Four-time Grammy Award winners and Rock & Roll Hall of Fame nominees The Doobie Brothers are performing in Grand Rapids on Saturday, Aug. 1, 2020, at 7:30pm at Van Andel Arena® on their tour celebrating the 50th anniversary of the band’s founding. Tom Johnston, Michael McDonald, Pat Simmons and John McFee will be back on tour together for the first time in nearly 25 years.
The 50th Anniversary Tour will feature special guest The Dirty Dozen Brass Band.
Tickets to The Doobie Brothers 50th Anniversary Tour will go on sale to the general public beginning Friday, Dec. 6 at 10am. Tickets will be available at the Van Andel Arena and DeVos Place® box offices and online at Ticketmaster.com. See Ticketmaster.com for all current pricing and availability. A limited number of LaneOne Premium Packages will also be available, including amazing seats, transportation, preferred entrance and more. Check LINK for LaneOne details.
The Doobie Brothers have sold nearly 50 million albums worldwide, have had five top-10 singles, 16 top-40 hits, 3 multi-platinum albums, 7 platinum albums, 14 gold albums, and own a rare diamond record for their 1976 album, Best of the Doobies. The Doobie Brothers’ collection of timeless hits will once again be played by the artists who wrote them, providing fans the rare opportunity to see these Rock and Roll legends performing their full catalog of songs on stage.
The Doobie Brothers represent the best of a diverse range of American musical styles, incorporating elements of Rock n’ Roll, Blues, Soul, Folk, Country, Bluegrass, and R&B. Their sound has influenced artists across all genres of music and their impact on the industry can be seen across generations, from their start in 1970 through to today.
Fans who attend The Doobie Brothers 50th Anniversary Tour can expect to hear wide range of the band’s hit songs, including Listen To The Music, Takin’ It To The Streets, Long Train Running, Black Water, What A Fool Believes, China Grove, Minute By Minute, It Keeps You Runnin’, Jesus Is Just Alright With Me and many more.
Having a type of inflammatory arthritis called gout may worsen heart-related outcomes for people being treated for coronary artery disease, according to new research.
The study, published in The Journal of the American Heart Association, sought to clarify older research on the link between cardiovascular disease and gout, which occurs in people with high levels of uric acid in the blood.
In the U.S., gout affects nearly 6 million men and 2 million women, or about 4 percent of the population, according to the Arthritis Foundation.
The buildup of uric acid can form needle-like crystals in a joint and cause sudden pain, tenderness, redness, warmth and swelling, often in the big toe. But it’s also associated with a greater risk of kidney disease, diabetes, cancer and sleep apnea.
Researchers from Duke University studied data from more than 17,000 patients, including 1,406 who had gout at the start of the study and were being treated for cardiovascular risk factors. After following patients for an average of 6.4 years, researchers found that “in spite of aggressive medical therapy,” the gout was linked to worse outcomes and death.
“Among patients who had gout at the beginning of the study or who developed it during follow-up, their risk of either dying of cardiovascular disease or having a heart attack or stroke was 15 percent higher than patients who never developed gout,” said the study’s lead author, Dr. Neha Pagidipati, a cardiologist and assistant professor at Duke University School of Medicine in Durham, N.C.
Patients who had gout at any point during the study had a twofold increased risk of heart failure death compared to people who never developed gout.
While past research showed people with gout have an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, “a lot of those studies were done decades ago, before modern preventative therapy like statins became extremely common,” Pagidipati said. “We wanted to take a more contemporary look at the relationship between gout and future heart disease in patients with known coronary artery disease.”
Many patients don’t even realize a link exists between gout and heart problems, she said, and the new findings show the need for patients to talk to their physicians about added risks.
“Also, from a physician’s perspective, it’s important to consider that patients with gout may be at increased risk for cardiovascular disease even if they’re already treating them with all the standard therapies. It’s something to have on their radar,” Pagidipati said.
Although it’s unclear why gout might increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, she said possible reasons include increased oxidative stress and inflammation.
“We know that people who have a high level of inflammation are at an increased risk for cardiovascular disease, and we also know gout is characterized by periods of acute inflammation: The link may have to do with that,” she said.
Dr. Jasvinder Singh, who was not involved in the study, said the new research may help the public understand how insidious gout can be.
“Gout is not just a disease of the joints: It’s a disease that causes inflammation in the joints and in the body. It’s not just a pain in the toe, it affects other organs, too, including the heart,” said Singh, a gout researcher and professor of medicine and epidemiology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.
Singh said the new study underscores the potential dangers of ignoring even occasional episodes of gout.
“Patients may say, ‘I have an attack every two years, so shouldn’t I wait (for treatment) until it becomes more frequent?’ But in light of studies such as this one,” he said, “patients might want to take that into account and know that leaving gout untreated might be affecting their cardiovascular health.”
WKTV’s coverage of girls high school basketball continues this month. (WKTV)
By Mike Moll, WKTV Volunteer Sports Director ken@wktv.org
Football teams were crowned champions Thanksgiving weekend inside Detroit’s Ford Field and the calendars were then rolled over to December. That means the winter sports open their schedules with tip-offs in girls basketball during the first week followed by the boys openers the second week.
Boys hockey, wrestling, boys and girls bowling, and boys swimming and diving began earlier, and to round out the winter sports teams, girls cheer and dance begin their seasons.
WKTV will bring one or two events each week to viewers, mostly basketball but some hockey.
The tentative Featured Game coverage schedule for December includes the following:
Friday, Dec. 6 — Girls Basketball, Zion Christian at Wyoming Lee
Tuesday, Dec. 10 — Boys Basketball, South Christian at Godwin Heights
Friday, Dec. 13 — Boys Hockey, FH Central at East Kentwood/West Michigan Aviation
If anyone has ever thought about trying to announce a sporting event, WKTV has a great chance for you to do exactly that! The tentative schedule for May follows and we are always looking for additional announcers, especially for the spring games. If you would like to try it or have any questions, please email Mike at sportswktv@gmail.com.
Featured games are broadcast the night of the contest and then at least once later in the week.
WKTV broadcasts on Wyoming and Kentwood cable channels. On Comcast cable, Channel 25 is the Community Channel, where sports events and other community events are shown; Channel 26 is the Government Channel, where local government meetings and events are shown. On AT&T cable throughout the Grand Rapids area, viewers go to Channel 99, and then are given the choice to watch Wyoming (or Kentwood) Community (Channel 25) or Government (Channel 26) channels.
WKTV offers on-demand viewing of the Wyoming and Kentwood high school sports, community events, and government meetings. (WKTV)
All Featured Games, as well as other high school sports and community events covered by WKTV, are available on-demand within a week of play at wktvlive.org.
For a complete schedule of all local high school sports action each week, any changes to the WKTV feature sports schedule, and feature stories on local sports, visit wktvjournal.org/sports/.
Following is this week’s schedule:
Monday, Dec. 2 Girls Basketball Grand River Prep @ Wyoming Lee
Tuesday, Dec. 3 Girls Basketball Tri-Unity Christian @ Kelloggsville Orchard View @ Godwin Heights FH Central @ Wyoming East Kentwood @ Byron Center South Christian @ FH Northern Ravenna @ Zion Christian Potter’s House @ Kenowa Hills WMAES @ West Michigan Aviation Saranac @ Grand River Prep
Wednesday, Dec. 4 Boys Hockey South Christian @ Muskegon Reeths Puffer
Thursday, Dec. 5 Girls Basketball West Michigan Lutheran @ Athens Factoryville Christian
Friday, Dec. 6 Girls Basketball Kelloggsville @ Zeeland West Godwin Heights @ Union Zion Christian @ Wyoming Lee – WKTV Featured Event Tri-Unity Christian @ Belding Wyoming @ Comstock Park East Kentwood @ Muskegon Byron Center @ South Christian Hopkins @ Potter’s House Boys Hockey East Kentwood/West Michigan Aviation @ Kenowa Hills
Saturday, Dec. 7 Boys / Girls Bowling Kelloggsville – OK Silver Pre-Season Meet at Fairlanes Godwin Heights – OK Silver Pre-Season Meet at Fairlanes Wyoming – Tournament @ Eastbrook Lanes East Kentwood – East Kentwood Kickoff Invite Girls Dance East Kentwood @ Hudsonville Girls Basketball East Kentwood @ Kalamazoo Central
Monday, Dec. 9 Boys / Girls Bowling Kelloggsville @ Grandville Wellsprings Prep @ Godwin Heights Wayland @ Wyoming South Christian @ Middleville T-K Girls Basketball Holland @ Godwin Heights Boys Basketball Fruitport Calvary Christian @ West Michigan Aviation
WKTV’s Joanne Bailey-Boorsma gets the scoop about SpringGR from Arlene Campbell, chief creator of opportunities and Attah Obande, director of dream fulfillment
SpringGR is a 12-week training experience to help entrepreneurs develop their business idea or business. This Thursday, Dec. 5, SpringGR will host its fall graduation at 6pm at 818 Butterworth St. SW. Valet parking is complimentary and available for the event. Six SpringGR entrepreneurs will pitch their businesses to a group of judges. Go here for the details.
The true spirit of giving
A group of Grand Valley State University engineering students recently delivered a custom-built electric swing to an area family to help their daughter with special needs. The students built the specialized swing for Alexis Truax after her mother, Sarah Truax, contacted the School of Engineering after seeing a story on the local news about a similar project. More about this project here.
Have coffee with this guy
Alan Headbloom tapes his show here at WKTV
‘Feel Like You Belong’ producer and host Alan Headbloom will be the featured guest at Mr. Sid’s Wednesday Afternoon Video Series Wednesday,Dec. 4, at Marge’s Donut Den, 1751 28th St. SW, in Wyoming. Headbloom, who has 30 years of experience in cross cultural communication on six continents, will be discussing ‘Immigrants: Your Country Needs Them’ at 2pm. Read all about it here.
Fun fact:
The Beatles song ‘A Day in the Life’ has a frequency only dogs can hear
In an interview in 2013, Paul McCartney said that he added a frequency only dogs can hear to the end of the Beatles song ‘A Day in the Life’.
Live, container-grown Christmas trees provide consumers with a real tree option that can be planted into their landscapes following the holidays. Many types of Christmas trees commonly grown in Michigan also make attractive landscape trees. In order to have the best success with a living Christmas tree, Michigan State University Extension recommends following these guidelines.
Choose a tree species that will make a good landscape tree as an attractive Christmas tree. Carefully consider your site and choose species that are well adapted to it. Be sure to allow plenty of room for growth since almost all conifers used as living Christmas trees are fast growing trees. Several types of spruces such as Serbian, black hills, Norway and white spruce, along with Canaan fir, are good choices for most Michigan landscapes. Fraser fir is sometimes sold as a potted living Christmas tree, but it requires sites with good soil drainage or soil pH below 6.0 – conditions that are not typical of most Michigan landscapes. For more information about other other conifers to use, see the tip sheet “Alternative conifers for Michigan landscapes.”
