Dear Savvy Senior, My husband and I are interested in getting a couple of bicycles for leisurely exercise and fun, and would like to get your recommendation. We’re both approaching 60 and are a little overweight, and it’s been a while since we rode. Easy Riders

Dear Easy,
If you’re interested in leisurely, recreational riding for fitness and fun, a great option is a “comfort bike,” which is very popular among baby boomers. Here’s what you should know about this option, along with some tips to help you shop and choose.
Comfort Bikes
A comfort bike is a style of bicycle that’s easy on an aging body because it lets you ride in a more comfortable upright position. These bikes have high handlebars so you don’t have to hunch over, which eases lower-back strain and reduces pressure on the wrists and hands. They also come with wide tires for a smooth ride, offer fewer gears, and have soft, wide seats to eliminate saddle soreness.
Most comfort bikes also come with shock-absorbing forks and seat posts for additional comfort. And some offer unique design features like an ultra low step-over bar that makes getting on and off easy for people with limited flexibility (like the Biria Easy Boarding at Biria.com), or the “flat-foot” design offered by many manufacturers where the pedals are moved forward, away from the seat. This allows you to get a full-leg extension when you pedal, but keeps the seat in a lower position so when you’re stopped, you can put your feet down flat on the ground while seated, which is a great safety feature for older riders.
Most major manufacturers including Electra, Sun, Raleigh, GT, Giant, and Trek all make a line of comfort bikes that costs between $300 and $800 or more depending on its features.
Shopping Tips
To find a quality comfort bike, your best option is to find a good bike shop in your area. Bikes from big box stores, like Walmart and Target, are mass-market bikes that may be less expensive, but the quality isn’t as good and they’re typically seven to eight pounds heaver. They also come in only one size, so you’re not likely to get a great fit.
Before you buy any bike, be sure you take it for a test ride first to ensure that the seat and fit of the bike is comfortable, the brakes and shifters are easy to use, the gears can go low enough for climbing hills, and the frame and suspension adequately smooth the bumps.
Recumbent Bikes
If the comfort bikes don’t meet your needs, another popular style among older riders is a recumbent bike. These are the low-to-the-ground, stretched-out frame bikes with La-Z-Boy style seats that allow you to recline with your legs positioned in front of you.
Recumbent bikes are very comfy, easy on the back, arms and shoulders, and aerodynamic which make them ideal for long rides. The disadvantages, because they are low-to-the-ground, they can be harder to balance and maneuver, and are more difficult for other vehicles to see.
If you worry about falling or want more stability when you ride consider a three-wheel recumbent trike. See SunSeeker.bike and TerraTrike.com for a nice variety, but be aware that recumbent bikes are more expensive, typically ranging between $1,000 and $2,500.
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.

The American Nurses Association (ANA) today announced its continued opposition to the pending American Health Care Act (AHCA) and urges Congress to reject this flawed legislation. ANA, which represents the interests of more than 3.6 million registered nurses, has expressed serious concerns throughout negotiations about the critical impact the AHCA would have on the 24 million people who stand to lose insurance coverage if AHCA becomes law.
“This bill is an extreme departure from ANA’s priorities,” said ANA President Pamela F. Cipriano, PhD, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN. “AHCA would cut Medicaid funding by $880 billion over 10 years, dramatically increase premiums on seniors, restrict millions of women from access to health care, weaken the sustainability of Medicare, and repeal income-based subsidies that have made it possible for millions of families to buy health insurance.”
Under AHCA, states would have the option to waive essential health benefit protections which prevent insurance companies from charging Americans with pre-existing conditions significantly more for coverage. Even worse, insurers could decline coverage for substance abuse treatment, maternity care, and preventive services. “As the nation’s most trusted profession and largest group of health care professionals, nurses understand the importance of health coverage,” Cipriano continued. “ANA urges Congress to not deny peoples’ right to health care and quality of life by standing with the American people in opposing AHCA in its current form. ANA will continue to work with Congress to help improve health care delivery, coverage, and affordability for all Americans.”

