Two venues with two different topics will include more education partners

Beginning its eighth year of free educational seminars, the Senior Living Truth Series has announced expansion of its offering with two different workshops each month in two separate locations.
The new locations are in the Atrium at Crossings Community Church, 14600 North Portland Ave, and the Patience S. Latting Northwest Library, 5600 NW 122nd St. Programs at Crossings will be on Thursdays, and programs at the Northwest Library will be on Tuesdays.
“Both new venues offer more education-friendly environments,” said co-moderator Dr. Nikki Buckelew, PhD. “We are hoping to attract a more diverse audience.
“The success of the Senior Living Truth Series is due largely to the support of our education partners.
It is because of them we are able to continue offering the programming at no cost to attendees. In addition to their financial contributions, education partners are selected due to their commitment to providing information and resources to attendees without obligation. That’s right – no sales and no sales pitch – ever. We want people to make informed decisions with no strings attached.” (STORY CONTINUES BELOW)

Attendance has ranged from 150-200 monthly at the past location, Quail Creek Golf & Country Club, but the Crossings location will accommodate even more in an education-friendly environment. While the Northwest Library location is smaller, Buckelew said she was excited to be able to add this educational opportunity to the library’s calendar.
She will remain the primary moderator for the Crossings seminars, but education partners will rotate responsibility at the Northwest Library location. Topics will be more broad-based, and this venue will include more panelists.
One education partner expressing excitement at the expansion was Marilyn Olson, VillagesOKC executive director.
“Professionals and organizations who provide information without a sales pitch give added meaning to the phrase ‘knowledge is power,’ ” Olson said. “Mature adults are seeking trusted information – more than from the internet. This is a free monthly series providing that opportunity. Here attendees learn from a wide variety of professionals and organizations who present, and sessions also allow time for attendees to talk personally with education partners.”
Here are the January series topics:
January 12 in the Atrium at Crossings Community Church
The Truth about Choosing Your ‘Forever’ Home: Staying Put or moving on
Maybe you’ve decided to stay in your current home and “make it work” or is it possible you’ve decided to sell your current home and buy another one in preparation for getting older. Some people call this next home their “Forever Home.” Either way, you’ve made a choice to avoid moving into a retirement community.
January 24 at the Northwest Library
Smart and “Not so Smart” Accessibility Ideas for Your Home
Planning to stay in your current home for the long haul? If so, you’ll want to know the most up to date accessibility features designed to make your life easier. Our panel of experts and education partners will share gadgets, tools, and strategies for helping you live safely and comfortably.
Seminars are scheduled from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Seating is limited, and pre-registration is required at 405.563.7501 or:
https://seniorlivingtruthseries.com/.
A complete list of monthly topics is located at:
https://seniorlivingtruthseries.com/.
Senior Living Truth Series provides candid conversations concerning today’s senior living issues and options with panelists who specialize in the topic areas. SLTS provides education and resources designed to help people live empowered lives and make informed decisions. Its motto is “Educate. Equip. Empower.”

INTEGRIS Health is celebrating 35 years of kidney transplantation. Surgeons with the INTEGRIS Health Nazih Zuhdi Transplant Institute have performed more than 2200 kidney transplants since the program began.
The INTEGRIS Health Kidney and Pancreas Transplant Center offers superior outcomes for kidney transplants from both living and deceased donors. It consists of one of the largest and most experienced transplant teams in the United States.
E.N. Scott Samara, M.D., is the surgical director of kidney transplant at INTEGRIS Health Baptist Medical Center. He conducted the first kidney transplant at the facility and still practices today. He is proud of what the program has accomplished through the years
“I have been grateful to see over 2000 patients be able to avoid or stop dialysis and live normal productive lives,” says Samara. “In the last 15 years, I have even been able to work with my son, Dr. Shea Samara, and Dr. Jose El-Amm, who is the medical director of kidney transplant and like a son to me, which has been both professionally and personally fulfilling.”
Every ten minutes another person is added to the national transplant waiting list. Of those, 82% are in need of a kidney. There are more than 90,000 people in the United States waiting for a kidney donation. The average wait time for a kidney is three to five years from a deceased donor. With living donation, a patient may be able to receive a transplant much faster. To learn more or schedule an assessment, call 405-949-3816.

