Visit: https://www.tealridge.com/

story and photos by Bobby Anderson, Staff Writer

It was mid-February and the conversations next door to the Tealridge Retirement Community dining room flowed like water.
Daily laughter and connection aren’t uncommon occurrences at the all-inclusive Edmond retirement community, but this day something was different.
On this day, residents had the undivided attention of a group of Oklahoma Christian University students hoping to cull a lifetime of experience and knowledge to help them on their educational journey.
For a minimum of eight hours during the spring semester, nearly 40 college students from multiple disciplines are involved with a program that pairs them with a Tealridge resident.
Leading the program is Dr. Tina Winn, professor of psychology.
Dr. Winn said psychology students and family science majors both are gaining the benefit of the living history lessons they receive during each meeting.
For the students, it’s a chance to learn and grow.
For residents, it’s a chance to share their legacy.
“We’re studying it out of the book. Now they get to take that and put it into context and personalize it,” Winn said. “My goal is for them to take the theories and the ideas and apply them in a way that it’s meaningful. It’s going to enhance their understanding and break down some of the myths and increase awareness and comfort levels among the generations.
“It’s one thing to learn it out of the book but then when it gets applied and contextualized it becomes meaningful and something that can be used.”
Winn’s doctorate is in counseling and student personnel. She’s taught in psychology and family science areas since 1998.
She’s taught at the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma in Chickasha and Northwestern Oklahoma State University in Alva.
She says this program is one of the most meaningful she’s participated in because of the chance for both sides to benefit and share.
“At the end (of the course) my ultimate, bottom line hope is for them to have a deep understanding of people in this stage of life but also in themselves and how they see themself progressing,” Winn said. “Once we break down some of the myths it really impacts how we live today even if we are not in late adulthood we are heading there.”
Facilitating the program is Tealridge Executive Director Melissa Mahaffey, MHA.
“Each retiree has a wonderful story to tell,” Mahaffey said. “Each individual – both students and residents – will be blessed beyond measure for the time that they will be able to spend with one another.”
“We have residents that have life experiences that are unmatched to any textbook at any level of education. Each participant will no doubt have a better understanding of what was life some six decades ago or even longer. Socialization, meaningful interactions and purposeful life is what it is all about. We are very fortunate to be able to partner with such a great professor and students.”
Each student is paired with a resident for the entirety of the semester. Over the course of the semester, weekly meetings will occur.
Winn said one of the goals is to reinforce how active of a demographic the senior population represents. Learning from that group and getting feedback on issues ranging from government policy to religion to family values will be vital to students as they begin their careers in their chosen fields.
Every day in the U.S., 10,000 people turn 65, and the number of older adults will more than double during the next several decades to top 88 million people and represent more than 20 percent of the population by 2050.
“I strongly believe that communication and knowledge are important for all generations,” Mahaffey said. “Each generation has something to share with each other – whether it be a skill, true historical accounts of memorial events, or just a way to share knowledge about an important event in someone’s life. Bridging the gap between generations will absolutely be a meaningful memory for both resident and student.”
And it all starts with a conversation.

For more information about Tealridge Retirement Community visit: https://www.tealridge.com/ or call 405-608-8020.

Dear Savvy Senior, A while back I saw an article on different ways to scatter a person’s ashes after they’re cremated, but I’ve misplaced it. Can you help me with this? I’m preplanning my funeral and would like to include instructions on what to do with my remains that my family will appreciate. Planning Ahead

