March / April 2015

Transcription

March / April 2015

Yanni
_______
Pianist
Composer
Producer
_______
His Music Circles the Globe
The best time of his life is NOW
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March / April 2015
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Senior Voice
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March / April 2015
| 3
features...
9> Connor
Smith
keeps miracles coming
at Dallas Baptist
Athletics. Connor
Smith, who now
guides the dreams
of DBU, is one of the
youngest, most up-and-coming sports
administrators in the country.
By Bo Carter
6> Mrs.
Janice Miller
Celebrates her
105th Birthday
C. C. Young resident
Mrs. Janice Miller
celebrated her 105th
birthday on the C. C.
Young Campus. A
resident for nearly 20 years, Mrs. Miller is
a staple throughout the campus and is C.
C. Young’s longest living resident in the
Health Center.
COVER> yanni, Internationally renowned
pianist, composer and producer.
Yanni took a moment out of his schedule for a written
conversation with The Senior Voice through the assistance
of his daughter Krystal. Through his words Yanni shared
some personal history and provided insight into what he has
discovered via his worldwide musical travels.
By Mike McGEE
11> Harper Lee,
acclaimed author of
To Kill a Mockingbird,
one of the most
revered novels and,
of course, movies
of the 20th century,
apparently had another
manuscript locked away in a bank security
box for six decades. That novel, reportedly
titled Go Set a Watchman, is scheduled at
press time to hit bookstores in July. Maybe
there is more to this story that we all need
to understand.
By Larry Ratliff
March / April 2015
Publisher & Founder>
Carol Butler
[email protected]
Copy Editor>
Harriet P. Gross
[email protected]
Marketing & Business
Development>
Heidi Frankel
[email protected]
Production & Graphic Design>
Leigh Ellis
[email protected]
Website Editor>
Andra Dunn
[email protected]
Cover Photo>
Krystalán
Contributing Writers
Mary Jacobs
Mike McGee
Contact Us!>
We value your feedback.
[email protected]
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Senior Voice is published bimonthly
and single copies are available free
to Collin, Dallas, Denton, Rockwall
and Tarrant Counties. Entire contents
of Senior Voice, unless noted, all
rights reserved. Material may not
be reproduced without written
permission. Opinions expressed in
articles appearing in this magazine
do not necessarily reflect the views
of the publisher. Publisher is not
responsible for errors in advertising.
contents
Dearest
Community,
Editor, Carol Butler
COLUMNS
9> Bo Knows Sports
Welcome to Spring!
Now is the time when we begin to
stretch our bodies and move a little
quicker. Make more plans, and attend
more events. It feels good to be alive.
Mark Twain tapped into spring’s
essence when he wrote “It’s spring
fever. That is what the name of it is.
And when you’ve got it, you want — oh,
you don’t quite know what it is you do
want, but it just fairly makes your heart
ache, you want it so!”
On our cover this issue is Yanni, who
is living proof that age is no barrier to
joyful living. In 2014 he performed
more than 60 concerts in the United
States, South America and Europe.
Using all the many opportunities
life has offered him, he’s become
an ambassador of joy, crossing
international borders to share his talent
and love of music. I was introduced to
Yanni’s music back in the ‘80s, when
“new age” hit the scene and he was
in the forefront. Here’s a man who
says that now, at the age of 60, he’s
experiencing the best time of his life. In
the middle of a worldwide tour, he took
time out of his busy schedule to answer
some questions exclusively for The
Senior Voice.
I am very pleased to introduce you to
our newest columnist, journalist, Amy
Martin. Amy currently pens regularly for
TheaterJones, GreenSource DFW, and
Texas Faith, and freelances for several
more. A journalist for over 30 years, she
wrote for Dallas Observer, Dallas Times
Herald, Dallas Morning News, and D
magazine, and was contributing editor
and columnist for Garbage magazine.
She was known by many in North Texas
as the Moonlady for her alternative
news service of 15 years, Moonlady
News. She also was the creator/
producer/promoter of the acclaimed
Winter and Summer SolstiCelebrations
for 20 years. Welcome, Amy and her
column, ‘The Aging Hippie,’ to our
pages!
by Bo Carter
Over the last dozen years, I’ve met
a number of individuals who place
integrity and service at the core
of their business. I see this trait
shine, especially in the North Texas
community of senior support – from
social workers to nurses, from
home health care agencies to elder
law attorneys, from marketers to
administrators of retirement facilities.
So when Wayne Rock, co-owner of
Groom Senior Living, fell, resulting
in paralysis from the neck down,
so many in our community rallied
together to help. Wayne is co-owner
of Groom Senior Living, a residential
care business, and founder of Groom
Outreach, a non-profit providing medical
equipment to those in need. Please
turn to page 8 to read more about
Wayne, and learn how you can join in
his support.
It’s spring – and North Texas has come
alive with great events for you to enjoy,
with or without your grandchildren!
Heidi Frankel, our business
development chief, has found many
special happenings, such as the Texas
Pinball Festival, the Denton Art and Jazz
Festival, and the International Sherlock
Holmes Exhibit at the Perot Museum.
And animal lovers won’t want to miss
the Olate Dogs Rescue Tour. This furry
troupe, led by Richard Olate and his
son Nicholas, stole our hearts when
they won America’s Got Talent. Their
new variety show mixes amazing tricks
and stunts with comedy, music and
film clips for a high-energy, fast-paced
theatrical experience like no other.
It is spring, after all, and it’s up to us
to make it whatever we want it to be.
Maybe this will be the season when we
learn what Mark Twain meant when he
said “it makes our hearts ache, because
we want it so!”
10> The Aging Hippie
by Amy Martin
11> Write Around the
Corner
by Barbara Glass
11> Getting Reel
by Larry Ratliff
26> EnGROSSing
Experiences
by Harriet P. Gross
OUT AND ABOUT
12> Grand Times: Activities
to Enjoy with Your Grandkids
by Heidi Frankel
13> Grand Times: Reading
with Your Grandkids
by Heidi Frankel
14> Calendar of Events
Get the most out of
the senior voice!
Website> Visit our NEW website at
www.theseniorvoice.com to read
the newspaper online, find events,
connect with resources, meet additional
contributing journalists and bloggers. Let’s
define aging on our own terms. It is, after
all...up to us to make it what we want it to
be!
E-Newsletter> Our weekly newsletter
tells you what is happening in and around
North Texas with lectures, seminars,
freebies and more! Sign up on our website.
Social Media> Follow us on Facebook and
Twitter
Carol
March / April 2015
| 5
in the news...
Janice Miller Celebrates 105th Birthday
C.C.Young’s longest living
Health Center resident,
Mrs. Janice Miller,
celebrated her 105th
birthday on Saturday,
January 24. The milestone
was marked on the Dallas
campus where she is well
known by all.
Born in Tennessee, Mrs.
Miller was 8 years old
when she came to Texas.
Here she married T.
Lee Miller, a Methodist
minister, and together
the couple served the
community in many
capacities.
The Reverend Mr. Miller, a graduate of Southern Methodist University’s
Seminary, was on the C.C. Young Board of Directors and a Health Center
administrator, and was instrumental in the purchase of the land on which
the campus sits today. He organized 17 churches throughout Texas before
his retirement in 1974; sadly, he passed away shortly thereafter.
Mrs. Miller was a gifted pianist who shared her abilities with others as a
choir director and teacher of both piano and Sunday School and piano.
At C. C. Young she was originally an independent living resident, and she
continued to manage her own personal affairs until reaching the age of
100. She has one daughter, Janis, two grandchildren, and seven greatgrandchildren.
Mrs. Janice Miller with CCY’s Director of Nursing,
Yvette Wiggins
About C. C. Young
The C. C. Young campus, located on 20 acres of land near Dallas’ White
Rock Lake offers services that include Independent Living, Assisted Living,
Memory Care, Skilled Nursing, Rehabilitation, Hospice, and Home Health.
Additionally, The Point, Center for Arts and Education provides creative
and fitness outlets for both campus residents and the Dallas-Fort Worth
community. For additional information, visit: www.ccyoung.org
Transportation Key to Senior Well Being/Dallas County Update
Two very different stories illustrate the importance of transportation in building and maintaining independence
for seniors and people with disabilities that do not drive. Location is a key factor in transportation options. Patricia Daily, a former teacher and senior, re-located to Dallas in 2013. Facing
financial challenges, she had moved from outside Austin to her son’s house in
Tennessee before joining her brother in Lancaster. Daily had never used public
transportation, not even the bus, so she needed help understanding transportation
options. She found it through the Get a Ride Guide published by MYRIDE
Dallas. She contacted the DART Ambassadors who work with seniors and people
with disabilities to learn how to use public transportation. Daily says, “Kerry
(the Ambassador) took her to the local DART station in Lancaster and we took a
ride. She was thorough, clear and gave me lots of encouragement. Five stars to the
Ambassador program.” Since then, Daily has been taking DART trains and buses to
get where she needs to go.
Elida De Leon, 71, an Oak Cliff resident, initially called 2-1-1 and was referred to
MYRIDE Dallas. After discussing her situation, the MYRIDE navigator helped her to
apply for DART Paratransit. De Leon has relatives in Dallas, but they live rather far
away and she hates to bother them with recurring requests for rides. Until recently,
she was able to walk to the grocery store and the thrift store, but she’s gotten
weaker and it’s no longer possible.
Although De Leon had arranged for medical transportation through another
source, the DART paratransit service has allowed De Leon to arrange for her
errands, social events and even a pedicure, allowing her to set her own schedule
and not to feel like a burden to her relatives.
n n n n n
“We know that where you live is a key factor for accessing economical
transportation and maintaining your independence. In Dallas County cities with
DART service, there are affordable options,” said Martha Blaine, executive director
of the Community Council of Greater Dallas, which created MYRIDE Dallas.
When MYRIDE Dallas began as the Community Transportation Network five years
ago, the organization recruited more than 90 public, nonprofit, faith-based and for
profit transportation partners to identify gaps in service and work for improved
transportation resources for seniors and people with disabilities. In addition to
March / April 2015
its MYRIDE Dallas website, www.myridedallas.org, the coalition also employs a
full-time navigator who works with people via phone on transportation options and
applications for services like DART Paratransit. MY RIDE Dallas also publishes the
annual Get A Ride Guide with contacts for providers in English and Spanish and
coordinates outreach efforts and mobility training seminars for individuals and
professionals.
Good news: Transportation options have improved in many areas of Dallas
County, filling in many traditional service gaps.
• STAR Transit began providing rides for residents in Seagoville more than a year
ago. The local government subsidizes low cost rides. Since then, the STAR service
has expanded to provide services in Mesquite and Balch Springs. Contact: Kim Britton, Marketing Manager, 972-563-1422, ext. 371 or 469-853-5309,
[email protected], [email protected].
• Metrocrest Services has expanded its transportation services to provide
rides into Dallas to medical and shopping centers beyond its traditional service
area of Carrollton, Farmers Branch, Coppell, Addison and Dallas in Denton
County. Contact: Kathy Blaschke, 972-446-2100, [email protected].
Gaps: Unfortunately, few resources exist in some areas including:
• Southern Dallas County cities outside the DART service area, including
Duncanville, Cedar Hill, Sunnyvale and DeSoto. • The nonprofit Irving Cares transportation services ceased operations in 2014,
leaving only public transportation resources in Irving. • Jewish Family Services Transportation and Parkland Medical Transportation
program are currently on hold.
“MY RIDE Dallas is committed to filling the gaps in the transportation network and
ensuring that seniors can get to where they need to go while remaining in their
homes,” said Blaine, and added, “It’s the best option to maintain quality of life for
seniors.”
NEW
tech.nol.o.gy
MightyPURSE
The Purse that charges your phone on the go is a fusion between fashion
and technology, an essential handbag accessory for the modern day
woman… The Mighty Purse is made of high quality leather in a variety of
colors and features a hidden lightweight built-in rechargeable battery pack
that can recharge most smartphones, ensuring that you will never be left
powerless again. It is ultra-compatible; it works with all usb Smartphones
and iPhones, (iPhone adapters sold separately)
Here are a few important questions and answers to help you learn more
about The Mighty Purse:
n How many times can you charge the
phone?
With a fully charged purse, you can typically
charge a smartphone twice over before your
purse will need to be recharged. You can
even charge your tablet or e-reader!
n What is the size of the purse?
The purse measures 7.8” x
4.9” x 1” It is small enough to fit in your
favorite handbag and large enough to hold
your phone and essential items. The purse
weighs only 7.1oz, thanks to the lightweight technology.
n What kind of battery is in the purse?
The battery is a Lithium-ion Polymer battery, the same type as in your
Smartphone, except for its size. The purse battery has a capacity of
4000mAh, that’s more than twice your phone battery.
n What if your phone is not charging?
Make sure to fully charge your Mighty Purse. All 4 LED indicator lights
should be lit when you plug your phone. You charge the purse by
plugging in to your computer.
Mighty Purse cost begins at $99
The iPhone adapter is $24.95
Learn more at www.mighty-purse.com
March / April 2015
| 7
Helping the Helper:
Senior care professionals rally around
Wayne Rock
SPRING IS 470 FEET
IN THE AIR!
By Mary Jacobs
Photo: Wayne and Denise Rock
People know
Wayne Rock
as the guy
who is always
helping
others. But
on one fateful
day last fall,
he suddenly
became the
person who
relies on the
constant help
of others.
