New Horizons • July 2016 - Eastern Nebraska Office On Aging

Transcription

A publication of the
Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging
July 2016
VOL. 41 • NO. 7
ENOA
4223 Center Street
Omaha, NE 68105-2431
PRSRT STD
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
OMAHA NE
PERMIT NO. 389
New Horizons
ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED
Birdman
Dr. Paul Johnsgard, age 85, seen here on the University of Nebraska-Lincoln campus, is a professor emeritus
of biological sciences at UN-L. A North Dakota native, Dr. Johnsgard is also the author of more than 80 books,
a photographer, an artist, a sculptor, and an ornithologist specializing in the preservation of Sandhill cranes.
Leo Adam Biga’s profile of Dr. Johnsgard begins on page 11.
Engineer
Information
In 1976, Edwina Justus
Staff members from
became the first female
Sen. Deb Fischer’s office
African-American
(from left): Peggy King,
locomotive engineer for
Holly Baker, and Tiffany
the Union Pacific
Settles, attended the
Railroad. Later, Justus
second annual Senior
joined ENOA’s Senior
Fair last month at the
Companion Program.
Millard Senior Center.
See page 10.
See page 19.
Heartland Generations Center
Budgets could increase by 29 percent
You’re invited to visit the Heartland Generations Center
– 4318 Fort St. – for the following:
• July 13: Birthday party will music by Hillbilly Hal
from the Merrymakers @ 12:30 p.m. Free sundae for those
with a July birthday.
• July 18, 19, 20: Quilt project from 10 a.m. to 12:45
p.m. (with a lunch break) where participants will make
their own quilts with help from Miss Evance. Participants
will also help make a quilt for the North Omaha Summer
Arts Festival.
• July 21: Tour the new facilities at Forest Lawn Cemetery @ 10:30 a.m.
• July 22: Quilt Project reception after lunch.
• July 28: Presentation on ENOA’s Senior Companion
Program.
The center will be closed July 4 for Independence Day.
The Heartland Generations Center is open weekdays
from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Lunch is normally served at noon. A
$3.50 donation is suggested for the meal. Reservations are
due by noon the business day prior to the lunch you wish to
attend.
Bus transportation is available within select neighborhoods for 50 cents each way.
Regular activities include Bingo (Wednesday @ 10:30
and 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. and Friday @ 10:30 a.m.),
crafts, and free Tai Chi classes (Tuesday and Thursday @
10:45 a.m.)
For more information, please call 402-553-5300.
Millard Senior Center
You’re invited to visit the Millard Senior Center at
Montclair, 2304 S. 135th Ave., for the following:
• July 1: Dress patriotically and bring a treat to share.
• July 6: Nutrition presentation @10 a.m.
• July 7: Self defense clinic @ noon.
• July 13: Field trip to Schramm Park Aquarium, Cherio’s for lunch in Ashland, and Baker’s Candies in Greenwood. The deadline to sign up is July 6. • July 15: Garden tour and VNA presentation @ 10 a.m.
• July 21: Craft door decor @ noon.
• July 25: Table games @ noon.
On July 4, the center is closed for Independence Day.
The Millard Senior Center is open weekdays from 9 a.m.
to 2 p.m. Lunch is served at 11:30. A $3.50 contribution is
suggested for the meal. Reservations are due by noon the
business day prior to the lunch you wish to enjoy.
Center activities include daily walking and card games,
quilting and needlework, dominoes, Tai Chi classes, chair
volleyball, and Bingo.
For meal reservations and more information, please call
402-546-1270.
NCOA, N4A examine the benefits available
An analysis released recently by the
National Council on Aging (NCOA) and
the National Association of Area Agencies
on Aging (N4A) finds more than 4 million
low-income older adults could increase
their annual budget as much as 29 percent
with readily available benefits programs.
There are thousands of public and private
programs available to help eligible lowincome older adults pay for health care,
prescription medications, food, and utilities. Yet millions of eligible older men and
women are missing out because they don’t
know about the programs or how to apply.
As a result, too many make dangerous
trade-offs, such as foregoing needed home
repairs, avoiding social engagements, skipping meals, and cutting pills.
“There is more than $20 billion in available benefits that go unused annually, but
often older adults don’t know how to access
them. The You Gave, Now Save campaign
puts that information in their hands,” said
Sandy Markwood, CEO of n4a.
Launched by the NCOA and the n4a, You
Gave, Now Save combines a newly updated
educational guide for older adults, online
tools, and one-on-one assistance for older
adults and their caregivers to understand
and apply for benefits that may help them.
“Nearly 20 percent of Americans over age
65 struggle to cover their basic needs,” said
Leslie Fried, senior director of NCOA’s
Center for Benefits Access. “The information in You Gave, Now Save makes it easier
for older adults to learn about their options
and take action to remain independent.
“Older adults are an important part of every American community, and it is incumbent upon us to strengthen their economic
security.”
In its analysis of the costs of aging,
NCOA and n4a found many older adults
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distribution sites (grocery stores, restaurants,
senior centers, libraries, etc.)
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New subscribers should send their name,
address, and zip code to: New Horizons,
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Page 2
are struggling to cover their basic expenses.
Older adult households spend, on average,
$28,644 annually on the basic costs of living. Yet, roughly 8.5 million older Americans have annual incomes below $24,000.
The percentage of older men and women
age 65 and older that live in poverty (income below $11,880 for an individual
in 2016) crept up from 8.9 in 2010 to 10
percent in 2014. Over the same period, the
total number of older adults living in poverty increased from 3.6 million to 4.6 million.
Older men and women could increase
their annual budget by 29 percent with
available benefits. A two-person household
with an income of $21,000 annually could
be eligible for more than $6,000 a year
in benefits, freeing up 29 percent of their
annual budget. Without benefits, the same
household could incur more than $7,500 in
debt that year.
Debt levels for older adults are double
2001 levels. More than 60 percent of households headed by a person age 60 or older
had some form of debt in 2013. Among
them, the median debt was $40,900, or
double what it was in 2001.
Older adults and caregivers can learn
more about benefits they may be eligible for
through two free and trusted resources:
• BenefitsCheckUp® (www.benefitscheckup.org/campaign) is NCOA’s confidential online screening tool that contains
more than 2,000 public and private programs for older adults with a limited income.
• Eldercare Locator (toll-free 1-800-6771116 or www.eldercare.gov) is a public
service of the U.S. Administration on Aging
that connects older adults and caregivers to
local agencies and organizations that can
help them access a wide range of benefits
and supportive services.
July 2016
Fighting back against obesity
T
wo factors – metabolism and gut
microbes – have been credited by
researchers as key players in the fight
against obesity. However, there is an ongoing debate about whether exercise or diet
better promotes metabolism and healthy
shifts in gut microbes, the microscopic
organisms in our intestines that break down
food and can contribute to decreased obesity.
New research from the University of Missouri confirms exercise plays a significant
role in the fight against obesity.
“Some have claimed that exercise may
not play a significant role in weight loss, as
exercise can increase appetite resulting in
greater food intake and potentially reduce
activity throughout the day,” said Vicki
Vieira-Potter, assistant professor of nutrition and exercise physiology at MU.
“The purpose of this study was to look
at exercise independently from weight loss
and to determine other metabolic benefits
associated with physical activity. Our team
aimed to tease out what effects on adipose,
or fat tissue, were due to weight loss from
diet, and what could be attributed to exercise.”
Vieira-Potter and her research team divided young rats prone to obesity into three
groups to study the impact of exercise on
their metabolic function and fat tissue. All
three of the rat groups were fed a high-fat
diet. Two of the groups were sedentary
while the third group was able to exercise
using running wheels. Of the two sedentary
groups, one was allowed to eat as much
of the high-fat food as they wanted, while
the other group was fed controlled portions
of the food in order to match the weight
reduction caused by exercise. The exercising rats were allowed to eat as much as they
wanted.
Make a donation to help support the
S
everal weeks later, all the rats were
moved to specialized cages where
researchers could measure their metabolism and physical activity. Researchers found the sedentary rats
with unlimited
food access were
obese, unlike the
sedentary rats fed
a reduced amount
of the same diet
and the rats that
exercised, which
was expected. Notably, the researchers also found the
exercising rats were metabolically healthier
than both of the sedentary groups, and they
developed different gut microbes than the
other groups, despite eating the exact same
amount of food as the sedentary group with
unlimited food access.
“Overall, the exercising rats had higher
metabolic rates, were more active even
when not running on their wheels, and
experienced shifts in their gut microbes,
perhaps putting them in in a better position
to avoid future weight gain compared to
the other groups,” Vieira-Potter said.
“These findings confirm that exercise is
an important component of overall health
and is critically important in the fight
against obesity, especially during the juvenile period.”
Vieira-Potter’s future research will further study how exercise-mediated fat tissue
changes may explain its unique metabolic
effects. She and her colleagues on the study
are also investigating the relationship between gut microbes and exercise and how
that relationship impacts obesity.
(The University of Missouri provided this
information.)
“Voice for Older
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New Horizons
New Horizons is the official publication of the Eastern
Nebraska Office on Aging. The paper is distributed
free to people over age 60 in Douglas, Sarpy, Dodge,
Washington, and Cass counties. Those living outside
the 5-county region may subscribe for $5 annually.
Address all correspondence to: Jeff Reinhardt, Editor,
4223 Center Street, Omaha, NE 68105-2431.
Phone 402-444-6654. FAX 402-444-3076.
E-mail: [email protected]
Advertisements appearing in New Horizons do not imply
endorsement of the advertiser by the Eastern Nebraska
Office on Aging. However, complaints about advertisers
will be reviewed and, if warranted, their advertising discontinued. Display and insert advertising rates available on
request. Open rates are commissionable, with discounts
for extended runs. Circulation is 20,000 through direct
mail and freehand distribution.
Editor....................................................Jeff Reinhardt
Ad Mgr................Mitch Laudenback, 402-444-4148
Contributing Writers......Nick Schinker, Leo Biga, &
Lois Friedman
ENOA Board of Governors: Mary Ann Borgeson,
Douglas County, chairperson; Jim Peterson, Cass
County, vice-chairperson; Gary Osborn, Dodge
County secretary; Brenda Carlisle, Sarpy County; &
Lisa Kramer, Washington County.
The New Horizons and the Eastern Nebraska
Office on Aging provide services without regard
to race, color, religion, sex, national origin,
marital status, disability, or age.
July 2016
•
New Horizons
•
Page 3
Camelot Friendship Center
AARP surveys older adults about their health
You’re invited to visit the Camelot Friendship Center
inside the Camelot Community Center, 9270 Cady Ave.,
for the following:
• July 1, 15, & 29: Movie Day @ 12:15 p.m.
• July 12: Music by Kim Eames from the Merrymakers
@ 11:45 a.m.
• July 13: Birthday bash.
• July 14: Book Club @ 10:25 a.m.
• July 18: Chair volleyball @ 10:30
a.m.
• July 21: Jackpot Bingo @ 12:15
a.m.
The center will be closed on July 4
for Independence Day.
Other activities include Tai Chi (Tuesday and Friday @
10:15 a.m.), Bingo, pinochle, card games, other games,
crafts, candy making, and scrapbooking.
The Camelot Friendship Center is open weekdays from
10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Lunch is served at 11:30 a.m. A $3.50
contribution is suggested for the meal. Reservations are
due by noon the business day prior to the lunch you wish to
enjoy.
For reservations or more information, please call Amy at
402-444-3091.
Fontenelle Tours
Omaha/Council Bluffs
712-366-9596
Quoted prices are per person, double occupancy. For more information about our tours,
please call Ward or Kathy Kinney at Fontenelle Tours at the number listed above.
Riverboat Cruise
Mississippi River Cruise – Autumn Colors. September 18 – 26. Nine days from
$2,149. Eight-day cruise up the Mississippi River aboard the steamboat American
Queen from Alton, Illinois (near St. Louis), to Red Wing, Minnesota (near St. Paul). Includes deluxe hotel in St. Louis the night before the voyage, all cruise meals, onboard
entertainment, daily lectures by The Riverlorian, and pre-arranged shore excursions in
each port of call. Optional transportation to and from your residence.
(Other Mississippi River Cruise destinations available.)
Motorcoach
“Beauty and the Beast” and “Chicago”. July 19 - 20. $335. Join us for a trip to
Kansas City to see “Beauty and the Beast” at the Starlight Theater, “Chicago” at the
New Theater, lunch at a “farm-to-table” restaurant, tour of The Roasterie, IKEA, and
the Strawberry Hill Povitica Bakery.
Mark Twain and the Amish. August 3 – 5. $489. Explore Hannibal, Missouri, take a
dinner cruise on the Mark Twain River Boat, RockCliffe Mansion tour, wine-tasting at
the Cave Hollow West Winery, Mark Twain’s Cave, “Joseph and The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” play, Amish Farm Tour, shopping, and home-cooked Amish meal in
Jamesport.
“The Music Man” at the Lofte. August 7. $105. With his fast-talking style, “Professor” Harold Hill convinces the parents of River City to buy instruments and uniforms for
their youngsters, but chaos ensues as Hill’s credentials are questioned and he is called
upon to prove himself to the citizens of River City. Dinner afterwards at the Main Street
Café in Louisville.
Christ Our Life Catholic Regional Conference. September 23 - 25. Hear the teaching and witnessing of world-renowned Catholic speakers in Des Moines, Iowa, including Mark Hart, Magnus MacFarlane-Barrow, Jesse Romero, Alex Jones, Archbishop
Charles Chaput, Bishop Richard Pates, Fr. Tom Hagan, Fr. Michael Schmitz, Jackie
Fancois Angel, and Steve Angrisano.