Dear Planning,
There’s no shortage of options when it comes to handling or disposing of your cremated remains after you’re gone. Your family can keep, bury or scatter them in a variety of imaginative ways that reflect your life and personality. Here are some different options to consider.
Scatter them: The most popular option is to have your ashes scattered at a location you loved to be i.e., a favorite fishing spot, camping area, golf course, beach, park or at home. If you choose this route, keep in mind that some places, such as national parks, require a permit. And many public areas, like parks or sports stadiums may prohibit scattering.
Store them at home: Many families choose to keep their loved ones close, by storing them at home. If you and your family choses this option, you can purchase a decorative urn through your funeral provider or online at Amazon.com. Or you may want to use an old cookie jar or favorite container that reminds your family of you.
Bury/inter them: The burial option is good if you wish to have a special place for your family to visit. This is also the only option for cremated ashes sanctioned by the Catholic Church, which specifies that ashes of the dead should be kept in sacred places like a cemetery or a columbarium and not kept at home or scattered.
Plant them: If you’re the environmental type, you can have your ashes planted with a tree. There are companies that offer living urns – like TheLivingUrn.com or UrnaBios.com – that mix your ashes with other nutrients that can be used to grow a plant or tree in your yard or a place of your choosing.
Scatter them at sea: If you love the water, there are many businesses that offer ash scattering services at sea, especially close to coastal areas, or your family could rent a boat and do it themselves. There are also companies like EternalReefs.com that offer reef memorials so your ashes can rest on the ocean floor.
Scatter them by air: This option will scatter your ashes into the sky so the particles can be taken by the wind. To do this, they could hire a private plane, helicopter or hot air balloon service, or use a balloon scattering service like Mesoloft.com. Or they could even send your ashes into outer space with Celestis.com.
Turn them into a record: If you love music, a UK company called Vinlyly (Andvinyly.com) will turn your ashes into a vinyl record. You supply the music (or voice recording) and cover image, and the company creates a memorial that your family can listen to for years to come.
Turn them into jewelry or glass: If you love jewelry or glass trinkets, there are companies – like CloseByMeJewelry.com, SpiritPieces.com and ArtFromAshes.com – that will turn your ashes into wearable jewelry or glass art memorials.
Go out with a bang: If you’re a hunter or a gun lover, a company called Holy Smoke (MyHolySmoke.com) will create loaded ammunition out of cremated remains. Your family could store the ammo in the engraved wooden box it comes in, or they can send you off in a gun salute.
Turn them into art: If you love art, arrange for an artists or family member to paint your portrait, or a picture, with some of your ashes mixed into the paint. Or, if your family is into tattoos, many tattoo artists will mix some ashes with ink to create a memorial tattoo.
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.

INTEGRIS Hospice and Palliative Care Services is hosting a free Grief Support Group facilitated by Chaplain Kelly Russell.
The next series will be on Thursdays from 6:30 – 8 p.m., from March 3 through April 7, 2022. The meetings will be held in the INTEGRIS Health Hospice Administration Building, located at 5710 N.W. 130th Street in Oklahoma City.
If you have lost a loved one, grief is a normal and natural response. Sharing your grief with others and listening to the experiences of others can help you to be heard and know you are not alone in your grief. The program is free of charge, but space is limited. To enroll, please call 405-609-4578 or register online.
To register online, click here: Grief Support Group | INTEGRIS Health (coursestorm.com)
To learn more about our grief support program, click here: https://integrisok.com/locations/hospice-and-home-care/integris-hospice-in-okc/grief-recovery-resources

*As of 2022-02-26 at 7:00 a.m.

