New Horizons Newspaper

A publication of the Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging

January 2013VOL. 38 • NO. 1

ENOA4223 Center StreetOmaha, NE 68105-2431

ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED

PRSRT STDU.S. POSTAGE

PAIDOMAHA NE

PERMIT NO. 389

New Horizons

In the fourth of a five-part series titled ENOA board meeting,

Washington County Board of Supervisors member Jerry Kruse is profiled.

See page 3.

CAT WOMAN

Tanny Liddy and her nonprofit cat shelter, Heartland Cats, are working to match older felines with older men and women.

See page 18.

ON BOARD

FatherBernie

Nick Schinker chronicles the career of Father Bernie Byrne, senior associate pastor at Omaha’s St. Wenceslaus Church. A New York City attorney for 39 years and the father of seven children, Father Byrne joined the priesthood in 2006 following his wife’s death.

The story begins on page 10.

• New Horizons • January 2013

The Retired and Senior Volunteer Program is re-cruiting persons age 55 and older for a variety of oppor-tunities. For more informa-tion in Douglas, Sarpy, and Cass counties, please call 402-444-6536, ext. 229. In Dodge and Washington counties, please call 402-721-7780.

The following have volunteer opportunities in Douglas, Sarpy, and Cass counties:

• Mount View Elemen-tary School wants a Team-Mates mentor.

• Alegent Health Ber-gan Mercy Hospital needs volunteers for its informa-tion desks and as patient and family escorts.

• Boys Town wants vol-unteer mentors and a volun-teer office assistant.

• The Disabled Ameri-can Veterans need volun-teer drivers.

• The Ronald McDonald House Charities needs vol-unteers for general duties.

• The Omaha Home for Boys is looking for volun-teer mentors.

• Pathfinder House is looking for volunteers for movie nights, a walking club, and to socialize with residents.

• The Heartland Coun-cil New Outlook Pioneers wants volunteers to help with its Hug a Bear Project.

• Keep Omaha Beauti-ful needs volunteers to help with yard cleaning projects (not lawn mowing) for older adults and persons with a disability.

• The Omaha Children’s Museum wants a volunteer member check-in assistant.

• The Douglas County Historical Society is look-ing for volunteer to greet

visitors and to serve refresh-ments.

• The Douglas County Health Center wants volunteers for a variety of assignments.

• The Omaha Police De-partment needs volunteers for general duties.

• Together Inc. is look-ing for an intake assistant.

The following have volun-teer opportunities in Dodge and Washington counties:

• The Blair and Fremont Car-Go Programs needs volunteer drivers.

• The Fremont Friend-ship Center needs help with its Tuesday Supper Club.

• The Fremont Area Medical Center is looking for volunteers for its infor-mation desk on weekends and to help out evenings at the A.J. Merrick Manor.

• The Danish American Archive and Library in Blair needs volunteers for a variety of assignments.

RSVPRetired

and Senior

Volunteer Program

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Please support New Horizons advertisers.

Advertisements appearing in New Horizons do not imply endorsement of the advertiser by the Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging. However, complaints about advertisers will be reviewed and, if warranted, their advertising discon-tinued. Display and insert advertising rates available on request. Open rates are commissionable, with discounts for extended runs. Circulation is 20,000 through direct mail and freehand distribution.

New Horizons is the official publication of the Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging. The paper is distributed free to people over age 60 in Douglas, Sarpy, Dodge, Washington, and Cass counties. Those living outside the 5-county region may subscribe for $5 annually. Address all correspondence to: Jeff Reinhardt, Editor, 4223 Center Street, Omaha, NE 68105-2431. Phone 402-444-6654. FAX 402-444-3076. E-mail: [email protected]

The New Horizons and the Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging provide services without regard

to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, marital status, disability, or age.

Editor..............................................Jeff Reinhardt Ad Mgr................Mitch Laudenback, 402-444-4148Contributing Writers......Nick Schinker, Leo Biga, Barc Wade, & Lois FriedmanFremont Delivery.........................Dick Longstein

ENOA Board of Governors: Mary Ann Borgeson, Douglas County, chairperson; Ron Nolte, Cass County, vice-chairperson; Bob Missel, Dodge County, secretary; Jim Warren, Sarpy County, & Jerry Kruse, Washington County.

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January 2013 • New Horizons •

ENOA boardmeeting

Jerry Kruse represents Washington County on ENOA’s governing board.

Believing that government spending was spiraling out of control, and

wanting a hand in regulat-ing the local tax base, Jerry Kruse decided to run for the District 2 seat on the Wash-ington County Board of Supervisors in 2010.

Kruse, 64, won the elec-tion and shortly thereafter was selected to represent Washington County on the Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging’s governing board.

A graduate of Blair High School, Kruse’s non-political career has been spent owning and operat-ing a trucking business in Blair and growing corn and soybeans on a 1,000-acre farm in northwest Douglas County. He recently joined the faculty at Metropolitan Community College where he teaches truck driving.

Jerry and Nancy, his wife for 39 years, have two sons, Ross and Brett, ages 35 and 33, respectively.

Kruse sees ENOA’s roleas providing a variety of

high-quality programs and services for older adults in Douglas, Sarpy, Dodge, Cass, and Washington counties designed to keep these men and women in

their homes for as long as possible.

“Our role as board mem-bers is to control the purse strings and make wise deci-

Kruse joined ENOA’s governing board in 2010sions as ENOA carries out its role,” he said.

While securing the fund-ing ENOA needs to serve the over-60 population in the five-county area it serves

will always be a challenge, Kruse said, “The agency does an excellent job doing what it can with the means it’s given.”

“Our role as board members is to control

the purse strings and make wise

decisions as ENOAcarries out its role.”

Hearing loss can cost you more than a hearing aid…

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Immanuel Affordable Communities

Immanuel Communities offers beautiful affordable independent apartment homes for seniors who are on a fixed income.

Call today to schedule a personal visit.

Affilated with the Nebraska Synod, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America www.immanuelcommunities.com

Immanuel Courtyard6757 Newport AvenueOmaha, NE 68152402-829-2912

Assisted Living at Immanuel Courtyard6759 Newport AvenueOmaha, NE 68152402-829-2990

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Income guidelines apply

January 2013events calendar

7Art show featuring

Chad Fonfara & Travis HenceyThrough Jan. 15

Fred Simon Art Gallery1004 Farnam St.8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

FREE402-595-2142

10Midlands International

Auto ShowThrough Jan. 15

Century Link Center402-341-1500

11Omaha Symphony:

Daryl Stuermer of GenesisAlso Jan. 12

Holland Performing Arts Center

8 p.m.$25 to $70

402-342-3560

14UNO Arts Faculty

Biennial ExhibitionThrough Feb. 14

Weber Fine Arts Building@ UNO campus

FREE402-554-2796

15Memphis the Musical

Through Jan. 20Orpheum Theater

Tuesday – Thursday @ 7:30 p.m.Friday @ 8 p.m.

Saturday @ 2 & 8 p.m.Sunday @ 1 & 7 p.m.

$25 to $95402-342-0606

US Figure Skating Championship

Through Jan. 27Century Link Center

402-341-1500

18Deathtrap

Through Feb. 10Omaha Community Playhouse

402-553-0800

19Lucky Peterson

1200 ClubHolland Performing Arts Center

8 p.m.$25 (subject to change)

402-345-0606

20Crescendo Concert Series:

Prairie Winds QuintetDundee

Presbyterian Church5312 Underwood Ave.

7 p.m.FREE tickets issued

402-558-2330

Omaha Symphony:Breaking Traditions:

New Frontiers in Art and Music

Witherspoon Concert Hall@ Joslyn Art Museum

2 p.m.$30

402-342-3560

21All Catholic High School ExhibitThrough Feb. 1Lied Art Gallery

@ Creighton University1 to 4 p.m.

FREE402-280-2509

25Omaha Symphony:

Dvorak FestivalAlso Jan. 26

Holland Performing Arts Center

8 p.m.$25 to $75

402-342-3560

Tomas and the Library Lady

Through Feb. 10The Rose TheatreFriday @ 7 p.m.

Saturday @ 2 & 7 p.m.Sunday @ 2 p.m.

$18402-345-4849

27Omaha Symphony:

When I Grow UpHolland

Performing Arts Center2 p.m.

$8 & $10402-342-3560

31Savion Golver’s Sol.e SanctuaryOrpheum Theater

7:30 p.m.$26 to $59

402-345-0606

Fontenelle Tours Omaha/Council Bluffs: 712-366-9596

Quoted prices are per person, double occupancy. For more information about our tours, please call Ward or Kathy Kinney at Fontenelle Tours at the numbers listed above.

2013

Discover Switzerland, Austria, and Bavaria. September 11 – 20, 2013. Fly with us – Ward and Kathy – round trip from Eppley Airfield to the beautiful countryside of Switzerland, Austria, and Bavaria. Four-night stays in two cities: Bern, Switzerland and Innsbruck, Austria. With our Collette Vacations tour guide, we’ll explore the city of Bern and travel the shores of Lake Geneva to the medieval Chateau de Chillon. Enjoy a panoramic train ride through the Swiss Alps to an Alpine ski resort. Visit Lucerne, the “Swiss Paradise on the Lake.” In Salzburg see the Mirabell Gardens (from the “Sound of Music”) and Mozart’s birthplace, visit Oberammergau, see a Tyrolean folklore show, and dine in a 1,200-year-old restaurant owned by Monks. (Early booking saves $250 per person. We will have another presentation on this trip early in 2013. Call for more information.)

In Partnership with Collette Vacations

(Let us help you find a Collette Vacation to your special destination when YOU want to go. Collette offers trips to numerous

destinations both within the United States and throughout the world. Each trip is offered on

many different dates throughout the year. Call us for further information.)

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Laughlin in March (by air). March 28 - 31. $300. Includes non-stop, round-trip airfare to Laughlin, Nevada, three nights lodging at the Riverside Resort and Casino on the banks of the Colorado River, and shuttle transportation to and from the airport. Register early…these winter trips fill up fast!

Watch New Horizons and our website www.fontenelletours.comfor our 2013 trip schedule.

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Read it & eatBy Lois Friedman

[email protected]

Recipes, cookbooks to try in 2013The bounty and joys of the season are reflected in the

pages of these lush cookbooks. Sweet wishes to you for the New Year!

