The Best of Times November 2008 issue

-ANY CANCER CENTERS TREAT CANCER /NLY A SMALL PERCENTAGE OF THEM PROVIDE THE COMPREHENSIVE CARE AVAILABLE AT 7ILLIS +NIGHTON #ANCER #ENTER #ANCER IS AMONG THE MOST DREADED DIAGNOSES 4HE GOOD NEWS IS THAT GREAT STRIDES HAVE BEEN MADE IN THE TREATMENT OF CANCER SOME OF THEM RIGHT HERE IN 3HREVEPORT AT THE 7ILLIS +NIGHTON #ANCER #ENTER 4HIS FACILITY WAS AMONG THE lRST SIX SITES TO USE 4OMO4HERAPY IMAGE GUIDED RADIATION THERAPY AND IT HAS BEEN NAMED A 4OMO4HERAPY #ENTER OF %XCELLENCE 0HYSICIANS IN THE 2ADIATION /NCOLOGY $EPARTMENT CONTINUE TO BE A RESOURCE FOR OTHER CANCER CENTERS THROUGHOUT THE WORLD 4HE 7ILLIS +NIGHTON #ANCER #ENTER OFFERS A FULL RANGE OF OUTPATIENT SERVICES IN A SINGLE LOCATION 2ADIATION /NCOLOGY -EDICAL /NCOLOGY 'YNECOLOGIC /NCOLOGY )NFUSION 4HERAPY 0%4 3CANNER

,ABORATORY 0HYSICAL 4HERAPY %DUCATION AND 3OCIAL 3ERVICES 4HIS BROAD RANGE OF SERVICES SUPPORTS A MULTIDISCIPLINARY APPROACH TO THE TREATMENT OF CANCER 0HYSICIANS REGULARLY DISCUSS CASES AND COLLABORATE TO SEEK THE BEST POSSIBLE TREATMENT FOR PATIENTS 9OU DON T JUST HAVE A DOCTOR TO CARE FOR YOU YOU HAVE AN EXPERIENCED TEAM

7E HOPE YOU WON T NEED CANCER CARE BUT IF YOU DO

CHOOSE 7ILLIS +NIGHTON #ANCER #ENTER "ECAUSE WHERE YOU ARE TREATED MATTERS

WWW WKHS COM  November 2008  THE BEST of TIMES

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 transitioning 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

THE BEST of TIMES  November 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 ,!

 November 2008  THE BEST of TIMES

Some families make it a tradition to go around the Thanksgiving table asking each person there to recite why they are thankful.

That sounds like a perfectly fine tradition.

But we really should count our blessings more than once a year.

We’ve all gotten a year older since last Thanksgiving and, I’m certain, most of us have had an interesting year. Speaking personally, which is what I do in these little “editor’s notes,” I’ve been blessed this year

with good health, time to travel, the company of family and friends, the appreciation of good food, and the continuing sense of serving the community that is this magazine. My family and I are going to have a wonderful Thanksgiving and hope you will, too.

Speaking of wonderful Thanksgivings, take a look at this ...ahem... stuffed November issue! It’s National Hospice and Home Health Care Month, you know, and we again take a look at the industry and salute the hard work of those who provide the services.

“Adrian!Cooks” was expanded this issue to observe the only day on the calendar that celebrates eating! First comes the easy-aspie turkey recipe, and then comes some fascinating “side dishes,” the likes of which include oatmeal. Really.

But that’s not all, as we like to say

around here. We’ve squeezed in a SPECIAL REPORT on The Aging and Disabilities Resource Center of NW Louisiana, which needs a shorter name. But it’s a great service!

And don’t forget we need YOUR photos for our December Friends, Family and Fun photo feature (see page 15 for details).

Don’t try to consume this issue in one sitting. Come back for seconds. And maybe even thirds...

--Tina Calligas

THE BEST of TIMES  November 2008 

21 38 34 24

17 60 26

7 40

3

49 48

Acadian On Call Arcadian Community Care ArkLaTex Home Health, Inc. Azalea Estates Assisted Living Balentine Ambulance Bible Correspondence Course Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana BluePrint Louisiana Brentwood Hospital - Senior Care Brock’s Collision Repair Centers Carter Federal Credit Union Centuries Memorial and

59 9

37 50 22 30

58 28

7 41 28 57 50 7 60 39 27

Hillcrest Certified Limb and Brace Christus Medical Group – Dr. Laura Anissian Circle of Life Hospice, Inc. Clear Digital Entertainment Comfort Keepers Community Hospices of America Cruises, Inc. Daniel C. Scarborough, IV, Attorney Dr. Bruce Henderson Dr. Bryan Vekovius Dr. Gary Booker Dr. Larry Chism Family Care Services Get a Game Plan Gutter Helmet GWS Mortgage, LLC Healthy Choices, LLC

 November 2008  THE BEST of TIMES

51 55 9 64 48 12 23 48 22 56 29 11 44 13

43 15 16 35 49 11 59 14 19 42 40 19 50 45

10 27

21

36 18 37 62 34 27

4 54 9

44

55 63 20

35

25 2 37

Home Assistance Services Home Health Medical Supply Home Medical Supply Humana Imperial Wok IV Plus Pharmacy Joe Gilsoul, Attorney Judy Holland, realtor Kingsley Place -Shreveport KEEL News Radio 710 AM LATAN Les Boutiques de Noel Lil” Rascals Pet Care Live Oak Retirement Community Louisiana Drug Card Northwest INCS, Inc. NurseCare of Shreveport Odyssey HealthCare Pierremont Eye Institute ResCare Home Care Robinson Film Center Sam’s Town Hotel and Casino Seniors Club Serio Investments ShoeBooty’s Restaurant Shreveport Little Theatre Shreveport Opera Shreveport Symphony Orchestra Shreve Hearing Aid Service Skin Technology - Jeany Mitchell Snell’s Orthotics and Prosthetics SouthernCare Spring Lake Assisted Living St. Joseph Hospice Sterling Health Plans Synergy Home Care TES Regional Healthcare Federal Credit Union The Bradford, LLC The Center for Families The Ear, Nose, & Throat Center, AMC The User Friendly Phone Book The Waterford at Shreveport Total Care Medical Clinic Town & Country Total Wellness United Home Health Care of Shreveport Vantage Health Plan, Inc. Willis Knighton Cancer Center Willis Knighton Hospice of Louisiana

Jason Alderman, Lee Aronson, Al Bolton, James D. “Buddy” Caldwell, Suzy Cohen, Judge Jeff Cox, Mirabai Holland, Ted Kooser, Betsy Williams

Louisiana ranked least healthy state in the United States* *United Health Foundation

=dl adc\ Yd lZ aZi

]ZVai] XVgZ hj[[Zg4

It’s time to give our uninsured patients first-class access to health care. Blueprint Louisiana, with input from people like you, has developed a plan that improves access to local care and strengthens doctor training. And we need your help. Spend five minutes at www.blueprintlouisiana.org to learn how you can make a difference in improving not only health care, but ethics, education and roads, too. Together, we will make it happen. lll#WajZeg^ciadj^h^VcV#dg\ Paid for by Blueprint Louisiana

>i¼h i^bZ id XgZViZ i]Z hiViZ lZ YZhZgkZ#

THE BEST of TIMES  November 2008 

New rules spell out rights of hospice patients

This just in l As of September 23 all veterans with ALS will automatically be eligible for benefits - no matter when or where they served and no matter how soon after discharge they were diagnosed. For more information about accessing benefits or about the new policy, please contact The ALS Association’s toll-free hotline at 1800-782-4747 or alsinfo@alsa-national. org. l The announcement by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services that the monthly Part B premium will remain at $96.40 is “welcome news” for older adults and people with disabilities who have seen the premium charged for doctor visits and other Medicare outpatient services more than double, from $45.50 since 2000, said Robert M. Hayes, President of the Medicare Rights Center, a national, notfor-profit consumer service organization that works to ensure access to affordable health care for older adults and people with disabilities. The Part B premium will remain the same in 2009 for a number of technical reasons, including more than adequate contingency reserves in the Part B trust fund account, according to CMS. l Every year about 20,000 Americans die because of the flu. People at high risk for complications from influenza - most older adults - should get a flu vaccine.

Fortunately, Medicare covers 100% of the cost of a flu shot once every flu season with no Part B deductible required, if you go to a doctor or other health care provider who accepts assignment. Medicare will pay for the shot no matter where you get it, as long as the health care provider agrees not to charge you more than what Medicare pays. If you are in a Medicare private health plan - such as an HMO or PPO - you may have to get your flu shot from a provider in the plan’s network.  November 2008  THE BEST of TIMES

The federal government has published new rules that outline the rights of Medicare beneficiaries who have elected the hospice benefit.

To be eligible for Medicare’s hospice benefit, a beneficiary must be certified by a physician to have a life expectancy of six months or less if the illness runs its expected course. Hospice care offers a team-oriented approach to medical care, pain management, and emotional and spiritual support tailored to the dying patient’s needs and wishes. Medicare pays for this kind of comprehensive end-of-life care delivered at home or in a hospice facility, and the hospice benefit includes many services not generally covered by Medicare.

The new hospice rules include explicit language on patient rights that had not been part of previous regulations, and all Medicare-approved hospice programs must comply with the new rules, which take effect December 2, 2008.

Patients who choose hospice or palliative care over curative treatment are entitled to: • Participate in their treatment plan • Receive effective pain management • Refuse treatment if they wish, and • Choose their own physicians.

Medicare recipients are entitled to home health benefits Medicare is mandated to cover your home health benefits with no limit on the time you are covered. Medicare home health care benefits can mean the difference between being able to stay at home with a difficult medical problem or ending up in the hospital or a nursing home.

As a Medicare recipient, you are entitled to full home health benefits if you meet the following requirements: • You must be confined to your home - meaning that leaving it to receive services would be a “considerable and taxing effort.”

• Your doctor must have ordered home health services for you.

• At least some element of the services must be skilled - skilled nursing care, physical therapy, or speech therapy.

• You must receive the services from a certified home health agency.

Requiring an element of skilled care also will entitle you to Medicare coverage of social services, home health aide services, and the necessary medical supplies and equipment. You won’t have to pay anything for the home health benefits, but you will have to pay 20% of the supplies and equipment.

Under the law, you are entitled to 35 hours of service a week, but few Medicare beneficiaries who meet the home health care criteria actually get this level of service. If your services are terminated prematurely, you have the right to appeal.

Remember the issue you are appealing is not the termination of service, but the denial of Medicare payment for the service.

Social Security announces 5.8 percent benefit increase for 2009 Monthly Social Security and Supplemental Security Income benefits for more than 55 million Americans will increase 5.8% in 2009, the Social Security Administration recently announced. The increase is the largest since 1982.

The 5.8% Cost-of-Living Adjustment

(COLA) will begin with benefits Social Security beneficiaries receive in January 2009. Increased payments to more than 7 million Supplemental Security Income beneficiaries will begin on December 31.

Information about Medicare changes for 2009 can be found at Medicare.gov.

THE BEST of TIMES  November 2008 

Women’s heart health

Fall & winter can be SAD seasons

As the days start getting shorter, an estimated 25 million Americans will begin experiencing signs of seasonal affective disorder (SAD), also known as winter depression. SAD stems from lack of light in wintertime, which can result in lower levels of serotonin, the mood-enhancing chemical that regulates hunger and the feeling of well-being. Here are some tips to help boost your serotonin levels and keep the winter blues away: • Bright lights, bright mood: Studies suggest that “light therapy,” involving the use of bright light bulbs to simulate summertime light can help boost serotonin.

• Bust out your winter workout gear.

It can be hard to stick to an exercise routine once it gets cold, but if you can force yourself to start, even 15 to 20 minutes of dancing to the radio or fast walking can improve your mood and reduce the sweet tooth that usually accompanies SAD. • Eat smart. Push away leftovers and stick to eating complex carbs to stimulate serotonin. Sweets and simple carbs, like white rice and white bread, quickly raise blood sugar, flood you with insulin, and cause inevitable energy lows. Eating wisely also means limiting the caffeine, which suppresses serotonin. (MedicineNet.com)

10  November 2008  THE BEST of TIMES

Heart disease is the nation’s number one killer for women. But, the well-known heart attack symptoms – acute pain, tightness, burning and a dull ache in the chest – describe what men typically experience. For many women the signs of a heart attack are completely different and can go unrecognized. Women tend to ignore signs of heart attack, thus increasing the likelihood of tragic consequences.

