Answer the call to protect gorillas by donating old phones and disconnect from tech with two exciting new Zoo initiatives

Gorillas on the Line – Saturday, February 1 through Thursday, April 30
When gorillas are on the line, it’s up to us to answer the call! The Oklahoma City Zoo and Botanical Garden is looking to the community-at-large to help save gorillas by donating old or used cellphones to the Zoo for recycling as part of Gorillas on the Line from Saturday, February 1 through Thursday, April 30. The Zoo is home to 10 western lowland gorillas, five males and five females, ranging in age from 34-year-old Emily to 19-month-old Finyezi. The species is critically endangered with only about 350,000 individuals remaining in the wild.
“Small electronics like cellphones frequently contain a substance called coltan and 80 percent of the world’s supply is in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, an area also home to many gorillas,” said Stephanie Smith, OKC Zoo senior primate caretaker. “Mining for coltan threatens the habitats of gorillas, chimpanzees, okapi and other endangered species. When individuals donate used phones or other electronics, the coltan from those devices is re-used and reduces the need to mine for the compound in gorilla habitats.”
Schools, organizations, businesses and individuals are encouraged to collect as many cellphones and electronics as they can in support of gorilla conservation. Last year, over 260,000 people were engaged in the campaign, collecting 12,486 devices that were recycled and raising $6,055 for gorilla conservation. For 2020, Gorillas on the Line hopes to collect 20,000 cell phones for recycling and engage 200,000 children and other community members in gorilla conservation action. Any kind of cellphone will be accepted – even the big, heavy ones from years ago that wouldn’t come close to fitting in your pocket now. Acceptable small electronics include: iPods, iPads, tablets, MP3 players and handheld gaming systems. These items can be dropped off for recycling in the Zoo’s Guest Services office in the entry plaza.
An added incentive: those who bring an old cellphone or small electronic device to donate to “Gorillas on the Line” will receive two Zoo general admission passes valid through April 30, 2021. Guests are welcome to donate additional devices, but will only receive two Zoo passes as a thank you for helping save gorillas.
Connect with Wildlife Challenge – Sunday, February 2
Here’s a wild idea–disconnect from your cell and reconnect with nature at the Oklahoma City Zoo! On Sunday, February 2, in exchange for free general admission, the Zoo is challenging guests to unplug from their mobile phones during the duration of their visit. Guests who feel up to the “Connect with Wildlife Challenge” can securely check-in their cellphones at the Zoo’s Guest Services office (located in the entry plaza) before exploring the park.
“Collectively, we have become so reliant on our smart phones that we fail to engage with the world around us,” said Greg Heanue, OKC Zoo chief marketing officer. “It’s our hope that guests who participate in the challenge will be more present and better connect with friends, family and the amazing wildlife that surrounds them. For those that take the challenge and value their wildlife connection, perhaps they’ll be inspired to go screen-less more often.”
Get back (and give back) to nature at the OKC Zoo! Located at the crossroads of I-44 and I-35, the Oklahoma City Zoo is a proud member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, the American Alliance of Museums, Oklahoma City’s Adventure District and an Adventure Road partner. Hours of operation are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Regular admission is $11 for adults and $8 for children ages 3-11 and seniors ages 65 and over. Children two and under are admitted free. Effective Saturday, February 1, regular admission is $12 for adults and $9 for children ages 3-11 and seniors ages 65 and over. Children two and under are admitted free. Stay connected with the Zoo on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and by visiting Our Stories. To learn more about other happenings, call (405) 424-3344 or visit okczoo.org.

