Joining social groups and establishing their own support network is an essential component to a caregiver’s quality of life. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)
If you’re a caregiver for a family member, you need to look after your own mental health to provide the best care for others, an expert says.
Caregivers are at increased risk for depression and anxiety.
Clinically significant symptoms of depression occur in 40%-70% of caregivers, and major depression occurs in 25%-50% of these caregivers, according to the Family Caregiver Alliance.
“Taking time to care for yourself is not selfish. In order to have the strength to care for a loved one, it is extremely important that caregivers take care of their own physical and mental health,” said Dr. Vassilios Latoussakis, a psychiatrist at Gracie Square Hospital, a psychiatric facility in New York City.
Latoussakis offered the following advice.
Pay attention to your stress levels, he said in a hospital news release. If you find yourself crying, losing your temper or having fantasies of rescue or flight, seek help.
Stress can affect your physical health, causing problems such as headaches, sleep issues, heart troubles, high blood pressure, and elevated fat and sugar levels.
If you’re feeling the effects of stress, make an appointment with your primary care provider, Latoussakis advised.
There are a number of ways to reduce stress, including regular physical activity, relaxation techniques such as breathing, yoga or mindfulness, making time to see friends and doing activities you enjoy.
It’s important to have a support network of people with whom you can talk, confide and gripe.
Another good idea is to join a support group of caregivers where you can share concerns, practical issues and problems, Latoussakis said.
More than 34 million Americans have provided unpaid care to an adult aged 50 or older in the past year, according to the National Alliance for Caregiving and AARP.
When it comes to the costs associated with senior living options like an assisted living community, there are a lot of questions that family members ask themselves when finding a home for a loved one. Things may be on your mind like what are the costs associated with increased care needs, how much is the monthly room and board, and if luxuries are an additional charge.
Finding senior loved ones the best senior living community depends on knowing the answers to all of these questions and more. When thinking about ways to help finance assisted living, another common question is if Medicare, or senior health insurance available to everyone over 65, will help pay for the costs of assisted living.
What is assisted living?
So what is assisted living? How is it different from other types of residential senior living communities, like a nursing home or a senior retirement community? The biggest difference between assisted living and other senior living options is that assisted living, as the name suggests, assists seniors who need help with activities of daily living, or ADLs, while still offering them plenty of independence.
Nursing homes, which are also an example of a senior living community that offers care services for seniors, have very limited independence due to the high level of care that residents typically need. On the other hand, senior retirement communities are for retirees who do not yet need any help with ADLs.
Assisted living is a perfect medium between the two. Assisted living offers residents plenty of independence in their lives and the ability to make their own decisions, while still providing care services and ADLs assistance for things like:
Medication management
Housekeeping and cleaning
Laundry
Meal preparation
Money management
Bathing and personal care
Appointment and schedule keeping
Standing up and other mobility needs
What Medicare covers
To make a long answer short, Medicare does not cover assisted living costs. Medicare, for the most part, does not pay for any type of long-term residential care, including nursing homes and assisted living communities, so if one of these is the best option for your loved one, you will need to find a different way to pay than through their Medicare plan.
Medicare will sometimes pay for a short-term stay in a skilled nursing facility or for some home health care options, but senior living communities like assisted living are not included in Medicare plans. This can pose a problem for many elders, especially as the senior population often needs some sort of residential care community as they continue to age.
Other payment options
While Medicare doesn’t help pay for assisted living, there are some other payment options that can give your loved one assistance in covering the costs of a senior living community.
Long-term care insurance
Most long-term care insurance policies will cover the expenses associated with senior living, including assisted living costs. While the popularity of the traditional version of these plans has decreased over time, there are new “hybrid” plans that might be a good investment for your loved one.
Life insurance policies
Some life insurance policies will cover assisted living costs, but it varies from plan to plan. While most of us might think that life insurance is only paid out after a death, they can offer payouts to seniors still living if they meet the plan’s qualifications.
Veterans benefits
Often times there are VA benefits that will help pay for assisted living or other residential care options if your loved one served the country. Check with your loved one’s local VA chapter for more information.
Medicaid
If your loved one doesn’t have any savings, or had a low income while they were working, they might qualify for Medicaid, a government program made to help cover the costs of healthcare for those in dire financial circumstances. Medicaid coverage is determined state by state, so it may or may not help depending on where your loved one lives.
Out-of-pocket
If your loved one has saved enough money throughout their life, they may be able to afford assisted living costs from their savings. Planning ahead is key for this payment method, and things like waiting lists, community “shopping”, and retirement income plans are important for your loved one.
The City of Kentwood’s AMVETS Post 23, named in honor of 2nd Lt. Lawrence Sybesma, will turn 70 this year and is being honored by a special State of Michigan proclamation. (WKTV)
By WKTV Staff ken@wktv.org
The City of Kentwood’s AMVETS Post 23 — named in honor of 2nd Lt. Lawrence Sybesma — will turn 70 this year and is being honored by a special State of Michigan proclamation. The public is invited to the celebration.
The official reading of the proclamation will take place a special dedication ceremony Saturday, Feb. 29, with a long list of state and local public officials, as well as veterans organization leaders.
The dedication ceremony will begin at 4 p.m., with guest speakers and a POW/MIA Ceremony. Dinner will be served at 6 p.m., with the meal prepared by the Blue Star Mothers and a per-plate cost of $7. The Frank Eimer Band (with full brass) will provide music starting at 8 p.m.
Government leaders expected to be in attendance include City of Kentwood Mayor Stephen Kepley, State Sen. Aric Nesbitt and State Representatives Steven Johnson and Tommy Brann.
The City of Kentwood’s AMVETS Post 23, named in honor of 2nd Lt. Lawrence Sybesma — will turn 70 this year and is being honored by a special State of Michigan proclamation. (WKTV)
Local and state veterans organizations expected to be represented include, according to supplied material: Chuck Petch, state AMVETS Commander; Lenny Hogan, past state AMVETS Commander; Donald Torr state Sons of AMVETS President; Bertha Lema state Auxiliary President; Richard DeVoe, state AMVETS 1st Vice Commander; Lora DeVoe, state AMVETS District 5 Commander; Eric Nelson, United Veterans Council of Kent County Commander; Bob Green, AMVETS State Man of the Year; and Denny Gillem, Frontlines of Freedom.
The AMVETS organization (American Veterans Organization) was started in 1947, by action of the Congress and President Harry Truman, and is open for all veterans who served between 1940 and current day without regard to specific wartime assignment.
AMVETS Post 23 was chartered in 1950, and is dedicated to 2nd Lt. Lawrence Sybesma, who attended Kelloggsville High School and was killed in action as part of a crew of a B-29 Superfortress which crashed while on mission in Manchuria in 1944.
AMVETS Post 23 “was started by World War II veterans who didn’t feel that some organizations met some of their needs,” according to a statement from the Post. “So they started their own group, and it’s for all veterans … we are very, very inclusive.”
To find out more about AMVETS Post 23, located at 98 SE 52nd St., visit AMVETSPost23.org, check out the AMVETS Post 23 Facebook page, or call 616-531-5438.
Kentwood’s Veterans Memorial Park would be one of the many parks and recreation areas to see improvement from a proposed millage. (WKTV)
By WKTV Staff ken@wktv.org
The Kentwood City Commission recently gave unanimous approval of a millage question to be put on the August ballot “to improve Kentwood parks, trails and recreational facilities and programming,” according to a Feb. 24 city statement.
The ballot question will ask voters to consider authorizing a millage of 0.9 mills for a period of 10 years, which would then be reduced to a perpetual millage of 0.65 mills. The tiered millage would be dedicated solely to construct, operate, maintain and acquire parks, trails and recreation improvements and programs.
If approved, the millage would fund improvements to the City Campus, a new community center, improvements to all parks and allow for trail improvements, as well as support enhanced programming.
“Since celebrating the city’s 50th anniversary in 2017, considerable time and effort has been dedicated to developing plans for the next 50 years of community growth,” Mayor Stephen Kepley said in supplied material. “With clear direction from Kentwood residents, the plans would improve all the parks and enhance the trail systems, while providing for a central community gathering place, which is a frequent request from our residents.”
Kentwood has more than 13 miles of non-motorized trails, which are used year-round by residents and visitors, as well as parks that cover more than 300 acres. More than 700 recreational programs and numerous community events for people of all ages and abilities are offered through the Parks and Recreation Department in the Kentwood Activities Center, on the City Campus and at other locations.
Millage details
A mill is 1/1000th of a dollar or .001 cents. If a tax rate, or millage rate, is a 0.9 mill, a resident would be taxed .009 cents for every dollar, or $0.90 per $1,000 of the taxable value of his or her property. For a 0.65 mill, that would equate to $0.65 per $1,000 of taxable value, according to city information.
For example, a residential home with a taxable value of $100,000, the cost of 0.9 mills would be $90 per year for 10 years. After 10 years, the millage would reduce to 0.65, which would equate to $65 per year.
Projects millage would fund
The proposed millage would support the following improvements:
Bowen Station Park: New restroom, new playground components, gateway signage, site amenities, landscaping.
Burgis Park: Trail and sidewalk improvements, drinking fountain.
City Campus: Splashpad, playground, plaza, shelters, stage, event lawn, parking, restrooms, site amenities.
Community center: Approximate 40,000-square-foot community center (to be designed).
East Paris Nature Park: Trail improvements, signage, site amenities.
Home Acres Park: Skate park improvements, shade shelters, lighting, signage, site amenities, landscaping.
Rondo Street Station Park: Playground, site amenities, landscaping.
Stanaback Park: Playground, ADA improvements, parking improvements, signage, pickleball courts, site amenities, landscaping.
Stauffer Station Park: Kiosk, lighting, signage, site amenities, landscaping.
Summerwood Park: Playground, landscaping.
Trails: Repair, replacement or the creation of new connections.
Veterans Memorial Park: New soccer field and playground expansion (to be completed in FY 2021 via Community Development Block Grant funding).
“The improvements identified through our extensive community engagement and planning process demonstrated our community needs have grown beyond our current budget,” Val Romeo, Kentwood Parks and Recreation director, said in supplied material. “The Parks and Recreation Department has exhausted current general funds, including a parks millage that expired in 2013.
“We have only been able to achieve improvements through various grant opportunities which are becoming more and more difficult to acquire,” she said. “To keep pace with our growing community needs, new funding is critical.”
Work of community-led advisory committee
The City Commission decision comes on the heels of a recommendation made by the City of Kentwood Parks, Trails and Recreation Advisory Committee. The City Commission worked with the committee to refine the plan.
The plan objectives are to begin improvements to City Campus in year two, address the most immediate needs at every park within the first five years, start construction on a new community center in year five and complete all remaining improvements within 10 years.
In addition to the potential permanent dedicated millage, the City would contribute up to $3.6 million from other funding sources and a future loan of up to $5 million, which would come from the City’s Special Assessment Revolving Fund. An internal loan would eliminate the need to issue a bond and associated interest, according to the city.
The 19-member advisory committee included a broad cross-section of Kentwood residents to ensure the diverse needs of the community would be represented in the review of the proposed improvements. Ed Kape, who currently serves on the Planning Commission and as chair of the Parks and Recreation Commission, served as chair of the advisory committee. Dustin Moseley, a Parks and Recreation commissioner, served as vice chair.
