It’s never easy to move your loved one to a nursing home. It’s a big deal in every family, and it can be a rather difficult process for all the family members. Even when finances are not an issue, the emotional distress and rejections are making it more difficult. It starts from the moment you realize you can no longer take care of your senior family member, and need to seek help. No matter how hard you try, it’s not always possible to dedicate the time and attention they need to feel safe and happy. The next issue is the acceptance of the senior to go to the nursing home. Some of them may refuse to do it at first – and this guide will help you go through all the steps. Here‘s how to prepare for moving a loved one into a nursing home and making it a smooth and pleasant experience for everyone.

Reasons why your loved one may feel better at a nursing home
Many people feel guilty about moving their senior family member to a nursing home. However, they shouldn’t feel that way as many Oklahoma facilities offer a much better and safer lifestyle for seniors. If you’re still not sure if that is the right decision, remember the following benefits your senior can enjoy:
* Constant supervision and care – if your senior loved one has lived alone until now, you know all the moments of worry when you leave their home. In a nursing home, you can have constant care and support, even when you’re not around. This is a lot safe option than leaving them alone when you’re out at work or taking care of the kids, etc.
* You can still participate in their care – moving a loved one to a nursing home doesn’t mean you abandon them. You can still actively participate in their care and be a big part of their daily routines.
* Socialization – with other seniors living at the facility, your loved one can enjoy socialization more than they could do at their own home. The feeling of loneliness is common for seniors, even the ones who live with their families. Spending time with people of similar ages can be very motivating for them, and it can help with the signs of dementia. Living alone has been shown to worsen such conditions, which is why socialization and participating in activities can be very helpful.
If you simply don’t have time to take good care of your senior loved one, a nursing home can be very helpful and beneficial for their physical and mental health. Now let’s see what steps to take before the arrival at a nursing home.

Moving your loved one to a nursing home – ways to prepare for a smooth process
This important life event is something you need to do properly to avoid unpleasant situations and negative feelings with your loved one. Here are some tips that will help you ease the transition and help everyone accept the changes.

Make plans
Planning ahead is the key to making the process predictable and therefore less unpleasant. Depending on the condition of the senior, try to include them in the process as much as possible, but without burdening them with too many details. Decide if they are capable of making certain decisions and participating in the process, so you can do this together and make the transition easier. Talk about the things they’ll bring, communication routine, plan the visits, etc. Ensure they know you’ll still participate in their life as much as possible. Furthermore, Best Cross Country Movers suggest you deal with the moving details as early as possible, so you can prevent common mishaps that happen in this process. Scheduling the move, hiring an expert team, packing – all of these are tasks that require energy and time, so be sure to deal with them as early as possible.

Expect negative feelings
It’s okay for everyone to feel discomfort when it comes to moving to a nursing home. Seniors don’t like change, and moving to such a facility can also bring feelings of abandonment. You should try to stay patient and positive, and tell all the benefits this move will have. Be optimistic no matter what, and always remind yourself that you’re doing this for their good. However, if you notice some behavioral problems that don’t seem to go away, seek help from a specialist.

Get all the necessary information
Prepare for the transition by learning all the details about the nursing home. With about 300 nursing homes in Oklahoma, make sure you pick the one that fits your senior needs and has a convenient location. Don’t be afraid to ask questions, even the ones about small details such as meals, activities, professional staff, other seniors, etc. Knowing more about the facility will give you peace of mind and reassure you you’re doing the right thing.

Provide all the information
One way to get your senior ready for moving into a nursing home is to make a file with all the necessary details about them. This can be the history of their health, necessary medical documentation, and even photos of important people and moments in their life. These details will help the staff in the nursing home to get to know them, start a conversation and ensure they feel more welcome and familiar. Make sure to mention all the details about their physical and mental health that can help the staff react in case they notice anything unusual later on.

Ensure a safe relocation
Moving to a nursing home can be as complex as any other relocation. Make sure you find experts in this field so you can experience minimum stress and worry related to this Oklahoma interstate move. Trust experts with moving tasks so you can focus more on supporting your loved one and helping them pack and travel safely to an

Be understanding
It takes up to 6 months for a senior to adapt after moving your loved one into a nursing home. This period can include different reactions such as loss of appetite, feelings of sadness, and complaining. Try to be as patient and understanding as possible, and stay alert for more serious signs of depression or anxiety. If there are any concerns, make sure you talk to the staff and see if you can seek for mental health specialist at the facility. Being involved and attentive will make the transition a lot easier and safer, with your loved one knowing you’re there even after moving to a nursing facility.
Meta: Learn how to prepare for moving a loved one into a nursing home and make the transition as smooth as it gets, making sure both you and your senior feel good about the changes.

