by Bobby Anderson, Staff Writer

After a career as a home builder, Gina Wallen-Conatser was happily retired.
But it seemed she kept hearing about a problem she just couldn’t shake.
Friends in the medical industry kept remarking how often seniors couldn’t make their scheduled appointments due to a lack of transportation.
Her parents in San Antonio would tell her stories about how unsafe it was to get around.
So with time on her hands, a problem to be solved and a family ready to help out she started Go Go Geezers, a ride service dedicated to helping people get around.
“We take seniors and people with disabilities to medical appointments, like dialysis and chemotherapy,” Wallen-Conatser said. “It helps keep people healthy and with early detection some illnesses may be prevented.”
“When people can get out and go on appointments, shopping and church, it helps with feelings of isolation. There is a sense of independence.”
Based in Yukon, Go Go Geezers traverses not only the metro but the state with enough notice.
“Covid has made transport a little more complicated,” she said. “We clean after every ride. We have plastic up that separates the driver from the rider. Drivers wear masks and gloves and we ask that riders wear masks.”
Drivers go through extensive training – CPR, defensive driver, passenger assistance, wheelchair ADA just to name a few.
“They treat the riders like family members,” Wallen-Conatser said. “They’re very careful. When the same drivers take the rider a couple times a week they build a friendship.”
Wallen-Conatser’s son, Blake, is a driver and partner. A customer remarked to her the other day they see him more than they see their own family
Wallen-Conatser loves the stories her drivers tell her. One of her driver’s told her a recent passenger noted her husband passed. She mentioned that a coffee would be nice but wouldn’t dream about drinking it in the new Go Go Geezer van. After the driver dropped her off to her appointment he returned at the appointed time with coffee and flowers.
Operations Manager Morgan called one night to tell her she had a rider who was going to the emergency room. Insurance normally covered their ride, but this time it wouldn’t.
Wallen-Conatser dispatched the Go Go Geezer van anyway to get her at 11:30 p.m. in a different town than normal.
“Everyday riders call and say wonderful things about all our drivers and dispatch,” she said. “When you book a ride with us, Morgan will call you the night before and verify reservation. Morgan gets to know the riders and she visits with them.”
“I tease her that she’s everyone’s granddaughter and best friend.”
Go Go Geezers took their first ride at the end of April. The service has grown to nine vehicles with three wheelchair vans.
“I want to keep growing and helping our community get to their appointments safely,” she said. “My family is in Texas and I would love to expand there. My goal is to keep hiring the best drivers who really care about the riders.”
“We can take anyone. You don’t have to be a senior or a person with disabilities,” she said. “We take riders all week long to work, or out to eat, church, shopping. We are children and pet-friendly. We have wheelchairs, walkers or car seats to use if needed. Our vehicles are new and clean.” For more information call 405-924-4248.

