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April 2014 Vol 27 No. 4

COMPLIMENTARY

POMMER:

How’s Our Education?

STATE CAPITOL COMMENT

page 3A

By Matt Pommer

50 Years Ago, Beer for a Buck and a Wondrous New Coach at MU

EDITORIALS

NEMOVITZ:

At Last, Peace of Mind page 8A

ELLENBECKER: Yes, There’s a Difference in IRA Accounts

MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION By Bruce Nemovitz

TRAVEL:

Travel to Tucson page 8B

By Jack Pearson April, 1964. How long ago it seems. Can you visualize today the world of a half century ago? In sportsMONEY the Milwaukee SENSEBucks franchiseByhadn’t come into existence, Karen Ellenbecker nor had its home to be, the Brad& Julie Ellenbecker -Lipsky ley Center. Nor did the Milwaukee Brewers or Miller Park. The Packers still played a few football games here in good old Milwaukee County Stadium, where, if you can recall, you could park 1964 continued on page 20A

SENI CUTS: Good and Bad Answer TRAV Emma

page 6A

APRON STRINGS By Aunt Emma

MONEY SENSE By Karen Ellenbecker & Julie Ellenbecker -Lipsky

AGING ISSUES

By Tom Frazier

Governor Scott Walker’s 2011-2013 state budget included net tax decreases of $23.5 million, and fee increases of $111.3 million, according to the nonpartisan Legislative Fiscal Bureau. I remember the Governor saying over and over that “the state is broke” so there was a tax increase on two groups of people: lower income working families with kids, and low income renters and homeowners. The tax increases to people receiving the Earned Income Tax Credit and the Homestead Tax Credit totaled $69.6 million. FRAZIER continued on page 3A

IT MAKES ME

2A • 50PLUS • APRIL 2014

Eye MDs offer insights into diagnostic tools & tests We repeatedly hear about the importance of having regular “comprehensive eye examinations,” but what does that entail exactly? The ophthalmologists at Eye Care Specialists explain below. Lamp Examination T Slit A slit lamp is a special micro-

scope with a thin beam of light which provides a magnified view of your eye. During this painless procedure, you place your chin on a chin rest and look straight ahead. Your doctor will then look through a set of oculars (similar to a science lab microscope) to examine the structures of the front (lids, cornea, conjunctiva, etc.) and inside (iris, optic nerve, macula, retina, etc.) of your eyes. The slit lamp can help diagnose a wide range of concerns, including corneal ulcers, cataracts and infections. A slit lamp exam is typically covered by Medicare and most insurance carriers. “What makes the difference between a typical eye check-up for a new eyeglass or contact lens prescription and a comprehensive medical eye examination is the fact that, during our slit lamp exam, we instill eyedrops to dilate (expand) the pupils and use special equipment to give us the best possible view inside. Without dilation, it is much more difficult to detect, track and treat signs of vision-threatening conditions, like the retina tearing away from the back of the eye or diseases, such as macular degeneration (AMD), diabetic retinopathy and glaucoma,” says Mark Freedman, MD, senior partner and continuing education lecturer at Eye Care Specialists, one of the state’s leading ophthalmology practices.

T Ophthalmoscopy “During a comprehensive eye

examination, we also use an instrument called an ‘ophthalmoscope’ to look through the pupil and light up the back of the eye to check the health of your optic nerve and retina for such conditions as AMD, glaucoma and retinal detachments,” explains Brett Rhode, MD, Head of Ophthalmology at Aurora Sinai Medical Center and partner at Eye

Care Specialists. “A ‘direct’ ophthalmoscope is the size of a small flashlight and has lenses that can magnify up to 15 times. It is commonly used during a routine physical with your regular doctor. An eye care specialist, however, will also use an ‘indirect’ ophthalmoscope, which constitutes a light attached to a headband and a small handheld lens. The indirect provides a peripheral view (wider) of the inside of the eye. It also allows a better view of the fundus (interior surface, including the retina, macula and optic disc), even if the natural lens located inside the eye is clouded by cataracts.”

T Tonometry Increased fluid pressure inside

the eye may be a sign of glaucoma. Tonometry testing measures inner eye pressure by determining how much pressure is necessary to cause a slight indentation on the outer part of the eye. Depending upon the type of tonometer, a tiny amount of pressure is applied by an instrument that painlessly touches the eye or by a warm puff of air directed toward the eye. OCT Laser Scan Testing T “If high pressures are found,

“Another benefit of OCT scanning is that, unlike some other forms of vision testing, it is not influenced by external stimuli, such as patient attention span, comfort, ability to follow directions, etc. Follow-up OCT scans can be used to promptly detect and treat any abnormalities with the necessary medications, laser therapy or surgery—thus helping to prevent any future loss of vision,” says Daniel Paskowitz, MD, PhD, an ophthalmologist at Eye Care Specialists with credentials from Johns Hopkins. “The information gained from a single OCT scan is often more useful than any other diagnostic tool.” OCT testing is typically covered by Medicare and most medical insurance carriers.

T ARefraction “refraction” is the part of an

eye exam which determines the degree and nature of any optical error (nearsightedness, farsightedness and/or astigmatism) and the strength/ power of eyeglass or contact lens prescription needed to correct any such error. This is the part of your appointment when you look through a device

called a “phoropter,” which contains lenses of different strengths that are moved into your view as you look ahead at an eye chart. A refraction is necessary to write a prescription for glasses or contacts. Refraction testing is not covered by Medicare or most medical insurance carriers. Additional Tests T “If you have a cataract, you

may have a contrast/glare test to measure the effect of outdoor lighting on your ability to see. If glaucoma is diagnosed or suspected, a special hand-held contact lens with a mirror inside is used to examine the angle where the iris meets the cornea to determine what type of treatment is required to keep fluid draining and pressure down,” states ophthalmologist Dr. Michael Raciti. Other conditions may require other specialized tests not listed here. FREE Booklets T Call 414-321-7035 for Eye Care

Specialists’ FREE booklets on AMD, cataracts, glaucoma & diabetes or to schedule a comprehensive eye exam.

See the best you can see . . .

the optic nerve looks unusual, or there are other reasons to suspect a sight-threatening condition, our Trusted by more than 125,000 doctors & patients since 1985 practice offers patients the latest advancement in eye disease diagnosis “TOP DOCTORS” and tracking—Optical Coherence - M Magazine Tomography (OCT) testing,” says - Milwaukee Daniel Ferguson, MD, a partner and Magazine eye surgeon at Eye Care Specialists. The OCT creates detailed computer Mark Freedman, MD Brett Rhode, MD printouts (similar to CT scans) that Daniel Ferguson, MD provide unparalleled accuracy in visuDaniel Paskowitz, MD Michael Raciti, MD alizing and measuring the severity David Scheidt, OD and extent of changes to the optic nerve and retina due to glaucoma, Most of us are born with near-perfect vision. But, that frequently changes with age or disease. As state leaders in eye care, we help countless people each week to AMD, diabetic retinopathy, etc. see the best they can see with Comprehensive Eye Exams; Diagnostic Laser Scans; During the fast, painless OCT and State-of-the-Art Cataract, Glaucoma, Diabetes, Macular Degeneration, procedure, patients simply focus on Pediatric, & Laser Vision Correction Care. And, we’re affordable—accepting Medicare and most insurances. Call today to schedule an appointment or to request a light while a safe, invisible laser a free “Focus” newsletter and “When to Have Your Family’s Eyes Checked” guide. scans the inside of the eye to acquire an image in just seconds. This “optiwww.eyecarespecialists.net cal ultrasound” of the anatomic layers of the retina and optic nerve enables eye care specialists to detect and track West Allis Wauwatosa Milwaukee signs of sight-threatening diseases— 10150 W. National Av. 2323 N. Mayfair Rd. 735 W. Wisconsin Av. 414-321-7520 414-258-4550 414-298-0099 often before any damage occurs.

See an Eye Care Specialist

T EYE CARE SPECIALISTS

APRIL 2014 • 50PLUS

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Two-hump camel: Is this our education? Education in many parts of Wisconsin has turned into a two-hump camel. Many young people are doing very, very well academically - with one of the humps on charts showing results. The other hump is composed of students doing very poorly in school. The numbers of B-minus and C students are down dramatically. “The middle is missing,” said Bruce Dahmen, well-known and beloved Madison Memorial High School principal, just weeks before he died unexpectedly Feb. 11. Elected state officials are scrambling to find inexpensive answers to the education questions. Gov. Scott Walker wants to expand voucher schools, but the idea collected a black eye when one Milwaukee voucher school closed abruptly late last year after getting hundreds of thousands of state tax dollars. Three former Assembly speakers, all Republicans, are lobbying for expanded vouchers and other taxpayer-helped private school choices. Other interest groups think the answer may be privately run charter schools operated with taxpayer funds but unanswered is whether there should be uniform testing for these FRAZIER continued from page 1A Now let’s skip forward to 2014 and a special legislative session called by the Governor for the purpose of decreasing income and property taxes by more than $500 million. This would be in addition to an income tax cut of $321 million in the 2013-2015 state budget, which was touted as a “middle-class” tax cut even though a majority of the relief went to people with incomes over $100,000 annually. The focus of the special session bill was property tax relief with a $406 million decrease in property tax relief by taking that amount off of tax bills to pay for Wisconsin Technical Colleges. This would reduce the property tax bill for the owner of a median-priced home ($151,000) by an average of $131 in 2014. Income tax relief comes in two parts under the Governor’s proposed

schools to show which are successful. This is called “accountability,” but what should be done to improve those that have poor test scores remains an unanswered question. One idea is force under-performing schools to close. MOVING IN THE That assumes RIGHT that some new orDIRECTION ganization - be it By a charter school, a Bruce Nemovitz voucher school, or private education - will better-educate the struggling students. Many minority families say there is the need for more teachers of color for their children. Alas, statistics indicate a close relationship between failing student AGING achievement and poverty. Madison ISSUES school district reading tests show that By Tom Frazier link. One elementary school with 76 percent economically disadvantaged students had fewer than 4 percent rank as proficient and advanced in reading. But it’s not just urban areas like Milwaukee and Madison that are

struggling with education of those in poverty. State Sen. Kathleen Vinehout, D-Alma, has cited the problems facing rural districts in northwestern parts of the state. Taxpayers can’t afford higher taxes. Schools have reduced staffs, and the number of special-needs students has increased, she said, citing testimony by school superintendents at public meetings. Arcadia had no English-language MONEY SENSE learners 15 years ago.ByNow third Karenevery Ellenbecker & Julie Ellenbecker student primarily speaks Spanish, she -Lipsky said. Spanish-speaking students in the Independence district have doubled in three years and three out of five students live in poverty. “Many of these APRON students had no Emma to attend good schools opportunity STRINGSsaid before they came to Wisconsin,” By Aunt Emma Vinehout. Political twists and turns also play a role in the education dialogue. Tea Party groups are upset with Wisconsin’s acceptance of a Common Core program of standards to improve education. Some 45 states are using it as a way to improve education. Common Core is a program that details what students should know in math and English arts at each grade level. Backed on a bipartisan basis by

government and corporate leaders its aim is to ensure high school graduates are ready for college or the workplace. Gov. Scott Walker has responded to Tea Party concerns and his office has helped draft new legislation under which Wisconsin would create its own program with a 15-member oversight board. Walker could get to appoint six of the citizens. Some business groups have urged Walker to stay with the Common Core approach. There is evidence that the education struggle isn’t new. Michele Erikson, executive director of Wisconsin Literacy Inc., has said that one of every three adults “lack the necessary literacy skills to function above a basic level.” What does this mean for today’s children? “Whatever progress is made from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. stands to come unraveled from 4 p.m. to 8 a.m. if parents aren’t part of the literacy equation,” she said.

PLANTING plan. First, there willTOMORROW’S be a $94.3 million tax reduction by DREAMS reducingTODAY the rate By Brad that applies to the lowest taxOlson bracket from 4.4% to 4.0%. Since each tax bracket applies only to income that falls in that particular bracket nearly all tax filers would benefit. And, unlike the 2013-2015 income tax reduction, the biggest dollar amount of decrease (42%) would go to those with SPORTS incomes under $50,000. Tax payers By Jack Pearsonand with incomes between $50,000 $100,000 would receive 36%, and those over $100,000 would realize 22%. The second part and, in my opinion, the part that has received little public scrutiny is a decrease in the Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT). This is a tax to ensure that at least a minimum amount of income tax is paid by individuals who have a large tax savings from the use of certain tax deductions and exemptions (i.e.

wealthier tax payers). This tax cut would result from allowing additional credits to be claimed against the AMT with the largest one by far being the Manufacturing and Agricultural credit (A&M credit). The additional credits will reduce the AMT by $11.3 million in 2013-14, $25.5 million in 2014-15, $40.5 million in 2015-16, and $50.8 million in 2016-17 and thereafter. Since the AMT only applies to approximately 30,000 tax payers, this represents very significant decreases for very wealthy people. One concern that has received little notice in the euphoria By Enis Wright of “giving money back to the people of Wisconsin” is the impact on future budgets. In a memo to all Legislators the Legislative Fiscal Bureau warns that an additional $807 million will be needed in the next biennial budget (20152017) to pay the state’s bills for expenses incurred to date, including the

reduction in revenue as a result of the above mentioned tax cuts. The Fiscal Bureau does not include in its calculations any projected growth in future revenues. Governor Tommy Thompson budgeted this way for years without consequences because growth in the economy resulted in increased revenues. This situation changed dramatically in his last term resulting in a huge budget deficit for Jim Doyle just as it did for Scott Walker in his first budget. The Governor and Legislature have decided to “role the dice” betting on continued economic growth. Finally, when “the state was broke,” the Governor raised taxes on low income working families and low income renters and homeowners (50% older persons), but when we are not broke it did not occur to the Governor to restore tax breaks to those who need it far more than the ones who are getting it under these tax cuts.

