Silver Quill

DECEMBER 2020

VOLUME 38,

NO. 12

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

Scam Alert 2

Foot Care 3

Part D Enrollment 3

Telehealth 4

Donations 5

Nutrition 6

Fargo Menu 7

West Fargo Menu 8

Volunteer

Spotlight 10

Giving Hearts

Day 11

Medicare Part D

Open Enrollment 12

Storm Policy 13

Holiday Fire Safety 14

Christmas Meal 15

MENU INSIDE!

Where’s my menu? Menus will no longer be mailed indi-vidually - you can now find the Fargo menu on page 7

and the West Fargo menu on page 8 of the Silver Quill newsletter, or online at

valleyseniorservices.org.

Dear Friends – To keep you informed on our services to the seniors of southeastern North Dakota, here is a brief update: • Congregate Dining – Because of the significant increase in the number of

COVID-19 infections throughout the state of North Dakota and based on ND Department of Health SMART RESTART guidelines along with conversations with the Aging Services Division of the ND Department of Human Services, meal sites will continue to be closed for dining for the foreseeable future but take-out meals will be available. We know how disappointing this is to the many seniors who are looking forward to seeing their friends in person but feel a responsibility to be safe with how we serve all of you.

• Meals on Wheels will continue to be provided as they currently are with pre-cautions to limit contact between volunteers and the seniors who receive this service including requiring volunteers to wear face masks and encouraging sen-iors to leave a bench or chair outside their door to leave the meal on.

• Transportation – rides are being provided with a few modifications including requiring drivers and passengers to wear masks, sanitizing after each ride, and limiting the number of riders to only people who live in the same household.

Valley Senior Services is committed to the health and safety of the senior citizens we serve and will continue to evaluate our response to the coronavirus situation as it evolves. We are looking forward to getting back to a normal service delivery sys-tem but know that we all need to be careful with this very dangerous virus Through all of this, our goal is to provide nutrition and other supportive ser-vices to assist seniors to continue living independently as late in life as possible. Please feel free to reach out to me if you have questions or concerns on any of this and thank you all so much for your support of our programs for the seniors of southeastern North Dakota! Brian Arett, Director Valley Senior Services

Valley Senior Services

P.O. Box 2217

Fargo, ND 58108

www.valleyseniorservices.org

Directors: Becky Christianson

Jane Hazlett

Henry Kucera

Marlene Batterberry

Connie Elledge

SuZ Smith

Vince Dalke

Duane Fontaine

Director:

Brian Arett

Transportation Manager: Paul Grindeland

Outreach Manager: Bernie Johnson

Nutrition Manager: Shannon Lang

Metro Senior Ride Operations

Supervisor: Cindy Girdner

Dispatchers: Sharon Sondreal

Paula Thomas

MaryJo Fandrich

Resource Specialists: Patty Dahley

Jill McCall

Kassie Emanuel

Sheena Nelson

Karleen Wyum

Administrative Assistants: Em Janes

Kathy Watt

If you are qualified, your rights to receive the

services provided by this organization without

regard to race, color, religion, sex, national

origin, age or handicap are protected by

Federal Law. If you believe you have been

discriminated against, please contact: Brian

Arett, Valley Senior Services, P.O. Box 2217,

Fargo, ND 58108. (701) 293-1440.

Statement of Identification - Silver Quill

Published Monthly by:

Valley Senior Services, Inc.

2801 32nd Ave. S, P.O. Box 2217, Fargo, ND 58108

To receive the Silver Quill call 293-1440 or toll free 1-877-827-1916

or e-mail us at: info@valleyseniors.org

December 2020 2

SCAM ALERT From AARP North Dakota

Impostor Scams Older North Dakotans are receiving un-expected phone calls offering them a plastic chip card to replace their paper Medicare card. Of course, the calls are a scam to get them to give up per-sonal information. It’s just one of many impostor scams that continue to evolve and find new victims.

Impostor scams are exactly what they sound like – crooks pose as some-one else to try to convince you to send them money.

Impostors pretend to be employees of the Internal Revenue Service, So-cial Security Administration or other government agencies. Impostor scams go beyond government to encompass romance fraudsters and tech support. Con artists impersonate people and organizations you would ordinarily trust, such as your bank, a utility company, or a charity.

Their message is usually urgent. A bill is overdue. An account has been compromised. A computer is infected. A cause needs your support. A grandchild is in trouble. Some impostors pretend to be bearing good news — you’ve won a lottery and claiming the prize is a simple matter of paying an upfront fee to collect it, or providing personal data such as a Social Security or bank account number.

