Montana 55 Summer 2017

Summer 2017

out of the trees writer’s journey

wellness workshop

music and the brain

NDER CONSTRUCTION UNDER CONSTRUCTION UNDER CONSTRUCT

THE ONLY THING THAT'S CHANGED IS OUR TEMPORARY LOCATION

Future Rimrock Subaru 2018

We've temporarily relocated one block west from 24th & Monad to help grow the experience we offer our customers. Right now ALL Subaru models, new and pre-owned, are on sale to celebrate this great change at Rimrock.

Change is good... but don't worry, we're preserving the same great service and Subaru delivery detail you love!

( 866) 979-1644 Billings, MT | rimrocksubaru.com 2540 Phyllis Lane · Next to Rimrock Mall (One block west of 24th & Monad)

BRING IN THIS AD & GET A COSTCO GIFT CARD WITH YOUR TEST DRIVE! Limit one per family

2

Summer 2017

LON G TE R M CAR E • AS S I STE D LIVI N G • M E NTAL H EALTH • D U RAB LE M E D I CAL E QU I PM E NT

Montana Owned & Operated Long Term Care Pharmacy

• CUSTOMIZED PACKAGING & MEDICATION CYCLES

• PROMPT MEDICATION DELIVERY THROUGHOUT MONTANA

• COMPETITIVE & TRANSPARENT PRICES

• DURABLE MEDICAL EQUIPMENT & SERVICES

• 24HR ON-CALL PHARMACIST • FACILITY ON-LINE PORTAL • PAPER & ELECTRIC MAR SOLUTIONS

• CUTTING EDGE BAR CODING & SYNMED® TECHNOLOGY TO ENHANCE PATIENT SAFETY • ELECTRONIC HEALTH RECORDS

The Montana Difference CONTACT US TODAY TO FIND OUT HOW WE CAN MEET THE UNIQUE NEEDS OF YOUR FACILITY & RESIDENTS

406-315-1989

915 1st Ave S Suite 110 • Great Falls, Montana 59401 bigskymanagedcare.com

montana55.com

3

the magazine for montanans in their prime

publisher Mike Gulledge

editor Ashley Klein

sales coordinator Jacque Walawander

sales assistant Holly Kuehlwein

graphic designer Tyler Wilson

Montana 55 is a special publication of Lee Enterprises and the Missoulian. Copyright 2017.

For advertising information contact Jacque Walawander 406-523-5271, or email jacque.walawander@lee.net montana55.com

Luxury Senior Apartments

Available Now

New Apartments, Mission Mountain Views, and Small Town Charm.

All Units Include • • • •

Upscale Private Home Washer/Dryer 1 Car Garage 2 Bedrooms / 1.5 Baths

• • • •

Full Size Premium Kitchen Private Front & Back Porches Master Bath (includes tiled walk-in shower) Paid Property Taxes

406-676-PEAK (7325) 4

Summer 2017

• • • •

Basic Phone Service Basic Cable TV WiFi All Utilities

• • • •

Housekeeping Lawn Care & Snow Removal Meals Plus More!

575 Eisenhower St SE | PO Box 435 | Ronan, MT thepeaksronan.com | sage@thepeaksronan.com

Summer 2017

inside 6

prostate

24

help

8

woodworker

26

music

28

nutrition

30

what is an

32

aging

34

increase cost

cancer

Tim Carney (shown on the cover)

Alzheimer’s patients enjoy life

and the brain

and the brain

annuity?

and addicted

14

whole foods

16

writing

17

writer’s

18

Social Security

20

cheaper

36

full

22

hearing

38

obesity

boot camp

of national park passes

a will

journey

programs

hearing aids

loss

retirement

awareness

montana55.com

5

thinkstock

What men should know about new prostate cancer screening guidelines Story by Mayo Clinic News Network

Men ages 55 to 69 should talk with their health care provider about prostate-specific antigen (PSA)-based screening for prostate cancer. That’s according to new recommendations from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force.

Clinicians inform men ages 55 to 69 years about the potential benefits and harms of prostate-specific antigen (PSA)–based screening for prostate cancer. Many men will experience potential harms of screening, including falsepositive results that require additional workup, overdiagnosis and overtreatment, and treatment complications, such as incontinence and impotence.

The task force recommends against PSA-based screening for prostate cancer in these men age 70 years and older.

“The recommendations don’t change for men over 70. If men over 70 are asymptomatic with no family history, they don’t need to have PSA tests every year,” says Mayo Clinic urologist Dr. Matthew Tollefson. “Those men have very low risk of dying from prostate cancer. But for men who are from 55 to 69, there can be a benefit seen with screening. This is where the task force is now giving nuance to the discussion and saying there isn’t a blanket statement for everyone.”

The PSA blood test is the most common method to Summer 2017 6

screen for prostate cancer. Tollefson says there are benefits of PSA prostate cancer screening, but it’s not risk-free.

“Screening men from ages 55 to 69 is the benefit of catching a cancer earlier, when it’s easier to treat and potentially cure,” he says. “If men are screened, then, potentially, that tumor can be identified when it’s at a curable state. Then, they can undergo curative treatment and reduce their risk of dying of prostate cancer.

“The risk of being screened, in a lot of ways, comes with the risk of being treated. If a man is screened, and the test shows he is at risk of prostate cancer, frequently, the next step is to get a prostate biopsy. There is a small, but real risk of infection to arise after a biopsy. Then, with treatment — both with radiation as well as surgery — the risk of incontinence and erectile dysfunction can be a real issue for some men.”

Prostate cancer is the third leading cause of cancer death in American men. The American Cancer Society says about one in seven men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in his lifetime. Tollefson says it’s important for men to have a conversation with their health care provider to determine the best option that weighs risks and as well as personal preferences.

montana55.com

7

Spirit out of the trees: A life of woodworker Tim Carney Story by BRIAN D’AMBROSIO for Montana 55 Photos provided by Tim Carney

8

Summer 2017

Timothy Carney’s woodwork is both a mark of respect and a living will. His work is a lifetime of exertion requiring strength as well as a steady execution of choice.

Perhaps, most importantly, his woodwork indicates a lifetime of staying true and points toward the most thoughtful dimensions of that truth.

Born in Butte, Carney’s father was an agent for the Union Pacific Railroad; he was born above the depot. He re-located the family to Boise, Idaho, to pursue work as a supervisory agent and, later, Carney worked as a carpenter for the very same locomotive outfit.

“I had a dream about becoming a woodworker when I was working for the railroad,” said Carney, 68, of Helena. “I learned a lot from the railroad in 9 years, a lot about their basic construction and tools. I started building furniture on the side and spent time reading ‘Fine Woodworking.’ … Self-taught, I repaired furniture in Pocatello, (Idaho) and I learned what to do and what not to do with furniture repair.”

Timothy’s Fine Woodworking started in 1982 — and decades later, Carney carries the command as well as the authority of a woodworker.

Carney’s talent is an exercise in the particulars of the Earth: sun, moon, wind, water, points of intersection between this world and the next. His art reflects the vision that brings all that exists in this world into harmony.

“When I do a speculative piece, such as a piece called ‘Sit By A River,’ the work reminds me of a river flowing around rocks and obstructions, and often tabletops remind me of rivers. There is the grain and the movement. Water is a symbol of the unconscious and that’s where a lot of my ideas come from,” Carney said.

“With a piece I call ‘The Yellowstone,’ the wood grabbed me first, and I decided I was going to do what called to mind the Yellowstone River. The tresses represent the river going through the canyon in Yellowstone. The legs are the volcanic tubes that come through the area.”

Woodworking has offered Carney the chance to find his place in the performance. The performance is the thank-you, the gratefulness toward the relationship between man and wood. Indeed, wood is intended to be used with energy. It also takes energy to listen to it — and especially to hear it. Carney listens deeply.

“There is a spiritual bent to my life and a spiritual bent that is more nature oriented,” said Carney. “I’ve been studying Huichol shamanism, and it is really the connection to nature and the healing aspect of nature. Everything has a spirit and woodworking can bring the spirit out of the trees. Everything has a spirit, particularly trees, and I see my job as a woodworker, to honor that spirit and to bring it out. See it, feel it and be connected to nature through it.”

Carney continued: “With a piece like ‘The Yellowstone,’ I have an idea in my mind, and I go looking for wood. It could be based on a dream I had somewhere in the unconscious, or the wood grabs my attention, and I then have to figure out what to do with it. Sometimes it sits there silent and I let it sit for a number of months until I discover what it wants to be. One piece of wood (a slice of vertical wound in the trunk) has been sitting for 8, 9 years, and I still haven’t quite decided how to use. I don’t want to ruin it — it’s a one-of-a-kind piece, and I want to do what’s right with it. I often think that some of the most damaged pieces are also the most interesting — a metasee page 10 9

montana55.com

Tim Carney working on Maureen’s Rocker. continued from page 9 phor for people. You are thinking about this, and you have in mind what you want to end up with, the finished stage, and after the first coat, the grain, everything just pops. It’s a very heartening experience when that happens.”

