January 2019 LaDuke said one of Honor the Earth's goals is to see more houses painted in the village of Pine Point, like the mural on this garage, because "we think art is beautiful, and our interest is in nurturing the beautiful life."
LaDuke revitalizing Bimaadiziiwin – ‘our life’ Activist strives to grow Anishinaabe culture, economy
izens and not third-class citizens in northern Minnesota.”
Deep North
LaDuke said that she and her Honor the Earth compatriots have “witnessed what the Deep North looks like – that struggle to be treated as people who have dignity and to be recognized as the people who have lived here for thousands By Robin Fish of years.” rfish@parkrapidsenterprise.com Her reference to “Deep North” is a play on the phrase “Deep South,” Even while suffering from a bad with all the racially-charged bagcold, Winona LaDuke does not stop gage it brings along. in one place for long. “If you look at the arrest rates, if A two-hour interview with the you look at the numbers of missing Ojibwe writer, economist and envi- "We’re a people that want justice," said and murdered native women, if you ronmental activist included stops LaDuke. "For us, justice is also about look at the economics,” she said, at a manufacturing facility east of having some say in what our future looks also mentioning the campaign “to Ponsford, an adjacent Honor the like, and being treated as first-class cit- approve a pipeline that no tribe izens and not third-class citizens in Earth retail and marketing unit, northern Minnesota." (Photos by Robin wants – that would be the Deep Pine Point School, and her hemp Fish) North. That’s how we feel.” and heritage farm west of Snellman. The welfare of her people is closeThe time of year when the nation honors Martin ly tied, in LaDuke’s thinking, to the way their lands Luther King Jr. and African-Americans’ struggle for are treated. This links her crusade for environmental civil rights seemed a good time to ask LaDuke about justice, as executive director of Honor the Earth, to what Native Americans are struggling for. her career as a rural development economist. “We’re a people that want justice,” she said. “For “We’re trying to provide jobs for this community,” us, justice is also about having some say in what our future looks like, and being treated as first-class citLADUKE: Page 3
Inside this issue... 2 Slow cooking, big results 4 Preventing elder financial abuse and how to get veterans funeral benefits 6 13 tips for never killing another houseplant 8 Fraudulent phone calls threatening arrest, legal action
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Slow cooking, big results
Break out your Dutch oven for Sarah’s Texas-Inspired Chili
By Sarah and Tony Nasello Forum News Service If Tony had given me a Dutch oven as a birthday gift when we were first married 25 years ago, I’m not sure I’d still be Mrs. Nasello today. As it happens, that’s exactly what he gave me this year. I have secretly (I thought) wanted one for years, and I’m still basking in the glow of this surprise. Dutch ovens are a wonderful piece of cookware as their ability to maintain even and consistent heat makes them ideal for dishes that require braising, roasting or, in this case, slow-cooking. I decided to christen my new vessel with a big batch of what I call Sarah’s Texas-Inspired Chili (calling it straight-up Texas chili seems just a tad presumptuous for this North Dakotan). For this chili, I prefer to use ground beef that is 85 percent lean, 15 percent fat. This combination allows the beef to better retain its moisture and flavor, whereas a leaner cut will often produce a chili that is dry and tasteless. While there are endless kinds of Texas chili, the prevailing conviction is that a real Texas chili does not have beans of any kind. Thankfully, this dish is excellent with or without beans, which can be added during the final minutes of cooking. This chili has a mild, spicy heat which can be adjusted up or down by the amount of cayenne pepper added. In keeping with their nature, my mild-mannered men don’t care for a lot of heat, and this chili is just right for them. We enjoy it as a main course with a variety of garnishes, and as a hearty topping for nachos. Tony, ever the Italian, will even add it to a plate of pasta. My chili is full of flavor thanks to a robust blend of vegetables and spices. I saute onions, garlic and a mix of peppers (bell, poblano and jalapeno) until the onions are soft and translucent, and then add the ground beef and cook until it is browned. Next, I sprinkle the entire mix with a blend of
r o t c o D
2 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil 1 large yellow onion, diced 1 red bell pepper, small-diced 1 poblano pepper (use Anaheim for spicier version), small-diced 1 jalapeno pepper, finely chopped 3 garlic cloves, minced 1-1/2 pounds ground beef (I use 85 percent lean) 1-1/2 tablespoons chili powder 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper 1 tablespoon cumin 1-1/2 teaspoons smoked paprika 1 28-oz. can crushed tomatoes 2 cups chicken stock (or water), divided 1/3 cup tomato paste (about 3 oz.) 1 teaspoon hot sauce (like Tabasco) 1 cup red wine, divided 1 bay leaf 2 tablespoons masa harina (corn flour, to thicken) 1 15-ounce can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed (optional, for bean lovers) Garnishes: Sour cream Shredded sharp cheddar cheese Fresh cilantro leaves Fresh jalapeno, thinly sliced Fresh lime, thinly sliced Green onions, diced In a Dutch oven or large stock pot, heat the canola oil over medium-high until it shimmers. Add the onions and reduce heat to medium; cook for 5 minutes, then add the bell, poblano and jalapeno peppers. Continue cooking over medium heat until the onions are soft and translucent, about 2 to 3 minutes.