Golf Branson. September 28 – October 2. $999. Experience Branson’s golf courses
on this great five-day trip! Golfers enjoy three days of golfing on three different courses
in Branson. Non-golfers come along and enjoy a paint party, farm to table lunch
Experience, the Titanic Museum, and shopping. Gather back together in the evenings
to enjoy dinner and three shows---Pierce Arrow, Million Dollar Quartet, and Showboat
Branson Belle. (Non-golfer price is less.)
Fall in the Carolinas. October 16 - 23. $1,779. Mississippi River Cruise, Country
Music Hall of Fame and Museum, Biltmore Estate and Gardens, Antler Hill Village
Winery, Blue Ridge Mountain Opry’s “Bluegrass and BBQ” Show, Magnolia Plantation,
Charleston city tour, boat trip to Fort Sumter National Historic Park, North Carolina
Chimney Rock State Park, “America’s Hit Parade!” Show at the Grand Majestic Theatre, Jim Beam Distillery, and much more.
Branson Christmas. November 7 - 10. $689 before 8/7. ($729 after 8/7.) Enjoy
Daniel O’Donnell at the Welk Theater, Jim Stafford, Puttin’ On the Ritz (with Dino), Mel
Tillis, “All Hands on Deck”, and either “Moses” at the Sight and Sound Theater or the
Oak Ridge Boys, including dinner at Landry’s Seafood House.
“’Twas The Night Before Christmas” at the Lofte. December 4. $95 before 9/4.
($105 after 9/4.) “…Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.” But a mouse IS
stirring……because Santa missed his house last year! Before you can say “Merry
Christmas!”, we’re off on the wild adventures of a mouse, an elf, and a spunky little
girl who just won’t take no for an answer. This journey is an exciting one for the whole
family. Dinner afterwards at the Main Street Café in Louisville.
Kansas City Christmas. December 13 - 14. New Theater Restaurant, Webster House
luncheon, and more details coming.
While Americans are redefining what it
means to age well and stay healthy, many
men and women age 50 and over are still
feeling the effects of aging.
AARP and Abbott surveyed 1,480
Americans age 50 and older and found
while a majority see themselves in good
health, one in two reported they wished
they had more strength or energy to participate in the activities they enjoy.
The AARP-Abbott survey found a
majority of older adults are living healthier,
better lives.
• 85 percent said they were in good or
better health. • 82 percent said good nutrition was
either very or extremely important to their
overall health.
• 74 percent said they exercise weekly
and more than half (56 percent) did so more
than three times a week.
• 57 percent said cardio was their preferred exercise, but exercises geared towards rebuilding muscles – weights (24
percent) and yoga or stretching (14 percent)
– weren’t as common.
When it came to a person’s muscle
health, nearly three-fourths (73 percent) of
the people surveyed knew adults naturally
lose muscle with age and 28 percent said
they already noticed some muscle loss.
Despite the fact two-thirds had concerns
about the impact of muscle loss, many respondents weren’t very concerned about the
loss at this time.
The benefits of making changes now to
keep muscles healthy go beyond just having
strength. Muscles play a key role in a person’s movement including balance, posture,
and the body’s metabolism.
Muscle loss can also contribute to a lack
of energy, making normal activities like
carrying heavy groceries or golfing more
difficult.
“Many of us expect to slow down as we
get older, but the science shows there’s a
lot we can do to prevent or delay some of
the more debilitating effects of aging,” says
AARP’s Executive Editor for Health Gabrielle Redford.
“Exercising and eating right are critical
to staying healthy starting in our 40s when
we start to lose muscle mass, right through
our 50s, 60s, and beyond,” she added.
The survey findings match the science
that shows people naturally start to lose up
to 8 percent of muscle mass each decade
starting at age 40. The rate accelerates to 15
percent at age 70 and can worsen with an
illness or health setback.
When asked in the survey, nearly all (95
percent) of the respondents said they had
a serious or chronic health condition after
The Florida Keys and St. Augustine. February 5 – 15, 2017. Save these dates for a
trip to Florida in the heart of winter. A learning adventure in the Florida Keys and Everglades exploring protected islands and coral reefs, led by a master naturalist. Includes
six expert-led lectures and nine expert-led field trips. Travel up the east coast to spend
three days exploring St. Augustine, the oldest city in the U.S. Tour the city, visit a
famous winery and distillery, dine at some of Florida’s top restaurants, and more.
Laughlin
(There are currently no Laughlin trips available out of Omaha. Check with us for
updates on these very reasonably pricedcharter flights to Laughlin, Nevada.
They typically sell out fast.)
In Partnership with Collette Vacations
Quoted prices are per person, double occupancy, and do not include airfare.
More destinations available!
Reflections of Italy. Ten days from $2449. Visit a land rich in history, culture, art, and
romance including Rome, the Colosseum, Assisi, Perugia, Siena, Florence, Chianti
Winery, Venice, Murano Island, and Milan. Extend your trip in Turin.
Irish Splendor. Eight days from $1699. Return to times gone by as you experience
fabulous accommodations, stunning scenery, and sumptuous food visiting Dublin,
the Guiness Storehouse, Blarney Castle, Killarney, Dingle Peninsula, Cliffs of Moher,
Dromoland Castle, and Tullamore Whiskey Distillery. Extend your trip in Dublin.
Watch New Horizons and our website www.fontenelletours.com
for our trip schedule.
11808 Mason Plaza, Omaha, NE 68154
Page 4
•
New Horizons
•
July 2016
turning age 50, and many listed the health
of their muscles as a concern when managing a health condition.
• Over a third (35 percent) reported being hospitalized due to serious or chronic
health conditions. Among those, loss of
strength (40 percent) and muscle loss (21
percent) were among their top concerns.
• More than 60 percent said their top
concerns with losing
muscle mass are
having decreased
mobility, loss of
strength, and less
independence. More
than half surveyed
listed being less active and the ability
to fight infections as
their top concerns.
These concerns
aren’t far from reality. You can lose lean body mass – made
up mostly by muscles – up to three times
faster when you’re sick or injured, making
it harder to recover and get back to daily activities. The good news is rebuilding muscle
is possible.
While age and illness-related muscle
loss is inevitable, exercise and nutrition can
help rebuild strength. Protein is a critical
part of the recipe. In the survey, 62 percent
of adults believed they get enough protein
and 70 percent have increased their intake
of high-protein foods to minimize the risk
of muscle loss.
Yet, a majority of people (83 percent)
didn’t know how much protein they need.
Adults need roughly 53 grams of daily protein if they weigh 150 pounds and 63 grams
if they weigh 180 pounds. Yet research
shows older adults may need about two
times the daily recommend amount of protein. That’s because people start absorbing
and storing nutrients like protein differently
as they age.
“Fueling the body with the right nutrition – particularly proteins and other
muscle-building nutrients – is important for
overall health, and enables you to experience all that life has to offer,” said Tiffany
DeWitt, RD, a registered dietitian at Abbott.
“By keeping well-nourished with age,
you’ll have more strength and energy to
take on any challenge from achieving
everyday goals to recovering from a health
setback.”
Adults over age 50 should have regular
muscle health and nutrition conversations
with their doctors to help them create a plan
with regular exercise and good nutrition to
live a healthier, fuller life.
Elder
Access Line
Legal Aid of Nebraska
operates a free telephone access line for Nebraskans age
60 and older.
Information is offered to
help the state’s older men
and women with questions
on topics like bankruptcy,
homestead exemptions, collections, powers of attorney,
Medicare, Medicaid, grandparent rights, and Section 8
housing.
The telephone number
for the Elder Access Line
is 402-827-5656 in Omaha
and 1-800-527-7249 statewide.
This service is available
to Nebraskans age 60 and
older regardless of income,
race, or ethnicity.
log on the Internet to http://
www.legalaidofnebraska.
com/EAL.
Class can help you
discuss best time
for older loved ones
to give up driving
AARP is offering a
free program designed to
help families determine
when it’s time for loved
ones to stop driving.
The We Need to Talk
class is scheduled for
Aug. 6 at the Westside
Community Conference
Center, 3534 S. 108th St.
The class begins at 10
a.m.
Topics addressed will
include the meaning of
driving, observing driving
skills, and how to have
this important conversation.
To sign up or for more
information, please call
402-457-5231.
One-to-one, family, and group We Need
to Talk sessions can be
arranged by contacting
Lana at fitzlana@gmail.
com or 1-888-227-7669.
Protecting your heart from chronic stress
S
tress isn’t always a bad thing. In fact, it has an important job. Stress motivates you to be alert, energetic,
and focused, especially in times of trouble. But too
much of anything can lead to problems.
“Chronic stress can cause tension headaches, fatigue, and
depression,” says Dr. Ami B. Bhatt, director of the adult
congenital heart disease program at the Harvard University-affiliated Massachusetts General Hospital.
“We often recognize these problems, but we may not
realize the impact constant stress places on the heart. It can
be like a vise that slowly tightens over time.”
In general, stress tends to increase over a lifetime.
Health, social, and economic issues can all intensify, which
makes stress more prevalent.
Your body reacts to stress in different ways. First, levels of chemicals called cytokines that promote inflammation increase in the blood. These small proteins work to
fight infections. When your body senses trouble, levels of
the stress hormone cortisol spike to turn on your fight-orflight response.
Once the stressful situation passes, everything returns to
normal. However, when stress becomes a constant presence, and you stay in this tense state for longer periods,
your body gets flooded with these chemicals and hormones.
Over time, they can weaken your immune system and
increase inflammation, both of which can raise your risk of
cardiovascular disease, heart attack, and stroke.
Chronic stress also can lead to other issues that indirectly affect heart health, like higher blood pressure, excess weight from stress-related eating, or high blood sugar
levels that could lead to diabetes.
How can you protect your heart from chronic stress? The
key isn’t to avoid stress all the time – that is unrealistic –
but rather to change your reaction to it.
Emotions have a profound effect on heart health, according to a study published in 2014 in Biological Psychiatry.
Researchers measured brain activity and scanned the arteries of 157 healthy adults as they viewed unpleasant pictures
meant to stimulate a stressful reaction. When they checked
the participants’ blood, the researchers found elevated levels of cytokines in the people who had greater brain activation from negative emotions.
“This is why managing stress is so important for protecting your heart,” says Dr. Bhatt. “If you can better control
how you react to stressful events, you can stop stress from
building up.”
A good way to combat ongoing stress is to adopt a regular stress management program. There are many approaches to choose from, and each works better for some people
than others. Here are four methods that Dr. Bhatt recommends:
• Enlist an activity buddy. Exercise releases calming
endorphins and is one of the best ways to burn off stress
and keep it under control. “A workout or activity friend
can keep you motivated by helping you stick to a regular
routine, whether it is going to the gym, playing golf, or just
taking an evening walk. If you do it with someone, you are
more likely to keep it up,” says Dr. Bhatt.
• Do something you enjoy. “If you had half a day to do
whatever you wanted that made you feel good, what would
you do?” asks Dr. Bhatt. “Men tend to put their enjoyment
last after other people’s needs, but you require regular ‘me’
time,” she says.
“Make a list of what really makes you happy and implement a plan to do those things on a regular basis, whether
it’s daily or weekly. It could be something as simple as taking a relaxing swim or playing with the grandkids.”
• Try deep breathing. Sit or lie down in a comfortable
position and close your eyes. Take a deep breath through
your nose until your lungs are full, hold for one to two
seconds, and then exhale completely out the mouth. Do this
10 to 20 times.
Another option is to count breaths, which helps keep
your mind calm and focused. Take deep, full breaths at a
steady pace, but count “one” on the inhalation and “two”
on the exhalation and repeat until you reach 20. Then count
backward, and repeat the cycle for several minutes.
“Calm breathing, even for only a minute, a few times a
day, can improve stress levels immediately, and with practice, make you calmer over all,” says Dr. Bhatt. “There are
even mobile apps that can help guide you if you need it.”
• Avoid stressors when possible. Many people know
which situations make them stressed. While you may not
be able to avoid all of them, you can reduce your interaction. For instance, if crowds at stores trigger a negative
response, try to shop at hours when there are fewer people.
(Harvard University provided this information.)
T
Omaha Fire Department
he Omaha Fire Department’s Public Education and Affairs Department is available to
install free smoke and/or carbon monoxide
detectors inside the residences of area homeowners.
To have a free smoke and/or carbon monoxide detector installed inside your home, send your name, address,
and telephone number to:
Omaha Fire Department
Smoke/Carbon Monoxide Requests
10245 Weisman Dr.
Omaha, NE 68134
For more information, please call 402-444-3560.
Grandparent Resource Center hosts picnic at Elmwood Park
D
espite temperature and humidity readings near
the century mark, the
Eastern Nebraska Office
on Aging’s Grandparent
Resource Center (GRC)
hosted a picnic for its
participants last month at
Elmwood Park.
The GRC is designed
to assist men and women
age 55 and older who
are raising their grandchildren. A variety of
programs are available
including support group
meetings and access to
other ENOA programs.
For more information
about the Grandparent
Resource Center, please
call Heidi DeMuth at 402444-6536.
The
New Horizons
is brought to you
each month by the
Eastern Nebraska
Office on Aging.
July 2016
•
New Horizons
•
Page 5
VAS offering estate planning workshop
Friday, July 15 at its Center Mall office
V
olunteers Assisting Seniors (VAS) provides
health insurance information, counseling, and
assistance with filing for property tax relief
through the Nebraska Homestead Exemption
Program.
VAS is offering a workshop titled Basic Estate Planning, developed and presented by attorney Tom Prohaska.
The free 1:30 p.m. workshop is scheduled for Friday,
July 15 at the VAS office, 1941 S. 42nd St. (Center
Mall), Suite 312.
T
he workshop’s goal is to develop a better understanding of estate planning so older adults
will have an easier time making the important
personal decisions necessary to design estate
plans that meet their needs.
The workshop will cover financial and medical powers
of attorney, living wills, wills, living or revocable trusts,
alternatives and supplements to wills, taxes related to
death, and mistakes to avoid.