From Terry “Travels with Terry” Zinn t4z@aol.com
text and photo provided by the Oklahoma Historical Society

You could say that Baltimore is a city designed for Senior leisure. The hop on and off water taxi around the bay is an ideal way to see a lot of the area’s attractions with a minimum of exertion, as it stops at many attractions. The minimal fee is good for the entire day. The small boat captains are eager to answer area questions as to where to eat and museum times. Note, many museums and attractions are closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.
Of course it stops at historic Ft Mc Henry – famous for the inspiration of the Star Spangle Banner composition. (www.nps.gov/fomc) You have to change boats to go the extra distance, but worth the convenience, when you think of the inconvenience of getting a taxi or uber to take you to the far out bay point. The preserved and reconstructed brick fort is informative if you have never visited a fort of this generation. It’s humbling to stand in the area that inspired America’s Anthem.
Once there it’s always good to schedule your visit with a tour by a park ranger for details of the fort. If not, the film is always inspiring, if not a bit nostalgic ,when at the end of the movie, a curtain opens to let you view through a large picture window the Fort in the background as the National Anthem plays.
Back in the downtown area is the Flag House where the American garrison size flag was created. Besides the history of the flag you can take a self-guided tour of a small period house, complete with furniture and staging of the time.
For pure entertainment, although you can’t help but learn something, is the national aquarium centrally located at the base of the Inner Harbor. (www.aqua.org) All levels of this multilevel aquarium is easily accessible with riding the multiple escalators, or if needed there is an elevator. Hosting over 20,000 aquatic animals with a Backtip Reef and Living Seashore, and a couple of large screen animal related movies, and a live dolphin show, make the aquarium one of the Inner Harbors best attraction. Of course they host a extensive gift shop with snack bar.
When you’ve got to eat, Baltimore with its vast seafood menus offers many venues. The off the beaten track funky Little Havana Bar and Grill offers many seafood based foods along with an extensive bar and their famous large Mojito.
Phillips Seafood (www.phillipsseafood.com) is a Baltimore tradition. They offer an upscale indoor or outdoor dining experience with reservations recommended. Their 8 ounce Crab Cake Extreme with Mac and Cheese, made with pure Jumbo Lump Crab with no fillers, is served in a skillet, and guaranteed to fill your Crab Cake desires. ($50.00)
If you plan to visit the Baltimore Museum of Art, be sure you check its times, as it is closed on Monday and Tuesdays. While it was closed the days I was in Baltimore I made sure I dined at Gertrude’s, where the Museum of Art displays culinary arts, under the expert guidance of owner, John Shields, is a must. Shields is a veteran TV host, and author and is called the “Culinary Ambassador of the Chesapeake Bay” with the restaurants opening in 1998. Gertrude’s is Shield’s tribute to his grandmother, Gertie. Shields is a personable entrepreneur and you may want to pickup one of his cookbooks including the 25th anniversary, “Chesapeake Bay Cooking.” Many menu options looked appealing but I chose the Irish Salmon, flown in to Gertrude’s several times a week. This is an example of the attention paid to the high standards that has made John Shield’s reputation.
An evening dining cruise aboard the Spirit of Baltimore, is a relaxing way to see more of the bay’s landscape while enjoying a buffet and beverages served by congenial staff. The cruise departs from the west wall of the harbor and cruises the Inner harbor along the Patapsco river, and includes glimpses of Fort Mc Henry. Come prepared for a casual and enjoyable evening, mixing with other tourist and those celebrating special occasions (www.spiritcruises.com/Baltimore).
While visiting the Fells Point area of the harbor you may want to stop in to the upscale Sagamore Hotel for a respite and beverage, or if your budget allows overnight accommodations. For a budget minded traveler the Days Inn Inner Harbor (www.daysinninnerharbor.com), about 3 blocks away from the harbor, and near the Horseshow Casino Baltimore, Ravens Stadium, and Oriole Park at Camden Yards, can fulfill your travel needs.
As you can guess there is much more to discover in Baltimore than I could cover in just two days, so historic and friendly Baltimore may require repeat visits (http://baltimore.org/).