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Sarah’s Texas-Inspired Chili
Add the garlic and continue cooking for 1 minute. Add the ground beef and cook over medium heat until evenly browned — no pink should remain. Drain the fat, leaving about 2 tablespoons in the pot. Return pot to the stove over medium-low heat and sprinkle the chili powder, cayenne pepper, cumin and smoked paprika evenly over the beef mixture, stirring to combine. Cook for about 2 minutes to allow the beef to absorb the flavors. Add the crushed tomatoes, 1 cup of stock, tomato paste, hot sauce and half a cup of red wine and stir until well combined. Add the bay leaf and bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring often. Reduce heat to low and simmer gently for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the remaining cup of stock and half-cup of wine and continue to simmer over low heat for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent the beef from sticking to the bottom. Sprinkle the corn flour evenly around the chili and stir until well combined. Stir in the beans, if using, and cook for about 10 minutes until the chili appears rich and thick — if too thick, add water until desired consistency is achieved. Serve immediately with garnishes on the side. Serves 4 to 6. To store: Once cooled, transfer chili to an airtight container and refrigerate for several days or freeze for up to 3 months. “Home With the Lost Italian” is a weekly column written by Sarah Nasello featuring recipes by her husband, Tony Nasello. The couple owned Sarello’s in Moorhead and lives in Fargo with their son, Giovanni. Readers can reach them at sarahnasello@gmail.com.
A Dutch oven is ideal for making chili as it conducts heat evenly throughout the pot.David Samson / The Forum
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As our nation has moved from a manufacturing society to an information society, computer vision syndrome has become a workplace concern. While prolonged computer use will not damage vision, it can make you uncomfortable and decrease productivity. CVS is caused by the eyes constantly focusing and refocusing on the characters on a computer screen. These characters don’t have the contrast or well-defined edges like printed words and the eyes’ focus cannot remain fixed. CVS can be partially alleviated by changes in the ergonomics of the work area. Symptoms of CVS include headaches, loss of focus, burning or tired eyes, blurred vision, and neck or shoulder pain. Proper lighting and monitor placement can go a long way toward reducing CVS, as can giving your eyes frequent ‘breaks’ from the computer. But the underlying cause of CVS – the ability of the eyes to focus on the computer screen – may only be remedied by specialized computer glasses. A comprehensive eye exam, including questions about a person’s computer-use habits, is the first step. If it is determined that vision correction for computer use is required, an eye doctor can prescribe computer lenses that are designed to improve your vision in the 18” to 28” range, the optimal distance between your eyes and the computer monitor.
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Serve Sarah's Texas-Inspired Chili with corn tortilla chips.David Samson / The Forum
spices including chili powder, ground cumin, cayenne pepper and smoked paprika and cook for a couple minutes more before adding the liquids. This last step allows the spices to fully infuse the beef, increasing the chili’s depth of flavor. The chili cooks for about 90 minutes until it has reduced by approximately a third or more, and then I add two tablespoons of masa harina (corn flour). The corn flour will thicken the chili quickly and give a lovely hint of corn to the flavor profile. I’ve learned from experience that corn flour can clump when added all at once, so I sprinkle it evenly over the chili in stages, stirring as I go. An assortment of garnishes can balance and contrast this robust chili. Sour cream, cheddar cheese and cilantro will temper the spices, and thinly sliced jalapeno peppers and green onions will bring a touch more heat. For a lovely burst of acidity, mash a thin slice of lime into the chili and let it linger on the bottom as you eat. This recipe can be easily doubled, freezes well and is perfect if you have a houseful of company this weekend. Enjoy.
