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EDITORMichelle Fields231-733-3523 or [email protected]@srwmi.org

GRAPHIC DESIGNJay NewmarchCRE8 Design, [email protected]

COPY EDITORBonnie Borgeson

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Submit articles for publication or letters to the editor to [email protected] or to Senior Resources, 560 Seminole Rd., Muskegon, MI 49444, Att: Senior Perspectives.

WRITERSLaura BeechnauGil BoersmaJoel DulyeaDelicia EklundJanet HasselbringGreg HoadleyDick HoffstedtRobbi JuergensDr. Aruna JosyulaJackie Lindrup Holly Lookabaugh-DeurClif MartinJerry MattsonLouise MatzJay NewmarchCece RileyMike SimcikKeith SipeHeather Smith Kelly St. MartinCathay Thibdaue Dr. Oluwatoyin ThomasLisa Tyler Amy VanLoonVonda VanTilRolina Vermeer

ON THE COVER:Glenn Rutgers | [email protected]

5 Martin’s Meanderings by Clif Martin

6 6 Steps to Love Your Limbic System by Holly Lookabaugh-Deur

8 Social Security Questions & Answers

by Vonda VanTil

9 White Lake Business Expo

by Amy Van Loon

10 MMAP Minutes by Robbi Juergens.

11 Soul Food by Gil Boersma, M.DIV., B.C.C.

13 Savor the Flavor of Eating Right by Julianne Hilbrand

14 A Caregiver’s Perspective by Rolina Vermeer

15 The End of the Road by Jerry Mattson16 Girls in Pink and White Dresses by Mike Simcik

18 What’s happening at Senior Resources

20 Cathay’s Cooking Corner by Cathay Thibdaue

20 Healthy Living

21 Save This Tax Season Free Tax Preparation

22 Warm Weather, No Traffi c by Janet Hasselbring

24 Game page

26 The Wrong Man by Dick Hoffstedt

27 Dine like royalty aboard the Queen Mary

by Jay Newmarch

28 Ask the Doctor by Dr. Oluwatoyin Thomas

29 Muskegon County Genealogical Society

by Delicia Eklund

30 Keith’s World by Keith Sipe

31 Walk to End Alzheimer’s

I Spy Winner

32 Death & Taxes by Kelly St. Martin, LMSW

33 Adventure Time by Joel Dulyea

34 Home Away from Home by Louise Matz

MARCH | APRIL 2017 n WHAT’S INSIDE THIS ISSUE

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MARCH | APRIL 2017 3 SENIOR PERSPECTIVES

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Martin’s Meanderings St. Patrick’s DayRuby and Roma: They’re Irish!

Ruby Murray, born in Belfast, was a wildly popular singer all over the United Kingdom in the 50s and 60s. She held the record for the most number one hits on the charts at the same time. Her big one here was “Softly, Soft-ly.” My favorite that I play over and over is “It’s the Irish in Me.” If you’re not sure what an Irish lilt is, listen

to Ruby Murray and you’ll know. If you don’t have any Irish in you, you will wish you did. “Ruby Murray” is Cockney slang for curry in London’s Indian food restaurants.

Another colleen came on the scene in the late 90s. Roma Downey, born in Northern Ireland to Maureen O’Reilly and Patrick Downey, was cast as Monica in Touched by an Angel.

She was a novice angel, tak-en under the wing of older angel Tess. Tess was played by Della Reese, who had been topping the charts with her recordings at the same time Ruby Murray was do-ing it in the United King-dom. Later in her life, Della became a minister and offi ci-ated at Roma’s wedding.

When the TV series ended its nine season run, Roma and her husband produced Christian fi lms and TV. She appeared as Mary, the Moth-er of Jesus, in the mini-series The Bible. I don’t remember if the Virgin Mary spoke with an Irish brogue.

Clif started in radio in Flint in 1950, then moved to Marine City, Havre, Montana, back to Michigan and Grand Rapids, then fi nally to Muskegon in 1963.

BYCLIFMARTIN


So you are tired of hearing about what to eat, how much to exercise, how much to sleep, and all of the other “I should…” comments about being healthy? I hear you! Let’s talk about something different. Some-thing unique to JUST YOU. Something no one can see or judge. Something that drives every minute of your waking and sleeping life. Your Limbic System.

What is that? The limbic system is a part of your brain, deep in the core, below all of your higher thought and movement centers. It is comprised of a group of structures that are sometimes referred to as the “basic survival” structures, regulating and

protecting your emotions, reactions, memory and more. Often thought of as the key to overall mental health, the limbic system is linked to understanding and treating depression, as well as preventing degenera-tive neurological conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease. This complex neurological bundle of structures controls our moods, our sense of smell, sleep, appetite, sexuality, and ability to bond with others. Think of the limbic system as combining the higher mental functions with our primitive reactions, creating our overall mood. It matters!

Why are we talking about this in a Health and Wellness column? What we think and how we feel is the cornerstone of health – not what we look like, how far we walk, or if our skin looks younger than it is. How you FEEL is what matters. If you feel GOOD, you try new things, you laugh, you bring light to others. When you feel BAD, you sometimes can’t get out of the rut of life, no matter what advice anyone gives you. You have a negative fi lter on life – every day – and, let’s face it, people may stop wanting to be around you. The limbic system matters because your attitude matters. Your outlook on life is the ultimate medal of good health.

The limbic system includes the AMYGDALA – which regulates emotion, anger, anxiety, stress; the HIPPO-CAMPUS – our memory control center; the THALA-MUS – our pain center; the HYPOTHALAMUS – the brain of our endocrine system, regulating chemical and hormone reactions; the BASAL GANGLIA – our funda-

mental motor control, coordination and reaction center; and the CIN-GULATE GYRUS – which packages our sights and smells into memory, and creates emotional reaction to pain.

Think about someone who has a gloomy mood. The amygdala mediates anxiety and fear. Studies show that people suffering from depression have increased amygdala reactivity, and once it is fi red up, they can’t calm it down. These folks react strongly and negatively to a situation and may fi xate longer

6 Steps to Love Your Limbic System

BY HOLLYLOOKABAUGH- DEUR


on emotional information – a long grudge maybe? – struggling to fi nd calm. It’s a fact that a smaller anatomical hippocampus, which turns short term memory into long term memories, causes the person to struggle to remember happy memories, yet they are able to detail every minute of the bad ones. We can blame the hippocampus for some of that! Diffi culty in concentrating and focusing on the negative – both symptoms of depression – are controlled by the cingulate cortex. Signs of this area not functioning well may be seen in someone who notices mistakes in a hypercritical way and dwells on what’s wrong.

Depression can be a result of poor communication between the brain’s “thinking” pre-frontal cortex and the limbic system. When the limbic system is overactive or chronically irritated, it sets the mind’s fi lter to “negative” – one thought after the next is pessimistic and we become anxious about the future. Present day is gloomy, and the future outlook is grey at best. Automatic Negative Thoughts (ANTs) take over!

Dr. Daniel Amen, a leader in holistic healing, describes nine types of ANTs that we need to get rid of to lead a healthy life. His book Change Your Mind, Change Your Life is a best seller and outlines in detail how to truly change the way we think. This internal “talk” – private, to your-self, anywhere and anytime that you want to – is the cornerstone of MINDFULNESS. I recommend this book to anyone who wants to make some positive changes in their lives.

How can we LOVE our Limbic System? Think about your mood being controlled by science. Consider the following steps to a better limbic system health!

1. Diet – fruit, veggies, and whole grains -- do matter to the limbic system. They have the most pure minerals and vitamins and natural anti-oxidants, keeping our cells from mutating and randomly dying.

They help maintain healthy neurotransmitters, chemicals that create neurological communication.