On October
21, while
visiting Long
Beach, Calif.,
with his wife,
Denise, Rock blacked out briefly and fell, injuring his
spine and leaving him paralyzed from the neck down.
While he expects to recover, he currently needs
round-the-clock care as well as intensive rehab.
As vice president and co-owner of Groom Senior
Living, an assisted living business, as well as
the founder of Groom Outreach, a non-profit that
provides medical equipment at no charge to those in
need, Wayne Rock’s name is familiar among senior
care professionals in the Dallas area. So when
they learned of his situation, many of those fellow
professionals stepped in to help.
Dozens of volunteers helped prepare the couple’s
Plano home, adding wheelchair ramps and lifting
equipment. Three companies — Comfort Keepers,
Apple Care & Companions, and Senior Helpers
— provided personal care services for free or at
discounted rates. Another, Reliant Home Health,
sends an aide once a week, at no charge.
In February, the group hosted a comedy night
fundraiser to help with his expenses at Windsor
Senior Living in Dallas, which offered the venue at no
charge. The event raised $7450.
“I was totally blown away,” Wayne said, choking up
a bit. “I expected maybe 10-15 people, but the whole
ballroom was full. I was in tears.”
Organizers say that Rock has devoted so much love
to the community that it’s their turn to return that
love. In addition to his work with Groom Outreach,
Rock spearheaded networking events for area senior
care professionals and helped organize Denim &
Diamonds, which raised money for Meals on Wheels
of Collin County.
“It has been uplifting to see how the whole
community has rallied to help Wayne and Denise,”
said Lori Nesler, owner of Comfort Keepers In-Home
Care of Dallas and an organizer of the fundraiser.
“People showed up (at the comedy night) who hardly
knew him but wanted to help.”
Tami Davis, community liaison for Senior Helpers of
Greater Dallas, says that assisting in this situation
comes naturally.
“We have the resources and the heart to help,” she
said. “It’s what we do every day.”
Denise Rock adds that the couple’s church, Chase
Oaks Church, along with business associates at
Nerium International, have also pitched in with
everything from yard work to the use of an apartment
in Long Beach, at no charge, while Wayne was
hospitalized there.
Now, Wayne Rock’s focus is rehab to help restore the
use of his limbs. Because his spine was not severed,
a full recovery is possible; recently he has recovered
some movement and sensation in his arms and right
leg.
“It may take two years, but our faith tells us that, if
we pray every day and work hard every day, I will
recover,” he said.
In the meantime, Rock remains determined to keep
helping others. He’s asking for volunteers to pick up
donated medical equipment for Groom Outreach
while he’s recovering; those interested should email
him at [email protected].
Featuring breathtaking
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deck that lets you see for
miles in any direction.
In the longer term, he and Denise would like to build
a chapel on some land they own in McKinney. And
he’s hoping that one day he’ll be able to share the
story of his own healing to encourage others facing a
similar long road to recovery.
To donate to a fund to assist
with Wayne Rock’s medical
expenses, visit
www.waynerock.
digitalshogun.com.
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Mary Jacobs is a freelance writer based in Plano.
March / April 2015
R E U N I O N TO W E R .CO M
Bo Knows Sports
Connor Smith Keeps Miracles Coming at
Dallas Baptist Athletics
By Bo Carter
Here’s a minor miracle: An athletics program on
Mountain Creek Parkway near Kiest Boulevard
in South Dallas keeps on competing. And
prospering.
Dallas Baptist University athletics has been a
source of great human interest and will-to-win
stories nationally for almost 50 years. It has done
well since Decatur Baptist College made the move
to Dallas and became today’s DBU.
From the very start, athletics was a strong
consideration. Old Decatur Baptist played football
in programs that included Texas Wesleyan and
Hardin-Simmons back in the ‘30s and ‘40s. That
was well before the Dallas Baptist Association
decided to plant its new four-year university on
the current scenic campus in 1965.
Connor Smith, who now guides the dreams of
DBU, is one of the youngest, most up-and-coming
sports administrators in the country.
A 2009 DBU grad and captain of the Patriots
golf team in 2007-09, Smith now has the often
unenviable task of overseeing all 13 varsity
intercollegiate sports programs plus six active
club sports programs on a daily basis. And he’s
doing it in challenging financial times against
some of the most rugged national competition in
the NCAA: Division I Missouri Valley Conference
baseball, and the sturdy Division II Heartland
Conference for a dozen other varsity programs.
Smith is a six-year veteran staffer of DBU
athletics. He first served as assistant director for
internal operations, then became acting AD after
Ryan Erwin accepted the director’s post at Rogers
State in Oklahoma. Even before last year, when
he became director of athletics, Smith had a hand
in some of DBU’s most significant developments.
He assisted actively in planning and fundraising
for construction of the Joan and Andy Horner
Ballpark, which opened in 2013 to rave reviews as
one of the most attractive layouts nationally. He
was also involved with the new Sedwick Soccer
Fieldhouse, grandstands, and the sparkling DBU
Athletics Training Center.
But involvement with these facilities, which
attract ever more quality, Christian-influenced
student-athletes, is just part of Smith’s
responsibilities. He has to oversee a budget
that, although not nearly comparable to that
of NCAA giants such as Texas and Oklahoma,
must still provide funding for almost 20 different
sports and activities. He also monitors NCAA
rules compliance while payung daily attention to
conference developments and NCAA policies in
every area.
In addition, DBU is committed to taking its
student athletes, coaches and administrators
on an international mission trip every year. This
unique program in college athletics, designed
to further the Christian cause, began in 2003.
According to Smith, “The Global Sports Mission
Initiative first was created as a vision by DBU
President Dr. Gary Cook, Executive Vice President
Dr. Blair Blackburn, Dean of Students and
Spiritual Life Jay Harley, and Ryan Erwin. We
have been fortunate to continue it for 12 years
now.”
Connor Smith
bass fishing and swim teams. These groups
have already attracted more than 25 corporate
sponsorships from such entities as Legend
Boats, LTD and Mercury Marine. The fishing
team attracted even more welcome publicity
when it nabbed a Number 1 national ranking in
Bassmaster.com’s Top 25 poll.
But Connor Smith focuses his day-to-day goals,
and those of his capable DBU staff, on running a
quality DII program for all sports while keeping
the DI Patriots baseball squad a perennial
contender for NCAA honors. In 2011, this team
was only two wins away from a DI World Series
appearance, and Smith wants to help put such
a historic moment into Dallas Baptist’s athletic
record books.
So how does Smith help raise the additional
funds needed for the GSM trip and other athletics’
operations? One of his most creative methods
is to sponsor activities such as the Club Patriot
March / April 2015
| 9
The Aging Hippie
By Amy Martin
Spring Fever
Are you an aging tree-hugging hippie? If
true, spring equinox is our day. Celebrate by
partaking of a spring celebration near you.
Dallas Blooms at Dallas Arboretum is always
a good choice. Many farmers markets open
for the year with festivities on spring equinox.
Dogwood Canyon in southwest Dallas, Trinity
River Audubon in southeast Dallas, River
Legacy in Arlington and Bob Jones in Coppell
are among the many nature centers hosting a
myriad of ways to enjoy spring.
My hippie roots run deep. It was 1969 and the flower children of Dallas
were abloom. So were racial conflicts and heated arguments about the
Vietnam War. After narrowly escaping a melee in the girl’s bathroom,
with factions debating their fine points by hair pulling and jabs with lit
cigarettes, I pled with my parents to be placed in a private school.
I ended up in American Heritage, a private alternative high school that
convened wherever the principal could find donated or cheap space.
For our last semester, we gathered in a defunct kindergarten in North
Dallas. They never changed the furniture or decor. It was like attending
school in Alice’s Wonderland.
Nature was my church then, the way it was to my grandmother. “Just
sit still and watch,” she’d say on those summer nights we parked
on a country road at dusk, waiting for deer to emerge. “Things will
be revealed.” So that spring equinox, contrary to my timid nature, I
worked up my Aquarian moral courage and marched into my teacher’s
office, which at least had full-sized furniture. I stated that because of
my religious principles I’d be spending the day in the White Rock Creek
woods. At that moment, we could hear other teachers beating on the bathroom
door where a student had locked himself in and was threatening
suicide. The scent of marijuana wafted in from the courtyard. She
looked past her towering stack of papers to be graded and with a wry
smile replied: “Have a good time, dear.” My righteous battle deflated, I
grabbed my dog Jasmine and sauntered down to the woods.
There I spread my blanket and settled in for the day. No student drama,
no arguments with siblings, no talk of the Robert F. Kennedy and Martin
Luther King Jr. murders. The trees spoke to me of the roots’ dark
nurturing soil and the limbs’ embrace of divine infinite light. The fractal
patterns of the branches spread into the diversity of the leaves. And it
all came together as one in the trunk, where the strength of trees, the
strength of life, resides.
Amy Martin was top hippie in Dallas for 20 years with her acclaimed
SolstiCelebration gatherings and Moonlady News service. A journalist
of 30 years, she is currently comedy critic for TheaterJones, North
Texas Wild columnist for GreenSource DFW, and Texas Faith panelist at
the Dallas Morning News. www.Moonlady.com
March / April 2015
Visit our NEW WEBSITE!
www.TheSeniorVoice.com
Getting Reel
By Larry Ratliff
To revive a Mockingbird?
Now that the startling news of early February has
settled a bit, what are we to think?
Harper Lee, acclaimed author of To Kill a Mockingbird,
one of the most revered novels and, of course, movies
of the 20th century, apparently had another manuscript
locked away in a bank security box for six decades.
That novel, reportedly titled Go Set a Watchman, is
scheduled at press time to hit bookstores in July.
Go Set a Watchman, the movie, is sure to follow. That’s
why I use this space to ponder whether we as a curious public, lovers of great art
in any form, conspiracy theorists or a combination of all three should celebrate.
Or, should we be cautious or voice strong concern that this is happening,
especially now?
The answer to all three scenarios is a resounding “Yes.”
To clear the air a little, Lee’s long-lost manuscript is not a
sequel at all. According to published reports in the New
York Times and elsewhere, Go Set a Watchman is, instead,
a “parent” of To Kill a Mockingbird, Lee’s Pulitzer Prize
winner.
In the 304-page book, apparently written in the mid-1950s but only recently
discovered, Jean Louise Finch, affectionately called Scout, returns to Maycomb
(where To Kill a Mockingbird is set) 20 years later to visit her beloved father,
portrayed without flaw by Gregory Peck on screen in an Oscar winning
performance in 1962.
“Although written first, Go Set a Watchman is a continuation of the same story,
with overlapping themes and characters. But Ms. Lee abandoned the manuscript
after her editor, who was captivated by the flashbacks to Scout’s childhood, told
her to write a new book from the young heroine’s perspective and to set it during
her childhood,” said a New York Times article.
Here’s the bottom line. The other Harper Lee novel so many people are already
raving about without having read a word of it, is, in reality, a rejected manuscript;
perhaps a rough piece of artistic coal that was abandoned or, at the very least,
reimagined to become the timeless gem Lee has been revered for since 1960. Lee,
now 88 and reportedly living in an assisted-living facility, may or may not have
condoned the sudden re-emergence into the spotlight she has generally avoided
for decades.
Without accusing anyone of anything, let me just caution that there is such a thing
as elder abuse and, perhaps even more common, elder manipulation. I’m no
doctor and I haven’t had the privilege of visiting Ms. Lee in her current residence.
Would it be too much to ask, though, for a third party — someone with nothing to
lose or gain from the profits surely to be generated by the publication of Go Set a
Watchman — to evaluate the situation to see if the author is truly in favor of the
new novel’s mass release (2 million copies in the first run, according to the New
York Times)?
To sit idly by and simply — I think, selfishly — applaud another novel by
Harper Lee after all this time without questioning the facts is, at the very least,
succumbing to the worst traits of a money-hungry society. At worst: This is
frightening beyond belief.
Our elders are to be respected and cherished, not exploited. Maybe it’s time to
look a little closer at the title of Lee’s first manuscript, which was unpublished
because an editor suggested a rewrite. Please, can’t someone step up and “go set
a watchman” to protect Harper Lee?
Write Around the
Corner
The White Whale
By Barbara Glass
Between candles and electricity, whale oil fueled our
lamps in the evening. The punishing and lucrative
business of hunting whales and extracting the oil was
centered on Nantucket Island in the early 19th century.
Everyone who lived there was connected to the whaling
industry by trade and by blood.
From this place, on August 12, 1819, the 87-foot Essex
sailed set sail on a 2-3 year journey to the Pacific to fill its hold with sperm whale
oil. This voyage became legend, and the legend became Herman Melville’s
novel, “Moby Dick”, published in 1851.
Led by Captain George Pollard, Jr. and first mate, Owen
Chase, the Essex and its 21 crew members sailed around Cape
Horn on their way to the mid-Pacific offshore grounds – about
as far away from any land mass as a ship can travel. On
November 20, 1820, an enormous 85-foot, 80 ton male whale
deliberately rammed the ship several times, leaving huge
holes in its sides. In years of fishing lore, this was the first
account of a whale attacking a ship. It was astonishing to the
crew, and deemed to be from the hand of God, like Jonah of
the Old Testament.
The Essex’s voyage was clouded by bad omens from start. Just prior to sailing, a
comet appeared in the evening sky, followed by a swarm of locusts on Nantucket
Island. Three days away from port, the under-provisioned and under-manned
Essex suffered a “knockdown”, nearly capsizing in a gale. Sea faring men are
notoriously superstitious and considered these episodes as signs of an unlucky
ship.
