A
2011 report by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) found that the local food movement is growing steadily and is employing four times more people than if those farmers only sold nationally or internationally. In 2009 the USDA rolled out its campaign to encourage local food, the “Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food” program. The 2011 study confirmed that local food is a winwin situation. The study found that for some farmers, local food sales made up 61 percent of total sales. Some main points of the report, as explained by Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan include that: 1. Local markets are important for a lot of farmers. The study found that 40 percent of all vegetable, fruit, and nut farms (nearly 110,000) in the United States sell their products in local and regional markets. Also, roughly 61 percent of these farms’ total sales came from local sales. 2. The market for local foods goes well beyond direct-to-consumer sales. The local food story is not just about consumers buying
See details Page 10
By Jamie Sarver
◘ A Tale of Two Family Funerals
By Rhonda Mossner
◘ "C" is for Coffee
By Ron Pollack
◘ Getting Help with Your Medicare Costs
◘ Live Greener: Substance in Household Items Affecting Your Thyroid?
In this Issue...
S e p te mb e r 2014
Free
Senior Review
A Senior Magazine for Living a Healthier, Smarter and More Active Life in Wausau
Local Food Means Job Growth: How You Can Help
study found, and direct-to-consumer sales are evenly split between small, midsize, and large farms. 4. Local means jobs. The report found that fruit and vegetable farms selling into local and regional markets employ thirteen full-time workers per $1 million in revenue earned, for a total of 61,000 jobs in 2008. In comparison, fruit and vegetable farms not engaged in local food sales employed three full-time workers per $1 million in revenue. This isn’t the first report to show that local food efforts could help local economies. A report by the Union of Concerned Scientists found that investment in farmer’s markets could generate 13,000 new jobs in five years, foods directly from farmers, at a farmers while also providing healthy food options to market or community-supported agriculture local residents. program, even though direct sales increased Besides shopping at farmers markets, there 215 percent between 1992 and 2007. But are other ways you can support your local food intermediate marketing channels, such as farmers selling to a regional distributor, grocer, providers. Derek Denckla, chair of the New York City chapter of Slow Money, a national or restaurant, and then on to a consumer, nonprofit committed to increasing investment have also been growing. In fact, intermediate in local food systems, says, “The majority of sales were three times larger than direct-topeople invest in the stock market, but we want consumer sales. So, indirect sales are also a people to invest in their local food system.” vibrant part of the local food story. Here’s how: 3. Local doesn’t necessarily mean small. 1. Shop locally. Look for ways you can We tend to think that farms selling locally are use at least a portion of your food budget on the smaller size, but larger local farms are more likely to sell to restaurants, distributors, Senior Review 1 Continued on Page| 5 and retailers than are small local farms, the
Balanced Living Raking Help Available on Make A Difference Day Make A Difference Day 2014 is Saturday, October 25. United Way Volunteer Connection coordinates a large-scale leaf raking project to help frail and disabled residents in the greater Wausau area on this largest day of national service. If you or someone you know cannot rake their own leaves and have no family or friends to help, please call 2-1-1 by September 22 to register their yard for volunteer assistance or visit www.UnitedWayMC.org/madd. htm. Confirmation postcards will be mailed by October 10, and yards will be raked October 21-25. Find information about how you can volunteer or contribute to donation drives on Make A Difference Day at www.UnitedWayMC.org/madd.htm.
Tips and ideas for a healthy and balanced life
New Uses for a Bar of Soap. Snack Before You Shop If you go to the grocery store hungry you are likely to buy 20% more food than if you had a nibble before you left. Plus, a Cornell study states that when you’re hungry higher calorie foods seem to look more appealing. So eat something first, your waist and your wallet will thank you.
Car Freshener. Put a naturally scented bar in your car door compartment and enjoy a far better scent than any paper pine tree. Insect Repellent. Unwrap a bar of citronella or lemongrass scented soap and place on picnic table for a bug free lunch. Stain Remover. Rub a bar of soap over grass and dirt stains before washing. Itch Reliever. Rub a dry bar of oatmeal or aloe soap to stop the urge to scratch.
Best Fat-Burning Foods Grapefruit
A study from the Scripps Clinic (San Diego, California) reported that subjects eating half of a grapefruit or drinking 8 oz of grapefruit juice three times a day while maintaining their normal diet lost an average of 4 pounds over 12 weeks — and some lost more than 10 pounds without even dieting! Results were likely due to grapefruit’s ability to reduce insulin levels and to a chemical in grapefruit known as naringin, which prevents fat from being stored in the body.
Honey
Yes, it’s a sugar, but it’s fairly low on the glycemic index. Keeping insulin levels low and steady is Editor/Publisher: Arwen Rasmussen Offices: 3315 Nimitz Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701 P: 715-831-0325 F: 715-831-7051 E: seniorreviewnewspapers@gmail.com
Senior Review | 2
critical for maintaining a fat-burning environment in your body. Honey is also a rich source of nitric oxide (NO) metabolites; ultimately, that means it actually encourages fat release from the body’s fat cells
Peanut Butter
not only eat fewer calories throughout the day, but also lose significantly more bodyfat.
Broccoli can make you feel full — one reason why it’s a great food for getting lean. Broccoli also contains phytochemicals that can help enhance fat loss.
Chili Pepper Flakes
Hot peppers contain the active ingredient capsaicin, a chemical that can enhance calorie burning at rest as well as reduce hunger and food intake. The boost in calorie burn is particularly enhanced when capsaicin is used with caffeine.
Another source of helpful monounsaturated fat that can actually aid fat loss. What’s funny is that many food manufacturers make low-fat peanut butters! Of course, they replace these healthy mono-unsaturated fats with carbs, namely sugar. Avoid these Broccoli and stick with natural peanut butters This fibrous carb doesn’t provide that don’t add the type of fat you many net carbs or surely want to avoid — trans fats. calories, but it Eggs can make you Yes, we listed eggs in the muscle- feel full — building foods. So how can it also one reason be a fat-burning food? why it’s a Research supports the notion that great food for those who start their day with eggs getting lean. Distrbution: The Senior Review distributes throughout the Greater Wausau area every month. Advertising: 715-831-0325 Disclaimer: The Senior Review Publications assumes no responsibility for the advertising content of the Senior Review nor for any mistakes or omissions there in. No endorsements of any products or services is made and noneshould be inferred. The terms and conditions under which the advertisement will be
Olive Oil
Like avocados, olive oil is a great source of monounsaturated fats. Not only do they lower levels of the “bad” type of cholesterol and improve cardiovascular health, but they’re also more likely to be burned as fuel, which means they’re less likely to be sticking around your midsection.
