The Metropolitan Library System is pleased to announce the annual Friends of the Library Booksale, scheduled to take place on February 24-25 at the Oklahoma Expo Hall Building, located at 3213 Wichita Walk within the OKC Fairgrounds. Running from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm on both Saturday and Sunday, this free and public event will feature an extensive collection of over 500,000 books, music, DVDs, Blu-rays, audiobooks, and more.
The sale will be divided into two rooms, with a general room offering $1 paperbacks and $2 hardbacks, and children’s items at half the price. The Better Books room will showcase items in better condition, with individually priced books starting at $3. Due to limited building occupancy, attendees are encouraged to dress appropriately for the weather.
The Booksale serves as the primary fundraiser for the Metropolitan Library System’s Friends of the Library, a 501c3 organization that, in collaboration with the library system’s 19 branches, has raised $6,000,000 in gifts over the years. These funds have supported various initiatives, including scholarships for library staff, technology for homework help, games, toys, supplies, and diverse library programming.
This year, proceeds from the Booksale will be combined with funding from the Library Endowment Trust to establish a sustainable fund for early childhood literacy outreach in Oklahoma County. The focus will include supporting the popular Dolly Parton Imagination Library book gifting program for preschoolers. For more information on this program, visit https://imaginationlibrary.com.
Members of the Friends of the Library will enjoy an exclusive members-only event on Friday, February 23, from 1:00 pm to 7:00 pm. This special preview is a token of appreciation for their ongoing support. Membership sign-ups are available at –
https://supportmls.org/fol/membership until 5:00 pm on February 21. No memberships or tickets will be sold at the event.
Becoming a Friends member is not only a commitment to fostering literacy but also a meaningful way to give back to the community. Volunteers are invited to register or find more information at https://supportmls.org/fol/volunteering. To express gratitude to our volunteers, they will receive an early shopping opportunity on February 22 from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm. Their assistance in setting up, customer service, book stocking, and more is invaluable to the success of the event.
Teachers and nonprofits interested in claiming leftover items at the end of the sale on February 25 from 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm can register at https://metrolibrary.wufoo.com/forms/w1hn7kl51k5zgiq.

How many daily steps do we really need for optimum health? Ten thousand steps seems to be the gold standard in most of what we read to keep diabetes and high blood pressure (as well as several other conditions) at bay. And how do we keep track of all our steps?
Before you decide on a target number of steps per day, call your medical provider and ask how many you should be doing. You might learn that with an otherwise active, healthy life, several thousand steps per day might be enough, rather than the whole 10,000.
How to count those steps is the tricky part. I have several of those little clip-on step counters, and unfortunately, they all come up with different results. I have no way of knowing which are accurate.
There is a popular tracker called Fitbit, a fancy step counter that looks like a watch. Each model has pros and cons, per thousands of online reviews. Some do more than just count steps; they also keep tabs on your location with GPS, your pace and how far you’ve walked, your sleep profile, your heart rate and your stress level. They can be pricey, especially if you want to unlock all the features and sign up for Fitbit Premium to see all your data on the dashboard.
Your best bet is to Google “best step counters for seniors” and wade through a few dozen choices. You’ll find Apple Watch, 3DTriSport Walking 3D Pedometer, Garmin Vivofit 4 activity tracker and so many more. If you have a subscription to Consumer Reports, check their reviews on activity trackers for seniors.
Before you opt for an expensive tracker, visit a store where they are sold and try them out. A watch font might be too tiny to read, or a clip-on might not stay clipped on.
Bonus: Several Medicare Advantage plans provide either free or reduced-cost Fitbit devices.