www.caresuitesokc.com

Story by Darl DeVault

Seniors still prefer books and make up many of the volunteers and customers at the huge two-day Friends of the Library Booksale 2020 February 22 and 23 at the Oklahoma State Fairgrounds. As thousands of book lovers gather in the Oklahoma Expo Hall the sale proves in the world of digital access, the Age of the Book is still with us.
Subtitled “Booksale—40 Years Strong”, the annual sale provides a diverse selection of books, CDs, DVDs, magazines and more for every demographic of customers.
“It is amazing the wide range of subjects—including fiction, nonfiction, cookbooks, biographies, medical, westerns, romance, children’s, encyclopedias, reference and foreign language, plus a large selection of music, DVDs and audio books,” said Don Dory, 73, Booksale Coordinator. “Thousands of shoppers have been coming for years for our wide selection and low prices. In the General Area, hardback books are one dollar each and paperbacks and magazines are 50 cents each. Collectors go for the Items in the Better Books Room which vary in price, mostly under $5.”
The nonprofit Friends of the Library has used this book sale to raise money to support the Metropolitan Library System. In it’s now 40-year run, the Friends have given more than $4.8 million in grants to the system. All of this is due to the tireless efforts of hundreds of volunteers each year.
Almost five million dollars in 40 years is a big number and so is the 800,000 books available this year. All this means the sale becomes the largest nonprofit bookstore in Oklahoma for three days.
“Customers run the gamut of need—many trying to select best sellers, classics, collectibles and research books needed for school,” Dory said. “Thousands will be seeking to complete personal libraries in certain subjects, while parents will be striving to enhance their children’s reading exposure.”
Friends of the Metropolitan System members can shop a Presale from 1 to 9 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 21. Held the day before the sale goes public, members are invited to first access. Annual memberships are available for $15 in the lobby starting at noon. Children 12 and under accompanied by an adult are free.
After 40 years, the sale is well established on the literary sale calendar for customers coming from all over Oklahoma, surrounding states and the whole region. Selective shoppers are advised to join the nonprofit to ensure the best possible purchasing opportunity.
Book lovers line up all three days awaiting the door’s opening. A quick survey of the parking lot shows that many of those customers are from out of state, coming to Oklahoma each year for the huge selection. The multi-day event attracts more than 10,000 book lovers.
In some ways the diverse selection offered represents a snapshot of a high-quality American publishing museum with the bonus that everything is available for purchase.
“Donated all year from various sources, the books are both common and select, while the other offerings are extremely varied, even including music,” said Beth Toland, 65, publicity chairperson. “This diversity means the sale is in one sense our states largest literary event.”
Admission is free 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 22 and 23.
The shopping is so robust that a dozen checkout points are offered by volunteers in each of the two sections. And yet, so many customers arrive early a line forms for the first few hours each day. The book shopping is intense, almost competitive, as this is a once a year opportunity.
Customers, depending on their need for new reading material, come with a wide variety of book hauling capability, as there are no shopping carts provided. Shoppers will see every form of wheeled cart pressed into service by other shoppers as they move among the tables laden with thousands of books. Large boxes are everywhere as some shoppers limit themselves to just those books they can carry.
The volunteers display 40 years of expertise in staging the sale by sorting the books into sections. Those sections are a wide cross section of interest, from tables of books by Oklahoma authors to books about Oklahoma.
Some years special sections offer brand new books donated when book stores and Oklahoma publishing houses use their donations as a way to balance their inventory.
Many business and industry concerns are well represented when entities going out of business donate their libraries. Retiring attorneys provide shoppers the chance to buy law books at a steep discount.
Volunteer shifts are still open, as the group is still looking for volunteers! To volunteer or for more information about Booksale, visit www.mlsfriends.org. For additional questions contact the Friends at 405 606-3763 or [email protected].

www.tealridge.com

Every day, researchers across the globe search for answers to diseases of aging, but you don’t have to be a scientist to get a leg up on the aging process.
In fact, said Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation physiologist Benjamin Miller, Ph.D., some of the best methods for preventing diseases of aging are simple: diet and exercise.
But getting people to follow them, said Miller, can prove difficult.
Want to age gracefully? Try these simple tips:
1. Stay active
Research shows even 30 minutes of exercise and light weight training daily not only helps you avoid packing on the pounds, it also lowers blood pressure, strengthens bones, improves mood and helps maintain muscle mass. And light weight training can improve balance, which can help you avoid falls and injuries.
“If you start exercising, even a little, it will make a big difference,” said Miller.
2. Stay engaged
Like exercise, staying mentally and socially active can have a slew of long-term brain benefits, as well.
Alzheimer’s is the fifth-leading cause of death in Americans over the age of 65. It is the most common form of dementia, accounting for 60-80 percent of all cases, according to the Alzheimer’s Association.
“Scientists increasingly believe it is wise to read, work puzzles, play games and socialize to help improve memory,” said OMRF Aging and Metabolism Research Program Chair Holly Van Remmen, Ph.D. “It keeps the brain healthy and perhaps delays the onset of Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia. So grab a good book or head out to a bingo night. It’ll be good for you.”
3. Stay moderate
When it comes to diet, moderation is key. Eating too much can have negative health implications from heart disease to type 2 diabetes and arthritis. But as people age, many find they eat too little.
“Over time, your body requires fewer calories, but it needs just as many nutrients,” said Van Remmen. And, she says, don’t skimp on protein. Adequate protein—45 grams of protein for women and 55 grams for men—helps your body maintain muscle mass even when your appetite wanes.
None of these tips are rocket science, said Miller. “Everyone has heard them, it’s just that many people don’t do them. Start now, whatever your age, and you’ll be glad you did.”