honored are the sole responsibility of all the advertisers and not Senior Review Publications. A telephone call to the advertising merchant may eliminate confusion to any exceptions in the advertisements. Senior Review is owned by AKRE Enterprises, © Copyright 2014. For more information call Senior Reivew at 715-831-0325 or email us at seniorreviewnewspapers@gmail.com
What’s Happening Calendar SPARK! Bring a friend or loved one with memory loss for a social outing in soothing surroundings. Third Sunday each month 1-2:30 pm Call 715.845.7010 to register. Leigh Yawkee Woodson Art Museum, 715.845.7010 Grief Group at Helke Funeral Home 302 Spruce St, Wausau, on the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays of each month from 1-2 pm. Free Monthly Grief Programs Available Through Aspirus Comfort Care and Hospice Services • Good Grief – Living with Loss: Monthly grief support group for adults who have experienced the death of a loved one. Second Monday of each month; 4-5 p.m. First Universalist Unitarian Church, 504 Grant St., Wausau; The Grief Center, 715.847.2703. • Suicide Grief Support Group: A place to go when your life has been changed by the suicide of a loved one. Second Tuesday of each month; 6:30-8:30 p.m. St. Marks Lutheran Church, 600 Stevens Drive, Wausau Sara or Heather at 715.539.9818. • The Compassionate Friends: A self-help support group for parents, grandparents and adult siblings. Third Wednesday of each month; 7-9 p.m. Medallion Room, Aspirus Wausau Hospital. Beth Anne at 715.921.2425 Ministry Saint Clare’s Hospital Grief Support Groups are monthly adult gatherings for individuals and families who have experienced the death of a loved one. . The group meets on the second Thursday of each month, 1:303:00pm at Ministry Saint Clare’s Hospital (Chapel area), 3400 Ministry Parkway in Weston Free Blood Pressure Screenings from United Way RSVP of Marathon County Held monthly at each site at the following times: 1st Sunday: Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, 930 Edgewood Rd., Wausau; 9:15-10:15am 1st Tuesday: Mount. of the Lord Lutheran Church, 5506 Bittersweet Rd., Wausau, 10:00 -11:00am 1st Thursday: Riverview Towers, 500 Grand Ave., Wausau; 8:30-9:30am Sturgeon Bluffs, 1320 Grand Ave.,
Wausau; 10:00-11:00am 2nd Sunday: St. John Catholic Church, 103 N. Fourth Ave., Edgar; 9:15-10:45am 2nd Tuesday: The Neighbors’ Place, 745 Scott St., Wausau; 10:00-11:00am 3rd Sunday: Saint Mary’s Church, 712 Market St., Marathon; 9:0010:00am 3rd Monday: Island Place Apartments, 400 River Dr., Wausau; 9:00-10:00am City Walk Apartments, 120 Grand Ave., Wausau; 10:15-11:15am 3rd Wednesday: Randlin Homes, 529 McClellan St, Wausau; 6:00-7:00pm 4th Wednesday: Kannenberg Plaza, 1240 Merrill Ave, Wausau; 9:0010:00am The Salvation Army, 202 Callon St., Wausau; 10:30-11:30am Services are provided by United Way RSVP volunteer nurses. 715-848-2927 for more information.
Enjoy Fall/Winter Birding September 30 10:00 -11:30 AM at the United Way at 705 S. 24th Ave., Suite 400B in Wausau. Come and learn what birds to get ready for, identifying and attracting birds to your yard, types of bird feeders and what to feed, providing water in the winter and time for your questions. This is part of the Retirement Well-Being series presented by United Way RSVP, a 55+ volunteer service providing personalized placement and support to persons interested in volunteering. Call United Way RSVP at 715298-5721 to register or by email at tomernik@unitedwaymc.org Aspirus Health Resources for Older Adults To register for the following free or low-cost programs, please call the Aspirus Information Center at 715.847.2380 or 800.847.4707 from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.
Stepping On Seven Tuesdays, beginning Sept. 23, 2014 from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m at Covenant Community Presbyterian Church. Join this fun and interactive program to help reduce falls. Strengthen your muscles, learn from guest experts, and make friends. This program is offered collaboratively with the Partnership for Healthy Aging. Medication Monday Sept. 15 By appointment Aspirus Wausau Hospital Schedule some time with our pharmacy staff to help you better understand and organize your medications. This free program is for people who take four or more medications or have multiple health conditions.
Thoughtful Thursdays Sept. 4 Downtown Memory Café By appointment is a new gathering place for people Aspirus Wausau Hospital with early stages of dementia Put your wishes in writing! A Power and their care partners. Come for of Attorney for Health Care is a refreshments, conversation, music, legal document that tells others what activities, programs—and most of all September 17 medical care you do or do not want in a a place to be who you are. Hosted by 9 a.m. for beginners; 10 a.m. for others crisis. We will help you complete your First United Methodist Church, 3rd Aspirus Wausau Hospital document, witness your document, and Thursday every month, 10:30 am – Learn techniques to help you expand make copies at no charge. Noon, 903 Third Street, Wausau. For your ability to answer health questions. more information or to register, call Basic computer terminology and skills Living Well with Chronic Conditions the church at 715-842-2201, Charles will be taught. Learn how to access Six Mondays beginning Sept. 8, 2014 Schoenfeld at 715-842-9809 or email: MyAspirus personal health records and 1 to 3:30 p.m. memorycafe@fumcwausau.org. Free! why MyAspirus is beneficial. Learn Sturgeon Bluff Apartments, Wausau how to find health information and Learn strategies to put life back in Marshfield Clinic’s Mobile health tools online. your life! If you are an adult with Screening Unit delivers state-of-thean ongoing health condition, such as art breast cancer and bone density Call About Falls diabetes, arthritis, high blood pressure, screenings monthly to rural Wisconsin September 5 heart disease or chronic pain, this class residents whom otherwise would not Guest presenters vary each month is for you. Get support. Find practical have easy access to the services. 10 to 11 a.m. ways to deal with pain, fatigue, and More than 230,000 women in the U.S. This is a free, phone-based learning other symptoms. This is offered are expected to be diagnosed with opportunity to help you or a loved one collaboratively with Aspirus Senior breast cancer this year, according to reduce your risk of falling down. Each Health and the Aging & Disability American Cancer Society estimates. month a guest presenter will discuss an Resource Center. Marshfield Clinic’s Mobile Screening aspect of falls prevention, with time for Unit will offer digital mammography questions and answers. Knitting at the Library and digital bone density screenings in Knitters of all ages and skill levels September at the following locations: Caregiver Support Group are invited to Knit Night on the first Marshfield Clinic Mosinee Center, September 9 Thursday of the month at 6:30 390 Orbiting Drive, Mosinee (digital Aspirus Plaza Drive Clinic p.m. at the Marathon County Public mammography). For an appointment, The group is sponsored by the Aspirus Library Wausau Headquarters, 300 call 715-693-9100. Memory Clinic and meets in the Lower N. First St., Wausau. The library Date: Times: Level Conference Room at 2720 Plaza will provide pattern books and some Friday, Sept. 12 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. Drive Clinic, Wausau. For details, knitting supplies, but participants are Thurs., Sept. 18 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. call the Aspirus Memory Clinic at encouraged to bring their own supplies. (mammography, bone density) 715.847.2004. Friday, Sept. 26 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. (mammography, bone density)
Senior Review | 3
Good Earth
Renewing America’s Food Traditions (RAFT) Alliance RAFT is a coalition of groups combining their efforts to reclaim and preserve food traditions found all over America. On their website, they explain they are “blending our respective expertise to develop programs that support farmers, chefs, breeders, producers, and our food system as a whole.” Gary Paul Nabhan, author of Coming Home to Eat (W.W. Norton, 2002) and editor of Renewing Americaʼs Food Traditions, explains the plight we are facing: In the last 100 years, more than 1,000 varieties of uniquely American seeds and breeds, fruits and fish, greens and game have declined and are currently at risk of extinction. More than 76 food varieties have vanished altogether. Some, such as the wild Atlantic
on large prairie landscapes, and their very presence there then affects the environment to allow certain wildflowers and creatures to thrive, some which are also then food sources. He claims he can taste the “terroir” in the bison meat he eats, just as some can ascertain what land certain wines come from. “They broaden my sense of what it means to be truly nourished by the American earth,” Nabhan says.
