When you hear the word “malnutrition,” you probably think of people in impoverished countries, but the fact is, one in every two older adults is at risk of becoming malnourished.
An elderly Oklahoma City woman was that one in two. Sharon Gibson said she was wasting away. Doctors had given up hope and so had she.
“It was just all overwhelming and I was to the point where I didn’t care whether I lived or died,” the 74-year-old said.
Malnutrition in older adults is a hidden and growing epidemic and a costly one. The estimated price tag of the increased health care costs for disease-associated malnutrition in older U.S. adults tops $51 Billion a year. Hunger is not the sole cause. Sometimes it’s about eating the wrong foods and sometimes medical conditions like cancer, diabetes and Alzheimer’s are to blame.
Gibson had been diagnosed with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, which left her constantly out of breath. She also had digestive issues that impacted her ability to eat, as well as trouble standing, which made it difficult to cook.
“I was very sick physically, emotionally. I couldn’t eat. My digestive system was shot. My lungs were shot – my whole bone structure. I couldn’t even stand up straight,” she explained. That was before Gibson found Valir Pace, a non-profit program that provides all-inclusive care to older adults.
“A lot of participants have come to me when I’m doing their initial assessment and they say, ‘you know, sometimes I have to pay my medicine, you know, pay for medicine and sometimes I have to decide if I want to eat or what I’m going to buy to eat and that’s so heartbreaking,” said Zella Classen, MA, RD/LD, director of Food and Nutrition at Valir Pace.
At Pace, Classen and the entire nutrition team spend their days preparing, serving and packing meals for delivery to participants. They know malnutrition in older adults can lead to a variety of health problems. These include:
• An increased risk of infection due to a weak immune system
• Poor wound healing
• Muscle weakness and decreased bone mass, which increases the risk of falls and fractures
• A higher risk of hospitalization and death
“A lot of times someone will come to me and they may not have been educated on an appropriate diet for them. And remember, as we are get older, we may develop a chronic disease like diabetes or heart disease, and things like that; and they may not have been educated on that. Or if they have been, they really struggle on getting the right foods for that diet because of their limited income. So, we try to work with them on educating and then trying to help solve that problem on getting them the appropriate foods,” Classen said.
Today thanks to Valir Pace, participants have access to two meals a day, as well as delivery of specially prepared meals and groceries to their homes. It’s not just providing food, though. Classen said it is about providing the right food and the right nutritional supplements to optimize health.
Today, Gibson has a very different outlook on life.
“Nutrition is the basis of everything. If you’re not eating, your body isn’t functioning. You can’t do anything else. So, Zella interviewed me and asked really good questions. They got to the root of my digestive problems and set up a plan with me and, slow but sure, I gathered strength,” she said.
Gibson pays nothing for the program – a program she says has literally saved her life.
“They’ve turned my life around. I’m living again. I’m not just existing. I’m not waiting to die. I’m living and enjoying each day,” she said.
To find out if you or a loved one qualifies for the program, visit www.valirpace.org