As the Essex was sinking, the crew divided among three 25-foot whaling boats.
They recovered as many supplies and as much drinking water from the wreck
as possible, and devised a plan to sail to South America – roughly 3,000 miles
distant and against prevailing winds. The Polynesian islands to the west were
closer and easier to reach, but their natives were rumored to be cannibals. Sailing
east was a fateful decision.
Nathaniel Philbrick’s “In the Heart of the Sea” describes the colossal challenges
facing these men: meager food and water, old whale boats retrofitted for sailing
that were designed for rowing, few navigational aids, morale issues and, of
course, wind and weather unknowns.
Unlike “Moby Dick” which ends with the sinking of the Pequod, losing the Essex
was only half the original tale. What followed was 60 odd days in the open
ocean. When finally rescued, only eight severely emaciated members of the crew
survived. Some tragic stories end with everyone surviving a hardship; some end
with no survivors. The most tragic stories, however, are ones where a different
decision might have made a difference in the outcome, and when only a handful
of the original members survive. These wretches have to live on, carrying the
burden of survival by any means necessary.
“In the Heart of the Sea” is a story about leadership under duress; of great
seamanship and endurance; of how legends are born and transformed into
something entirely new; of human tragedy in its purest form, and, of course, the
whale.
The movie is coming out in March. Hopefully, it is true to the essence of the
Essex tragedy.
March / April 2015
| 11
SUPER FOODS
Celebrating the
Golden Age
BEST WEAPONS IN THE FIGHT
FOR HEART AND BRAIN HEALTH
Belmont Village residents enjoy
exceptional hospitality, luxurious
amenities and premier programs
for health and wellness. Senior
Living has never looked better!
Research shows that you can increase the chances of maintaining a healthy
brain and heart well into later years just by eating “smart.” Keeping heart
and blood vessels healthy improves circulation to nourish and protect
brain health and memory, according to the American Heart Association.
“Super foods” further support brain and body health by providing a rich
mix of antioxidants and other nutrients that are thought to have healing,
preventative, or function enhancing attributes.
Distinctive Residential Settings
Comprehensive Health
and Wellness Programs
Award-Winning Memory Care
Therapy and Rehab by Paxxon
Healthcare Services
“A variety of food in moderation is the healthy approach to enjoying and
extending life,” said Dr. Nancy Graves, Associate Professor, UH Conrad N.
Hilton College and Dietetic Consultant for Belmont Village Senior Living.
“Add super foods to your daily diet and you’ll significantly increase your
odds of maintaining a healthy brain and heart for the duration.”
Changes in the brain can begin as early as two decades before symptoms
of Alzheimer’s appear. Likewise, poor lifestyle, excess body weight, and
other risk factors for heart disease can take a silent toll for years in terms
of damaging inflammation, cholesterol clogged arteries and high blood
pressure, all of which are bad for brain and body. What you eat and the
activities you choose today can affect your brain power and heart health
years down the road. However, even those who have already experienced
some memory loss and heart issues have the potential to reap the benefits
of healthy nutritional choices.
3535 North Hall Street 214.559.7015
turtlecreek.belmontvillage.com
Winner of the George Mason University Healthcare Award
for Circle of Friends© Mild Cognitive Impairment program.
Provider to the NFL Player Care Plan.
© 2014 Belmont Village, L.P. | ALF License 105593
Belmont Village chefs recommend and offer balanced menus with daily
selections from all of the following groups (super food examples included):
Fish and low-fat protein: Wild Salmon
Fruits and vegetables: Blueberries, spinach
Nuts and seeds: Walnuts
Whole grains: Flax
Healthy fats: Olive oil
Last, but certainly not least, avoid saturated and trans fats and reduce
sodium for a longer, healthier life.
March / April 2015
SeniorVoice_5_2014_golden.indd 1
4/2/14 11:08 AM
Ms. Julia Turns 100
January 21 was officially proclaimed Ms. Julia
Michelotti Day in the Town of Trophy Club on
the honoree’s 100th birthday by Trophy Club
Mayor Nick Saunders, Town Councilman
Jim Parrow, and April Reiling The honoring
took place at Ms. Julia’s birthday celebration,
sponsored by Metroport Meals on Wheels and
held during the weekly MMOW luncheon at
the Roanoke Senior Center. Roanoke’s Mayor
Scooter Gierisch also presented good wishes on behalf of his city, and Trish
Roberts brought a promise from Representative Tan Parker’s office: Ms. Julia
would soon receive the U.S. flag flown over the Texas capitol to honor her
birthday. Good wishes from Senator Jane Nelson’s office were read aloud, and
Denton County Constable Tim Burch was there to offer congratulations.
Pink flowers and balloons furnished by Albertson’s decorated the hall where
Ms. Julia, wearing a tiara and a pink boa, received more than 170 well-wishers.
Family members attending included daughter Julie, son-in-law Jim, grandson
Joe and adopted grandson Vince. Special surprise guest was granddaughter
Joan of New Hampshire. Many birthday cakes were cut following the barbeque
lunch, and a “live Elvis” entertained!
Born in Iowa on January 21, 1915, Ms. Julia was married for five years and the
mother of a baby girl when husband Rudolph Joseph Nikola was killed during
World War II’s Battle of the Bulge. She was a single mother to Julie for 13 years
before remarrying. Ms. Julia moved to Roanoke from California to be closer to
Julie, and after four years moved to Trophy Club to live with her. She cooks -“makes the best pumpkin pies!” according to grandson Joe – and can be found
at least three days each week in the Roanoke Senior Center, crocheting and
catching up with her friends.
The Art of
Conversation
By Mimi Connor
We live in a world where much of what we see is
fingers, rapidly typing on keyboards of all sizes.
With our heads down, we’re losing the best parts
of communication – talking eye-to-eye, having
voice conversations with each other.
We have become a world of texting. But can you
really know what’s going on with someone through a computer? Can you
tell if someone is happy, excited, sad, worried, needing help, etc.? You
get it! Listening to a voice helps us become better listeners, and so we
become better communicators.
On the flip side: I love texting! It’s great for when I want to send quick
messages, like “On my way home, stopping at the store, need anything?”
or “Call me. What time?” Texting has a place in our society for these
brief “conversations,” but we’ve taken it to the extreme. We’re texting
incomplete sentences, using acronyms instead of whole words, and have
lost voice interaction and the eye-to-eye skill of talking directly to another
person.
I’ve found that many people can’t have a conversation that’s stimulating,
something more than merely “yes” or “no” answers to questions. We’ve
lost the knowledge of just how important conversation is. What happens
on a job interview, when conversation is key? What about a business
lunch or dinner that can seal a deal? Or talking to a friend about a lifechanging event? Or consoling a loved one suffering illness or loss? It
amazes me that, when I’m out for a meal, I see families sitting together
but not using this time to talk to each other; they’re all with their heads
down, on their phones or tablets or iPads. So many missed opportunities!
We also become much more vulnerable with our heads down, unaware of
our environment and what’s going on around us. Accidents happen while
texting in a car or texting while walking on a street, in a mall, on campus.
Look up and see what’s wonderful around you! Talk to your parents,
grandparents, children, brothers, sisters, friends, neighbors, co-workers.
Say hello to the person who’s sitting next to you. When you start a
conversation, you never know just where it might take you. And think
about the people you know who are alone. Conversation is one of the
ways to help them feel connected and loved, so take time out of your day
to do this for someone. This time, when you pick up your phone, have a
real conversation this time.
It’s up to each of us seniors to help our younger generation understand
the art of conversation as a sure way to stay connected. We shouldn’t
let ourselves get caught up in the texting craze; instead of reinforcing the
trend, call the texter back and have a real conversation. It’s possible that
the person on the other end may need to hear your voice but just doesn’t
know it yet!
We can’t fall in love, hug a child, show gratitude, or give a handshake
of congratulations with a text. So sometimes, let’s get off the phone
altogether. Put it down and really interact with our families, our friends,
our co-workers, our clients, our neighbors. Let’s TALK!
March / April 2015
| 13
Your Brain Matters:
Women are the Epicenter of Alzheimer’s Disease
By Diana Kerwin, M.D.
Well-known women’s health
advocate, author, broadcast
journalist and producer
Maria Shriver has created
a substantial body of work
in The Shriver Report: A
Woman’s Nation Takes on
Alzheimer’s. In the report,
Shriver reveals that nearly two-thirds of
Americans living with Alzheimer’s disease
are women and more than 60 percent of
Alzheimer’s and dementia caregivers are
women. A startling and little-known statistic
to add to Shriver’s findings is that women
in their 60s are nearly twice as likely to
develop Alzheimer’s disease over the rest
of their lives as they are to develop breast
cancer.
Out of The Shriver Report findings has come
the need for increased awareness about the
impact Alzheimer’s disease has on women and
their families. The women’s initiative project
Your Brain Matters is a national movement and
response that aims to educate men and women
through a grass-roots, peer-to-peer education
and marketing campaign.
In Dallas County, 25,000 people ages 65+ have
Alzheimer’s disease. Of those people, 19,000
are women. In my practice at Texas Health
Alzheimer’s and Memory Disorders, I see the
devastating effects of Alzheimer’s disease as
it destroys the brain, killing nerve cells and
tissue until all functions are affected. Like
other cognitive disorders specialists, I continue
to search for a cure by actively conducting
research and clinical trials. I also strongly
support the goal of the Dallas Chapter of the
Alzheimer’s Association to educate women in
North Texas about the disease.
Women in the Workplace
Another finding from The Shriver Report was
that nearly 19 percent of women Alzheimer’s
caregivers had to quit work or reduce their
hours to part-time because their caregiving
duties became too burdensome. Consider the
impact on the personal lives of women with lost
opportunities for career advancement and loss
of job benefits. Even taking a leave of absence
can significantly alter the path of a caregiver’s
life. The implications of these decisions have a
very real impact on the national workforce.
Women in the Movies
The film industry is helping educate the
public about Alzheimer’s disease. The current
film Still Alice sheds light on young onset
Alzheimer’s disease when actress Julianne
Moore, a linguistics professor, struggles with a
growing inability to find herself and her words.
In the movie, you see Moore try to get ahead
of the disease as she looks for ways to stay in
control of her future — a future that she may
become unaware of. It is a poignant look at the
changes in her life, at the dynamics of the family
relationships, and the human ability to respond
to those changes.
Women as Caregivers
Studies consistently show that 60 to 70 percent
of Alzheimer’s caregivers are women. We all
know women in our circles that provide unpaid
care for someone with a degenerative disease.
As a geriatrician, I see both men and women
lovingly caring for their partners, parents or
friends.
Caregiving takes a toll on the health of the
aging caregiver with the physical challenges of
bathing and dressing another person. Nearly 75
percent of women caregivers express concern
about the ability to maintain their own health
after becoming a caregiver. Symptoms of
depression and emotional stress are common as
the demands of caring for a loved one increase.
It’s hard to care for yourself when so much of
your time and energy is devoted to caring for
another.
Past Meets Present
The best way to meet the challenges of caring
for your loved one is to practice mindfulness.
This means learning to live in each present
moment and not focus on the past or the future.
To stay grounded during difficult behaviors,
try to look for joy in the ordinary events of
everyday occurrences. Realize that you are
providing love, comfort and safety, and that is
a gift. Poet Stephen Levine once wrote, “There
is no doing it right; there’s just being with what
is as wholeheartedly as the moment allows.”
Living with Alzheimer’s or dementia is a fine
line between letting go of the past and holding
on to the present.
The Value of Expert Care
Memory disorders can be complex; a cognitive
disorders specialist is trained to diagnose,
evaluate and treat memory loss symptoms
caused by early onset dementia or Alzheimer’s
disease. There is no one test that confirms the
disease, but a comprehensive medical exam is a
good place to start. From here, cognitive tests, a
neurological exam and/or brain imaging may be
recommended.
March / April 2015
The disease affects every individual differently.
When I meet with a patient, I explore actions
and treatments that will provide the best care
to that individual to better live with a cognitive
decline. I also address the disease for what it is
today; knowing that with expanding research on
the horizon, the treatment plan may be modified
in the future. People who are diagnosed may be
in any stage of dementia, from having little or
no memory impairment (early stage) to having
noticeable difficulty in coming up with the right
words or performing everyday tasks (late stage).
Quality of life is my highest consideration when
I care for patients of all ages and stages of
disease. My goals are to increase confidence in
families while managing a chronic disease and
strive for better health, better care and lower
hospital admissions. One of the strategies is to
educate primary care physicians, nurses and the
community to take a step forward in diagnosing
this debilitating disease and compassionately
caring for the patients.
There is no cure yet, but we continue to be
hopeful as scientists work on blood biomarkers
that may point the way to treatments that could
slow or stop the progression of Alzheimer’s
disease. The slogan of Your Brain Matters is
“Educate women today. Wipe out Alzheimer’s
tomorrow.” Men and women together, we have
the power to make a difference in the future.
How to Get Involved – A Call to Action
Join the Your Brain Matters initiative. Become
a volunteer and receive training to present the
initiative’s message to community organizations
and workplaces.
Reach out to women under the age of 65 with
information about Alzheimer’s disease.
Participate in the Walk to End Alzheimer’s on
September 26, 2015.