A container-grown tree provides a different option for the holiday season. Photo credit: Bert Cregg, MSU
Remember, your living tree is alive, so treat it like a houseplant and make sure to water it regularly. Place the tree in a cooler area away from heat sources such as fireplaces or furnace outlets to help keep it from drying out. Also bear in mind the tree will lose cold hardiness the longer it is held indoors, which can impact its ability to stand up to cold once you place it back outdoors. Plan on keeping the tree indoors for no more than two weeks.
Many articles on the Internet recommend planting living trees immediately after display or placing them outside and heavily mulching the container to protect the roots. In Michigan and other northern climates, holding trees in a shed or unheated garage and then planting them in the spring is the best solution. Make sure to periodically check the moisture levels and water the plant as needed. Keep the trees in a protected location until spring time and plant them when you would normally plant trees and shrubs in your area.
More information on selecting and caring for your Christmas tree from MSU Extension
The Fourth Annual Antique Snowmobile the Mac will be taking place on Saturday, Dec. 14. This unique event has drawn more and more visitors each year since it first began in 2016 with only about 30 sleds. This year we are anticipating more than 100 antique sleds to cross the Mackinac Bridge at 11am on Saturday.
Sleds must be at least 25 years old or older to participate and must be equipped with wheel kits to keep treads off the pavement of the bridge. To register your sled, please visit www.stignace.com. Under the “Events” tab you will find additional information and registration instructions.
Registration has been extended until 5pm on Monday, Dec. 9th. Onsite registration is not permitted.
All sleds will gather in the Fort Michilimackinac parking lot in Mackinaw City Saturday morning. This is a great opportunity to view the sleds and talk to the owners. The crossing will begin promptly at 11am.
Bridge fare for the crossing itself is also included in registration as is lunch and awards.
“This event is the culmination of a lot of hard work and collaboration with many organizations. We never thought we could pull it off, but here we are, gearing up for the 4th year!” said Top of the Lake Snowmobile Museum owner Charlie Vallier. The popular antique snowmobile museum is located in Naubinway.
Interested in making a weekend of it? Join us for a Tipsy Trolley Bar Crawl – Christmas Lights Edition Saturday evening. Registration includes drink and food coupons, $10 free slot play at the casino, shuttle service all evening to and from hotels and bars, and a chance to see St. Ignace decked out it all its Christmas glory.
Lunch will be catered by the Driftwood Restaurant and is available for purchase for non-participants for $10.
Some great places to watch the crossing include Bridge View Park in St. Ignace and the Welcome Center parking lot.
This week’s photo comes our station friend Alysha Mae. This fair-feather friend resides at the Leslie Science and Nature Center, located in Ann Arbor. Similar to the Grand Rapids Blandford Nature Center, the Leslie Science and Nature Center features nature trails, a variety programs and a raptor and critter house. For more on the Leslie Science and Nature Center, visit lesliesnc.org.
Do you have a photo you would like considered for Photo of the Week? Then email it to joanne@wktv.org.
As parents reach their golden years, they often rely on us to maintain a happy, healthy standard of living. Our loved ones need care and support as they age. They face increased physical challenges in everyday tasks we may take for granted.
As these needs arise, family members often step in to help, but this may not be sustainable as time passes. Additionally, dementia and chronic illness often require professional assistance.
Assisted living communities offer an appealing and comforting solution to these challenges. Since assisted living cost is not insignificant, it’s important to ensure you receive the highest value for your financial investment. If you’re considering assisted living for an aging parent, here are a few things to keep in mind.
What do assisted living communities offer?
Some assume that a nursing home is the only option, but there’s a big difference between assisted living and nursing home care. Assisted living residents are more active and mobile than nursing home patients, who are often bedridden and may need 24/7 care. Depending on your location and on the level of care needed by your senior loved one, assisted living cost can be lower than home care or nursing homes in the same area.
There is no federal definition of assisted living, although individual states provide regulation. This means that the amenities, care packages, and pricing at each community will vary. Some states require different tiers of licensing for different kinds of care, so ask about the community’s licenses in order to clearly understand what they offer.
Benefits of community life vs. assisted living cost
There are countless ways that community life will benefit your aging
parent. Remember that you’re not only investing in a living space and
meals, but your loved one’s overall quality of life will be much higher.
Here are just a few ways this takes place:
Social opportunities like movie and game nights are provided. This is essential for retaining mental faculties and communication skills!
Senior safety is a top priority. Precautions such as shower railings and medical alert systems are provided, and physical assistance is always nearby.
Secure entrances prevent strangers or intruders from threatening your loved ones.
Classes and cultural events, such as book clubs or museum trips, keep residents mentally active.
Supervised meals, with a variety of food and a happy social environment, help keep appetites strong. In some communities, staff members monitor meals and provide supplements when necessary.
Housekeeping and transportation are provided, easing demands on family members.
Managing assisted living cost
The best way to keep costs manageable is to research thoroughly ahead of time. Try to plan as far ahead as possible so that you aren’t rushed by a sudden medical development. Taking time to pick the right community will prevent expensive moves later.
Visit potential communities multiple times and get to know the staff. Don’t be afraid to ask about price flexibility and compare options with care packages. Once you select a community, it’s a good idea for an attorney to review the contract. Make sure you understand the costs as well as exactly what care will be provided.
Although it may be more expensive, quality care is worth the financial investment. In an uplifting and empowering environment, your aging loved one will enjoy a more positive, upbeat outlook. You will have time and emotional energy left for more meaningful connections when family members are not completely responsible for your loved one’s care. With proper planning and research, you can help your parent find a community that uplifts and enriches their life.
As you continue to age, many seniors struggle to find motivation during the later years of life. Sometimes days can become very gloomy and lonely. Adding a dog, cat, or other animal companion to your everyday life can make a big difference in your mental and emotional health.
Pets for seniors can turn lives around, but it’s important to be realistic about your capabilities for caring for an animal as well. Read below to see our suggestions on if a pet is a good idea for you!
Benefits of having a pet
The number one benefit of a pet is the joy that they bring. It’s the reason that so many people have pets—or want to have one if they don’t currently. But, especially in the case of seniors, a pet can be so much more than just a playful friend.
Pets help seniors feel less alone, and you can experience daily love through the devotion of an animal companion. Pets can also help seniors stay active, by helping you stick to a routine and move around your home, get up at specific times, and get out of the house to buy food and toys to take care of the pet. Animals like dogs also help you get outdoors and socialize with other people.
Types of pets for seniors
All animals provide a sense of purpose, love, and happiness that all people, especially seniors, can benefit from. But what type of animal friend is best for you?
Dogs
Dogs are a great companion animal for seniors. After all, they are man’s best friend! Dogs encourage seniors to walk, play, and stay active. Certain small breeds of dogs can also be picked up and carried, helping you build and maintain muscle. Small dogs are generally a good idea for seniors, as they aren’t as strong and make great lap pets. In the same vein, older dogs are much less work than energetic and excitable puppies.
Cats
If you want a pet that is a little more low-maintenance than a dog, a cat is a great choice for seniors. Cats like to cuddle and have distinct personalities, but don’t take as much time and energy to care for and are generally quieter and cleaner than dogs. They also are a great choice for seniors who don’t have any outdoor space at their residence.
Fish
If you are looking for a low-maintenance pet, then there is no better option than a fish. While you can’t pet or play with fish, they still provide seniors with a schedule and routine for daily feeding and cleaning the tank. Too many fish and large tanks can be a burden for seniors, so a few fish in a 5-10 gallon tank is often the best choice.
Birds
Many seniors enjoy having an avian companion, as birds are colorful, pretty, and play around with toys without as much hands-on care as a dog or cat needs. Some types of birds are able to mimic words, so you have an animal friend that talks back! However, birds still need specific cleaning and feeding routines, so it’s important that seniors understand how to care for a bird before buying one.
Exercise caution before making a decision
While pets provide a lot of benefits to seniors, they are also a lot of work. It’s important for seniors to understand their limitations before making a long-term decision like buying an animal. Pets can take up a lot of energy and time, and if you can’t provide those, it might not be a good idea to have one.
Pets can also become expensive, so it’s important that you know you have the money in your budget to pay for food, toys, vet bills, cleaning supplies, and treats before purchasing an animal friend.
Finally, while it’s not fun to think about, there is always the possibility as a senior that your pet may end up outliving you. Take into consideration who would pick up the responsibility of an animal in the case of an emergency, and make sure that any pet you pick will fit into their lives as well.
Pets at assisted living communities
If you want an animal companion, but aren’t sure you can handle the responsibility of caring for one on your own, consider a community pet at an assisted living home! While some assisted living communities are pet-friendly and you can bring your own friend along with you, others have animals for residents to share and enjoy together.
As you age in place at assisted living, you can enjoy all the benefits of a pet without having to worry about taking care of the upkeep, feeding, and housing of the animal. It’s all of the fun of having a pet without any of the work!
It is a well-known practice — impulse items placed at the checkout line. These items are strategically placed to catch your eye as you unload your shopping cart.
Gum, candy, assorted snacks and a growing assortment of miscellaneous items like pipe cleaners and nail clippers are placed at just the right level along with the array of magazines with “gotcha” headlines. Within the past few years a growing number of gift cards have shown up as well. Many of these items could be considered convenience items, last minute gifts, something to eat on the commute home.
More recently, you are even offered a chance to save money instantly. This is great! You are not adding to your total, you are actually saving money!
What’s the catch?
“Excuse me sir,” says the sales associate. “Would you like to save ten percent on your purchase today?” You think of your budget. Money is tight right now. “I sure would,” you reply. “Great!” replies the associate. “I just need to get some information from you. You will not only save ten percent today. You will save five percent on all additional purchases!” This is beginning to sound better and better. Sure, you have to sign up for a “box store” credit card, but you will really save on the big screen television in your cart. What could be the down side?
Did you know that every time a merchant signs you up for a credit card, they check your credit? Did you know that every time your credit is checked for such an application, it may have an effect on your credit score? According to statistics reported by the Federal Reserve, American consumers hold more than 880 billion dollars in revolving debt. Have you ever heard the saying, “the house always wins?”
The box store credit card offers to save you 10 percent on your purchase will save you money if you pay off the balance each month. What box stores want is for you to buy more box store stuff. If you are not disciplined enough, the credit card offers are not being made to save you money. If box store wanted you to save money with no strings attached, they could hand out ten percent-off coupons at the checkout. Store credit cards are meant for you to spend more money at the store and to charge interest if you do not pay the balance. Be prepared and look for ways to save money. Make a list of the items that you want to buy and sleep on it. Compare prices for the items on the list at a number of stores. Be efficient and plan your trips ahead of time. Resist the check-out line offers.
Credit is not the problem. Too much credit is the problem. Maybe you can resist the extra plastic in your wallet. Michigan State University Extension offers a variety of money management programs throughout the state of Michigan. For more information, check out this website .
When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left, and could say ‘I used everything you gave me.’
Everyone has that nostalgic picture of the family heading off in the old red truck to get that perfect tree, followed by hot cocoa and holiday singalongs. Well before you head off to the woods (or the local tree lot), the Michigan State University Extension has a few tips to help you find that “perfect” tree, such as what are the best kinds of pine trees and how to make sure they last through the season. For more, click here.
