The Best of Times August issue

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 August 2008  THE BEST of TIMES

THE BEST of TIMES  August 2008 

Make Your Choice...

Retirement • Rehabilitative Services • Long-Term Nursing Care s 3TATE OF THE ART REHABILITATION lTNESS CENTER s NEW FULLY lNISHED GUEST QUARTERS s %LEGANT INTERIOR DESIGN WITH THE lNEST FURNISHINGS s 3ETTING A NEW STAND IN LUXURY EXEMPLARY SERVICE AND CARE

"AIRD 2OAD \ 3HREVEPORT ,!

 August 2008  THE BEST of TIMES

I was recognized in public recently.

Usually it’s my husband, Gary, who is approached by fans wanting to tell him how much they enjoy the magazine and show. People recognize his voice from the radio program and from his many public appearances. By comparison, I labor away in relative anonymity, which is okay by me. But I must admit, it’s pleasant to occasionally be approached by friendly strangers who recognize me from the picture (above) and who offer comments, suggestions and ideas.

Thanks!

We received wonderful feed-back on the THERAPY issue last month. It seems such therapies and their many benefits are spreading across Northwest Louisiana, we are delighted to report.

This issue, continuing our tradition to present upbeat, positive and important news and information, we’re pleased to present the centerspread feature on REINVENTING YOURSELF, especially after retirement. Starting a new business can be both exhilarating and worrisome.

We help show you how to enhance the probability that yours will be solidly successful.

But that’s not the only “tradition” we are observing in this issue. If you’ve been paying attention over the years, you know that we like to include “something Greek” in every issue. This is our nod, a tribute to our very Greek parents, on both sides. So, in this issue we review ALBASHA, a wonderful GREEK and Lebanese restaurant.

There’s so much in this issue it’s difficult to pick out just a few to mention here. Don’t overlook any of it, especially SHIRLEY!COOKS on page 42.

It seems some conveniently-unnamed staffer got the name of our 2nd Place recipe winner wrong last month. As an apology, we have turned Adrian’s column over to her this issue. Shirley shares some recipes and memories and the whole thing is just great.

Thanks for joining us again. See you in September. -- Tina Calligas, Editor THE BEST of TIMES  August 2008 

25 41

43 24

13 17 14

53 60 54 19 29

64

Acadian On Call All About Care Home Services ArkLaTex Home Health, Inc. Ashley Medical Equipment and Supplies Azalea Estates Assisted Living Balentine Ambulance Barksdale Federal Credit Union Better Hearing Systems Bible Correspondence Course Black Post Farm Flea Market BluePrint Louisiana Brentwood Hospital - Senior Care Brock’s Collision Repair Centers

48 Centuries Memorial and

Hillcrest 52, 59 Certified Limb and Brace 3 Community Hospices of

America 14 Craig Smith for District

Attorney 60 Cruises, Inc. 5 Daniel C. Scarborough, IV,

Attorney 39 Dr. Bryan Vekovius 34 Dr. Gary Booker 15 Everything Green Expo 43 Family Care Services 16 Forest Park Funeral Home 54 Golden Years Guide 7 Gutter Helmet 28 GWS Mortgage, LLC 11 Healthy Choices, LLC 39 Home Assistance Services 48 Imperial Wok

 August 2008  THE BEST of TIMES

41 IV Plus Pharmacy 43 Jeb Design/Build 51 Joe Gilsoul, Attorney 48 Judy Holland, realtor 49 JustCurbIt 35 Kingsley Place -Shreveport 56 KEEL News Radio 710 AM 7, 37 LATAN 30 LifePath Hospice 30 Lil” Rascals Pet Care 9 Live Oak Retirement

Community 21 Louisiana Drug Card 30 Northwest INCS, Inc. 62 NurseCare of Shreveport 35 Odyssey HealthCare 63 Petrohawk Energy

Corporation 29 Pierremont Eye Institute 29 ResCare Home Care 11 Sage Financial Services 23 Sam’s Town Hotel and Casino 7 SciPort Discovery Center 60 Seniors Club 16 Serio Investments 16 ShoeBooty’s Restaurant 53 Shreve Hearing Aid Service 11 Skin Technology – Jeany

Mitchell 59 Southwood Square

Apartments 20 Spring Lake Assisted Living 53 St. Joseph Hospice 40 Sterling Health Plans 28 Susan Mead 18 Susan Komen Race for the

Cure 25 T & W – EZ-Tilt-N-Tote 22 TES Regional Healthcare

Federal Credit Union 4 The Bradford, LLC 35,55 The Center for Families 33 The Food Bank of NW

Louisiana 55 The User Friendly Phone

Book 39 The Waterford at Shreveport 19 Town & Country Total

Wellness 13 United Home Health Care of

Shreveport 45 Vision-Source – Dr. Larry

Chism 23 Wilhite Solar Solutions 2 Willis Knighton Cancer

Center

Jason Alderman, Lee Aronson, Al Bolton, Howie Brownell, Suzy Cohen, Judge Jeff Cox, Mirabai Holland, Ted Kooser, Angela Lehman-Rios

Tina, I got your latest magazine in the mail the other day and I love the cover! Great issue! It really is so ironic that this issue was about dog therapy. Just a week ago we moved mom into a Nursing Home in Kilgore, not 5 minutes from us. All and all she seems to be settling in. I have had both my dogs out to see her and [learned that] dog therapy is wonderful for EVERYONE! And the dogs love to go. Thanks much.

--Terri Bailey, Kilgore, TX, via email To the Publisher: Could Judge Cox feature an article on pipeline right of way and easements in a future article? This would be informative to land owners in the Haynesville shale leasing. Things such as “FMV” [fair market value] to cross your land, and protective clauses for the land owner, etc.

--James Devan, via email The publisher (my husband Gary) passed your letter on to me, James, and I passed it on to Judge Cox, who promptly filed an article on this topic. See page 22 in this issue! Thank you so much for your important observations. We want to address any and all concerns from our readers, and we will. --Tina Calligas, Editor

THE BEST of TIMES  August 2008 

Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act Passed

Check out Social Security’s new home page

By Dora Miller, Social Security Public Affairs Specialist in Shreveport, La Social Security’s home page at www. socialsecurity.gov. has a brand new look that is more welcoming and user-friendly; it follows the standard for design principles in the industry by reducing clutter, improving navigation, making better use of graphics, reducing the need to scroll down and prioritizing items on the page.

The new page focuses on the primary reasons people contact Social Security.

The three main topics that take up the prime real estate are: • Filing for retirement benefits; • Applying for disability benefits; • Requesting a Social Security card.

Meanwhile, major program topics run along the top of the page - Retirement, Survivors, Disability, Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Medicare. The left side of the home page answers “What you can do online.” And that’s where you’re also linked to Your Social Security Earnings Statement, forms and publications, and more.

On the right side of the page, you’ll be able to search the site, get answers to frequently asked questions and find information for specific groups or organizations on the web site. Social Security news rounds out the page.

While the look has changed, the web addresses have not. Favorite sites that you and other frequent visitors have bookmarked will not change.

Additionally, you can apply for retirement or disability benefits. You also can find out the exact documents you need to bring into our offices if you need a replacement card.

 August 2008  THE BEST of TIMES

Congress passed the Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act of 2008 on July 15, which blocked a 10.6% Medicare reimbursement cut for physicians that went into effect July 1. The Act changes the cut in payments to a 1.1 percent payment increase in 2009.

In addition to addressing the annual need to offset the Medicare Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) cuts, the Medicare Improvement for Patients and Providers Act will provide positive Medicare payment incentives of up to 2% for practitioners who use qualified e-prescribing systems in 2009 through 2013, and a reduction in payments of up to 2% to providers who fail to e-prescribe by 2012.

The bill also improves preventive and mental health benefits and increases a variety of other services. The following are some of the reforms included in the Act. • New preventive services of proven

benefit will be covered by Medicare.

• Patient coinsurance for mental health services will be lowered from 50 percent to 20 percent, the same rate that now applies to other doctor visits.

• A life insurance policy or “in-kind” help from friends and family (e.g. with groceries, heating bills) will no longer disqualify people from help with their drug costs.

• Bureaucratic obstacles that prevent low-income people from receiving help with their drug and medical costs will be eliminated.

• The Part D drug benefit will cover benzodiazepines, a class of drugs used to treat seizure disorders and anxiety disorders, which are now excluded from coverage.

• Part D coverage for anticancer drugs will be expanded to encompass more treatments that have been shown in respected medical journals to be effective.

New tax change can help combat high cost of driving

The IRS recently announced an increase in some deductible mileage rates that will continue for the rest of 2008. Here are the new mileage rates that took effect July 1: • Business mileage: up to 58.5 cents per mile from 50.5 cents per mile • Medical or moving mileage: up to 27 cents per mile from 19 cents per mile • Charitable mileage: stays at 14 cents per mile for 2008 “The IRS considers business mileage those miles driven from the office to an auxiliary business location,” said John Hewitt, Founder and CEO of Liberty Tax Service. “Commuting miles, the miles driven from home, to an office are not allowed. Students who are taking courses that are required by their employer, or are work-related, may deduct this mileage at

the business mileage rate.”

Mileage for some business, medical, charitable, moving, and educational purposes may be deductible.

Those moving this summer can deduct moving mileage if the move is at least 50 miles, and is necessary in order to start work at a new work location. Deductible moving expenses include the cost of moving furniture and household items as well as lodging expenses en route.

Always be sure to notify the IRS of your relocation, by sending a Form 8822, Change of Address, to the IRS Service Center where you filed your last return.

Medical miles can be claimed for miles driven to and from the doctor or dentist, and to and from a pharmacy to pick up a prescription. Charitable mileage is deductible. If you volunteer for a charitable or non-profit organization, your mileage is deductible to and from meetings and functions. (SPM Wire)

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Prescription drugs and online pharmacies

Medical Briefs

l If you’re overweight or obese in middle age, it can have a devastating effect on your health by causing you to age far faster than normal. According to a study from the San Francisco VA Medical Center, being overweight in your 40s and 50s causes a lower level of certain brain chemicals that signal good brain health and function. Without these chemicals, the brain’s aging process speeds up, putting you at a significantly higher risk of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. l Keeping a food diary can double a person’s weight loss according to a study from Kaiser Permanente’s Center for Health Research and published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.

Those who kept daily food records lost twice as much weight as those who kept no records. It seems that the simple act of writing down what you eat encourages people to consume fewer calories. l Sleeping either too much or too little appears to heighten the risk of stroke, a new study finds. And while the researchers said their findings can be applied only to the postmenopausal women in the study, other experts said the same relationship between sleep and stroke risk seems to be universal. The study of more than 93,000 women found that those who regularly slept more than nine hours a night had a 60% to 70% higher risk of stroke than women sleeping seven hours.

The risk of stroke was 14% higher for women who regularly slept six hours or less, compared to those sleeping seven hours a night. The study was published online in the journal Stroke. l The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved a novel genetic test for determining whether patients with breast cancer are good candidates for treatment with the drug Herceptin (trastuzumab).

10  August 2008  THE BEST of TIMES

With prescription drug costs spiraling, many are looking for ways to save on medications. If you do not have prescription drug coverage or if you are in the coverage gap of your Medicare Part D plan, you may look to online pharmacies as a way to temper drug costs. While there are many reputable online pharmacies that offer safe and affordable medications, others are not trustworthy. Follow these tips from the Mayo Clinic to keep you and your pocketbook safe and healthy.

• Use a licensed pharmacy. Look for a seal of approval from Verified Internet Pharmacy Practice Sites, or VIPPS. To gain this approval, sites must maintain state licenses and allow inspections by the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy.

• Insist on access to a registered pharmacist. Reputable sites offer toll-free access to registered pharmacists who can help answer your medication questions.

• Compare prices. You may find great deals online. But remember that your local drugstore might beat the online price.

• Be careful of counterfeit drugs.

Some medicines sold by online websites are outright fakes. There have been cases

where a drug ordered online turned out to be the wrong drug; the correct drug, but in a harmful dose; a dietary supplement or not a medication at all.

Your best defense is to know what your medicine should look like. Knowing the size, shape, color, taste, texture and smell of a medication may help you identify a counterfeit drug. Also be on the alert for altered or unsealed packaging.

Be suspicious if there’s no way to contact the website pharmacy by phone, if prices seem too good to be true or if you’re told you are not required to provide a prescription.

If you have a Medicare Part D plan, be aware that only prescriptions that you buy from pharmacies within your drug plan’s network will count toward reaching your plan’s catastrophic coverage limit. If you do not know whether you are purchasing from a pharmacy where your costs will count toward this limit, check with your plan. (Dear Marci, e-newsletter, Vol. 7, issue 25, June 2008)

Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) and fibromyalgia (FM) are two serious and debilitating diseases with no confirmed cause and limited treatment options.

However, results of a new comprehensive literature study propose a simplified treatment process that could help alleviate symptoms for patients suffering from these diseases.

Research, recently published in the Journal of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, demonstrated that patients that were given cortisol as part of a multi-system treatment experienced significant improvement in their symptoms.

Research was further confirmed in an observational study following the conditions of 500 patients from his clinic, where all of the patients were given cortisol as

part of their treatment protocol: • 94% showed improvement by the fourth visit; • 5% noted significant improvement; • 62% reported substantial improvement; • Energy levels and a general sense of well-being for patients doubled by the fourth visit.

The effectiveness of this multi-system treatment was further confirmed through the analysis of the cumulative findings of over 40 independent physicians and over 5,000 patients.

As shown in the Journal of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome study, cortisol doses of 5 to 15mg a day have been shown to be safe, with little or no associated risk while having the potential for significant benefit for CFS and FM patients.

Cortisol may alleviate Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Fibromyalgia

Seven dirty words about heart disease If there’s something positive about the death of celebrities, it’s that they create opportunities to educate the public about diseases that also affect them.