If the person contacting you asks for payment by wire transfer, gift card, prepaid debit card or cash, it’s a scam.

Hang up on unsolicited callers. And don’t give callers sensitive infor-mation such as a credit card number or your Social Security number un-less you’re sure of whom you are dealing with.

Don’t allow remote access to your computer to someone who calls out of the blue offering tech support. Don’t rely on caller ID to determine if a call is legitimate. Scammers use spoofing tools to make it appear they are calling from a genuine government or business number.

If you think you have fallen victim to any type of scam, call the AARP Fraud Watch Network Helpline at 877-908-3360 for guidance and sup-port, or visit the AARP Fraud Watch Network at www.aarp.org/fraudwatchnetwork.

Valley Senior Services

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December Foot Care

Foot care is back on the schedule! Trollwood Center 3105 Broadway, Fargo Monday, December 7th 12:30 pm -3:30 pm West Fargo High Rise 230 8th Ave W, West Fargo Wednesday, December 16th 10:00 am -2:00 pm Ed Clapp Park Center 2801 32nd Ave S, Fargo Monday, December 21st 12:30 pm-3:30 pm You must call 701-234-3301 to schedule an

appointment. Please leave a message.

Reminder: Medicare Part D

Annual Enrollment ends December 7th

Options for enrollment assistance:

• Contact the State Health Insurance Depart-ment for a free drug plan comparison. Call 701-328-2440 Option #1 or toll-free 1-888-575-6611.

• Go to www.medicare.gov to complete a self-guided plan comparison

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For ad info. call 1-800-950-9952 • www.lpiseniors.com Valley Senior Services, Fargo, ND A 4C 02-1024

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Need Medicare & Part D Help? Turn to your North Dakota/Minnesota

Trusted Senior Advisor!Sharon A Martinson

MARTINSON INSURANCE AGENCY, LLC Regus Building

3523 45th Street South • Fargo, ND 58104 Sharon1129@hotmail.com

701.240.2340

TURNING 65And Seeking Solutions?Need Medicare & Part D Help?Turn to your Fargo-Moorhead Senior Insurance Specialist!

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Schedule Your NO COST, NO OBLIGATION Appointment Today!

December 2020 4

You may have heard of telehealth or telemedicine, and COVID-19 has

transformed telehealth from a “nice-to-have” program into an essential element of care delivery. Here is

some information on telehealth.

Valley Senior Services

5

$100.00 and Above

5

RDO Caters Taters Donors

We appreciate the many donations we

have received and thank each and

every one of you for your support. All

contributions can be sent to:

Valley Senior Services,

P.O. Box 2217 Fargo, ND 58108

West Fargo Area Community Program - $250 for Secret Santa for Seniors

Richard & Terryl Springer in memory of Curtis Kinney - $215

Ron & Nancy Saeger - $200

Mary & Paul Grindeland in memory of Evelyn VanLishout - $175

Kate Bodelson - $100

Essentia Health Employee Together We Thrive

Program - $100

Thank You To Our Contributors!

Wanzek Construction - $1,000

Outlet Recreation - $100

Asmus, Ruth in memory of Clara Elhard Holmen, Florence in memory of Evelyn VanLishout

For ad info. call 1-800-950-9952 • www.lpiseniors.com Valley Senior Services, Fargo, ND B 4C 02-1024

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December 2020 6

(Continued on page 9)

Spice up the Holidays By Lane Lipetzky, RDN

The holiday season is upon us! Along with the tradi-tions, family gatherings and excitement also comes food, a lot of food. How do we eat healthy during the holidays without compromising on taste or diet restrictions? In this month’s article we will discuss why our taste changes and how we can make holi-day foods enjoyable without the extra fat, sugar and salt. Why does our taste change? At birth, we have about 10,000 taste buds but after age 50 we start to lose them. According to Mayo clinic, some loss of taste is a natural part of aging and is especially common after the age of 60. Age, along with certain medications, illness, dental prob-lems and smoking can have a negative effect on our ability to taste. Because taste and smell are so close-ly related, nasal and sinus problems also change our ability to taste. The loss of taste and smell can alter appetite, nutri-tion and even mood. It can also drive people to add more fat, sugar and salt to foods to enhance flavor. Medically, there are a few ways to combat loss of taste and smell. Consult your doctor if you are expe-riencing loss of taste or smell. They may be able to adjust the type or dose of medication you are taking, or they may be able to help with nasal or dental problems you are experiencing. If you smoke, quit smoking. As far as foods, adding extra spices, eat-ing a variety of textures and paying attention to vis-ual appeal will all impact the way we taste.