Photography and Text by Terry “Travels with Terry” Zinn t4z@aol.com

Any time of year is a good time to look toward the future while examining the past. Over my more than twenty-five years of professional travel writing and photography I find some of my most carefree experiences had been aboard a ship traveling to unknown destinations.
Over the years I have cruised aboard Regent, Royal Viking (twice), Holland American, MS Egypt, Sunline, Blount, Princess, Seabourn, The American Heritage Windjammer, and a Fantom ship to Cuba, among others. These personal experiences add credibility to my evaluations of the cruise experience. I often tell my friends that on the whole I find the cruise ship experience so good that I’d do it every week, if it weren’t for the single supplement penalty. Paying for two while I’m a single traveler is not appealing. Some cruise lines will try and pair you with a compatible stranger to negate the double charge, but that uncertainly is not for me.
There is a never-ending assortment of cruises ships, small to mega sized, all with advantages and disadvantages. Large mega ships offer a wider range of dining options, some with elite specialty pre reserved dinning rooms with up charges, but often worth the upscale food selections and air of luxury. Of course, when you share your leisure experiences with two or three thousand of your best strangers, with or without children and other walkers, can be a roadblock to carefree cruising. While the ships try their best not to have log jams during tour disembarkations, and final disembarkation, the wait is a challenger for impatient passengers. Larger ocean-going ships promise and offer a smoother sailing with the weather is not cooperating.
Smaller ships are more at prey to unwieldy seas, but most captains will steer away from such irritations if possible. The key is if possible, as the Captain is in charge of your safety as well as your enjoyment or frustrations, despite your wishes, as some planned on ports of call have to be substituted without notice. Other less offered options are historical lectures and smaller entertainment options as well as less shopping and casino. I can do without casinos, but some find it a must for evening entertainment.
You still have lots of options when exploring the ship your wish to book, including dining times, cabin locations, beverage packages, and optional upscale booking venues such as spas, relaxation areas, and on deck venues.
I find on cruises you get what you pay for. On an upcoming cruise with Celebrity I booked the aqua class ocean view cabin with concierge service and a beverage package and even room service which is so welcomed early in the morning. This is a regular size cabin with small veranda and is not the next class up a suite. The difference in price from a non Aqua class deck to a lower deck, same size room and veranda, was nominal. For the perks of the higher class, it made good sense to spend a little more and get a lot more luxury. I find this true on other cruise lines as well.
In our internet age, there are many cruise ship’s tours and reviews on line. Just put in the name of the cruise line or specified ship and you might be surprised at the honest and informative evaluations, some with cruise ship video tours.
Don’t let all these prepaid and prereserved options daunt you. It does take up your time and mental energies but that can be part of the cruise enjoyment. I have always found there are three levels of travel enjoyment. One is the pre-trip, planning and looking forward to an adventure. Two is the trip or destination itself. And three is reflecting, some time for years on your travel experience. All three levels amplify your benefits from travel.
It is well known that a prime advantage of a cruise is arrive, unpack once, and your basic needs, including food and entertainment, is taken care. Just as in any hotel, large or small, upscale or not, the noise irritation of door slamming from your “neighbors” is inevitable.
It this does not fit your disposition, maybe leisure travel is not for you. Travel is a risk, from a secure home base, but if you never challenge yourself to get out into the world, you become only an armchair traveler watching travel shows on TV. If health allows go as soon as you can as the world and its challenges are always increasing, and besides, I don’t think we are getting any younger or more mobile. But with an adventurous spirit and not expecting too much, travel can be a reward for your spirit and your pocketbook.

For your consideration: https://okveterannews.com/031215/travel-entertainment-reflections-on-a-visit-to-cuba-part-two-getting-there

Mr. Terry Zinn – Travel Editor
Past President: International Food Wine and Travel Writers Association
3110 N.W. 15 Street – Oklahoma City, OK 73107
https://realtraveladventures.com/?s=terry+zinn
https://realtraveladventures.com/?s=zinn
http://new.okveterannews.com/?s=TERRY+ZINN
www.martinitravels.com

Dear Savvy Senior,

A couple months back I read that the IRS will be offering a new senior-friendly tax form this tax season that will be easier to use. What can you tell me about this? Paper Filer