2. Replace saturated fats with omega-3 fatty acids. Replace the red meat, deep fried foods, and whole dairy for more fi sh, nuts, and skim milk. They are a mood stabilizer and your risk for Alzheimer’s disease will decline.

3. Surround yourself with positivity – it IS contagious! Try to eliminate toxic people and talk from your world. Create opportunity for social contact.

4. Moving your body creates a chemical and hormonal change that calms the limbic system. Continuous movement for even 20 minutes, three times a week, can literally change your mood.

5. Try surrounding yourself with smells that trigger good memories – maybe a hot apple pie? Or lavender or chamomile tap into smells that trigger the hippocampus.

6. Trigger good memories by taking out the photo album. Try putting them in chronological order. Or call an old friend and talk about “re-

member when” … and you will light up your limbic system!

Inner peace with who we are and our place in this world is really what good health is all about. Tap into your inner brain. The best in life may be yet to come!

Holly is a Board-Certifi ed, Geriatric Clinical Specialist and Physical Therapist, and President of Generation Care. An advocate for older adults, Lookabaugh-Deur believes that knowledge encourages self-empowerment. She welcomes comments and can be reached at [email protected]


Question: I am re-ceiving Social Security retirement benefi ts and I recently went back to work. Do I have to pay Social Security (FICA) taxes on my income?

Answer: Yes. By law, your employer must withhold FICA taxes from your paycheck.

Although you are retired, you do receive credit for those new earnings. Each year So-cial Security automatically credits the new earnings and, if your new earnings are higher than in any earlier year used to calculate your current benefi t, your monthly benefi t could increase. For more information, visit www.socialsecurity.gov or call us at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778).

Question: I’m trying to fi g-ure out how much I need to save for my retirement. Does the government offer any help with fi nancial educa-tion?

Answer: Yes. For starters, you may want to fi nd out what you can expect from Social Security with a visit to Social Security’s Retirement Estimator at www.socialsecu-rity.gov/estimator. The Finan-cial Literacy and Education Commission has a website that can help you with the basics of fi nancial education: www.mymoney.gov. Finally, you’ll want to check out the Consumer Financial Protec-tion Bureau, which offers educational information on a number of fi nancial matters, including mort-gages, credit cards, retirement, and other big decisions. Visit the Consumer Financial Protec-tion Bureau at www.consumerfi nance.gov.

Question: Are Social Security numbers reas-signed after a person dies?

Answer: No. We do not reassign Social Security numbers. In all, we have assigned more than 460 million Social Security numbers. Each year we assign about 5.5 million new numbers. There are over one billion combinations of the nine-

digit Social Security number. As a result, the current system has enough new numbers to last for several more generations. For more informa-tion about Social Security, visit our website at www.socialsecurity.gov.

Question: Someone stole my Social Security number and it’s being used repeatedly. Does So-cial Security issue new Social Security numbers to victims of repeated identity theft?

Answer: Identity theft is one of the fastest growing crimes in America, so you aren’t alone. If you’ve done all you can to identify and fi x the problem, including contacting the Federal Trade Commission, but someone is still using your number, Social Security may assign you a new number. If you decide to apply for a new

number, you’ll need to prove your identity, age, and U.S. citizenship or immigration status. You’ll also need to provide evidence you’re having ongoing problems because of the misuse of your current Social Security number. You can read more about identity theft at www.socialsecurity.gov/pubs.

Question: I’m trying to fi gure out the best time to retire based on my future earnings. How can I calculate my own retirement benefi t estimate?

Answer: We suggest you use our Retire-ment Estimator at www.socialsecurity.gov/

estimator. Our Retirement Estimator produces estimates based on your actual Social Security earnings record, so it’s a personalized, instant picture of your future estimated benefi t. Also, you can use it to test different retirement sce-

narios based on what age you decide to start benefi ts. For example, you can fi nd out your estimated monthly pay-ments if you retire at age 62, 70, or any age in between. Try it out now at www.socialsecu-rity.gov/estimator.

Question: What are Com-passionate Allowances?

Answer: Compassionate Allowances are Social Secu-rity’s way of quickly iden-tifying severe diseases and other medical conditions that qualify a person for disability benefi ts without waiting a long time. Compassionate Allowances permit Social Security to target the most obviously disabled individu-als for allowances and faster payment of benefi ts based on objective medical information that we can obtain quickly.

Compassionate Allowances are not separate from the Social Security Disability Insurance or Supplemental Security Income programs. Find out more at www.socialsecurity.gov/compas-sionateallowances.

Vonda VanTil is the Public Affairs Specialist for West Michigan. You can write her c/o Social Security Admin-istration, 3045 Knapp NE, Grand Rapids MI 49525 or via email at [email protected]

BYVONDA VANTIL

Questionsand Answers


A fi rst-hand look at the di-verse products and services offered by many of White Lake’s businesses will be available to the public on Saturday, March 11th at the White Lake Commu-nity Business Expo held at Whitehall High School.

What is a Business Expo? “It’s an excellent opportunity for area mer-chants and service providers to showcase ‘what they do’ to people in our area,” said Amy VanLoon, executive director of the White Lake Area Chamber of Commerce. “We have a vi-

brant business community that has much to of-fer to residents, visitors and to each other. They have a lot to be proud of!” Expect one-on-one interaction with local busi-

ness owners as well as the opportunity to take part in over $3,000 in booth giveaways! All winners will be announced during the event. The Expo, presented by the Chamber and free to the public, will be held in conjunction with the popular annual Rotary Pancake Breakfast at the high school, 3100 White Lake Drive. Hours of the Expo are 8 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. 2017 sponsors are Scheid Plumbing Heating & Cooling, Frontier Communications, Boardwell Mechanical Services, Redi Rental, Muskegon Co-op Federal Credit Union, White Lake As-sisted Living, and White Lake Beacon. For additional information or to request an applica-tion to reserve a booth, contact the White Lake Area Chamber of Commerce at 893-4585.

White Lake

Area Business Expo Slated for March 11

BYAMYVAN LOON


Most people with Medicare pay a monthly premium for Part B. In 2017, the Part B premium is not the same for everyone. The base premium is $134 per month, but most people will pay a lower amount in 2017 because they are protected by something called the hold harmless provi-sion. You will pay the lower premium if:

• You were entitled to Social Security benefi ts for November and De-cember of 2016, and

• The Part B premium was or will be deducted from those benefi ts for November 2016 through January 2017.

If you meet these guidelines to pay the lower premium, your 2017 pre-mium will be higher than it was in 2016 by the same amount as your So-cial Security Cost of Living Adjustment. In 2017, this adjustment is 0.3%. The average Part B premium for those protected by hold harmless is $109, but your premium may be higher or lower. To learn your amount, check your Social Security statement or contact the Social Security Ad-

ministration at 800-772-1213.

The hold harmless provision does not apply to you, and your base Part B premium is $134 if:

• You are new to Medicare. • You already pay higher Part B premiums because of income. • You are enrolled in a Medicare Savings Program. • You were enrolled in a Medicare Savings Program in 2016 but lost the

program because your income increased or you did not recertify.

Note that if you are enrolled in a Medicare Savings Program, the pro-gram will continue paying your Part B premium.

Understanding your Part B deductible and coinsurance costs in 2017.

If you have Original Medicare, you will pay an annual Part B deductible of $183 in 2017, up from $166 last year. You will continue to pay a 20% coinsurance amount for most services covered by Part B. The amount you pay for Medicare Advantage Plan deductibles, copayments, and/or coinsurances varies by plan.

If you have questions about your 2017 Medicare costs and options, con-tact your MMAP offi ce at 1-800-803-7174

Robbi Juergens is the Regional Coordinator for the Medicare/Medicaid Assis-tance Program and also the Evidence Based Program Coordinator.

