha.com

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60PLUS cover feature Story by Chris Wolfgang • Photos by Bill Sitzmann

Frank and Tina relax in their Dundee home with their two sons. S8 60PLUS

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www.OmahaMagazine.com

Frank Fong

“I

shares his art of living well. APOLOGIZE FOR NOT BRINGING

you something to drink,” Frank Fong says with the utmost graciousness. Never mind that he’s sitting on a park bench in a rose garden, decidedly far away from any beverage station. A compact man with a long, gray ponytail and tanned skin, Fong exudes a sense of quiet power. An expatriate from Hong Kong, he’s cagey about how long he’s lived in Omaha, as well as how old he is. “I’ve lived here for more than 20 years,” he says. “Let’s leave it at that. And for my age, you can put down ancient.” He will tell you how many years he’s been practicing tai chi: 45; and how many years he’s been teaching it: about 30. He teaches pretty much everywhere—at University of NebraskaOmaha as a faculty member, at the Om Center, in private classes, and at Universal College of Healing Arts. In whatever he teaches, tai chi, yoga, or music, Fong tries to expose his students to what he calls the art of living well. “It’s a whole-view approach as to how to live one’s life,” he says. “It’s getting to know the laws of nature that we all have to abide by. If you go with that flow, usually we’ll have an easier time.” What laws are those? How much better your body behaves when you give it enough rest. How much healthier you are when you give your mind time to be calm. How much better your mind and body perform when you feed both of them correctly. “We all come with two things that nobody can take away from us,” Fong says. “One is our mind and the other is our body. We all own those two things.” The current definition of “to own,” he suggests, means to know it, to control all aspects of it. For example, knowing your body closely can head off illness. “Everybody gets the common cold,” Fong says. “Chills, nose starts to run…that’s too late to do anything about it. There are symptoms that come sooner and are less obvious. It’s an awareness you have to learn about yourself. It’s like not feeling anything until someone punches you versus when

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someone taps you lightly on the shoulder.” Staying well and living well for Fong mean engaging daily in each of his three main disciplines: tai chi, yoga, and music. This may seem like a lot of activity to the casual observer, but they all provide what he refers to as active resting. Tai chi slows down physical movement, allowing the mind to slow down as well and gain clarity. “The mind habit is to not want to stay simple. It does not like to be still.” Meditation, he says, is any kind of technique used to slow down the mind. “Instead of 10,000 things, you give it one thing,” he says, “so that it will stay with that one thing.” Focusing on the smoothness of the flow of tai chi is one such method, but Fong finds rest in the flow of many art forms. Painting, calligraphy, cooking…and then there’s music. A musician and composer, Fong plays with his band, Rhythm Collective, every Thursday at The Hive at 19th and St. Mary’s. The island flavor of Rhythm Collective differs sharply from Fong’s other group, The New Humans, whose sound ranges from blues to country to jazz. He plays guitar, bass, keyboard, and percussion, and sings as well. For Fong, making good music is similar to perfecting the art of tai chi. “If you’re too much into the technicality of it, you can lose the musicality of it,” he says. “That’s the flow. Same thing with tai chi. You can say I’m going to do this posture in very exact geometry. But where is the energy flow that you can express through that art form? You can be technically perfect, but that’s only one half of the equation.” He and his partner, Tina BloomquistKorth, who is also a music instructor, have launched a business in their home this fall called Love ‘n’ Heart Music Together. “It’s a style of music class for families. It’s parents with their kids under six,” Fong explains. The new business will afford the couple a schedule that enables one of them to always be available to care for their two sons, Gregory, 3 and a half, and Samuel, 1. “I want to grow up with them,” Fong says with a laugh, “because I’m still growing up.” november/december • 2013

