Specialist Thomas Conway stands a parade route in his ceremonial blues while serving with the 3rd Infantry Regiment in the Washington D.C. area during the early 1980s.
March 2020
Conway is proud of his service, but keeps quiet about it Do you know your next-door neighbor’s story? You might be surprised what you can learn if you ask. Take Tom Conway, a human resources manager at Lamb Weston who comes across as competent, professional and good-humored. He lives in a nice house in a middle-class neighborhood. He’s been married for 26 years to Jean, the younger sister of a high school classmate, and they have three grown sons and seven grandchildren. Tom moved here in January 2016 to work. The following year, he was appointed to fill the late Dave Rutherford’s seat on the Park Rapids City Council. What more could there be to know? Try adding these facts to your Tom Conway knowledge base:
Conway ► He learned to play a guitar at age 11 and still plays for relaxation. He even has a travel guitar, designed to fit in an airplane’s overhead compartment. ► Originally from Emmetsburg, Iowa, he has a bachelor’s degree in personnel management from Northwest Missouri State University and an MBA from St. Ambrose University in Davenport, Iowa. ► His career has included jobs with a construction company that builds
plants for Cargill and, later, with paper and construction materials giant Georgia Pacific. He also taught college for a couple semesters as an adjunct professor and chaired an economic development commission. ► Transferring from one office to another, he worked for about six years in Iowa, then 11 in Duluth, a couple years in Atlanta, Ga. and six in Las Vegas, Nev. before he and Jean decided to move back to the midwest, and he joined Lamb Weston. From 10,000 feet, it might look like everything fell into place, starting with that bachelor’s degree. But at ground level, Conway said, it wasn’t like that at all. “When you look back at somebody’s career at this stage of the game, it looks like it was planned out,” he said. “One thing seems to lead to the other. But when
you’re going through it, you’re 20-something and you’re thinking, ‘I’m having a heck of a time finding a job, so I’m going to join the Army.’ And then the Army leads to services that draw people’s attention.” People, for example, like then-Vice President George H.W. Bush. “I don’t think I would have had the career I’d had if I hadn’t joined the service, because I think the prestigious duty assignments that I had drew people’s attention, and that had a lot to do with getting interviews and getting (hired).”
Young man in the Old Guard
After finishing college in three and a half years, Conway said, “I struggled to find a job, probably because I was only 21, so I joined the Army.”
CONWAY: Page 4
Art Beat Quarterly Regional Guide
Inside this issue... 2 The secret to houseplant success 3 What is REAL ID? 5-8 Art Beat 9 PANTRY-PERFECT: Brown butter is gamechanging in these chocolate chip cookies 10 Monitoring solutions for loved ones with dementia 11 Helping family from a distance with memory care 11 Small gestures can reassure anxious or lonely older adults
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By Robin Fish rfish@parkrapidsenterprise.com
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Ma rch 2 02 0
The secret to houseplant success Growing Together BY DON KINZLER Columnist Did you hear about the guy who tried to teach mathematics to his houseplants? The plants enjoyed the conversation, but ended up with square roots. If you have houseplants in your home, you’re part of the world’s most popular gardening activity, based on participation. Think of the immense number of us worldwide living in houses, apartments and condos who are growing at least a few houseplants, even if other forms of gardening aren’t options. Where did houseplants come from? The Bible doesn’t say, “On the sixth day, God created houseplants.” The plants that we grow indoors were native outdoors, growing wildly somewhere in the world until humans decided it would be fun to bring them inside. The secret to houseplant success is understanding where plants were native, and then duplicating those preferred conditions indoors. Plants are much like people, and an old adage, “There’s no place like home,” applies to both. Houseplants will thrive indoors if we provide the care to which they were accustomed outdoors in their native habitat. How can we duplicate a plant’s native origins? The majority of houseplants were domesticated from tropical regions with warm, humid, jungle-like climates. A secondary but still important group includes cactuses and other succulents, many of which originated in dry, desertlike regions, but there are also jungle-type succulents. Finding out where a plant is native unlocks the secret of success for its care indoors. Houseplants native to the tropics will enjoy the following: ► Organic material quickly builds and then quickly decomposes in lush jungle rainforests. For native houseplants, potting mixes high in organic material such as peat moss provide a soil to which they’re accustomed. ► Potting mixes containing slow-release fertilizer provide a similar gradual release of nutrients found in decaying organic material of the tropics, as does organic-type fertilizer fed to houseplants. ► Although rainfall is generous in tropical climates, the organic component drains well. If houseplants are potted in soil that remains heavy and muddy, plants can quickly suffer. ► Tropical plants that are treelike in nature might be accustomed to higher light levels than lower-story plants. Shorter plants that originate on the jungle floor are usually better adapted to lower light. ► Plants native to the rainforests are accustomed to having their foliage rinsed in warm rainwater. Even African violets, whose leaves become spotted if water is chilly, enjoy an occasional shower of lukewarm water, as they received in their homeland.
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Leaves of succulents like jade plants are thick and waxy, a water conserving adaptation from their native environment. (Photos by David Samson/ Forum News Service) ► Plants of tropical origin are easily chilled, often causing irreversible damage if exposed to temperatures below 50 degrees. When buying and transporting plants in winter, protect them by inflating a plastic bag with puffs of air to create a warm bubble. ► Humidity is much appreciated, instead of furnace-dried air. Plants in groupings enjoy shared humidity. ► In the absence of natural predators, insect populations can build quickly on indoor plants, so be prepared with neem oil, insecticidal soap or systemic granules. For cactuses and other succulents native to areas with limited rainfall, the following tips will make them feel at home: ► Potting mixes specially formulated for cactuses and succulents duplicate the natural sandy, rocky or gravelly soil in which they originated, which drains rapidly. ► Rot is the most common cause of failure of succulents from too-frequent watering. Imitating the desert’s infrequent rainfall is the best recipe for success. If in doubt, delay watering. ► The thick, waxy covering of succulents helps them conserve water internally, which explains how they’re well adapted to infrequent rains outdoors, or well-spaced watering indoors. ► Instead of potting cactuses and succulents in a decorative container that doesn’t have a drainage hole, use a well-drained pot set inside the decorative
A houseplant's native origin gives important clues to its preferred care. container, which allows drainage water to be seen and discarded immediately. ► Cactuses and succulents are low-maintenance plants, but they aren’t necessarily adapted to low light. In their native habitat, light is often bright, which provides best growth. Don Kinzler, a lifelong gardener, is the horticulturist with North Dakota State University Extension for Cass County. Readers can reach him at kinzlerd@casscountynd.gov or call 701-241-5707.