Story by Darl DeVault, contributing editor

Seniors 65 or older who like to walk or run can invest in a new experience, the Senior Marathon, on April 29th at the 23rd annual Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon, akin to taking a vacation rather than buying themselves a new toy. Psychologists say it is much better for one’s well-being to invest in experiences rather than purchasing new things to own.
After 22 years of community service to help fund the Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum, the Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon now provides a new experience.
For the first time, seniors who walk or run before the event can support the downtown museum to help to honor the victims, survivors, rescuers, and those affected by the April 19, 1995 bombing. Mercy is the presenting sponsor of the inaugural event.
Beginning in January, Senior Marathoners who sign up will walk or run 25 miles before race weekend. They can walk as they typically walk or run in their local areas, recording their 1.5 miles weekly. They add up their mileage on a Senior Marathon Running Log available online 2023-Senior-Marathon-Running-Log.pdf (okcmarathon.com) to equal the first 25 miles of a marathon.

This mileage allows them to be a part of one of our nation’s most significant feel-good events for fitness in the lead-up to the “Run to Remember” event Sunday, April 30. The day before the marathon, Saturday, at 8.m., the Senior Marathoners complete their event between the 7 a.m. start to the 5K run and the Kid’s Marathon of a similar style at 9 a.m.
From the marathon starting line at the Oklahoma City National Memorial, seniors can run or walk the last 1.2 miles of their marathon distance directly south to the finish in Scissortail Park to be part of something much bigger than themselves. This allows seniors to feel like “elite” participants because of the on-course support from a massive outpouring of cheering from volunteering OKC residents.
These new Senior Marathoners can feel the camaraderie of attending, interacting, and supporting the Health and Fitness Expo that Saturday at the Oklahoma City Convention Center. The OKC Convention and Visitors Bureau and OU Health present the Expo adjacent to the finish line.
“There’s a generation of Oklahomans who were ever-present on April 19, 1995 … so we want to reconnect both the Memorial and race weekend with the generation that was so key on that day,” said Chris Fleming, Marathon trustee chairman. “The Memorial Marathon is America’s most meaningful marathon, and the new Senior Marathon will now be a part of it.”
Oklahoma City provides walking opportunities on its trail system, but walkers in groups along these trails are a rarity. This specific new goal in April reached with the logging of miles in January, February, and March has the potential to spark groups of seniors socializing as they use the trail system. Officials say the YMCA, senior centers and community agencies will offer senior walking events for those wanting to accumulate 25 miles in a group.
The two-day event some years hosts more than 25,000 runners and walkers from every state and several foreign countries. Aside from this inaugural inclusion of seniors, the event offers a marathon, half marathon, marathon relay (5 member teams), 5K, Kid’s marathon and a wheelchair division.
Costing $30, seniors will receive an event t-shirt, finishing medal and free entry to the Museum with their bib number as they share the experience with their friends and family. Achieving their fitness goal can energize many people to participate in an activity providing good health, a key to aging gracefully.
This is just one of the ways this new facet of the marathon can stimulate Oklahomans and those around the country to enhance their lives at the finish line in Oklahoma City. The marathon weekend is the largest fundraiser for the privately owned and operated Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum.
The marathon has built a reputation as one of the best in America, praised in many running publications. It also attracts legends of marathoning to speak at the Expo and run at the event. This new form of inclusion has the potential to make the event even more significant as one of the premier marathons in the country. For more info, go online to: *NEW* Senior Marathon – Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon (https://okcmarathon.com/).

