by Vickie Jenkins

I had the pleasure of meeting with Patricia Navarro, Marketing Director of Emerald Square Assisted Living. Patricia has had plenty of experience in caring for others; she has been a nurse for 40 years. Her first job as a nurse was at Children’s Hospital. “That is when I discovered that taking care of people and helping them in any way that I could was my passion.”
Emerald Square offers a caring atmosphere, an active community and a comfortable and secure lifestyle for their residents. Each member of their community enjoys the opportunity to ‘live life their way.’ Valued residents enjoy assistance when required and freedom when desired. Residency includes a complete array of services and accommodations. “We love it here,” comments Patricia. “We try to make it comfortable and happy for the residents,” she said as she gave me a tour of the facility. “We always have some kind of entertainment for our residents,” she said as the live music played and the residents listened to the relaxing tunes. It is obvious that Emerald Square has a nice, comfortable inviting feeling, as though changing the word ‘facility’ into ‘home.’ This is a wonderful place to be,” Patricia adds.
“How did you become a nurse?” I ask Patricia. “When I was a little girl, I liked Superman. Who didn’t like him? He was the good guy, the hero. I also noticed that Superman wore a blue cape. For some reason, that blue cape really stood out to me. Back then, scrubs for nurses were unheard of. The nurses wore white dresses, white hose, white shoes, a white hat and a blue cape. I think in a way, I associated Superman’s blue cape and the nurse’s blue cape as a symbol of helping people,” she said with a laugh. “When I became a nurse in 1976, the blue capes were gone but I was determined to help others. One thing for sure though, I will always remember that blue cape.”
“Did anyone influence you to become a nurse?” I ask. “It was definitely my dad. Up until the age of 13, my family and I lived close to the border in Zapata, Texas. My dad was part of the horseback border patrol. He was a good worker and enjoyed his job. I saw how much he cared for others and whether he knew it or not, he was making an impact on my life, even at a young age. It made me realize that I wanted to make taking care of others my goal in life and making it my career. My dad influenced me then and through the years, he always encouraged me. I will always be thankful for that.”
Asking Patricia what her greatest blessing about being a nurse was, she replied, “My biggest blessing is the fact that being a nurse is rewarding. A nurse has to have a genuine care for others and facilitate their needs. A nurse gives of herself and that nurse is given back much more. Whether it is saving a life in the ER or through preventative medicine, its rewards are spiritual. Nursing feeds the soul.”
“What is your greatest asset?” I ask. “I think it’s communication. I feel like I am able to communicate with others, no matter what their social background is. I make people feel at ease, or so people tell me,” she says with a smile. “I don’t judge people and I accept them for the way they are,” Patricia comments.
I asked Patricia if she saw any challenges in the assisted living facility? “I do see a bit of a challenge when it comes to making sure potential residents come to the facility when they should. Some tend to want to wait, but then, it could be too late. It is important that we can tell others what a wonderful staff and wonderful residents we have here at Emerald Square, conveying the urgency of caring for their loved ones before it is too late.”
Patricia’s hobbies include gardening and spending time with her family. “My husband and I have a daughter, Racheal and a son, Tyler. They are both graduates of UCO. We also have a 3 year-old granddaughter, Amilee, which I love to spoil.”
Patricia’s words to live by are: “Treat others the way you would like to be treated. Treat others the way you would want your parents to be treated.”

Photography and Text by Terry “Travels with Terry” Zinn  [email protected]