STATE CAPITOL COMMENT By Matt Pommer

EDITORIALS

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MONEY SENSE By Karen Ellenbecker MONEY SENSE & Julie Ellenbecker -Lipsky By Karen Ellenbecker & Julie Ellenbecker -Lipsky

STATE CAPITOL TRAVEL COMMENT

MONEY SENSE

4A • 50PLUS • APRIL 2014

By Karen Ellenbecker & Julie Ellenbecker MOVING IN -Lipsky

THE RIGHT DIRECTION MOVING IN THE By Bruce Nemovitz RIGHT DIRECTION

EDITORIALS A solution to snoring MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION

By Bruce Nemovitz

By Matt Pommer Emma

APRON STRINGS APRON By Aunt Emma STRINGS

SENIOR SENIOR Answer Man

DEAR SELMER: Your question about a fund raising Emma By Aunt Emma Answer Man swimming event is difficult to answer. By Aunt Emma MONEY SENS Answer Man For all I know, there may be such an Ellenbec By Karen There’s said to be a solution, alWhile no snoring guarantees are & Julie AGING DEAR SAM: event somewhere. But not here. It Ellenbeck its though not a cheap one, to help you made, the pillow supposedly does ISSUES -Lipsky AGING could be too dangerous and limit the By Tom Frazier When I think about Navy SEALS, get a better night’s sleep in case your job as the contoured cushion conceals ISSUES AGING I think of military swimmers who number of participants. By Tom Frazier bedmate snores. If snoring is bother- ISSUES a motorized air bladder that inflates By Tom Frazier by name to I will tell you, however, that I INthe THE some, you just could be interested in by about three inches each and every generally aren’t knownMOVING NEY SENSE indulge in es- found out there will be a 2014 Navy DIRECTION the Snore Activated Nudging Pillow. time the microphone inside the pillow general public as theyRIGHT en Ellenbecker for the SEAL Frogs for Freedom MotorcyBy Bruce Nemovitz ie Ellenbecker Yes, we’re told it does work and it is hears the sound of snoring. This re- pecially clandestine activities -Lipsky for sale at Hammacher-Schlemmer for portedly is just enough movement for benefit of our government. I remem- cle Ride June 14, according to inforPLANTING D. Burrow, Frogs Emma $150. It had better work for that price. the snorer to move his or her head to ber recently how they dropped from mation from Jon TOMORROW’S PLANTING DREAMS TODAY helicopters to kill Osama Bin Laden, for Freedom Midwest. It begins and This company’s catalog is widely cir- PLANTING another position. Hopefully, for $150, ByTOMORROW’S Brad Olson By Aunt DREAMS TODAY TOMORROW’S our most wanted war criminal. Why ends at the Naval Seal Museum in Emma culated each year shortly before mostDREAMS a non-snoring one. By Brad Olson TODAY By Brad Olson Yes, the device in the pillow is don’t we have some type of swimming St. Charles, Illinois. Registration that PRON Christmas buying begins. event in their honor? day begins at 9 a.m. Spend $30 for the electrically operated. RINGS Questioningly, ride and goodies and get ready to raise unt Emma Selmer Radolovic your tour kickstand at 11 .m. to begin AGING the 10 mile ride. SPORTS Burrow will give you the details at ISSUES By Jack Pearson SPORTS 815-341-8757. By Tom Frazier SPORTS By Jack Pearson the WRIGHT By Jack Pearson Selmer, I hope I’ve helped, the SIDE WRIGHT of Senior Answer Man Winter debris scatters as April breez- Most bodies ofthe waterWRIGHT already are free By Enis Wright SIDE of es fill the air. of winter’s ice. SIDE of By Enis Wright Grasses and even weeds turn green, Lake fishing once againByvia boat will Enis Wright vibrant like a pair. be oh so nice. with Jim McLoone By Bruce Nemovitz

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Enough about mother nature, what about farming? Some farmers find soybean futures quite alarming.

Budding trees seem so ready to burst into blossom. From its winter’s lair there does appear a possum.

With April comes Easter; for kids much mirth. Keep in mind it’s the time of Jesus’ death and rebirth.

Soon raccoons again rattle your MONEYwill SENSE Ellenbecker garbage can. By&Karen Julie Ellenbecker -Lipsky you cannot Such nighttime activity hope to ban.

From the dead he definitely on Easter Sunday did arise. All then did believe; not just the people so wise.

But there’s definitely more than problems to Spring. APRON Emma Birds from south are flying northward STRINGS on the wing. By Aunt Emma

As examples of God’s influence, so many are so kind. We ask for all people, strength of body, peace of mind.

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Dead leaves strewn about in yards must be raked away. Not to reappear in likeness until some far off fall day.

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tax filing time withIncome Jim McLoone

is just Computers, ipahead. Aren’t you happy now that you ods, smart boards, PLANTING had such a nice and profitable year in all the electronic deTOMORROW’S 2013, even though you’re now scrapDREAMS TODAYvices made available today to kids in ing to pay the tax on your monetary By Brad Olson schools won’t help if the kid isn’t paygains? ing attention. a a a a a a a a Yes, there is a reason for everyMilwaukee Schools’ Chief Thornthing. The problem is that we some- ton is on his way to Baltimore. Might times aren’t smart enough to figure he have stayed with better cooperathat out. tion from those who certainly know a a a a they didn’t give it? Was it my guardian angel or that a a a a of the deer I just missed hitting on Clip this out and say it to yourself SPORTS at least once a day: God, grant me the Hwy K the other day? a a a ByaJack Pearson serenity to accept the things I cannot

IT MAKES ME

When Easter Sunday finally gets here this month, there will be multitudes at church services. Many of these same people went at Christmas, too. While I do believe this church attendance is wonderful, I become irritated when I must get to services at

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least half an hour early in order to find a seat in the big room. If these twice-a-year attendees would bring their wallets along and come more often, we could afford a larger worship area.

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THE SMART WAY TO SPEND YOUR TAX RETURN. INVEST IN WISCONSIN’S COLLEGE SAVINGS PLAN, EDVEST! Here’s an opportunity to use your extra money to contribute to your child’s future education. Get started with as little as $25 and give any earnings the opportunity to grow tax-free. Grandparents and other relatives can also contribute while potentially benefiting from a reduction in Wisconsin taxable income. Now, that’s college savings with a whole bushel of tax advantages. Enroll or contribute at Edvest.com/startnow or call toll-free at 800.368.9484.

Consider the investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses before investing in the Edvest College Savings Plan. Please visit Edvest.com for a Plan Disclosure Booklet with this and more information. Read it carefully. Investments in the Plan are neither insured nor guaranteed and there is the risk of investment loss. TIAA-CREF Tuition Financing, Inc., Plan Manager. Before investing in a 529 plan, consider whether the state where you or your Beneficiary resides has a 529 plan that offers favorable state tax benefits that are available if you invest in that state’s 529 plan. The tax information contained herein is not intended to be used, and cannot be used, by any taxpayer for the purpose of avoiding tax penalties. Taxpayers should seek advice from an independent tax advisor based on their own particular circumstances. The Edvest College Savings Plan is administered by the State of Wisconsin. C15793

EDITORIALS

6A â&#x20AC;˘ 50PLUS â&#x20AC;˘ APRIL 2014

Money sense: Know the difference in IRA accounts

CAPITOL HOW IS A ROTHSTATE IRA DIFFERENT COMMENT THAN A TRADITIONAL IRA? By Matt Pommer Both Roth IRAs and Traditional IRAs can help you save for retirement, but they have dramatically different tax consequences both during your contribution years and during retirement. Qualified contributions made to a traditional IRA receive an income tax deduction in the year of the contribution. These funds grow MOVING IN THE tax deferred, but are fully taxable as RIGHT DIRECTION Bruce withdrawn. Nemovitz ordinary income By when Roth IRAs, on the other hand, do not receive an income tax deduction when contributed, grow tax deferred and if distributions meet certain requirements, are completely tax free when withdrawn. While either account will benefit you and your nest egg in the AGINGto delong run, which to contribute ISSUES pends on your currentBy taxTom situation. Frazier If you are in a higher tax bracket now, but think you will be in a lower tax bracket in retirement, you may benefit more from the current tax deduction of a traditional IRA. If you plan on spending more in retirement than you do now, a Roth might be the best soluPLANTING TOMORROWâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S DREAMS TODAY By Brad Olson

MONEY SENSE By Karen Ellenbecker & Julie Ellenbecker -Lipsky

tion. Seeing as our current tax code could be subject to change in years to come, it is a prudent strategy to have both Roth and Traditional IRA funds APRON in your Emma investment portfolio, providSTRINGS ing you with the greatest flexibility By Aunt when it comes to limiting yourEmma taxable income in retirement. You or your spouse must have sufficient earned income to cover your contributions and your eligibility to contribute is limited based off of your Modified Adjusted Gross Income. Talk with your tax accountant to help determine whether or not you qualify to make Roth or deductible IRA contributions. I AM RETIRED, BUT NOT AGE 59Â˝ YET. CAN I ACCESS ANY OF MY RETIREMENT FUNDS WITHOUT PENALTY?

Typically, if you take distributions from your tax-deferred retirement plans â&#x20AC;&#x201C; such as an IRA or 401(k) â&#x20AC;&#x201C; prior to the attainment of age 59Â˝, you will incur a 10% federal penalty on the amount that you withdrew. There are a few exceptions to these rules. The first is whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s called 72(t) distributions. 72(t) distributions offer retirees three payment or distribution options, while avoiding the 10% penalty for early withdrawals. You are allowed to take a set amount out of your account each year, as dictated by your age, age of your beneficiary and the amount of money in your account. You cannot take more or less than the stated amount. Once started, 72(t) distributions must continue for the longer of 5 years, or until you reach age 59Â˝. Distributions will still be taxable, but not subject to the additional penalty. Both Qualified Plans and IRA accounts waive the penalty for a total and permanent disability, unreimbursed medical expenses in excess of a certain percentage of your AGI or if you are called to active military duty. Qualified plans have a provision waiv-

ing the penalty if you are separated from service and have reached age 55. IRAs allow for a few extra provisions, allowing for a waiver to pay for your own qualified higher education expenses, a first time home purchase (up to $10k), and the payment of health insurance premiums while unemployed. Roth IRAs can be particularly useful to investors wishing to retire early because you can remove funds you contributed, not earnings, completely free of penalty and tax.

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With contributions from EIG Wealth Advisor Kristina Schnuckel. Ellenbecker Investment Group in Pewaukee (ellenbecker.com) provides comprehensive financial planning services and offers complimentary consultations. EIG has an A+ BBB rating and has twice been awarded the Wisconsin BBB Torch Award for Business Ethics and Integrity. Catch Karen Ellenbecker on The Morning Blend on her Money Sense radio show Sundays at 2 & Saturdays at noon on WISN AM 1130 (MoneySenseRadio.com). Securities and advisory services offered through SII Investments, Inc. Member FINRA/ SIPC & Registered Investment Advisor. Ellenbecker Investment Group, Inc. & SII Investments are separate companies. SII does not provide tax or legal advice.

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â&#x20AC;˘ 7A

Voluntary Retirement and Social Security Disability By: Tom Margenau : I have a friend who has various disabilities. She has hearing problems, chronic arthritis, high blood pressure, kidney trouble and other issues. You name it, this poor woman has had it! Yet despite her medical conditions, she has been working most of her life. She plans to retire when she turns 60 in two months and then file for Social Security disability benefits. I have several concerns and questions. Can she file for disability even though she is voluntarily leaving her job? If so, can she file ahead of time so her benefits are waiting for her when she retires? If her disability claim is denied, will she be eligible for regular Social Security when she is 62? Also, will the pension she will get from her employer offset any Social Security benefits she might be due? : The answers to your specific questions are Yes, No, Yes and No. But all those answers need to be qualified, so I guess I should elaborate. The fact that she will be simply retiring from her job (as opposed to leaving for strictly medical reasons) does not really impact her potential eligibility for Social Security disability benefits. The only thing that matters is whether or not she meets the legal definition of disability for Social Security purposes. And that definition essentially says this: You qualify for Social Security disability benefits if you have a medical condition that is expected to last at least a year and that prevents you from working. In other words, the inability to work (not just the impairment itself) is the key to qualifying for benefits. Even though your friend â&#x20AC;&#x153;voluntarilyâ&#x20AC;? left her job, my hunch is all those medical problems she has certainly helped push her out the door. It may very well be that each separate condition may not be severe enough on its own to make it to qualify for benefits. But the combination of all her impairments may push her over the line. And something she has going in her favor is her age. Disability evaluators might say that a younger person

with conditions similar to hers could continue to work, or be trained to do a less difficult job. But a 60-year-old woman will find it easier to qualify for benefits. My educated guess is that her claim will be approved. Having said all that, your friend cannot file for Social Security disability ahead of time. The reason why gets back to that basic definition of disability. Again, the inability to work is the key to qualifying for benefits. If she filed tomorrow, for example, her claim would be immediately denied because she is still working. According to Social Security law, if youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re working (especially full-time), youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re simply not disabled â&#x20AC;&#x201D; no matter how many medical problems you have. When your friend retires, she should make plans to file for Social Security disability benefits the very next day. If her disability claim is approved, she will start getting a monthly benefit that equals her full retirement rate. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s essentially what a disability benefit is: your full, age 66 retirement benefit. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s just paid at an earlier age â&#x20AC;&#x201D; in your friendâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s case, at age 60. If her claim is denied, she should appeal that decision. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s simply a matter of filling out a few forms. But if even her appeals are denied, then she certainly can file for Social Security retirement benefits later on. She would just have to decide if she wants to wait until age 66 to get full retirement benefits, or file anytime after age 62 and get reduced retirement benefits. Finally, the pension she gets from her employer will have no impact on her Social Security â&#x20AC;&#x201D; whether she gets disability benefits or retirement benefits. : I was injured on the job about a year ago. Shortly after that, I started getting disability compensation from the state. My Social Security disability claim has just been approved and my benefits have started. But they are nowhere near what I was promised. Do you know whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s going on? : I can make a pretty good guess. There is a law that says the combination of your workerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s compensation payments and your Social Security disability checks

cannot exceed 80 percent of your average monthly wage back when you were working. If the two benefits ex-

ceed that rate, one or the other has to be reduced. Which benefit gets offset varies from state to state.