The Butch Bakery Cookbook By David Arrick (Wiley, $19.99)

Thirty “break-the-mold,” masculine aesthetic, grown-up guy cupcake treats. Desserts for dudes from this NYC bak-ery. Great photos and even a few cake mix recipes!

The Rosie’s Bakery: All-Butter, Cream-filled, Sugar-packed Baking Book By Judy Rosenberg (Workman, $15.95)

Rosenberg’s star-filled NYC childhood with chocolate-coated memories led her to this award-winning Boston bakery. Try her 250 recipes for cakes, cookies, bars, pies, and fruit desserts.

Cakebread, Pudding, & Pie By C. Maritz & M. Guy (Striuk, $25)

This South African award-winning husband and wife cookbook writing duo bring you sweet and savory creations from pastries to pot stickers with nostalgia thrown in.

Sugar, Sugar By K. Reiner & J. Sanz-Agero (Andrews McMeel, $29.99)

These “Sugar Mommas” and law school friends offer recipes for modern-day baking with vintage appeal, sugar stories of the creators, and tips for “sassing them up.”

Baked By M. Lewis & R. Poliafito (Stewart Tabori & Chang, $32.50)

From their Brooklyn bakery, enjoy 75 recipes arranged by their 10 favorite ingredients: peanut butter, lemon & lime, caramel, booze, pumpkin, malted milk powder, cin-namon, cheese, and chocolate. Try this recipe from the banana section.

Honey Banana Poppy Seed BreadYield: One 9” X 5” loaf

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour 1 cup sugar 1 teaspoon baking soda½ teaspoon salt3 large very ripe bananas, mashed (about 1 cup)1/3 cup vegetable oil¼ cup whole milk¼ cup honey2 large eggs2 tablespoons poppy seeds Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and position the rack in the center. Butter a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan, dust it with flour, and knock out the excess flour. In a large bowl, whisk to-gether the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt. In another large bowl, whisk together the bananas, vegetable oil, milk, honey, and eggs.

Older adults may no-tice gradual changes in their hearing,

memory, vision, and mo-bility that could create the need for assistive technol-ogy. Some of these older men and women may need a cane, a scooter, a listening device, or a lighted magni-fier.

One way to learn more about obtaining assistive technology equipment is by logging on to at4all.com, a

free online service that lists and can help you find these devices in Nebraska.

The service can help consumers:

• Borrow and try the equipment before buying.

• Buy used and/or free equipment.

• List items they want to share or sell.

For more information, please call Assistive Tech-nology Partnerships at (toll free) 1-888-806-6287.

Assistive technology equipment available

By Jen Vogt

Many of us share a fear of hav-ing our identity stolen. Since there are so many ways this can happen, the task of pre-

venting identity theft can seem daunting. By informing yourself of the ways you might be vulnerable to identity theft, arm-ing yourself with a plan to protect against it, and knowing the steps to take should the theft happen, your mind can be set at ease that your personal information is safe.

There are many ways your identity can be stolen, and identifying these risks is one of the best ways to make sure you are not vulnerable to them. We normally think of an act of theft being involved with this pro-cess; for example, having your mail or wal-let stolen. There are other ways to be aware of as well. Some of these include phone and e-mail scams, rifling through trash, or by purchasing personal information from a business. Some identity thieves may even go so far as to use as change of address form at the post office to divert your mail to another location.

These are all scary scenarios, but there are a few things you can do protect your-self from these situations. First, secure your mail. Consider a locking mailbox if you are not home when mail is delivered, or ask a trusted neighbor to hold your mail until you are home. Make sure to stop your mail when you are away from home for an extended time. Second, guard your personal information. Don’t let your wallet out of your sight when in a public place, and con-sider leaving important documents like your social security card or banking information at home.

Never provide personal information to phone or e-mail solicitors. Finally, shred papers you throw out to prevent thieves from going through your trash to find infor-mation.

Monitoring your mail and bills can help you notice fraudulent activity or ensure that it isn’t taking place. Similarly, make sure to check your credit reports for fraudulent activity on a regular basis. You can make inquiries about your credit history to any of the three national credit bureaus: Equi-fax, Experian, and Trans-Union. You can receive one credit report per year for free; you will be charged for additional reports during the same year.

Knowing how to prevent identity theft is an important precaution to take. However, you should also arm yourself with a plan to follow should the theft occur despite these

precautions. Should your identity be stolen, the first thing you should do is contact one of the three national credit bureaus listed above. You should also take the time to call your creditors to inform them your identity has been stolen. Local law enforcement should also be contacted and informed of the theft.

Here are a few final tips on handling spe-cific identity theft situations:

• If debt collectors call, explain your identity was stolen. You are not responsible for fraudulent bills. Ask for confirmation in writing that you don’t owe the debt and the account has been closed.

• If your credit card is stolen, call the card issuer immediately to cancel the ac-count. It’s a good idea to have a list of all credit cards, account numbers, expiration dates, and issuer phone numbers kept in a secure place, away from the cards them-selves.

• If your checks are stolen, put stop pay-ments on all outstanding checks. Cancel your checking and savings accounts and obtain new account numbers.

• If your ATM or debit card is stolen, report it to the bank or issuer immediately. They will issue a new card, account num-ber, and PIN number. Take responsibility for monitoring your statements closely dur-ing this process.

Imagining these thefts is difficult for most of us because it’s not something we ever want to face. However, we eliminate much of the risk of theft identifying the ways we are vulnerable to identity theft, and eliminating these opportunities for would-be thieves.

If a theft were to occur, having an action plan in place can give us the peace of mind we would know what to do should this happen to us or a loved one. The best way to prevent and/or cope with identity theft is awareness.

(Vogt is with Midwest Geriatrics, Inc. of Omaha.)

Protecting yourself against identity theft,knowing what to do if you’re victimized

There are many ways your identity can be stolen, and

identifying these risks is one of the best ways

to make sure you are not vulnerable to them.


The Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging’s SeniorHelp Program has a variety of volunteer opportunities available for persons of all ages that provide services to help older adults in ways that support dignity and independence in their daily lives.

For more information, please call Karen Kelly at 402-561-2238 or send an e-mail to [email protected].

• Companionship: Volunteers are needed to

visit clients in the Omaha and Bellevue areas.

• Transportation: Drivers are being asked to take older adults grocery shopping, to medical appointments as needed, etc. in Douglas, Sarpy, and Cass counties.

• Handyman/home maintenance: Volunteers are needed to provide home repairs in Omaha and the surrounding areas.

• Household assistance: Volunteers are being recruited to provide housekeeping, sorting and/or

organizing, do laundry, and to help carry groceries from the car into the home for older adults in the Omaha and Bellevue areas.

• Meals delivery: Drivers are needed to deliver midday meals in zip codes 68114 and 68144.

• Snow removal: Vol-unteers are needed to re-move snow in the Omaha and Bellevue areas.

• Yard work: Volunteers are being recruited to rake leaves, clean gutters, and clean flowerbeds in several areas.

Sign up to become a SeniorHelp volunteer

Noted sex therapist Dr. Ruth Westheimer has written a new book titled Dr. Ruth’s Guide for the Alzheimer’s Caregiver: How to Care for Your Loved One Without Get-ting Overwhelmed … and Without Doing It All Yourself. The book is published by Quill Driver Books.

Westheimer says individuals caring for someone with Alzheimer’s appreciate offers from other people to take on the burden of caregiving for them for a few hours so they can visit a doctor or dentist and take care of their own health needs. “Put the offer in writing and if necessary make the proper appointments for them so you can coordi-nate both your schedules,” she adds.

Studies show Alzheimer’s caregivers suffer high levels of stress leading to health conditions including high blood pressure, lower immunity, slow wound healing, and greater incidence of cardiovascular dis-ease. These problems are often made worse because many caregivers don’t take proper care of their own health, sometimes not seeking medical attention until they need to go to the emergency room.

“Caregivers will take the person they’re caring for to the doctor but won’t go them-selves,” says Westheimer. “They literally put themselves on the line for their loved ones, because by ignoring symptoms they end up with serious illnesses. A gift of time to visit the doctor can literally save a care-giver’s life.”

In her new book, Dr. Ruth gives numer-ous tips on how Alzheimer’s caregivers can get the help they need, including scheduling time for “relief caregivers” and creating a “help registry” of specific needs and tasks where friends and family can help.

Millions of Americans take care of loved ones with Alzheimer’s disease, and many of them feel overwhelmed by the crush-ing burden of caring for a dependent adult while trying to maintain their own physical and mental health.

Sixty percent of caregivers report high levels of stress, and 30 percent of caregiv-ers report feeling depressed. Nearly all Alzheimer’s caregivers report high levels of isolation and feelings their family and friends have abandoned them.

Dr. Ruth’s Guide for the Alzheimer’s Caregiver presents the best strategies, tactics, tips, tricks, resources, and attitudes to create the most supportive environment possible for these men and women includ-ing:

• How to ask for and get family, friends, and neighbors to help.

• How to deal with the inevitable storm of

negative emotions that accompany caregiv-ing.

• How to cope with and reduce physical and mental exhaustion.

• How to deal with siblings who offer criticism, not help.

• Why keeping their job is beneficial to a caregiver’s mental health.

• Why placing a loved one in a facility is often the most loving thing to do.

• Why trying to control outcomes will merely make caregivers frustrated.

• How to keep a caregiver’s social life while taking care of their loved one.

• How to help caregiver’s children and grandchildren cope with their loved one’s Alzheimer’s disease.

• And because it’s Dr. Ruth, a frank and fearless discussion of the impact of an Al-zheimer’s diagnosis on caregivers and their sex life, including sex between Alzheimer’s and non-Alzheimer’s spouses, relationships between Alzheimer’s patients in a facility, and the ethics of seeking a new sexual part-ner when one’s spouse has Alzheimer’s.

Full of practical, no-nonsense advice that will help readers provide the best possible care while minimizing caregiver stress, Dr. Ruth’s Guide for the Alzheimer’s Caregiver provides real solutions to the problems that can be solved without pretending that Al-zheimer’s disease is easy to deal with.

The book is available for $16.95 from bookstores, online booksellers, and Quill Driver Books (1-800-345-4447), and Quill-DriverBooks.com.

Dr. Ruth pens book for Alzheimer’s caregivers

Dr. Ruth Westheimer’s new book sells for $16.95.