Photography and Text by Terry “Travels with Terry” Zinn t4z@aol.com

If you have been following my travel and entertainment articles for a while, you will recognize my affinity for New Orleans especially during their Tennessee Williams Literary Festival. This year it’s returning to the French Quarter slated for March 23 – 27. I enjoy the ambiance of the French Quarter and no more than when a festival is on tap. Again this year the TWF is filled with drama, workshops, food and libations. Special guests often are invited to speak and it’s a chance to be up close and personal with celebrities you might never get a chance to meet. In past years I have had the pleasure of meeting, Bob Schieffer, Richard Thomas, Tab Hunter. Cokie Roberts, Rex Read and Tennessee Williams brother, among others.
While the organized festival offers a lot to take in, its main attraction might just be the atmosphere, history and romance of the French Quarter itself, where in its lanes you can discover shops, eateries and museums for your personal exploration.
The festival press release offers a plethora of information for your consideration and in purchasing tickets to the offerings.
“After a canceled Festival in 2020 and a Virtual Festival last year, we are so happy to be returning to our home at the Hotel Monteleone once again for our five-day Festival,” said Paul J. Willis, Executive Director. “Our speakers and patrons are excited about our return, and we can’t wait to celebrate the 75th anniversary of ‘A Streetcar Named Desire’ with everyone. Several of our special events focus on this beloved Pulitzer Prize-winning play, including our opening night, tribute reading, and breakfast book club. We are working with city officials to create the safest environment possible so everyone can enjoy the Festival once again.”
The 2022 program includes writer’s craft sessions, literary discussions, theatre, food and music events, a scholars conference, several walking tours, a book fair, writing marathons, and special evening events and social gatherings.
Opening Night of the Festival kicks off March 23, co-hosted by two-time Tony Award winner, Michael Cerveris, and New Orleans singer-songwriter, Arséne DeLay. The evening will toast “A Streetcar Named Desire” with musical performances, scenes from the play, Harry Mayronne’s Marionnettes, drag queens, and more.
The annual Tennessee Williams Tribute Reading returns with Williams’ poetry, prose, and letters, as well as some surprising reviews, critical responses, adaptations, draft material, and playful insights into the enduring cultural reception of “A Streetcar Named Desire.” Readers include Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Jericho Brown, Michael Cerveris, Brenda Currin, Jewelle Gomez, among others.
TWFest is hosting “Cocktails with Tennessee: Making Magic Happen With 4 Drinks Inspired by His Characters.” Bakery Bar’s Joe Witkowski, will meld his bartending and theatrical skills to create one-of-a-kind cocktails. Sue Strachan, author of “The Café Brûlot,” will join him at New Orleans’ classic restaurant, Antoine’s.

The Tennessee Williams Theatre Company of New Orleans, in collaboration with TWFest, will perform a night of Tennessee Williams spoofs that showcase the playwright’s most iconic characters and plots in a completely different style.
Most Festival events take place in New Orleans’ historic French Quarter. Sites providing generous support include Hotel Monteleone, the Festival’s host hotel; The Historic New Orleans Collection; Williams Research Center; the New Orleans Jazz Museum; Beauregard-Keyes House; Muriel’s Jackson Square; and Palm Court Jazz Cafe; among others.
Festival Tickets are on sale now. Prices for most individual events range from $10 to $45. For more information and a full listing of events visit tennesseewilliams.net. Find them on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @TWFestNOLA.

Mr. Terry Zinn – Travel Editor
Past President: International Food Wine and Travel Writers Association
3110 N.W. 15 Street – Oklahoma City, OK 73107
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Scholarship applications are being sought for the 2022 Oklahoma Chapter Hearing Loss Association scholarships. Oklahomans with hearing loss who plan to attend higher education in the fall of 2022 are encouraged to apply. The application deadline is April 4, 2022. This will be the 7th year scholarships have been offered. The local chapter has given away $16,000 to Oklahoma students and this year there will be 3 awards of $1,500 each. The Scholarship Application and Rules are available on our website: oklahomahearingloss.org
The Hearing Loss Association of America Central Oklahoma Chapter is a 501(c)3 tax exempt organization. Our chapter is run entirely by volunteers. There are no paid positions. [HLAA hopes to open the world of communication to people who have a hearing loss by providing information, education, support, and advocacy.]

The National Institutes of Health has awarded the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation a five-year, $3.1 million grant for research aimed at reducing the main cause of death from infection.
OMRF scientist Florea Lupu, Ph.D., hopes his research leads to a new therapeutic treatment for sepsis, which kills about 270,000 people per year in the United States — more than lung cancer, breast cancer and drug overdoses combined.
“We are targeting a specific part of the immune system called the ‘complement system,’ which helps clear away bacteria in early sepsis but then becomes detrimental and contributes to organ failure,” Lupu said.
Sepsis occurs when the immune system overcompensates for an underlying infection, most commonly in the lungs, urinary tract, skin or gastrointestinal tract. If not treated early, this overcompensation causes widespread blood clotting and ultimately septic shock, which is characterized by severe loss of blood pressure leading to multiple organ failure.
According to the World Health Organization, globally, sepsis accounted for 11 million or 20% of all deaths in 2017, the most recent year for which data is available.
Lupu’s lab will build upon his prior research of the complement system’s role in sepsis. The work will focus on two infections that often trigger the condition: E. coli and staph.
The complement system is a large protein network in plasma. Those proteins are activated to form a cascade response to fight infection. However, one of these proteins, known as C5, morphs from friend into foe during sepsis by killing healthy cells and causing inflammation.
Lupu hopes to pinpoint the moment when C5 turns traitor and then target it with a drug that inhibits activation.
“The timing for an inhibitor is crucial,” Lupu said. “If you try to block C5 too early, you also block the clearance of bacteria. If you go in too late, it’s probably not helpful because the damage is already done.”
Lupu also hopes to determine the value of treating sepsis early with a blood thinner before shifting to a C5 inhibitor. Both drugs would be used in tandem with antibiotics, Lupu said.
“Sepsis progresses very quickly,” Lupu said. “Once it reaches the point of septic shock, the odds of survival decrease by 8% for each hour of delay in treatment. So that’s the biggest challenge – finding that narrow window to a successful outcome.”
The grant, 1R01AI168355-01, is funded by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, part of the National Institutes of Health.