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STATE CAPITOL COMMENT

8A • 50PLUS • APRIL 2014

By Matt Pommer

Peace of mind….Family included! So often I have discussed the benefits for those moving to a senior apartment or community. Now it is time to discuss not only the older adult who moves from their long time home, but the supporting loved ones who are affected by this transition. Family relationships are complex due to different personalities, age groups, and gender, offering multiple perspectives on every issue affecting loved ones. When a member of this group is in transition for whatever reason, all who truly care for that family member are impacted. So often I hear a senior tell me that they are getting advice from children and friends which they may or may not agree with. The decision for an older adult to move from a home they have known for so many years is a decision that is made after much thought from not just the senior moving but from input from their trusted advisors. When an older adult is living in a home that no longer meets their needs, the advice starts pouring in from a daughter, son, or friend. This advice to make a change is hard to di-

MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION By Bruce Nemovitz

gest for the person who should make that change to healthier surroundings. Anger or frustration can result from a reluctance to face the current situation. That may be followed by procrastination and excuses why a move AGING is “just too much” at this time, putting ISSUES a decision off to some future date. The By Tom Frazier family is then impacted with frustration and worry and sometimes anger. This can cause upset to the entire family and relationships can suffer as family members want a solution but have differing ideas and time frames for this move. PLANTING I received a note TOMORROW’S from a professional who had given aDREAMS talk at TODAY a senior By Brad Olson community for families working with their loved ones who are thinking of a move for mom or dad. She was kind

enough to share the following letter with the intent to helpMONEY you, the readSENSE By Karen Ellenbecker er, who may be in a similar situation. & Julie Ellenbecker Here is that letter: -Lipsky In terms of the gifts we receive through this process, one of the greatest gifts for me has been the incredible appreciation I feel for those who support me! My husband,APRON brother, niece, Emma and sister-in-law have been nothing STRINGS By Aunt Emma short of amazing, and my relationship with each of them has deepened as a result. I appreciate them so much! I realize this isn’t always the case within families – that it very often goes the other way – so for that, too, I feel a deep appreciation. The other point I would emphasize is how much moving my Mom into an assisted living facility has improved the quality of life for all of us. Our stress levels have plummeted. While there is still a level of stress, frustration, anger and sadness, it doesn’t compare to the level it was at prior to that. My hair had started falling out so I knew I was stressed, but I didn’t realize how much until my dentist showed me the pictures

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they took of the inside of my mouth during a routine dental appointment. I had been chewing the insides of my cheeks so badly during sleep that I created lines of scar tissue on both sides. That was my tipping point. I knew we needed to make a positive change, not just for my Mom, but for my health as well. Since moving her into assisted living in October, I don’t have to be just the frustrated caregiver any longer. I can now enjoy being her daughter again, which hadn’t happened for the past three years. In addition, she is now getting the appropriate care she should have been getting for those three years, with proper meds administration being key. This letter explains the stress of a family member who didn’t realize the impact until a solution had been attained. We live with worry and fear for our loved ones and that stress can become part of our everyday lives. When a move was made and her mom was in a healthy environment, the entire family experienced relief, happiNEMOVITZ continued on page 17A

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APRIL 2014 â&#x20AC;˘ 50PLUS

â&#x20AC;˘ 9A

DENTAL: Questions & Answers

Q A

DR. LEMKE

: TOOTH FILLINGS AT ONE TIME WERE OF SILVER AND

GOLD, WHAT MATERIAL NOW IS UTILIZED?

Silver fillings have been used successfully and affordably for over 100 years to replace decayed parts of teeth. They are an amalgam, or mix, of Silver, Tin, Zinc, Copper and Mercury. The fact that all these metals are in a â&#x20AC;&#x153;silver fillingâ&#x20AC;? has driven many studies to find out if they lead to other general health problems. As yet, no clear cut problem has been found, although there is a debate. The biggest problem with silver fillings is that the bigger they get as a percentage of the tooth restored, the more likely they are to cause cracks in the natural tooth they are embedded in. With temperature changes they expand slightly different from tooth structure, which flexes the tooth and causes pressure on the edge to break open or crack the tooth leaving it open for bacteria to get in. With contraction they percolate bacteria into the microscopic gap which really canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be kept clean. Since the filling isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t bonded to the tooth it basically â&#x20AC;&#x153;fillsâ&#x20AC;? the hole or cavity. Over time, the filling will turn blacker and blacker and fail as the tooth around it decays and the filling becomes brittle. Gold fillings are a step up from silver because they are stronger, they expand and contract similar to tooth, and donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t change color. Although they were harder to make they could last decades, and donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t get brittle. However, the public wished for better looking materials. Today, dentists offer restorations that are tooth colored. They are made from either composite resins or porcelain. Both bond to the tooth at the microscopic level. The composite resins are generally less expensive, and do not have the longevity or wear resistance that porcelain does. The longest lasting is generally gold and porcelain followed by amalgam and composite resins, but the resins are getting better. New dental materials and bonding cements are constantly being developed in a world wide effort to restore teeth to their natural strength and beauty. As much as we wish to replicate teeth, there is nothing like the original equipment. With proper care your natural teeth should last a lifetime. The dental profession is dedicated to helping you keep your teeth by proven methods of prevention and restoration. Today we have many materials to help you. Be a pro-active consumer and ask me or your dentist about the materials they are using to help you. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m sure they are glad to answer all your questions. Grant Lemke DDS from Cloud 9 Dentistry

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Most people find the experience of wearing a denture for the first time to be challenging. A denture is a foreign object, and unfortunately, it cannot duplicate the exact feel and function of your natural teeth. It will be a new sensation that will take you a period of time to adjust. Start with soft foods and gradually introduce more difficult foods. Chew on both sides of your mouth at the same time to stabilize your teeth. Avoid biting into foods with your front teeth, as it may dislodge your dentures. With practice, chewing will become easier. At first, dentures may feel bulky and cause a feeling of fullness of the lips and cheeks. In time, you should begin to feel more comfortable. You may also experience slurred speech, gagging, excessive salivation or diminished taste. Again, these issues usually disappear over time. If they continue, however, contact your dentist for assistance. Affordable Dentures

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10A â&#x20AC;˘ 50PLUS â&#x20AC;˘ APRIL 2014

â&#x20AC;&#x153;You go in early in the morning and by 5 in the afternoon, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re on your way home with teeth. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s amazing! Now I smile more, chew hard foods and donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t worry about speaking in public. I feel rejuvenated because â&#x20AC;&#x201C; letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s face it â&#x20AC;&#x201C; I have the teeth of a 25-year-old! Dentures motivated me to find a more permanent solution with Eon Clinics. I recommend you attend one of their seminars to find out what might work for you. You can ask the doctors questions about different procedures. Honestly, the entire process was painless. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s revolutionary.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Bob Simoncini

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APRIL 2014 • 50PLUS

• 11A

ADVERTORIAL

EON CLINICS It’s time for a second chance If you are one of the millions suffering from debilitating gum disease, soft enamel, or ill-fitting dentures, you needn’t suffer any longer. With the help of Eon Clinics, thousands have already regained their confidence and oral health with permanent, non-removable smiles supported by dental implants. Our one-day procedures provide new smiles that look, feel, and function like natural teeth, giving our patients a new lease on life. HOW DO WE DO IT? At Eon Clinics we focus exclusively on the placement and restoration of dental implants, making our team of doctors among the most experienced in the Midwest. Our “all-in-one” centers allow us to provide all aspects of dental implant treatment in one convenient location. Each patient receives focused attention from a board-certified prosthodontist, board-certified surgeon, and specialized lab technician. Our state-of-the-art, inhouse dental laboratory and diagnostic

equipment allow our team to collaborate more efficiently and achieve superior results. There is no need for multiple visits to multiple offices to complete your treatment anymore. All-in-one centers allow more control than ever, making treatment highly predictable. So predictable, in fact, we offer a Lifetime Guarantee on our complete-jaw restorations. IT’S EASY TO GET STARTED! Upon arriving for your first visit to Eon Clinics you will be greeted by a Treatment Coordinator who will gather information about your personal goals and specific dental needs. To develop the ideal treatment plan for you, a complimentary 3D CT scan will be taken to evaluate whether you are a candidate for dental implants and determine your treatment options. You’ll discuss the advantages and disadvantages of each option with your Treatment Coordinator and Clinical Director, which will enable you to make an informed decision on which treatment option is best for you.

Financing is available for those who need to make monthly payments in order to move forward with their preferred option. Best of all, the complimentary appointment is a no-pressure opportunity to gather information. NOT CONVINCED? TAKE IT FROM OUR PATIENTS... Going to Eon Clinics was the best thing I have ever done for myself. I can smile again! My clients and my family have noticed the difference in me. I never thought that the process would go so smoothly. I’m a true fan. Thanks so much to the whole staff at Eon, and especially to the wonderful caring doctors. Love you all.

- Joan Barrett My experience at Eon Dental Clinic was superb. I had been losing teeth, had bridges and then partials. The partials were attached to my permanent teeth. Because the partials weakened these teeth, they started breaking. I

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looked into having implants done, but this entailed more than a year to have bone grafting done on my jaw bone. Because I had lost so many teeth, I decided I needed something much quicker. At my initial meeting, everything was explained very well. Any questions I had were answered thoroughly. On the day of my surgery, I found the staff to be very kind and respectful as to how I was doing and feeling. I was given exceptional information on what to expect and what I could and could not do. I was also given pain medication to take, but did not need it. It is amazing to me that having all my teeth removed would be virtually painless. My follow-up appointments were the same - with the staff most helpful and courteous. I am so pleased at my new appearance and have recommended Eon Clinics to many people.

- Barbara Schneider

In Southeast Wisconsin, many women over 40 aren’t getting screened for breast cancer. The American Cancer Society and Kohl’s Cares want to remind you to take charge of your breast health and to talk to your doctor about your screening options. That’s why they’ve partnered to bring you Kohl’s Breast Health for Women, a program that focuses on keeping women healthy through prevention, screening, diagnosis, and treatment. It could save your life.

For more information, go to acskohlsbreasthealth.com or call 1-800-227-2345.

12A • 50PLUS • APRIL 2014

MILWAUKEE EYE CARE ASSOCIATES

Q A

: AS A RULE, HOW OFTEN SHOULD I HAVE AN EYE EXAM?

Sight is one of our most precious senses. It can be easy to take for granted until we begin to have problems. Maintaining eye health and having regular screenings is important to monitor for and identify vision threatening disease. Like most things, eye problems are more common as we age. The American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) has developed screening guidelines for eye exams. For those with no risk factors for eye disease the AAO recommends a comprehensive medical eye evaluation every 5-10 years for those under age 40, every 2-4 years for those between 40-54, every 1-3 years for those between 55-64, and every 1-2 years for those 65 or older. Patients who need evaluations for eyeglasses and contact lenses may need to be seen more frequently based on their vision needs. Patients with diabetes need to be seen more frequently. Persons with Type 1 diabetics should have a comprehensive exam within 5 years of the onset of their diabetes and then every year thereafter. Type II diabetics should have a comprehensive exam at the time of diagnosis and every year thereafter. Patients with risk factors for glaucoma should undergo comprehensive medical eye evaluations every 1-3 years between 40-54, every 1-2 years between 55-64, and every 6-12 months after age 65. This answer was maybe more than you bargained for with details since the question states “as a rule” but they are some good guidelines. Dr. Jason Edmonds, Milwaukee Eye Care Associates

YOUR EYES. YOUR VISION. YOUR LIFE. From routine EYE EXAMS to CATARACT SURGERY, we have a team of doctors able to provide comprehensive care for all your vision needs. We also offer premium surgical solutions to match and enhance the lifestyle of each patient.

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APRIL 2014 • 50PLUS

• 13A

EYE CARE: Questions & Answers Q

MEDICAL ASSOCIATES

: WILL FLOATERS DISAPPEAR AFTER

CATARACT SURGERY?

: No, floaters are within the vitreous cavity, behind the cataract. Cataract surgery does not involve the vitreous. In fact, the floaters may be even more apparent after cataract surgery, since the vision improves following the surgery. R. R. FLICKINGER, JR., M.D., MEDICAL EYE ASSOCIATES, SC

EYE CARE SPECIALISTS

: IS THERE ANY NEW TECHNIQUE TO ALLOW

ME TO SEE BETTER?

: There have been a number of advances in recent years that enable people to achieve their best possible vision. Our practice now utilizes OCT diagnostic laser scanning to detect, track and treat sight-threatening diseases (like diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma and macular degeneration)— sometimes even before any damage occurs. For qualified patients with glaucoma, we offer 10-minute, outpatient laser procedures that can control glaucoma fluid pressure and reduce or eliminate the need and expense for prescription drops. For cataract patients who are qualified candidates, we now have special “premium” multi-focal or astigmatism-correcting lens implants to read, drive, do computer work, or perform most any activity—with less need for glasses or bifocals. And, overall, I would say that one of the greatest advances in the past 50 years has been the recent discovery for the use of medication (Avastin, Eylea and Lucentis) injections to protect against vision loss due to macular degeneration (AMD) and diabetes. Although there are NO guarantees, we have seen remarkable results, including stopping the progression of one form of AMD in 90% of our patients, and even improving vision in 30% of people. But, of course, none of these advances will help you see better if you don’t utilize them. The best way to ensure that you see the best you can see is to schedule regular, comprehensive, dilated eye exams. If we can detect, track and treat an eye condition early enough, it increases the chances of our being able to protect and preserve your vision. Mark Freedman, MD, ophthalmologist and senior partner at Eye Care Specialists.

