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50PLUSmagazine What’s New for

Phase Two of Your Life

A Mature News Magazine for Southeastern Wisconsin

VOL. 30 NO. 12

Santa took an early ride

December 2016

INSIDE....

Holiday

gift guide See Page 14A

ELDER CARE

See Page 5B

MU has a century of basketball

See Page 21A

Photo by Margaret Pearson Santa Claus made an early stop before his usual Christmas rounds, visiting these two youngsters at Brookfield Square; Giovanni and Mea Ignazie of Sheboygan.

An Open Letter to the President-Elect AGING ISSUES

By Tom Frazier

DEAR PRESIDENT-ELECT TRUMP: Early next year you will become the 45th President of the United States.

This comes with awesome responsibility to govern the greatest, most power-

ful and most prosperous country in the world. The political pundits say that you were elected by people who felt left behind and who wanted change. I am pretty sure that a majority of older per-

sons voted for you. As an advocate for older people for over 40 years, I have advocated for change, I love change, but not all change makes people’s lives better and, if you are not careful, some FRAZIER continued on page 3A

2A • 50PLUS • DECEMBER 2016

“

Joseph and Rosemary Ceretto of Franklin with Ellen and Chris Votsis of Greenfield.

Myron and Jean Anczak of Greendale and Barb Patterson of West Allis.

Our nurses walk alongside individuals wh atfromtheir wors Ray and Maryare Ann Yarchol Bayside. and try to bring them to a place where they can fi better balance Rosemary Dvorachek, RN Care Management Manager at Network Health

Hello, Milwauke for attending our

We’re Network Health and we’ve been servin in northeast Wisconsin for over 30 years. In Froedtert Health and Ministry Health Care, w provider-owned Medicare Advantage Plan in

50 PLUS OR BETTER EXPO

We understand you have a lot of choices wh Medicare insurance. We hope you’ll put your provide the quality and affordable coverage

And for all the support from our Network sponsors Health has a variety of Medicare Ad

your needs. Plus, we provide excellent custo make sure your needs are met. Let us show Health difference because here, you’re more You’re our neighbor.

NetworkHealthMedicare.com

Sometimes it’s hard to believe 800-983-7587 Watch Rosemary’s story at networkhealth. how the time flies. The current Expo was the 22nd annual, and Networkwas Health Medicare plans includeat MSAthe and PPO plans with a Medicare contract. NetworkCares is a PPO SNP plan with a M againAdvantage conducted contract with the Wisconsin Medicaid program.

Enrollment in Network Health Medicare Advantage Plans depends on contract renewal.

Wilson Park Senior Center on H5215_956_10142016 Accepted 10182016 Milwaukee’s south side.

Here were some of those who attended.

50Plus_Magazine_NHRosie.indd 1

Members of the popular Easy Days Quartet, Bill Kilbowine, Frank Marzozzo, Dick Ridge and John Gordon.

Photos by Margaret Pearson

Pam Lukitsch, Cudahy, Kathy Zambrow, Wauwatosa and Jean Rehse of St. Francis.

DECEMBER 2016 • 50PLUS

After the election, an issue we should no longer ignore America faces a long-term mismatch between spending and revenues. But neither President-Elect Trump, Hillary Clinton nor most in Congress are giving serious attention to deficit reduction.

Americans understand that our nation’s strength and security depend on its fiscal health. This may not be foremost on their minds right now, but rarely do I address a public meeting at which no one expresses concern about the federal debt and our general fiscal condition. We face an ongoing, longterm mismatch between our spending and revenues, and with, administration after administration, the debt grows larger.

A lot of ordinary people worry about this. They believe that a healthy fiscal situation is essential to our success as a nation. And they want policies in place that allow us to address the debt without interfering with the economic well-being of the country. But the candidates didn’t give serious attention to deficit reduction, and neither for the most part, are members of Congress. This may be because the federal

FRAZIER continued from page 1A

of the changes being proposed for Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid will leave many older people even further behind.

SOCIAL SECURITY About 60 million people, mostly elderly, depend on Social Security for their retirement security. For half of the beneficiaries, Social Security represents their largest single source of income. Nearly half of older adults in this country would be in poverty without it. The average benefit for an individual is $1,340 a month ($16,080/yr.) and $2,210 a month ($26,500/yr.) for a couple. In 2016, the maximum individual contribution is $612.25 a month ($7,347/yr.). Of course, most people contribute much less because their incomes are less than the $118,500 maximum taxable income. Social Security revenue (FICA, income taxes, and interest income) are required by law to be invested in government securities and earn interest on those investments. Recently, the investment has earned 3.6% interest.

ON CONGRESS

By Lee Hamilton deficit – that is, the yearly difference between revenues and expenditures— has shrunk. But that’s only temporary, a respite from the deficit highs we incurred during the recession. With a rising proportion of older people and spending on entitlement programs such as Social Security, Medicaid and Medicare growing dramatically, we’re not far away from facing dangerous levels of debt. A fix is becoming increasingly urgent, and the longer we delay the more difficult it will be.

So what do we do? The solutions flow along three broad lines: spending cuts, tax increases and economic growth. There are advocates for each, but it is hard to imagine that salvation lies in one approach alone.

There are those, including some of your colleagues, who would like to let people invest at least some of their existing contributions in the stock market. Being a financial expert, do you really believe that those people will be better off privately investing such small amounts and, get a much better return than 3.6%, especially after subtracting broker fees? If anything goes wrong, the change could easily leave these people further behind. It just doesn’t seem worth the risk (the operative word here), especially when better solutions are possible if you provide bi-partisan leadership.

MEDICARE There are 53.8 million (44.9 million elderly) who depend on Medicare for health care and retirement security.

Again, the vast majority of these folks are not wealthy. Speaker Ryan’s “Better Way” plan would change (that word again) Medicare into a “premium support” plan (a.k.a. voucher plan). Most experts agree that the premium supports would lag behind the increasing costs of health care, causing people to pay more and more out-of-pocket each

• 3A

Proposals to slash the deficit by cutting spending fall far short of what is needed. Indeed, our experience in the recent past offers no hope that politician will find agreement on significant spending cuts. A similar issue confronts those who believe that we just need to unleash the forces of the market to propel economic growth—to make progress, we would need to see a growth rate for above anything we have a reasonable chance to reach and sustain. And although there may be politicians who quietly wish we could tax our way out of the deficit crisis, there is no political appetite for it. In short, we need them all: a combination of tax increases, spending cuts in both defense and non-defense areas, and economic growth that will stabilize debt at a manageable level.

Each is difficult. Capitol Hill’s preferred tactic when it comes to taxes is to cut them, not increase them. The tax code is larded with tax “expenditures”—that is, the mess of preferences, loopholes, and tax breaks aimed at solving social problems or buttressing one industry or another. These are po-

litically attractive because they don’t create additional spending, but the budgetary impact is the same, they reduce revenues and expand the deficit.

In that atmosphere, actual tax increases—the kind that would help us get our debt under control—can seem remote.

On the spending side, the rhetoric coming from Washington raises unrealistic expectations about the savings that can be achieved through budget cuts. Not only do most proposals fall far short of what is needed, but the demands we face on entitlement programs, the country’s evident need for public investment—especially in infrastructure—and higher interest rates on the debt are all powerful forces pushing in the opposite direction.

But really, what choice do we have? The three-pronged solution I’ve outlined—a combination of spending restraint, tax increases, and economic growth—is privately acknowledged by almost everyone I’ve encountered, whatever their public position, to be the only realistic approach, Yes, this kind of deal will have to be phased in

year. And, repeal of the Affordable Care Act could end the phase out of the Part D (Rx Drug) “Donut Hole.” The people who will be hurt the most by this will be those who can least afford higher health care and Rx drug costs. Lower income older persons will not be able to afford quality health care and will be left further behind by this proposed change.

MEDICAID There are over 80 million people receiving health care under the federal-state Medicaid program. The main benefit for low income older people is helping pay for long-term care services.

Many states, like Wisconsin, have developed cost-effective long-term care programs that allow older adults and people with disabilities to get care in their own homes instead of more expensive nursing homes. Ryan’s health care plan would block grant Medicaid to the states and significantly cut funding. Once again, this change will hurt the people who cannot afford it. They will fall further behind.

On a somewhat related matter, is something called Estate Recovery which is a tax of up to 100% that applies only to old, poor, sick, people. If, as you have indicated, you eliminate taxes on estates valued at over $5 million, I believe you should eliminate estate recovery at the same time.

OLDER AMERICANS ACT Programs under the OAA have been underfunded for many years but they have been very cost-effective through the extensive use of volunteers. A lot of older people are served for very little money. Because OAA programs receive relatively little federal money, they will suffer the most from across-the-board cuts.

I am trying to say to you that changes to these programs will be harmful to people who voted for you because they felt left behind and wanted change in Washington. Not all change is good for the people you say you will no longer leave behind. And, these programs have made America great for millions of older people. Believe Me! Sincerely, Tom Frazier, Retired Citizen

HAMILTON continued on page 7A

4A • 50PLUS • DECEMBER 2016

EDITORIALS

Seniors’ drug costs If you are concerned about your medication costs and are fearful of what’s ahead, now is the time to look into it. The open enrollment period for 2016 ends Dec. 7, so any changes should be made by this date.

Perhaps, the older you are, the more drugs you take. This also means that with more drugs, you probably hit that “doughnut hole” earlier this year.

The “hole” in your payment plan be-

gins when you and your insurance provider combine to spend $3310. The cost sharing formula, then about 50 percent for prescription and almost 60 percent for generic is in effect until such spending reaches $4,850. Coverage by various insurance plans varies dramatically. We suggest you take a close look at your plan. But don’t delay.

Dec. 7 comes quite quickly.

While Veterans Day is several weeks past, there is still time and space to offer a thank you to the people at the Greendale Public Library for the impressive Veterans Day program. Soloist

Joy Bach and Chief Petty Officer Mark Stevens did wonderful presentations.

The American Legion, VFW, and Lumen Christi organizations all took part.

Can you imagine the government being happy that the unemployment rate in the United States is below 300,000 persons? The world-beater is that this number of unemployed has been below this number for 87 straight weeks. Is that supposed to be an achievement? The 265,000 unemployed persons might not think so.

Surely, a few of these people really don’t wish jobs. Aren’t you happy that your circumstances provided you with the

opportunity for gainful employment?

Accept the fact that the vast majority of those unemployed do wish they weren’t.

With Christmas just ahead of us, find an unemployed person and do something nice for him or her. Money-wise, donate to the Salvation Army or the Milwaukee Rescue Mission.

If you think you should do it, don’t delay implementing those thoughts.

There were a few momentous occasions during the year 1928, my birth year. While I am observing it this month, my day to enter the world was significant...at least to me.

But some of the other happenings in 1928 worthy of mention were: • The 3-M company introduced Scotch Tape. What would we do without it today?

• George Eastman produced the first motion pictures in color.

• The mold penicillin was found to have an antibacterial effect.

• The Fleer Chewing Gum Company produced the first pink bubble gum.

• Republican Herbert Hoover was elected as president.

• Mickey Mouse was making his film debut.

• Child movie star Shirley Temple was born as were poet Maya Angelou, Fats Domino and Rosemary Clooney.

• Singer Louis Armstrong improvised nonsense syllables on the spot after dropping his page of written lyrics.

I have come to realize that we must have a way of looking at life that brings us happiness. So I am smiling today, instead of being crabby. One of the things that has made me happy, but still sad was when a woman told me about feeding Poor Man’s Stew to her family as the main meal for the day. You should know, of course, that Poor Man’s Stew consists of the meat

bones left over from several previous more plentiful meals, plus all the vegetables, including potatoes, that you have available. The bones are to give it flavor plus there might be a piece of meat stuck there. I am happy they had food, but sad that it was such as it was. I’ll bet the dog wasn’t happy about the use of those bones either.