Art can be entertaining and a reunion with favorite talented artist. The November Collectors Reserve event at Oklahoma’s Gilcrease Museum is such a gathering. The Museum is known for its western heritage art, but the Collectors Reserve brings together many contemporary artists expressing many cultures.
Following your favorite artist over the years and over the county, can be daunting, as it has been for many with the prolific bronze artist, Joshua Tobey, http://www.joshuatobeystudios.com/. For many years his wildlife bronze creatures could be found in Sedona, Austin, Santa Fe and Loveland, among many galleries. The multiple award winning artist was present for the recent Collectors Reserve at the Gilcrease, and once again took home the highest award over 100 other artists with the Best In Show. He exhibited his large owl, Wise Guy, and bears performing a balancing act, Tricks of the Trade, and the Best In Show cougar in repose, Lions View.
Other artists exhibited were: Joan Marron-LaRue, Doug Hyde, Oreland C. Joe Sr., Linda Turma Robertson, Jim Wilcox, Sandy Scott, and Gerald Balciar among others. Cocktails and light refreshments were served as the guest perused the art that they would like to have the opportunity to purchase with a drawing for its set price. The museum provided group prices for a downtown Tulsa hotel and offered shuttles up to the Gilcrease, making the entire evening more enjoyable.
You may want to plan to attend the 2016 Collectors Reserve, or sample the Gilcrease before then with:
Rick Bartow: Things You Know But Cannot Explain opens January 24 and runs through April 24, 2016 at Gilcrease Museum. Featuring more than 100 pieces, including a broad selection of sculptures, paintings, drawings, prints, mixed media work and the giant pastels for which he is mostly known, the exhibition draws from public and private collections (including the artist’s studio) that affirm this extraordinary artist’s regional, national and international impact.
Also see the works of early nineteen hundred artist William R. Leigh, where in 1906, an opportunity to expand the scope of his work came about when the Santa Fe Railroad offered him free passage to the West in exchange for a painting of the Grand Canyon.
If you don’t have a favorite artist, you can start your search at the Gilcrease. For more information go to: https://gilcrease.org/

Mr. Terry Zinn – Travel Editor
Past President: International Food Wine and Travel Writers Association
http://realtraveladventures.com/author/zinn/
http://www.examiner.com/travel-in-oklahoma-city/terry-zinn
www.new.okveterannews.com – www.martinitravels.com

“I would be a lamb because a lamb seems so gentle.” Emma Stone

“I would be a wolf so I could catch my little lamb,” as he pointed to his wife, Emma. Curtis Stone

“I would be a dog because I would love to be loved and babied.” Doris Green

“I would be a cat because cats are nice.” Bennie Green

Research from the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation has identified new culprits that may be responsible for the development of arthritis.
The study found that growing older increases the production of a pair of inflammation-producing proteins. It suggests that targeting these inflammatory proteins might provide a path for future development of arthritis therapies.
The new findings, published in the Journal of Gerontology, provide a snapshot of age-related changes in a crucial area of soft tissue in the knee.
A team led by OMRF’s Tim Griffin, Ph.D., and Yao Fu, Ph.D., examined the knee joints of rats as they aged. In particular, the researchers studied the animals’ infrapatellar fat pad, the soft fatty tissue that lies beneath the kneecaps of both rodents and humans.
Scientists have known that these fat pads are a source of inflammation in osteoarthritic knees. And they’ve believed that this inflammation contributes to osteoarthritis, which occurs when cartilage breaks down and wears away.
“It’s actually the most common form of arthritis, often affecting the hips, hands and spine, in addition to the knees,” said Griffin. According to the Centers for Disease Control, an estimated 27 million Americans suffer from osteoarthritis.
Griffin and Fu wanted to look specifically at how aging affects inflammation in the fat pads. Griffin says he anticipated that as the animals grew older, the amount of inflammation produced by the fat pad and the size of the animals’ fat pads would increase.
“But our findings were not quite what we expected,” said Griffin. Specifically, the fat pads actually shrunk while producing higher levels of two inflammatory proteins.
“Our study suggests the fat pad is a contributor to a general increase in knee inflammation that occurs with age,” said Fu. This points toward future treatments to limit the inflammation, which might then prevent osteoarthritis from developing.
However, the researchers did find a benefit to aging in biological conditions that simulated an acute injury—such as a fall that causes damage to a joint. In this condition, the older fat pads decreased their production of leptin, a protein secreted by fat that also contributes to the break down of cartilage.
“We know there is acute inflammation that occurs after injury and can have long-term consequences,” said Griffin. “This study taught us that under certain conditions aging can actually limit the amount of leptin produced by the knee fat pad. This might help us develop new strategies to reduce post-traumatic osteoarthritis, a common cause of the disease in younger active adults.”
Janet Huebner, Ph.D., and Virginia Kraus, Ph.D., of Duke University also contributed to the research, which was supported by grants from the National Center for Research Resources (number RR018758), the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (number GM103441), the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (number AR066828), and the Arthritis Foundation.