Hark! GVSU Shall Sing!
Grand Valley State University will wrap up its Fall Arts Celebration with a special holiday musical performance featuring groups from GVSU and local school districts. The performance is set for 7:30 p.m. Monday, Dec. 2, at Fountain Street Church, 24 Fountain St. NE. And the gift to all? The performance is free. For more information, click here.
Area residents fill the truck at the Wyoming Gives Back.
Be Prepared
As you hit those holiday sales this weekend, do not forget that the Wyoming Gives Back is set for Thursday, Dec. 5, from 6-8 p.m. at Rogers Plaza. The annual event collects unwrapped toys for the Salvation Army’s Angel Tree. For every toy donated, a participate will receive a raffle ticket for prizes donated by area businesses. Also, the City of Kentwood will be hosting its annual Tree Lighting and Holiday Light Parade. Those interested in helping may sign up online.
More than 15 million trees
According to the U.S. Agricultural Department, in 2017, 15,094,678 million Christmas trees were cut down in 2017. The Wall Street Journal reported that growing all those trees would require 19.7 miles of square land, which is roughly half of Walt Disney World or 86 percent of Manhattan.
Once freezing temps hit, you are more inclined to stay indoors and pass on events you used to enjoy in the warmer months — it happens to the best of us. Yet this lack of socialization, movement, and engagement in the winter can take its toll on your mood. As an older adult, winter can be an especially difficult season.
You may not have the means to drive or keep up with home maintenance and repairs, and you may start feeling a bit defeated during this time. Trying to combat these things can be overwhelming, but just because you aren’t able to get out as much doesn’t mean there aren’t a number of things you can do to have a more fulfilling winter season. Check out the tips and resources below that can help you to embrace a slower winter lifestyle.
Become a part of something. Whether it is joining a senior center, book club, or volunteering for a cause that matters, being involved helps your mood immensely. You get a healthy dose of regular socialization with others, and when you join a group initiative you are more likely to stick to it as other people are there to help keep you accountable.
Challenge yourself to pick up a new hobby. Hobbies are a great way to keep your mind sharp and fill those long winter hours. The great thing about hobbies is that there are so many out there, you shouldn’t have a hard time finding one that interests you. Top hobbies for seniors are reading, crafting, playing cards and games, and exploring family history.
Move your body. Regularly exercising is another great way to boost your mood through the winter months. Maybe you take a low impact water aerobics class at a local gym, walk around an indoor track, or enroll in a wellness class at your local senior center, all options provide you with the means to exercise indoors while getting much-needed endorphins to improve your attitude.
Ask for help around the house. As mentioned, it can be especially hard to keep up with the maintenance of your home in the winter. When this happens, don’t be afraid to ask for help. A family member or friend was probably always willing, but was just unsure of what you needed help with. Or if this isn’t an option, through the Area Agency on Aging of Western Michigan a number of home chores and repair services are available; from yard cleanup, snow removal, lawn mowing, and minor home maintenance.
Catch a ride. A number of transportation resources are available specifically for older adults and it is great to take advantage of these in winter months when there is inclement weather. In Kent County, RideLink provides seniors 60+ with affordable rides throughout the county. Recently ride-sharing services such as GoGo Grandparent have also become popular, allowing you to use the popular Lyft or Uber apps without a smartphone. No matter which resource you choose, you’ll have a safe, reliable option to get you to your destination despite unpredictable winter weather.
So, what’s your next step? Reach out to the Area Agency on Aging of Western Michigan; it is a knowledge hub for services available to seniors. Oftentimes they will offer information on local senior centers to join, available exercise programming, and a number of home and transportation resources to help you maintain your independence over the more difficult winter months and throughout the year. Visit www.aaawm.org.
The later years in life come with many changes. As we age and health concerns become an important part of life, many of us worry that a move into assisted living will mean the end of our independent, active lifestyles. This is where our family plays an essential role. Although physical and mental capabilities may not be what they once were, maintaining an active relationship with family helps aging adults stay engaged with life. Their memories and emotional health are strengthened by reminiscing and connecting with family. However, it’s not always easy for family members to understand how often to visit or how to spend time together during visits. In some cases, poor communication between family and staff can lead to problems with the resident’s care.
As family members, how can we work with assisted living staff members to provide a happy, robust daily life for our aging loved one?
Understand community policies
First, make sure that you are aware of the community’s guidelines. Each senior living facility has unique needs that require unique policies. For instance, some communities choose to restrict family visits due to the nature of care required by residents. It’s essential to understand policies so that your involvement is beneficial, not interruptive, to your loved one’s care.
When families do not understand the needs of the assisted living facility, their well-meaning visits can become a frustration. Here are a few simple things to keep in mind so that your presence is as helpful to your loved one as possible:
Be respectful of staff members’ time. They have many residents to care for in a limited time frame.
Be careful not to take over and dominate the facility. Remember that the person you are visiting is not the only person in the community.
Treat staff members as partners in your loved one’s care, not as subordinates or adversaries.
Staff and residents alike will love families who help out. Take initiative in tasks such as pushing wheel chairs, starting a game of cards with a lonely resident, or volunteering in the dining room.
Socializing and recreational activities
Many senior communities offer social events such as movie or game nights. Ask for a calendar of the activities planned by your community and make a priority of attending. It is not the quantity of time spent with your loved one, but the quality and type of activity. Make sure your visits are filled with worthwhile activities and quality time.
This is a great opportunity to get involved with your elder’s life. The transition to assisted living can make aging adults feel isolated. Taking the time to get involved with their social circle will help them stay connected to the world around them. It’s important to maintain the continuity of the life they had before the move to assisted living.
Working with the community to schedule your own events is another great way to stay connected. Perhaps a grandchild’s music teacher can bring their students for a recital, or your family can help arrange an outing to a local park or museum.
The most important thing to remember is that your aging loved one’s life does not need to stop just because they move to assisted living. Take initiative to help them stay active and alert. These years are a wonderful opportunity to create memories together.
So, if you have a parent or grandparent in assisted living, don’t underestimate what a difference you can make in their life. Come alongside staff members and get involved in the community’s social events. Your support will help your aging loved one enjoy an active, alert lifestyle after the transition to assisted living.
Rose are red, Violets are blue, These students didn’t like poetry, But now, they do.
Until recently, this kind of rhyming verse was what most eighth graders in Betsy Berry’s Language Arts class at Godwin Heights Middle School thought of when they heard the word “poetry.” Now, they are seeing poetry in a whole new light — and sharing their original poems — after their teacher took a new approach to teaching the unit this year.
For Travis Reister, poetry has become an outlet for grief following the death of his mother to cancer. For Nazaria Spears, it’s a way to articulate the pain of a tumultuous family situation. Kierra Stimoff’s poetry with a beat addresses social injustice, and Julian Maysonet shares how racial profiling has impacted his family.
Only a month ago, Travis thought poetry was boring. Kierra thought it was “sad and depressing – it didn’t feel like a good vibe,” she said.
To get students interested in poetry, Berry found culturally-responsive writers who she knew would resonate with students.
“We pulled Langston Hughes, Sandra Cisneros, Jason Reynolds. And we did ‘The Rose that Grew from Concrete’ by Tupac [Shakur]. That was the shift,” said Berry. “They were liking the unit up to that point and I felt like I had a high level of engagement. But we did that poem … and all of a sudden they were so moved, because it was relatable.”
Seeing how the poem moved them, Berry assigned her students to write their own version of “The Rose that Grew from Concrete.” They results were raw and powerful.
“They talked about themselves, they shared their stories, they talked about their trauma. It was beautiful,” said Berry. “Then we had an opportunity to present — even more healing. It was just very, very powerful for them to have an opportunity to express themselves.
Kim Urbanski’s art students created pieces based on poetry from Betsy Berry’s English class
“A lot of them told me, ‘I’ve gone to therapy before. This feels like therapy.’”
Julian said he had been grappling with feelings of injustice after his father was racially profiled by police. He didn’t have words to express this before delving into poetry.
“It’s a way to express how you feel without being judged, and it’s just a good outlet. I probably never would have wrote this poem if I wasn’t in this class,” said Julian.
Grand Slam Finale
At the end of the unit, Berry held a poetry slam in each class of about 25 students. She showed her classes YouTube clips of spoken word performances, and gave them plenty of leeway: They could perform a poem that was three lines or 30 lines. It could be one they wrote, one they had studied, or something else.
“That’s when they blew the roof off,” said Berry. “They performed their poems, they performed Tupac’s poems, some did their haiku. For many, it was their first time performing.”
The synergy around poetry in the middle school has continued, Berry said. Recently, performing artists The Diatribe held a student assembly in the school, and many of her students are now participating in a workshop with the group. Kim Urbanski, who teaches art at the school, worked with students to create artwork based on “The Rose that Grew From Concrete” and students’ poems.
Many students now keep journals, where they jot down new poems. Berry said they were sad to see the unit end, but she has promised them a monthly poetry slam, giving them more reasons to keep the verses flowing.
For more stories on local schools, visit the School News Network website, www.schoolnewsnetwork.org.
Following the recipe for food safety is a must anytime you’re in the kitchen—and it starts with clean hands, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics says.
“Always wash your hands with soapy water for at least 20 seconds before and after handling food,” spokeswoman Isabel Maples advised in an academy news release. “Don’t forget to wash your hands after handling raw meat and poultry to avoid spreading germs through the juices.”
Wash fruits and vegetables, but don’t wash meat and poultry before cooking. Doing so could spread harmful bacteria to your sink and surrounding kitchen areas, she explained.
“Clean your countertops with hot, soapy water. Use paper towels or disinfectant wipes, instead of washcloths or sponges, which can harbor bacteria,” Maples said.
Take apart small appliances—such as can openers and blenders—to clean them, then air dry completely before storing, she recommended.
“Clean your refrigerator every few weeks to rid it of potentially dangerous residue from raw foods. Rid your refrigerator of leftovers after four days. When in doubt, throw it out,” Maples said.
Use a food thermometer when cooking meat—it’s the only real way to know if it’s done, she suggested.
“Insert the thermometer into the thickest part of the meat, without it touching the bones or the bottom of the pan, to avoid getting a false reading. Then clean your thermometer with hot, soapy water after each use,” Maples said.
Keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold and refrigerate perishable foods within two hours, or within one hour during warmer weather.
Thaw frozen foods in the refrigerator, in cold water or in the microwave—not on the counter. Pathogens multiply fast when foods are in the “danger” zone between 40 degrees and 140 degrees.
“Store foods in the correct area of the refrigerator,” Maples said. “To minimize the risk of raw juices dripping into other foods, put cooked and ready-to-eat foods at the top and raw meats and poultry at the bottom. Plus, place raw meats in a container to catch any drips.”
Many of you have probably started your holiday shopping already, but it is still not too late to avoid money problems this holiday season. It seems that the shopping season begins earlier and earlier, and this year is no exception. However, you still have time to avoid the pitfall that so many fall into this time of year — overspending. As retail sales continue to rise, you can take steps now to avoid money problems later.