The National Institutes of Health has awarded the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation $3.4 million to study age-related muscle atrophy and weakness.
The five-year grant follows a discovery by OMRF scientists Holly Van Remmen, Ph.D., and Jacob Brown, Ph.D., connecting age-related muscle loss called sarcopenia to a missing nerve signal.
Most people begin to experience progressive loss of muscle mass and strength in their 30s or 40s. The condition becomes more pronounced after age 65, leaving older people susceptible to falls and difficulty performing daily tasks.
“It’s just a natural process of aging, and some people lose more muscle mass and strength than others,” said Brown, a scientist in Van Remmen’s lab.
While inactivity is the most common contributor to sarcopenia, Van Remmen’s team has shown another cause: denervation, which is an interruption in communication with the nerves that connect muscles to the spinal cord. (STORY CONTINUES BELOW)

In recent work published in the journal Redox Biology, Van Remmen and Brown found that muscle makes a metabolite during denervation that leads to muscle atrophy. Metabolites are the products of chemical changes within a cell.
With the new grant, the researchers will study whether blocking the production of this metabolite protects against age-related muscle atrophy in research models.
“This is a novel area of research that we hope will lead to new possibilities to design much-needed pharmaceutical interventions,” said Van Remmen, who holds the G.T. Blankenship Chair in Aging Research. “Ultimately, we hope this path of research will extend the time that older adults can remain healthy and active.”
Without current drug options to treat sarcopenia, Van Remmen added that it’s important for older adults to ward off its progression by staying physically active and maintaining a healthy diet.
“Simple strength and resistance training paired with a diet that includes adequate amounts of healthy proteins can make a world of difference in maintaining muscle mass,” she said.

Story by Bobby Anderson, RN, Staff Writer

The new year has brought a new round of hospital layoffs as healthcare systems nationwide deal with surging labor costs, shortages, and declining revenues.
Locally, the first two weeks of January saw layoffs from Integris Health as well as OU Health.
Integris announced it was cutting some 200 positions while OU announced an equal number of layoffs.
In a statement, OU health announced the layoffs would coincide with its planned restructuring.
“As part of the redesign, OU Health will move from a holding company to an operating company structure with duplicative services and positions being eliminated,” the statement read. “An estimated 200 positions will be reconfigured to the new structure, which integrates the organization into clinical business.”
Integris Health announced its reduction would be the result of a combination of cuts.
“Financial challenges are multifold, but some include a dramatic rise in expenses due to labor shortages and supply-chain disruptions, and significantly lower patient volumes compared to pre-pandemic days,” the statement read.
Integris laid off 140 positions and cut 60 vacant jobs, according to a spokeswoman.
The healthcare industry has suffered from nursing shortages and the winter’s omicron surge, forcing many organizations to turn to contract workers demanding higher rates.
The loss of Covid subsidies from the federal government also impacted the ability to keep up with rising labor costs.
Many systems find themselves in a counter-intuitive role of both cutting positions while trying to recruit and retain nurses.
OU Health announced its organizational redesign to complete the integration from its historic merger on July 1, 2021.
OU Health was created as the flagship comprehensive, integrated academic health system to improve the care and outcomes for all Oklahomans. As the state’s academic referral health system, OU Health plays the unique role of providing critical specialty services with access to advanced technology and expertise.
“OU Health needs to support and enhance the capabilities of the state’s vital rural and regional hospitals as the flagship academic referral center. All care that can remain in a community should remain local, but if the patient needs a higher level of care, OU Health is here to serve,” said OU Health President and CEO Richard Lofgren, M.D., MPH.
The organizational redesign and operational restructure will enable OU Health to improve efficiencies and grow its impact in the state and region as well as create a highly integrated, modern clinical platform, one that serves even more Oklahomans.
“In order to grow and adapt to industry changes, we need to perform in terms of the quality of our services, patient experience, and the efficiency and effectiveness of our processes,” Lofgren said. “Oklahoma needs the unique specialty and sub-specialty services we provide. We are positioned with dedicated physicians and staff to fully realize our special mission of clinical care, education, and research. We are committed to our role of continuing to improve the care and outcomes for the region and beyond.”
Both health systems are still actively hiring bedside nurses offering both recruitment and retention bonuses.