*reprinted from Medicare Minutes January 2017

MMAP MinutesUnderstand your Part B premium costs in 2017

BYROBBIJUERGENS


Soul FoodLove: 8 ways it is; 8 ways it isn’t

There must have been a lot of confu-sion going on in the communities to which the Apostle Paul traveled, west of where Jesus was born. Paul seemed to be most concerned with the people of Corinth. I have found however, like many before me, that Paul was inspired by the Holy Spirit to write letters which have reached more souls than even he could have imagined!

In February we think of those we love because of Valentine’s Day. In March and April we remember the sacrifi cial love of

God’s only son, Jesus. To love God and love our neighbor sums up all the laws and prophets before Paul. Love continues to be, to this day, the most important thing we need to understand and practice. Like the saying goes: love makes the world go ‘round. So let us think about what we consider to be loving, and what is not, according to Paul’s ancient letter, I Corinthians.

Paul wrote that “love is patient, kind, and happy with truth. Love puts up with all

things, trusts in all things, hopes in all things, and endures all things; therefore love never fails.” It’s easy to say that none of us maintain all these factors

all the time. However, these eight factors help us to realize how the love of God lives through us to others. Did you notice that the list did not mention money spent, gifts given, or even words spoken? However,

one could say “I need to be more kind in my speech, and speak only the truth.” This love described by Paul is

the kind of love and endurance that the Spirit gives us if we believe in God and talk to God regularly. The farther we get from the truth of God, the less our lives and actions will resemble love as the

Creator meant it to be.

Paul also wrote that “love is not jealous, doesn’t brag, is not arrogant, is not rude, doesn’t seek one’s own advantage, is not irritable, doesn’t keep

record of complaints, and isn’t happy with injustice.” Now that surely puts light on many of our failures and steps on our toes! I have thought many times that the list is impossible to keep day after day! However, start with one thing on the list. It also speaks to the foolishness of thinking that we can live even one day loving like this without any help! The purpose of God’s Holy Spirit, and the com-munity of faith (one friend with stronger faith than yours is a great help) is to gain knowledge and strength together.

Feed upon the Word of God, seek out the help of the community of faith, and fi nd the presence of the Holy Spirit become more noticeable and helpful.

Soul Food is written by Rev. Gil Boersma, M.Div., a Board Certified Chaplain and retired pastor. He can be reached by sending a text to, or calling (231) 557-5640.

BYGIL BOERSMA, M.DIV., B.C.C.


Where did the Easter bunny come from?According to some sources, the Easter bunny fi rst arrived in America in the 1700s with German immigrants who settled in Pennsylvania and transported their tradition of an egg-laying hare called “Osterhase” or “Oschter Haws.” Their children made nests in which this creature could lay its colored eggs. Information provided by History.com


The fi rst step is to make dinner a priority. Everyone is busy. However, it is still important to take time to sit down together as a family and enjoy a meal. What is the point of planning out your weekly meals if no one will be together to enjoy them? Take a realistic look at your calendar and determine which nights your family can be together and how many meals you will need to cook.

Don’t pressure yourself into planning elaborate meals for each evening. Use your time wisely. Do you have a crock pot that you can utilize? Are there some meals that can be prepared over the weekend to be used during the week? Will some of the meals yield leftovers that can be eaten the following day?

Make a list of some of your family’s favorite recipes, or perhaps some new rec-ipes that you would like to try. Take your calendar and write in a main entrée and side dishes for each night that you plan to cook. From your menu, create a grocery list and set a time to go to the store to purchase your ingredients. To save money, review your grocer’s ad and pick meals that include ingredients that are on sale. Keep in mind that some foods are more perishable than others and you may want to put those food items to be eaten fi rst. Still not sure how to start? There are many resources available online. Try Meijermealbox.com/healthyliving for weekly menus and nutrition tips.

This month, whether you are able to plan one meal per week or fi ve, remem-ber to take a moment and enjoy the experience of joining together with friends and loved ones for a meal and conversation. And remember SAVOR THE FLAVOR!

Want more personal help with meal planning? Schedule a nutritional counseling appointment with one of our Registered Dietitians: 231-733-8643.

By Julianne Hilbrand, AgeWell Services Registered Dietitian

Healthy eating is more than just getting all of your fruits and vegetables. Eat-ing should be an experience. Make sure you savor the fl avor: develop a mind-ful eating pattern that includes nutritious and fl avorful foods while also taking the time to enjoy everything that a healthful and tasty meal brings with it.

Notice the encouragement to take your time to enjoy the experience. Ameri-cans today are constantly rushing from one thing to another. How often do families sit down together to enjoy a meal? A little advanced planning can go a long way to ensure time to slow down and enjoy the moment. After a long day of work, obligations, activities, etc., preparing a healthy meal is often the last thing on our mind. We make poor food choices when feeling rushed and without a plan. Our instinct is the grab something quick and convenient, not something healthy. By investing a little time on the weekend to prepare for the busy week ahead, you will fi nd that dinner time doesn’t have to be stressful, but rather, can be enjoyable.

National Nutrition Month: Savor the Flavor of Eating Right


Christmas had come and gone, all the holiday cel-ebration lost to me as I nursed a horrid upper respiratory fl u bug! Fortu-nately, our family Christ-mas gathering was sched-uled for early January to accommodate the travel needs of my extended family whose other famil-ial obligations kept them

busy and away. Feeling much better and relieved not to have missed signifi cant holi-day time with brothers and sisters and niec-es and nephews and my own daughter and her husband, we gathered informally for an afternoon and evening of love and laugh-ter and sharing tasty recipes. My daughter and son-in-law, professional photographers, took great food photos of all the delicious “potluck” offerings and recorded their reci-pes. Adding additional tender and funny photos of the day, a memory photo book was made available to the family in the following days.

Mom had not been feeling well earlier in the day but rose to the occasion and thoroughly enjoyed all the love and attention of her ador-ing children and grandchildren. We delivered her back to her assisted living home six hours later, a happy but very exhausted woman. She spent the next day physically recovering. She needs to be prompted to remember the event at all. But her beauty and grace and love for us were felt and will live in our hearts forever.

My darling niece, Amanda, had driven the

e i g h t hours from school in H o u g h t o n the day before, in miserable weather, to at-tend our little family soiree. She would make the drive back less than 36 hours later. That dedication to family fi lled my heart, and early the next morning, I found this Facebook post

on her timeline. I share it now with her per-mission. “It’s moments like this that make the long drive home worth it. Grandma’s hands were shaking, she struggled to hold all three sec-tions of my hair at once, and the going was slow, but she braided my hair. When she was fi nished she apologized that it wasn’t very pretty and that strands were falling out, but I reassured her that it was perfect. This woman’s hands have seen almost 93 years of life - helping her mother care for her younger siblings in the Netherlands during WWII, creating a life for her and my grand-father here in the United States, raising 3 wonderful children, cooking meals, drying tears, pulling loved ones into her warm em-brace time and time again - her hands hold a history that not many people live to see. So tonight, as she so carefully braided my

hair with her gentle, wrinkled, age-spotted hands, I was struck with the realization that this simple act was so much more than just a braid. It was

a lifetime of care and love and tender-ness that is the very core of my grand-mother’s being, and I will cherish it for years to come.”

It was the best Christmas, ever!

Rolina Vermeer retired in April 2015 as Activity Director of Four Pointes Center for Success-ful Aging. Almost immediately thrust into her new role as her mother’s caregiver, Rolina contributes articles related to her caregiving experience.

BYROLINAVERMEER

A Caregiver’s Perspective


On November 26, 2016, a Sandstone Beige 1998 Buick LeSabre made its last road trip from Grand Rapids to the Detroit area. It had outlived both its original owner and its usefulness to the second one.