Dear Filer,
It’s true. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has created a new federal income-tax form specifically designed for senior taxpayers, age 65 and older, that should make filing a little easier this year, particularly those who don’t file electronically. Here’s what you should know.
Form 1040-SR
Created by the 2018 Bipartisan Budget Act, the new two-page simplified federal income tax form is called the 1040-SR. Similar in style to the old 1040-EZ form that the IRS discontinued last year, the new 1040-SR has larger print and better color contrast that makes it easier to read.
In addition, it also includes a chart to help older taxpayers calculate their standard deduction, which may help ensure that fewer seniors neglect to take the additional standard deduction that they are entitled to. For 2019, the additional deduction for those 65 or older or the blind is $1,300.
The 1040-SR form also has specific lines for retirement income streams such as Social Security benefits, IRA distributions, pensions and annuities, along with earned income from work wages and tips. And, it allows a child tax credit for seniors who are still taking care of a dependent child or grandchild.
You can also report capital gains and losses, as well as interest and dividends on this new form. Any of the tax schedules available to those using the standard form 1040 may also be used with the 1040-SR.
You should also know that the 1040-SR doesn’t put a limit on interest, dividends, or capital gains, nor does it cap overall income like the old 1040-EZ form did. But, if you have to itemize because of state and local taxes or charitable giving, then you will not be able to use the new Form 1040-SR.
Paper Filing Advantage
Seniors who use tax-preparation software to file their taxes will be able to generate a 1040-SR, but the new form will provide the most significant benefit to taxpayers who still fill out and file their returns on paper.
Last year, about 88 percent of the 153 million individual federal tax returns filed to the IRS were filed electronically. About 5 percent were prepared using tax software, then printed out and mailed to the agency, while about 7 percent were prepared on paper.
To use the new 1040-SR tax form for the 2019 filing year, taxpayers, including both spouses if filing jointly, must be at least age 65 before Jan. 1, 2020. You also don’t have to be retired to use the form – older workers can use it too. But early retirees (younger than 65) cannot use 1040-SR.
To see the 2019 draft version of the new 1040-SR form, go to IRS.gov/pub/irs-dft/f1040s–dft.pdf.
Tax Preparation Help
If you need help filing your tax returns this year, consider contacting the Tax Counseling for the Elderly (or TCE) program. Sponsored by the IRS, TEC provides free tax preparation and counseling to middle and low-income taxpayers, age 60 and older. Call 800-906-9887 or visit IRS.treasury.gov/freetaxprep to locate a service near you.
Also check with AARP, a participant in the TCE program that provides free tax preparation at more than 4,800 sites nationwide. To locate an AARP Tax-Aide site call 888-227-7669 or visit AARP.org/findtaxhelp. You don’t have to be an AARP member to use this service.

Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior.org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of “The Savvy Senior” book.

Game Warden Nathan Erdman has been promoted to Chief of the Law Enforcement Division. Erdman previously served as Assistant Chief of the division since 2016.
The Law Enforcement Division is responsible for upholding the laws and regulations that protect Oklahoma’s wildlife resources. Game wardens are public servants sworn to protect wildlife and the public’s interests in the outdoors. These certified peace officers have statewide jurisdiction to act on any law violation. They check licenses and bag limits of hunters and anglers. Oftentimes wardens may have to wait, day or night, for long periods in concealed locations to nab the poachers who are stealing fish and game.
As Chief, Erdman oversees the division of about 120 people, the largest of the Department’s five divisions. Employees consist of Game Wardens, Game Warden Supervisors and eight District Chiefs. Headquarters staff includes an Assistant Chief, an Operations Manager and Training Supervisor, and a secretary.
“I’m just lucky I’ve got 117 of the finest employees that I could ever want,” he said. “I’m up here to work for them; trying to make sure that they have everything that they need to get their job done and get it done more efficiently.”
Erdman said he knew early in his life that he wanted to work as a game warden. “I grew up in the country, hunting and fishing.” He recalls asking his college adviser what classes would be required to become a game warden.
Erdman earned a fish and wildlife management degree at Northeastern State University, and was hired as a game warden shortly after he graduated. His first assignment was in Beaver County in the Panhandle, where he spent 13 years. He then transferred to his home Okfuskee County in 2007. A year later, he was promoted to Supervisor in District 4, where he worked until becoming assistant chief in 2016. He has worked for the Wildlife Department for 24 years.
He said becoming Chief has been somewhat surreal. “I grew up in the small town of Okemah, and graduated with 43 kids. To go from small town to being Chief of enforcement for all of Oklahoma’s Game Wardens is something you would never imagine.”
Game wardens must do their job well, as they are constantly in the public eye. They are expected to know all there is to know about hunting, fishing, wildlife laws, wildlife management, camping and other outdoor activities as well as general information about their county.
Game wardens often spend time visiting landowners in their county, encouraging them to allow ethical hunters and anglers on their land to harvest the surplus wildlife. They may assist the landowner with poaching problems or give them information about stocking fish in a pond.
Game wardens frequently help teach hunter education courses and fishing clinics. And they often help operate events for students involved in the Department’s Archery in the Schools and Shooting Sports programs. They occasionally visit with sportsmen’s clubs, schools, Scout groups and civic groups. They may speak about new laws and regulations, or about some topic directly related to hunting or fishing. They may also pass along printed information published by the Wildlife Department.