One Hopeful Example
salmon and the sugar maple, are threatened by environmental factors ranging from damming of rivers to climate change. Gone are flavors, aromas, textures, and colors we can hardly imagine: historic delicacies from the sea such as white abalone and shortnose sturgeon; the Cui-ui sucker and the Colorado pikeminnow from our rivers; Gaspé flint corn, Chapalote popcorn, Jack beans, and sumpweed
Good Reads Renewing America's Food Traditions
sunflowers from our fields. Nabhan and others in RAFT remain hopeful that many of these diverse food sources can still be rediscovered and revitalized. They advocate seeking out rare apple trees and wildflowers and helping to recreate environments where these food sources can grow. For example, Nabhan describes how the bison, which almost became extinct due to overhunting, is now being raised
The Pacific Northwest stands as an example of how to go about successfully preserving local native plant and animal food source diversity. Because various groups in the area, such as the Portland Farmers Market and Chefs Collaborative, have made this a priority, evidences of success include the fact that: • Downtown Portland restaurants use more than six million dollars worth a year of local produce, meats, and dairy products • The number of farms in
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Savoring and Saving the Continent’s Most Endangered Foods The book profiles more than ninety heritage foods most at risk, detailing their folk histories, their causes of endangerment, the efforts to recover them, and offering historic recipes with which to savor them once they’ve been recovered. The book’s appendix lists over 1,000 unique livestock, vegetables, fruits, fish and game at risk in North America. To order the book, visit Chelsea Green Publishing.
Place-based Foods at Risk in the Great Lakes This booklet includes a working list of rare place-based foods with unique traditions in Great Lakes landscapes, waterways and cultures, as well as essays from Great Lakes residents who are working to protect and revive these foods. We invite you to add, amend or "adopt" (champion) foods on this list—support those communities that remain their stewards and work to bring these foods back to our tables. Send all list additions and edits to raftalliance@slowfoodusa.org.
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Good Earth Oregon has actually increased by 44 percent, instead of declining, as is common elsewhere
RAFT Is Born
RAFT began in 2003, as a nation-wide coalition to “recover the diverse, imperiled foods of North America” and to (along with engaging others to help) “find, recover, and celebrate these culinary rarities.” Nabhan reports that 669 food varieties are currently considered endangered, and another 348 are considered threatened, while 76 “uniquely American foods” have already been lost. But, as Nabhan urges, much help from others is crucial. “This is conservation with a human face.” RAFT’s mission is to bring “food producers, chefs, and consumers together to develop and promote conservation strategies, sustainable food production, and awareness of our country’s unique and endangered foods and food
traditions.” They use what they call an “eater-based approach,” which they define as “reintroducing the stories and flavors of America’s traditional foods to larger audiences, so people are once again growing and consuming them sustainably.”
Some of RAFT’s projects include:
• Creating regional food communities and identifying foods that are at risk of being lost • Restoring at-risk plants and animals, including an heirloom vegetable recovery project, an heirloom fruit tree recovery project, and a heritage breed recovery project • Celebrating America’s food traditions —“connecting the stories, flavors, fragrances, and textures” of the foods with people, toward the goal of creating “eating, purchasing, and recreation habits that once again support the food’s producers.”
How Can You Get Involved?
The RAFT website lists resources for you to learn more, a calendar of relevant events you can attend, and encouragement to participate in keeping alive the diverse array of stories and experiences of traditional American foods. You can grow RAFT-listed foods in your garden or yard, organize field trips in your area to view rare foods and educate others about this issue, shop and eat at businesses that use and promote the preservation of these foods, and plan your own meals at home using these foods—and their stories! Sources: http://www.albc-usa.org/ RAFT/index.html http://civileats.com/2009/04/08/ future-fruits-renewing-americas-foodtraditions-apple-summit-in-madisonwisconsin/#sthash.0F4fiTL9.dpuf http://www.eatingwell.com/ food_news_origins/seasonal_local/ renewing_americas_food_traditions/ renewing_americas_food_traditions
Local Food Means Job Growth from Page 1
to support a local food business, such as a locally owned bakery or a butcher shop that sells regionally raised meats. Or shopping locally may mean simply asking your favorite restaurant or grocery store if it uses local ingredients. 2. Move your money to a credit union. Big banks lend money to big companies, but small banks and credit unions are more likely to keep their loans close to home. Perhaps you will find a credit union that works toward lending to food and farming businesses, or one that provides no-interest loans to people who’d like to join a CSA but don’t have the $200 to $500 it can cost to buy a share. 3. Give a local food business a leg up. Thanks to sites like Kickstarter. com and Indiegogo.com, it’s easier than ever to invest in local businesses and nonprofits trying to get up and running. Give what you can to a local food endeavor needing some initial cash to get things going. Or, start your own!