At age 85, my mom, Mildred Mattson decided to buy a new car. She liked her 1984 Ford LTD but wanted a new one. The local Ford dealer did not have an LTD in stock and didn’t want to order one. That did not set well with her.

Mom was eligible for family savings at both local dealerships. I had retired from Ford and my wife, Sue, from GM, (a mixed marriage). We helped her pick out the Buick. It was her fi rst new GM car since the Mattson family’s 1963 Chevrolet four-door sedan.

It took her a while to get used to front-wheel drive. The dashboard gauges were all smaller than the Ford’s and I’m not sure she ever mas-tered the radio controls. The local AM station was good enough for her.

She probably never drove it farther than 100 miles from home. It served her well and she often transported “the ladies” to local events. As the years rolled by, things got more exciting for her and perhaps some other drivers. She caressed a hay wagon with the right side of the car early one evening on the way home. With her poor eyesight, she spotted the orange triangle moving along on the shoulder of the road a little too late. A miscalculation with an overhead garage door resulted in a series of scratches on the roof.

At some point she gave up night driving. But then, she decided to at-tend a township board meeting about a quarter mile from her home. After the meeting, it was not only dark, but a snow storm had come up. On the short drive home, she crossed the opposite traffi c lane and ended up in a snow bank. Others leaving the meeting rescued her. It helped living in a small town where people knew the locals by their cars and watched out for them.

The car was about 10 years old when the battery gave out. Not long after that, she began giving out also. The move to an assisted living facility, at age 94, ended her driving. In April of 2008, she died at age 96. The Buick had less than 33,000 miles on it.

Not long after, I sold the car to the daughter of friends of ours.

The new owner, Melinda, later married Mike Coulthard. For the next eight years, they drove it with minimum repair costs and maximum usage. Over the years, it was only towed twice for repairs. Mike used it for personal trips and work. This included every-other-weekend trips to Tillsonburg, On-

tario, and many visits to Ohio and Indiana.

The day after the November cross-state trip, it wouldn’t start. That was the last ride for the Coulthards in the Buick. On December 7, 2016, it was moved to a storage yard on a fl atbed truck. In a fi nal act of mer-cy, they had chosen the National Public Radio car donation program to be the next stop. The odometer showed 251,779 miles.

Like its fi rst owner, the Buick had led a long and productive life.

Jerry, a Ford Motor Company retiree, has written several newspaper and magazine stories. Besides freelance writing, he enjoys working on old cars and garden tractors.

BYJERRYMATTSON

The End of the Road


In our family Sundays were always special. But, remem-bering back when I was a child, Easter Sunday was almost as big and just as important as Christmas and Thanksgiving time.

Families were very clannish back then and they tried hard to keep their children close to home and out of trouble. I knew some very tough kids in my day, but they all went to Sun-day school or church service same as everyone else.

Most times, Sunday dinner started Saturday

afternoon with a trip to our local German bakery. That meant the kids could smell the goods but they didn’t touch anything for fear of Mom’s long-handled wooden spoon on our knuckles. No one had much time to cook on Sundays as we ate around 3:00 p.m. So, two dinners were being prepared at the same time: Mom would work on Saturday’s din-ner, which we ate at 6:00 p.m. and Dad would work on Sunday’s dinner, which was usually roast chicken and potatoes or stewed rabbit and dumplings.

As long as I can remember, my mother was a professional seamstress, and in the spring of 1954 she made my fi rst Easter Sunday white suit and my sister’s white dress with a big pink rose in front.

BYMIKESIMCIK

Girls in Pink and White Dresses


Every year, in our little town, all of the area churches put decorations out in front, but the insides were more impressive with thousands of red and white carnations and lots of lilies. After service was over, it was traditionally fol-lowed by a combined Easter Parade down Main Street. It was a sight to behold.

It would be diffi cult for people of today to imagine what the parade looked like. Try to pic-ture nearly every man in town dressed in their very best blue or brown suits, tie and hat; wom-en dressed in long gowns with ribbons, lace, and broad-brim bonnets with fl owers around the hat band; little girls wearing pink dresses with white ribbons and fl owers, or white dress-es with red ribbons and fl owers; all the young boys wearing white suits with red carnations in their lapels, and a thousand people all walking at the same time on Main Street in town.

If anyone forgot to buy something for the pa-rade or Sunday dinner it was just too bad, be-cause all the stores were closed every Sunday, all year long. Of course, that didn’t include the taverns as they were open till 4:00 a.m., seven days a week. The year 1959 was when money mongers opened the discount stores like Kresge, and they ruined everything. On a personal note, you would never hear me say a

bad word about Marshall Fields or Macy’s department stores. But, that was the year Easter parades started dwindling down for lack of parent participation.

In my memory, as long as I live, those little girls in pink and white dresses will walk be-side their parents in the Easter Parade, in honor of a better way of life gone by.

Mike Simcik is a Navy Veteran, with a degree in Arts and Humanities. He has owned six businesses, in-cluding The Twin Gables Country Inn, which he renovated and operated over the course of 17 years. He enjoys fi shing, shooting-clay sports, golfi ng, building bamboo fl y rods and writing essays. Mike and his wife Denise celebrate their 48th wedding anniversary in April of 2017.


...What’s happening at Senior Resources?Meet the New Oceana County Supports Coordinator By Lisa Tyler, Communications Director at Senior Resources

Andrea Morrell is a lifelong Oceana County resident who is excited to be serving older adults in her home community.

As supports coordinator, Andrea helps fi nd resources for Oceana County residents in areas such as in-home care, respite, housing options, transportation and caregiver support services.

Andrea has several years’ experience working with older adults in Oceana County. She comes to Senior Resources from Our Friend’s House, an adult day care facility, where she was operations manager for fi ve years. Before that, she provided in-home care.

Andrea got her degree in human services from Baker College. She didn’t

always plan to work with older adults. Originally, she thought she’d work with children, and was affi liated with the Andre Bosse Center in Oceana County. She got her nurse’s aide certifi cate, worked briefl y at a nursing home, then switched to home care. “I really liked that,” she said. “I liked going in homes. My grandma lived to be 100. That was important to me – to help seniors, to bring them joy.”

In her new position, Andrea can still help older adults, in a different way. “I can fi nd more resources for them. It’s like being back in their homes” and developing relationships on home visits. “I’m assessing for services needed and offering community resources” to allow them to stay at home.

In her non-work time, Andrea has been married for seven years and has a 3-year-old. During the summer, she spends most of her time outside, and reads when she has time.

“I’m glad to be able to still serve Oceana County, serving our seniors,” Andrea said. “I’m still connected to my community.”

To fi nd out more about Oceana County services, call this local Oceana County number: 231-559-0331.



Cathay’s CookingCornerBY

CATHAYTHIBDAUE

Ham and Potato Soup

Combine the potatoes, carrots, celery (if using), onion, ham and water in a stockpot. Bring to a boil, then cook over medium heat until potatoes are tender, about 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in the chicken bouillon, celery seed (if using), salt and pepper.

In a separate saucepan, melt butter over medium-low heat. Whisk in flour with a fork, and cook, stirring constantly until thick, about 1 minute.

Stir in milk slowly, to avoid lumps forming, until all of the milk has been added. Continue stirring over medium-low heat until thick, 4 to 5 minutes.

Stir the milk mixture into the stockpot. Serve immediately. Place a dab of Cheddar cheese and bacon bits on top of the soup when serving.

3 1/2 cups peeled

and diced potatoes

1 cup chopped carrots

½ cup celery or 1 tsp celery seed

1/2 cup finely chopped onion

1 ½ cups diced cooked ham

3 1/4 cups water

2 tablespoons chicken

bouillon granules

1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste

1 teaspoon ground white or

black pepper, or to taste

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1 stick butter

6 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 cups milk

Cheddar cheese (optional)

Bacon bits (optional)

Healthy LivingHealth in a handful of seedsSunfl ower seeds are rich in vitamin E, an antioxidant that helps prevent cancer, heart disease, strokes, cataracts and possibly some of the signs of aging.