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January 2019 LADUKE From Page 1
she said, “so that the people have hope and have a shot at some choices.” The lack of hope and choices, said LaDuke, is “what colonialism does. That’s what happens when you take people’s land and put them in a little housing project, and they watch their land getting clearcut” to benefit other people. “Three-quarters of our people are refugees,” she said. “They live in the Twin Cities. In addition to entrenched structural poverty that we have in our community, (we) now have an epidemic – opioids. And we have a diabetes epidemic. We have a lot of challenges.”
Creating options
“What we are doing,” said LaDuke, “is providing some options – local jobs for the people in our village (of Pine Point) or in the town of Ponsford – so that people can have hope and a future.” To this end, Honor the Earth provides job opportunities to several local people. The group’s online store markets iron-on badges, decorated with bead work by local Ojibwes, plus one Lakota woman whom LaDuke called “super-gifted.” The store also sells shirts silk-screened by youth in the Pine Point community, locally sourced wild rice and maple sugar, and coffee beans roasted on Round Lake. Sales support the group’s activism “as well as the artists,” said LaDuke. She has several other projects in hand that, she hopes, will encourage her community in more far-reaching ways. One such project is a solar-thermal panel factory being built at the Honor the Earth’s Akiing facility east of Ponsford. When mounted on the south wall of a home, the panels collect solar heat and release it into the home with thermostat-activated blowers. “They can reduce your heating bill by up to 20 percent,” LaDuke said. Besides the savings, which a few Pine Point residents already enjoy, “our community will be manufacturing them because we need the jobs.” On a similar theme, a 20-kilowatt array of solar-electric panels was installed at Pine Point School last year. This turn toward solar energy is a step toward Honor the Earth’s goal to reduce the village’s dependence on fossil-fuel energy. “I’m interested in post-petroleum or reduced-petroleum economics,” LaDuke said. Another step in that direction is using horses to cultivate farms, as LaDuke is already doing on her farm west of Snellman. Horse-powered agriculture means “a lot less petroleum, and an entirely different relationship to farming,” she said. “I’m interested in farming that doesn’t look like a war. If I could do what I want – and I will do what I want because it’s me – I will solar-power my farm, and then power as much of it with horses as I can.”
A plow horse named Orion munches an apple out of LaDuke's hand at her Snellman hemp farm, while a mustang rescued from North Dakota noses in on their encounter. The outer shell of the Patagonia jacket she is wearing is made from a hemp fiber similar to what LaDuke hopes to manufacture.
LaDuke has a herd of 16 horses, which she uses to provide horse therapy and agricultural training. Meanwhile, the horses help in the garden, where she raises basil, flowers, heritage vegetables, potatoes and hemp.
No, really – hemp
Hemp tea and hemp pesto are already among her farm’s products, but LaDuke said, “My goal is fiber hemp. I’m interested in making clothing.” When people hear she is growing hemp, they often say, “It’s marijuana,” she noted. “No, it’s not! I can’t grow anything with THC” – that is, tetrahydrocannabinol, the main intoxicant in marijuana. “I’m in the state of Minnesota’s pilot project; I have been for three years. I’m interested in a textile economy that would move us away from all the microparticles that are in our water.” LaDuke said there used to be 11 hemp mills in Minnesota, including one near Nimrod. Farmers grew it, and the mills turned the fibers into mats and rope. “Then, in the 1940s, it was made illegal,” she said. “It was hard on a lot of people.” It’s also hard on the environment, she argued. “At
LADUKE: Page 5
"People drive by and say, 'What is that place?'" said LaDuke of her hemp and horse farm west of Snellman, where murals adorn several buildings, including this barn. "As you can see, we're heavily into the arts here," she added.