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March 2020
What is REAL ID? Boomers on the Move BY KARIN HAUGRUD Columnist It is an identification card that meets minimum standards for proof of identity and residency set forth by the Department of Homeland Security and bears a gold star in the corner. For many people, it will be a driver’s license that meets the extra requirements. People without drivTo prove Minnesota residency, applicants must er’s licenses can get state ID cards that comply with show two documents, such as an unexpired Minnethe REAL ID requirements. A REAL ID can be used for boarding domestic flights and entering military bases sota driver’s license, a credit card or bank account statement less than 90 days old, or a federal or state and other federal buildings. Travelers without a REAL ID will need a passport, passport card or Enhanced ID to board a domestic flight starting in October 2020. What is Enhanced ID? It’s a REAL ID that also acts as a “mini passport,” allowing travelers to re-enter the U.S. by land or sea from Mexico, Canada and some Caribbean countries. It is marked with an American flag. An Enhanced ID cannot be used for international air travel. Who needs a REAL ID or Enhanced ID? It depends on where people go and what other identification documents they have. Anyone 18 or older will need a REAL or Enhanced ID — or a passport or a passport card — to board a domestic flight or visit a federal facility. Travelers who are under 18 do not need the new ID cards. What documents are needed? Applicants must bring one document to prove their identity and date of birth. Acceptable documents include an unexpired passport, a certified copy of a birth certificate or a certificate of citizenship. Applicants must also show proof of having a Social Security number by presenting a Social Security card, a W2 form showing taxes withheld from a paycheck for the current year, or a pay stub with name, address and Social Security number.
income tax return from the most recent filing year. When will REAL ID be enforced? The final enforcement deadline is Oct. 1, 2020. By this date, not only must all states be issuing REAL ID-compliant licenses or IDs, but individuals must also have visited their state’s driver’s licensing agency and obtained a REAL ID compliant card, or acceptable alternative, such as a U.S. passport. 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 800333-2433 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.
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Ma rch 2 02 0 CONWAY From Page 1
After training, he was assigned to the 3rd Infantry Regiment, known as the Old Guard – the Washington, D.C. area outfit that does funeral honors at Arlington National Cemetery, troop reviews for visiting dignitaries, guard duty for state dinners, and a little crowd control. Thanks to his college degree, Conway hit the ground as a Specialist 4 and was assigned to the battalion’s operations office. Almost immediately, he became the office’s non-commissioned officer in charge, tasked with assigning personnel for ceremonial and funeral duties. He took part in the behind-the-scenes arrangements for the interment of the Vietnam-era unknown soldier – which he says “still is my proudest moment.” In 1984, the fallen soldier, who has since been identified by DNA testing and reburied, was flown from Vietnam to Hawaii and from there to Washington, then carried in a parade to Arlington, all under constant guard. “They wanted soldiers to line the parade route, and we had to pull everybody we had,” said Conway. “When you hit the Old Guard, you go through ceremonial training. It doesn’t matter what your duty assignment is. ... So, when he got there, besides assisting with doing the arrangements, I stood the parade route” – along with members of all the services. A certificate recognizing that Conway “served with distinction” during the Vietnam unknown’s burial holds a position of pride in his study to this day. Soon after that – “I don’t know how the two were connected,” admitted Conway – his three-year tour was extended and he transferred to the White House Communications Agency. “For the first six months,” he said, “I was actually in an office in the old Executive Office Building on the White House grounds, proofreading procurement contracts for the purchase of electronic equipment.” But, he added, “I wasn’t very good at it. … I was having a hard time understanding the electronics in the contracts.” So, the agency sent him to an electronics class, where he did so well that he was offered a job as a radio technician with the agency’s mobile electronics unit, which sets up communications for Presidential and Vice Presidential trips. “I think I did a total of 11 trips for the President and Vice President of the United States, including trips overseas,” he said. These trips included a presidential inauguration in civil war-torn Guatemala, a summit in Mexicali between Pres. Ronald Reagan and Mexican Pres. Miguel de la Madrid, and a World Economic Summit in Bonn, Germany. His souvenirs from these trips include a ceremonial dagger given him by the mayor of Mexicali, and a solid gold memento of being noticed by a future U.S. President. “One of my jobs was, when Air Force 1 or Air Force 2 landed,” Conway said, “you would put the nose chock
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Conway found these gold cufflinks with the Vice Presidential seal on his desk after George H.W. Bush noticed him standing in the receiving line at three different airports. down ... and then underneath the nose there’s a hatch you pull down where you would hook up the hardline wires for the telephone systems and fax systems.” After that, Conway said, he would join the receiving line and try not to draw attention to himself. “Even though I was an Army sergeant, I was plainclothed,” he said. “I was on the tarmac in Chicago when an Army captain came off the plane and came up to me and said, ‘The Vice President as noticed you the last three times he’s got off an airplane, and was wondering who you were.’ “I identified myself as Sgt. Conway with White House Communications, and when I got back to my office in Washington, I had a manila envelope on my desk that had those two pictures in it (signed photos of Reagan and Bush) and that set of gold cufflinks. The cufflinks have George Bush’s signature engraved on the back and the vice-presidential seal on the front.” In spite of these memories, Conway doesn’t treat his Army service as anything to boast about, compared to the service of others in his family. A tradition of military service runs strong on both sides of the Conways’ family. “In the four generations from my father-in-law to my granddaughter who’s (currently) serving,” he said, “there’s 11 immediate family members that served, four of them career.” Jean’s dad, who spent 30 years in the Air Force, is buried at Arlington. Her three brothers served in the
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Conway's job with the White House Communications Agency meant providing electronics support on 11 presidential or vice-presidential trips during Ronald Reagan's presidency. Army, Air Force and Marine Corps. Meanwhile, Tom – the youngest of 11 kids – has one brother-in-law whose Army division was in Berlin when the wall went up, another who was with the Marine Corps in Vietnam, and a sister and brother-in-law who were both Navy corpsmen during the Vietnam era. One of their sons is an Army master sergeant whose 21-year career includes seven overseas tours. And now their oldest granddaughter is in the Air Force. “When my son was stationed at Fort Dix (N.J.), we went over for a vacation,” said Conway. “We drove down to spend a day at Arlington, thinking of visiting grandpa and seeing where I had done my service, because we had grandkids going with us. “The one thing that struck me was, when we finished visiting Jean’s father’s grave and we saw the changing of the guard at the tomb, my son had a list of people to visit that he’d served with, and that sort of brought home what we were doing.” Conway concluded, “As proud as I am of my military service, it’s trivial compared to the sacrifices a lot of people have made, including the members of my own family.”
Winter in Minnesota: Dry air...Dry skin...Dry eyes.