By Nick Thomas

Born 109 years ago this February, glamorous actress Ann Sheridan (1915-1967) was destined for branding as the “Oomph Girl” following a mock contest organized by the Warner Brothers publicity department in 1939.
Stunning on-screen and becoming a favorite pin-up girl of World War II troops, Sheridan could play any character – tough or tender, funny or flirty, sassy or seductive. She delighted audiences with her witty wisecracks and clever comebacks. While she certainly possessed an abundance of entertainment oomph, her feelings were mixed about the public label throughout her life.
The Texas native starred in some memorable films of the 40s such as “The Man Who Came to Dinner,” “Angels with Dirty Faces,” and “I Was a Male War Bride,” but never really landed a lead role in a true Hollywood blockbuster in her more than 80 feature films.
In declining health at just 50, Sheridan ended her career in the little-remembered TV comedy western “Pistols ‘n’ Petticoats” that ran for one season in the 1960s. Co-starring with Carole Wells, the former “National Velvet” series actress was one of the last to work with Sheridan and played her daughter in the CBS show.
“I’d never met her before that,” Wells told me in 2020. “In fact, I didn’t really know who she was – she had been a star before I was born.”
The two first met the first day on set.
“We sat around a big table and read the script with the producers, writers, and director, and she was very charming but rather quiet,” recalled Wells. “We would do this every week before filming and she was always just a down-to-earth sort of person.”
Wells says the two chatted often but never became very close during the months they worked together.
“I’d see her in the mornings in the make-up department and give her a hug and say, ‘How ya doin’ Annie?’ And she’d say something like ‘wish I felt as good as you sweetie’ – she called everyone sweetheart or sweetie. She was never well from the beginning of the series.”
In the mornings Sheridan was usually okay, according to Wells, but by noon usually couldn’t work.
“It took a lot out of her and she would have to go back to her dressing room,” said Wells who would spend lunch hour learning Sheridan’s lines that would be rewritten for Wells to work into the script if Sheridan couldn’t make it back to the set. “But I didn’t care because I knew she was ill.”
Wells also remembers Sheridan as a chronic smoker.
“As sick as she was with cancer and emphysema, she was never without a cigarette in her mouth except while filming,” said Wells. “She was very frail and thin and kept getting thinner as the series progressed. Basically, I watched her die in front of me. But with all she was going through, I never heard her complain and she was always very kind and respectful to me.”
Sheridan struggled through most of the series but was too ill for the final half-dozen episodes.
“I knew she wasn’t going to be around much longer,” said Wells. “One day she was on the set, then the next day she wasn’t and we never saw her again. When we heard she had passed away, the cast had a lunch to memorialize her.”
Wells believes doing the show was good for Sheridan who still bravely displayed plenty of ‘oomph’ despite her failing health.
“Before the series started, she had a facelift and got herself together,” says Wells. “I think being part of the show might have helped her live a little longer.”

Nick Thomas teaches at Auburn University at Montgomery in Alabama and has written features, columns, and interviews for numerous newspapers and magazines (see https://www.getnickt.org/).

The National Institutes of Health has awarded the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation $5.8 million to work toward easier diagnosis and better treatment options for Sjögren’s disease, an autoimmune condition.
In Sjögren’s, immune cells attack moisture-producing glands, causing painful dry eyes and mouth. It can result in irreversible tissue damage, neurological problems, lung disease and cancer. There is no known cure, and current treatments address only the symptoms.
OMRF scientists Joel Guthridge, Ph.D., Darise Farris, Ph.D., and Christopher Lessard, Ph.D., received a four-year grant through the Accelerating Medicines Partnership in Autoimmune and Immune-Mediated Diseases Program (AMP AIM). The team’s goal is to develop less invasive clinical tools to diagnose patients more effectively and identify new targets for future treatments.
“This disease is notoriously difficult to diagnose,” said Lessard, who’s been studying Sjögren’s at OMRF since 2007. “It shares features with many autoimmune diseases and lacks effective diagnostic markers, which makes studying it challenging. This grant provides us with technology to analyze the salivary glands of people with Sjögren’s in a way that wasn’t possible previously.”
The researchers will use blood and biopsy tissue samples donated to OMRF by people with Sjögren’s to better understand different patient sub-groups’ genetic and molecular characteristics.
“This knowledge should help clinicians diagnose the disease more easily and determine who may benefit from different potential therapies,” Guthridge said.
Most studies of Sjögren’s have focused on patients who test positive for certain autoantibodies in the blood. However, a significant percentage of people with the disease test negative for those autoantibodies. In those cases, diagnosis requires an invasive biopsy of the salivary glands.
“Of the more than 600 people seen in our research clinic who met the criteria for Sjögren’s, about 40% tested negative for these autoantibodies,” said Farris, the Alvin Chang Chair of Biomedical Research at the OMRF. “This positions us to study the molecular issues unique to that particular Sjögren’s patient group.”
AMP AIM is a nationwide public-private partnership aimed at developing more effective treatments for autoimmune diseases. The partnership involves the NIH, Foundation for the National Institutes of Health, nonprofit disease foundations, biopharmaceutical and life-science companies, and 52 research institutions. OMRF Executive Vice President & Chief Medical Officer Judith James, M.D., Ph.D., is chair of the more than $60 million program.
The AMP AIM Sjögren’s research is funded by grant No. 3UC2 AR081032-02S1 from the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, part of the NIH. Farris and Guthridge received support from the Oklahoma City-based Presbyterian Health Foundation for experiments preceding the NIH grant. Additional support came to Farris from the Oklahoma Center for the Advancement of Science & Technology and to Guthridge from the Oklahoma Center for Adult Stem Cell Research.