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Senior Review | 5
Good Earth
“It’s Not Work, It’s Fun” By Master Gardener Bernie De Lonay, With Beauty Aid tips from Bobbie Bud’s For Life, Barbara Fraser-Hererra
D
o you ever wonder what the haying season means to the average American? What the haying season means is this: the better quality hay and straw that the beef and dairy cattle receive, the healthier they are. Healthier animals means better quality dairy and meat products that the public consumes. What does a garden column have to do with better quality hay and straw? When speculators, middle men, con men, as far as I am concerned, speculate that the haying season is going to be a disaster because of the weather, which in many cases, is predicted months in advance, is trying to predict an outcome that only benefits the speculators and not the farmers nor the growers. What does this have to do with the American public? I will tell ya’ what it means. When the middle men predict the outcome for a crop months in advance it always means higher prices at the grocery store and less money that the farmer and the grower makes. The speculators, middle men, wind up making more money on predictions than what actually happens. As it happens, this year’s haying season wasn’t nearly as bad as what they had predicted. They
were successful in driving up the prices in the stores anyway. They, however clever they thought they were, could not foretell the future that a bad fungal problem was to occur. The fungal problem was taken note of, and corrected long before anyone knew of it, by the farmer or grower by aggressive means. I stated in my last article that I have a rigorous spraying program, which I developed quite a few years ago. Any farmer or grower, worth their salt does this as well. If your crop is chickens, ducks, beef, hay, straw, asparagus or even table grapes, you are already looking for these problems that you know will eventually arrive. They knew about it long before we did and took action. It is only these CON MEN that predict failure just to make an extra buck. A good grower, gardener, knows to be a grower does not necessarily mean you also raise farm animals. Speaking of
Tricks o’ me trades. Most of the sprays I use I mix together myself. Most of the world’s fungicides are made from various things like vodka, cheap rum, fresh beer, used in moderation, diluted with water, lots of water, makes an almost perfect fungicide. There are also some very reliable fungicides made from various pine boughs and needles as well. Red cedar, mugo pine or white pine just to name a few. I wrote an entire pamphlet on how to make your own mixes. I called it the Critter Gitter. To find out about the Critter Gitter: call the Fraser Family Foundation at 71-551-5194, leave message, or write: F F F P.O. Box 5161, Wausau, WI 54402. LIKE growers or gardeners, I myself us on Facebook. noticed a fungal problem about Are you getting ready for the half way through the growing winter to come? I am. What season. Being the great gardener you say? How can I be getting that I am, I decided to take care ready for winter? Easy. I make of the problem without letting the sure my amaryllis bulbs are in public know. I did my usual tricks, a cooler place inside the house, and no more problem. Tricks so that they can get ready to o’ me trade’s, lads and lassies. bloom around Christmas time. It
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Senior Review | 6
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Good Earth “It’s Not Work, It’s Fun” and Bobbie Bud*s for Life and all other productions are under the umbrella of the Fraser Family Foundation. Watch and listen to our new INTERNET RADIO BROADCAST starting JULY 24th, 2014 on Thursdays from 9-10:00 AM on WPAC at: waac.pegcentral.com. Tune in and listen to all the FREE Gardening and Natural Health, Beauty Aid Holistic advice we can graciously give to you. This broadcast will be tape delayed by only a few minutes so you will be able to call in your gardening, health and beauty aid questions as always. The number to call to ask your questions is: 715-5515194. is also time to place things like poinsettias and primroses, if you have them, into cooler areas of your home. Cooler, darker rooms and temperatures will help to
brighten up the holidays and drab dull winter days as well. Try transplanting your spring plants now and when you make this move add a few spring bulbs with things like tiger lilies, peonies or forsythia. Just fer instance. If you can get your hands on some different spring flowering bulbs do so. Try some hardy cyclamen, Russian narcissus, spider or liverwort just to name a few. Did you know that you can ask me any gardening question that you want? Just call when I am on WNRB radio, FM 93.3 on Friday mornings from 8:30-10:00 AM. The Friday’s radio program number to call is 715-842-8900. Call 715-551-514 on Thursday mornings from 9–10 AM to ask your gardening question live. Listen in on Thursday Mornings from 9-10 AM on WPAC Internet Broadcasting by going to waac. pegcentral.com. You can also e-mail me your gardening
questions to me at any time by going to: mgbdelonay@yahoo. com. Be sure and watch the Television version of “IT’S NOT WORK, IT’S FUN” by going to waac.pegcentral.com on Saturday Mornings at 9:30 AM. Bobbie Bud*s for Life is on following “IT’S NOT WORK, IT’S FUN.”
And now…BOBBIE Bud*s for LIFE…
When we were kids we never heard of gluten free products, celiac disease or even allergies to peanuts. However, present studies show possible link of dementia to gluten products. Patients who were on a gluten free diet have seen marked results within two weeks, including reversing some dementia effects according to research done for the
Dr. Oz show. Also, according to the research done for the Dr. Oz show, small amounts of real butter is better for our bodies because it contains positive amounts of good fats that we all need. The sponsors for the Fraser Family Foundation are: Vicor Security Audio and Visual, Wausau Spring and Alignment, Associated Banks of Marathon County, County Market Grocery Stores, Wausau Area Metro Ride, WAAC Television, WNRB Radio, this publication, Senior Review, Paul E. David, Attorney at Law and Mount View Mobil, Rib Mountain, McDonalds Corporation, WI. St. Pauls United Church of Christ, Wausau, WI. Mount View Mobil is where our canister is located. This is the canister that all you kind-hearted folks put your change into so that we can continue to purchase gas cards to give to our veterans. Until Next Time, Master Gardener Bernie De Lonay, Bobbie Bud’s for Life.
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Senior Review | 7
Aging News
Getting Help with Your Medicare Costs when Money is Tight By Ron Pollack
to people with Medicare. Call 1-800-MEDICARE or go to www.Medicare.gov and click on “Find someone to talk to.”
M
edicare provides vital health insurance for 50 million seniors and people with disabilities. But even when you have Medicare, health care is not free. People with Medicare pay premiums and have other costs that they pay out of pocket, like deductibles and co-insurance. For lowerincome people, these costs can be overwhelming. There are several programs that help low-income people with Medicare pay their health care costs—but many Medicare beneficiaries don’t know about these programs. Let’s see if we can shed some light on them.
Why might I need help?
Anyone with Medicare knows that the program has significant costs. Here are some common costs for 2014: • Medicare Part A, which covers inpatient care, has a $1,216 deductible that you’ll have to pay if you’re unfortunate enough to be hospitalized. • Medicare Part B, which covers outpatient care (like doctor visits), has a monthly premium of $104.90. • Doctor visits also come with a 20 percent copayment, and so do lab tests. • If you have Part D drug coverage, that’s an additional premium, which averages about $40 a month, plus copayments for your prescriptions. • Finally, there are a number of services that Medicare does not cover, like most long-term
How do I apply?
care. Half of people with Medicare live on incomes below $23,500 a year, so it’s no surprise that a lot of seniors spend a good share of their budget on health care.
state to state and are adjusted every year. But they are low. In general, the 2014 income limit for any type of assistance is about $17,500 a year for an individual and $23,600 a year for a couple. What help is available Most programs also look at to beneficiaries with low how much you have in assets incomes? (bank accounts, retirement, • The Part D “Extra Help” etc.), although the value of your program can cover all or part of home and car usually don’t your Part D premiums and costs. count toward asset limits. In • Each state runs three 2014, the asset limit is about Medicare Savings Programs. $7,000 for an individual and Different states have different $11,000 for a couple. But some names for these programs. All states have adopted higher of these programs will cover asset limits or eliminated them your Part B premium. Loweraltogether, so check to see what income people can also get the rules are in your state. their Medicare co-insurance and How can I get help? deductibles covered. To learn more about the • Some beneficiaries with low programs in your state and get incomes or high health care help navigating the application expenses may qualify for their state’s Medicaid program, which process, contact your local covers a number of services that State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP). Medicare does not. Every state has one, and they How can I qualify? provide free, unbiased advice Income limits vary from
Alzheimer’s Disease Disease Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia: Alzheimer’s A New Optionfor for Care New Option Care and Dementia: Dementia: AA New Option for Care and Working together to meet the needs
Senior Review | 8
Maybe. These options are worth investigating. • It’s always a good idea to explore options in your area. Some states provide additional help with prescription drug costs. • If you are a veteran, you may qualify for additional help through the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). • Make sure you’re taking full advantage of any help you may get from a former employer. • Finally, you may want to explore getting a Medicare supplement (Medigap) or Medicare Advantage plan. But be careful, because some of these plans can be costly, and others may limit which doctors you can see. A local SHIP counselor can help you assess your options.
■ Memory care setting offers added security for piece of mind ■ Daily life enrichment activities ■ Three daily home cooked meals ■ Personal care assistance
715.847.2004 715.847.2004 or toll-free toll-free 866.236.1573 866.236.1573 or 715.847.2004 or Drive, toll-free 2720 Plaza Ste866.236.1573 1400B, Wausau Drive, Ste 1400B, Wausau 27202720 PlazaPlaza Drive, Ste 1400B, Wausau
Are there other options for getting help with Medicare costs?