Go ahead and do your part to help our economy grow. Holiday sales can define a retailer’s bottom line for the entire year, and they hire many seasonal employees to handle the increased sales. However, do your part without the worry of becoming a negative economic statistic. First, sit down and think about some important questions. Who are all the people you would like to buy presents for this holiday season? Give yourself some time to write them down.
Second, are there any other significant events that are occurring prior to, during or shortly after the holidays. Many people still have birthdays around the holidays, for example. What about weddings or anniversaries? What about baby showers? Ask all the people in your household to join in on the brainstorming session. It could be a fun family activity to get you in the mood to shop.
Third, decide on an average amount that you would like to spend on each gift and then multiply the amount times the number of gifts you want to buy. For example, if you decide to spend an average of $40 per gift and you have ten holiday presents, one baby shower gift and two birthdays within the next two months, you will need $520 (13 X $40) to buy all of your planned gifts.
Fourth, you may need to make some adjustments. Do you have $520 on-hand? If not, how soon can you save that amount? Do you have room in your monthly spending plan to save for $520? Do you need to decrease the average spent on each gift? Do you even have a spending plan? If not, Michigan State University Extension offers a variety of money management programs throughout the state of Michigan. You can also find help with making a spending plan at mimoneyhealth.org.
Finally, once you have an amount that you can afford, set the money aside either in cash or in your bank account. You may use an envelope to save the cash at home or deposit your savings into a holiday or savings account at a financial institution. Keep track of each gift purchased and if you overspend on one, make adjustments where you can. If you stick to your plan, you will contribute to the economy and not have a pile of debt left over for the New Year. Next year, start earlier and you may be able to do more for the economy and save money in the process.
Senior abuse in the form of financial scams is a huge problem—especially as scammers are changing tactics and taking advantage of fears and uncertainties. In fact, recent reports say anywhere from 3 billion to 30 billion dollars are lost every year as a result of senior financial scams. With these high numbers in mind, it’s important that you do your part to help protect your loved ones.
1. Visit elderly family members regularly
One of the best ways to prevent fraud is to keep in contact with your senior family members. By visiting and talking with them, you can stay up to date on their daily lives and be the first to hear about suspicious new “friends” who might be having an undue influence on their financial decisions.
Seniors who are isolated from their families and don’t have active social lives are often the first targets of scammers, since a senior without a strong support system is more likely to believe a lie and fall victim to fraud.
2. Warn your loved one about common scams
Most scams happen over the phone or online, as scammers can impersonate people of authority. Scammers will either act charming to influence seniors, or act like there is a serious emergency in order to trick them. Here are a few of the most common elderly scams you can warn your loved one about.
Social Security & IRS scams
A common scam involves a perpetrator pretending to be an authority from the Social Security office or the IRS. They will tell a victim that there is a major problem with their account, and if they don’t immediately give out personal information to clear up the problem they could face legal action or arrest.
This scam can scare seniors into giving away their Social Security number or banking information to avoid threats. However, it’s important to explain to seniors that the Social Security office and IRS will never threaten someone over the phone, and often don’t reach out by phone at all—especially when asking for personal information.
Charity scams
Some scammers try and take advantage of kind-hearted seniors by pretending to be from a charity asking for donations. Assure your loved one that if they get a call from a charity and want to contribute, there will be other ways they can donate or volunteer their time than by giving out information over the phone.
Internet & tech support scams
Scammers like to take advantage of the lack of knowledge many seniors have surrounding technology. For example, seniors can receive a phone call or pop-up claiming their computer is infected with a virus, and the problem can’t be resolved until the victim verifies their identity by handing over a Social Security number or other piece of information.
Remind your loved one that they should never give out personal information to an unverified source, especially if the other person is making the situation seem suspiciously urgent.
Lottery & fake prize scams
Another set of scams are lottery and prize scams. These will try to convince seniors to hand over a small amount of money for “taxes and fees” with the promise that a larger amount of winnings and prizes will be given to the victim after the first transaction clears. Tell your loved one that if something seems too good to be true, it probably is.
Grandparent scams
These scams involve a perpetrator pretending to be a family member who is in an emergency and needs quick money. Often they say that they need money immediately to cover rent and expenses, lawyer fees, bail, or medical bills. They will request that the victim keep this transaction a secret from the rest of the family out of shame or embarrassment.
To protect your loved one, tell them to ensure they are speaking to someone they know and can verify that the situation is legitimate. If they aren’t certain, have them hang up and call a trusted family member.
3. Always advise caution with finances
While you don’t want to frighten your loved one into never making a transaction again, it’s important they are aware of the dangers of financial scams and that they can be a target. Come up with a plan together, and include things like:
Blocking solicitation calls with the help of an app or phone provider
Having your loved one call you before agreeing to anything suspicious
Talking to their bank to see what measures can be taken to limit the damage of a scam
Creating a separate bank account that houses a majority of their savings that isn’t connected to a card or their primary checking account
Setting a spending limit on debit cards
Remember:
While seniors can be targeted by strangers, most elder financial abuse comes from other family members, so keep an eye on anyone who becomes too invested in your loved one’s financial situation. If you or your loved one believes they have been targeted by a scammer, report it to the police immediately or call the number below to talk through the options for reporting fraud.
While it’s true that supplies of some species, particularly Fraser fir, will be tighter than in past years, consumers that want a real tree will be able to find one. Michigan farms and tree lots offer an array of great Christmas tree choices. Whether you look for a pre-cut tree at a local tree lot or bundle up the family for the choose-and-cut experience, you will find a wide variety of tree types that offer something for everyone.
Scots pine. Photo credit: Bert Cregg and Jill O’Donnell, MSU
How do I find a real tree?
As with most things, shopping early will ensure the best selection. If your holiday tradition is to put the tree up closer to Christmas day, you can store your tree with its cut end in water in your garage or other protected, unheated space until you are ready to move it into the house. (See “3 easy steps to make your real Christmas tree last this holiday season.”) Consumers will also have an easier time finding a real tree if they are willing to expand the menu of trees they choose from. Michigan Christmas tree growers produce a diverse range of Christmas tree types, and this might be the year to consider something different for your holiday tradition.
To help you pick the perfect tree, Michigan State University Extension has developed a description of the main types of trees grown in Michigan:
These Christmas tree species can be found at nearly every choose-and-cut farm or tree lot.
Fraser fir
Fraser fir continues to increase in popularity for good reason. Fraser fir has blue-green needles with silvery undersides. The branches are stiff and hold up well to ornaments. The trees have a pleasant scent and needle retention is excellent. For more pictures and information on this species, see MSU‘s Fraser fir Youtube video. (Photo credit: Bert Cregg and Jill O’Donnell, MSU.)
Scots pine
Scots pine is the tree species that has long defined the Michigan Christmas tree and is still a favorite for traditionalists. Scots pines are dense trees with dark-green needles. Stiff branches hold up well to ornaments and needle retention is excellent. Scots pine is also an economical choice. For more pictures and information on this species, see MSU‘s Scots pine YouTube video.
Douglas fir
Douglas fir is a dense tree with soft, light green needles. You’ll need to stick with lighter-weight ornaments since the branches are not as stiff as some other species. Another good choice for budget-conscious consumers. For more pictures and information on this species, see MSU‘s Douglas fir YouTube video.
Blue spruce. Photo credit: Bert Cregg and Jill O’Donnell, MSU
Blue spruce
Blue spruce remains a popular Christmas tree because of its bright blue color. Branches are stiff and hold ornaments well. Blue spruce needles are quite sharp, so be sure to wear gloves and long-sleeves when handling. While the needles may make the tree hard to handle, some people choose blue spruce to keep pets away from the tree. For more pictures and information on this species, see MSU‘s blue spruce YouTube video.
Black hills spruce
Black hills spruce have needles that are shorter and softer than Colorado blue spruce. Black hills spruce have excellent color and have a very traditional Christmas tree appearance. Branches are stiff and hold up well to ornaments.
White pine
White pine is one of two Michigan native conifers commonly used for Christmas trees, along with balsam fir. This is a dense tree with soft, green needles. This tree will require light-weight ornaments. For consumers that have a high ceiling and want a larger tree, white pine can be an economical choice. For more pictures and information on this species, see MSU‘s white pine YouTube video.
Balsam fir
Balsam fir has long been a preferred species for many consumers because of its strong Christmas tree scent. It has dark green needles and excellent form.
Concolorfir
Concolor fir have longer needles that may be as blue as a blue spruce. The big draw for this species, however, is the strong, citrus-like scent of its needles. For more pictures and information on this species, see MSU‘s concolor fir YouTube video.
Korean fir is native to Asia, as noted by the name, but grows well in our climate and soil. It has dark green needles with striking silvery undersides. The form and unique texture add to this species’ appeal. For more pictures and information on this species, see MSU‘s Korean fir Youtube video.
Canaan fir
Canaan fir does combine many of the characteristics of balsam fir with better needle retention of Fraser fir. It is sometimes described as a hybrid between balsam fir and Fraser fir, but is actually a specific seed source from balsam fir from the Canaan Valley of West Virginia. For more pictures and information on this species, see MSU‘s Canaan fir Youtube video.
Want to find a Christmas tree farm near you? Visit the Michigan Christmas Tree Association website to see choose and cut farms, retail lots, and wholesale farms in your area!
More information on selecting and caring for your Christmas tree from MSU Extension
While the biological processes are still a bit murky, researchers suspect a proper night’s rest gives your brain a chance to rid itself of toxic molecules. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)
The deep stages of sleep may give the brain a chance to wash itself free of potentially toxic substances, a new study suggests.
Researchers found that during deep sleep, the “slow-wave” activity of nerve cells appears to make room for cerebral spinal fluid to rhythmically move in and out of the brain—a process believed to rinse out metabolic waste products.
Those waste products include beta-amyloid—a protein that clumps abnormally in the brains of people with dementia, said researcher Laura Lewis, an assistant professor of biomedical engineering at Boston University.
Lewis stressed that the findings, reported in a recent issue of Science, do not prove that deep sleep helps ward off dementia or other diseases.
But the ultimate goal of research like this is to understand why poor sleep quality is linked to higher risks of various chronic conditions, from dementia to heart disease to depression, she said.
Researchers have known that cerebral spinal fluid helps clear metabolic byproducts from the brain, so that they do not build up there.
They’ve also known that the process appears to amp up during sleep.
But various “hows” and “whys” remained.
So the investigators recruited 11 healthy adults for a sleep study using noninvasive techniques: advanced MRI to monitor fluid flow in the brain and electroencephalograms to gauge electrical activity in brain cells.
Sleep is marked by REM and non-REM cycles.
During REM sleep, breathing and heart rates are relatively higher and people often have vivid dreams.
Non-REM sleep includes stages of deep—or slow-wave—sleep. During those stages, there’s a slow-down in brain cell activity, heart rate and blood flow, and research has found that deep sleep may aid memory consolidation and allow the brain to recover from the daily grind.
“There are all these fundamental things your brain is taking care of during deep sleep,” Lewis said.