By Nick Thomas

Now in her seventh decade as a film actress, British beauty Jacqueline Bisset first hit the big screen in the mid-1960s and was soon on her way to becoming a household name after dramatic roles later in the decade in films such as “Bullitt” with Steve McQueen.
Although her role was small as McQueen’s sizzling love interest and she didn’t appear in the film’s action sequences, Bisset was on set to witness some of the legendary driving scenes often performed by McQueen, a keen race car enthusiast.
“Watching those cars jumping in the air on the streets of San Francisco was amazing,” Bisset recalled from Los Angeles. “There were also some scenes where I had to drive Steve around in a yellow convertible and remember thinking God Almighty, I don’t want to mess this up with a race car driver next to me!”
She says McQueen, a major star at the time, was “very patient with me and we would go out for meals with the director and producer when we’d break for lunch. He didn’t like getting caught in crowds and would often just jump on his bike and get the hell out of there.”
Also memorable for Bissett – and audiences for her wet T-shirt scenes – was “The Deep” a decade later. Noted for its stunning underwater sequences, the actress still has mixed feelings more than 40 years later when she speaks of the aquatic adventure.
“As a child, some stupid kids tried to dunk me and ever since I’ve been fearful of the water and swimming around others,” she explained. “But the diving crew on ‘The Deep’ were amazing and I found it a beautiful experience even though the thought of drowning was still a daily worry. I had a stunt double for some underwater shots, but she looked nothing like me so it meant I attempted more stunts that I would have liked. When you’re 90 feet underwater you have to solve any problem right there – you can’t just shoot to the surface.”
In one scene, her character attempts precisely that after encountering a moray eel (her stunt double did the eel sequence).
“It was complicated to film and very frightening – I actually thought I was going to drown. The others didn’t know if I was acting or in real trouble, which I was. I got through it, but even as I speak of it now, my throat tightens!”
With several films in post-production for 2021, Bissett has remained a busy actress throughout her career and in recent years has tackled personal roles such as 2018’s “Head Full of Honey” with its Alzheimer’s theme.
“My mother got dementia in her early 50s and lived with it for 35 years, so it’s something I knew a lot about,” she says. “The film approaches the subject with a little humor because that can sometimes help families dealing with it. It’s painful humor but can make it more bearable.”
Nick Thomas teaches at Auburn University at Montgomery, Ala., and has written features, columns, and interviews for over 850 newspapers and magazines.

Story and photos by Darl DeVault

In 2020 Basketball was cancelled and Pickleball moved outdoors In Norman to accommodate COVID-19 while the full slate of Oklahoma Senior Games was staged.
Regina Stewart, the Games’ volunteer coordinator, a senior athlete herself, was direct in explaining how it would work. “With our two-week preregistration window, it gave us time to contact everyone if we had to cancel one of the events,” Stewart said.
The Games grew to more than 1,000 50+ athletes in 2019 and added two Native American nations as sponsors to help to conduct the many activities needed to allow the Games to run smoothly September through October 2020. The Chickasaw and Cherokee Nations are underwrote the Games for the first time in 2020.
Stewart said she counts on the community to continue embracing what has come to be known as the “Oklahoma Standard” even in the time of COVID-19.
The Games promote healthy lifestyles for seniors through education, fitness with the spirited competition of sports and recreational games. This goes along with inspiring everyone to embrace health while enjoying the value of sports related exercise.
Volunteering opportunities abound as the Games grow. Oklahomans who have a flair for community service can help stage the Oklahoma Senior Games. Volunteers can help promote healthy lifestyles by encouraging active seniors 50 and over to enhance the quality of their lives through statewide athletic and recreational competition.
Also as the Track and Field coordinator in years past, Stewart said that more than 100 volunteers helped last year. She estimates double that number are needed to help this coming year to handle the social distance requirements and growth in the many sports offered. The sports offered and sign up for volunteering is found on the okseniorgames.org Web site under the Volunteer tab.
“The organizers are counting on the warm hospitality and strong sense of community spirt Oklahomans have shown as volunteers that allow the state to thrive. “Our volunteers are a major part of how and why Oklahoma has proven itself as a great place to compete in Senior Games each year,” Stewart said. “We have grown each of the last five years because of the time and energy Oklahomans who do not compete have invested in offering the Games to those who do compete.”
Volunteers make up the largest resource for the sanctioned state organization to produce state games each year. This help allows the Games to be the qualifying site in Oklahoma for the National Senior Games Association’s National competitions.
The Games provide up to 27 sports venues, some with variations, which offer athletic training opportunities and social interaction. Along with the competitions, the Games supply healthy lifestyle educational information for seniors. For general questions call (405) 821-1500 or email info@okseniorgames.org.