Woodworking is a decision, a slightest movement in the direction of that decision. At hundreds of points along the way, a designer will be given another step and then another decision. This is how Carney finds his way — or, rather, how his way finds him.

“When it’s in the raw form, things change along the way, all of the time,” said Carney. “You have to respect what the wood can do, and what you might want it to do, and meld those two somehow. Live edge slab tables are really popular — and the trend is to sand and finish and then stick on a spindly hair-pinned leg. I try to think of how I can make a base to support a top that could go with it, enhance it and that doesn’t detract from it, and think of all of the practical things, such as keeping it strong and supported. But I like to be thinking of things such as how do the chairs fit or how are people’s legs going to fit under it.”

Carney’s woodwork is inspired by Tage Frid, a Danishborn woodworker who influenced the development of the studio furniture movement in the U.S., as well as George Nakashima, one of the fathers of the American craft movement, and more recently, renowned contemporary furniture craftsman Sam Maloof.

“I’m very influenced by Maloof’s joinery and the style of joinery he developed,” said Carney. “It is very graceful and I love the play of hard lines to soft lines it allows for.

“I met Sam Maloof in Three Forks, and at 89, even then, he said he worked 8 to 10 hours a day in his shop because he loved it so much. He was a humble man and he wanted to share everything he knew. You can learn something from everyone, even someone who is starting out, and I think you need to be open to that. Much of what I’ve done comes from pursuing the people such as Maloof and respecting what they did, and pursuing those ideas.”

Carney has coined a term to describe his own style; he refers to it as “urban organic.”

“My work is very organic, but it also fits in a modern, see page 12

10

Summer 2017

Tim Carney at work.

11 montana55.com

continued from page 10

urban setting quite well,” said Carney. “I eventually developed a style of my own — urban organic — and I was able to take it in my own direction. Some of the western style can be quite gnarly or logged, and that doesn’t necessarily go well in any setting. I feel my work can go into a lodge or a contemporary setting, or a Western setting. To me, the name speaks to the organic nature of the joinery, it all flows, especially the chairs.”

Carney works six to seven days a week, fulfilling commission cabinet orders, and, when time permits, he lets his mind stroll and hands drift into the dream of speculative. Indeed, stream-of-consciousness exploration is what will allow him to live out his career to more gratifying ends.

“People are more receptive to art here and the type of

All the Comforts of Home and So Much More!

thing I want to do,” said Carney, a Helena resident since 1996. “I find myself able to expand here for that reason. I think you have to keep pursuing it.”

HOMETOwN HEALTH CARE AT ITS BEST • Friendly, Professional Staff • Superior Technology & Image Quality • All Imaging Prescriptions & Referrals Accepted • Locally Owned & Operated • Accept All Insurance Plans

Outpatient Imaging Center • CT, MRI, X-Ray & Ultrasound • Fluoroscopic Procedures • Endovascular Laser Therapy • Sclerotherapy

CALL US TO LEARN MORE OR SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT

406-782-2997

Dedicated Staff Providing Personalized Care • Locally Owned and Operated Private Rooms and 1 Bedroom Suites all with Bathrooms RN on Call • Home-Cooked Meals • Medication Assistance Billings Heights Locations: 72 Lily Valley Circle 245-0334 74 Lily Valley Circle 969-1024 77 Lily Valley Circle 252-0747

12

Summer 2017

401 South Alabama Street Suite 7, Butte, MT 59701 JESSE A. COLE, M.D. American Board of Radiology, CAQ Vascular Interventional, American Board of Radiology, CAQ Neuroradiology, American Board of Radiology

montana55.com

13

Participants on day 30 of the BootCamp.

Photo by Tyler Wilson

Giving it a shot: First hand account of a new wellness BootCamp Story by LUCY GUTHRIE BEIGHLE for Montana 55

W

hen my kids were little and they’d say something outrageous, I’d tease them and say, “Hmm, that sounds dubious!” They thought that was hilarious, and as I result I had a 2and a 5-year-old who used the word “dubious” like it was as common as saying “macaroni.”

A sweet memory, for sure, but one that is symbolic of my personality. I’m a doubting Thomas. A skeptic.

Why am I sharing this? Well, my point is that I went into this assignment totally skeptical. But I’m writing it today completely convinced.

Let me start from the beginning.

In January, Carol Bridges, a dear friend who is a doctor, wanted to tell me about a program she was starting. She was thrilled about it.

I was dubious.

This program, she explained, was based on more than a year of results she recorded of patients who came in with numerous maladies such as pre-diabetes, high cholesterol, joint pain and high blood pressure. Rather than giving them

14

Summer 2017

a prescription, she offered them another option: Try an “adjustment” to their diet for 30 days, and come back for retesting.

This “adjustment” was based on a book called Whole30, which advocates a diet that eliminates the most common “craving-inducing, blood sugar disrupting, gut-damaging, inflammatory” food groups for a full 30 days. This means no sugar (gasp!), grains (gasp!), alcohol (gasp!) or dairy (gasp!) for a month.

The results she saw from the patients who tried her suggestion were tremendous, and in some cases were better than if she had put patients on medication. Cholesterol numbers dropped significantly. High blood pressure improved drastically. Triglyceride levels went down. And the amount of weight lost, which was the added bonus, and not the purpose — was pretty impressive.

Because of the positive results in her clinic, Carol decided to try it herself. And again, the results she saw, and felt, were great. She was sleeping better, she had more energy, her moods were consistent, and she had no morning aches

and pains. She then asked her employees to be guinea pigs and got the same results: in “before and after” blood tests, every one of them had improved in at least a couple of the categories (blood pressure, total cholesterol, HDL and LDL cholesterol, triglycerides, weight and body mass index).

Based on all of this, she decided to start a six-week “BootCamp.” The BootCamp includes the before and after blood tests and a weekly class, which serves as a support group and teaches the science behind the program. It also includes mini cooking classes and samples of Whole30 recipes. Anyone could do this program, she explained, and anyone could see benefits.

My interest was peaked.

So, I did the BootCamp. I told everyone I was doing it for “research” purposes as I was sure I was perfectly healthy.

But my blood tests came back and I found out I had high cholesterol that had snuck up on me. Not worryingly so, but high enough that I was no longer in that “normal” category.

In class I learned about triglycerides and cortisol, systemic inflammation and epigenetics. I learned the science behind why the program works, and works well.

We heard testimonials from people who were part of the original research, who had accepted her challenge of trying a change in diet for 30 days; they had avoided having to go on medication and they were thrilled.

We heard from a nutritionist who would offer recipes and weekly plans, suggestions for holiday meals that fit within the program, and samples of compliant food she’d made.

We heard from a local grocery store with a section dedicated specifically to the program. And a butcher shop whose cured meats are compliant. We heard about a local food delivery service that delivers compliant meals within the area, and restaurants that offer compliant items on their menus.

And we did it. Young and old, fit and not-so-much, for many different reasons. Some people did it as they had been advised by their doctor. Some had joint pain (sugar, we soon learned, is a major cause of inflammation). Some, like me, had high cholesterol. Some had a history of heart disease, or stroke, or diabetes and were determined not to go down that path. The reasons were many, but we were all on the same journey.

I had the opportunity to talk with a handful of participants throughout the program, many who fit into the “senior” age group, and there were common themes.

A lack of feeling deprived was one. Although there are definite restrictions, there also are infinite options, and feeling hungry was not an issue. Second, once the first week or so was over, people felt a sort of “reset,” and started feeling better. Whether that was from elimination of joint pain, sleeping better or losing weight, people universally began to feel better. And third, by the end when we got our results back, some participants’ blood pressure levels were down by 20 points, or their cholesterol by 60 points. Most, if not all, had lost weight. Triglyceride levels were down. It worked for us.

I am happy to report I no longer have high cholesterol. I dropped my LDL cholesterol (the bad one, so I’m told) into the “close to ideal” range. And I feel better. I didn’t even

know I felt bad to start with, but all of a sudden I wasn’t so creaky in the morning. And I don’t need an afternoon coffee to keep me going. And I sleep like a log. And my clothes fit better.

My dubiousness has begun to abate.

My friend Carol, I’m sure, would cringe at my use of the word maladies and my lack of scientific support, but this is my story not hers, and my medical knowledge stops after I adhere a Band-Aid. I’m not touting this as a medical fix-all.

But I will tout is a vote of full confidence. I tried it out, and it worked for me.

Lucy Guthrie Beighle is a 40-something-year-old woman and writes from Missoula. She lives with her teenagers Calvin and Allie, and Portuguese water dog, Frances, who was not harmed during the experimental phase of the BootCamp.

Nor were the teenagers, no matter what they tell you.

About the BootCamp: Carol Bridges M.D. started CostCare in 2007, which now includes four walk-in clinics and two family practice locations in Missoula and Helena. The family practice is dedicated to helping patients reach and maintain their optimal health through state of the art health and nutritional practices. To help achieve that goal, Bridges started CostCare BootCamp in 2017. The next BootCamp runs on Wednesdays, from Aug. 30 to Oct. 4, at the Missoula Salvation Army Building and costs $350. For more information on CostCare and the BootCamp go to costcare.com/ bootcamp-page.