In the recent cases of the beloved journalist Tim Russert and the iconic comedian George Carlin, physicians have a window of opportunity to tell people about the risks of heart disease, which remains the nation’s No. 1 killer of men and women, and what they can do to prevent it.

• Diet – fat, sugar and foods high in cholesterol are known to contribute to heart disease; diabetes (also diet related) also damages the heart and blood vessels.

• Genetics – African Americans, Hispanics, native Americans all have higher rates of high blood pressure and heart disease

• Stress – working too much, dramatic personal lives, worrying, depression; also feeding stress with too much alcohol and other drugs • Smoking – constricts blood vessels and strains the heart and lungs • Inactivity – the heart is a muscle that needs to be exercised; even moderate activity is helpful, and losing 10 pounds can reduce your cardiac risk • High blood pressure – leads to undue stress on a variety of organs, including the heart; combined with other risk factors it increases the chance of a heart attack many times • Denial – saying “it won’t happen to me,” without changing your lifestyle, guarantees you won’t see a decrease in your risk (Newswise)

Laser technique fights cancer with light

Using Photodynamic therapy, a laser technique that pinpoints cancer cells, doctors from UIC’s Chicago Institute for Voice Care, removed cancer from around the vocal folds using a new procedure that uses light to destroy cancer, sparing the voice. The patient is given an IV light-activated drug. The drug is taken up by all cells. Patients immediately became very vulnerable to sunlight, and have to take precautions against the sun. In two days, normal cells will have cleared the drug, but the cancerous cells will still carry it. Then a laser light of a specific wavelength is applied through a thin, lighted tube, called a laryngoscope, causing a biochemical reaction in the cancerous cells that have retained the drug. The cells disintegrate harmlessly in a few days. Not only is photodynamic therapy fast, non-surgical and minimally invasive, but cure rates for oral and laryngeal cancers, after one treatment, are currently in the 90th to 94th percentiles. Best of all, normal tissues around the malignancies are left undamaged.

THE BEST of TIMES  August 2008  11

This fuzzy fruit fights clots

Here’s to your good health

l Healthy, balanced meals emphasizing plant-based foods are important to your immune system, giving you all the requisite vitamins and minerals. One of these minerals, selenium, helps prevent autoimmune diseases. And one of the best sources of selenium is the Brazil nut, although you shouldn’t eat more than six a day. l Too much sun exposure can lead to skin cancer. But that doesn’t mean you should avoid sunlight, which is the primary way we get our vitamin D. Twenty minutes of daily sun exposure on the face and arms - or any other similarly sized body part - meets the need for your daily D requirement. l For more youthful knee joints - or anything that bends - consider these six foods which could be your best medicine: berries, ginger, avocado, flaxseeds, omega3-rich fish, and soy. Research shows they help stifle joint-damaging inflammation. l Feeling stressed? Seems a quick 5 minute sniff of mild lavender aromas helps curb the release of cortisol - a key stress hormone that can prematurely age you by triggering inflammation. In a recent study of Japanese co-eds, sniffing lavender not only lowered cortisol levels but also may have enhanced antioxidant activity in their bodies - a double blow to the aging process. l It appears that getting lots of folate - specifically from food, not so much from supplements - may help protect you from pancreatic cancer. Folate-rich foods aren’t hard to come by if you go for the green -- as in artichokes, asparagus, brussels sprouts, lima beans, avocados, soybeans, and broccoli.

12  August 2008  THE BEST of TIMES

Kiwifruit appear to put a stop on artery-clogging plaques in two ways. They help lower triglyceride levels and they reduce platelet clumping. The platelet effect could be particularly beneficial. Although platelets aid in blood clotting, when these cells stick together too much, it could set the stage for a heart attack or stroke. That’s because there’s plenty of heart-helping nutrition in kiwifruit. Surprisingly, kiwi has more vitamin C than an orange, beats bananas for potassium, and is chock-full of vitamin E and magnesium.

Vitamin E may ward off physical decline in elderly people Researchers found people aged over 65 who had lower levels of vitamin E performed worse on tests of basic physical ability. The key may be that vitamin E is an antioxidant, protecting the body’s tissues from damage caused by charged particles called free radicals.

The researchers measured levels of vitamins in the blood of volunteers. The volunteers’ performance on three physical tests - a short walk, balance and standing up from a seated position - were monitored over a three-year period.

While the researchers found an association between vitamin E and performance, their work suggested no such link with other essential vitamins, such as folate, B6, B12 and D.

The odds of declining in physical function was 1.62 times greater in persons with low levels of vitamin E compared with persons with higher levels.

Vitamin E can be found in foods including wheat germ, soya, nuts, seeds, olives, corn, vegetable and green leafy vegetables such as spinach and asparagus.

But some research has indicated very high amounts of vitamin E can be harmful, raising one’s overall risk of death.

The recommendation is that men should eat a healthy, balanced diet containing 4 mg of vitamin E a day. For women the figure is 3 mg a day.

The Yale University School of Medicine study appears in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Fight wrinkles from the inside out You really can fight wrinkles from the inside out. One fruit that can lead the charge is papaya.

Papaya is loaded with vitamin C, and getting lots of vitamin C may mean more youthful skin - fewer wrinkles and less thinning and dryness. A recent study in women over 40 confirmed it.

Vitamin C is a natural friend to skin.

The nutrient is essential for making collagen, the protein fibers that give skin its strength and resiliency. And being a powerful antioxidant, C also disarms free

radicals that would otherwise chip away and weaken collagen.

A little extra vitamin C isn’t all it takes to plump your complexion. Here are a few more food tips that can help keep your face fresh: • Munch on walnuts. In the vitamin C study, researchers also noted that diets rich in linoleic acid - an essential fatty acid in walnuts - meant moister, plumper skin.

• Ease up on fats and refined carbs.

Scientists found both were linked to aging skin.

• Think whole grains. The magnesium and B vitamins you get from them help with the regeneration of skin cells.

• Keep the fruits and veggies coming.

To stay smooth and healthy, your skin needs a whole slew of antioxidant-rich produce.

Moderate alcohol consumption may cut risk, while smoking increases risk, of arthritis A regular drink cuts the risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis by up to half, Swedish research suggests. Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases reports The Karolinska Institute assessed 2,750 people in two studies. The risk was up to 50% lower for those who drank the equivalent of five glasses of wine a week compared with those who drank the least. However, arthritis experts warned that drinking too much alcohol increased the risk of a range of other health problems.

The two separate studies assessed environmental and genetic risk factors for rheumatoid arthritis. Participants were quizzed about their lifestyle, including how much they

smoked and drank, while blood samples were taken to check for genetic risk factors.

Researchers stressed the most important finding of the study was that smoking was a very significant risk factor for rheumatoid arthritis, reinforcing findings from previous studies.

In addition, it is important to know that moderate alcohol consumption is not deleterious and may in some contexts be beneficial concerning risk for future onset of rheumatoid arthritis.” There are known to be links between moderate alcohol consumption and a reduced risk of other inflammatory processes, such as cardiovascular disease. However, the reason for this is still unclear.

Common cooking spice shows promise in combating diabetes

Endocrinologists and researchers at the Naomi Berrie Diabetes Center at Columbia University Medical Center have discovered that turmeric-treated mice were less susceptible to developing Type 2 diabetes, based on their blood glucose levels, and glucose and insulin tolerance tests. Turmeric, an Asian spice found in many curries, has a long history of use in reducing inflammation, healing wounds and relieving pain. Researchers also discovered that turmeric-fed obese mice showed significantly reduced inflammation in fat tissue and liver compared to controls. They speculate that curcumin, the anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant ingredient in turmeric, lessens insulin resistance and prevents Type 2 diabetes in these mouse models by dampening the inflammatory response provoked by obesity. Their findings are the subject of a soon-to-be published paper in Endocrinology and were presented at ENDO 2008, the Endocrine Society’s annual meeting.

THE BEST of TIMES  August 2008  13

Marci’s

Medicare Answers

Dear Marci, I heard that Medicare covers the cost of a routine physical just once. What exactly is included in this physical? --Doris Dear Doris, Yes, Medicare covers 80 percent of the Medicare-approved amount (after meeting the Part B deductible) of a one-time routine physical examination during the first six months after you enroll in Medicare Part B regardless of your age. The exam includes measurement of height, weight and blood pressure, an electrocardiogram (EKG), ultrasound screening for abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) if you are at risk, as well as education, counseling and referral related to other preventive services covered

by Medicare. Payment for clinical laboratory tests, however, are not included in this physical exam benefit. Some Medicare pri-

Physical Exams, Medicare Savings Program, Eye Care vate health plans (such as HMOs or PPOs) may cover routine physicals. ~Marci Dear Marci, I applied for a Medicare Savings Program a few months ago, and was told that I did not qualify because I had too much in my savings account. My sister applied for one recently, and was told she qualified. But she has a little more savings than I do. Was I given wrong information?

--Beatrice Dear Beatrice, Does your sister live in a different state?

Eligibility for Medicare Savings Programs (MSPs) - programs that help pay for the out-of-pocket costs of Medicare - is based on your income and assets. However, income and asset limits can vary by state.

Most states deny MSP coverage to individuals with incomes above $1,190 per month ($1,595 for a couple) in 2008. But in some states, there is no asset limit eligibility requirement for some or all MSPs. For pro-

grams that have no asset test, savings will not be counted. Call your local Medicaid office or SHIP (State Health Insurance Assistance Program) for more information about eligibility requirements. ~Marci Dear Marci, I am going to have cataract surgery next month, but my friend just told me that Medicare does not cover eye care. Is this true? --Paulo Dear Paulo, Medicare will not generally pay for routine eye care, but it will cover surgery to remove the cataract and replace your eye’s lens with a man-made intraocular lens. Medicare will also cover the dark glasses you must wear immediately after surgery to protect your eyes, and a standard pair of untinted prescription eyeglasses or contacts if you need them after surgery. If it is medically necessary, Medicare may pay for customized eyeglasses or contact lenses. ~Marci Marci’s Medicare Answers is a service of the Medicare Rights Center (www. medicarerights.org), the nation’s largest independent source of information and assistance for people with Medicare. To subscribe to “Dear Marci,” MRC’s free educational e-newsletter, simply e-mail dearmarci@medicarerights.org. To learn more about the services that Medicare will cover and how Medicare works with Medicaid, log on to Medicare Interactive Counselor at the Medicare Rights Center’s website at www.medicareinteractive.org.

14  August 2008  THE BEST of TIMES

THE BEST of TIMES  August 2008  15

16  August 2008  THE BEST of TIMES

Medicare Update Have you heard of Medicare’s “doughnut hole”? It’s also known as the “coverage gap,” and it is unique to Medicare Part D, the prescription coverage part of the Medicare program that is available only through private insurance companies.

Many people find out about the doughnut hole by accident, when all of a sudden their plan stops paying for their medications.

Here’s how the doughnut hole works: The coverage gap will start when the total cost of your prescriptions - what you and your plan have paid for covered drugs - reaches a certain amount. Individual plans can determine when the coverage gap starts, but in most plans it begins when your total drug costs reach $2,510 in 2008.

You will still pay your drug plan’s monthly premium during the gap.

In all plans, the coverage gap ends when your total out-of-pocket costs (just what you have paid) for covered drugs reach $4,050 in 2008. After that you will have “catastrophic coverage” and you will pay 5 percent of the cost of each covered drug, or a copay of $2.25 for generics and $5.60 for brand-name drugs, whichever is greater.

Your Medicare drug plan should be keeping track of how much money you have spent out-of-pocket on your covered prescription drugs and how close you are to the coverage gap. This information should be printed on your monthly statements.

To make sure this information is correct, you should keep your receipts from the pharmacy.

If you have full Extra Help, the highest level of assistance from the federal program that helps people with low incomes pay for the costs of Medicare drug coverage, you will not have a gap in coverage. You will pay your Extra Help copays for covered drugs until you reach catastrophic coverage. Once you reach catastrophic coverage, you will no longer have copays.

If you have partial Extra Help, you also will not have a coverage gap. You will pay either your plan’s copay or 15 percent of the cost of your drug, whichever

Tips to Get Through Medicare Part D’s “Doughnut Hole” is cheaper. Once you reach catastrophic coverage, your copays will go down to $2.25 for generics and $5.60 for brandname drugs.

Catastrophic coverage for people with Extra Help begins as soon as your total drug costs reach $5,726.25 (what you pay plus what your drug plan pays for your covered drugs). Your total drug costs will reach $5,726.25 faster if you take more expensive brand-name drugs (for which you will pay $5.60 copays).

There may be ways you can keep your costs down while you are in the doughnut hole: • Ask your doctor about lower-cost generics if you currently take brand-name drugs.

• If you can’t take any drugs that cost less, ask your doctor if free samples are available.

• Your state pharmaceutical assistance program (SPAP) may help its members pay the out-of-pocket costs of a Medicare private drug plan.

• There may be charities that can help reduce your costs. (Go to www.medicarerights.org/copay_charities.pdf for a list.) In some cases, the amount the charity pays counts toward your catastrophic coverage limit. You can also see if your hospital has a Charity Care Policy to reduce your copays if you cannot afford them.

• Some pharmaceutical companies have Patient Assistance Programs (PAPs) that offer low-cost or free drugs to people with low incomes. However, only a few accept people with Part D. (Go to www.

rxassist.org/docs/medicare-and-paps.cfm for more information.) If you get help from a PAP paying for a drug on your Part D plan’s formulary, only what you pay for your drug will count toward meeting your out-of-pocket limit. What your PAP pays for your prescription drugs will not count toward the out-of-pocket costs that you must spend before catastrophic coverage begins. If you are interested in a specific PAP, call the program to find out how it works.