Story and photos by Vickie Jenkins

Meet Donna Bingham, Community Manager for the upcoming Grand Tapestry at Quail Springs apartments in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. This brand new luxury apartment community is exclusively for active adults 55 and older and will be a spacious, gated and pet-friendly community, the perfect place to call home.
Avenida Senior Living LLC, in partnership with Black Oak Reality Fund of Oklahoma City is proud to unveil their newest development, located at 14101 North Kentucky Avenue, Oklahoma City, OK. The walkable location offers easy access to retail, entertainment, restaurants and medical facilities. This 140-unit community will feature state of the art amenities not previously available in Oklahoma City.
“I love what I do. I am proud of the community that Grand Tapestry is building. We are providing everything the 55 and better community loves to do under one roof with convenience, comfort and affordability,” Bingham states. Avenida Senior Living is dedicated to developing this new generation of active senior living communities intelligently and strategically located to meet the needs and preferences of today’s active and engaged senior. These age-restricted apartment communities are a ‘right at home fit’ for this stage of life, providing residents a safe and secure maintenance-free lifestyle with a full daily schedule of physically invigorating, emotionally engaging and socially stimulated activities. The senior tenant lives independently with a full amenity and activity package and shuttle transportation, which are all included at a comfortable, monthly rental cost that meets a senior’s budget. There are no buy-in or entrance fees. Additional services can be added by the tenant on a la carte basis, so that the senior pays only for the services needed.
The completion date for Grand Tapestry at Quail Springs is set for December 1, 2015. Designed in a resort-like, craftsman inspired architecture style Grand Tapestry at Quail Springs comes in a variety of one-and two-bedroom floor plans to meet your specific needs.
“It is rewarding to spend my days with my community. I get to hear their stories, understanding how they feel and what they want, but the best part is I get the biggest hugs,” Bingham says. “They know I am working alongside them to make this our community. They are my neighbors and my friends,” she adds.
“When I tell others about Grand Tapestry, I tell them about our fabulous apartments with granite kitchens, walk-in showers and lots of attention to detail in their homes. Then, I tell them about all of the amenities; the continental breakfast, the daily activities, the fabulous heated salt water pool, and then I tell them, think hotel, actually a 5-star hotel, that’s where you will be living,” Bingham explains.
“It is always exciting to move into a brand new home, even more so when you realize all of the fun community activities you get with it. We have several area chefs that are willing to come in and do food demonstrations. We have a fabulous 3-tier theater room for movies. We expect to have catered brunches available for the community and their families on Sundays, and we even have several meeting rooms that will not only be open to our community but to groups that belong to as well, free of charge. We have spoken to a Red Hatters group and a bunco group, we will have many fun activities going on, no matter what you like to do,” Bingham comments.
When asked about the area, Bingham replies, “The Quail Springs area is one of Oklahoma City’s most desirable neighborhoods. The area is home to one of the city’s major shopping malls and is a hub for all types of restaurants and retail options. World class health centers and churches are also close by.” “When I met with the management company for GREYSTAR and I was told about the community that they were building in Oklahoma City, I was so excited! Then they asked if I would be the manager, I look forward to it and am proud to get the opportunity. After meeting with the owners, developers and marketing people of Grand Tapestry of Quail Springs, I was ready to move immediately! It’s awesome to love what you do, love the people you do it with and the ones you do it for. What more could I ask for?” Bingham says with a smile.

Donna Bingham, Community Manager of the upcoming Grand Tapestry at Quail Springs apartments, Oklahoma City, OK shows a display of the different finishes that are in the common areas; the bistro and the great room.