Legend Senior Living announced that it will be taking over management of Lionwood Independent Living on December 1, 2022. Merrill Gardens, of Seattle, WA was the prior management company. With headquarters in Wichita, KS, Legend Senior Living owns and operates 43 senior living residences in six states. Lionwood, at 12525 N. Pennsylvania Ave., will be Legend’s ninth community in Oklahoma and its fourth exclusively Independent Living residence.
“The Legend mission to serve seniors makes Lionwood a great addition to our Oklahoma family,” said Matt Buchanan, Legend’s Executive Vice President, in making the announcement. “We will bring to Lionwood the Legend concept of Vibrant Independent Living and Life Enrichment, emphasizing an active, social lifestyle and holistic wellness.”
As with other Legend residences, Lionwood Independent Living will remain a pets-welcome residence and retain a comprehensive list of amenities and services: 24-hour staff, chef-prepared meals, an Emergency Response System, included home maintenance, weekly housekeeping, on-site religious services, commons areas and lounges, transportation, game rooms, a beauty salon, and a library.
“Whether an existing building or new construction, we look for locations that are near hospitals, restaurants, shopping, and other attractions important to an active lifestyle,” said Buchanan. “The Lionwood community is a good fit because of its convenient location, long-standingreputation, great staff, and attractive updates to the property. We look forward to welcoming Lionwood residents and associates to the Legend family.”

Her record may not equal the NCAA basketball coach of the same name, but Stillwater High School’s “Coach K” left an enduring legacy of her own.
In addition to the example she set for her former students and basketball players, Kendra Kilpatrick’s legacy includes helping fund research aimed at breast cancer – the disease that took her life on Nov. 26. She was 36.
Stillwater students last week presented the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation with a check for $13,489.52 in Kilpatrick’s honor, all raised during their bake sales, T-shirt sales and other fundraisers comprising the school’s annual “Pink Out” week. Every dollar will go directly to cancer research at OMRF.
“Coach K was beloved by everyone,” said her friend and fellow teacher, Jody Webber, who advises the student group that leads Pink Out efforts. “She was a lover of students – of all people, really – and you felt that love from her.”
Following the check presentation, students met with OMRF cancer researchers, including Jake Kirkland, Ph.D., who joined OMRF from Stanford University. Kirkland’s research focuses on a chemotherapy called doxorubicin, better known as the “red devil” for its toll on the patient’s body.
“About half of patients with breast cancer seem to respond to doxorubicin. My goal is to better determine who it will help and who it won’t,” Kirkland said. “If we know that, we can avoid putting women through unnecessary suffering caused by the drug.”
Stillwater senior Bess Glenn said the visit to OMRF was a valuable learning experience.
“I really enjoyed learning about all that OMRF does and how our Pink Out Week donations make a difference. The passion and knowledge the scientists shared was inspiring,” said Glenn.
Since designating OMRF as the beneficiary of their fundraising efforts in 2011, the Stillwater community has raised more than $114,000 for the foundation’s scientists.
“We are so grateful to Stillwater High School’s students, their families, and the teachers and staff who put in an incredible amount of work to raise these funds,” said Katherine Jackson, OMRF’s donor relations coordinator. “This kind of consistent support is critical for our researchers to continue their life-changing work on this terrible disease.”
Work at OMRF has led to an experimental drug called OKN-007, which is undergoing clinical trials at the OU Health Stephenson Cancer Center and a dozen other sites around the U.S. to treat patients with glioblastoma, an aggressive brain cancer. The drug has also shown promise in diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG), a fast-growing pediatric brain cancer.
Donations like those honoring Kilpatrick make such discoveries possible, and that, said Webber, is part of her legacy.
“This is part of what helps her to live on,” Webber said.