• If your pharmacy is selling a medication covered by your plan for a cheaper price than that offered by your plan, you can buy your medication for this price during both your deductible and coverage gap. You can take advantage of any “special” or discount offered to all pharmacy customers. You should use in-network pharmacies. You will need to submit your receipt to your plan, and any other required documentation, in order for this amount to count towards reaching the catastrophic coverage limit. Find out what your plan requires by calling the customer service number listed on the back of your Medicare drug plan insurance card.

To learn more about Extra Help, PAPs and whether or not your state has an SPAP, log on to Medicare Interactive Counselor at www.medicareinteractive.org. Medicare Interactive Counselor is a resource provided by the Medicare Rights Center, the largest independent source of health care information and assistance in the United States for people with Medicare.

THE BEST of TIMES  August 2008  17

LEGAL

The Case of the Child Who Almost Got Nothing Lee Aronson

Roseanne (not her real name) and her husband worked hard all of their lives and although not rich, had managed to save some money that they wanted to leave to their children. Well, 2 of their children.

Their third child, D.J., suffered from a mental illness called bipolar disorder and they didn’t want to leave anything to him.

Both Roseanne and her husband, Dan, (again, the names I am using in this article have been changed) had wills. Both wills said that if either spouse died first, then the other spouse would inherit everything but if the spouse was the last to die, then D.J.’s two sisters, Becky and Darleen, would inherit everything and and D.J. would get nothing. As it turned out, Dan died first and Roseanne inherited everything. But when Roseanne died and D.J. found out that he

18  August 2008  THE BEST of TIMES

would get nothing, the lawsuit began.

D.J. sued his parent’s estates alleging that he couldn’t be completely left out of his parent’s wills. And you know what?

D.J. was right.

In Louisiana, we have something called the law of forced heirship. This means that if you have kids, it’s possible that you will be forced to leave them something when you die regardless of your wishes.

So which children do you have to leave something to? If you have a child who is 23 years old or younger at the time of your death, then that child is a forced heir. And if you have a child who is disabled at the time of your death, regardless of that child’s age, then that child is a forced heir.

In D.J.’s case, he thought he was dis-

abled. After all, he suffered from bipolar disorder. As a result, he had not worked for the past 20 years. He has severe mood swings, during some of which he is too depressed to bathe and some of which he “has judgment problems, such as extreme overspending of money.” When he has these mood swings, his wife takes care of him.

D.J. had been hospitalized several times for depression, periodically had suicidal thoughts and had undergone electroconvulsive shock therapy twice.

D.J.’s sisters did not think that he was disabled. They pointed out that when D.J. does not suffer from an acute episode of his illness, he is able to take care of himself, he shops, drives a car, cooks, does laundry and even votes.

D.J.’s sister Becky explained that D.J.

had “flown by himself two or three years ago to visit me in Montana,” where he “rented a car and went shopping and partying.”

D.J.’s psychiatrist, who had been treating him for approximately 15 years, testified that although D.J. did not hear voices, there were times when he “becomes absolutely incapable of taking care of his person and is completely dependant on” his wife. Even with medication, D.J. “did not reach an acceptable level of functioning” and that his “condition has gotten progressively worse despite medication.”

What would you do if you were the Judge? Would you say D.J. is disabled? If so, he is entitled to inherit 25% of his parent’s estates. But if he’s not disabled, then Becky and Darleen would get everything.

In D.J.’s case (his case is real but the names have been changed), the Judge explained

that Louisiana law defines disabled forced heirs as those who “because of a mental incapacity or physical infirmity, are permanently incapable of taking care of their persons or administering their estates.”

Based on this, the Judge decided that D.J. was disabled and therefore a forced heir.

The Judge went on to note that even though D.J. was a forced heir, his parents could have disinherited him if certain conditions existed and special language had been put in their wills. For example, D.J. could have been disinherited if he “has raised a hand to strike a parent” or has been convicted of a crime punishable by life imprisonment or death.

Lee Aronson is an attorney with Legal Services of North Louisiana. His practice areas include consumer protection law, housing law and health care law.

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THE BEST of TIMES  August 2008  19

financial

Understanding Social Security Jason Alderman

Since its creation in 1935, Social Security has provided countless Americans with a degree of financial stability through its retirement, disability and survivor benefits. While never intended to fully support people when they retire, Social Security provides many retirees with their only safety net against poverty. So naturally, concerns about its solvency make headlines.

Whether you’re a boomer, already retired, or much younger and paying into the program, here’s a brief guide to how Social Security retirement benefits work: Eligibility. Generally, after you’ve contributed to Social Security for at least 10 years you become eligible to collect a retirement benefit. Those who haven’t worked sufficient years may also qualify based on their spouse’s work record.

Spousal benefits. If you’re married and your earned benefit is less than 50 percent of your spouse’s, you will be eligible for a benefit typically equal to half of his or hers. Spousal benefits also are available if you’re divorced, provided your marriage lasted at least 10 years, you remain unmarried and are at least age 62.

Survivor benefits. If your spouse dies and was benefits – eligible, you (and children under age 16) may be eligible for survivor benefits. Benefit amounts vary depending on your age and other factors.

20  August 2008  THE BEST of TIMES

Benefit calculations. Your benefit is based on earnings during 40 years of work. The five lowest-earning years are dropped from the equation – and each year not worked counts as a zero. This often occurs when women stopped working to raise children or care for ailing parents – a triple whammy, since they also typically earn less than men and live longer.

“Full retirement age” increases gradually from 65 for those born before 1938 to 67 for those born after 1959. If you retire at 62 your benefit will be reduced by 20 to 30 percent, depending on your birth year. This percentage reduction gradually lessens the closer you approach full retirement age. In addition, if you retire after full retirement age, your annual benefit increases by 6.5 to 8 percent per year, depending on your birth year.

Annual statement.

One tool to help estimate your potential benefits is the annual Social Security Statement mailed each year about three months before your birthday. Check this statement for any errors to your earnings record since that could impact future benefits.

Tax implications. Keep in mind that if you start receiving Social Security benefits but continue working, you may be taxed on a portion of your benefit if your combined income is over a certain amount.

For interactive calculators to estimate your retirement benefit under different earnings and age scenarios, go to “Plan Your Retirement” on the Social Security website (www.ssa.gov/retire2). The site also contains complete information on how Social Security works, eligibility issues, tax implications, how to apply and much more.

For women weighing retirement options, another helpful resource is a program jointly developed by Heinz Family Philanthropies, the Women’s Institute for a Secure Retirement (WISER) and Visa Inc. called the Women’s Saving Initiative (www. practicalmoneyskills. com/womensave).

This free site features a book called “What Women Need to Know About Retirement” that includes a detailed chapter on Social Security. It’s available in an easily printed version, as well as an audio file that can be played online, in the car or on an iPod. Start researching your Social Security options now, while you have time to explore your options and beef up other retirement savings, if needed.

Jason Alderman directs Visa’s financial education programs. Sign up for his free monthly e-Newsletter at www.practicalmoneyskills.com/newsletter.

THE BEST of TIMES  August 2008  21

From the Bench

Pipeline Easements

Easements last for years so property owners should consider many factors before leasing or selling Judge Jeff Cox

I got an email from a reader regarding the above referenced subject. I love to get emails from readers for two reasons.

First, it lets me know what you, the reader, want me to discuss in the articles I write.

Second, it lets me know someone actually reads the articles I write. So please, keep emailing and letting me know what articles you want me to write about in this column.

With the Haynesville Shale coming on line, many property owners will be asked to lease or sell a right-of-way or easement for pipelines to cross their property. The gas company will usually ask for a 50 foot easement across the property. Once this easement is granted, whether by lease or sell, the pipeline company will have access to the property via the pipeline.

The property owner must consider some

22 ď&#x192;ž August 2008 ď&#x192;ź THE BEST of TIMES

of the following factors. The first factor to consider is whether it is better to lease or sell. With a lease, the property owner must consider the length of the lease, the price per year for the lease, what can be done on the pipeline area by the property owner, and how the lease will terminate. If you sell the property for the pipeline, the property owner must understand that the property is gone, however, they may be able to negotiate to use the surface rights for grazing and other activities that do not interfere with the pipeline use. In either case, if the property is used for growing timber, trees and brush will not be allowed to grow on the pipeline as this will interfere with the pipeline use.

The next thing to consider is the value of the property lost by allowing a pipeline

easement. If you grow timber on the property, you will need to have a licensed forest appraiser come to the property and determine the value of any timber on the property at the time of the sell or lease. In addition, you will want an appraisal of any future lost income from the lease or sell of the property. If you are not growing trees and decide to sell the property, you will need an appraiser to determine the fair market value of the property lost. In addition to these appraisals, most pipeline companies will work outside of the pipeline while constructing the pipeline. The property owner will need a rental value and damages on any property outside the pipeline easement and a contractual understanding that once the pipeline is completed, no other work

can or will be done outside the pipeline easement.

Finally, the land owner must understand that this easement will usually last for a long period of time. Most companies want at least a ten year lease with an option to renew for another ten year period if they are leasing the easement. The landowner may want to consider increased lease payments for the property each time the lease is renewed. In addition, the landowner will want to have a clause that once the lease terminates, the pipeline must be removed at the expense of the oil company and any cleanup and damages caused by removal of the pipeline must be paid by the oil company.

These are some of the considerations when leasing or selling land for a pipeline.

As in every case, if you are approached by an oil company wishing to lease or buy land for a pipeline, you need to consult an attorney knowledgeable in Oil and Gas Law. The little money spent for consultation with an attorney may save you big money in the future.

Jeff Cox is the 26th Judicial District Court Judge for Bossier/Webster Parishes, Division C.

THE BEST of TIMES ď&#x192;ź August 2008 ď&#x192;ž 23

ADVICE

Don’t Throw the Baby Out With the Bathwater Examine difficult family decisions carefully Howie Brownell

“Don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater.” How many times have you heard this phrase? What were the circumstances surrounding its particular usage in the moment you heard it?

Well, we have all probably heard it in relation to our lives and the particular choices we make. I had a professor in my family therapy training program that used the phrase often in the course of teaching class. He would use it in the context of examining choices and decisions closer and more carefully. I hope to illustrate how we are influenced by these choices and how we in turn influence them and just as important, how our selections impact our families. Let’s take a look this entity we call family and the effects of some of the choices and change it goes through.

24  August 2008  THE BEST of TIMES

Families can be made up of relatives tied together by blood or those whom we rely on for care and support. This is especially relevant as we enter the second half of our lives. In most situations involving elder care, the family is one of the most neglected areas of care. Not to belittle or

berate any other areas of care, the interactions between and among family members gets little to no attention. Caregivers focus on finding physical help, medical care, financial assistance, and legal help for their elder family member but neglect the needs of other family members.

For instance, when an elderly mother goes into a nursing home there are going to be changes for her children and their families. Her daughter and son will have some difficult decisions facing them about how to be “useful” to their mother and not just “helpful” to her. This will be as much a matter of how they communicate and negotiate about their mother’s feelings and wishes as to where to “place her” and when. They will have to navigate how to deal with the simultaneous changes in the nature of many family relationships. For

them, as well as their mother, the roles may change seemingly overnight from caregiver to care receiver. The level of difficulty encountered will depend on how well they are able to talk about and respect each other’s feelings on the circumstance as it evolves. If these feelings along with the accompanying thoughts and action are not addressed in a direct, honest, and respectfully manner trouble could result.

This trouble could range from avoidance and moderate stress to complete relationship breakdown with its associated health problems and issues.

The problem is not between the ears of the people involved in these situations but within the relationships and how the family responds as a group. We are talking about a group of people who have probably been together a long time and have a lot of shared experiences. These shared experiences include healing and helpful traditions as well as hurtful experiences for all involved. It is these collective experiences which can be either a map to resource and healing or pain and suffering for the family.

Next we will explore some possible ways to utilize the resourceful and healing side of family experience. The following are a few things to consider when negotiating the difficult circumstance of an elderly family member: • Honesty – it is very important for everyone involved to acknowledge the difficult feelings associated with making stressful or difficult choices for the

elder.

• Respect – another relational attitude involves consideration and regard for the experience both internally and externally of all family members, including the identified elder.

• Negotiate – work hard to develop a plan for the elder’s care that involves input from all of the family members involved while moving toward a respectful consensus.

• Opportunity – give every one involved the chance to make a contribution that is meaningful to them.

Change is necessary when dealing with stressful situations along the road of life. Some of our priorities, habits and preferences will need to be “tweaked.”

However, some of these choices can be useful for the most part as they stand at the moment. It is my sincere prayer that your family be given strength, courage, and discernment as you seek to work together to make positive changes to your part of this journey we call life.

Howie Brownell is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with The Center for Families in Shreveport and Vivian.

THE BEST of TIMES  August 2008  25

his own vision, Palladio’s designs reflect the order and beauty of an ideal world, yet were supremely functional for his clients. In essence, he updated Roman design for the 16th century.

In the city of Vicenza, he was often called upon to incorporate an older structure into a new, larger home or public building with columns and loggia, elegant covered porches.

In the surrounding countryside, where Venetian merchants were looking to diversify their income away from the competitive sea trade, Palladio designed villas that harmonized the farming functions of the estate with his clients’ desire to have a suitably grand country home.

“Four Books” for Posterity

You know that show, “This Old House”?

It’s now also a website, magazine and - surely some day - a line of designer caulk, too. Well, I did some research and discovered that, since it’s a U.S.-based show, none of the homes on it were built before 1492. Actually, very few are from before 1800.

That’s nothing if you’re in Vicenza, Italy.

Like most European cities, Vicenza is full of buildings that were makeover candidates when our old houses were brand new. But unlike other cities, it was the hometown of the renowned architect Andrea Palladio. His villas dot the countryside, and his churches and palatial residences are scattered thickly throughout Vicenza’s city center.

Westward Expansion

Vicenza is an easy drive or train ride west from Venice. In the heart of the Veneto region of Italy, it is known for asparagus, wine, gold, and a poor stonecutter who became the most sought-after architect of the northern Italian Renaissance and whose architectural principles of proportion and function have spread over the world.