R.R. Flickinger Jr., M.D., F.A.C.S. Gregory R. Lochen, M.D., F.A.C.S. Carolyn P. Butler, M.D., F.A.C.S. Deborah W. Bernstein, M.D., F.A.C.S. R. Ted Compton, M.D., F.A.C.S. Waukesha

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14A • 50PLUS • APRIL 2014

The more you learn, the better your memory By: Dr. David Lipschitz An intriguing recent report showed that the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease was reduced by more than 50 percent in those proficient in a second language. While this was good news for many, it was bad for me. In high school in South Africa, Afrikaans as a second language was required. This was the only subject in which I could never ever make an A, and occasionally, and much to parents distress, I’d earn a D. Now I regret that I did not try harder, because perhaps it would be helping my intellectual capabilities as I grow older. The report does provide additional information, which states that lifelong intellectual challenge is an excellent way to reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease. Those with higher degrees, mentally challenging occupations or hobbies are less likely to have memory loss. A great deal of information has come from the study of 678 nuns conducted by Dr. David Snowden of the University of Kentucky. The goal of

the study was to determine how different factors, such as education and mental activity, affect memory as well as the incidence of Alzheimer’s. He found that nuns with the most education were the ones with the lowest risk of the disease, and that those who stayed mentally active by doing research or learning new languages were more likely to stay healthy and retain

Have an active and challenged mind. Being a lifelong learner protects the brain from memory loss. In this regard, “use it or lose it” may indeed be true. a robust memory. Intriguingly, the nun study showed that women who from an early age were able to write complex sentences with excellent prose were less likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease than those who wrote in

Strength of Community, Memory Care

simple sentences. Nuns who read from an early age and were read to on a regular basis during childhood were more likely to stay mentally active into their 80s and beyond. What is unique about the nun study is that regardless of the nuns’ backgrounds and education levels, they all had very similar environments, ate the same foods, had identical access to health care, and maintained the same lifestyle. These facts made it possible for the researchers to exclude confounding variables, such as social circumstance, economics, marital status and many other factors that could explain why some women maintained better memories than others. The message to me seems very clear: Have an active and challenged mind, and being a lifelong learner protects the brain from memory loss. In this regard, “use it or lose it” may indeed be true. This is advice I now routinely give my older patients, those with Alzheimer’s disease and their children who, because of a strong family history of the disease, appear to be at increased risk. Read a lot and encourage your children and grandchildren to read. Do crossword puzzles, take classes at a university, and stay active and involved in learning, irrespective of your age or whether you are still working or are retired. The more you challenge your brain, the healthier your brain will be because you will constantly be forming additional neu-

ral connections. Even if you do develop the disease at a later stage, you may well have a larger pool of brain cells to help you stay mentally sharp. Obviously, there is no guarantee that being a lifelong learner will totally prevent Alzheimer’s. We all know of very educated and bright adults who develop the disease. However, the information is compelling that more mental activities have kept them healthier until a later age than they otherwise might have been. Because the benefits of staying mentally active and staying occupied and involved appears to protect the mind, many have asked if retirement may accelerate memory loss. There is no evidence that retirement is bad for your physical or mental health. However, retirement without a plan and without a purpose is associated with a greater risk of illness, shorter life expectancy and either physical disability or memory loss. Those who continue to stay active both physically and intellectually tend to be healthier and mentally more agile than those who do nothing more than watch the grass grow. Remember a long and independent life is largely up to the way you embrace life and live. Happiness and health are the keys to an active and intact mind until a ripe old age. Dr. David Lipschitz is the author of the book “Breaking the Rules of Aging.”

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Nutrition rock stars By: Charlyn Fargo We could pick a lot of food to fit this category, but when it comes to nutrition, leafy greens are rock stars, according to the latest issue of Food & Nutrition magazine. Here’s why — they top the charts in vitamins A, C and K, potassium and fiber with only 5 to 40 calories per cup. Cruciferous vegetables such as kale, collards and cabbages are natural defenders and recognized for their potential roles in cancer prevention. Kale, spinach and turnip greens are high in lutein, a phytochemical that may reduce the risk of age-related macular degeneration. As a general rule, the darker the green, the more nutrition. Spinach will give a more powerful nutrition punch than iceberg. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend consuming at least 11/2 cups of dark green vegetables per week. A note of caution for anyone taking blood thinners like warfarin — because of their high vitamin K content, large amounts of leafy greens may interfere. Before you use greens, thorough cleaning is essential — wash greens in several changes of cool water to eliminate dirt. Fresh leafy greens keep in the refrigerator crisper for three to five days. For extended storage, hardier greens can be blanched and frozen. Cooking greens concentrates many of the vitamins and minerals and can help lessen bitter flavors. However, water-soluble nutrients such as vitamin C can be lost if the greens are cooked for too long. Try collards, spinach, mustards, cabbage, romaine, watercress, chard, turnip greens, kale, arugula and escarole.

Q and A

: Is adding Parmesan cheese a good way to add flavor to salads and other healthy foods without adding a lot of calories?

: Richly flavored cheese, like Parmesan, used in small amounts can be a smart strategy for adding flavor without many calories. One tablespoon of grated

Parmesan cheese adds only 22 calories, just less than one gram of saturated fat and only 76 milligrams (mg) of sodium. You might want to try the blocks of Parmesan and Romano, as they tend to have a stronger flavor than the pre-grated cheeses. Then you can grate just the amount you need at home. With a flavorful cheese like Parmesan or Romano, one tablespoon or less is plenty. However, when large amounts are melted over a food or when it’s part of baked dishes that include the Parmesan name (like Eggplant Parmesan), the calorie and fat (especially saturated fat) can add up. If adding some grated Parmesan to salads or vegetables helps you enjoy them so much more that you eat larger portions of these healthful foods, then overall it will probably help you fill up on fewer calories. A diet with plenty of leafy greens and other low calorie vegetables is linked to health benefits including lower risk of cancer, heart disease and more. Information courtesy of the American Institute for Cancer Research

Recipe

To welcome spring, (and take advantage of the nutritional value of greens mentioned above), here’s a recipe for Kale, Cherry & Sunflower Seed Salad, from Cooking Light magazine. KALE, CHERRY & SUNFLOWER SEED SALAD 1 1/2 tablespoons cider vinegar 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard 1 teaspoon honey 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt 1/4 teaspoon black pepper 5 ounces baby kale 1/4 cup dried cherries 1/4 cup sliced red onion 2 tablespoon sunflower seeds Combine the vinegar, olive oil, mustard and honey in a large bowl. Add salt and pepper. Tear the kale and add the dried cherries, red onion and sunflower seeds. Toss well and serve. Serves four (serving size 1 1/2 cups). Per serving: 117 calories, 5.6 g fat, 184 mg sodium.

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16A • 50PLUS • APRIL 2014

Get off the beaten path with a group tour

Even today’s independent boomers can benefit from traveling with professionally organized groups

By: Jamie Pacton My in-laws are both in their 60’s and will retire later this year. After decades of the nine-to-five grind, they are eager to see the world and experience adventures they’ve always

dreamed of. “We’re going to paint, rent an RV and head north to see the Northern Lights, visit all the National Parks, take dancing lessons, visit the shooting range, and even start a blog about

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our travels,” my father-in-law told me during a recent visit. “This is our time to try out all the things we’ve always been meaning to do.” One aspect of travel that’s especially important to them is “getting off the beaten path.” “I’ve spent many years in airports, corporate hotels, and meeting rooms. I’ve seen very little of the countries I’ve visited at the local level,” said my father-in-law. “We really want to see local culture, talk to people who live and work in the places we visit, and get off the beaten path.” Curiously, though, when my inlaws hit the road, they plan on making all their own travel plans. I suggested that joining a group tour might save them time and hassle. And yet, like many active Boomers, they just don’t consider themselves “group tour types”. But what does that mean today? With so many boomers ready to travel, tour operators have to be sensitive to this resistance and adjust their approach, says Steve Uelner, President of Country Travel DISCOVERIES in Elm Grove. “I’m 52 and consider myself an independent traveler,” Uelner notes, sympathizing. “But, when I took one of our tours as a regular passenger recently, I found the week to be relaxing, invigorating, educational…and just plain fun!” It’s not only the relief of “leaving the driving, and all other logistics, to someone else,” he says. “I experienced first-hand many unique aspects of our trips that I wouldn’t have been able to arrange on my own. Listening to knowledgeable speakers, enjoying scrumptious meals exclusively prepared for our group, stretching out in luxurious modern coaches, visiting private family homes, farms and businesses in small communities, getting insight into local ways of life.” In fact, the group tour industry offers a diverse array of opportunities for my in-laws to get “off-the-beatenpath” and enjoy access to the kind of local-level experiences they seek, but would be unlikely to find on their own.

Country Travel DISCOVERIES’ travelers, for example, may eat a hearty, homemade, farm-fresh breakfast in the home of a welcoming Amish family in Iowa. They meet local farmers, brewers, and craftspeople in the Black Forest and Nuremberg, Germany. They converse with Maine lobstermen while dining on the day’s catch at a traditional New England bake. Or, take an early morning trail ride down to breakfast at an authentic, family dude ranch in Bandera, Texas. Trafalgar Tours lets music fans talk to a Beatles expert in Liverpool, England or learn about Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix and other Sixties icons from a local expert in San Francisco. Vancouver-based Tours By Locals takes tourists behind the scenes in Maui to talk to hula dancers, local farmers, surfers, slack key guitarists, and others. A train buff himself, Uelner observes that joining a tour can often free you up to explore by many different modes. His company’s Alaska & the Yukon tour, for instance, lets you see the “Last Frontier” by plane, small catamaran, double-decker train, oceanliner, explorer coach, air tram and helicopter. Another specialty company, Beau Wine Tours, offers a romantic (and safe) way to explore wine country via its Napa Valley Wine Train. These are just a few of the amazing travel options that today’s tour companies offer folks like my inlaws. They’re working hard to plan local adventures that offer you unique insights, unforgettable experiences, and surprising adventures. So, before you write off group travel, remember that tour companies know you want to head off the beaten path – and may be your best bet for getting you there.

50 Plus News Magazine

2014 14

24B • 50plus • BEST of S.E. WI SENIoR houSINg • SEPTEMBER 2013

NEMOVITZ continued from page 8A ness and a much reduced stress level. The true gift was that all involved found a deeper relationship with one another. That is what life is about… giving to others unconditionally. My hope is that if you or a family member is living in a home that no longer meets your needs, know that you are not alone with your worry and fear of the unknown. You and your loved ones will share your journey to a new lifestyle. You will all experience change in your own personal way, but in the end it is the well-being of your loved one that counts. Once a move is made to

a safe and healthy home, relief and happiness will be the result for not just the one making the move but by all who are connected by love. That is what family is about! Bruce Nemovitz is a Senior Real Estate Specialist, as well as Certified Senior Advisor. Bruce has sold residential homes in the four county Milwaukee-Metro areas for 35 years. Bruce is a featured speaker at several senior communities in the Milwaukee-Metro area. He works with his wife Jeanne at Realty Executives Integrity.

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: Check out ways you can save more money now to finance your future. The No. 1 fear of most retirees is that they will run out of money during their lifetime. Governmental statistics indicate that 76 million Americans were born between 1946 and 1964. This means 6 million boomers will be searching for housing in the future. Retirement community developers are doing their homework and trying to build facilities that are safer, friendlier, and more modern and acceptable to newcomers. They are paying for surveys to determine what retirees want the most. First, and foremost, most retirees would prefer to remain in their own homes and continue to live near their families and friends if possible. Their second choice is usually determined by their health. Most retirees process their retirement lives in several stages. They

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make choices and choose their attitude based on what their peers do. Up for discussion are locations, which should boast good transportation, favorable weather, conveniently located doctors, hospitals, pharmacies, shopping centers, and entertainment and religious centers. Upscale amenities being considered include more attractive clubhouses, large community rooms, excellent exercise equipment, computer access and training, lending libraries, a heated pool, swimming and golf facilities, avocation clubs, coffee shops, entertainment, and classes taught by experts who will discuss taxes, health, relationships and finances. Some builders now include a small, separate room as an attachment to accommodate the sleeping needs of snoring couples. Under consideration are larger spaces to accommodate big screens, computers and more room for storage. Now is your lead time to increase your savings, as doing so will also give you more options in the future. Options will be available!

: We are observing that when we were younger, we were not as serious as we are now, and in retirement, we are taking what we believe to be life much too seriously. Of course, we have all experienced our own individual potholes and learned to cope with what we have experienced, taking the high road. How can we loosen up and enjoy the ride?

: Now that you have recognized you want to cheer yourselves up, the key word is to choose “POSITIVE”! Do not allow negative friends to influence your thinking and attitudes. At this stage in your life, you have paid your dues and are entitled to enjoy yourselves and have fun. Play fun card games like I Doubt It. To avoid stress, optimists at the Mayo Clinic advise us to choose “LAUGHTER” ... that’s no joke! Doug Mayberry makes the most of life in a Southern California Retirement community.

APRIL 2014 • 50PLUS

• 19A

Boredom and age Our guess is that if you ever have been bored in this life, you’ve never had much ambition. If you never were bored until recently, it just could be that your get up and go has gotten up and gone. This last being true, you definitely need a new hobby.