Thank you

Unemployment

My birth year

It Makes Me

CRABBY

SENIOR ANSWER MAN DEAR SAM: As the holiday season approaches this year, we certainly can breathe sighs of relief that the presidential election is past. Whether you like the outcome or not, we have to grin and/ or bear it. It was the will of the people.

You may think they (the voters) knew not what they were doing, but unless there is a real flub, you had better keep those thoughts to yourself. A few minutes of serious thought will merit each of us a lot more than an hour or so of expressing ourselves, even if no one is listening to the latter.

Daniel Abrogary

DEAR DANIEL: Thanks to you for your thoughtful note to me.

Without much to write other than agreement with your analysis, why don’t I pose a simple question to you? A recently published recipe for a corn bread bowl filled with chili sounds like a great idea for an evening treat, doesn’t it? But what happens to chili when you break off a piece of the corn bread? What happens is somewhat like our recent election. You had better have more than a large spoon and napkin to clean up the leftovers. A good plan vigorously executed awaits us.

Good luck if you are looking ahead to abundance. Keep your rose-colored eyeglasses focused forward.

Senior Answer Man

Killing TIME WITH JIM MCLOONE Who do you suppose ever could have made that beanstalk that Jack climbed? f f f f There have been a time or two (perhaps really more) when things did not work out in what we thought was the right way. Looking backward, how lucky we really were. f f f f Christmas soon will be with us again. The only agonizing part as I recall was as a kid when I had to shake the snow off it and then bring the tree into the living room and attempt to set it up straight. I’ll bet you can recall a time or two when pre-Christmas jobs made you wish for Christmas past. f f f f We are told that all will come out in the end. Who cares if it is at the end? f f f f Don Schoenhaar, Pewaukee, may be a retired teacher, but he’s still the big money man for the local Knights of Columbus. At a recent event, Schoenhaar gave away checks for over $13,000 from the local Knights to worthy causes. Mrs. Schoenhaar, by the way, is a very sweet lady, who said she really likes my articles in 50 Plus and surely misses it when Mary McLoone doesn’t have travel stories. She may not be Irish, but she could easily be, as

her generous compliments don’t allow the possible truth to get in the way of wonderful words.

KILLING TIME continued on page 8A

50PLUS What’s New for Phase Two of Your Life

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DECEMBER 2016 • 50PLUS

You are not alone by any stretch of the imagination!

We can all feel that our emotions are unique and sometimes completely out of control. When faced with any new experience most of us pull back, find information, and either fall into procrastination and resistance or take a leap of faith into the world of change.

Many of you may be struggling with making the right move to match your needs both physically and emotionally.

Guess what; you are not alone by any stretch of the imagination!

Our lives have been subject to circumstances that have dictated which direction to follow. When you purchased your first home, you decided on the right neighborhood and schools to best prepare your children for life’s challenges. Of course, your budget played a great role as to what you could afford, which helped to determine that right location. You probably started out with one set of dreams and then adjusted to the reality of the real estate market. Your lives and the world have changed significantly since that first purchase. Many of you are still going into the basement to do your laundry. You may have stairs that

MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION

By Bruce Nemovitz at one time were no problem, but now hard to navigate. Many of your friends may have moved and you now feel it may be your time to follow. Uncertainty and fear of change have made any decision almost impossible! The thought of changing your address is life altering. How does one know when the time is just right?

I have worked with thousands of homeowners who have faced these same questions. My first visit with my clients usually involves some hand holding and calming of nerves. The best antidote to this nervous situation is knowledge. Getting facts, instead of innuendo and rumor, is paramount to making thoughtful decisions in the midst of what feels like chaos.

The best way to begin a possible move is meeting with professionals who have dedicated their lives to helping folks transition from their long-time home to senior apartments, condos, or communities. Senior Real Estate Specialists (SRES) have the education and dedication needed to help those of you who have been struggling as to how to transition from your longtime home to housing that meets your needs. For baby boomers, most are looking to downsize and purchase a one level condominium. The most desirable is a side-by-side ranch condominium with attached garage and full basement. This type of condominium feels more like a single-family home, which makes the move so much easier and familiar. Timing is critical. Should you sell first, then buy or purchase and then sell your home? My experience in working with this type of purchase has shown that using the equity in your home to purchase the condo first is the best way to go. Trying to purchase and then asking that condominium owner to wait for you to sell is unreasonable in this prolific market. Obtaining the

financing to buy first is usually very easy and simple. Your bank will offer several options to use your equity, purchase and then sell.

For those of you who want to move away from real estate ownership and into a senior apartment or community, there are more choices than ever. Prices have conformed to make this type of housing affordable as well as desirable.

So many of you have not received accurate information about senior housing and are hearing from the pundits who may mislead you from actual fact.

Get in your car and tour some of the many senior housing opportunities and talk with marketing directors at these communities. They will explain the many choices available and qualify you based on your income and assets.

Next, speak with a Senior Real Estate Specialist who will guide you through downsizing as well as preparing your home for the market. These Realtor specialists will design a plan for your move. They will give you a market estimate as to value and help you decide how you want to present NEMOVITZ continued on page 7A

WISHING YOU PEACE, HEALTH & HAPPINESS ALL SEASON LONG AND INTO THE NEW YEAR! If you are considering downsizing in the future, use the colder season as a time to prepare your home for sale. Simple updates to your home and good planning can help you get a head start before the busy spring real estate market arrives. Moving doesn’t have to be a burden. We can help!

All our best, Bruce & Jeanne Nemovitz

INTEGRIT Y CONTACT US TODAY FOR A FREE CONSULTATION: (262)

242-6177

www.BrucesTeam.com | Bruce@BrucesTeam.com | Jeanne@BrucesTeam.com

• 5A

6A • 50PLUS • DECEMBER 2016

Aging, health and the power of plants

BY CHUCK NORRIS

Are you ready for a little good news for a change? According to a recent study conducted by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington titled “The Global Burden of Disease,� globally, health is improving and life expectancy is rising. According to the study, the world population gained more than a decade of life expectancy since 1980. The current number: 69.0 years in men and 74.8 years in women.

The study analyzed 249 causes of death, 315 diseases and injuries and 79 risk factors in 195 countries and territories between 1990 and 2015 and showed a large decline in death rates

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from communicable or infectious diseases. The rate of people dying from cardiovascular disease and cancers has also fallen. But these gains are far from uniform across nations and continents.

According to Reuters, the study also revealed that while healthy life expectancy had increased in the vast majority of countries studied, it has not risen across the board as much as overall life expectancy. When looking at health span as opposed to life span among the world’s wealthier regions, for example, North America was shown to have the worst healthy life expectancy at birth for both men and women. Yes, we are living longer, but living with the consequences of more

Se n i o r s

pert in molecular genetics at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York and author of the life expectancy study, recently told NPR. “The takehome message essentially is this whole ever-increasing life expectancy of humans cannot go on.�

The debate among scientists as to whether there’s a limit to life span is not a new one. And not all agree with the current study’s conclusions. Science describes the underlying biology of the aging process as the accumulation of damage to DNA and other molecules. Our bodies are wired to repair this damage, but, in the end, it becomes too much to fix. Dr. Vijg and NORRIS continued on page 7A

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years stricken with illness and disability.

Seniors today, not surprisingly, constitute the fastest growing portion of society. We have never had so many living centenarians as we currently have. And, as you may have seen in the news recently, a current study is now suggesting that we have reached the upper limit of human longevity -- estimated to be about 115 years. The record for human longevity currently belongs to Jeanne Calment, who passed away in a nursing home in France on August 4, 1997 at the age of 122. Experts consider her a rare exception. “We cannot break through that [115 year] ceiling,� Dr. Jan Vijg, an ex-

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• 7A

NORRIS continued from page 6A

that might improve their chances of having a long life moving forward.

Meanwhile, the medical world’s choices of antibiotics to treat disease and slow aging are thinning out. To confront this problem -- and the fact that few truly novel antibiotics have made it to market since 1980 -- scientists have at last begun turning more and more to Mother Nature and prescriptions from the past in finding needed reinforcements.

According to a recent report by Ferris Jabr of the New York Times, this pursuit has given rise to a relatively new field of study -- “ethnobotany.” A historically small and obscure offshoot of the social sciences, this area of study focuses on the ways indigenous peoples use plants for food, shelter, clothing, art and especially medicine. Many in this field of study are now trying to use the knowledge they have gained of botanical treatments long overlooked

by Western medicine; to mine their

secrets toward finding answers to current threats to public health. At the top of that list is the increasing number of disease-causing bacteria that are rapidly evolving immunity to existing antibiotics. Without effective antibiotics, common bacterial diseases that are curable today could become impossible to treat. According to the New York Times report, resistant bacteria are already responsible for 700,000 deaths a year globally. This number may reach 10 million annually by 2050 if effective treatments are not found.

“Nature is a superchemist,” Simon Gibbons, a medicinal phytochemist at University College London reminds us. Think penicillin, an antibiotic that most famously came from fungi.

Since the 1970s, the large pharmaceutical companies turned away from nature as a source of antibiotics, diverting their focus and finances to the field of synthetic drug development.

Yet it’s hard to argue with the histor-

ic power of plants as effective organic drug factories.

“The kind of evolution that happens in living things gives rise to unusual chemistry that is not straightforward to synthesize,” says Gibbons. “...It’s been doing this for a lot longer than we or even mammals have been around. Plants have been doing this for about 400 million years.”

Maybe this is an opinion that comes with being someone who’s been on this planet a good while, but it’s about time science and pharmaceuticals begin doubling down on the past.

Write to Chuck Norris (info@creators.com) with your questions about health and fitness. Follow Chuck Norris through his official social media sites, on Twitter @chucknorris and Facebook’s “Official Chuck Norris Page.” He blogs at http://chucknorrisnews.blogspot. com.

NEMOVITZ continued from page 5A

properly. This type of sale would produce 70%-80% of the top value you can expect. The third way to offer your home would be to stage your property after doing all upgrades needed, such as flooring, paint, etc. A professional stager would rent furniture and put up pictures and touches that would bring you top dollar.

My point of this article is to get the right information from professionals so that your fear and anxiety level do not overtake your desire to move into the best housing option available.

Procrastination is the result of fear of change and anxiety about downsizing and moving. You are not alone. Just about every person I’ve met with has

expressed this same uncertainty about moving from his or her long-time home. However, what I hear often after the move is “I wish I had done it sooner!”

mation can be found at www.BrucesTeam. com. Bruce received the 2010 “Realtor of the Year” designation from the 3,800 membership of the GMAR (Greater Milwaukee Association of Realtors). Bruce is a featured speaker at several senior communities in the Milwaukee-Metro area. His discussions center on the challenge of moving from a long time home into a senior apartment or community. He has been listed in Milwaukee Magazine’s 5-Star Agents list for the last three years in a row. As such, he’s one of only a handful of Realtors who are continually included in the top 7% in client satisfaction in the Milwaukee Metro area. He’s rated A+ by the Better Business Bureau, and was a finalist for Concordia College’s Ethical Business Leadership Award. He works with his wife, Jeanne, at Realty Executives Integrity.

Our system has met greater challenges in the past. We’ve been through a civil war, two world wars, and waves of immigration unseen by any other nation, and we’ve managed them all.

It took strong political leadership, bipartisanship, negotiation, and compro-

mise to thread our way through. That’s what getting our debt under control will require. We’d better get started.

Lee Hamilton is a Senior Advisor for the Indiana University Center on Representative Government; a Distinguished Scholar, IU School of Global and

International Studies; and a Professor of Practice, IU School of Public and Environmental Affairs. He was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives for 34 years.

others believe it’s better to focus not on extending our life spans, but lengthening our years of healthy living; with the hope that with healthy habits and advanced drug treatments some of the biological damage that comes with time can be repaired.

Yet others believe it’s time we look at the way we are attacking the problem and begin making changes to the process. At present, science is geared to combat diseases essentially one at a time. Little attention and investment is being made into looking at ways to fight the underlying causes of aging.