www.meadowlakesretirementvillage.com

Ralph Shelton, Ph.D., of Perkins, lived with the effects of stress incontinence for more than five years following surgery for prostate cancer, until his physician, Ash Bowen, M.D., OU Medicine urologist, suggested the ProAct system.
According to the American Urological Association, between six and 20 percent of men continue to experience the life-disrupting impact of stress urinary incontinence a full year after prostatectomy. Approved by the Federal Drug Administration in 2017, the ProAct system is a device that addresses incontinence and restores quality of life for many men who deal with the challenges of this condition.
Late last year, Shelton was among the first Oklahoma to undergo the procedure to implant the ProAct system. “It’s a complete turnaround from where I was,” he said.
Bowen explained that urinary incontinence is a very distressing condition, an unfortunate but common consequence that occurs in connection with prostate surgeries, including radical prostatectomy or transurethral resection of the prostate. Physical movement or activity, from coughing or sneezing, to more vigorous activities such as running, lifting and other physical exertion, creates stress on the bladder. “When the muscles surrounding the bladder and urethra are damaged, that loss of muscular support causes incontinence, which may range in severity from very minor leaks to extreme – total loss of urinary control.”
The ProAct implantable device consists of two small, adjustable balloons, connected through short tubes to an injection port. Inserted on each side of the urethra during a short outpatient procedure, these fluid-filled balloons keep pressure on the bladder to help prevent urine leakage. The ports make it possible to adjust the pressure as needed to meet a patient’s individual needs.
The leakage Shelton lived with required the use of absorbent pads all the time. “It was embarrassing; there was always a risk when I went anywhere or tried to participate in any activity. Intimacy was awkward and less than confident,” he said.

Bowen said Shelton was a prime candidate for the surgery: he was doing well after prostatectomy, had no underlying health conditions, was physically active, and was ready and willing to find a solution to the incontinence problem he had endured for years.
The device has been widely used in Europe since 2002, and follow-up studies in the United States are promising for long-term (five years or more) benefits.
“The device is safe and effective,” Bowen said. “Potential complications are only what might be expected with any surgical procedure – risk of infection or reaction to anesthesia, for example. Side-effects encountered with the ProAct device are mild and easily managed.”
He cited a number of patient benefits related to the procedure itself. “The procedure typically takes only 30 minutes, is minimally invasive and is performed under general or local anesthesia in an out-patient setting – no hospitalization. There are no sutures or other anchoring devices. Most men experience only minor discomfort, if any.”
Shelton confirms that discomfort was minimal, and that the procedure was simple from the patient’s perspective. “I was back to my routine, daily activities quickly.”
If adjustments are needed, these also can be done non-surgically in an office setting. Shelton recently had one such adjustment with excellent results.
“Immediately after the procedure, I wasn’t sure there was much difference, but healing and recovery came quickly, and leakage began to decrease significantly. After one adjustment to increase the pressure, it works perfectly. It’s as if I never had a problem at all. I feel like I have my life back – I’m 100% normal.”
With a doctorate in adult education, Shelton taught generations of professional educators various techniques and methodologies to promote successful learning. In addition, he expanded his career, using his expertise to assess employer needs to ensure optimal hiring practices, matching a candidate’s skill set to the employer’s desired work objectives. He enjoyed ongoing opportunities to use these skills in retirement, until incontinence began to limit his activities.
Several years into retirement, he has no plans to resume an ambitious schedule of professional engagements, but the ProAct device does mean he can consider options that may not have been possible for him before the procedure. He continues to stay active and engaged in pursuits that use his well-honed skills of analysis. He currently works as a heavy equipment specialist for a local tractor dealership, once again using his expertise to assess needs and find solutions.
“Some may call it ‘odds and ends,’ but it’s still important to me to help people find ways to succeed. I’m something of a career-tech consultant, which offers me opportunities to travel, meet people and help facilitate a teamwork mentality. Now I know I can continue to do that that on my own terms, not limited by inconvenience or anxiety about accidental leakage.”
While a referral by a primary care provider is not considered necessary, it may be required for coverage under some healthcare plans. Bowen sees patients at OU Physicians Edmond, located in the Fountain Lake Center, 14101 N. Eastern, Suite E, and performs the ProAct procedure exclusively at OU Medical Center Edmond, One South Bryant. For an appointment, call (405) 340-1279.