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20A • 50PLUS • APRIL 2014 1964 continued from page 1A your car or buy a hot dog or a beer for less than a buck. But the year 1964 was significant for more than the fact that it was exactly 50 years ago. So hop aboard our time travel trolley and take a peek. Here we go. Among other things, the year marked the end of an era in one sport and the beginning of one in another. In the first, it was the finale here for Hall of Fame baseball star Warren Spahn. The left handed pitcher with the most wins in the history of Major League Baseball, Spahnie, won 363 games, and 20 or more in a single season 13 times. At the advanced age of 42, he still managed a great 23-7 record with a 2.60 earned run average. By way of comparison, the current Milwaukee Brewers, over 43 seasons, have had only three 20-game winners. But in 1964, Spahn was near the end of his long and illustrious career. Spahn was one of a kind, and I doubt we will ever see the likes of him again. As to that second era, the one that was just starting, in April 11, 1964, Marquette University signed an unknown coach from little Belmont Abbey in North Carolina to a contract to become its

new head basketball coach. His name was Al McGuire. As I recall those days, fans here were pretty much disgusted with the choice. “Who the hell is Al McGuire?” they griped. “Who ever heard of the bum?” Little did they know that the irrepressible McGuire would go on to become the greatest coach in Marquette basketball history. Unless you’re a staunch Golden Eagles fan (They were Warriors back then), you probably don’t remember the fantastic turnaround that McGuire accomplished. In the 1962-63 season under Eddie Hickey, Marquette had won only five games. In its entire history MU had made it to the annual NCAA Tournament only once. Under McGuire the difference was like night and day. After a couple of seasons to warm up and recruit his kind of players, Al’s teams made it to the NCAA tourney in nine out of ten seasons. The only one in which his Warriors didn’t, it was because Al had thumbed his nose at the NCAA invitation and gone to the NIT Tournament instead (in which Marquette won the championship). Over the 11 seasons from ’66-’67 to ’76-’77, McGuire’s Warriors aver-

A FEW MORE ’64 HIGHLIGHTS

Jan. 5 San Diego Chargers win AFL Championship. Jan. 16 “Hello Dolly” opens in New York. Feb. 9 Beetles come to the U.S., appear on Ed Sullivan show. Feb. 25 Cassius Clay (aka Muhammed Ali) TKO’s Sonny Liston. Mar. 21 UCLA beats Duke for NCAA Championship. Apr. 6 Milwaukee Journal circulation announced at 575,315. Apr. 10 Polo Grounds demolished in New York. Apr. 17 first game at Shea Stadium, Mets lose to Pirates. Apr. 26 Boston Celtics win NBA crown, beat San Francisco. May 30 A.J. Foyt wins Indy 500. Jul. 16 Barry Goldwater nominated for Republican presidential race. Aug. 2 Mickey Wright wins LPGA Championship in Milwaukee. Oct. 3 Yankees clinch 5th Straight AL Championship. Oct. 15 Yankees lose to Cardinals in World Series. Oct. 21 Milwaukee Braves ask NL for permission to move. Nov. 7 NL tells Braves to stay in Milwaukee through ’65. Nov. 13 Bob Pettit becomes first NBA player to score 20,000 points. Dec. 27 Cleveland Browns win NFL Championship.

aged 25 wins a season. In almost 50 years of intercollegiate competition prior to Al’s coming, Marquette never won as many as 25 games in one year. Over in Madison in 1964 things were stagnant, at best, in both football and basketball. The arrivals of Barry Alvarez and Bo Ryan were still far in the future. The Badgers ‘63 football team had won only five games, and the ’64 bunch would go 3-6. In 1964, Wisconsin lost to Notre Dame, 7-28, which marked the last time those two teams played. In basketball under John Erickson, Wisconsin won only 8 of 24 games in 1963 and would win only 9 of 22 in 1964. Those were the times best forgotten in UW basketball. From the 1950 season on through to ’94, a total of 45 long and dreary years, Wisconsin never had a Big Ten winner, and only had 13 winning seasons.

In golf, the year 1964 was memorable for a number of reasons. In that year the Wisconsin State Golf Association began its Hall of Fame. Inducted in that first class were golfing greats such as E.P. “Ned” Allis, Billy Sixty Jr., Wilford Wehle, Lynford Lardner and Richard Cavenaugh. It’s interesting to note that when they opened the Hall in ’64, the bylaws did not include permission for induction of women, or for professional players or for amateurs who were not members of country clubs. Within 10 years the powers that be realized the folly of their restrictions, and rewrote the rules. Something else of note took place in golf that year. 1964 probably marked the height of the golf course construction craze sweeping the whole country then. There were more golf courses opened in Wisconsin in that year than in any other year

APRIL 2014 • 50PLUS

before or since, 15 of them. In this area those new courses were Rainbow Springs in Mukwonago, Alpine Valley near East Troy, Bristol Oaks near Bristol and the Milwaukee public course Dretzka. Others were Badlands near Roberts, Cherokee in Madison, Country Side in Kaukanua, Deer Run in Brillion, Hawthorne Hills in Saukville, Inshalla near Tomahawk, Lake Windsor in Windsor, Ledgeview and also Mid-Vallee, both near DePere, Moundview near Friendship, and Viking near Strum. On the national level in 1964, there was an achievement in golf that became quite possibly the biggest story in sports of any kind. It was at the US Open championship, where Ken Venturi was the winner. Venturi, who was only 33 years old, was, because of injuries and other ailments, considered all washed up as a pro golfer. So because of his win, and, too, because he was quite handsome and likable, the 1964 US Open was one of the most popular, ever. Later that year, Venturi was named as the Sports Illustrated’s Sportsman of the Year. The cover is reproduced here. Back in those days Sports Illustrated filled its pages with wonderful prose written by some of the finest writers of the day. Here are the first couple of paragraphs of the SI story written by Alfred Wright, after the award had been presented to Venturi. “Just a bit before 6:30 on a steamy Saturday afternoon last June, Ken Venturi, the golfer, was on the verge of winning the most prestigious event in his profession, the USGA Open Championship. At this climactic moment in his life, he was utterly exhausted. He was exhausted by the 35 holes of golf he had already played that day in the stygian heat of the Potomac Valley, and he was even more exhausted – yet buoyed too – by the emotion of a personal victory over himself. As he walked down the 18th fairway of Washington DC’s Congressional Country Club on legs that the 100 degree heat had turned to taffy, his eyes downcast and his feet as dead as stones, he heard the voice of Joseph C. Dey Jr., a USGA official who was at his side. ‘Hold your head up, Ken,’ said Dey gently. ‘You’re a champion now.’ Suddenly aware of himself and

his setting, Venturi removed the white linen cap that had been his sartorial trademark during his years as a professional golfer. He raised his eyes to the scoreboard beyond the green and to the clubhouse on the green behind it. Dimly, as through a wall of cotton, he could hear the soaring applause of the gallery that lined the fairway six deep on either side. After more than three years of humiliation and defeat, Ken Venturi had come back, and in a setting that was dripping with melodrama. From a theatrical standpoint, there was nothing in sports in the year 1964 to equal it as far as I’m concerned, reading copy like that is infinitely more pleasurable than reading diatribes about drugs and salaries and self aggrandizing athletes that fill the sport pages today. Does it sound as if I’m living in the past? Maybe. But it does seem to me that journalists weren’t so obsessed with money and drugs as they are today. Along those lines, you may have noticed that many publications today, such as Sports Illustrated, are now filled with a lot of full-page photographs. That move, of course, relieves much of the need for good copy written by good writers. Is that a sign of the times, or is it that Sports Illustrated is just now offering what its name implies? By the way there was no PGA tournament for men in Milwaukee in 1964. There was a tournament for women, however, called simply the Milwaukee Open, and it was won by Mickey Wright. The Masters that year was won by Arnold Palmer, who was still in his prime then; and the British Open by Champagne Tony Lema. Neat nickname. On the subject of publications, here are a few that existed back in 1964, and the publishers who ran them. In Brookfield there was the Brookfield News, run by Jack Cory; in Elm Grove the Elm Leaves and William Grede; in Oconomowoc the Enterprise and C.W. Brown; in Menomonee Falls the News was run by Guy Fuller Jr.; and in Hartland the Lake County Reporter was run by Jim McLoone. I’m not sure what all of them are doing today or even if they are still around, but I do know the last named of those gentlemen, Jim McLoone, is as busy writing as he ever

was. You can enjoy his commentary every month in this publication. Something else took place in baseball in 1964 that had never happened before or has since. Ken Johnson of the Houston Astros pitched a no-hitter – and was the losing pitcher in the game. So, on to another sport, horse racing, also memorable in year 1964, if only to me, on a personal level. Both the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness, the first two legs of the Triple Crown, were won by a horse called Northern Dancer. For some reason which now escapes me, at the time I had taken a liking to that horse. That was why I and a couple of friends drove down to Louisville in early ’64 to watch the Derby in person. It was the first Derby I had ever attended. A few weeks later I was sadly disappointed when Northern Dancer finished third in the Belmont, preventing him from getting that Triple Crown. But back at the Kentucky Derby, after the race, I had managed to climb down from the stands and scurry over near Northern Dancer. I actually got close

• 21A

enough to give him an affectionate pat on his rump. An insignificant act, of course, yet such are the little pieces that fill our memories, and even make a year memorable. In 1964, the old Milwaukee Braves were still competing here. They weren’t doing all that well and finished in 5th place in the National League race. All kinds of rumors were floating about concerning whether the team was going to stay in Milwaukee or not. Trying to keep attendance up, team officials kept promising that the Braves were here to stay and would never move away. Never, never, never. Well, never only lasted for one more year. By the end of the ’65 season, they were off to warmer and richer Atlanta. As the second paragraph of this article noted, in 1964 the city of Milwaukee did not have a professional NBA basketball team. There are those who say the city will not have one at the end of 2014, either.

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EDITORIALS

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Living to over 100

Would you believe that over 53,000 people now are over 100 years of age? To live to be 100, these people are somewhat different from most of NEY SENSEthe oldest of old people. They do more than rock in their chairs, watch Lawen Ellenbecker e Ellenbecker rence Welk musical programs and pet -Lipsky their cat or dog. These 100-year-olds not only are well physically, but they are well adjusted psychologically, socially and spiritually. There’s definitely something to be said for being a centenarian. To be a centenarian, you don’t unt Emma have to dwell on the fact that you have

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ME with Jim McLoone

KILLING TIME continued from page 4A change, the courage to change the things I can and the wisdom to know the difference. What a great message for each of us. a a a a A grandson said they played musical chairs at a school event. I thought about it and determined for us to play musical anything, it would have to be recliners. a a a a A friend told me to slow down and he wasn’t even a police person. There’s something about being an older driver and seemingly always having a heavier foot on the gas pedal. I know this secret will stay with you as you’ll forget it by tomorrow. a a a a So what’s right? Should the minimum wage be increased as many of us believe to be the case or do we believe that 500,000 persons will lose their jobs if the raise to $10.10 goes into effect? Since when are economic justice and deeper poverty the same? a a a a The Milwaukee County Executive touches all bases and, in fact, goes through the entire alphabet as Abele hired Zielinski for certain work. a a a a

How do I really know that I am who I believe I am? After all, I was so young at birth that I can’t even recall my mother at that time. a a a a Duane Griffin may live at the beautiful Masonic sponsored retirement complex at Dousman, but he’s a Fourth Degree Knight of Columbus. A few minutes after talking with him, I mentioned cremation and the person I was talking with misunderstood me to say Free Mason. a a a a Our Library of sometimes questionable information reports that there are more than 100 cheese shops in Wisconsin, with the majority of them selling their own made cheeses. While we like cheese, we marvel at the fact there still are that many people who like to work so diligently eight days a week, 52 weeks of the year. a a a a Wisconsin had 1,244 men and women who either were killed or are still listed as missing in action from the Vietnam War. Their names are etched into the Vietnam Memorial in Washington, D.C. A new Education Center, when opened, will tell the stories of the Vietnam veterans who lost their lives while making the ultimate sacrifice for their country.

APRIL 2014 • 50PLUS

We Saw You At

the NARI Home Improvement Show By Margaret Pearson This year’s show, NARI’s 52nd annual, had as its theme “Put a Little Love in Your Home.” It was held in mid-February in the Wisconsin Exposition Center at State Fair Park. There were close to 250 exhibitors at the event, so there were plenty of ideas to go around. A few of the faces there included:

Jerry and Keith Trantlage of Waukesha with their grandson, Kyle Lowery. Mary and Tom Wolfe of Milwaukee.

Jeff Hart and Jutta Kennedy of Racine. Art and Dianne Harman and Pat and Gene Janikowski of Greenfield.

Bob and Jan Jensen of Delafield.

Debbie and Gary Guenther of Ashippun.

Nancy and Ron Williams of Burlington.

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24A • 50PLUS • APRIL 2014

SECTION B | APRIL 2014

What’s Inside: Calendar, News and More

23rd Annual

50 PLUS Fest & Retirement Show

WIN

$50 MAYFAIR MALL GIFT CARD Drawing every hour starting at 10am

MAYFAIR MALL | APRIL 24, 2014 | 9AM-2PM

Main Stage- April 24 9:00 Milwaukee Golden Idols 10:00 Presentation by Siena on the Lake

FREE

11:00

COFFEE & BAGELS

Spring Style Show sponsored by the VMP

12:00 Milwaukee Golden Idols 1:00 Ambassadors of Harmony

from Panera 9-10

These guys ROCK! They will treat all in attendance to another fabulous show.

Sponsored By:

In cooperation with:

EDITORIALS

CAPITOL MMENT

t Pommer

G IN THE RECTION

Nemovitz

GING SUES

m Frazier

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MONEY SENSE By Karen Ellenbecker & Julie Ellenbecker -Lipsky

Emma

APRON STRINGS By Aunt Emma

SENIOR Milwaukee’s largest indoor event for older adults! Answer Man

IT MAKES ME

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2B • 50PLUS • APRIL 2014

23rd Annual

MARK YOUR CALENDARS

50 PLUS Fest & Retirement Show

MAYFAIR MALL APRIL 24, 2014 9AM-2PM

EXHIBITORS 50 Plus News Magazine AARP Wisconsin American Republic Insurance Services Anthem BCBS of WI Badger Tours/Potawatomi Bingo Casino Bath Fitter Capri Senior Communities Captel Captioned Telephone Covance TestWithTheBest.com Creative Living Environments LLC Dental Implant & Periodontal Solutions Disability Rights Wisconsin Edvest, Wisconsin’s College Savings Plan EverDry Waterproofing

Guardian Home Improvements Highlands Communities Himount Gardens & Greenbrook Gardens

Home Care Services Humana MarketPOINT, Inc. Interfaith Older Adult Programs J & K Home Care Services Lamers Tour & Travel Luther Manor Milwaukee County Department on Aging Peace of Mind Presbyterian Homes and Services San Camillo Siena on the Lake Social Security Admin Steeple View Christian Senior Community VMP Manor Park/Trinity WPS Health Insurance

Milwaukee’s largest indoor event for older adults!