Find that answer, and it would be a game changer.

Some scientists are conducting a range of research to try to do just that, including approaches such as studying the genes of multiple family members who live unusually long lives. Others are trying to identify beneficial substances in the blood of young people

your home to the buyers waiting to purchase. There are basically three ways to present your home; one is to sell as is and do nothing. In other words, do not put any money into your home even if needed and find a buyer who will purchase without asking for improvements. Typically, this type of sale produces the lowest return (40%-60% of full value) as to the price your home will attract. Second, would be making sure your home is presented downsized, clean and neat with all major structural issues repaired or replaced. The furnace, roof, basement walls, electric and plumbing should all be up to date and working HAMILTON from page 3A

over years, giving people and businesses time to adjust. But the urgency of the question is pressing and will only get greater as deficits go up. The longer we delay, the more painful the adjustment will be.

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. He has published a book called “Moving in the Right Direction”, A Senior’s Guide to Moving and Downsizing. Bruce has just written his second book for the children of seniors, “Guiding Our Parents in the Right Direction”, Practical Advice about Seniors Moving from the Home They Love. This book is now available at www.GuidingOurParents.com. Past articles about moving and downsizing and other important infor-

Happy Holidays & Happy New Year, from 50 Plus

8A • 50PLUS • DECEMBER 2016

EDITORIALS f f f f f With the annual ending of Daylight Saving Time, we no longer have to remove our sunglasses later in the day. Especially when we are conversing with someone on the street. Why? There is no need for them. f f f f I do like the few lines that best describe Irish diplomacy as the art of telling someone to go to hell and having him/her enjoy the journey. f f f f There is a time and a place for everything. Just try not to put the wrong one first. f f f f Motivational speakers are said to be the professional wrestlers of the business world. f f f f Culver’s advertises its fresh frozen custard as a classic. Now we must look up classic to determine if we want chocolate or vanilla. f f f f Have you ever witnessed the checkout lady in the fast lane advertised as for 10 or fewer items ever send a person away who has 11, 12, or 13 items? f f f f If children are said to be the rainbows of life for parents, just how might we describe them with grandparental verbiage? We smile at the thought of bringing such rays of happiness to our

Continued lives.

f f f f We’re told time and again that success does not come easily. When you do achieve it, don’t act so surprised.

Early into and through your efforts, do make perseverance a partner. f f f f Don’t take a pop up quiz on the computer unless you really mean to follow through on it. A bank loan officer was calling me before I even found out my credit score would allow for a big buck loan. f f f f How times are continuing to change. A new motor vehicle today costs more than most of us paid for our first houses. f f f f The statement about “whether you win or lose doesn’t matter as much as how you play the game” certainly did not hold true in the last presidential or even senatorial elections. f f f f The rules at our house are perhaps no different than they are for most retired couples. Yes, you know who makes them and, yes, you know who doesn’t really follow them. f f f f I just read in a book about a boy being told to ‘wipe that smile off your face.” How does a person do this? Is a washcloth needed? f f f f

In most poker games, the ante is the amount of money placed in the pot before the cards are dealt. It has nothing to do with your Auntie. However, if she played, she might have known when it was best to hold them and also when to fold them. f f f f Can you even think of trying to prove to someone that you definitely have mind over matter by walking across a bed of hot coals? I believe you would get only sore feet. f f f f The guy who first said, “Don’t do anything that I wouldn’t do” probably, never really did much. f f f f Credit cards aren’t magical, but are great for travelers. Due to credit card use, the travelers’ checks of years ago are something of the past. f f f f As we approach the end of year 2016, we begin thinking of taxes due on earnings, etc. Most tax regulations are peppered with loopholes. Why does pepper get the privilege of circumventing payments? f f f f Why do many men, especially when lost, have such great problems asking for directions? f f f f Who was the first person to simply devise the original return address label? Donation seekers certainly have followed his example. f f f f

Why not travel to London at Christmas?

Christmas time is coming rather quickly now and still many folks have not made definite plans for their observance of the holiday, with of course, their religious observance of another anniversary of the Christ child’s birth.

While this is paramount for many in the celebration of the holiday, there are many who find ways to personally observe Christmas - many with extended family and friends - others by themselves exploring some locations that are intriguing, but never before visited. We find London, England, as one of these special destinations.

The recently released movie, Crown, whets appetites that were not satisfied by the recent very popular television series, Downton Abbey. This

last series provided a look at the one time well-to-do British aristocracy, their whims and daily doings.

So let us take at least a peek into London. Perhaps, we will whet your appetite for travel to this largest city in the British Empire, a place where over eight and one-half million people call it home.

Situated on the River Thames and founded in 43 A.D., the city of London sprawls out over 600 miles and is home to possibly the greatest assortment of world treasures. The main place for these, of course, is the British Museum where there are literally millions of artifacts in its 70 galleries.

As awesome and amazing as the museum is (We once spent an entire day

there), there is so much to see and explore in London and its nearby areas that a traveler there, may need numerous days to fulfill his/her exploratory wishes. As examples of places on a must visit wish list, there’s Stonehenge, Shakespeare’s Avon, Big Ben, the Art Museum, Buckingham Palace, Trafalgar Square; this is where many major events are staged during the year, Plus, there are St. Paul’s Cathedral, the Tower of London, Oxford and Cambridge Universities.

The weather there in December may be a bit frosty, but the Christmas lights will guide the travelers down the busy streets. In Trafalgar Square, a giant Norway pine tree will be decorated and it is a centerpiece around

A man was told he should learn to juggle. Was it to be able to juggle balls in the air, his time or his talents? f f f f We recently read about gluten-free recipes for various edibles. The author claimed that the best recipes are those that are close to your heart. Frankly, I like the one that seems quite appropriate in my stomach. f f f f We recently saw an advertisement for a small block of wood with words to the effect that it is to be placed in an area of the home where it can be walked around. Twice around the block later could be said to be good exercise. f f f f Why do so many waitresses say, “You’ve got it” when they take a customer’s order. The customer knows that they still have it in the kitchen. f f f f There is so much left to do with our lives that we really appreciate getting that hour back at the close of daylight saving time. f f f f False starts, fumbles, interceptions aren’t as critical to our lifestyles as they are to such as professional football teams. f f f f Do take time to thank at least one public employee this Christmas season. Just think what life would be like without sanitation workers, without water dept. employees, firefighters and police.

which there are numerous activities and events, plus Santa’s palaces and ice skating rinks. The Londoners do know how to have fun during this season.

Celebrations, theaters and the cocktail scene keep London aglow during the evenings. Yes, you’ll perhaps be more than welcome into the party scenes.

As for the real reason for Christmas, a visit to St. Paul’s Cathedral will be found as awesome and amazing.

Yes, it can be both.

May there be joy in your hearts, friendliness in your attitudes and generosity in your souls this season.

A merry and blessed Christmas to all.

DECEMBER 2016 • 50PLUS

Why do hearing aids cost so much?

Of all the questions I am asked on a regular basis, this is by far the most common. Let’s forget for a moment just how valuable your hearing is. It’s a critical sense that helps you navigate the world, but it is intangible and I don’t expect you to put a price on it.

The question as I would like to address it is that of economics. The answer is, of course, complex, but I will do my best to shed light on the subject. There are several factors that drive the price up, let me highlight a few of them for you.

SUPPLY AND DEMAND: Hearing Aids are a niche market when it comes to electronics. One comparison I hear all of the time: “Smart phones do a lot more than hearing aids and they cost a fraction of the price.” This is a fair statement, but we have to look at volume. 2015 saw 1.3 billion smartphones sold, versus only 3.3 million hearing aids. That’s roughly 400 smartphones for every one hearing aid. On top of that, a smartphone manufacturer will most commonly allocate research and development costs going

HEARING MATTERS

By John Dykstra into a single model; whereas a hearing aid manufacturer will develop upwards of 10 different products to accommodate different hearing losses and lifestyles within that same model lifespan.

We have a ‘chicken and egg’ scenario at play here. Studies indicate that only 20% of people with a treatable hearing loss seek treatment, with cost being cited as a major factor in reluctance. I believe we will be seeing a change in the percentage of untreated loss. Even the most basic of models available today are far more advanced than the top of the line devices I was fitting 10 years ago so the “bang for the buck” factor is swinging in the patient’s favor. If I may

speak anecdotally for a moment, I’m also finding the Baby Boomer generation more likely to seek treatment for their ailments than the so called “Silent Generation” which, given the name, is almost poetic in this comparison.

SERVICE AND AFTERCARE: Were a smartphone to require scheduled filter and tubing changes, or to be recalibrated to be able to work properly, you can believe they would be more expensive. A smart phone simply works… so long as you pay for the roughly $100 monthly service plan.

You are not just buying a hearing aid. Let me rephrase that. “At Beltone, you are not just buying a hearing aid.”

You are buying a lifetime of commitment to care and service. And a hearing aid.

Hearing devices require maintenance. Some tasks can be performed by the patient, but there are functions that will be beyond their ability. This service will come at a cost; either in the original purchase of the device, or a la carte after the fact. When a device requires

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regular service to function optimally, your service network needs to be robust and convenient. Beltone operates on a promise to you that your hearing aids will be taken care of at any Beltone office you can find. The same level of service I afford my clients is given to clients who have gotten their Beltones from someone else. In my territory, I operate seven locations while the leading smartphone manufacturer has only two.

SIMPLY PUT: This is a low volume, high service industry. You can find very affordable devices that will more or less leave you on your own to tend to and adapt to that device. In my experience, those devices are often tried, but seldom enjoyed.

I would love to open a dialog from the readership to ask me some questions about hearing aids. If you would like to send me a question, please email it to johnw@beltonewi.com

10A • 50PLUS • DECEMBER 2016

Cold and flu prevention

BY CHARLYN FARGO We’re heading into the cold and flu season, and Tufts Health & Nutrition Letter offers some diet and lifestyle tips that can help protect you. k GET VACCINATED. While no flu vaccine is 100 percent effective, studies show that the vaccine will reduce your risk of flu-related hospitalization. k EAT MORE FRUITS AND VEGETABLES. The antioxidants, vitamins and minerals that come with eating at least five servings of fruits and vegetables every day can help strengthen your immune system to better fight off infections. Both fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables are effective. Use frozen berries to make smoothies or stir

into oatmeal, and add extra veggies to stews, soups, casseroles and stir-fry dishes. k TAKE A WALK. A study of 1,000 people of all ages found those who walked at least 20 minutes a day five times a week had 43 percent fewer sick days than others who exercised one day or less a week. The study also found that those who walked 20 minutes a day, five times a week who did get sick had symptoms that were milder and the cold or flu lasted for a shorter time. k GET PLENTY OF VITAMIN E. Vitamin E is an antioxidant vitamin effective in boosting the immune system. You can get vitamin E in foods

Question & Answer

QA

: DOES

THE PRACTICE OF WASHING PRODUCE REMOVE PESTICIDES?

Fruits and vegetables are important to a healthy diet. Yet, despite a chorus of advocacy by nutrition professionals to add more produce to the plate. Americans still fall short of recommendations. Confusion about pesticides may be partly to blame. Concern about pesticides on produce has been identified as a barrier to eating more produce, according to some studies. However, pesticide use is tightly regulated with the EPA, FDA and USDA -- all monitoring use and exposure. Though pesticide levels typically are well below established thresholds, and their residue degrades and diminishes over time, both conventional and organic produce may retain some traces. Studies show that washing produce under running water is the most effective means of removing pesticide residues, along with dirt and bacteria. Combining washing with other preparation methods, like peeling or blanching, is even more effective. Proper technique as recommended by the FDA is key. Wash produce with cold or warm tap water and scrub with a brush when appropriate; do not use soap. Throw away the outer leaves of leafy vegetables, such as lettuce and cabbage. Do not leave or soak produce in the sink, which likely hosts bacteria -- Environmental Nutrition newsletter. :

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found in high protein foods such as the dark meat of chicken or turkey, lamb and pork. Good plant sources include nuts and seeds, legumes and whole grains. Zinc is also in fortified breakfast cereals.