Taking their measureHow a serving of sunfl ower seeds stacks up against the recommended daily allowance (RDA) for vitamin E for adults.

1 oz. (28 g) of sunfl ower seeds

RDA for vitamin E

How to serveAs a snack, sprinked on top of salads, breads, vegetable dishes.

Source: World’s Healthiest Foods, Discovery Health, MCT Illustration Bank

14 mg

15 mg


Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Services for West Michigan, Goodwill and the Tanglewood Park agencies are here to make tax time easier for you. VITA is ready to kick off their tax season by offering free tax preparation services for low- to moderate-income families in West Michigan.

This year Tanglewood Park will be hosting free tax preparation services on Thursdays from 3-6 p.m. throughout the tax season. Tanglewood Park is just one of many locations offering free tax preparation services this year. To schedule an appointment at a location nearest you, please call 2-1-1 at 1-877-211-5253.

Are you eligible? Free tax preparation with volunteer assistance is available to all individuals with incomes below $60,000.

Is Free Income Tax Assistance right for you? If you like having a knowledgeable, pleasant person helping with your taxes, and you’re not com-fortable fi lling out tax forms on your own, full-service assistance is right for you.

Who is providing this service? The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program is a community partnership between the IRS and local nonprofi t organizations led by Goodwill Industries of West Michigan. VITA coalition part-ners work year round to plan and organize free tax preparation services, recruit and train volunteers, and conduct outreach activities and events to increase awareness of tax credits and free tax preparation services available.

Are the volunteers trained? The volunteers who complete and electroni-cally fi le tax returns at the VITA sites are required to complete a series of online and classroom training sessions developed by the IRS and local tax experts. The volunteers must also obtain IRS certifi cation as qualifi ed volunteer tax preparers by passing a series of tests. Along with requiring detailed knowledge of tax law, fi ling statuses, and deductions and exemptions, the volunteers must also pass tests covering privacy rules and ethics.

How do you schedule an appointment? Contact CALL 2-1-1 - dial 211 or 1-877-211-5253 - to fi nd a VITA site that is located near you. The call special-ists will help you determine your eligibility and will take your information to schedule an appointment.

What should you bring to your appointment?To ensure you get all your credits and deductions, bring all of the following that apply to you:

• Social Security or ITIN cards for you, your spouse and any dependents• Photo ID for you and your spouse• All income forms: W2, 1099, 1098, SSI, etc.• Information from all other income sources• 1095A, 1095B, 1095C, or other healthcare information• Copy of last year’s return• Amount spent on child/dependent care and care provider’s name, address, tax ID number• Heating paid in 2016 (11/1/15-10/31/16)• If you are a DTE customer, bring in bill• Monthly rent amount and total rent paid in 2016• 2016 summer & winter property tax bills, receipts• Health insurance premiums paid• Alimony information• Bank routing and account numbers• Information needed for other deductions/credits

Save This Tax SeasonFree Tax Preparation Services


“Seek’st thou the plashy brinkOf weedy lake, or marge of river wideOr where the rocking billows rise and sinkOff the chafed ocean side?”

(“To a Waterfowl” by Wm Cullen Bryant, Verse 3)The sniff of spring is in the air and the snowbirds, human and feathered, are heading home.

In verse 3, my mother, Ellen,* is a travel agent plan-ning her client’s (the waterfowl’s) trip to an idyllic destination in the great out-of-doors, promising him, on his solitary way, the best views, the fi nest accom-modations, and the cheapest rates, unfettered by traf-fi c, deadlines, or queues. To snowbirds in Florida, this sounds like paradise!

My mother loved birds - enchanted by the full-throat-ed ease of their singing and their effortless freedom of fl ight. She came from wealth and luxury, but when she met Henry, the love of her life, and moved to the farm, her life changed dramatically. Though she never looked

back or second-guessed her decision, I can’t help but wonder, when her life, as Henry’s helpmeet and homemaker, came at her hard (and it often did), if she viewed “things with feathers” with a twinge of envy.

Ellen loved traveling; however, during the early years on the farm, dai-ly chores and caring for children made it diffi cult for my parents to get away. Everywhere they went, we went too - nine of us jouncing along in the turquoise and black Plymouth sedan. Seat belts had yet to be invented. I perched on the edge of the front seat, in between my mother and big sis-ter; the remaining fi ve vied for the window seats in the back. Off we went, leaving our comfort zone for the big world beyond.

BYJANET HASSELBRING

Warm Weather, No Traffi c, No Deadlines, No Queues!


These getaways couldn’t have been pleasant for Ellen. A noisy, rambunc-tious brood within the confi nes of a car? Defi nitely a migraine in the mak-ing.

In the summer, when our chores were done and time allowed, my mother would take us girls to Lake Michigan. Was it then, as she watched us play and the seagulls swooping and diving overhead, she felt an urge for freedom?

As we grew older, their trips matured - rides in the countryside, watching sunsets over Lake Michigan, spiritual retreats at Maranatha and Winona Lake, Indiana, visiting their children living out of state, and winter visits to Ellen’s parents in Florida.

In 1968, my father sold the farm to his son, Wendell, and for the fi rst time since their honeymoon in March, 1936, my parents were unencumbered by daily chores, child rearing, or fi nancial worries. Ellen’s wanderlust longings were fulfi lled, and though my father’s favorite place was in the living room or on the front porch, he traveled the world with my mother.

“Seek’st thou…?”

Through it all - from early on, when she sat on the front porch, breastfeed-ing a newborn, watching a bird in fl ight, to the days when her yen for travel was realized, Ellen trusted her Lord and her calling to the place where she put down her roots.

“Ellen felt a fl uttering within, like a brace of birds, longing to be free. Free! Oh, how she longed to be free. Free from the woes that beset them - free from the lack of money, free from dreaded windblight, free from sick cows and contaminated milk, free from insuffi cient rain and parched earth, free from accidents.… Free! The fl utterings increased until, like a wave, her fears rose up inside and nearly engulfed her. She could scarcely breathe. It felt like her heart would burst. Then, with a sudden surge, the wave erupted and like a bird, on the wing, her soul felt light and free. She stood in stunned relief, a stab of joy pierced her heart. In spite of everything, joy! Just as her Lord had promised.…” (In the Garden, pg. 56)

*In this series on Bryant’s masterpiece, my mother, Ellen, is the speaker in the poem. As the poem is, essentially, a profession of faith, her musings are a testimony to her life on the small farm, present day Country Dairy (as described in the memoir, In the Garden).