New Easy Living, Step-free Townhomes

Brand new townhomes, built with high quality and attention to detail with a comprehensive HOA that removes the stress and hassle of maintenance and upkeep. With two models to choose from, these homes are sure to fit your Montana lifestyle.

Loren Mostad 406.546.2827

ValleyViewMissoula.com montana55.com

15

thinkstock

Writing a will can be unpleasant, but it is time worth spending Story by TIM GRANT Tribune News Service

C

ontemplating one’s own demise is not what many people would consider a fun activity.

But the time and energy spent writing a will – regardless of how young or how broke the person may be – means being able to choose what eventually happens to financial assets and personal items. It also could make the difference between war and peace among surviving family members, not to mention avoiding having sizable chunks of the estate eaten up by legal fees.

“People think they will live longer than they end up living,” said E. David Margolis, a trusts and estates attorney.

“A will is something that is easily put off and unfortunately it can be put off until the person passes.

“Sometimes people have to make very tough decisions, and they are prone to put off making those decisions.”

A 2012 survey by rocketlawyer.com, a legal services website, found 50 percent of Americans with children do Summer 2017 16

not have a will. The top three reasons were procrastination, a belief they don’t need one and cost.

Minneapolis-based Allianz Life found in its 2012 American Legacies study that 53 percent of people in their survey who were older than 72 placed a high value on minimizing conflict between family members when they set about planning a successful transfer of inheritance. More than a third – 38 percent – of elders said making sure their wishes were fully carried out was important.

“By virtue of their age and getting closer to the end of their longevity, passing away is more on their minds,” said Katie Libbe, vice president of consumer insights at Allianz. “They want to make sure specific personal items go to people who are important to them, and they want to make sure their decisions don’t cause conflict for their children or heirs.”

Taking the plunge:

One writer’s journey in checking off a bucket list item Story by JANICE MINEER for Montana 55

I

never wanted to jump out of an airplane. That was never on my bucket list and I imagine if it was, my list would become as short as the time it would take me to hit the ground. No, I always wanted to do something much more exhilarating — and terrifying. I wanted to write a book.

It is lovely to listen to great music: to turn on a radio or attend a concert, but when you play an instrument, you are immersed in the experience.

All of your faculties are involved and enjoyment is exponentially increased.

In like manner, it is one thing to read a great book but when you write you are plunged into the center of that experience. All of those lovely words roll around in your head, all of those scenes play out in your imagination and you have the exhilarating feeling of omnipotence as you control the flow of the work and the fate of your characters.

With a dreamy look in their eyes, I have heard so many people say, “I always wanted to write a book.” I felt the same way for years. My lifelong addiction to books, the smell of the pages, the texture of the paper in my fingers and the escape into another world, fed my desire to write. And not to just write, but to produce an entire book.

Someday I would do it. But “someday” was racing toward me at a terrific pace and I realized if I didn’t seize the moment, it would pass me by and I would be left with only the wind rustling through my hair. So I found a coach and a support group and launched my efforts.

There were times when life interfered and I was distracted from my work, but I would go to bed at night and hear my characters calling me, pounding their fists on the under-

side of my laptop lid. Their unresolved stories haunted me and drove me back to the keyboard. Ultimately the key was to plow on, to simply persist.

A mature adult brings to their work all of the rich experiences of their life: the tears, the travels, the love, the stories. It is a rich treasure to draw upon.

Woven into my book are family stories, vivid memories from childhood and questions about why people do the puzzling things they do. As we age, we develop convictions we may want to share with others. My book is steeped in themes such as family and the important roles of men and women in life. Wrapping up these themes into a story that is engaging, fun, entertaining and breathtaking can be the impetus for opening up these ideas for others to consider, to starting a conversation that really matters.

I read some time ago about the value of crafts like knitting and quilting. Not only can they give a sense of control over something in life, but they can connect a crafter to the community. Sharing a hand-made scarf starts a conversation and boosts a friendship.

Writing can do the same thing — connect a writer with others in deep and meaningful ways.

The book industry has changed immensely over the past 10 years. Finding

a publisher to bring a book to the world can be difficult. It is expensive to publish and very risky. On the other hand, new avenues have opened for those who love to write. Self-publishing has become readily available.

Taking this approach allows authors to get their work into the hands of readers with ease. Feedback from those eyes on the page can help you polish your work. It also can be a stimulus for improving your writing abilities and expanding your view of what you want to accomplish. A next step could be approaching a regional publisher who can get your book into the stream of national and international book sales.

Our lives are filled with things we must do that once done must be done over and over again: washing dishes, doing the laundry, mowing the lawn or pulling weeds that seem to sprout as fast as we pull them up. Writing a book is done. It doesn’t undo itself, rust or go bad in the refrigerator. It is a lasting legacy that will always be there. It is a piece of ourselves we leave behind.

Yes, it can be a bit scary to think about handing over a book that flowed from the heart, opening up thoughts and ideas to the world. I imagine it is like stepping out of an airplane. There is nothing like that feeling of flight.

Janice Mineer is the author of “Heartbeat of the Bitterroot”. She can be reached at jkmineer@yahoo.com. For more information visit janicemineer. yolasite.com.

montana55.com

17

Introduce loved ones to Social Security’s many programs Story by NICOLE TIGGEMANN Tribune News Service

Create a safe and secure my Social Security account at socialsecurity.gov/myaccount. It’s the gift that keeps on giving, with features including: Get your Social Security statement, to review: Estimates of your future retirement, disability and survivors benefits; Your earnings once a year to verify the amounts that we posted are correct; and The estimated Social Security and Medicare taxes you’ve paid.

Get a benefit verification letter stating that: You never received Social Security benefits, Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or Medicare; or You received benefits in the past, but do not currently receive them. The letter will include the date your benefits stopped and how much you received that year; or You applied for benefits but haven’t received an

answer yet.

Some might need extra help because of a disability. It’s easy to apply for disability benefits at socialsecurity.gov/applyfordisability.

Additionally, there are resources for those in the military who have been injured while serving, or are now disabled veterans. They can find out about benefits they may be eligible for at socialsecurity.gov/people/veterans.

Social Security has many online services that can fit diverse needs at socialsecurity.gov/onlineservices.

Pass on the effectiveness of my Social Security and our online services. Loved ones will appreciate it.

This column was prepared by the Social Security Administration. For fast answers to specific Social Security questions, contact Social Security toll-free at 800-772-1213 or visit socialsecurity.gov.

If you have difficulty understanding words clearly over the phone, just fill out this form!

You may qualify for free assistive telephone equipment through the

Montana Telecommunications Access Program!

Equipment available through MTAP includes:

The Montana Telecommunications Access Program (MTAP) provides FREE assistive telephone equipment to those who qualify, making it easier to use the phone to do business or keep in touch with family and friends.

• Amplified telephones • Captioned telephones • Loud bell ringers TTYs • Artificial Larynxes • And much, much more!

Yes, I want to learn more about MTAP! Return form to: MTAP P. O. Box 4210, Helena, MT 59604 Name: Address: City:

State:

The 2017 GLC300 STARTING AT $41,150*

The 2017 GLA STARTING AT $34,850*

Zip Code:

Phone: *PLUS FREIGHT, OPTIONS, TITLE & LICENSE

For more information just mail us this form or call toll-free 1-800-833-8503

18

Summer 2017

3115 West Broadway, Missoula • 721-4000

demarois.com

Big Sky.

HUGE VALUE.

The Villas at Buffalo Hill

Entrance fees starting at $119,070.

The Villas at Buffalo Hill will open in 2018, and there are a limited number of residences not yet reserved. These spacious 900 square foot apartments will be filled with the features you want, including balconies, fireplaces, full size washers and dryers and granite countertops. Since The Villas are part of the Immanuel Lutheran Life Plan Community, you’ll have priority access to assisted living, rehabilitation, memory support, post-acute care and nursing, should you ever need it. And with a monthly fee for meals, maintenance and other services, The Villas is one of the best values you’ll find. Call 888-256-7651 to learn more today.

Memory Support Services Now Available at The Lodge at Buffalo Hill!

Immanuel Lutheran is now offering 24 private residences for those with memory loss. Our specialty programming is designed to foster independence and engagement in a safe and secure home. Call today to learn more about The Lodge at Buffalo Hill.

40 CLAREMONT STREET KALISPELL, MT 59901

888-256-7651 WWW.ILCORP.ORG

montana55.com

19

thinkstock

Cheaper over-the-counter hearing aids could be on the way Story by JUDITH GRAHAM Kaiser Health News

Imagine seniors walking around with stylish ear devices that amplify and clarify sound and connect wirelessly to smartphones, tablets, televisions and digital assistants such as Amazon’s Alexa or Apple’s Siri.

That day is coming, sooner than you may think.

Technology is already moving in this direction, and consumer marketers such as Samsung, Bose Corp. and Panasonic Corp. are reportedly readying new products of this kind.

They’ll be sold over the counter, to customers who will test their own hearing with cellphone apps or online programs and adjust sound parameters themselves.