The Homeplace of Dorchester
Working together together to to meet meet the the needs needsofof ofpatients patients and caregivers. Working patients caregivers. andand caregivers.
ADS-064 ADS-064
You can learn more about the Part D Extra Help program and apply through the Social Security website at www.socialsecurity.gov/ prescriptionhelp. To apply for your state’s Medicare Savings Programs or Medicaid, contact your state’s Medicaid agency. A counselor with your local SHIP can help you start the process and advise you if you run into problems.
155 N. 3rd Street www.thehomeplaceof.com
Call or email Jason for more information: 715-429-1007 • jason.hazuga@thehomeplaceof.com
Nature Lover
We All Belong to the Natural Community By Jim Knickelbine
T
he ebb and flow of seasons can be measured in many ways. Although my digital alarm clock just can't keep the correct time, the birds in my yard seem to know exactly what they need to do as the year progresses. The honing of thousands of years of survival on thousands of generations has resulted in so many wildlife interactions that are nothing short of miraculous. The many ways that birds cope with their world and it's changing seasons is fascinating. After a busy spring migration, courtship, nesting, and rearing of young, the fall migration is well under way for those birds that do so. Their genetic deck has been shuffled again maintaining the health of their kinds, and the sun's energy which fell on northern forests and plains, is now being distributed southward. Migration seasons lead one to appreciate the wonder of the collective adaptations and interactions of so many species—there is more happening oustide now than I think any of us can fully comprehend. Perhaps the best we can do for ourselves is to sit quietly and
enjoy the spectacle around us. There are many more birds now than there are in the spring, although a large number are quietly moving and feeding in the leaves instead of singing from the highest perch. At a recent workshop on bird migration and monitoring, there was much discussion on methods of counting birds and how their populations are faring. In many regions some of the most interesting birds, despite our efforts, are still not doing well. Common migrants like white-crowned and whitethroated sparrows are among those, and I am particularly concerned by the decline of the latter whose song brightened trout fishing trips when I was young and is still my favorite bird song because of that association. The bigger point is that the improved, science-based monitoring and analysis nowdays gives us an
ever clearer and more accurate view of the world as it really is. That clarified view leads us to making better decisions about how we live and what we can do individually to help songbirds, and it is increasingly clear that help them we must if many are to survive. Even a small yard can be a rest stop for a migrant. Just having cover helps, but adding a few native berry bushes and you've got a better start. Taking out the harmful invasive plants like buckthorn and replacing them with chokecherries or nannyberries is a huge plus. Participating in bird surveys and counts is often called "birding with a purpose". Well, cultivating bird-fiendly plants in your yard is "gardening with a purpose" and it's rewards are worth the effort. As I write here on our deck, the cedar waxings are stripping the dogwoods and chokecherries, goldfinches (still nesting) are displaying above, and a dozen other birds are checking the bushes or fighting over the feeders. Its good to be in such a place—I don't know if it improves my health in a measurable way but for the moment things feel right, and I feel as though I helped make my little corner a better place for our family and our wild neighbors. It's perhaps the most important community to which we belong.
THE TEAM LEADER WHO INSPIRED HER CO-WORKERS TO JOIN HER TEAM AND UNITE IN A MOVEMENT FOR AN ENTIRE GENERATION.
DO A LITTLE BIG THING. alz.org/walk START A TEAM. JOIN A TEAM. 800.272.3900
DO A LITTLE BIG THING. START A TEAM. JOIN A TEAM.
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This is our life’s work. This is our promise. For more information on our services, please call ...
The Team leader who INSPIreD her Co-worKerS To JoIN her Team aND uNITe IN a movemeNT for aN eNTIre geNeraTIoN.
20, 2014 The Team leaderSEPTEMBER who INSPIreD her Co-worKerS UW WISCONSIN MARATHON A LITTLE BIG THING. To JoIN her Team aNDSTARTDO A TEAM. JOIN A TEAM. COUNTY FIELDHOUSE uNITe IN a movemeNT for aN eNTIre geNeraTIoN.
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The Choice is Yours
AseraCare Hospice North Central WI alz.org/walk
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4107 Barbican Ave., Ste. 220, Weston, WI 54476 Phone 715-355-4797 or 877-234-8571
THE CHOICE IS YOURS of NCWI (877) 234-8571 (715) 842-2805 Senior Review | 9 www.AseraCare.com
Equal opportunity provider of healthcare services. AHS-06833-11-EI
Arts in Wausau
Wausau’s Artrageous Weekend Expands to Four Venues Wausau’s 25th annual Artrageous Weekend, Saturday and Sunday, September 6 – 7, offers fun for all ages during north central Wisconsin’s biggest art extravaganza, spanning both sides of the Wisconsin River. A new organization to the event, Center for the Visual Arts, hosts the Wisconsin Regional Artists Association State Art Exhibit, on display for the first time in Central Wisconsin. The area’s weekend favorite overflows with art. About 50,000 visitors celebrate the visual arts at four locations – Art in the Park in Marathon Park, Festival of Arts downtown, “Birds in Art” at the
► MARATHON PARK:
Art in the Park brings together more than 120 exhibitors in the East Gate Hall and Historic Exhibition Building in Marathon Park on Stewart Avenue near 17th Avenue, on Wausau’s west side. Pottery, art glass, jewelry, woodcraft, carvings, furniture, and wearable art are just a few of the many items for sale that attract visitors to this lively venue. A children’s art and craft area offers free activities and a book reading by an area author and children’s illustrator. Assorted food and beverage selections are available for purchase from local non-profit groups and businesses; ATM available. Free admission. Saturday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sunday 9 a.m.-4 p.m.
► DOWNTOWN:
Festival of Arts in downtown Wausau, on Third Street and the 400 Block, marking its 50th anniversary in 2014, offers for purchase work by over 120 juried artists representing a variety of mediums. The festive browseor-buy strolling is enhanced by live music on two stages, a hands-on children’s art area, a children’s entertainment stage, Young Collector Market, a scholarship silent auction, and food stands operated by local non-profit organizations. Free admission. Saturday 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sunday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
► DOWNTOWN:
Center for Visual Arts, 427 North Fourth Street, displays the Wisconsin Regional Artists Association State Art Exhibit during its first appearance in central Wisconsin and outside of Madison for the first time in its 60-year history. Over 200 Wisconsin artists’ work remains on view through Sept. 27. The Senior Review | 10
Woodson Art Museum, and the WRAA in downtown’s Center of the Visual Arts – throughout Wausau’s Artrageous Weekend. The now four-venue, artpacked weekend offers distinct, complementary experiences, including “Birds in Art” Artists in Action Saturday morning at the Woodson Art Museum, the Festival of Arts 50th-anniversary celebration downtown, regional artists’ work at the CVA downtown, and an array of artisans’ handcrafted work at Marathon Park. Children’s art activities, food, and entertainment abound. All events are admission free and are linked by complimentary, handicapped-accessible, shuttle bus service.