Dear Recently,
I’m very sorry to hear about your uncle. The death of a loved of can bring about Whether or not you are required to file a federal income tax return this year will depend on how much you earned last year, as well as the source of the income, your age and filing status.
Here’s a rundown of this tax season’s IRS tax filing requirement thresholds.
For most people, this is pretty straightforward. If your 2022 gross income – which includes all taxable income, not counting your Social Security benefits, unless you are married and filing separately – was below the threshold for your filing status and age, you may not have to file. But if it’s over, you will.
* Single: $12,950 ($14,700 if you’re 65 or older by Jan. 1, 2022).
* Married filing jointly: $25,900 ($27,300 if you or your spouse is 65 or older; or $28,700 if you’re both over 65).
* Married filing separately: $5 at any age.
* Head of household: $19,400 ($21,150 if 65 or older).
* Qualifying widow(er) with dependent child: $25,900 ($27,300 if 65 or older).
To get a detailed breakdown on federal filing requirements, along with information on taxable and nontaxable income, call the IRS at 800-829-3676 and ask them to mail you a free copy of the “1040 and 1040-SR Instructions for Tax Year 2022,” or you can see it online at IRS.gov/pub/irs-pdf/i1040gi.pdf.
Check Here Too – Be aware that there are other financial situations that can require you to file a tax return, even if your gross income falls below the IRS filing requirements. For example, if you earned more than $400 from self-employment in 2022, owe any special taxes like an alternative minimum tax, or get premium tax credits because you, your spouse or a dependent is enrolled in a Health Insurance Marketplace plan, you’ll need to file.
You’ll also need to file if you’re receiving Social Security benefits, and one-half of your benefits plus your other gross income and any tax-exempt interest exceeds $25,000, or $32,000 if you’re married and filing jointly.
To figure all this out, the IRS offers an online tax tool that asks a series of questions that will help you determine if you’re required to file, or if you should file because you’re due a refund. It takes less than 15 minutes to complete.
You can access this tool at IRS.gov/Help/ITA – click on “Do I Need to File a Tax Return?” Or you can get assistance over the phone by calling the IRS helpline at 800-829-1040.
Check Your State – Even if you’re not required to file a federal tax return this year, don’t assume that you’re also excused from filing state income taxes. The rules for your state might be very different. Check with your state tax agency before concluding that you’re entirely in the clear. For links to state tax agencies see Taxadmin.org/state-tax-agencies.
Tax Preparation Help – If you find that you do need to file a tax return this year, you can free file through the IRS at IRS.gov/FreeFile if your 2022 adjusted gross income was below $73,000.
Or, if you need some help, contact the Tax Counseling for the Elderly (or TCE) program. Sponsored by the IRS, TCE 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 services near you.
You can also get tax preparation assistance through the AARP Foundation Tax-Aide service. Call 888-227-7669 or visit AARP.org/findtaxhelp for more information. 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.

For physicians Mitch and Kristin Earley, every day is take your spouse to work day. In clinic, they often go by Dr. Mitch and Dr. Kristin to avoid any confusion among patients. He is enthusiastic about men’s health, and she loves women’s health. Together, they provide the whole range of expertise to their patients after recently joining Mercy Clinic Primary Care – Northwest Family in Oklahoma City.
The Earleys met in medical school at Des Moines University’s College of Osteopathic Medicine when Dr. Mitch was going into his third year and Dr. Kristin was entering her first year.
“Our family has taken care of a lot of other families over the years, which has been very rewarding,” said Dr. Mitch.
Combined, Dr. Mitch and Dr. Kristin have over 42 years of experience in medicine. Sometimes patients overlap, which provides a unique experience for those receiving care and their families. As patients grow, Dr. Mitch tends to treat more of the men and Dr. Kristin sees more of the women and children. (STORY CONTINUES BELOS)