The devices “will be widely used by older people,” just as earbuds are used by younger people today, predicted Richard Einhorn, a well-known composer who serves on the board of the Hearing Loss Association of America, a consumer group.

Recognizing market forces, the Food and Drug Administration is mobilizing. In December, Dr. Robert Califf, the FDA’s commissioner, said the agency planned to take “steps necessary to propose to modify our regulations to create a 20

Summer 2017

category of (over-the-counter) hearing aids.”

The Federal Trade Commission played an important role in ensuring that consumers get copies of eyeglass prescriptions so they could shop around for good deals. For the most part, that doesn’t happen with hearing aids today.

Older adults with mild to moderate hearing loss, including aging baby boomers, are expected to be a prime market for a new generation of products marrying hearing aid and consumer electronics hearable technologies.

More than 40 percent of people over the age of 60 have some degree of hearing loss, mostly mild to moderate; that rises to 80 percent of people older than 80.

Yet only 20 percent of those with some degree of impairment use hearing aids because of their high cost (an average $4,700 per pair), the lack of insurance coverage (traditional Medicare doesn’t pay for hearing aids), stigma, denial and difficulty navigating the hearing health system.

Hoping to expand access, the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology came out in favor of low cost, over-the-counter hearing devices in October 2015. The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine

seconded that recommendation in a major report on hearing health care published in June.

Both organizations cite a growing body of research linked hearing loss to cognitive decline, depression, the onset of dementia, falls, poor physical functioning and social isolation. The longer people delay seeking help, research suggests, the more at risk they become.

Several recent developments are of note as consumer electronics companies, hearing aid manufacturers, audiologists, physicians, consumer advocates and regulators prepare for a surge of new hearing devices and changes in the hearing health care system:

REMOVING BARRIERS

For 40 years, the FDA has required that adults be examined by a doctor before purchasing a hearing aid or sign a waiver noting that they didn’t want to take this step. Recently, the agency eliminated that requirement for people over the age of 18.

The National Academies of Sciences’ expert panel on hearing health had noted that the rule “provides no clinically meaningful benefit” and could discourage people from seeking care. Instead of seeing a physician, adults signed the waiver 60 percent to 95 percent of the time.

Still, limits on access to hearing aids exist: All states restrict distribution of these devices to certified audiologists, physicians and device specialists. And some states still require medical evaluations.

Currently, six companies control nearly 98 percent of the hearing aid market in the U.S., contributing to high prices.

Nearly two-thirds of people with severe hearing loss — many of them elderly — report being unable to afford the devices. The cost is generally “bundled” with professional fees for evaluation, fitting and follow-up care.

Organizations representing hearing professionals are deeply divided.

The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, an organization representing audiologists and speech-language pathologists, doesn’t believe consumers can adequately selfdiagnose hearing problems and opposes over-the-counter devices.

The American Academy of Audiology, which represents more than 12,000 audiologists, believes professionals

The premier Assisted living, memory care and skilled nursing facility in Hamilton • Locally owned, with long-term, dedicated staff • Long-running relationships with local medical providers • Beautiful Bitterroot Valley setting 601 North 10th St, Hamilton, Montana 59840 | 406-363-2273

should evaluate hearing loss but is taking a “wait and see stance” until the FDA proposes a regulatory framework, its president, Ian Windmill, said.

Another audiologist group, the Academy of Doctors of Audiology, believes the benefits of expanded access to hearing devices outweigh the risks and supports over-thecounter products.

The senators plan to introduce their legislation, which asks the FDA to issue regulations ensuring the safety and effectiveness of these devices, in this new congressional session.

“Administrations shift and legal challenges occur,” Grassley said in a statement, adding that getting the law on the books would ensure needed “certainty going forward.”

CREATING STANDARDS

One area of considerable confusion is the distinction between hearing aids and personal sound amplification products, known as PSAPs. This is a wide category of products, ranging from cheap devices that help amplify sound to sophisticated devices that resemble hearing aids in all but their name. In some cases, companies are marketing the exact same device as a hearing aid and a PSAP, sold at different prices.

In 2009, the FDA drew a distinction between PSAPs and hearing aids based on their “intended use.” PSAPs were considered unregulated consumer electronics products for people with normal hearing who wanted to hear more sharply — for instance, during bird watching. Hearing aids were regulated and considered medical devices meant for people with hearing impairment.

But technological advances have brought the two categories closer. And it’s well understood that people with hearing loss are using PSAPs as a cheaper alternative to hearing aids.

Going forward, Stephanie Czuhajewski, executive director of the Academy of Doctors of Audiology, believes higher-end PSAPs will become over-the-counter hearing aids.

KHN’s coverage related to aging & improving care of older adults is supported by The John A. Hartford Foundation.

Live Better with Prestige g Assisted Living and Memory Care Innovative activities program • 24 hour dedicated care staff • Spacious rooms with kitchenettes • Focus on wellness at all life stages • •

Ask About our move-in speciAls

125 25 Glenwood Drive • Kalispell, Montana 59901 Phone: (406) 756-1818 • www.PrestigeCare.com

montana55.com

21

thinkstock

Hearing loss and how hearing aids may help Story by Mayo Clinic News Network

The type of hearing loss you have and how severe it is can impact how well a hearing aid works for you. A variety of hearing aids are available, so if the first one you try isn’t helpful, ask your audiologist to recommend another. For people who have hearing loss that does not benefit from hearing aids, another device called a cochlear implant may be a useful alternative.

Your ear has three areas: the outer, middle and inner ear.

When you hear, sound waves pass through the outer ear and cause vibrations at the eardrum, which are transmitted through the three small bones of the middle ear to the fluidfilled inner ear. The inner ear is a snail-shaped structure called the cochlea.

Within the cochlea are thousands of tiny hair cells that help translate the sound vibrations into electrical signals that are sent to your brain through your auditory nerve. The vibrations of different sounds affect these tiny hair cells in 22

Summer 2017

different ways, causing different signals to be sent to your brain. That’s how you distinguish one sound from another.

In most people who develop hearing loss, the hair cells in the cochlea are damaged or missing, usually as a result of aging or exposure to loud noise, or due to genetic reasons.

That means the signals can’t be transmitted efficiently to the brain.

Hearing aids don’t replace or regenerate the hair cells that have been damaged, so they can’t completely restore normal hearing. They can improve your ability to hear by amplifying sound, helping you hear the sounds you’ve had trouble hearing. But even when the sound level increases with a hearing aid, you still may notice some hearing loss.

Most hearing aids are digital and can be programmed individually to analyze and adjust sound based on your specific hearing loss, listening needs and the level of the sounds around you. Although hearing aids can be programmed

to amplify certain sounds, they cannot eliminate all background noise.

Hearing aids vary significantly in price, size and features.

Some fit completely inside your ear canal. Some are placed in the outer portion of your ear. Others hook over the top of your ear and sit behind it. Your audiologist can review your options and help you choose which one might be best for your needs.

It can take time to adjust to a new hearing aid and decide if it’s right for you. That’s why you have a trial period for hearing aids. During the trial period, you work closely with your audiologist to determine what is best for your hearing health needs. If you have concerns, don’t hesitate to tell your audiologist. He or she may be able to adjust your hearing aid or offer a different type of hearing aid that suits you better.

If your hearing loss is severe and cannot be managed with hearing aids, a cochlear implant could be another treatment option if it’s medically appropriate for you. The device works by bypassing the hair cells in your inner ear that don’t work and giving the brain the ability to perceive sound once again. A cochlear implant includes an external processor that fits behind your ear and an internal receiver implanted under the skin behind your ear.

For most people with mild to moderate hearing loss, though, hearing aids can offer significant improvement in hearing. Working with your audiologist, it’s likely you will be able to find a hearing aid that fits your needs.

TAKE CHARGE! YOU can help prevent Medicare fraud!

yourself from Medicare PROTECT: Protect errors, fraud and abuse.

Learn how to detect and know DETECT: how to act on it. you suspect that you have been REPORT: Ifa target of any type of abuse, report it to Montana SMP!

For the SMP near you, contact:

1-800-551-3191 Administered by Missoula Aging Services and supported, in part, by a grant from the Administration for Community Living, AoA, DHHS. Points of view or opinions do not necessarily represent official AoA policy.

to e crib

s

Sub

the magazine for montanans in their prime

FREE subscription

Mail to: Montana 55 • PO Box 8029, Missoula, MT 59807 Or email your name and address to: niche@lee.net

Name

Address

City

State

Zip

Where you found Montana 55 (doctor's office, grocery store, etc)

montana55.com

23

thinkstock

How to help Alzheimer’s patients enjoy life Story by JUDITH GRAHAM Kaiser Health News

Alzheimer’s disease has an unusual distinction: It’s the illness that Americans fear most — more than cancer, stroke or heart disease.

The rhetoric surrounding Alzheimer’s reflects this. People “fade away” and are tragically “robbed of their identities” as this incurable condition progresses, we’re told time and again.

Yet, a sizable body of research suggests this Alzheimer’s narrative is mistaken. It finds that people with Alzheimer’s and other types of dementia retain a sense of self and have a positive quality of life, overall, until the illness’s final stages.