Every fall and winter, Minnesotans can count on the weather turning cold, our furnaces turning on, and the air turning dry. Along with this dry air comes dry skin, cracked hands, and dry EYES. What is dry eye syndrome? Some people do not produce enough tears (or the appropriate quality of tears) to protect the eyes and keep them moist. This condition is known as dry eye. If you have mild or borderline dry eye, this condition can become much worse as the air dries out in fall and winter. What are the symptoms of dry eye? Many people with very watery eyes are surprised to learn that they actually suffer from dry eye syndrome. In fact, watering is one of the most commonly reported symptoms in patients with dry eye. This watering can become worse when out in cold windy air, or when you are in a car with the heat blowing at your eyes. What causes dry eye? Tear production decreases as we get older. Dry eye can occur in both men and women, but it is more commonly seen in women. This is especially true after menopause. Many systemic diseases can contribute to dry eye, including Sjogren’s syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus and many others. Prescription and over-the-counter medications can also contribute to dry eye. How is dry eye diagnosed and treated? Your optometrist can detect dry eye during an eye exam, using special tests and dyes to measure your tear production and tear evaporation. If you do not produce enough tears, or if your tears evaporate from your eyes too quickly, your optometrist will likely diagnose you with dry eye syndrome. There are new advances in dry eye therapy all the time. From over the counter or prescription drops, oral medications, or even minor surgical procedures, we have a solution for your dry eyes! Call to schedule a dry eye evaluation with one of our doctors, and start feeling better today!
Art Beat Quarterly Regional Guide
MARCH
SPRING 2020 ARTS CALENDAR
March 1 Deadline for submissions for Talking Stick #29 March 3 Headwaters Center for Lifelong Learning: Aerial Firefighting March 5 Heartland Concert Association: The Hall Sisters March 10 Headwaters Center for Lifelong Learning: The Great White North March 12 Chasing the Northern Lights library program March 17 Headwaters Center for Lifelong Learning: The Land Feeds Us, Body and Soul March 24 Headwaters Center for Lifelong Learning: Fish and Wildlife Enforcement – A Look Back March 27 Northern Light Opera Company cast auditions March 28 Northern Light Opera Company dance auditions March 29 Terrapin Sundays: Original art and music series March 31 Headwaters Center for Lifelong Learning: A Farm, A Forest, A Little Blue Bird, and the Future – Or What Happens When a Farmer Marries a Bluebirder
APRIL April 2 April 7
Century Elementary 2nd Grade Music Concert: Pajama Party Headwaters Center for Lifelong Learning: For Love of a River: Minnesota
April 14 Headwaters Center for Lifelong Learning: Hobos of the Great Depression April 21 Headwaters Center for Lifelong Learning: I’m Just a Girl from Federal Dam April 24-25 Park Rapids Classic Chorale Concerts April 27 Park Rapids Area High School Band Concert April 28 Heartland Concert Association: Ball in the House
MAY
May 3 May 4 May 6 May 11 May 14 May 30
JUNE
Park Rapids Area Community Band Concert Century Middle School Choir Concert Park Rapids Area High School Choir Concert Century Middle School Band Concert Century Elementary 3rd & 4th Grade Music Programs Park Rapids Sculpture Trail unveiling
June 11 2nd Street Stage concerts start June 19-21 Blank Canvas Gallery Revisited art show
Classic Chorale concert offers connection to the earth
The 50-voice Park Rapids Classic Chorale’s spring concert will resonate with listeners in a program titled “We Belong to the Earth."
Are you ready for warmer weather? Are you needing some time to connect to the earth through songs about her? Just need to get out of the house? Join the Park Rapids Classic Chorale for “We Belong to the Earth,” a concert of nature-themed music, which will be presented at 7:30 p.m. Friday, April 24 and at 3 p.m. Sunday, April 26 at St. Johns Lutheran Church in Park Rapids. The 50-voice chorale, under the direction of Dr. Melanie Hanson, closes their 30th anniversary season leading listeners on a journey connecting us back to the land we call home, Earth. Listeners will enjoy traditional Native American texts as well as music from famous Minnesota composers, F. Melius Christiansen’s Psalm 50 as well as
“Dawn” composed by Crookston native Dr. Eric William Barnum, grandson of one of the members of the chorale. The program will be rounded out by “Tree of Life” by Mack Wilberg, music director of the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square as well as the well-known American Composer Aaron Copland’s stunning “The Promise of Living.” The concert is open to the public with a free will offering taken at intermission. As always, everyone is invited to join the chorale in the social hall for refreshments following the concert and enjoy the artwork of local Ojibwa artist Brian K. Down. Remember to like us on Facebook at PRClassicChorale to stay up to date on all the Chorale happenings!
Community welcome to Century Elementary music programs A Century Elementary second grade music concert is scheduled for 7 p.m. Thursday, April 2. Students will be performing a musical revue about how bedtime can be a blast called "Pajama Party," written by Cristi Cary Miller and Jay Michael Ferguson. “This is a super fun program we are excited about sharing with the community,” said instructor Kirsten Edevold.
Remember, if the main parking lot is full, people may use the bus loop on the south side of the school. Century Elementary third and fourth grade music programs will be the evening of Thursday, May 14. There will be two separate concerts with the third grade starting at 6:30 p.m. and the fourth grade concert at 7:30 p.m. “We scheduled them back to back to make more seating for our audience,” Edevold said. “This worked really well last year.”
Concert music selections will be very varied. “First Responders” is a song that pays tribute to the people in our community who help us. “Peace Song,” “There is Life Beyond the Phone” and “Es Bueno Ser Educado” are just a few of the pieces students have been preparing. “We invite the community to enjoy an evening of music sure to bring a smile. There is nothing like young voices singing together to lift your spirits,” Edevold said.
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Art Beat Quarterly Regional Guide
Nemeth Art Center opening will feature T.L. Solien: See the Sky The Nemeth Art Center is excited to open its season May 1 with T. L. Solien: See the Sky, exhibiting one of the region’s most prominent, well-respected and prolific artists. This exhibition, curated by Christopher Atkins, will be a compact survey of Solien’s career. The exhibition will be organized around overlapping themes, such as literature, art, landscape and autobiography, and will include significant paintings, sculptures and works on paper that have not been displayed before. Solien has had a long career in Minnesota and the upper Midwest region and is known to many artists as an influential professor at the University of Wisconsin – Madison, where he just retired after a 27-year career. His work is represented in many collections, such as the Whitney Museum of American Art, the Art Institute of Chicago, the Walker Art Center, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Tate Modern and the Smithsonian Museum. The exhibit will be on display through July 4 and is supported in part from a Region 2 Arts Council grant with funding allocated by the Minnesota State Legislature. Also commencing the season in May, the Nemeth Art Center is proudly partnering with the Park Rapids Area League of Women Voters to host the traveling exhibit, “A Century of Civic Engagement: Leave of Women Voters Minnesota.” This exhibit celebrates the 19th Amendment’s centennial year and decades of local impact from the grassroots work of the Park Rapids Area League of Women Voters. Visitors can see how this nationwide network of non-partisan chapters has empowered voters through education and advocacy. Events, including theatrical
The curated show T.L. Solien: See the Sky will be on exhibit at the Nemeth Art Center from May 1 through July 4 in the main gallery. This painting is titled Theorem.