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Help for constipation

BY CHARLYN FARGO We all experience a little constipation from time to time. It can be a side effect of certain drugs, medical conditions and even aging, but it also can be a result of dehydration, a low-fiber diet and lack of exercise. However, it’s certainly reversible -- with a fiber-rich diet and exercise.

Here are some additional tips from Environmental Nutrition newsletter: k EAT MORE PLANTS TO GET MORE FIBER INTO YOUR DIET. Fiber is found in whole grains, fruits, vegetables, beans, nuts and seeds. We need between 25 and 35 grams of fiber per day. A single cup of raspberries has 8 grams of fiber. Other fruits high in fiber include prunes, kiwi, blackberries, mangos and peaches. k DRINK MORE WATER. Eating fiber without drinking enough water can worsen symptoms of constipation.

The general recommendation is 64 ounces per day. While water is the best beverage, other fluids such as fruit and vegetable juices and clear soups are also beneficial. k ADD YOGURT TO YOUR DIET. Cultured and fermented foods like yogurt, kefir, unpasteurized sauerkraut and Gouda cheese all contain probiotics, which are beneficial microorganisms that have been found to help with constipation. k GET MOVING. Aerobic exercise helps stimulate contraction of the intestines, moving food along faster. The

faster transit time means less time for water to seep out of stools, keeping it softer and easier to pass. k KEEP A JOURNAL to know what foods work for you or make things worse.

Question & Answer

Q A

Is there any difference in the nutritional value of golden flaxseeds vs. brown flaxseeds? :

Both contain 4 grams of omega-3 fatty acids, primarily ALA (alpha-linolenic acid) in a 3 tablespoon serving. ALA, the form of omega-3s found in plants, has been touted for its health benefits.

While the jury is still out on ALA’s own possible benefits, be aware that relatively little ALA converts into DHA and EPA, the omega-3s found in fish oil that have been shown to have positive cardiovascular effects. Flaxseeds are also a good source of dietary fiber.

Golden flaxseeds have 9 grams in 3 tablespoons, while brown flaxseeds have only 7 grams. The brown variety contains slightly more potassium and calcium, however, while golden flaxseeds have 160 calories per 3 tablespoons, compared to 140 for brown. Overall, the differences are minor, and either variety can be chosen to add flaxseeds to your diet. -- Tufts University Health & Nutrition Letter. :

Being the right person Being the right person in the right place is critical to success. Too often, a person’s skills are never uncovered.

Or, they might be overlooked. A good leader will get you moving in the right direction. A person’s strengths may greatly be more than his/her weaknesses. But the weaknesses befuddle us, hold us back or even place our gears in reverse. Why is it that as we

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age, we so often stop to consider this or that which years ago would not have concerned us a bit?

Those of us in old age, or at least approaching it have achieved at the very least longevity and the happiness that goes with it. Dreams may never chart our paths, but they may make us think of our limitations as minimal.

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Why Trump won’t privatize Social Security

BY TOM MARGENAU In the past week or so, I’ve heard from dozens of fearful readers asking about Donald Trump’s plans to privatize Social Security. I’m going to suggest that people relax. President-elect Trump and his cohorts may have plans to privatize the Social Security system, but I highly doubt those plans will ever see the light of day.

Actually, every Republican president since Ronald Reagan has vowed to privatize Social Security. And each one of those presidents rather quietly dropped the idea shortly after taking office. Why? Because the plan simply doesn’t work. Or to be more precise, it would be prohibitively expensive to switch from our current Social Security system to a privatized one. I will explain.

Almost every privatization plan I’ve ever seen backed by a leading Republican legislator or president is what is commonly known as a “carve-out plan.” It is called that because it gets its funding by carving out a chunk of the current Social Security system.

For example, currently 6.2 percent of a worker’s salary is deducted for Social Security taxes. A carve-out plan might specify that 4.2 percent continue to be used to fund Social Security, while 2 percent would be turned back over to taxpayers for them to invest on their own.

On paper, it may sound great. You get to keep a chunk of your payroll tax to do with what you want. And, of course, it is hoped you will invest that money, and not buy a new car or boat! (A better version of these plans mandates that the payroll tax portion you keep must be invested in one or more of several managed IRA-type accounts.)

But the often unexplained downside to these plans is that huge reductions would be necessary in future Social Security benefits. It’s just simple math. If you are going to carve out about one-third of the Social Security payroll tax to fund a worker’s private IRA account, then, obviously, future Social Security benefits for that same

worker are going to have to be cut by at least one-third.

And here is the bigger problem with carve-out plans. It’s not just future benefits for current workers that would have to be cut. But also benefits to current retirees would have to be radically reduced. Remember: Our Social Security program, like every major social insurance system in the world, is funded on a pay-as-you-go basis.

This means the money deducted from today’s workers’ paychecks is used to fund benefits to current retirees. So if you cut the amount of money going into the system by a third, then the money coming out of the system must also be reduced by the same amount.

In other words, you must eventually cut benefits to all current retirees by about 30 percent.

Of course, that is politically (and morally) unacceptable. Many past carve-out privatization plans promised not to reduce benefits to current retirees. But the only way to accomplish that is to take money out of the general funds of the Treasury to make up the Social Security payroll tax deficit in order to pay all promised future Social Security benefits. And we are not talking millions, or even billions, of dollars. We are talking many trillions of dollars.

In other words, the transition costs of privatizing Social Security are simply too high. Either the political and moral costs are too high to cut future Social Security benefits, or the economic costs are too high to dramatically increase the deficit to avoid future benefit reductions. And I am betting that Donald Trump and the privatization schemers on his transition team will eventually realize those steep costs and drop their plans -- at least their carve-out plans.

But there is an alternative to the carve-out privatization plan. It is usually referred to as an “add-on plan.”

This type of plan would require workers to contribute an extra amount to fund any private account investments they set up. So, 6.2 percent of a worker’s salary would still be deductTRUMP continued on page 13A

Payback time has arrived

BY DOUG MAYBERRY : My dad has always been in charge of our family finances and managed them well.

Dad lives nearly 50 miles away, and we are unable to see him often. He has been living on his Social Security. My brother and I thought he was doing all right financially.

However, last week, a cousin called and said an acquaintance of his who is a bank officer had called and told him Dad has been bouncing checks and hasn’t been cooperating in finding a solution to his problem.

My brother and I can help out a little, but we are raising our families and surviving on part-time work. We believe he owns the family home debtfree.

Q

WHAT CAN WE DO? : Call his banker to see what needs to be done financially.

Let’s hope both of you are also

A

TRUMP from page 12A

ed to finance Social Security benefits.

But in addition, that worker would be required to chip in an extra percentage point or two of salary to fund a managed investment account. In other words, instead of carving anything out of the current Social Security system, this type of plan gets its funding by adding to the system.

Of course, the downside to an add-on plan is that more out-of-paycheck spending would be required from workers to fund their retirement portfolio. But the advantage to the plan is it has greater rewards. Most add-on proposals I’ve seen are modeled on the highly successful Thrift Savings Plan, an add-on IRA that has been available to federal government workers for years and has given many of them the kind of financial security in retirement not usually associated with middle-class civil servants.

An add-on privatization plan is not usually favored by Republicans because it reeks of a tax increase, even though the increase would be funneled into private investment accounts. But if president-elect Trump is the political maverick he is touted to be, and if he is committed to privatizing the Social

authorized on his checking account and able to take action. Would your cousin be willing to step in and monitor his bank account?

If you and your brother do not have maintenance funds available for him, you may need to consider taking out a loan for him. Medical expenses may be an important factor in his financial needs.

Do your best to solve his finances without making him feel he is losing his independence. He may become angry. However, be as patient as he was in raising you. Most fathers do their best for their families. -- Doug FRIENDSHIP WOES : It’s hard to find friendships that last a lifetime, but I’ve been lucky to have two such people in my life. We met in grade school and have been able to keep in contact, even so many years later, despite the diverging paths we’ve taken.

Q

Security system, an add-on plan might be the way to go.

Finally, there is one other tactic that I would be remiss not to mention.

It does not involve individual worker’s investments, but rather the investment policies of the Social Security trust funds. As has been explained countless times in this column, those funds have always been invested in U.S. Treasury bonds. One way to “privatize” Social Security would be to diversify the system’s portfolio -- to invest some or all of Social Security funds in the private markets.

Such a practice could generate much higher returns, albeit it with greater risk, than Treasury bond yields.

But here is the downside to such a scheme. Once again, we are not talking millions or billions of dollars, but rather many trillions of federal dollars that would be flooding the markets. No one really knows what impact that would have on Wall Street. And would we really want the Social Security system, meaning the federal government, to be a major stockholder in the likes of Philip Morris and its tobacco products or Apple and its computers and phones?

Sadly, I found out in the past week that my two friends are no longer speaking, nor have they been for several months. I’d like to keep our bond intact. What do you recommend?

A

: The relationship dynamics of three people are always complicated, and many of us find it hard to balance such friendships. This is true even in the best of circumstances. If you intervene in the bond for the other two, you’ll risk being alienated yourself, so be careful.

As they’ve been friends for so long, their conflict may indicate a serious problem that has reached a breaking point. Many of us become more stubborn as we age, so it could also be a small conflict that has escalated.

Luckily, they have a long history to fall back on, so they’ve had experience at reconciling.

I recommend that you not push too hard but instead wait for them to

DECEMBER 2016 • 50PLUS

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change their mentalities. If and when they decide to try to reconcile, you’re in an excellent spot to mediate, but you can’t force them to this stage. Do your best to help them simmer down, but tread lightly. -- Emma, Doug’s granddaughter Doug Mayberry makes the most of life in a Southern California retirement community. Contact him at deardoug@ msn.com. Emma, Doug’s granddaughter, helps write this column.

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December poem Yes, dear, you are right. The Christmas season is quite near.

Holiday decorations soon must be up or too late, I fear.

Both young and old look forward to this annual event.

For some, the greatest gift might be payment of rent.

The time is really to celebrate the Christ child’s birth.

Holiness is basically the focus, for others it is mirth.

Decorate your home. Be sure to have a yuletide log.

While shopping, you could have trouble due to fog.

Discard thoughts of a green Christmas this season.

Almost all hope for snow at Christmas is this reason.

Gift buying occupies Mary, Janie. Dottie and Sue. Johnny must wait. You see, he’s down with the flu.

Mistletoe should hang in a doorway overhead.

Stationed under it waiting for a kiss will be Uncle Fred.

Tree trimming and hanging ornaments is so much fun.

Grandma decorates with icing propelled from a gun.

We look forward to church services on Christmas Eve. Joining us there this Dec. 24th will be Millie and Steve.

Christmas day generally begins in morning so very early.

By evening, Uncle Buck, due to booze, gets a bit squirrely.

We know mom’s Christmas dinner will be quite sublime.

Realizing this and wishing all a great day, we end this rhyme.

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Be careful of frauds and charity scams Thanks to a grant from the Wisconsin Consumer Anti-fraud Fund at the Greater Milwaukee Foundation, Interfaith Senior Programs of Waukesha County has researched senior frauds and scams and developed educational tools to share with the community. This month’s focus: Charity Scams.

With the end of the year upon us, many charities are focusing on their year-end giving goals. For many reputable charities, year-end fundraising is a standard part of their development plan, urging community members to

INTERFAITH SENIOR FRAUDS AND SCAMS

By Kathy Gale make a philanthropic gift during the season of giving. Unfortunately, however, scam artists recognize that tugging on heartstrings can be a quick way to

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easy money.

A charity scam is a dishonest way to make money by deceiving people in the name of helping others. A scam artist typically will call on the phone claiming to be raising money for an organization that supports a worthwhile cause. Oftentimes in charity scams, very little of the donated money actually goes to the cause – and sometimes, none at all!