Nausea, shoulder pain and exhaustion can be the only signs a female experiences during an attack. Heart disease tends to come later in women than in men, on average 10 years after menopause. Women are more likely to die from their heart attacks.

Most people know to get to an emergency room immediately when they’ve identified that they’re having a heart attack. However, research shows that women go to the hospital on average one full hour later than men do after experiencing an attack. Most benefits of medical treatment occur in the first six hours after an attack, so delayed medical treatment reduces chances of full recovery.

Prevention of heart disease is the same as for men. Maintain low cholesterol levels.

Exercise. Quit smoking. If you have diabetes, keep it under control. Monitor your blood pressure, and keep it in check. Know your family medical history. If there’s a history of heart disease, start earlier and be even more diligent about prevention. (Newswise)

Occupational therapy gets people with osteoarthritis moving Physical activity is the cornerstone of any healthy lifestyle – and especially for people with osteoarthritis as exercise helps maintain good joint health, manage their symptoms, and prevent functional decline. Osteoarthritis, however, often makes physical activity, such as exercise, and even performing daily activities, a challenge.

But an occupational therapist-led approach – called activity strategy training – could provide patients with knee and hip osteoarthritis the opportunity to lead more active lives and even improve their overall health, according

to a new study led by researchers at the University of Michigan Health System.

In the pilot study, the researchers found that patients who engaged in activity strategy training along with regular exercise increased their physical activity, more so than those patients who only took part in exercise and health education sessions. Study results are set to appear in the October issue of Arthritis & Rheumatism.

Taught by occupational therapists, this structured rehabilitation program is designed to educate patients about joint protection, proper body mechanics, activity pacing, and environmental barriers. For example, patients with joint pain caused by osteoarthritis learn techniques for walking around the house or outdoors, or even getting in and out of a car.

Activity strategy training, however, is not commonly prescribed to patients with hip or knee osteoarthritis. Most physical activity programs for these patients only offer structured exercise, which has been shown to have short-term positive effects on arthritis pain and physical disability.

But these effects usually fade soon after participation in the program.

New hope for psoriasis patients

Psoriasis can be a maddening disease. Patches of thick, inflamed skin covered with silvery scales form on the patient’s elbows, knees, other parts of the legs, scalp, lower back, face, palms, and soles of the feet. They usually itch or feel sore. Because psoriasis is a genetic condition that causes inflammation by striking at the immune system, it can have other health effects. An estimated 10% to 30% of people with psoriasis also develop psoriatic arthritis, which causes pain, stiffness and swelling in and around the joints. Psoriasis sufferers also have higher rates of cardiovascular disease and other systemic health problems.

Until recently, there was little that could be done about the systemic damage done by psoriasis. Sufferers used topical creams to ease their itches or aches, or underwent expensive ultraviolet (UV) light treatments that disrupted the surface spread of psoriasis but did not address the underlying problems within the immune system. The past few years have seen the development of a new wave of drug treatments known as biologics. These medications do what previous treatments could not -- go after the root of the problem by influencing the immune system. Biologics are effective, and they also are more affordable than UV therapy.

Biologics are self-administered through injection.

A member of the ResCare family of companies

Call us today at: 318.678.1890 Shreveport, Louisiana Branch

Helping you live life on your own terms ResCare HomeCare, the nation’s largest non-franchised home care provider, is proud to offer flexible, affordable, dependable services including:

Experience the Difference!

t 1FSTPOBM $BSF 4VQQPSU t )PNFNBLJOH t $PNQBOJPO 4FSWJDFT t /PO TLJMMFE 1SJWBUF %VUZ $BSF Call for a free consultation!

"DDFQUJOH 1SJWBUF 1BZ *OTVSBODF] -POH 5FSN $BSF *OTVSBODF 7FUFSBOT #FOFmUT ] 8PSLFST $PNQFOTBUJPO

820 Jordan Street, Suite 390 | Shreveport, LA 71101

www.ResCareHomeCare.com THE BEST of TIMES ďƒź November 2008 ďƒž 11

COPD? Eat your broccoli

Here’s to your good health l Try to buy meat labeled “grass fed” or “pasture raised.” It may have 25% to 50% less fat, fewer calories, and more heart-healthy omega-3s than regular grain-fed meat. l When you sip a cup of tea, your body’s digestive enzymes may destroy as much as 80% of tea’s good-for-you catechins. But add a squeeze of lemon.

The citrus works to preserve some of those powerful disease-fighting compounds. l Red wine isn’t the only beverage that helps keep your arteries clear.

Cranberry juice and tea are bursting with heart-protective flavonoids. You can drink several cups of tea (any kind will do) or two and a half small glasses of cranberry juice a day. l Pumpkin seeds are great year round, not just at Thanksgiving, because they contain zinc -- a nutrient that’s been shown to help reduce the average length of the common cold. l Turmeric, the spice that gives curry its strong, distinctive flavor, may lower your risk of pancreatic cancer.

12  November 2008  THE BEST of TIMES

You know it’s good for you in other ways, but could eating your broccoli also help patients with chronic lung disease? It just might.

According to recent research from Johns Hopkins Medical School, a decrease in lung concentrations of NRF2-dependent antioxidants, key components of the lung’s defense system against inflammatory injury, is linked to the severity of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

(COPD) in smokers. Broccoli is known to contain a compound that prevents the degradation of NFRP. The findings were published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, published by the American Thoracic Society.

COPD is the fourthleading cause of death in the U.S. and affects more than 16 million Americans.

(Newswise)

In a recent study, people who ate the most processed meats, such as hot dogs, bacon, cold cuts, and sausage, had as much as a 67% increase in their risk of pancreatic cancer.

Protein choices such as fish, poultry, and eggs were not associated with an increased risk of the disease.

Researchers are not sure why study

participants whose diets were high in processed meats experienced an increased risk of pancreatic cancer, but speculate that it may be due to the nitrite preservatives and similar additives used in them.

The pancreas is a small gland near the stomach that releases digestive enzymes into the intestine and secretes insulin, the hormone that helps regulate blood sugar. Risk factors for pancreatic cancer include advanced age (50 years or older), smoking, and a history of inflammation of the pancreas. Diabetes may increase pancreatic cancer risk as well.

Protein for the pancreas

Eating fish may prevent memory loss and stroke in healthy older adults Eating tuna and other types of fish may help lower the risk of cognitive decline and stroke in healthy older adults, according to a study published in Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

The study found that people who

ate broiled or baked, but not fried, fish high in omega-3 fatty acids (called DHA and EPA) three times or more per week had a nearly 26% lower risk of having the silent brain lesions that can cause dementia and stroke compared to people who did not eat fish regularly. Eating just one serving of this type of fish per week led to a 13% lower risk. The study also found people who regularly ate these types of fish had fewer changes in the white matter in their brains.

Other types of fish that contain high levels of DHA and EPA nutrients include salmon, mackerel, herring, sardines, and anchovies. (Newswise)

.AJ=< G> D9OF E9AFL=F9F;=

@GMK= MHC==H 9F< =PH=FK=

KL9AJK

:=AF? 9DGF= !CTIVE ADULTS AT ,IVE /AK HAVE AN INDEPENDENT LIFESTYLE WITH BENElTS THAT MAKE THE LIVING EASY #HOOSE THE CAREFREE LIFESTYLE IN ONE OF THE NEWLY REMODELED APARTMENTS AT ,IVE /AK AND GET THE FOLLOWING BENElTS u /NE 3TORY 'ARDEN !PARTMENTS 7ITH 0ARKING .EAR 9OUR $OOR

4HIS IS A TIME IN LIFE WHERE YOU SHOULD BE DOING THE THINGS YOU WANT TO DO

NOT THE THINGS YOU HAVE TO DO

u $ELICIOUS 2ESTAURANT 3TYLE ,UNCH $AILY IN /UR "EAUTIFUL $INING 2OOM OR $ELIVERED TO 9OUR 2ESIDENCE u %XCEPTIONAL #ULTURAL %DUCATIONAL AND 3OCIAL %VENTS AND /PPORTUNITIES u -ULTIFAITH 7ORSHIP 3ERVICES u 4RANSPORTATION TO -EDICAL !PPOINTMENTS u !ND -UCH -ORE 4HESE AND MORE ARE AVAILABLE TO YOU WHEN YOU LIVE AT ,IVE /AK 7ITH OUR 7ILLIS +NIGHTON AFlLIATION WE ARE ENJOYING MORE AMENITIES AND RENOVATIONS THROUGHOUT 4HERE S NEVER BEEN A BETTER TIME TO BE PART OF THE ACTIVE ADULT LIFESTYLE AT ,IVE /AK 0LUS ,IVE /AK RESIDENTS RECEIVE PRIORITY STATUS FOR ALL NEW DEVELOPMENTS AND ACTIVITIES

#ALL THE BEST of TIMES ï&#x192;¼ November 2008 ï&#x192;¾ 13

update

MARCI’S Medicare Answers Dear Marci, I have been trying for years to quit smoking, but I have not been successful.

A friend told me that he quit by attending hypnosis sessions. Will Medicare pay for these sessions? -- Shaun Dear Shaun, Medicare will not pay for hypnosis sessions to help you quit smoking. Medicare will, however, pay for one initial evaluation and up to eight counseling sessions in a 12-month period to help you quit smoking if you receive services from a qualified Medicare-certified provider and (1) you are taking a prescription drug that interacts with tobacco; or (2) you have a disease or condition that is caused by smoking (such as cancer, cardiovascular disease or pneumonia). ~Marci

14  November 2008  THE BEST of TIMES

Smoking Cessation, Hospice Care, and Medicare Private Health Plans Dear Marci, My father is very ill, and his doctor says he is eligible for Medicare-covered hospice care because he has less than six months to live. How long will Medicare cover this service? --Natalie Dear Natalie, Your father can get hospice care for as long as his doctor and the medical director or physician employed by a Medicarecertified hospice agency certify that he is terminally ill (has fewer than six months to live). Even if he lives past the six months, he can continue to get hospice care as long as his doctor and the hospice’s medical director or physician recertify that he is terminally ill. ~Marci Dear Marci, I am unhappy with my current Medicare private health plan because it does not cover my medicines. When I tried

to change plans, I was told that I could not change until November 15th. Why is this? --Idina Dear Idina, You are generally limited in when you can change your Medicare health and drug coverage during the year (this is known as lock-in).

All people with Medicare can make any change to their health or drug coverage from November 15 through December 31 (a period known as the Annual Coordinated Election Period). During this time you can change to another Medicare private health plan or to Original Medicare, and add, drop or change Medicare drug coverage (Part D). Your new coverage starts January 1.

From January 1 to March 31 (the “Open Enrollment Period”), you can change your choice of Medicare health coverage, but not add or drop Medicare drug coverage.

During that period you could potentially change your choice of drug coverage through a health plan switch.

(In some circumstances, for example, if you were to move out of your plan’s coverage area, you would get a Special Enrollment to enroll in a new health or drug plan outside of annual enrollment periods.)

To switch plans, you should enroll in your new plan without disenrolling from your old plan. Enroll early during an enrollment period to make sure that your new coverage starts when it should. It is best to enroll in your new plan by calling 800-MEDICARE, rather than through the plan itself. You will be automatically disenrolled from your old plan when your new coverage starts. If you are considering

changing your health coverage as well as your drug coverage, review full benefits packages carefully to make sure you choose a plan that addresses your prescription and general health needs. ~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 to change plans, log on to Medicare Interactive Counselor at the Medicare Rights Center’s website at www. medicareinteractive.org.

Not what we say about our blessings, but how we use them, is the true measure of our thanksgiving. ~ W. T. Purkiser

THE BEST of TIMES  November 2008  15

16  November 2008  THE BEST of TIMES

LEGAL

The Case of the Aging Parents Who Were Giving Away Their Money Lee Aronson

Question: I’m concerned that my parents are no longer able to manage their money. As they have gotten older, their judgment has become questionable and they are starting to give away a significant amount of money to a distant relative.

Every time I try to talk to my parents about this, they get upset and angry at me. Is there anything I can do?

Answer: Unfortunately, your situation is a common one. Your best bet is to try talking to your parents. Tips I’ve heard for having such a conversation include: get all of the siblings together; make clear that you are not trying to take control of your parent’s lives; and ask how you and your siblings can help to make things easier. If taking to your parents isn’t going to work, there are some things you can do, but none of them will be easy or pleasant.