The Fountains at Canterbury, in conjunction with Right at Home of Edmond, will host Virtual Dementia Tours Jan. 19 from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and Jan. 22 from 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. Both events will be held in the conference room at The Inn of The Fountains at Canterbury, 1402 NW 122nd Street, in Oklahoma City.
The Virtual Dementia Tour is a simulation scientifically proven to help individuals better comprehend what life is like with an impairment such as Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia.
Participants are equipped with vision disrupting goggles, headphones emitting loud, garbled sounds, latex gloves with fingers taped together and shoe inserts to hamper walking. These obstacles are designed to simulate the struggles of age-related ailments, as the participants are asked to complete a short series of everyday activities such as clearing a dining room table.
“This is such a unique opportunity, we think everyone can benefit from personally experiencing what people who have this ailment suffer through every day,” said Scott Steinmetz, executive director at The Fountains at Canterbury. “It really puts things into perspective, and helps families and caregivers better understand what’s really going on in the mind of someone living with dementia.”
As reported by the Alzheimer’s Association, Alzheimer’s is the most common form of dementia, making up 60 to 80 percent of cases. With the number of individuals age 65 and older with Alzheimer’s disease estimated to reach 7.1 million by 2025, creating awareness of the difficulties one faces when living with dementia is critical. A better understanding fosters empathy from families and caretakers, improves communication and provides insight on how to better assist those suffering.
The Fountains at Canterbury offers a variety of affordable care options with resort-style amenities, 24-hour staffing and Watermark’s Thrive Memory Care program that cultivates personal well-being.
The Fountains at Canterbury is dedicated to being the first choice in senior living, providing a continuum of care including independent living, assisted living, memory care, innovative rehabilitation therapies and skilled care. The Fountains at Canterbury is managed by Watermark Retirement Communities and is committed to creating an extraordinary community where people thrive. To learn more, please call (405) 381-8165 or go online to www.watermarkcommunities.com.

Dear Savvy Senior, Will I have to pay federal income taxes on my Social Security benefits when I retire?  Approaching Retirement