Dora Bingel Senior Center

Millard Senior Center

Heartland Family Service Senior Center

You’re invited to visit the Dora Bingel Senior Center, 923 N. 38th St., this month for the following:

• Jan. 7, 14, 21, & 28: Al-Anon meeting @ 7 p.m. • Jan. 8, 15, 22, & 29: Grief Support Group meeting @

10 a.m.• Jan. 16: Regeneration lunch with music by Pam and

Ron @ noon. The cost is $3.• Jan. 17: Red Hat Club meeting @ noon.• Jan. 25: Hard of Hearing Support Group meeting @

10:30 a.m. • Jan. 30: Birthday party luncheon @ noon. Eat free if

you have a January birthday! The center will be closed Jan. 1. A nutritious lunch is

served on Tuesday and Friday. A fancier lunch is offered on Wednesday. A $1 donation is

suggested for the meals, other than $3 for Regeneration. Round-trip transportation is available for $3.Reservations are required 24 hours in advance for all

meals.Other activities offered at the facility include:Foot care clinics Wednesdays from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30

p.m. and Fridays from 9 a.m. to noon. The cost is $10. • Tuesday: Free matinee movie @ 12:30 p.m.• Wednesdays: Nurse @ 9:30 a.m. Tai Chi class @

11:15 a.m., and Bible study @ 1 p.m.• Fridays: Joy Club @ 9:30 a.m. Bible study @ 1 p.m.For more information, please call 402-898-5854.

You’re invited to visit the Millard Senior Center at Mont-clair, 2304 S. 135th Ave., this month for the following:

• Wednesday, Jan. 9: Sewing dresses for little girls in Africa and making shorts for little boys in Africa from 9 to 11:30 a.m.

Donations of cotton and double-sided tape are still being accepted.

Stick around for lunch @ 11:30 a.m. featuring roast beef with gravy, whipped potatoes, and cake.

The Millard Senior Center is open weekdays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Lunch is served at 11:30. A $3 donation is suggested for the meal. Reservations are due by noon the business day prior to the lunch you wish to enjoy.

Center activities include a walking club (receive a free t-shirt), Tai Chi, chair volleyball, card games, quilting class, and bingo.

Walking club participants are encouraged to set goals for themselves. Those meeting their goal will receive another t-shirt and homemade cookies.

For meal reservations, please call Susan Sunderman at 402-546-1270.

You’re invited to visit the Heartland Family Service Senior Center, 2101 S. 42nd St. for the following: • Jan. 3, 10, & 17: Jill from WhyArts on music art @ 10:30 a.m. • Jan. 8: Birthday party featuring singer Joe Taylor from the Merrymakers. • Jan. 15: Red Hat Society meeting @ Gorat’s. • Jan. 24: Trip to the IMAX Theater. • Jan. 31: Luau. The center will be closed Jan. 1 for New Year’s Day and Jan. 21 for the Martin Luther King’s birthday celebration. A nurse visits Mondays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Call 402-553-5300 for an appointment. The Heartland Family Service Senior Center is open weekdays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Lunch is normally served at noon. A $3 donation is suggested for the meal. Reserva-tions are due by noon the business day prior to the lunch you wish to attend. Transportation is available for 50 cents each way. Call for details. Regular activities include Tai Chi classes on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday @ 10:15 a.m. TOPPS meets at the center Thursdays at noon. For meal reservations or more information, please call Karen at 402-552-7480 of the front desk at 402-553-5300.


More than 80 percent of drivers age 65 and older regu-larly take medications, yet only half of them have talked to a medical professional about the possible subsequent safety issues related to driving.

The AAA Foundation for Safety has developed Road-wise Rx, a free online tool that details common side effects of prescription and over-the-counter medications for older drivers.

Roadwise Rx gives users an easy way to virtually pool together their pill bottles and talk to their doctor, according to AAA President and CEO Robert Darbeinet.

Certain medications have been shown to increase auto-mobile crash risks by up to 41 percent

Research has shown nearly one in five older drivers use five or more prescription medications. AAA felt there was a need to develop a tool to help older drivers understand the safety risks of driving while using multiple medications.

“In most states, including Nebraska, a motorist may be charged for driving under the influence of drugs, which includes prescription and over-the-counter medications, “ said Fred Zwonecheck, administrator of the Nebraska Of-fice on Highway Safety. “For that reason, it’s important to know and understand the side effects of any medications being consumed before operating a motor vehicle.”

For more information, log on to seniordriving.aaa.com.

Online tool address the impact of medications on older drivers

By Carol McNulty

When trying to lose weight and maintain a healthy lifestyle, it’s important to not only focus on dieting and eating

healthier, but also exercising and staying physically active.

According to nutrition specialist Wanda Koszewski, Ph.D., there is evidence that exercising regularly prevents excess weight gain and helps people maintain a healthy weight. Exercise doesn’t have to be going to a gym. It can be as simple as taking a long, brisk walk outside. There are different suggestions and recommendations on the amount or physical activity different ages of people should do during a week.

The recommendation for ages 6 and up is at least 60 minutes of moderate-intensity or vigorous-intensity physical activity each day. Moderate-intensity activity is described as aerobic activity that increases a person’s heart rate and breathing to a five or six on a scale of zero to 10. This includes brisk walking, dancing, swimming, or bicy-cling on level terrain.

Vigorous-intensity activity is described as aerobic activity that greatly increases the heart rate and breathing. On a scale of zero to 10, this would rate at a seven or eight and includes jogging, tennis, swimming laps, and bicycling uphill.

Koszewski says vigorous-intensity activ-ity should occur at least three days a week. Muscle-strengthening activity – activity that increases skeletal muscle strength, power, endurance and mass – should be included at least three days of the week. This includes various strength and resistance training and endurance exercises.

Another type of activity that should be included at least three days of the week is bone strengthening, which produces an impact on bones and promotes bone growth and strength. This includes running, jump-ing rope, and lifting weights.

Adults should encourage children and adolescents to participate in activities they enjoy that are appropriate for their age and that offer variety.

All adults should avoid inactivity. It’s recommended that adults ages 18 to 64 exercise for 150 minutes each week at a moderate-intensity or 75 minutes a week at a vigorous-intensity. Aerobic activity is activity done in episodes of at least 10 minutes.

Adults can increase their amount of activ-ity to 300 minutes of moderate activity and 150 minutes of vigorous activity for more extensive benefits. For two or more days during the week, part of an adult’s exercise should include muscle-strengthening activi-ties using all major muscle groups.

Koszewski says older adults, age 65 and up, should follow the adult guidelines, but if they’re unable to meet those guidelines, they should remain as physically active as possible.

People age 65 and older should determine their physical activity effort level relative to their fitness level. They should include exercises that will help maintain or improve their balance to reduce the risk of falling. Also, if older adults have chronic condi-tions, they should understand whether those conditions affect their ability to exercise safely and how those conditions affect that activity.

For more information on healthy living, nutrition and a variety of subjects visit http://douglas-sarpy.unledu and www.ex-tension.unl.edu.

(McNulty is an educator with the Uni-versity of Nebraska Cooperative Extension Office in Douglas and Sarpy counties.)

A healthy lifestyle includes dieting,exercising, staying physically active

You’re invited to attend a series of free EngAge Wellness presentations to be held the third Tuesday of each month

during 2013 at the Home Instead Center for Successful Aging, 38th Avenue and Leavenworth Street.

The programs – which will feature a guest speaker – run from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. every month.

Topics will include Social Security (January), downsizing (February and March), the Affordable Care Act (April), community resources (May), finances (June), legal documents (July), long-term care (August), home care and Medi-care (September), Medicare (October), funeral pre-planning (November), and a holiday wrap (December).

For more information, please call the Home Instead Center for Successful Ag-ing 402-552-7210.

Call 402-552-7210 for details

Wellness programs set forthird Tuesday of the month

WHITMORE LAW OFFICEWills • Trusts • Probate

AARP Legal Service Network • No Charge For Initial Consultation

7602 Pacific Street, Ste 200 • (402) 391-2400

http://whitmorelaw.com

Ask A Lawyer:Q — What is “accidental disinheritance”?

A — Accidental disinheritance occurs when an expected heir is cut out of an estate because of lack of planning, rather than intention. It can occur in a blended family, where “planning” consists of holding property in both names.

For example, Husband and Wife hold all of their property jointly. Husband is the first to die, and Wife inherits every-thing. Later, Wife dies without proper planning. Result? Wife’s children receive all the family property. Husband’s children are “accidentally disinherited.”

Have a question about estate planning? Give us a call!

The Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging has two programs available that remove snow from the driveways and sidewalks of older adults in Douglas, Sarpy, Dodge, Cass, and Washington

counties.The agency’s SeniorHelp Volunteer Program pro-

vides this service for persons age 60 and older that are physically unable to remove snow and have no other options available for snow removal.

Volunteers are pre-screened before being matched with cli-ents.

ENOA’s Chore Program uses paid providers to remove snow for persons age 60 and older that are physically unable to perform these duties. Individuals using this service will be sent a contribution request based on their income.

For more information, please call the SeniorHelp program at 402-444-6536.

ENOA’s SeniorHelp, Chore Programare available to provide snow removal


Curtailing the imminent rise in Al-zheimer’s disease will require early, accurate diagnostic tests and

treatments, and researchers are closer to achieving these two goals. New findings in medical imaging, molecular analysis of neurological diseases, and development of treatments using mouse models were presented at Neuroscience 2012, the annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience and the world’s largest source of emerging news about brain science and health. AD is the most common cause of de-mentia and affects 5 million people in the United States. By 2015, this number could increase to 13 million people. These new findings show: • Changes in brain function occur many years before symptoms in people with AD. These changes could be detected by PET scans and might one day be used to identify people at risk for developing the disease. • A new drug that targets biochemical changes in proteins improved symptoms and increased survival in a mouse model of AD, but just how it works is a mystery. • An antibody-based probe that uses nanotechnology and magnetic resonance imaging can distinguish between diseased

and non-diseased brain tissue and could lead to a test for early detection of AD. AD, Parkinson’s disease, and Dementia with Lewy Bodies have specific molecular signatures caused by epigenetics — mecha-nisms that determine how and when DNA is expressed — that could assist in accurate diagnosis and earlier treatment. A new mouse model for AD gives re-searchers more control over an Alzheim-er’s-related protein in mice, and could lead to better research on effective treatments. “Being able to detect AD early — per-haps even before symptoms begin — is an essential pre-condition if we are to develop effective treatments that slow or stop the changes that occur in the brain during Al-zheimer’s. Our studies in mice already tell us this,” said Sam Gandy, PhD, MD, of the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City, an expert on AD and dementia. “Being able to distinguish AD from other neurodegenerative diseases will help us give the right treatments to the right pa-tients,” he added. This research was supported by national funding agencies such as the National Institutes of Health as well as private and philanthropic organizations.