www.crawfordcares.com

The healthy heart thrives on flexibility, using any available nutrient source for fuel. But in diabetes, that flexibility stops.
Scientists at the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation are investigating why this inflexibility occurs with diabetes and, ultimately, what can be done about it.
“The healthy heart has a dynamic capacity to respond and adapt to changes in nutrient availability—it’s an omnivore,” said OMRF researcher Kenneth Humphries, Ph.D. “The problem with diabetes, though, is the heart’s inability to use or make insulin, a hormone that allows your blood to use sugar.”
In diabetes, either you’re not making enough insulin or it’s not working properly, said Humphries. This increases the heart’s reliance on fats to meet energy demands, which can lead to damaging effects and even death.
Heart disease is the number one cause of death in diabetic patients, and it can result in a specific type of heart disease called diabetic cardiomyopathy.
“So far, there are no effective treatments for this type of heart disease,” said OMRF graduate student Maria Newhardt, who contributed to the research. “We are trying to increase our fundamental understanding of heart metabolism and how it is disrupted in diabetes so better therapeutic treatments can be developed.”
Humphries and his team conducted a study to see if they could increase flexibility in the hearts of diabetic mice by introducing the complications of obesity.
“Obviously, regulating blood sugar would be the ultimate goal, but we’re looking fundamentally at how the heart responds to differences in nutrient availability,” said Humphries. “We decided to try to force the diabetic heart to use more sugar and see if that made the diabetic heart go back to its normal function.”
The team uncovered a previously unknown form of metabolic regulation. They discovered that two cellular switches in the heart that determine what nutrients the heart will use are interrelated, rather than independent, as previously thought.
These switches need to be able to turn on and off, but in diabetes, one is constantly turned on.
Newhardt said this basic finding is a next step in understanding how diabetes impacts heart health and how interventions—future drugs and therapies— might be used to treat the effects of diabetes on the heart.
Other OMRF researchers who contributed to the findings were Albert Batushansky, Ph.D., Satoshi Matsuzaki, Ph.D., and Mike Kinter, Ph.D.
The research was supported by grants from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, and the National Institute of Aging, all parts of the National Institutes of Health, as well as a Graduate Research Fellowship Program grant from the National Science Foundation.

by Greg Schwem

I am sitting on a wooden chair about the height of one used by a second grader because, after more than 30 minutes of standing and waiting, it was the only seat available.
I am drinking coffee at 10:30 a.m., but not because I am particularly in the mood for caffeine, or any beverage for that matter. I felt guilty talking a seat without making a purchase. Many seat-fillers around me don’t seem to share my guilt.
I am listening to the establishment’s playlist featuring not a single track I recognize. My music identification app tells me the song currently playing is “Chrysalis” by Empire of the Sun. Neither the song nor band title seem appropriate for my surroundings.
I am encircled by individuals whose phones are recording every moment of waiting in line, followed by every monetary transaction, followed by every moment of searching for an open seat.
I am at the world’s largest Starbucks, located on Chicago’s famed Michigan Avenue, just two blocks north of a Starbucks and two blocks south of another Starbucks. Keep that in mind, Starbucks customers, if all you are seeking is your daily dose of java or chai. Actually, the Starbucks in the middle might not even serve your favorite; the menu is, uh, different here. “Cardamom Long Black for Katherine is ready! Katherine? Katherine?”
But if you’re in Chicago, have already visited the world’s tallest building and the largest indoor aquarium, and now you want to experience the world’s largest place to wait in a sea of humanity, straining to hear your name called so you can, in my case, pick up a $7 latte (that drink is still on the menu) and then hope it’s not the victim of an errant elbow as you wade back through the line in search of a seat, then this Starbucks is for you.
As I write this column, taking advantage of the free Wi-Fi, other sore-footed patrons are eyeing me so enviously that I’m considering photographing my chair and posting the image in the “For Rent” section of Craigslist.
“World’s Largest Starbucks” is the more common name for this coffee behemoth, officially known as Starbucks Reserve Roastery Chicago, and featuring a lengthy slogan slapped on billboards scattered throughout the city: “The experience. The spectacle. The craft. The coffee. In a word, it’s epic.”
“Epic” might not be the first word I would use to describe the 35,000-square-foot establishment, formerly home to Crate & Barrel, purveyors of contemporary furniture and housewares. Now, instead of craving a mocha-colored couch, customers seek mocha-flavored drinks. When they aren’t posing for selfies and posting Instagram stories.
No, the word I would use is, “wait,” as in, “Wait in that epic line.”
Seriously, I’ve seen shorter lines at Disney World. My kids never braved lines like this to cavort with Santa. Lines at airports to rebook flights cancelled by January blizzards seem tame by comparison. And, yet, nobody, sans me, seemed to mind waiting for Pizza al Taglio, chilled tiramisu or nitrogen gelato.
“Now we’ve been to the world’s largest Starbucks and the first one, in Seattle,” said Belinda Schmidt, 72, of San Antonio. Schmidt and her husband Ron were in town for their granddaughter’s middle school music concert at McCormick Place. Ron waited 20 minutes for two lattes, a cinnamon roll and a bottle of water while Belinda found two adjoining seats next to me.
“We met a nice family behind us,” Belinda continued. “They used to live in Seattle but wanted to come here because they hadn’t been to a roastery.”
Me neither. Well, maybe I have. In Paris. Or Vegas. Right now, I need to use the restroom but am afraid to leave my seat. Belinda graciously offered to watch my valuables while I went in search of relief.
I will eventually return to Starbucks Reserve Roastery Chicago. The clamor, and the lines, have to dissipate at some point, right?
Or maybe I’ll just be that lonely-looking guy at one of the nearby Starbucks. At least I know there will be a seat waiting for me.
(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)