Adding Spices Many of us have seasoned our foods with salt, add-ed sugar, butter or we have added cream of mush-room soup to almost everything. These might en-hance the taste of the food but there are more ways to create flavor. One of the best ways to add flavor to food is by adding spices and herbs. Not only do spices and herbs add flavor and color to foods, but they also have nutritional value. Spices and herbs contain vitamins and minerals, some contain fiber, others have been used to help lower inflammation or even aid in digestion.

Common spices and herbs to add to holiday dishes are sage, thyme, rosemary, bay leaves, peppercorns, garlic, chives, basil, oregano and paprika. Popular spices to add to dessert dishes are cinnamon, all

spice, nutmeg, cloves, cardamom and ginger. Below are a few examples of spice blends to help add flavor to foods.

Along with spices and herbs, oils, acids and vegetables are great ways to add flavor. Cooking with olive oil, adding a bit of lemon or orange juice to a recipe or adding onions and celery can help create extra flavor. Acids like citrus juice, wine and vinegar also help ten-derize meats, improving the texture.

Bakers Spice Blend

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon ground ginger 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg ½ teaspoons allspice powder ¼ teaspoon ground cloves ¼ teaspoon cardamom

Holiday Turkey Rub ¼ Cup olive oil 1 Tablespoon white wine 1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce 2 teaspoons thyme (dried) 2 teaspoons rosemary (dried) 1 teaspoon sage (dried) ½ Tablespoons onion (finely minced) ½ Tablespoons garlic (finely minced) Remember, spice blends are not an exact science and can be altered to meet anyone’s specific taste prefer-ences. There are also many spice and herb blends that can be purchased at the grocery store to save time! Make sure to read the ingredients label and buy blends without added sugar and salt.

Texture When planning a holiday meal, always consider tex-ture. A variety of textures can make food more appeal-ing and increase meal satisfaction. Many holiday foods can have a bland texture, finding ways to add a little variety may help. Lightly roasting, blanching or steam-ing vegetables rather than boiling or mashing them

7 Valley Senior Services

December 2020 8

10

Valley Senior Services 9

(Continued from page 6)

Spice up the Holidays

may add texture. Serving some fresh salads and add-ing chopped nuts or dried fruits to dishes can help as well. Even having both hot and cold dishes can help add to the variety. Not only will this increase tex-ture, but it will also add to visual appeal. Visual Appeal The saying goes, “we eat with our eyes.” The best way people have been able to test this theory is through blind taste tests. In one of my university classes we conducted a taste test between chocolate and vanilla Oreos. To my surprise, blindfolded, I could not tell the difference! They tasted exactly the same, when I was sure I would prefer the chocolate. This just goes to show, if something looks appealing or we have a preconceived idea of how the food will taste, it will alter how the food actually tastes. Serv-ing a variety of colorful foods, with a mix of tex-tures, seasoned with herbs and spices is all very vis-ually appealing.

Tips for Tasty and Healthy Holiday Meals • Use a variety of herbs and spices to season foods

rather than salt and sugar. • When selecting a spice blend from the store, read

the label to make sure there is no added sugar or salt.

• Use acids like wine, citrus or balsamic vinegar to add flavor to food or tenderize meat.

• Look for low sodium or no added salt products in the grocery store.

• Cook with olive or canola oil instead of butter. • When planning a meal, consider both texture and

visual appeal of the food. • Arrange a holiday dish or the food on your plate

to look appealing. • Make half your plate vegetables and fruit. • Because they can affect our health, always consult

your dietitian or doctor before taking any herbal supplements.

For ad info. call 1-800-950-9952 • www.lpiseniors.com Valley Senior Services, Fargo, ND C 4C 02-1024

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December 2020 10

Volunteer Spotlight

This month we are featuring Paula Larsen and her husband Dick, who have been delivering Meals on Wheels for about four months. Here’s what Paula has to say about volunteering: My husband Dick and I have been enjoying our volunteering for Meals on Wheels these past months. Even before we started volunteering for Meals on Wheels, I had a special place in my heart for the program, because we used the services for my mother back in 2013 during the last 6 months of her life. She lived to be 2 months shy of her 100th birthday! She was spry and alert for most of the 6 years she lived with us, and she enjoyed the congregate dining at the Ed Clapp Center for many years. Since she was legally blind, the folks at her table, especially one gentleman, would bring her food to the table and cut up her food to make it easier to eat. Recently, I recorded an album of gospel music and dedicated it to my mom, Ruth Ann Parker Roth. It was a labor of love, primarily for my family. Since I don't crochet or quilt to make beautiful gifts for my kids, grandkids, and great grandkids (12 great grandkids with another little girl on the way!), I recorded this album to give them as a lasting reminder of my love for them. Many thanks to Paula Larsen and her husband Dick for their volunteer service to Meals on Wheels!