“Family medicine is a great field because we have the privilege of caring for multiple generations of families,” said Dr. Kristin. “When you treat the whole family, you have a better understanding of your patients’ health, living and family situation. It completes the picture and allows us to provide personalized and informed support.”
Treating multiple generations of families has also led to some memorable moments. Dr. Mitch said, “I remember one of my patients gave me a hand-drawn picture, and as I tried to figure out what it was, I learned it was multiple generations of family members that either I or my wife had helped take care of in this little girl’s family, which was a fun thing to see.”
Both physicians appreciate providing general family medicine to any patient, regardless of age or gender. Preventive care is also an essential part of their treatment philosophies.
“I’ve wanted to be a physician for as long as I can remember. I was fascinated by how the body worked as a child, and as I pursued my education and career, it developed into an interest about how the whole person works,” said Dr. Kristin. “I want to create a partnership with my patients so we can better their quality of life together.”
In addition to general and men’s health, Dr. Mitch also provides sports medicine expertise to his patients.
“One aspect of family medicine that challenges me is figuring out a diagnosis and then determining the best course of action for a patient,” said Dr. Mitch. “I also really enjoy the diversity of patients that family practice provides. I can practice a variety of skills that helps improve a patient’s life.”
When they are not caring for patients, the Earleys enjoy sports, travel, music, cooking and trying new foods.
Schedule online with Dr. Mitch at https://www.mercy.net/doctor/mitchell-l-earley-do/ and with Dr. Kristin at https://www.mercy.net/doctor/kristin-frady-earley-do/.

Story by Darl Devault, Contributing Editor

Seniors seeking affordable books and audiobooks can shop at the largest used book sale west of the Mississippi—the annual free two-day 43rd Friends of the Metro Library Booksale 2023. Thousands of book lovers will line up early Saturday, February 25 and Sunday, February 26, well before the 9 a.m. opening in the Oklahoma Expo Hall at the Oklahoma City State Fairgrounds. The sale closes at 5:30 p.m. each day.
“This event is such a great opportunity for folks to build a personal library and support the public library,” said Heather Zeoli, Metro Library System director of development.
Providing a diverse selection of paperback and hardcover books, CDs, DVDs, magazines and more for every demographic of customers this year, the sale’s theme is “Books Bring Us Together.” The books and much more feature a wide range of subjects—including fiction, nonfiction, cookbooks, biographies, medical, westerns, romance, children’s, encyclopedias, reference and foreign language books. Thousands of big print books printed are offered with larger point-size fonts to make it easier to read if you have weak eyesight, along with thousands of audiobooks.
In the General Area, hardback books are two dollars, paperbacks are one dollar (children’s paperbacks are 50 cents), and magazines are 3 for a dollar. Price lists for items in the general section are available online at supportmls.org/fol/booksale. Collectors go for the Items in the Better Books Room, which vary in price, mostly under $5.
The sale raises money to support the Metropolitan Library System In its 42-year run, the Friends have given more than $5 million in grants to the system. (STORY CONTINUES BELOW)