Examples of ways to volunteer:

Archery: Check-in, refreshments
Badminton: Check-in, refreshments
3 on 3 Basketball Free Throw/Around-the-world: Scorekeepers, rebounders
Bowling: Check-in, refreshments
Cornhole: Check-in, Scorekeepers
Cycling: Check-in, course monitors, bike holders, refreshments, medals
Golf and Golf Croquet: Check-in, refreshments
Horseshoes: Check-in, refreshments
Pickleball: Check-in, refreshments, scorekeepers
Race Walking: Check-in, water stops, course monitors, refreshments, medals
Racquetball: Check-in, refreshments
Road Races: Check-in, water stops, course monitors, refreshments, medals
Registration: Check-in athletes, t-shirt distribution,
Shuffleboard: Scorekeepers,
Swimming: Timers, Refreshments, Medals
Table Tennis: Check-in, refreshments,
Tennis: Check-in, refreshments, water coolers, t-shirt sales, ball retrieving/distribution
Triathlon: Course monitors, swim lap counters, water stops, check-in, refreshments
Track and Field: Check-in, field event helpers, timers, refreshments, runners, medals
Washer Pitch: Check-in, scorekeepers, refreshments

Chronic pain can be quite common among older adults as they face conditions such as arthritis and neuropathy. Treating pain in older adults requires special considerations, however, especially when it comes to opioids.
The University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center recently received a $2.5 million federal grant to tailor methods of treating chronic pain to the older adult population – with an emphasis on decreasing the use of opioids – and to disseminate those best practices to primary care clinics across Oklahoma. The grant is from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, the lead federal agency charged with improving the safety and quality of America’s healthcare system.
In recent years, the OU Health Sciences Center has made significant contributions to the medical profession’s understanding of the risks and benefits of using opioids to treat chronic pain. However, much of that work has focused on the general population, rather than older adults specifically. This grant will allow physicians and researchers to concentrate solely on older adults, and to establish standards of pain management that prioritize non-opioid medications and treatments.
“The older population has a much different relationship with opioids than the younger population does,” said one of the grant’s three principal investigators, Zsolt Nagykaldi, Ph.D., Director of Research for the Department of Family and Preventive Medicine in the OU College of Medicine. “In the younger population, the No. 1 problem is typically misuse, while in the older population, the bigger problems are interactions between opioids and other medications and other health conditions, as well as a higher risk of falls.”
There are numerous reasons for limiting or avoiding opioid prescriptions in older adults, said co-principal investigator Steven Crawford, M.D., Senior Associate Dean for the OU College of Medicine. Metabolism slows as people age, which can increase the effects of opioids. Conditions like emphysema and sleep apnea complicate the use of opioids, Crawford said, and other medications may interact poorly with opioids. Opioids also cause constipation, which can affect the body’s systems and eventually lead to serious issues.
However, there are many alternatives to opioids. Non-opioid medications may be an option, although care must be exercised with anti-inflammatory drugs like ibuprofen, which can damage the kidneys and increase the risk of internal bleeding, among other complications, Crawford said. There are many non-pharmacologic possibilities, such as physical therapy, topical agents, acupuncture, massage, meditation and exercise. Those are also important options if patients are decreasing their opioid use slowly over time.
“Regular physical activity is very important for managing chronic pain because pain gets worse if people sit for a long time,” said geriatrician and co-principal investigator Lee Jennings, M.D., Chief of the Section of Geriatrics in the Department of Medicine, OU College of Medicine. Jennings is also director of the Oklahoma Healthy Aging Initiative (OHAI), which provides gentle exercise opportunities and falls prevention classes (including via Zoom) across Oklahoma. OHAI’s free programming will be emphasized as part of the overall program.
“It’s not easy to treat older adults with chronic pain, so this grant will allow us to help patients and their physicians to understand and have access to alternatives to opioids,” Jennings said. “It’s very important to have safe opioid prescribing practices and to make sure that patients understand the risks, but we have to think through other ways to manage pain. It’s not always possible to make someone totally pain-free, but we also don’t want to put someone at risk for a fall because they’re taking a medication that has a sedating effect. We want them to continue doing the activities that enrich their lives. We don’t want people to stop doing the things they enjoy because that can lead to social isolation and loneliness, which ultimately leads to poorer health.”
Because primary care clinics provide most of the care for older adults with chronic pain, the OU Health Sciences Center will be working with up to 50 clinics across Oklahoma. Community panels, comprised of both patients and clinicians, will provide insight into the needs specific to each area. The OU Health Sciences Center has an extensive network of relationships with rural clinics across the state to share best practices and provide hands-on assistance; this grant will enable further outreach on a topic that’s important to many Oklahomans.
“New medical guidelines, if they follow the natural course of things, can take years to become wedded into the practices of clinics,” Crawford said. “This type of program allows us to accelerate that process by working with clinics to improve the quality of life for their patients.”