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60PLUS feature Story by Sandy Lemke • Photos by Bill Sitzmann Ron Bond, collector

the Durham [the old Union and Burlington Stations] is always a great place. There are so many great places to rail fan throughout the metro. Millard along Industrial and Bob Boozer is one of my favorites, good chance to see loaned power from Norfolk Southern, CSX, and even the Kansas City Southern. Fremont, Blair, Ashland, Missouri Valley, and Gretna each have much going on or through. Don’t forget about all the great museums and train stores! BNSF’s Havelock Shops and Dobson Yard are a short drive down to Lincoln and never disappoint.” NEBRASKA-IOWA RAILROADERS

Moore goes rail fanning with fellow members of The Nebraska-Iowa Railroaders. They are one of the area’s most active clubs for railroad enthusiasts. It has about 110 members of all ages and backgrounds. A member-atlarge, Moore says, “Our members range in age from 7 to 80. The membership is mostly older, although some are in their forties, and we have some teenage guys, too. Some members bring their grandkids to the meetings.” The Nebraska-Iowa Railroaders have a 5,500-square-foot train room inside Mall of the Bluffs. It features 10 large, model railroad layouts of various scales. The train room is open to the public on Saturdays from 11-4 p.m. On Saturdays, members are on site to operate the model trains, help visitors with questions about trains, or just socialize. In addition to other activities, they hold monthly meetings and an annual train show in June. OMAHA’S TRAIN HOBBY SHOPS

John Moore, member of Nebraska-Iowa Railroaders

Train Collecting A Model Hobby

HE OMAHA AREA OWES much

to the railroad industry. The city’s history, and indeed, the entire history of the railroad are spiked with significant links throughout. It comes as no surprise then that the Omaha area has a thriving culture of railroad enthusiasts. They collect model trains, meet regularly to share stories, memories, S10 60PLUS

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and swap items. Some even enjoy what is called “rail fanning,” which is going out on location to see actual train operations in action or going to a train museum. “Rail fanning is watching trains,” says John Moore of Omaha. Moore adds, “The Omaha-Council Bluffs area is just as good as Kansas City for rail fanning.” Says Moore: “…the UP Main Line by

Rod Lilley started Train Time Hobby in 2005. Located on South 84th Street in LaVista, Train Time Hobby caters to modelers of all ages, with its selection of trains from wooden Thomas the Train sets (young children enjoy these) to realistic scale electric models. Lilley says the train collecting culture is “strong in Omaha with Union Pacific and Burlington Northern. A lot of guys are still active or retired employees.” Lilley says, “Many collectors started when they were younger. As you get older, you have more time on your hands, and you’re looking for a new hobby. I get a lot of guys who come in here who need a hobby. They’re ready to do something they remember from their childhood.” Across town at 81st and Maple streets in Omaha, David Mrsny owns and operates www.OmahaMagazine.com

House of Trains. Mrsny along with his brother Richard, bought the business from his father Leonard, who founded it in 1938 as Kenwood Model Railroad Supply. “Omaha is one of the bigger markets anywhere,” Mrsny says, and goes on to list about a half-dozen clubs devoted to the hobby, not to mention about the same number of annual train shows in the area. In the late 1990s, Burt Reynolds walked into the House of Trains. Says Mrsny, “A Lincoln Town Car pulled up, and he got out wearing sunglasses, cowboy boots, and a cowboy hat.” Mrsny cites several other model train hobbyist celebrities, including James Joseph “Jim” Parsons, who plays Sheldon Cooper on the CBS sitcom The Big Bang Theory. Frank Sinatra and Rod Stewart are also known to have collected train models. Mrsny started collecting trains as a youngster. “When I was little you had a 4’x8’ layout. If you were really in to it, you had two.” Mrsny says nowadays, collectors are not satisfied with having a small railroad collection—they want more trains! COLLECTION OF A LIFETIME