They appreciate relationships. They’re energized by meaningful activities and value opportunities to express themselves. And they enjoy feeling at home in their surroundings.

“Do our abilities change? Yes. But inside we’re the same people,” said John Sandblom, 57, who was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s seven years ago.

Dr. Peter Rabins, a psychiatrist and co-author of “The 36-Hour Day,” a guide for Alzheimer patients’ families, Summer 2017 24

summarized research findings this way: “Overall, about onequarter of people with dementia report a negative quality of life, although that number is higher in people with severe disease.”

“I’ve learned something from this,” admitted Rabins. “I’m among the people who would have thought, ‘If anything happens to my memory, my ability to think, I can’t imagine anything worse.’

“But I’ve seen that you can be a wonderful grandparent and not remember the name of the grandchild you adore.

You can be with people you love and enjoy them, even if you’re not following the whole conversation.”

The implication: Promoting well-being is both possible and desirable in people with dementia, even as people struggle with memory loss, slower cognitive processing, distractibility and other symptoms.

“There are many things that caregivers, families and friends can do — right now — to improve people’s lives,” said Dr. Allen Power, author of “Dementia Beyond Disease: Enhancing Well-Being” and chair for aging and dementia innovation at the Schlegel-University of Waterloo Research

Institute for Aging in Canada.

Of course, the final stages of Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementia are enormously difficult, and resources to help caregivers are scarce — problems that shouldn’t be underestimated.

Still, up to 80 percent of people with dementia are in the mild and moderate stages. Here are some elements of their quality of life that should be attended to:

FOCUS ON HEALTH

One notable study analyzed lengthy discussions between people with dementia, caregivers and professionals at six meetings of Alzheimer’s Disease International, an association of Alzheimer’s societies across the world.

Those discussions emphasized the importance of physical health: being free from pain, well-fed, physically active and well-groomed, having continence needs met, being equipped with glasses and hearing aids and not being overmedicated. Cognitive health also was a priority.

People wanted “cognitive rehabilitation” to help them learn practical techniques for promoting memory or compensating for memory loss.

Up to 40 percent of people with Alzheimer’s disease suffer from significant depression, and research by Rabins and colleagues underscores the importance of evaluating and offering treatment to someone who appears sad, apathetic and altogether disinterested in life.

FOSTER SOCIAL CONNECTIONS

Being connected with and involved with other people is a high priority for people with dementia. Based on research conducted over several decades, Rabins listed social interaction as one of the five essential elements of a positive quality of life.

But fear, discomfort and misunderstanding routinely disrupt relationships once a diagnosis is revealed.

“The saddest thing that I hear, almost without exception, from people all over the world is that family, friends and acquaintances desert them,” said Sandblom, who runs a weekly online support group for Dementia Alliance International, an organization for people with dementia that he co-founded in January 2014.

ADAPT COMMUNICATION

Not knowing how to communicate with someone with dementia is a common problem.

Laura Gitlin, a dementia researcher and director of The Center for Innovative Care in Aging at Johns Hopkins School of Nursing, offered these suggestions in an article in the International Encyclopedia of Rehabilitation: Speak slowly, simply and calmly, make one or two points at a time, allow someone sufficient time to respond, avoid the use of negative words, don’t argue, eliminate noise and distraction, make eye contact but don’t stare, and express affection by smiling, holding hands or giving a hug.

Also, understand that people with dementia perceive things differently.

“You have to understand that when you have dementia

you lose a lot of your natural perceptions of what others are doing,” Sandblom said. “So, a lot of us get a little nervous or suspicious. I think that’s a natural human reaction to knowing that you’re not picking up on things very well.”

ADDRESS UNMET NEEDS

Needs that aren’t recognized or addressed can cause significant distress and a lower quality of life. Rather than treat the distress, Power suggested, try to understand the underlying cause and do something about it.

Which needs are commonly unmet? In a study published in 2013, Rabins and colleagues identified several: managing patients’ risk of falling (unmet almost 75 percent of the time); addressing health and medical concerns (unmet, 63 percent); engaging people in meaningful activities (53 percent); and evaluating homes so that they’re safe and made easier to navigate (45 percent).

RESPECT AUTONOMY AND INDIVIDUALITY

Rabins called this “awareness of self” and listed it among the essential components of a positive quality of life.

Sandblom called this “being seen as a whole person, not as my disease.”

At the Alzheimer’s Disease International meetings, people spoke of being listened to, valued and given choices that allowed them to express themselves. They said they wanted to be respected and have their spirituality recognized, not patronized, demeaned or infantilized.

In a review of 11 studies that asked people with dementia what was important to them, they said they wanted to experience autonomy and independence, feel accepted and understood, and not be overly identified with their illness.

None of this is easy. But strategies for understanding what people with dementia experience and addressing their needs can be taught. This should become a priority, Rabins said, adding that “improved quality of life should be a primary outcome of all dementia treatments.”

KHN’s coverage of end-of-life and serious illness issues is supported by The Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation and coverage of aging and long-term care issues is supported by The SCAN Foundation.

JOIN THE FIGHT FOR ALZHEIMER’S FIRST SURVIVOR.

At the Alzheimer’s Association Walk to End Alzheimer’s®, people carry flowers to signify their connection to Alzheimer’s—a disease that has no treatment, no cure, and no survivors. What if one day there was a flower for the first survivor of Alzheimer’s? What if there were millions of them? What if you helped to make it happen?

Register today at alz.org/walk. Or text Alzwalk to 51555.

Sign-Up today 2017 LOCATIONS & DATES Billings Bozeman Butte Great Falls Helena Kalispell Missoula

Sunday Sunday Sunday Sunday Saturday Saturday Sunday

October 1 September 17 September 23 September 16 September 9 September 23 September 24

Teams of any size are welcome (from 2–200).

Can’t attend? No worries, you can still get involved!

Visit alz.org/walk or call 800.272.3900

montana55.com

25

Bob and Ellie Barnes listen to some oldies with Jackie Johnson (outside of the picture) on a 3-way iPod. Photo by Tyler Wilson

Music and the brain: Missoula project aims to help people with dementia Story by JACKIE JOHNSON for Montana 55

Music can change listeners’ moods. It can make people happy, energetic, relaxed or sad. What if it could do even more?

One Missoula project is looking at just that question, and it’s working to get music to those who might benefit from a “reawakening.”

Many neurological studies have been done on the effect music has on the brain. Beginning in the 1990s, brain scans allowed neurologists to note the responses to music with different songs. They were able to track when dopamine increased, in a similar way that occurs with “runner’s high.”

Dan Cohen, a social worker and technology specialist in New York, wondered what would happen if individuals in nursing homes were given iPods with music from when they were in their youth. Cohen started experimenting with the idea at a nursing home at which he volunteered. The results amazed him — some of the residents who had been mostly nonverbal seemed to “awaken from within.”

Cohen then invited film producer Michael RossatoBennett to film him for one afternoon at the nursing home.

Summer 2017 26

Bennett was so moved and energized that he followed Cohen over a three-year period, filming in care residences and home settings. The result is “Alive Inside,” a film that won awards at the Sundance Film Festival in 2014.

The Gerontology Society sponsored a screening of “Alive Inside” in April 2015 in Missoula, and a passion project here was born.

“If you believed something could help a million people, wouldn’t you want to do everything possible to share it?”

Cohen asked in the film.

He has been on a mission for the past few years to do just that, and founded the nonprofit Music and Memory, which he leads. The organization provides webinar training for professionals who work primarily with individuals with dementia.

In Missoula, one local hospice has taken the Music and Memory webinar training and has been certified to use iPods to awaken memories and for therapeutic uses. Another local memory care residence has started to use repurposed smartphones to play music, which have provided good

results for some residents.

Like Cohen, the Missoula Music and Memory Project believes everyone who could benefit from the music experience should have the opportunity to try it. Much research exists about how brains continue to have ability to hear after cognition fades. The late neurologist Oliver Sacks, the author of many books including “Musicophilia,” speaks in the film about how the auditory nerve remains intact and allows connection with emotions, which in turn can trigger embedded memories. Individuals who were slumped over in their chairs all day may talk, sing or even play an instrument. Some individuals with Parkinson’s disease who can no longer walk without assistance have gotten out of their chairs and executed a perfect foxtrot.

The Missoula Music and Memory Project has evolved from a passion to a donation-based volunteer organization.

Project volunteers work with family and friends to create a playlist of favorite songs for anyone who might benefit from the music therapy. There is no charge for services, iPods and other equipment. The only “work” staff or family has is to charge the iPod and turn it on and off.

Jackie Johnson is a retired nurse, and facilitates two Alzheimer’s Association support groups. She also volunteers with activities through Missoula Aging Services, where she worked as a care manager for five years before retiring. She can be reached at 406-549-3433 or by email at jackiej45@ yahoo.com.

I A

Learn More: Visit musicandmemory.org to read blogs and details of the training, watch a trailer from the film, see lists of the 3,000 agencies/care residences around the world that have taken the training and more. The Missoula Aging Services is the umbrella 501(c)3 organization that the Missoula Music and Memory Project runs through. All cash and equipment donations go through MAS. The project is looking for someone who would like to lead the work.