Her team found that housecleaning may be one.
When study participants were in deep sleep, each pulse in slow-wave brain activity was followed by oscillations in blood flow and volume, which allowed cerebral spinal fluid to flow into fluid-filled cavities in the central brain.
The spinal fluid moved in “large, pulsing waves” that were seen only during deep sleep, Lewis explained.
Based on what’s known about the work of cerebral spinal fluid, experts said it’s reasonable to conclude that slow-wave sleep promotes the flushing of waste from the brain.
The study “elegantly” illustrates the importance of deep sleep, according to Dr. Phyllis Zee, a sleep medicine specialist not involved in the work.
It “helps to explain how and why sleep is important for keeping neurons healthy—facilitating the removal of toxic molecules,” said Zee, a professor of neurology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, in Chicago.
“One can think of sleep as a top way to take care of your brain,” she said.
Another sleep medicine specialist agreed.
“There is growing evidence, with this study and others, that sleep plays a role in clearing toxins from the brain,” said Dr. Raman Malhotra, an associate professor of neurology at Washington University in St. Louis.
Other research has suggested that sleep loss can promote the buildup of “unwanted proteins” in the brain, said Malhotra, who also serves on the board of directors of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine.
A recent government study, for instance, found that one night of sleep deprivation triggered an increase in beta-amyloid in the brains of healthy adults.
“As we learn more about this role of sleep,” Malhotra said, “it may help explain why individuals who don’t get enough sleep, or suffer from sleep disorders, are at higher risk of certain chronic health conditions.”
The latest study involved younger adults with no health problems.
Lewis said that it will be important to find out whether healthy older adults, or people with certain health conditions, show any differences in cerebral spinal fluid dynamics during deep sleep.
A big question for future research, she said, will be whether alterations in those dynamics precede the development of disease.
Reprinted with permission from Spectrum Health Beat.
A mentor has the ability to coach, guide and support his or her mentee for career development because they can teach more in-depth from their personal career experiences. A mentor can also share his or her network and connections to connect the mentee to other professionals in their career field of interest.
The article “Exploring Careers through Job Shadowing” on The Balance Careers states that job shadowing is a career exploration activity that offers an opportunity to spend time with a professional currently working in a person’s career field of interest. For mentoring, a mentee interested in the same career field as their mentor makes a good match for a job shadowing experience. If a mentee is interested in a different career field, a mentor has direct and indirect career connections to assist mentees for a job shadowing match. A job shadowing experience will allow the mentee to observe their potential career field of interest, get a sense of the work environment and learn about the level of education for that career.
To build on the job shadowing experience and depending on the level of education needed or desired by the mentee, making visits to post-secondary institutions is helpful. These visits allow the mentee to not only observe but also ask questions relating to his or her postsecondary plans or desires. On these visits, the mentee will observe the post-secondary learning environment, learn the requirements for admission, learn about financing their post-secondary education and visit with students and faculty.
In preparation for visits, mentors and mentees can work together to research the institutions. For example, to take a college visit to Michigan State University, they may go to the Office of Admissions webpage and search for scheduling a college visit. This type of educational activity can be a learning experience for mentors and mentees.
For more information or resources on career exploration, workforce preparation, financial education, or entrepreneurship, contact 4-HCareerPrep@anr.msu.edu.
Tickets go on sale to the general public beginning Monday, Dec. 2 at 10am. Tickets will be available at the DeVos Place® and Van Andel Arena® box offices and online via Ticketmaster.com. See Ticketmaster for all current pricing and availability.
The Price Is Right Live™ is the hit interactive stage show that gives eligible individuals the chance to “Come On Down!” and play classic games from television’s most popular game show. Contestants can win cash, appliances, vacations and possibly even a new car by playing favorites like Plinko™, Cliffhangers™, The Big Wheel™, and the fabulous Showcase!
Showing to near sold-out audiences for more than ten years, The Price Is Right Live™ has given away over $12 million in cash and prizes to lucky audience members all across North America.
The Price is Right™ is the longest-running game show in television history and loved by generations of viewers. This on-stage traveling version gives fans the chance to experience the same thrilling excitement of winning big, up close and in-person.
The Price Is Right is produced by Fremantle and licensed by Fremantle.
Event: The Price is Right Live!
Date/Time: Tuesday, March 17, 2020, at 7:30pm
Venue: DeVos Performance Hall
Tickets on sale: Monday, Dec. 2 at 10am
*No Purchase Necessary to register for chance to be a contestant. Open to legal US residents, 18 years or older. Ticket purchase will not increase your chances of being selected to play. For complete rules & regulations, including eligibility requirements, visit or call the venue box office. To enter theater to watch show, a ticket purchase is required.
It was a record breaking year for Wyoming Gives Back in 2018 with the annual fundraising collecting more than 700 toys for the Salvation Army’s Angel Tree.
“It was awesome,” said City of Wyoming Administrative Assistant Jennifer Stowell, who helps to organize the annual event which this year will be Thursday, Dec. 5, from 6 – 8 p.m. at Rogers Plaza. “Because its our eighth year and people are aware of the event, attendees will go the day after Christmas to purchase the toys that are on sale and then they bring in garbage bags of toys to the event.”
Each year the City of Wyoming partners with local businesses to celebrate the holiday season and collect toys for the Salvation Army Angel Tree. Event attendees who bring a new, unwrapped toy as a donation to the Salvation Army Angel Tree will receive a raffle ticket in exchange for a chance to win prize packs that contain hundreds of dollars of gifts donated by Wyoming businesses.
Last year, local businesses donated about $4,000 in gift certificates and/or items to be raffled off as prize packages.
The jazz band from the Wyoming High School will once again close out the Wyoming Gives Back event. (Photo by WKTV)
“The businesses are extremely generous,” Stowell said. About 1,800 letters are sent out to Wyoming businesses in July and once again the businesses have put together some amazing prize packages for this year’s event, such as a tool chest full of tools donated by Rogers Plaza and a 40-inch TV donated Car City.
About 20 local businesses and organizations will be at the event. WKTV will be providing an opportunity for residents to record a free Holiday Greeting that will be available on the station’s YouTube channel, WKTV Videos.
Hosting this year’s event is Mayor Jack Poll who will be joined by Mayor Pro-Tem Sam Bolt and WOOD TV’s Eva Aguirre Cooper and, of course, Santa and Mrs. Claus will be stopping in for a visit. Also on hand will be firefighters and police officers from the Wyoming Department of Public Safety along with other city officials and staff.
Several school choirs and bands will be performing during the event. The Salvation Army Band will kick things off followed by the San Juan Academy. The Godwin Heights High School Choir will take the stage next, followed by the Kelloggsville High School Choir and then the Lee High School Varsity Voices Choir. Wrapping up the evening will be the Wyoming High School Jazz Band.
Cookies and hot chocolate will be provided by the Salvation Army Kroc Center.
The Dec. 5 event is free and open to the public. Rogers Plaza is located at 972 28th St. SW, along 28th Street between DeHoop and Clyde Park avenues.
In L’Anse, Michigan — which is between Marquette and Houghton in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula — is a shrine dedicated to the “snow shoe priest” Bishop Frederic Baraga. Located on US 41, the cooper statute sits on top of five curved pillars, overlooking the Keweenaw Bay. You can actually see the statute from US 41 as you head toward Marquette. The shrine, with its entrance marked by tepees, is open year around.
Baraga is known as the Bishop of the Upper Peninsula and the Apostle of the Great Lakes. There are many tributes and statutes to Bishop Baraga throughout the Upper Peninsula and into Minnesota and Wisconsin and even in Grand Rapids. The statute is located in the Cathedral Square and recognizes Barage for establishing a Catholic mission in 1833 in the Grand Rapids area. For more about the shrine, click here.
Do you have a photo to be considered for the Photo of the Week? Then send it to joanne@wktv.org.
Coming home for the holidays and wish you could just stay? Have a love one you would like to convince to move back home? Then Hello West Michigan has the event for you. Wednesday night Hello West Michigan and 49 local business will host the eighth annual ReThink West Michigan. The event is from from 5:30-8 p.m. at several locations in West Michigan: The B.O.B., 20 Monroe Ave., Grand Rapids; Walldorff Brewpub, 105 State St., Hastings; Sterns Hotel, 212 E. Ludington Ave., Ludington; The Block, 360 W. Western Ave., Muskegon; Double JJ, 5900 S. Water Rd., Rothbury; and Lake 23 Restaurant and Pub at the Watersedge Gold Course, 1100 Ramshorn, Fremont. The event is free, but people are asked to register at www.rethinkwm.com.
Operation Handshake
The Gerald R. Ford International Airport will be hosting its Operation Handshake, patriotic welcome home for West Michigan troops and other festivities. If you have someone coming home from the military via the airport, contact Tony VanGessel at 616-862-1984 or tvange58@yahoo.com. Also, Thanksgiving is expected to be the busiest time of the year for the Gerald R. Ford Airport, so make sure to give yourself plenty of time to get through the TSA check. Click here for some other helpful tips.
What’s a Thanksgiving Without Football?
The Wyoming offensive line — including Logan Cox (61), Dion Parks (70) and Sawyer VanDyke (64) — opened holes for running back Cam Simon (34) all night in the Wolves game at Northview Sept. 6. (Curtis Holt)
WKTV’s Turkey Bowl returns featuring 13 hours of football (and two hours of soccer, also called football in many countries) on its Channel 25. So grab that turkey leg and relive some of fall’s finest football moments as brought to you by the WKTV Sports crew. The program starts at 9 a.m. For more information on the complete schedule, click here.
49 Million Turkeys
Americans will be gobbling up a lot of turkey this Thanksgiving. In 2018, 88 percent of Americans surveyed by the American Turkey Federation ate Turkey on Thanksgiving. The organization estimates that 49 million turkeys are eaten each Thanksgiving and of course, Thanksgiving ranks as number one for turkey consumpation. Christmas is second with 22 million turkeys and about 19 million turkeys are eaten at Easter.
Researchers say even a few extra minutes off the sofa each day can add years to your life span.
“If you have a job or lifestyle that involves a lot of sitting, you can lower your risk of early death by moving more often, for as long as you want and as your ability allows—whether that means taking an hour-long high-intensity spin class or choosing lower-intensity activities, like walking,” said study lead author Keith Diaz.
He’s assistant professor of behavioral medicine at Columbia University in New York City.
The new study involved nearly 8,000 American adults, aged 45 and older. Each wore physical activity monitors for at least four days as part of research conducted between 2009 and 2013. The investigators then tracked deaths among the participants until 2017.
The results: People who replaced just 30 minutes of sitting per day with low-intensity physical activity lowered their risk of an early death by 17 percent, according to the recent study published online in the American Journal of Epidemiology.
More intense exercise reaped even bigger rewards, the researchers said.
For example, swapping a half-hour per day of sitting for moderate-to-vigorous exercise cut the risk of early death by 35 percent.
And even just a minute or two of added physical activity was beneficial, the findings showed.
“Physical activity of any intensity provides health benefits,” Diaz said in a university news release.