Quite a bit to a Senior

Story by Darl DeVault

Central Oklahoma’s fastest growing recreational sport, pickleball, has everything going for it—universal design and appeal with senior-led visionary organizers. It is being widely embraced by seniors for its great health outcomes.
Pickleball is a recreational paddle sport for all ages and skill levels that is growing rapidly, providing more venues even now as winter weather sets in. The sport’s growth comes from its universal appeal wherein even grandparents who welcome the opportunity to try new fitness outlets can play with their grandkids to stay active.
Senior leaders have guided the Greater Oklahoma City Pickleball (GOPB) Club to average 32 percent growth for the last four years, after beginning in 2009 with several players. Currently, 750 members play and socialize at 18 venues around the metro area.
Brad Merritt, 63, president of the GOPB Club, says that pickleball is a draw for people of all ages and skill levels. “A major attraction of this sport is that strategy, placement and patience are greater assets than strength, size and speed,” Merritt said last week. “Older players and those with a less athletic background can really enjoy the game, while some play at a more competitive level.”
Merritt, as outgoing president after two years, is displaying that visionary zeal for the sport by beginning important negotiations with the city Edmond. Improved court availability could take place in the metro area once the newly built Edmond Tennis Center opens in early summer of 2020.
He and other club leaders seek to take advantage of that project, built by the City of Edmond and the Edmond Public Schools.
Merritt began talks two weeks ago to request that Edmonds’ previous facility, the Kickingbird Tennis Center, become a full-time pickleball venue.
The group is excited about this opportunity to have a full time pickleball facility locally.
As one of larger pickleball clubs in America, the GOPB Club has fostered pickleball as a way of life for its best players. Several professional players and impressive national title holders serve as role models to players of every age and talent level. They are traveling the globe to bring home gold, silver, and bronze medals from state and national tournaments and world cups.
The sports’ odd name is murky. Some say it is based on a dog named ‘Pickles’ who chased the ball as the three dads invented a game that young and old could play together 55 years ago. Joel Pritchard, Bill Bell, and Barney McCallum played the first games with solid wood paddles and a whiffle ball. They played near Seattle on a badminton court with the net lowered just past tennis height.
Played as singles and doubles, players only need the ability to move to get started in pickleball. The game is played on either indoor or outdoor courts that are usually scaled down tennis courts. There is serving, volleying and running in short bursts. There is sweating, bending, and stretching. Doubles games often brings spouses and children onto the same court.
Little is required to play, as only comfortable clothes and court shoes are needed to get started. The club furnishes paddles for beginners to use and will provide any partners needed. The club is full of friendly and helpful pickleball players always eager to welcome the curious to the court.
Club members offer lessons for beginners and help players develop their game through round robins, shootouts, leagues and novice-only tournaments. Better players attend tournaments in neighboring cities and states that happen all year long.
Each year, the club’s volunteers provide a free demonstration court for the full run of the Oklahoma State Fair, attracting many new players. The State Games of Oklahoma will host almost 500 players from across the nation here in Oklahoma City this month. Whether someone is just looking for a way to exercise or want to be challenged at a competitive level, there is a place in the pickleball community through this club’s activities.
You can get involved in the sport quickly by going to the national associations’ web site, www.places2play, and put in your zip code. That search brings up those venues in your local area along with times of play and contact information.
Through this club’s efforts and those of others there are places to play every day throughout Oklahoma with indoor and outdoor courts. They invite your interest at www.greaterokcpickleballclub.wildapricot.org
“It’s an exciting time for the sport and the local club with a new board assuming leadership roles this January,” said Merritt. “We expect a lot of new faces in the new year and the GOPB Club invites you to join them on the courts.”