One of these zealous collectors, Ron Bond of Bellevue, has an entire train layout room in his home’s finished lower level. A hallway leading to the 1,100-square-foot room is flanked by custom-built display cases holding some of Bond’s showpiece models. Bond’s wife Suzanne shows patience and understanding for his hobby, as she herself is a collector (although she enjoys vintage glassware instead of model trains). Bond’s massive layout comes to life with realistic backgrounds and scenery modeled after his hometown of Downingtown, Pa. “It took 13 years to build the layout,” says Bond. “Most of it was done three years ago. Two guys in the [Nebraska-Iowa Railroaders] club helped out, Francis McGovern and Larry Galkowski. Danny Botos did the wiring.” As Bond operates the trains, reaching across an array of controls, he has the timing of a modern DJ. He hopes at some point to upgrade his system “before his Social Security runs out,” he says with a laugh. A framed picture hangs on the wall of Bond’s home; a child’s drawing of a locomotive pulling several cars. “I drew that picture in second grade, 1943-1944,” he says with a proud smile. A rail fan for a lifetime. www.BestOfOmaha.com

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60PLUS health Story by Traci Osuna

Dr. Michael Morrison of Omaha Orthopedic Clinic and Sports Medicine

Dr. Randall Neumann of OrthoWest Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine Specialists

Managing Osteoarthritis

T MIGHT START SIMPLY with a few nagging aches and pains. Your knees are hurting more; your shoulders are bothering you; your back is aching. Perhaps these pains have even caused you to cut back on some of your hobbies or affected how you spend your free time: Maybe you’re gardening less or your golf swing’s not as good. Osteoarthritis, also known as degenerative arthritis, can and will eventually affect everyone. That sounds rather ominous. “Degenerative arthritis is a term that is generally used and obviously differs from

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rheumatoid arthritis, which is an autoimmune disease,” explains Dr. Michael Morrison of Omaha Orthopedic Clinic and Sports Medicine. “But degenerative arthritis is the same as wear and tear and is associated, just simply, with the aging process.” Dr. Morrison says that, generally, people in their 50s and 60s will start to feel the aggravating pains and experience the swelling of joints, though these symptoms can occur much later. He shares that some people may experience an accelerated condition due to genetics.

While the aging process as a whole leads to the aches and pains we experience, how we choose to exercise can affect the condition as well. High-impact activities, such as running and jumping, are hard on the joints. “Most people believe that if they start to get some aches in their joints, they can just exercise through them, but that probably irritates it more,” says Dr. Morrision. While exercise is always recommended for good health, he suggests lower to no-impact activities, such as swimming, bicycling, or even using elliptical machines. www.OmahaMagazine.com

To combat the pain that you already may be feeling, Dr. Randall Neumann of OrthoWest recommends starting out with over-thecounter anti-inflammatory remedies, such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen, to lessen the pain. Dr. Morrison also recommends herbal supplements as a good addition to the OTC regimen: “I’m a big believer in it.” He suggests trying glucosamine MSM. Glucosamine is found naturally in the body and helps with keeping joints healthy. He also recommends SAM-e and drinking cherry juice. “I’ve seen them help many patients,” Dr. Morrison says. “But what works for one person might not work for another, so you are going to have to experiment with those and see what can give you the most relief.” If OTC medicines are not providing enough relief, your physician can prescribe an anti-inflammatory that has a somewhat stronger dosage. However, Dr. Neumann cautions against medicating too liberally. “You can

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take pain pills, but we like the non-narcotic pain medication, such as Tramadol,” he says. “Most physicians are going to shy away from anything as far as narcotic for pain because they all have addicting potential.” Physician-administered injections into the problem joint are also an option: Cortizone shots work as an anti-inflammatory and hyaluronic acid injected into the joint acts as a lubricant. Finally, joint replacement surgery is an option for those who have end-stage disease, says Dr. Neumann. “These people are hurting, they have pain everyday, and their function is down. They have a hard time working, walking, going up and down stairs, and just having a miserable time in life.” The joint replacement procedure involves replacing the natural joint with a metal and plastic device. “You could still have some soft-tissue pain around there, but usually the pain from wear and tear arthritis is because bone