Palladio’s skill as a stonecutter led him to opportunities to design residences for noblemen who wanted to show they were hip to the renewed interest in classical Rome. Based on his meticulous measurements of Roman ruins and infused with

26  August 2008  THE BEST of TIMES

If Palladio had only been a great architect, he may well have been forgotten outside of Italy. But he was driven by larger goals.

“Palladio wanted to be thought of as not just an architect, but also an artist, a writer, a humanist,” said Guido Beltramini of the Centro Internazionale di Studi di Architettura Andrea Palladio (CISA) in Vicenza.

In 1570, Palladio published “The Four Books of Architecture,” a collection of many of his building plans with commentary. It is, ultimately, a treatise on the vital role that design plays in everyday life.

“The Four Books” resonated with Britons in the 18th century, who wrote books of their own and in turn inspired Americans.

Thomas Jefferson, for instance, considered “The Four Books” his architectural Bible.

The Great Exhibition

To celebrate Palladio’s 500th birthday, Vicenza is preparing an exhibit to “show the mystery of this strange story” of a boy from a humble family rising to immortality, said CISA’s Beltramini, co-curator of the exhibit.

In addition to showing 86 of Palladio’s original drawings, they have gathered related drawings and paintings, including works

by Raphael, El Greco and Titian. The exhibit will include coins, manuscripts, scale models and more.

The exhibit will be shown in the Palazzo Barbaran da Porto, one of Palladio’s works from 1569 in the center of Vicenza. It runs September 20, 2008 to January 31, 2009, then travels to London.

Plans for a third venue, possibly in Washington, D.C., are being finalized.

Walk Through History

The significance of the exhibit is without doubt. Yet all of Vicenza and the surrounding countryside is a living exhibit of Palladio’s works and influence.

A walking tour of the city center, which is closed to motorized vehicles, is an enlightening way to start a visit. The Vicenza tourist information office supplies professional guides on Saturdays. You can also choose one or more self-guided walking routes, accompanied by a good booklet in English, which also contains driving tours of the country villas.

If you’re in Vicenza for the art, fit in a visit to Palazzo Thiene. Because it is a working bank, tours are only by appointment on Saturdays, but they’re worth it. Besides the chance to admire Palladio’s beautiful lines, you’ll see restored frescos everywhere, a collection of coins dating back to the ninth century, two of the most monstrously odd fireplaces you’ll ever encounter, and an attic art gallery.

The Villa Life

Plenty of newer buildings - from the 1700s, for example - are worth a stop as well. The gorgeous Villa Cordellina Lombardi was completed around Jefferson’s time, but its architect deliberately used a Palladian design.

We arrived at the villa on a quiet Thursday morning. The sky was bright enough that we had to squint as our guide pointed out the “Romeo” and “Juliet” castles on the hills above. (Shakespeare stole his story from a book written by Vicenza-born Luigi da Porto.)

Our tour was informative yet not overwhelming; relaxed yet not lengthy, like an Italian supper on a summer evening, set on a Palladian-style porch overlooking the countryside.

As we stepped onto the porch, our guide helped us imagine tables being brought out for food, a breeze drifting across the garden and through open doors and windows.

“When you come to a villa, you never have to rush in,” she said. “You have to stop and look back.”

So we did. We looked back at the villa’s formal garden with its potted lemon trees, back at the green fields of corn and grapevines, and the hills beyond. It was like looking back in time, back when what is old was new.

--Angela Lehman-Rios is editor of Fifty Plus in Richmond, Virginia.

S I D E B A R

With the possible exception of art historians, preservationists, and our charmingly tireless tour guide of Vicenza’s center city, most people can take in only so many enormous old buildings before they start feeling small and ephemeral. Luckily, Vicenza and its environs have plenty of other entertainment. I also enjoyed: l Tasting wines and touring the museum and cellars at the Zonin vineyards in nearby Gambellara. l S eeing jewelry, wood carvings, ceramics and more at ViArt, a museum dedicated to the work of contemporary Vicenza-area craftspeople. l Shopping. Technically, this is not true, because I did my shopping in the Venice airport. But if you’re a true shopper, you’ll love the options in downtown Vicenza: clothing and shoes, purses, pipes, fine pens and much more. l Eating. Go with an open mind, forget the baths of red sauce. Expect an emphasis on seasonal produce and a greater variety of fish preparations than you’ll encounter in an Italian restaurant over here. Most exciting of all, during the Palladian celebrations, many restaurants are offering a menu inspired by the foods of the 1500s. For instance, instead of potatoes - a New World product - the Jerusalem artichoke offers mild, yet more flavorful alternative.

Furthermore, I can’t wait to go back so I can:

l Attend a concert or opera performance in the Teatro Olympico. l Check out the thermal springs and drive through the mountains west of Vicenza. l Drink an espresso at the restaurant in Juliet’s castle, then see a play in Romeo’s castle. l Visit Museo dei Cuchi to see (but not hear) 10,000 sculpted clay whistles from around the world.

And don’t leave yet! There are golf courses, ski slopes, discos, spas and numerous other delightful diversions.

On the Web, see www.palladio2008.info for extensive English-language information about the Palladian celebration, including three- and four-day packages. If you’d like to arrange a tour through a U.S.-based tour provider, try Select Italy at (312) 664-4200.

THE BEST of TIMES  August 2008  27

Pharmacy

Drug Muggers Zap Zinc Don’t overdo the zinc. A safe dose is about 10 - 20 mg daily with food.

Suzy Cohen, R.Ph.

I take Nexium for heartburn and enalapril (Vasotec) for blood pressure.

I’m losing my hearing and some of my hair. Now I have symptoms of an enlarged prostate so my doctor has prescribed Proscar. Will it interact with the other drugs that I’m already taking?

– L.A., Denver Colorado No, it won’t interact. But I have to tell you, your symptoms sound a lot like zinc deficiency. It used to only occur in underdeveloped countries, but today it occurs in regular folks who take ‘drug muggers’ of zinc (drugs that reduce zinc levels in the body). These include antacids, antibiotics birth control pills, hormone replacement drugs for hot flashes, acid blocking drugs (Nexium, Prilosec, Tagamet, Zantac, etc), furosemide, Lotensin, Enalapril, Atacand HCT, HCTZ (Hydrochlorothiazide) and

cholestyramine (Questran). You take two of these meds.

Telltale signs of deficiency include frequent colds or infections because zinc is necessary to fight the germs. You may have cold hands and feet, foggy thinking, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, brittle nails and worsening vision.

You may not hear or smell things as well as you used to and you may be losing your hair. You may have skin problems like acne, psoriasis, eczema, boils or very slow wound healing.

Teenage boys may need a little extra zinc as they go through puberty to ensure fertility and produce healthy sperm in their reproductive years. Zinc is great for skin and it may get those acne breakouts under control. Low zinc can cause stunted

growth, learning disabilities and mental retardation in severe cases.

Older men derive the most benefit from zinc because it helps prevent prostatitis, enlarged prostate (BPH), hair loss, hearing loss and high cholesterol.

A deficiency of zinc could spell trouble in the bedroom too.

You could benefit from zinc if you: • Have conditions that affect the brain such as epilepsy, schizophrenia, obsessive compulsive • Have an eating disorder (anorexia or bulimia) • If you drink alcohol or coffee • If you feel symptoms of a cold or flu coming on, take it at the first sneeze!

• If you fail to ovulate properly, or don’t get a regular period • If you have sickle cell anemia, Celiac disease or Irritable Bowel Syndrome Put this on your plate for more zinc: Oysters, seafood, ginger root, split peas, nuts, pumpkin, sunflower, egg yolks, whole wheat grain, and almonds. Or supplement with a good brand; zinc is found at health food stores and pharmacies nationwide. Don’t overdo the zinc because it will throw your copper out of balance. A safe dose is about 10 – 20 mg daily with food.

To My Readers: I’ve published my new book, “Real Solutions from Head to Toe.” This is a collection of my most popular columns over the years, all expanded, revised and updated. It includes a special bonus chapter about inexpensive home test kits to help you find the real solution to uncomfortable health problems once and for all. Copies available at my website.

This information is not intended to treat, cure or diagnose your condition. Suzy Cohen is the author of “The 24-Hour Pharmacist.” For more information, visit www.DearPharmacist.com. © 2008 Suzy Cohen, RPh. Distributed by Dear Pharmacist, Inc.

28  August 2008  THE BEST of TIMES

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30  August 2008  THE BEST of TIMES

Baby boomers are reaching or nearing retirement age in record numbers.

Most of them don’t want to just sit in front of the TV and are not yet ready to cruise the country in an RV (not many could afford that option with current gas prices nearing the stratosphere).

Many people who served in the military or worked for the federal government are still young when they retire, just 50 or 55 years old. When that fact is taken into consideration, recent reports released by AARP/Rand Corp. aren’t that surprising.

Those reports state the finding that entrepreneurship among seniors is growing. In 2002, the rate of self-employment for the workforce was 10.2 percent (13.8 million workers), but the rate for workers aged 50 was 16.4 percent (5.6 million workers).

Although those age 50 made up 25 percent of the workforce, they comprised 40 of the self-employed. “Solo business formation in the future will be driven by people who take early retirement or whose jobs just disappear,” stated the report.

But, after years of working for others and having them deal with payroll, taxes and regulations, how does one go about choos-

ing what to do in a second-career as a business owner? The idea of being your own boss is exciting, but can be nerve-racking at the same time.

Rest assured that there are local organizations whose sole purpose is to give first time entrepreneurs a leg up. And, it is important to remember that while advancing age might be a detriment when you are trying to join a rugby team, it is an attribute when it comes to starting your own business.

Lisa Johnson, executive director of Bossier Chamber of Commerce, said she hasn’t noticed an increase in entrepreneurs over the age of 50 in the area, but said it is a demographic in which you do see entrepreneurship.

As to the benefits of being older and starting a post retirement business, Johnson said the years in the workforce that an older adult has under their belt can provide them with something their younger counterparts lack.

“Wisdom is always a key factor,” Johnson said. “(Retirees) have actually lived through the ins and outs of a business, seen the problems and issues of employees, and the challenges and opportunities of the labor work force.”

Johnson pointed out that retireTHE BEST of TIMES  August 2008  31

ment age is such a broad range these days, with some jobs enabling, or requiring, retirement when employees are only in their 40s. But, even at a relatively young retirement age, those years in the workforce teach valuable lessons that can be applied to starting a new business.

“You have walked the walk, so you know what to expect because of the wisdom that you have instilled in (yourself) and have encountered,” she said. “You have that from holding previous jobs, be it from a front-line employee all the way up to a management position. So, at a retirement age, if you choose to open up your own business, then you know how you want to treat your employees, how you want to treat your customers and what kind of customer service you want to offer.”

Debra Wayt, senior vice president of membership and marketing at the Greater Shreveport Chamber of Commerce, said she has not noticed a marked increase in retirees starting their own businesses, but that the chamber does counsel a diverse group of people. She, too, believes that there are benefits to beginning a business after years of working for others.

“I would think they would have enough experience to know what the downsides of being in your own business are,” she said. “They would probably do more homework upfront before they even started their business.

They would probably have a stronger foundation getting started. I don’t think they would be walking into something blind.”

These older entrepreneurs, she said, understand that there is a need to have financial backing, a strong marketing plan and a business plan in place. If a person is aware that they need those things lined out, but not sure how to approach it, the chamber can help, Wayt said.

The Greater Shreveport Chamber of Commerce, in conjunction with LSU-S, Southern University, the city of Shreveport and the Bossier Chamber of Commerce, sponsors the BEST program (Business Entrepreneurial Skilled Training Program). This 12-week pro-

32  August 2008  THE BEST of TIMES

gram is tailored for those people who have never had their own business, or they have done something in a home-based way and want a commercial site. The program covers the basics of what it takes to start or expand your own business.

One thing Wayt noticed a few years ago was an increasing number of older adults who began their own consulting businesses in the same fields they had worked in for years. It is always wise to use the knowledge you already have when beginning a new business and consulting is a way to do that.

“When some of these major corporations stared downsizing, or right-sizing as they call it, people started taking the early retirement package,” she said. “I am sure that from that a lot of people became consultants because you would see people still working in that environment and they were consulting for the company. They started their own business. If it is something they have done for 20, 30 years, then certainly they can be a consultant because of their experience in that market. You see a lot of seniors become consultants.”

An excellent local resource for a retiree who wishes to start his/her own business is the LSU-S Small Business Development Center (SBDC). The center is a resource available for those who want to start a business or improve their present business or business skills. Among the services that the center offers are one-on-one counseling, business and marketing planning, market research, record keeping aids, workshops and seminars. If you don’t know the first thing about writing a business plan or applying for financing, they can help. They are also there to counsel about the daily minutiae involved in running a business, such as bookkeeping. There is also an extensive resource library.

Cooper Cochran is director of the SBDC and wishes more people used the services they offer. The counseling is free of charge and the educational programs are low cost.

About half of the center’s clientele is over the age of 50, and that has been true for some time, Cochran said.

Like Wayt and Johnson, Cochran believes there are benefits to being an older entrepreneur. One of those benefits is having an established credit history; something

many people don’t realize is very important.

“Basically, their (older entrepreneurs) historical data is going to play a bigger part in the process,” he said. “Normally it is an advantage to have that good history and good past and good credit rating.”

It is generally easier for an older adult to secure financing - if they have a good credit history.

“If you have bad credit, it doesn’t make any difference whether you are young or old,” Cochran added.

A trend Cochran has seen is that older adults generally have a good understanding of their background and their credit history. The younger generation often doesn’t realize the effect their credit history has in their life.

When it comes to choosing exactly what business a person wants to start, Cochran said it has to be something the person will enjoy doing with their time.