In Louisiana, every adult is presumed to be competent and can do what they want with their money. Even if you could prove that your parents did not understand what they were doing when they were giving money to the relative, you would still be out of luck. That’s because Louisiana law only allows the person making the donation to challenge it due to his or her lack of understanding. In other words, adult children have no legal right to challenge a donation make by their parents based on their parents’ lack of capacity. I read one case where Mom gave her interest in the family farm to only one of her kids. The other children thought that Mom was incompetent and did not understand what she was doing when she made this donation and sued to have the donation revoked. The court threw the case out, stating the general rule that only Mom would have authority to sue to have the donation revoked.

So if your parents aren’t willing to talk, perhaps you should try having a conversation with the distant relative. You might want to explain to the relative that financial exploitation of an aged person is a crime in

Louisiana. Financial exploitation includes “the intentional diminution or use of the property or assets of the aged person without the express voluntary consent of [the aged individual.]” You could mention the only case that I know of that involves this law: a grandson cashed two checks on the account of his grandmother who was in a nursing home at the time. One check was for $65 and the other was for $50. Criminal charges were brought against the grandson, he pled guilty and was sentenced to five years imprisonment and fined $1,500.

Or perhaps you should report the distant relative to Elderly Protective Services. Elderly Protective Services is a special State agency out of The Office of the Governor and it’s their job to receive and investigate reports of suspected elder abuse, neglect, and financial exploitation. And the agency will keep your identity confidential: your parents and the distant relative will not be able to find out that you were the one making the report.

An option that probably won’t work is Power of Attorney. That’s because not only must your parents be willing and able to give Power of Attorney, but also because the granting of Power of Attorney doesn’t mean that they are signing their lives away.

If your parents give you financial Power of Attorney, you have authority to act on their behalf in financial matters but your parents retain all of their rights to do whatever they want with their finances. And your parents can change their mind and revoke the Power of Attorney at any time.

Another unpleasant option would be to file a lawsuit to have your parents declared incompetent and to have a guardian appointed to take over their finances. In Louisiana, such a suit is called an interdiction and is a big deal. A sheriff will have to actually have to go out to your parents’ house and serve them with court papers.

Your parents will then have 15 days to answer the lawsuit and if they don’t, the Judge will appoint an attorney to represent them. The Judge may also order your parents to undergo a medical evaluation and have the doctor’s report entered into evidence. If the Judge finds that your parents are “unable consistently to make reasoned decision regarding the care of their property or to communicate those decision and their interests cannot be protected by less restrictive means,” then the Judge will declare them incompetent and will appoint a guardian. Usually, a family member is appointed as the guardian and only the guardian will have authority to act on your parent’s behalf. Your parents will lose all authority over their finances and will no longer be able to make any gifts or take any act at all pertaining to their property. That’s a severe remedy: one Louisiana court called a Judgment of Interdiction to be “a pronouncement of civil death without the dubious advantage of…a tombstone.”

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

THE BEST of TIMES  November 2008  17

Amanda Newton Many people love shopping at Wal-Mart Super Centers or a Super Target because everything is located in one place. You don’t need to drive to four separate stores for your groceries, prescriptions, glasses and flowers; you can get it all with one stop.

Recently, a new program being administered by the Caddo Council on Aging (CCOA) is offering a type of “one-stop shopping” for seniors and the disabled in the area: the Aging and Disability Resource Center (ADRC) of Northwest Louisiana.

This new program will not only keep you from having to go all over the place to find the appropriate resources you need, it may also save you money.

Mary Alice Rountree, executive director of CCOA, is excited about the program.

Although the program has been offered locally for over a year, a lot of people still don’t know about it, she said. Also, ADRCs are a relatively new premise, though some states have had them longer than Louisiana.

The goal of an ADRC is “to create a single, coordinated system of information and access for all persons seeking long term support. We will provide the facts you need so you can make the best decision on long term support options.”

“The Aging and Disability Resource Centers don’t perform the services,” Rountree said. “(For example), they don’t

18  November 2008  THE BEST of TIMES

deliver meals but they would refer people to parish (locations) for meals. (We) would help direct them the right way. (It’s) walking someone down the right road of where to go get the resources.”

The ADRC can provide options counseling to help people understand their options, both immediate and long-range, in regards to personal care. Benefits counseling provided by the center helps people locate and apply for benefits such as private insurance, food stamps, Medicare and Medicaid. Employment options counseling will help people learn of job opportunities available to them. Referrals to area services and programs can be provided, as well as crisis intervention in cases where there is an immediate danger to the health or welfare of an individual.

Often, a person has heard of programs that might be beneficial to them, but they don’t know how to go about finding out if they are eligible. The eligibility screening provided by the ADRC can answer those questions and start the ball rolling towards assistance.

It has been a challenge to get the word out that while the CCOA serves just Caddo Parish; the ADRC of Northwest Louisiana actually serves the disabled and aging in nine parishes: Caddo, Bossier, Webster, Claiborne, Bienville, Red River, DeSoto, Sabine and Natchitoches.

Most people think the CCOA is only for seniors, but the ADRC is for both the

aging and anyone over the age of 21 who is disabled.

“It is a much bigger reach,” Rountree said.

The ADRC is encouraging people to contact them when it is time to analyze their drug plan in November. It is always a good idea to re-analyze each year. People can call the ADRC and they can do that over the phone and send the person the results.

Though it is administered by CCOA, the ADRC is funded by separate legislative funding. It is incorporated through the SenioRx program.

SenioRx is a very popular program offered by the ADRC. The center is able to fill out applications for clients and send them to the drug companies to see if they qualify for free prescriptions. Rountree said they do a “tremendous amount of that.”

Irene Jackson is manager of the ADRC of Northwest Louisiana. She and a staff of three have been working hard to help the aging and disabled persons in the area find the services and assistance they need.

Jackson is happy with the response the center has gotten so far, but wishes more people knew about it.

“We have people that are surprised when we tell them that we do prescription drugs,” said Jackson. “People who are low-income and don’t have insurance and need medicine, we help them do that.

Many people, to me, never seemed to have heard of the Caddo Council on Aging - and it has been here for years.”

Jackson said several people have found the ADRC through the LouisianaANSWERSwebsite. People have called from outside the area that have relatives living here to find out about getting help for their loved one. Jackson said they can help when these family members need a ramp built for a loved one’s home or need to arrange meal delivery. Relatives often want to find out what can be done to keep their loved one in their own home for as long as possible.

This is just the sort of thing that the ADRC can help with. They can cut down on the leg-work and time commitment that so often is a part of searching for services.

Jackson has been spending a lot of time traveling to locations in the nine parishes the center serves to implement a new program. The center is providing jump drives, or memory sticks, that they load with all of the medications a client is currently taking. Information on blood type and prior surgeries can also be included. When the client visits a doctor’s office, the jump drive can be quickly read by computer.

The jump drives are highly beneficial in emergencies when the client might be unable to speak. Emergency room staff can read the jump drive and gain vital information quickly. In natural disasters, such as hurricanes, a person who is forced to quickly evacuate can carry their jump drive with them to an evacuation center to help them obtain their medications.

“One lady called and said she had gone to the doctor the very next day after we did the memory stick for her. She gave it to her doctor and they were surprised, but very happy that she did have that,” Jackson said.

There is no charge for the jump drive and the center can update it for a client as needed.

“Other parts of the country have gotten this going faster than Louisiana,” said Rountree, referring to ADRCs. “This is just the beginning of our second year into it and we have a long way to go with it. And not everything will be free - but it is stretching that dollar as far as you can and staying in your own home as long as you can.”

A growing trend in the groups that serve the aging population is keeping people in their homes for as long as possible. The services provided by the ADRC can go

a long way in helping people find the assistance they need to do so.

A person who does not need the full time care a nursing home provides might benefit from Meals on Wheels, a medical alert button, or technological aides provide

by Louisiana Assistive Technology Access Network (LATAN).

“The whole big push of senior and disabled services is to keep people in place,” Rountree said. “That is the big push all over the country (and part of that) is to move the Medicaid dollar to not only nursing homes and established living, but to move some of that money to keeping them at home.

That will be a big challenge.”

When a person needs full-time care, that is when nursing homes are an important part of the aging process, Rountree added.

But, for those who just need a little assis-

tance, they are not only generally happier at home, but it is also less expensive.

Technological advances and the services provided by the ADRC of Northwest Louisiana can go a long way in helping people have a better quality of life in their own homes.

“Louisiana is kind of climbing on board to think of ways to keep our seniors and our aging population at home. Technology, I think, is going to play a big role. Hopefully we will be able to help with this…by telling people about different options they have.”

Contact CCOA, 4015 Greenwood Road, Shreveport, LA 71107; (318) 632-2090.

Email: ccoa@caddocoa.org or visit www. caddocouncilonaging.org. To contact the ADRC call (318) 632-5900. www.louisanaanswers.com.

THE BEST of TIMES  November 2008  19

ADVICE

STOP Worrying and Start Living!

Focus on what you want, not what you don’t want Betsy Williams

I was in a bookstore the other day and was perusing the self-help isle. There really are some interesting books that one can read to assist in coping with a lot of “stuff”. I noticed that there were a few books about worry. Some were very serious and provided techniques on how to stop worrying, and some were humorous and gave you the funny side of worry. I know that a good laugh can be good for stopping the worries, even if it is just momentarily.

So what is worry? Is it that emotional rollercoaster that we ride over life’s events? Is it what we do when we think there is nothing else to do? There really is not a clear definition, just some thoughts on why it takes place and why some of us

20  November 2008  THE BEST of TIMES

worry more than others.

For some people, worry becomes an obsession, ingrained in their psyche and becomes a part of their nature. For others, it is a momentary fear or anxiety about a particular event. Either way, it takes a lot of energy to worry.

Now, some believe that worry can actually be virtuous. To be a good parent, you are suppose to worry about your children.

It is irresponsible if you don’t worry about your job, finances, or business. However, most of the things we worry about are things over which we have little or no control. The French philosopher Michel de Montaigne, wrote in the 1500’s, “My life has been filled with terrible misfortune, most of which never happen.”

Okay, I have dispensed enough energy on what worry is. Let’s talk about getting

rid of it. First, we need to be more aware of what we’re doing. If you find yourself anxious or upset, check to see if you’re worrying. If so, focus on what you WANT rather than what you DON’T want. You really can’t just STOP worrying. You have to START thinking about desired results – something good instead of something bad. Start working on the solution rather than a possible negative outcome.

Now, the stopping and starting technique may need practice. However, there are some creative ways to assist you in your elimination of worry. Some people have “worry dolls” that they just give their worries to. My mom had “Tuzy”, a handmade cloth doll. She held a lot of worries for my mom over the years. Others write down their worries, put them in a box, and close the lid so they can’t get out.

Just a note: there are times when worry can become an obsession. If you find that you are worrying over something or someone constantly, you may need to contact a professional for a consultation.

Obsessive and constant worrying could be a symptom of General Anxiety Disorder which can be treated with medication.

So, what is worry? It is something we don’t want to spend a lot of our good, healthy energy on. Just take time for yourself and do the following: • Be aware of what you are doing • If you are worrying, focus on what you want, not what you don’t want.

• Start thinking about desired results – something good • Work on a positive solution, not a negative outcome.

• Use those creative devices. It really is okay to give your worries to someone or something that can handle them much better than you.

So, STOP worrying and start living!

Betsy Williams, Psy.D., is the Executive Director for The Center for Families, a non-profit agency providing counseling on a sliding fee scale. de Sh ta ils No re Sou NEW on ve Do v m n th No epo thea is ber ’t m w rt s inn 1 is OP Of t ov 8th s th fic at ! C e E N! e ive a C m ll (3 -Leg icr 18 R op ) ro 42 oad ce 4- sh ss 41 ow or 67 te ch for no log y.

Singing Praises

At Snell’s Orthotics and Prosthetics, we often hear praises from patients and members of the medical community alike. But rarely are those praises sung so beautifully as when Eddie Mae Montgomery bestows accolades upon us. You see, music is an important part of Eddie Mae’s life, and for more than forty years she has ministered to others through her music at St. Mary Baptist Church in Shreveport.

Together she and her husband direct the church’s choirs.

“I wouldn’t want to go to anybody else,” says Montgomery.