Janet Hasselbring is a retired educator and musician. She resides in Spring Lake, MI with her husband and Welsh terrier, Maggie May. They winter in FL, where she is inspired to write her children’s books, featuring the wild/shorebirds of FL and beyond. For additional musings on her mother visit her blog: https://ja-nethasselbring.wordpress.com/wp-admin/


ACROSS1 Request an ID from5 Classic milk flavoring10 Degs. for choreographers14 Yours, to Yves15 One making a leaf pile16 Wild speech17 Key collection of records19 Command to Fido20 Trophy21 Slyly suggest23 Religious offense24 Common “terrible twos”

responses26 Quiet time27 Canadian crooner with four

Grammys32 Came out with35 Protein-rich beans36 Sushi fish37 Scratching post users38 Peeper39 “Divergent” heroine __ Prior40 Uplifting wear41 Oil magnate Halliburton43 Feared African fly45 Telltale white line48 Home to Sean O’Casey49 Take to court50 Buzzy body53 Aspiring rock star’s

submissions57 Mineral used in water

softening59 Dr. Seuss’ “If __ the Circus”60 Not even close to an

agreement ... or, literally, what 17-, 27- and 45-Across have in common

62 Like some beers63 Visually teasing genre64 Continuously65 Creepy look66 Smallville family67 Zilch

DOWN1 Tent sites2 Centipede video game

creator3 Pitcher’s gripping aid4 Ding-a-ling5 “Close the window!”6 Like a boor7 Crispy fried chicken part8 Cartoon collectibles9 “No Spin Zone” newsman

10 Enterprise helmsman, to Kirk

11 “Hey hey hey!” toon12 Gross subj.?13 38-Across sore18 Counting word in a rhyme22 Well-worn pencils25 Med. condition with

repetitive behavior27 Conservatory subj.28 So far29 Fair-hiring initials30 Flowery rings31 Ultimatum ender32 Long-range nuke33 Rani’s wrap34 Deadlock38 Aboveground trains39 Golf gadget41 Exude42 Go wild43 Ft. Worth campus44 Queen of __: noted visitor of

King Solomon46 Copenhagen coins47 State as fact50 Cry to a prima donna51 Dog-__: folded at the corner52 Spare53 Pickle herb54 Albany-to-Buffalo canal55 Water carrier56 Spirited style58 Major tennis event61 MD and ME, e.g.

(c)2016 TRIBUNE CONTENT AGENCY, LLC.

MAG

E

EGP


Answers on Page 35

SENIOR PERSPECTIVESGAME PAGE


The day was beautiful. My tool and machine de-sign business was going great. It was the day of the week that I set aside to deliver drawings to various tool shops in and around Chicago. Once I had delivered all the drawings, I some-times had a little extra time to spend in the city before heading home for dinner.

This particular day I decided to stop off at the Sears Roebuck store close to where I had grown up. It was so familiar to me. I knew where every department

was. I parked my car a few blocks away and began my walk to Sears. I was dressed casually; khakis, gym shoes and a light blue jacket. You’ll soon see why I mention my clothing.

I arrived at the front door of Sears but was stopped short by the sound of a police siren. The squad car screeched to a halt at the curb in front of me, and two of Chicago’s fi nest jumped out of the car and hollered, “Stop right where you are.” I immediately looked around to see who they were hollering at but was surprised to fi nd out that there was no one around me and that they were hollering at me. They rushed at me and told me to turn around, put my hands on the wall and spread my feet. They patted me down, and I thought I was going to wet my pants. I started to talk, but they told me to shut up. They pushed me into the back seat of the squad car. I could hear the police radio talking, and one of the cops began talking back to the

station. I heard him say, “I got him chief; what should we do?” What do you mean, you’ve got me? I was petrifi ed!

From their two-way conversation, I fi gured out that a pharmacy two blocks south of Sears had just been held up at gun point. The voice reply said to take me immediately to the pharmacy so the owner could make a positive identi-

fi cation. The cops fi nally told me that I resembled the culprit. He wore a beard, khakis, gym shoes and a light blue jacket. Did I say I was

petrifi ed when they fi rst detained me? I was now beyond being petrifi ed.

We drove down a few blocks, and they had me go inside the pharmacy. All I could think about was Alfred Hitchcock’s, The Wrong Man with Henry Fonda. They took me up to him, and he looked me over slowly and began to speak, “He’s…” his voice trailed off. Oh God, I thought, I’ve had it. But he fi nally contin-

ued, “No, he’s not the one. The guy was much younger. You’ve got the wrong guy.” I almost

jumped at the pharmacist to give him a hug, but the cops ushered me back to the car for a follow up discussion on whether I felt I had been mistreated by them. I just said, “Hell no, I just want to get outta here.” That’s what I did, and I never stopped to while away time at Sears ever again.

Richard Hoffstedt was born to Swedish immi-grants in 1934 and raised in Chicago. He is a U.S. Army veteran. He has been married to Shirley for 61 years. Richard has four daugh-ters, twin sons, four grandsons, one grand-daughter, one great granddaughter and one great grandson. Richard is an engineer by profession. His interests are music, reading, travel, riding his adult tricycle, Mark Twain and John Steinbeck.

BYDICK HOFFSTEDT

The Wrong Man


My two days aboard the 80-year old Queen Mary, built to transport the rich and famous, had not prepared me to enter the Grand Salon, former cabin class (fi rst class) dining room aboard the ship.

Buried several decks down, across from one of the pools, the entrance to the dining room gave no clue to what laid beyond the doors. I en-tered into a hallway and was met by a host that took my name and ushered me toward the main room.

Upon taking the turn, the room opened before me and took my breath away.

The dining room, the largest that had ever been designed for a ship, stands 3 decks tall and spans the entire width of the ship. Find yourself dining on the starboard side of the ship and wondering what’s happening on the port side? Just stand up and take a stroll across the vast dining room (its half acre size was designed to seat 800) and take a look out of the beautiful maple framed portholes that delineate the outer edges of the dining room.

Escorted to my table that was just to the left of the center portion of the room, I couldn’t help but notice the harpist seated on a dais placed directly in the center of the dining room. I recognized the notes fl oating into the vast space as Moon River. I truly felt I had been transported to a grander life than I normally lead, not dissimilar to the fantasy life of Holly Golightly.My waiter arrived with a choice of champagne or mimo-sa and an offer of coffee or tea. After sharing information about the layout of the vast room and the numerous sta-tions, I was set loose.

From that moment forward, the staff was all very atten-tive, but never intrusive. Pleasant and professional, but never stuffy. Even with my head spinning around like a merry go round, tryng to take in the extensive, intricate wood carvings, tapestries, pieces of art and art deco trim and lighting fi xtures, the staff never treated me as if I need-ed a mandatory timeout.

Being an ocean liner fanatic, I must now confess that the Sunday Brunch was a rare extravagance taken wholly to enjoy the experience of dining in the same dining room enjoyed by fi rst class passengers plying the North Atlantic durng the heyday of liner travel. But, I must say that the food was not only plentiful and varied, but also topnotch. If one is not wowed by this one-of-a-kind room combined

with what might possibly have been the best Sunday Brunch fare available, I’m not sure what would impress. I fi rmly believe, whether or not one is enamoured by the history of ocean liners, they would enjoy this experience.

After my second or third trip around the room, I looked up and noticed the VERY large mural, pictured above be-hind the commodore, that towers above the diners at the bow end of the dining room. During the many trips that the Queen Mary made across the Atlantic, a lighted crystal model of the ship made its way across the mural, marking the progress of the voyage. It struck me that it was an early and much grander predecessor to the fl ight path marked on the airplane seat back monitor on any fl ight across the Atlantic these days.

The soothing music and quiet conversation belie the un-derlying electricity that you feel coursing through the massive dining room. It is as if you can feel the remnants of jublilation and conversation that this room has experi-enced over the last 80 years. I couldn’t put it any better than Commodore Everette Hoard did when he stopped by my table. “I believe the ship is very happy every Sun-day. She is doing exactly what she was built to do.”

Even if you decide not to stay aboard the Queen Mary, I’d suggest you book passage to their Sunday Brunch. You’ll fi nd it a bit costly, but with six carved meats, sea-food galore, salad, crepes, waffl es, pancakes, several egg dishes, desserts, many ethnic delights, there’s something to please everyone.

Jay Newmarch is a marketing professional and graphic artist living in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Jay designs the Senior Perspectives publication for Senior Resources and is an avid traveller who takes every opportunity to visit different corners of the world.

Dine like royalty aboard the Queen Mary

BY JAYNEWMARCH

Funny from a Senior Perspective!


“There is no place like home,” pro-fessed Dorothy in the 1936 fi lm “The Wizard of Oz.” For most seniors, at home is where they long to be, and a local program is helping seniors stay home longer.