www.newbyvancemobility.com

by Bobby Anderson, Staff Writer

For 30 years now, John Houge has has helped seniors lead a longer, safer and more comfortable life all in the comfort of their own homes.
As the state manager, Houge helped bring Craftmatic adjustable bedding to Oklahomans near the turn of the century, ushering in a new era in home health and safety products.
And for the past 13 years he’s been an expert traveling the metro counseling seniors on the benefits of A Safe Solution walk-in tubs.
For many seniors, the worry about a fall is always in the back of their minds.
According to data compiled from the 1997 and 1998 National Health Interview Survey, the majority (55%) of fall injuries among older people occurred inside the house.
Falls in the bathroom are a major source.
Combine already slick surfaces with water and rugs and getting in and out of a bathtub and it can be a recipe for disaster – literally.
That’s where Houge and A Safe Solution come in. Walk-in tubs provide homeowners with the peace of mind knowing they will be as safe as possible.
“I enjoy going to see people and I enjoy helping them with their home health needs,” Houge said.
A SCARY FALL
According to the National Institutes of Health, one in three adults aged 50 and over dies within 12 months of suffering a hip fracture. Older adults have a five-to-eight times higher risk of dying within the first three months of a hip fracture compared to those without a hip fracture. This increased risk of death remains for almost ten years.
Beyond suffering pain, a hip fracture results in a loss of physical function, decreased social engagement, increased dependence, and worse quality of life. Many people who have a hip fracture need to change their living conditions, such as relocating from their home into a residential aged care facility.
Ultimately, the often rapid regression of an older person’s health following a hip fracture means outcomes are poor.
By offering high-quality walk-in tubs that are safe and therapeutic, individuals overcome the risks of bathing in a standard bathtub.
For those who struggle to get into and out of a standard tub, dreading the difficult 30” threshold and slippery bathtub floor, a walk-in tub is the answer to changing bathing requirements.
Safety is a major reason many rely on walk-in tubs, but Houge said there’s a host of other reasons.
BLISSFUL HEALTH
The benefits of a relaxing bath are becoming clearer and clearer in scientific literature.
Hydrotherapy is the full immersion of the body into both hot and cold water as a natural and holistic treatment which detoxifies the blood, stimulates blood circulation, enhances the immune system, improves digestion, reduces inflammation and much more.
For thousands of years, people around the world have benefited from the healing power of hydrotherapy. In recent decades, doctors have confirmed the healing power of bathing, and studies and testimonials have shown how hydrotherapy is a reliable and affordable home remedy for treating the symptoms of many of today’s most common ailments.
According to an article in the New England Journal of Medicine, type II diabetes patients reported a 13% reduction in blood-sugar levels, improved sleep, and an increased sense of well-being by simply enjoying warm water therapy as a home remedy for diabetes symptoms. Research shows stress reduction improves the quality of life and may indirectly improve blood sugar control.
“There’s the safety and integrity of being able to take care of themselves,” Houge added. “There’s enough safety (features) that most of our customers can take a bath by themselves without being afraid.”
Houge makes his sales calls personally.
“I don’t send a salesman. We’re family-owned, operated and local,” said Houge, who owns the business with wife Karen.
Knowing that change – even change for the good – can be stressful, Houge is there to answer any and all questions before during and after the process.
Once all questions are answered the product can be installed in as little as a day, with two days of set time to insure the optimal cure.
“It feels great because that’s what they really want,” Houge said. “It’s rewarding when they finally see the benefit. Most of our customers are pretty conservative. That is why our mission statement has always been to provide the highest quality products at the most reasonable price in the industry.”
Houge offers Veteran’s Discounts and lifetime warranties along with free in-home estimates.
He can be reached at 405-226-8424 or by email at https://www.safesolutionswalkintubs.com/.