“They take the time necessary to understand their patients’ needs, and work hard to exceed expectations. I always recommend Snell’s to anyone who has needs similar to mine.”

When you have a special orthotic or prosthetic need, it pays to work with a team that has the experience and long-term commitment that we do. We believe that while biomechanics, technology, and mathematical precision play a large part in the services we provide, the true heart of our work is based on humanity rather than science. Which is precisely why compliments from those we serve are always music to our ears.

Returning independence to our patients since 1911

,INE !VENUE s 3HREVEPORT s s 4OLL &REE 9OUREE $RIVE "UILDING ! s 3HREVEPORT s ORTHOTICS • PROSTHETICS

(ALL 3TREET s -ONROE s s 4OLL &REE *ACKSON 3TREET s !LEXANDRIA s s 4OLL &REE

www.SnellsOandP.com Did You Know? Two-thirds of all the cities and towns in Louisiana are located within an hour’s drive from one of Snell’s four locations.

THE BEST of TIMES  November 2008  21

From the Bench

New Changes in the Criminal Law Judge Jeff Cox

The Louisiana Legislature completed their session in early June of this year. In their legislative session, they passed some new laws which specifically affect seniors.

Two of these laws are: R.S. 14:202.1 - Home Improvement Fraud. This offense is committed when any person who has contracted or subcontracted to perform any home improvement knowingly engages in certain actions.

The actions are specified in the act as follows: • failing to perform any work during a 45 day period after receiving payment; • using any deception, false pretense or false promise to cause a person to enter into a home improvement contract; or • damaging of property with intent

to induce a person to enter into a home improvement contract.

Home improvement is defined under the statute as any alteration, repair, modification, or other improvement to any moveable or immovable property primarily designed or used as a residence or any structure within the residence or upon adjacent land.

Defenses are available under the statute that allow the contractor to avoid a criminal charge if there are legitimate reasons for failing to perform the contract. The penalty for this crime is a maximum fine of $1000.00 or imprisonment for six months. However, for a crime of this nature where the victim is sixty or older, or is disabled, the offense is a felony with a maximum term of imprisonment with or without hard labor

W E A R E C o M f o R T K E E P E R S®

Comfort Keepers® provides the kind of trusted, in-home care that helps people maintain full and independent lives, right in the comfort of their own homes.

318-934-0090

Over 550 independently owned and operated offices worldwide.

• Companionship • Incidental Transportation • Laundry, Cooking • Light Housekeeping • Errands, Shopping • Recreation, Crafts • Medication Reminders • Grooming, Dressing Guidance • Personal Care Services: – Bathing, Hygiene – Incontinence Care © 2008 CK Franchising, Inc.

W W W. C o M f o R T K E E P E R S . C o M

22  November 2008  THE BEST of TIMES

for five years and a fine not to exceed $10,000.00.

R.S. 14:62.8 - Home Invasion. This act provides that “home invasion is the unauthorized entering of any inhabited dwelling or other structure belonging to another and used in whole or in part as a home or place of abode by a person, where a person is present, with intent to use force or violence upon the person of another or to vandalize, deface, or damage the property of another.”

The offense is a felony punishable by a fine not to exceed $5000 or imprisonment at hard labor for not less than five nor more than twenty years, with at least five years of that sentence without benefit of probation or parole. If, however, at the time of the home invasion, a person who is under twelve or 65 or older, or a person who has a developmental disability, is present in the place, the penalty is increased to a $10,000 fine and imprisonment for not less than ten nor more than twenty-five years, with at least ten years to be served without benefit of probation or parole.

As you can see, our legislature is very serious about crimes against the elderly.

Please, if you see one of them out, thank them for passing legislation of this type.

They will appreciate your kind words.

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

THE BEST of TIMES  November 2008  23

financial

Don’t Forget Taxes When Planning Retirement Jason Alderman

When budgeting how much money they’ll need for living expenses after retirement, most folks generally include things like housing, medical expenses, transportation – even food and entertainment. But sometimes people forget to factor in taxes, which can have a substantial impact depending on where you live and what your sources for retirement income are.

Plus, many don’t realize that if they start collecting Social Security while still working, they may lose a significant portion of their benefit.

Here are a few things to research further before committing to a retirement date: Taxes on Social Security benefits.

Most people can begin collecting Social Security benefits at age 62, albeit at significantly reduced amounts than waiting until full retirement age (65 for those born before 1938; gradually older thereafter).

Keep in mind, however, that although many states don’t tax Social Security benefits, they are counted as taxable income by the federal government.

It’s a complicated formula, but basically, if you’re single and your combined income from all sources is between $25,000 and $34,000, you will be taxed on

24  November 2008  THE BEST of TIMES

50 percent of your Social Security benefit.

For income over $34,000, 85 percent of the benefit is taxed and below $25,000, none is. For married people filing jointly, the amounts are: 50 percent on combined incomes of $34,000 to $44,000; 85 percent over $44,000; and tax free under $34,000. Go to www.irs.gov and look up Tax Topic 423 and Publication 915 for more details.

Impact of work on Social Security.

After opting to collect a reduced Social Security benefit before reaching full retirement age, some people then find they need to continue working to make ends meet. This can backfire: If you earn more than $13,560 a year in wages, you will lose one dollar of Social Security benefits for every two dollars you earn over $13,560. (Income from investments doesn’t factor in.)

In the year you reach full retirement age, the Social Security benefit reduction drops to one dollar for every three dollars over the earnings limit, but in the years after that, there is no reduction. Thus, if you think you’ll need to continue working to make ends meet, it might be wiser to hold off on collecting Social Security until you reach full retirement age – plus, your benefit will be larger.

Taxes on 401(k) and IRA withdrawals. After age 59 ½, you can start withdrawing balances from 401(k) plans

or regular IRAs, without penalty. However, don’t forget that you will pay regular federal (and state, if applicable) income tax on the withdrawals. Plus, you’ll also have to pay an additional 10 percent penalty on early withdrawals.

Other taxes. Some people consider moving to another state after retirement to avoid high taxes. For example, seven states charge no income tax (although another two do tax dividend and interest income). And five states charge no sales tax. But because property taxes and other cost–of–living expenses vary significantly by community, such moves should only be made after thorough research.

The Retirement Living Information Center’s website features breakdowns of the various kinds of taxes seniors are likely to pay, state by state, including taxes on income, sales, fuel, property, inheritances and other items (www.retirementliving. com/RLtaxes.html).

Bottom line: Be sure to consult a financial planner long before retirement to make sure you fully understand all the many tax and income implications. If you don’t know a financial planner, www. plannersearch.org is a good place to start your search.

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

Medicare Recipients Would you like to have a choice of plans that combine Medicare health coverage and prescription drug coverage for one low price?

Save money with Vantage Medicare Advantage and enjoy the benefits of plans with: • No deductibles and $5 office visit copays • 100% coverage for chemotherapy & radiation therapy • 100% coverage for radiology and pathology (No separate bills from radiologists and pathologists) • Worldwide emergency coverage There are several plans to choose from and all of these benefits may not be available in every plan.

1-888-823-1910 TTY 1-866-524-5144 (for the hearing impaired)

Vantage Health Plan is an HMO with a Medicare Advantage contract. You may be eligible to enroll in a Vantage Medicare Advantage plan if you reside in our service area and are currently entitled to Medicare Part A and enrolled in Part B. Benefits may change on January 1, 2010. Contact Vantage Health Plan toll free at (888) 823-1910 or TTY (866) 524-5144, seven days a week, 8am - 8pm from November 15th through March 2nd or Monday-Friday, 8am - 8pm from March 3rd through November 14th for additional information.

H5576_4010_06_CY09 CMS 10/9/2008

VANTAGE MEDICARE A

D

V

A

N

T

A

G

E

w w w. v h p - m e d i c a r e . c o m

THE BEST of TIMES  November 2008  25

SCAM ALERT

Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t Cash That Check!

Avoid fake check scams A.G. James D. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Buddyâ&#x20AC;? Caldwell

The Louisiana Attorney Generalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Office is warning consumers of fake check scams that can hit you where it hurts - the pocketbook. Fake check scams are designed to steal your hard earned money. The following tips are provided to let you know how to recognize a fake check scam.

Victims are usually told that they are winners of a foreign sweepstakes, or that someone wants to buy merchandise that the victim has advertised. The checks or money orders are counterfeit but they look so real that even bank tellers may be fooled. Some are counterfeit money orders, some are phony cashierâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s checks, and others look like they are from legitimate business accounts. The companies

or bank institutions whose names appear on the check may be real, but a con-artist created the check without the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s knowledge. The scam artist often resides outside of the United States, which makes it extremely difficult to catch them.

Under Federal law, banks must make deposited funds available quickly - usually within one to five business days. However, it may take weeks for the forgeries to be discovered. By the time the check bounces, the victims have often accessed the funds, and are therefore liable to repay the bank the money they withdrew against the bad check. When the check or money order bounces, the bank deducts the amount that was originally credited to their accounts. If the funds are inefficient, the bank has no choice but to recover the funds from the victim.

The National Consumers League recommends the following for recognizing and avoiding fake check scams:

â&#x20AC;˘ There are many variations of the fake check scam. The stories range from the scam artist offering to buy something you advertised and offering to pay you to do work at home, to giving you an â&#x20AC;&#x153;advanceâ&#x20AC;? on a sweepstakes contest that youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve won. â&#x20AC;˘ The scam artist often claims to be in a foreign country. If you question this, the scammer will tell you that itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s too difficult and complicated to send you the money directly from their country, so theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll arrange for someone in the United States to send you a check or money order. â&#x20AC;˘ They tell you to wire some of the money after youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve deposited the check.

For example, in the sweepstakes variation of the scam, they tell you to wire them money for taxes, processing, legal fees or other expenses that must be paid before you can get the rest of the money.

Pfli Gi\jZi`gk`fe ]fi 8]]fi[XYc\ D\[`ZXi\ ;il^j% www.bcbsla.com/RxBLUE | 1-800-223-6930 | (TTY 1-800-947-5277)

q affordable monthly premiums

q $8 generic drugs

q coverage for ALL Medicare

q most major pharmacies

Part D approved drugs

across Louisiana

:8CC LJ KF;8P =FI PFLI =I<< @E=FID8K@FE B@K

Our Blue Cross agents are specially trained and will assist you with all your enrollment needs.

"LUE #ROSS AND "LUE 3HIELD OF ,OUISIANA HAS CONTRACTED WITH THE #ENTERS FOR -EDICARE -EDICAID 3ERVICES TO OFFER 2X",5% A -EDICARE 0ART $ PRESCRIPTION DRUG PLAN "LUE #ROSS AND "LUE 3HIELD OF ,OUISIANA IS INCORPORATED AS ,OUISIANA (EALTH 3ERVICE )NDEMNITY #OMPANY ('DO')-. ('&'/ 26 ď&#x192;ž November 2008 ď&#x192;ź THE BEST of TIMES

J,0*.V'0(.'/9=L

• The scam artist may falsely promise to transfer money directly to your bank account. Once you give the scam artist your account number, they send your bank a check or money order with instructions to deposit it in your account. It appears the money has been deposited into your account; however, you learn later that the check or money order was phony.

• If you have truly won a prize, there should be no cost to you. There is no legitimate reason for someone who is giving you money to ask you to wire money back to him or her for any reason.

Since many of these scams originate outside the United States, it can be quite difficult to prosecute the responsible parties. However, authorities do need to know if you believe you have been the victim of the fake check scam. You can file a complaint with the National Fraud Information Center at www.fraud.org or (800) 876-7060, the Federal Trade Commission at www.ftc.gov or the Federal Bureau of Investigation at www.fbi.gov.

For more information, please contact the Louisiana Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Hotline at 1-800-351-4889 or www.agbuddycaldwell.com.

THE BEST of TIMES  November 2008  27

Pharmacy

Natural Solutions for Constipation Suzy Cohen, R.Ph.

I have had a problem with constipation for as long as I can remember. I would so love to be normal. What can I do?

Constipation will make your life miserable and uncomfortable, and cause painful hemorrhoids. Unless you are a sloth (which goes weekly), regular bowel function is needed at least several times a week (preferably more often) in order to remove toxins and prevent serious disease.

We really need to get to the bottom of this, so go look in your medicine cabinet: Antihistamines, pain killers, tri-cyclic antidepressants and Parkinson’s medication can interfere with your body’s natural elimination process.