WRAA supports the Wisconsin Regional Art Program. Artwork in three CVA galleries and in the Gift Shop is available for purchase. Free admission. Saturday 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sunday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
► EASTSIDE:
“Birds in Art” opening weekend festivities at the Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum coincide with Wausau’s Artrageous Weekend. Early birds who visit the Museum on Saturday morning, 9 a.m.-Noon, can meet more than seventy “Birds in Art” artists who flock to the Museum from all over the world for the opening festivities. The 2014 Master Artist Barry Van Dusen explains how he developed his lifelong passion for birds and watercolor painting during a presentation, 9:30-10:30 a.m.; see artists demonstrating various mediums during Artists in Action, 10:45 a.m.Noon, Saturday, September 6. Dozens of other “Birds in Art” artists will be in the galleries on Saturday morning to talk with visitors and to sign catalogues and posters. Browse galleries to see fresh artistic takes on birds by some of the world’s most talented artists in an array of mediums, portraying unexpected perspectives, amusing poses, and majestic bearing. This 39th-annual “Birds in Art” exhibition presents paintings, graphics, and sculptures created by 112 artists who bring a global perspective to their passion for birds. A selection of 15 luminous watercolors by 2014 Master Artist Barry Van Dusen comprise a blend of impressionism and realism. Always free admission. Special opening-weekend hours: Saturday, September 6, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sunday, September 7, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. “Birds in Art” remains on view through November 16. Free, handicapped-accessible shuttle
buses between all three locations run every 15-20 minutes from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. from designated locations: downtown at the SE corner of the 400 Block at Fourth and Jefferson streets and at Third and Franklin streets, at Marathon Park near East Gate Hall, and at the Woodson Art Museum on Twelfth Street. For additional information contact the Festival of Arts at 715-842-1676, the Center for the Visual Arts at 715-842-4545, Art in the Park at 715-5811484, the Woodson Art Museum at 715-845-7010, or log on to http://www.lywam.org/wausausartrageous-weekend, http://www.wausaufoa. org/, http://www.cvawausau.org or http://www. wivalleyart.org/
All-new artworks on view through November 16
Franklin & 12th St. Wausau, WI 54403 715.845.7010 / www.lywam.org Follow Us Weekly blog Woodson Wanderings
Tuesday - Friday Thursdays during Birds in Art Saturday - Sunday Closed Monday and holidays
9 am - 4 pm 9 am - 7:30 pm Noon - 5 pm
Always FREE Admission Anne Senechal Faust, A Gathering of Owls, detail, 2014
Healthy Living
Imagine the Advantages of Consumer-Driven Health Care By Dr. Louis Voigt Smith
W
inston Churchill once said, “You can always count on Americans to do the right thing — after they’ve tried everything else.” He was a man of reality. Without his leadership, today we likely would be speaking German under the horror of Nazi domination. Churchill had a reputation for drinking and likely was an alcoholic. Many who have benefited from AA use the phrase, “Reality is the safest place to be.” This reminds me that ordinary people with imperfections are capable of extraordinary things and lasting greatness must be grounded in reality. America has been a light of exceptionalism, freedom, and opportunity. I believe the biggest treasure for success has been the Constitution; it has set up a framework of governmental checks and balances like no other in human history, empowering a consumer-driven economy to invent and provide goods and services that people need and want, as well as a standard of living, way beyond what our ancestors would have dreamed possible. However, for a nation to survive and thrive, it must continuously, realistically, and constructively address problems. To keep America healthy, free, and prosperous, I would argue every generation must protect and defend the Constitution and a free market economy. Many have sacrificed and lost their lives doing this; freedom is not free! Health care also is not free. I trace the evolving socialist movement in the United States to three popular lies: 1) You can have it all. 2) You can do it all. 3) You deserve it all. Many have been elected with the concept that care is or should be at no cost; as a provider, I have seen nothing but the opposite. This was made clear to me at a course in Boston I attended where a Washington political figure
Cash-based clinics have more freedom to provide better care, with more care options, at lower cost; they also allow for more one-on-one (and often bundled) interventions with fewer sessions often being necessary. asked the class to get in a big circle. He then proceeded to have each individual put their hands in the pockets of those next to them; this was the best way he knew to describe governmental health care funding. What would Churchill believe the “right thing” is to do? I think he would advise the sobering realities in an article by the Wilson Quarterly (2010) titled “The Global Budget Race”. With our aging baby boomer population and mounting debt, we cannot continue to sustain the level of health care and retirement bills. We can overall expect less health care coverage, higher deductibles, and more out of pocket expenses. The government has not made the tough choices it needs to in order to bring revenue and spending into balance. Countries which do a better job of this (in a way which fosters healthy and productive citizenry) will have
a competitive global economy advantage and may be able to avoid economic decline (Besharov Doug, 2010). To truly improve the value of care requires empowerment of the consumer by making health care consumer-driven, as is seen with those using health
savings accounts and individuals utilizing cash-based practices. Patients who pay for their care become more proactive at keeping themselves healthy and understanding the full range of health care options available to them, also avoiding unnecessary upstream and downstream costs. Cash-based clinics have more freedom to provide better care, with more care options, at lower cost; they also allow for more one-on-one (and often bundled) interventions with fewer sessions often being necessary. Ultimately, this is where health care is heading. Decisions can be based solely on what is in the best interest of the patient and not on what a given insurance company or the government is willing to pay for. Imagine that! Dr. Louis Voigt Smith is president of Backsmith Advanced Physical Therapy in Weston. For comments or questions he can be reached at backsmith2009@hotmail.com
A Sense of Place 66th Season
Patrick Miles Music Director
Oct. 11 & 12, 2014 A Homecoming Featuring Steven Zander & Jane Mitchell
Dec. 6 & 7, 2014 A Very Chaise Lounge Christmas Feb. 21 & 22, 2015 Inspiration of Youth
April 18 & 19, 2015 By the People, For the People Featuring Jim Fleming
www.cwso.org
Concerts~ Saturday 7:30 & Sunday 4:00 Theater @1800 Stevens Point, Wisconsin For Tickets & Information UWSP Ticket Office, Dreyfus University Center 800-838-3378
Senior Review | 11
Life Enjoyed
“C” is for Coffee… By Rhonda Mossner
I