is rubbing on bone there, and it causes an inflammatory response.” Generally, says Dr. Morrison, the time frame for surgery, healing, and rehab is between four to six weeks. Knee replacements tend to involve a little more intensive rehab than hip replacements. Osteoarthritis can affect joints in the upper extremities (such as shoulders, wrists, elbows) as well, but “is not usually brought on as quickly as in the weight-bearing joints,” Dr. Morrison clarifies. “The decision to progress with anything surgical is strictly based on the patient’s inability to manage their pain, despite all conservative measure, and their quality of life is significantly hindered,” adds Dr. Morrison. “It is not based on what an x-ray looks like; it is based on the symptoms presented by the patient.”

november/december • 2013

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60PLUS style Story by Mary Anne Vaccaro • Photo by Jim Scholz

to the location of the party. Sometimes the invitation specifies the attire. Respect that and remember that you’re with co-workers and executives. It’s not your time to dress hot and sexy. Low cut and very short dresses do not belong. Too much cleavage and leg is taboo even for a beautiful 30-year-old. Tasteful is the way you want to present yourself. When an invitation suggests business attire, it means, for men, a suit or a sport jacket with dress pants, a dress shirt, necktie, and dress shoes. A woman should wear a suit or a coordinating skirt and jacket, or pants and jacket with a pressed blouse or sweater. A sweater set with pants or a skirt also qualifies. A dress that looks professional does too. Accessories, shoes or boots (not sandals), and bags should coordinate with the clothing. Casual is a word that confuses almost everyone. It means that whether you’re a man or a woman, the sportswear you choose should be neat, clean, pressed, well fitting, and coordinated. If the invite says dressy casual, that means guys wear a sport jacket too. FOR FANCY CELEBRATIONS

‘T

Dressing for the Holidays IS THE SEASON TO celebrate the

holidays! A time to decorate your home, your office, even your car with personal style. Then comes you, wondering what’s best to wear for your own family feasts and to holiday parties of all kinds. When I was a child, dressing up for the holidays was very important in my family. We wore dressy clothes for family dinners and parties, and we dressed the table and the house according to the theme of the season. I loved the holidays and was impressed by what a difference dressing up for them made. The holidays are no time to be lazy about what you wear. Three common events during the holidays are family gatherings, office parties, and glitzy celebrations. You want to be S14 60PLUS

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well dressed for all of them, and that requires special attention to detail. FOR FAMILY GATHERINGS

Dress to show respect for the event and each other. Remember, if your host says the event is casual, it doesn’t mean warm-ups and pilled, fleece sportswear. It can mean jeans, but only clean and fashionable ones worn with shirts and sweaters that are several notches above what you wear to relax on weekends. Even in your own home, a family celebration that shows effort and style will have a nicer feel for all if everyone is well dressed and well groomed. FOR OFFICE PARTIES

Office and company parties can present a quandary. Pay attention to the invitation and

New Year’s Eve is the party night that for many is the dressiest of the year. It’s the one night I actually think pajama parties are fun, but for most it’s black-tie-party time. That means the guys are to wear winter tuxedos, with the proper tux shoes and accessories. Women have options. They can wear a long gown, a tuxedo, elegant silk or tuxedo pants, classy tops, or cocktail dresses. Accessorize with your best jewelry for evening. Cocktail means that guys wear a dark suit, with a dress shirt, a necktie, and a pocket scarf. Polished leather dress shoes are a must. For women, it’s easy. Wear a cocktail dress or suit, a stylish pantsuit, or pants with a chic top. Add jewelry, too. Your purse and shoes are very important. Only elegant ones are appropriate. The height of the heel doesn’t matter; it’s the style and finish of the shoe that does. If you’re still in doubt, don’t be afraid to ask your host what to wear and dress accordingly. Mary Anne Vaccaro is a clothing and product designer and an image consultant to businesses and individuals. www.maryannevaccaro.com She is also a sales consultant for Carlisle and Per Se, New York. www.carlislecollection.com www.OmahaMagazine.com