For more information about ongoing Sjögren’s research at OMRF, visit https://omrf.org/patient-studies/sjogrens-disease/sjogrens/.

By Marilyn Olson, Executive Director, VillagesOKC

VillagesOKC continues it’s free daylong workshops focused on senior health with “Listen to Your Gut” on February 21. The workshop at the Metro Technology Center, 1900 Springlake Dr. will feature two speakers, a light lunch and resource tables. Presented by VillagesOKC, the lead sponsor is CompleteOK Home Health and Hospice.
Gut health refers to the health of the entire digestive system and the health of the microorganisms living in the digestive tract. This includes the esophagus, stomach, small intestine and large intestine. When you eat food or drink liquid, your body breaks those items down into nutrients (carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, etc.) as they travel through your digestive tract.
Debbie Ozment, DDS, MS, will address “Vitality Takes Guts: How Your Microbiome Impacts Health.” Gut microbiome is the collection of all the bacteria that live within the gut. Candace Sturlin, PA-C, will be speaking on “Wellness and Longevity of the Gut.”
Contrary to what many people believe, not all bacteria are threats to health. In fact, the gut microorganisms are critical to many of the body’s processes, and when these bacteria are healthy, they have a huge positive impact on our overall health. However, chronic inflammation can accelerate disease progression.
Dr. Ozment is committed to early diagnosis and intervention of periodontal disease to positively affect not only the mouth, but the entire body. According to Dr. Ozment, gum disease is an early warning of larger disease problems: heart disease, cancer, Type 2 diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis among other afflictions.
She has been a private-practice dentist since 1985. A graduate of Oklahoma University College of Dentistry, she served as adjunct faculty there for seven years. Dr. Ozment completed a Masters’ degree in Metabolic and Nutritional Medicine from the University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine and is a Diplomate with the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine. Trained at Mayo Clinic, she is a Nationally Board Certified Health and Wellness Coach.
Sturlin has extensive training and over 21 years of experience in Family Medicine, Anti-Aging, Emergency Medicine, Urology and Sexual Medicine. A graduate of Southern Nazarene University, she earned a Master of Science as a Physician Associate with Distinction from the University of Oklahoma Health Science Center College of Medicine. She joined Total Healthcare Partners and Wellness and Longevity in 2010 working along side Dr. Paul Rothwell to promote individuals living healthier lives through wellness to reduce sickness.
Registration for the free workshop is required on the VillagesOKC events calendar
https://villagesokc.org/calendar or by calling (405) 990-6637.

Dear Savvy Senior, Does Medicare cover any weight-loss treatments for overweight retirees? I just turned 65 and need to lose about 100 pounds and would like to know if Medicare can help. Overweight Owen 