Common charity scams are: Veteran & Military, Police & Firefighters and Disaster Relief. What is important to keep in mind is just because “veterans” or “police” are in the organization’s name, doesn’t necessarily mean that veterans or police officers are actually benefiting from your donation. Disaster Relief scams can pop up quickly after a natural disaster like a hurricane or flood. Even if the new charity is truly legitimate, will they have the proper infrastructure to get the donations to the affected area or people?

So, how can you know if you are dealing with a legitimate charity? Thankfully, there are several ways

to determine if a charity is reputable or a scam. First, ask the person you are speaking to for more information about the charity they are representing. Can they provide you with proof of being a registered nonprofit – like an IRS Determination letter that states proof of the organization’s 501(c)(3) status? Is the charity registered with the Better Business Bureau? You can also research charities using Charity Navigator at www.CharityNavigator.org and GuideStar at www.Guidestar.org.

Remember, you’re always in control of your philanthropic giving. No one should ever force you to make a snap decision about donating. Always know who you are giving to and what the money will be used for.

If you feel you have been a victim of a charity scam, contact your local police department by calling their non-emergency number. If you would like to schedule a STOP Senior Frauds and Scams presentation for your senior group or organization, call Interfaith SeSCAMS continued on page 20A

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DECEMBER 2016 • 50PLUS

Men’s holiday must-haves

BY SHARON MOSLEY Hey, guys! Just because you’ve got a few parties to go to in the next few months, doesn’t mean you have to stress out about what to wear. It’s easy to put together a fun and festive holiday wardrobe with these fashionable favorites. You might even want to put a few of these on your wish list for Santa! k Start with a not-so-basic shirt.

What better time of year to go mad for plaid? But the plaid shirts this fall are anything but classic. Look for colorful tartans, lumberjack flannels and bold graphic designs. Or check out a slinky silk shirt to wear under everything. After all, the holidays are all about shine, right? k Add a vest. It’s the perfect “third” piece to complete a holiday outfit. When you don’t really want to wear a jacket, you can easily dress up a shirt (with or without a tie) with a vest. Buttoned up, it takes your casual outfit to a whole different level. k Then loosen up those pants.

Whether you like distressed denim jeans or a pair of rugged cords or even

a pair of classic wool trousers, go for a little slouchier, wider-leg approach.

You don’t have to do the whole flared leg Elvis thing, but you may want to take a breather from all those skinny uptight pants and loosen up a bit. k Put some color in your world.

You don’t have to rely on black this season to get dressed up for even the most formal of affairs. Instead, experiment with rusty red coppers, rich burgundies, midnight blues, emerald greens and graphite greys. And if you really have a passion for fashion...try notso-mellow yellow. The juicy lemon is tangy in a cashmere V-neck sweater. k Tie one on. Use ties to your advantage. There’s one to suit every festive mood this holiday season. From super slender Rat Pack versions in solid knits to colorful printed bow ties, there are hundreds of ways to accent those patterned shirts and vests with an extra dose of flair. To update your go-to charcoal suit, give it a pop of purple with a plum striped tie. k Don’t sweat the small stuff. Just pull on a great sweater.

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• 19A

20A • 50PLUS • DECEMBER 2016

A day of infamy By Jim McLoone President Franklin D. Roosevelt said that Dec. 7, 1941 would go down in history as a day of infamy in the United States as that was the date for the attack by the Japanese forces on Pearl Harbor in Hawaii. The successful attack began our entry into World War II. The surprise Japanese force consisted of 400 attacking aircraft plus a sea armada. It was designed to cripple our Pacific fleet and to create cries of surrender throughout the U.S. It did just the opposite, as we now know.

But before we go further into our determination to win that war, let’s take a personal view of what occurred.

The person who fed this story to

this writer time and time again as he relived the attack 10 to 12 years afterwards earlier was assigned as a pilot at Hickam field, an air force field at Honolulu. This particular pilot mentioned the massacre as the Japanese attacked not only from the air, but also by warships, destroyers, tankers and specially designed torpedoes to be used against the American ships stationed in the harbor. The successful attack crippled the U.S. fleet in harbor and sent several ships and their crews to watery graves. The warship Arizona with water still splashing around its sealed hull with sailors buried therein is a main feature of the military

memorial at Pearl Harbor. Over 400 sailors also were killed when the ship, Oklahoma, was bombed and strafed with machine gun fire from the Japanese airplanes as they were still aboard ship or attempting survival in waters set on fire from spilling oil.

The U.S. airman, at the time the story was related was a lieutenant colonel and no longer a “fly boy”. He said, shaking his head, that the Japanese knew the right time to set the attack in motion. Their spies and intelligence

mental alcoholic hangovers, they were unable to mount their airplanes for counter attacks. Why the numerous hangovers? This gentleman said the previous night had been their military Christmas party and the booze; food and dancing were the central elements of the evening, which went on into the morning’s wee hours. We mostly had strange feelings that something was going to happen in the future, but not quite then, he said.

This Dec. 7th will mark the 75th

Over 2,000 Americans were killed or died later of their wounds and another 1,000 or so were wounded in the Pearl Harbor attack. But the devastating bombs and strafing aircraft created a will to win among the Americans. We know the rest of the story as President Harry Truman, who followed the deceased President Roosevelt, made the war ending decision in the Pacific Theater of action by ordering the dropping of atomic bombs on Japanese cities. gathering people in the United States knew of our unpreparedness for war as the nation was just emerging from the Great Depression that almost brought us to our knees in the 1930’s. While such really was not the fault of then President Herbert Hoover, he suffered the brunt of it among those in government in Washington, D.C. When he sought a second term in 1932, he did not even carry his home state of California’s vote total.

Back to the story: It was just as daylight broke over the Pacific Ocean that the well-planned attack occurred.

The airmen at Hickam Field were mostly all still in their beds, many asleep and others nursing such monu-

anniversary of the Pearl Harbor sneak Japanese attack. Instead of breaking the spirit of the Americans, this attack unified the country as never before seen. Previous to this near disaster, the United States had maintained a position of neutrality as the World War II already raged on the European and African continents and later also in Asia.

The following day, the United States declared war. On the same date, the dictatorial governments of Germany and Italy declared war on the United States of America.

It was not until 1946 that the great war of the world ended.

SCAMS from page 18A

the United Way of Greater Milwaukee and Waukesha County. If you would like information on scheduling a STOP Senior Frauds and Scams presentation, please contact Interfaith Senior Programs at (262) 549-3348.

nior Programs at (262) 549-3348.

Kathy Gale is Executive Director, Interfaith Senior Programs, Inc. STOP Senior Frauds and Scams is brought to you

by Interfaith through a grant from the Wisconsin Consumer Antifraud Fund at the Greater Milwaukee Foundation and

DECEMBER 2016 • 50PLUS

MU’s Century of Basketball and Three Special Gentlemen

Marquette University basketball, as you may know, is celebrating its 100th anniversary this winter. Their many seasons have become a wonderful and monumental history, filled with exciting games, dedicated coaching, exceptional players and cherished championships. It’s not all that well known, but Marquette is the only university in the country to have won National Championships not only in the NCAA Tournament, but in two others as well, the NIT and the National Catholic Tournament. It’s also forgotten, but the NIT was once a bigger and more prestigious event than the NCAA. The National Catholic Invitational Tournament no longer exists.

Over all those years, basketball at MU has involved a good number of players and coaches. At last count the total is approaching a thousand who have earned letters in the sport at Marquette. The following story is about that lengthy saga, and especially three of those players who helped make it so meaningful, Pancho Palesse (‘44-’45), Gene Berce (‘45-’48) and Grant Wittberger (‘51-’52). Why players from so long ago? A number of reasons: This is a publication for readers of age 50 and above; Modern day players get plenty of coverage in other media; It’s refreshing to recall a time when college basketball was played by people of a normal height and played for the pleasure of the game rather than as a stepping stone to pro ball and making millions of dollars; And simply because the three still reside nearby.

Palesse is now 93; Berce is 90; and Wittberger 85. Those ages apply to their physical makeup only. Talk to them and check that glint in their eyes, especially when recalling how they beat Notre Dame, or Wisconsin, and it belies the passage of time.

Before going on, I should point out one minor discrepancy. The current 2016-17 season is actually the 101st season in which basketball had been scheduled at Marquette. The 1918-19 season games were cancelled because of World War I. But in any case, it has nothing to do with our three noble basketeers. **** We’ll start our commentary about Pancho, the oldest of the trio. In sports,

• 21A

SPORTS PLUS

By Jack Pearson the man has been involved in just about everything. From touch football and playground basketball as a youngster back in the late ‘20s on Milwaukee’s east side, Pancho has been involved in more sports and sports related activities than you’d ever imagine. Even if you were good at imagining.

In high school at Rufus King, he was nearly six feet tall and almost 160 pounds, but those were rock-hard pounds. In football, he played offense and defense, and if you played against him, you didn’t want to let him run into you. He also started on the school’s basketball team, and earned all-conference and all-state honors in both sports. This was fortunate, for it earned him a scholarship to attend Marquette University, which he never would have been able to afford otherwise. At MU, he also starred in both basketball and football (yes, talking about forgotten pleasures, Marquette did have a football team way back when, a very good one).

After a couple of great seasons-and marriage to the former Dorothy Schmus-- Uncle Sam called. Pancho was inducted into the Army Air Force and became a pilot for a B-17 bomber. That was World War II, remember?

He made it back from the battlegrounds, but by then he had acquired all the usual marital responsibilities. He and Dorothy had a growing family, and all of that required money. So goodbye to good old MU, and hello to a job at Harnischfeger. But his love of and involvement in sports never waned; in fact, it never has waned and undoubtedly, this side of the pearly gates, never will.

He took up golf, and became good enough at it that he could shoot in the 70s. That alone is a rare feat, believe me. He joined softball and baseball leagues, got involved in several sports

Over the years, Marquette University basketball has had a multitude of great players. Here are three of them today, who starred back in the ‘40s and ‘50s. From the left, Pancho Palesse, Grant Wittberger and Gene Berce. with the Wisconsin Senior Olympics, began managing teams, took over the presidency of entire leagues, became a high school basketball and football referee and did so well that he also became a Big-Ten referee, then later became the head scorekeeper for the Milwaukee Brewers. All these things and more, into his 50s, 60s, 70s and incredibly, into his 80s and 90s. He just announced his retirement this past month as President of the VMP Softball League, one of the largest softball leagues in the state. Pancho’s wife died in 2004. They had six children, 14 grand children and 14 great grandchildren. “Seven boys and seven girls with both the grand kids and great grand kids,” he said. “Isn’t that something?”

I should also mention Pancho’s fondest remembrance of his MU days. It was in basketball, his final game in ‘45, against Notre Dame. MU had just an average team, but the Irish were one of the best in the country. Earlier in the year, Notre Dame had clobbered Marquette 79-56, scoffing at them in the process. Then, in the season finale in Milwaukee, in the first game ever in the Milwaukee Auditorium, Marquette upset the Irish and won, 56-55. Pancho was the high scorer for the game with 17 points. So did you scoff back, I asked Pancho. “Well,

maybe just a little,” he replied with a big grin. **** When you think of college or pro basketball players, you usually assume they have to be tall and gangly. Many of today’s players top seven feet in height, and being just a mere six footer is nothing. So when you see Gene Berce today, it is difficult to imagine him as being a record breaking scorer and Hall of Famer as a former Marquette player.

Gene today is around 5’ 9” tall, but he’s also 90 years old and was once a bit taller, as most of us were. His height as a Hilltopper cage star was around 5’ 11”.