have decided I would make an excellent contestant on a coffee-themed game show. I can see it now, standing behind a podium, waving my coffee mug in the air and shouting “I’ll wage $100 in coffee punches on the Final Brew Brain Buster question, Alex! Yep, that’s me. I consider myself to be quite expert when it comes to anything coffee. Too bad I haven’t discovered a creative channel for my knowledge to make money to support my caffeine addiction. For instance, why don’t coffee roasters pay tour guides? I’d be great! I’ve been to the White House, you know. I done my research. All great guides have to be able to engage their audiences in fun conversations, while walking backwards, while continuously repeating the mantra “We’re walking…we’re walking…” Ok, that could be tricky but with a little practice and an incentive like a free grande cup of my favorite brew I could get it together in no time. I am a multi-talented writer here folks. I endure long days with a constant stream of caffeine in my left hand while typing one-handed with the right. I have been known to write notes with one hand, scoop out coffee grounds into my coffee maker and wheel and deal speaking gigs on my cell phone while keeping it propped between my left ear and shoulder. Hey, that’s talent. Oftentimes, my writing assignments take me out of my home and into meetings with people all over the city of Madison. Recently, on a return trip from the eastside, I was stuck at a dead stop in the Beltline construction project. Hey, I am not saying we don’t need those pretty bridges and those potholes filled. Don’t get me wrong here. It’s just…hey. I needed my caffeine. I sat…and sat…and sat. Need I say more? So, you can only imagine my impatience to head to the nearest coffee chain when I was freed from my stand-off on Beltline Corral. It’s a wonder that I didn’t slam into other vehicles trying to get out of there. (Listen, if you construction workers out there could just pause for a little while to let me through so I don’t have to sit and wait for the delays, I’d really appreciate it. I just don’t know who to speak to about obtaining a special pass to wave me through the congestion. This caffeine addiction is really a bonafide health issue. Do you think my doctor Senior Review | 12
could write a note?) Inevitably, by the time I reached my coffee destination, I ended up standing behind this person in line who had no clue as to what she wanted. I think she spotted me in the parking lot as an addict because once she saw me, she took off in a sprint to hit the line first! Personally, I believe she did this just to spite me and my love for those little brown beans of goodness! I had no choice but to get in line behind her and wait. The store had five registers, twenty customers in line and one trainee working the till. Ok, it didn’t take long to figure out that this was going to take a while. So, I passed the time by shifting my weight side to side, humming some annoying tune, memorizing prices on the menu board and chatting with folks around me. I did all of this while trying to hide my shaking hands in my pockets. By the time I reach the counter I debated several times about which ceramic mug I should yank off the shelf and use to knock out that customer in front of me. Of course, I could have made it all look like an accident. But, I’d be fast and swift in my action. Anything to move her out of my way! I needed my coffee! I’d like to think that my addiction would never lead to violence, but I have to be honest in admitting I just can’t ever be sure. What would they call this kind of an assault? Mugging? I don’t know. What would the punishment be? Mandatory anti-caffeine counseling and cleaning dried-out coffee grounds from old coffee pots? After what seemed like ages, my turn at the counter came and soon I was back in the right state of mind again. Violence? Mugging? All that is so unnecessary as long as there is a cup of caffeine in my hand. It goes without saying that by the time I reached home, I needed another fix. Some people,
usually decaf drinkers, want to know if I have trouble sleeping at night after all of this consumption of coffee all day? Are you kidding? I don’t have a problem with caffeine, I have a problem without it! I laugh in the face of insomnia…until I am awake in the middle of the night. So, ok— sometimes. Yet, by the time another day has dawned I am ready to start the routine all over once again. I can taste that first cup of coffee before my feet hit the floor! All of this craziness for caffeine can be avoided in my opinion. I just need one of you out there to create that coffee game show where I can stand up and shout “I love coffee!” and get paid for it. That would end all of my craziness on the Beltline, pre-meditated caffeine mugging and all sorts of other actions that I didn’t mention but in all honesty, I have considered. All of this in pursuit of caffeine happiness! Be proud coffee lovers! Be proud! Just remember, I’m right there with you! Here’s a little treat to enjoy while you’re stuck on the Beltline. Hopefully, you’ll have a big mug of hot coffee in your hand BEFORE you hit the construction!
Seniors are an important and involved piece of our community and we appreciate them and all they have done! Thanks from all of us!
715-847-2382 or toll free 877-260-6755 3200 Westhill Drive, Suite 201 • Wausau, WI 54401 Wayne A. Brearley, MD • Daniel M. Seybold, MD • James P. Sutherland, MD George R. Tanner, MD • Faruk S. Abuzzahab, MD Jeremy W. Russel, D.O. • Scott R. Murch, MD
Healthy Living
Live Greener:
cook from scratch more at home. ► Microwavable Popcorn Bags: To prevent the grease from bleeding through bags, most popcorn manufacturers coat the inside of bags with grease-repellent nonstick chemicals. Better to use an air popper or choose Quinn Popcorn—the brand doesn’t use nasty chemicals in its bags or ingredients.
Substance in Household Items Affecting Your Thyroid?
O
ur environments often affect our health. Our homes are our most personal environment. Here are some ways items in your home may be affecting your thyroid. A recent study, published in Epidemology, found that more than 10 percent of people exposed to drinking water contaminated with perfluoroctanoic acid (or PFOA) also had some sort of thyroid problem. By comparing blood levels and number of years of exposure of 30,000 people with frequency of thyroid problems, the researchers concluded that higher PFOA exposure did correlate with increased thyroid problems. PFOA is part of a group of problematic nonstick chemicals that fall into the perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) class, a family of fluoride-containing chemicals with unique properties that make things stick- and stain-resistant. These compounds don’t break down easily and can readily be found inside of our bodies. PFCs have also been linked to cancer, infertility, birth defects, and weaker immune systems.
Other places PFOA could be lurking in your home include: ► Dental Floss: The waxed or easy-glide types especially. Better to choose a natural
Assisted Living for the One You Love • HUD-Subsidized Rent • 1-Bedroom Private Apartments • Walk-In Showers • Storage Units • Midday Meal Provided • Utilities Included • Overnight Security
► Furniture & Carpeting: Many nonstick chemicals are used as treatments to repel anything you might spill on upholstered couches or floors. Better when shopping for furniture or flooring to ask questions about what chemicals they might be treated with and/or look for safer methods of stain protection. type, like Radius makes. ► Pots & Pans: When nonstick cookware gets scratched and cracked, PFOA chemicals are probably getting into your food. Better to use American-made cast-iron, enamel, glass, or stainless-steel pots and pans.
► Shampoo: Personal care products must ► Your Raincoat: Nonstick chemicals repel have an ingredients list. Check ingredient water, and so they are used in rain gear such as labels for anything beginning with perfluoro— boots, umbrellas, and raincoats. Better to look and avoid it! ► Household Dust: No matter how hard for rain gear treated with polyurethane, and wax-coated clothing and boots made from real we try to avoid nonstick chemicals, they’ll probably still wind up in our dust because rubber. they’re used in so many different products. ► Pizza Boxes & Fast-Food Containers: Many food containers are coated with nonstick Better to get an effective vacuum with a HEPA filter and keep your home dusted and chemicals to keep grease from soaking vacuumed. through. Better to cut back on fast food and
Harmony of WAUSAU •Terrace Court: 3402 Terrace Court •Terrace Commons: 3312 Terrace Court
(715) 848-6257
• Convenience Store • Beauty/Barber Shop • Lifeline Service Provided • Guest Room Available • Many Planned Social Activities
► Paper Plates: Besides the waste from using paper plates, many are also coated with nonstick chemicals to prevent leakage. Better to use real dishes that can be washed and used again.
At Harmony Living Centers, we strive to provide each of our residents a caring, nurturing environment with dignified and respectful services at a special place that they are proud to call “home”. We understand there is no greater comfort in life than being around people who care. Our team of hardworking, dedicated and caring employees make each Harmony assisted living community a wonderful place to live. The pride each home takes in delivering quality care is embraced by compassionate customer service and hospitality. We welcome you to TOUR TODAY and learn about the individualized services we are able to provide.