“At the charge of City Commission, Kentwood residents from all over the community pulled together to create this plan,” Kape said in supplied material. “As residents, we unanimously concluded that a millage was necessary to create a sustainable funding plan for the future of our parks, trails and recreational programming.
“We are pleased the City Commission has approved putting the millage question on the August ballot so residents can weigh in on this opportunity to support our parks in a new and meaningful way.”
In developing its recommendation, the advisory committee reviewed, and prioritized improvements identified in the Parks and Recreation Business Plan, Parks Master Plan, Non-Motorized Trail Plan and findings from the Plan Our Parks – POP! Public Engagement Series.
“We are thankful for the residents’ involvement in the committee and its holistic review process,” Mayor Kepley said. “The detailed visionary planning they’ve contributed to will increase Kentwood’s excellent quality of life for many years to come.”
I recently heard about two patients who ended up in the hospital with gallstones just a short while after they gave birth to their babies.
They both ended up having their gallbladders removed.
Women who experience gallstones after their child is born will typically experience this within two to four months after delivery.
More than 25 million people suffer from gallstones, but women encounter this at a much greater rate than men—and that’s before pregnancy is factored in.
You are indeed more prone to gallstones when you’re pregnant.
Why? The extra estrogen in your body. Among its various effects, estrogen increases cholesterol.
Progesterone can also lead to gallstones. This hormone relaxes tissue, including within the gallbladder.
Battling blockages
About the size of a pear, the gallbladder is located below the liver.
Though you can live without it, the gallbladder does have its use.
The liver makes bile, which is stored in the gallbladder. When we eat food—especially high-fat food—bile is released from the gallbladder and sent to the intestines to aid in digestion.
In some cases, the bile crystalizes and forms gallstones. These can be as small as sand or as large as a golf ball.
Gallstones are usually composed of calcium bilirubinate, cholesterol and calcium carbonate.
It’s critical to understand that gallstones can cause a problem when they block ducts. They won’t allow the bile to leave, which can cause inflammation, or cholecystitis.
People may have gallstones and not even know it. Symptoms only tend to arise when the stones block or obstruct the body’s natural processes.
Symptoms include:
Upper abdomen pain, which can radiate to right shoulder and back
Steady pain after eating fatty meals
Abdominal pain lasting longer than five hours after eating
Fever or chills
Nausea or vomiting
Yellowing of the eyes
Dark urine
Clay-colored bowel movements
In the past we’ve looked at a condition called cholestasis of pregnancy, which entails symptoms similar to those experienced by gallstones.
Testing for gallstones can involve an ultrasound, which helps doctors visualize what is happening. A blood test can also reveal signs of infection.
Doctors can use CT and MRI imaging to further uncover problems.
Antibiotics may be used if there are signs of infection, but doctors may turn to surgery to remove the gallstones or the gallbladder.
Promoting prevention
There are some steps you can take to help reduce the chances of developing gallstones.
First and foremost: Eat healthy and keep your weight under control. Yes, if you’re pregnant you will be gaining weight—you are growing a human being inside you. But excess weight isn’t helpful.
Other useful tips:
Limit bad fats and make sure you’re getting healthy fats, which are monounsaturated fats and omega-3 fatty acids.
Kentwood’s Sylvia James, right, is sworn in to serve on the the Kent ISD School Board. James is also serving as Trustee on the Board of Education for Kentwood Public Schools. (Supplied/Kent ISD)
By WKTV Staff ken@wktv.org
The Kent ISD School Board recently announced the appointment of Sylvia James to fill the opening on the board created when Bill Joseph retired. James is also serving as Trustee on the Board of Education for Kentwood Public Schools.
According to the ISD statement, in addition to her service in Kentwood’s public school system, she has extensive professional experience in operational and strategic human resources practices and management at Pridgeon & Clay, Inc., and previously with Steelcase, Spectrum Health and Robert Bosch, LLC.
“We are pleased to welcome Sylvia to the Kent ISD School Board and look forward to enlisting her experience, passion and dedication to serve all students in the Kent County area,” Ron Caniff, Superintendent, Kent ISD, said in supplied material. “The board is grateful to Bill Joseph for his 18 years of service, countless insights and many contributions throughout the years. We look forward to continuing this important work with Sylvia’s leadership and commitment to public education.”
James has lived in the Kentwood area for more than 25 years and is interested in expanding her reach to help meet the needs of students throughout the region, according to the ISD.
“I love how Kent ISD works collaboratively with all of the districts to provide programs and services to the residents of 23 public and non-public school districts.” James said in supplied material. “I am committed to ensuring that our students are well educated, as we provide for their safety and welfare.”
James was sworn in at the February Kent ISD School Board meeting. She will serve until the June 2021 election, at which time she can run to serve the remainder of Joseph’s term, through 2025.
Kent ISD is a regional educational service agency “devoted to achievement for all students,” and provides instructional and administrative services to more than 300 schools, 20 public districts, three non-public districts, and many public school academies and non-public schools.
For more information on the Kent ISD, see kentisd.org.
Sen Dim, who is from Myanmar, works on her project about Bhutan. (School News Network)
Kentwood: ‘All Their Stories Come Together’
In Valleywood Middle School teacher Jane Van Hof’s seventh grade English class — a portrait of diversity in itself– students are studying the stories of people forced to flee their native lands. For the project, dubbed “A Refugee Story,” they are delving into research on refugees and learning about those in their community. What did they learn? Click here to find out.
Andrea Donovan preps her students for the human catapult as part of a collaborative STEAM-PE week. (School News Network)
Godfrey-Lee: Human catapult, shadow-dodging teaches movement & so much more
Here’s a story gathering some STEAM: A group of Godfrey-Lee teachers have come up with games that are more than just play, but may create builders, engineers and life-long physical fitness buffs just by introducing unique ways to keep fit and create while doing it. To learn how they are accomplishing this, click here.
For more stories on area schools, visit the School News Network website schoolnewsnetwork.org.
Heart disease can seem so distant, so unreal, and something you don’t have to worry about.
Unfortunately, it is very real, especially for women.
There’s no time like the present to start assessing your own goals on how you want to age and how you can enjoy better heart health. Where do you stand on meeting your goals? If having a heart attack is not something you want to experience, you need to act now.
Having a health goal is important and also the key to staying healthy as you age.
Making health changes such as exercising daily, changing eating habits, and practicing stress-reduction techniques can be challenging, especially if you don’t start with a clear goal.
When my patients say, “I can’t believe you are asking me if I want a heart attack; of course I don’t want a heart attack,” I show them how their actions speak louder than their words. By choosing not to exercise, eating high-sugar foods and allowing stress to rule their lives, they are actually choosing a heart attack.
The good news is that it’s never too late to get healthy, but the sooner the better.
A patient I’ll call Adrienne is living proof that heart disease can affect just about anyone.
At age 39, she suffered a heart attack—way too young—or so she thought. Adrienne was going through a very stressful time in her life and was having shortness of breath occasionally.
Adrienne thought being winded had to do with the stress she was experiencing or maybe because she was tired and had not been eating well. She would simply rest until she felt better and forget about the feeling until it would happen again. Adrienne never even considered she might be having a heart attack.
However, one day the feeling came back and persisted for a long time. When she received some especially bad news, her breathing became very labored, and she knew something wasn’t quite right. She mentioned her symptoms to her husband, and he insisted they go to the ER immediately. Just minutes after arriving at the ER, Adrienne had a full-blown heart attack.
Fortunately for Adrienne, the ER staff took her symptoms seriously. She is alive today thanks to the prompt and expert care she received that day.
Not everyone is as lucky as Adrienne.
More women die of first heart attacks
Many women don’t get help quickly enough or they are not taken seriously when they go for help. But the facts don’t lie: More women than men die from their first heart attack and more women than men have fatal heart attacks.
As Adrienne went through cardiac catheterization, open heart surgery and cardiac rehab, she learned she had risk factors for a very long time, but never realized it. As a result, she never received the preventive treatment needed to prevent a heart attack, and she wasn’t aware of the early symptoms.
Adrienne’s shortness of breath and fatigue had been going on for more than a month, but she never knew the severity of her condition.
Adrienne began to learn more about her health and important risk factors of heart attacks. These include family history, cholesterol levels, blood sugar levels, high blood pressure, obesity, smoking, diet, high stress, inactivity, inflammation (which can be caused by diet and the presence of heart disease), and age.
In addition, activity and increased stress level can affect your risk of having a heart attack. Adrienne had risk factors she never knew she had.
Unfortunately, Adrienne’s story isn’t unique.
Too many women either don’t know the warning signs of a heart attack or ignore them because they don’t want to bother anyone.
Know the symptoms
It’s important that we know the signs and symptoms of a heart attack, especially because they are different in women than men.
Men tend to experience a heaviness, like an elephant, on their chest. They also notice a true pain in their chest that radiates to the left arm and up the neck.
Women tend to have more subtle signs. The most common symptoms for women are progressive shortness of breath on exertion or with great stress, unexplained fatigue, nausea, subtle chest heaviness, neck pain, or arm pain.
I have had patients who dismissed some of their symptoms as jaw pain from TMJ or simply sleeping funny. I have even seen patients who presented with new onset hot flashes years after menopause. After sending them to a cardiologist, they find out they have angina and they ended up with heart surgery instead of hormones.
Risk scores also help physicians predict your chances of having a heart attack in the next year, and even in the next 10 years. My favorite scoring system is the Reynold’s Score, and it can be done at home by going online to reynoldsriskscore.org.
You will need to know your family history, total cholesterol level, HDL cholesterol level, systolic blood pressure (number on top), and C-Reacting Protein (CRP) level. You will also be asked if you smoke, which is a significant cause of heart attacks.
Other tests used to assess risk include an ultrasound of the artery in your neck to determine your risk of stroke, and a CT scan of the chest to look for calcium in the artery walls.
When you have symptoms, it is important to have two tests performed: an EKG to see if your heart is suffering low oxygen from blockages, and a stress test with an ultrasound of the heart (ECHO). If you are experiencing symptoms such as chest heaviness or shortness of breath, you will want to go to the ER or call 911.
In our clinic, we use risk scores, including the Reynolds Score, to score for Metabolic syndrome. This syndrome is a strong predictor of experiencing a heart attack or stroke.
If a woman comes to us for hormone therapy and also has Metabolic syndrome or is at high risk for a heart attack, we will not prescribe hormone replacement therapy as it would put her at greater risk for a heart attack. However, if she is at low risk and does not have Metabolic syndrome, hormone replacement therapy can actually lower her risk of having a heart attack or stroke.
In the not-so-distant past, it was common for women to go to the ER with chest pain and shortness of breath, only to be told it was heartburn or an anxiety attack. It was even thought that women couldn’t have heart disease.
Fortunately, health care experts now take this issue seriously, and we are very aware that heart disease affects both men and women.
We wish that every woman knew her risk factors and made healthy choices to avoid suffering a heart attack. Too many women (and their families) suffer an unnecessary loss. Take control before it happens to you.
Even mild anemia—low levels of hemoglobin in the blood—may raise a person’s odds for Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementia, a new study finds.