Dear Savvy Senior,

I understand that a portion of my Social Security benefits may be taxable when I retire. Can you tell me how to calculate this? Ready to Retire

Dear Ready,
Whether or not you’ll be required to pay federal income tax on your Social Security benefits will depend on your income and filing status. About 35 percent of Social Security recipients have total incomes high enough to trigger federal income tax on their benefits.
To figure out if your benefits will be taxable, you’ll need to add up all of your “provisional income,” which includes wages, taxable and non-taxable interest, dividends, pensions and taxable retirement-plan distributions, self-employment, and other taxable income, plus half your annual Social Security benefits, minus certain deductions used in figuring your adjusted gross income.
How to Calculate
To help you with the calculations, get a copy of IRS Publication 915 “Social Security and Equivalent Railroad Retirement Benefits,” which provides detailed instructions and worksheets. You can download it at IRS.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p915.pdf or call the IRS at 800-829-3676 and ask them to mail you a free copy.
After you do the calculations, the IRS says that if you’re single and your total income from all of the listed sources is:
* Less than $25,000, your Social Security will not be subject to federal income tax.
* Between $25,000 and $34,000, up to 50 percent of your Social Security benefits will be taxed at your regular income-tax rate.
* More than $34,000, up to 85 percent of your benefits will be taxed.
If you’re married and filing jointly and the total from all sources is:
* Less than $32,000, your Social Security won’t be taxed.
* Between $32,000 and $44,000, up to 50 percent of your Social Security benefits will be taxed.
* More than $44,000, up to 85 percent of your benefits will be taxed.
If you’re married and file a separate return, you probably will pay taxes on your benefits.
To limit potential taxes on your benefits, you’ll need to be cautious when taking distributions from retirement accounts or other sources. In addition to triggering ordinary income tax, a distribution that significantly raises your gross income can bump the proportion of your Social Security benefits subject to taxes.
How to File
If you find that part of your Social Security benefits will be taxable, you’ll need to file using Form 1040 or Form 1040-SR. You also need to know that if you do owe taxes, you’ll need to make quarterly estimated tax payments to the IRS, or you can choose to have it automatically withheld from your benefits.
To have it withheld, you’ll need to complete IRS Form W-4V, Voluntary Withholding Request (IRS.gov/pub/irs-pdf/fw4v.pdf), and file it with your local Social Security office. You can choose to have 7 percent, 10 percent, 12 percent or 22 percent of your total benefit payment withheld. If you subsequently decide you don’t want the taxes withheld, you can file another W-4V to stop the withholding.
If you have additional questions on taxable Social Security benefits call the IRS help line at 800-829-1040.
State Taxation
In addition to the federal government, 13 states – Colorado, Connecticut, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, Rhode Island, Utah, Vermont and West Virginia – tax Social Security benefits to some extent too. If you live in one of these states, check with your state tax agency for details. For links to state tax agencies see TaxAdmin.org/state-tax-agencies.

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.