Researchers: Slowing the rise of Alzheimer’s will require early diagnosis, tests, treatments

ENOA menu for January 2013

With Lifeline by Immanuel, you can enjoy an independent lifestyle in your own home — knowing that you can call for help if you ever need it. One push of your Lifeline button connects you to someone with access to your medical history, someone who can evaluate your situation and immediately send help. To learn more about the security and peace of mind provided by Lifeline, call (402) 829-3277 or toll-free at (800) 676-9449.

Someday this button might save your life.For now, it sets you free.

www.immanuellifeline.com

Make It Great, Be Joyful at Saint Joseph Tower! Life Is What You Make It...

• Quality living at an affordable price

• Licensed nurse staff and certified staff on duty 24 hours a day

• Outstanding activities program

• Locally owned & operated

Tuesday, Jan. 1CLOSED FOR HOLIDAY

Wednesday, Jan. 2Italian Pork Loin

Thursday, Jan. 3Country Fried Steak

Friday, Jan. 4Garlic Rosemary

Monday, Jan. 7Western Baked Beef

Tuesday, Jan. 8Cheese Lasagna Roll

Wednesday, Jan. 9Roast Beef

Thursday, Jan. 10Chicken Pot Pie

Friday, Jan. 11Sliced Ham

Monday, Jan. 14Pork Dijon

Tuesday, Jan. 15Soft Shell Beef Taco

Wednesday, Jan. 16Cranberry Dijon Chicken Breast

Thursday, Jan. 17Sausage

w/Sauerkraut

Friday, Jan. 18Pepper Beef Patty

Monday, Jan. 21CLOSED FOR

HOLIDAY

Tuesday, Jan. 22BBQ Chicken

on a Bun

Wednesday, Jan. 23Beef Italiano

Thursday, Jan. 24Apple Glazed Pork

Friday, Jan. 25Meatloaf

Monday, Jan. 28Turkey Breast

Tuesday, Jan. 29Ham

& White Beans

Wednesday, Jan. 30Cheeseburger

Thursday, Jan. 31Swedish Meatballs

We want to hear from you!

[email protected] appreciate your interest in ENOA and the New Horizons.

• Do you gave questions about the Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging, its programs or services?

• Do you have a comment about the agency and how it serves older adults in Douglas, Sarpy, Dodge, Cass, and Washington counties?

• Maybe you have a story idea for the New Horizons.

Send your questions,comments, story ideas, etc. to

Please support New Horizons advertisers!


Corrigan Senior CenterJanuary 2013 events calendar

?• Bath aides• Care management• Chore services• Community education• Durable medical equipment• Emergency food pantry• Emergency response systems• ENOA facts and figures• ENOA Library• ENOA senior centers• Grandparent Resource Center

Log on to enoa.org

Do you have questions about aging services

in Douglas, Sarpy, Dodge, Cass, or Washington counties?

• Homemakers• Information &

assistance telephone lines

• Intergeneration Orchestra of Omaha

• Legal services• Meals on Wheels• Medicaid Waiver• New Horizons• Nutrition counseling

• Ombudsman advocates• Respite care• Respite Resource Center• Rural transportation• Senior Care Options• Senior employment• Support of adult day facilities• Volunteer opportunities

The Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging’s Web site includes information about:

24 hours a day,

7 days a week!

Adams Park Senior Center open three days a week

The Adams Park Senior Center opened last month at 3230 John A. Creighton Blvd. The facility will be open Monday, Wednesday, and

Friday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Lunch will be served at noon. A $3

donation is suggested for the meal. Lunch reservations are due by noon the business day prior to the meal the older adult wishes to enjoy. For meals reservations or more informa-tion, please call 402-444-5164.

Among those who attended the Adams Park Senior Center – 3230 John A. Creighton Blvd. – on opening day last month were (from left): Carl Sirls,

Parker Moore, Ernestine Elliott, Chester Fisher, and Edward Martin.

You’re invited to visit the Corrigan Senior Center, 3819 X St. this month for:

• Thursday, Jan. 3: Talk titled, What is SAD? Healthy Lifestyles for You in the New Year by community health educator Carole Lainof, RN, MSN @ 11 a.m. Lunch and bingo follow the presentation.

• Monday, Jan. 7: Watch the Frankie Yankovic polka band video with Lou Paska @ 11 a.m. on our big screen TV. Stay for lunch and bingo.

• Monday, Jan. 14: Welcome 2013 party. Everyone is welcome for this day of lunch, entertainment, and bingo. The popular Yesterday’s Kids will perform at 11:15 a.m. with some special songs for the New Year. Stay for a noon lunch followed by bingo.

• Thursday, Jan. 17: New Year’s Month Dinner and Mega Bingo. This is your chance to win part of the $100 cash bingo jackpot. Enjoy dinner and raffles. The noon lunch is a breaded chicken patty with chicken gravy, mashed potatoes w/gravy, green beans almandine, a lettuce salad, a wheat roll, and apple pie. A $3 lunch donation is suggested. An additional $3 activity fee donation includes three bingo cards.

The reservation deadline is noon on Friday, Jan. 11. • Monday, Jan. 28: Birthday party featuring saxophone

player Tim Javorsky sponsored by the Merrymakers @ 11 a.m. Tim has his own jazz band – Sarabande Jazz – and plays songs from jazz greats like Louie Armstrong, Stan Getz, and David Sanborn. Enjoy a tasty noon lunch followed by bingo.

The center will be closed on Tuesday, Jan. 1 for New Year’s Day and Monday, Jan. 21 for the Martin Luther King, Jr. birthday celebration.

The Corrigan Senior Center is open weekdays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Lunch is served at noon. A $3 donation is normally suggested for the meal. Reservations are normally due by noon the business day prior to the meal you wish to enjoy.

We offer chair volleyball, card games, bingo, ceramics, exercise, woodcarving, and loads of fun!

For meal reservations or more information, please call Lynnette at 402-731-7210.

• New Horizons • January 2013--Please turn to page 11.Father Bernie and Brawny, his 12-year-old dog, enjoy the sunshine on a late fall morning.

By Nick SchinkerContributing Writer

When the Rev. Bernie Byrne visits with the children at St. Wenc-eslaus School, they

call him, “Father.” But when he visits his own chil-

dren, they just call him, “Dad.”After a successful career as a trial

attorney, the widower and father of seven decided that rather than simply retire; he’d pursue another calling with a second career as a Catholic priest.

Today, Byrne is “Father Bernie” to the parishioners at St. Wenc-eslaus Church in Omaha, where he serves as senior associate pastor.

He brings unique insight to his role as confessor and counselor. He has been married with children and thus has something in common with the couples and parents he advises. He has endured the death of a loved one, having been beside his wife during her unsuccessful battle

against leukemia. And he is humble.“I think I am the most fortunate

man alive,” he says. “God opened a little window for me, and I was lucky enough to climb through it.”

It doesn’t take long to figure out the 78-year-old Father Byrne “isn’t from around here.” The accent of his native Brooklyn,

N.Y., betrays him after just a few sentences.

He is the youngest of three chil-dren born to Bernard and Catherine (Cuite) Byrne. “We were a small family,” he says, “as Irish families go.”

A plumber by trade, his father worked in the shipyards during World War II then opened a plumb-ing business where his brother, Tom, also worked.

“We lived in a lovely row house about 20 feet wide and 30 feet deep, and it had a back yard,” Byrne re-calls. “Dad used to say we were the luckiest family in the world, and I

believed it.”After St. Thomas Aquinas Grade

School, where he learned under the watchful eyes of the Sisters of Mercy, he and his brother attended St. John’s Preparatory School in Brooklyn. “Our mother got a job in a dry cleaning plant to help pay for our tuition,” he recalls. “It was horrendous back then. I think it was about $200 a year.”

He joined the Marine Corps Re-serves as a boy and upon his dis-charge at age 19 joined the Army.

“All my friends in high school studied German,” he says. “After school, they joined the Army and were stationed in Germany. So I tried to do the same thing after the Marines, but I ended up in Fair-banks, Alaska.”

Byrne served almost two years there. “After going through six months of night and six months of daylight I was ready to move on,” he says.

He heard that he could secure an early discharge if he could prove he

had been accepted to a university, so he wrote to St. John’s University, then situated in Brooklyn. “I was about 22 or 23 when I enrolled,” he says. “Alaska convinced me I had to get an education.”

While at the university, he tapped into an interest in the law that had been brewing since high school. “I always liked watching lawyers on TV and in the movies,” Byrne says. “I remember one movie when I was young with John Wayne in it. He was testifying and the lawyer was yelling at him over and over, ‘Answer the question! Answer the question!’

“John Wayne just smiled and said, ‘Sorry sir, I’m not a lawyer. I can’t talk without thinking.’”

There was a “professional option program” that Byrne chose while in col-lege which allowed him to

graduate in three years and obtain a law degree in three more. “It was a way to save an entire year’s tuition, so I did that,” he says. “I received my doctorate in law in 1960.”

He had also been fortunate enough to marry his “lovely sweet-heart,” Marion Priola.

“She was from Brooklyn,” he says. “We met at a CYO Sunday dance in Queens. I was just out of the service and trying to be cool. I looked across the room and saw the most beautiful girl in the world.

“It took me 30 minutes to work my way over to where she was, and when I got there she was gone. So I looked around and she was 10 feet behind me. She was even more beautiful than I’d first thought. It was love at first sight – at least it was for me.”

Upon receiving his law degree his first offer was hugely disappointing. “It was for $50 a week,” he says. “They said if I worked there for a year then maybe I’d get a raise. I turned it down and sent out 75 let-ters. I got only one reply, and they wrote that there was no job avail-able.”

One year after graduation, he accepted a job with an insurance company for $7,000 a year. “We had a reunion and all my classmates were jealous when I told them about it,” he says.