The same Dutch research also found a correlation between heightened dementia risk and high blood levels of hemoglobin.
“With around 10% of people over age 65 having anemia in the Americas and Europe and up to 45% in African and southeast Asian countries, these results could have important implications for the burden of dementia,” noted study lead author M. Arfan Ikram, of Erasmus Medical Center in Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
Hemoglobin is the protein in red blood cells that transports oxygen.
The new study included more than 12,000 people averaging 65 years of age. None of the participants had dementia at the beginning of the research.
Hemoglobin levels were measured at the start of the study and 6% of the participants were found to have anemia.
The participants’ health was then tracked for an average of 12 years. During that time, 1,520 developed dementia, including 1,194 who were diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, according to the report published online recently in Neurology.
The study was not designed to prove cause and effect.
However, the research showed that people with anemia were 41% more likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease and 34% more likely to develop any type of dementia than those without anemia, the team reported.
In another finding, people with high levels of hemoglobin were also more likely to develop dementia.
Those with the highest levels were 20% more likely to develop dementia than those with levels in the middle.
Those with the lowest hemoglobin levels were 29% more likely to develop dementia than those with levels in the middle, the research found.
In a journal news release, Ikram added that the findings could be significant, given that “the prevalence of dementia is expected to increase threefold over the next decades, with the largest increases predicted in the countries where the anemia rate is the highest.”
The question of how hemoglobin levels affect dementia risk is still unclear, however.
“More research is needed to determine whether hemoglobin levels play a direct role in this increased risk or whether these associations can be explained by underlying issues or other vascular or metabolic changes,” Ikram explained.
Dr. Satjit Bhusri is a cardiologist at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City. Looking over the findings, he stressed that hemoglobin’s role as an oxygen transporter to the brain might be key.
“Any quick or slow loss of oxygen will lead to a cognitive decline and manifest as dementia,” he noted. Conversely, Bhusri said, “elevated hemoglobin is a reaction to some underlying disease. That disease is forcing the body to produce more hemoglobin. This can result in an increase in thickness of blood and poor flow to the brain.”
Another expert believes the findings should serve as a reminder to doctors to pay attention to even mild anemia when it occurs.
“I think that physicians should not write off mild anemia in any age group, because it clearly is associated with brain dysfunction over time,” said Dr. Guy Mintz. He directs cardiovascular health at Northwell Health’s Sandra Atlas Bass Heart Hospital in Manhasset, N.Y.
Mintz also noted that many of the participants in the study were still in their 60s and 70s, so “we are not looking at an elderly, frail group of patients.”
As for people with elevated levels of hemoglobin, he believes that in many instances this happened in response to the smoking habit.
So, the link between hemoglobin levels and dementia “can be another motivational tool to get these patients to stop smoking,” Mintz said.
“Time flies whether you are having fun or not. Your choice.”
Anonymous
(Supplied/Grand Rapids Symphony)
Inside in GR, with a wizard
The Harry Potter Film Concerts Series returns to DeVos Performance Hall with “Harry Potter and Half-Blood Prince” on Friday and Saturday, Feb. 21-22, with the Grand Rapids Symphony performing the live score while the entire film plays in high-definition on a 40-foot screen. Go here for the story.
The start of the 2019 Freeze Fest disc golf event. (Supplied/City of Kentwood)
Inside and outside in Kentwood
The City of Kentwood will have two community events this Saturday, including the Annual Freeze Fest Disc Golf Tournament, and a Hawaiian Luau-Themed Family Dance, both on Feb. 22. Go here for the story.
Outside in Grand Haven
On Saturday, Feb. 22, from 2 to 4 p.m., downtown Grand Haven businesses will be showcasing their favorite Nursery Rhymes during the tenth annual Frozen in Time. Frozen in Time is a window display competition, complete with live mannequins and an Oscar-style awards ceremony. Go here for the story.
Fun fact:
It will not be -13 (we hope)
That record low temperature in Grand Rapids was set in 1966 with a low of -13 degrees, which we tied Feb. 19, 2015.
SpartanNash has been named among the Best and Brightest Companies to Work For® in the Nation, according to the National Association for Business Resources.
“At SpartanNash, our family of nearly 19,000 associates is our company’s most important asset,” Executive Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer Yvonne Trupiano said. “Whether they are ‘taking food places’ through our highly efficient and versatile supply chain, military resale channel, fresh food manufacturing or corporate-owned retail stores, associates contribute to SpartanNash’s success.
“In turn, we are proud to provide a challenging, exciting and fast-paced work environment for associates, in addition to competitive Total Rewards benefits; training, development and advancement opportunities; and a commitment to cultivate relationships based on respect, integrity, teamwork and trust to build a winning culture.”
The Best and Brightest Companies to Work For identifies and honors organizations that display a commitment to excellence in operations and employee enrichment that lead to increased productivity and financial performance. Nominees are scored based on regional company performance data and a set standard across the nation, evaluating companies on categories including benefits and employee solutions, engagement and retention, education and development, diversity and inclusion, and communication and shared vision. The national program celebrates those companies that are making better business, creating richer lives and building a stronger community as a whole.
“With the war on talent hitting the doorsteps of the Best and Brightest, this achievement means even more than it did a year ago. As we continue to raise the bar, these companies rise to the challenge through cultural innovation, maximizing their workforce potential,” said Jennifer Kluge, President and CEO, Best and Brightest Programs.
In total, the 2019 Best and Brightest Companies to Work For list includes 540 national winning organizations from across the country, selected from 5,000 nominations. Also receiving the honor was the Kent District Library.
SpartanNash offers a robust Total Rewards program, with benefits for eligible associates including medical, dental, life, vacation, 401(k) with company match, employee assistance services and a wellness program. The company also offers associate discounts at its more than 155 owned and operated retail stores, as well as discounts with vendors and tuition reimbursement.
Associate learning and development is also a priority at SpartanNash, with training and development courses tailored to each associate’s business segment and career aspirations.
SpartanNash also offers employee resource groups for its female and veteran associates, as well as companywide volunteering and sustainability programs.
With more than 20 years of experience conducting the Best and Brightest competitions, the National Association for Business Resources has identified numerous best Human Resource practices and provided benchmarking for companies that continue to be leaders in employment standards.
SpartanNash has been named one of the Best and Brightest Companies to Work For in the Nation for six consecutive years. The company has also been honored as one of West Michigan’s Best and Brightest Companies to Work For since 2013, as well as one of Michigan’s Best and Brightest in Wellness since 2016.
Winning companies will be featured in the February online edition of Corp! Magazine
At the Patterson Avenue and 44th Street project site, from left, KCRC Project Engineer Eric Rodegher, Kentwood Director of Engineering and Inspections Tim Bradshaw and KCRC Engineering Inspector Sean McKean. (Supplied/City of Kentwood)
By WKTV Staff ken@wktv.org
The Michigan Concrete Association has recognized the City of Kentwood and the Kent County Road Commission with an Award of Excellence for the agencies’ joint project at the intersection of Patterson Avenue and 44th Street, according to the City of Kentwood.
The project’s goal was to improve traffic flow throughout the heavily traveled intersection, which serves as the entrance to the Gerald R. Ford International Airport.
Completed in August 2019, the two-month project widened sections of both roads to provide dual left-turn lanes from eastbound 44th Street to northbound Patterson Avenue. The intersection’s north and west approaches were also reconstructed, receiving new full-depth concrete surfaces.
“To keep pace with the growth of Kentwood and the airport, additional lane capacity was achieved to improve commuting times for motorists at this critical intersection,” Tim Bradshaw, City of Kentwood Director of Engineering and Inspections, said in supplied material.
The award was presented during the Michigan Concrete Association 2020 Winter Conference and Workshop on Thursday, Feb. 13, in East Lansing. A competitive awards program, Kentwood and KCRC’s joint project was one of 25 that were recognized among the more than 45 projects that were submitted, according to the city.
“The new full-depth concrete pavement will serve this heavily traveled intersection for many years, reducing any future traffic impacts to the thousands of travelers who use the airport,” Dan DeGraaf, MCA executive director, said in supplied material. “The airport, city and county should be proud of the welcoming gateway that this intersection provides to visitors and motorists alike.”
Contractor Kamminga & Roodvoet completed the road improvements and Strain Electric performed the necessary traffic signal upgrades. Because of the intersection’s high traffic volumes and demand, the project was completed while maintaining two-way traffic and left turns at all times.
“This project is an excellent example of multi-agency collaboration,” Wayne Harrall, KCRC deputy managing director of engineering, said in supplied material. “Not only did Kentwood, the road commission and the contractors work together to complete a high-quality project, but the airport also provided critical support and communication that helped thousands of daily motorists safely navigate the work zone daily.”
This past fall, Niels van Duin and Lukas Alofs crossed the Atlantic Ocean to intern for Alan Headbloom’s show “Feel Like You Belong.” (Photo by Alan Headbloom)
By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma joanne@wktv.org
The sky begins to turn a grayish black and just as the acknowledgment that a storm is coming, it begins to rain. Not a light, gentle rain, but harsh sheets as if someone is unloading dump trucks full of water from the sky.
However, when asked if they would like a ride back to their apartment from the WKTV station, Lukas Alofs and Niels van Duin, nicely, but firmly, say no.
“We are used to this type of weather,” Lukas said with a laugh. “We ride in all types of weather back home.”
Back home is the Netherlands. Both Niels and Lukas visited the United States last fall to intern for Alan Headbloom’s “Feel Like You Belong” television program. The show, which shares the life stories of immigrants, expatriates, and refugees to the United States, is filmed at the WKTV studio in Wyoming.
“There really was not any formal internship program,” Alan said, adding that the internship came about through a friendship. “Niels’ mother is a dear friend with my Dutch business partner Sandra Wormgoor.”
Alan and Sandra created a web app called English a Day (www.englishaday.com) for English language learners. A few years ago, Sandra was in the Grand Rapids area and came by to watch a taping of one of Alan’s shows, falling in love with the “Feel Like You Belong” program.
Fast forward to last year and Niels’ and Lukas’ school, Kandinsky College in Nijmegen, Netherlands, (which according to the boys is more like a high school), requires the students to do an internship outside of the Netherlands. This is part of the school’s International Baccalaureate program.
“When Sandra learned of this, she proposed the fellows come work for ‘Feel Like You Belong’,” Alan said. “I had fond memories of living abroad in my teen years; in fact, I’d say those early exposures influenced by future studies and ultimately my career choice.”
Niels, who had never been to the United States, admitted it was pretty exciting to have the opportunity to see and experience life in America.
“I expected the internship to be a lot of fun,” Niels said. “I did not expect a big ‘culture shock’ when coming to the United States because what I’d seen of American culture (on the internet, TV, etc.) was quite similar to our own customs.”
The biggest challenge? Well for Alan, it was changing his American cultural mindset to consider the needs of Europeans living in Grand Rapids — especially two young men who could not drive.
“In our country, you can only get your driver’s licenses when you’re around the age of 18, so neither of us were allowed to drive,” Niels said. “That along with the fact that public transportation was not great (at least not what we were used to) made it pretty difficult to go from A to B.”