Oklahomans should feel confident in receiving either of the vaccines.
Still, we know there is a lot of mis-information out there. The Mayo Clinic debunks many of the most common myths below.
Myth: The COVID-19 vaccine is not safe because it was rapidly developed and tested.
Fact: Many pharmaceutical companies invested significant resources into quickly developing a vaccine for COVID-19 because of the world-wide impact of the pandemic. The emergency situation warranted an emergency response but that does not mean that companies bypassed safety protocols or perform adequate testing.
To receive emergency use authorization, the biopharmaceutical manufacturer must have followed at least half of the study participants for at least two months after completing the vaccination series, and the vaccine must be proven safe and effective in that population. In addition to the safety review by the FDA, the Advisory Committee on Immunization has convened a panel of vaccine safety experts to independently evaluate the safety data from the clinical trials. The safety of the COVID-19 vaccine will continue to be closely monitored by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the FDA.
Myth: I already had COVID-19 and recovered, so I don’t need to get a COVID-19 vaccine when it’s available.
Fact: There is not enough information currently available to say if or for how long after infection someone is protected from getting COVID-19 again. This is called natural immunity. Early evidence suggests natural immunity from COVID-19 may not last very long, but more studies are needed to better understand this. Mayo Clinic recommends getting the COVID-19 vaccine, even if you’ve had COVID-19 previously. However, those that had COVID-19 should delay vaccination until about 90 days from diagnosis. People should not get vaccinated if in quarantine after exposure or if they have COVID-19 symptoms.
Myth: There are severe side effects of the COVID-19 vaccines.
Fact: There are short-term mild or moderate vaccine reactions that resolve without complication or injury. Keep in mind that these side effects are indicators that your immune system is responding to the vaccine and are common when receiving vaccines.
Myth: I won’t need to wear a mask after I get the COVID-19 vaccine.
Fact: It may take time for everyone who wants a COVID-19 vaccination to get one. Also, while the vaccine may prevent you from getting sick, it is unknown at this time if you can still carry and transmit the virus to others. Until more is understood about how well the vaccine works, continuing with precautions such as mask-wearing and physical distancing will be important.
Myth: More people will die as a result of a negative side effect to the COVID-19 vaccine than would actually die from the virus.
Fact: Circulating on social media is the claim that COVID-19’s mortality rate is 1%-2% and that people should not be vaccinated against a virus with a high survival rate. However, a 1% mortality rate is 10 times more lethal than the seasonal flu. In addition, the mortality rate can vary widely and is influenced by age, sex and underlying health condition.
You cannot get COVID-19 infection from the COVID-19 vaccines; they are inactivated vaccines and not live vaccines.
While no vaccine is 100% effective, they are far better than not getting a vaccine. The benefits certainly outweigh the risks in healthy people.
Myth: The COVID-19 vaccine was developed as a way to control the general population either through microchip tracking or nano transducers in our brains.
Fact: There is no vaccine “microchip” and the vaccine will not track people or gather personal information into a database. This myth started after comments made by Bill Gates from The Gates Foundation about a digital certificate of vaccine records. The technology he was referencing is not a microchip, has not been implemented in any manner and is not tied to the development, testing or distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine.
Myth: The COVID-19 vaccine will alter my DNA.
Fact: Injecting mRNA into your body will not interact or do anything to the DNA of your cells. Human cells break down and get rid of the mRNA soon after they have finished using the instructions.
Myth: The COVID-19 vaccines were developed using fetal tissue.
Fact: Current mRNA COVID-19 vaccines were not created with and do not require the use of fetal cell cultures in the production process.
INTEGRIS Health is a member of the Mayo Clinic Care Network.