by Bobby Anderson, staff writer

Valir Hospice has been honoring America’s veterans for more than a decade now.
But Vice President of Hospice Care Laura Trammell, M.Ed, LPC wanted to make sure Valir’s Veteran’s program was the best it could possibly be so she sought out retired Major Traceee Rose, APRN, to make it happen.
Valir Hospice Care is a family of dedicated professionals who care for terminally ill patients, providing them and their families with physical, psychological, social and spiritual support. Using individualized pain – and symptom-management plans, Valir works to enhance the patient’s quality of life.
With a significantly large veteran population, Valir Hospice serves scores of military families each year.
“One of my goals is for her to continue to educate our team that works day-to-day with our veterans and share her knowledge and speak that speak that she knows how to do and educate our team,” Trammell said of Rose. “I think she’s going to be the bridge that we’ve definitely needed in order to have the best program out there.”
The critical care nurse brings her 27 years of Army experience with her to her new role as director of clinical operations.
“I hope to bring enthusiasm. I love veterans because I am a veteran and my dad is a veteran,” Rose said. “I love hearing the stories, being able to talk with them and share their commonalities and being able to speak their language.”
That language is one of shared strife and successes, of losses and victories and of bonds forged.
For many veterans, that language is often lost forever.
But both Trammell and Rose have seen first-hand rekindling that fire at the right moment can bring peace to not only patients but their families.
“A lot of people say they have veteran’s programs but what does that really mean,” Trammell said. “We’re extremely dedicated and we’re extremely proud of it. My father served in Korea and he never spoke about what happened to him.”
“Like Traceee says there are stories out there all the time. I knew we had to do something. I would want my dad honored like this. It’s amazing what our military has done for us.”
Rose retired from the Army in September 2017. The Nurse Corps officer spent nearly three decades serving her country and finished her career in Hawaii.
She wanted to continue to make a difference.
“I had been in large medical facilities my entire nursing career,” Rose said, noting her last hospital had 425 beds with 5,000 employees. “I wanted to find something, somewhere smaller – not necessarily hospital-based where I could feel my ripple effect. Sometimes we get lost in a big pond and you’re just a cog in a wheel.”
Trammell interviewed Rose and quickly realized she needed to put her behind the wheel of Valir’s veterans services.
Even though the armed forces provides palliative care in a different setting, the trauma and intensive care nurse quickly fell in love with the new position.
“All veterans have a story. Every veteran has a story and sometimes they’re just not ready to talk about it or they don’t think it’s relevant right now,” Rose said. “They feel they just did their job and then got out.” In the future Rose would like to partner with more veteran’s organizations to work with in outreach projects.
“The closeness and camaraderie, it just felt comfortable. I knew I wanted to work there,” Rose said. “Just being able to hold a hand and reassure a family, that’s the rewarding piece of all of it.”
It’s no coincidence that Rose felt a pull that Valir was investing in veterans.
CEO Tom Tucker is a West Point graduate and owned a company that forged the Purple Hearts bestowed to those wounded or killed in service.
“It is a gift to the family and a lot of times it’s the part they need in the grief cycle to help them adjust to what’s going on,” Trammell said of honoring veterans before they pass.
“It can bring a lot of understanding,” Rose added. “A lot of it is understanding who your parent was because your parent lived a whole life before you came along.”
Those special ceremonies where families get to see their loved ones honored often provide a glimpse into a world they never experienced.
“We’ve been able to see – even patients with significant dementia – they recognize when they’re being honored,” Trammell said. “It’s been very special for the families to see a little bit of their loved one come back toward the end of life.”
And to honor them as the hero they are.

With Medicare open enrollment less than two months away, the Oklahoma Insurance Department is asking seniors to be on alert. The warning comes after several Oklahomans have reported questionable phone calls from people claiming to represent or partner with Medicare.
“These callers are insistent on getting personal information from our seniors,” said Oklahoma Insurance Commissioner John D. Doak. “We urge Oklahomans to never give out personal details such as date of birth, bank account numbers or their Medicare number over the phone. There are just too many cases of fraudulent activity in phone calls and new scams cropping up on a regular basis.” In one case, a man reported the caller asked for his birth date and Medicare costs. The caller implied that she was working with Medicare to audit Medicare supplement costs. In another instance, the caller told a senior he could get free supports and braces for his back and legs even though he did not need them. Seniors should beware of any promises of 100 percent coverage for medical equipment by Medicare. Medicare only covers durable medical equipment that is medically necessary and ordered by a doctor.
Purchasing medical equipment over the phone or internet and without involving your physician could actually cause more harm than good. The same is true for purchasing insurance.
To avoid potential scams, never buy insurance over the phone from an agent you do not know. It’s safer to use a local agent who you either personally know or who has been recommended to you by family or friends.
Here are a few more tips to protect yourself:
* If you don’t recognize the number on your caller ID, don’t answer the phone. If it’s important, the caller will leave a message. * If you answer the phone and realize it’s someone trying to sell you something or asking for your personal information, hang up. Seniors were raised to be polite, but in these situations, safety is more important. * If someone shows up at your home claiming to be from Medicare or claiming to partner with Medicare, close the door. Medicare will not come to your house, and Medicare does not endorse any particular policy or insurance company. * Report any suspicious calls to the Medicare Assistance Program at the Oklahoma Insurance Department at 800-763-2828.