APRIL 2014 • 50PLUS

• 3B

“Batter up” for Area Senior Softball and Baseball By Jack Pearson On the basis of the record cold and snow everyone in Wisconsin experienced this past long and frigid winter, one might worry about spring’s arrival. Never fear, it will come, and along with it will come the usual extensive slate of senior softball and baseball league play in the Milwaukee area. If you’re not already a member of one of the teams and would like to join, take note. Assuming you have some degree of ability, there’s room for you. Because of the usual attrition from year to year, openings always exist. Joining a team is quite inexpensive. For softball play, all you need is a good glove and some serviceable athletic shoes. Balls and bats are provided. For baseball play, you’ll need a bit more, usually a team shirt and hat. Women are welcome on most softball teams. For additional information, call any of the numbers below. FOR SOFTBALL: The VMP (Village at Manor Park) Super Senior Softball League, which is for 55 and older players, begins competition on May 5. The league plays all games on Mondays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at McCarty Park in West Allis, located at S. 82nd and Cleveland. They have 12 teams. To join one or for more information, call Pancho Palesse at 414-543-5776. The MPS (Milwaukee Public Schools) Recreation 55 Plus Senior Softball League begins play on April 29 and will continue through the summer on Tuesdays beginning at 9:30 a.m. There are 14 teams. Games are played at Burnham Park on 35th and Burnham in Milwaukee. Contact Greg Baker at 414-771-9532. The Southeastern Senior Softball League, 55 and older, begins play on April 30th. Games begin at 9:30 a.m.,

Wednesdays at McCarty Park in West Allis. There are 12 teams. Contact Roly Nellis at 262-251-8977. The Greater Milwaukee 65 and older Senior Softball League starts May 1st. Games are played on Thursdays beginning at 9:30 a.m. at Wick Field on 51st and Vliet. There are 12 teams. Contact Cy Swiechowski at 262-679-3752. The West Allis-West Milwaukee Recreational Department 55-Plus Softball League begins play on May 16. Games are played at the West Allis Hale High School Athletic Complex on 117th and Cleveland in West Allis. Games are on Fridays from 9 a.m. to noon. There are eight teams. Contact Dustin Smith at 414-604-4938. FOR BASEBALL: As it has in the past, the Milwaukee Men’s Senior Baseball League offers several different age classifications. They include 18 years old and older; 28 and older, 35 and older, 45 and older, and 55 and older. Older players can always play in younger leagues, but not the other way around. League play begins April 26. League director Tom Johns noted that the league now ranks as the largest such baseball organization of its kind in the entire country. All games are now played at The Rock, a huge sports complex on S. 76th St. in Franklin. For more information or to sign on with a team, call Johns at 414-7042904, or the Rock office at 414-5297676.

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4B • 50PLUS • APRIL 2014

ARTS

ENTERTAINMENT

calendar

ONGOING Through May 4 Uncommon Folk: Traditions in American Milwaukee Art Museum By Enis Wright 700 N. Art Museum Dr. For details call 414-224-4300 or visit mam.org.

the WRIGHT SIDE of

John Van Thiel brings the King to life at 6:30 p.m. with the songs to celebrate Elvis in Hawaii! Visit the VMP table and receive a free gift. Call for details at 414-257-5611.

April 4 “A VISION FOR A BETTER WORLD” Siena Retreat Center 5637 Erie St., Racine Enjoy an evening of art, music and spirituality with a concert by Peter Mayer, 7:30 p.m. Contact Siena

KILLING TIME with Jim McLoone April 3 ELVIS & BEACH PARTY The Domes 524 S. Layton Blvd., Milwaukee

Rocky Mountain High: A John Denver Tribute

starring Ted Vigil The legendary John Denver evokes memories of an era in music, which was both inspiring and influential. He recorded nearly 300 songs, 200 of which he composed, which led to 12 gold and 4 platinum albums, an Emmy and two Grammy’s. Ted Vigil, who closely resembles John both physically and musically, is carrying on the tradition honoring this colossal music icon. His gift for the music and energetic performing style presents a warm and delightful evening in tribute to some of the world’s most popular music.

April 25-27 • Vogel Hall • Marcus Center 414.273.7206 • MarcusCenter.org • Ticketmaster.com Groups of 10+ Save! Call 414.273.7121 Ext.210

Retreat Center, 262-898-2590 for information and tickets. April 5 FAMILY FREE DAY AT THE ZOO Milwaukee County Zoo, 10001 West Blue Mound Rd., Milwaukee Sponsored by North Shore Bank and FOX 6. Regular parking fees still apply. For details, visit milwaukeecountyzoo.org or call 414-256-5412 April 10 MUSIC BY TERRY MORGANROTH Jackson Crossings Retirement Community, N168 W22026 Main St., Jackson This free event takes place at the Lakeshore Building and is open to the public. Music starts at 6 p.m. For information call 262-993-2838. April 14 NEW RESEARCH Alzheimer’s Association Support Group Jackson Crossings Retirement Community, N168 W22026 Main St., Jackson Event held on the third Wednesday of each month at the Lakeshore Building. Refreshments served, free respite care available, call for reservations 262-993-2838. April 17 SPRING INTO HEALTH – HEALTH AND WELLNESS FAIR Foresthill Highlands, 8930 West Highland Park Avenue, Franklin Bring your family and friends; event is free to the public. Participants will enjoy complimentary fresh fruit and refreshments, raffle prizes and tours of Foresthill Highlands along with information from many companies10 a.m. – noon. For more information call 414-425-6611. April 19 THE LOVIN’ KIND Shank Hall 1434 N. Farwell Ave., Milwaukee Enjoy this live music, dancing and lots of laughs from 8 – 10 p.m. for a great start on your holiday weekend! For details, call 414-276-7288 or visit shankhall.com for details.

April 20 HAVE A HAPPY EASTER FROM ALL OF US AT 50 PLUS! April 24 50 PLUS FEST AND RETIREMENT SHOW Mayfair Mall 2500 N. Mayfair Rd., Wauwatosa Enjoy the fashion show, aging resources, care-giving resources, housing options, music, entertainment, prize drawings hourly and so much more. Be there from 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. for the shows and listen to the seminars catering to the needs & desires of people aged 50 and upward. April 25-27 ROCKY MOUNTAIN HIGH: A JOHN DENVER TRIBUTE Vogel Hall, Marcus Center for the Performing Arts Ted Vigil sings a tribute to this great man and closely resembles John both physically and musically. Vigil’s performing style presents a warm and delightful evening through some of the world’s most popular music. Visit marcuscenter.org or call 414-2737206. UPCOMING EVENTS May 1 2014 SENIOR CONFERENCE WASHINGTON COUNTY Washington County Fair Park 3000 Hwy PV, West Bend For adults of all ages. Pre-registration is required. Contact the Aging and Disability Resource Center, 262-3354497. Door prizes with grand prize flat screen TV. May 2 9TH ANNUAL MILWAUKEE/NARI FOUNDATION RUMMAGE SALE Milwaukee Millwork 11712 W. Dixon St., Milwaukee A large variety of merchandise will be available for sale to the public from 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. Appliances, bathroom and ceiling tiles, bathtubs, cabinets, carpeting, doors, flooring, furniture, lumber, roof shingles and much more. Any rummage sale purchase gets two tickets for the 2014 Milwaukee/NARI Tour of Remodeled Homes in May.

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ENTERTAINMENT

calendar

May 17 – 18 15TH ANNUAL MILWAUKEE /NARI TOUR OF REMODELED HOMES Tour includes 15 recently completed remodeling and home improvement By Enis Wright projects from Brookfield, Greenfield, Mequon, Waukesha and Whitefish Bay. For details, visit www.milwaukeenari.org or call 414-771-4071.

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Support group held the third Wednesday of each month; 6 p.m. Respite care is available. Please call for reservations at (262) 993-2838.

AFTERNOON DANCE American Legion Post #449 3245 N. 124th St., Brookfield Everyone Welcome! Second Monday of every month, 1:30 - 3:30 p.m., Big Band dance, $3. • • • • • CHARLES HORWITZ PLANETARIUM S14 W28167 Madison St., Waukesha For more information on upcoming programs visit - www.waukeshaschools.com/planet. • • • • • MILWAUKEE ART MUSEUM 700 N. Art Museum Dr. Open 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Tuesday Sunday. Call (414) 224-3200 or go to www.mam.org.

KILLING TIME with Jim McLoone ON-GOING ALZHEIMER’S SUPPORT GROUP Cedar Bay West, Fellowship Hall, 5595 County Road Z, West Bend. Meets the second Wednesday of each month from 1 - 3 p.m. For details, call (262) 306-4230. ALZHEIMER’S SUPPORT GROUP Jackson Crossing Lakeshore Building N168 W22026 Main St., Jackson

APRIL 2014 • 50PLUS

• • • • • MILWAUKEE COUNTY RSVP – INTERFAITH OLDER ADULT PROGRAMS, INC. Contact Eddie at (414) 220-8655 to be a volunteer. • • • • • MILWAUKEE DANCING GRANNIES Interested in becoming one of Milwaukee’s dancing grannies? Contact us at (414) 630-4493. • • • • •

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MUSEUM OF WISCONSIN ART 300 South Sixth Ave., West Bend Public hours, Wednesday – Saturday 10 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. and Sunday 1 4:30 p.m. (262) 334-9638 or www. wisconsinart.org. • • • • • O.A.S.I.S. 2414 West Mitchell Street For seniors Fifty-Five Plus Travel Club meets monthly, second Friday of the month 8:30 a.m. Website: milwaukeerecreation.net/travel.

Breakfast - Lunch - Dinner

Tasty food - Reasonable Prices - Free Parking Where can you find a restaurant like this in the Downtown Milwaukee Area? Try Cafe La Scala at the Italian Community Center, 631 E. Chicago St., in Milwaukee’s Historic Third Ward. Open Monday - Saturday. Closed Sunday. Breakfast from $2.95 - $7.95 (Mon.-Sat., 6-11 am) Lunch buffet - $8.50 (Mon.-Fri., 11 am-2 pm) Tex Mex Monday • Pasta Abbondanza Tuesday • Southern BBQ Wednesday • Italian Thursday • Fish Fry Friday

Sandwiches, salads, dinners from $7.95 - $16.95 For complete menu, visit LaScalaMilwaukee.com Reserva ons welcome, call 414-223-2185

Seniorfest 2014

6B • 50PLUS • APRIL 2014

SENIOR EDUCATION: Going back to school later in life By: Anica Wong College campuses are typically teeming with 20-somethings who can’t walk five steps without putting on a set of earphones or checking their cellphones. But that doesn’t mean that a college or university isn’t the place for seniors who are interested in furthering their education. Going back to school for the first, second or third time can be daunting, especially as people grow older. But Barbara Krueger believes that learning, at any age, is very important to keeping your brain and spirit thriving. Krueger, a retiree living in San Diego, started a website in 1982 called seniorresource. com to give seniors information on housing choices, especially as they transitioned out of their own homes into assisted living facilities or residential communities. As the website gained traction, she started adding information on finances and educational benefits for seniors.

“My goal was to educate people online, to (help them) find out what their choices really were,” she says.

A Great Event at a Great Location!

Thurday - May 8, 2014 Pier Wisconsin | 550 N. Harbor Drive

Since 1975, Interfaith has been changing lives for the better and with the support of donors and volunteers like you we can continue to build a community that values the generations before us.

Join us Thursday, May 8 - 5:30pM aT discovery World-pier Wisconsin Enjoy good food with good friends along with: Emcee: Thelma Sias, Vice President - Local Affairs, We Energies Entertainment • Silent Auction • Live Auction • Raffle Denis Sullivan, 19th Century Great Lakes Schooner Replica

For Tickets Call 414-220-8644 by April 21 Proceeds from the 9th Annual Pearls of Wisdom support Interfaith Older Adult Programs

Although she no longer owns the website, Krueger is still very active in the senior community and has continued her education by taking several local community college courses for her own hobby purposes. She has recently taken courses in photography and sewing, reveling in the community that those classes created. “It’s a neat group of women and at least half are seniors who do very creative things,” she says of the sewing class. Junior colleges, colleges and universities around the country offer specialized classes, curriculum and help for seniors looking to go back to school, often providing registration at reduced pricing. Some states offer seniors to audit classes for free, while others, like Virginia, allow those older than 60 free tuition to a variety of the state’s colleges and universities, according to the Virginia Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services. Each state’s department of education can provide specific information about what options are offered in that area and can point seniors to colleges that have specific programs or related benefits and tax credits that are available.

If getting back into the classroom with young students is intimidating, there are other options for seniors who want to learn with others their own age. The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, started in 2001, provides an opportunity for retired and semi-retired individuals to participate in classes, lectures, special events and social gatherings through colleges across the country. Many of these classes are offered through the extension arms of the colleges and are taken for personal enrichment in a variety of topics ranging from film to fiction to physics. “There are a lot of people who are interested in staying active and being involved. And you want to associate with people who share your values and interests,” says Kruger. “Stay involved, go to lectures.”