by Vickie Jenkins, Staff Writer

There is no denying that the last nine months have been very difficult for our caregivers. COVID-19 is a devastating and relentless disease that knows no rules or boundaries. The medical community is working day and night to unlock its mysteries and we’re learning more each day on how to treat those infected – yet the death toll continues to rise. Our caregivers are exhausted from the rigorous donning and doffing of personal protective equipment while in the back of their minds is fear that they could be contracting and or bringing this virus home to their loved ones. They are witnessing significant mortalities and many say they have seen more death in the last month then they have in their entire careers. They are literally doing everything they can to try to save as many patients as possible. They pour their heart and soul into each patient but at the end of the day, they know some will not make it out of their unit.
With family members not being allowed inside the hospital for safety concerns, our caregivers are playing dual roles. They are not only caregivers to these patients, they are also their support system. They are comforting patients when they are scared, hugging them when they are lonely and unfortunately holding their hands as the pass away. Our caregivers serve as the liaison between our patients and their families worrying at home. They facilitate phone calls and video conferences when they can and become emotionally invested. It is physically, mentally and spiritually exhausting.
While the recent approval of the COVID-19 vaccine is rejuvenating and uplifting, it will still take quite some time and will require majority compliance to see the true impact. In the meantime, the models indicate that it will get worse before it gets better. Our caregivers are bracing for what is to come.
Support from the community is imperative to help get them through these dark days. Anything helps. Cards, notes, care packages, prayers. They are all meaningful and appreciated. These tokens are sometimes the catalysts that get them through their next shift. It’s amazing to watch their faces light up when they receive even the simplest gesture. Anyone interested in supporting our INTEGRIS Health caregivers can make a monetary gift to the Caregiver Relief Fund at integrisrelief.org or reach out to the INTEGRIS Health Foundation team at giving@integrisok.com to discuss other giving opportunities.

The American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL), representing more than 14,000 nursing homes and assisted living communities across the country that provide care to approximately five million people each year, released the following statement in response to the pending COVID relief package.
The following statement is attributable to Mark Parkinson, president and CEO of AHCA/NCAL: “While we appreciate the difficulty in reaching a bipartisan compromise, we are disappointed that Congress could not strike a deal that recognizes the dire situation our long term care residents and staff are facing right now. Due to soaring community spread, nursing homes are experiencing a record-breaking number of cases and deaths—worse than the spring. Even with a vaccine on its way, it will likely take months to fully vaccinate our residents and staff, as well as the remaining public. Facilities will not be able to return to normal for some time, meaning providers need ongoing support with PPE, testing and staffing.
“Meanwhile, nearly two-thirds of long term care facilities are operating at a loss, and the additional funds slated for the Provider Relief Fund for all heath care providers in this legislation are minimal. Hundreds of facilities are in danger of closing their doors permanently and uprooting the frail seniors they care for. Congress must do more in the new year by directing specific aid to long term care. We owe it to our nation’s seniors and our health care heroes.”

* As of this advisory, there are 283,781 cases of COVID-19 in Oklahoma.
* 2,594 is today’s 7-day rolling average for the number of new cases reported.
* There are 22 additional deaths identified to report.
* Two in Cleveland County, one female in the 65 or older age group, one male in the 65 or older age group.
* One in Creek County, one male in the 65 or older age group.
* One in Garfield County, one male in the 65 or older age group.
* One in Grady County, one male in the 65 or older age group.
* One in Kay County, one female in the 65 or older age group.
* One in Love County, one female in the 50-64 age group.
* One in McClain County, one female in the 65 or older age group.
* One in McCurtain County, one male in the 65 or older age group.
* Eight in Oklahoma County, three females in the 65 or older age group, one male in the 18-35 age group, one male in the 50-64 age group, three males in the 65 or older age group.
* One in Pontotoc County, one male in the 65 or older age group.
* Three in Tulsa County, one female in the 65 or older age group, two males in the 65 or older age group.
* One in Woods County, one female in the 65 or older age group.
* There are 2,405 total deaths in the state.
* Additional hospitalization data can be found in the Hospital Tiers report, published evenings Monday through Friday.
* For more information, visit https://oklahoma.gov/covid19.html.