As a young boy, Gene was even more diminutive. In fact, as a Marquette High School freshman, even though he loved the game, the coaches wouldn’t consider him for the team. Too small, too fragile. So he became the team’s waterboy. He kept trying, and growing, and the next year he was accepted on the squad. By the time he was a senior, he was leading the team in scoring and was its MVP. After graduation from high school, he enrolled at the University of Wisconsin in Madison. He had hopes of gaining a scholarship, but couldn’t convince UW head coach Bud Foster to take him

22A • 50PLUS • DECEMBER 2016 PEARSON continued from page 21A

on. The Badger coach also considered him too small and even too slow. Understandably miffed, he quit the school and returned to Milwaukee. At Marquette, head coach Bill Chandler had often seen Berce play, and was happy to offer a full scholarship.

UW’s loss was MU’s gain. In his freshman year at Marquette University, Gene not only led the team in scoring, he set a new MU scoring record at 13.4 points a game. He was gone then for a year in military service, but then returned as good as ever. In his first year back, he again led the team in points and broke his own scoring mark. As a senior, he had his best year, again leading in scoring and breaking the old record. His 17.7 points a game was one of the highest in the country. Against Notre Dame, he set a new MU onegame scoring mark with 35 points. In 1980, he was named to the MU Hall of Fame along with a couple of other very good Marquette names, Al McGuire and George Thompson.

All that above commentary on height might seem to imply that Berce was undersize. Not so at all. For that

Pancho Palesse, as a dynamic guard on the Marquette University basketball team in the early ‘40s. He also starred on the school’s football team as an end. era, he was quite average in height. For example, on the Marquette team, playing with Gene at guard was another at 5’ 11”, Bob Sullivan; at forward were Joe Faupl at 6’ 2” and Mel Peterson at 6’ 3”, and at center was Jim Ove, at only 6’

Grant Wittberger (left) and his brother, Russ, back in their college days about 60 years ago.

4”. It seems improbable today, but back in those days these were the norms.

After college, Berce joined the Oshkosh All Stars in the old National Basketball League. Then that league, and another pro group the BAA (Basketball Association of America) merged to become the NBA, and the Oshkosh All Stars franchise was relocated over to Iowa and became the Tri-Cities team. Gene played for them for a year and then retired as a player. It’s interesting to note that the next year Tri-Cities moved to Milwaukee and became the Milwaukee Hawks, and then in a few more years moved on to St. Louis where they became one of the dominant teams in the league for many years.

Berce served for more than 20 years as the personnel director for the Miller Brewing Company, then 15 more as the director of the Josh Bait Company in Fort Atkinson. He and his wife, Mary, have been married for 66 years and have eight children, 26 grandchildren and five great grandkids. They reside now at the Congregational Home and Apartments in Brookfield. **** Over the years, there have been several top-flight brother combos in the sport of baseball; the DiMaggios, the Coopers, the Alous, the Boyers, to name just a few. Football has had its Mannings and a number of others. Basketball, however, seemingly hasn’t had many. But of course this article is about Marquette basketball, and if you go back a ways they had the original twin towers, Grant and Russ Wittberger.

As I noted earlier, Grant is one of the former players I wanted to talk to, anyway. Today he and his dear wife, Mavis, live not far from where I live in Brookfield. So I drove over to his place for a chat. “Well, pal,” he said, “I appreciate you considering me for your story about MU’s 100 years in the game, but I wish you’d also talk to my brother, Russ, who lives now out in San Diego. I’ll give you his number. You know, Russ played for Marquette for four years as opposed to only two for me. And he was a better scorer, too, but don’t you ever tell him I said that.”

Grant enrolled at MU in 1950 after a year attending and competing at Macalester College in St. Paul, Minnesota. In his first year with the Hilltoppers, he led the team in scoring as well as rebounding. The next year, younger brother, Russ joined the squad as a freshman, and took over the scoring crown from his big bro. “Big bro noth-

Gene Berce not only led his Marquette team members in scoring in each of the three years he played with them. He set scoring records in each of the years as well. He is now in the MU Hall of Fame. ing,” Grant laughed. We were both 6’ 7” tall and I think Russ weighed about 15 pounds more than me. But I still led the team in rebounding; I couldn’t let him have everything.” That was the only year the two played together at MU, but they teamed up again later in pro ball.

When I say pro ball, I don’t mean the NBA, but rather the old NIBL (National Industrial Basketball League). “The new NBA, was just starting up then,”

Grant said, “and was nothing like the huge operation it is today where they offer incoming players millions of dollars to sign up. I still have the offer sheets I was sent from three different NBA teams back then. Would you believe the highest one was only five and a half thousand? So instead of hooking up with an NBA team, I accepted a job with Allen-Bradley here in Milwaukee, and they had a team in the NIBL, and I played on it. Later, Russ did, too. My salary was greater than what I’d have made with the NBA, and I could stay at home and had a job for the future. It was a no-brainer. Of course if they’d been handing out the kind of money college players are given today, I might have made a different choice. As it is, I have no regrets.”

Grant and Mavis have four children and three grandchildren. **** A primary reason for this story are Marquette University’s tremendous 100 years of basketball, so in closing here are a few highlights to consider.

• The school’s first ever game was on January 13, 1916, against Whitewater Normal, as the school was called then. Marquette won 35-28, and the head coach was Ralph Risch.

• The first time Marquette and the University of Wisconsin met was a season later, with the Badgers winning 15-14. Can you believe how little scoring there was in those days? In the ‘22-23” season, when Marquette had a fine 19-2 record, MU beat Wisconsin by the whopping score of 9-8. Yes, that was basketball, and the Marquette coach then was Frank Murray.

• The first time MU ever won more than 20 games in a season was in ‘54’55, when they had a 24-3 mark, including 22 straight, and were ranked 8th in the country. The head coach then was Jack Nagle.

• Marquette has had its share of nicknames over the years, Golden Avalanche, Hilltoppers, Warriors, Golden Eagles; there may have even been more.

• The school attained real national prominence only after hiring Al McGuire as its head coach in 1964. Over the last 11 years of Big Al’s tenure, Marquette won 273 games and lost only 53, an average of 24.8 - 4.8 a season. The only school in the country that was better was UCLA. BASKETBALL continued on page 23A

DECEMBER 2016 • 50PLUS

Seat belt usage Experts claim that it only requires three seconds to fasten a motor vehicle’s seat belt. Still, statistics show that over 10 percent of people in vehicles never fasten them, or as they say, don’t buckle up!

Seat belts have saved over $50 billion in medical costs and lost productivity of those injured by wearing them. Further, and more serious, over

300,000 injuries were reported in one year due to non-compliance.

Seat belts have been offered on some vehicles since the late 1950’s.

If all passengers had been wearing seat belts, we’re informed that just fewer than 378,000 lives would have been saved. The technology exists. We just must take advantage of it.

BASKETBALL from page 22A

Chones, Travis Diener, Bo Ellis, Tom Flynn, Damon Key, Don Kojis, Ray Kuffel, Butch Lee, Maurice Lucas, Walt Mangham, Dean Meminger, Mike Moran, Steve Novak, Terry Rand, Doc Rivers, Gene Ronzani, Rube Schulz, Tony Smith, George Thompson, Dwyane Wade, Lloyd Walton, Brian Wardle, Jerome Whitehead, Sam Worthen and Bob Wolf, and a lot more.

There might be a more impressive list at schools such as UCLA or Kentucky, but I doubt it.

• Marquette has attained a national ranking as high as 2nd twice, and 3rd also twice, all four during McGuire’s time.

• There have been an exceptional number of excellent players at the school over the years. In addition to the three named in this article, Pancho Palesse, Gene Berce, Grant Wittberger and Grant’s brother Russ, congratulations certainly are in order, they include stars such as, in alphabetical order, Jim

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BY ANNIE LANE DEAR ANNIE: I am in a stressful position now, and it will take my telling the whole story for you to be able to advise me.

My husband died five years ago from cancer. He had a son when we married, and we had one son together.

So he had two legal children when he died.

He had no will, though he told me what he wanted: I would have half, and our sons would have the other half, legally. He also owned a farm, and his wish was for his son to farm the land.

He told my stepson to be sure to give me at least $10,000 each year to help with expenses. My stepson even told me all of this and said he’d agreed to it.

I was administrator of the estate and put the farm in my stepson’s name in 2013. At that time, my stepson was all about doing what his dad wanted.

But he ended up never farming the land and instead renting it out to another farmer. I have yet to get a penny.

My home needs repairs. I am in a lot of pain from health issues, which I won’t go into, so I had to stop working and am now living on Social Security.

I don’t see my stepson and his wife too often because they have their own business and work so much. I don’t know the best way to ask him to do as his dad wanted. I love him and his wife and don’t want to lose the relationship, especially because my son is his half brother. How should I bring this up? -- Widow in Need DEAR WIDOW: Have your stepson over for dinner, and speak from the heart about your circumstances.

You have been part of his life for over 20 years, and if he has an ounce of compassion, he’ll want to help.

It’s also worth consulting with an estate lawyer privately. He or she can assess your situation and make sure you were given everything you were owed.

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• 25A

26A • 50PLUS • DECEMBER 2016

Emma: How about those goose dishes!

Folks, would you believe this already is the Christmas month and we don’t know if the geese are getting fat or not. We know the geese that poop all over our golf course during most of the season are gone now. Henry and his buddies take care of this problem each fall when hunting season is on in the township. A few of the real hunters claim it makes no difference to the quality of the goose meat if they eat some pesticide as they pick away at our fairways or swim about in the lake.

APRON STRINGS

By Aunt Emma What’s good for the goose should be great for the gander, or so Henry says as he always wants me to cook a goose for the big holiday, but I refuse to eat it. I do cook one and then take it to the senior eating place up the

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street always for one of their special events. Knowing my cooking abilities and what I am going to do, Henry (I hope it is laughingly) suggests that I should send along the phone number for poison central.

Henry says that especially at this time of year, we have to take a close look at our finances and to not only understand them but to manage them with care. When I smile, Henry tells me that this activity is not funky, or funny. He claims, and why is it that it always occurs just as I begin planning for Christmas present purchases, that we will never turn our house into a dream home until we shake off our lazy ways and become studious about money, where it comes from and how it goes. He claims that I have to be more careful even though my mom spent money as though it grew on trees in the back yard. I guess what this always adds up to is the end of the year is looming ahead.

With the end of the year always comes the meeting with our financial expert, who Henry respects and whom I believe isn’t smart enough to tell a Brussel Sprout from a Rutabaga.

Henry does believe the fellow knows his stuff and is willing to share not only financial, but personal information with him. I was a bit embarrassed when Henry recently told him about calling seven different hotels in Milwaukee before making a reservation for an in-law who is coming to visit and whom Henry often describes to me as an outlaw.

I want to share with you a bit of advice that I came across at the bridge card table recently. It seems that this

fellow, a veteran smoker since service time, decided to quit. He was wearing a nicotine patch, but was still smoking cigarettes. I guess he really got sick. He was told to read the instructions on packages before trying anything. The patches’ label reads that smoking is a no-no with a patch in place….

As I prepare to tell you this story that Henry brought home from the factory, I must ask you first if you believe in angels? If so, you’ll like this bit of prose. If you don’t believe in angels, well, then just suffer through this with me.

Henry came blustering into the house just yesterday and told me that he had a remarkable story for me. It seems that a man he works with thought he was having a heart attack and expressed such suspicion to his wife, who was sitting near him in the kitchen as they had just completed dinner. The tight feeling in his chest suddenly got worse. Then the phone rang. He answered it and it was an EMT wondering if someone there needed emergency service? The man said, yes, and the medic immediately sent an ambulance squad and the man went to the hospital where he had three bypasses and his life was saved. The man and his wife wondered about the phone call they received. Neither of them had called the emergency line.

How did the EMT know the man was suffering a heart attack or needed transportation to the hospital? There was no record of an incoming call to the emergency answer person. All the man could think of is that it was his guardian angel guarding over him.

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50PLUSmagazine Westward Ho to Nebraska SECTION B

7 Reasons a Nebraska Trip should be on your bucket list 1. HISTORY, HISTORY, HISTORY. Visit Nebraska’s “Cowboy Capital,” Ogallala. This city was the northern end of the trail for Texas cowboys and ranchers moving cattle north to stock ranches from 1875-1885.