His team pointed to a recent study that found that one in every four U.S. adults sit for eight-plus hours per day.
Two experts in heart health believe that level of inactivity can be a killer.
“Exercise, at any risk level for cardiovascular disease, is shown to improve not only how long one lives, but also lowers the risk of heart attacks and strokes,” said Dr. Satjit Bhusri, a cardiologist at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City.
And heart specialist Dr. Guy Mintz said there are many ways Americans can change their slothful ways. He directs cardiovascular health at Northwell Health’s Sandra Atlas Bass Heart Hospital in Manhasset, N.Y.
The American Heart Association currently recommends “moderate aerobic activity for 150 minutes per week or vigorous aerobic activity for 75 minutes per week,” Mintz said.
“Some American companies, like Google, are taking note of the importance of exercise and the deleterious consequences of a sedentary existence, including increases in obesity, diabetes and heart disease,” Mintz added. “Employees are encouraged to get up from their desks and exercise—whether that is in the form of stretching, ping pong, walking, jumping jacks, treadmill or stationary bicycle.”
He believes other companies could follow that example.
“Employers with tight work schedules should carve out mandatory time daily for their staff to exercise and make it fun,” Mintz said. “Both the employer and employee benefit. Companies also win with higher productivity, less sick days, lower health costs and improved morale.”
For his part, Diaz said future research will “look at the risk of specific cardiovascular outcomes, such as heart attack, heart failure and cardiovascular-related deaths, associated with physical activity versus sedentary behavior.”
As the weather starts to cool down, it’s time to start looking for ways to keep warm. While cozy blankets and cranking up the heat can help, so will having hot food. At the same time, it’s important to keep your health in mind and remember that as you age it’s not as easy as it once was to whip up complicated meals.
Having recipes in hand that are hot, healthy, and easy to prepare can make a big difference when it comes to planning out your meals and shopping trips. Take a look at these fifteen different dishes from Good Housekeeping and Delish that meet all these criteria—and taste amazing as well!
Courtesy Vista Springs Assisted Living
Satisfying chicken dishes
1. Light Chicken Parmesan⼁Cook Time: 25 minutes
This light take on a classic Italian dish can be prepared in under a half hour and will meet your cravings without packing on calories the same way a heavier, traditional Chicken Parmesan would.
Casseroles are a great way to make a delicious meal without having to spend a long time in front of the stove—just combine the ingredients and bake! This dish features healthy grains like wild rice and great vegetables like brussels sprouts and sweet potatoes.
4. Apple Cider Glazed Chicken⼁Cook Time: 35 minutes
What better way to celebrate fall than with a recipe featuring everyone’s favorite autumn drink, apple cider! This sweeter take on chicken will help you get into the fall spirit while ensuring you keep eating healthy at the same time.
Nothing else can warm you up and satisfy your taste buds the way good soup will! This pumpkin soup is simple, but the sage and mushroom garnish will make you feel like a professional chef.
This flavorful soup combines black beans, red onion, and jalapeño to make a deliciously spicy dish that will make you forget about the chilly weather, all while taking only a half hour to make.
Cauliflower is a great versatile food that can hold a lot of flavor. This simple soup only uses a few ingredients, but the outcome is so hearty and healthy that you wouldn’t believe it was so easy to put together.
9. Butternut Squash & White Bean Soup⼁Cook Time: 45 minutes
If you love butternut squash soup but want to add a little more, then try this variation. With white beans and chickpeas, this take on the original adds some extra heartiness and flavor.
Don’t let the long cook time scare you away! This meal only requires about 20 minutes of prep, and the rest takes care of itself in a slow-cooker. Start it in the morning and have a delicious meal ready for dinner!
Cut back on carbs normally found in pasta with this spaghetti squash substitution. Spaghetti squash is easy to prepare and can help you get your favorite flavors in a healthier way.
Another recipe featuring spaghetti squash, this cheesy dish has all the makings of a great pizza without the empty calories. Warm and tasty, this meal will fill you up in the same amount of time it would take to get delivery.
This cauliflower and broccoli dish is a great way to get the recommended helping of vegetables while making a recipe for the cold weather in only 20 minutes.
Being able to make simple, healthy meals that taste great is a useful skill, especially as you continue to age. Cooking shouldn’t be an all-day task, and it’s important to find foods that aren’t just delicious, but provide additional benefits for you and your health as well. Try these dishes out and stay warm and healthy all year long!
For the Family Network of Wyoming, the SpartanNash Foundation’s recent donation of $5,100 will have a big impact on what the organization can offer.
“It is the single largest donation we will get this year,” said Dale Echavarria, co-executive director of Family Network of Wyoming. “For about every dollar we take in, we can get about $10 of food. We feed more than 10,000 people a year. So for a small pantry like Family Network of Wyoming, the recent SpartanNash Foundation’s scan campaign for hunger relief really does make an impact.”
The Family Network of Wyoming was one of the top 10 fundraising efforts for this year’s SpartanNash Foundation’s scan campaign for hunger relief. From Oct. 23 to Nov. 3, patrons were asked if they wanted to scan up to donate to a local food pantry.
“What that means is that say your bill was $45 and you handed the cashier $50, the cashier would ask if you want to scan up to $50 to make a donation,” Echavarria said. “People could donate a dollar, $5, or $10 or round up to the nearest dollar and people did.”
In fact, SpartanNash reported that it raised $271,150 to support more than 100 local food pantries and food banks in Michigan, Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, Ohio, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wisconsin. In addition to the scan campaign, the SpartanNash Foundation also granted $5,000 to 15 food pantries located near SpartanNash food distribution and MDV distribution centers, bring the total donation to $346,150, equivalent to 3.5 million meals.
“What better way to say ‘thanks’ this Thanksgiving and holiday season than to provide vital funds to more than 100 local food pantries and food banks?” said Meredith Gremel, vice president of corporate affairs and communicants and the executive director of the SpartanNash Foundation. “These funds will be used to put food on so many families’ tables both during the holiday season and throughout the year, providing hunger relief where it’s needed most.”
Each SpartanNash store, which includes the Family Fare chain, selected a local community food partner its campaign would support. Echavarria said Family Network of Wyoming was fortunate to receive support from the two Family Fare stores in Wyoming, the one at the Metro Health Village and the one located on Burlingame Avenue.
Family Network of Wyoming will serve more than 10,000 individuals this year. (Supplied)
“One of the things they let us do was set up a table and share flyers and brochures about what we do here at Family Network of Wyomig,” Echoavarria said. Family Network of Wyoming opened its doors in 2004. In its first year, the organization served 130,000 pounds of food to 1,400 households. Today, Family Network of Wyoming will serve more than 10,000 people. It has only two paid staff and operates with 43 volunteers who put n 1,200 hours a month.
Over the years, the Family Network of Wyoming has grown and expanded its services to offer food related programs: such as the the NOW program, as well as non-food programs and services: a durable medical equipment loan closet, annual Wyoming Christmas Store, and job skill classes. Echavarria said the organization also has developed the lead pantry concept, where it works with other pantries in the area to make sure that no extra food “gets wasted.”
Gremel said that an important aspect to the SpartanNash hunger relief campaign was to raise awareness about the Foundations food bank and food pantry partners — sharing the need for hunger relief with more than 2.7 million store guest during the 12-day program.
“They really walk the talk,” Echavarria said of SpartanNash, adding that along with the annual hunger campaign, SpartanNash has also provided food items to the pantry on a weekly basis.
“Wyoming has always been extremely generous,” Echavarria said, adding that last year a group of dentists and orthodontists, lead by Grandville’s Shannon Orthodontics, had a”food fight” with “us having a fleet of mini vans with all the donated food items.”
“It’s a joy,” Echavarria said of all the local support the pantry has received.
The sharing economy, which provides ride-sharing technology from companies such as Lyft and Uber, is quite useful to seniors who can no longer drive or have no access to a means of transportation. While previously the focus was on millennials, the companies are now focusing more on older adults, launching several services to reduce obstacles these adults have while working with the technology.
One stereotype you will come across is that the aging population are more resistant to technology; however, the reality is that there are more members in this age group embracing technology, and taking advantage of services such as Uber and Lyft. Many seniors who cannot drive depend on their friends and family members to get around; however, this is not a sustainable option if you are looking to enjoy your flexibility. Seniors can schedule rides and get to their appointments or social engagements on their own time.
Benefits of Using the Ride-Sharing Apps Include:
An easy to use app you can learn to use in a short time even if you are not technologically savvy. Get a tech-savvy helper to guide you through the set up and you can start using the app immediately.
Ride-sharing apps offer affordable transportation regardless of your budget. The duration and distance of your ride will determine the money you pay the driver
You have access to helpful features that give an estimate for your trip and allow you to split the fare when travelling with a friend.
Despite the obvious advantages, you are likely to face challenges common to seniors when using the apps. Many seniors have concerns such as legality and the credibility of drivers. Additionally, if you grew up with cell phones, you may find the apps a little difficult or confusing. Fortunately, Uber and Lyft are aware of these challenges, and are continuously working to provide solutions for their senior customers.
Some of the Solutions Include:
Partnerships with companies that serve seniors and that seniors trust. You can call the numbers of the partner company, where they will organize your transport and schedule a ride for you. If you need assistance getting into or out of the car, the partner company will inform the driver in advance. The partner company also helps you process your credit card details so you have an easy time making payments.
Partnerships with companies that offer care services to seniors who have no access to smart phones for easier transportation. The care facility has access to a dashboard where it can request, organize and pay for multiple rides at a go.
While there are legitimate concerns to using ride-sharing apps, there is a lot of investment going into making the apps more friendly and safe to seniors. Using Uber or Lyft can simplify your life, cut your transportation costs and reduce your dependency on loved ones. The good news is that the sharing economy is focusing more on seniors, providing solutions that are more relevant to the challenges the older generation may face.
Quitting smoking can be challenging, but you can find support for your quit journey where and when you need it, to raise your chances of quitting for good.
“I’m sick of this addiction.” Clay A. left that comment on the CDC Tobacco Free Facebook page. “I quit for a year and four months and came back,” he went on to say. “Quitting is not easy.”
CDC’s Office on Smoking and Health (OSH) knows that it may take a number of tries before you’re able to quit for good, but we also know that it can be done. In fact, so many people have quit that there are now more former smokers than current smokers in the United States. Quitting can be challenging, but you can find support for your quit journey where and when you need it, to raise your chances of quitting for good. This year, make a New Year’s resolution to quit smoking for good.
“At this time of year, we know that many smokers make a resolution to quit and start off on a healthier course,” says Corinne Graffunder, DrPH, MPH, director of OSH. “If now is your time to quit tobacco, there are many tools available to help you find and follow a quit strategy that works for you.”
Whether you’ve never tried to quit or have tried many times, a new year means another chance to create your successful quit plan.
Never too early to quit
No matter how long you’ve smoked, there are health benefits to quitting. James, a participant in the Tips From Former Smokers® campaign and a smoker for 30 years, started having some trouble doing everyday tasks. He also learned he had diabetes. So James decided he needed a healthier lifestyle. He put down cigarettes and started exercising. Quitting smoking gave him the energy to bike, run, and swim—things he couldn’t imagine doing before.