performances, will accompany this exhibit during the month of May. In June, NAC looks forward to hosting another Youth Art Exhibit showcasing and celebrating the creative works of local teens. Guest artists will judge the works, and prizes will be announced during a reception. The public is welcome to cast their votes in the popular “People’s Choice Awards” for their favorite works. Opening July 9, the Nemeth will be hosting an extraordinary exhibit by world renowned New York artists Dana Schutz and Ryan Johnson. This will be the first ever duo exhibition for the couple, after each having many years of successful exhibits around the world. Schutz will be
showing new paintings using gouache and Johnson will exhibit four new mixed media sculptures. This show will be up through the end of the season. This year, NAC will be introducing a monthly series of young artist workshops led by guest artists called the ART Explorer’s Workshops, made possible by a generous grant from the Region 2 Arts Council with funding from the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund. In addition, throughout the entire season, the ART Explorer’s Corner will be open during all gallery hours for artists of all ages to drop in and explore their own creative expression. Thematic activities corresponding with the workshops and exhibits will provide endless inspiration. Artist receptions during each exhibit will provide an opportunity for the public to meet and converse with the artists directly, as well as provide a chance to hear the artists describe their work and process. Various events throughout the season will bring musicians, poets, filmmakers and performing artists into the NAC galleries for fun-filled summer evenings. Check the website throughout the season for updates on receptions, cultural events and workshop dates. The Nemeth Art Center is located in the Historic Hubbard County Court House at 301 Court Avenue in Park Rapids. All exhibits are free and open to the public, May through September, due to generous support of sponsors, members and patrons, and grants. Open hours are Thursdays-Saturdays from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Please visit www.nemethartcenter.org.
Northern Light Opera Company has opportunities for you
NLOC’s 2019 production of The Drowsy Chaperone was proclaimed by many as their new “best ever.” Watching folks leaving the Armory with big smiles on their faces was very rewarding to cast and crew.
Whatever your age, if you like to sing, dance, build things, find new friends or do something to make others smile, check out Northern Light Opera Company (NLOC). The 2020 summer musical will be “Big Fish,” a rollicking fantasy set in the American South that premiered on Broadway in 2017. This is your invitation to become part of a fun/rewarding adventure and audition to become one of the characters telling this story. Auditions will be at Calvary Lutheran Church, Park Rapids as follows: Friday, March 27 from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. sing one verse, recite one to two two-minute monologues and Saturday, March 28 dance auditions at 10:30 a.m. and invited call-backs at 1:30 p.m. For more information about characters, vocal range, sides, etc., check: www.northernlightopera.org or info@northernlightopera.org.
If you’re shy about performing on stage, consider becoming one of NLOC’s valued volunteers. NLOC needs volunteers who can use a screw gun, saw, paint, sew/fit costumes, distribute posters, become word-of-mouth storytellers, etc. Whether you are on stage or behind-the-scenes, you become part of making magic happen. Last summer, volunteers commented: “I haven’t had so much fun for ages.” “This show has been a joy that I never would have anticipated.” For the past 18 summers, NLOC has entertained the Heartland Lakes area with professional quality musical theater productions ranging from Gilbert & Sullivan and Broadway blockbusters to more contemporary musicals. Community members, including your neighbors, are led by professional directors to entertain you.
Kids invited to sign up for theater camp
Theater camp kids ride the bus together between Pine Point School and the Park Rapids Armory.
Do you know an 8- to 13-year-old with lots of creative energy? Dates of June 29 to July 18, there is an exciting opportunity to attend NLOKids, a theater camp where kids, guided by NLOC staff, write the story, compose music and build sets and costumes to create and perform an original musical for parents and friends. Their musical is performed both at the Pine Point Community Center and the Park Rapids Armory Arts and Events Center. Cost of the camp is minimal because of a grant from the Region 2 Arts Council and donations from supporters. 2020 will be the fifth year of collaboration between the Northern Light Opera Company and the Indigenous community of Pine Point. An equal number of students from each community ride the bus together to and from Pine Point School and the Park Rapids Armory. They work, play and eat together and have formed amazing friendships. A
number of past participants in NLOKids have become leaders and assistants at subsequent theater camps. Parents and guardians have observed that their students have changed and become more confident and outgoing after their involvement in NLOKids. A comment heard after last summer’s performance was that it was “fun watching the faces of the kids and audience during and after the performance. … They looked so pleased and happy.” Check out a fun video at www.youtube.com/ watch?v=uS3K-7qzxHc&t=20s. For additional information, go to www.northernlightopera. org or info@northernlightopera.org. This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the Region 2 Arts Council, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund.
2019-2020 CONCERT SEASON
DON’T WAIT TO BE ASKED. JOIN NOW! The Heartland Concert Association presents
Real artists - Professional entertainers who have thrilled audiences everywhere. Real entertainment - Enjoy the presence live of performers who focus on you. Real economy - Less than $10 a show! Real “in” crowd - A night out with the family. Good performances. Good friends.
Thursday, March 5, 2020 Tuesday, April 28, 2020
The Hall Sisters Ball In The House
TICKETS AVAILABLE AT THE DOOR VISIT OUR WEBSITE FOR MORE INFORMATION
www.heartlandconcertassociation.org This activity is funded in whole or in part by a Region 2 Arts Council Grant through an appropriation by the MN Legislature, and the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund passed by MN voters on Nov. 4, 2008
Art Beat Quarterly Regional Guide
Arts programming benefits exceed DAC expectations
The Minnesota State Arts Board awarded $18,136 to the Hubbard County Developmental Achievement Center (DAC) through the Partners in Arts Participation Grant. It is designed to broaden opportunities for Minnesotans to participate in the arts. The grant period ran from March 1, 2019 through Feb. 28, 2020. The goal of the project was to advance personal growth, deepen social relationships and increase community engagement for Hubbard County DAC clients. The funding allowed the DAC to plan a monthly, integrated art activity with guest artists. The arts programming included theatrical expression, group painting and individual visual art classes with mosaic and acrylic. Collaborating artists were Nate Luetgers, Marsha Wolff and Jennifer Geraedts of Vision Theater. These talented artists were chosen for their artistic talents and their skills in joyfully sharing their art. Nate worked with 23 people to produce the two murals that now beautify the south wall of the DAC on Pleasant Avenue. He also provides individual Paint with Nate classes that are very popular choices on the activity calendar at the DAC. Marsha designed and led daily sessions in May and October to help DAC clients complete four beautiful mosaic pieces. Two mosaics can be viewed at the DAC Main building, one at Bearly Used and one at Salvage Depot.