To reserve your spot at the workshop, please call VAS
at 402-444-6617.
Law Offices of
Charles E. Dorwart
Read it & eat
By Lois Friedman
[email protected]
Fire up the backyard BBQ
It’s time to race outdoors and try your hand at the delicious recipes in these cookbooks. It’s BBQ, burgers, and
more.
From Stewart, Tabori, & Chang:
Myron Mixon’s BBQ Rules
By Myron Mixon ($24.95)
The winningest man in BBQ shares his Daddy’s recipes
and methods. Step-by-step instructions for the whole hog
(bird, cow, and extras, too) to Smoked Chocolate Skillet
Cake. Old-school backyard pit methods. Cook like a pro.
The Great American Burger Book
By George Motz ($24.95)
Burger expert shares 25 regional burger favorites with
recipes and stories including Iowa’s Loose Meat sandwich
and Nebraska’s Bierock (alias Runza) with roots in Volga
German recipes. Colorful graphics, lots of photographs.
Project Smoke
By Steven Raichlen (Workman, $22.95)
Seven steps to smoking nirvana and a step-by-step guide
to the art and craft of smoking with 100 recipes, gear, tools,
and techniques from this master griller.
35 years of legal experience
Salsas and Moles
By Deborah Schneider (Ten Speed, $16.99)
Everything you want to know about salsas in this stellar
collection of Classic Table, Hot, Mole & Enchilada, Tacos,
Chunky and Botanas Salsas. Essential guides to chiles and
techniques.
• Wills
• Living Trusts
• Probate
• Healthcare and
Financial Powers of Attorney
• In-home consultations
• Free initial consultations
The Legends of Texas Barbecue
By Robb Walsh (Chronicle, $22.95)
Revised and updated with a dozen chapters including
stories, old photographs, step-by-step recipes, and recollections from more than 100 years of the Lone Star barbecue
scene from this award-winning author. Lady Bird Johnson
shared her southern-style BBQ sauce with butter recipe.
Thomas C. Dorwart, Licensed in NY and NE
Fred Abboud, Licensed in NE
6790 Grover Street • Suite 100
Omaha, NE 68106
Office: (402) 558-1404
Fax: (402) 779-7498
[email protected]
Lady Bird Johnson’s Barbecue Sauce
Makes about 1 cup
4 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup vinegar
1/4 cup ketchup
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon minced garlic (optional)
Salt and ground black pepper
Tabasco sauce for seasoning
In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat.
Add the vinegar, ketchup, lemon juice, Worcestershire,
and garlic (if using), and season with salt, pepper, and
Tabasco. Bring to a boil, stirring often.
Remove from the heat and let cool. The sauce will keep
in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two
weeks. Reheat before serving.
The New Horizons is brought to you each month
by the Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging.
Maplewood Estates
Lifestyle • Community • Convenience • Family Values
Move-in Specials
Get 6 months of FREE lot rent
for moving a single wide home
Amenities include:
into the park, or $3,500 for
• Playground • Off street parking
doublewide for moving expenses. • Clubhouse • Pool • RV’s welcome
Call for more information.
The Sierra Group, LLC
FREE Book & CD
Call Us: (800) 309-0753
Page 6
•
New Horizons
402.493.6000
Call:
12801 Spaulding Plaza
www.maplewoodestatesonline.com
Omaha, NE 68164
•
July 2016
Nebraska Senior
Medicare Patrol
Nebraska Senior Medicare Patrol, a Nebraska
Department of Health and
Human Services program
that works to educate and
empower older adults to
help prevent health care
fraud offers 10 tips to help
you avoid Medicare scams.
• Don’t provide your
Medicare number to anyone
except your trusted health
care provider.
• Ask friends and neighbors to pick up your mail
while you’re away from
home.
• Shred important documents before throwing them
away.
• Read Medicare summary notices carefully looking
for possible mistakes.
• Use a calendar or health
care journal to record information from doctor visits.
• Compare your calendar
or health care journal with
your Medicare summary
notices.
• Count your prescription
pills. If the total is less than
expected, go back and tell
the pharmacist.
• Medicare Part D plans
change annually.
• Don’t speak to anyone
claiming to be a Medicare
representative about Medicare.
• Medicare loses billions
of dollars each year. It’s up
to you to help fight fraud.
If you believe you may
be a victim of Medicare
fraud, please call the Nebraska Senior Medicare
Patrol at 800-942-7830.
211 Network
The 211 telephone network has been established
in parts of Nebraska to give
consumers a single source
for information about community and human services.
By dialing 211, consumers can access information
about human needs resources like food banks, shelters,
rent and utility assistance,
physical and mental health
resources, support for older
Americans and persons
with a disability.
The 211 network is open
24 hours a day, seven days
a week.
ENOA
has been serving
older adults in
Douglas, Sarpy,
Dodge, Cass, and
Washington counties
since 1975.
Florence
AARP chapter
Omaha Computer Users Group
RSVP
The Florence chapter of
AARP meets monthly at
Mount View Presbyterian
Church, 5308 Hartman Ave.
Each meeting features a
noon lunch and a speaker
at 12:45 p.m. The cost is
$8 per person each month.
Rides are available.
please call Ruth Kruse at
402-453-4825 or Marge
Willard at 402-455-8401.
Here’s the schedule
through October:
You’re invited to join the Omaha Computer Users Group
(OCUG), an organization dedicated to helping men and
women age 50 and older learn more about their computers.
Anyone can join OCUG regardless of his or her computer skills.
The organization’s 50 members
meet the third Saturday of each month
from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. at the Abrahams Library, 5111 N. 90th St.
Annual dues to OCUG are $25.
OCUG has a projector connected to
a Microsoft Windows 7 computer and
a Windows 8 computer to show users
how to solve their computer problems. Bring your questions concerning your computer problems to the meetings
for answers.
For more information, please call Phill Sherbon at 402333-6529.
SVP is recruiting persons age 55 and older for a
variety of opportunities. For more information in
Douglas, Sarpy, and Cass counties, please call 402444-6536, ext. 224. In Dodge and Washington counties,
• The Salvation Army
needs volunteers for its oneday-per-week food pantry at
the Kroc Center, 2825 Y St.
• The Office of Public
Guardians is looking for volunteer court visitors.
• The Blair and Fremont Car-Go Program needs volunteer drivers.
• The Fremont Friendship Center wants volunteers for
a variety of assignments.
• The Low Income Ministry in Fremont is looking for
eight to 10 volunteers to help out Thursdays from 3 to 7
p.m. at its clothing center.
July 18
Unique recycling
With Linda Hughes
R
August 15
Picnic
September 19
Restoring bee hives
With Carol & Fred Richart
October 17
Years at
North High School
With Mark Schulze
Alzheimer’s classes
on July 21, Aug. 18
T
he Midlands
chapter of the
Alzheimer’s
Association is
sponsoring a free class
in July and August. The
sessions will be held at
the Alzheimer’s Association’s new office, 11711
Arbor St., Suite 110.
please send an email to
[email protected] or
call 800-272-3900. Registration is requested but
not required.
Here’s the schedule:
July 21
Living with
Alzheimer’s:
For Mid-Stage
Caregivers
5:30 to 8 p.m.
Aug. 18
Living with
Alzheimer’s:
For Early Stage
Caregivers
5:30 to 8 p.m.
July 2016
•
New Horizons
•
Page 7
Alzheimer’s support groups
Allows you more time to relax
The Alzheimer’s Association Nebraska Chapter offers
several caregiver support groups and specialty support
groups each month in Cass, Dodge, Douglas, and Sarpy
counties. These support groups offer valuable space and
educational opportunities for families impacted by Alzheimer’s disease or a related form of dementia to engage
and learn. For more information about any of the groups
listed below, please call (toll free) 800-272-3900.
CASS COUNTY
Early Stage Support Group
Every other Tuesday
(Beginning June 14 for
eight sessions)
@ 6 p.m.
REGISTRATION
REQUIRED
Call Diane
@ 402-502-4301 X 8251
for locations & to register.
• PLATTSMOUTH
Second Tuesday
@ 6 p.m.
First Lutheran Church (chapel)
1025 Ave. D
DODGE COUNTY
• FREMONT
Caring for Your Parents
Second or third Saturday
@ 11 a.m.
Call Teri
@ 402-393-0434
for locations
Last Wednesday
@ 2 p.m.
Nye Square
655 W. 23rd St.
Second Tuesday @ 5:30 p.m.
Shalimar Gardens
(second floor community room)
749 E. 29th St.
Spanish Language
Support Group
Second Tuesday
@ 4 p.m.
Intercultural Community Center
3010 R St.
DOUGLAS COUNTY
• OMAHA
SARPY COUNTY
Second Thursday
@ 10 a.m.
Country House Residences
5030 S. 155th St.
FREE on site adult day
services are provided.
• BELLEVUE
Third Monday
@ 7 p.m.
Bellevue Senior Center
109 W. 22nd Ave.
Every other Monday
@ 7 p.m.
Brighton Gardens
9220 Western Ave.
First Wednesday
@ 1 p.m.
Eastern Nebraska
Vets Home
(Vets and non-vets welcome)
12505 S. 40th St.
First & third Monday
@ 1:30 p.m.
New Cassel’s
Franciscan Centre
900 N. 90th St.
FREE on-site adult day
services are provided.
Fourth Thursday
@ 6 p.m.
Hillcrest Grand Lodge
6021 Grand Lodge Ave.
Second Tuesday
@ 5:30 p.m.
Heritage Ridge
1502 Fort Crook Rd. South
Third Tuesday
@ 5 p.m.
Immanuel Fontenelle
6809 N 68th Plz.
Third Tuesday
@ 6 p.m.
Temple Israel
(media room)
13111 Sterling Ridge Dr.
Please support New Horizons advertisers
SMOKE
FREE
Independent apartment living
for persons age 55+
PARKSIDE
By Melinda Myers
G
row a beautiful flower garden with
minimal care by investing a bit of
time at the start of the season to
reduce ongoing care.
Always match flowers to the growing
conditions and the care you’re willing to
provide. Low maintenance plants need
minimal or no deadheading and staking.
This means you’ll be growing good-looking
plants with little effort on your part. And if
the plants are suited to the growing conditions and resistant to common pests you’ll
be doing less work managing insect and
disease problems.
Further reduce your workload by selecting self cleaning or free flowering annuals and perennials and those bred for long
bloom and compact growth. You’ll enjoy
more colorful flowers with less pruning and
grooming.
Ageratum, angelonia, calibrochoa, and
many of the newer petunia cultivars are just
a few of the annuals that don’t need regular
deadheading for continual bloom. Include
perennials like willow amsonia, bugbane,
Solomon seal, turtlehead, and sedum autumn joy for lower maintenance and big
results. Prepare the soil and provide proper fertilization before planting. Work several inches
of compost or other organic matter into the
top eight to 12 inches of soil to improve
drainage and water holding ability.
Incorporate a low nitrogen organic fertilizer at the same time. The slow release
formulation provides needed nutrients
throughout most if not all the season. Plus,
it promotes slow steady growth that won’t
interfere with flowering, is less susceptible
to pests, and is more drought tolerant.
Properly space the plants, making sure
they have sufficient room to reach their full
size. Overcrowding means you’ll be thinning or dividing plants more often or battling disease problems instead of enjoying
the full beauty the plants provide.
Consider removing flowers on annuals at
planting. This allows plants to focus energy on establishing roots instead of flowers. Can’t bear to do this? Then remove the
• Emergency alarm system
• 24-hour emergency
maintenance
• Controlled access entry
• Community areas on
every floor
• Microwave
• Icemaker
• Window blinds furnished
Call today to view your
new home in the park!
The Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging
is looking for volunteer
drivers for its Meals on
Wheels Program.
Flexible weekday
schedule delivering
midday meals to
homebound older
adults in the greater Omaha area.
Call Arlis at 402-444-6766
for more information.
7775 Park Drive • Ralston, Nebraska
402-339-9080
Page 8
•
New Horizons
flowers on every other plant or every other
row. Then a week or two later remove the
flowers on the remaining plants. You’ll
soon be rewarded with full compact plants
that will produce more flowers throughout
the season.
Pinch back long and leggy transplants. Use a hard pinch to remove the tip
and several inches of stem. Use your pruners or fingers to remove stems just above
a set of leaves. The remaining plant will
still look good while you wait for new
leaves and stems to grow and produce new
blooms.
Encourage branching on single stemmed
plants with a soft pinch. Remove just the
uppermost portion of the stem where the
leaves and tip are starting to develop. Soon
you’ll have a well-branched plant and more
blossoms.
Improve plant posture and reduce the
need for staking with early season pruning.
Keep mums and asters compact by pinching them back to six inches to encourage
compact growth. Eliminate floppy growth
and the need for staking on late bloomers
like Boltonia, Autumn Joy sedum, Russian
sage, and Heliopsis.
Revive catmint and perennial salvia that
flop open in the center with pruning. Cut
flopping plants back halfway once or twice
a season as needed.
And don’t forget to mulch. Covering the
soil surface with an inch or two of shredded leaves, evergreen needles/pine straw, or
other organic material will conserve moisture, suppress weeds, and improve the soil
as they decompose.
Always water new plantings often
enough to keep the top few inches of soil
moist. Once established water thoroughly
and only as needed. This encourages
drought tolerant roots, so you’ll need to do
less watering in the future.
With proper planning, plant selection, and
soil preparation you can keep your ongoing
care to a minimum. That means more time
to relax and enjoy your beautiful garden.
(Gardening expert Melinda Myers has
more than 30 years of horticulture experience and has written over 20 gardening
books.)