Contact the Alzheimer’s Association, Greater
Dallas Chapter
214-540-2429 (Direct)
www.alz.org/greaterdallas
Diana Kerwin, M.D., Chief of Geriatrics at
Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas,
chair of the Dallas chapter of the Alzheimer’s
Association, and Medical Director of Texas
Alzheimer’s and Memory Disorders, a Texas
Health Physicians Group practice. Dr. Kerwin
is dedicated to caring for mind and memory.
For more information, call 214-345-4449 or visit
TexasAlzheimersandMemoryDisorders.com.
How Do You Help
Your Loved Ones
From Afar?
By Lori A. Leu
Helping family members through the aging process is challenging, but
even harder when you live many miles apart. The maze of government
benefits, regulations, and laws that affect seniors are confusing and can
differ from State to State. The right information in your area may not apply
where your family lives. Social Security, Medicare, and other government
benefits for seniors are provided on a national basis, so it may seem that
legal issues should be uniform across the States, but that is not the case.
The rules regarding Wills, powers of attorney, and advance directives
are all State-specific. In addition, Medicaid is federally funded but Statemanaged, so the rules governing eligibility differ among the States. So,
how do you help your loved ones from afar?
Proper legal documents.
Everyone should have the following documents in place:
(1) Will;
(2) Durable Power of Attorney (for financial and legal matters);
(3) Medical Power of Attorney; (4) HIPAA Medical Records Release;
(5) Directive to Physicians (Living Will); and
(6) Declaration of Guardian.
In some States, these powers are combined, but in Texas, they are in
separate documents.
It may be tempting to download these forms from a website. However,
there is no guarantee that those documents will hold up legally, even when
“customized” for your State. Instead, you should seek independent legal
advice from an attorney who focuses on elder law in the community where
your family member lives. If you don’t know where to start, try the website
for the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (www.naela.org) for a
listing of elder law attorneys.
Support network.
Spend enough time with your family member to meet neighbors,
friends, support network, and doctors. Make sure your family member has
someone to count on, and that everyone has your contact information.
And, make sure the doctors have you listed as a person who can access
medical records and talk to the doctors (the HIPAA release should
accomplish this).
Online access to accounts.
If your parents have listed you as an agent on their durable power of
attorney and would like your assistance with their finances, help them
set up online access to their accounts. Even if they don’t use the online
access, you can use it to monitor their accounts and make sure there are no
unusual withdrawals or other activity.
Maintain open communication with your loved ones.
There is no substitute for regular, open communication, and no other
way for you to truly be of assistance. Take the time to be involved.
Listen to
is spreading the
good news on
services, resources,
events and
happenings!
Lori Leu, Erin Peirce, and Lauren Olson are Elder Law attorneys with
Lori A. Leu & Associates in Plano, Texas. They can be reached at
972-996-2540.
March / April 2015
| 15
E vents
March
FORT WORTH: Through August 2. “Audubon’s Beasts,” Industrious field mice, fierce otters, and fearsome
wild cats are some of the stars of this exhibition of hand-painted
prints by famed scientist and artist John James Audubon (1785–1851).
Audubon was more than a chronicler of flying creatures. This collection
includes some of his greatest depictions of North America’s four-legged
animals in their natural habitats. Amon Carter Museum of American Art.
1-817-738-1933; cartermuseum.org
IRVING: Fort Worth Golf Show. March 6 – March 8. Calling all lovers
of the green!
More than 90 exhibitors offer show-only specials on equipment and
services. Demonstrations, seminars, fun competitions and free instruction
and tips from local experts in the Golftec Lesson Zone also are offered.
Please call ahead to confirm event details. Irving Convention Center
500 W Las Colinas Blvd, Irving. 425-412-7070
of
DALLAS: DANCING PROS: LIVE!
March 13-14. For the first time
together on stage, audiences across the
country will see professional dancers
from “Dancing with the Stars,” “So
You Think You Can Dance” and dance
champions from around the world
compete with one another for top prize!
Watch in awe as they perform a variety
of dance styles including Cha-Cha,
Waltz, Tango, Swing, Freestyle Samba and the Jitterbug. Using electronic
voting remotes, the audience will become part of the show and vote for
their favorite couple. Unlike reality TV shows, there is no waiting until next
week for results; the winning couple is announced at the end of the show!
Single starting at $36, are now on sale online at www.LiveAtTheMusicHall.
com, by phone at 1.800.514.ETIX (3849), and at The Box Office, 5959 Royal
Lane, Dallas.
C alendar
ROWLETT: Rowlett Reviews Book Club meets the third Tuesday of
each month. A delicious array of refreshments are served prior to start
of the 10am meeting. Guests are welcome. Our schedule for the next two
months will feature: March 17 – Reviewer is Susan Boone whose review will
be ‘speaker’s choice.’ April 21, 2015 – Reviewer is Nancy Ashley who will
review “Mrs. Queen Takes the Train.” First Christian Church, 7301 Miller
Road, Rowlett. For additional information please call, Brenda Langley –
972.240.7612 or Kathy Nolan - 469.698.9888
DALLAS: Origami with a Twist. March 14. 11am–noon. Origami
is an art form with folded paper. Mihoko Ishikawa, educational program
coordinator of Japan-America Society of DFW, leads this class on how to
manipulate beautiful paper into flowers and butterflies. $25, $20 for TDG
Members. Register in advance. Texas Discovery Gardens at Fair Park. 3601
Martin Luther King Jr Blvd. Dallas.
ADDISON: Metrocrest Services hosts 2015 Keyholder Breakfast
fundraiser. March 19. 7:15am-9am.
Fox4 Sports Anchor Mike Doocy will serve as Master of Ceremonies at the
10th annual Metrocrest Services Keyholder Breakfast. The event supports
the agency’s aid programs for families and seniors living in Carrollton,
Farmers Branch, Addison, Coppell and the city of Dallas in Denton County.
Dallas/Addison Marriott-Quorum. 14901 Dallas Parkway, Addison. $65
individual tickets are available online at www.metrocrestservices.org or call
Mike Harris, Development Manager, at 972-446-2130.
DALLAS: Meadows Opera Theatre: Opera Free For All – “Sopranos
Anonymous” March 20 at 1pm. Admitting that they cannot control
their chronic high-note addictions, acute drama-queen compulsions and
incurable obsession to steal the spotlight from others, a group of tightly
wound sopranos gathers together in a meeting for the purpose of working
towards recovery from their coloratura catastrophes, fioratura follies and
countless diva difficulties. Conceived and directed by Courtney Stancil (a
soprano). Bob Hope Lobby in the Owen Arts Center, 6101 Bishop Blvd. on
SMU campus, Dallas. FREE. Call 214-768-2787.
GRAPEVINE: Jazz Wine Train. March 20-21. There’s nothing like good
Jazz, fine wine and a trip back in time. Raise a glass and ride the rails on the
March / April 2015
Grapevine Vintage Railroad.This one-of-a-kind wine tasting experience will showcase
some of the best wines from Grapevine’s winery tasting rooms, passed hor d’oeuvres
and desserts, So grab that someone special, a good friend or even your Mom and
Dad for a truly unique night out on the town! $59 - and include passed hors d’oeuvres
and desserts, entertainment, souvenir wine glass and wine from each participating
winery. Begins at 6:40pm. 7pm departure, 9pm return. 705 S. Main St., Grapevine
817-410-3185 www.grapevinetexasusa.com/jazzwinetrains
DALLAS: Rodgers & Hammerstein’s THE KING AND I.
Dallas Summer Musicals. March 20 – April 5. It is 1862
in Siam when an English widow, Anna Leonowens, and her
young son arrive at the Royal Palace in Bangkok, having been
summoned by the King to serve as tutor to his many children
and wives. The King is largely considered to be a barbarian
by those in the West, and he seeks Anna’s assistance in
changing his image, if not his ways. With both keeping a
firm grip on their respective traditions and values, Anna and
the King grow to understand and, eventually, respect one
another, in a truly unique love story. Single starting at $25,
are now on sale online at www.DallasSummerMusicals.org,
by phone at 1.800.514.ETIX (3849), and at The Box Office,
5959 Royal Lane, Suite 542 in Dallas.
DALLAS: Dallas Jazz Age Sunday Social. March 22. Noon–4pm Dallas
Heritage Village and the Art Deco Society of Dallas proudly present the second
annual Dallas Jazz Age Sunday Social! Dress in your finest whites and enjoy an
afternoon of live music at the Van Cleave Bandstand. Costume contest at 2:30 p.m.
for best “Lawn Party attire”— think vintage bathing beauties, walking whites and
parasols. Bring a picnic or enjoy the Easy Slider Food Truck. An array of Model A
Fords will be on display from Vintage Coach (also available for rides). Blankets and
lawn chairs welcome. Kids 12 and under free. All others: $10. Patron Tickets: $25
1515 S. Harwood Street. Dallas. Unless otherwise noted, tickets can be purchased for
all of these events online (www.dallasheritagevillage.org). For questions or to RSVP,
214-413-3674 or [email protected]
RUSK: Dogwood Special Brunch Train. Sunday, March 29. Train Departs:
10:15am Palestine Depot. Location: US HWY 84, Park Road 70 Tickets: Lone Star
Class: Adult $80 | Child $50. Enjoy nature tourism at its best! Mother Nature puts on
a spectacular show in East Texas during the dogwood blooming season and we have
created a special brunch train to make this viewing a truly memorable occasion This
train departs the Palestine Depot at 10:15am and returns at approximately 2:45 p.m.
Reservations must be booked by 5pm on Wednesday March 25th
Rusk: Easter Egg Express. Saturday & Sunday, March 28 & 29; Friday &
Saturday, April 3 & 4. Train Departs: 11 a.m. & 2:30 p.m. Rusk Depot Location: US
HWY 84, Park Road 76 Tickets: Standard Class: Adult $25 | Child: $15 | Under 2: Free:
Lone Star Class: Adult $45 | Child: $25 | Under 2: Free. The Easter Egg Express is a
train ride full of fun, family and entertainment. Take a train ride to meet the Easter
Bunny! Enjoy an Easter egg hunt, hayride, games, food vendor and more! Trains
depart Rusk Depot at 11am and 2:30pm. *No wheelchair accommodations available
for this ride. Visit our web site www.texasstaterr.com or call 903-683-3451for further
information
Health and Education
COLLEYVILLE: Estate Planning Seminar. March 5. 6pm-7:30pm. Review of
Current Estate Tax Laws. Trust or Will – What’s the Difference, and Which May I
Need? Powers of Attorney – Why Are They So Important? Avoid the Pitfalls of Estate
Planning and Beneficiary Selection. Guest Speaker: Patricia D. Henderson. Colleyville
Center. 5301 Riverwalk Drive, Colleyville. Call 817-251-1008 or email gina@apgmsh.
com to reserve your seats.
RICHARDSON: Ed-U-CARE, Inc. Presents: The Fourth Annual Compassion
Fatigue Symposium 2015. March 13 RSVP by March 9th. Complimentary
Event. Compassion Fatigue Symposium™ educates and heals care givers
through interactive professional support and healing modalities. Targeted to support
those who experience emotional and physical exhaustion within their profession or
after extended periods of long-term caregiving. Our goal is to bring awareness to
these individuals who are unable to refuel and regenerate on their own. This daylong
event is at no cost to the general public and is offered by invitation only. Featuring
Key Note: Patricia Smith, founder of The Compassion Fatigue Awareness Project
8am-4:30pm. Includes, breakfast, speakers and lunch. First United Methodist Church
DALLAS: 50+ Women to Work: Ready, Set, Employed. Monday, March 23 –
Brookhaven & North Lake College; Tuesday, March 31 – Richland & Eastfield
(include El Centro); Monday, April 6 – Cedar Valley College. This conference
is a joint collaboration between the Dallas County Community College District and
the Department of Labor, Women’s Bureau. Conference focus is on 50plus Women
looking for work. Educational Opportunities with emphasis on free and low cost
training opportunities. Community Colleges will present on their 50+ programs and/
or appropriate certificate programs with a panel of non-profits briefly describing their
training opportunities. Each location will include four sessions, lunch with a keynote
speaker and vendors To find out details call 972-860-4807. April
DALLAS: Meadows Guitar Ensemble. April 9. 8pm. The Meadows Guitar
Ensemble presents a program of guitar quartets and duos. Music will include
works from the Baroque to the present day from Italy, Spain and the New World.
SMU. Caruth Auditorium – Owen Arts Center. FREE For more information call
214-768-2787.
ARLINGTON: Strike Out Parkinsons! Saturday, April 11. 3:30pm–11pm.
Lunch, Cash Bar, Auction, Ballgame Tickets - Texas Rangers vs. Houston Astros.
Our special guest speaker is Jim “The Rookie” Morris ‘Never Give Up on a Dream›.
Jim›s meteoric rise from 35 year old high school teacher to flame throwing major
league pitcher made cinematic history with the release of The Rookie starring Dennis
Quaid. Sports Illustrated voted it one of the five greatest baseball films ever made. Jim is living with Young Onset Parkinson’s Disease. Hosted by YOPD Dallas, a Team
Fox North Texas 501(c)(3) Event. Hall of Fame, Globe Life Park. 1000 Ballpark Way.
Arlington. For more information please contact, Gary Schmitz. 817-881-8298. gary@
tfnt.org.
Dallas: Poetry Society of Texas (PST) 2015 Student Awards
Festival, Dallas Central Library Downtown in the main auditorium,
April 18 from 1 to 3pm. Awarding marks the culmination of the
81-categories annual student poetry contests that ended March 1, 2015.