A traveling art show to share the art experiences of Hubbard County DAC clients and guest artists was on display at Northwoods Bank. Other locations for the show have been Citizens National Bank, CHI St. Joseph’s Health and Bella Caffé.
Jennifer introduced the concepts of story and characters and worked with 10 DAC actors to write and produce four plays that were performed for 120 people at Calvary Lutheran Church in April. The performance was a hit, and 18 DAC actors performed with staff, Jennifer and Ray
Niedzielski in December at Riverside United Methodist Church for a crowd of 160 people. The final stage of the program is a traveling art show to share the experience with the Park Rapids community. Citizens National Bank hosted the display Feb. 3-10. The display moved to Northwoods Bank Feb. 10-17, CHI St. Joseph’s Health Feb. 17-24 and Bella Caffé Feb. 24-29. “This grant has provided benefits that exceeded expectations and has created a thirst for more knowledge and experiences with DAC participants. The program was empowering to participants, staff, guest artists and our audiences as we focused on ability not disability,” said Laura Johnson, Hubbard County DAC Executive Director. “Arts activities offer a unique way for individuals to express themselves. “The DAC is thankful to our four teaching artists, the community, our host sites and the State Arts Board for giving us this opportunity to expand programming and partner with our community,” she added. This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund.
HCLL announces spring schedule
Headwaters Center for Lifelong Learning’s spring 2020 series begins at 1 p.m. March 3 at Park Theater, Park Rapids, with Minnesota Department of Natural Resources firefighting specialist Dan Carroll revealing techniques of aerial firefighting used to prevent and combat wildfires. HCLL, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, presents eight informational programs at no charge each spring and eight each fall on Tuesdays from 1 to 2:30 p.m. The programs are open to the public and are handicap accessible. Refreshments are available. Marty Leistikow, HCLL’s board of directors chair, remarked, “The spring series promises to be exceptionally interesting and relevant. Wildfires in Australia and the U.S. generated much interest and attention to threats to natural resources, so the opening program is important and timely. HCLL’s board of directors responded to the desire for knowledge about nature by finding and
scheduling experts on a range of related topics for the spring series.” Other programs scheduled for spring are listed below: March 10: “The Great White North.” Photographer Cal Rice’s travels took him to Polar Bear territory at Churchill, where he also captured images of Arctic Fox, Ptarmigan and Snowy Owls. March 17: “The Land Feeds Us, Body and Soul.” Marcie Rendon, author of the novel, “Murder on the Red River,” will talk about her history of writing and how her Ojibwe heritage has formed and shaped her story. March 24: Fish and Wildlife Enforcement – A Look Back.” Tom Chapin recalls events and experiences from a 30-year career in poaching enforcement, telling dramatic and often humorous anecdotes of human behavior. March 31: “A Farm, A Forest, A Little Blue Bird, and the Future – Or What Happens When a Farmer Marries a
Bluebirder.” Mary and Bill Bailey, 2015 Tree Farmers of the Year, introduce us to the conservation practices that permeate their professions. April 7: “For Love of a River: Minnesota.” Aquatic ecologists Geri and Darby Nelson weave together cultural and natural history as they recount their journey of paddling the entire length of the Minnesota River. April 14: “Hobos of the Great Depression.” Connie Lounsbury, HCLL’s featured’ Bella Sanders Memorial speaker, brings pictures, stories and colorful history with daily life details of a unique aspect of life in the 1930s. April 21: “I’m Just a Girl from Federal Dam.” Justice Anne McKeig will talk about her upbringing on the Leech Lake Reservation, education, work as a prosecutor, family law judge and Minnesota Supreme Court Justice.
Heartland Arts announces new website
A year ago, the Park Rapids Lakes Area Arts Council began the process of rebranding as Heartland Arts, to align with Chamber of Commerce-led efforts to rebrand as Heartland Lakes and, like the Chamber, to be more inclusive of area communities. As a first step, the Heartland Arts council approved and began using a new logo. In late December, the PRLAAC website was redesigned, renamed and can be found at www.heartlandarts.org. The new mobile friendly website is the go-to place to find an arts calendar and information about arts events, access to photo galleries of arts events going back to 2009, information about Heartland Arts’ member organizations and links to other organizations that support arts efforts as well as volunteer opportunities and a glimpse of the Park Rapids Sculpture Trail.
The website also provides information and the application form for the Medici Project, which awards scholarships to students for music and dance lessons and other activities to advance student studies and arts opportunities. The new Heartland Arts logo and website were made possible by the voters of Minnesota, through a Community Arts Support grant from the Region 2 Arts Council, thanks to legislative appropriations from the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund and the State’s General Fund. Heartland Arts also promotes arts events on Facebook at parkrapidsarts. Since Jan. 5, 2005 the arts council’s mission has been “to promote excellence in the arts through creation, education and performance.” Since the first meeting, PRLAAC has served as an umbrella organization for arts and cultural organizations in the Park
Many Heartland Arts activities are made possible by the voters of Minnesota, through the Region 2 Arts Council, thanks to legislative appropriations from the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund and the State’s General Fund.
Rapids area. At-large members and representatives from these groups, along with individual arts project champions, meet monthly to coordinate arts calendars, share information and incubate interest in new arts projects. In 2020 Heartland Arts will sponsor Noon Hour Concerts and Art Leap. And in partnership with other arts organizations and the Park Rapids Enterprise, Heartland Arts will continue the quarterly publication of Art Beat.
www.heartlandarts.org Facebook: parkrapidsarts
Art Beat Quarterly Regional Guide
Community Band rehearsing for spring concert The Park Rapids Area Community Band has begun preparing for its spring concert at 3 p.m. Sunday, May 3 at the Park Rapids High School auditorium, continuing its legacy of putting on creative programs with musicians from Park Rapids and surrounding communities. The band is conducted by Adam Tervola Hultberg of New York Mills. The band’s regular members come from towns in more than a one-hour radius of Park Rapids, including Bemidji, Nevis, Wadena, Detroit Lakes and beyond. The musicians span the age and experience spectrum, from several area school music teachers to adults who still
Deborah Harris
enjoy playing their instruments many years after high school. The band currently has about five high school musicians seeking additional performing experience.