Volunteers needed
PARKSIDE
• Spacious 1 & 2
bedroom apartment homes
• Elevator
• Washer/dryer in
every apartment
• Garage included in rent
• Beautifully landscaped
grounds
• Within walking distance
of Ralston Park
Tips to reduce your gardening workload
•
July 2016
Dance Wednesday
at Legion Post #1
Y
ou’re invited to
attend a dance
each Wednesday
afternoon from
1 to 4 at American Legion
Post #1, 7811 Davenport St.
Admission
is $2.
For more
information, please
call 402392-0444.
The
New Horizons
is brought to you
each month by the
Eastern Nebraska
Office on Aging.
Old clothes needed
Members of the Omaha
Sertoma Club encourage
area residents to collect
used and unwanted clothing, shoes, hats, caps, belts,
purses, bedding, and towels
by cleaning out their closets
and other places these items
are stored.
These items can then be
placed in bags and taken to
and placed inside the donation bin at the Westside
Community Center near
108th and Grover streets.
These tax-deductible donations will be recycled and
sent to people overseas.
By helping with this effort, the Sertoma Club will
receive funds for its programs that help people with
hearing impairments.
For more information, go
to www.sertoma.org.
Hearing loss group
to meet on July 12
T
he Omaha Area
Hearing Loss
Association of
America, a support
group for hard of hearing
adults, will next meet
on Tuesday, July 12 at
Dundee Presbyterian
Church, 5312 Underwood Ave. Participants
are asked to enter the
church on the Happy
Hollow Blvd. (east) side.
The 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
meeting will feature social time and a speaker.
The Omaha Area
Hearing Loss Association of America meets
the second Tuesday of
the month from September through December
and from March through
August.
For more information, please contact Beth
Ellsworth at ellsworth.
[email protected] or Verla
Hamilton at 402-5586449.
Study: Many women incorrectly
believe breast cancer is a more
common killer than heart disease
A
ccording to recent studies, the U.S. has a disadvantage in women’s life expectancy compared to peer
countries despite high rates of health screenings
such as mammography and popular national awareness
campaigns.
Recently, researchers at the University of Missouri
examined the perceptions of risk among females and found
that minority and less educated women believe breast cancer, rather than heart disease, is the more common killer.
Based on these findings, they recommend health care
providers should incorporate healthier lifestyle strategies
for heart disease with messages for improved breast health
to greater impact disease outcomes.
“Part of the Affordable Care Act is designed to help
health care providers identify strategies to encourage the
population to live healthier and prevent breast cancer and
heart disease,” said Julie M. Kapp, associate professor in
the Department of Health Management and Informatics in
the MU School of Medicine.
“But before we can develop these targeted approaches,
we have to understand the perceptions and behaviors of our
audience — in this case, premenopausal women,” Kapp
added.
Breast cancer is a leading cause of death for females in
the U.S. where one in 30 women will die of breast cancer.
The death rate for heart disease is significantly higher at
one in seven. Obesity remains at the top of health care providers’ concerns.
“The pink ribbon is one of the most recognizable symbols in the world and is associated with a very effective
campaign, which might relate to the perception that breast
cancer is a more common killer than other women’s health
issues,” Kapp said.
“Perhaps because of this, we found that minority women
and women with a college education or less had greater
odds of believing that breast cancer, rather than heart disease, causes more deaths in women yearly.
Additionally, a quarter of the women surveyed reported
they are not making healthy lifestyle changes related to
breast health, even though premenopausal women have the
most to gain in knowledge and behaviors over their lifetime.
Researchers suggest progress toward improving U.S.
population health requires health care providers use strategic opportunities to leverage healthy and active lifestyle
messages for obesity and heart disease, in combination with
breast health. These messages also should be targeted to
different cultural and ethnic backgrounds as well as education levels, Kapp said.
(The University of Missouri provided this information.)
Fremont Friendship Center
You’re invited to visit the Fremont Friendship Center,
1730 W. 16th St. (Christensen Field), for the following:
• July 10: We’ll participate in the John C. Fremont Parade. Meet at the center @ 11:30 a.m., have lunch, and ride
the trolley. The trolley will bring us back to the center.
• July 13: Music by The Link Duo @ 10:30 a.m.
• July 14: Presentation on
Habitat for Humanity followed
by Bingo @ 10:30 a.m.
• July 20: Music by
Bill Chrastil @10:30 a.m.
• July 27: Tuba music
by Ron Schulkump @ 10:30
a.m.
The center will be closed
July 4 to 8 due to the 4-H fair at
Christensen Field.
The Fremont Friendship Center is open Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
and Friday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Lunch is served at 11:30
a.m. A $3.50 contribution is suggested for lunch. Reservations must be made by noon the business day prior to the
meal you wish to enjoy.
For meal reservations and more information, please call
Laurie at 402-727-2815.
WHITMORE LAW OFFICE
Wills • Trusts • Probate
Ask A Lawyer:
Q — What is the difference between a Power of Attorney
and an Executor?
A — The holder of your Power of Attorney can act for you
only during your lifetime. It can be effective immediately
or only after you become incapacitated. The power can be
quite broad or limited to specific areas, such as banking. It
ends at death or if you should become able once again to
act for yourself. An Executor (or Personal Representative)
is the person who is responsible for settling the estate after
death, carrying out the last wishes of the deceased.
Have a question about estate planning? Give us a call!
AARP Legal Service Network • No Charge For Initial Consultation
7602 Pacific Street, Ste 200 • (402) 391-2400
http://whitmorelaw.com
Fed employee groups
gather each month
The National Active and
Retired Federal Employees’
Chapter 144 meets the first
Wednesday of each month
at 11:30 a.m. at the Amazing Pizza Machine, 13955
S Plz.
The National Active and
Retired Federal Employees’
Aksarben Chapter 1370
meets the second Wednesday of each month at 11:30
a.m. at the Amazing Pizza
Machine, 13955 S Plz.
July 2016
•
New Horizons
•
Page 9
Former volunteer, retired engineer is a role model for grandson
For 22 years, Edwina Justus drove Union Pacific Railroad trains from North
Platte, Neb. to places like Cheyenne, Denver, Omaha, and Marysville, Kan.
E
dwina Justus has
a special relationship with her
15-year-grandson,
Darrien Costello-Justus.
“I try to teach him that he
can do anything he wants,
be anybody he wants, and
he knows that I’m behind
him,” said the 72-year-old
Omaha resident who also
goes by the nicknames of
“Curlie” and “E.J.”
Justus speaks from experience. In 1976, she became
the Union Pacific Railroad’s
first female African-American locomotive engineer.
After graduating from
Omaha Technical High
School in 1960, Curlie
worked as a Western Elec-
tric wireman for eight years.
Then in 1969, looking to
better herself, Justus enrolled at the University of
Nebraska at Omaha with the
goal of becoming a social
worker.
Three years later, a longtime friend, James Nash,
told Edwina the Union
Pacific Railroad was hiring
people for well-paid jobs, so
Justus left her college plans
behind and became a clerk
for UP.
While working in a variety of departments at the
Union Pacific, E.J. became
interested in trains and how
they operated. So in 1976,
when she heard the Omahabased railroad was look-
ing to hire its first female
African-America locomotive engineer, Justus applied
for the position.
Never thinking she’d get
the job, Edwina experienced
a variety of emotions when
offered her place in railroad
history.
“I didn’t want to leave my
friends in Omaha, I didn’t
want to relocate my kids,
and my husband had a good
job at Kellogg’s,” she said.
“I started crying and I called
my Dad.”
Her father’s message was
stern, but simple. “You better take that job,” he told his
daughter.
Justus soon packed her
bags and headed west to
Five days a week, Senior Companion Clara
Vugteveen (right) visits Justus in her home.
North Platte, Neb. to begin
her locomotive engineer
training and a whole new
way of life. Two months
later, her husband, Arthur,
and their sons relocated to
the Lincoln County community.
The readjustment was
difficult. “It was an eerie
feeling. I didn’t know anybody in North Platte, and
I’d never been away from
my parents,” Edwina recalled. “My first Christmas
in North Platte, I cried all
day.”
At that time, only 79 of
North Platte’s 22,000-plus
residents were AfricanAmericans. The Justus family didn’t always feel wel-
Your home. Your care. Your pace.
Our program provides a complete system of health care. The
service is called PACE, which stands for: Program of All-inclusive
Care for the Elderly. We provide primary and hospital care as well
as prescription drugs, transportation and so much more to our
participants. Services are provided in the home, at the PACE
Center and in the community.
PACE participants may be fully and personally liable for the costs
of unauthorized or out-of-PACE program services. Emergency
services are covered. Participants may disenroll at any time.
For complete program details and benefits, please call
402-991-0330 or visit www.immanuel.com.
Serving Nebraska in the Counties of Douglas and Sarpy
5755 Sorensen Parkway | Omaha, NE 68152 | 402-991-0990
Page 10
•
New Horizons
•
July 2016
come in western Nebraska.
“We had a cross burned
in our front yard in 1979,”
Edwina said. Her son, Michael, got into a brawl after
a name-calling incident, and
broke one of his fingers.
Over time, however,
things got better for the
family. Arthur was hired by
the UPRR, first as a fireman and oiler and later as
a locomotive engineer. In
1997, Curlie ran for mayor
in North Platte. “I finished
third among six candidates,”
she said proudly.
F
or 22 years, Edwina
drove trains from
North Platte to
outposts like Cheyenne, Denver, Omaha, and
Marysville, Kan. Some days
she shared the train’s cabin
with her husband, known
to many as “Choo-Choo”
Justus.
Operating a locomotive
was much more difficult
physically than mentally for
Curlie. “You could teach a
chimpanzee to run a train,”
she joked.
A locomotive engineer
controls the train’s speed
and direction, according
to E.J. “You also have to
look out for people trying to
cross the tracks.”
Staying on your feet for
six to 12 hours at a time and
bumpy rides along the UP’s
tracks, however, created
back problems. “I hurt every
day, but I wasn’t going to
back down,” Edwina said.
Justus said her faith in
God was the key to surviving an often-rough ride in
--Please turn to page 17.
UN-L ornithologist Dr. Paul Johnsgard is truly a rare bird
An avid photographer since age 7 or 8, Johnsgard
has 20,000 archived photos on his computer.
is a measure of their intelligence.”
Wood Ducks, which are so
beautiful. Then I became interested in swans, especially
r. Johnsgard has
the Trumpeter Swan, and
special admiration
now, of course, cranes.
for one species –
“Even though the Whoopthe crane – that has ancient
ing Crane is bigger and
roots and that mates for life. more beautiful, I think I’m
He’s so taken with the Sand- more attracted to the Sandhill Crane that he’s devoted hill Crane. I’ve spent so
more words to its study than much time with them. I’ve
any other bird. For decades
probably not spent more
he’s made a pilgrimage to
than 10 hours looking at
see and record the annual
Whooping Cranes. They’re
Sandhill Crane migration
so rare. The chances of seein central Nebraska’s Platte ing them in Nebraska are
River Valley each March
remote at best. But there’s
and April.
a plethora of Sandhills
“More than any bird I
(Cranes).”
know, they are amazingly
Johnsgard has a special
aware of what’s going on.
perch from which to watch
You don’t want to go
the Sandhill Crane migraanywhere near a crane nest
tion unfold courtesy of a
because even if the female’s cabin owned by internationgone if she sees it has been
ally known wildlife phodisturbed she will abandon
tographer, Tom Mangelsen.
the nest. The only way you
The two men go way back.
can do it safely is to wait
Mangelsen, a Grand Island
until the nest is hatching –
native who did part of his
then she will stay there and
growing up in Omaha, was
protect it.”
a student and field assisHis favorite bird has vartant under Johnsgard, who
ied over time. “I think I was mentored him in the 1970s.
probably first enamored by
D
Dr. Paul Johnsgard is fascinated by birds because of their sense of freedom
and ability to fly anywhere and do anything with incredible grace.
By Leo Adam Biga
Contributing Writer
W
orld-renowned
ornithologist Dr.
Paul Johnsgard,
85, ascribes his passion for
birds to something akin to
the imprinting process that
occurs with the winged
creatures he’s made his
life’s work.
For the University of
Nebraska-Lincoln emeritus
professor and author of 82
books – many illustrated
with his own drawings and
photos – this road-less-traveled life began as a lad in
North Dakota. His earliest
memories are of birds and
other natural things that captured his imagination while
growing up on the edge of
prairie country.
“The railroad track went
through town and that was
probably important because
I could walk the railroad
track and not get lost, and
see birds and flowers,” he
recalled. “I was unbelievably lucky I think.”
This Depression-era baby
got exposed to the surround-
ing natural habitats of the
Red River and of Lake Lida
in Minnesota, where his
family summered in a cottage. Those summer idylls
gave him a free range of
unspoiled woods.
Johnsgard loved the
forests, grasslands, flowers,
and birds. But feather and
fowl most fascinated him.
Why?
“I don’t know,” he said,
pausing a moment. “It’s
their sense of freedom –
they can fly anywhere and
do anything. They have
incredible grace. They’re
wild. I’m not interested in
domestic birds – turkeys and
chickens, and so on.”
Ah, the wild. From that
Arcadian childhood through
his adult fieldwork, wild
places and things have most
captivated Dr. Johnsgard.
His appreciation for birds
has ever deepened the more
he’s observed them. Among
other things, he admires
their acuity.
Johnsgard wrote, “I’m
absolutely convinced that
there is a lot more to what
they know and perceive
than what humans observe.
I honestly think that we are
underestimating birds, and
certainly other mammals,
when we avoid anthropomorphism too rigorously.”
He continued: “I even
more believe that today.
We’re learning things about
bird intelligence that were
not only unknown but unbelievable just a few years
ago, such as their solving
fairly complicated problems
of putting things together to
get at food and things like
that that really require some
kind of logic.
“The first person I think
that really began to realize
that was Irene Pepperberg
(Brandeis University professor and Harvard University
lecturer), who taught her
parrot 300 or 400 words in
English. The bird would put
them together in not quite
sentences but use them in
that kind of a logical combination. I think that was one
of the first major insights
into how smart birds can be.