Alan was able to get a couple of bikes for Niels and Lukas to get around, go shopping, and get to and from WKTV. He also said when securing a place for them to stay, he considered if it was a walkable neighborhood as well. Along with that, Alan said he looked for opportunities for Niels and Lukas “to see the area through their own lenses.” This included a tour of Grand Valley State University and a chance to attend a Lakers football game.
“Of course a terrific experience for any student, local or international, is the chance to work on set at a real television station,” Alan said, and Niels agreed.
“I learned a lot about communication and working together as a team,” Niels said, adding he and Lukas spent time recording and cataloging several of the “Feel Like You Belong” shows. “Our colleagues, the other interns and the staff at WKTV, were incredibly fun and nice to work with.”
And while he enjoyed the opportunity, Niels said he probably will do film and video more as a hobby. Recently he enrolled at Utrecht Conservatory in hopes of becoming a music teacher. He also hopes to one day come back to Grand Rapids, perhaps with his family to show them some of things he did.
Alan, who has been involved in international and intercultural communications his whole life, said the international internship opportunity reminded him of the importance of travel and meeting new people, referring to a quote from Mark Twain: “Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one’s lifetime.”
“I know how significant it has been to my life to have lived, worked, traveled, and studied across the globe,” Alan said. “ The only way for Americans to lose their xenophobia and fears is to go someplace else and live in someone else’s world. Lukas and Niels refreshed that appreciation for me.”
Your dog might be your heart’s best friend, if a new study is any indication.
Researchers found that compared with people who had no pets, dog owners tended to have fewer risk factors for heart disease: They got more exercise and had healthier diets and lower blood sugar levels.
Even compared with other pet owners, they were doing better with diet and exercise.
The study of nearly 1,800 Czech adults is not the first to suggest our canine friends can do our hearts good. In fact, in 2013 the American Heart Association issued a scientific statement saying that dog ownership is likely linked to a lower risk of heart disease.
That was largely based on evidence that people with dogs are more physically active. The new findings suggest the benefit might extend to diet and blood sugar levels.
It’s easy to see how having a dog could get people moving, according to senior researcher Dr. Francisco Lopez-Jimenez.
And it’s possible that dog owners’ lower blood sugar levels were related to their exercise habits, said Lopez-Jimenez, a cardiologist at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn.
It’s less obvious, though, why dog ownership would encourage a healthier diet. One possibility is that the two are not directly related, he said.
On the other hand, past research has shown that dogs do more than demand walks and get us moving: They offer companionship and emotional support, according to Lopez-Jimenez.
“They can decrease your feelings of loneliness and give you a sense of purpose,” he said. “You have someone to look after.”
And that, he speculated, might encourage people to take better care of themselves.
Dr. Glenn Levine, a volunteer medical expert with the AHA, was lead author of its statement on pets and heart health. He said that, overall, there is “reasonably good data” that adopting a dog can increase people’s physical activity levels.
“That’s the strongest and most direct (cardiovascular) benefit,” said Levine, who is also a professor at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston.
He agreed, though, that pets might support heart health in less-direct ways, too.
“There may be other benefits as well—including reduced stress, greater companionship and happiness, and other factors that could lead people to take better care of themselves,” he said.
For the study, the researchers used data from a health survey of 1,769 Czech adults, aged 25 to 64.
Overall, more than two-thirds of dog owners (67%) met the “ideal” AHA recommendations for exercise. That means 150 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise, or 75 minutes of vigorous activity, each week—along with muscle strengthening exercises a couple of days per week.
In contrast, only 48% of people without pets met that ideal, as did 55% of other pet owners, the findings showed.
When it came to diet, few people met the AHA ideal, which includes plenty of fruits, vegetables, beans, fiber-rich grains, fish and lean meat.
But dog owners were doing better than others: Fewer than 7% scored in the “poor” range for diet, versus 16% of people without pets and 13% of other pet owners.
Dog owners did, however, fall short in one heart-health measure: Their smoking rates were highest.
It’s not clear why, according to Lopez-Jimenez—and it might not hold true in other countries, such as the United States. In general, smoking is more common in Eastern Europe.
The bottom line, according to Levine, is that people might enjoy health benefits from having a canine companion. But the AHA does not advocate adopting a dog for that purpose.
“The primary purpose of adopting or rescuing a dog should be to give the dog a loving and caring home,” Levine said. “The health benefits that may come from this are a bonus.”
The findings were published recently in Mayo Clinic Proceedings: Innovations, Quality & Outcomes.
On the latest episode of WKTV Journal In Focus, we welcome two leaders of the Kent County Board of Commissioners, arguably the most influential group of elected officials in the county. While often little understood, it is a governing body whose decisions and leadership impact residents in a myriad of ways, from its health department to its road crews, from its park system to the county sheriffs office.
The commissioners last month elected their leadership and we have two of those leaders in studio today, Commission Chair Mandy Bolter and Vice-chair Stan Stek. Ms. Bolter represents District 5, which includes all or part of Cascade, Lowell, Bowne and Caledonia townships. Mr. Stek represents District 6, which includes the City of Walker and part of the City of Grand Rapids.
Top among the topics discussed are how and why the county was able to approve nearly $18.7 million for three strategic capital funding projects — all without the need for any issuance of bonds, which are repaid with taxpayers’ money.
Also discussed are the scope of county services and responsibilities, the relationship between the county and both state and federal governments, as well as challenges for the coming year in county governance.
WKTV Journal In Focus airs on cable television in the Wyoming and Kentwood areas on Comcast WKTV Channel 26 and on AT&T Channel 99 Government channel (see our Weekly On-air Schedule for dates and times). All individual interviews included in episodes of WKTV Journal In Focus are also available on YouTube at WKTVvideos.
The cold weather has you homebound? Well, you can still travel and have some fun with these KDL staff picks. Just watch out for the ghosts and dragons!
Adult
The Curse of Oak Island The Story of the World’s Longest Treasure Hunt By Randall Sullivan
I want to be believe there’s treasure buried on Oak Island in Nova Scotia, Canada, and this nonfiction book only further tantalizes the possibility! Sullivan does a great job of distilling the 200-year mystery, beginning with the discovery of the storied Money Pit and catching us up to the most recent search efforts by the Lagina brothers from Michigan. (NOTE: “The Curse of Oak Island” show is on the History Channel?
– Vivi at the KDL Service Center
The Need By Helen Phillips
This story is sort of a blend of horror, thriller, and musing on the mundane joy of caring for small children. As a parent of a toddler and a baby, I read it at the perfect time because her language and descriptions of parenting ring so true. But even if you aren’t a parent, the tension around the plot is also very compelling and makes it a fascinating, creepy ride.
– Anna at East Grand Rapids
Graphic Teen
Delicious in Dungeon By Ryoko Kui
I recently read a good Graphic Novel called “Delicious in Dungeon. It’s a great teen series with a new twist on exploring when the adventurers lose all of their gear and have to eat the monsters that they slay and make them into meals like “Dragon Ham” and “Roasted Basilisk”. Sounds good right?
– Tabby at Wyoming
Children’s
Giraffes Can’t Dance By Giles Andreae
Moby and friends on the bookmobile have been enjoying Giraffes Can’t Dance by Giles Andrede and Guy Parker-Rees. It’s filled with charm and affirmation.
– Kevin Kammaraand on the Bookmobile
For more KDL Staff Picks, go the Kent District Library website, kdl.org, and click the “Recommendations” tab” on the left side of the page.
Menopause is often referred to as a “perfect storm” where all the odd changes and symptoms women experience collide.
This collision creates insulin resistance resulting in increased belly fat.
At the Spectrum Health Medical Group Midlife and Menopause Clinic, we have an entire team to help women with menopause symptoms, including weight gain.
One of our team members, Irene Franowicz, is a registered dietician who practices what she preaches. She encourages healthy eating and cooking and she teaches others how to prepare healthy foods in her weight management program, Eating the Mediterranean Way with Low Glycemic Carbohydrates.
Even better, Irene demonstrates techniques to counteract the effects of aging and menopause.
Right before and during menopause, one of the most common complaints women experience is weight gain. Many of my patients say, “I am doing the same things with my diet and activity level, but I keep gaining weight.”
One of my patients—we’ll call her Sarah—has experiencing this. At age 49, Sarah struggled to stop gaining weight. She knew she already had a bit of a weight problem, and at age 45 she noticed it was becoming more difficult to lose weight.
Busy juggling family and work, Sarah would often eat on the run as she and her family headed out the door to soccer games, school events and other functions. She exercised when she could, but it wasn’t enough. To make matters worse, when Sarah was 48 years old, she broke her foot and couldn’t move around for five weeks.
Unfortunately, she gained 15 pounds during that time.
Sarah knew her risk of gaining even more weight was high, because she had two strikes against her: she had diabetes when she was pregnant and diabetes ran in her family.
When her periods became very sporadic and she started having hot flashes, she came to see us in the Midlife and Menopause Clinic. From this visit, Sarah learned she was in perimenopause and smack dab in the middle of a perfect storm.
Modify meals
Sarah came to the right place for answers.
We helped her understand that her low estrogen was making her metabolism worse by making her more insulin-resistant. As a result, her body was storing every calorie it could.
No wonder she continued to gain weight. She was trying very hard to make some positive changes, including getting more sleep, drinking more water and exercising more regularly. Sarah still needed more help with her diet, so we sent her to Irene’s class at Spectrum Health.
Irene centers her teaching on the Mediterranean diet because it is low glycemic, meaning it’s low in simple sugar.
Irene’s real passion is working with women in perimenopause and menopause and teaching them how to eat in a way to overcome weight gain. Her low glycemic meal plans are carbohydrate-controlled and high in antioxidants. She created the Mediterranean diet program to help the thousands of women who come to her and say, “I can’t seem to lose weight any more, even though I am eating the same.”
In her classes, Irene offers ideas for meal plans, plus recipes for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks. Each week, the participants sample delicious recipes and leave with a list for grocery shopping.
Irene has seen great success in women who have adopted her Mediterranean diet program and she enjoys teaching how dietary modifications can reverse the metabolism. It’s simple—even with small weight loss, sugar levels drop.
After seeing me and then talking to Irene, Sarah was thrilled to learn we’re all teaching the same concepts.
She started preparing meals in advance and making healthy, tasty snacks for her entire family. Before too long, Sarah had lost 9 pounds and her sugar level dropped while her energy level went up—she was overjoyed.
Instead of feeling like her life was on the downslide, Sarah now envisioned a much brighter future for herself. She even considered joining Irene’s strength training and yoga classes, something she never thought she could do.
Using a team approach to health care, Irene and I often refer patients to each other. When Irene sees women struggling with hormone issues, she refers them to us in the Midlife and Menopause Clinic and we also send patients to Irene’s classes. We share our skills to provide a wide net of support to as many women as possible.
If you are interested in improving your English skills, make plans to attend the English Language Learners enrollment session presented by the Literacy Center of West Michigan. The program will take place at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 3, at the Kelloggsville Branch of Kent District Library. Any adult who wants to learn English or improve their skills is invited to attend.
Attendees will learn about and can sign up for a free, 15-week community English class that will take place at the Kelloggsville Branch of KDL. The class will meet from 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays, March 10 – June 18. Anyone interested in taking the class should attend the enrollment session.