The event is part of the “Poetry in Schools” program considered as one of
the most successful programs of PST and the largest student competitions
among all the state members of the National Federation of State Poetry
Societies, Inc. All 1st, 2nd & 3rd Place winners notified by mail will
receive a certificate, and are invited to read their winning poem(s) at the
Student Awards Festival. Each winner attending will receive a copy of
the anthology Student Award Winners published by PST. The festival is
in timing with the celebration of the National Poetry Month which falls in
April. For more information or questions, contact Budd Powell Mahan,
Poetry in Schools, Chairperson, 972-788-4944, [email protected]. www.poetrysocietyoftx.org
DALLAS: Meadows Jazz Orchestra. April 24. 8pm. The Meadows Jazz
Orchestra explores the traditions of large ensemble jazz, with repertoire
influenced by such greats as Count Basie, Stan Kenton and Duke Ellington.
SMU. Greer Garson Theatre – Owen Arts Center. FREE. For more information
call 214-768-2787.
DALLAS: History with a Twist: Saturday, April 25, 6pm – 11pm.
History with a Twist is a celebration of classic American cocktails, created by
noted Dallas Mixologist Brian McCullough, served along the charming Main
Street at Dallas Heritage Village. Attendees may visit various cocktail stations
until 10 p.m., while enjoying heavy hors d’oeuvres and entertainment by the
Singapore Slingers. Proceeds will benefit building restoration. Highlights
include: Period music by Singapore Slingers, the fox trot orchestra that
the Dallas Observer calls, “the city’s coolest, quirkiest, retro jazz group.”
Dance instructors from the Rhythm Room performing and teaching a few
moves from the ‘20s to the ‘40s. Vintage attire from Prohibition and the
early 20th century encouraged. A silent auction and more. Individual tickets:
$75; Couples Ticket: $125; Contact Lisa Simpson, 214-413-3662, lsimpson@
dallasheritagevillage.org. Dallas Heritage Village. 1515 S. Harwood St., Dallas.
Unless otherwise noted, tickets can be purchased for all of these events online,
www.dallasheritagevillage.org.
Health and Training
E vents
GRAPEVINE: 23rd Annual Blessing of the Vines & New Vintage Wine
and Gallery Trail. April 11. 10am to 5pm. Start the day at Grapevines’s Delaney
Vineyards.Toast the good life at Grapevine’s Annual Blessing of the Vines & New
Vintage Wine and Gallery Trail. With tradition and flair, Grapevine celebrates new
release wines, beautiful works of art and good times with friends. $55 which will
include souvenir wine glass, 3 tastings of wine at each participating winery and 1 food
item at each winery. 2000 Champagne Blvd. For more information please contact,
Grapevine. Grapevine Convention & Visitors Bureau 1-800-457-6338.
DALLAS: The 9th Annual Oak Cliff Earth Day. April 12. Noon to
5pm (rain or shine), held at historic Lake Cliff Park in the Demonstration
Rose Garden. This community based event is family, Earth and pet friendly.
Come and bring family, friends and pets. There is no charge to attend
this outdoor festival but there are opportunities to purchase locally grown
plants, handicrafts, art & food. There will be a number of food vendors
& food trucks and plenty of tables and chairs in the food pavilion. Live
entertainment will take place starting at 12:30 p.m. Lake Cliff Park is located
at the intersection of Colorado & Zang Blvd in North Oak Cliff. Free parking
is available on Beckley Avenue across from Methodist Hospital. There will
be a shuttle bus running from the parking lot to the Festival. For additional
information, you can check out the Oak Cliff Earth Day website at www.
oakcliffearthday.com/index.html.
of
DALLAS: THE ILLUSIONISTS. Dallas Summer
Musicals. April 7 – April 19. Direct from Broadway ,
the world’s best-selling magic show is coming to Dallas
Summer Musicals! This mind blowing spectacular
showcases the jaw dropping talents of seven of the
most incredible Illusionists on earth. The Illusionists
has shattered box office records across the globe and
dazzles audiences of all ages with a powerful mix of
the most outrageous and astonishing acts ever to be
seen on stage. This non-stop show is packed with
thrilling and sophisticated magic of unprecedented proportions. Single starting at
$15, are now on sale online at www.DallasSummerMusicals.org, by phone at 1-800514-ETIX (3849), and at The Box Office, 5959 Royal Lane, Dallas.
C alendar
in Richardson. Friday, March 13, 2015 from 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM (CDT) . 503 North
Central Expressway. Richardson. For more information please call, 972-239-9230.
www.educaredallas.com/Programs-CFS.php
DALLAS: Meadows Museum Access Program: Re-Connections. March 20.
10:30am. Individuals with early stage dementia, their care partners and family
members are invited to attend this relaxed social gathering. Attendees visit with friends
over coffee and light refreshments, explore the galleries and enjoy an informal gallery
activity. Pre-registration encouraged but not required. Founder’s Room – Meadows
Museum, 5900 Bishop Blvd. on SMU campus, Dallas (75205) FREE. Call 214-768-4677.
DALLAS: Virtual Dementia Tour – Comprehensive Program Leader Training.
April 16. 9am – 4pm. Golden Acres Senior Living. 2525 Centerville Road.
Dallas. This training program is for Senior Care Communities that wish
to be licensed to utilize the Virtual Dementia Tour (VDT) Program for the
purposes of staff training and community education. Who Should Attend
Training? Administrators, Nurse and Nurse Assistants, Activity Directors,
Marketing and Business Development Professionals. Attendees should be
those in your community who will be leading the roll-out of this program.
It is recommended that each licensed facility send a minimum of 2 people
through leader training. Licensed VDT Comprehensive Program: $700.
R-license fee is $135 per year. 6 Hour Leader Training: $450 for the first
participant $375 for each additional participant from the same community.
Registration: www.AGEucate.com
March / April 2015
| 17
Yanni
By MIKE McGEE
Internationally renowned pianist,
composer and producer Yanni has been
a staple of the New Age section in many
a U.S. music store for decades. Even as
multitudes of pop divas and bouncy boys
bands have come and gone, the cultural
staying power of this 60-year-old has been
proven both online and across the globe.
March / April 2015
The keyboard work of Yanni, a native of Kalamata, Greece,
seems to suggest good conversation to fans no matter
what languages they speak. His song In The Morning
features delicate, “gently spoken” musical signatures;
Ritual De Amor seems aggressively flirty, while Whispers
In The Dark’s instrumentation begins as if a hushed
voice is caught and focused upon the listener’s ear. The
single Truth of Touch, from Yanni’s latest album of the
same name, contains simple, precise electric piano notes
directed straightforwardly at the listener.
Yanni, an energetic performer who seems to live on
the road, took a moment out of his busy schedule for
a written conversation with The Senior Voice, assisted
by his daughter Krystal. In it, Yanni shared some
personal history and provided insight into what he’s
discovered during his worldwide travels. “One of the
greatest privileges I have enjoyed is being able
to understand and learn how music affects
people,” he wrote, expressing his perception of
how others appreciate his music: “My greatest
motivation comes from finding out that my music
has been able to help people all over the world. I
am greatly affected by stories of how my music
has been a part of helping people getting through
illnesses, mental health challenges, death – and
on the opposite side, celebrating life’s great
moments such as weddings, births and more.
“I never intended to write any piece of music
to address any of these particular emotions,”
he continued, “but it has been wonderful to
experience how it has connected with people of
many cultures in a similar manner.”
Yanni has experienced those “many cultures”
on his own life’s journey. Born in 1954 to Sortiri
and Felitsa Chryssomallis, he had an older
brother and a younger sister. And because their
home was on an island, it’s not surprising that
he excelled in swimming at an early age. But
his youth was also filled with song, courtesy of
the musical talent in his family according to his
biography. “My parents had a piano in our home,
which was a very big commitment for them, but
they never forced us to take lessons or practice.
They allowed us to interact with the piano on
our own terms, and the instrument and music in
general became a good relationship for us, not
intimidating and not forced.”
Yanni maintains that music was not so much a
hobby or potential avocation for him, but rather
more of an outlet for creating an identity. “I
think that my childhood was not as much about
being musical, but much more about feeling
free to explore our own ambitions, and being
able to discover many aspects of learning with
total freedom and no judgment.” He describes
music as “a very good friend to me my whole
life…a shoulder for me to cry on, and a manner
to communicate and express emotion for
decades.”
But Yanni also continued to excel in swimming.
In 1969, he broke the Greek national record for
the men’s 50 meter freestyle event! Yet the
connection to music continually tugged at him;
it was during his teen years that Yanni began
composing, and eventually swimming fell by the
wayside.
“It was a time when I had to spend all of my effort
focused on one particular discipline,” Yanni said.
“I felt that I would not be able to meet my goals
unless I was completely focused. I decided to
pursue music because at that time it was very
accessible to me, and I knew that it would be a
part of me and my soul for my entire life in some
manner.”
Still, musical expression as gainful employment
wasn’t necessarily a part of a bigger plan. How
did this Greek swimmer and future musician
come to enroll in the University of Minnesota
in 1972 aiming toward a degree in psychology?
“Hard work and sacrifice,” says Yanni, plus “It’s
all who you know! I went there because my
father had developed a relationship with one of
the deans when U of M had been engaged in
archeological research near the family home.
My parents wanted me to have an education in
America, and this was the school that we knew of,
and we had a friend to help us.”
The move from Greece to the U.S. didn’t come
easily; Yanni’s parents had to sell their home in
order to educate their children. Yet despite the
hardships his family faced, the musician looks
back on this time with fondness. “I loved being
at school in Minnesota,” he said. “If I did not
get into music, I would have done post-graduate
school there and dedicated myself to the
profession of psychology.” But during his college
years he made sure that music stayed in his life
by playing in local rock bands. And he wound up
staying in that same area for 15 years.
“I loved the people in Minnesota,” he recalls,
“and really felt at home, even though the two
cultures and climates could not have been
more different. The more relaxed, less stresssurrounded lifestyle in Greece is something that
is very soothing, but I also enjoyed the drive and
the urgency that exists in the USA.”
Yanni attributes his worldwide success to the
opportunities the United States provided him
while he stayed firmly grounded in his home
culture. “I could not have developed my career
in Greece anywhere near what I was able to
accomplish in the USA,” he said. “At the
same time, I am very grateful for the healing
and nurturing that I have always derived from
Greece.” The career Yanni developed has
generated sales of 20 million albums – 14 of them
hitting Number 1 in Billboard’s “Top New Age”
category, according to Wikipedia.
This man who has played live in more than 140
countries has pleasant memories of Dallas,
Texas, telling of a pivotal show in 1990: “The
first concert I ever did with a symphony was in
Dallas. I performed my original compositions
with the DSO and it was amazing; it was the
first time that I was able to work with such a
large number of musicians, and it allowed me
the opportunity to perform the music in the
manner in which I actually intended it to be
performed. It was incredibly stressful for me
as I had never worked with an orchestra before,
but the people were wonderful. They made me
feel confident, and they were very supportive.
The audience was also very enthusiastic, and I
continue to perform in Dallas to this very day.
It will always be a very special place for me.”
Yanni continues to perform everywhere, for
any audience. He says he does not try to create
music that fits any particular genre; rather,
he tries to express what is in his imagination.
Truth Of Touch began simply when Yanni
used the keyboards in his studio for sound
experimentations, and “It ended up being an
entire album of new music.” He played that
album in shows in the U.S., India, Israel, Tunisia,
Lebanon, Brazil, the U.K., Germany and other
locales throughout 2014, and according to his
website, he’ll be performing it in China this
March.
China holds another unique memory for Yanni;
in 2011, the Chengdu Panda Research base
presented him with a symbolic panda adoption,
something that “is an honor reserved almost
exclusively for nations, not individuals,” the
website says. Yanni was the first artist to be
honored in this way because “the essence of
his music is harmonious with the nature of the
panda,” it continues. Yanni named the female
panda “Santorini” because the name of this
Greek island, which is also the title of one of his
compositions, contains within it the Greek word
“irini,” which means “peace.” Since receiving
this gift, Yanni has partnered with the World
Wildlife Fund to help increase support for the
protection of giant pandas.
Yanni also personifies the old adage, “With age
comes wisdom,” since he believes he has been
transformed over the years as his music bridged
many borders. “As I have continued to travel
the world and meet new people, my experiences
and the lessons learned have changed who I
am, and consequently had a great impact on the
music I create,” he wrote. “Meeting and learning
from new cultures has made me see the world
in a much more understanding manner, and it
has been incredibly motivating for me as I try to
incorporate these experiences into my music.”
Today, Yanni shows no sign of slowing down
either his creative output or his touring; in fact,
he suggests that he never intends to. “I’m having
the time of my life right now, and I cannot see
any time in the future when music will not be
a part of my life. I love performing around the
world, and I love composing. This is what I do,
and I will continue with my passion for as long as
I am able.”
Summing up his personal journey so far: “The
music I create is an honest reflection of my soul,”
according to Yanni. “It is made up of all my past
experiences, and all the knowledge I have gained
throughout my life.”
March / April 2015
| 19
GRAND TIMES
Activities To Enjoy With Your GrandKids
By Heidi Frankel
Texas Discovery Gardens
Stories and More!
And Then It’s Spring by Julie Fogliano
Join the butterflies for story time. Make crafts, read a book and
enjoy themed snacks. At the end of the program marvel at the
noon butterfly release.