They are remarkably aware
of their environment and of
any alterations in it, which
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•
New Horizons
•
Page 11
Johnsgard: Platte Valley crane migration is something magical
--Continued from page 11.
These friends and colleagues have
collaborated on several projects,
including a documentary Mangelsen
shot and Johnsgard wrote about the
Sandhill Cranes and for a new book
A Chorus of Cranes.
Dr. Johnsgard is among the ranks
that feel the spring migration is one
of the greatest shows on Earth. It is
a sensory experience to behold between the massive numbers on the
ground and in the air combined with
the swell of their trumpeting call.
“It’s a combination of place and
sight and sound, all of which are
unique,” he said. “To have 50,000
cranes overhead is quite something.
Cranes are among the loudest birds
in the world, so it just about blows
your eardrums out when they’re all
screaming. And to have a sunset or
a sunrise, as the case may be, and to
have this beautiful river flowing in
front of you – it just all makes for
a unique site in the world. It’s all
those things coming together.”
Johnsgard’s prose is usually
straightforward but there are times
he uses a more literary style if it
fits the subject, and he can’t think
of anything more deserving than
cranes.
“In my book Crane Music there’s
a section on the cranes returning to
the Platte in the spring that I wrote
in the style of a kind of prayer:
“There’s a season in the heart of
Nebraska, and there’s a bird in the
heart of Nebraska, and there’s a
place in the heart of Nebraska.’ So
those three paragraphs come together and then I wrote – ‘There’s
a magical time when the bird and
the season and the place all come
together.’”
I
n a CBS Sunday Morning report
on the migration, Johnsgard described the amplified cacophony
made by that many cranes “as the
sounds of a chorus of angels, none
of whom could sing on key, but all
trying as hard as they can.”
The naturalist also described what
these majestic birds remind him of.
“It’s almost like watching ballet
in slow motion, because the wing
beats are slow and they move in
such an elegant way.”
Johnsgard explained why the area
around Kearney, Neb. is the epicenter for this mass gathering that
goes back before recorded time. An
ancestral imperative has brought the
birds yearly through millennia and
the presence of humans has not yet
disrupted this hard-wired pattern.
“Well, Kearney didn’t do anything to attract it, but the Platte River had become increasingly crowded
with vegetation, both upstream and
downstream, so all these wonderful sandbars were disappearing and
the area around Kearney was one of
the last places where the Platte was
something like its original form.
Lots of bars and islands and not too
much disturbance. The birds from
the whole upper Platte and even the
North Platte were being crowded
more and more together and so now
Page 12
•
his imprinting may be traced to an
experience in the first grade.
“My first-grade teacher, Hazel
Bilstead, had a mounted male Redwinged Blackbird in a glass Victorian bell jar. She lifted the glass and
let me touch it and that really captured my attention. I’d never seen
anything that beautiful that close.
I’ve never forgotten it. I remember
it as well as I did that very day. I
think that my need to see live birds
in detail began at that time. I later
dedicated one of my books to Miss
Bilstead’s memory.”
Paul’s passion got further fed
when a camera (Baby Brownie
Special) first came into his life at
age 7 or 8. He’s not been without a
camera since. He’s gone through the
whole evolution of 35-millimeter
models. He shoots digital images today. On one of his office computers
alone he estimates there are more
than 20,000 archived photographs.
Dr. Johnsgard supports high tech
image capture projects like the one
by the Crane Trust that has camouflaged game cameras programmed
With binoculars in hand and a digital camera hanging from his to take pictures every half hour or
when motion is detected.
neck, Dr. Johnsgard observes nature on the UN-L campus.
“These six weeks or so the birds
you have over 500,000 (Sandhill
turer would make of it since “he’s
spend in the Platte Valley are critiCranes) in an area of no more than
been everywhere to see the natural
cally important for them to acquire
50 miles.
world,” said Johnsgard.
the amount of fat – energy – they
“If it were normal conditions,
“I took him out to a blind one late need for the rest of their spring and
then in those same 50 miles you
afternoon at the Crane Trust and
summer activities. So it really is
might have 40,000 or 50,000.”
everything happened perfectly.
important to get this kind of data,”
The cranes that arrive in March
“You know, of all the places
he said.
and April, he said, “are not getting
I’ve been and all the things I’ve
Even though Johnsgard grew up
as much food as they should be
seen, this is probably the best time
hunting – it was simply part of the
getting, so they’re having to leave
I’ve ever had watching mammals,”
culture he was raised in – he eventuthe Platte due to food competition
Quammen said.
ally gave up the gun for the camera.
before they really have as much fat
“He did say there’s a bird sanctu- “It increasingly bothered me to kill
on them as they should.”
ary in India where storks come in
things that I spent hours watching,”
Dr. Johnsgard said conservation
in a somewhat similar way but that
he wrote.
measures help by controlling dam
it’s the only thing that could possiThe sanctity of nature became
water releases and diversions for
bly match what we saw,” Johnsgard more and more impressed upon him
irrigation, recreation, and other uses said.
the more time he spent in it. Having
and therefore keeping steady water
Acclaimed conservationist and
the sanctuary of those woods near
levels through the year. The shallow chimp expert Jane Goodall has been the family lake cottage nourished
Platte and its surrounding vegetajoining Johnsgard and Mangelsen
him.
tion is a fragile ecosystem that refor crane watching expeditions since
“I’d wander around there with
quires monitoring and intervention. about 2000. Even though she’s
my dog and chase skunks and get
He said the Platte has benefited
seen so much of the natural world,
chased by skunks, (and) look for
from a river management agreement Goodall told CBS’ Dean Reynolds, bears. I’d heard there were some. I
between Colorado, Wyoming, and
“I wasn’t quite prepared for the
developed a little wildflower garden
Nebraska to share the water and
absolutely unbelievable, glorious
from the flowers in the woods and
maintain enough flow for Whoopspectacle of all these thousands of
tended it until we finally sold the
ing Cranes and other endangered
birds coming in. It’s just unbeatable, cottage in 2005. It was still thriving
species. The Sandhill Cranes are not and it’s really peaceful.”
then.”
endangered.
Many people played a role in
Johnsgard expects the compact
one of this would have hap- nurturing Johnsgard’s Thoreau-like
to be renewed before it expires, but
pened for Johnsgard – from rapture.
it will require the governors of all
hanging out in blinds with
“My mother’s cousin, Bud Morthree states to agree. He feels the
celebs to his words reaching general gan, was a game warden and by the
measures are adequate to protect
audiences – if not for a string of
time I was 12 he realized I really
the cranes and other wildlife that
things that transpired in his youth.
loved birds, so he’d take me along
make the migration a wonder of the His call to be a birder started just as and we’d count ducks and just talk
world.
he entered school.
about birds. That really helped a lot
Even though he’s been going to
“When I was 5 or 6 I asked
actually in directing my studying
catch that great display of plumage
Mother for the salt shaker so I could waterfowl. He taught me how to
for years now, it never ceases to
go out and put salt on a Robin’s tail. identify waterfowl.”
enthrall him.
Do you know that story?” he asked
Thirsty to know everything he
“It just about gives me chills,” Dr. a visitor at his UN-L office. could about birds, Johnsgard practiJohnsgard said. “I call it nirvana. It
“Well, it goes that if you put salt
cally memorized what books on the
pretty much is like a state of bliss.”
on a bird’s tail it becomes tame, and subject his town library held. One
That feeling is shared by many.
I wanted to have a tame Robin. I
book he used to particularly “delight
When Johnsgard took noted nature
spent a lot of time trying to do that. in” is T.S. Roberts’ two-volume The
writer David Quammen out to the
I wanted to touch them.”
Birds of Minnesota.
Platte for the migration he wasn’t
He made his first drawings of
“I thought it remarkable that a
sure what this much-traveled adven- birds then, too. But the real origin of
New Horizons
N
•
July 2016
Paul’s drawings, sculptures featured in museums, private collections
little town library carried it because
it was an expensive book for the
time. It was a wonderful book. Still
is.”
As it was readily apparent young
Paul was crazy about birds, his
parents and others happily indulged
his curiosity by gifting him with
books that any birder would be
proud to own. As a result, Johnsgard
today possesses several first editions
of classics, including John James
Audubon’s The Birds of America,
Aldo Leopold’s A Sand County Almanac, and F.H. Kortright’s Ducks,
Geese, and Swans of North America.
Until recently brought to his attention, Johnsgard said he didn’t realize
how so many early life elements
reinforced his interest in nature and
birds. That background set him off
on his odyssey as naturalist, wildlife
biologist, birder, author, and more.
Boy Scout,” he said.
One of his carvings is in the
permanent collection of the Sheldon
Memorial Art Gallery on the UN-L
campus. “It’s a full-sized Trumpeter
Swan preening. Up until then it was
by far the biggest carving I’d done.
It weighed about 50 pounds.”
Johnsgard based the carving on
a photo he saw in National Geographic. He didn’t know what to do
with the carving when finished.
“It was so big that the only place
I could put it at home was on top
of the refrigerator. It was gathering dust up there. Sheldon’s thendirector, George Neubert, asked if I
could loan him some of my decoys
for a folk art show, so I put that
thing down there. After it was over
he asked me if I’d consider selling
it. He told me later he thought it
was one of the 10 best acquisitions
Fire magazines have enjoyed wide
readership. Then there’s the public
speaking he does and the media
interviews he gives.
“Anyone who has made a trip
west to see the Sandhill Cranes
is familiar with Paul Johnsgard,”
said friend Dr. Julie Masters. “His
books, lectures, and interviews on
the subject inspire. To experience
the cranes through his eyes is a
great gift.”
Masters recently developed a
friendship with him that’s enriched
her appreciation for nature.
“I happened to be on the UN-L
campus in January and saw him
out walking. We struck up a conversation and have been meeting
every few weeks to discuss cranes
and all sorts of other birds. It is a
great privilege to learn about bird
behavior from this highly regarded
T
om Mangelsen (Images of
Nature), who knows Johnsgard as well as anyone, said
of his mentor: “He’s a wonderful
man and really inspirational. Nobody’s done that many books on
birds. He’s remarkably prolific and
a major intellect. It’s been a long,
wonderful journey for me. We are
dear friends.”
Mangelsen said Johnsgard likes to
tell people while Mangelsen wasn’t
his best student he is Johnsgard’s
most famous former pupil. The two
also enjoy sharing the fact Johnsgard accepted him as a graduate student not based on his grades, which
were poor, but on the family cabin
Mangelsen offered him access.
As far as Mangelsen’s concerned,
Johnsgard is a real “Renaissance
Man.” Indeed, in addition to being a
scientist, educator, author, illustrator, and photographer, Johnsgard’s
a highly regarded artist. Several of
his drawings and wood bird sculptures are in private collections or
museums. For his line drawings he
works from photo composites and
specimens.
“Having photographs makes it
possible to draw them accurately. A
photograph though won’t give you
much more than just an outline so
you really need to be able to look
at the thing from the front, from the
sides, (and) from the top, to get a
sense for its shape. So I like to have
a specimen if I can. Most of the
time I’ve been here I’ve had access
to a reasonably good collection of
stuffed birds. If that doesn’t do it, I
can go over to the state museum and
look at things.”
This stickler for details notices
when people take artistic license or
don’t get it right.
“When I was in London at the
National Gallery there was a painting by Rembrandt of a dead black
grouse upside down ready to be
plucked. It had the wrong number of
primary feathers on the wing. So he
wasn’t a birder.”
Dr. Johnsgard’s waterfowl carvings are much admired. He is selftaught. “I’ve been at it since I was a
He realizes the notion runs counter
to science but doesn’t much care,
though he’s quick to point out, “I
don’t believe in any God per se, but
I have a reverence for what I see in
nature. I don’t think those things
were created by a God, but they’re
God-like aspects of the world. Without wild things and wild places in the
world it’d be a pretty dreary place, so
I have that maybe (Loren) Eiseleylike or (John) Neihardt-like idea of
the world.”
Reading Neihardt”s Black Elk
Speaks “mesmerized” Johnsgard,
particularly the appearance of Snow
Geese in several of Black Elk’s visions. Johnsgard, who at that time,
was already considering a book
on Snow Geese, felt compelled to
respond in a new work that counterpointed what he knew about the
biology of Snow Geese with Native
American views of the bird.
“I couldn’t sleep, so I started scribbling the outlines of what became
Song of the North Wind. I went to
the library and found all I could on
the beliefs of the Plains Indians and
also the Inuit. I finally decided I had
enough to write a book. I went up to
the nesting grounds in Western Hudson Bay before I finished it.”
Rhapsodizing about the sacredness of nature is one thing, just don’t
preach to Johnsgard about religion.
“I don’t go to church and I get
pretty upset with people who are
overly religious. I have been a member of the Unitarian Church. I went
mostly for the good music and the
important issues they talked about,
but I haven’t been back in a long
time. I prefer to spend my Sunday
doing other things.”
The concept of a Higher Power,
he said, is “something so amorphous
it’s hard to put into objective words.
I think for everybody it’s a pretty
personal thing.”
Q
Dr. Johnsgard’s office inside Manter Hall on the UN-L campus
features hundreds of books, many written by him.
he got during his time as director.
“Audrey Kauders, director of
MONA (Museum of Nebraska Art),
has been after me for years to give
them a carving. Every time I see
her, she says, “You promised me a
carving.’ I’ve got to do it.”
J
ohnsgard is that rare scientist to
have crossed over from academia to the mainstream. Some
of that attention has come from the
prolific number of nature books
he’s written. A book he did with his
daughter Karin Johnsgard, Dragons
and Unicorns: A Natural History,
is an allegorical-metaphorical work
that’s never been out of print from
St. Martin’s Press. Some of his
straight nature books have been
popular with the general public.