by Van Mitchell, OKNT writer

Dr. Elizabeth Diener, PhD, RN, PNP, CNE, has taught in programs of nursing for the past 30 years in New York, Missouri, and Oklahoma City University’s Kramer School of Nursing.
She said her 13-year stint at OCU has been the most rewarding of her teaching career.
“I can say without a doubt this is the best teaching job that I have ever had,” she said. “They have always encouraged me to explore my own personal research interests, in addition to fulfilling my teaching duties.”
That reciprocation was returned to Diener by her fellow staff members as she was named the 2022 recipient of the DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nursing Faculty.
An acronym for Diseases Attacking the Immune System, The DAISY Foundation was established in 1999 in memory of J. Patrick Barnes who died (at the age of 33) from complications of the auto-immune disease Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (ITP).
Barnes’s family was very touched by the remarkable compassion and clinical skill demonstrated by Patrick’s nurses during his illness, so they created DAISY to recognize exceptional nurses everywhere.  Diener said she was humbled by her award recognition.
“It would both serve as a validation of everything that I have done in my past 25 years as faculty,” she said. “It would also be quite humbling because I work with an incredible group of faculty that every day try to do their best to foster faculty and student relationships, and be experts in their field. I feel I am just a representative of all of our faculty.”
Diener currently serves as Professor of Nursing. She is trained as a Caritas Coach in Watson’s Caring Science Institute, holds a certificate as a Soul Collage Facilitator, completed a postdoctoral Fellowship at the University of Arizona in Integrative Nursing Curriculum, and is a certified ANFT Nature and Forest Therapy Guide..
She is currently pursuing her teaching certification in MBSR at Brown University, School of Public Health. Her clinical practice areas have included, Pediatric AIDS Care, Neonatal Intensive Care, Pediatric Emergency Care, ECMO, Hospice and Palliative Care, and Nursing Leadership/Administration.
Diener said her parents encouraged her to pursue a career in healthcare. She said watching nurses care for some of her relatives growing up also influenced her to become a nurse.
“I was encouraged by my parents,” she said. “Women went into nursing or education. Either one would have been acceptable to my parents, but they really had a great respect for healthcare. I just have a real respect for the nurses that I saw and how they could comfort people, and assure them that things would turn out okay. It made me want to be a part of that.”
Diener said she learned early on in her clinical practice she had what it took to handle the stress and chaos that a nursing career can sometimes have.
“I got a really good look at what nursing would involve,” she said. “I knew then I had what it took to become a nurse.”
Diener said her approach to teaching has evolved as has the field of nursing with new technology, medicine, and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has had on nursing.
“I think at the beginning I was more concerned with delivering the materials that were required or requested for a particular course, and assessing student performance,” she said. “As it has evolved, it has become not only that, but education has become much more in-depth. We have technology now that wasn’t available back in the day. Our skills have expanded greatly.”
Diener said the pandemic hit the nursing field hard with more nurses leaving the field due to burnout and fatigue.
She said nursing schools like OCU have worked hard to help recruit more nursing students, as well as hospitals and healthcare agencies helping them better transition from student to full-time nurse.
“It’s the quick turnaround from being a student to a functionally-responsible nurse,” she said. “It can be pretty overwhelming at times. Hospitals are trying to address that with internships and transitioning into practice.”
Diener said one message she tells nursing students is to always remember to take care of themselves.
“I think a thing we struggle with is how do we get everything done in the time allotted because there are so many demands,” she said. “I think the challenges will always change as they always do,” she said. “We are fortunate enough to be able to educate larger numbers of nurses. Nurses will get the job done.”
Diener said nursing and teaching is not just her career, it is her passion to help others.
“It is a career I never considered leaving, and one of the reasons is because under the umbrella of being a nurse, there are so many places that you can practice and so many roles that you can fulfill that you can be a nurse and still find your place,” she said.
For more information about Oklahoma City University’s Kramer School of Nursing visit:
https://www.okcu.edu/nursing/home

An Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation scientist hopes a new, two-year grant will help him pinpoint the genetic variants that can cause age-related hearing loss.
Scientist Gaurav Varshney, Ph.D., will receive $469,000 from the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, a part of the National Institutes of Health.
Varshney’s lab studies human disease through zebrafish. More than 80% of human genes known to be associated with disease have a counterpart gene in the paperclip-sized fish.
In the U.S., hearing loss affects 1 in 8 people ages 12 and older, according to the NIH. The numbers rise as we age, with 1 in 3 experiencing hearing loss among those 65 to 74 years old.
Genetic causes account for up to half of all hearing loss cases, Varshney said. Scientists have narrowed the possible responsible genetic variants to about 100 mutations through genomewide association studies.
One such U.K. study, published in 2019, analyzed the DNA of 250,000 people between 40 and 69 years old with diagnosed and self-reported hearing loss. That study identified 44 regions within the DNA where one or more genetic mutations could cause hearing loss.
Humans and zebrafish share 39 of those 44 regions. Those 39 areas will be the focus of Varshney’s research.
“We want to pinpoint the specific genes within those 39 regions that could be responsible for hearing loss,” he said. “With that information, scientists can design better treatments for the condition.”
Varshney’s lab will use the gene-editing tool CRISPR/Cas9 to turn off individual genes within a given DNA region in the fish. To determine whether that missing gene results in hearing loss, his team will track fish behavior immediately after generating a startling sound. He’ll then repeat this process for genes in all 39 regions.
“Dr. Varshney’s research is a critical step, and it’s representative of how genetic studies often work,” said Patrick Gaffney, M.D., who chairs OMRF’s Genes and Human Disease Research Program. “You narrow the list of potential mutations until one day, hopefully, you can target a specific mutation with a drug therapy. That’s the direction his research is headed.”
Varshney’s grant is 1R21DC020317-01A1.