*The total includes laboratory information provided to OSDH at the time of the report. As a result, counts are subject to change. Total counts may not reflect unique individuals.
***The purpose of publishing aggregated statistical COVID-19 data through the OSDH Dashboard, the Executive Order Report, and the Weekly Epidemiology and Surveillance Report is to support the needs of the general public in receiving important and necessary information regarding the state of the health and safety of the citizens of Oklahoma. These resources may be used only for statistical purposes and may not be used in any way that would determine the identity of any reported cases.
Data Source: Acute Disease Service, Oklahoma State Department of Health. *As of 2020-12-29 at 7:00 a.m.

by Steven Sibley of Sibley Insures, MBA/Health Care Administration

Sibley Insures is pleased to announce their strategic partnership with Mass Mutual of Oklahoma. Mike McCall, with Mass Mutual, serves as the primary Advisor on a team of professionals focused on retirement planning. “I am very excited to have both Steve and his wife Christina as a resource for our team.” Mike noted. “Our clients expect and deserve a high level of expertise and these two have it. Their input will ensure our clients have great, affordable healthcare, with ongoing support and advocacy throughout their retirement years.”
Sibley Insures is an independent insurance broker in Oklahoma City, specializing in Medicare and ancillary healthcare products. Steve, from Tulsa and licensed in Oklahoma, is a retired Air Force and Army veteran and holds an MBA with an emphasis in healthcare administration from MACU in OKC. He manages the business and their marketing. Christina is also licensed in Oklahoma and Kansas, where she is originally from. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Health Studies with an emphasis in Gerontology. She spends her time focused on consumer education, plan selection and advocacy for her clients.
Together, Steve and Christina bring a unique balance of healthcare planning experience to the table. She’s spent over 20 years as a caregiver in hands-on patient care; as an EMT, a Registered Medical Assistant in physicians’ practices, the supervisor of a homecare company and a healthcare sciences educator at the college level. She is all about patient and client care. Steve explains, “I tell people it’s like having someone in your corner with all this healthcare knowledge and experience, that just happens to be your favorite niece, and she will treat you like family.”
Steve’s career in the financial services industry started over 20 years ago. During that time he also served in the Army Reserve, as a weekend warrior and eventually as an active-duty reservist, ending his 36-year military career in September of 2017. “After retirement, I wanted to be an independent broker and add a focus on health insurance to my financial services business.” Christina agreed to join him in business, got licensed and once she discovered Medicare, she loved it. Steve ended up spending the next 3 years focused on supporting Christina in her Medicare business and becoming a house husband. However, he knew that eventually he wanted to get back into the field. “With my knowledge of both financial services and how Medicare works, I knew I could carve out a niche helping advisers and their clients get a real clear picture of healthcare costs in retirement and strategically plan for it.”
That is where Mike McCall comes in. He’s also an Army Veteran and as a financial services advisor has over 20 years of education enhanced skillsets and experience. He’s continued serving people in a specialty centered around income planning for retirement. “Life is always changing; therefore, the financial planning landscape is always evolving. I believe most people are so busy living life that they need someone at their side to help them navigate the challenges of creating sustainable income during retirement. That’s what I do and I share that responsibility myself and for my family. So, it is work I take seriously and it’s work I love.” In addition to Mike’s experience, the next most important part of his knowledge and growth has been his education. “I’m fortunate that Mass Mutual invests in my continuing education and I believe that pays dividends for my clients.” With a Degree in Management and Ethics from MACU here in OKC, he also holds the esteemed professional designations of: Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU), Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC), and Retirement Income Certified Professional (RICP). Mike’s a family man, with wife Joyce, a nurse at Baptist Hospital, and two adult sons.
“Our goal is to help people do for their families, what we would do for our own.” Mike points out. “We’ve developed a model for strategically guiding our clients through healthcare planning. We’ve also armed clients with a knowledgeable team of advocates, such as health insurance agents, who’ll guide them into the right Medicare and ancillary plans. An Advisor, who’ll skillfully recommend financial vehicles for healthcare savings to mitigate expenses not typically covered by insurance, and Attorneys, who’ll ensure the proper legal healthcare documents are put into place. Our clients can be confident they have a sound, strategic, flexible plan that works very well, which, while being affordable, offers a high level of coverage, that protects their most important assets, their health, wellness and wealth. We are looking for 2021 to be a great year for helping seniors in this area.” For more information contact Steven Sibley 405-850-1569, ssibleyinsures@gmail.com.