“Our goal in holding an English class at the Kelloggsville Branch is to provide English literacy instruction to adults in a context that is immediately relevant to their lives,” said Chad Patton, Director of Customized Workplace English for the Literacy Center of West Michigan. “We are excited to help adults in this community reach their literacy goals, and we think that this partnership with Kent District Library only makes sense.”
African-American legends will “appear” at Woodland Mall during Black History Month thanks to reinactors from New Hope Baptist Church. (Supplied/Woodland Mall)
By Woodland Mall
African-American legends will “appear” at Woodland Mall during Black History Month thanks to reinactors from New Hope Baptist Church. (Supplied/Woodland Mall)
Jay Z, Tina Turner, Coco Gauff and Congressman John Lewis will be among the African-American legends “appearing” at Woodland Mall during Black History Month — thanks to a special partnership with New Hope Baptist Church.
Woodland Mall and New Hope Baptist Church are partnering to bring a “live museum” to the mall on Saturday, Feb. 29, from 2 to 5 p.m. The one-day only exhibit will feature actors portraying notable and important African-American figures in politics, sports, science, arts, entertainment and other areas.
Ranging in age from 10 to 72, the actors are all volunteers from New Hope Baptist Church in Grand Rapids.
“We are proud to partner with New Hope Baptist Church for the eighth year of this great event,” said Cecily McCabe, marketing director for the Woodland Mall. “The live museum gives our guests the opportunity to learn through personal connections. We look forward to the talents of the volunteers who work so hard to create a memorable event.”
During the live museum, actors and volunteers will portray African-American figures in history and current culture. The performers bring their persona to life by adopting mannerisms and speaking from a script. Interaction will be limited to the script so performers can fully immerse themselves as the people they are portraying.
“The performers work hard for the weeks leading up to the event each year,” said Rev. Dr. Howard Earle, Jr., senior pastor at New Hope Baptist Church and visionary of the African-American live museum. “The community looks forward to this event as an opportunity to help educate our community and to share the wonderful talents of our volunteers.”
The event, Earle said, impacts everyone in the community, generating a sense of pride that spans generations.
“Events like the live museum demonstrate the importance of diversity in our country,” Earle explained. “African-Americans are an integral part of all professions and have made significant contributions to our cultural identity – from science to politics to entertainment. We’re confident everyone will not only learn something at this event, but enjoy it as well.”
The live museum is free inside the Woodland Mall, and everyone is welcome to attend. Throughout the history of the event, no figures have been repeated, with one exception. Former President Barack Obama was first seen early in his administration and again in 2017 as he exited office.
The Grand Rapids Public Museum (GRPM) just announced Sean Kenney’s Wild Connections Made with LEGO® Bricks, an award-winning and record-breaking exhibition that uses beautiful creations made from simple toy blocks to explore animal endangerment, the balance of ecosystems, and mankind’s relationship with nature, is opening Saturday, June 20.
Produced by Imagine Exhibitions, Wild Connections depicts important topics that the New York artist, Sean Kenney, holds dear, from protecting an animals’ habitat, to planting a garden, or using a bike instead of a car. Wild Connections shows that just as LEGO® pieces interconnect, everything in nature is interconnected in a delicate balance. The narratives, along with the intricate displays, explore the importance of conservation, the balance of ecosystems, predator/prey relationships, as well as the relationships between humankind and the natural world.
Most importantly, the exhibition allows visitors to appreciate both nature and the sculptures as something beautiful and inspires them to go home and create something wonderful themselves.
Tom Zaller, CEO of Imagine Exhibitions shared, “Imagine Exhibitions is proud to partner with Sean Kenney to bring the creative vision of Wild Connections to the Grand Rapids Public Museum. The messages in the exhibition about our connection to nature are beautifully presented and effectively weaved into the story in the hopes of inspiring visitors to think more about mankind’s impact on the greater world around us.”
Explore the beauty and wonder of Sean Kenney’s Wild Connections Made with LEGO® Bricks this summer. Tickets go on sale Spring 2020 and will be available at grpm.org or by calling 616-9291700. The GRPM will host an Opening Party for the exhibition on Saturday, June 20. Details at grpm.org.
A detail of a dragon by Sean Kenney. (Supplied)
Brick Built Exhibits Throughout West Michigan
In addition to Wild Connections at the GRPM, the John Ball Zoo will open the brick-built exhibition called BRICKLIVE Animal Paradise for the spring and summer, together creating a full experience for the community. The GRPM and John Ball Zoo will be partnering throughout the run of these exciting exhibitions. BRICKLIVE Animal Paradise features over 40 sculptures of endangered animals to not only entertain but also educate about the importance of the preservation of endangered species. Visit grpm.orgor jbzoo.org for further information.
“As two public organizations in West Michigan, we are pleased to partner with the John Ball Zoo to host these two similarly themed exhibitions this year,” said Dale Robertson, President and CEO of the Grand Rapids Public Museum. “By partnering to bring this full experience to the community, using both of our locations, we are able to create an even deeper connection to the content.”
The Village of Walloon Lake is hosting the 3rd Annual Walloon Winterfest on Feb. 22, from 1 – 4 p.m. The event will take place at Barrel Back Restaurant, The Village Green Park, and Tommy’s Walloon.
Winterfest is a family friendly event, with indoor and outdoor activities for kids of all ages. There will be complimentary ice skate rentals in a variety of sizes for the whole family, and free ice skating at the ice rink located in the Village Green Park. Snowshoe and Cross-Country Skis are available for rental at Tommy’s to explore local hiking trails. *Weather Permitting. Warm up inside with a Complimentary Hot Chocolate Bar.
The Petoskey Snowmobile Club will be holding its Second Annual Vintage Snowmobile Ride. The ride begins at the Petoskey Snowmobile Clubhouse, 4172 Evergreen Trail, Petoskey, and will end at Barrel Back Restaurant to be showcased on the lake. Gas is available at the Blue Facilities Building and Snowmobile parking is available for the event. Enjoy free Bean Soup at the Bean Pot while enjoying the Vintage Snowmobiles. All donations collected with be going to the Petoskey Snowmobile Club.
Explore Local Breweries & Wineries, located in Tommy’s, featuring eight local beer, wine, cider, and liquor companies including: Peron, Foggy Mountain, Petoskey Brewing, Mackinaw Trail, Rudbeckia Winery, Gypsy, Longhorn, and Wiseman. Drink tickets can be purchased on site from 1 – 4 p.m. Enjoy Barrel Back food and drink specials, including an extended Happy Hour from 1 – 6 p.m.
Giveaway prizes available. Drawings will be held every hour on the hour, with The Grand Prize beginning a (two) night stay with Hotel Walloon to be given away at 4 p.m. *Must be present to win.
Have you ever felt like you are running out of energy for life? I’m not talking about being tired after a long day, needing space after arguing with someone, getting stressed about bills, or worrying about what your boss thinks of you. I’m referring to a form of fatigue that creeps in slowly over time, somehow never fading and always getting stronger. It’s a phenomenon called burnout, a term seldom used in modern medicine, but a powerful word that reflects this problem.
Burnout is the process of dealing with chronic stress, anxiety, and mental or physical energy used that results in a person never seems to be able to ‘recharge’ and feel rested and relaxed. It’s like a single parent never having a break from caring for a newborn, whose free time is used to think about laundry, dinner, rent, and a mind full of other problems. As you can guess, a person who is constantly ‘on the go’ will eventually run out of energy. Unlike normal fatigue, burnout doesn’t allow us a chance to rest and recover. Instead, we push ourselves harder and longer until we can no longer do much of anything. Our mind and body ‘crash and burn,’ so to speak, and we may find ourselves hating our life and seeing few options.
Fortunately, burnout can be recognized as it starts to develop, and we can learn how to deal with it. Here are a few things you can ask yourself to determine if burnout is happening to you:
Do I feel that I have no energy or desire to do anything these days?
Am I typically on ‘auto-pilot’ when I am working or spending time with others?
Do I remember the last time I took a break and really enjoyed my time without worrying about something?
Am I afraid that I can’t do my responsibilities anymore?
Do I find myself fantasizing about quitting work or other responsibilities?
Am I losing my temper easily, or have little patience with people I love?
Preventing and recovering from burnout are similar. Here are some options to address burnout:
Recognize that you feel overwhelmed and need to do something about it.
Try to prioritize needs, and put aside tasks are not imperative.
Ask for help with responsibilities so tasks are not all up to you.
Find time for small breaks throughout the day to relax you mind and body.
Consider medication and/or mental health therapy for long term benefits.
A final note: Anyone can experience burnout, and it takes awareness, humility, and strength to recognize our limits so we can recover from burnout. If we ignore our self and our needs, our body will force us to stop, and we may wish we were had taken actions to prevent the damage.
Wyoming Community Foundation Chair Greg King sit-down with WKTV Journal’s Managing Editor Joanne Bailey-Boorsma to talk about the Wyoming Community Foundation. (WKTV)
For Wyoming’s Oriole Park Elementary, it was getting a set of recycling bins to help with its recycling effort. For the YMCA of Greater Grand Rapids , it was supporting its Y Achievers Program to bring it to the middle and high school students at Godwin Heights and Godfrey Lee schools.
Since 1992, this is the kind of support that the Wyoming Community Foundation has been providing to the City of Wyoming through its two grant programs.
“It kind of came about as a group of individuals who came together looking to do community stewardship,” said Greg King, who recently became the chair of the Wyoming Community Foundation. “That there were so many different needs going on in Wyoming, and how could this group help fund and support them going forward.”
A few years ago, the Wyoming Community Foundation helped fund new recycling bins for Wyoming’s Oriole Park Elementary School. (WKTV)
The foundation is an affiliate of the Grand Rapids Foundation which King said the Grand Rapids Community Foundation handles most of the administration details for the Foundation. In fact, the Grand Rapids Community Foundation lists five community affiliate funds that include the communities of Ionia, Hudsonville-Jension, Lowell, Sparta, and Wyoming.
The Wyoming Community Foundation ten-member board, which makes decisions on who will receive grants, is made up of community and City of Wyoming business leaders such as Lillian Vanderveen, owner of Lenger Travel, and Chris Hall, former chair and Inner City Christian Federation community homes initiative manager.
The Wyoming Community Foundation awards two types of grants, general fund grants and Youth Advisory Committee grants. Currently, the Youth Advisory Committee program is on hiatus for a year as the group looks to revamp the program. King said the plan is to work with schools that have a footprint in the City of Wyoming to identify the issues the youth committee should focus on. Those schools are Wyoming Public Schools, Godfrey-Lee Public Schools, Godwin Heights Public Schools and Kelloggsville Public Schools,
“ [We are] looking at some of the priorities that have changed,” King said. “The priorities that the act [which created the Youth Advisory Committee] had were back from 2016. Things have changed in the past four years. We are looking at getting more input from the schools on what the giving priority should be for our youth.”
Through the foundation’s general fund, the Wyoming Community Foundation did award about $14,000 to six different organizations in 2019. All of the organizations had programs that would directly benefit the City of Wyoming residents, King said. Those groups included Affinity Mentoring, Feeding America Mobile Food Pantries, Junior Achievement, Senior Sing-Along, UCOM’s Eat Healthy, Be Healthy, and the YMCA’s Y Achievers.