What: Stories and More with Julie Fogliano
When: March 5
Where: Texas Discovery Gardens
3601 Martin Luther King Jr., Dallas
Cost: Adults pay regular admission. $8 ages 3-11 ; $6 members;
$3 ages 1-3 ; $2 members at door purchase; $2/child surcharge. Be
sure to bring in the $2 discount coupon in the paper
Phone: 940.565.0931
Website: texasdiscoverygardens.org
77th Annual Dogwood Trails Celebration,
Palestine, Texas Take a pleasant drive to Palestine and enjoy the delicate
beauty of the dogwood trees in Davey Dogwood Park
and the surrounding area. Activities are scheduled each
weekend including a festival the first weekend. Don’t miss
the Piney Woods Excursion and Dogwood “Train” Brunch at
the Texas State Railroad, Dulcimer Festival, Main Street Farm & Flower Market,
then listen to Phat Johnny and the Buicks concert and laugh at Professor QB the
Clown.
When: March 20-22, March 27-29 and April 3-5
Where: Davey Dogwood Park and surrounding Palestine area
Cost: Visit website
Website: texasdogwoodtrails.com for specific weekend
activities.
North Texas Irish Festival 2015
Be Irish for a day or 2 or 3, enjoy music, storytelling, dance
performances, educational workshops, kids’ activities and the
competitive dog sport of sheep herding at this festival celebrating
Irish and Celtic heritage. The Irish festival is a dog friendly event so
bring your precious pet with you to enjoy the music and food. Please
note the festival has a strict leash policy, so hang on to your wee
furry friends and bring a good supply of plastic bags!
Where: Fair Park — 1300 Robert B. Cullum Blvd.
When: March 6 - 8
Cost: Friday Night 6-7pm FREE. Yes, arrive early and stay all night
for FREE! After 7pm — $10; Saturday — $20; Sunday — $15
Phone: 214.821.4173
Website: ntif.org for ticket discounts and more information.
This venue is wheelchair accessible.
Shen Yun, Forth Worth
Your grand kids will be in awe when you watch this notable
Chinese dance troupe as they put on a grand production
with some 400 costumes and a live orchestra featuring both
classical Western and Chinese instruments.
When: Tuesday, March 10, Wednesday March 11
Where: Bass Performance Hall, 525 Commerce St., Fort Worth
Phone: 877.212.4280
Cost: Tickets prices begin at $55
shenyun.com
Website:
Texas Pinball Festival
Are you looking for something a little different to do with your grand kids? Share
your love of pinball machines at the Texas Pinball Festival 400 vintage and new
pinball machines and classic arcade games and set on free play, so leave your
quarters at home. Attendees can also partake in a variety of adult and youth pinball
tournaments throughout the weekend.
When: March 27–29
Where: Embassy Suites Frisco Convention Center
Cost: Visit the website for ticket prices
Phone: 214.471.5777
Website: texaspinball.com
Olate Dogs Rescue Tour
This furry troupe of rescue dogs led by Richard Olate and his son Nicholas, are
a high-energy, fast-paced theatrical experience like no other. Best known for
stealing hearts while winning America’s Got Talent, their new variety show takes
amazing dog tricks and stunts to a new level with comedy, acrobatics, music, and
film clips. A portion of the proceeds will benefit the DFW Humane Society in Irving.
When: March 11
Carpenter Hall, 3333 North MacArthur Blvd., Irving
Where: Cost: Adult $35 and $25 Kids under 12; $10 discount off of
$25–$35 ticket
Phone: 972. 252.2787
Website: olatedogs.com
Celebrate the Art of Quilts
Introduce your grand kids to the heritage of quilting. Enjoy
quilting tours and demonstrations, lectures, a live auction,
exhibits, appraisals and more.
When: Friday, March 13 & Saturday, March 14,
10am–5pm; Sunday, March 15, 12noon–5pm
Where: Dallas Market Hall, 2100 N. Stemmons Freeway, Dallas
Cost:At the Door—Adults (ages 18 to 65) , $10. Seniors (65 and older) and
children, ages 13-17, $9. Children, under age 13, FREE.
Advance tickets available at local quilt shops, $8
Phone: 214.879.8330
Website: quiltersguildofdallas.org
Dallas Black Dance Theatre
Founded in 1976 by Ann Williams to inspire minority boys and
girls to appreciate dance as an art form and to realize the
possibility of dance as a means to express their creativity,
Dallas Black Dance Theatre now offers dance opportunities
regardless of race, age or circumstance, through a variety
of dance programs. The spring season will be highlighted by
performances of Dancing Beyond Borders. DBDT and DBDT 11 will perform at the
Eisemann Center for one evening only.
When: Friday, March 27 — 7:30pm
Where: Eisemann Center — Bank of America Theatre
2351 Performance Drive
Cost: $27
Phone: 972.744.4650
Website: eismanncenter.com
Call The Dallas Black Dance Theatre at 214.871.2376
to learn about future performances
Monthly Open Art Studio for Young Artists
Join Amy Hofland, art museum educator and
Executive Director of the Crow Collection of
Asian Art, along with guest artists to explore
creative and engaging projects through
diverse media and techniques. The series
culminates with an exhibit of selected works in the Justus Sundermann Gallery.
Guest artist: Pamela Nelson
When: Saturday, March 28, 10am–12pm
Where: Justus Sundermann Gallery
5100 Ross Avenue, Dallas Cost: Free admission. Ages 5–12. All materials provided.
Phone: 214.887.6552
Website: cathedralartsdallas.org. Register here: eventbrite.com/e/
open-art-studio-for-young-artists-tickets-14416192219
Click, Clack, Moo – Musical
Family Theatre Series
When his granddaughter Jenny comes for a visit, Farmer
Brown declares the farm a “tech-free zone.” He puts her
laptop in the cold barn along with the shivering cows who
use her computer to type messages requesting blankets.
“No blankets” replies Farmer Brown. So the cows go on
strike and the chickens join the cows in solidarity. No blankets: no milk, no eggs!
Will Farmer Brown give in to the animals’ demands?
Story Time: Barnes & Noble on 15th St. in Plano on Friday, March 27 at 6pm
When: Sunday, March 29 — 2:30pm
Where: Eisemann Center — Hill Performance Center
2351 Performance Drive
Phone: 972.744.4650 for ticket prices Website: eisemanncenter.com
March / April 2015
12th Annual Day Out with
Thomas™
All aboard for a day out with
Thomas the Tank Engine!
Treat your grand kids to a 25 minute train ride with
Thomas the Tank Engine, storytelling, live music, building
with Mega Blocks®, temporary tattoos of Island of Sodor
friends, arts and crafts and more. Little engineers can meet Sir Topham Hatt, the
controller of the Railway on the Island of Sodor.
When: April 10, 11, 12; April 17, 18, and 19
Where: Where: Grapevine Vintage Railroad, 705 S. Main St., Grapevine
Time: Trains depart every 45 minutes beginning at 9am.
The last train departs at 5:15pm
Cost: On Friday, April 12 and 19, tickets are $17 per person (ages 24 months
and up). On Saturday, April 13 and 20, and Sunday, April 14 and 21,
tickets are $20 per person, ages 24 months and up. Children under
24 months may ride free but must sit in a parent’s lap. Advanced
purchase is highly recommended due to the popularity of this event.
Tickets can be purchased from TicketWeb.com or by calling
866.468.7630.
Phone: 817.410.3185
Website: GrapevineTexasUSA.com.
Peter Rabbit and Kathy Burks Puppets
Back by popular demand! The musical adaptation of
Beatrix Potter’s beloved rabbit tale lavishly blends
puppetry and live acting on the Baker Theater’s stage.
Peter Rabbit’s mother warned her children not to go into
Mr. McGregor’s garden, when she leaves the burrow,
curiosity gets the best of little Peter, and he visits the
garden. Will he escape the find the way back to the
safety and warmth of his home? Fall in love again with
this cozy tale of everyone’s favorite naughty bunny.
When: March 13–April 5
Where: Dallas Children’s Theater, Rosewood Center, 5938 Skillman, Dallas
Cost: Check website for ticket prices
Phone: 214.978.0110
Website: dct.com
Spring has Sprung at the
Irving Arts Center
Flowers are blooming and the birds are singing …
welcome the season with storytelling and a craft project.
When: Thursday, April 2
Where: Irving Arts Center, 3333 N. MacArthur Boulevard
in Irving
Phone: 972.252.7558
irvingartscenter.com for more story time events
Website:
Dallas Arboretum
Good Friday Children’s Concert & Activities
Bring your grand kids and tap your feet at the Eddie Coker
Good Friday Concert at the Dallas Arboretum. Don’t miss the
Children’s activities in the Pecan Grove with face painting,
crafts and petting zoo. Good Friday Children’s Concert with
Eddie Coker.
Where: Dallas Arboretum - Martin Rutchik Concert Stage
When: Friday, April 3, 10am–2pm
Cost: Check Website for price of admission
Phone: 214.515.6515
Website: dallasarboretum.org for discounts and parking costs
Dallas Blooms:
Deep in the Heart of Texans
Share the beauty of flowers and the wonder of Spring at the
largest floral festival in the Southwest. This years Texassized extravaganza features more than 500,000 springblooming bulbs, life-sized themes of Texas topiaries including two longhorns, two
horses and the Texas Star — the perfect backdrops for photos and videos. There
will be entertainment, food and special children’s activities and concerts.
When: Through April 12
Where: Dallas Arboretum, 8525 Garland Road, Dallas
Cost: Adults (13-64), $15; Seniors (65 & over), $12;
Children (3-12), $10; Children (2 & under), Free.
Children’s Adventure Garden admission: $3 (additional
general garden admission for non-members)
Phone: 214.515.6515
dallasarboretum.org for discounts and parking costs
Website:
Fancy Nancy – The Musical
Follow Nancy and her friends who are going to be performing
in their very first show, “Deep Sea Dances.” Nancy is
positive, that’s fancy for 100 percent sure, that she and
Bree will be picked to be mermaids. When another girl wins
the coveted role of the mermaid, Nancy is stuck playing a
dull tree. Can Nancy bring fancy flair to her role, even though it isn’t the one she
wanted?
Story Time: Barnes & Noble on 15th St. in Plano on Friday, April 10 at 6pm
When: Sunday, April 12
Where: The Eisemann Center, Hill Performance Center
2351 Performance Drive, Richardson
Cost:
Visit website for ticket prices
Phone: 972.744.4650 for ticket prices Website: eisemanncenter.com
Balloonacy
By Barry Kornhauser
Your young grand kids will enjoy this award-winning story of
a lonely old man (played by DCT’s own Karl Schaeffer) and
his friendship with a balloon. The old man is set in his solitary
ways until a red balloon blows through his window and insists
on becoming 11his friend. Sweet, inventive and packed with
physical comedy, this play shows how, with a little imagination and acceptance,
companionship is everywhere. Enjoyed by ages 3 and up
When: April 10–19
Where: Dallas Children’s Theater Rosewood Center
5938 Skillman, Dallas
Cost: Regular Single Ticket price: $14. Subscriber price: $12.
All seats will be General Seating
Phone: 214.978.0110
Website: dct.com
gardening and Charle Brown’s escapades. Activity stations allow children of all
ages from pre-school to adults, to learn more and appreciate the wonders of the
natural world.
Where: Tower Gallery – 636 S. Main St., Grapevine
When: Through April 22, Monday–Friday, 8am–5:30pm;
Sat 10am–6:30pm; Sun. 12noon–5pm
Cost: FREE
Phone: 800.457.6338
Website: grapevinetexasusa.com
Denton Arts and Jazz Fest
Enjoy a weekend of entertainment with your grand kids in a
community known for strong musical roots (Norah Jones studied
piano at UNT, and Don Henley and the Eli Young Band got their starts
here, too), it’s no wonder that one of the state’s best music events
takes place in the heart of Denton. There are seven music stages,
food and art vendors, kids activities including a percussion petting
zoo with Steve Gryb. Headliners are the UNT 1O’clock Band, Randy
Brecker, Dr. John the Night Tripper and Brave Combo.
When: Friday, April 24, 5pm–11pm; Saturday, April 25, 10am–11pm;
Sunday, April 26, 11am–9pm
Where: Quakertown Park and Facilities, 321 East McKinney
(Corner of McKinney and Bell), Denton
Phone: 940.565.0931
Cost: FREE admission, FREE entertainment
Website: Visit dentonjazzfest.com for concert times
Run! Jump! Fly! Adventures in Action
Watch your grand kids get physical in this program that aims to
inspire young people to get physically active. This heart-pumping
exhibit invites visitors into action adventure scenes where they
can jump into action star training. Adventure scenes include Surf
/Snow (balance), Kung Fu Forest (coordination), Climbing Canyon (strength) and
Fly-cycle Sky (endurance). An Action Star Training with Yoga Station, Strength
The Art of Charles Schultz
Center, and Dance Club are also part of the experience.
Join the Peanuts gang in this wonderful exhibit of Charles
Where: C.R. Smith Museum, 4601 Highway 360 at FAA Rd.
Schultz art and more. The exhibit takes a light-hearted look
in Fort Worth
at Charles Schultz’s exploration of the natural world through
When: Through May 9, 9am–5pm.
Peanuts comic strips, videos, objects and interactive stations.
Cost: $7 adults ; $4 ages 2–17.
You and your grand kids will get a Peanut’s-eye view of the
817.967.1560
universe, “web of nature,” trees, birds, the elements (snow, wind, rain and clouds), Phone: crsmithmuseum.org
Website:
The International Exhibition of
Sherlock Holmes
The Mystery Awaits!