50 Plus News Magazine

APRIL 2014 • 50PLUS

• 7B

JUICE FASTING- Why juice fasting is safe and more than just a fad diet By: Aimee Kuvadia Joe Cross had a choice: Get healthy or die. “I’m 41. I’m fat. And I’m sick,” the Australian native humbly admits in his 2010 aptly named documentary, “Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead.” “You don’t have to be Einstein to figure out what’s next.” For over 20 years, Cross was the archetypal businessman, caring more about his entrepreneurial endeavors than for himself. “I was focusing on my wealth rather than my health,” he laments. His lifestyle was laden with shortlived pleasures: smoking, excessive drinking and food, most of which was processed. As a business expert, he should have known everything comes at a price. Cross gradually began packing on the pounds, not stopping until he weighed just over 300 and found himself with a debilitating autoimmune disorder, one requiring him to take a panoply of prescription drugs -- including the powerful corticosteroid prednisone -- and often preventing him from doing such seemingly simple tasks as carrying a shopping bag. At age 40, getting over the hill, Cross was finally able to look down at his life and realize that not too much of it would be left if he persisted on the same path. He decided to repurpose his business skills -- “my capacity for action, determination and discipline” -- toward benefiting his health. As Cross was a man who preferred extremes, he went from a diet of predominantly factory-produced food to one of only food growing in the ground, which he didn’t eat but juiced. For 60 days, he didn’t consume anything but the pulp of fruits and vegetables. Not eating for a few days, let alone two months, seems irresponsible if not downright dangerous. But unlike trend diets -- many of which harm the body and promote only provisional weight loss -- juice fasting actually promotes overall health. Stacy Kennedy, a senior clinical nutritionist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston featured in Cross’ film, confirms juice fasting is indeed

safe and a great way to reboot the body. “So, in juice fasting, you’re still eating something. You’re drinking nutrients, particularly a lot of micronutrients that are coming from fruits and vegetables,” she says. “And because it’s a liquid, it’s more rapidly absorbed. So it’s a quick easy way of giving your body a very potent source of healthy nutrients.” All food falls into one of two categories: micronutrients or macronutrients. Micronutrients, which are essentially vitamins and minerals, comprise vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds and beans. They’re needed for both major and minor body functions, everything from building muscle and immunity to preventing the flu. Macronutrients are everything else. With a typical American plate consisting of half meat, a quarter overcooked vegetable or potato, and a quarter of some other white, refined side, it’s no surprise Americans are lacking micronutrients. The contemporary world eats too many processed foods and animal products, according to Dr. Joel Fuhrman, who specializes in treating obesity and chronic illness with nutrition therapy. It’s why so many people suffer with their health. “The point here is we have an unprecedented opportunity in history to be healthier and live longer than before,” says Fuhrman in the documentary. “We simply don’t have to be demented when we get older. We don’t have to have a heart attack. We don’t have to get strokes. And we can dramatically reduce the risk of cancer.” Fuhrman monitored Cross during his fast, advising him to get a blood test every 10 days. If committing to a strict dietary regimen that will likely alter the body permanently, a physician should be consulted, as everyone is different, and what is good for one person might be harmful to another. Cross maintained a positive attitude throughout the 60 days, making his fast seem almost effortless. But it was far from that. “The first few days are the toughest. Not eating ... It’s kind of like you’re cutting yourself off from soci-

ety when you’re not eating food,” he says. “It just doesn’t seem normal.” For those who don’t need to lose a significant amount of weight, Cross recommends doing just a 10-day fast, which still does wonders for the body. A woman he recruited to try it felt a considerable improvement in her migraine headaches. After two months of just juicing, Cross was virtually unrecognizable, having lost over 70 pounds. He also had achieved his primary goal of getting off all his medication. It’s important to ease back into eating following a juice fast. Cross

consumed only vegetables, fruits, nuts and beans for over six months, but an average person doesn’t require so extreme a transition. Juicing, says Fuhrman, is a way to “retrain your taste buds.” A fast will have been successful if it motivates an individual to remain healthy for the long term. “Permanent results only come from permanent change in lifestyle and diet style,” Fuhrman concludes. “You don’t get permanently well unless you permanently change the way you live.”

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EDITORIALS

8B • 50PLUS • APRIL 2014

TUCSON: A love affair with desert, mountains

E CAPITOL OMMENT

If you like the desert, hiking in the mountains or just viewing them with awe exclaiming verbal thoughts, you will love the eccentric mix of terrain MONEY SENSE that just happens to include lots of By Karen Ellenbecker tennis courts plus about& 20 Julie public Ellenbeckergolf -Lipsky courses and perhaps as many as 25 more private such facilities stretched NG IN THE DIRECTION into the mountain sides and valleys. e Nemovitz The cacti occupied desert is APRON known as Sonoran. Emma STRINGS The mountains are the Chirichua By Aunt Emma Answer Man and the San Catalina. The national forest is the Coronado. And this southern Arizona city AGING SSUES where the desert meets the mountains om Frazier is Tucson. Visiting Tucson definitely is a cross-cultural experience that will leave you with many stories to tell. A visit is somewhat akin to an open air artsy adventure. Hundreds of murals ANTING lining the streets tell the story over ORROW’S MS TODAY and over again of the mixed Amerirad Olson can-Mexican heritage, the why and This writer, on his second visit how of this city that is about 40 miles to Tucson, had a never to be forgotnorth of the Mexican border. ten golf experience as a guest at the

att Pommer

TRAVEL

SENIOR

IT MAKES ME

La Paloma Golf Club at the Westin Resort nestled in the foothills region just north of the busy city. This is a private 18 hole course for hotel guests and members who cough up a $15,000 annual fee. The scenic and multi-challenging golf layout with the well-trapped greens and very potholed fairways might make you won-

He was released and went on a bank robbing spree, mostly in the Midwest. The gang then headed for Tucson and a quiet hotel where they could hole up until the heat supposedly would go off. This was in the depths of the Great Depression. His plans went awry when a fire on Jan. 22, 1934, brought the gangsters face to face

CRABBY

HERMAN WHITE WRITES

ARTS

PORTS

ck Pearson

the WRIGHT SIDE of By Enis Wright

ENTERTAINMENT

calendar

KILLING TIME with Jim McLoone

Saguaro National Park, Tucson, Arizona der why anyone would wish to take it on regularly if they were not of championship caliber. I had been fortunate enough to be a guest of the dining room manager, who just happens to be my niece’s husband. Considering the locale, and as odd as it may seem, there’s a story of notorious gangster John Dillinger in Tucson. Dillinger had served nine years in prison for assault, battery and conspiracy to commit a felony.

Nestled in the foothills of the Santa Catalina Mountains is the University of Arizona Biosphere 2, a three-acre replica of our planet’s environs under a massive sealed glass structure. Daily tours are available. Gaze at the Sonoran skies that seldom are shrouded in cloud cover. People are said to have lived in this locale for 4,000 years.

with firefighters who recognized Dillinger. He was arrested Jan. 24, later escaped and at age 31, Dillinger was killed by police in a shoot-out as he left a Chicago theater. He was ranked as Public Enemy No. One at the time of his death. Among today’s existing and very tourist friendly attractions are the Tucson Botanical Gardens, an urban oasis in the heart of the city. This is a very popular five and one-half acre collec-

Yes, we visited the DeGrazia Gallery in the Sun, a 10-acre foothills retreat that is a gallery, a gift shop, a mission and more. tion of 17 Specialty Gardens growing in the heart of the city. This has been named as the best secret garden in the United States by Reader’s Digest. It is a place of beauty and tranquility and promotes responsible and appropriate

APRIL 2014 • 50PLUS

uses of plants and water in a desert environment. One of the gardens is dedicated to butterflies. You also can watch the hummingbirds, quail and various other birds around the various plantings the year around. In addition to the great Art Museum and the numerous art galleries, you can stroll down the streets of Trail Dust Town, which has been recreated to be exactly as it was in its heyday of the 1880’s. There are interesting shops, an old-time carousel and the railroad where the conductor calls, “All aboard” at intervals. The Museum of the Horse Soldier is interesting. You might find something to your liking at the Pinnacle Peak Steak House at 6541 E. Tanque Verde Rd. You’ll find close to 300 aircrafts of different types and varying vintages at the Pima Air and Space Museum, the largest museum in the world dedicated to aviation. There are at least eight more museums including one at the downtown campus of the University of Arizona. Mission San Xavier Del Bac, built from 1783-1797, the structure is said to be one of the finest examples

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of mission architecture in the U.S. It still is a fully functioning parish led by Franciscan Friars. The Presidio holds an activity from October through April on the second Saturday of each month as the clock is turned back to the times of the Spanish conquistadors. Tucson was part of New Spain at that time. It is reported that Spanish Father Eusebio Francisco Kino arrived in this frontier village in 1687 and began working with the Pima Indians. He established missions and introduced the Indians to cattle and the growing of wheat. Since 1990, Tucson’s different All Souls Procession has honored lost loved ones. It has become legendary for the creativity of residents’ ways to

honor their dead. We were told about it and now we’ve actually seen the clear skies of a big city – no smog - and the diverse landscapes that beckon both workers and retirees, people from their Midwest environment. Tucson is large. Still, nature plays its part, providing more than 350 days of sunshine annually, verdant green where landscapes are watered, lush desert and pine tree-studded elevations that top 9,000 ft. There’s culture, busy workplaces, a great university, recreational opportunities, great views and a hard-todescribe charm that seems to overtake this seemingly family-friendly city. As we say “Adios,” perhaps we should also add “Hasta la vista.”

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10B • 50PLUS • APRIL 2014

By Karen Ellenbecker & Julie Ellenbecker -Lipsky

Poor Jake, is he really depressed? MOVING IN know THE it Golly, wouldn’t you just RIGHT DIRECTION that the sun finally would shine, the By Bruce Nemovitz birds are in the air, the grass is uncovered from snow and the things of earth appear to be alive again. Wasn’t it about last Thanksgiving that the ground all around us got that new white covering? By the time it left, it was dirtier than Henry’s trousers when he comes home from work. AGING I guess I know that Spring has ISSUES sprung as the city crews areFrazier out in the By Tom streets filling pot holes. There seem to be so many of these holes in the streets to fill that it appears to me that if we had visitors from Mars, they’d feel right at home among these minor craters. These are something the mayPLANTING TOMORROW’S DREAMS TODAY By Brad Olson

APRON STRINGS

Emma

By Aunt Emma

SENIOR Answer Man

IT MAKES ME

or can’t do much about. I know he’s over there in that somewhat swanky Wauwatosa area. I would guess if he is out in the streets much, he just has to grin and Barrett. How’s that for starters today? With Easter creeping up on us, I must be very careful that I don’t lay any eggs in this column. By this, I mean that I had better be mighty care-

now. Henry claims that Jake has to lift his spirits so his body will be buoyed up. Henry guesses, and I endorse this, that he will invite Jake to the club tomorrow as it is a Saturday and the cronies always get together to tell and retell war stories and such. After Jake hears an hour or so of these, Henry suspects he will be better in mind, if not in body. There’s absolutely nothing to make a person feel better than to listen to other people’s complaints, problems and past suffering. Henry says and has repeated this to me way too many times, that when he feels a bit down, he just has a wee bit of a session with his favorite psychiatrist, Dr. Ezra Brooks. He’s feeling better in about two minutes. Gosh, I never did get to telling you about the girls. But I guess that will just have to wait until next month. I have a real poor sucker story. Just hang onto your money better than this gal did as she fell for one of those telephone con jobs. Have a happy Easter and don’t forget the plate of jelly beans.

CRABBY

HERMAN WHITE WRITES

ARTS

SPORTS By Jack Pearson

ful about what I write. First off today, I will tell you about my Henry and a friend of his, who right now, is on leave from his job at the factory. He has what they call regressive depression. I said that’s like they have in the streets these days, oodles of depressions. But Henry just glared. I apologized and now we will go from there. Henry says that Jake never was a high energy fellow; that he always was looking for ways to shorten his tasks and make his daily quota. But shorter is not always better. His work wasn’t always up to par while his output was half again above that of the guy sitting at the next machine. The big union guy at the factory had quite a talk with him and Jake claims that he has been depressed ever since. Jake says that he got a real guilt trip after that talk. “The union guy said that my way of working was making it tough for a lot of the other fellows,” Jake told Henry. Henry says that Jake is just overly conscientious and took the talk too much to heart. But Henry does agree that Jake has symptoms of depression. Henry is somewhat of a self-educated diagnostician. He has diagnosed Jake as really having depression to some degree as he has lost his appetite, says he can’t sleep worrying about the other guys’ thoughts about him. Jake says he also feels somewhat agitated and really believes he’s a failure right

the WRIGHT SIDE of By Enis Wright

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APRIL 2014 • 50PLUS

The Wisconsin Better Business Bureau wants to help you prevent ID theft

The BBB’s first shredding event of the year will be held on Saturday, May 10, at the Layton State Bank headquarters located at 104th St. & Lincoln Avenue in West Allis. While identity theft can and does target anyone, senior citizens can be extremely vulnerable, more so than other segments of the population because many times they don’t regularly check their credit card statements, review credit reports, or monitor their bank statements. The Better Business Bureau has long been an educator and advocate of identity theft prevention. Each year, we collect and shred thousands of personal documents for the public and have been doing so since 2007. Last year, the BBB helped to shred 41.5 tons for consumers. The majority of identity theft incidents (85%) involved the fraudulent use of existing account information, such as credit card or bank account information. Identity theft was the nation’s #1 complaint to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) in 2013 for the 14th year in a row. More than 4,000 Wisconsinites reported being victims of ID theft last year. In total, direct and indirect losses from identity theft totaled 24.7 billion dollars in 2012. Most identity theft victims (91% according to 2012 DOJ statistics) do not know the identity of their offender. It’s never too late to be proactive. The two most common preventative actions taken by consumers are to always check your bank or credit card statements and to shred or destroy documents containing person-

• 11B

al information such as old checks, mail, medical bills and statements and pre-approved credit card offers. Other things you can do: Guard your mail, safeguard your Social Security numbers, checks, credit cards, Medicare cards, and financial statements. Try not to carry these cards in your purse, wallet, or car. In your home, nursing home and assisted living facilities, keep important information in a locked box or keep them with someone you trust. Never provide personal or financial information over the telephone or internet to anyone you don’t know. Make it a routine to check your credit report for free once a year at www.annualcreditreport.com or by calling 1-877-322-8228. Take the preventative measures we’ve just mentioned and protect all your personal information. If you think you’ve fallen victim to ID theft, report it immediately to the police, your financial institution, and credit reporting agencies.