People don’t always get to work at something they enjoy when employed by others. To put food on the table and clothes on their children’s backs, they have to make enough money to pay bills. After retirement, if they want to continue working, they can choose to do something they enjoy. Some of that pressure of providing for a family has been removed, but they do still want to come out in the black.

One of the main reasons it is important to pick a business that is enjoyable is because owning your own business is a 24 hour a day, seven day a week commitment.

“It is completely different from a job where you can walk out at 5 o’clock and have a new life,” Cochran said. “When you own your own business, at 5 o’clock you still own your own business. You are still worried about who didn’t pay their bill that day, or what you could have done to make that sale. That is the biggest part of it. It is very time consuming.”

Guy Moore, a volunteer with SCORE (Service Corps of Retired Executives), agrees with Cochran that the demands of owning your own business are immense.

“I had my own insurance agency for 40 years,” Moore said, “40 of the 47 years I was in the business. People just have no idea what it means to be

in business for yourself. Make that Friday payroll and pay those bills on the 10th. Do everything in between. Keep the personnel happy. There are just gillions of things you have got to do and people don’t realize it.”

SCORE is a volunteer staffed service for those who wish to start their own business or expand their current business. The staff of volunteers is retired from a variety of fields.

When someone calls for an appointment, they are paired with a retiree from the field they are interested in, so they benefit from that person’s years of experience and knowledge.

Moore said there are a few common mistakes that many entrepreneurs make. One of the biggest is a lack of capital.

“We have people that come in and want to start a business and they have enough to last 60 days,” he said. “You ought to have at least a year’s worth of financial structure in order to do something. You can’t make it in this day and time (with less).”

It is also important for an entrepreneur to understand what their interests are.

“If there is a question, go take some psychological profiles and find out what your interests are,” Moore said. “Some people have a hidden interest and they just don’t know it is there. It has got to be found, some way, some how.”

Finally, Moore said he too often sees people who lack a business plan. SCORE has an outline for writing a business plan and will also direct people to the LSU-S SBDC for further help.

He cautions that the client has to be willing to do the work himself, though.

“You have to do something for yourself,” he said.

“If you are going into business for yourself, you have got to be Johnny-on-the-spot.”

While owning your own business is can be a challenge, and a 24/7 challenge at that, Moore said that there are many truly wonderful things about being your own boss.

“It is rewarding to know that you have accomplished something THE BEST of TIMES  August 2008  33

(Continued from previous page)

in your own right and that you have been successful. You have helped other people; mentored other people.

Treated people decent in your business and helped them make a living in order that they could help their families. It is a wonderful feeling. Knowing that you have succeeded and not being crude about your competitor but knowing that maybe you lasted longer than he or she did. You can hang your hat on that.”

People can avail themselves of the services offered by SCORE as many times as needed. Moore said they encourage people to come back and share with them how their business is going.

Cochran said the SBDC encourages entrepreneurs to spend a great deal of time doing their research and making sure their business idea is feasible. They caution against taking a second mortgage on your house or cashing in your 401K to finance the business. But, just because you shouldn’t touch your 401K or home equity, doesn’t make those things less of an advantage to an older adult starting business.

“All of these things are an advantage, normally, to an older person starting a new business,” he said. “They have some equity in their home. They have, perhaps, a retirement plan. In some cases they are doing this to supplement their income because they have some retirement already. It is easier sometimes for an older person to start a business, because they have some of those advantages or are taking advantage of some opportunities that they have had earlier in life that some young folks don’t have.”

Cochran most often sees retirees gravitate to starting a business similar to what they have done as a career. It is smart to put that knowledge and experience to use.

“We see that a great deal now with Department of Defense and military people. They are tired of being shot at and shooting at folks. In some cases it is not the man or woman or the service

34  August 2008  THE BEST of TIMES

member, it is their spouse or family that are saying enough is enough. We are seeing an increase in that segment of the population seeking to start their business. We are seeing that not only from Barksdale, but Army and Navy - the whole Department of Defense realm.”

While there hasn’t been a local increase in older adults starting their own business, that doesn’t mean the local numbers won’t soon start to reflect the increase seen nationally. Thankfully, for those in this area, resources like SCORE and the SBDC are here to offer assistance and guidance.

If it has always been your dream to own your own business and be your own boss, know that it is hard work and carries with it much responsibility. But, remember too that it is rewarding and that this is one area where your extra years can work to your advantage. |

THE BEST of TIMES  August 2008  35

It surely comes as no news to you that gasoline prices are beginning to cripple American life, changing it in ways big and small. These changes are just beginning, and it’s obvious already that things will never be the same again. Oil prices have been skyrocketing due to the disastrous policies of the oil men currently running American politics and policies, the weakening dollar and s o a r i n g demand for fuel from China and India as those two giants enter their own Great Industrial Age. Our access to “cheap” oil is at an end, as we join the rest of the world in paying through the nose for it.

But that doesn’t mean you have to take it lying down.

While the continually soaring prices gives us ugly flashbacks to the “oil shortages” of the mid-70s and again in the summer of 1980, we may not be in a mood this time to abandon the efficient little cars we were then driven to but gave up as gasoline prices dropped to within an “acceptable comfort zone.” (Anybody want another helping of such insults as the Ford Pinto?) Bring on the Hummers!

Bring on the Explorers! Bring on the 500hp V8s! Today, however, there is very little “comfort” in a $100+ fill-up.

Here are some good tips on how to fight back, how to conserve, how to get to your job and back without having to give up the habit of, say, eating.

As Kermit reminded, it ain’t easy being green. But note that it is getting worth it to try a little harder.

--Mike Jameson for The Best of Times

36  August 2008  THE BEST of TIMES

1. Use the fuel recommended by your owner’s manual. Some people actually think they’re doing their car a favor by upgrading to mid-grade or premium.

HA! Exxon-Mobile loves such ignorance.

A quick check of the manual will tell you the type of gasoline that’s exactly right for your car.

2. Properly-inflated tires are important for safe driving, but they’re also a big part of efficient driving. Under-inflated tires need more energy to roll, which wastes fuel and makes the tires wear faster. A good tire pressure gauge costs less than a gallon of gas and will save you many more.

(Look for stations offering free air.)

3. Use the correct grade of motor oil.

Your owner’s manual will tell you which type is best for your car. Also remember to look for oil labeled “Energy Conserving” on the API performance symbol.

4. Replace dirty air filters.

A clogged air filter can reduce gas mileage, so make sure it’s checked during the next oil change.

5. If your engine is poorly maintained, your gas mileage will drop dramatically. Follow the recommended maintenance schedule in your owner’s manual and have your vehicle checked out if you detect any unusual sounds, smells or vibrations.

6. Lighten your load.

Extra weight requires extra fuel, so if there’s anything in your trunk or cargo area that you don’t need, take it out and store it in your garage or basement.

7. Your engine warms up faster while driving than while sitting and “warming up,” so don’t

let your vehicle sit at idle for more than 30 seconds. Start it up, drive it, then shut it off to conserve fuel.

Also, remember to combine as many errands as possible into one trip.

8. Don’t run the air conditioning unless you really need it. Using the A/C robs power from the engine and uses additional fuel. On cooler spring and fall days, open the windows and experiment with the vent and fan settings during short trips. At highway speeds, however, an open window adds drag and harms fuel economy. If you’re taking the highway on a hot afternoon, use the AC. 9. Tip: Reduce aerodynamic drag.

Unused ski racks, bike racks and cartop carriers create added wind resistance, which makes your vehicle’s engine work harder. Not using them? Remove them!

10. Your vehicle’s fuel efficiency decreases rapidly at speeds above 60 mph. Once you’re up to speed, maintain a steady pace in top gear and use cruise control. Keeping your vehicle at a steady speed is a great way to stay safe and save gas.

11. Use overdrive gears on the highway. Overdrive gears reduce engine speed, saving fuel and reducing engine wear.

12. Relax! Aggressive driving -- speeding, rapid acceleration, hard braking -- are sure ways to reduce your gas mileage. Driving smoothly and steadily saves fuel and also extends the life of your engine, transmission, brakes and tires.

13. Obviously, shop around. Most gas stations carry the same quality fuel, so as long as you’re already on the road, keep an eye out for the lowest price. 

THE BEST of TIMES  August 2008  37

Like many people, as Alvaro Pertuz began to near retirement, he also began to think about what that would mean to himself and his wife. At 53, and with 27 years working for a quick service restaurant, Pertuz knew he would soon need to make a decision about exactly what retirement would entail.

He and his wife, Marta, spent a lot of time talking about and considering their options.

They considered moving to another county where the cost of living is lower, such as Honduras. They considered selling their Haughton home and moving to a smaller house. But, Pertuz said, after enjoying a certain standard of living, they did not want to give that up. They began to think about opening their own business, a restaurant, maybe. Still, there were so many unknowns.

“At the place we were then, (we wondered) when would retirement happen,” Pertuz said. “The way the stock market goes…it is hard to get a handle on when to retire, with so many uncertainties going on. You might think you have enough assets, but you don’t want your lifestyle to change.”

Then, last July, Pertuz and Marta celebrated her birthday in a restaurant on Line Avenue. After the meal, everyone wanted dessert, but the desserts on the menu just weren’t quite what they wanted.

38  August 2008  THE BEST of TIMES

Everyone wanted ice cream and they soon discovered that there was no longer a Baskin-Robbins nearby. That got them to thinking.

The couple applied for a BaskinRobbins franchise and was accepted.

Pertuz is excited and said the brand is experiencing revitalization and has recently gone through a rebranding.

“They have a very good business model and name recognition around here,” he said. “I believe it is the right brand, right town, and the right things are going on here at this time.”

When the new Target shopping center opened at the intersection of I-220 and Airline Drive, Pertuz and his wife instantly knew that is where they wanted to open their new business.

The busy shopping center will mean lots of potential ice cream fans will drive by everyday. The couple also purchased a store development area, and has the rights to develop both Bossier and Shreveport.

The couple went out to California for a four week training program. They said it was a very challenging program, especially since Baskin-Robbins means much more than just ice cream these days. Their new store will feature ice cream, but also serve smoothies, blasts, and the new soft serve the company has recently rolled out. And of course, ice cream cakes will be made and decorated.

Pertuz has big plans for the business, and hopes to have three separate facets operating by next year: retail, catering and the ice cream cake business.

The planned opening date is Labor Day weekend and the couple has been busy signing people up for the birthday club, which entitles the club member to a free scoop on his birthday.

As he nears retirement, and at the same time, comes closer to being a business owner, Pertuz admits it is both exciting and scary.

“You are giving up the security of corporate benefits and a pay check every two weeks that has never failed in 27 years,” he said.

Now he will be responsible for the payroll of others who will depend on him.

Still, even with the added responsibility, Pertuz is visibly excited.

“I used to not follow the area market much, but now, with this, I am studying it and getting very excited. It is an area with a lot of growth and a lot of growth potential. There are a lot of good people,” said Pertuz.

Pertuz said his goal is to work for his present company until 2010 or 2011, while Marta takes care of the store full time. He will be putting in his hours on weekends and during vacations. Then, when the store is viable and producing a steady cash flow, he will retire from his job and become a full-time presence in his own business.

He has joined the Bossier Chamber of Commerce and is a step ahead of many first-time business owners since he has 27 years of experience with marketing and developing business plans. He also has plenty of experience with customer service, something he considers key to a successful business.

“Customer service will make it special,” he said. “(You) need to take care of your employees. Offer training and look at it as an investment, not as an expense. We want long term employees and have already sketched out incentives for 90 days, 180 days, etc.”

Pertuz is looking forward to developing and growing the business and, most of all, being his own boss.

For others thinking of starting their own business, he has some advice.

“Research, write up a game plan, and stick to the game plan,” he said. “It is also important to find something you enjoy and that is why we are doing this.”

Oh, and if you need advice on which flavor of ice cream to pick in his store, he can advise you on that as well. His favorite is peanut butter chocolate and Marta loves both pralines and cream and butter pecan.

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THE BEST of TIMES ď&#x192;ź August 2008 ď&#x192;ž 39

FREE Gym Membership for MEDICARE BENEFICIARIES We will pay for your gym membership at participating fitness centers!

Learn how you can exercise the great benefits of Sterling Forever Fit. Membership at participating gyms is automatic for people enrolled in any Sterling Medicare Advantage health plan.

Call today

1-866-217-3666 TTY available at

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Underwritten by Sterling Life Insurance Company A Medicare-approved, Medicare Advantage Private Fee For Service plan. Anyone entitled to Medicare Part A and enrolled in Medicare Part B may apply. A Medicare Advantage Private Fee For Service plan works differently than a Medicare Supplement plan. Your doctor or hospital must agree to accept the plan’s terms and conditions prior to providing healthcare services to you, with exception of emergencies. If your doctor or hospital does not agree to accept our payment terms and conditions, they may not provide healthcare services to you, except in emergencies.

Providers can find the plan’s terms and conditions on our website at: www.sterlingplans.com (or the direct link to the provider terms and conditions of payment can be found online at: https://secure.sterlingplans.com/providers/pdf/ tandc.pdf).

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40  August 2008  THE BEST of TIMES

FITNESS

Moving Free® With Mirabai Dance Yourself Fit: The Magic of Movement Mirabai Holland

America is experiencing a dance renaissance. Thanks to the success of TV shows like “Dancing With The Stars” and “So You Think You Can Dance”, people are starting to dance again.

In this era of personal trainers and hitech exercise equipment, dance exercise classes and videos are resurging to new heights of popularity.

From ancient times people enjoyed coming together to move and communicate non-verbally. Looking back at the history of dance virtually every community gained togetherness by dancing to insure a good harvest, asking for rain, or celebrating a season. There are folk dances representing movement styles from every part of the world.

Expressive movement comes from a natural place within us. We’re all born knowing how to move. It’s innate, part of our humanity. As kids, we stamp our feet when angry, flail our bodies when frustrated and jump for joy. Humans have been expressing themselves through movement since the beginning of time.