His essays and articles in Nebraskaland, Nebraska Life, and Prairie
ornithologist.”
While Dr. Johnsgard appreciates
having his work recognized and
enjoyed, he could do without the
fuss or fame, such as a recent Esquire magazine piece he was part
of that featured “Men of Style”
from different walks of life. He
would much rather commune with
wild things than reporters.
He’s most at home sitting patiently in a blind watching birds
or marveling at the array of wildlife drawn to a water hole in the
African region of Serengeti, or
contemplating the flora and fauna
of the High Rockies. These are
mystical spots and interludes for
him.
“If I had a religion, it would be
nature,” he said. “I think watching
birds is the most spiritually rewarding thing I do.”
July 2016
•
uestions big and small still
consume Johnsgard, who
juggles three book projects
at any given time. In June he submitted the page proofs for his latest, The
North American Grouse, Their Biology and Behavior.
Now that the retired scholar is
freed from teaching, he does whatever books come to mind these days
but especially on subjects where he
fills a void.
Having reached the point where he
doesn’t care about royalties anymore,
Dr. Johnsgard puts his work in the
public domain via Digital Commons,
where anyone can download his
books for free.
Not surprising for an octogenarian of arts and letters, his two-room
office on the Lincoln campus is
crammed with books as well as art
and artifacts from his many travels
studying birds across North America,
Europe, Africa, South America, and
Australia. His extensive collection
extends to his home.
A prized birding site he’s never
been to is in the Himalayas, where
the Black Necked Crane resides. “It
New Horizons
•
Page 13
Gerontologist calls Johnsgard a model for healthy aging
Photo by Sue Cedarholm
Dr. Paul Johnsgard (left) with wildlife photographer, friend, and
former student Tom Mangelsen.
never comes below 8,000 feet. It’s
the last crane in the world I haven’t
seen. There’s very few in captivity.
I did see a pair at the International
Crane Foundation. But the ultimate
in birding is to go to the Himalayas to see this incredibly rare bird.
I don’t think I’ll make it because
my heart isn’t up to those altitudes
anymore.
“There’s still four species of
waterfowl in the world I haven’t
seen and I don’t think I ever will.
They’re in places like Madagascar
and the East Indies – hard to get to
and probably not worth the time,
expense, and effort to try to do it.
But it’s still fun to think about what
might be special about them.”
Most of Johngard’s birding adventures are uneventful but he’s had
close calls. A harrowing incident
occurred in the Andes. “A guide and
I were coming down off an 11,000
foot volcano in a Jeep I’d rented
when it suddenly lost its brakes on a
one-way narrow road looking down
on a canyon probably 3,000 feet
deep.
“The road was lined with bushes
and I thought the only way I could
possibly stop was if I drove into the
bushes and used them to slow us
down. They finally did and we got
the Jeep stopped. We looked at the
brake connection and where there
should have been a bolt, there was a
leather shoelace somebody used as
a temporary measure. We retied the
leather and made it down.”
On other excursions, he said,
“I’ve been in really life threatening
situations where I should have never
gone. The worst place was Oaxaca,
Mexico.”
Drug cartel-fueled killings and
kidnappings happen there. “The
biologist who was there before me
was macheted to death. I was advised to carry a pistol, so I got one
at a pawnshop in Lincoln. As soon
as I got home I took it back.” Johnsgard never had reason to use it.
During that same trip he realized
as his departure drew near he lacked
permits for the birds he’d captured.
They were supposed to be quaran-
Page 14
•
tined, but he didn’t have the time.
“So I thought I’d take a chance,” he
said.
Wishing to avoid a customs snag,
Dr. Johnsgard waited until midnight
to access a remote border crossing
point. When an inquisitive guard
asked what Paul was carrying in
back of the van he was driving,
Johnsgard acknowledged the birds
but left out the part about restrictions on import.
The guard then asked, “What else
you got back there?” Johnsgard
replied, “Well, that’s about it and
it’s fine if you check back there, but
look out for the snake – he might
have escaped.”
At that point the guard whisked
him through with, “Go on, get out
of here.”
Johnsgard delivered his birds
back to Lincoln and wrote a paper
about the adventure.
Wildlife Trust, it was the best in the
world. Every species has its own
unique aspects and that’s part of the
fun of studying this. When I had
120 species of waterfowl in England
it was like opening 120 gift boxes
because they’re all a little different
and it’s fun trying to describe how
they are different.”
Scott helped start the World
Wildlife Fund.
“He was a great symbol to me I
guess of what you could do in art
and conservation,” Johnsgard said.
He said his time at the Wildfowl
Trust was incredibly important. “It
gave me the experience to write
books and a world view. I met some
of the most famous biologists of the
day there.”
Johnsgard thought enough of his
British counterpart that Paul and his
wife named one of their sons after
him. “I dedicated one of my books
to him as well. He did a painting
as a favor to me for one of my big
books. I have all of his big books
and he inscribed each one with a
watercolor on the title page. He was
a very kind, wonderful person. I had
the highest possible regard for him.”
Scott pursued his interests up
until his death at age 79 in 1989.
T
hough officially retired,
Johnsgard shows no signs
of slowing down at age 85.
He wakes up most days at 4 a.m.
and either reads or writes at home
before going to the office. He’s as
busy as ever researching and writ-
ing about birds and habitats. Before
Johnsgard begins writing a book he
assembles hundreds of references.
Once he starts writing, he’s fast. He
admits his work is “a compulsion.”
Dr. Johnsgard feels his rare triple
threat skills to not only write but
also illustrate and photograph books
makes his projects more attractive
to publishers.
He said mastering things comes
with repetition. “I think talent is
largely what you put into it in terms
of practice.”
Paul’s been producing things
since he was small and he fully
expects to continue creating until he
dies.
His friend Dr. Masters, professor
and chair of the Department of Gerontology at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, views Johnsgard
as a model for healthy aging.
“As the population ages, we need
people who show us that creativity
can and does increase with age,”
she said. “Paul Johnsgard is someone who serves as an ideal role
model for us all. His passion and
enthusiasm for life and the beauty
of nature allow those of us who are
less learned a glimpse into a world
that is made even more awesome
through his instruction.”
Johnsgard is grateful he found
his calling and stayed true to the
road-less-traveled. “I don’t know
anybody I’d trade my life with. I’ve
been very lucky.”
(Read more of Leo Adam Biga’s
work at leoadambiga.com.)
A
splendid place for birding
without any drama is the
Waterfowl Trust in England,
where Johnsgard studied two years
in the 1960s. It holds special meaning because he was befriended by
its founder, the late Sir Peter Scott,
who became a key figure in his life.
Scott was the son of legendary British explorer Robert Falcon Scott,
whose second Antarctic expedition
ended in tragedy when he and his
men died on the return trek after
reaching the South Pole.
“Peter was 2 years old at the
time,” Johnsgard said. “The last
thing Robert Scott wrote to his wife
read, ‘Encourage the boy to become
a biologist.’ So, growing up, it was
sort of incumbent on Peter to become a biologist.”
Scott also became a renowned
wildlife artist. “The art work is what
made him famous,” Johnsgard said.
“He was a wonderful artist.”
Just like his father before him,
Peter Scott became a national hero.
“He was involved in the Dunkirk
extraction of British troops during
World War II, then he put together
this great collection of birds,” Johnsgard said.
“At the time I went to study at the
New Horizons
•
‘Esquire’ magazine used this photograph of Johnsgard when it
featured him in a article about ‘Men of Style.’
July 2016
Corrigan Senior Center
You’re invited to visit the Corrigan Senior Center, 3819
X St., this month for:
• Friday, July 1: Independence Day celebration with a
BBQ rib patty lunch. Proudly wear your red, white, & blue.
Movie and popcorn @ 10 a.m. Enjoy a picnic style lunch
and play What’s In Your Bag? for prizes @ 1 p.m.
• Tuesday, July 5: Personal Safety & Self Awareness
talk by Claudia from the Defense Project 88 @ 11 a.m. Stay
for a soft taco or crab macaroni lunch and Bingo.
• Wednesday, July 6, 20, & 27: Crafts with Anita @
10:30 a.m. Create a beautiful wind chime, a paper daffodil
flowerpot, and more. Lunch and ceramics class will follow.
The menu is July 6: meatloaf; July 20: cheeseburger; July
27: spaghetti casserole.
• Friday, July 8: Heartland Ensemble Band presents its
patriotic program. Come early for a movie and popcorn @
10 a.m. Sausage on a bun or Oriental chicken salad lunch.
• Monday, July 11: Birthday party with music by saxophonist Tim Javorsky sponsored by the Merrymakers @ 11
a.m. Lunch is a cranberry Dijon chicken breast or an Asian
pork salad.
• Wednesday, July 13: Container gardening demonstration with Douglas County Extension Office master gardener
Melinda Raphbun @ 11 a.m. She’ll plant herbs, vegetables,
and flowerpots, followed by a Q and A session.
• Thursday, July 14 & 21: Thomas Farms produce
market from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Jim and Sylvia Thomas of
Decatur, Neb. will bring sweet corn, green beans, tomatoes,
onions, zucchini, etc. Shop for fresh produce before or after
lunch. Farmers Market produce vouchers are welcome.
• Thursday, July 14: Talk on Keeping the Body Fall
Proof: The Importance of Balance Training for Older
Adults @ 11 a.m. Order a cheese lasagna rollup for lunch.
• Monday, July 18: A presentation on living wills and
powers of attorney by Margaret from Legal Aid of Nebraska @ 11 a.m. Enjoy a pork cutlet lunch @ noon.
• Thursday, July 21: Annual indoor picnic with music by the Red Raven Polka Band. Noon lunch from Lil’
Willy’s will be delicious fried chicken with sides of potato
salad, baked beans, coleslaw, a dinner roll, and ice cream.
After the noon meal, stay for $1 Bingo. The cost is $7 for
the catered picnic meal and entertainment. The reservation
deadline is noon on Friday, July 15.
Everyone, including new players, is welcome to play
chair volleyball every Tuesday and Thursday @ 11 a.m. A
noon lunch will follow.
Join us for Tai Chi – a relaxing and fun activity that’s
proven to improve your balance – Tuesdays and Thursdays
at 10 a.m. in our spacious gym.
The Corrigan Senior Center is open weekdays from 8
a.m. to 4 p.m. Lunch is served at noon. A $3.50 contribution is normally suggested for the meal.
Reservations are normally due by noon the business day
prior to the meal you wish to enjoy.
For meal reservations or more information, please call
Lynnette at 402-731-7210.
Please see the ad on page 3
New Horizons Club
gains new members
$25
Richard Brown
$15
James Thomas
$10
Debbie Tucker
$5
Florence Bargar
Reflects donations received through
June 24, 2016.
RCTOS
The River City Theatre
Organ Society of Omaha
will present From Broadway to Hollywood on Aug.
21 at the historic Rose Theater, 2001 Farnam St.
The 3 p.m. concert will
feature world-renowned
theatre pipe organist Donnie Rankin, who will accompany a Buster Keaton
silent movie on the Rose’s
mighty Wurlitzer theatre
pipe organ.
Special guests will be
The Pathfinders, an awardwinning, Fremont-based
80-man chorus.
Tickets are $20 at
the door or $15 by mail
for older adults through
Wednesday, Aug. 10. To
order through the mail, send
a check made out to the
RCTOS to Jerry Pawlak,
2864 Katelyn Circle, Lincoln, Neb. 68516.
contact Pawlak at 402-4211356 or [email protected].
Classes for caregivers begin July 13
Caregivers are encouraged to attend a free series of
Powerful Tools for Caregivers classes on Wednesdays
from July 13 through Aug. 17. The 9 to 11:30 a.m. sessions will be held at the King of Kings Church, 11615 I
St.
Please RSVP by calling Ruth Hamlin at 402-650-7132
or sending an email to [email protected].
Stan’s Senior Services
We offer daily, weekly, or occasional
ERRAND and AT-HOME (inside/outside)
services for older adults in the Omaha area.
-- INSURED, HONEST, RELIABLE --
Please call Stan Bartak
@ 402-350-6840
[email protected]
www.StansSeniorServices.com
Need a hand at home? Stan can help!
July 2016
•
New Horizons
•
Page 15
National Institute on Aging study
I
n a reversal of a long-standing pattern,
a new study shows older women in the
U.S. have lost ground relative to older
men in the number of years they can
expect to live free from disabilities past age
65.
The study, funded by the National Institute on Aging, was conducted by Vicki
Freedman of the University of Michigan
Institute for Social Research, Douglas Wolf
of Syracuse University, and Brenda Spillman of the Urban Institute.
“Just a few decades ago, older women
used to live more years than men without
needing help taking care of themselves
or managing basic household activities,”
Freedman said. “But that does not appear to
be the case anymore.”
The researchers used data from 1982,
2004, and 2011 drawn from two large studies of disability trends in the U.S. among
representative samples of Medicare enrollees.
Over the full 30-year period, they found
men’s active life expectancy at age 65 increased by more than four years.
During the same period, women’s active
life expectancy at age 65 increased by only
1.4 years.
“Older men have been living longer and
experiencing disability at later ages than
they used to, while older women have experienced smaller increases in life expectancy
and even smaller postponements in disability,” Freedman said. “As a result, older
women no longer can expect to live more
active years than older men, despite their
longer lives.”
The differences at age 85 are really striking, she said. “Men this age can now expect nearly
four-and-a-half additional active years, up
from two-and-a-half years three decades
ago,” Freedman said. “Women this age can
expect to live only about two-and-a-half
years free from disability, just about the
same amount as in 1982.”
The loss of advantage for women appears to be occurring at more modest levels
of disability. For both men and women at
age 65, the number of years expected to be
lived with severe disability remained stable
between 1982 and 2011 at one-and-a-half
years for men and three years for women.