The concert May 3 will be titled “The Great American Outdoors.” The opening selection will be “An Outdoor Overture,” composed by Aaron Copland in 1938. Other pieces include “Down a Country Lane,” also by Copland, “Shenandoah” by Frank Ticheli and “Variations on America” by Charles Ives. Guest soloist Deborah Harris will delight the audience with her brilliant flute playing. The longtime professor of flute from Concordia College will be featured in the flute section on a work called “The Gemeinhardt Suite.” The three movement work explores a variety of ethnic components as well as flute-specific
details. For example, the soloist and members of the section will play alto and bass flutes in addition to the standard C flute and piccolo. The Park Rapids Area Community Band began in 1991 with Jim Wheeler as its founding leader. Many years later, Wheeler still attends band events as a loyal audience member. This time, he has agreed to conduct the band on a piece that was on the inaugural program, “Guadalcanal March” from the television program “Victory at Sea.” Wheeler acted on his vision of making the Park Rapids Area Community Band a strong musical ensemble for many years to come.
2020 Sculpture Trail entries are invited The City of Park Rapids and Park Rapids Arts and Culture Advisory Commission are accepting entries for the Park Rapids Sculpture Trail. Entry deadline is April 30. Artists will be notified of selection committee results by May 15 and will have until May 27 to install their works. Artists receive a $350 honorarium during installation and $150 during sculpture removal. The entry form is available by contacting City Planner Andrew Mack at 218-732-3163 or a.mack@arvig.net. An unveiling and guided walk of the new installations are planned May 30.
Sponsors for each new sculpture also are being sought and will be recognized with signage and in a brochure. The number of sculptures selected will be determined by the number of sponsors who commit. Sponsors also may contact Mack at city hall for more information. The Sculpture Trail project was initiated in 2018 in Red Bridge Park, providing a beautiful setting on the Fish Hook River. Last year, the Sculpture Trail expanded to two locations in Downtown Park Rapids. The Arts and Culture Commission’s intent is to change the sculptures annually to expose visitors art both locations to new works.
The project meets three goals and objectives of the city’s Arts and Culture Plan: • Promoting the creation and inclusion of art in public spaces, making it accessible to all. • Making the city a regional destination for unique arts and cultural experiences. It can be expected that art in an unexpected location will convey to park visitors and trail users that Park Rapids has much to offer as an arts community. • Adding an element of creative placemaking as an approach to improving quality of life and economic opportunity.
The Park Rapids Sculpture Trail will be refreshed in 2020 with entries and sponsors invited for six locations in Red Bridge Park and up to two locations in Downtown Park Rapids. Patrick Shannon’s “Sunrise” was among the entries accepted in 2019.
Two concerts remain in HCA 2019-20 season
Two Heartland Concert Association concerts remain for the 2019-20 season. If you haven't seen a concert yet, you should take time to enjoy the entertainment HCA brings to the area. HCA invites you to hear the music of The Hall Sisters at 7 p.m. Thursday, March 5 in the Park Rapids Area High School Auditorium. These vocalists, who are indeed sisters, have been performing since 2007 and have performed in Nashville's Grand Ole Opry, Carnegie Hall and the Country Music Hall of Fame. They have a unique blend of the Andrews
Sisters and current pop artists. You will enjoy favorites such as “Ashokan Farewell,” “Sincerely,” “Carolina in My Mind,” “Sound of Silence,” “The Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy,” “Smile,” “Don't Sit Under the Apple Tree” and many more. Then Tuesday, April 28, same location and time, you will not want to miss Ball in the House. This high energy, a cappella vocal band will knock your socks off and entertain with hits such as “Signed, Sealed, Delivered,” “My Girl,” “When You Wish Upon a Star,” “I Only Have Eyes for You,” “Unchained Melody,” “This Little
Area artists plan reunion The original members of Blank Canvas Gallery, who opened their gallery on Main Street in Park Rapids in June 2010, are planning a 10-year reunion while hosting a public art show. The plan is to create a “three-day gallery” showing to reconnect with the public. Many of the artists remain in the community and are looking forward to working together again. While some artists have left the area, most indicate they will return for this event. Bickey Bender, a local arts organizer, supporter and catalyst for the community arts, states that this unique 10 year anniversary coincides with the community progress on the redevelopment of Armory Square. “We would not even try this without the availability of Armory Square. The founding members are enthusiastic for the opportunity,” said Bender. The show will be open to the public June 19, 20 and 21 at the Armory Arts and Events Center. Among demonstrations at In addition to the gallery show, several artist demonstrations are the Blank Canvas Gallery planned, to include sculptor Paul Albrecht, who will demonstrate show in June will be Paul Albright showing how to how to create a bench from your favorite family remembrance log. create a bench. This event is also supported by a gift from the Bella Sanders Estate.
Light/Swing Low, Sweet Chariot” and other favorites. Ball in the House also will be working with students from the Century Middle School Choir, who will be joining Ball in the House onstage during their performance. Heartland Concert Association thanks you for your membership. Single tickets are available at the door. Additional HCA funding is provided by the Region 2 Arts Council supporting a generous gift from the Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment.
Ball in the House will entertain April 28 as the grand finale to the 2019-20 Heartland Concert Association season.
One Terrapin Sunday left this season Terrapin Station is hosting a third season of Terrapin Sundays, an original art and music series. The last in the 2019-20 series will be Sunday, March 29 with art by Ramona, Barry and Casimir and music by SOMJAM. The art reception begins at 3 p.m. Music will start about 3:45 p.m. and go until about 6 p.m. with a 30-minute break between sets. Admission is $10 per event. Terrapin Station, a music, art and wellness centre, and the Blue Door Gallery are located at 115 Main Street, Nevis. For more information, call 218-652-4091 or go to www.facebook.com/events/506956356746321/.
Chasing Northern Lights Nature photographer and musician Debbie Center will present a program featuring her photography and music, while sharing her passion for the Northern Lights from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Thursday, March 12 at the Park Rapids Area Library.