That movement has a purpose. It was never suppose to go away. But somehow, our so-called modern culture saw that release of tension, that form of human expression as primitive. So we have been repressing it for hundreds of years.

Our technology has brought us some great things. But it negates that part of who

we are. We hardly have to move anymore and so we don’t - until we see ourselves falling apart at middle age.

Turns out, movement was never primitive at all!

It’s primal! Primal is natural. Primal is good.

It’s part of who we are, what we’re meant to be.

Studies show that expressive movement can help heal physical ailments and relieve psychological trauma. It can also get you fit, and Fitness = Longevity.

Get back in touch with that part of yourself that knows how to move, and feel better because of it.

Tap into that mind-body connection that’s been there waiting for you. Release yourself from the conventional hard-body

exercise experience.

Get back to your roots at this important time in your life. It’s as simple as turning on some music and dancing to the beat. Go ahead.

Dance yourself fit.

Mirabai Holland M.F.A. is one of the leading authorities in the Health & Fitness industry, and public health activist who specializes in preventive and rehabilitative exercise for women. Her Moving Free™ approach to exercise is designed to provide a movement experience so pleasant it doesn’t feel like work. Mirabai can be reached at: www.movingfree.com. © 2008

THE BEST of TIMES  August 2008  41

42  August 2008  THE BEST of TIMES

THE BEST of TIMES  August 2008  43

Nursing Home Care

How can people partner with healthcare centers to make them a better place to live?

Visit, visit, and visit. Choose a healthcare center and indicate your interest to the Administrator, Activities or Social Services Director. Indicate if you have any special talent or gift, or if you just want to befriend someone. They can likely find a need you can fill that will give some residents a smile and a sense of gratification for you.

Vicki Ott

NurseCare Nursing and Rehab Center 1736 Irving Place; Shreveport, LA 71101 (318) 221-1983 Please see our ad on page 62.

Neurosurgery

Who are candidates for balloon kyphoplasty to relieve back problems?

The best candidates for balloon kyphoplasty are those who have new (within a few days or a couple of weeks) fracture. Fractures are most common in older patients with osteoporosis and the typical symptom is severe, immediate onset back pain. Kyphoplasty has to be one of the most satisfying procedures - there is practically immediate relief in most cases, and people go home with only 2 tiny needle incisions. We treat other back-related problems which affect pain down the legs of ‘fatiguing” down the legs, and not every patient needs surgery - just an honest assessment.

Dr. Ravish Patwardhan The Comprehensive Neurosurgery Network 8001 Youree Drive, Suite 970 Shreveport, LA 71115; (318) 797-5543 www.neurosurgery.ws; www.theins.net

Opthalmology

I have heard about a couple of supplements that have been advertised on the radio that may help with eye problems. Can they help me?

This is a very common question. Certain forms of Macular Degeneration can be helped by using high doses of antioxidant vitamins. A daily multivitamin and a healthy diet is usually enough to satisfy the daily requirements. If you have been diagnosed with Macular Degeneration, you can purchase Ocuvite or other eye vitamins at a health food store or drug store.

Regardless of your ocular status, it’s always a good idea to take a daily multivitamin.

Christopher Shelby, MD Pierremont Eye Institute 7843 Youree Dr., Shreveport, LA 1105 318-212-3937; www.ShelbyEye.com Please see our ad on page 29.

Orthopaedics (Bone and Joint)

What are the symptoms and treatment of torn cartilage?

Meniscus tears are the most common surgical condition involving the knee. Medial meniscus (inside) tears are 3 - 4 times more common than lateral tears (outside). The meniscus support 50% of the body weight with the knee extended and 90% with the knee flexed 90°. Because the meniscus supports body weight every attempt should be made to repair or maintain as much meniscus tissue as possible. Popping, giving way, locking, tenderness at the joint line, stiffness, and swelling are some of the signs/symptoms of cartilage tears. Arthroscopic surgery is generally done on an outpatient basis and recovery is from a few days to a weeks.

John J. Ferrell, M.D. Mid South Orthopaedics 7925 Youree Drive, Suite 210 Shreveport, LA 71105 (318) 424-3400

Food Bank

Social Security

Is it true that if you have low income you can get help paying Medicare premiums?

Yes. If your income and resources are limited, your state may be able to help with your Medicare Part B premium, deductibles and coinsurance amounts. State rules vary, so contact your state or local medical assistance, social services or welfare office, or call the Medicare hotline, 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) and ask about the Medicare Savings Programs. If you have limited income and resources, you also may be eligible for help paying for Prescription Drug Coverage under Medicare Part D. Call Social Security at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-3250778) or visit www.socialsecurity.gov.

Dora Miller, Public Affairs Specialist Social Security Administration 318-676-3173; fax 318-676-3141 dora.miller@ssa.gov

44  August 2008  THE BEST of TIMES

How can I help?

Make a tax-deductible donation to support Food Bank programs Sponsor a child in the BackPack Program for $150 a year Provide a senior citizen with a box of food each month for $100 a year Coordinate a food drive Take a tour of our facility and share your experience with others Distribute Food Bank information at your church, information fair, or special event VOLUNTEER Food Bank of NWLA

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2307 Texas Avenue Shreveport, LA 71103 Phone: (318) 675-2400 Email: info @ foodbanknla.org

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East Texas Eye Doctor Helps Legally Blind to See Again Diplomate in Low Vision Care trains Dr. Larry Chism to help those with macular degeneration to keep reading and driving.

By Elena Lombardi Freelance Writer

Donald Paquette, 72, a former assessor from Anaheim, California thought that his driving days were over. “I could not read the street signs soon enough and I couldn’t pass the vision test at the DMV office.”

Gonzalo Garcia, 74, Albuquerque, New Mexico, wanted to be able to read and write more easily. He wanted to see the nails and screws when he tried to use them in home repairs. He wanted see his grandchildren singing in the church choir. But he thought those days were over when he was diagnosed with Macular Degeneration.

California Optometrist, Dr. Richard J. Shuldiner and East Texas optometrist, Dr. Larry Chism, are using miniaturized binoculars or telescopes to help people who have lost vision from macular degeneration or other eye conditions.

“Some of my patients consider us the last stop for people who have vision loss,” said Dr. Chism, a low vision optometrist who has just completed training with Dr. Shuldiner in California.

“Amazing!” says Donald. “I can read the street signs twice as far as I did before and even see the television better!” Dr. Shuldiner also provided special prismatic reading glasses to make the newspaper a little easier to read.

Macular Degeneration is the most common eye disease amongst the senior population. As many as 25% of those over 65 have some degree

Carole Buckels wearing bioptic telescope driving glasses. of degeneration. The macula is one small part of the entire retina, but it is the most sensitive and gives us sharp images.

When it degenerates, Macular Degeneration leaves a blind spot right in the center of vision making it impossible to recognize faces, read a book, or pass the drivers vision test.

The experts do not know what causes macular degeneration. But major factors include UV light from the sun, smoking, aging, and improper nutrition.

Vitamins can help. The results of two studies, AREDS and LAST demonstrated a lowered risk of progression by about 25% when treated with a high-dose combination of vitamins.

A new, proprietary supplement based on the scientific studies is available from these doctors.

Nine out of ten people who have macular degeneration have the dry type. There is no medical treatment except for vitamins. The wet type involves leaky blood vessels that can sometimes be sealed with hot or cold laser. Unfortunately it’s a temporary fix. Newer treatments, such as Macugen injections try to prevent leakage.

“Our job is to figure out everything and anything possible to keep a person functioning,” says Dr. Chism.

“Whether it’s driving, reading, watch-

ing television, seeing faces, playing bridge…we work with whatever is on the persons “wish list”.

Even if it’s driving. Louisiana and Texas allow the use of telescopic glasses for safer driving.

Carole Buckles, 71 of Arcadia, California came on the advise of a friend. “I wanted to be able to keep driving and do the fun things in life.”

One of those fun things is baseball.

“I love going to baseball games and now I can see those close plays again,” she says.

Bioptic Telescopic glasses were prescribed to read signs and see traffic lights farther away. As Carole puts it, “These telescope glasses not only allows me to read signs from a farther distance, but makes driving much easier. I’ve also used them to watch television so I don’t have to sit so close. Definitely worth the $1975 cost. I don’t know why I waited two years to do this; I should have come sooner.”

“Telescopic glasses usually cost over $2000”, says Dr. Shuldiner, “especially if we build them with an automatic sunglass”.

Not all low vision devices are that expensive. Reading glasses start at $500 and hand magnifiers under $100. Every case is different because people have different levels of vision and different desires.

Dr. Chism also provides special prismatic reading glasses to make the newspaper a little easier to read.

Dr. Larry Chism speaks to every patient on the telephone before scheduling the one hour low vision evaluation appointment.

Call Dr. Chism, toll free, at 1-888-243-2020 for a FREE telephone interview.

THE BEST of TIMES  August 2008  45

It’s Not Easy Being Green

Air Biosphere Community Conservation Ecology Ecosystem Endangered Energy Environment Erosion Food Global warming Green Habitat Naturalist Ozone Pollution Population Recycle Resources Soil Waste Water

Sudoku

Gentle Thoughts for Today

Fill in the blank squares in the grid, making sure that every row, column, and 3 x 3 box includes all digits 1 through 9. (Solution on page 48)

46  August 2008  THE BEST of TIMES

Birds of a feather flock together and poo on your car.

A penny saved is a government oversight.

The older you get, the tougher it is to lose weight, because by then your body and your fat have gotten to be really good friends.

The easiest way to find something lost around the house is to buy a replacement.

If you can smile when things go wrong, you have someone in mind to blame.

The sole purpose of a child’s middle name is so he can tell when he’s really in trouble.

The older we get, the fewer things seem worth waiting in line for.

Some people try to turn back their odometers. Not me, I want people to know ‘why’ I look this way. I’ve traveled a long way and some of the roads weren’t paved.

First you forget names, then you forget faces. Then you forget to pull up your zipper. It’s worse when you forget to pull it down.

ACROSS 1 Post-op. recovery prog.

6 Ugandan despot Amin 9 Twangy guitarist Eddy 14 State of India 19 Acceptable excuse 20 Heat exchanger 22 Replay gimmick 23 Wish me luck!

25 Citrus fruits 26 Gasteyer of “SNL” 27 As soon as 28 Barnyard fowl 29 Mimi who is Cruise’s ex 30 “Raging Bull” boxer 32 Hebrew month 33 Burgundy wine 34 Stop what you’re doing!

38 Daughter of Loki 41 Chummy 44 High-fiber fruit 45 Break fast?

46 Italian boyfriend 48 Turkish title 49 Use a sieve 51 Elroy Jetson’s dog 53 Ecclesiastical council 54 “Exodus” character 55 Vigorously 58 Eyeball impolitely 59 Atwood or Thatcher 61 Memo phrase 62 Like last night’s pajamas?

64 Spelling of “Trick” 65 Osprey’s cousin 67 German-French Dadaist Jean 69 Currency exchange fee 70 Einstein’s field 73 Gudrun’s poetic victim 75 Makes more rewarding 79 Miss from the Highlands

80 No holds barred 83 __-de-France 84 Laxative derived from aloe 86 Out of kilter 87 Priestly vestments 88 Tennis situation 89 Arizona city 90 Coast of Morocco 91 Commit perjury 92 Slammin’ Sammy 93 Yes vote 94 All the bells and whistles 100 Commotions 102 Ages and ages and ages 103 Study group 107 “The Blue__” 109 Twinned crystal 111 “One __ Beyond” 112 Kimono sash 113 Like an old woman 114 Not directed at you 117 Portuguese ladies 118 Right to enter 119 Corpulent 120 Gut-wrenching feeling 121 Assail 122 Part of PST 123 Marginal writings

DOWN 1 1986 Indy winner 2 Actress Verdugo 3 U.S. Grant’s first name 4 Penny picture?

5 Intolerance 6 Frozen region 7 Medicinal quantity 8 Wayside stopover 9 Way around 10 Immoral 11 Sale-tag notation 12 State bird of Hawaii 13 Fraction of a joule

JUST ONE OF THOSE

By Josiah Breward, Scranton, Pennsylvania; Edited by Wayne Robert Williams

(Solution on page 48)

14 Provided that 15 Irish bay 16 A skeleton in the closet 17 Part of OAS 18 Playwright Hart 21 Fairway bend 24 Suspicious of 29 Dog’s first name 31 Old music halls 32 Madonna title role 33 Mountaineer’s spikes 35 Overrefined 36 Leash 37 Mata of spydom 39 Pathogenic bacteria 40 Waterproof cloth

41 Address for a lady 42 Taj Mahal site 43 Approximate age 47 Nearsighted 49 Watergate judge 50 Eisenhower 51 Writer Rand 52 Overtax 55 Currency of Georgia 56 Final innings 57 Scowls 60 Talk of the town 63 Sponsorship 66 Endorse 68 Long John Silver feature 70 Rio de la __ 71 Bill __ and the

Comets 72 Trapper’s traps 74 Fleur-de-__ 76 Frisco hill 77 Lamb’s pen name 78 Transmit 81 Norse giant 82 Makes headway 85 Most in want 88 Opposing position 91 Tablecloths and sheets 92 Animated Homer or Bart 95 Intl. broadcasters 96 Computer geek 97 One seeing the whole as greater

than the sum of its parts 98 Belgian seaport 99 Not e’en once 101 Earthenware crocks 104 Song for nine 105 Humiliate 106 Stirs to anger 107 Art of the absurd 108 In due time 109 Fashion 110 $ dispensers 111 Dalmatian feature 114 Catch red- handed 115 Army rcts.

116 Seller’s $ equivocation

THE BEST of TIMES  August 2008  47

Have you made prearrangements for your family, or do you still have that to do?

Leaving these decisions to your children on the worst day of their lives is a terrible emotional burden.