TRAVEL

By Maureen Slattery

The trail boss at Ogallala.

2. SANDHILLS OF NEBRASKA. These are mixed prairie, overlying sand dunes that cover almost one quarter of the entire state. They are thought to have been formed 8,000 years ago by a prolonged drought.

Chimney Rock Monument

3. FORT ROBINSON AREA. In this northwestern area of the state you will see many beautiful rock formations, buttes formed thousands of years ago. The fort was a military post from 1874 until 1948. Fort Robinson was the site of Cheyenne Outbreak and where Crazy Horse was killed.

Scotts Bluff Monument

4. FOLLOW THE CALIFORNIA AND OREGON TRAIL TO THE MONUMENTS. Scotts Bluff and Chimney Rock monuments are a few of the landmarks used by wagon trails on the routes west.

5. LEGACY OF THE PLAINS MUSEUM. This unique museum is dedicated to the history of the plains and farming and ranching with hands-on

Visit Ogallala.

exhibits.

6. GREAT HOTELS, RANCHES AND B AND BS. A great lodging experience awaits you in this area.

7. DARNED GOOD FOOD. Campfire breakfasts, slow cooked ribs, chicken over the spit, steak nachos, tapas, and modern eclectic are just a glimpse into the region’s menu offerings.

2B • 50PLUS • DECEMBER 2016

A visit to Western Nebraska

Take a trip back in time across the great plains of Nebraska.

By Maureen Slattery I recently spent several days capturing the magic of the areas’ sophistication, its small town charm, quiet beauty of the open ranges and bountiful farmlands that will provide me a wealth of great memories. Called “Westward Ho,” the tour moved back and forth across the great plains of western Nebraska. The tour followed many possible routes of the Oregon and California wagon trails of the 1800’s.

If your visit to Nebraska may be for its history, we can recommend the Cowboy Capital, Ogallala, at the north-

trail to the west towards gold mining where they would acquire new-found riches. Below the hill were valleys and streams of cold and crystal water and berries that had not been seen for weeks and weeks. Many travelers spent days in the Ash Hollow area recuperating and gaining strength for the journey further west.

The Sandhills of Nebraska were formed about 8,000 years ago by a severe and prolonged drought. The dunes that formed sand hills overlie the massive Ogallala Aquifier of 174,000 square miles. Of special interest would be the

Wagon train replica at Scotts Bluff Monument.

Cemetery where many unlucky travelers west ended up. ern end of the trail as cowboys moved grazing cattle northward to stock the new ranches being developed along the rivers and in the wide open prairies.

In fact, the movie “Lonesome Dove,” describes a cattle drive from Texas to Ogallala. Its Boot Hill Cemetery has the remains of many would-be settlers, who died of cholera along the way. Many other graves are those of lost souls who were gunned down in saloon fights for which the community was notorious at “head west” time.

Windless Hill, a terribly treacherous decline, had to be slid down by the wagons if they were to continue on the

Sandhills section of the Knight Museum in Alliance. The museum gives an excellent overview of the history and environment of the area. The collection of Native American objects at the Knight Museum may be the best in the state.

Just north of Alliance is something different than you might expect in Nebraska. It is Carhenge, a pop culture icon with numerous imitations of Stonehenge of England comprised of vintage American vehicles all painted gray.

Continuing northwest, Fort Robinson was founded in 1874 and con-

tinued as an active military installation until 1948. The fort was needed to keep the Cheyenne Indians at bay. At this fort, Chief Crazy Horse was assassinated. During WWII, German POWs called the fort home and had such good treatment that many stayed to settle in the area. Today the fort is a state park with many other attractions and accommodations. Also of note in this area is Hudson-Meng Archeological site where at least 600 bison were killed

by Paleo Indians over 10,000 years ago.

Kill sites are places where prehistoric people trapped and killed game animals. In this northwestern area of Nebraska, we enjoyed a delicious campfire breakfast at Toadstool Park just miles south of the Badlands, and mouthwatering ribs and chicken, cooked over a spit in an open grill at the High Plains Homestead, a B&B and working ranch.

Speaking of food, the Scotts Bluff Monument area has a little bit of everything - all good. We were treated to Tapas at The Tangled Tumbleweed, Steak Nachos at the Steel Grill and a five-star dinner at the Emporium.

Here’s a little more history of the area. The great migration began in 1843. Some of the westward moving pioneers had crossed the Mississippi River and now were faced with the mighty Missouri River and then the Platte and the North Platte before they ever exited Nebraska. What follows is just some of the absolutely amazing history unveiled on this tour.

North Platte and Ogallala are along the northern route, Sandhills along the middle and the southern route also is referred to as Bridges to Buttes.

As the story goes, way too many of the pioneers died of cholera while along the route. It is reported that many persons alive and well in morning could be dead by evening. A muchfeared cholera epidemic was rampant from 1849-1855 due to drinking of contaminated water.

So what was the Oregon Trail all about? It is said that the first of numerous emigrant wagon trains set forth for the Oregon Territory from Missouri as the economic depression had set in in 1837 and continued into the mid1840’s. Missionaries of various faiths had served the settlers in Missouri, but via their descriptions of lands to the west, their westward migration began.

Also, the fur trade - in which trappers snared beavers by the thousands killing them for the fur of hats and coats - followed by the gold rush, pushed more settlers west. These stories of the innovation of the pioneers and what they endured for survival is more than interesting. A stop at the Legacy of the Plains Museum in the Scotts Bluff area is a must.

Plan a visit to western Nebraska.

You might not find gold, but you will find adventure, history, plenty of good food, and darn great hospitality.

Was it my guardian angel?

DECEMBER 2016 • 50PLUS

• 3B

By Jim McLoone I had not thought much about such as guardian angels until I read a couple stories about them or at least their possibilities of existence beyond the flesh and blood human beings. The magazine is called Angels on Earth.

Here’s my story. I yet have not come to a definite conclusion as to the who, why and how of it. But I thank God that I can write it.

As a sophomore in high school I arrived home from basketball practice about 6 p.m. to find my sister safely staying at my grandparents’ house while my mother and father were gone for the evening. I found enough stuff for a sandwich, quickly ate it and then grabbed my ice skates, heading the four blocks away to Clear Lake where on this rather warm January evening there would be perhaps 50 or more high schoolers skating on the clear ice near the Thompson’s boat dock, where a flood light would light the ice in an area of a hundred yards or so.

Once at the lake, I joined a large group of friends. We skated, played tag

and skated, at times hand in hand.

About an hour or so after my arrival at the lake, a girl I knew, two years my junior wanted me to skate with her.

She was not a girlfriend, but was a nice girl, who lived in the neighborhood and with whose brother I played basketball. There was no snow on the lake so off we went, hand in hand, gliding across the ice. Suddenly, we realized, or at least I did, that just in front of us was an open area of water where the ice company had cut large chunks from the lake to be utilized to keep foods cold in what were then called iceboxes. You see, this experience mostly predated refrigerators.

There was no chance to change course. We were too close to the icy cold water. We skated right into the water, with the lake bottom unable for us to touch. It must have been at least seven feet down. This six foot tall boy could not reach it and stay standing.

The girl was even shorter.

We thrashed about in the water.

When I realized we could not touch the bottom, I told the girl to grab hold

of the edge of the ice to stay afloat until help would come, but she only grabbed onto me, frantically pulling me away from my hold on the ice. We were sinking. I could not keep her up and hang on. I was losing my hold on the ice, but I kept yelling, screaming for help at the top of my voice. I just knew someone would hear me and come to our rescue.

Finally, as we were going under, an older skater, Thomas Deef, heard my cries for help and arrived quickly at the edge of the open water. A husky fellow two years my senior, perhaps had others holding onto him, that I don’t know.

But it was too late for the girl who had slipped from my grasp and under the water as I struggled to stay afloat. Finally, before Deef arrived at the scene, I also was drowning, I recall going under, my mouth filling with water and my eyes fixed on a bright light leading me downward. Was my watery grave just ahead or should I write, just below?

I recall nothing of Deef ’s plunging his arm down into the water, grabbing

hold of my bulky water-logged jacket and with possibly superhuman effort getting me to edge of the ice where others joined him into pulling me from certain death.

The firemen were called. They worked on me, resuscitation was not easy, I was later told. This had been started by the now deceased Deef, bless his now heavenly soul.

I was transported to the local hospital with pneumonia among other maladies where I spent several days before going home to put those skates away never to be used again.

The questions remain if it was my guardian angel that let Tom Deef hear my cries for help. Or was it my guardian angel in disguise that night as Tom Deef? Or was he just tugging at me along with Deef to get me out of the water? A smaller person never could have rescued me.

Did I ever thank Tom Deef enough for saving me? Or do I owe this to my wonderful guardian angel?

Many people consider the holiday season a hectic time, due to the preparations and festivities that typically take place. Staying sane, not to mention enjoying this special time of the year, is even more of a challenge when you’re caring for someone with dementia.

If your relative has changed significantly, you may be particularly uneasy about the approaching holidays.

Follow these suggestions to help keep stress manageable for everyone in your household.

GIFTS: • Shop by mail order or buy gift cards.

• Use decorative bags and boxes to streamline wrapping.

• Keep presents stored away until it’s time to exchange them.

• Be prepared when friends ask for suitable gift ideas for your relative. Suggestions should take into account cognitive and physical limitations.

DECORATING: • Don’t decorate too far in advance.

• Keep decorations minimal and out of reach as much as possible. Forego anything valuable or fragile.

• Avoid lights that flash or play music, and sound or motion-activated items.

• Don’t keep food, such as a gingerbread house, out in the open.

• Don’t let extension cords dangle or run across walkways and don’t rearrange furniture.

• Steer clear of decorations that could be harmful if ingested.

ENTERTAINING: • Whenever possible, entertain at home rather than go out. Familiarity provides comfort.

• Prepare guests for your relative’s cognitive and physical functioning and any uncharacteristic behaviors.

• Enlist a friend to supervise your relative while you’re engaged in hosting duties.

• Keep rooms well-lit, since shad-

ows may cause confusion and fear.

Avoid candles.

• Keep music soft and familiar.

• Keep gatherings small. Otherwise, situate your relative in a quiet spot and have guests visit one or two at a time.

• Instruct guests to introduce themselves to your relative by name and relationship – for example, “I’m Mary, your brother John’s wife.”

• Place guests’ coats and handbags in a secure area if your relative is prone to rummaging.

• Clean up immediately after entertaining, before your relative has a chance to consume anything that might make him/her ill.

• Before inviting overnight guests, consider how disruptive this might be to your relative’s routines.

OUTINGS: • If you accept an invitation, do so on the condition that you may back out if your relative is having a bad day.

• Limit the time and ensure there’s

a quiet place your relative can retreat to if he/she can’t handle the stimulation.

• Take along medications, adapted dishes and utensils, a bib, extra briefs and a change of clothes as needed.

• Recognize that your relative may not eat as well as they normally do, owing to anxiety or distractions.

• Attend an event without your relative, if it’s not feasible to take them with you.

FURTHER TIPS: • Let family and friends know your needs and limitations.

• Share plans with your relative on a need-to-know basis.

• Include your relative in simple preparations to make him/her feel valued.

• Share holiday memories. Bring out photo albums or home movies and play favorite seasonal music.

• Schedule holiday activities during your relative’s best time of the day. Space them out and try to stick to routines.

Holiday hints for Alzheimer’s caregivers

4B • 50PLUS • DECEMBER 2016

We Saw You At .... The Holiday Folk Fair International

By Margaret Pearson

It was the 73rd annual, and they seem to get better every year. Conducted over a three-day span at the State Fair Park Exposition Center, it was a real crowd pleaser. Great food, music, dancing added to the colorful exhibits and art offerings. A few of those who enjoyed it all were:

Herb Heck of Ashippun, Penny Andrews of Cottage Grove, Linda Polletti of Madison and Glen Gorsuch of Princeton.