Any 501c3 organization that works within the city may apply for a grant. The application process opens in July and ends the second Friday in September. Decisions are announced by Oct. 31. The Youth Advisory Committee grant process usually starts in February.
King said the Foundation can also serve as a springboard for organizations looking for other funding opportunities or residents looking for volunteer possibilities within the community. In fact, King said the Wyoming Community Foundation is currently looking to expand its board and interested residents can contact the Wyoming Community Foundation through its website, https://www.grfoundation.org/about/regional-affiliates/wyoming, or Facebook page.
Kent District Library has been recognized on the national level as a Best and Brightest Company to Work For by the National Association for Business Resources. This award follows being named one of West Michigan’s Best and Brightest Companies to Work For in 2019.
The recognition is based upon ratings provided by KDL staff members of workplace culture, benefits and working conditions. These staff ratings were compared with over 5,000 other nominated organizations throughout the United States. Of those, the 540 with the highest scored were honored as national winners.
The competition identifies and honors organizations that display a commitment to excellence in their human resource practices and employee enrichment. Organizations are assessed based on categories such as communication, work-life balance, employee education, diversity, recognition, retention and more.
“The ratings provided by our staff in the Best and Brightest survey and national ranking confirms that we’re onto something special,” explains Brian Mortimore, Director of Human Resources and Organizational Development. “When people come to KDL from other organizations, they’re often surprised at our benefits, workplace culture, and often expressing their desire to stay with us for their full career. Ultimately, it’s our goal to have a positive impact on our community, and a positive culture gives rise to a passion to serve others. This award honors the positive energy our staff bring to their work daily.”
Kent District Library offers full- and part-time staff with a wide range of benefits and matching contributions to retirement savings, telemedicine and prescription drug services, along with support for student loan repayment among workplace benefits. KDL has been honored in the past with recognition in human resource best practices from the Grand Rapids Women’s Resource Center, Disability Advocates of West Michigan, and the Michigan Quality Council. Social activities are planned for staff and their families annually through an employee resource group called “Team KDL” to promote appreciation and a sense of family.
The Best and Brightest Companies to Work For® is a program of the National Association for Business Resources that provides the business community with the opportunity to gain recognition, showcase their best practices and demonstrate why they are an ideal place for employees to work. This national program celebrates those companies that are making better business, creating richer lives and building a stronger community as a whole.
As a winner, Kent District Library representatives are invited to attend the national conference for Best and Brightest, taking place in Dallas, Texas in March 2021 to share and learn of other cross-industry best in class practices.
Nursing student Mustafa Ajanovic assisted his best friend, Bayle Delalic, through a prenatal visit, weighing in, checking vital signs, and listening for the baby’s heart tones.
He and other students in the Licensed Practical Nursing program went through the steps of a doctor’s appointment with Delalic, who is due May 21, and several other pregnant women who volunteered.
While the session was informative for expectant moms, Ajanovic said it was extremely valuable for his own experience. It’s one of many simulation activities he’s taking part in while training to be a nurse.
“I like the sim labs they provide here because they throw you into a situation and make you critically think and try to organize your time and priorities,” said Ajanovic.
Shelly Richter, nursing programs director at GRCC, credits interactive experiences — part of a new curriculum — as one reason for a jump in scores on license exams in both the Practical Nursing and Associate Degree programs. In 2019, all nursing students passed those exams — 104 associate degree nurses and 42 LPN students. It was also the largest number of students taking the exams ever in one year.
“Simulation, active learning and more engaged activities have seemed to really have an impact,” she said.
While the practice prenatal clinic involved real people, many simulation sessions use manikins that respond and talk. “We have six bed labs and an amazing simulation lab with high-fidelity manikins, so they blink and talk. We can start IVs on them, we have a (manikin) mother that can deliver a baby and an actual baby we can do Apgar scores on,” Richter said, referring to the initial assessment of a newborn’s health.
LPN student Elyssa Systema takes a pulse oximeter reading from expectant mother Kelly Hunter, due Feb. 24. (School Network)
Milestones in Nursing
It’s an apropos time to reach that level of success. GRCC is celebrating seven decades of training nurses this year, with its Practical Nursing certificate program turning 70 and it associate degree program turning 50. The anniversaries coincide with the World Health Organization’s designation of 2020 as the International Year of the Nurse and the Midwife, in honor of the 200th birthday of Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing.
According to the WHO, the world needs 9 million more nurses and midwives if it is to achieve universal health coverage by 2030.
With classrooms located on the fourth floor of Cook Hall, GRCC’s nursing program is situated perfectly amid downtown Grand Rapids’ hub of hospitals and medical institutions, where new nurses are working in many settings and with all ages and populations.
“We continue to see a big demand for nurses. Our grads get hired 100 percent,” Richter said. “There are definitely jobs available.”
Professor of Nursing Sherry Knoppers said much of the demand for nurses is due to the aging baby boomer generation. “With a huge segment of the population reaching the age range when they need more health care, we need more nurses across the spectrum,” she said.
GRCC’s associate’s program trains three cohorts of 36 to 40 students a year, for a total of about 110 per year who are fully licensed registered nurses.
“They can apply for any RN position. Our students work in the major hospitals around here, long-term care, sub acute, community health, with inmates, with refugee populations. They work in positions including staff nurses, directors of nursing,” Richter said.
Bayle Delalic gets her eyes examined by nursing student Deanna Darrell. (School News Network)
LPNs Still in Demand
While there is a waiting list for the associate’s program, Richter said students shouldn’t feel deterred. They can take prerequisite classes while waiting, and high school students upon completion of their junior year can even apply for the program to get on the waiting list, which is approximately 2 ½ years.
Practical nursing offers two cohorts of 30 to 32 students in a yearlong program, graduating 56 to 60 each year. Licensed practical nurses typically work in long-term care, physician’s offices, clinics and community centers. There is no waiting list for the LPN program.
“There is a misconception in the community that LPNs are not used anymore,” Richter said. “That is also wrong. We have so many facilities constantly calling. There’s a huge demand for practical nursing.”
The cost for the Associate Degree program is significantly less at GRCC than at four-year universities: $19,300 for residents and $38,600 for residents. The cost of the LPN program is $11,000 for residents and $22,000 for non-residents.
Nursing pays about $28 an hour for RNs and around $20 for LPNs. Many hospitals and institutions offer tuition reimbursement for students who go on to pursue their bachelor’s degree.
Expectant mother Bayle Delalic, due May 21, stands on the scale while GRCC nursing student Turkesha Hankins takes her weight. (School News Network)
Hands-on and in the Moment
One of the biggest changes in nursing training in recent years has been simulation experiences, she said.
“One of our goals was to put 25 percent simulation in each course, as a minimum. That way students have the opportunity to practice hands-on in a safe setting. Students love it. They are intimidated at first, but then they realize this is a great opportunity to learn.”
During the prenatal lab, nursing student Turkesha Hankins worked with patients by taking blood pressure and adjusting beds. She’s pursuing her LPN because she already works in health care and will make $5.50 more per hour with her license.
“It’s just knowledge,” she said. “We learn a lot. Pediatrics is something very new to me because I’ve never worked in this field before, so I’m soaking in everything I can.”
LPN student Kaley Tosic takes the blood pressure of expectant mother Kelly Hunter (School News Network)
Diversity of Nurses Needed
Another big change in the profession, Richter said, is the diversity of students. “This used to be a women’s profession. We are always trying to recruit males. It’s really fun. All people bring something different to the table.”
Also, the age of nursing students spans just out of high school to retirees from other careers.
“One of the best things about working here at GRCC is having a diverse group of people that we work with, diverse in race, age, socioeconomic status, background,” Richter said. “It doesn’t matter if you haven’t worked in health care.”
The programs do not use selective admissions in enrollment. That makes the 100 percent pass rate even more impressive, Richter said. Requirements are explained here.
“As a philosophy, this is an open door college,” Richter said. “As long as they have the foundation, we want to carry them through the program.”
For more information about area schools, visit the School News Network website, schoolnewsnetwork.org.
A sea of boats will be on display at the Grand Rapids Boat Show. (Supplied)
By WKTV Staff ken@wktv.org
The Grand Rapids Boat Show not only turns 75 this year but is also Michigan’s longest running show. And it will return to DeVos Place in Grand Rapids this week, running Wednesday, Feb. 19, through Sunday, Feb. 23.
The Grand Rapids Boat Show started in 1946 as the West Michigan Sportland Boat Show in the Welsh Auditorium, with less than 25,000 square feet of space, according to supplied material. It is now 250,000 square feet (5.74 acres) of display space throughout the main exhibition halls, Steelcase Ballroom, Grand Gallery and Grand River Overlook where more than 400 boats from over 100 manufacturers and 35 dealers are displayed side-by-side.
Classic and antique boats are also part of the Grand Rapids Boat Show. (Supplied)
“The boaters of the Great Lakes State have embraced this grand tradition every winter for 75 years and this year they’ll find everything from aluminum fishing boats and personal watercrafts, to pro style ski and bass boats, luxury pontoon boats, runabouts, deck boats and big boats like yachts and cruisers … including the 42’ Regal Grande Coupe, recognized as this year’s ‘Queen of the Show’,” event promotional material states.
Other special features at the boat show include:
Twiggy, the Water Skiing Squirrel, performing daily.
Appearances by Pro Wakeboarders & Wakesurfers.
Vintage & wooden boats from Water Wonderland Chapter of Antique & Classic Boat Society.
The pop-up Lake Life Boutique featuring specialized food, drinks, live music and kids’ activities.
An opportunity to suit up and try out the SCUBA Dive Tank presented by Great Lakes Dive Locker.
A Boater Safety Certification (Saturday only) presented by the Kent County Sheriff’s Department Marine Division.
Gizmo D. Robot as he strolls the show, visiting with kids of all ages.
DeVos Place is located at 303 Monroe St. NE, Grand Rapids. Ticket are $12 adults, $5 children aged 6 to 14. Kids 5 and under are admitted free.
There is close-by parking beneath DeVos Place, across the street and connected by skywalk. There is also a complimentary trolley available; park in the Dash Lot Area 9 on Seward ($2 total) and hop aboard the trolley which will be making runs on an 8-minute loop for an hour before the show opens to an hour after the show closes each day.
The doctors at Spectrum Health Medical Group and in our OB/Gyn practice are always encouraging our patients to be physically active.
The benefits of living an active lifestyle include keeping your cholesterol, blood sugar and weight under control; preventing cancer, type 2 diabetes and heart attacks; and improving your sleep.
Even better, regular physical activity also reduces falls, joint pain and depression. It helps you feel better about yourself.
Fitness is something that can be measured and improved, and it starts with having a goal.
When I talk to my patients about fitness and goals, I am always reminded of a patient I’ll call Cathy.
Cathy aims to get ‘hot’
While rushing from one room to another in my office one day, I came around a corner too quickly. I almost ran into a woman I didn’t know, so I excused myself.