Byrne later joined a New York law firm and wound up specializing in defending physicians and hos-pitals against malpractice suits. He tried cases in New York, Colorado, Nebraska, and Iowa.

“It was hard work,” he says. “Trying to learn all the medical intricacies of a case was not easy. It was exciting and challenging but a lot of work.”

The couple’s first child, John, was born while they lived in Brooklyn. After they moved to Northport, N.Y., on the north shore of Long Island, six daughters were born: Marian (named after her mother, Marion, but with an “a” because, Byrne says, “She always thought

Byrne’s life has taken him from the courtroom to the altar


--Please turn to page 20.

--Continued from page 10.Marion with an ‘o’ was mascu-line.”); Maureen, Eileen, Cathy, Erin, and Kristine.

“We were lucky,” Byrne says. “I always made enough to support my family.”

And he won more cases than he lost. “It took a lot of research. I had to read mountains of prior records to see if the patient had similar ex-periences or symptoms in the past. I had to get experts to testify. I had to know what I was talking about.

“Most of the verdicts are in favor of doctors and hospitals because in most of the cases they follow good, safe procedures,” he says, “but medicine is not risk free.”

And despite all the work he’d done for doctors, they could not save his wife who died of leukemia in 1990.

Byrne retired from practicing law and like many active men couldn’t simply sit down and watch game shows on television. He and his wife had bought a home in Omaha in the 1980s when John attended Creighton University and the other children moved here.

With his wife gone, Byrne be-came active in the Knights of Columbus at St. Leo Church. He briefly opened a law office. And he continued running, a hobby that started when he was 45 and ran in the Chicago Marathon.

But he wasn’t running away from his old life. He was running toward a new one.

In 2001, before the age limit for the program was set at 55, Byrne was accepted to the Per-manent Diaconate Formation

of the Archdiocese of Omaha. As he advanced, Byrne performed many acts of service, including taking the Eucharist to hospitals and visiting the patients. It was during one of those visits, he says, that he first felt God might have something beyond the diaconate in mind for him.

“There was a woman from Af-rica and she was very sick and very afraid,” he recalls. “I went to give her the Eucharist but she pushed my hand away. Then she said some-thing, took my finger, and touched it to her forehead.

“The person in the room who was there to translate said, ‘She wants you to anoint her.’”

Although only a priest can ad-minister the Anointing of the Sick, Byrne knew the woman needed

comfort. So he said a prayer and touched her forehead with the Sign of the Cross, not using the sacra-mental oils.

“From a look of extreme fear a look of peace came over her,” he recalls. “She said, ‘Father, never forget me.’ That’s when I thought maybe God was telling me some-thing.”

Byrne never finished the diacon-ate program. Though he was too old for the Archdiocese of Omaha to sponsor as a seminarian, he was accepted at the Sacred Heart School of Theology in Hales Corners, Wis., which specializes in “preparing men with life experiences” for the priest-hood.

He obtained sponsorship from the Diocese of Superior (Wis.), took summer school classes and complet-ed the three-year program in 2-1/2 years. He was ordained June 25, 2006 – with his brother, Tom, and six of his seven children watching.

“They got me a beautiful chalice that I use at Mass every day,” he says proudly.

Byrne served as a parish pastor in Wisconsin until the urge to return to Omaha proved too strong. He met with Omaha Archbishop George J. Lucas about being assigned here and received approval.

He lives at the St. Wenceslaus rectory with the other priests and his dog, Brawny, a Labrador named for the brand of paper towels. “House-breaking him was tough,” Byrne says.

Byrne enjoys being with his family and his 16 grandchildren, especially during the holidays. “I

celebrated Thanksgiving Mass, then went to Maureen’s, then dinner at my son’s, then dessert at Cathy’s.”

He still finds time to run. “I’m not a very good runner, but I have endurance.”

In 2012 he participated in the Lin-coln Half Marathon and finished in

Byrne says God opened a small window for him and he was lucky enough to climb through it.

Born and raised in Brooklyn, Father Bernie attended law school at St. John’s University, graduating in 1960.

Father Bernie in the library at St. Wenceslaus Church.

On June 25, 2006, Byrne was ordained in Superior, Wis.

Father Bernie ordained as children, brother watched


Soothing Touch MassageTake care of yourself first so you

can take care of others. Take time and focus on your mind and body with relaxing

or therapeutic massages.

Irene Kohout, LMT402-881-7815

14704 Corby St. • Omaha, NE 68116Gift certificates

available

Americans still don’t recycle as much as they could. Nonethe-

less, the practice is already considered a huge success given that it keeps about a third of the solid waste we generate out of our quickly filling landfills and saves natural resources while gen-erating much-needed reve-nue for struggling municipal governments.

Recycling also helps us keep our carbon footprints down. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, recycling one ton of aluminum cans conserves more than 1,665 gallons of gasoline.

Of course that doesn’t mean the progression from virtually no recycling just 40 years ago to today’s U.S. average of 33.8 percent has always been smooth. Some types of materials, especially mixed plastics, have proven difficult and/or expensive to recycle, caus-ing skeptics to question the overall value proposition. But well managed recycling systems that focus on profit-able resources like glass, paper, and metals have been a big success.

And why wouldn’t they be, when recycling uses as little as five percent of the energy required for virgin production of materials such as aluminum?

Sara Brown of the Presi-dio Graduate School reports while recycling has gained significant momentum dur-ing the last two decades, it has still not yet realized its potential.

“Unfortunately, recy-cling pick-up services aren’t cheap and it’s viewed as a redundant service; extra trucks mean extra cost. On top of that, single stream re-cycling requires investment in technology to sort the loads efficiently,” she says. “Trash, on the other hand,

is far more indiscriminate because everything just goes to the landfill.” Brown says the avail-ability of curbside recycling programs varies throughout the country, as does their success. For example, New York City was a pioneer in recycling, but when the city became strapped for cash, recycling rates fell precipi-tously to just 15 percent and have not recovered.

“New York City officials claim it is more expensive to recycle than to send trash to landfills and incinerators for disposal, and that they have to weigh those costs against environmental goals.”

On the other end of the spectrum is San Francisco, which has been steadily increasing its recycling and composting and is now up to more than 77 percent. Even more incredibly, the city is aiming for zero waste by 2020. Brown lauds San Francisco for structuring its recycling program to pro-mote the desired behavior.

“Curbside fees are charged on a ‘pay as you throw’ basis for trash, while

recycling and compost are free, creating a financial incentive for following the law and sorting your waste.”

Brown says programs like San Francisco’s prove recycling can be economi-cally viable besides being good for the planet.

She acknowledges we’ve come a long way with recy-cling but there is still great potential to do more.

A November 2011 report entitled More Jobs, Less Pollution by a coalition of groups including the BlueGreen Alliance, the Natural Resources Defense Council, and Recycling Works! advocates that the U.S. government mandate diverting 75 percent of our waste coast-to-coast by 2030.

The result would be 1.5 million new jobs as well as significant pollution reduc-tion and savings in water and other resources.

EarthTalk® is written and edited by Roddy Scheer and Doug Moss and is a reg-istered trademark of E - The Environmental Magazine (www.emagazine.com).

Copies of the 2012 to 2014 ElderCare Resource Handbook are available online or as a hard copy from Care Consultants for the Aging.

The 10th edition of the publication provides information about programs and services for older adults in eastern Nebraska. Divided into five sections, the ElderCare Resource Handbook lists op-tions for medical support, home health care and support services, living options, senior services, and government, financial, and legal services.

The ElderCare Resource Handbook is

available three ways:• For $7 at the Care Consultants for the

Aging office, 7701 Pacific St., Suite 100.• By sending your name, address, and

a check or money order for $10 to Care Consultants for the Aging, 7701 Pacific St., Suite 100, Omaha, Neb. 68114. The book will be mailed to you.

You can also order the resource hand-book using your credit card by calling 402-398-1848.

• By logging on the Internet to www.careconsultants.com. Click on the Re-source Handbook tab.

For more information, please call 402-398-1848.

ElderCare handbook available online, as hard copy

Evaluating America’s recycling efforts

Reflects donations receivedthrough December 21, 2012.

See the ad on page 3

New Horizons Clubgains new members

$10Grace Beck

Margaret JanssenSheila Bracken

$5Ida Maio

Patricia HoltSusan JohnsonEllen Thompson

Recycling products uses as little as five percent of the energy required for virgin production of

materials such as aluminum.

Frederick Square • 2910 South 84th St. • Omaha, NE 68124 (402) 399-0777 • www.diabetes-education.com

NH1

It’s a great time to learn to live well with diabetes!

Medicare covers 2 hours of dietitian one-to-one visits every year for

persons with diabetes!SCHEDULE AN OFFICE VISIT OR AN EDUCATION CLASS TODAY!

Diabetes education offers:• One-to-one consultation - Let our dietitians help tailor a new nutri-

tion plan for you, help you with weight management, or any aspect of diabetes management.

• Diabetes education classes - If you want to focus on prevention, are newly diagnosed, are struggling to control your diabetes, or need a refresher - we have a class for you.

To find our more, call Jean at 402-399-0777 X230 TODAY!

Kirk Estee believes laughter is the best medicine, and to that end, the Omaha humorist is available to provide 35 to 40-minute comedic presentations tailored to a variety of audiences of all ages.

These audiences can include, but are not limited to independent and assisted living center residents, support groups, parent and grandparent organizations, employee groups, and educators.

Estee said his presentations are similar to those provided by Will Rogers and Mark Twain.

“The philosophy of live, love, laugh, and be happy, can continue to play an integral and supportive role as we jour-ney through life,” he added.

For more information, please contact Estee at 402-616-0460 or [email protected].

Estee’s presentations promote laughter


The Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging’s Foster Grand-parent Program, Senior Companion Program, Ombudsman Advocate Program, and Senior Medicare Patrol Program are recruiting older adults to become volunteers.

Foster Grandparents and Senior Companions must be age 55 or older, meet income guidelines, have a government issued identification card or a driver’s license, able to vol-unteer at least 15 hours a week, and must complete several background and reference checks.

Foster Grandparents and Senior Com-panions receive a $2.65 an hour stipend, transportation and meal reimbursement, paid vacation, sick, and holiday leave, and supplemental accident insurance.