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Announce two and four person dartball tournament winners By Jack Pearson The sport of dartball, along with bowling, and curling, has long been a favorite indoor winter activity in Wisconsin, especially among seniors. There are few states in the country where as much dartball league play and tournament action is conducted. The first dartball tournament was held here as long ago as 1939. Today there are eight major tourneys held every winter, topped off by the State Championship, a Nine-Man event, held in April. Of the eight tournaments, two are conducted in this area: the Clutch Two-Person in January, and the Four-Person in February, both

TO THE RIGHT: Two Person Champs, l to r, Karl Peura and Teddy Llanas both of Kenosha. BELOW: Four Person Tourney Champs, Left to right â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Jake Milbrath, Josh Pieper, Wayne Kohl, John Perronne, Jeremy Pieper and Jason Pieper all from Howards Grove, WI.

held at Patâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Oak Manor restaurant and bar in South Milwaukee. Both were started more than 30 years ago by Jim Hinkle of St. Francis, who is still an active competitor. Over the past three years, those two events have been under the direction of Bob Leskovar of Milwaukee, assisted by Mike Studer of Franklin. Winners of this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Two-Person Tournament were Karl Peura and Teddy Llanas of Kenosha; and for the Four-Person, Jake Milbrath, Josh Pieper, Wayne Kohl, John Perronne, Jeremy Pieper and Jason Pieper, all of Howardâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Grove. The State Nine-Man is scheduled for April 5 and 6 in Manitowoc.

APRIL 2014 • 50PLUS

• 13B

Want a championship health care team? Draft a nutritionist By: Marilynn Preston I met a guy at an Olympics-watching party who’d recently lost a lot of weight. I was seeing him for the first time, so I didn’t know he used to be double his size, but his pals were amazed, impressed, crazy jealous. I cornered him, shamelessly curious about his story. “How’d you lose all that weight? Weight Watchers? Stomach staples? An exotic worm?” “I quit smoking.” Yep. That’s what he said. And this guy is a university dean, an academic with a highly functioning brain. When he quit smoking, he said, his metabolism turned completely around, and he began to lose weight without any effort at all. No dieting, no suffering, the pounds just melted away. But wait! Isn’t quitting smoking supposed to make you gain weight? Yes, that’s true, too. Some people who quit smoking will gain weight, and others will lose weight, and if you’re eager to get to the punch line, here it is: Everybody is different. You are uniquely you. Your body is an expression of your biochemistry, your genetics, your beliefs. What works for someone else may or may not work for you. (Though we do know that smoking tobacco cigarettes isn’t good for anyone.) That’s why it doesn’t make sense for you to ask around to see how much vitamin C, D, E, or calcium or iron your friends are taking. Their levels, their imbalances and their needs are not yours. When people write or ask me if they should be taking a particular vitamin or supplement, I tell them I’m sorry, I can’t answer that. Well, I can, but it would be wrong. For one, I’m not a certified nutritionist. But more importantly, your unique biochemistry determines the most authentic answer. Good nutrition is not a cookie-cutter business. To know what your body is lacking, you need to get the necessary blood tests and urine analyses done. Then you can see where you stand on all sorts of important measures: your levels of phosphorus, uric

acid, magnesium; your lipid profile (including cholesterol, triglycerides, HDL and LDL); your homocysteine level; your B12, iron and more. Once you know your numbers, you’ll be able to sit down with a welltrained nutritionist, and together, discover what’s too high, what’s too low, and what you can do about it. Using food first, and supplements second, you can map out a smart strategy that’s tailor-made for you. No money wasted on vitamins, minerals and supplements you don’t personally need. Sounds sweet, doesn’t it? The hard part — and this is a true and unnecessary failing of our health care system — is finding that nutritionist. And why doesn’t insurance pay for it? That’s crazy. A while back, I wrote glowingly about the one I found — Dr. Carmen Fusco, a research scientist and clinical nutritionist in New York City. When she was an associate professor of nutrition at New York Medical College, Fusco taught medical students how to read blood tests for health and wellness, not just disease. I heard from many Dear Readers who love the idea of a Carmen-esque nutritionist on their medical team, but couldn’t find one in their hometowns. Please keep looking. They are out there — available in person, by phone and increasingly, online. One place to begin your search is an integrative medical practice in your area that blends the best of Western and Eastern medicine. And remember this: Most MDs know beans about nutrition. Zippo. It’s not part of their regular medi-

cal training in any meaningful way. That’s changing, slowly, slowly, but you’re alive now. If your doctor doesn’t know his B12 from his bee pollen, supplement your health team with someone who does. You need to do your own research. But I can assure you that when you find him/her, you’ll be happy. Just as I’m happy to learn, from Fusco, that I should be eating about six organic, free-range eggs a week, with lots of shiitake mushrooms and turmeric; and the under-the-tongue vitamin B12 is getting my level back to where it needs to be; I should continue to add organic walnuts and cin-

namon to my gluten-free oatmeal in the morning; and I need to boost my capillary strength by munching on the white pith of oranges and grapefruits. But that’s just me.

ENERGY EXPRESS-O! EAT THIS UP “LET FOOD BE THY MEDICINE AND MEDICINE BE THY FOOD.” — HIPPOCRATES

Marilynn Preston — healthy lifestyle coach and Emmy-winning producer — is the creator of Energy Express, the longest-running syndicated fitness column in the country.

Welcome

to the

new

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Let us show you our beautiful community and private residences enriched with fun social activities, new friendships, fitness and wellness programs, delicious dining and so much more! Personal Tours Daily `>ÞÊ Ê À `>Þ n\ääÊ>° °ÊqÊ{\ääÊ«° ° ->ÌÕÀ`>ÞÊEÊ-Õ `>Þ ££\ääÊ>° °ÊqÊ{\ääÊ«° °

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14B • 50PLUS • APRIL 2014

There are downsides to alternative therapies A report published in the Journal of the American Geriatric Society showed that 80 percent of patients older than 65 take at least one alternative remedy, and 54 percent take three or more. Why do we lean so readily toward these treatment options while being so suspicious about traditional pharmaceutical drugs? Some people turn to complementary or alternative therapies because these treatments tend to be cheaper than prescription medications. But, more often than not, patients tend to believe that “natural” remedies are safer, with fewer side effects, than traditional medications. Desperately ill patients often turn to alternative-remedy clinics, usually found outside the United States, for “miracle cures” and “lifesaving” treatments. Sadly, purveyors of these clinics prey on people at their most vulnerable times with promises to prolong life. Advertisers of alternative cancer treatments use testimonials of patients beating the odds and defying doctors’ predictions. With such sto-

ries of hope, it is not surprising that 60 percent of patients with advanced cancer seriously consider and often turn to this underground market for untested, possibly unsafe and valueless treatments. Though many doctors and health professionals were once skeptical of the alternative therapy field, today, the health care community has developed much more respect for homeopathic remedies. In 1998, the National Institutes of Health established the National Center for Alternative and Complementary Medicine, which is dedicated to rigorously studying the value and risks of remedies found outside the borders of traditional medicine. Each year, this government entity spends millions of dollars funding carefully designed studies that involve meticulous comparisons of patient responses to herbal remedies and placebos (identical-looking pills containing no active ingredient). These studies are also double-blind, which means that neither the research physician nor the patient is aware of which therapy

the patient is taking. Over the last 20 years, excellent research has shown that some herbal remedies are beneficial, while others have little or no measurable value. Recent studies have addressed Saint John’s wort as therapy for depression, ginkgo biloba to improve memory in Alzheimer’s patients, and saw palmetto as a treatment for benign prostatic hypertrophy. In each of these cases, the NIH-funded researchers found no significant benefit. Yet, smaller studies have shown contradicting results. For example, Saint John’s wort may be of value in minor depression, whereas the patients studied by the NIH had a much more serious problem. Additionally, ginkgo biloba can clearly cause arteries to dilate and improve blood flow to the brain, even though memory is not improved. In both instances, the current data do not supply the final word on these alternative remedies. Rather, they show that herbal therapies should be viewed with an educated and skeptical eye.

No medication — natural or otherwise — is without risk. Any benefit will usually be accompanied by the potential for side effects. Saint John’s wort can cause anxiety, high blood pressure and allergic reactions. Ginkgo biloba can cause flushing and severe allergies, and it interacts with blood thinners, such as Coumadin, increasing the risk of bleeding. Saw palmetto can cause abdominal pain and erectile dysfunction. Despite all the research debunking the effectiveness of alternative therapies, millions of Americans continue to buy, consume and believe in the healing powers of natural remedies. Anecdotal evidence of benefit abounds. And it’s not surprising these therapies can be more successful at home than in the lab because faith and health are highly connected. Whenever a patient strongly believes in a particular medication, it is much more likely to work.

IN RECOGNITION OF MINORITY HEALTH MONTH

The Wisconsin Alzheimer’s Institute-Milwaukee Office presents

BREAKING THE SILENCE

FACING DEMENTIA IN COMMUNITIES OF COLOR

Tuesday, April 8, 2014 - Italian Conference Center, Milwaukee 631 E. Chicago Street, Milwaukee 8:30-9:15 am Breakfast and Networking 9:30-11:30 am Program

Wednesday, April 9, 2014 - Racine Marriott, Racine 7111 Washington Avenue (Hwy 20), Racine 9-9:30 am Breakfast and Networking 9:30-11:45 am Program

FREE admission but registration is required. Space is limited. RSVP by March 28. Complimentary parking is available at both locations. To register, contact Nia Norris at ncnorris@wisc.edu or call (414) 219-5159. OUR KEYNOTE SPEAKER: SYLVIA MACKEY Sylvia Mackey is the wife of Pro Football Hall of Famer, John Mackey, #88 of the Baltimore Colts (1963-1971). John was diagnosed with Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) and passed away in 2011 at the age of 69. As a caregiver, Sylvia became an advocate for John and others with dementia, as well as a renowned speaker on FTD and its impact on patients and their families. Event sponsored by:

WISCONSIN ALZHEIMER’S INSTITUTE ADVANCING EDUCATION, RESEARCH AND COMMUNITY

The Wisconsin Alzheimer’s Institute (WAI) at the University of Wisconsin is making an impact through world-class research seeking to unravel the mysteries underlying dementia and by providing state-of-the-art outreach, education and supportive care services to individuals and families impacted by Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias. For more information, please visit wai.wisc.edu.

Seeking the Fountain of Youth -- Eat less By: Dr. David Lipschitz Thank goodness older people don’t want to live forever. When I tell my patients I have no wish to prolong their lives but assure them that the lives they have are of the highest possible quality, the answer is almost always the same: “Thank you, doctor. That’s exactly what I want.” And yet many naive baby boomers are desperately seeking the magic approach that will prolong their lives to age 100 and beyond. Well, there really is a way to achieve this, but it is so rigorous that only the truly committed “nuts” will accomplish it. For almost 30 years, scientists have known that feeding animals a diet that decreases food intake by 30 percent prolongs their average and maximal life expectancy by 30 percent. Extrapolating this to man means increasing our average life expectancy to 100, and maximal life expectancy to 140 or 150. Restricting calories also improves health, with less kidney disease (the major cause of death in rats) and a dramatic reduction in the occurrence of cancer. Calorie-restricted mice stay healthy for a long time. Then, when they’re much older than the average, they gradually lose weight, get less active, and eventually lie down in a corner and die peacefully. Autopsies show that they have truly died of “old age,” as no specific illness or cause of death can be identified. There is no evidence of cancer, heart disease, lung

disease or kidney disease. How low-calorie diets prolong life has been the target of intensive research. We do know that every marker of advancing age is either slowed or reversed. As we age, cells throughout the body lose their ability to neutralize toxic chemicals, and age-related changes in metabolism make cell function less efficient. It’s thought that restricting calories makes cells more robust and more resistant to declines in function and environmental insults. More recently, research on monkeys has found similar results. These results are widely known in the anti-aging society, and there is a small group of people who have attempted this on themselves. They have dramatically restricted their food intake, consuming 30 percent less than their original diets. A recent report in the Washington Post described one man who for four years was consuming only two meals a day consisting of fruits, vegetables and nuts, and unsweetened herb tea as a snack. This diet is truly draconian. Currently, the National Institute on Aging at the National Institutes of Health is sponsoring research studies on these people. First reports indicate their life spans may be prolonged. These people appear healthier, have lower blood pressure, very low cholesterols, markedly improved overall metabolism, and significant reductions in the biomarkers of the aging

process and of devastating diseases such as Alzheimer’s, diabetes and cancer. This provides compelling evidence that yes, indeed there may be a way to live longer. But would we really want to do this? Few of us, I think, would voluntarily forgo a third of or daily calories for the rest of our lives. We simply don’t have the stamina or the desire to go hungry all of the time. I hate to say it, but the mice on these calorie-restricted diets aren’t happy mice. They are overly active and agitated, and they are always hungry, which makes them pretty grumpy. Researchers on the study say mice are always trying to bite the hands that are not feeding them. Not much of a life, I’m afraid. We always strive to assure that life is of the highest possible quality, and while overeating can cause a great deal of harm, under-eating, I believe, would make life not worth living. So while calorie restriction may prolong life and reduce disease, it is not practical in real life. And yet, this research is very important. If we can truly understand how calorie restriction prolongs life, we may be able to truly find the magic bullet that could slow the aging process and make us live longer without such severe reductions in food intake. While living longer may be a questionable goal, reduction in the prevalence of disease and dependency should improve our health and quality of life.

APRIL 2014 • 50PLUS

• 15B

Dr. David Lipschitz is the author of the book “Breaking the Rules of Aging.” To find out more about Dr. David Lipschitz and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com.

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16B • 50PLUS • APRIL 2014

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An Event Connecting Retirees to Community Resources Tuesday, May 13, 2014 9:00am - 1:00pm Italian Conference Center 631 E. Chicago Street, Milwaukee, WI.

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