James said he wanted to send a message to people who think smoking won’t harm them because they haven’t had a major smoking-related illness. “I want to help people like me quit smoking,” he said. “Maybe nothing really bad has happened to you yet. Maybe you’re lucky, but you’re probably not going to stay lucky.”Still a Leading Cause of Death
Even though adult smoking rates are at an all-time low, cigarette smoking remains the leading cause of preventable death in the country, with 480,000 people dying every year.
Smoking is linked to many dangerous diseases, including heart disease, type 2 diabetes, emphysema, and cancer. Smoking around others hurts their health, too. Breathing secondhand smoke can cause many of the same illnesses as smoking does. It can make children get sick more often, and smoking while pregnant raises the risk of a baby dying suddenly in the first year of life. No amount of secondhand smoke is risk-free.Find What Works for You
Every smoker’s quit journey is different. It may take some time to find the strategies that help you stay quit. It helps to create a personalized quit planexternal icon. Some of the steps in an effective quit plan include:
Picking a quit date. Choose a date only a week or two away and highlight that day in your calendar or phone.
Telling loved ones and friends that you’re quitting. Let them know how they can help you quit.
Listing reasons to quit.
Getting rid of cigarettes and anything that reminds you of smoking.
Picking out feelings, places, and situations that make you want to smoke. It’s easier to avoid them if you’ve identified them!
Having healthy strategies to fight cravings.
Build your strategies
Smokers crave cigarettes because they contain a drug called nicotine, and smoking makes your body dependent on nicotine. Stopping smoking causes nicotine withdrawal, which can be uncomfortable, especially in the first weeks. There are ways to get through withdrawal—these can include support from family or a counselor, as well as medication that helps ease cravings.
Courtesy Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
It may take many tries to quit. The important thing is not to give up. Health care providers, such as doctors and nurses, can be good supporters in your quit journey. Your doctor may recommend some of the medications approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to help people quit smoking. These may include nicotine replacement therapy medicines, which are patches, gums, or lozenges that give the body a small amount of nicotine to ease cravings without the other harmful effects of smoking cigarettes. Pharmacists can let you know about the effects of any medicine your doctor prescribes.It’s Not Too Late
Whether you smoked for decades, like James, or only just started, whether you have a smoking-related illness or haven’t felt the damage from smoking yet, quitting right now can put you on the road to better health.
Says former smoker Dean G.: “Can’t wait to see my health continue to improve. Quitting is the best decision I ever made.”
Help is out there: Use it!
There are many free resources to help you quit—no matter where you are in your quit journey.
Quitlines.1-800-QUIT-NOWexternal icon(1-800-784-8669) and 1-855-DÉJELO-YAexternal icon (1-855-335-3569) (for Spanish speakers) both offer resources like coaching, help with making a quit plan, and information about smoking and can even refer you to more resources in your area. There are also Asian-language quitlines:external icon 1-800-838-8917(Chinese), 1-800-556-5564 (Korean), and 1-800-778-844 (Vietnamese).
Text Support.Smokefree TXTexternal icon is a free, 24/7 program that sends coaching and encouragement by text messages to help you keep your commitment to staying smoke-free.
Smartphone App. The smoke-free app for your phone called quitSTARTexternal icon helps you understand your smoking patterns and build skills so you don’t give in to cravings.
Think about the last time you hung out with people you enjoyed being around, that made you laugh and with whom you shared interests. How did you feel? Energized? Excited? Now think about the last time you realized it had been a while since you got the chance to see friends or be around people you cared about. How did you feel? Lonely? Deflated? Like your energy had been sapped? Now picture feeling like this every day. It’s a common feeling for many seniors who live alone and is why a rich social life is so important for aging adults.
When we are young, socialization helps develop who we become as a person, and in our older age, socialization can help maintain that. If we lose that, whether it’s due to a health condition that keeps us inside or a decline in friends due to death and illness, it can have a profound effect on our lives and our health.
Experts have labeled loneliness almost as harmful to our health as smoking. According to an article in the Journal Sentinel by Mark Johnson, studies have found that one in 10 Americans live alone and the rate of loneliness in seniors is 35% or higher. And loneliness can lead to a handful of other problems including, poor sleep, high blood pressure, depression, cognitive deterioration, and stress.
The answer to loneliness is socialization. And, given the fragile state of our health as we age, maintaining a strong social life to help prevent extra health issues is particularly important as we get older.
Connecting with friends, talking, and laughing all stimulate the brain. Having something to look forward to every day offers a positive outlook on life and encourages a healthy mental state. This boost in brain activity offered by a connection with others can actually help slow (not cure or stop) the onset of dementia or Alzheimers. And, those who take the time to see friends and make a point to connect, are more likely to participate in the physical activity that will maintain a healthy body weight, strengthen the heart and slow the onset of many other ailments that can plague us as we age. Simply knowing that there will be someone else there to participate in the activity with, can make anyone more likely to get and move (like an accountability partner at the gym).
This connection and interaction with others is one of the key reasons many family members decide that an assisted living facility is best for their loved one or why many seniors make the decision to move to a more accommodating community. Injuries in our old age can often confine us to wheelchairs and limit our mobility. Assisted living facilities provide all the benefits of an active, social, community, without the hassle of travel.
Activities don’t even have to be extremely physical to be beneficial. Playing cards or games with friends, making something together, group move time, or simply chatting over a cup of coffee are all beneficial to the mental health of seniors, therefore spilling over into their physical health.
So, as your loved one ages and finds it harder to get out and see friends, it’s important to begin thinking of ways to help them remain socially active. Whether it’s making sure they have frequent visitors, providing transportation to and from events, or looking into assisted living facilities that will provide a social community right at their fingertips; any activity is good activity.
South Vietnam’s Central Highlands was no place to be in 1969.
Double-rotored Chinook helicopters delivered Army Sgt. Scott Chesser, 19, and his soldiers into the enemy mountains, where they fired 33-pound Howitzer shells to support U.S. troops.
“When bullets were zinging around the LZ, when bullets bounced off (the helicopter), it was kind of disconcerting,” deadpans Chesser, now 70, Texas in his voice.
There was another unseen enemy: Agent Orange, a notorious defoliant, now known to cause numerous long-term disorders.
Chesser’s type 2 diabetes is presumably caused by dioxin, the problematic ingredient in the jungle defoliant.
On this summer afternoon, the retired oil industry design technician weighs 210 pounds and is 6 feet, 1.5 inches in height. “I used to be 6’3” before gravity took over,” he wryly notes. His A1C—a long-term blood sugar measure—is 5.6, the upper range of normal. He no longer takes insulin shots. His blood sugar readings average 100 to 110. About normal.
The diabetes connection
Among Vietnam veterans, combat-related diabetes passed post-traumatic stress disorder as the No. 1 cause for disability payments to Vietnam veterans eight years ago.
Courtesy Scott Chesser
Because Chesser was in combat where Agent Orange was used, he is “presumed” by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to have been in contact with the toxic defoliant. Harmful effects from Agent Orange were not known until years later.
About 270,000 Vietnam veterans are compensated for having diabetes, according to the Department of Veterans Affairs. Chesser does not receive payments.
In 2001, type 2 diabetes was named by the VA among a list of maladies believed tied to Agent Orange. Veterans no longer have to prove contact or a direct link. Service must be from Jan. 9, 1962, through May 7, 1975.
Chesser says Agent Orange was not as widely used in his area, and there is no evidence he or his firing battery came into contact with any.
That is a point of controversy. One in four Americans 65 or older has type 2 diabetes; that compares to one in eight overall. Once called “adult-onset” diabetes, a body’s blood sugar is consistently too high. It can lead to amputations, blindness, heart disease, stroke, kidney damage and nerve damage.
In 2001, the VA added diabetes to its Agent Orange complications after the National Academy of Sciences found “limited/suggestive” evidence due to increased insulin resistance. It was the year after Chesser’s diagnosis.
Life after Vietnam
In 1969, the Army’s storied 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile) was
mounting a counter-attack after North Vietnam’s surprise Tet New Year
offensive.
Chesser’s was the Vietnam of combat movies. Heavy-lifting Chinooks, with their distinctive rotors front and aft, sped 7,000-pound Howitzers over perilous mountains. He was based near the demilitarized zone, the contested border between North and South Vietnam. (“You know why it’s called the DMZ? he asks. “Dead Marine Zone.”)
From landing zones hacked into the jungle, artillery batteries fired the cannons at targets miles away to support foot soldiers searching for the enemy. Sometimes they targeted ammo dumps and harassed enemy patrols. Chesser’s landing zone was LZ Action, just below Mang Yang Pass. The steep, narrow choke point was known for enemy snipers and ambushes on US convoys.
Chesser survived the jungle, Viet Cong guerrillas and North Vietnamese soldiers for 365 days. But No. 366 and 367? His return flight on Flying Tiger airway was grounded.
Enemy missiles targeted the Cam Rhan Air Base runway.
“Now, those two days really irritated me,” he said, his humor dry as a Texas oil well.
After the war, Chesser learned electrical and mechanical engineering. He designed and oversaw equipment used to find oil, from the swamps of Louisiana to the remotes of Oklahoma. A test hole was bored. Measuring equipment looked for tell-tale hydrocarbons. Oil.
“We’d break them or make them heroes,” Chesser says.
The Ohio native worked 30 years before retiring in 2010 from Schlumberger Oilfield Services, in Sugar Land, Texas, near Houston.
Photo by Chris Clark
One summer Monday morning, Chesser arrived at his office in Sugar Land. He had spent an uncomfortable weekend, thirsty, urinating at all hours and generally feeling unwell.
A co-worker entered Chesser’s office to review drawings. The worker, a friend, told Chesser, “You know, you got symptoms of diabetes,” Chesser recalls.
The co-worker knew the symptoms well. “When he retired, he was only 59. Within a year he had passed. It was related to diabetes.”
Dr. Deines knew of the Agent Orange and Vietnam connection. He did not know the dramatics behind it. “It sounds like you are hearing the other side of the story,” said Dr. Deines, a specialist in endocrinology, diabetes and metabolism.
Initially, Chesser was prescribed oral metformin, a first-defense pill, Dr. Deines said. That worked for about 13 years, but Chesser steadily gained weight. He reached 280 pounds. He was officially obese. His blood-sugar levels were high altitude. And injections?
“I worked myself all the way up to eight insulin shots a day. Every time I ate a bite, I had to take a shot,” Chesser recalls. “I went to my endocrinologist. I said, ‘I’m really tired of this. I think it’s time to finally face it and lose some weight.’”
Physician assistant Gail Friedrick worked closely with Chesser.
“It seemed like the more weight he lost, the more motivated he became,” Friedrick said. “He did an excellent job of logging everything he ate on an app on his phone, along with his exercise, and when he reached his calorie limit for the day, he quit eating. …I don’t see a lot of patients that have the self-discipline to do this.”