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Preventing elder financial abuse and how to get veterans funeral benefits Network at AARP.org/money/scams-fraud and sign up to receive free scam alert emails from the Federal Trade Commission at FTC.gov/scams. Some other tips to protect her include reminding your mom to never give out her personal information, Social Security number or financial information unless she initiated the contact and knows the instiBY JIM MILLER tution. Columnist Also, see if your mom would be willing to let you sort her mail before she opens it, so you can weed out the junk. To reduce the junk mail and/or email she Dear Savvy Senior, gets, use the Direct Marketing Association consumer Can you provide some tips on how to protect seniors opt-out service at DMAchoice.org. And to stop credit from financial scams? My 76-year-old aunt was recently card and insurance offers, use the Consumer Credit swindled out of $25,000 and I want to make sure my own Reporting Industry opt-out service at OptOutPremother is protected. screen.com or call 888-567-8688 – they will ask for ~ Concerned Daughter your mom’s Social Security number and date of birth. You should also register your mom’s home and cell phone numbers on the National Do Not Call Registry (DoNotCall.gov, 888-382-1222) to reduce telemarketers. To stop robocall scams on her landline phone use Nomorobo (Nomorobo.com), and if she uses a smartphone, use the free app Hiya (Hiya.com). You should also get a free copy of her credit report at AnnualCreditReport.com to make sure she isn’t a victim of identity theft.
The Savvy Senior
Report it
If you suspect your mom has gotten scammed, report it to her local police, her bank (if money has been taken from her account) and her state’s Adult Protective Services agency that investigates reports of elderly financial abuse. Call the Eldercare Locator at 800-677-1116 to get the agency contact number in her area.
Dear Concerned, Financial scams that target the elderly continue to be a huge problem in the U.S. In fact, it’s estimated that one in five Americans over age 65 are scammed out of roughly $36 billion every year. Here are some tips that can help you spot a scam, and what you can do to protect your mom.
Protect your mom
The most effective way to help protect your mom is to alert her to the different kind of scams going on today. To help you with this, the National Council on Aging has a list of “top 10 financial scams targeting seniors” at NCOA.org. Also see AARP’s Fraud Watch
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National cemetery benefits
If your dad is eligible, and would like to be buried in one of the 136 national or 111 grant-funded state and tribal VA cemeteries (see www.cem.va.gov/cem/ cems/listcem.asp for a list), the VA provides a host of benefits, at no cost to the family, including: a gravesite; opening and closing of the grave; perpetual gravesite care; a government headstone or marker; a United States burial flag that can be used to drape the casket or accompany the urn (after the funeral service; the flag is given to the next-of-kin as a keepsake); and a presidential memorial certificate. National cemetery burial benefits are also available to spouses and dependents of veterans. If your dad is cremated, his remains will be buried or inurned in the same manner as casketed remains. Funeral or cremation arrangements and costs are not, however, taken care of by the VA. They are the responsibility of the veteran’s family, but some veteran’s survivors are eligible for burial allowances, which are explained below. If you’re interested in this option, the VA offers a preneed burial eligibility determination program at www.cem.va.gov/pre-need or call the National Cemetery Scheduling Office at 800-535-1117.
Private cemetery benefits
If your father is going to be buried in a private cemetery, the benefits available include a free government headstone or marker, or a medallion that can be affixed to an existing privately purchased headstone or marker; a burial flag; and a Presidential memorial certificate. Funeral or cremation arrangements and costs are again the responsibility of the family (some burial Dear Savvy Senior, Does the VA provide any special burial benefits to old allowances may be available), and there are no beneveterans? My dad, who has late-stage Parkinson’s disease, fits offered to spouses and dependents that are buried in private cemeteries. served during the Vietnam War in the 1960s. ~ Only Daughter
Military funeral honors
Another popular benefit available to all eligible veterans buried in either a national or private cemetery is a military funeral honors ceremony. This includes an honor guard detail of at least two uniformed military persons, folding and presenting the U.S. burial flag to the veteran’s survivors, and the playing of Taps by a bugler or an electronic recording. The funeral provider you choose will be able to assist you with all VA burial requests. Depending on what you want, certain forms may need to be completed which are always better to be done in advance. For a complete rundown of burial and memorial benefits, eligibility details and required forms, visit www.cem.va.gov or call 800-827-1000.