She stopped me and said, “You don’t recognize me, do you?” I confessed that I wasn’t sure who she was, and she said, “Then you probably don’t remember what you said to me last year, either?” Again, I admitted that I did not. She continued, “You asked me how I wanted to be in the next year when I turned 50, and I had to really think about it. I decided I wanted to turn 50 and feel ‘hot’. So, I decided I would do what it would take, and I just ran my first half marathon. Now I feel ‘hot’!”
We stood there in the hallway for a few minutes and talked about her transformation, and hers was such a great story of how a single goal could change an entire lifestyle.
Cathy’s story began about a year before our chance encounter in the hallway of my office. She had come in for her annual exam, and she was discouraged about her weight and overall fitness level. She left my office that day approximately 25 pounds over a healthy weight, had belly fat she didn’t like, and wore clothes two sizes larger than she wanted.
Like many women, Cathy had a very busy work life, and she barely had time for anything besides work and family. It seemed that after a long work day, her evenings were filled with preparing dinner, packing lunches and helping her kids with homework.
Cathy would try to take a walk on the weekends, but she didn’t have time to exercise regularly, and she got winded just walking up a flight of stairs. She didn’t do any strength training, wasn’t flexible and often complained of leg cramps.
And the list of bad habits went on, including:
Drinking too much coffee and not drinking enough water
Eating on the run
Eating very few fruits and vegetables other than an occasional salad for lunch
Cathy knew that she wanted to look “hot,” but she also knew she had a lot of planning and work to do if she was going to become the person she envisioned in her mind.
During her annual visit, I mentioned the Presidential Fitness Test (adultfitnesstest.org) as a way to find a general measure of how she compared to other women her same age. She looked it up, saw what she was up against, and created a goal to help her on her journey to better health.
Achieving her goal
Cathy’s goal: She wanted to be fit. More specifically, she wanted to be able to run at least three miles, be physically stronger and more flexible. She knew she would not only feel better about her appearance but also be stronger as she faced her next 50 years of life. Her goal kept her motivated when it would have been much easier to give up.
Of course, there were barriers that Cathy knew she would need to overcome—time, motivation, energy and knowledge. During her visit, we talked about starting small so she wouldn’t get discouraged and give up.
She took my advice and started taking walks whenever she had even a little free time—at lunch, after work (before making dinner), and after dinner. Cathy began doing sit-ups and push-ups in the morning before her shower, and stretching every night before bed.
As the weeks and months went on and she had increased energy, Cathy added more to her routine. Her walks turned into a walk/run combination, eventually running more than walking. She started with just 15-20 minutes of exercise at one time but gradually increased the time as she became stronger.
One thing that really helped Cathy stay positive was to measure her exercise by time instead of distance or speed. This proved to be very beneficial to Cathy and helped her keep working toward her goal.
It also helped that Cathy’s husband and kids supported her efforts to become more physically fit. Her husband would take walks with her at night after dinner, and her son rode bikes with her on the weekends. She even found herself wanting to go for a walk instead of grabbing coffee with a girlfriend.
Cathy’s hard work and persistence began to pay off. At that point, she had dropped one pant size, her belly fat started to decrease, and she no longer had leg cramps. More importantly, Cathy’s blood pressure improved, her cholesterol decreased, and her blood sugar made it to the normal range.
As Cathy’s activity level increased, her numbers continued to go down. She was encouraged to keep on her journey, and by the time I saw her, she had run a half marathon, gone down three pant sizes, and lost 35 pounds.
She said she’d never felt better in her life. Although it took almost a year, Cathy met her goal and turned 50 feeling “hot.”
The new State of Michigan Absentee Ballot return envelope. (WKTV)
By K.D. Norris ken@wktv.org
The March 10 Presidential Primary ballots, both the crowded Democratic version and the less crowded Republican version, are already in Wyoming and Kentwood voters hands if they applied for absentee ballots.
And it is not too late to apply for absentee ballots for the coming voting day, or for the entire and very busy 2020 voting calendar which includes the March 10 presidential primary election, a May 5 potential proposal or millage election, the Aug. 4 state and federal primary election and the Nov. 3 presidential, federal and state general election.
There will also be voting in the Wyoming Public Schools district for a millage renewal on the district’s March 10 ballot, and there will be voting for Kent County Sheriff and the 62 B District Court (Kentwood) judgeship, possibly in both primary and general elections.
For more information on the Wyoming Public Schools Operating Millage Restoration Proposal on the March 10 ballot, visit here.
But first, the presidential primary. And given the evolving list of political candidates in each party’s race, the ballot will show candidates who have already dropped out of the race.
“The list of candidates who will appear on the March 10 Presidential Primary is created, per statute, by the Secretary of State and the state chairpersons of the two political parties, based on whom they deem to be nationally-recognized candidates,” Robert J. Macomber, Kent County Chief Deputy Clerk and Register of Deeds, said to WKTV. “Because the candidate list was finalized in December in order to meet programming and printing deadlines, the ballots will include the names of several candidates whom have since ended their campaigns.”
While there are things for voters to watch out for on the presidential primary ballot, there are also things to know about the state’s new absentee ballot rules and envelopes.
Voters in both Wyoming and Kentwood can request absentee ballots, for specific voting dates or for the entire 2020 calendar, by contacting the city’s respective city clerk offices. For more information on Kentwood, visit here. For more information on Wyoming, visit here.
“With the passage of Proposal 18-3, Michigan voters now have the right to vote absentee without providing a reason, and the right to request to be placed on what is known as the Permanent Absentee List, and maintained by most city and township clerks,” Macomber said. “When on the permanent list, the voter will automatically receive an Absentee Ballot Application in advance of each election. On that application, the voter will have the option to request to receive the ballot for one election, or each subsequent election in that year.”
Absentee, not early, voting with new envelopes
While it seem to be a nuance, absentee voting is not early voting — and that particularly matters for the coming presidential primary.
“You may hear the terms Absentee Voting and Early Voting used interchangeably, however Michigan is has absentee voting, not early voting,” Macomber said. “In early voting states, ballots are immediately tabulated upon return to the clerk. In an election like a Presidential Primary, that distinction matters.
“In Michigan, whether they voted for a candidate who may have exited the race, or simply changed their mind prior to any election, voters who return an absentee ballot have the right to spoil their ballot and cast a new ballot at any time prior to 4 p.m. the day before the election. For the Presidential Primary, that would be 4 p.m. on March 9. Ballots cast for candidates that have dropped out will still appear in Election Night results, and how those votes are later allocated into delegates are determined by the political parties rules.”
There are also newly designed envelopes for absentee ballots, and some details on how they should properly be returned.
The new State of Michigan Absentee Ballot envelope sent to voters who request them. (WKTV)
“The Secretary of State has adopted a new design for absentee envelopes, and voters should pay close attention to their mail in light of that change,” Macomber said. “Previously, absentee ballots came in a dark yellow/golden envelope. The ballots are now mailed in a mostly white envelope with a blue strip on the left side, with ‘Official Absent Voter Ballot.’
“Normal postage requirements, or the timeframe to return the ballots has not changed — ballots need to be received by the voters city or township clerk’s office (not the polling location), whether mailed or hand delivered, by 8 p.m. on Election Day in order to be counted.”
For more Kent County election information visit here. For more State of Michigan election information, visit here.
Taking on the responsibility of caring for an aging or ill loved that can no longer take care of themselves one is one that many family members take on without question. They are happy to take care of the person that, in many cases, cared for them and they will do so with complete devotion. But, even the most devoted caregiver can struggle to find a healthy balance between their own life and the duties of care giving. This is where respite care comes in. Respite care is temporary, professional care of a dependent person that provides relief for their usual caregivers.
A Commonwealth Fund study reported that 60 percent of the family caregivers surveyed, ages 19-64, reported “fair or poor” health and one or more chronic conditions or disabilities, compared with only 33 percent of non-caregivers. There are 16 million caregivers, and 9 million of those have health problems of their own.
Taking time off to care for themselves is something caregivers should consider a necessity, not a luxury. And when it’s time to take that break, they can turn to respite care services. While they may be reluctant to take a break, here are some reasons to take advantage of the respite care services offered by local assisted living centers.
Avoid isolation and depression
When a loved one needs constant care, it’s tempting for a caregiver to shut out the world and focus on giving them the care and attention they need. But becoming socially isolated from friends can affect more than their social life. Too much social isolation can lead to feelings of loneliness, despair and eventually depression. This is often a worry in regards to the elderly if they can’t travel or get out on their own, but it is something that can affect caregivers as well. While our loved ones can be great company, it’s important to see out other interactions and nurture friendship to avoid loneliness and depression.
Stay in good health
We already mentioned that a large number of caregivers report significant health problems. But, it should be noted that many of those health problems could be avoided if the caregiver to the time and energy to take care of themselves and not just their loved one. Taking the time to exercise, visit healthcare providers, or just get out into the fresh air can have positive effects on our health. Caregivers suffering from illness, chronic pain or other ailments cannot provide the best care possible to their loved ones.
Exhaustion
Sometimes, being tired can be worse than being sick. Especially being over tired. And, not getting enough sleep can make our bodies more prone to illness. Nights spent listening to see if your loved one will get out of bed or fall in the night can affect sleep even if it feels like they are getting enough. It may be hard to fall into a deep sleep if you are constantly worried or on guard. Even one night away can reset your clock and leave you feeling awake and alert.
Stay mentally focused
Exhaustion and illness can not only affect our bodies but our minds. If you are in charge of distributing medication or tracking the diet of your loved one, you need to be as focused and alert as possible. Letting your mind wander or become clouded can be a dangerous mistake. But if you aren’t getting enough sleep or are feeling overwhelmed, it can happen easily.
Stay positive
Stepping away from the trials of caregiving even for a day or two can offer a whole new outlook on life. If caregivers feel overwhelmed, exhausted or ill it can be difficult to remember why they chose to be a caregiver in the first place. By stepping away or taking a vacation, they can renew their bodies but also refresh their minds and gain a new, positive outlook on the perks and rewards of caring for their loved one.
The opportunity to refresh and renew is good for both the caregiver and the patient and should be taken advantage of. A day away here and there and vacations can help make sure that caregivers are at their peak physical and mental health. Taking advantage of respite care opportunities is a great way to take the time caregivers need to take care of themselves.
Faith Hospice volunteer Elaine Martin delivers a handmade card and Valentine’s Day box of chocolates to former Wyoming resident and historian Dorothy Simon-Tibbe. (Photo by WKTV/Joanne Bailey-Boorsma)
Dorothy Simon-Tibbe easily admits that she was always better at giving gifts than receiving.
So it should have come as no surprise to the media crew at Faith Hospice Trillium Woods covering the special Valentine’s Day deliveries to patients that the first thing the former Wyoming resident and historian would do with her box of chocolates is open it and offer a piece to everyone.
A Valentine’s Day card that hands in Dorothy Simon-Tibbe’s room. (Photo by WKTV/Joanne Bailey-Boorsma)
“I appreciate being remembered,” Dorothy said. And as she passed around the candy, she added “You know I have been very blessed in that I have already received a lot of candy for Valentine’s Day.”
A small table near the doorway to Dorothy’s room has Lindt chocolates and other goodies along with Valentine’s Day notes. Across from where Dorothy sits is a large Valentine’s Day card that hints at her generosity: “No one has a bigger heart than you.”