Betsy (Goff) Willman Anderson

Betsy (Goff) Willman Anderson celebrated her 100th birthday in Pawnee. In Tulsa, Betsy graduated Class of 1939 from Central High, attended TU, was a member of 1st Baptist & Parkview Baptist Churches, Chi Omega Sorority & volunteered at Gilcrease Museum. She says anything fattening is her favorite food!

Louise (Noels) Green

Louise (Noels) Green of Tulsa was born December 16, 1919. She was a lifelong educator, teacher and counselor in McAlester & stayed very actively involved in the Beebe Chapel CME Church, L’Ouverture High School Alumni & American Legion Post 250. Louise’s life advice: “Education. History. Treat people the way you want to be treated!”

WWII Veteran Paul Romanello

WWII Veteran Paul Romanello of Tulsa having 100th birthday fun with him family and friends. He was a man before his time, never said an unkind word about anyone, loves people and was always the center of attention with his good looks and charming magnetic personality. His words of wisdom are to enjoy your family and life to the fullest! Thank you for your service!

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http://centenariansok.com/ and download, complete and submit our form. One of our team members will contact you directly with the next steps.

by Greg Schwem

Hard to believe Christmas 2022 has come and gone. It seems like only yesterday the 2021 holiday was upon us and people were freaking out about attending festive family gatherings because of COVID-19 germs and a toxic political environment.
It’s nice to know some things never change.
What did change, as always, were Christmas wish lists. When I started writing this column, there were seven shopping days left until the holiday; but I was reasonably convinced certain gifts were unobtainable, whether the recipient was a working schlub like myself or obnoxiously rich and famous.
Again, these are just my predictions. So, at the risk of sounding like a weather forecaster or a sports prognosticator, here is a partial list of gifts some of the world’s most well known celebrities — and lesser known individuals — did not receive this blessed holiday season:
Taylor Swift: Tickets to her own concert tour.
Harry and Meghan: Keys to Buckingham Palace. Also, the correct garage code.
Elon Musk: Loyal employees.
Ed Sheeran: A hairbrush.
Pete Davidson: Uh, why is he on this list? That dude got everything he wanted in 2022.
Donald Trump: Relevance.
Donald Trump Jr.: A job. Wait, never mind. He didn’t ask for one.
Will Smith: The neuralyzer from his “Men in Black” movies. You know, it’s that contraption that erases people’s memories. Ideally Smith needed it the night of the Oscars, but rumor has it he’s been searching for one ever since.
Tom Brady: See “Will Smith.”
The cast of Saturday Night Live: The ability to write one funny sketch that does not involve bringing back a former cast member to make a guest appearance.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis: A longer pair of skis. In 2023, expect him to remain WAY over the tips of his current pair.
Florida residents: Manners.
Kari Lake: More votes.
Kanye West: A menorah.
The January 6th Committee: Closure.
Dr. Mehmet Oz: A holiday party featuring crudites.
Sam Bankman-Fried: Freedom.
George Stephanopolous: A card from Sam Bankman-Fried thanking him for “that great interview.”
Crypto investors: A positive return.
Dogs: Owners who aren’t nervous about what 2023 will bring.
Cats: Cats don’t need anything.

(Greg Schwem is a corporate stand-up comedian and author of two books: “Text Me If You’re Breathing: Observations, Frustrations and Life Lessons From a Low-Tech Dad” and the recently released “The Road To Success Goes Through the Salad Bar: A Pile of BS From a Corporate Comedian,” available at Amazon.com. Visit Greg on the web at www.gregschwem.com.
You’ve enjoyed reading, and laughing at, Greg Schwem’s monthly 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)

*Includes 15 hospitalizations in pediatric beds.
**Focus, Rehabilitation and Tribal Facilities numbers are not assigned to a specific region as their patient populations reside across the state. Information provided through survey of Oklahoma hospitals as reported to HHS as of the time of this report. Response rate affects data. Facilities may update previously reported information as necessary.
Data Source: Acute Disease Service, Oklahoma State Department of Health. *As of 2022-12-29 at 7:00 a.m.