Clark Fork Riverside Retirement Community

• 1 & 2 Bed Apartments • On-site Beauty Salon Overlooking the Clark Fork • No Smoking Facility River • City Bus Route Participant • Lunch & Dinner Offered Daily • Convenient Downtown • Housekeeping & Social Location Within Walking Activities Distance To Shopping, Doctor/ • Coin-Operated Laundry Hospital Facilities, Theaters & Services Churches Over the years you’ve cared for your family and others, doing what needed to be done. Now is the time to make good on the promises you made to yourself years ago - to enjoy an uncomplicated, yet full lifestyle.

301 W. Front St. Missoula, MT 59802 (406) 721-2439 • TTY Relay 1-800-253-4091

N D E P E N D E N T L I V I N G C OT TAG E S & S U I T E S S S I ST E D L I V I N G I S ECURE M EMORY C ARE

$17 406.652.9303

Community Fee First Month’s Rent If you take financial possession by July 31

4001 Bell Avenue | MorningStarSeniorLiving.com montana55.com

27

thinkstock

Studies look at nutrition’s impact on the aging brain Story by JUDITH GRAHAM Kaiser Health News Diets designed to boost brain health, targeted largely at older adults, are a new, noteworthy development in the field of nutrition.

The latest version is the Canadian Brain Health Food Guide, created by scientists in Toronto. Another, the MIND diet, comes from experts at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago and Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

Both diets draw from a growing body of research suggesting that certain nutrients — mostly found in plant-based foods, whole grains, beans, nuts, vegetable oils and fish — help protect cells in the brain while fighting harmful inflammation and oxidation.

Both have yielded preliminary, promising results in observational studies. The Canadian version — similar to the Mediterranean diet but adapted to Western eating habits — is associated with a 36 percent reduction in the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. The MIND diet — a hybrid of the Mediterranean diet and the DASH diet (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) — lowered the risk of Alzheimer’s by 53 percent.

Researchers responsible for both regimens will study Summer 2017 28

them further in rigorous clinical trials being launched this year.

Still, the diets differ in several respects, reflecting varying interpretations of research regarding nutrition’s impact on the aging brain.

A few examples: The MIND diet recommends two servings of vegetables every day; the Canadian diet recommends five. The Canadian diet suggests that fish or seafood be eaten three times a week; the MIND diet says once is enough.

The MIND diet calls for at least three servings of whole grains a day; the Canadian diet doesn’t make a specific recommendation. The Canadian diet calls for four servings of fruit each day; the MIND diet says that five half-cup portions of berries a week is all that is needed.

We asked Carol Greenwood, a professor of nutrition at the University of Toronto and a key force behind the Canadian diet, and Martha Clare Morris, a nutritional epidemiologist at Rush University Medical Center and originator of the MIND diet, to elaborate on research findings about nutrition and aging and their implications for older adults.

NUTRITION AND THE BRAIN

It’s not yet well understood precisely how nutrition affects the brains of older adults. Most studies done to date have been in animals or younger adults.

What is clear: A poor diet can increase the risk of developing hypertension, cardiovascular disease, obesity and diabetes, which in turn can end up compromising an individual’s cognitive function. The corollary: A good diet that reduces the risk of chronic illness is beneficial to the brain.

Also, what people eat appears to have an effect on brain cells and how they function.

“I don’t think we know enough yet to say that nutrients in themselves support neurogenesis (the growth of neurons) and synaptogenesis (the growth of neural connections),” Greenwood said. “But pathways that are needed for these processes can be supported or impaired by someone’s nutritional status.”

ESSENTIAL NUTRIENTS

“Several nutrients have been shown to have biological mechanisms related to neuropathology in the brain,” Morris said.

On that list is vitamin E, a powerful antioxidant found in oils, nuts, seeds, whole grains and leafy green vegetables, which is associated with slower cognitive decline, a lower risk of dementia, and reduced accumulation of beta-amyloid proteins — a key culprit in Alzheimer’s disease.

“The brain is a site of great metabolic activity,” Morris said. “It uses an enormous amount of energy and in doing so generates a high level of free radical molecules, which are unstable and destructive. Vitamin E snatches up those free radicals and protects the brain from injury.”

Also on her list is vitamin B12 — found in animal products such as meat, eggs, cheese and fish — and vitamin B9 (folate), found in green leafy vegetables, grains, nuts and beans.

Because aging affects stomach acids that facilitate the absorption of B12, “everyone who gets to middle age should have a doctor check their B12 levels,” Morris said. A deficiency of this vitamin can lead to confusion and memory problems, while folate deficiency is associated with cognitive decline and an increased risk of dementia.

Omega-3 fatty acids found in fish and nuts oils, especially DHA (docosahexaenoic acid), are highly concentrated in the brain, where they are incorporated in cell membranes and play a role in the transmission of signals between cells.

“A primary focus has to be maintaining healthy” blood vessels in the brain, Greenwood said. “So, heart health recommendations are similar in many ways to brain health recommendations, with this exception: The brain has higher levels of Omega-3s than any other tissue in the body, making adequate levels even more essential.”

Other studies point to calcium, zinc and vitamins A, C and D as having a positive impact on the brain, though findings are sometimes inconsistent.

FOODS TO AVOID

on foods to be avoided or limited to once-a-week servings, especially saturated fats found in pastries, sweets, butter, red meat and fried and processed foods.

As for dairy products, “there’s no evidence one way or another. If you like your yogurt, keep eating it,” Morris said.

Greenwood adds a caveat: Make sure you consume low-fat dairy products as opposed to whole-fat versions.

OTHER HELPFUL DIETS

Randomized clinical trials have demonstrated that both the Mediterranean diet and the DASH diet have a positive impact on various aspects of cognition, although neither was created specifically for that purpose.

“At the end of the day, our (Canadian) diet, the MIND diet, the Mediterranean diet and the DASH diet are not that different; they’re all likely to be helpful,” Greenwood said.

THE PATTERN COUNTS

Studies promoting the cognitive benefits of drinking tea or eating blueberries have garnered headlines recently.

But a focus on individual foods is misguided, both experts suggested. What matters instead is dietary patterns and how components of various foods interact to promote brain health.

The bottom line: Concentrate on eating an assortment of foods that are good for you. “As long as people are eating a healthful diet, they shouldn’t have to worry about individual nutrients,” Greenwood said.

St. Luke Extended Care

Come visit our clean, modern, community-owned and operated facility!

24-hour skilled nursing care with a personal touch • Personal items encouraged to make patient feel more at home • Private and semi-private rooms • No more than 2 residents per living area • Free cable TV and WiFi

Adult Day Care Services are provided on an hourly basis with overnight stays available for up to 7 nights • Respite care • Meals • Activities • Socialization • Administration of medications

406-676-2900 Ronan, MT

www.stlukehealthcare.org

For the most part, the Canadian and MIND diets concur

montana55.com

29

What is an annuity?

Story by JESSE RAMOS for Montana 55

thinkstock Summer 2017 30

W

e currently live in a point in history when people are living longer and longer lives. I don’t think there are many people who would complain about living a longer life, however, when it comes to retirement planning it does raise a bit of a concern. When you begin retirement you also begin a very important race: it’s your money versus your life. Which one do you want to win? This is a very serious question and an annuity can make it so that you don’t have to choose. The reason for this is because an annuity (in its most basic form) is simply a guaranteed payment for life.

Wait a minute, isn’t that what Social Security or a pension does? Yes it is; that is a key element that a pension, an annuity and Social Security all have in common. They all provide guaranteed income for life. However, recent studies suggest that a mere 19 percent of Americans have a pension that they can rely on in retirement and most of those Americans are government workers. An annuity may be a good way to provide guaranteed income to supplement Social Security without a pension plan. How does an annuity work and where can I get one?

It is an important question to ask and one that was recently explained best to me by world-renowned speaker and economist Tom Hegna. Hegna is the author of several acclaimed retirement planning books and recently spoke at a wealth management conference I attended in April. He described annuities using the term “mortality credits.” He used this term because only a life insurance company can provide an annuity and they can do this using mortality credits based on mortality tables.

I know at this point this can all be a bit confusing, but Hegna has a very simple way of explaining it. He told us all a story about five 90-year-old ladies who go on vacation every year. One year one of the ladies said to the others, “Hey how about each of us put 100 bucks into this jar, tape it up, and after a year those of us who are alive will split the money?” So, they each put a $100 in a jar and a year goes by. Unfortunately, one of the ladies passed away during the year so four of the ladies split the $500. Split four ways, $500 comes out to $125 per person.

That is a 25 percent rate of return in one year with none of the money invested in the stock market, bond market or a savings account. How is this possible? Because they got paid mortality credits from a life insurance company. I know at this point many of you are thinking “that sounds great, but what if I am the lady who passes away, won’t my money disappear?” That is an excellent question to be asking and the answer is not necessarily.

In fact, less than 10 percent of annuities sold are set up that way; almost everyone wants a guarantee. You can put various guarantees on annuities that range from a full refund to a guaranteed length of payout. Product availability and features vary by state.