Learn how Sherlock Holmes, a scientific expert ahead
of his time, used seemingly trivial observations of
clues others missed to solve some of literature’s most
mysterious crimes. The fictional detective’s practices
and techniques, created in the mind of doctor-turnedauthor Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, changed the way police
work was conducted and remains in practice today.
The International Exhibition of Sherlock Holmes features a dazzling array of original
manuscripts, publications, period artifacts, film and television props and costumes,
along with investigative tools influenced and used by Sherlock Holmes. You will
be transported into Victorian London to collect clues and solve a crime using the
same interactive methods employed by Holmes more than a century ago.
When: Through May 10; Mon.–Sat. 10am–5pm; Sun 12–5pm.
Where: Perot Museum of Nature and Science at Victory Park
2201 N. Field St. in Dallas
Cost: Adults (18-65) $29; Seniors (65+) $23; Youth (2–11) $19.
Includes general admission.
Phone: 214.428.5555
Website: perotmuseum.org for more information and discount pricing
Galapagos 3D — Nature’s
Wonderland
Nature’s Wonderland a short film that vividly documents an
expedition to the Galapagos Islands and surrounding waters. Part
adventure, part scientific expedition and part fantastic voyage,
this nonfiction film takes audiences to the famed Galapagos
Islands. The film delves deep into the largely unknown water
surrounding the volcanic archipelago to explore the natural wonders of a realm
that is truly a living natural science laboratory. Narrated by Jeff Corwin.
Where: Perot Museum of Nature and Science at Victory Park
2201 N. Field St. in Dallas
When: Through May 21
Cost: Adults: $5; Children FREE
Phone: 214.428.5555
Website: perotmuseum.org for more information and discount pricing
GRAND TIMES
Reading With Your GrandKids
By Heidi Frankel
Easter and Passover are both in early April this year. One of the best ways to celebrate these special holidays with
your grand kids is sharing a good book together. The pictures and stories will stay with them long after the holiday
is over and the bond you make through reading with your grand kids will remain in their heart and memory forever.
Here are a few books to help you celebrate.
The Night Before Easter
by Natasha Wing, Illustrated by Kathy Couri
“Twas the night before Easter, just before
dawn, not a creature was stirring out on the
lawn. Our baskets were set on the table with
care in hopes that the Easter bunny soon
would be there.” The Easter Bunny takes
center stage in this delightful spin of Clement
Moore’s beloved poem. In this version a
curious lad secretly watches the Easter
Bunny and his adorable chick assistants as
they fill baskets with jelly beans and marshmallow chicks, hide colorful eggs
and all sorts of night-before-Easter fun.
My First Easter
by Tomie dePaola — Board Book
The importance of family and sharing are
beautifully shown in this board book all
about Easter celebrations. Tomie dePaola’s
bright illustrations and easy-to-follow text
explain the traditions associated with
this special holiday.
The Great Easter Egg Hunt
The Passover Seder
My First Passover Seder
by Fran Manushkin
It’s Passover at the Pinsky home. Before the
seder, Mama tells a very important story to
Elijah and Miriam—how the Jewish people
were led out of Egypt by Moses. But this year,
Mama includes another part to the story: the
part about Miriam, Moses’s sister. It was
Miriam who watched over her baby brother
in the bulrushes, who led the women in song when crossing the Red Sea, and
who kept the Israelites alive in the desert with water from her miraculous well.
This beautifully illustrated, deeply spiritual book celebrates a beloved prophet
and reminds us of the magic of holidays and remembrance.
Written and Illustrated by
Michael Garland
With its suspenseful treasure-hunt plot, this
magical picture book set in the land of the
Easter bunnies offers more than 200 hidden
objects to find, puzzles to solve, and intriguing
clues that lead to a surprise ending-a meeting
with the Great Easter Bunny himself! When
Tommy receives an invitation from his
eccentric Aunt Jeanne, he immediately sets out to find her, but he discovers
instead the Easter egg factory, a wild jelly bean machine, the place where
chocolate bunnies are created, and much more. Brimming with extravagant
detail, Michael Garland’s bright illustrations will keep eager readers busy for a
long time after the last fuzzy chick is found and the last puzzle solved.
Written and Illustrated by
Tomie dePaola — Board Book
Passover is a time for families and friends
to celebrate their faith and shared history.
With simple text and cheerful watercolor
illustrations, Tomi dePaola introduces the
special traditions of Passover to share with
your grand kids.
Written and Illustrated by Emily Sper
This lively fun interactive guide to Passover
seder is a perfect introduction for children.
There’s no other book like this in the
marketplace! Along with a simple retelling
of the Passover story, this novelty book
takes readers through a hands-on seder
experience. Open a Hagaddah; turn a seder
plate to match symbolic foods; lift the napkin
and “break” the middle matzah; touch matzah, parsley and a pillow; pour drops
of wine to symbolize the ten plagues; help the Jewish people cross the Red
Sea; search for the hidden afikomen; and open the door to welcome Elijah the
Prophet.
Miriam’s Cup
March / April 2015
| 21
Three signs it may
be time to move into
a Memory Care
Community
The decision to move your loved one into a memory care community is emotional
and sometimes intimidating, but local resources are available to help your
family navigate a path to a better quality of life for you and your loved one with
dementia.
If you or someone you know is facing any one of the following situations, it’s time
to call for help.
1. Concern that your loved one with dementia may wander or fall if
unsupervised.
Does your loved one have a tendency to wander? Individuals with Alzheimer’s
or dementia may get lost walking through a neighborhood they’ve lived in for
decades. Can you supervise your loved one 24 hours a day to ensure her safety?
Memory Care communities like Oxford Glen maintain secure home-like settings,
complete with enclosed courtyards, that keep residents from wandering away
from home. Oxford Glen Memory Care also boasts built-in motion detectors that
alert staff when a resident gets out of bed at night, so that a staff member can help
your loved one no matter what time of day or night. Don’t wait for a fall. Call for
help today.
2. Health care issues for the primary caregiver.
Many studies in recent years have shown that the health of family caregivers
is greatly affected by their role. A study by the National Alliance for Caregiving
linked caregiver stress to: increased risk of cardiovascular disease, hypertension
and coronary artery disease in addition to impaired kidney function, lower
immune function and slower wound healing. Remember you can take better care
of your family when you are physically and emotionally strong. But if your health
is diminished, it’s past time to get help in caring for your loved one. Consider
starting with respite care for your loved one while you take care of your health.
3. Health care issues for your loved one with a dementia diagnosis.
Unfortunately, many families wait until a health or safety incident prompts a move
to a memory care community, but it doesn’t have to be a dramatic health change
that prompts a need for your loved one to receive 24-hour care. A gradual increase
in health-related issues may lead to many stressful trips to doctors’ offices or
an increased need in home health care. However, Oxford Glen Memory Care
communities provide 24-hour nursing and regular on-site doctor visits to care for
your loved one. Added technology features also help the dementia-certified care
team working around the clock to monitor and log details of your family member’s
care resulting in better overall health and added peace of mind for you.
Advancements in memory care communities have led to improvements in
resident care that impact the entire family. This is not the nursing home model of
years ago. Today, your loved one with Alzheimer’s can receive the physical and
mental stimulation they need in a home-like setting with built-in security features
and 24-hour nursing staff. Meanwhile, family members can spend quality family
time with Mom, Dad, Grandma or Grandpa when they visit. That improved quality
of life for the whole family can impact health for you and your loved one. Don’t
delay. Your health and your loved one’s life are worth the phone call.
Visit www.OxfordSeniorLiving.com to find the Oxford Glen Memory Care near you
or call (214) 317-4371 today.
ALZHEIMER’S ASSOCIATION SPRING SYMPOSIUM
DEMENTIA FROM ALL SIDES
Thursday, March 26, 2015
Riley Conference Center at
Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary
1700 W. Fuller Ave.
Fort Worth, Texas 76115
The 2015 Spring Symposium, Dementia from All Sides, is
the North Central Texas Chapter’s signature education
event. The full-day program cuts through the media reports
full of fact and fiction about dementia and helps attendees
gain valuable information about what really matters.
The event will teach family caregivers and health care
professionals what they need to know about many different
types of dementia. Attendees will learn how to best manage
the daily challenges faced by caregivers, professionals and
those who suffer from the debilitating effects of Alzheimer’s
disease and related dementias.
March / April 2015
Heather McKay, MS, OTR/L
If you need assistance caring for a loved one with dementia, call the
24/7 Helpline at 800-272-3900.
For more information, please call 1.800.272.3900
or visit our website at www.alz.org/northcentraltexas
facebook.com/ALZNCT
twitter.com/ALZNCTexas
Sponsored by:
Janice Knebl, DO , MBA
Sid O'Bryant, PhD
New Research on Alzheimer’s Disease
University of North Texas Health Science Center
Seeks Volunteers to participate in Clinical Trials
Alzheimer’s disease is a devastating illness that affects
more than 5 million Americans and many more family
members and caregivers. This disease begins subtly
by impairing one’s recent memories and progresses
to debilitating memory, language and other thinking
deficits. Current therapies slow progression of the
disease, offering longer periods of better quality of life,
but no treatment can prevent or cure it
Dr. Sid O’Bryant is the interim Executive Director of
the Institute for Aging & Alzheimer’s Disease Research
Dr. O’Bryant
(IAADR) at the University of North Texas Health
Science Center, and his team is working to change the status quo.
Dr. O’Bryant and his team are developing a simple blood test for
Alzheimer’s disease that can be implemented in primary care settings
as part of routine clinical labs. Ongoing UNTHSC research seeks to
understand why diabetes increases risk for Alzheimer’s disease, which
depressed patients are most likely to experience improved memory (and
reduced risk for Alzheimer’s disease) from anti-depressant medications,
how cholesterol issues may be related to behavioral problems in
Alzheimer’s disease, the impact of head injury on risk for Alzheimer’s
disease and many more. The IAADR and Section of Geriatrics at UNTHSC are actively recruiting
for multiple ongoing clinical trials designed to test new drugs for treating
this devastating disease. These trials may lead to meaningful change. But
without the help of volunteers, these trials cannot succeed.
Dr. O’Bryant will be a featured speaker at the Alzheimer’s Association
Spring Symposium at the Riley Conference Center in Fort Worth on
March 26, 2015. For more information about the symposium please call
1-800-272-3900.
For more information about enrolling in aging studies at the University of
North Texas Health Science Center, contact Kim Brown, RN, CCRC, at
[email protected] or 817-735-2694.
Senior Source Legislative Forum
By MIKE McGEE
The Senior Source held a Legislative Forum Jan. 30
at its headquarters on Harry Hines Blvd. in Dallas.
The agency, described on its website as “… The
go-to nonprofit for aging services that assist and
connect older adults to resources, to opportunities,
to independence,” invited several members of the
84th State Legislative Session to hear from Metroplex
constituents about upcoming business in Austin that
may impact local senior citizens.
Those accepting the invitation were Representative
Roberto Alonzo (D - District 104), Rep. Rodney
Anderson (R - District 105), Rep. Yvonne Davis (D District 111), Rep. Helen Giddings (D - District 109), Rep.
Matt Rinaldi (R - District 115), Rep. Matt Shaheen (R District 66), and Rep. Ron Simmons (R – District 65).
There are at least 47 different resolutions currently in
the Texas House and Senate that link to senior citizens
or healthcare needs. All of the proposed bills can be
read online at www.capitol.state.tx.us.
“Make sure you lean on us,” Rep. Anderson asked of
those gathered during his forum remarks, urging the
attendees to get involved politically at a local level.
“Make sure you call our offices.”
Rep. Rodney Anderson, Lynda Ender, Rep. Matt Shaheen
and Sydney Farrier
Representatives Alonzo, Anderson and Shaheen
attended the event; other legislators were represented by staff members.
Lynda Ender, the Director of the Advocacy Group for Elders at The Senior
Source, discussed in her opening remarks issues that AGE considered
legislative priorities. At the top of the group’s list was Funding for Adult
Protective Services.
“You have a lot of caseworkers that have very heavy caseloads. In the state of
Texas in 2012… they completed 87,487 investigations,” Ender said about the
agency. “And 59,595 of those investigations were validated.
“We’re wanting more funding for Adult Protective Services so there can be
more caseworkers and I can tell you we’re concerned about their findings, too,
because often times they’re put in a situation of making evaluations that they
don’t have the training to be able to do,” the Director continued.
Other priorities that remain on the AGE list are Funding for Medicaid, LongTerm Care Ombudsmen in Assisted Living, Grants for Guardianship & Money
Management Programs, Senior Corps Programs, and Daily Oral Care in
Nursing Facilities.
Rep. Alonzo also requested that the attendees get more
involved with the legislative process and advised that
voting played a major part in that process with respect
to getting legislation funded.
“The big deal is this, in all the legislation we’re talking
about, is money, money, and money,” he voiced,
admitting that the secret to getting a bill passed was to make sure that the
entity the bill supported would be funded in the first place. He confirmed that
financial support was essential to looking out for the growing population of
senior citizens in the state but it was the taxpayers who steered the direction
of the laws.
Rep. Shaheen suggest during his remarks that lawmakers had a very specific
function when it came to edicts from Austin on matters that affected seniors.