Call Today To Receive a FREE Family Planning Portfolio

Hill Crest Memorial 601 Hwy. 80 East Haughton, LA 71037 (318) 949-9415

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Photo Credits

Cover - “Monarch Butterfly” © Carol Gering | iStockphoto.com Page 8 - “Money” © Pakhnyushchyy | Dreamstime.com Page 10 - “Online Pharmacy” © Yanik Chauvin | Dreamstime.com Page 12 - “Beautiful middle-aged woman” © Serghei Starus | Dreamstime.com Page 13 - “Senior couple relaxing with glass of wine” © Monkey Business Images |

Dreamstime.com Page 14 - “Butterfly” © Yong Chen | Dreamstime.com Page 20 - “Social Security Benefits” © Albert Lozano | Dreamstime. com Page 22 - “Oil Pipeline” © FreeDigitalPhotos.net Page 32 - 33 - “Green Butterflies” © Tatyana Okhitina | Dreamstime. com Page 32 - “Senior businesswoman undecided” © Juriah Mosin | Dreamstime.com Page 33 - “Monarch Chrysalis” © Patty Jenks | Dreamstime.com Page 32, 34 - “Caterpillar” © Vinicius Tupinamba | Dreamstime. com Page 58 - “Butterflies flying” © Maa-illustrations | Dreamstime. com

48  August 2008  THE BEST of TIMES

Puzzle Solutions {from pages 56 - 57}

THE BEST of TIMES  August 2008  49

You could walk into Albasha and get a big, juicy cheeseburger and a generous side of crispy French fries for lunch or dinner, but why on earth would you do such a thing?! Burgers and fries are such a Homer Simpson “D’OH!” moment when a world of exotic and wonderful tastes are offered on the same menu.

ALBASHA is a small chain originating in Baton Rouge, with six or seven links, including the one in Shreveport we visited for dinner one recent Saturday night, even though, according to their dated website, it doesn’t exist.

Upon being seated, we found ourselves lucky enough to be served by Tisha, a lively, informed and very welcoming young lady. She was determined that we were going to have a fabulous dinner. And, of course, we did.

When encountering “exotic” foods, it’s always a good idea to have a guide.

Since Tina and Gary Calligas (the editor and the publisher of this magazine) are proud Greek-Americans, raised with home-made Greek food, they served our cause well. Their taste-memories proved a reliable ruler.

Rather than ordering a round of appetizers, followed by four main courses, each and worthy of individual comment, we got creative and ordered the ALBASHA MEZE, which is shorthand for what can only be described as a feast.

Offered in two sizes ($25.95 for two and $35.95 for three), Tisha assured us that the Meze for Three would adequately feed four. And she was right.

handly ball of cracked wheat mixed with ground meat, pine nuts and onion). These were served with Grecian Sauce, which was the expected cucumber dip made with sour cream, garlic and Greek spices. Extra Kibbie stood in for the Fried Falafel, which they were out of on our visit. Baskets of warm (if store-bought) pita bread served as a platform for all this goodness.

Garlic lovers that we are, both the Baba Ghanouj and the hummos could have used even more, but we can understand management not wanting to frighten Shreveporters. Appreciation of bolder strokes can take time.

Such a meal of epic flavors needed equally epic desserts to put a topper on it, and our choices of Baklava and Ashta filled that bill nicely. Their other choices of Tiramisu or a slice of Chocolate Cake didn’t seem to fit our particular meal.

The classic recipe of filo pastry filled with walnuts and honey that is Baklava, and the phyllo dough triangle filled with flavored cream cheese called Ashta are surely all one needs to fill your head with visions of far-away lands and fantastic

It’s a nice looking place, with murals on the walls and comfy chairs. The large restaurant space is made a little more intimate by being divided by low walls into smaller dining rooms, each holding six or so tables.

Ceiling-lights so bright you could land a 747 in the dining room glare down on cloth tablecloths that are covered in vinyl. While this makes clean-up easier for the staff and lowers the laundry bills for the restaurant, the plastic seems to negate the intended luxurious feel of the cloth beneath. But no matter, I guess, as soon plates of food covered every square inch anyway.

Out came the parade of food, starting with large Feta salads, hummos dip (chick peas blended with Tahini, lemon juice and garlic), Baba Ghanouj (a dip of broiled eggplant, garlic, Tahini and lemon juice). Then came the stuffed grape leaves, cabbage rolls, chicken Shawarma (boneless chicken marinated in garlic, olive oil and Lebanese spices, cut into thin slices), and sheaves of gyro meat (a tasty blend of ground lamb and ground beef which is vertically broiled and then sliced thinly, usually for those famous Greek sandwiches). Heaps of perfect rice arrived with a platter of Fried Kibbi (a

flavors.

You could win a bar bet based on the fact that most folks simply wouldn’t believe that a collection of authentic Greek / Lebanese restaurants are found in the heart of Louisiana, of all places.

While we may have a mild kvetch or two, we really love this wonderful gem of a place, and you will, too. Welcome!

Exclusive to THE BEST OF TIMES by Mike Jameson. Able assistance by Tina Calligas and José Navarro. Candid photos of the food by Gary Calligas.

50  August 2008  THE BEST of TIMES

THE BEST of TIMES  August 2008  51

52  August 2008  THE BEST of TIMES

THE BEST of TIMES  August 2008  53

KUDOS - Susan Stephens wins Hospice organization state award

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LA Woman Fights for Social Security BeneďŹ ts: One womanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s plight to alert others to how the GPO and WEP policies aďŹ&#x20AC;ects them and their Social Security beneďŹ ts.

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54 ď&#x192;ž August 2008 ď&#x192;ź THE BEST of TIMES

Susan Stephens, RN, along with June Stevens of Ridgeland, MS, are the 2008 recipients of the Heart of Hospice, awarded annually by the Louisiana-Mississippi Hospice & Pallaitive Care Organization (LMHPCO) for outstanding service to the hospice community in Louisiana and Mississippi. LMHPCO is a 501(c)3 non-profit educational association of over 120 hospice provider agencies working together to improve end-of-life care and services for everyone living in Louisiana and Mississippi through research, professional education, public awareness and advocacy issues related to terminally ill patients and bereaved families.

Susan Stephens began her hospice career as a volunteer and retired in 2007, after serving 23 years as the Director of Willis Knighton Hospitalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Hospice of Louisiana, located in Shreveport, LA. During her career, she served the Louisiana Hospice Organization as Secretary and Treasurer, as well as chairing the Education and Standards Committee. She also worked to implement Louisianaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s licensure law and the development of state standards under which hospice programs operate within the state.

Mrs. Stephens was instrumental in merging the Louisiana Hospice Organization and the Mississippi Hospice Organization to form LMHPCO and served on the LMHPCO Board of Directors as the At-Large Member from 2004 thru 2006. Susan has been Board Certified as a Hospice and Pallaitive Nurse (RNCHPN) since 2001. Since her retirement, Susan has continued her efforts to educate physicians and other healthcare professionals regarding the end-of-life needs and care of terminally ill patients and their families.

Oakland Cemetery Preservation Society launches web site

The Oakland Cemetery Preservation Society (OCPS) has launched a web site at www.oaklandcemetery.org for historic Oakland Cemetery. Located just west of downtown Shreveport, by the Municipal Auditorium, the cemetery is the target of restoration and preservation efforts. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Now, in addition to physical visitors, the cemetery can host virtual visitors,â&#x20AC;? said Hines S. Vaughan, president of the organization.

A portion of the cost of the site was donated by James Bobbitt, Web developer, and hosting for the nonprofit organization is provided by Shreveport Networks.

The Web site includes before and after photos of the recent gate restoration project undertaken by the City of Shreveport which is charged with the maintenance of Oakland as well as a tour of burial sites of some of the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s notables. Oakland Cemetery, Shreveportâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first public cemetery, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Weather Facts for Thought Looking west in the evening near the time of sunset, I know that you’ve seen rays of sunshine shining through breaks in the clouds. They are called “crepuscular rays” from the Latin word “crepusculum” meaning twilight or dusk. The rays are made visible due to haze or smoke in the atmosphere that reflect the rays of sunlight.

Have you ever been curious as to how high into the atmosphere weather can extend? The lowest layer of atmosphere is known as the troposphere which extends upward for 40,000 feet. It is within this layer where all weather occurs.

What about our August weather? As a guide, the average daily normal high temperature is 93°. The average daily normal low temperature is 71°. Normal August rainfall is 2.7 inches.

Last August our hottest temperature was 104° on the 14th. The coolest temperature was 73° on the 10th. Rainfall measured only 0.6 inches.

Here are our August numbers that went into the record books.

The hottest August temperature of record was 110° on the 18th in 1909. The coolest of record was 53° on the 17th in 1992. The wettest of record was 11 inches in 1912. Louisiana’s hottest temperature of record was 114° on August 10, 1936 at Plain Dealing.

Al Bolton

THE BEST of TIMES  August 2008  55

56  August 2008  THE BEST of TIMES

Bossier Council on Aging Bearkat Site (741-8302), 706 Bearkat Drive, Bossier City 8 AM - 4:30 PM Plain Dealing Site (326-5722), 101 E. Oak Street, Plain Dealing, 9 AM - 1 PM Transportation - Vans available to seniors 60+ who have no means of transportation for medical appointments, grocery store, drug store and other necessary stops.

Wheelchair accessible. 3 day notice required. $3 round trip suggested. Also provide medical transportation through referrals from Medicaid.

Outreach - Home visits are made to help qualify seniors for services.

Homemaker - Trained employees will come to your home to provide light housekeeping for those seniors having difficulty maintaining their homes. $3/visit suggested.

Information & referrals - Call us if a senior needs assistance in any way. 741-8302

Caregiver - Support services are provided for family caregivers including in-home respite care for the caregiver, education for the family, and material aid and personal care for the patient.

Legal Services - Education on elder legal issues provided at the sites. Counseling for individuals is accessible monthly with a local lawyer or by referrals.

Congregate (Site) Meals - Hot, nutritious meals served at 11:30 AM at the sites, Mon - Fri . $1.25 per meal is suggested.

Home Delivered Meals - Meals provided 5 days per week for elderly homebound in Bossier Parish, $1.25/meal suggested.

Personal Medical Response System With a referral from BCOA, an auto dial unit is available for installation on your phone.

Necklace, wristband, or pocket clip styles provided. Just press the button for immediate help. $20 fee per month.

Senior Centers - Fun and fellowship for the active senior! Enjoy recreation, crafts, educational seminars, and health information. Also provided: day trips, extended trips, exercise and dance classes, bingo, cards, dominoes, health screenings, exercise equipment room, Senior Games and Thursday night dances with a live band.

Medication Management - Seminars, brown bag services provided by pharmacists and programs provided by health care providers so seniors know about their prescriptions and the proper way to take them. Drug plan assistance available.

Medicaid Applications - We are an application center and provide assistance to seniors in filling out the forms. By appointment only.

(AARP) Money Management - BCOA provides financial assistance to seniors: bill paying, balancing checkbooks, etc.

Caddo Council on Aging 4015 Greenwood Road, (318) 632-2090.

Website-www.caddocouncilonaging.org Email-ccoa@caddocoa.org Info & Referral - 632-2090 Outreach/Individual Needs Assessment632-2090 - Visits are made to the home to explain services available and to enroll the elderly in our various service programs Home Delivered Meals - 632-2090 - Each week 5 meals can be delivered to homebound seniors. Suggested donation $1.25/day.

Homemaker Services - 632-2090 - Personal care and household tasks provided for homebound persons unable to perform these tasks without assistance. $5/month donation requested.

Personal Care - 632-2090 - Personal care provided to homebound person by trained staff once a week. $5/month donation requested.

Family Caregiver - 632-2090 - Sitter and respite provided for full time caregiver of a senior. Donation requested.

Telephone Reassurance - 632-2090 - Volunteers make regular phone calls to seniors to offer comfort and support.

Medical Alert - 632-2090 -Emergency response system that protects sen iors in case of accident or falls in the home. $20/month fee SenioRX Program - 632-5900 or 1800-793-1198-Assists seniors applying for pharmaceutical aid programs.

Nursing Home Ombudsman - 632-2090-

Professional weekly visits to nursing home to investigate and resolve issues made by the elderly resident or the resident’s family.

Covering 7 parishes in NWLA. RSVP (Retired Senior Volunteer Program) 632-2113 - Provides volunteer opportunities in the community and nutrition sites for persons 55 years of age or older.

Foster Grandparents (FGP) - 632-2199Seniors serve as mentor, tutor and caregivers to youth with social needs. FGPs that meet special requirements may serve 20hrs/wk and receive a stipend.

Legal Services - 632-2090- Referrals for individual counseling.

Emergency Blinking Light - Flashing light installed in your porch light by the Caddo Sheriff Dept. to help guide emergency medical personnel to the house during lifethreatening emergencies. No charge.

SOS Program - Sheriff’s Operational Safeguard. Helps identify and reunite lost, memory-impaired persons with families. Participants are given a bracelet engraved with the name and phone number of the Sheriff’s Office and an ID number that corresponds to personal information. Confidential Call 681.0875 to register. No charge.

Senior Centers and Meal Sites - 6322080-Area sites located in Caddo Parish that offer fun activities, recreation, wellness, exercise, safety programs, sewing, crafts, bingo, and just plain old fun. Lunch served at all sites for a $1.25 donation. Transportation is provided to sites, call 632-2080 to sign up

for a meal or transport to the sites.

• Myrtle B. Pickering Senior Center4017 Greenwood Rd, Shreveport. Open Mon-Fri 8:30am-3:30pm.

• Blanchard Cross Roads Church - 356 Warriner, Blanchard. Open Mon-Wed-Fri 9:00am-12noon.

• Broadmoor Methodist Church - 3715 Youree Drive, Shreveport. Open 9:30 12:30.

• Canaan Towers Apartments - 500 North Dale, Shreveport. Open Mon-Wed-Fri 9:30am-12:30pm.