Here are some natural solutions: • Eat more fiber like oatmeal for example. This is where it gets sticky though,

28  November 2008  THE BEST of TIMES

because the type of oatmeal matters. You want to get steel-cut oatmeal (not the quick-cooking kind) because the steel-cut type has more fiber and nutrition. Other healthy sources of fiber include fresh, organic fruits and vegetables. Key word “fresh,” not canned! Ground-up flaxseed is another great source of fiber because it also protects against the dangerous effects of estrogen in men and women.

Do I need to tell you to cut out foods that have no fiber? I hate to dash your dreams but frozen dinners, ice cream, cheeseburgers and pizza only clog the pipes. The right kind of fiber works like a plunger.

• Drink water. Most people are dehydrated and if your lips get dry or cracked, you’re already dehydrated. As Bill Engvall would say, “Heeere’s your sign!”

• Think in terms of bugs. The good ones, like healthy microorganisms that should always inhabit your gut. Studies show that a healthy camp of gut bacteria

can relieve constipation and boost immune function. Don’t eat the bugs, take a “probiotic” supplement like Pearls IC, Pro-Bio, Kyo-Dophilus or Dr. Ohhira’s.

Digestive enzymes and acids play a huge role in GI function too.

• Magnesium: Deficiencies can cause constipation. Think about it - magnesium helps your muscles contract. Your intestines have muscles, too, even though you don’t have the six-pack of abs to show for it. Your intestinal muscles propel globs of digested food through your colon. Green leafy veggies contain magnesium - and fiber - so eat those before taking laxatives (which often contain magnesium).

• Aloe vera: Aloe may relieve joint pain, improve diabetes, cholesterol, constipation and lower your risk for cancer.

All that from a creepy-looking desert plant! The outstanding benefits appear to come from various compounds such as anthraquinones, acemannan and lectins.

You can can filet a leaf and put it in your smoothie, or just buy aloe vera juice at any health food store.

• Some people are allergic to soy, dairy or gluten-containing foods, so eliminating these items may ultimately be the means to the end.

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, R.Ph. Distributed by Dear Pharmacist, Inc.

THE BEST of TIMES  November 2008  29

30  November 2008  THE BEST of TIMES

November is National Home Care and Hospice Month,

which means this is the perfect opportunity to answer the many questions people might have about these services.

Both services can benefit those who directly need them and their families.

As the trend of helping people age in place continues in this country, both home health care and hospice care will play a key role in making that possible.

However, there is a lot about home health care and hospice care that people don’t know about or that they might have heard mistaken information about. The National Hospice Foundation (NHF) found that the services provided by hospice care are what Americans want; yet 83 percent of them don’t know about hospice care.

NHF research also showed that 80 percent of Americans said their wish is to die at home.

Of the 2.4 million Americans who die each year, less than 25 percent actually die at home.

Of the 700,000 patients who receive hospice care, over 75 percent die at home.

While more people might be familiar with home health care than with hospice care, there are still details of this service that they might have questions about.

Home health care involves a wide range of health and social services which are administered in a person’s

home to recovering, disabled or chronically ill persons. It includes medical, nursing, social, and therapeutic treatment and assistance with the activities of daily life.

Kareem Meiki and his wife have owned United Home Health Care of Shreveport for 25 years. He said that everybody who is homebound and certified as such by their doctor is eligible for home health care.

Their doctor will determine the specific services they need.

“The basic standard is the person must be homebound and meet the criteria for home health,” he said. “These standards are established by the state of Louisiana and the federal government.”

Home health care is provided by skilled nurses, physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech therapists, medical

social workers and certified nursing assistants, said Ada Lowe, director of WillisKnighton Home Health.

Skilled nurses provide assessment and manage the disease processes and medication regimens. They can also provide and teach infusion therapy, wound/wound vac therapy, ostomy care, catheter care; and pain management.

Rehabilitation services

BEST of TIMES November2008 2008  31 31 THETHE BEST of TIMES November

provided as home health care include home exercise programs, gait training, activities for daily living and instruction about home safety. Nursing assistants provide assistance with personal care needs.

Medical social workers assess for psychological-social needs, assist with long-range planning, community resources, and medication assistance.

Although home health care can be paid for by a patient or a patient’s family members, there are a number of public and private sources available to cover the costs. Some private insurance includes provisions for home health care. Public third-party payers include Medicare, Medicaid, the Older Americans Act, the Veterans Administration, and Social

Services block grant programs. Community organizations, such as local chapters of the American Cancer Society and Alzheimer’s Association, also provide funding for home health care.

“Medicare and most private insurance companies require that the patients are confined to the home by the physician,”

said Lowe.

“Homebound does not mean bedridden or bed bound. The patient may leave home for infrequent and short duration health care appointments.

The patient may also leave home occasionally for nonmedical purposes such as (the) barber/beauty shop, church, (and) other infrequent/unique events.”

When it is time to choose a home health care provider, it is

32  2008  THE BEST ofofTIMES 32  November November 2008 THE BEST of TIMES October 2008  THE BEST TIMES

important to do a little research and feel comfortable with the people who will be coming into your or your loved one’s home. Many people ask their primary care physicians for recommendations and that is perfectly fine. However, Meiki wants people to be aware of an important right that

patient’s have.

“The rule of thumb is the referring physician must provide the patient with a list of licensed certified home health providers in the area for the patient to pick from - that is Patient Freedom of Choice,” he said.

A Medicare-certified home health agency has to meet federal minimum requirements for patient care and management.

These government requirements ensure the care these agencies provide is supervised

and controlled. Home health care agencies recruit and supervise their personnel, and therefore assume liability for all care.

Like home health care, hospice care is often administered in the home. Both home health care and hospice care can greatly benefit those receiving services, but there are many differences between the two.

NHF research found that there are four main services Americans feel are important for a loved one who has less than six months to live: someone to be sure that the patient’s wishes are honored; choice among the types of services the patient can receive; pain control tailored to the patient’s wishes; and emotional support

for the patient and family.

Hospice care can provide all of those services and many more.

The National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization estimates that for every one hospice patient, there are two more who could benefit from hospice services. Hopefully, with more knowledge of what hospice is and what it is not, more people who can benefit from hospice will seek it out.

Hospice care involves a team of skilled professionals and volunteers who provide

medical, psychological and spiritual care for the terminally ill. It also includes a strong support system for the patients’ families.

Hospice care is often administered in the home and enables the patient to stay in their home and be with their family. However, it can also be administered in nursing homes and some hospices have their own facilities for on-site hospice patient care. Hospice professionals are available 24 hours a day. They work to assist the family in caring for the patient, while honoring the patients’ wishes and keeping them free from pain.

For some people, the idea of having strangers come into their home during their loved one’s last stage of life might be a strange concept. But for many people, these services are welcomed and improve their loved one’s remaining time.

In fact, NHF research found that the majority of people are willing to have an outside organization come into their homes and assist with end of life care. Sixty-six percent would welcome help from an outside organization, like a hospice, while 24 percent would prefer to take care of the family member by themselves, with the help of family and friends.

Kim Pearson, director of nursing at Community Hospices of America in Shreveport, said anyone who has a terminal diagnosis with a prognosis of six months or less to live is eligible for hospice care.

“That doesn’t mean that we only have them for six months,” she explained. “We have had some people for close to two years. Everyone presents differently and, excuse the term, everybody dies differently. But they all have a terminal diagnosis.”

“Medicare Part A pays totally for hospice”, said Pearson.

“The family or patient does not have any out of pocket expense. Medicaid also pays for hospice. If a patient is in a nursing home, Medicaid pays for their bed and board and Medicare pays for hospice.”

Billie Tipton is director of Willis-Knighton Hospice and she said that it is important for those choosing hospice to realize it is “for comfort and not cure.”

“They have come to the place in their disease process where they have decided not to have aggressive treatment,” Tipton said.

The biggest misconception about hospice care, Tipton said, is that a person is placed on hospice to die, when the truth is they are sent to hospice to live.

“This sounds weird except a person can begin to live out the days they have left once their pain

and other comfort issues are met,” said Tipton. “Contrary to what some people think, including some nurses, doctors, and even instructors in the medical field, hospice does not go in and instantly place every patient on morphine and let them die. If they are placed on any medication it is for relief of some symptom, with the approval of the physician.”

Another common misconception is that the time frame the physician gives for the patient’s life actually shortens a

months or less, Tipton said.

“The patient is not discharged from hospice when they live past the six months unless they are no longer terminal or they choose to seek aggressive treatment. At any time they no longer want to be on hospice they may revoke the hospice benefit.”

When choosing a hospice care provider, an important thing to consider is responsiveness, said Kathryn Merritt, patient care manager at Odyssey Healthcare of Minden and

person’s life. Hospice standards require that the physician give a time frame. The physician determines this recommendation based on the patient’s disease, its prognosis and normal progression, when those factors are suggestive of a life expectancy of six

Shreveport.

“We pride ourselves on responding very quickly when a patient calls,” Merritt said.

“When we get that patient’s name and that they want to talk with us about hospice, they will be visited within three hours. If we find that they are appropriate, and the doctor wants them to be on hospice, we will have them admitted within 24 hours of that first phone call.”

Merritt said that patients under their care have services at their disposal 24 hours a

THE BEST of TIMES  November 33 THE BEST of TIMES2008  Octo-

day, seven days a week. That is true of most all hospice providers.

Since hospice care is a interdisciplinary care, Merritt said there is always a nurse, chaplain and social worker on call.

“So, no matter what their need is, whether it is a physiological, medical, or an emotional/spiritual need, we have somebody that can be there within an hour.”

Hospice is about far more than pain management and in fact, certain treatments can still be administered to a person

under hospice care.

“There is (a) misconception that a person can no longer have any treatment (when under hospice care), such as radiation,” Tipton said. “This is not true.”

Tipton explained that if the treatment is for comfort or symptom control, and not for a cure or to prolong life, then it is considered part of the comfort measures offered.

Obviously, when a person begins hospice care, it is a very emotional time for them and their families. However, it is not a time filled only by sadness and fear. Hospice

34 2008  THETHE BEST of TIMES 34  November November 2008 BEST of TIMES

professionals stress that hospice care gives the patient and family more quality time, and removes a lot of the burden that the family members have been bearing as they cared for their loved ones. This frees them up to really focus on just being with the patient.

Pearson said she tries to teach the families of those under hospice care to celebrate and live what time they have left with their loved one.

“Let’s have family gettogethers. Let’s rejoice in (your) children and all the accomplishments you have done in your life.”

“Often times, (hospice care) is just as much about the caregivers as it is the patient,” said Merritt.

When a caregiver doesn’t have to worry about the minutiae of care, and does not have to worry about their loved one being uncomfortable or in

pain, they gain precious time to spend with their loved one.

A hospice patient isn’t necessarily homebound, either. If they are able, they can leave the home, and are actually encouraged to do so if it is what they want.

“The person is encouraged to get out and do the things they enjoy in life,” Tipton said. “Certain conditions and provisions may apply to travel outside of a 50 mile radius (and) in some cases hospital and other hospice resources may be utilized.”

Tipton explained that travel outside of the 50 mile limit requires the patient to get off of hospice in case a need should arise and they would need to go to a hospital. This keeps the patient or family from getting stuck with the cost of a visit from an out of area provider.

In some cases, the hospice can contract with another hospice

to check on the patient while they are out of town.

Following the death of a hospice patient, the hospice provider will continue to assist the family through bereavement services. These services vary slightly from provider to provider, but generally include regular calls or visits to the family for at least one year following the patient’s death.

Many hospice providers have a yearly service for family members, where they can speak about their loved ones and also talk to other families about their similar experiences.

Some programs, such as Willis-Knighton, have regular support group meetings for the families of those who have lost loved ones.

Merritt said the families’ needs are assessed and, at times, that leads to more involved bereavement care being needed.

“If they are grieving appropriately, then we would stay in touch with them every couple of months by phone or mail,” she explained. “If we see that they are not grieving appropriately, then we will put them in contact with whatever resources they need, whether it be a licensed counselor, or our chaplains will meet with them and counsel them if that is (what) they choose. We just make sure that they are handling the death appropriately.”