Welcome Home…Welcome to Harmony! Harmony of STEVENS POINT
1800 Bluebell Lane •Commons: 1801 Lilac Lane
(715) 344-7902
Receive a complimentary gift.
SCHEDULE A TOUR
TODAY!!
Harmony of WISCONSIN RAPIDS
540 E.Thomas Street, Wausau, WI 54403 715.261.6687 www.riverviewterracewi.com
•Rapids I: 2230 14th Street, South •Rapids II: 2230 James Court
(715) 340-4356 Visit us at: www.harmonyresidence.net
Senior Review | 13
Aging News
A Tale of Two Family Funerals By Jamie Sarver, Brainard Funeral Home
D
eath is an uninvited guest that shows up at the most unexpected times. Because death isn’t a topic we like to focus on, often times, plans don’t get made as they should. But taking an hour or so to plan a funeral in advance means that when death strikes, all the decisions are in place at their chosen funeral home: a very welcome gift for the surviving family members. Here is a story about two families: In the same week, both lost a healthy father to an unexpected accident. The first family had usually counted on the oldest son to make decisions. But he was so lost in his grief that he did not even want to come to the funeral home for the arrangement conference. The
wife’s blood pressure was so high and she was so exhausted from a night at the hospital, she walked in a dazed trance, guided by a younger daughter. The younger daughter had no idea where to start in gathering the funds needed to cover the expenses. Because she hadn’t been home to visit from Texas for some time, her regret caused her to spend much more than was necessary to honor her father’s memory. None of them knew what the deceased wanted. There was even an argument between two sisters, one local and the one from out of state, over which casket their father would prefer. The arrangement process, though completed in two meetings, was made even more agonizing by the lack of preparedness. The second family was just as distressed as the first by the sudden loss of the patriarch of the family. Though the family was large, only the local oldest daughter was available to guide her mother to the conference. Both were dreading
going into the selection room to make decisions. Both were needful to say their goodbyes in a special way, but couldn’t think straight to set everything up. To their surprise, the funeral director carried a file into the arrangement room, and said that the father had been in 10 years
earlier and taken care of everything: Every detail, was documented in the file, even payment! The wife simply signed the authorizations, and chose the day for the services. After the brief meeting, the wife and daughter were able to return home, get some rest, and tend to the family as they started to gather, knowing that everything was in place just as “Dad” would have wanted it. What a thoughtful last gift he provided them on their darkest day! The difference is startling. But we, at Brainard Funeral Homes in Wausau and Weston, see these two tales lived out everyday, depending on how pro-active the deceased had been when younger and healthier to make funeral arrangements. You can give the same gift to your loved ones by getting everything on file, just the way you want it. Jamie Sarver, a certified specialist in advance planning, can meet with you this week, to avoid procrastination, to answer all your questions. Give her a direct call today at 715-571-4160. Your family will be glad you did!
Green Funerals
In today’s economic environment, many companies have to be very creative when it comes to staying in business. New ideas for old products; new products for old ideas; and Hainsworth, a 225 year old wool mill in Britain, now offers the newest idea in burial. Woolen coffins have grown very popular, with more and more green funerals occurring these days, the future is bright. Each coffin is made from three sheep’s fleece, capable of holding 840 lbs., has 6 jute handles and a wool nametag. Other green caskets are typically made from wicker, cardboard, or sometimes paper mache, but these new woolen coffins use no dyes, just raw wool, making them eco friendly, pretty, and natural. The U.S. has recently sold as many as 100 woolen coffins. And for Americans who are spending anywhere from $2,000 to $10,000 on coffins, the new wool, ranging from $800 to $1,300, are not only nice on the earth, but also on the pocketbook. The woolen coffins even have a comforting effect on the bereaved, says Hainsworth. “They give people a nice feeling. It’s like wrapping a loved one in a warm blanket.”
Senior Review | 14
Green Cemeteries Natural, green cemeteries are a growing concept in the US. Often located in pristine, beautiful, open country. Natural rock, wild flowers, shrubs, and trees serve as grave marker, and these cemeteries use the best of today’s technology, like GPS, to keep accurate records of who is buried where within the acres of open wilderness. Natural burial uses no toxic embalming fluid, a biodegradable casket, or a shroud. Simplicity and being truly one with nature is best when you are buried naturally at a green cemetery. You can find a green cemetery in New York, California, Florida, Ohio, South Carolina, Georgia, Maine and Colorado.
It is a final gift to them.
Pre-planning is a “gift” to loved ones. It enables them to focus on honoring a loved one’s life rather than worrying about difficult decisions at a distressing time. Call us today for more information about pre-planning your final wishes. Jamie Sarver
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Aging News
Stop the Fighting — Making Specific Bequests By Ashley Hawley
W
e all hope that when we die our beneficiaries will not fight over our personal property, but more times than not, the personal property is what everyone is fighting over. You could have a billion dollars in the bank, but your beneficiaries are fighting over who gets the dining room table. Why? Because, a billion dollars can be easily split up — even 12 times (if there are 12 beneficiaries); however, the dining room table, if cut into 12 pieces would not be very useful! So — why all the fighting in the first place? When I ask beneficiaries why they are fighting over the preverbal “dining room table” — they typically have some nostalgic reason that explains it. Perhaps it is photos that they are fighting over. Or mom’s wedding ring. Sometimes it is an event that triggers “bad blood” that continues through the post-death distribution of assets. I often hear, “John wasn’t involved in helping at the last stages of Dad’s life — why should he get any of Dad’s personal stuff?” Or, “We were the ones that cleaned out Grandma’s house — we should get to keep whatever we want.”
document can also refer to a Memorandum of Tangible Personal Property, which is a list, separate from the will, describing who should get what. The list has to be referred to in the will, has to be signed and dated, and can only include tangible personal property. You should handwrite the list rather than typing it, so that everyone can tell you wrote it. But, what if you can’t decide who gets the dining room table? Or what if you don’t know There are many different ways that you can what your beneficiaries are going to fight over? structure your estate to avoid the fighting (or to Most people say “My kids don’t fight… so, minimize it as much as possible). If you know just let them decide who gets what.” But, just that the beneficiaries are going to fight over because they aren’t fighting now doesn’t mean a certain item — make sure that you make a they won’t later. In either case, your estate decision on where that item should go before planning documents should specifically state you pass. To avoid fighting after your death, what happens if the beneficiaries disagree. If you can get rid of that particular item before the beneficiaries cannot decide, perhaps a you die. You can decide to sell it or gift it or specific person should be appointed as the tiejust throw it out! However, if you do decide to breaker… or perhaps that person can sell the get rid of it before you die, make sure that your assets and distribute the proceeds instead? beneficiaries know what you did with it. You do The best way to avoid the fighting is to plan not want the kids fighting over the dining room ahead. Don’t make a rash decision, and don’t table thinking that one of the other siblings wait until the last minute. You have enough to took it from the house, or convinced you (on worry about, let’s take the dining room table out your death bed, no less) to give it to them of the equation. before you died. If you elect to hold on to a Ashley Hawley is an estate planning, probate, and possibly contested asset — your estate planning real estate attorney at the Jackman Law Firm, LLC. documents should be drafted to specifically She is originally from the Marathon area and is include what should happen to that asset. The married with two children.
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