Recognizing a scam
Spotting a scam or a con artist is not always easy to do. They range from shady financial advisers to slick-talking telemarketers to professional caregivers and relatives who steal from the very people they’re supposed to be looking after. The most common scams targeting seniors today come in the form of tricky and deceitful telemarketing calls, email and Internet scams, free-lunch seminars selling dubious financial products and endless junk mail peddling free vacation packages, sweepstakes, phony charity fundraisers and more. And, of course, there’s the ongoing problem of identity theft, Medicare and Social Security fraud, door-to-door scams and credit card theft. The best way to spot a scam is to help your mom manage her finances, or at least monitor her accounts. Reviewing her financial statements each month can alert you to questionable checks, credit card charges or large withdrawals. Or, consider a service like EverSafe.com, which will automatically monitor your mom’s accounts, track suspicious activity and alert you when it detects a problem. If, however, your mom doesn’t want you looking at her financial records, there are other clues. For example: Is she getting a lot of junk mail for contests, free trips, and sweepstakes? Is she receiving calls from strangers offering awards or money-making deals? Also, notice if her spending habits have changed, if she has complained about being short of money lately or has suddenly become secretive or defensive about her finances. All these may be signs of trouble.
related death.
Burial allowances
In addition to the burial benefits, some veteran’s survivors may also qualify for a $300 burial allowance (or $780 if hospitalized by VA at time of death) and $780 for a plot, to those who choose to be buried in a private cemetery. To find out if your dad is eligible, see Benefits.va.gov/benefits/factsheets/burials/ burial.pdf. To apply for burial allowances, you’ll need to Dear Only, Most U.S. veterans are eligible for burial and fill out VA Form 21P-530 “Application for Burial memorial benefits through the Department of Veter- Benefits.” You need to attach a copy of your dad’s ans Affairs (VA) National Cemetery Administration. discharge document (DD 214 or equivalent), death Veterans who were discharged under conditions certificate, funeral and burial bills. They should show other than dishonorable are eligible. To verify your that you have paid them in full. You may download dad’s discharge, you’ll need a copy of his DD Form the form at VA.gov/vaforms. 214 “Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty,” which you can request online at Archives.gov/ Send your senior questions to Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, Okla. 73070 or visit SavvySenior.org. Jim Miller is a contributor to veterans. the NBC Today show and author of “The Savvy Senior” book. Here’s a rundown of some of the different benefits that are available to veterans that die a nonservice
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January 2019 LADUKE From Page 3
this point, most of our clothing has a lot of fossil fuels in it” – meaning synthetic fibers – “and a lot of pesticides and fertilizers on it” – on cotton, for example. “Hemp doesn’t require that.” Now, LaDuke plans to open a hemp fiber mill, which will purchase all-organic hemp to weave into cloth. Meantime, she hopes, the mill will boost the local economy. LaDuke’s hemp fiber enterprise, still in its infancy, is separate from her Honor the Earth work. Nevertheless, it is already raising hopes in the area – and not just from members of the tribe. “Non-Indian people have asked me many times,” she said. “Farmers have stopped me and said, ‘What do I grow? How do I get involved?’” She added, “I’m ready to build the next economy.”
Bimaadiziiwin: ‘our life’
Besides reviving the “horse nation,” LaDuke has put effort into learning and practicing the Anishinaabe language – starting with a Bush Fellowship to study the language at Bemidji State University. “The language is a part of what we do,” she said. “It’s not just the revitalization of language. Our interest is in the revitalization of the culture and practices.” Nevertheless, LaDuke said, “my work is largely in the practice of Anishinaabe – the bimaadiziiwin – our life.” This includes traditional tribal activities, such as the annual Pine Point and White Earth pow wows, a winter feast “to give thanks for this good harvest that we had, and to pray for our water,” and telling Adizookan, which she explained as “stories that you tell only in the wintertime.” Other winter traditions include preparing for the rest of the year, staying warm and making fine art. “That is one of my best creative times,” said LaDuke. Sarah LittleRedFeather Kalmanson, working nearby to design a fashion line built on clothing found in thrift stores and “upscaled” with native-style beadwork and ribbons, agreed. “We’re going to make beautiful things,” she said.