Both home health care and hospice care can greatly improve the quality of life for persons in need, and can also be heaven sent for their families. Knowledge is power and with this additional information on these services, individuals can hopefully take charge of the manner in which they and their loved ones both live and die. Ë

THE BEST of TIMES November 200835 35 THE BEST of TIMES   November 2008

36  November November2008 2008   THE THEBEST BESTofofTIMES TIMES

RESOURCES: Home Health ArkLaTex Home Health 2090 Stockwell Road Bossier City, LA 71111 (318) 747-6180 Synergy Home Care 2533 Bert Kouns, #117 Shreveport, LA 71118 (318) 550-0285 United Home Health Care of Shreveport 9400 Village Green Drive Shreveport, LA 71115 (318) 798-7777

St. Joseph Hospice 688 Jordan Shreveport, LA 71101 (318) 222-8723 Willis Knighton Hospice of Louisiana 3300 Albert Bicknell Drive, Suite #3 Shreveport, LA 71103 (318) 212-4697

Internet • HomeCare Association of Louisiana at www.hclanet.org; (800) 283-HCLA

• www.medicare.gov - It’s Home Health compare tool offers contact information that can help you find agencies and provides quality data on those agencies for comparison.

• National Association for Home Care and Hospice at www.nahc.org; (202) 547-7424 • Louisiana-Mississippi Hospice and Palliative Care Organization at www. lmhpco.org; (888) 546-1500 • Hospice Foundation of America at www.hospicefoundation.org; (800) 854-3402

Hospice Care Circle of Life Hospice, Inc 920 Pierremont Road Suite 110 Shreveport, LA 71106 (318) 869-4012 Community Hospices of America 8660 Fern Avenue Suite 145 Shreveport, LA 71105 (318) 524-1046 Odyssey HealthCare 8508 Line Avenue, Suite A Shreveport, LA 71106 (318) 868-8788 SouthernCare 2924 Knight Stree Suite 324 Shreveport, LA 71105 (318) 227-9160

THE BEST of TIMES  November 2008  37

Arcadian Community Care With you every step of the way.

Come join us for a free seminar to learn more.

Trejo’s, 929 Westgate, Bossier City Mondays, 11:00 a.m., November 3, 10 & 17; December 1, 8 & 15; January 5, 12, 19 & 26; February 2, 9, 16 & 23; March 2, 9, 16 & 23

Trejo’s, 5815 Youree Drive, Shreveport Wednesdays, 11:00 a.m., November 5, 12 & 19; December 3, 10 & 17; January 7, 14 & 21; February 4, 11 & 18; March 4, 11 & 18

Trejo’s,

Los Gallos, 1400 Ringold Ave., Coushatta Thursdays, 11:00 a.m., November 6, 13 & 20; December 4, 11, 18; January 1, 8, 15 & 22; February 5, 12, 19 & 25; March 5, 12, 19 & 26

Tuesdays, 11:00 a.m., November 4 ,11 & 18; December 2, 9 & 16 January 6, 13 & 20; February 3, 10 & 17; March 3,10 & 17

Call us at 318-560-6327 (TTY/TDD 1-866-573-8613) Arcadian Community Care is provided by Arcadian Health Plan of Lousiana, Inc., a Coordinated Care Plan with a Medicare Advantage contract. Anyone with Medicare Parts A and B may apply. You must continue to pay your Medicare Part B premium if not otherwise paid for under Medicaid or by another third party. You must use contracted providers and pharmacies for care. Limitations, monthly premiums, copayments and coinsurance will apply. A sales representative will be present with information and Individual Enrollment Forms. For accommodation of persons with special needs at sales meetings call 1-318-560-6327.

MRT0015_MKT408_1 (H7179) (12/07)

38  November 2008  THE BEST of TIMES

FITNESS

Moving Free® With Mirabai We can’t eliminate all stress, but there are quick and easy ways to minimize it Mirabai Holland, M.F.A.

Given the current global financial crisis, I thought I should talk a little about STRESS. Feeling stressed?? Me too!!

Stress has been around since the beginning of time. It started as the flight-or-fight reflex when early humans confronted a life-threatening situation, and now, stress itself has become a life-threatening situation.

Well, if we can’t eliminate all causes of stress, which is the way to go if you can do it, but good luck. What can we do about it?

Here are a few quick and easy things: • Relax. No really, conscious relaxation is a form of Yoga or Meditation.

Sometimes you only need a few seconds and you feel a lot better.

Try this at home or at work: Sit down and close your eyes. Let your muscles relax. Concentrate on your breathing.

Breathe in and hold your breath for 1 second – 1 one hundred thousand, Breathe out.

Breathe in again a little deeper and hold for 2 seconds – 1 one hundred thousand, 2 one hundred thousand – Breathe out.

Breathe in deeper and hold for three, then four, then 5 seconds.

When you get to around 3 seconds of breath holding your stress level should

start to drop and your mind should to clear itself for thoughts. After 5, you should feel pretty good. This actually works!

• Eat better. Substituting good food like fruit for sugary snacks and drinking less caffeine and less alcohol can make a big difference.

• At home, put on some music and dance around for a song or two.

If you have the time keep going. After a few minutes, as your heart rate goes up your mood will improve.

This is because you’re now doing aerobic exercise, a great mood elevator, after about 20 minutes you’ll feel even better because the endorphins, your body’s natural antidepressant drugs will kick in and all will be right with the world for a while. By the way a half hour brisk walk or putting on an

aerobics video works just as well.

• Another great stress reducer is getting a massage. Professional massage therapists are great, but for just plain stress, getting your significant other or a close friend to give you a massage works just as well, maybe better. Be sure to return the favor.

• Last but not least, pet a dog or cuddle with a cat.

Mirabai Holland M.F.A. is one of the leading authorities in the Health & Fitness industry, and public health activist who specializing 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. For more info, visit www.movingfree.com.

THE BEST of TIMES  November 2008  39

Senior Care at Brentwood Hospital Levels of Care • Inpatient • Partial Hospitalization (Day Treatment) • Outpatient

Call us, we can help!

Brentwood Senior Care Unit (318) 678-7500

Warning Signs That May Indicate the Need for Treatment

• • • • • • • •

Depression, extreme sadness Confused thinking, difficulty concentrating Hallucinations; hearing voices Misuse of alcohol or medications Disorientation Numerous unexplained physical ailments Difficulties coping with daily living Excessive fears, anxieties or suspiciousness

40  November 2008  THE BEST of TIMES

When I was a boy, there were still a few veterans of the Spanish American War, and more of The Great War, or World War I, and now all those have died and those who served in World War II are passing from us, too. Robert Hedin, a Minnesota poet, has written a fine poem about these people.

The Old Liberators Of all the people in the mornings at the mall, it’s the old liberators I like best, those veterans of the Bulge, Anzio, or Monte Cassino I see lost in Automotive or back in Home Repair, bored among the paints and power tools.

Or the really old ones, the ones who are going fast, who keep dozing off in the little orchards of shade under the distant skylights.

All around, from one bright rack to another, their wives stride big as generals, their handbags bulging like ripe fruit.

They are almost all gone now, and with them they are taking the flak and fire storms, the names of the old bombing runs.

Each day a little more of their memory goes out, darkens the way a house darkens, its rooms quietly filling with evening, until nothing but the wind lifts the lace curtains, the wind bearing through the empty rooms the rich far off scent of gardens where just now, this morning, light is falling on the wild philodendrons.

American Life in Poetry is made possible by The Poetry Foundation (www.poetryfoundation.org), publisher of Poetry magazine. It is also supported by the Department of English at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Poem copyright © 1999 by Robert Hedin. Reprinted from “The Old Liberators: New and Selected Poems and Translations,” Holy Cow! Press, 1999, by permission of the Robert Hedin. Introduction copyright © 2008 by The Poetry Foundation. The introduction’s author, Ted Kooser, served as United States Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress from 2004-2006. We do not accept unsolicited manuscripts.

THE BEST of TIMES  November 2008  41

42  November 2008  THE BEST of TIMES

THE BEST of TIMES  November 2008  43

44  November 2008  THE BEST of TIMES

Nursing Home Care

In considering a nursing home for future placement of a family member, I am told that I should review the home’s most recent state survey.

Where can I obtain one?

Survey results are posted online at www.medicare.gov/NHCompare.

You may search the site by city, zip code, or the name of the particular homes. It will give you a comparison of each home to the state and national averages of issues cited. If you do not have Internet access, you may ask the nursing home staff to see the survey since homes are required to display a copy of their most recent survey in a public area.

Vicki Ott

NurseCare Nursing and Rehab Center 1736 Irving Place Shreveport, LA 71101 (318) 221-1983 See our ad on page 16.

Neurosurgery

Are there new treatments for epilepsy?

Epilepsy affects 1 out of 100. While many have seizures controlled by medications, one-third don’t. For those who still have seizures, they can’t drive, be employed in unsupervised positions, or enjoy independence (because a seizure can occur at any time). For these people, two more common procedures are options. With careful screening and a multi-disciplinary team, we have cured about 8 patients recently using temporal lobectomy, some of who have had seizures for over 30 years...none of these have any permanent problems otherwise.

Another option is vagus nerve stimulation, which reduces seizures by about 30 - 60% but rarely cures them. This involves putting a pacemaker-like device around a nerve in the neck.

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

Opthalmology When should I have cataracts taken out?

Cataracts are a normal part of aging.

Not everyone who has cataracts will need to have them removed. As cataracts progress, they cause decreased vision, glare problems, trouble reading, and loss of contrast sensitivity.

We suggest having cataracts removed when your best corrected visual acuity drops to 20/50. They should also be removed if other symptoms are causing problems with daily activities of life such as driving, reading, or seeing fine details. Call us at 212-3937 for an evaluation TODAY. For more info log on to www.ShelbyEye.com Chris Shelby, MD

Pierremont Eye Institute 7843 Youree Dr. Shreveport, LA 1105 318-212-3937; www.ShelbyEye.com See our ad on page 49.

Orthopaedics Is Osteoarthritis (OA) hereditary?

OA does have a genetic predisposition. Common forms of OA of the hands has a familial component.

Obesity is a modifiable risk factor for bilateral (both) knee OA and weight loss will reduce the risk of OA in the knee. Obesity, surprisingly, does not show an increased risk of hip OA, but does show increased risk of hand OA. Whether adipose tissue releases OAcausing growth factors or hormones is not known at present, but what is known is that weight loss does have an identifiable improvement in OA of the knee.

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

THE BEST of TIMES  November 2008  45

Happy Turkey Day

America Colony Corn England Fall Family Feast Freedom Gravy Harvest Indians Maize Mayflower November Pie Pilgrims Plymouth Pumpkin Puritans Settlers Stuffing Treaty Turkey Yams

Sudoku

Presidential Qualifications

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  November 2008  THE BEST of TIMES

(Sent via email from KC Williams who teaches AP Government at Santa Fe High School.)

In one of KC’s classes, they were discussing the qualifications to be president of the United States.

It was pretty simple - the candidate must be a natural born citizen of at least 35 years of age.

However, one girl in the class immediately started in on how unfair the requirement was to be a natural born citizen.

In short, her opinion was that this requirement prevented many capable individuals from becoming president.

KC and the class were just taking it in and letting her rant, but everyone’s jaw hit the floor when she wrapped up her argument by stating, ‘What makes a natural born citizen any more qualified to lead this country than one born by C-section?’

ACROSS 1 Part of CPA 5 Peacock constellation 9 Pretentious individual 14 Burst of energy 19 Okinawa port 20 Ludwig or Jannings 21 Egypt’s Mubarak 22 Conductor Georg 23 Start of Groucho Marx quip 26 Attempts 27 Like a lamb sauce 28 Old French dance 29 Maj. Barbara’s creator 31 Dam-building grp.

32 City west of Detroit 34 Hawaiian acacia 35 Calculator key abbr.

36 Piper’s first name?

37 Swarm member 38 Part 2 of quip 41 Class for U.S. immigrants 42 Moises or Felipe of baseball 45 Father of France 46 Tokyo, once 47 Restrain 50 Tax agcy.

52 Bahrain rulers 56 Part 3 of quip 62 Sun. follower 63 Geometric calculations 64 Norway evergreen 65 Arrived at 67 Medley or Tilden 68 French article 69 Vietnamese holiday 70 Resembling: suff.

71 Western mil. alliance 72 Waldorf-__

Hotel 74 Superlatively tangy 76 Wasted time 77 Idyllic pasture 78 Part 4 of quip 81 Item in the plus column 83 Hindu honorific 84 Vilified 85 Beat it!