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PANTRY-PERFECT Brown butter is game-changing in these chocolate chip cookies Chocolate Chip Cookies with Brown Butter & Toffee can be made with different types of chocolate chips. (Photos by Michael Vosburg / Forum News Service)
Home with the Lost Italian BY SARAH & TONY NASELLO
Columnist
Unlike a typical chocolate chip cookie in which the butter and sugar are creamed together with a mixer, this recipe begins by browning the butter — a simple process of melting it over medium heat until it turns a lovely, golden brown, which takes about five to eight minutes. The brown butter gives the cookies a rich and nutty flavor, and also helps the cookies spread as they bake, creating wonderfully crisp edges. Toffee bits are another key flavor component in the cookies, and you can use packaged toffee bits with milk chocolate or chop up two candy bars like Heath or Skor. Instead of chocolate chips, the original recipe calls for high-quality chocolate wafers (also called pistoles, fèves or disks) and Bon Appetit recommends using a variety that is 72% cacao. According to the magazine, “using chocolate wafers instead of chips is a cookie game-changer,” because they “tend to melt more evenly and smoothly” than chips. Chocolate wafers are different from the melting chocolate disks available in most supermarkets; in fact, I couldn’t find the wafers anywhere in Fargo-Moorhead. I eventually ordered some online but was discouraged by their high price, which ranged from $12 to $20 for about 12 ounces of chocolate. For this cookie quest, I really wanted affordable, easy to find ingredients, but I ordered the wafers anyway because I had to see for myself if they were, indeed, a game-changer. I’ve made these cookies for a variety of crowds — old, young, family, friends, strangers — using the expensive chocolate wafers, as well as a high-quality chocolate chip, like Guittard or Ghirardelli, that are easy to find in most grocery stores for about $4 to $5 per package. On two occasions, I’ve had friends and family sample both versions of cookies to see if there was any argument to be made for using the wafers. While each cookie was deemed delicious, both groups voted unanimously in favor of the cookies made with chips versus wafers. You can use whatever kind of chocolate you prefer, because the real game-changer of these cookies is the brown butter. These crowd-pleasing Brown Butter and Toffee Chocolate Chip Cookies are easy to make, special enough for any occasion and decadently delicious.
on medium speed until incorporated, about 1 minute. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat on medium-high speed until the mixture becomes light, fluffy and thick, about 1 minute. Add the flour mixture and beat on low speed just until combined. Use a wooden spoon or spatula to mix in the toffee bits and chocolate chips until fully incorporated. Cover bowl with a tea towel and let the dough rest at room temperature for 30 minutes. The dough will thicken as it sits. Once the dough has rested, use it immediately or refrigerate for up to 3 days. Bring dough to room temperature before baking. Preheat oven to 375 degrees and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Use an ice cream scoop (I use 1 ½-inch) to drop the cookie dough onto the Different types of chocolate chips and toffee can be baking sheet, spacing the cookies 2 inches apart. used to make Chocolate Chip Cookies with Brown Do not press and flatten as the cookies will spread as they bake. Bake in the center of the oven until Butter & Toffee. the cookies are golden brown and the center is just Chocolate Chip Cookies with Brown Butter slightly soft, about 9 to 12 minutes. Let the cookies cool on the hot sheet for 10 minutes, then transfer to & Toffee wire rack to cool completely. Repeat with remaining 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, unsalted dough. Makes about 30 cookies. 2 cups all-purpose flour To store: Store cookies in an airtight container at 1 teaspoon baking soda room temperature for up to 1 week. ¾ teaspoon salt (skip if using salted butter) To freeze unbaked cookies: Once you’ve filled a 1 cup brown sugar, packed (light or dark) 1/3 cup white sugar baking sheet with the scooped cookies, place the 2 large or extra-large eggs, room temperature sheet in the freezer until the cookies are hard, about 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract 1 hour. Transfer to a plastic bag or airtight contain½ cup milk chocolate toffee bits (equal to two er and freeze for several months. Cookies may go ¼-ounce Heath or Skor bars, chopped into bits) straight from the freezer to the oven, allowing for a 1¼ cups semisweet chocolate chips few extra minutes of baking time if necessary. ¼ cup milk chocolate chips Adapted from Bon Appetit magazine’s recipe for Brown In a medium saucepan, cook the butter over mediButter and Toffee Chocolate Chip Cookies. um to medium-low heat, stirring often, until it “Home with the Lost Italian” is a weekly column written by Sarah becomes a light golden brown, about 6 to 8 minutes. The butter will crackle and foam before browning; Nasello featuring recipes by her husband, Tony Nasello. The couple watch carefully, as once the butter starts to brown, it owned Sarello’s in Moorhead and lives in Fargo with their son, Giovanni. Readers can reach them at sarahnasello@gmail.com. will darken quickly. Once golden brown, remove the saucepan from the heat and pour the butter into a large mixing bowl. Woodland Court offers you a home full of amenities Let cool at room temperature for 5 minutes. that have been specially designed for independent living. In a medium bowl, Noon meal served • Court’s Hair Care Salon • Conveniently located within short combine the flour, baking walking distance to downtown, banking, grocery and pharmacy • Controlled soda and salt; set aside. access entry system • Housing assistance available • No application fee Add the brown and Affordable 1 & 2 bedroom apartment housing for persons white sugars to the mixover the age of 62, and/or handicapped or disabled Park Rapids Office ing bowl with the browned 618 1st St. E., Park Rapids Call or stop in today to find out more about our facility. Tuesdays 10 am - 3 pm, other times by appt. butter. Use a stand mixer We have openings! BRIAN HILLESLAND, NBC-HIS fitted with the paddle Applications for National Board Certified 1 BR, 1 BR H/C and 218-732-9312 attachment, or a handHearing Instrument Specialist 2 BR apartments Toll - Free 1-800-631-4946 held mixer, to beat the 300 Court Ave., Park Rapids, MN www.lloydmanagementinc.com 218-631-4966 butter and sugar together
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Monitoring solutions for loved ones with dementia your husband’s medical information engraved on it, along with his membership number and the tollfree MedicAlert emergency phone number. If he goes missing, you would call 911 and report it to the local police department who would begin a search, and then report it to MedicAlert. Or, a Good Samaritan or police officer may find him and call the MedicAlert BY JIM MILLER number to get him back home. Columnist The Vitals Aware Service works a bit differently. This is a free app-based network system that comes with a small beacon that your husband would wear. Monitoring technology For high-tech solutions, there are a variety of If he did go missing, anyone in the Vitals app netwearable GPS tracking devices available today that work community that came within 80 feet of him can help you keep tabs on him. Some top options would receive an alert and information about him so to consider include AngelSense (AngelSense.com), they could contact you. Another option that could help, depending on which can be attached to clothing or worn around the waist; wristwatches like the Theora Connect (Theo- where you live, is a radio frequency locater serraCare.com) or NurtureWatch (NurtureWatch.com); vice like SafetyNet and Project Lifesaver, which are and the GPS SmartSole (GPSSmartSole.com), which offered by some local law enforcement agencies. With these services, your husband would wear is a shoe insole tracker. All of these products come with smartphone apps a wristband that contains a radio transmitter that Simple solutions that would alert you if your husband were to wander emits tracking signals. If he goes missing, you would For starters, there are a number of simple home beyond a pre-established safe area and would let you contact the local authorities who would send out resmodifications you can do to keep your husband from know where to find him if he did. These products cue personnel who will use their tracking equipment wandering away. Some solutions include adding an (except the GPS SmartSole) also provide two-way to locate him. Visit SafetyNetTracking.com and Proextra lock on the top or bottom of the exterior doors voice communication and auto pickup speakerphone jectlifesaver.org to see if these services are available in your community. out of the line of sight or installing door alarms on so you can talk to him if he does wander off. Send your senior questions to Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, the exterior doors that let you know when they’re OK 73070 or visit SavvySenior.org. Jim Miller is a contributor to opened. See AlzStore.com for a variety of product Locating services the NBC Today show and author of “The Savvy Senior” book. solutions. And, be sure you hide the car keys to keep If the previously listed options don’t work for you, him from driving. there are also locating services – like the MedicAlert You should also alert your neighbors that your + Safe Return program (MedicAlert.org/alz) and husband may wander so they can keep an eye out Vitals Aware Services (TheVitalsApp.com) – that can and have a recent picture of him on hand to show help you if he does wander off. around the neighborhood or to the police if he does The MedicAlert + Safe Return program comes with a personalized ID bracelet that would have get lost. Dear Savvy Senior, My husband, who lives at home, has dementia and I worry about him wandering off and not being able to get back. Can you recommend some monitoring technology devices or any other solutions that can help me keep tabs on him? ~ Exhausted Spouse Dear Exhausted, This is a concern for millions of Americans caring for a loved one with dementia at home. About 60 percent of people who suffer from dementia wander at some point, according to the Alzheimer’s Association. For caregivers, this can be frightening because many of those who wander off end up confused and lost, even in their own neighborhood, and are unable to communicate who they are or where they live. Here are some product and service solutions that may help.