Dear Owen,
Yes, traditional Medicare does indeed cover some weight-loss treatments like counseling and certain types of surgery for overweight beneficiaries, but unfortunately it doesn’t cover weight-loss programs or medications. Here’s what you should know.
Who’s Eligible
For beneficiaries to receive available Medicare-covered weight-loss treatments your body mass index (BMI), which is an estimate of your body fat based on your height and weight, must be 30 or higher.
A BMI of 30 or above is considered obese and increases your risk for many health conditions, such as some cancers, coronary heart disease, type 2 diabetes, stroke and sleep apnea. To find out your BMI, the National Institutes of Health has a free calculator that you can access online at nhlbi.nih.gov/health/educational/lose_wt/BMI/bmicalc.htm.
What’s Covered
If you find that your BMI is 30 or higher, Medicare Part B will cover up to 12 months of weight-loss counseling conducted by a medical professional in a primary care setting (like a doctor’s office).
Most counseling sessions entail an initial obesity screening, a dietary assessment and behavioral therapy designed to help you lose weight by focusing on diet and exercise.
Medicare also covers certain types of bariatric and metabolic surgery for morbidly obese beneficiaries who have a BMI of 35 or above and have at least one underlying obesity-related health condition, such as diabetes or heart disease. You must also show that you’ve tried to lose weight in the past through dieting or exercise and have been unsuccessful.
These procedures make changes to your digestive system to help you lose weight and improve the health of your metabolism.
Some common bariatric surgical procedures covered include Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery, which reduces the stomach to a small pouch that makes you feel full even following small meals. And laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding, which inserts an inflatable band that creates a gastric pouch encircling the top of the stomach.
What’s Not Covered
Unfortunately, original Medicare does not cover weight-loss programs such as fitness or gym memberships, meal delivery services, or popular weight-loss programs such as Jenny Craig, Noom and WW (formerly Weight Watchers).
Medicare also does not cover any weight-loss drugs, but it does cover FDA approved diabetes drugs that have unintentionally become very popular for weight loss.
Medicare Part D plans cover Ozempic and Mounjaro for diabetes only, not for weight loss! So, your doctor will need to prescribe these medications for diabetes in order to get them covered.
Medicare also does not cover Wegovy or Zepbound because they’re approved only for weight loss.
The reason behind the weight-loss drug omission is the Medicare Modernization Act, which specifically excluded them back when the law was written 20 years ago. They also excluded drugs used for cosmetic purposes, fertility, hair growth and erectile dysfunction.
Medicare Advantage
If you happen to be enrolled in a private Medicare Advantage plan, you may have coverage for gym memberships and some weight loss and healthy food delivery programs. These are considered expanded supplemental benefits and have gradually been added to some plans to provide coverage for nutrition, health and wellness. Contact your plan to see what it provides.
Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit https://savvysenior.org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of “The Savvy Senior” book.

Friday morning, January 12th was a cold and windy day in Norman.  Would the Elvis Day Event at the city’s Adult Wellness and Education Center be postponed? When I got there around 11 a.m. the parking lot was nearly full. Inside classes where in full swing and members where milling around, playing cards and billiards, watching TV or simply sitting and chatting.
Aging Services was preparing to serve lunch in the Multipurpose room. Velvet Elvis paintings were in progress in the Dry Craft Room and a few members were working out in the Fitness Center. All of that before lunch!
During lunch Elvis performed on stage!!
Later that afternoon I talked with Katherine Leidy, Healthy Living Norman Branch Manager. I asked her if it was usual for the parking lot to be full as it was when I arrived.
“I would like to think that more people came for the Elvis Day Event but in truth if you come here any day between 11 and 1 it will be full. Aging Services serves lunch during that time,” she said.
But lunch certainly wasn’t the only thing happening there  that day. The gym had people working out on the equipment and walking the indoor track. Others were in the pool exercising and relaxing in toasty warmth during this frigid day.
“Membership is $35 a month. But we do have a sliding scale for those with lower incomes. We also accept Silver Sneakers and Renew Active, which cover the monthly membership fee,” Leidy explained.
Membership includes access to the gym and pool as well as all activities and classes. While some classes may have a fee for materials, entry is included. For instance, during the Elvis Day Events, the painting classes had a small fee but the Cooking Class: A Healthy Twist on Elvis’ Favorites did not. Neither did the Elvis Movie Marathon or Jeopardy: Elvis Edition.
This is an awesome new center geared to 50+ persons to encourage  health, wellness and camaraderie. If you want to just check it out they have a day pass for $10. Check out the schedule of events at www.healthylivingnorman.com.

PS I heard a rumor about Beatle Mania in February!