The trauma center at OU Medicine has been re-verified as a Level 1 Trauma Center by the American College of Surgeons.
In 2001, the Trauma One Center, at both OU Medical Center and The Children’s Hospital, was designated as Oklahoma’s only Level 1 Trauma Center, the highest national ranking a trauma center can receive. The verification process by the American College of Surgeons validates that trauma centers have all resources necessary for any type of trauma care.
“Earning verification from the American College of Surgeons is gratifying because it reflects the commitment and hard work that our healthcare professionals deliver day in and day out,” said OU Medical Center President Kris Gose. “The process validates that we have all resources in place to provide optimal trauma care at any time.”
As a Level 1 Trauma Center, Trauma One offers comprehensive care that can handle the most critical emergencies. Trauma One provides 24-hour coverage by general surgeons, and quick availability of care in specialties such as orthopedic surgery, neurosurgery, anesthesiology, emergency medicine, radiology, internal medicine, plastic surgery, oral and maxillofacial surgery and more.
Operating rooms and trauma surgeons are available 365 days a year, and the air ambulance Medi Flight can be dispatched in minutes to airlift patients to Trauma One. A multidisciplinary team of physicians, nurses, specialists and other health care professionals are always on site, using advanced technology to treat the most severe and critical injuries. Level 1 Trauma Centers provide total care for every aspect of injury, from prevention through rehabilitation.
In addition to serving people across Oklahoma, Trauma One, because of its location in the geographic center of the state, is ideally positioned for regional access as well. An injured person’s best chance for survival is when treatment occurs within an hour of the event. Paramedics, ambulance systems and other hospitals across the state play key roles in transporting patients to Trauma One within an hour.
“The Trauma One Center has been able to save countless lives in its nearly 20-year existence,” said Roxie Albrecht, M.D., medical director of Trauma One. “As part of a tertiary care center, it is important that we participate in continuous assessment of our program. Our aim is to always provide the highest level of care to people when they need it the most.”
The verification of Trauma One was conducted by the Verification Review Committee, a subcommittee of the Committee on Trauma of the American College of Surgeons. Verified trauma centers must meet the essential criteria that ensure trauma care capability and institutional performance, as outlined by the American College of Surgeons’ Committee on Trauma in its manual Resources for Optimal Care of the Injured Patient. There are five categories of verification in the program. In addition to submitting documentation, Trauma One had an on-site review by a team of experienced site reviewers.
Level 1 Trauma Centers like OU’s Trauma One also provide public education and prevention information to people across the state. OU’s primary areas of advocacy are: ATV Ride Safe Oklahoma, which provides classes to increase awareness of ATV safety guidelines; Stop the Bleed, a course that teaches how to save someone’s life by controlling bleeding; and concussion education for coaches, game officials, athletes and parents about the nature of concussion and head injury.

This Christmas, Claire Phillips is leaving the bright lights of Hollywood for a road trip back to her native Oklahoma. The young actress is on her way to spend the holidays with family and friends, and hopefully watch the Oklahoma City Thunder play on New Year’s Eve.
Phillips graduated from Oklahoma City University in 2013 with a degree in Theatre Performance and Music. She headed for the West Coast and landed some lucrative roles in shows like ABC’s “Speechless,” “Fresh off the Boat,” and HBO’s “Togetherness.”
But shortly after moving to Los Angeles, life threw her a curve ball.
“When I was 24, I was diagnosed with breast cancer,” Phillips said. “Luckily it had not spread throughout my body yet. It was aggressive though, and the doctors moved very quickly.”
Phillips said she had no family history, so her diagnosis came as quite a shock.
“Honestly, I had a three-week scare leading up to my diagnosis, and deep down I knew I had cancer,” she said. “Once they started doing the tests, I had this gut feeling something was wrong. So, by the time they told me the results of my biopsy I had already accepted it in a way. I didn’t cry, I was just numb. Two of my best friends held my hand and my parents were on speaker phone when they told me, then I went straight into fight mode.”
She leaned on the resources of the American Cancer Society, and through her doctors at UCLA, Phillips began her journey attacking cancer.
“The American Cancer Society has always been an amazing resource for fighters to help take a small amount of the stress away during their battle,” she said. “Whether it’s a free wig, a ride to treatment, the 24-hour hotline, the research—the American Cancer Society is a valuable partner to have on your side.”
Phillips chose a team of doctors at UCLA, then had a double mastectomy with full reconstruction, followed by chemotherapy.
Today, besides her work on TV and film, she is an advocate for ACS and cancer patients everywhere.
“I was so excited to hear about the beginning phase of Oklahoma’s Hope Lodge,” Phillips said. “Providing those who have limited funds a place to stay free of charge when traveling for treatment will be such an impactful way to give back where it is needed. I was lucky enough to live in a major metropolitan city with some of the best doctors in the country when I was diagnosed, and I didn’t have to travel far from home. But I know that is not always the case for all fighters. I am very happy Oklahoma is providing Hope Lodge as another resource to those who are battling cancer.”
Last October, Phillips passed the five-year mark, and says she feels great.
“My doctors are still staying diligent in my check-ups, scans and bloodwork,” she said. “And we are keeping an eye on my little sister and my mother.
“Life is good,” she added. “I live in Los Angeles with my wonderful boyfriend and new puppy, I have great family, friends and doctors, as well as resources like the American Cancer Society I rely on. So, this Christmas, there’s much to celebrate!”