Foster Grandparents are placed with children who have special needs while Senior Companions work to keep older adults living independently.

Ombudsman advocates work to en-sure residents of nursing homes and assisted living facilities enjoy the best possible quality of life.

Ombudsman advocates, who must be age 18 or older, are enrolled through an application and screening process. These volunteers, who are not compensated monetarily for their time, must serve at least two hours a week.

The Senior Medicare Patrol program helps Medicaid beneficiaries avoid, detect, and prevent health care fraud. These volunteers, who are enrolled through an application and screening process, are not compensated monetarily for their time,


Diabetes educational programs

ENOA is offering a varietyof volunteer opportunities

Driving at night makes some people nervous – and with good reason. There are far fewer drivers on the road at night than during the day, but about half of traffic fatalities happen after dark, according to the U.S. Federal Highway Adminis-tration.

Fortunately, there are things you can do to make night driving safer. Here are some tips to prepare your car for night driving:

• Keep it clean: Make sure your windows, head-lights, taillights, and signal lights are clean so they are easier for other drivers to see.

• Switch your rearview mirror to the night set-ting: Flipping the small lever at the bottom of your mirror changes the angle of its reflective surface. You’ll still see the lights from the cars behind you, but they will be less bright in your eyes.

• Make sure your head-lights are aimed prop-erly: If your headlights are misaligned, it can make it harder for you to see, and it can disturb other drivers on the road.

• Check your head-lights at least once a year: According to SYLVANIA Automotive Lighting,

headlights can dim up to 20 percent over time. A recent survey commissioned by the brand revealed that 55 per-cent of drivers have never changed their headlights or don’t know the last time they were changed. Here’s how to check your head-lights:

• Park on a level sur-face facing five feet from a building wall or your garage door, then turn on your headlights.

• If the circles of light are bright and white, they are in good working condition.

• If they are yellow and dim, the bulbs should be replaced.

If you do need to change headlights, consider up-grading to a premium bulb, such as SilverStar ULTRA bulbs by SYLVANIA. They provide up to 40 percent increased down road vis-ibility, up to 50 percent increased side road vis-ibility, and up to 50 percent brighter light, compared with worn standard halogen headlights.

Always change headlight bulbs in pairs. If you only change one, the new one will likely be brighter than the old one, causing an un-even field of illumination.

If the lenses on a vehi-cle’s headlights are cloudy

or hazy, replacing the bulbs may not be enough. Con-sider a headlight restoration kit, which restores head-lights to like-new condi-tion and performance light output.

The SYLVANIA Head-light Restoration Kit in-cludes a proprietary UV

Block Clear Coat that pro-tects headlights from UV rays and offers long lasting results. Learn more by log-ging on to www.sylvania.com/auto.

Here are some more tips for safe night driving:

• Don’t get caught in the glare. If light from oncoming vehicles shines directly into your eyes, look down and to the right. Look toward the white line on the side of the road. This lets you see cars around you with your peripheral vision, but cuts down on the glare.

• Use your lights appro-priately. When following other vehicles, use your low beams so you don’t disturb the other drivers.

• Increase the distance between you and the cars ahead of you. It’s harder to judge the speed of other vehicles at night, so you need to give yourself plenty of room to stop safely.

(Family Features pro-vided this information.)

A recent survey commissioned by Sylvania Automotive Lighting revealed that 55 percent of drivers have never changed their headlights or don’t

know the last time the headlights were changed.

A guide for safe night driving

Always change headlight bulbs in pairs. If you only change one, the new one will

likely be brighter than the old one, causing an uneven field of illumination.

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The Diabetes Education Center of the Midlands is offer-ing a series of programs this month that will be held at its 2910 S. 84th St. location.

• Jan. 12: Living Well with Diabetes support group meet-ing from 10 to 11:30 a.m. This class is designed for persons with diabetes, their family, and friends.

• Jan. 14 to 17: Diabetes management class from 4 to 8 p.m. (day 1) and 5 to 8 p.m. (days 2 through 4).

• Jan. 21 & 24: Basic skills diabetes class from 5 to 8 p.m.

• Jan. 23 & 30: Pre-diabetes class from 4 to 6 p.m. (day 1) and 5 to 6 p.m. (day 2). This class is designed for per-sons diagnosed with pre-diabetes or who are at high risk of developing diabetes.

To register or for more information, please call 402-399-0777.


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Persons with disabilities and their families often need to work with a variety of community and state agencies in order to get the services and support they need. In Nebraska, there’s a program to help answer questions that are

encountered along the way and to help find the appropriate resources.

The Hotline for Disability Services provides information and referral services to Nebraskans who have questions or concerns related to a disability. This includes information about services available in a certain area, transportation, special parking permits, and legal rights.

Questions may be answered by telephone or e-mail and other information may be obtained by accessing the Hotline’s website.

The Hotline for Disability Services website provides general agency and program information regarding services for persons with disabilities. The site may be searched by entering an agency name or by selecting a category, service, county, city, age, or disability.

Examples of categories to choose from include: accessibility, advocacy and support, employment, financial, housing/residential, etc. Information regarding each agency includes a description of their services, as well as information on how to contact them.

Interested individuals may call the Hotline toll-free at 800-742-7594. Questions for the Hotline may also be sent by e-mail to [email protected].

The website for the Hotline can be accessed at: www.cap.ne.gov. Click on “Search the Hotline for Disability Services.”

The Metro Omaha Lewy Body Demen-tia (LBD) Support

Group will meet on Tues-day, Jan. 15 at 1 p.m. at the Millard branch of the Omaha Public Library, 13214 Westwood Ln.

LBD is a group of progressive brain diseases that are the second leading cause of degenerative de-

Lewy Body Dementia support group

mentia among older adults, affecting more than 1.3 million American families.

More information about Lewy Body Dementia is available online at www.lbda.org/go/awareness.

For more information about the support group, please log on to [email protected] or call Ann Taylor at 402-452-3952.

The National Association of Retired Federal Employ-ees’ Chapter 144 meets the first Wednesday of each month at 11:30 a.m. at the Amazing Pizza Machine, 13955 S. Plz.


The National Association of Retired Federal Employ-ees’ Aksarben Chapter 1370 meets the second Wednes-day of each month at 11:30 a.m. at the Amazing Pizza Machine, 13955 S. Plz.


Retired fed employees meet at Omaha eatery

Hotline for Disability Services cananswer questions, make referrals

While there are many ways to green your laundry room, one place to start is with deter-gent. Luckily, in 2009 the

federal government phased out phosphates, harsh chemicals that help break down min-erals and loose food bits during the wash cycle, because their presence in wastewater causes algae blooms in downstream water-ways.

But mainstream detergents still often contain the surfactant nonylphenol ethoxyl-ate (NPE), which researchers have identi-fied as an endocrine-disrupting estrogen mimic, meaning exposure to it can cause reproductive and other human health prob-lems.

Bleach, a corrosive chemical known to burn skin and eyes on contact and damage lungs when inhaled – and which can react with ammonia to produce toxic gases – is also a common ingredient in detergents.

Sarah van Schagen tested and reviewed six leading eco-friendly detergents for Grist Magazine. To qualify for consideration, each needed to be “free and clear” of dyes and perfumes and also “concentrated” in order to save water, packaging, and extra carbon emissions from transport.

The contestants included detergents from Earth Friendly Products, Biokleen, Moun-tain Green, Planet, Seventh Generation, and All. Each did a respectable job get-ting clothes clean and smelling fresh, with most performing just as well as mainstream brands. Seventh Generation Free & Clear was the overall winner for its combination of eco-friendly ingredients, good stain fight-ing, pleasant but not “perfumey” scent, and low price.

Another way to green the laundry room is to lose the fabric softener. Mainstream varieties, whether dryer sheets or liquid, contain harmful chemicals like benzyl acetate (linked to pancreatic cancer), benzyl alcohol (an upper respiratory tract irritant), ethanol (linked to central nervous system disorders), limonene (a known carcinogen) and chloroform (a neurotoxin and carcino-gen). Many dryer sheets also contain tallow, a processed form of beef or mutton fat.

“You can avoid these health risks, the

animal fat, and the waste simply by using vinegar to soften your clothing,” reports Josh Peterson of The Discovery Network’s Planet Green. “Add a 3/4 cup of vinegar to your final rinse cycle and your clothes will come out soft.” And since vinegar “is ludicrously inexpensive when compared to fabric softener,” consumers can save money and the planet at the same time.

Of course, swapping out that old water hogging, energy-gulping washing machine for a new model that meets federal Energy-STAR standards will save lots of electricity and water. EnergySTAR certified washing machines use about 20 percent less energy and 35 percent less water than regular washers, and also have greater capacity so it takes fewer loads to clean the same amount of laundry.

Their sophisticated wash systems flip or spin clothes through a stream of water and rinse them with repeated high pressure spraying instead of soaking them in a full tub of water. Likewise, replacing an older clothes dryer with a newer EnergySTAR model will help reduce your household’s electricity consumption. If possible, ditch the dryer altogether and hang your clothes to dry outside.

EarthTalk® is written and edited by Roddy Scheer and Doug Moss and is a reg-istered trademark of E - The Environmental Magazine (www.emagazine.com).

Since vinegar is ludicrously inexpensive when

compared to fabric softener,

consumers can save money and the planet.

Replacing an older clothes dryer with a newer EnergySTAR model will help reduce your household’s

electricity consumption.

Making your laundry room energy friendly


Legal Aid of Nebras-ka operates a free telephone access

line for Nebraskans age 60 and older.

Information is offered to help the state’s older men and women with questions on topics like bankruptcy, homestead exemptions, collections, powers of attorney, Medi-care, Medicaid, grandpar-ent rights, and Section 8 housing. The telephone num-ber for the Elder Access Line is 402-827-5656 in Omaha and 1-800-527-7249 statewide.

This service is avail-able to Nebraskans age 60 and older regardless of income, race, or ethnicity.

For more information, log on the Internet to http://www.legalaidofne-braska.com/EAL.

Older Nebraskans havefree access to legal info

$7 fee includes skate rental

Ice skating rink at UNMCopen through March 1A University of Nebraska Medical Center study has

found that Nebraska is woefully lacking in primary care physicians across the state. The shortage is even more dra-matic in rural parts of the state.