• Cooper Road Community Center - 1422 MLK Blvd, Shreveport. Open MonFriday 9:30am-12:30pm • Greenwood Library - Hwy 80, Downtown Greenwood. Open Mon-Fri 9:30 am - 12:30pm • Mooringsport Community CenterLattimer Street, Mooringsport across from the school. Open Tue-Wed-Thurs 9:30am to 12:30pm • Morning Star Baptist Church 5340 Jewella, Sport Open Mon-Fri 9:30am-12:30pm • New Hill CME Church - 8725 Springridge Texas Line Rd, Keithville Tue & Thurs 10am-1:00pm • Oil City Community Center - Savage Street, Oil City Open Mon-Wed-Fri 9am to noon • Vivian Community Center - in the City Park 522 E. Tennessee Open Mon-Fri 9am-12noon THE BEST of TIMES  August 2008  57

Get Up and Go! WWII Veterans “Greatest Generation” Luncheon - On Saturday, August 16th at 12:00 noon at Hoban Hall at Barksdale Air Force Base in Bossier City there will be a luncheon to honor the World War II veterans. The 156th LA Army NG Band will participate and Colonel Bob Wheeler, Commander 2nd Bomb Wing will be the guest speaker.

There will be gifts for veterans including WWII coins, caps, T-shirts, and more.

Today, there are only 2+ million veterans of World War II still living. Those veterans attending this luncheon will be honored in military pageantry as the veterans will enter via a Cordon of Swords. This is one of the largest annual luncheons held in honor of World War II veterans.

The cost to attend this luncheon is $10 per person. For reservations and more information, call 318-456-4480 or toll free 1-866-544-2412.

Driver Education

AARP Driver Safety Program - An 8 hour classroom refresher course for drivers age 50+ which may qualify participants for an automobile insurance premium reduction or discount. Where two days are listed, participants must attend both days.

Call to preregister. Fee: $10.

• August 14 & 15 - 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The Waterford, 2222 East Bert Kouns, Shreveport. Contact: Windy Lowery (318) 524-3300; Instructor: Malcolm Parker

Farmer’s Market Farmer’s Market - Saturday, August 2 - Saturday, August 30. Open from 7 a.m. to noon on Saturdays. The 4-7 p.m., “happy hour” market every Tuesday features a cash bar and musical entertainment. Festival Plaza, 101 Crockett St., Shreveport.

Visit an outdoor market filled with fresh vegetables, fruits and crafts of all kinds.

Free. 318-455-5788.

58  August 2008  THE BEST of TIMES

Silver Screenings

Community Forums

“Roman Holiday” - The Robinson Film Center will host the third installment of its Silver Screenings program, designed especially to provide culturally-enriching entertainment for area seniors, on Friday, August 15th at 10:30 AM. The 1953 classic film “Roman Holiday” starring Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Beck will be shown followed by lunch at Abby Singer’s, a full-service bistro located upstairs at The Robinson Film Center located at 617 Texas Street in downtown Shreveport. To reserve tickets for this program on August 15th – which are $14.00 for lunch and the film or $5.75 for film admission only – contact Clare France at (318) 459-4117. Seating is limited and reservations are required.

Community forums to feature candidates for 4th District congressional seat - Held by The Times and Red River Radio to help voters assess candidates in the Sept. 6 4th congressional primaries.

The Republican forum will be at 7 p.m.

Tuesday, Aug. 19. The Democrats will follow the next night, Wednesday, Aug. 20, again at 7 p.m. Both one-hour forums will take place at the LSUS University Center Theater and be broadcast live on Red River Radio KDAQ 89.9 FM. The event is free and open to the public.

Attendees are asked to be in their seats by 6:55 p.m. Seating is limited.

The public is invited to submit questions for the candidates at shreveportimes. com. Click on the “Community Forum” link or email editorial page editor Craig Durrett at cdurrett@gannett.com.

Krewe of Elders

Fish fry - August 9 at the American Legion Hall located at 5315 South Lakeshore Drive in Shreveport from 1:00 - 6:00 p.m.

Cash bar, raffle, door prizes, music from Homemade Jam. $15.00 per person at door, which includes fish. Outside/Inside event. Open to public. Contact Wanda Smith at 752-9175 or Jay Prudhomme at 635-4901.

Dance - August 17 at the American Legion Hall located at 5315 South Lakeshore Drive in Shreveport from 2:30 - 6:30 p.m.

Cash bar, raffle, door prizes, live music provided by Susie Loar. No charge.

Food available for purchase by American Legion. Open to public. Contact Wanda Smith at 752-9175 or Jay Prudhomme at 635-4901.

Mardi Gras Justinian XV Coronation Bal will be August 9 at Horseshoe Riverdome. Justinian XV theme is An African Adventure.

The band will be “Windstorm.” For more information contact Capt. XV Tim Fischer, Ph: 318-869-0304 or Sandra Haynes, Executive Director Shreveport Bar Association, Ph: 318-222-3643. Legal, as well as non-legal, profession membership in the Krewe is available and entitles you and your spouse/date to free admission to the Coronation, Mid-Way to Mardi Gras party, Justinian Bal and the Royalty Brunch. To join the Krewe, contact: The Shreveport Bar Association at 318-222-3643 or via email and shaynes@shreveportbar.com.

Open House

Join the Louisiana Assistive Technology Network at the North Louisiana Assistive Technology Device Demonstration Program Grand Opening. Tuesday, August 19.

11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m., 820 Jordan Street, Suite 120, Shreveport. RSVP to obrown@ latan.org. 800-270-6185 (Voice/TT)

Ballet “Ballet Under the Stars” - presented by Shreveport Metropolitan Ballet. Saturday, September 6. 7:30 p.m. Upper Festival Plaza, 101 Crockett St., Shreveport. Come and enjoy an evening of dance in a casual, relaxed atmosphere featuring your local dancers from a variety of venues. Young ballerina’s will have the opportunity to go on stage during intermission to participate in a ballet class! Free. 318-866-9916. www.shreveportmetroballet.org

Theatre Greater Tuna - Presented by Shreveport Little Theatre. Friday, September 5 - Sunday, September 7. Sept. 5 and 6 at 8 p.m.; Sept. 7 at 2 p.m. Woman’s Department Club Auditorium, (corner of Line Ave. & Margaret Pl.), Shreveport. This comedy features two actors creating the entire population of Tuna, twenty characters, in a tour de farce of quick-change artistry. $15, $13 seniors, students & active military. 318-424-4439. www.shreveportlittletheatre.org

Meeting

Exhibit

AARP meeting - The Rose City Chapter of AARP will meet Monday, August 4th at 2:00 pm. at Summerfield Estates Assisted Living Facility located at 9133 Baird Rd. (at the corner of Bert Kouns and Baird Rd.) Attendees will enjoy a program, tour and refreshments provided by the management.

The September meeting of The Rose City Chapter of AARP will be held on September 8, at 2:00 pm. at the Southern Hills Park and Recreation Center, 1002 Bert Kouns Loop. There will be a “White Elephant Fundraiser Sale”. The proceeds will go for chapter projects. Bring your trash or unwanted treasures and come join us. Guests are always welcome.

For more info call Carolyn Franklin at 933-1235.

William Dunlap: Hypothetical Realism - Sunday, June 29 - Sunday, August 31. Monday -Friday, 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.; Saturday & Sunday, 12 noon - 4:00 p.m. Louisiana State Exhibit Museum, 3015 Greenwood Rd., Shreveport. William Dunlap, a nationally recognized artist, will exhibit surreal and humorous interpretations of the American landscape in paintings, sculptures, constructions, and mixed media installations.

Free. 318-632-2020. www. sos.louisiana.gov/museums

Support Groups

Bereavement Support Group - Every Thursday, 5:30 p.m. Willis-Knighton Medical Center, Hospice Family Room, 3300 Albert L. Bicknell Drive Suite 3, Shreveport. FREE. Amputee Support Group - First Thursday of each month.

First meeting August 7 at 6:30 p.m. Certified Limb and Brace, 3227 Portland Ave (corner of I-20 and Greenwood Rd.), Shreveport. Information and fellowship. Guest lecturers.

Free. For more information call 636-9145

Tours

“TNT” - Thursday Night Trolley Tours - Thursday, August 21. 4:30 p.m.-8 p.m.

Artspace at the West Edge, 710 Texas St., Shreveport. An “explosion” of culture! Come and discover the Downtown Arts District. Enjoy a narrated tour, live music, and art.

Third Thursday of each month.

Free. 318-673-6500/6535. www.shrevearts.org

Movies Movies & Moonbeams Outdoor Cinema - Digital picture and sound on a 40 foot tall inflatable screen. Take chairs, blankets, etc. FrEE. For more information, call 318-673-7727. www.moviesandmoonbeams.org • “Grease” - Friday, August 1, 8:30 p.m. RiverView Park, 601 Clyde Fant Pkwy., Shreveport. Starring John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John.

Rated PG. • “Radio” - Friday, August 15. 8:30 p.m. Independence Stadium, 3301 Pershing Blvd., Shreveport. Starring Cuba Gooding, Jr. Rated PG. • “Short Circuit” - Saturday, August 16, 8:30 p.m. at Walbrook Park, Bossier City.

Festival

James Burton Guitar Festival - Friday, August 22 - Sunday, August 24. Municipal Auditorium, 705 Elvis Presley Ave., Shreveport. Enjoy three days of music magic featuring the hottest guitar pickers in the world. This non-profit festival is sponsored by the James Burton Foundation. Proceeds used to teach music to children and young adults. Prices will vary for individual events. 318-4245000. www.jamesburtonmusic. com THE BEST of TIMES  August 2008  59

Parting Shots

1 - Everything Green Expo announcement gathering on July 1st at Shreveport Convention Center with Shreveport Mayor Cedric Glover (left) and David Mitchell with Everything Green Expo.

2 - Happy 60th Birthday to Sue Watts (seated center) who recently celebrated with gal pals at Superior Steakhouse (standing l to r) Hannah Speer, Van Johnston, Abby Averett, Jan Glasgow, Pam Parsons, Debbie Grand, and (seated left) Pat Laborde.

3 - The Krewe of Justinian recently held their Royalty Mixer at the home of Jim and Sandi Hill. (a) Guests included Larry Pettiette, Don Miller, Alexis Scott and Justinian King I Charles Scott. (b) (l to r) Jim Bolin, Susan Cox & Capt. XV Tim Fischer. Tim will be crowned King XV and Susan, Queen XV on Aug. 9th.

4 - (a) Vacation Bible School for Senior Adults at First Baptist, Bossier City. The Seniors had a wonderful time acting like kids. (b) Frances Johnson, Opal Browning, Dorothy Mulig, Nancy Hennington.

5 - The Treasurers Luncheon hosted

by First United Methodist Church on July 10th. Attendees enjoyed a presentation on “Don’t Be a Victim of Crime” by (a) Judge Mike Pittman (right) and Assistant Attorney General Frances Pittman (b) Attendees included Carl Rhoads, Ann Rhoads, and Richard Jones.

6 - Someone’s in the Kitchen at Artspace featured Soul Food, BBQ and Brew on July 8. (a) Robert Trudeau (right) being served cobbler and ice cream, (b) SRAC Executive Director Pam Atchison with entertainer for the evening, Dan Garner.

7 - Grandmothers Sheryl Little (left) and Margaret Wagley congratulate Connor Dean on his graduation from St. Mark’s Day School.

8 - A full house enjoyed the classic film “Some Like It Hot” at the Robinson Film Center’s Silver Screenings. (a) (l to r) Jeanie McNaughton, Caroline Webb, and Pat Young. (b) Patty Owens and Quinn McDonald.

9 - Bistro Byronz held a pre-opening benefit for the Caddo Council on Aging on July 18. Enjoying the evening are (a) Margaret Martin, Sherri McConnell and Vicki Ott of NurseCare of Shreveport, and Caddo Council Director Mary Alice Rountree. (b) (l to r) Tim and Julie Abendroth with Dora and George Miller.

60  August 2008  THE BEST of TIMES

THE BEST of TIMES  August 2008  61

62  August 2008  THE BEST of TIMES

THE BEST of TIMES  August 2008  63

Brock’s Collision Repair Center values their clients, their employees and the community, and feel responsibility to each. In keeping with these ideals, we are proud to announce “We’ve Gone Green”!

At all three Brock’s Collision Repair Centers, we are committed to promoting a “greener” Shreveport/Bossier. Each of our stores has replaced the traditional solvent-based paints and coatings with low VOCs (volatile organic compounds) waterborne basecoat. By using the more environmentally friendly products to refinish our clients’ vehicles, we are able to significantly reduce the emission of VOCs into the atmosphere. This change not only improves the quality of our air, it also contributes to a healthier working environment, and provides a safer place for us to conduct business with our clients.

VOCs are chemical compounds commonly found in paint coatings and cleaning products, and when released into the atmosphere, contribute to the creation of smog and ozone pollution. By switching to a low VOC waterborne basecoat, these emissions can be reduced by up to 80%.

This is a major technological advancement that creates a “win-win” situation all around. Waterborne basecoat is the latest coating system used by manufacturers to create the color on vehicles today. This is the first product to be as close to factory paint that has EVER been available to collision repair shops before. Using waterborne color toners in our centers affords us the ability to achieve more exact color matches and shorter repair completion times.

We are serious about being a “green” business; so we are transcending to paperless working files, recycling parts instead of sending to a landfill, using biodegradable paper cups instead of plastic, and using environment friendly cleaning products.

This is our home, and we believe in what we are doing to help make it a cleaner place in which to live. We invite all businesses to join us in this worthy endeavor.

Brock’s Collision Repair Centers Shreveport AutoMall 8752 Business Park Dr. (318) 798-1353

South 740 Bert Kouns (318) 687-5070

Bossier City 2654 Barksdale Blvd.

(318) 742-5575