http://www.cremation-okc.com/

by Greg Schwem

Excuse me, random female, may I borrow your purse?
I will return it momentarily; I just want to know how it feels to carry whatever you want throughout the day and evening without an unsightly protrusion in your back pocket; one that could easily cause your pants to drift south at inopportune moments.
It’s what we men face when we carry a wallet.
I know, ladies, you look at wallets with jealousy. “Imagine,” you say to yourselves, “being able to fit everything in that 5-by-4-inch bi-folded area and then hide it. No need to worry about whether the exterior matches our outfit and which hand feels more comfortable to carry it everywhere we go.”
It’s similar to my wife lamenting that I can be ready for an evening out in the time it takes to run a comb through my hair, while she spends an hour in front of the bathroom mirror surrounded by an army of tubes, brushes and powders.
“Men have it so easy,” she’ll say, while I tap my foot and look at my watch, signaling we are already 15 minutes late.
But when it comes to the purse versus wallet choice, girls, YOU have it easy. You don’t have to prioritize. Need to carry an extra credit card? The purse has room. A secondary form of identification? You could shove a passport into its inner confines, and nobody would know. If I’m asked to show anything other than a driver’s license to the bank teller, the airport security employee or the hotel front desk clerk, I’m screwed.
Internet retailers seem well aware of my dilemma; each year around the holidays, I get bombarded with online ads from companies determined to solve my space issue. This year the winner was the Ridge, makers of a wallet it claims holds up to 12 cards and oodles of bills. The website also touts the most puzzling feature I’ve ever heard: “Expands to remain slim.”
I fail to see how anything can expand yet remain slim. It certainly didn’t happen to my body following Thanksgiving dinner, and I see little hope during the season of Christmas eating.
Still I excitedly forwarded the Ridge link to my wife, telling her I would like it under the tree this Christmas.
“I finished shopping for you months ago,” she replied. “And haven’t you tried these things before? You always go back to a regular wallet.”
She’s right. As I peer in my wallet now, I see 15 cards — three over the “expands to remain slim” Ridge wallet limit — and wonder how I could part with any of them. Sure, I could carry one credit card; but what if it gets declined while I’m Christmas shopping? That has already happened once, but an angry call to my credit card issuer proved the error was theirs, not mine.
My ATM card? It’s a must, for I’m of the generation that occasionally prefers cash, as opposed to whipping out a credit card for a 99-cent cup of coffee. Then there’s my transit card and my health insurance card. Sure, I could forego the latter but what if, while taking the subway, I get mugged and require medical attention? See the dilemma?
Before long, I’ve convinced myself I’m not an ideal candidate for anything other than an old-fashioned wallet that includes plastic sleeves for inserting pictures of children. I’m proud to say all those photos have been moved to my iPhone. Just give me a minute while I feverishly swipe through my photos app to find a decent shot of my kids.
So, women, hand me your purses. Unlike wallets, they come in all shapes, sizes, colors and patterns. I’ll pick one and will spend my time wondering what to carry, as opposed to what not to carry, when I leave the house each morning. I’ll confidently march down the subway stairs knowing I have everything for the ride, including a transit card, my phone and maybe even a hard cover book to pass the time.
Plus, if need be, I’ll have a weapon to swing at a subway mugger.
You’ve enjoyed reading, and laughing at, Greg Schwem’s weekly humor columns in Senior Living News. But did you know Greg is also a nationally touring stand-up comedian? And he loves to make audiences laugh about the joys, and frustrations, of growing older. Watch the clip and, if you’d like Greg to perform at your senior center or senior event, contact him through his website at www.gregschwem.com.