According to the researchers, the reasons
women have lost ground relative to men in
active life expectancy are complex. To help
older women, they suggest a greater focus
on quality rather than quantity of life. “Women are more likely than men to
develop a number of debilitating conditions
including arthritis, depressive symptoms,
fall-related fractures, and Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias that have implications for active life,” Freedman said.
“Enhanced attention to these and other
preventable causes of limitations among
older women could extend active life and
help offset impending long-term care pressures related to population aging.”
r
u
o
y
d
e
e
n
e
W
!
t
r
o
p
p
su
Traditional funding sources
are making it more difficult
for ENOA to fulfill its
mission. Partnership
opportunities are available
to businesses and individuals
wanting to help us.
These opportunities include
volunteering, memorials,
honorariums, gift annuities,
and other contributions.
I would like to become a partner with the
Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging, and help
fulfill your mission with older adults.
ENOA
$30 = 7 meals or 1.75 hours of in-home homemaker
services or 1 bath aide service for frail older adults.
services or 4 bath aide services for frail older adults.
Other amount (please designate)__________________________
Please contact me. I would like to learn more about how to include
the Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging in my estate planning.
Please ma
il
with thisyofour donation
rm to:
Eas
tern
Office oNebraska
n Aging
Address:___________________________________ Attention
: Jef
Name:_____________________________________
City:______________State:_____ Zip: __________
Phone:____________________________________
Page 16
•
New Horizons
4223 Ce f Reinhardt
Omaha, nter Street
NE 6810
5-2431
(402
) 444-665
4
•
July 2016
D
The health benefits of beet juice
rinking a glass of beet juice may have an
immediate impact on lowering blood pressure, according to a new study.
The study shows within hours of drinking it, beet juice lowered systolic blood
pressure (the top number in a blood pressure reading) by an average of four to five points among a
small group of healthy men.
Researchers say that drop may seem small, but on a public health level a reduction like that would equate to a 10
percent reduction in deaths due to heart disease.
“It’s promising that we can see an effect from a single
dose,” says researcher Leah Coles, PhD, a research fellow
at the Baker IDI Heart and Diabetes Institute in Melbourne,
Australia.
“That effect might be even
greater over the long term if
they are drinking it day upon
day.”
Previous studies have
shown beet juice, also
known as beetroot juice, can
lower blood pressure in a
laboratory setting. But researchers say this is the first
study to look at the effects of
adding beet juice to a healthy
person’s diet without making any other diet or lifestyle
changes.
In the study, 15 men and
15 women drank either 17.6 ounces of a beet juice beverage
consisting of about three-fourths beet juice and one-fourth
apple juice, or a placebo juice.
They were then monitored for 24 hours. The same procedure was repeated two weeks later, with those who drank
the placebo on the first round receiving beetroot juice on
the second.
Among both men and women, the results showed a trend
to lower systolic blood pressure six hours after drinking the
beet juice.
But when researchers limited their analysis to men only,
they found a significant reduction of about 4.7 points
among those who drank the beetroot juice.
Previous studies have also suggested beetroot’s blood
pressure-lowering effects may not be as strong in women.
In this case, Coles says it may be partially explained by
the fact the women in the study tended to be older, and
many were on prescription medications such as oral contraceptives.
Experts say it’s the high concentration of nitrates in beets
that are responsible for the benefits.
In a lengthy biological process, nitrates from dietary
sources like beets and leafy green vegetables are converted
to nitric oxide within the body. The nitric oxide then relaxes blood vessels and dilates them, which helps the blood
flow more easily and lowers blood pressure.
“Whether from foods or from juice, you are seeing a consistent effect of nitrates in lowering blood pressure,” says
registered dietitian Norman Hord, PhD, MPH, an associate
professor at College of Public Health and Human Sciences
at Oregon State University.
“It’s probably the most potent blood-pressure-lowering
component of the diet.”
Hord says previous studies have found more impressive
reductions in blood pressure levels of up to 10 points when
researchers measured blood pressure within three hours of
drinking beet juice.
Although more research is needed to better understand
the long-term effects of nitrates on blood pressure, Hord
says eating a diet rich in nitrates from natural sources like
beets and leafy green vegetables, is good advice. It’s an
approach to eating that’s similar to the DASH (Dietary
Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet, which has been
proven to lower blood pressure.
The DASH diet emphasizes eating more fruits, vegetables, and low-fat dairy foods along with whole grains, fish,
poultry, and nuts while limiting saturated fat and cholesterol.
“These food patterns have been shown to lower blood
pressure,” Hord says. “Research now shows nitrates are
probably responsible for at least part of that effect.”
Edwina ‘Curlie’ Justus...
BBB: Be on the lookout for the ‘IRS scam’
North Platte.
Edwina had mixed emotions when reviewing her 22-year
career as a locomotive engineer. “At first I felt like a token,
but after a while, I realized that wasn’t such a bad thing.”
The Better Business Bureau is warning
consumers that BBB offices across the U.S.
are seeing a resurgence in reports of the
“tax imposter scam” (also called the “IRS
scam”). The BBB is warning consumers not
to fall for this common scam.
Con artists are posing as IRS agents and
calling consumers on both land lines and on
cell phones claiming they owe back taxes.
People report receiving a recorded message
stating a lawsuit will be filed unless the
taxpayer returns the call to the IRS immediately to make good on back taxes owed.
“The calls are really from con artists
pretending to be with the IRS trying to trick
people into paying money to them. Targets
are instructed to send money via wire transfers or prepaid debit cards, or face terrifying consequences such as arrest, lawsuits,
and fines,” said local BBB President and
CEO Jim Hegarty.
“Although, in recent reports to the BBB,
no caller has reported falling for the scam,
some were not certain if the call was legitimate, causing them to contact the BBB for
verification. Our advice is to hang up on the
caller or delete the email,” said Hegarty.
All the phone numbers that residents
have reported from their Caller IDs or their
voice messages are different. The con artists are believed to be overseas and using
computer technology to make their phone
calls appear to be coming from inside the
United States, particularly from the Washington, D.C. area.
Tax imposters often go to great lengths to
seem realistic. Over the phone, the scammer may provide a fake badge number and
name. Emails often use the agency’s logo,
colors, and official-sounding language.
In the past year, the BBB Scam Tracker
at bbb.org/scamtracker received more than
6,200 reports of tax collector imposter
I
n 1998, a then recently-divorced Justus and her four
sons moved back to Omaha. From January 2010
through March 2011, Curlie was a volunteer with the
Senior Companion Program. Sponsored locally by the
Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging, the SCP is a national
program of the Corporation for National and Community
Service through the
Senior Service
Corps.
Senior Companions must be at
least age 55, meet
income guidelines,
and volunteer 15 or
more hours a week.
Applicants need to complete an enrollment process that
includes references and background checks.
SCP volunteers help other older adults maintain their
independence by visiting them at home to discuss the news
of the day, read mail, play cards, watch TV, run errands, go
shopping, etc.
Senior Companions receive a $2.65 an hour tax-free
stipend, mileage reimbursement, an annual physical exam,
supplemental insurance coverage, and other benefits. In
some cases, volunteers may qualify for meals while on
duty.
These days, ironically, Edwina – who has 17 grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren – is an SCP client. Volunteer Clara Vugteveen visits Justus’ home each weekday
from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
“She gets me going on the days I don’t feel like getting
out of bed,” Curlie said when asked to describe Vugteveen’s role as a Senior Companion.
Clara takes Justus to the Lakeside Wellness Center for
hydrotherapy three days a week to treat E.J.’s back pain and
fibromyalgia.
The ladies also fill their days together cooking and discussing Edwina’s dreams of writing books for children.
Vugteveen said she tries to be a helpful, caring, and compassionate companion who is always listening and learning.
In short, she tries to be a good friend.
For more information about the Senior Companion Program, please call Beth Paleogos at 402-561-2217 or Chuck
Udstuen at 402-561-2247.
Do
you
about
scams in the U.S. and Canada. The U.S.
Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration estimates more than 5,000 victims
have lost more than $26 million in the past
two years as a result of this scam.
Here are some ways to spot a tax impostor scam:
• The call is the first you’ve heard about
the debt. Tax agencies don’t call, text, or
email without first contacting you by mail.
If you’ve never received a letter about
past due taxes, the “agent” is most likely a
scammer.
• You’re threatened they’ll bring in local
police or other law-enforcement groups to
have you arrested for not paying.
• You’re pressured to act immediately.
Scammers typically try to push you into
action before you’ve had time to think. The
government will give you the chance to ask
questions or appeal what you owe.
• Payment must be made by wire transfer,
prepaid debit card, or other non-traditional
payment methods. These methods are
largely untraceable and non-reversible. Tax
agencies don’t demand immediate payment,
require a specific form of payment, or ask
for credit card or debit card numbers over
the phone. If you owe taxes or you think you might,
contact the IRS at 800-829-1040 or irs.
gov. IRS employees can help you if there
really is an issue. Also check out the IRS’s
list of imposter scams.
If you’ve been called by an “IRS” agent
telling you money is owed, please report
the call to the BBB at 800-649-6814 or describe the incident on BBB Scam Tracker at
bbb.org/scamtracker. Consumers’ identities
are protected on Scam Tracker so there’s
no risk, only the reward of warning people
who use BBB Scam Tracker know about
the scams happening in their area.
?
have questions
aging services
in Douglas, Sarpy, Dodge, Cass,
or Washington counties?
Log on to
enoa.org
The Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging’s
Web site includes information about:
Edwina is a role model for her 15-year-old
grandson, Darrien Costello-Justus.
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Bath aides
Care management
Chore services
Community education
Durable medical equipment
Emergency food pantry
Emergency response systems
ENOA facts and figures
ENOA Library
ENOA senior centers
24 hours a day,
• Homemakers
7 days a week!
• Information &
assistance
telephone lines
• Intergeneration
Orchestra of Omaha
• Legal services
• Meals on Wheels
• Medicaid Waiver
• New Horizons
Grandparent Resource Center • Nutrition counseling
July 2016
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Ombudsman advocates
Respite care
Respite Resource Center
Rural transportation
Senior Care Options
Support of adult
day facilities
• Volunteer opportunities
New Horizons
•
Page 17
Damage from periodontal disease is associated
with an increased risk of degenerative illnesses
P
eriodontal disease
(periodontitis)
has long been
known as the
leading cause of
tooth loss in adults. But the
damage isn’t confined to
the mouth. Gum disease has
also been associated with
an increased risk of serious
degenerative diseases.
Like our intestines, our
mouths house complex ecosystems of bacteria, known
as the oral microbiome. And
as in the gut, different types
of bacteria compete for
space. When all the species
are in balance, the gums are
protected from disease-causing bacteria. Disturbing this
balance provides an opening for pathogens to invade,
causing periodontal disease,
which further disrupts the
bacterial balance.
Pathogenic bacteria
initiate periodontal disease;
however, they aren’t the
only – or even the major –
culprits.
“Yesterday we used to
think bacteria destroyed
tissue; today scientists understand it’s inflammation
caused by the bacteria that
destroys tissue,” says Dr.
Thomas Van Dyke, chair of
the Department of Applied
Sciences at Harvard-affiliated Forsyth Institute.
The disease-causing bacteria trigger a response from
the body’s immune system,
and the white blood cells
summoned to eradicate them
produce substances that not
only destroy bacteria but
also damage gum tissue.
The effects of periodontal disease range from mild
redness and swelling of
the gums (gingivitis) to
complete destruction of the
tooth’s bony support structure (advanced periodontitis), which is responsible for
tooth loss.
Over the years, people
with periodontal disease
have been found to be at
higher risk for cardiovascular disease, diabetes,
chronic respiratory disease,
pregnancy complications,
and dementia. We don’t yet
know if periodontal disease
actually causes other health
problems, or if people with
The
New Horizons
is brought to you
each month by the
Eastern Nebraska
Office on Aging.
Page 18
•
chronic health issues have more difficulty taking care of
their teeth and gums.
“It’s an association, not a cause-and-effect relationship,
says Dr. Van Dyke. “But inflammation, which plays a role
in all these conditions, seems to be the link.”
Moreover, the association probably works both ways.
For example, diabetes research has determined that successfully treating periodontitis reduces the severity of
diabetes and vice versa.
The following, which either help to prevent bacterial
infection or reduce inflammation, are still the best ways to
reduce your risk of gum disease.
• Brush and floss. Brush your teeth at least twice a day
and floss before bedtime. If you have bridges, implants,
or wide spaces between your teeth, you may want to use
interdental brushes – toothpick-like implements with tiny
bristles at one end – to clear trapped food.
• Don’t smoke. People who smoke up to a half a pack
of cigarettes per day are almost three times as likely as
nonsmokers to have periodontitis. Those who smoke more
than a pack and a half of cigarettes per day have almost six
times the risk.
• Eat a healthy diet. A diet rich in vegetables and
vegetable oils, fruits, legumes, nuts, and fatty fish not only
provides all the essential nutrients, but it helps suppress
inflammation.
There is some evidence that people whose diets are high
in omega-3 fatty acids, which are found in fatty fish, have a
reduced risk of periodontal disease.
• Have regular dental check-ups and cleanings. Your
dentist or dental hygienist can remove bacteria-harboring
plaque and spot the first signs of periodontal disease.
• Get treatment at the first signs of gum disease.
Swollen, bleeding gums; pockets of pus; or gums that have
pulled away from your teeth are the most dramatic signs
of periodontal disease. Subtler changes, such as widening
spaces between your teeth, and bridges or partial dentures
that don’t fit as well as they once did, may also signal periodontitis.
Today’s approaches to treating periodontal disease are
directed at eradicating the bacteria that cause it with antibiotics and through scaling and root planting—a procedure in
which a clinician uses tools to scrape bacteria-laden plaque
from the surfaces and roots of teeth. Tomorrow’s therapies
are likely to involve more targeted approaches.