Tey Grabowski and Jeanne Charnon of Greendale.

Chuck and Linda Kosidowski of Germantown.

Mary Sundly and Phillis Gullickson of Stoughton.

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DECEMBER 2016 • 50PLUS

• 5B

Home for the Holidays

If you’re like most Americans, you don’t get to see your elderly loved ones as often as you’d like. The holidays offer an opportunity to visit with parents and grandparents. Given that 1 in 10 older Americans is abused and neglected, the National Center on Elder Abuse wants everyone to know what they should be looking for when visiting elderly loved ones to ensure that they are aging with respect and dignity.

For many of us, the holidays offer a once-a-year time to visit with elderly relatives who live at a distance. These holiday visits are a good time to assess what assistance parents or other elderly loved ones might need to safely age in their homes. There are many things to consider. Prepare a checklist of things to look out for and to discuss with your elderly loved one. It might include questions such as: • Does an elderly loved one require help with chores or housekeeping, bathing, dressing, shopping and meal preparation, managing money, transportation or medications?

• Are they isolated? How often do they socialize with others?

• If living with another, are they dependent on that person for care? Is that person an appropriate caregiver? Does the caregiver understand the medical conditions that the elder has?

• During your visit, keep an eye out for warning signs of self-neglect, or abuse or neglect by others (see below).

Remember that most elder abusers are related to the older person.

• If, before you make your trip, you suspect that your loved one needs extra assistance, plan a longer stay so that you can visit local aging service organizations, physicians and attorneys during regular work hours.

Make the most of your visits by taking some private time with the elder to discuss future planning. Seniors may not be aware of a gradual decline and may be reluctant or unable to plan for needed care. Support and guidance from family members can help prevent serious accidents and future health complications. Noticing and correcting problems can help keep seniors safely in their homes. Allow time for them to express anxieties and needs. You can decide together what needs to be done and who can help.

STOPPING ELDER ABUSE Elder abuse is a growing problem.

While we don’t know all of the details about why abuse occurs or how to stop its spread, we do know that help is available for victims. Concerned people, like you, can spot the warning signs of a possible problem, and make a call for help if an elder is in need of assistance.

1. WHAT IS ELDER ABUSE? Federal definitions of elder abuse first appeared in the 1987 Amendments to the Older Americans Act, however, these definitions are guidelines. Each state defines elder abuse according to

its unique statutes and regulations, and definitions vary from state to state. Researchers also use varying definitions to describe and study the problem.

• Domestic elder abuse generally refers to any of the following types of mistreatment that are committed by someone with whom the elder has a special relationship (for example, a spouse, sibling, child, friend, or caregiver).

• Institutional abuse generally refers to any of the following types of mistreatment occurring in residential facilities (such as a nursing home, assisted living facility, group home, board and care facility, foster home, etc.) and is usually perpetrated by someone with a legal or contractual obligation to provide some element of care or protection.

Elder abuse can affect people of all ethnic backgrounds and social status and can affect both men and women.

The following types of abuse are commonly accepted as the major categories of elder mistreatment: • PHYSICAL ABUSE—Inflicting, or threatening to inflict, physical pain or injury on a vulnerable elder, or depriving them of a basic need.

• EMOTIONAL ABUSE—Inflicting mental pain, anguish, or distress on an elder person through verbal or nonverbal acts.

• SEXUAL ABUSE—Non-consensual sexual contact of any kind, coercing an elder to witness sexual behaviors.

• EXPLOITATION—Illegal taking, misuse, or concealment of funds, property, or assets of a vulnerable elder.

• NEGLECT—Refusal or failure by those responsible to provide food, shelter, health care or protection for a vulnerable elder.

• ABANDONMENT—The desertion of a vulnerable elder by anyone who has assumed the responsibility for care or custody of that person.

Although there are distinct types of abuse defined, it is not uncommon for an elder to experience more than one type of mistreatment at the same or different times. For example, a person financially exploiting an elder may also be neglecting to provide appropriate care, food, medication, etc.

2. WHAT ARE THE WARNING SIGNS OF ELDER ABUSE? While one sign does not necessarily indicate abuse, some indicators that there could be a problem are:

6B • 50PLUS • DECEMBER 2016 • Bruises, pressure marks, broken bones, abrasions, and burns may be an indication of physical abuse, neglect, or mistreatment.

• Bruises around the breasts or genital area can occur from sexual abuse.

• Sudden change in alertness and unusual depression may be indicators of emotional abuse.

• Sudden changes in financial situations may be the result of exploitation.

• Bedsores, unattended medical needs, poor hygiene, and unusual weight loss are indicators of possible neglect.

• Behavior such as belittling, threats, and other uses of power and control by spouses or those who should be in a position of trust are indicators of verbal or emotional abuse.

• Strained or tense relationships, frequent arguments between the caregiver and elderly person are also signs.

It’s important to remain alert. The suffering is often in silence. If you notice changes in personality, behavior, or physical condition, you should start to question what is going on.

3. WHAT IS SELF-NEGLECT AND WHAT ARE THE SIGNS? Tragically, sometimes elders neglect their own care, which can lead to illness or injury. Self-neglect can include behaviors such as: • Hoarding of objects, newspapers/ magazines, mail/paperwork, etc., and/ or animal hoarding to the extent that the safety of the individual (and/or other household or community member) is threatened or compromised.

• Failure to provide adequate food and nutrition for oneself.

• Failure to take essential medications or refusal to seek medical treatment for serious illness • Leaving a burning stove unattended • Poor hygiene • Not wearing suitable clothing for the weather • Confusion • Inability to attend to housekeeping • Dehydration Self-neglect is one of the most frequently reported concerns brought to adult protective services. Oftentimes, the problem is paired with declining health, isolation, Alzheimer’s disease or dementia, or drug and alcohol de-

search needs to be done to explore the relationship among these factors.

5. WHO ARE THE ABUSERS OF OLDER PEOPLE? Although more research is needed, most cases of elder abuse are perpetrated by known and trusted others, particularly family members (including adult children, spouses, and others).

Abusers can be men or women, of any age, race, or socio-economic status.

Elder mistreatment is perpetrated by family members, friends, service providers, peers, and strangers.

pendency.

In some of these cases, elders will be connected to supports in the community that can allow them to continue living on their own. Some conditions like depression and malnutrition may be successfully treated through medical intervention. If the problems are severe enough, a guardian may be appointed.

4. WHAT MAKES AN OLDER ADULT VULNERABLE TO ABUSE? Elder abuse, like other types of domestic violence, is extremely complex.

Generally a combination of psychological, social, and economic factors, along with the mental and physical conditions of the victim and the perpetrator, contribute to the occurrence of elder maltreatment.

Although the factors listed below cannot explain all types of elder maltreatment, because it is likely that different types (as well as each single incident) involve different factors, they are some of the risk factors researchers say seem to be related to elder abuse.

DEMENTIA AND COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT Elders with dementia are thought to be at greater risk of abuse and neglect than those of the general elderly population. Risk factors for this population include the caregivers heightened perception of burden and depressive symptoms, as well as the care recipient’s psychological aggression and physical assault behaviors.

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE HAS GROWN OLD It is important to acknowledge that spouses make up a large percentage of elder abusers, and that a substantial proportion of these cases are domestic violence grown old: partnerships in which one member of a couple has traditionally tried to exert power and control over the other through emotional abuse, physical violence and threats, isolation, and other tactics.

PERSONAL PROBLEMS OF ABUSERS Particularly in the case of adult children, abusers often are dependent on their victims for financial assistance, housing, and other forms of support. Oftentimes they need this support because of personal problems, such as mental illness, alcohol or drug abuse, or other dysfunctional personality characteristics. The risk of elder abuse seems to be particularly high when these adult children live with the elder.

LIVING WITH OTHERS AND SOCIAL ISOLATION Both living with someone else and being socially isolated have been associated with higher elder abuse rates.

These seemingly contradictory findings may turn out to be related in that abusers who live with the elder have more opportunities to abuse and yet may be isolated from the larger community themselves or may seek to isolate the elders from others so that the abuse is not discovered. Further re-

6. ARE THERE CRIMINAL PENALTIES FOR THE ABUSERS? Law enforcement officers and prosecutors are trained on elder abuse and how to use criminal and civil laws to bring abusers to justice.

7. WHO DO I CALL IF I SUSPECT ELDER ABUSE? Several state, local and federal organizations are available to help you.

The Elder Abuse hotline in Milwaukee County is 414-289-6874. For other counties call your local ADRC or police department.

8. WHAT CAN I DO IF CONCERNED ABOUT POSSIBLE ABUSE OR NEGLECT IN A NURSING HOME? If you suspect abuse or neglect of someone living in a nursing home, assisted living facility, or board and care home, contact a local Long-Term Care Ombudsman for more information.

For a directory of state reporting numbers and resources, visit the State Resources page.

DECEMBER 2016 • 50PLUS

9. HOW CAN I PROTECT AGAINST FRAUDS AND SCAMS? Unscrupulous people target seniors and will abuse or take advantage of them. Consider doing the following: • Learn about the types of elder abuse and neglect and associated warning signs.

• Get on the National Do Not Call Registry to reduce telemarketing calls.

Visit www.DoNotCall.gov or call 888382-1222 to register your phone number.

• If you are offered a “prize,” “loan,” “investment,” etc. that sounds too good to be true, it probably is too good to be true.

• Consult with someone you trust before making a large purchase or investment. Don’t be pressured or intimidated into immediate decisions.

• Don’t sign any documents that you don’t completely understand without first consulting an attorney, family member, or close friend that you trust.

• Do not provide personal information (social security number, credit card number, etc.) over the phone unless you initiated the call and you know with whom you are speaking.

• Tear up or shred credit card re-

ceipts, bank statements, and financial records before disposing of them in the trash.

• If you hire someone for personal assistance services, in home care services, etc. ensure that they have been properly screened with criminal background checks completed.

10. HOW CAN ELDER ABUSE BE PREVENTED? Educating seniors, professionals, caregivers, and the public on abuse is critical to prevention. On an individual level, some simple but vital steps to reduce the risk: • Take care of your health.

• Seek professional help for drug, alcohol, and depression concerns, and urge family members to get help for these problems.

• Attend support groups for spouses and learn about domestic violence services.

• Plan for your own future. With a limited power of attorney or a living will, health care decisions can be needed to avoid confusion and family problems, should you become incapacitated. Seek independent advice from someone you trust before signing any

documents.

• Stay active in the community and connected with friends and family. This will decrease social isolation, which has been connected to elder abuse.

• Know your rights. If you engage the services of a paid or family caregiver, you have the right to voice your preferences and concerns. If you live in a nursing home or board and care home, call your Long Term Care Ombudsman. The Ombudsman is your advocate and has the power to intervene.

All states have adult protective and long-term care ombudsman programs, family care supports, and home and community care services that can help older adults with activities of daily living. Call the Eldercare Locator at 800677-1116 for information and referrals on services in your area.

• 7B

call the local Long-term Care Ombudsman. You can find the numbers for your state at www.ncea.aoa.gov.

• Introduce yourself to responsible neighbors and friends. Give them your address and phone numbers in case of an emergency.

• Ask your elderly loved ones directly if they are afraid of anyone, if anyone is taking things without their permission; if anyone is asking them to do things they are not comfortable with, or if anyone is humiliating them.

These screening questions may reveal hidden anxieties caused by abuse or neglect.

WHAT SHOULD YOU DO? • If you suspect your older loved one is at risk and he/she lives in the community, call your local Adult Protective Services or Office on Aging. If the person lives in a licensed facility,

Elder Care

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ABUSE OR NEGLECT? CALL US TODAY IF YOU OR A LOVED ONE HAS SUFFERED INJURIES FROM NEGLECT OR ABUSE.

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