Ava Mart, who helps run the Honor the Earth online store, and LaDuke go through examples of the seven badge designs with locally made Native American bead work, which the Honor the Earth online store sells along with books, honey, maple sugar, roasted coffee and silk-screened apparel.
Service in the blood
Difference made
“Next year, I’ll be 60 years old,” she admitted. “I started doing work for the American Indian move-
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LaDuke examines a canvas print of a Duluth mural by native artist Votan, which Honor the Earth creative media manager Sarah LittleRedFeather Kalmanson (right) will use along with bead work and ribbons to "upscale" secondhand clothes.
ment and for my community at 17. So, I have done 43 years of work.” Those years did not go by without change. “I have seen an increase in the exercise of tribal sovereignty and culture,” said LaDuke. “I have seen First Nations begin to recover more of our languages. I’ve seen the passage of the American Indian Religious Freedom Act (1978), which made it legal for me to have my religion. I have seen tribal people elected to Congress. I have seen an Indian woman become the lieutenant governor of Minnesota. I have also
Ron Chilton and LaDuke discuss a concept drawing of the solar thermal panel production facility that Honor the Earth is building at the organization's Akiing location east of Ponsford.
seen a lot of really bad mega-projects proposed for Indian lands stopped.” She said she became an economist after considering a career as a lawyer, “but I decided I would spend most of my time getting my relatives out of jail for stupid stuff.” Instead, she said, she gets to work “to build an economy that is local, organic, fair and good for the people, good for the environment. I want to build the local economy again.”
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The tradition of serving the community was handed down to her on both sides of LaDuke’s family. Her mother, a college art instructor, “has done art for people for her whole life” and remains “very robust” at age 85, LaDuke said. Her father, a spiritual leader, and her grandmother also served people, she said. “I came from people who do that. I was raised with people who believed that you should do the right thing.” Regarding the next generation, LaDuke said, “I’m up to seven children. I have three biological children. Between them, I think I have nine grandchildren.” Except for one son, an actor who lives in Minneapolis, all remain close to the White Earth Reservation. “They all have a good social conscience, and they will find their paths,” she said, adding, “I have an internship program. I have trained hundreds of people in the work. I’m interested in the development of youth leadership, because somebody interned me. I am a product not only of my parents, but of being influenced by good people who were doing something.” Recognizing that “a lot of young people around here don’t really have parents,” she said, “I want to raise healthy communities. If you’re going to raise the next generation of leaders, you need to pay attention to them, make sure that they are fed and guide them.” Passing on tribal traditions to the younger folk is a struggle, “but we’re working on it,” said LaDuke.
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13 tips for never killing another houseplant Growing Together BY DON KINZLER Columnist People with houseplants fall into three personality types. First are those who coax any indoor plant into jungle-like vigor and turn even sickly rescue plants into room-sized wonders. Second are those who have a minimalist relationship with their plants; the plants appear adequate as they get basic care, no more, no less. Lastly are those who have never met a houseplant they couldn’t kill, but wish to discover the secret to success. If you’re in the last group, take heart: A green thumb is simply meeting a plant’s needs, and that’s learnable and doable. Here are the key points to turning houseplant failure into victory. 1. Adopt a can-do attitude. It’s unknown if plants can smell fear, but a positive, non-nervous mindset helps us observe a plant’s needs. 2. Start with healthy plants purchased from a well-tended garden center whose plants are free of yellowing leaves or wilted foliage. Rescuing sick plants is a hobby all its own, better left for a later date. 3. Small starter plants in tiny 2- or 3-inch pots are best repotted soon after purchase into 4-inch diameter pots. Plants in larger pots might be fine
Unglazed clay pots with bottom drain holes are more forgiving of mistakes than plastic or ceramic pots. Michael Vosburg / Forum Photo Editor
the pot’s rim and the soil surface, is about half an inch. A too-deep headspace encourages overwatering and root rot. 7. Watering is the most mysterious part of houseplant care. Overwatering, which is houseplants’ No. 1 killer, means applying water too frequently, keeping soil continually soggy. It doesn’t mean applying too much at one time, as excess can be discarded as soon as it escapes the bottom drain hole. 8. When watering, add enough to thoroughly wet the entire soil ball. Then, don’t water again until the soil has dried. 9. There are several ways to tell if a plant’s soil has dried enough to be watered. Dry soil is lighter in color; moist soil is darker. Press your finger into the soil up to the first joint, and if you feel moisture, wait a day or two; water if dry. Lift the pot and develop a feel for the weight when moist, compared to the dry plant. 10. Don’t use water from salt-type softeners because it easily damages houseplants. 11. Investigate light requirements, as plants vary. 12. Fertilize once per month March through September. Plants require less during the shorter days of October through February. 13. Insects that attack houseplants often go unnoticed until populations balloon and plants decline. Be preventative and treat with insecticidal soap or add systemic insecticide granules to the soil, following label directions.