All of this is the product of the tireless efforts of hundreds of volunteers each year. “The volunteer connection lasts through the whole year – we hope everyone will come and join us for new friends and new books,” Zeoli said. Volunteering can provide seniors with a sense of purpose and fulfillment, an opportunity to socialize and connect with others, and positively impact their mental and physical health. It is a great opportunity for seniors to stay active and engaged with the community and contribute to positively impacting their peers’ lives.
With 800,000 books available, the sale becomes the largest bookstore in Oklahoma. Selective shoppers are advised to volunteer or join the nonprofit to ensure the best possible purchasing opportunity. Volunteers helping this year will be treated to the best possible selection opportunity available by having access to the sale on Thursday for a special volunteers-only session. Volunteer shifts are still open, as the group needs your help, so please visit supportmls.org/volunteer.
All volunteers receive a free T-shirt, service hours, and the chance to purchase items before the members’ sale. Volunteers are also welcome to shop on Sunday night and take materials for free. “Love of books and reading inspired my volunteering with the Friends of the Library,” Valerie Hernandez said. “Making sure others have the opportunity to select from all these books is why I help at both the sort site and the sale.”
Customers shop for many reasons. Some try to select bestsellers, classics, collectibles and research books needed for school. Others seek to complete personal libraries in certain subjects, while parents strive to enhance their children’s reading exposure.
Those who become members for $15 ahead of time can shop a Presale from 1 – 7 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 24. Held the day before the sale goes public, members are invited to first access. Children 11 and under accompanied by an adult are free. Those wishing to join the Friends may purchase memberships online until noon on February 23 by visiting supportmls.org/fol/membership. No memberships will be sold at the sale.
The sale is well established on the literary sale calendar for customers from all over Oklahoma, surrounding states and the region. The multi-day event attracts more than 10,000 book shoppers. Each year, a quick parking lot survey shows many customers are from out of state, coming to Oklahoma for the vast selection. In some ways, the diverse selection offered represents a snapshot of high-quality current American publishing with the bonus that everything is available for affordable purchase.
The Friends offer a year-round Amazon store to access their selection at Amazon.com. They also provide ‘Buy the Box’ sales where volunteers package and seal books by genre – buy a box of romance, mystery or children’s books – and enjoy the surprises inside.
The shopping is so robust at the sale volunteers offer a dozen checkout points in each section. And yet, so many customers arrive early a line forms for the first few hours each day.
The shopping is intense, almost competitive, as this is a once-a-year opportunity. Customers quickly buy the best music or audio CDs, gaming systems and video games, eReaders, DVDs and vinyl records. Organizers ask shoppers to refrain from bringing wheeled carts so everyone can quickly move among the sections of tables laden with thousands of books. Tables include a broad cross-section of interest, including books by Oklahoma authors—to books about Oklahoma.
Some year’s special sections offer brand new books donated when bookstores and Oklahoma publishing houses use their donations to balance their inventory.
Many business and industry concerns are well represented when entities going out of business donate their libraries. Retiring attorneys and doctors donate to provide shoppers the chance to buy current-within-four-years law textbooks or books of law statutes and medical textbooks or medical journals at a steep discount.
On Sunday night from 6 – 8, educators and nonprofits are invited to visit the sale and take home any leftover items for free. For more information and registration, please visit https://supportmls.org/npt/.

Again, volunteer shifts are still open, as the group is looking for help. To volunteer for the Booksale, visit https://supportmls.org/fol/volunteering/.

Bella Rose is a 5-year-old therapy pet for INTEGRIS Health Southwest Medical Center and Terry Wulff is her handler. Bella has a very unique skill. She is trained to tuck her tail between her legs while visiting patients in the hospital to keep her wagging tail from hitting medical cords.
INTEGRIS Health has a total of 34 therapy animals walking the halls of our hospitals statewide. They are an integral part of our team, lifting spirits and providing comfort wherever they go.
For more information about volunteer opportunities at INTEGRIS Health visit: https://integrisok.com/volunteer

Are you 60 years of age or better? The Ms. Senior America Pageant is the world’s first and foremost pageant to give honor to the women who have reached the “age of elegance” and Ms. Oklahoma Senior America is now seeking contestants to appear Saturday, April 15, 2023, at the Mustang Performing Arts Center, 200 W. Juniper, Mustang, OK 73064, at 1:00 p.m.
The contestant must be able to display a hobby or talent within 2 minutes and 45 seconds, model a long evening gown, give her philosophy of life within 35 seconds, and sit for a 5 minute interview. An information session about the Ms. Oklahoma Senior America Pageant will be held at the Album Quail Springs, 14201 N. Kentucky Ave., Oklahoma City, OK 73134, on Wednesday, February 1, 2023, from 1-3 p.m.
The winner will be sponsored by the Ms. Senior Oklahoma Foundation to compete in the National Ms. Senior America Pageant in Atlantic City, New Jersey, in October 2023. Her airfare, room and registration fee will be paid by the Foundation. Applications can be filled out on the Ms. Oklahoma Senior America Pageant Facebook page. For more information, contact Carol Kallenberger, Administrator, at msoksramerica@gmail.com.