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March 2020
Small gestures can reassure older adults What can I do to help him through this? ~PD Dear PD: I’m sorry about your dad’s stroke and the understandable worsening of his anxiety. This is hard on both of you, but you’ll get through it and so will he. First, work with the staff and ask them to provide CAROL BRADLEY BURSACK some small distraction for your dad during the time that you generally visit. Also, if your dad can handle Columnist phone calls, consider calling him, but talk this over with the staff before you leave. Some people are Dear Carol: My dad had a severe stroke six months ago comforted by a call while others are upset because it and now lives in a nearby nursing home. Dad’s always reminds them of your absence, so ask their advice. been anxious, but since the stroke and some related I had a similar experience with my own dad. There dementia, he’s worse than ever and I know that my daily was a serious flu outbreak in our community and the visits help. nursing home blocked visits for six days. What I did What worries me is that I have an event for work coming was write out a pile of notes to Dad from me, one for up that’s important, but it will keep me out of town for each day that I couldn’t see him. Because both poor three days. I have to go for the sake of my job, but I worry eyes and dementia made reading difficult for him, I about how Dad will handle my absence. The staff is great typed the notes in a large, dark font and signed them with him, but it’s not the same, of course. His memory is in marker. I left these at the front desk of the nursing bad, so just telling him that I will be back soon won’t help. home with instructions to the staff saying that I’d
Minding Our Elders
like them to give a note to Dad each morning, which was my usual visiting time. While this gesture wasn’t a substitute for a visit, the note reminded Dad each morning that I was still there for him, and he could refer to it all day. You could do your own version of this using notecards, postcards or letters, either printed or handwritten, depending on what’s best for him. Ask the staff to give him one each day at the time you usually visit. This isn’t a perfect solution, but it may help. Other than that, all I can tell you is to detach from the situation with love in your heart and do what you need to do. Really, your dad will be fine. 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 through the contact form on her website.
Helping family from a distance For many of us, we live at a distance from our loved ones and often struggle with ways to assure they are safe, and their needs are being met. According to an article written by Senior Path out of Denver, Colo., there are seven steps to help your elderly parents from a distance: 1. Assess the situation 2. Know your options 3. Hold a family meeting 4. Gather contact information 5. Create an emergency plan 6. Set up a security system 7. Keep in touch This list may seem overwhelming for families who have busy lives, jobs, family, etc., so there are people who can help to do all these things. If your loved one qualifies, there are county care managers who can assist. If they do not qualify for their services, a geriatric care manager can be hired to assist in all these areas and more. For families who want to move ahead with this list on their own, let’s break down some of these tasks to better understand them. When you go home to visit there are things to take notice of when you walk in the door. How does it smell? How does the home look? How do your
The Family Circle BY LAUREL HED Columnist loved ones look? What kind of food is in the home? How old is it? How does their car look, any new dents? Compare all of this to your last visit to see if there are notable changes. It would be good to schedule your visit around a doctor appointment to hear the current medical concerns/assessment. Knowing your options is a great way to work with your loved one on the alternative housing available in the community. Visit local assisted living facilities and/or senior housing before you need it to learn what is available. Understand what home care agencies and transportation services that are available in the area. Holding a family meeting can be tricky, but so important. Open communication is so important for all involved. Sharing what you have learned in your assessment and what the rest of the family have seen helps lay the foundation of how to move forward.
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Gathering contact information is a great help when you are at a distance but want updates on medical concerns and other areas. Gather names and phone numbers of their doctors, emergency services, insurance information, attorney, friends/neighbors who may stop in and check on them. Creating an emergency plan is vital for those checking in on them. Have your contact information listed on their fridge. Do they have a health care directive in place and does the hospital and clinic have copies as well as the healthcare agents so their wishes can be honored? How about financial power of attorney? Who can assist with bill paying if they can’t? Many of these things will help to prevent a situation from developing into a crisis. Having a medical alert in place is also very important. Keeping in touch is always important, whether you live 20 miles away or hours away. This helps both you and your loved one. So, it is commendable to want to be there for your loved ones! But, also keep in mind, you do not have to do this alone.
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SSA launches campaign to fight scammers Social Security Matters BY MIKE KORBEY
Social Security Administration
Deputy Commissioner for Communications
Recently, we launched a new public service announcement campaign as our latest step to caution you about the ongoing nationwide telephone impersonation scheme. The videos feature a message from our commissioner, Andrew Saul. Along with our Office of the Inspector General, we continue to receive reports about fraudulent phone calls and emails from people falsely claiming they’re government employees. The scammers play on emotions like fear to convince people to provide personal information or money in cash, wire transfers or gift cards. Fraudsters are also emailing fake documents in attempts to get people to comply with their demands. “I want every American to know that if a suspicious caller states there is a problem with their Social Security number or account, they should hang up and never give the caller money or personal information. People should then go online to report the scam call to Social Security (oig.ssa.gov),” said Saul. Saul also addressed the Senate’s Special Committee on Aging on Jan. 29. He spoke frankly about these ongoing schemes and how we are educating the public about them.
You can watch the hearing or read the transcript at www.aging.senate.gov/hearings/ thats-not-the-government-calling-protecting-seniors-from-the-social-security-impersonation-scam. Learn to protect yourself and report any suspicious calls and emails right away.
If you have already been a victim of one of these scams, do not be embarrassed, and please report it so we can stop these scammers and protect other people. Please share our new public service announcement video (https://www.youtube.com/socialsecurity) with your family and friends.
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