as is for six months to a year. Plants are most comfortable filling their pot with roots before repotting into the next size up, and small plants in large pots wallow in too much soil. 4. The type of potting soil can make or break a houseplant. Cheap potting soils, which are often heavy in the bag, are poorly drained, poorly aerated and lack key ingredients for houseplant health. Instead, choose high-quality mixes like Miracle-Gro Potting Mix or the special blends suggested by locally owned garden centers. Always moisten slightly before using, if mix is dry. 5. Unglazed clay pots forgive mistakes more readily than plastic or glazed ceramic pots. Select Don Kinzler, a lifelong gardener, worked as an NDSU Extension pots with a bottom drainage hole. horticulturist and owned Kinzler’s Greenhouse in Fargo. Readers 6. When potting houseplants, locate the fin- can reach him at forumgrowingtogether@hotmail.com. ished product so the “headspace,” the depth between
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How to get the most from your medicine Boomers on the Move BY KARIN HAUGRUD Columnist If you have heart problems or other health problems, you’re probably taking at least a couple of prescription medications. Keeping track of these medicines can be confusing. It is important for the patient to take responsibility for using them properly. Drugs act differently in older people than in younger people. This may be due to normal changes in the body. As we age, it is normal for circulation to slow down or for kidney function to drop off. This can make a difference in how long a drug stays in your body and how much of the drug your body absorbs. It can be easy to make mistakes in drug dosages. This may occur from many factors, such as difficulty in reading the small print on the instructions to forgetting when the last pill was taken. It is important to ask for clear instructions. If there is something you don’t understand about a medicine you’re taking, ask your doctor. If you still don’t understand, ask your doctor to explain things more clearly. Don’t be afraid to write down questions and your doctor’s answer, so you can refer to them later. If you are taking other medicines, be sure to ask how the medicines will work together in your body. Sometimes medicines cause problems when they are taken together. To help ensure that you get the best results from your medicine inform your doctor and pharmacist about ALL prescription drugs, daily vitamin or min-
eral supplements or nonprescription drugs (aspirin, cold medicines, laxatives) that you take regularly. Record any side effects you experience while taking prescription drugs and report them to your doctor. Remember, drugs that are strong enough to cure you can also hurt you if they are used incorrectly. Try to take your medicine at the same time (or times) every day, such as when you wake up or with meals. Keep the medicine bottles in a place you see often, such as on the kitchen counter. What if I don’t feel better even though I’m taking my medicine? Any medicine needs time to work. When you are given a prescription, ask your doctor how long it should take for the medicine to make you feel better. Unless your doctor tells you otherwise, take ALL of
the prescribed medicine, even if you are feeling better. If you are worried that the drug might be doing more harm than good, talk with your doctor. He or she may be able to change your medicine to another one that will work just as well. Don’t try to “hurry up” the good effects of drugs by increasing the recommended dose. This article is made possible with Older Americans Act dollars from the Land of the Dancing Sky Area Agency on Aging. Call the Senior LinkAge® One Stop Shop at 800-333-2433 to speak with an information specialist, or check out our website at MinnesotaHelp. info. MinnesotaHelp.info is an online directory of services designed to help people in Minnesota find human services, information and referral, financial assistance, and other forms of help.