“The reactions are all different,” said Cheryl Brink. volunteer coordinator for Faith Hospice Trillium Woods, about the annual Valentine’s Day delivery of candy to patients. “There are lots of smiles. Who doesn’t love chocolate?”
Valentine Day’s candies and cards ready for delivery. (Photo by WKTV/Joanne Bailey-Boorsma)
The Valentine’s Day surprise started about four years ago as an anonymous donor wanted to remember a family member and thank Faith Hospice for the care it provided. The person donated the boxes of chocolates and volunteers distributed the candy to Faith Hospice patients at the Trillium Woods, in their individual homes, and other nursing facilities where Faith Hospice oversees care.
The special Valentine’s Day surprise was so well received that every year since an anonymous donor has purchased the chocolates to be distributed to the Faith Hospice patients, which total more than 300.
“It’s just so joyful,” said Elaine Martin who once lived in the Wyoming area but now resides in Shelbyville with her husband. “There is surprise and joy. Some question where the candy came from and why. They usually smile back and sometimes invite you to sit with them for awhile. It’s a happy moment of their day.”
Upon receiving the candy, Dorothy immediately invited Elaine to sit with her and chat.
“You are probably going to say that Dorothy talked and talked and talked,” she said with a laugh, but being a former Wyoming historian and a “Wyominite” for most of her life (Dorothy originally came from the Traverse City area) had had a lot of stories to share.
Former Wyoming resident and historian Dorothy Simon-Tibbe and Faith Hospice volunteer Elaine Martin look over one of the Wyoming history books that Dorothy helped wrote. (Photo by WKTV/Joanne Bailey-Boorsma)
She talked about her time as writer for the Southkent Advocate which lead to her getting involved with her beloved City of Wyoming. She showed off the two City of Wyoming history books she helped write “Wilderness to Wyoming” and “A City of Wyoming: A History,” along with a book she wrote for her family “Hoe Your Own Row.” She had stories of being on the city’s Planning Commission and other city committees and that “I knew every mayor and city council member…at least who was in my age bracket.”
“I have had such an incredible life,” Dorothy said. “As I look at the end of life, I am not bother by it at all. I married two wonderful husbands, had five wonderful children by birth, three foster children, 19 grandchildren, 47 great grandchildren and one great-great grandchild.”
As Elaine gets ready to leave, she gives Dorothy hug, thanks her for sharing and tells Dorothy that she will definitely have to pick up one of Dorothy’s books as she is curious about the area she once lived in.
“It’s more than just the candy,” Elaine said as she readies the candy cart for the next deliveries. “It is someone is thinking about me.”
A good mood is infectious among teens, but depression is not, a new study suggests.
Researchers looked at more than 2,000 American high school students to see how they influenced each others’ moods. They found that a positive mood seems to spread through groups of teens, but having depressed friends doesn’t increase a teen’s risk of depression.
In fact, having plenty of friends in a good mood can halve the chances that a teen will develop depression over six to 12 months. Having a lot of happy friends can also double the likelihood of recovering from depression over the same time period, the researchers found.
However, the study could only show an association between happy friends and a lower risk of depression or a faster recovery from depression. It cannot prove a cause-and-effect relationship between these factors.
“We know social factors, for example living alone or having experienced abuse in childhood, influences whether someone becomes depressed. We also know that social support is important for recovery from depression, for example having people to talk to,” study author Thomas House, a senior lecturer in applied mathematics at the University of Manchester in the U.K., said in a university news release.
“Our study is slightly different as it looks at the effect of being friends with people on whether you are likely to develop or recover from being depressed,” he added.
These findings suggest that promoting friendships, through such activities as social clubs, might help guard against depression, House noted.
“This was a big effect that we have seen here. It could be that having a stronger social network is an effective way to treat depression. More work needs to be done but it may that we could significantly reduce the burden of depression through cheap, low-risk social interventions,” House concluded.
On the latest episode of WKTV Journal In Focus we continue WKTV’s series of discussions on the impact of Michigan’s recent legalization of recreational marijuana.
First we talked with the executive director of Michigan’s Marijuana Regulatory Agency, the state office which controls both the state’s medical and recreational marijuana distribution facilities. See the video here.
Now, In Focus is Kent County Sheriff Michelle LaJoye-Young, who discusses the current and evolving legal aspects of the recreational marijuana, specifically how the law enforcement community is reacting to the laws associated with legalization.
Kent County Sheriff Michelle LaJoye-Young on the WKTV Journal In Focus set with host Ken Norris. (WKTV)
Specifically, the Sheriff talks about where is it legal and illegal to smoke marijuana in public, and while there are laws on the books dealing with driving while impaired by alcohol, it is a new and evolving situation when it comes to driving while impaired by marijuana and other cannabis-derived products.
WKTV Journal In Focus airs on cable television in the Wyoming and Kentwood areas on Comcast WKTV Channel 26 and on AT&T Channel 99 Government channel (see our Weekly On-air Schedule for dates and times). All individual interviews included in episodes of WKTV Journal In Focus are also available on YouTube at WKTVvideos.
People in north Michigan are not different at all from people in southern Alabama. Trust me, someone who’s spent a lot of time in both places. They’re all hardworking, simple people.
The 28th Street Metro Cruise organizers announced this week that Woodland Mall will be a second main event spot for the 2020 28th Street Metro Cruise. The new location, which will be open only on Aug. 22, will feature a wide array of collector, sports, and antique cars along with other activities. Of course the main event will remain at Rogers Plaza and will include many of the activities that are popular at the 28th Street Metro Cruise. For more information, click here.
Tag teaming against cancer
Stating Jan. 1, Metro Health – University of Michigan Health, Mercy Health and Michigan Medicine launched the new initiative the Cancer Network of West Michigan. The initiative is designed to integrate cancer care services in West Michigan with the goal of bringing broader access to advanced, state-of-the-art, comprehensive diagnosis treatment and support across leading health care institutions. How will this impact patient care? Click here to find out.
Leslie Odom Jr. (Photo by Nathan Johnson)
‘Hamilton!’ Fever
If you did not get a chance to see “Hamilton!” or just did not get enough, the Grand Rapids Symphony has some great news: Leslie Odom, Jr. who originated the role of Aaron Burr in the musical will be performing with the Grand Rapids Symphony in its 2020-21 season. This and the symphony’s Classical Series lineup was announced this week. Don’t miss your shot by clicking here to learn more.
Happy Quasquicentennial!
Mackinac State Historic Parks mark its 125th anniversary this year with lots of celebrating planned throughout the year. Mackinac Island was actually the second national state park, designated in 1875. The park was turned over to the State of Michigan in 1895 at the request of then Governor John T. Rich with a condition: that the area remain a state park or the land would revert back to the United States. For more information on the 125th Anniversary activities, visit mackinacparks.com/mackinac125.
The 28th Street Metro Cruise draws nearly 250,000 people to the annual event. This year, the event will have a second location at Woodland Mall. (Supplied)
The 28th Street Metro Cruise® organizers announced the expansion of the popular summertime event to include a second main event site at Kentwood’s Woodland Mall.
Rogers Plaza has been the sole “official” site of Metro Cruise® for the past 10 years. Attracting nearly 100,000 people in two days, the main site has grown significantly during the past few years. It now features more than 25 food vendors, 400 collector cars, kid’s entertainment area, Community Awards ceremony, Miss Metro Cruise® competition finale, five top area bands, and the popular Dynamometer car testing area where cars rev to 160 mph.
The new second main event site which will be located in the large southwest parking lot of the Woodland Mall, 3195 28thSt. SE, will be open Aug. 22 from 11 a.m to 8 p.m. The Woodland Mall location will feature a wide array of collector, sports, and antique cars. It will also have multiple food vendors including popular local food trucks, entertainment for kid’s, and three local bands. A new feature unique to this site will be the Safe City elements – which will include an impaired driving course, jaws of life demonstration, and a distracted driving simulator.
Overall, Metro Cruise® draws nearly 250,000 people city-wide to dozens of events along 28thSt. With the expansion on the east side, those numbers are expected to be exceeded this year.
“We are very excited to increase the reach and footprint of Metro Cruise®”, said Bob O’Callaghan, President and CEO of the Wyoming-Kentwood Area Chamber of Commerce. “Our group has been researching this expansion for the past couple years, and the time is now right. This move allows us to have an official presence on the east side of 28th Street, while easing the very high attendance at the Rogers Plaza location.”
The partnership with the immediately recognizable location of the Woodland Mall was a major factor in this new partnership. “Our top choice for a site was the Woodland Mall,” O’Callagha said. “They are a major player along 28th Street.”
The Rogers Plaza site will remain the largest site of Metro Cruise®, with all elements returning for this year’s event, including a free shuttle service courtesy of the Rapid partnership. The famous Collector Car Row, the lineup of 200-plus show cars along 28th Street, will be featured each day. The Main Event at Rogers Plaza (972 28thStreet SW) will be Friday, Aug. 21 from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m., and Saturday, Aug. 22 from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
The next big event for the Metro Cruise will be the annual Dust-Off which will take place May 4 from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. at the Wyoming Moose Lodge, 2630 Burlingame Ave. SW.
For more information and schedule of events visit www.28thstreetmetrocruise.com. Follow the Metro Cruise on Facebook (f/metrocruise) and Instagram (@metrocruise). The 28th Street Metro Cruise® is owned and managed by the Wyoming-Kentwood Area Chamber of Commerce.
Albani Chavez had lunch with Superintendent Bill Fetterhoff after sending him a letter to persuade him to change the school start time (Courtesy Photo)
North Godwin Elementary fourth grader Aime Fonseca wrote to Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, asking her to boost recycling efforts across the state by offering free recycling. The governor responded with an encouraging letter, which Aime received in early January.
“When I got my letter I was so excited and I was so surprised,” said Aime, who found her passion for protecting the environment when she learned about climate change last year in third grade. “When we read it, it was so specific.”
Aime Fonseca holds the letter she received from Gov. Gretchen Whitmer this January (Courtesy Photo)
A writing assignment yielded some meaningful outcomes for Aime and other fourth graders in Kelly Compher’s class. Compher challenged her students to showcase their persuasive writing skills by writing a letter to someone about something they felt strongly about.
“Originally this was just going to be letter writing for the purpose of an assignment, but one of our kids asked, ‘Will we be actually sending these?’” said Compher. “That changed this from just a writing assignment to writing for a purpose.”
Students sent letters to a variety of people, including parents and teachers.
“I decided to write to Mr. Fetterhoff to see if the elementary schoolers can get more sleep — to see if he can change the (school start) timing to 9:30,” said Albani Chavez, who was inspired to write the letter after noticing that she learns best when she’s well-rested.
While Superintendent Bill Fetterhoff could not grant the request because it would conflict with before and after school programming, Albani said, she was excited that he came to her classroom and had lunch with her and her teachers to discuss the idea.
After getting the response from Gov. Whitmer, Aime Fonseca says she will write more persuasive letters to encourage political leaders to take care of the environment, particularly lakes and streams, and to encourage them to make recycling widely available.
“Aime was so incredibly proud and the kids in the class were so excited for her,” Compher said. “In the future, I will definitely continue mailing these letters.”