Question: What is the name of this new program?

Answer: The Let’s Stay Home pro-gram is a collaborative pilot project of Senior Resources and the medical practice of Mercy Health Physi-cian Partners (MHPP) Geriatrics. The program is focused on serving seniors with complex medical and social needs who have recently been hospitalized or had an Emergency Department visit and may not be able to stay in their own homes.

Question: Who is running the new Let’s Stay Home program?

Answer: Leading the pilot program are Senior Resources Community Services Director Amy Florea and Access Services Supervisor Kimberly Vazquez, along with MHPP Geriat-rics physicians and staff led by Dr. Oluwatoyin Thomas and Dr. Aruna Josyula.

Question: Who is funding this pilot program?

Answer: The project began with a $20,000 grant from the Muskegon County Health Project. In addition, it recently received the endorse-ment of the members of the Mercy Health Muskegon women’s giv-ing club, Women for Health, who have awarded the Let’s Stay Home program a $34,000 grant. Due to the additional funding, the program will be provided to more seniors who without it would be at risk of place-ment in an assisted living facility or a nursing home.

Question: What is the primary

purpose of Let’s Stay Home?

Answer: According to Dr. Oluwato-yin Thomas, the goal of the Let’s Stay Home program is to help seniors stay in their own homes as long as pos-sible. In-home care services are not the focus. Rather, Let’s Stay Home seeks out gaps that, if not addressed, could place a senior at risk.

Question: What kinds of gaps?

Answer: “There are many times when seniors are admitted to the hos-pital because something fell through for them. For example, they may have been in need of food, medicine or housekeeping services. Medical care is just one of many factors that affect health,” said Dr. Aruna Josyula.

Other factors that affect a person’s health are social (income, education, employment, support and culture), physical (urban design, clean air and water), genetic and behavioral. “No single health-care organization can address all of these factors so partner-ships like this, among health organi-zations and our community resourc-es, are critical,” said Dr. Josyula.

Question: How will this program help to improve the health of seniors?

Answer: Amy Florea of Senior Resources anticipates the program will result in reduced Emergency Department visits and readmissions

for seniors, eliminate missed medical appointments, increase program par-ticipants’ knowledge of their health condition and ensure that caregiver support is available.

“Experience has taught us that elders who are most likely to stay in their own homes have a support system to help them improve and manage their health conditions. The Let’s Stay Home program addresses these concerns,” said Florea.

Question: In what way does Let’s Stay Home go beyond in-home care?

Answer: The Let’s Stay Home program also provides case man-agement services, health education, home-delivered meals, medical and non-medical transportation and other services that are provided during a period when the senior needs them most.

For example, after a discharge from the hospital, medications can be reconciled by a pharmacist, transpor-tation to doctor appointments can be arranged, depression issues can be addressed and a social worker can be engaged to help with cognitive behavior therapy.

“We are we wrapping our arms around every aspect of the patient,” said Dr. Oluwatoyin Thomas. “If there are medication concerns or other issues to be addressed, they can be caught early. Concerns are brought to the physician’s attention and services that are already available can be deployed.”

Question: How does a senior qualify for this program?

Answer: Participants must be 60 years or older and have social barri-ers to care, such as caregiver burnout, lack of transportation, housing needs, in-home care needs or fi nancial needs. In addition, participants must have had a recent hospitalization or Emergency Department visit. There is no cost to the participant and refer-rals can be made by requesting a con-sultation through MHPP Geriatrics.

Question: How long will these services be available for the average participant?

Answer: Once referred, a support coach will conduct a home visit and provide case management services for at least 30 days. With interven-tions in place, the participant will have weekly visits to monitor the progress of the interventions.

“This is only the beginning. We are always looking for ways to grow ser-vices to meet needs and improve life for seniors in our community,” said Dr. Thomas. “We are excited about this program because our seniors are correct; there is absolutely no place like home.”

Seniors are referred through the Mercy Health Physician Partners Geriatrics offi ce either as primary care patient who belongs to MHPP Geriatrics, or they can be referred by a primary care physi-cian to MHPP Geriatrics for a geriatric consult. Call 231.672.6740 for more information.

Ask the DoctorNew program helps seniors stay at home longer

DR.OLUWATOYINTHOMAS

DR.ARUNAJOSYULA


Every year hundreds of vintage photos are donated to the Muskegon County Genealogical Society (MCGS) that have limited, if any, information with them.

Senior Resources of West Michigan has partnered with MCGS to assist in identifying these photos. This is where you come in. Future editions of the Senior Perspectives will feature photos of individuals, families and places from the Muskegon area.

This issue features what looks to be great 1970s family photos -- one of the females and one of the males. No infor-mation came with these photos. We would love to locate someone from this family!

If you can help to identify any of these individuals or know the family, please contact, or have them contact: MCGS Pictures, C/O HPL-Torrent House, Local History & Genealogy Dept. 315 W. Webster Ave Muskegon, MI 49440. email us [email protected]

Delicia is an Options Counselor with Senior Resources. She grew up in Norton Shores and loves everything history! She spends much time researching her own family, as well as local history. She loves spending time with her hus-band Andy, son Alan and friends! You can contact her at [email protected] or 231-683-2630.

&

Your help is needed!Do you recognize any of these people?

BYDELICIA EKLUND


Being a writer, if I may say that, I sometimes roll on the fl oor with laughter when I think about the English lan-guage and how I and others misuse it. I am defi nitely not an English expert. When I was in high school my grades would refl ect my knowledge of the English language; it was under water -- in other words…below C level. I am not sure what punctuation to use at times or what an ad-verb, adjective or a noun is -- and I could go on and on. To make it more complicated, look at other

words; to, two, too or you’re and your, there and their…get my drift?

Example; take the word “UP.” This is a word that is used in many ways.

Do you ever wonder why we say…look UP toward the sky and the fi rst thing we do in the morning is wake UP? But why do we say “wake UP”?When we are talking with a friend, an interesting conversation may come UP and sometimes we must speak UP when talking to our friends.

This past year we had the election for a president and we could not re-elect the previous president for his time was UP. I am sure it was UP to the secretary to write UP the report on the meeting highlights.

There are times we call UP our friends on the phone to brighten UP their day.

Then there are the times when

company comes over and we must pick UP the house and then go into the kitchen and clean UP afterwards.

This morning when I left the house to have my car fi xed UP, I made sure I locked UP the house.

Then there are times when people stir UP trouble when they go UP town. Then while stirring UP all that trou-

ble they can work UP an appetite.

How about the other night when my wife made sure I was all dressed UP for an evening out.

But before we left the house I had to fi x the drain for it was plugged UP and it was UP to me to make sure the drain was freed UP from all debris.

This morning I had to get UP early and go to the store to open UP for I was on the day shift and I

didn’t need to be there to close UP this evening.I sometimes get pretty mixed UP about the word UP!

Sometimes I am not sure of the proper uses of the word UP so I must look UP in the dictionary that is on my desk. This shouldn’t

take UP too MUCH time to fi nd the word UP in the dictionary. But I am UP to it and I will surely build UP a list of the many ways

to use the word UP. I will not give UP or end UP in trouble for look-ing UP all the UP words.

I looked outside and I see the skies are clouding UP, but when the sun comes out it will be clearing UP for a brighter day here UP in western Michigan. But if it does rain don’t worry, for it will dry UP in no time at all.I could go on and on with this but I think my word count is UP, so my time is UP and I’ll wrap it UP for I am sure you want me to shut UP.

Keith may be reached at [email protected] Please drop him a note, he loves the attention, well, loves hearing from you.

Keith enjoys writing, photography, fl ying, cooking, history, biking and lives in downtown Muskegon.