How much money should I put into an annuity? This is another great question and one that I have a relatively simple answer for: “At least enough to cover your basic living expenses.” That is the most universally stated answer by brokers, economists and financial journals. Many clients choose to put in more, however, economically to maximize your retirement it is recommended that you at least have your basic expenses covered by some form of guaranteed income. Again, guaranteed income is not limited to an annuity, it commonly comes in the form of Social Security or a pension.

An annuity can also provide protection to a spouse or a family member. Just as I discussed in the January issue of Montana 55 about pensions, annuities can provide protection to a spouse for an addition cost. This cost is deducted from what the annuity would payout was it just paying out for your lifetime. The additional cost is because the insurance company is taking on additional risk by guaranteeing payout over the span of two lifetimes. The larger the age difference between the primary annuitant and the joint annuitant, the larger the decrease in payout becomes.

Annuities can be extremely complex financial tools and there are hundreds, if not thousands, of types and variations. You need to do large amounts of research as annuity guarantees are backed by the issuing insurance company and are a contract between you and the insurance company. You should also consult with professionals before choosing something that is so instrumental in defining your retirement.

Jesse Ramos is a broker for Northern Rockies Financial Group in Missoula, assisting families across Montana with understanding their financial needs. He can be reached at jesse_ramos@glic.com or 406-728-6699 with any questions.

2017-41829 Exp 06/19

montana55.com

31

Aging and addicted:

The opioid epidemic affects older adults, too Story by JENNY GOLD and HEIDI DE MARCO Kaiser Health News As the nation grapples with a devastating opioid epidemic, concerns have primarily focused on young people buying drugs on the street. But America’s elderly also have a problem. Over the past several decades, physicians have increasingly prescribed seniors pain medications to address chronic pain from arthritis, cancer, neurological diseases and other illnesses that become more common in later life.

A recent study found that in 2011, 15 percent of seniors were prescribed an opioid when they were discharged from the hospital; three months later, 42 percent were still taking the pain medicine.

One in three Americans who have taken prescription opioids for at least two months say they became addicted to or physically dependent on the medications, according to a Washington Post-Kaiser Family Foundation poll.

(KHN is an editorially independent program of the foundation.)

It’s no surprise, then, that some seniors end up addicted.

In 2009, the American Geriatric Society came out strongly in favor of opioids, recommending that seniors with moderate to severe pain be considered for opioid therapy.

The panel cited evidence that seniors were less likely than others to become addicted.

“You don’t see people in this age group stealing a car to get their next dose,” Dr. Bruce Ferrell, chairman of the panel that issued the Society’s guidelines, told the New York Times at the time.

Mel Pohl, medical director of the Las Vegas Recovery Center, called that conclusion a “horrible misconception.”

“There’s no factual, scientific basis for that. The drug takes over in the brain. It doesn’t matter how old the brain is.”

The problem is that chronic pain is common as people age, and there aren’t many good options to treat it. Even aspirin and ibuprofen carry bleeding risks. The 2009 AGS guidelines are no longer in use, but opioid medications remain a crucial tool to treat pain in older people. Most people are able to take opioids in small doses for short periods of time without a problem.

“We really don’t use opioids necessarily as the first line of treatment because we understand what the risks are. But we also don’t want to see our patients suffering needlessly if we can provide them with relief,” said Dr. Sharon Brangman, past president of the AGS. The trick, she said, is to try non-pharmacological options such as acupuncture first and to use the smallest effective opioid dose possible, if necessary.

Still, most of the seniors at the Las Vegas Recovery Center have taken the drugs as prescribed by a willing doctor 32

Summer 2017

trying to address their pain, said Pohl. That pattern sets them apart from many of the younger patients, many of whom start buying drugs on the black market after being turned away by physicians.

Nonetheless, in the past 20 years, the rate of hospitalization among seniors that is related to opioid overuse has quintupled. But relatively few of them end up in rehab.

Pohl said that’s due to a combination of factors.

“They’ve grown up in an era where drug addiction and alcoholism (were) evil, and I think that’s internalized for some of the folks that I’ve seen,” he said, so they don’t seek help, particularly from an in-patient facility. Also, some rehabs not are equipped to deal with the complex medical problems common among older people.

Another problem are patients whose addictions have been misdiagnosed as dementia. “We’ll have a family come (visit), three weeks into treatment, and it’s like ‘Oh my God, you’re back! I haven’t seen that glimmer in your eye in 20 years!’ ” said Pohl.

Kaiser Health News (KHN) is a national health policy news service. It is an editorially independent program of the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation.

thinkstock 33

montana55.com

700 percent increase coming in cost of senior passes to national parks Story by VINCE DEVLIN for Montana 55

If you are 62 or older and think you might ever visit a national park or two before you die, let us offer you some advice: Get thee to a federal recreation site — be it a national park, national forest or Bureau of Land Management office — and buy a lifetime senior pass that gains you entrance to all federal lands that charge entrance fees, for as long as you live.

The cost of one will be increasing by 700 percent.

To be clear, the current price — $10 for a lifetime of access to any and all national parks and federal lands — may be the best of all bargains available to America’s seniors.

For less than the price of a pizza, you can gain admittance to every national park, from Acadia to Yosemite, from Denali to the Everglades, and every Glacier and Yellowstone in between, at any time, for the rest of your life.

In all, the $10 pass gains seniors access to more than 2,000 federal recreation areas.

But in December, Congress raised the price of a National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands senior pass to $80.

The steep hike was a little-discussed provision of the National Parks Centennial Act, which received bipartisan support in the House and unanimous consent in the Senate when it was passed in December.

“Eighty dollars for a lifetime senior pass is still pretty reasonable,” said National Park Service spokesman Jeff Olson.

“Everybody else pays $80 a year” for an annual pass.

The $10 senior passes will be honored as long as the person it is issued to is alive. That’s why anyone 62 or older who doesn’t have one — and anyone who will turn 62 before the new price goes into effect — can still get in on the $10 deal.

Making it even better is the fact that, so long as the senior pass holder is in a vehicle, everyone else in the vehicle, no matter what their age, can enter on the same pass.

While published reports have predicted the $80 senior pass will begin later this year, or sometime in 2018, Olson said the National Park Service has not set a date for raising the price.

“We have administrative work to do before it can go into effect,” Olson said. “In any case, it’s not going to be $10 one day and $80 the next.”

NPS officials have said they recognize that $80 can still be a significant amount to people on fixed incomes, and are planning on offering an alternative that will allow seniors 34

Summer 2017

to, effectively, make payments of $20 a year for four years.

That will be done by letting seniors buy single-year senior passes, good for entrance to all national parks and federal lands, for $20.

“Once they buy four in a row, they can turn them in for a lifetime pass,” Olson said.

At Glacier National Park, spokeswoman Lauren Alley said 14,264 of the $10 senior passes were sold during fiscal year 2016, which ran from Oct. 1, 2015, to Sept. 30, 2016.

Another 391 have been sold during the current fiscal year.

There was a time the senior passes were free. In 1994, Congress established the $10 senior pass, and the price was never raised until the passage of the NPS Centennial Act just over a month ago.

The act creates more opportunities for investment in the country’s national parks, which face a backlog of $11.9 billion in deferred maintenance projects. It creates a National Park Foundation endowment, and a Centennial Challenge Fund to maximize private investment in the nation’s parks.

But it also hikes the senior pass from $10 to $80. No other fees in the National Parks and Recreational Lands Pass Series, also known as “America the Beautiful” passes, were raised.

Olson said the new fee is expected to generate approximately $35 million annually, and all the money will be used on deferred maintenance.

There are more than 2,000 federal recreation sites that charge entrance fees, and “America the Beautiful” passholders, including those with senior passes, can enter them all.

That includes national wildlife refuges like the National Bison Range, national recreation areas like Bighorn Canyon and national monuments like Pompey’s Pillar.

Of the 417 units overseen by the National Park Service, only 175 have any sort of fees, and just 126 have entrance fees, Olson said.

“By a long shot, entrance to most of the National Park System is free,” Olson said.