Between appointments, Chesser and Friedrick communicated by email on MyHealth, Spectrum Health’s secure patient portal. “This allowed us to have a conversation about adjusting his medications as he lost weight, without the burden or cost of frequent appointments,” Friedrick said.
Chesser’s wife, Janna, 59, showed Chesser the way. She had seen Scott’s struggle.
“I knew if I didn’t lose the weight I was headed there and I didn’t want that,” said Janna, who began her own weight-loss plan before her husband.
Already 20 pounds lighter toward her planned 70, she and Scott ate healthier and exercised more. They paid attention to portion and diet. He used a free smart phone app “religiously” to monitor calories, consumed and burned, toward his weight goal.
Chesser’s insulin shots became smaller and less frequent.
Coming home
Chesser and Janna moved to 3.5 acres south of Lowell, Michigan, the year he retired.
Not long ago, Chesser stepped out of his pickup into his favorite repair shop, just as he had countless times in the small farm town, population 3,800.
“I said, ‘How you guys doing?’” Chesser recalls. “A worker responds, ‘Can I help out, sir?’ “And I say, ‘You gotta be kidding. I got a bay here with my name on it, I’ve been coming here so long.’
“A lot of people don’t recognize me,” he says.
Photo by Chris Clark
On Day 580 of Chesser’s campaign, his blood-sugar levels averaged near normal. He lost the equivalent of a bag of concrete mix, 76 pounds. He consumes 1,700 calories a day.
“It’s a tremendous feeling,” Janna said. “I don’t have to watch him stick himself all the time.”
Chesser figures he had an advantage or two. “I don’t smoke or drink. Those things probably get me out of harm’s way.”
With his weight-loss goal met, the retiree now turns to monitoring and maintaining.
“If it helps anyone, even one person realize they can do it, then it’s worth it,” Chesser said. “There is nothing special about me. I finally got the gumption to do it.
“My cousin died of complications of diabetes. It was a horrible death, horrible way to go, and all because she didn’t take care of herself,” Chesser said. “If you see that and it doesn’t inspire you, I don’t know what will.”
Another motivator? “I just don’t want to lose my eyesight, a leg or a foot.”
In Act II of “The Nutcracker Ballet,” the Prince whisks the slumbering Clara away to the Land of Sweets, where the Sugar Plum Fairy holds court in a magical land of make believe.
Guests at the Grand Rapids Symphony and Grand Rapids Ballet holiday programs in December will discover a Land of Sweets as soon as the walk through the doors of DeVos Performance hall.
To celebrate the season, culinary students at Grand Rapids Community College’sSecchia Institute for Culinary Education are creating a sugary wonderland filled with ballerinas in stained-glass sugar and bells made from blown sugar in DeVos Performance Hall in December.
The Land of Sweets created by baking and pastry students at GRCC will be on unveiled on Thursday, Dec. 5 for the opening of the Wolverine Worldwide Holiday Pops. It will remain on view through the final performance of “The Nutcracker” on Sunday, Dec. 22.
Led by their professor Chef Gilles Renusson, a certified master pastry chef and renowned sugar artist, students already are at work building the elaborate display that will be installed in the outer lobby.
A student builds her design. The Land of Sweets will be on display Dec. 5 – 22. (Supplied)
Passersby will be able to see portions of it through the window, but only concert goers will be able to see the entire display up close from every angle.
Such elements as sugar ribbons, royal icing and marzipan will be used to create figures including the Sugar Plum Fairy, Nutcracker and a symphony orchestra conductor as well as musical motifs and depictions of dancers in the display that will include a 6-foot-tall croquembouche.
Some 14 students enrolled in the Pastry Centerpiece and Wedding Cake class, a capstone course in the Secchia Institute, are working on the project. The class teaches the major aspects of artistic decorations in pastry arts such as creating wedding cakes and centerpieces for tables and buffet presentations.
The class has been working on this project since the start of the semester, brainstorming, designing and then creating all the components. Soon they’ll begin the painstaking process of transporting the delicate confectionary artwork from the GRCC bakeshop to DeVos Performance Hall.
The project is a practical application of the skills the students are learning in class, with the added bonus of having their work on display for thousands of people to see and add to the excitement of the holiday.
A GRCC student puts the final touches on her piece for the Land of Sweets. (Supplied)
Chef Gilles Renusson, who recently was awarded the Chevalier du Merite Agricole – The Order of Agricultural Merit – from the French Minister of Agriculture for his decades of outstanding service in the culinary arts, is directing the project.
“For the students, this is a wonderful opportunity for them to gain practical skills and really master them and also to have their work be seen and appreciated,” Renusson said. “And we get to work with our partners in the city and tell people about the programs we have and work we do at the college.”
For tickets for the Fox Motors Pops and the Old National Bank Cirque de Noel, contact the Grand Rapids Symphony office, (616) 454-9451 ext. 4 or go online toGRSymphony.org. For tickets for “The Nutcracker” call the Grand Rapids Ballet at (616) 454-4771 or go online toGRBallet.com
When caring for patients facing different forms of dementia or memory loss, it can be tempting to look at the big picture only. Will they be safe? Will they be clean? Will they remain physically healthy and as happy as possible? These are all important questions to ask when looking at the care a loved one will receive when diagnosed with a memory disorder. But it’s also important to make sure the memory care facility you are considering focuses on the individual details that will aid in well-rounded care.
Details matter. Here are some of the specific care elements you should consider when choosing a memory care facility for aging adults.
Layout and design
The design of an assisted living community should make it easy for residents to find their way around on their own for as long as possible. The layout should optimize wayfinding, ensure safety and create freedom. Wide hallways, creative labeling, and naming of hallways and sections, bold colors and shapes can all contribute to a safe and vibrant community.
Sliding doors over swinging doors add an extra element of safety, and soft amber lighting over areas such as the restroom can trigger memory and make it easier for patients to locate a spot over and over.
An understanding staff
A staff that is not only trained and certified to care for those with memory problems, but who are also sympathetic, caring, and engaging is key when it comes to creating a positive environment for those with Alzheimer’s or dementia. Looking at certifications and qualifications is important, but it’s also vital to look at the details of their behaviors and attitudes toward their patients.
It’s important that caregivers know when to just go with the flow and when to encourage a patient to try to remember. There will be times when it’s best to go along with an idea even though it’s obviously wrong, and times when it’s best to redirect and distract them. Treating your loved one like a resident and not just a patient can have a huge impact on their overall well-being, and you want to work with a staff you like and can trust.
Peace and stability
A memory care facility that can manage any type of memory care can be beneficial as the needs of your loved one change. Things can become unfamiliar and scary as memories begin to fade, but being in a familiar environment and surrounded by friends can keep patients in good spirits and often slow the progression of the disease. When a facility supports all stages from independent living, to minimum care to advanced memory care, it can make sure your loved one is getting the best care, right from the beginning and they won’t be jarred by sudden moves, changes in staff or location.
A part of this stability comes from a peaceful living environment. Alarms should be as silent as possible to avoid distressing patients, and all areas of the facility should be designed with peace in mind. Fireplaces, pianos, patios and plenty of sunlit areas can all add to a feeling of peace and contentment and help keep patients calm no matter their stage.
An active social life
When memory patients are at home being cared for by a loved one, it can be easy to create a bubble and cut off the outside world. But, maintaining an active social life is key to making sure they feel like belong. Even if they don’t participate in activities or conversation, just being surrounded by it, listening, thinking and reacting will activate and stimulate certain areas of the brain. Organized activities and an active community help make sure patients stay involved and maintain a social life.
Social time is also a great time to promote activities and games that build memory muscle, keep brains active and renew remaining capacities for memory.
So, when choosing a memory care facility, don’t just look at the pictures. Pay attention to the details and make sure your loved one will be cared for in every aspect of their everyday life.
“To have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, from this day forward until death do us part.”
Most of you who are married probably read the first few words and recognized them right away as part of the traditional vows used during a wedding ceremony. What do the words have to do with money? There’s the for richer, for poorer aspect but maybe we should add, instead of death do us part, until trust issues do us part.
According to a survey conducted by the National Endowment for Financial Education (NEFE) in cooperation with Forbes and conducted by Harris Interactive two in five Americans admitted to financial deception with partners. In other words approximately 41 percent of people who combined their money with their partners have been financially unfaithful to that partner. The best term to describe the practice is financial infidelity.
Financial infidelity occurs when couples with shared finances lie to one another. If you have ever hidden a minor purchase, financial statements or bills from your partner the act results in being financially unfaithful. According to the survey, 75 percent said financial infidelity affected their relationship.
Fortunately, financial infidelity is reversible. Talk honestly, become transparent. You will have to come to the point of full disclosure with your family financials and begin to work through the issues and regain any lost trust. Below are some suggestions on how to get started.
Have an open discussion about your finances with your partner and come clean on all deceptive practices.
Discuss needs vs. wants and the whys of overspending
Track your spending and develop a spending plan
Create smart goals to work toward common ground and eliminate outstanding debt
Keep on talking. Don’t shut down the lines of communication.
This process will help partners to understand each other’s money values in addition to preventing a majority of conflicts that can arise regarding family finances. It is important to listen to each family members concern so everyone is on the same page and feels ownership to the plan moving forward. Revisit your plan periodically and decide together if revisions are necessary.
Pinkfong and Round Room Live are proud to announce that Baby Shark Live!, the brand-new, fully immersive concert experience, will continue to make a splash across North America and play over 70 cities this Spring. The live tour of the viral sensation will continue its run starting March 3, 2020, in Paducah, KY. The hit show will swim to new markets including Los Angeles, Seattle, and Toronto, as well as a stop in Grand Rapids on Tuesday, May 5, 2020, at 6pm in DeVos Performance Hall.
Tickets go on sale to the general public beginning Friday, Nov. 22 at 11am. Tickets will be available at the DeVos Place® and Van Andel Arena® box offices and online at Ticketmaster.com. See Ticketmaster.com for all current pricing and availability. A purchase limit of eight (8) tickets will apply to every order.
The Fall tour leg of Baby Shark Live! began in Spartanburg, SC and played to excited families across the country. The smash hit show sold out performances across the country during the 6-week run and was seen by nearly 100,000 fans.
The live show is based on Pinkfong’s viral earworm and global dance phenomenon, Baby Shark. Fans of all ages will delight as Baby Shark joins up with his friend Pinkfong to take an adventure into the sea, singing and dancing through new and classic songs including Five Little Monkeys, Wheels on the Bus, Jungle Boogie, Monkey Banana Dance and, of course, Baby Shark.
Baby Shark, Pinkfong’s global hit song about a family of sharks, has climbed the charts and connected with fans around the globe. After entering the Billboard Hot 100 at #32, the song has had a 17-week streak in the Top 50 while topping the Kids Digital Song Sales Chart. The Baby Shark dance video has over 3.8 billion views, making it the 5th most-viewed video in the history of YouTube.
Tickets for Baby Shark Live’s Spring tour go on sale to the general public onFriday, Nov. 22. Fans can visit babysharklive.com now for tour dates, ticket information and one-of-a-kind meet and greet packages. Follow Baby Shark Live! social media for pre-sale access and exclusive tour content.