87 Beliefs 90 First name in mysteries 91 Bygone map abbr.

94 Part 5 of quip 99 New Hampshire city 102 Tarzan’s friends 103 Astronaut Jemison 104 “Car Talk” broadcaster 105 Partially coincides 107 Narrow inlet 108 CIA predecessor 109 Fall into obscurity 111 Change shape 112 Square one 114 End of quip 117 Body of water 118 Weighed down 119 Dynamic opening?

120 Pastry items 121 “The Flying Dutchman” girl 122 Comic actor Arnold 123 Door hardware 124 Spanish muralist Jose DOWN 1 Give life to 2 Bicuspids’ neighbors 3 Bed of a river 4 Type of gong 5 MPH part 6 Barcelona buddy 7 “The __ of Wakefield” 8 Norwegian saint 9 Publicity stunt, of a sort

FOOLED AGAIN

By Alan P. Olschwang, Huntington Beach, CA; Edited by Wayne Robert Williams

10 Cassock 11 Last of coal?

12 Actress O’Connor 13 Town in County Kerry 14 Mach+ jets 15 Panama preposition 16 Silverstone of “Clueless” 17 Soderbergh or Spielberg 18 Get the wrong total 24 “Jane __” 25 John’s widow 30 Highlands hillside 33 Astronomer Tycho 35 Colette novel

36 H.S. dance 38 Trade association 39 Jiffy 40 That is: Lat. 43 Listens without hearing?

44 Hautboys 47 Writer Calvino 48 Brit. medical syst.

49 Step cautiously 51 Plane bisecting the body 53 Serengeti bounder 54 Wretchedly bad 55 Netlike caps 56 Mystical teachings: var.

57 Parts of eyes 58 River ends,

often 59 Traffic snarl 60 Lead-ins 61 Indicate the go-ahead 66 Dismantled 68 Vietnam Memorial artist 70 Basketry willow 73 Relative degree 74 __ kebab 75 Fudd or Gantry 76 Crystalline water 79 Hackneyed 80 Dunne of Hollywood 82 Breakfast staple 86 Hanks and Brokaw 88 Writer H.L. __ 89 Future tree

91 Card cheat 92 More lithesome 93 Most impulsive 94 Ships’ contents 95 Per unit 96 Make tidy 97 Twangy sounds 98 Rainbow: pref.

100 French weapon 101 Sailing ships 105 Milo of “The Verdict” 106 Turns sharply 108 Mrs. Chaplin 109 Icelandic epic 110 God of Memphis 113 Hood’s heater 115 Columnist Hentoff 116 Explode

THE BEST of TIMES  November 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

ADVICE

Centuries Memorial 8801 Mansfield Shreveport, LA 71108 (318) 686-4334

Photo Credits: Cover Thanksgiving Basket ©Nruboc; pg 54 The Painter’s Hands ©Bertrandb; Cornucopia Corner Border © Vbrownjd. All from Dramstime.com.

48  November 2008  THE BEST of TIMES

Puzzle Solutions {from pages 46 - 47}

Meteorology

Weather Facts for Thought Al Bolton

First, a glance back at last November’s weather. The highest temperature was 84° on the 14th. The coldest temperature was 32° on the 16th. Rainfall measured 3.1 inches. Our normal November rainfall is 4.65 inches.

As for November’s records, the warmest temperature was 88° on the 1st in 1984 and again on the 12th in 1955. Coldest of record was 16° on the 29th in 1976. Wettest of record was 10.8 inches in 1987.

The average date for our first freezing temperature of 32° or less is around November 15th. Our earliest freezing temperature of record was 32° on October 19, 1948.

It’s quite possible that we’ll be hearing about the wind chill factor before the

end of November. The wind chill factor measure the cooling effect of the wind on exposed skin. It’s derived from a combination of the current temperature and wind speed. For example, a temperature of 40° and a wind speed of 15 mph produces a chilling effect of 32° on exposed skin. A temperature of 30° and wind speed of 20 mph produces a chilling effect of 17° on exposed skin.

The hurricane season will end on November 30th. Each year the hurricane season begins on June 1st and continues for six months through November.

Al Bolton, a member of the American Meteorological Society and the National Weather Association, began reporting with KSLA-TV in February, 1954 and for The Best of Times in February 2002.

Carter Federal provides eServices that are both economical and convenient.

All you need is a computer with internet connection!

, Check balances, pay bills from the transfer funds and more -enabled convenience of your web cell phone . . . for FREE!

eAccess eChecking ePay eMobile eWire eStatements and more!

Carter Federal is rewarding one lucky member for using eServices.

Use any of Carter’s eServices during this promotion and you are automatically registered to win!

www.CarterFCU.org

*Contact branch for more details

THE BEST of TIMES  November 2008  49

50  November 2008  THE BEST of TIMES

THE BEST of TIMES  November 2008  51

52  November 2008  THE BEST of TIMES

THE BEST of TIMES  November 2008  53

If you told Judy Helton she had amazing skills she would probably correct you and insist that she “has a gift.”

Helton’s gift is truly amazing. She can take any photograph, or magazine picture, and draw or paint an exact replica. Helton, 70, can do this never having taken a lesson or any kind of formal training. She just does it. It is not difficult for her to do and she loves doing it.

“My mother claimed I kept in the lines (coloring) when I was a little bitty baby kid,” Helton said. “Now, you know how mothers are. But I have always loved to draw.”

Helton was born in Austin and raised in Dallas. She had a childhood that helped her develop her gift, she said.

54  November 2008  THE BEST of TIMES

“I had a privileged childhood and never had to work so I had the time to develop (it). A lot of people have tremendous talent but have to slave away and work and never have the time to give to it so it can come to its full fruition.”

Childhood asthma kept her out of school and she had to be tutored at home.

The asthma didn’t, however, keep her from her second passion: singing.

The first time she sang at a “honkytonk” she was about 15 years old. She was soon joined by her brother and sister and they became a regular act for a local show, the “Big D Jamboree.” Many Nashville stars sang on the program and Helton and her siblings would sing back-up. She met many stars from the Grand ol’ Opry through the show and developed a love for country music and the people who played it.

She and her siblings also did a lot of studio singing in local recording studios. She met Waylon Jennings during this period and “was very fond of him” before anyone had even heard of him.

“When I was singing, Willie Nelson was first starting out,” Helton said. “He was young, clean-shaven and had this lovely pompadour like Elvis. He was not this grizzled hippie that he is now. He was just a well groomed, quiet and soft-spoken young man.”

Helton sang for several years with Jan Garber’s Orchestra at the Desert Inn in Las Vegas, and later at The Golden Nugget with Norro Wilson’s show. They often performed six shows a night for a couple of weeks at a time. The first show would

start at 8 p.m. and they would finish the last one around 6 a.m. Helton said she is a night owl because she kept musician’s hours for so long.

Even though Helton hates to travel, and in fact employed an agent during her years of painting so she wouldn’t have to travel, she wanted to sing at the Golden Nugget so badly she put up with the traveling it entailed.

“I either went on the Greyhound bus or in a huge station wagon with about seven guys and guitar necks sticking out the windows,” she remembered with a laugh.

“We would drive straight through. We would stop at a service station in the desert and I would just soak every stitch I had on sopping wet and 15 minutes later it would be bone dry.”

For many years Helton sang at the Aragon Ballroom in Dallas. She loved singing in the “cavernous building” with a western swing band filled with former musicians from Bob Willis’ and Hank Thompson’s bands.

After the Aragon closed she was out of sorts and needed something to do. She began painting and her former employer at the Aragon helped get her set up with a studio and gallery. Her agent would go out to the West Coast and contact celebrities for her. They would send her photographs of themselves and she would paint their portraits. She also did a lot of work for the rich and powerful in the Dallas area.

She painted Brenda Lee’s two daughters,

Henry Mancini, and Phyllis Diller, â&#x20AC;&#x153;right after her first facelift.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;She looked quite beautiful and very glamorous,â&#x20AC;? Helton recalled.

Perhaps one of her favorite celebrity portraits, and one with the best story attached, wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t a commissioned piece at all.

In April of 1972 â&#x20AC;&#x153;Cosmopolitanâ&#x20AC;? magazine ran a near-nude centerfold of actor Burt Reynolds. It was quite scandalous at the time. Helton, thinking she could make a lot of money selling it to the right person, painted an almost life-size rendering of the magazine photo. It took her months of work but she never found the right buyer. She kept the portrait in her studio.

One day, Reynolds was in Dallas filming and a mutual friend told him he should go by Heltonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s gallery. It was winter and Helton recalled they barely had time to get the studio warmed up before Reynolds arrived. He admired and â&#x20AC;&#x153;really seemed to appreciateâ&#x20AC;? all of the paintings in Heltonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s outer gallery. She then told him she had a surprise and took him to her studio where she had the painting of him on an 8-foot easel.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;He went back there and sat and just studied itâ&#x20AC;Ślooked and looked and looked.

He laughed and told me I had â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;done itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; and I asked him what it was I â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;had done.â&#x20AC;&#x2122;â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;He told me â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;you got it. It is just supposed to be a joke. The twinkle is in the eyes. It was just something fun to do. It wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t supposed to be all that scandal and you captured it.â&#x20AC;&#x2122;â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;I told him I was glad he liked it because I was giving it to him,â&#x20AC;? Helton recalled. â&#x20AC;&#x153;He looked up and asked if I was kidding and I told him I was not. The look on his face - money couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have bought that,â&#x20AC;? Helton said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;He had it crated up and transported it in his personal trailer to his ranch in Florida. I didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t need the money so why should I put the bite on him. He just loved it and was so happy with it.â&#x20AC;?

These days, Helton lives at NurseCare in Shreveport. She props herself up in her bed with her cat, Fluff E. Katt, stretched over her lap and paints for the residents and the people who live there. The only subject she does not require a picture of to paint is her roommate, Wanda Newport, and Jesus Christ. She has done many

amazing painting of Jesus and said he is her favorite subject.

She loves living at NurseCare and loves to use her gift to bring happiness to the people around her, she said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t sell them (paintings and drawings),â&#x20AC;? she said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I look at it like this - I was given the talent and I made a ton of money when I had my studio. I still have the talent and now I am using it. I got it free and I give it out free. These people here donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have anymore money than I do and that shouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t stop them from having these.â&#x20AC;?

â&#x20AC;&#x153;I Wanted an Affordable Retirement Lifestyle...

Where I wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be bothered with responsibilities of home maintenance. I wanted a spacious apartment where I could relax in solitude. I wanted a community where I could invite my family to join me for meals and outings.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;I found everything I wanted at The Waterford.

My family even celebrated my birthday in the private dining room. Best of all, my pet is welcome here.â&#x20AC;?

Call today for more information

TIR

UN

T

ITY

BES

RE

EMENT COM

M

2222 E. Bert Kouns (Industrial Loop) Shreveport, LA 71105

318-524-3300

t 'BNJMZ BUNPTQIFSF t $MPTF UP NFEJDBM PGmDFT BOE IPTQJUBMT t 5ISFF UPQ OPUDI NFBMT QFS EBZ t 8FFLMZ IPVTFLFFQJOH t .POUI UP .POUI Rental Community t &NFSHFODZ $BMM 4ZTUFN t $PNQMJNFOUBSZ transportation t 4BGF GSJFOEMZ environment t "SPVOE UIF DMPDL TUBGmOH t %ZOBNJD SFDSFBUJPO XJUI PQQPSUVOJUJFT UP UBLF EBZ USJQT UP FYDJUJOH EFTUJOBUJPOT MVODI PVUJOHT BOE NVDI NPSF

A Capital Senior LivingÂŽ Community | www.capitalsenior.com

THE BEST of TIMES ď&#x192;ź November 2008 ď&#x192;ž 55

56  November 2008  THE BEST of TIMES

Paid Advertisement

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  November 2008  57

CALENDAR

Get Up and Go!

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.

• November 3rd & 4th - 12:00 to 4:00pm. Bossier Council on Aging, 706 Bearkat Drive, Bossier City. Contact: Kathy Thomas (318) 741-8302; Instructor: Ray Branton • November 19th & 20th - 8:30am to 12:30pm. Fellowship United Methodist Church, 4750 Barksdale Blvd, Bossier City. Contact: Church Office (318) 7464422; Instructor: Ray Owens (318) 865-2157.

Legal Assistance H.E.L.P. Law Office - Legal advice and assistance for homeless and low-income residents of Caddo and Bossier Parishes.