Strict laws make it hard to alert caregivers when loved ones get out of bed Minding Our Elders CAROL BRADLEY BURSACK Columnist Dear Carol: My 96-year-old mother has moderate signs of dementia and lives in an assisted living facility. Mom can feed herself but she needs assistance with most other activities, including transferring from her bed to her lift chair or wheelchair, but she won’t use her call light to get help. Last evening, Mom had tried to move from the lift chair to the wheelchair and an aide found her on the floor. Mom wasn’t injured this time, but what about the next time? The facility says they can’t use any alarms to alert staff that Mom is trying to get out of her bed or chair because these alarms are considered illegal restraints. Do you have any suggestions? ~ KB. Dear KB: I’m sorry that you and others are faced with this agonizing situation. I went through something similar with my dad so I can relate to your frustration and emotional pain, though now laws are
even tighter, as they should be. Most restraints, no matter how well-meaning, either incapacitate the elder (drugs), imprison them in some way or cause frustration and anxiety, which is the case for the pinned-on alarms. None of these effects are acceptable, yet safety is a legitimate concern. Several years ago, alarms that attach to clothing were one of the only types of “restraint” considered legal. During that time, my dad moved into a nursing home after surgically triggered dementia. The stress that he endured when an alarm went off each time he moved was intolerable. This is the reason for current laws that make seemingly innocuous pinned-on alarms illegal. This document explains the law: CMS. gov/regulations-and-guidance. Like you, we were left with essentially no workable options since we had to choose between Dad suffering psychological distress and the risk of frequent falls because he was determined to get up from his chair or bed on his own. Unlike your mom, Dad would generally use his call button so that even if he wouldn’t wait for the staff, at least they knew he was on the move. Still, falls happen quickly, and he did take some serious tumbles. Currently, there is at least one newer type of alarm that alerts only the staff and doesn’t bother the resident. This system makes it necessary for facilities
to upgrade their technology, though, and sadly, such upgrades take time and money. I did find a wireless alarm on Amazon that alerts the caregiver but doesn’t disturb the elder. I’m not sure it would work in a facility setting, but you could check into it. The search words are “wireless cordfree bed alarm.” Comments from users range from being thrilled to complaints about battery life. As mentioned, I’m not certain that these could work for facilities, but they may help people at home, so I’m referencing them here. I wish that I could be more helpful. If readers know of a solution, please let me know and I’ll pass the information on to the writer. Carol Bradley Bursack is a veteran caregiver and an established columnist. She is also a blogger, and the author of “Minding Our Elders: Caregivers Share Their Personal Stories.” Bradley Bursack hosts a website supporting caregivers and elders at www. mindingourelders.com. She can be reached at carolbursack@msn. com.
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Fraudulent phone calls threatening arrest, legal action unknown callers are using increasingly threatening language in these calls. The callers state, due to improper or illegal activity with a citizen’s Social Security number (SSN) or account, a citizen will be arrested or face other legal action if they fail to call a provided phone number to address the issue. This is BY MICKIE DOUGLAS a scam; citizens should not engage with these calls or Social Security provide any personal information. Public Affairs Specialist SSA employees do contact citizens, generally those who have ongoing business with SSA, by telephone for customer-service purposes. However, SSA The Acting Inspector General of Social Security, employees will never threaten you for information; Gale Stallworth Stone, is urging citizens to remain they will not state that you face potential arrest or vigilant of telephone impersonation schemes that other legal action if you fail to provide information. exploit the Social Security Administration’s (SSA) In those cases, the call is fraudulent, and you should reputation and authority. just hang up. The Office of the Inspector General (OIG) con“Unfortunately, scammers will try anything to tinues to receive reports from across the country mislead and harm innocent people, including scarabout fraudulent phone calls from people claiming ing them into thinking that something is wrong to be from SSA. Recent reports have indicated that with their Social Security account and they might
Social Security
be arrested,” Stone said. “I encourage everyone to remain watchful of these schemes and to alert family members and friends of their prevalence. We will continue to track these scams and warn citizens, so that they can stay several steps ahead of these thieves.” The OIG recently warned that some of these impersonation calls have “spoofed” SSA’s national customer service phone number, displaying 1-800-7721213 as the incoming number on caller ID. The Acting Inspector General urges citizens to be extremely cautious, and to avoid providing information such as your SSN or bank account numbers to unknown persons over the phone or internet unless you are certain of who is receiving it. If you receive a suspicious call from someone alleging to be from SSA, you should report that information to the OIG at 1-800-269-0271 or online at https://oig.ssa.gov/ report.