“As we go through our priorities - water, transportation, criminal justice…
we’ve got a $200 billion budget to work with; it is government’s role and
priority to take care of those that are most vulnerable,” he remarked. “The
reality is healthcare is the biggest line-item in our budget,” he revealed,
confirming that such spending outstripped education or transportation in
terms of cost. “So yes, we can talk about funding and those types of things
but as a legislature we need to look at how we reform Medicaid to make it
there for generations to come.”
March / April 2015
| 23
B ooks of I nterest
With a Little Help
from Our Friends
Creating Community
As We Grow Older
Written by: Beth Baker
Now that the Baby Boomers are retiring, they’re making arrangements
to live out their years in ways that will better meet their desire to stay
independent for as long as possible while remain connected to their
community, family and friends. In her new book, With a Little Help from Our
Friends, Creating Community As We Grow, journalist Beth Baker describes
the innovative ways people are making their golden years a genuine
treasure. She weaves a rich tapestry of grassroots alternatives, among
them:
n an affordable mobil home cooperative
n a senior artists’ colony
n neighbors helping neighbors in “Villages” or “naturally occurring
retirement communities
n best friends, multigenerational families, niche communities banding
together and more
This book shares stories of people around the country creatively coming up
with new ways to live their next chapter, within a network of friendship and
support,” Beth explains.
Unretirement:
How Baby Boomers
Are Changing the Way
We Think About Work,
Community, and the Good Life
Written by: Chris Farrell
America as a whole is aging along with the Baby Boomer generation, and the
possibility of social security depletion has the public so panicked that reports of
increased life expectancy are greeted with stress and worry instead of celebration.
In his new book, Chris Farrell offers a hopeful and profound counter argument.
Retirement as we know it, a term associated with not working and contributing
to society, was a brief historic anomaly. People have always found fulfillment
in work and community, and the boomers, expected to live longer and in better
health than any other generation before, also are poised to redefine post-career
expectations. This new phenomenon of unretirement finds boomers extending
their working lives as entrepreneurs and volunteers.
They are expected resources of wisdom, experience and earnings. While
demographic doomsayers lament the graying of America, Farrell argues that the
seismic shift coming in the economy will benefit the workplace and enrich our
society. Filled with personal advice and exciting new insights, UNRETIREMENT is
a vital roadmap to workers of all ages who want to adapt from the work-then-retire
mindset.
March / April 2015
Person Centered Care
Come Experience the Sonoma Difference
The idea of Person-Centered Care (PCC) has only been introduced in the past
20 years. The core principals of PCC include assurance of individuality, choice,
dignity, respect, independence. At the heart of PCC is the idea of choice, and
that every person deserves to make their own choices. For some, this may
mean sleeping in and having breakfast at a later time. This may seem like a
simple choice, but for many elders it’s not that simple. or years traditional large
facilities have been based on a model of care that is focused on task-oriented
efficiency. Staff duties often come before elder’s choices. Elders are directed
when to eat, enjoy activities, and even when they can shower, all in the name of
efficiency. PCC rebalances the work priorities to focus on the elder rather than
the tasks that need to be accomplished.
Nowhere is this more evident than in the Small House concept. Small House
has been pioneered alongside PCC to allow one-on-one, reciprocal relationships
between resident and caregiver that are based on a resident’s needs, not on
accomplishing duties or tasks. While one-on-one contact is desired in the large
facilities, the caregiver-to-resident ratio doesn’t allow for prolonged direct
contact. In Small House where there are only 6 to 16 residents it is about the
care the resident receives, not about the task of giving care. Instead of following
strict schedules, which are needed for larger numbers of residents, this concept
gives more freedom.
The bottom line is that Small House and Person-Centered Care promote better
health, more independence and dignity in an environment that is just like home.
If you are interested in more information regarding our Person-Centered Care
Concept please contact us at 972-385-0500 or [email protected],
or visit us on the web at www.sonomahouseal.com.
March / April 2015
| 25
EnGROSSing
Experiences
A Story of a
Stove
By Harriet P. Gross
This is the story of a stove –
mine -- that I purchased ‘way
back in October of 2000, the first
freestanding double-oven model I
ever saw. I’m not much of a cook
(if I were, I’d never have looked
twice at an electric range!), but for
those occasions when company
was coming and I’d be putting a
multi-course meal on the table,
the idea of a place to keep some
things properly warm while I
was actually roasting others was
irresistible.
Circuit City was in the midst of
going out of business, so I bought
my local store’s floor model of the
original Maytag Gemini at halfprice and never looked back. That
is, until the unlucky Saturday last
January when I dropped a metal
tray on my stove and shattered
the glass cooktop I’d been using
for over 14 years.
When I stopped crying, I started
telephoning. Of course, repair
services do not have regular
business hours on Saturdays. I
left messages at five of them,
asking for a return call on Monday
morning. (For the record: only
one of them did.) Then I had
another idea: Home Depot is
open on Saturday! Maybe…
One more phone call, and
HD’s good people gave me the
main number for Whirlpool,
which apparently has taken
over Maytag. Because my late
husband was a much more
organized record-keeper than
I, the stove’s original purchase
documents were easy to locate. I
made the call, told my sad story,
furnished the model and serial
numbers, and prayed that a new
cooktop for such an old stove still
existed. I was transferred to the
parts department, and after an
excruciating wait, learned that
there was one still left in stock.
Just one!
March / April 2015
I quickly claimed it with my
charge card number, then
asked who could install it. They
wouldn’t recommend many folks
in north Texas, but one of the few
was in Plano, not too far from
my Dallas home. Hooray! My
new cooktop was delivered the
following Thursday and handled
with care that very afternoon by
two wonderful workmen who
were not only quick and neat,
but also kindly noticed that my
old ovens both look like new. I
guess I really never did use them
much. So now my whole stove is
virtually new again!
I paid just about as much for this
little adventure – part, delivery,
installation – as the whole stove
cost in 2000, but that’s probably
a third of what a comparable
new one would go for today. But
I didn’t want a new one, because
I’d also bought the matching
over-the-stove microwave when I
got this model, and it’s still going
strong. So today I’m confident
that both these treasured
appliances will outlast me!
Harriet P Gross
The CopyRighter
phone: 214-691-8840
fax: 214--891-1686
[email protected]
LIKE US ON FACEBOOK
www.facebook.com/SeniorVoiceDFW
Animal Health Options:
To Qi or not to Qi
Dr. Pam Montgomery-Fittz
Vitality Pet Care Holistic Veterinary Care
www.vitalitypetcare.com
Qi, or chi (pronounced chee) is a term in
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) which refers
to the life-force energy that flows through the
body. The concept of qi is not limited to the
Asian traditions. It is called prana in Ayurvedic
medicine, vital force in homeopathy, the Innate in
chiropractic and bioelectric force in conventional
medicine.
In all traditions, optimal flow of this force provides optimal function of
muscles, ligaments, tendons, glands, organs, mental function and so on.
When there is an interruption or blockage of the flow an imbalance occurs and
symptoms result. Unfortunately, simply resolving symptoms do NOT always
mean resolving the underlying issue that caused the imbalance in qi flow.
Imagine a pebble being dropped into a pond of water. Ripples form in the
water as a response to the pebble breaking the surface. Though the ripples
move outward, the rings can be traced back to determine the location of the
pebble. Suppose the pebble represents underlying chronic disease and the
ripples are the symptoms it generates. Conventional medicines strive to
smooth the waters. Unfortunately, smoothing the waters removes the means
to find the pebble or chronic disease. Though the ripples on the surface are
removed, the pebble continues to shift and gather moss beneath the surface.
In other words, though the obvious symptoms have been removed, the
underlying chronic disease is not only still present, it continues to change and
grow beneath the surface.
Holistic care focuses on the “whole” patient picture, rather than just the
symptoms. There are many holistic options that can address the underlying
issue without masking symptoms. The goal is to find the pebble. In locating
the pebble, the disturbance can be removed and the ripples will not be
generated. There are numerous modalities in holistic veterinary medicine
such as acupuncture, acupressure, Chinese herbal therapy, chiropractic,
food therapy, homeopathy, tui-na, massage, Reiki, Tellington Touch, and so
many more. As each pet is unique and has his or her own special needs,
the treatment regimen should be customized for each pet. Each regimen
encompasses a synergistic and appropriate blend of these modalities by a
qualified practitioner to provide an optimal opportunity of each pet to achieve
a higher state of health and vitality.
Within the holistic approach, there is no factor more important than good
quality nutrition. Simply put, proper nutrition is the foundation of health. It is
here that care-givers can have the single greatest impact on the health of their
companions. The body must have suitable raw materials to build qi. With a
strong nutritional foundation and strong qi, the various modalities are used
much more effectively to return that body to a healthy state. In my clinical
experience, the pets with lesser nutrition do not respond as well as those with
quality nutrition. The qi must be strong to respond to any form of medicine.
Strengthening the qi requires appropriate raw materials be provided to every
cell to optimize function.
There are many options to assist people in the health and well-being of their
pets. Utilizing holistic medicine in conjunction with conventional veterinary
care can not only increase pets’ longevity, but their quality of life as well.
There is no magic pill that brings about health. It all comes down to the flow
of qi…..what can be done to build it and keep it flowing. Are you content with
symptomatic treatment? Or do you push yourself a little bit further?
To Qi or Not To Qi…that is the question.
March / April 2015
| 27
Alzheimer's
Association
Collin County
Caregiver
Conference
Caregiver Conference
Friday, March 6, 2015
Time: 8:30 AM to 12:00 PM
St. Jude Catholic Church
1515 N Greenville Ave
Allen, TX 75002
About the program:
Learn about Alzheimer's disease and related
dementia, the best practices in care, and
advancements in treatment and research.
Keynote Speaker:
Dr. Diana Kerwin, M.D.
Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital
Title: Update on Alzheimer's Disease
Research and Brain Healthy Habits
Free 2.25 CEUs for Social Workers-Pending
Register:
1.800.272.3900
alz.org/greaterdallas
"Conferences"
March / April 2015
| 29
Herbal Mouth Care
By Diane Hackett
We all know that good mouth care is important in order to keep our teeth
well into our old age and to avoid costly surgeries and treatments due to
mouth and gum disease. Not only should we brush regularly and floss,
but it’s important to remember that good dental care includes a healthy
diet. Approximately 90% of people living in industrialized countries can
expect dental decay and gum diseases. It appears that when processed
food becomes a natural part of the diet, a drastic increase in tooth decay
and mouth/gum disease occurs. When wholesome foods are re-introduced
into a diet, there is a decline in oral disease. So, your first line of oral
health really should be a good diet, followed by recommended dental
hygiene. Reduce your consumption of sweeteners of any kind, sodas, fruit
juices (drink diluted, natural juices without sugars added, instead), highly
processed foods (packaged foods and commercially prepared foods). Also,
for those of you who have thin teeth or enamel problems, avoid acidic
foods and water with lemon as these foods will strip your enamel from your
teeth.
Herbs can play a role in your overall hygiene approach. I have used a
simple herbal mouthwash over the years for myself and my clients which
has worked wonders for us all. I use a blend of Myrrh resin (Commiphora
myrrha), Prickly Ash Bark or Berry (Zanthoxylum ramiflorum), and Ginger
Root (Gingiber officinalis). You can buy these herbs as tinctures in
many health food stores. Go to a store that sells a variety of bottles and
containers and get a brown or cobalt blue dropper bottle – a two ounce size
is a good size. Mix equal parts of the above herbs into your empty dropper
bottle. Then add a couple of droppersful of this mix into about an ounce of
water. Rinse your mouth with this after brushing and flossing, daily. Myrrh
and Prickly Ash, and Ginger Root have antiseptic properties that reduce
decay-causing bacteria from the mouth. In addition, these herbs encourage
strengthening and healing of gum and other tissues which aid in firming
the gum tissue around the teeth and healing them of any infection. Ginger
and Prickly Ash are circulatory stimulants which will improve blood flow
in the mouth and gums. There will be a slight tingly feeling in the mouth
when using this formula due to the Prickly Ash and I find it feels good in my
mouth.
If you have infection in the mouth or gums, you could add Echinacea Root
(Echinacea purpurea, or E. angustifolia) and/or Goldenseal Root (Hydrastis
Canadensis) to the above mix to enhance the immune response.
Another lovely trick I learned just recently which works quite nicely is to dip
your floss in Tea Tree oil before flossing. Tea Tree oil is a natural antiseptic/
antibacterial substance that also aids in tissue healing. Myrrh Oil does a
good job of this as well.
Take care of your mouth and have a reason to smile!
March / April 2015
March / April 2015
| 31
With age comes the
wisdom to choose excellent care.
The Senior Health & Wellness Center, conveniently located on the campus of Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital
Fort Worth, was designed specifically for the senior population. With the community population aging and many
primary care providers limiting or not accepting Medicare patients, Texas Health Fort Worth recognized a need to
expand comprehensive healthcare to seniors.
The Senior Health & Wellness Center accepts Medicare patients and offers comprehensive wellness exams, consultative
services including but not limited to fall risk assessments, hearing and vision tests, and lab services. Call to schedule
your complimentary blood pressure and BMI screenings and to receive a free gift.
The Senior Health & Wellness Center is open
Monday – Friday 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Complimentary valet parking is available.
817-250-5710 | TexasHealth.org/FW-Senior-Health.
Doctors on the medical staff practice independently and are not employees or agents of the hospital. © 2015
15-HMFW-0283_SnrHlthWell_SrVoice_10-375x10-9.indd 1
2/13/15 2:44 PM

March / April 2015

Transcription

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