Second Wednesday of each month, 7:30 – 8:30 a.m. at Centerpoint, 2121 Fairfield Ave., Suite 130, Shreveport. Civil legal issues only (no criminal issues). An appointment is necessary to see an attorney.

Call 221-2205 or 227-2100. Co-sponsored

by Northwest Louisiana Pro Bono Project and Centerpoint Community Services

Meeting

Health and Wellness

BluePrint Louisiana Regional meeting - Tuesday, November 11 at 1:00 pm.

Shreveport Convention Center, 400 Caddo Street in downtown Shreveport. Formed in 2006 by group of business leaders, the regional meeting of BluePrint Louisiana will present the progress made in its goals of ethics, education, work force development, health care, transportation, and coastal restoration. This regional meeting will also seek input from the public on suggestions of more issues for BluePrint Louisiana to tackle. The general public is invited to attend.

Dementia Care Conference - Friday, November 7th. 7:30 am to 4:30 pm. Centenary College’s Kilpatrick Auditorium in Shreveport. Featuring Coach Frank Broyles who will give a caregiver’s perspective and Bill Bridgewater who will discuss living with early onset Alzheimer’s. Additional speakers will discuss latest research future therapies, and suggestions for everyday issues in Alzheimer’s care. Attendees who are RNs, Social Workers, and Nursing Home Administrators can request CEUs. There is a small registration fee. For registration or additional info, please call toll free 1800-272-3900 or 318-861-8613 or email louisianainfo@alz.org

Senior Day Humana Senior Day - at the Louisiana State Fair in Shreveport on Thursday, November 6th from 10:00 am to 3:00 PM. Sponsored by Humana. FREE State Fair Admission and FREE Parking will be provided by State Fair of Louisiana. Humana will have a booth at both entrances to the State Fair to distribute “Humana Fair Bucks” to all persons with a valid Medicare Card and Photo Identification.

The Fair Bucks, worth $1 each, can be redeemed at participating game stands located throughout the State Fair midway.

For more information about this event, please call Humana at 318-861-8609 or toll free 1-877-499-2798.

Theatre A Tuna Christmas - Presented by the Shreveport Little Theatre. Noovember 1, 7, 8 at 8 p.m.; November 2, 9 at 2 p.m.

Woman’s Department Club Auditorium (next door to the Shreveport Little Theatre), corner of Line Ave and Margaret Place. For tickets call the box office at 424-4439.

LSUS Health and Wellness Fair Wednesday, November 5 from 9:30 am to 2 pm at LSUS University Center Ballroom in Shreveport. FREE admission and open to the public. Free health screenings including cholesterol, blood pressure, body fat, and dental. Many exhibitors. Blood drive. Shots provided by the American Red Cross: Flu - $20, Pneumonia - $30.

Both are FREE to those with Medicare Part B. For information contact Angel Martin at 318-797-5393 or visit www. lsus.edu/uc/recsports.

Flu Shots - By American Red Cross.

Cost is Free for those presenting their Medicare Part B card or $20 for flu and $30 for pneumonia vaccinations for all others. Clinic dates and times are subject to vaccine availability. For more info on upcoming Flu Vaccination Clinics, or on setting one up for organization, call the American Red Cross at (318) 865-9545.

• Wednesday, November 5th - Christ the King Catholic, 425 McCormick, 8am-12pm, • Wednesday, November 5th - LSUS University Center, One University Place, 9am-2pm Men’s Health Day - Presented by FeistWeiller Cancer Center and LA Cancer Control Partnership. Saturday November 15. 9 a.m. - 1:30 p.m., Southern Hills Recereational Center, 1002 Bert Kouns, Shreveport. Free Continental Breakfast.

Free Lunch. Speakers, Door Prizes. For more info call 318-813-1461

58  November 2008  THE BEST of TIMES

Silver Screenings

Concerts

Alfred Hitchcock’s Rear Window - Hosted by The Robinson Film Center in downtown Shreveport. Tuesday, November 25th. The film will screen at 10:30 am, followed by lunch in Abby Singer’s Bistro. $14 price per person includes film and lunch. $5.75 for the movie only. To reserve tickets, please call (318) 459-4124. Seating is limited and reservations are required.

Awaken the Pulse - Shreveport Symphony. November 22.

7:30 p.m. Shreveport’s Riverview Theatre, 600 Clyde Fant, Shreveport. Guest artist E. Ray Peebles. Alberto Ginastera Four Dances from Estancia, Leonard Bernstein Fancy Free; Camille Saint-Saëns Symphony No. 3 (organ) Tickets: $15, $25, $35, $40. Call 227-8863 for tickets or more information or visit www.ShreveportSymphony.com.

Holiday

Les Boutiques de Noel’s “Holiday Magic” - The 34th annual holiday one stop shopping extravaganza will take place Thursday, Friday, Saturday, November 20-22, 2008 at the Bossier Civic Center, 620 Benton Road in Bossier City. Opens at 9 am with 100 merchants offering a variety of gifts, jewelry, fashion, foods, and furnishings. Admission is $5 per day or 3 days for $10. Seniors are $4, and admission is free for children under 12. This extravaganza event is sponsored by the Shreveport-Bossier Opera Guild with proceeds to benefit the Shreveport Opera and Shreveport Opera Express.

For more information, call 318-655-2212 or visit www. lesboutiquesdesnoel.com

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, FREE. Amputee Support Group - Thursday November 6 (1st Thursday of each month), 6:30 p.m. Certified Limb & Brace, 3227 Portland Avenue (corner of I-20 and Greenwood Rd., Shreveport. Guest speakers.

For more info call 636-9145.

Opera Cavalleria Rustica and Pagliacci - Shreveport Opera.

November 8. Shreveport’s Riverview Theatre, 600 Clyde Fant, Shreveport. Tickets: $10, $20, $40, $60, $85. Call (318) 227-9503 for more information or visit www.ShreveportOpera.org.

Dance

Country & Western Dance - Friday, November 14. SPAR presents its annual Country & Western Dance. Come out and have a boot scootin’ good time at Southern Hills Community Center located at 1002 Bert Kouns Industrial Loop. Live music performed

by The Mason Dixie Band.

Food and refreshments will be served. Dress up in your country & western finery and hit the dance floor! For more information contact Germaine WIlliams, SPAR Superintendent at 318.673.7873. FREE.

Exhibits Paws & Reflect: Art of Canines - Through Sunday, November 30. Presented by R. W. Norton Art Gallery, 4747 Creswell Avenue, Shreveport.

An appealing exhibit of paintings and sculptures by 30 leading artists from around the country who specialize in canine subjects. 318-865-4201.

THE BEST of TIMES  November 2008  59

Parting Shots 1 - (L ro R ) Lawrence Collins, Steve Lee, Jim Dodson, and Dennis Bond cut the grand opening ribbon of DSD Medical, LLC international corporate offices in Shreveport.

2 -Libby Gleason, Kiki Casten and Liz Beck at a Wine Tasting event sponsored by St. Nicholas Orthodox Church.

3 - Jerry Martin, MD, Norman Zaffater, DDS and Warren Grafton, MD recently attended a tour of the new emergency room at LSUHSC led by Tom Arnold, MD. 4 - (L to R) Pat and Dave Hudnall with A. C. Cowan at the Parkinson’s Disease Symposium at LSUHSC. 5- Mary Beth & Dudley Beene greeted

by Capt. XV Tim Fisher at the Krewe of Justinian’s MidWay to Mardi Gras party at the Shreveport Yacht Club.

6 - Caroline Gardner of Bossier Chamber of Commerce welcomes Robert Myers, owner of Comfort Keepers in Shreveport, to the area at their Grand Opening.

7 - Vicki Ott, Administrator of NurseCare of Shreveport asks a question of the Congressional Candidates at the Senior Forum held at NurseCare in front of a The Best of Times Radio Hour audience.

8 - (L to R) Helen Rogers, Robert Mitchell, Martha Jones with Desoto Council on Aging accept a $10,000 from Mary Anthony with EnCana (right) at a health fair sponsored by the Council in Mansfield.

9 - Jack and Kathy Coursey with “Miss Molley” at The Center for Families Pet Calendar competition on October 18th.

10 - Mac McCarter, Ravish Patwardhan, and Clint Snell at the “Touch the Top of the World” presentation by Erik Weinhenmayer, the first blind person to climb the seven tallest summits on earth.

11 - (l to r) Mary Ann Wade, Sherri McConnell, and Debra Crump at Community Health Education Network’s University on September 23rd at Bossier Civic Center.

12 - First Tuesday gathering on October 7th at Superior Steakhouse (a) Jerry Fentress, Chris Gorman, Bret McCoy (b) Dr. and Mrs. John Fleming with Dr. Steve Kirkikis (center).

13 - Candance Rain, Charlyn Cleere and Jeanie Storm at the Everything Pink For Breast Cancer Awareness at the West Shreveport Branch Library.

14 - (l to r) Ann Rhoads and Ruth Belcher enjoy the lunch from Abby Singer’s Bistro after the Silver Screenings showing of the movie “From Here to Eternity” at the Robinson Film Center in Shreveport.

60  November 2008  THE BEST of TIMES

THE BEST of TIMES  November 2008  61

“I decided to go away from

the initial company I signed with and go to Sterling, because of the service and the education they offered.

”

Sterling Customer, Ron Crawford

Now is the time to make changes to your Medicare coverage for 2009, and Sterling’s got just what you’re looking for: s -EDICARE !DVANTAGE 0LANS

with and without Prescription Drug Coverage s 3TAND ALONE -EDICARE Prescription Drug Coverage s h2EAL 0EOPLEv CUSTOMER SERVICE

Medica re A nnua l Electio n Period

Nov. 15, 2008 through Dec. 31, 2008

Call TODAY for more information Toll-free 1-866-217-3666 or TTY 1-888-858-8567

Underwritten by Sterling Life Insurance Company

Sterling Life Insurance Company is a Medicare Advantage organization contracting with the federal government.

Anyone entitled to Medicare Part A and enrolled in Medicare Part B may apply. You must continue to pay your Medicare Part B premium. A Medicare Advantage Private Fee For Service plan works differently than a Medicare supplement plan. Your doctor or hospital is not required to agree to accept the plan’s terms and conditions, and thus may choose not to treat you, with the exception of emergencies. If your doctor or hospital does not agree to accept our payment terms and conditions, they may choose not to provide health care services to you, except in emergencies. Providers can find the plan’s terms and conditions on our website at: www.sterlingplans.com.

All plans may not be available in all areas.

Available from your Sterling Agent: Health, Life, Prescription Drug, M0010_S4802_13209(7/08) Long Term Care and Critical Condition or Cancer Plans.

62  November 2008  THE BEST of TIMES

THE BEST of TIMES  November 2008  63

Attention PeoPle with MedicAre:

When it comes to health care cost, you canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t do much better than $0â&#x20AC;Ś

2009 Humana Gold PlusÂŽ plan premium is still $0

0LUS YOU GET ALL THE VALUABLE COVERAGE MANY HAVE COME TO EXPECT FROM (UMANA s s s s s s s

s s s s

Prescription drug coverage Dental, vision and hearing checkups Preventive coverage Gym membership at no additional cost Quit smoking program Meals delivered to your home after youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been in the hospital Discounts on over the counter medication such as: cold medicine, aspirin and vitamins to name just a few 24 hour nurse hotline Emergency coverage at home or when you travel Humana Active OutlookÂŽ wellness program And more!

All from a company that has been serving people with Medicare for over 20 years. #ALL US TODAY FOR MORE INFORMATION ON A (UMANA 'OLD 0LUS PLAN

s 449 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., seven days a week

Humana â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the #1 Medicare Advantage plan provider in Louisiana*! â&#x20AC;&#x201C;Medicare â&#x20AC;&#x201C;Group Health â&#x20AC;&#x201C;Individual Health â&#x20AC;&#x201C;Dental, Life, Vision

An HMO with a Medicare contract available to anyone enrolled in both Part A and Part B of Medicare through age or disability. Enrollment period restrictions apply, call Humana for details. Plans may be renewed annually. Copayment, service area, and benefit limitations may apply. You must continue to pay your Medicare applicable premiums if not otherwise paid for under Medicaid or by another third-party. Benefits described apply to Humana Gold Plus plans: H1951-005, H1951-001 and H1951-013. *According to CMS website enrollment data by state.

H1951_GHA02VVRR_LA

LA 11/08