A photo of Paula’s CD

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For ad info. call 1-800-950-9952 • www.lpiseniors.com Valley Senior Services, Fargo, ND D 4C 02-1024

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11 Valley Senior Services

Rural Cass News

Congregate Dining: Now Available as Pick Up and Take Out Until Further Notice: Page Cafe, Page, ND (668-2254): T,Th, F 11:30-12:30; Leonard Cafe, Leonard, ND (645-2240):

M,W,F 11:00; Hunter Cafe & Bakery, Hunter, ND (874-2253): M,W,F 11:00. Please call ahead to or-

der your meals.

Cass County Council Meeting: Christmas party is cancelled. Next meeting is Monday, March 15th at

10:00 am in Hickson.

Cass County Rural Bus Schedule:

Routes: North Cass County South Cass County

Hunter 8:00 a.m. Leonard 8:00 a.m.

Arthur 8:20 Kindred 8:30

Casselton 9:00 Horace 8:45

Fargo 9:45 Fargo 9:15

North route runs December 1, 8, 15, 22 & 29. South route runs December 2, 9, 16, 23 & 30. Express van

runs Mondays and Thursdays. Please call 356-7433 for more information or to schedule your ride. For

Page residents: you can use Steele County bus to Fargo on December 7 & 18. Please call 1-800-845-

1715 for pick-up information and to reserve a ride.

For ad info. call 1-800-950-9952 • www.lpiseniors.com Valley Senior Services, Fargo, ND E 4C 02-1024

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2019 Events: Veteran’s Memorial Event

May 23

4th of July Celebration July 4

Pioneer Days August 17 & 18

Paranormal Investigations Weekends in

September and October

Ghost Tours Weekends in October

Christmas on the Prairie December 7

UR Next Barber Shop Now located at Bonanzaville

2020 Events:

May 21

August 15 & 16

Weekends in September & October

Weekends in September & October

December 5

Expires 12/31/2020

December 2020 12

(Continued on page 13 )

Valley Senior Services 13

When inclement weather arises, we will consider the needs of our clients and the safety of staff/volunteers to determine if our services will be canceled. Community dining sites, Meals on Wheels delivery and Metro Senior Ride will be canceled if we determine that condi-tions are dangerous to our clients, volunteers and staff. When conditions are such that we cannot provide our services, Valley Senior Services will broadcast our closing an-nouncements on the following radio and TV stations along with our website (www.valleyseniorservices.org) and Facebook page (www.facebook.com/ValleySeniorServices/ ).

Radio: KFGO, WDAY TV: WDAY, KVRR, KVLY

If weather conditions are bad and you are not sure if we are open, please call our office at 293-1440 or meal site before going out.

For ad info. call 1-800-950-9952 • www.lpiseniors.com Valley Senior Services, Fargo, ND F 4C 02-1024

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• Skilled Nursing• Home Care Service• Nursing• Physical Therapy• Occupational Therapy• Home Health Aid

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701-478-4224701-478-4224Care available

24 hours a day, 7 days a week

MEDICARE MAY PAY UP TO 100%

December 2020 14

Valley Senior Services 15

A special meal to celebrate the holiday season will be offered for take-out on

Wednesday, December 23rd at the Fargo and West Fargo

Senior Centers.

Please call your local senior center by Friday, December 18th to reserve this

meal. You can find a list of congregate meal sites and their phone numbers on

the menus on pages 7 & 8 of this newsletter.

Please call our office at 293-1440 with

any questions.

All meal sites and offices will closed on Friday, December 25th and

Friday, January 1st.

For ad info. call 1-800-950-9952 • www.lpiseniors.com Valley Senior Services, Fargo, ND G 4C 02-1024

H6202_NBTghBssQtr_M CMS Accepted 10022020NextBlue of North Dakota is a PPO plan with a Medicare contract. Enrollment in NextBlue of North Dakota depends on contract renewal. © 2020, NextBlue of North Dakota. All Rights Reserved. NextBlue of North Dakota Insurance Company is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association.

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Next tough boss

NON-PROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE PAID FARGO, ND 58102 PERMIT NO. 1123

Valley Senior Services, Inc. P.O. Box 2217 Fargo, ND 58108

For ad info. call 1-800-950-9952 • www.lpiseniors.com Valley Senior Services, Fargo, ND H 4C 02-1024