Last year began as I was sworn into my second and last term as your Oklahoma Insurance Commissioner. I am always grateful for your continued trust and the unique opportunity it is to serve my fellow Oklahomans. Last year was also an eventful year from an insurance standpoint. From severe weather to changes in the insurance market, the Oklahoma Insurance Department (OID) was here with you through all of it. I want to highlight some of our work from 2023 and discuss what’s in store for this year.
We were here to help.
As we state in our vision, OID’s top priority is to protect Oklahoma consumers. Last year, our Consumer Assistance division assisted with 13,157 phone calls and 2,784 complaints, resulting in 327 external reviews and $8,295,011 recovered for consumers. Our Anti-Fraud division also assisted with 1,414 complaints. With the Life Insurance Policy Locator, we matched Oklahoma beneficiaries with $49 million in life insurance benefits…that they didn’t know they had! Additionally, through all the winter weather, wildfires, hail and tornadoes, we were ready to provide assistance and answer your insurance questions. We help Oklahomans in their time of need, and I want to reiterate that if you need assistance or would like to file a complaint, please contact us at 800-522-0071 or visit oid.ok.gov.
We met with those we serve.
My team and I love getting out in the communities we serve and meeting consumers and insurance industry professionals. We arranged Coffee with the Commissioner and attended Mix and Mingle events across the state, where we met with chambers of commerce, licensed agents, Rotary Club chapters and other organizations to learn ways we can better serve the community. In September, we set up a booth at the Oklahoma State Fair to inform thousands of consumers about our services while having fun in the process. In addition to these events, our Medicare Assistance Program (MAP) was active, giving 303 community presentations and engaging in 19,254 one-on-one client contacts, leading to 27,164 people reached. If you’d like to host an event with us, visit http://www.oid.ok.gov/speaker or call our office at 800-522-0071.
We informed and advocated for Oklahomans.
In 2023, we looked for new ways to reach consumers and licensed producers. We launched campaigns like Here to Help, Ask OID and Winter Weather to give guidance on what Oklahomans should know about insurance. We brought you 13 new episodes of the Mulready Minutes podcast, where we featured informative guests to share perspectives and information on topics such as Medicare Open Enrollment, captive insurance and the different divisions at OID. Our team also produced six episodes of the Medicare Monday webinar, and we hosted our first Insurance Day, where we connected with 125 industry professionals on issues affecting the insurance industry in Oklahoma and across the country. As a reminder, you can keep up with the latest news and events with us by following us on social media and subscribing to email news updates at https://oid.ok.gov/subscribe.
We’re looking forward to 2024.
Before looking ahead, I’d like to thank the OID team, who are dedicated state employees who make all of this possible. We expect 2024 to come with unique challenges and opportunities, but our commitment to serving Oklahomans will not change. We will keep you informed by bringing you new podcast episodes, webinars, campaigns and events in your own community. Check out our 2023 Annual Report for more information on all the work we do at OID. Here’s to a successful 2024!

SENIOR LIVING TRUTH SERIES BEGINS NINTH YEAR OF EDUCATING

Story by Eddie Roach, contributing writer

Senior Living Truth Series is gearing up for its ninth year of offering free monthly seminars intended to educate, equip and empower mature Oklahomans as they enter new and often uncharted territories. This year, the series will focus more on a person’s stage in life rather than on a person’s age.
The 2024 series began on January 11 at 10 a.m. in the Atrium at Crossings Community Church with the “The Truth about Longevity: Stage Versus Age.”
“In a world where age often defines one’s abilities and limitations, this seminar challenges these stereotypes and encourages attendees to embrace the full spectrum of our life’s journey,” said series organizer Dr. Nikki Buckelew, PhD.
Buckelew is a native Oklahoman and nationally recognized speaker, educator, and coach known for her ability to deliver tough topics with enthusiasm and candor.
She said the first seminar will set the tone for coming sessions and will help attendees gain a better understanding of the distinction between lifespan (an age concept) and healthspan (a stage concept).
“Three people, all seventy years old, while the same age, may not have the same needs,” Buckelew said. “We have to be sensitive to this and share information that meets everyone at their unique stage in life.”
She highlighted topics for the first quarter of 2024. The remainder of the year’s schedule is available at www.seniorlivingtruthseries.com.
The February 8 topic is “The Truth about Staying Purposeful at Every Stage of Life.”
“Whether you’re planning to retire (or already have) or considering an alternative path, this discussion promises to offer fresh perspectives and truths often not shared,” Buckelew said.
The March 14 topic is “The Quest for Truth: Medicine, Healthcare, and Aging.”
“While we may not have all the answers, our seminar aims to empower you by providing key questions and trusted resources,” she said. “Join us for an enlightening discussion that navigates the complexities of healthcare, challenges the status quo, and points you in the right direction for informed decision-making in your unique stage of life.”
About a dozen education partners work with the Senior Living Truth Series to ensure a broad range of input to meet attendees’ needs. Education partners donate time, money, space, and resources so that programming can be provided at no cost to participants. While targeted toward mature adults in various stages, anyone is welcome to attend.
“We welcome anyone who believes the information would be valuable to them,” Buckelew said. “If you are not a senior (yet), but are seeking information to navigate your own stages in life as you mature, please join us.”
Thanks to Crossings Community Church which provides space for the 90-minute seminars held on the second Thursday of the month at 10 a.m. in the Atrium at Crossings Community Church, 14600 N Portland.
Pre-registration is available at https://seniorlivingtruthseries.com/ or by calling (405) 563-7501.