“The number of primary care physicians in Nebraska is 30 percent lower than previously reported by the Ameri-can Medical Association (AMA) and rural areas are hit the hardest,” said Jim Stimpson, Ph.D., director of the Center for Health Policy in the UNMC College of Public Health and co-author of the report.

“This is alarming in light of the thousands of people who will be entering the system seeking care as a result of the health care reform law,” he said.

Dr. Stimpson said there are 1,410 primary care physi-cians in Nebraska. It’s anticipated the state will need 1,685 primary care physicians to meet the increased demand resulting from health care reform by 2014.

The study, which compared national data from the AMA to that collected by the UNMC Health Professions Track-ing Service (HPTS), determined there are 63 primary care physicians per 100,000 Nebraska residents as compared to 84 as reported by the AMA.

And of the 93 counties in Nebraska, 11 – all rural – do not have a primary care physician, Dr. Stimpson said.

Another alarming finding, he said, is the number of primary care physicians older than age 65 has grown by 78 percent in the past five years. As these physicians start to retire, Dr. Simpson said, it will add significantly to the overall shortage of primary care physicians in the state.

The study focused on primary care specialties in four categories: family medicine, internal medicine, pediatrics and obstetrics/gynecology.

“The HPTS data provides a very clear picture of the number of health care providers in the state, not just in the number of physicians working, but also in actual working hours and place of work,” Dr. Stimpson said. The HPTS has been tracking health professionals in the state since it began in 1995.

While the AMA data might report a physician available in two rural counties, the reality is more often than not one physician is covering both counties with a practice in one and satellite office in the other, he said.

“Policy makers need accurate and timely data on the current and projected supply of health care workers as they make decisions that affect the delivery of health care,” Dr. Stimpson said.

On a positive note, Dr. Stimpson said the study found ethnic diversity among primary care physicians increased by 7 percent in the past five years. Also, the ratio of women to men shifted over the past five years with women com-prising an 11 percent higher share of the primary care physician workforce.

(The University of Nebraska Medical Center’s public relations department provided this information.)

Study: Nebraska is lackingin primary care physicians

The Fontenelle Nature Association’s SUN (Seniors Understanding Nature) program offers activities for older adults the second Tuesday of each month

at the Fontenelle Nature Center, 1111 Bellevue Blvd North.

The programs, held from 9:45 to 11 a.m., feature an indoor program, an optional nature walk, and refresh-ments.

The cost is $6 per per-son each month.

For more information, please call Catherine Ku-per at 402-731-3140, ext. 1019.

Here’s this month’s program.

Jan. 8: Trumpeter Swans near Atlantic, Iowa.

The public ice skating rink on the University of Nebraska Medical Center campus remains open through March 1.

The rink is located east of 42nd Street be-tween Emile Street and Dewey Avenue on the north side of the Sorrell Center.

Hours of operation are 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 4 to 8 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays; Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; and noon to 8 p.m. on Sundays.

The rink is closed on Mondays, New Year’s Eve, and New Year’s Day.

Admission is $7 with skate rental and $5 without skate rental (cash or credit cards only).

For more information, please call UNMC at 402-559-0697.

Seniors Understanding Nature

Fontenelle Nature Association’smonthly programs begin Jan. 8


These Happy Hands are busy hands

The Happy Hands are a group of ladies who meet every Tuesday at the Corrigan Senior Center, 3819 X St. They knit and crochet a

variety of items including hats, mittens, scarves, and slippers and donate them to several local organizations including Christ Child Catholic Charities, Omaha South High School, Gilder Elementary School, Ashland Park-Robbins

Elementary School, Pawnee Elementary School, and the Stephen Center. The Happy Hands are (back row, from left): Janice Marstiller, Elaine

Wasser, Joan Grandel, Marge Arauza, and Luella Jackson. Front row, from left:

Frances Norton, Donna Panek, Ivy Forrest, and Ann Nicholson.

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S e l l Yo u r H o u s e

Many people often find them-selves eating and overeating without rhyme or reason. Per-haps you always seem to feel

hungry or eat “because.” TOPS Club, Inc. (Take Off Pounds Sensibly), the nonprofit weight-loss support organization, explains the triggers that cause these behaviors and offers solutions to help curb thoughtless overindulgence.

• Because it’s there: “It’s Monday and we could all use a pick-me-up after the weekend,” said a co-worker. The local sandwich shop offers a free cookie with the purchase of a combo meal. The auto body shop replenishes a spread of sweet treats throughout the day while you wait for your service to be completed.

When food is in plain sight, it’s conve-nient to grab a handful simply because it’s there. Be mindful, take personal inventory, and ask yourself if you’re truly hungry at that moment. There are times when you may need to remove yourself from the situ-ation or move the temptation out of reach, if necessary.

• You skip breakfast: It can be diffi-cult to fit a meal into the typical morning rush, but breakfast is considered the “most important meal of the day” for a reason. A study in the American Journal of Epidemi-ology showed people who regularly skip breakfast are nearly five times as likely to be obese than those who don’t. Breakfast provides your body and mind with the fuel necessary to take on the day and get your metabolism out of its resting state and back to burning calories.

“So many people start every day on a diet and routinely skip breakfast in an effort to compensate for last night’s behavior with the hopes of losing weight,” says Nicholas Yphantides, M.D., M.P.H., Medical Editor for TOPS. “In reality, skipping breakfast is much more likely to cause weight gain rather than weight loss. Overweight and obese individuals are much more likely to skip breakfast in comparison to healthier and leaner individuals.”

Unprocessed, fiber-rich foods like steel-cut or slow-cooked oatmeal, grapefruit, whole-grain and low-sugar cereals, and low-fat dairy are all best bets. If possible, prepare your breakfast ahead of time or bring your breakfast with you to work if you aren’t able to find the time to eat at home.

• You’re emotional: Emotions are a common eating trigger. You may typically celebrate happy news with a gourmet dinner and dessert, or soothe sadness with a large bowl of ice cream. Anger or stress can lead to munching on a seemingly bottomless bag of chips.

While eating creates a temporary sense of physical fullness, it only temporarily distracts from the feelings bothering you. In actuality, the unhealthy decisions are likely to leave you feeling guilty with a sense of regret, which may start a vicious cycle of continued unhealthy decisions.

Instead, reach out to a friend or family

for support and guidance. Even a quick workout releases tension, generates extra energy, and stimulates feel-good endor-phins. Relaxing behaviors, like getting a quick massage or taking a hot bath also help calm the system.

If you’re celebrating, remember the occa-sion is about being with loved ones and cre-ating memories – not about the food. Check in with your hunger level and see if you’re actually hungry, or if you’ll be simply satis-fied by the company.

• You’re bored: If you know boredom is a trigger for thoughtless eating, have a list of strategies in place to keep yourself busy and entertained when you feel like you don’t have anything else to do. An activity that occupies your hands is ideal like

giving yourself a manicure, reading a book, playing a game on the computer, or writ-ing in a journal. Go for a walk with a friend and/or with your dog. This will also take you away from the kitchen and should help cravings subside.

Drinking a glass of water is filling. Snacking on celery or watermelon or chewing a piece of gum can also help curb appetite.

• You don’t get enough sleep: Lack of sleep or the typical mid-afternoon energy slump, can lead a person to binge on sug-ary or salty treats and beverages for a boost. Researchers at Columbia University note people who sleep two to four hours a night are 73 percent more likely to be obese than those who get seven to nine hours. Those who get five or more hours of sleep a night are 50 percent more likely to be obese than normal sleepers.

“There is substantial evidence suggest-ing some important links between adequate sleep and a healthy weight,” notes Yphan-tides. “Recent research has indicated the production of certain hormones – leptin and ghrelin – may be influenced by how much or how little we sleep.

Inadequate sleep can influence these hormone levels in our body in such a way that when we’re sleep-deprived, we may not be as satisfied when we eat and our appetite may be enhanced. Additionally, it’s harder to be disciplined and make the right deci-sions when we are exhausted.

One way we may try to perk ourselves up is to consume extra fuel. All these actions contribute to excess caloric consumption and resulting weight gain.”

Getting consistent exercise can improve the quality of sleep and make you feel more rested. Avoid exercising less than three hours before bedtime though, as it can make it more difficult for you to fall asleep.

To combat an afternoon lull, drink a large class of refreshing, cold water; take a walk around the office, or head outside for a quick walk. A change of scenery, fresh air, and sunshine can be invigorating and give you a jolt of positive energy.

(Take Off Pounds Sensibly provided this information. To find a local TOPS chapter, log on to www.tops.org or call 800-932-8677.)

The triggers that cause overeating

“So many people start every day on a diet and routinely skip breakfast in an effort to compensate for last night’s behavior with

the hopes of losing weight.”

The Nebraska Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing offers a variety of programs and services includ-ing:

• Specialized telecommunications equipment such as a free amplified telephone and ring signaling devices.

• An assistive devices loan program.• Presentations about the concerns of the deaf and hard

of hearing.• Sign language classes.For more information, please call Beth Ellsworth at

402-595-2774 or (toll free) 800-545-6244.

Programs, services available for the deaf, hard of hearing


$30 = 7 meals or 1.75 hours of in-home homemaker services or 1 bath aide service for frail older adults.

$75 = 17 meals or 4.75 hours of in-home homemaker services or 4 bath aide services for frail older adults.



Other amount (please designate)__________________________

Please contact me. I would like to learn more about how to include the Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging in my estate planning.

ENOA

I would like to become a partner with the Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging, and help fulfill your mission with older adults.

Please mail your tax deductible donation with this form to:Eastern Nebraska Office on AgingAttention: Jeff Reinhardt4223 Center StreetOmaha, NE 68105-2431(402) 444-6654

support!We need your Traditional funding sources are making it more difficult

for ENOA to fulfill its mission. Partnership

opportunities are available to businesses and individuals

wanting to help us. These opportunities include

volunteering, memorials, honorariums, gift annuities,

and other tax deductible contributions.

Name:_____________________________________

Address:___________________________________

City:______________State:_____ Zip: __________

Phone:____________________________________

The New Horizons is brought to you

each month by the Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging.

The 211 telephone net-work has been established in parts of Nebraska to give consumers a single source for information about com-munity and human services.

By dialing 211, consum-ers can access information about:

• Human needs resources like food banks, shelters, rent and utility assistance.

• Physical and mental health resources.

• Employment support.• Support for older Amer-

icans and persons with a disability.