Scientists have identified the 700 species of bacteria that
inhabit our mouths, presenting the possibility of probiotic
therapies that prevent harmful bacteria from getting a foothold. Research may also yield a new generation of therapies that wind down the inflammatory response rather than
inhibit it completely, and thus may have fewer side effects
than current anti-inflammatory medications.
(Harvard Health Publications provided this information.)
Bilingual resource information
B
ilingual information about hospice care, palliative care, helping loved ones with grief and
loss, and caregiving is available through the
Nebraska Hospice and Palliative Care Partner-
ship.
The number for the Cuidando con Carino Compassionate Care HelpLine is (toll free) 1-877-658-8896.
The service is offered weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
New Horizons
•
July 2016
AARP offering driving course
AARP is offering a new four-hour, research-based
Smart Driver Course for older adults.
By completing the course, participants will learn
research-based driving safety strategies that can reduce the likelihood of having an accident; understand
the links between the driver, the vehicle, and the road
environment, and how this awareness encourages safer
driving; learn how aging, medications, alcohol, and
health-related issues affect driving ability and ways to
allow for these changes; increase confidence; know how
to share the road safely with other drivers, and learn the
newest safety and advance features in vehicles.
The fee is $15 for AARP members and $20 for nonAARP members.
No tests or examinations are involved, course completion certificates are provided, and auto insurance discounts may apply. Here’s this month’s schedule:
July 8 @ 10 a.m.
Immanuel Village Age Well
6801 N. 67th Plz.
402-829-3200 to register
July 16 @ 10 a.m.
The Premier Group
11605 Miracle Hills Dr. #205
July 9 @ Noon
AARP Information Center
1941 S. 42nd St #220
July 19 @ 10 a.m.
El Ridge Village
19400 Elk Ridge Dr.
July 15 @ 9 a.m.
Metro Community College
9110 Giles Rd.
July 27 @ 9:30 a.m.
Do Space
7205 Dodge St. (2nd floor)
Oral nutritional supplements proven to lower
death rates for older malnourished patients
Providing an oral nutritional supplement during
and after a hospital admission was associated with
a 50 percent lower death
rate in older malnourished
patients with heart and
lung disease, according to
a clinical study conducted
by Texas A&M University
Center for Translational
Research in Aging & Longevity director Dr. Nicolaas
Deutz.
He said the results prove
the necessity of proper nutrition during the recovery
process.
The study is one of the
largest clinical studies of its
kind. It was conducted at
over 70 different sites and
tested more than 600 malnourished patients over the
age of 65.
“This study was set up
by testing whether nutritional supplements reduced
the re-admittance rates of
patients,” Deutz said. “To
study that, we tested patients
with pneumonia, heart failures, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and
had studied their readmission rates and mortality.”
Throughout the study,
Deutz’s primary goal was
to reduce the incidence of
death or non-elective readmission, he said, adding
nutrition is critical to proper
recovery — a a key component in his research.
“Malnourishment is
defined as the situation in
which the requirements of
the body are not matched
with the nutrition that is
taken in,” he said. “When
you’re healthy and you
don’t eat enough, fat and
muscle mass is lost. When
you are sick however, your
body actually needs more
nutrients due to various factors.”
In order to aid and offset malnutrition, patients
were given the nutritional
supplement twice a day for
90 days post-hospital discharge. “Specialized nutritional
supplements can often times
be better than regular food,”
Deutz said. “We created a
nutritional supplement that
contained all of the best
components you can think
of: high-quality protein, sufficient calories, vitamin D,
and we added HMB, a component that has been shown
to stop muscle loss.”
The results concluded that
20 patients should be treated
to save one death and that
mortality rates are reduced
by 50 percent.
“Nutrition is a very cheap
intervention in malnourished patients,” he said.
“People should understand
that not eating enough when
sick could lead to serious
consequences.” Deutz’s continued research will transition further
with the opening of the new
Human Clinical Research
Facility at Texas A&M
next year. There, he said,
he plans to conduct more
clinical research similar to
NOURISH.
Oregon State study: Working past age 65 could lead to a longer life
By Michelle Klampke
W
orking past age
65 could lead to a
longer life, while
retiring early may be a risk
factor for dying earlier, a
new study from Oregon
State University indicated.
The researchers found
healthy adults who retired
one year past age 65 had
an 11 percent lower risk of
death from all causes, even
when taking into account
demographic, lifestyle, and
health issues.
Adults who described
themselves as unhealthy
were also likely to live
longer if they kept working
the findings showed, which
indicated factors beyond
health may affect post-retirement mortality.
“It may not apply to everybody, but we think work
brings people a lot of economic and social benefits
that could impact the length
of their lives,” said Chenkai
Wu, the lead author of the
study and a doctoral student
in the College of Public
Health and Human Sciences
at OSU.
“Most research in this
area has focused on the
Sen. Fischer’s staff hosts
second annual Senior Fair
economic impacts of delaying retirement. I thought it
might be good to look at the
health impacts,” Wu said.
“People in the U.S. have
more flexibility about when
they retire compared to
other countries, so it made
sense to look at data from
the U.S.”
Wu examined data collected from 1992 through
2010 through the Healthy
Retirement Study, a longterm study of U.S. adults
led by the University of
Michigan and funded by the
National Institute on Aging.
Poor health is one reason people retire early, so
researchers wanted to find a
way to mitigate a potential
bias in that regard.
To do so, they divided the
group into unhealthy retirees – or those who indicated
health was a factor in their
decision to retire – and
healthy retirees, who indicated health was not a factor. About two-thirds of the
group fell into the healthy
category, while a third were
in the unhealthy category.
During the study period,
about 12 percent of the
healthy and 25.6 percent
of the unhealthy retirees
died. Healthy retirees who
worked a year longer had
an 11 percent lower risk of
mortality, while unhealthy
retirees who worked a year
longer had a 9 percent lower
mortality risk.
Working a year longer
had a positive impact on the
study participants’ mortal-
ity rate regardless of their
health status.
Additional research is
needed to better understand
the links between work and
health, the researchers said.
As people get older their
physical health and cognitive function are likely to
decline, which could affect
both their ability to work
and their longevity.
“This is just the tip of
the iceberg,” said Robert
Stawski, an OSU associate professor. “We see the
relationship between work
and longevity, but we don’t
know everything about
people’s lives, health, and
well-being after retirement
that could be influencing
their longevity.
(OSU provided this story.)
For Sale
Cemetery plot
SAVE BIG!
Westlawn-Hillcrest
$1,290 firm.
402-334-3569
SUNSHINE CLEANING
Professional. Friendly.
Affordable prices. Free estimates.
Senior discounts.
Serving Omaha and
surrounding area.
316-409-0298
FOR SALE
2005 wheelchair-accessible
Dodge Grand Caravan.
33,000 miles.
913-961-6324
or 402-218-7748
RETAINING
WALLS
Some of the nicest, newer 1 bedroom
apartments. Elevator, w & d, heated
parking garage. Small complex. By bus
& shopping. No pets or smoking.
Lamplighter II
Lonergan Lawns
All types. Chuck’s LLC
402-208-0596
Mow, fertilize, aerate.
Trim trees & bushes.
Clean gutters.
Build walls. Haul junk.
Call Tim
@ 402-612-3576
93rd & Maple • 402-397-6921
OLD STUFF WANTED
(before 1975)
Military, political, toys, jewelry,
fountain pens, pottery, kitchen ware,
postcards, photos, books, and
other old paper, old clothes, garden
stuff, tools, old household, etc.
Call anytime
402-397-0254 or 402-250-9389
TOP CASH PAID
Ernestine and Larry Larsen (far left and second
from left) met with (from left): Darla Berger and
Claudia Severin from the Nebraska Department of
Health and Human Services at the Senior Fair.
T
he Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging, the Better Business Bureau, the Nebraska Attorney
General’s office, and the University of Nebraska Medical Center
were among the
organizations on hand
last month as United States
Sen. Deb Fischer’s staff
sponsored its second annual
Senior Fair.
Dozens of older adults
went from booth to booth at
the Millard Senior Center,
2304 S. 135th Ave., collecting
informational materials and
asking questions.
Marian Freberg
Older Nebraskans who
represented
Volunteers
have questions for Sen.
Assisting Seniors at
Fischer, can call her Omaha
office at 402-391-3411.
the Senior Fair.
Best & honest prices
paid for:
Nice old vintage and costume
jewelry, old watches, vintage toys,
Fenton glassware, old postcards,
advertising items, military items,
pottery, and antique buttons.
Also buying estates
& partial estates.
Call Bev at 402-339-2856
Senior Citizens (62+)
Accepting applications for
HUD-subsidized apartments in
Papillion & Bellevue.
Bellewood Courts
1002 Bellewood Court
Bellevue (402) 292-3300
[email protected]
HOUSE CLEANING
Managed by Kimball Management, Inc.
PO Box 460967
Papillion, NE 68046
www.kimballmgmt.com
Johansen Brothers
Call Frank
402-312-4000
REFRESH CLEANING
SERVICES, LLC
402-885-8731
Tree Trimming
Beat the
bursting buds!
Call
Please support NH advertisers
Chipping & removal.
Your prunings chipped.
Experienced & insured.
Senior discount.
RICK’S
HANDYMAN SERVICES
Big jobs or small,
I’ll do them all!
[Bonded & insured]
402-658-1245
402-894-9206
REPUTABLE
SERVICES, INC.
• Remodeling &
Home Improvement
rickfitzlerhomeimprovement.com
• Safety Equipment
Handrails
Smoke and Fire Alarms
deFreese
Manor
Subsidized housing for
those age 62 and over
with incomes
under $25,500
(1 person)
or $29,150
(two persons)
• Painting
Interior & Exterior
• Handyman Services
• Senior Discounts
• Free Estimates
• References • Fully Insured
Quality Professional Service
2669 Dodge
Omaha, NE
402-345-0622
We do business in
accordance with the
Fair Housing Law.
July 2016
Haul away,
garage, basement,
rental clean out…
Need help cleaning
or organizing?
Monarch Villas
201 Cedar Dale Road
Papillion (402) 331-6882
[email protected]
GET RID OF IT!
•
New Horizons
Better Business
Bureau Member
402-4 5 5-7 0 0 0
•
Page 19
Wings of Freedom tour coming to Omaha July 22 to 24
T
A Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress ‘Nine O Nine’
WWII heavy bomber, a Consolidated B-24
Liberator “Witchcraft” WWII heavy bomber, a
B-25, and a P-51 Mustang flyer will be at Eppley
Airfield’s TAC Air in Omaha July 22 to 24.
he Collings Foundation, a nonprofit educational organization that
operates living history events that
allow people to learn more about
their history through direct participation,
is bringing its Wings of Freedom Tour to
Omaha July 22 to 24.
The tour will be on display at Eppley Airfield’s TAC Air, 3737 Orville Plaza, from
2 to 5 p.m. on July 22, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on
July 23, and July 24 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
In its 27th year, the Wings of Freedom
tour visits an average of 110 cities across
the nation annually. The program is a tribute
to the flight crews who flew these aircraft,
the ground crews that maintained them, the
workers who built the planes, and the men
and women they helped protect.
Guests will have a chance to see the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress “Nine O Nine”
WWII heavy bomber, a Consolidated B-24
Liberator “Witchcraft” WWII heavy bomber, a B-25, and a P-51 Mustang flyer.
The cost for visitors to explore the aircraft inside and out is $12 for adults and $6
for children ages 12 and younger.
G
uests can experience a once in
a lifetime opportunity to take a
30-minute flight aboard these rare
crafts.
Flights on the
B-17 or B-24
are $450 per
person. You can
get some “stick
time” on the P-51
for $2,200 for 30
minutes or
$3,200 for an
hour. Flights on
the B-25 are
$400 per person.
For reservations and more information on
these flight experiences, please call 800568-8924.
THEOS
Walnut Grove Retirement Community
THEOS, a social organization for singles age 60
and older, meets from 1 to 4
p.m. on the second Monday
of each month at New Cassel, 900 N. 90th St.
Older men and women
are encouraged to meet for a
fun afternoon and to sign up
for other activities throughout the month.
On July 11, Sue McLain
from Humanities Nebraska
will discuss A Century of
Fashion.
please call Dorothy at 402399-0759, Mary at 402-3933052, or Joan at 402-3938931.
Job opening
with VAS
V
Enjoy the convenience, comfort, and luxury of
Walnut Grove
and leave all the responsibilities to us.
If you want stress-free/maintenance-free retirement living, Walnut Grove apartments
provide the features you desire. Designed exclusively for adults 55 and over, we oﬀer the
comforts and conveniences of modern living without the hassle of upkeep.
 One Price - All Inclusive
 Fitness Center & Wellness Program
 Weekly Housekeeping
 Utilities, Phone, Cable & WiFi
 Concierge & Valet Services
 Satisfaction Guarantee!
 Freedom Dining Program
 Pets Warmly Welcomed - No Fee!
Walnut Grove
Call to schedule a tour of our
apartment:
4901 South 153rd Street
Omaha, NE 68137
402-915-0312
402-915-0312
Page 20
•
New Horizons
WalnutGroveRetirement.net
•
July 2016
AS (Volunteers
Assisting Seniors) is looking for a client
intake coordinator. This
position requires strong
problem-solving skills,
attention to detail, and
a general knowledge of
health insurance, including Medicare, Medicaid,
and Affordable Care Act
coverage.
Primary duties include
completing phone intakes,
scheduling clients, determining insurance coverage, and coordinating and
implementing VAS policies and procedures with
clients and counselors.
This full-time job
requires the employee to
work a minimum of 32
hours per week.
If you are interested in
this position, please email
your resume to:
[email protected].

New Horizons • July 2016 - Eastern Nebraska Office On Aging

Transcription

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