The six agencies that participate in the Interagency Pass Program and honor the senior passes at sites that charge entrance fees are the National Park Service, the U.S. Forest Service, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Bureau of Reclamation, the Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

National Parks and Federal Recreation Lands senior passes are available at many locations throughout western Montana. They also can be purchased online or through the mail, although that doubles the cost, to $20, to cover processing. Sites where the senior passes currently can be purchased in person for $10: Bigfork: Flathead National Forest, Swan Lake District Darby: Bitterroot National Forest, Darby District Eureka: Kootenai National Forest, Rexford District Fortine: Kootenai National Forest, Fortine District Hamilton: Bitterroot National Forest main office Hungry Horse: Flathead National Forest, Hungry Horse and Glacier View District Huson: Lolo National Forest Ninemile Station Kalispell: Flathead National Forest main office; Tally Lake District Libby: Kootenai National Forest main office; Libby District Lincoln: Helena National Forest, Lincoln District Missoula: Lolo National Forest main office; Bureau of Land Management Field Office Moiese: National Bison Range Philipsburg: Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest, Pintler District Plains: Lolo National Forest Plains-Thompson Falls Station Seeley Lake: Lolo National Forest Seeley Lake Station Stevensville: Bitterroot National Forest, Stevensville District Superior: Lolo National Forest Superior Station Trout Creek: Kootenai National Forest, Cabinet District Troy: Kootenai National Forest, Three Rivers District West Glacier: Glacier National Park, park headquarters and West Entrance when it is staffed

Assisted Living in Home-Like setting • 24 hr Staff • Personalized Care • Medication Assistance • Scheduled Activities

L o cAt ions A cro s s m o ntA nA

Meadowlark Assisted Living Columbus (406) 322-6150 Caslen Living Centers Livingston (406) 222-0797

Caslen Living Centers Lewistown (406) 538-8455 (406) 538-9853 Caslen Living Centers Anaconda (406) 563-7008

Meadowlark Manor Whitehall (406) 287-5530

Son Heaven Assisted Living Helena (406) 449-0229 (406) 495-0436 www.caslenlc.com

Life is extraordinary. Get the care you deserve.

60 Providers | 15 Specialities 406.721.5600 or 800.525.5688 www.westernmontanaclinic.com

Extraordinary Care

@westernmontanaclinic

montana55.com

35

2017 brings changes to

‘full retirement age’ Story by DAVID BAIER Public Affairs Specialist at the Billings Social Security Office

thinkstock 36

Summer 2017

Every worker’s dream is having a secure retirement to enjoy the fruits of their labor.

Social Security aims to help you secure today and tomorrow. Part of that commitment is ensuring you have the most up-to-date information when you make your retirement decisions.

“Full retirement age” refers to the age when a person can claim their Social Security benefits without any reduction, even if they are still working part or full time. In other words, you don’t actually need to retire from your work to claim your full benefits. Also note that waiting until you’re 70, if you can, will bring you a higher monthly benefit. The choices you make will affect any benefit your spouse or children can receive on your record, too. If you claim benefits early, it will reduce their potential benefit as well as yours.

As the bells rang in a new year, they also rang in changes in 2017 for people considering claiming Social Security retirement benefits. For people who turn 62 in 2017 (i.e., those born between Jan. 2, 1955, and Jan. 1, 1956), full retirement age is 66 and two months.

Full retirement age was 65 for many years. However, due to a law passed by Congress in 1983, it has been gradually increasing, beginning with people born in 1938 or later, until it reaches 67 for people born after 1959.

You can learn more about the full retirement age and find out how to look up your own at socialsecurity.gov/planners/retire/retirechart.html.

There are some things you should remember when you’re thinking about retirement.

You may start receiving Social Security benefits as early as age 62 or as late as age 70.

The longer you wait, the higher your monthly benefit will be. Your monthly benefits will be reduced permanently if you start them any time before full retirement age. For example, if you start receiving benefits in 2017 at age 62, your monthly benefit amount will be reduced permanently by about 26 percent.

On the other hand, if you wait to start receiving your benefits until after your full retirement age, then your monthly benefits will be permanently increased. The amount of this increase is two-thirds of one percent for each month — or 8 percent for each year — that you delay receiving them until you reach age 70.

If you decide to receive benefits before you reach full retirement age, you should also understand how continuing to work can affect your benefits. The Social Security office may withhold or reduce your benefits if your annual earnings exceed a certain amount.

However, every month we withhold or reduce increases your future benefits. That’s because at your full retirement age we will recalculate your benefit amount to give you credit for the months in which we reduced or withheld benefits due to your excess earnings. In effect, it’s as if you hadn’t filed for those months. You can learn more at socialsecurity.gov/planners/retire/whileworking.html.

If you die, your retirement date can affect the benefit amount your surviving loved ones receive. If you started receiving retirement benefits before full retirement age, we cannot pay the full amount to your survivors. Their benefit amount will be based on your reduced benefits.

You can learn more by visiting the Social Security Retirement Planner at socialsecurity. gov/planners/retire.

montana55.com

37

Provided photo

Creating a movement toward health Blackfeet tribal member brings together generations Story by RACHEL CRISP PHILIPS for Montana 55 Alger Swingley is a hard worker. With his job as an outfitter, he’s always done plenty of hiking and guiding across the great Montana outdoors. So when he was asked to start a Blackfeet team for the Montana Spartan Beast Race in 2015, as he neared 60 years old, he wasn’t worried.

But, as he remembers that first race, “I finished, but barely.”

The challenges of the first year prompted Swingley to stop living a sedentary lifestyle, give up alcohol and focus on training.

“The first year I was in I lost 45 pounds for the Spartan race, so I feel much better, much stronger,” Swingley said.

Swingley’s involvement with the Spartan races began when Diane Medler of the Kalispell Convention and Visitor Bureau asked him to put together a Blackfeet team for the annual springtime race in the Flathead Valley.

“They know I’m involved, and try to get people involved, to try to create a movement toward health,” he said. “Because diabetes, and all the diseases, are not just a Native problem it’s definitely an American and international probSummer 2017 38

lem; we’re all suffering with poor diet and all that.”

Obesity is indeed epidemic across the United States, with Native Americans being hit disproportionately hard.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Native Americans have a greater chance of contracting diabetes than any other racial or ethnic group in the United States.

“It’s really important to understand that the Native cultures have only had a couple centuries of the food that’s killing us, the processed sugars and flours,” Swingley said.

“And unfortunately the Native populations have been fed that, almost primarily, because the Natives were put on the reservations and promised health, education and welfare.

“In the mid-1800s they started bringing supplies to the tribes because all the buffalo were gone and so it changed the diet. There are some good foods, good choices can be made, but feeding a family on commodities is a lot of macaroni and a lot of cheese and all the stuff that just packs the pounds on.”

Additionally, the drastic shift in lifestyle for Native

Alger Swingley with Gov. Steve Bullock.

Americans had a large impact on health.

Swingley said: “For a hunting and gathering culture to go to kind of ‘stay at the fort and wait for supplies,’ it’s definitely changed. So it’s nice to see these young kids are coming back, bringing back the traditions of good fitness.”

Those traditions are seemingly being revitalized within the Blackfeet team as they teamed up to take on the Spartan Beast, where teams can come together to compete in a series of extreme obstacle races of differing lengths and difficulties. The Montana Spartan Beast race takes competitors across 12-plus rugged miles of terrain. There’s also a Spartan Sprint, which covers 3 miles, and at other Spartan races across the country there are even longer races that cover marathon-length courses.

Swingley said the organization sponsored the Blackfeet team, and he credits its online programs for diet and exercise with his training success.

“It’s been a real life-changer for myself and for a number of us involved,” he said. “It’s about mental toughness. The race itself, mentally sometimes it just seems like you can’t do it and that’s when you bear down and get through it.

Teammates help one another through tough parts of the race and that’s the beauty of having a team.”

Swingley reached out to the community to recruit members by coordinating with the Blackfeet Community College, as well as the high school in Browning. With members ranging in age from 16 to 60 working together on the racing team, lasting friendships were formed along with a crossgenerational vision of restoring health to the community.

Provided photo “We all have the same mentality with obesity, diabetes, heart disease and everything that’s related to poor diet and lack of exercise. So that’s been a real good cause amongst our friends that have been involved,” he said, beaming.

This year at the Montana Spartan Beast Race, which was held on May 7 at Averill’s Flathead Lake Lodge, Swingley stepped into a new age class of 60 to 65 and finished in eighth place.

“I felt pretty strong finishing it,” he said. “The course seemed easier. They said it wasn’t, but it seemed easier to me. I guess that was from training.”

With more races on the horizon, training is a constant part of Swingley’s life these days and he appreciates the opportunity.

“This year I am training for what they call the Trifecta; that’s completing the Sprint, the Super, and the Beast race.

There’s a couple of my teammates that are going to try to do that with me as well. So that’s our goal this year,” he said.

As he settles into his 60s, Swingley shows no signs of settling down and plans to continue racing for as long as he is able.

“I think the oldest racer at Bigfork was 78, and I’d like to exceed that,” he said.

He’s noticed many other older participants at the races, as the program seems to be catching on with that crowd.

He added: “To me and to the ones that have been involved, it’s such an accomplishment when you finish, you want to train harder for the next time.”

39 montana55.com

Each day to the fullest.

The secret to happiness as we age is to stay as mentally, physically and socially engaged as possible. To feel a sense of purpose. And to be surrounded by those who truly care. Helping residents live each day to the fullest is our mission at Highgate. We offer a host of activities, nutritious and delicious meals, and full care for all in a lovely, homelike setting. If you or your loved one needs either a little or a lot of extra help with daily living, call today and schedule a tour of our Assisted Living or Memory Care community. You’ll see why a move to Highgate is one of the best moves you can make.

Highgate at Great Falls 3000 11th Avenue South Call: 406-454-0991 Highgate at Bozeman 2219 West Oak Street Call: 406-587-5100 40

Summer 2017

Highgate at Billings 3980 Parkhill Drive Call: 406-651-4833

HighgateSeniorLiving.com