• Volunteer opportunities and donations.

The 211 network is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The information is also available online at (www.ne211.org).

Get resource infovia 211 network

As we get older, our fitness goals change. Strength, balance and flexibility are more important than ever, but the regimen that worked at 45 might not work at 60. AgeWell is a wellness center specifically designed for older adults. AgeWell membership is open to the public. Everything—from our classes and programming, to our equipment, to our highly trained staff—is tailored to your needs. Call us today at (402) 829-3200 to begin developing your personalized wellness plan.

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Campaign to educate Nebraskansabout the benefits of hospice care

To help families understand what hospice is and how it can improve the quality of life, the Nebraska Hospice and Palliative Care Association created the Hospice lets me be… awareness campaign.

“Hospice is the process of helping patients live well during the final phase of life,” Dr. Lisa Mansur explains within the campaign video. “They are not so much afraid of dying. They are afraid of suffering and they want a plan of care,” she adds.

“Our studies show many people have a misconcep-tion of what hospice is and they don’t know how to find or access hospice services,” says NHPCA Executive Director Heath Boddy. “This multi-media awareness campaign uses a variety of elements that can be found online at www.hospiceletsmebeme.org to help people begin the conversation about end-of-life care.

Additionally, Boddy said the awareness campaign was created to encourage pa-tients and their families to tell their stories about hospice care and how it benefits or has benefited their lives. These stories of

real Nebraskans sharing their hospice experiences are at the core of the campaign.

In the campaign video, a hospice patient named Helen shares her story about turning to hospice care after frequent trips to the hospital. While at first, she thought hospice was a “death sentence,” she now feels it has increased her qual-ity of life. Hospice allows her to stay in her own home to do the things she loves.

The video also shares the story of Fred, whose estranged father received hospice care. Thanks to hospice, Fred was able to reconnect with his father months before he died.

Additional tools and resources including other stories from hospice patients, hospice provider information, and tools to help you start the conversation, can be found at www.hospiceletsmebeme.org.

(The Nebraska Hospice and Palliative Care Associa-tion provided this information.)


Sassy Mae peruses life from her special perch high above the action at Heartland Cats in southwest Omaha.

In 2006, near the end of a de-cades-long career in corporate America – including 26 years with First Data Resources – Tanny Liddy decided she

“wanted to do something fun.” She opened a cat boarding busi-ness in southwest Omaha called Feline Boutique and Country Club. These days, the operation, which has moved to Liddy’s home, is still going strong. Over the Thanksgiv-ing weekend, for example, 57 furry guests occupied Tanny’s basement accommodations.

By 2010, Liddy had decided to expand her commitment to the felines, so she started a nonprofit shelter called Heartland Cats. “Heartland Cats provides a safe and loving sanctuary for cats re-gardless of age, illness, or disabili-ty,” Tanny said. “Our no-kill shelter works to prevent needless eutha-nasia by offering shelter, adoption, hospice care, and long-term care. “The cats I take in live with me until they’re adopted or they die,” Liddy said. “We do not euthanize them unless it prevents suffering.” Recently, Heartland Cats began a

program designed to have cats ages 8 and older adopted by older adults. At any given time, as many as 40 older tabbies are ready for adoption through the organization which is certified by the state of Nebraska. Liddy said older cats are gener-ally harder to place because most people prefer cute, energetic kittens. “All the older cats want to do is sit on your lap,” she added.

The older cats that are adopted through Heartland Cats receive free food (including special diets), litter, medicine (when necessary), and vet-erinary care for the duration of their lives. “The new owner’s only expense will be the cost of licensing (around $13 a year). And for apartment or house renters, a pet deposit fee may be applicable,” Tanny said.

The adopted felines are spayed or neutered, receive a wellness check, and are current on their vaccina-tions. While adopting a cat may not be for everyone, Liddy said the only physical requirements for an older tabby owner are the abilities to clean out a litter box and to fill the food and water bowls. If the adoption doesn’t work out for some reason, the older person may bring the cat back to the shel-ter. “I’ll try to re-home the cat or they can live out their life here,” she said. To date, no older man or woman who adopted a feline from Heart-land Cats has returned the pet.

Liddy said there are many potential benefits to cat ownership for an older adult including lower blood pressure, better

overall health and mental well-be-ing, and lower rates of depression. A study at the University of Minnesota found people who don’t own a cat were 30 to 40 percent more likely to die of cardiovascular disease than individuals with a Felis Catus. Reuben Minthorn, who lives in VA-subsidized housing in west Omaha, recently adopted Pepper, a 12-year-old cat from Liddy. The pair have become a good match. “I have white hair, so I’m the salt and he’s the pepper,” Mint-horn said during a telephone conversation.“He’s very affection-ate and he obeys me,” Reuben con-tinued. “Pepper is my friend.”

--Please turn to page 19.

“The cats I take in

live with me until they’re adopted or they die.”

Tanny Liddy has operated Heartland Cats in the basement of her southwest Omaha home since 2010.

Running a cat shelter requires Liddy to spend four hours daily cleaning and spending $1,200 a month on supplies.

Liddy’s Heartland Cats saves felines’ lives, finds them new homes


CLASSIFIEDSPlease call 402-444-4148

or 402- 444-6654to place your ad

New Horizons Newspaper

Enoa Aging

Tanny and her shelter...

--Continued from page 18. Tanny said she loves cats due to their independent nature and because they interact like humans. That love is tested each day as it takes her four hours to clean the kennels, wash dozens of blankets, comb the cats’ hair, feed and medicate the animals. Liddy spends around $1,200 each month on cat food, medicine, litter, and veterinary care. Those funds come from her boarding operation and tax-deductible monetary contributions. The shelter also needs donations of cat beds, blankets, paper towels, and other cat equipment. Despite the hard work and expense, it’s obvious to shel-ter visitors that Tanny loves every minute spent operating her cat shelter. Based on the number of Felis Catus that sur-round and rub against Liddy’s legs, it’s obvious the tabbies return her affection. For more information on Heartland Cats, please call 402-614-5657 or log on the Internet to www.heartlandcats.org.

Tanny loves cats because of their independent nature and because they interact like humans.

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The Omaha Fire De-partment’s Public Edu-cation and Affairs De-partment is available to install free smoke and/or carbon monoxide detec-tors inside the residences of area homeowners.

To have a free smoke and/or carbon monoxide detector installed inside your home, send your name, address, and tele-phone number to:

Omaha Fire Department

Smoke/Carbon Monoxide Requests10245 Weisman Dr.Omaha, NE 68134For more information,

please call 402-444-3560.

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Just because the weather is cold this time of year, doesn’t mean you have to give up on your workout routine. Here are a few winter workout tips from Aaron Ruth, strength and conditioning coach at

St. Vincent’s Sports Performance in India-napolis, which works with more than 300 professional and amateur athletes. You can stay fit no matter what the temperature is outside.

• Don’t skip the warm up: In colder weather, your muscles are tighter, mak-ing them more prone to muscle pulls and strains. Spend a little more time warming up your body to help you avoid injury.

• Stay hydrated: When it’s cooler out-side, you generally drink less water. But when you exercise, you still sweat and lose fluids and electrolytes. Be sure to drink plenty of water before and during your workout to avoid dehydration.

• Dress in layers: Exercising generates body heat and sweat, and when sweat starts to dry in cold weather you can get chilled. Dress in layers that can be removed when you start to sweat. Start with a thin layer of synthetic material that will draw sweat away from your body. Then add a layer of fleece or wool, and top it all off with a wa-terproof and breathable outer layer.

• Protect your extremities: When it’s cold outside, the body tends to concentrate blood flow to the core, which can leave your hands, feet, and ears susceptible to frostbite. Wear gloves, warm socks, and a hat or headband.

• Have a post-workout refueling plan: What you put in your body after you work out is just as important, if not more, than what you put in it before. After exercising, refuel and rebuild your muscles with es-sential carbs and protein by drinking great

tasting Rockin’ Refuel® Intense Recovery protein fortified milk. Made with 100 per-cent real milk, Intense Recovery is packed with 20 grams of natural protein and fea-tures a 2:1 carb to protein ratio, which is ideal for optimal muscle recovery.

• Wear sunscreen: It might be cooler outside, but you can still get sunburned. Choose sunscreen that blocks both UVA and UVB rays, and has an SPF of at least 30. Don’t forget to protect your lips with a

lip balm that has sunscreen.• Vary your routine: Beat the winter

workout blues by changing up your routine and by having fun. Get the whole family moving by doing things together such as building a snowman, going ice skating or sledding, making snow angels, and having a snowball fight.

For more tips for your winter workout or to purchase Rockin’ Refuel Intense Recov-ery, visit www.rockinfuel.com.

(This information was provided by Fam-ily Features.)

Tips for your winter workout routine

When it’s cold outside, the body tends to concentrate blood flow to the core, which can leave your hands, feet, and

ears susceptible to frostbite.

When exercising during coolder weather, spend a little more time than usual warming up your body to help avoid injury.

Byrne...

--Continued from page 11.3 hours and 15 minutes.

“I placed first in my age group – 75 plus,” he says, smiling. “But there were only three in my age group. The second guy finished eight minutes behind me, and they’re still looking for the third guy.”

Byrne’s accomplishments illustrate that age should not be a limit to what a person takes on or achieves.

“It’s really up to the individual,” he says. “There are great young priests, great old priests, and great priests in between. There are a lot of older guys going in who maybe won’t be a priest for 25 years but can still put in a good 10 years. And I think God needs a lot of help right now.

“I feel very enriched by all this. When I am helping people, hearing confessions, or saying Mass, it’s a wonder-ful feeling that’s hard to put into words. I feel grateful and humble.”

And though he has experienced both marriage and the priesthood, he says combining the two would not be feasi-ble. “Having seven kids and 16 grandkids, I think it would be impossible for a priest to focus on his responsibilities and be married,” he says, smiling. “There are days I barely have time to talk to my kids on the telephone.”

No matter how busy he gets, Byrne hopes to be able to answer the call, whether it’s from his children – or a higher power.

The Byrne family at son, John, and hisbride, Leslie’s, 1989 wedding at

Omaha’s St. Margaret Mary’s Catholic Church.

Whether helping people, hearing confessions, or saying Mass, Father Bernie says being a priest

provides a wonderful feeling for him.

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