Keith’s World

UP

BYKEITHSIPE


Walk to EndAlzheimers

Senior Resources participated in the annual Walk to End Alzheim-er’s this past September, raising $1595.50. Abbey Gannon (left), Toni Dowsett (center), both So-cial Work Supports Coordinators with Senior Resources, received a partnership award this past Feb-ruary from Elizabeth A. Donnelly-Johnson, Community Outreach Coordinator with the Alzheimer’s Association Michigan Great Lakes Chapter. If you would like infor-mation about the Alzheimer’s As-sociation near you, go to www.alz.org/mglc or call their helpline at 1-800-272-3900.

I Spywinner from our lastSenior Perspectives!

Meetthe

Michelle Fields, Editor of Senior Perspectives, with our I Spy winner from the January|February 2017 edition. Congratulations to Thomas Zue!


This article was adapted from a blog written by Rev. Dr. Martha R. Jacobs, author of A Clergy Guide to End of Life Issues. For 2017, National Healthcare Decisions Day will be a weeklong event, April 16 - 22, themed “It always seems too early, until it’s too late.”

National Healthcare Decisions Day was started to in-spire, educate and empower the public and providers about the importance of advance care planning. It is a way to empower those who may need to make health care decisions on your behalf to do so in an educated manner.

When someone is in the hospital, it is already too late to begin to have a conversation about what their wishes are concerning how they want their body treated as they near the end of their life, or as they deal with a life-altering illness. Having conversations with those who love you and who you love will enable them to begin to understand what is important to you, what “living” and “life” mean for you. And since living and life mean different things for different people, it is all the more important to talk about it!

These are conversations that no one wants to have, but everyone should have. While we may think that illness is not going to overtake us, chances are, it will. We are living longer, with more chronic illnesses. You need to decide how you want to live your life with that chronic or debilitating ill-ness. You need to decide what “living” means to you.

While parents may think that their children are loving, compassionate peo-ple, scenes from the waiting room of an ER or ICU can contradict that. It is recommended that the family all come together and begin to talk about what is important in life to each one of them. Yes, it is a hard conversation to have, and yes there will be tears, but there may also be some laughter and there will be love and there will be an opportunity for everyone to

hear for themselves what the others want in terms of life versus living.

If you want everything done to keep you alive no mat-ter what, that is fi ne — just let people know that. If you don’t want everything done to keep you alive if your quality of life will not be acceptable to you, then people need to know that, too. Ultimately, we need to make sure that all of those who love us know what our wishes are. Benjamin Franklin did say it best in 1789: “In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except

death and taxes.” So, in addition to preparing your tax return, take the time to prepare your advance directive.

Harbor Hospice, serving the West Michigan lakeshore. Their agency has provided hospice care and support programs to residents in a fi ve-county area for over 34 years.

Death & Taxes

BY KELLY ST. MARTIN, LMSW


Usually we walked directly home after school, but the ground-shaking noise of powerful ma-chines was too great a temptation to ignore. At the end of our after-school adventure, something else proved more powerful than diesel driven steel.

Baker Elementary School’s well-worn playground ended abruptly at a pasture fence. Beyond the fence, across the green grass dotted by evidence of cows, was the red barn of Kriesel’s dairy farm. From the entrance of Baker Elementary, our fam-ily home was half a mile past the dairy on Bard

Road. Each weekday, if I had 5 cents in my pocket, I stopped after school to sip chocolate milk through a paper straw that fi t perfectly through a pre-punched hole in the waxed cardboard bottle stopper of a Kriesel Dairy glass milk bottle. Steve Jager lived on Bard Road too. On school days, he waited for me at his house, then together we walked to the corner of Bard and Russell roads for classes. We failed to return directly home after school on the day we heard the engine-roar of road construction.

Across the road from Kriesel’s Dairy were large yellow machines without names. A driver’s compartment sat above two huge tires - taller than a man. It was linked to a trailer with tires just as big. As the machine growled and lumbered over ground, the belly of the trailer scraped the earth, which swelled the trailer with soil. Steve called the machine a cat-and-pan. I mouthed, “Cat-and-pan” and felt initiated by the words into a special brotherhood. During re-cess, we ignored swing set, merry-go-round and the monkey bars to watch cat-and-pans gouge the fi eld. After school, the roar of diesel engines buried thoughts of chocolate milk; we crossed the road to a better playground with real life Tonka toys.

The machines scarred the fi eld with a diagonal pathway away from the corner of Russell and Bard until it curved south into trees toward Muskegon. Amidst the noise, we walked beside the fresh path, wav-ing at drivers as they passed. One driver waved back. We grinned

and waved quicker. Farther into the fi eld we came to a bulldozer uprooting a tree. It roared with black exhaust, churned and shook the ground, then swallowed the tree beneath its steel track.

When time spent was long enough, we stepped from the fi eld onto Strand Road and sauntered toward Steve’s house. Water fl owed quietly in the creek that paralleled the dirt road. We checked for box turtles, frogs and fi sh. Suddenly, mom’s blue Plymouth Fury stopped ahead of us at the crossroad. It lurched backwards then turned from the pavement toward us. Uh oh. Through the open pas-senger window Mom said, “Get in the car.” Steve kept walking.

There is a difference between the time it takes to walk 1/2 mile home from school and the time it takes for young boys to return from an adventure. Mom said nothing to me after I got into the car. The tears rolling down her cheeks said more than enough.

Joel Dulyea, a United States Army retiree, is back to school at Western Theological Seminary. He loves to sing with his wife, go on dates with his daughter and spoil his two wire-haired dachshunds.

Adventure Time

BYJOEL DULYEA


Do you have a home away from home? Here’s the test: Do you look forward to “going home” when traveling in both directions? The snowbirds will start returning soon. Most of them have a home away from home. For some folks it’s a cabin up north or going back to their hometown. Whether driving to or from their home in West Michigan, these folks look forward to reuniting with friends and/or family and resuming activities they associ-ate with each location.

Our home away from home turned out to be Key Colony Beach, located in the middle of the Florida Keys. We

looked around for a couple of years, and then fell in love with the tropical weather, the fantastic fi shing, and the informal atmosphere of the Keys. Over the years we’ve met many wonderful people and each year we look forward to getting re-acquainted and participating in many of the activities unique to our southern home.

This little city, called the “Gem of the Florida Keys,” is on an island just

Home Away from Home

BYLOUISE MATZ


Jumble Answers:

SKULK LUNGE MEASLY CACTUS

Answer:

What the pianist sought when he studied

the music – THE “KEY” TO SUCCESS

Answers for Word Search , Crossword Puzzle and Suduko on Pages 24 & 25

south of the Overseas Highway connected via a causeway with a very small bridge. The city boasts its own post offi ce, four parks, two playgrounds, bocce courts, pickleball courts, tennis courts, shuffl eboard and a 9-hole par 3 golf course. It also has several restaurants, a charter fi shing fl eet and dedicated walking/jogging trails alongside all its streets. There are about 800 residents of Key Colony Beach, but the population peaks to nearly 4,000 in mid-winter. Most of us rent a duplex situated on a canal and belong to the community beach club located on the ocean. Our favorite activities are fi shing, walking, golf, biking and bocce. We look forward to repeating the annual events, especially Key Colony Beach Day, the Clambake, the bocce tournament and banquet, and Sunday concerts in the park.

If you don’t have a home away, I suggest you start your search. You’ll know when you fi nd it. Believe me, the home away makes life more interesting. Good luck!

Golf, gardening and grandchildren were primary interests at retirement for Louise. Since that time, her interests have expanded to include walking and biking and mahjong. Read-ing and travel are also high on her list. She and her husband both enjoy bow hunting for deer in the Upper Peninsula, hunting turkeys and fi shing in the Florida Keys.