The Retired Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) of Central Oklahoma announces new members to its board of directors, Maria Fernanda, and to its advisory council, Jamie Jeter.
Fernanda is the Community Outreach Specialist with Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Oklahoma. She holds a bachelor’s degree in family studies from Southern Nazarene University. She serves on the board of Possibilities Inc.; Calm Waters, serving on the fundraising committee; and the United Way of Central Oklahoma, serving on the allocation committee. She has served as a member of the Calle Dos Cinco civic group and served on the Citizens Advisory Board for the City of Oklahoma City. In addition, she has volunteered with Hilltop Pediatrics and the Integris Mobile Clinic.
RSVP of Central Oklahoma welcomes back seasoned advisory council member Jamie Jeter, who previously served a three-year term on the advisory council. Jeter retired from working in contracting and finance at Tinker Air Force Base after 37 years, serving in management the last eight years of her career. She is an avid volunteer, serving at Alliance Health, Midwest City, as auxiliary treasurer and office manager and a strong supporter of RSVP’s mission.
Since 1973, RSVP of Central Oklahoma has helped older adults continue to live with purpose and meaning by connecting them with rewarding community volunteer opportunities, including RSVP’s Provide-A-Ride Senior Transportation Program. RSVP is a partner of AmeriCorps Seniors and the United Way of Central Oklahoma. To learn more about RSVP of Central Oklahoma, call 405-605-3110 or visit rsvpokc.org. You can also follow RSVP on Facebook at facebook.com/RSVPokc.

As COVID-19 continues to spread across the world, the workforce challenges in the U.S. long term care industry, which have been exacerbated by the pandemic, remains at a crisis level. Unless Congress acts, nursing homes and assisted living communities will increasingly have to take drastic measures, furthering limiting access to care for vulnerable seniors.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), nursing homes have lost 238,000 caregivers since the beginning of the pandemic. A report from the American Health Care Association/National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL) summarizing BLS data with new January numbers showed that overall long term care workforce levels are the lowest they have been in 15 years.
While a labor shortage exists across many health care settings, BLS data illustrates the dramatic scope of the challenge facing the long term care industry in particular. For instance, hospitals have lost two percent of their workforce, compared to a 15 percent workforce decline among nursing homes and a seven percent decline among assisted living communities.
As pandemic burnout worsens, skilled caregivers are looking elsewhere for work. While many long term care providers have dedicated extensive resources to honor frontline heroes’ extraordinary efforts, current government reimbursement rates limit their ability to make additional investments and compete against other employers for workers. Without action from policymakers, our nation’s most vulnerable seniors risk reduced access to care as facilities are forced to limit admissions or even close down altogether.
On Thursday morning, the U.S. Senate Subcommittee on Employment and Workplace Safety will hold a hearing to examine the pandemic-related workforce shortage in health care settings. As this historic crisis continues, the hearing reinforces the need for lawmakers to take new action to ensure long term care providers have the resources and recruitment tools they need to provide the high-quality care our nation’s seniors deserve. This is the time for lawmakers to make a commitment to investing in our health care heroes and building up the next generation of caregivers.
Before any more long term care facilities have to limit admissions or close their doors, lawmakers should provide our frontline caregivers with the resources they need.