Dear Approaching,
Whether or not you’ll be required to pay federal income tax on your Social Security benefits will depend on your income and filing status. About 35 percent of Social Security recipients have total incomes high enough to trigger federal income tax on their benefits.
To figure out if your benefits will be taxable, you’ll need to add up all of your “provisional income,” which includes wages, taxable and non-taxable interest, dividends, pensions and taxable retirement-plan distributions, self-employment, and other taxable income, plus half your annual Social Security benefits, minus certain deductions used in figuring your adjusted gross income.
How To Calculate
To help you with the calculations, get a copy of IRS Publication 915 “Social Security and Equivalent Railroad Retirement Benefits,” which provides detailed instructions and worksheets. You can download it at irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p915.pdf or call the IRS at 800-829-3676 and ask them to mail you a free copy.
After you do the calculations, the IRS says that if you’re single and your total income from all of the listed sources is:
· Less that $25,000, your Social Security will not be subject to federal income tax.
· Between $25,000 and $34,000, up to 50 percent of your Social Security benefits will be taxed at your regular income-tax rate.
· More than $34,000, up to 85 percent of your benefits will be taxed.
If you’re married and filing jointly and the total from all sources is:
· Less that $32,000, your Social Security won’t be taxed.
· Between $32,000 and $44,000, up to 50 percent of your Social Security benefits will be taxed.
· More than $44,000, up to 85 percent of your benefits will be taxed.
If you’re married and file a separate return, you probably will pay taxes on your benefits.
To limit potential taxes on your benefits, you’ll need to be cautious when taking distributions from retirement accounts or other sources. In addition to triggering ordinary income tax, a distribution that significantly raises your gross income can bump the proportion of your Social Security benefits subject to taxes.
How to File
If you find that part of your Social Security benefits will be taxable, you’ll need to file using Form 1040 or Form 1040A. You cannot use Form 1040EZ. You also need to know that if you do owe taxes, you’ll need to make quarterly estimated tax payments to the IRS or you can choose to have it automatically withheld from your benefits.
To have it withheld, you’ll need to complete IRS Form W-4V, Voluntary Withholding Request (irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/fw4v.pdf), and file it with your local Social Security office. You can choose to have 7 percent, 10 percent, 15 percent or 25 percent of your total benefit payment withheld. If you subsequently decide you don’t want the taxes withheld, you can file another W-4V to stop the withholding.
State Taxation
In addition to the federal government, 13 states – Colorado, Connecticut, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, Rhode Island, Utah, Vermont and West Virginia – tax Social Security benefits to some extent too. If you live in one of these states, check with your state tax agency for details.
For questions on taxable Social Security benefits call the IRS help line at 800-829-1040, or visit an IRS Taxpayer Assistance Center (see www.irs.gov/localcontacts) where you can get face-to-face help.
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 and Mayo Clinic announced today that INTEGRIS has joined the Mayo Clinic Care Network, a national network of health care providers committed to better serving patients and their families through collaboration.
INTEGRIS is the first health care organization in Oklahoma to join the network. The formal agreement gives INTEGRIS access to the latest Mayo Clinic knowledge and promotes physician collaboration to benefit patients. Through shared resources, more patients can get answers to complex medical questions — and peace of mind —while staying close to home.
“While INTEGRIS works with some of the most accomplished and preeminent physicians in the region, we are constantly striving for ways to provide our patients with the best care possible,” says Bruce Lawrence, president and CEO, INTEGRIS. “This collaboration between INTEGRIS and Mayo Clinic brings together two trusted names – each with unique strengths – to the betterment of all Oklahomans.”
As a member of the Mayo Clinic Care Network, INTEGRIS will work with Mayo to share medical knowledge in ways that will enhance patient care. Network products and services include:
· eConsults that enable INTEGRIS physicians to connect electronically with Mayo specialists when they want additional input on a patient’s care
· AskMayoExpert database that offers INTEGRIS providers point-of-care, Mayo-vetted information on disease management, care guidelines and treatment recommendations, and reference materials for medical conditions
· Health care consulting that enables INTEGRIS to learn more about Mayo’s clinical, operational and business models, including the models’ design and implementation
· eTumor Board conferences that enable INTEGRIS physicians to present and discuss management of complex cancer cases with a multidisciplinary panel of Mayo specialists and other network members.
INTEGRIS providers also have access to Mayo’s extensive library of patient education materials, and can view archived Mayo Clinic grand rounds presentations that feature Mayo physicians and scientists.
“We are pleased to welcome INTEGRIS to the Mayo Clinic Care Network,” says David Hayes, M.D., medical director, Mayo Clinic Care Network. “This relationship brings together two like-minded organizations committed to patient-centered care. As we’ve worked toward today’s announcement, it’s been clear that we share many important values and at least one essential goal: to improve the delivery of health care in a way that benefits patients.”
Formed in 1995, INTEGRIS is a nationally recognized health care system with a wide presence in Oklahoma. Approximately 6 out of every 10 Oklahomans live within 30 miles of a facility or physician included in the INTEGRIS organization. INTEGRIS has eight hospitals, more than 2,500 physicians and more than 9,000 employees.
INTEGRIS and other members of the Mayo Clinic Care Network remain independent, but share Mayo’s commitment to improve the quality and delivery of health care. Launched in 2011, the Mayo Clinic Care Network has more than 35 member organizations in the U.S., Mexico, Puerto Rico and Singapore.

by Bobby Anderson
Staff Writer

From time to time, Gary England will drop by the School of Meteorology at the University of Oklahoma to speak with the incoming freshman class.
Any student who knows anything about weather in Oklahoma understands when England walks into the room they are in the presence of greatness.
But the self-described kid from Seiling sets down a manila folder and pulls out rejection letter after rejection letter.
“I went a lot of places and they didn’t like me,” he grins.
Even in retirement the 76-year-old is still cracking jokes and – more importantly – he’s still helping Oklahomans protect themselves from Oklahoma weather.
Through much prodding, the University of Oklahoma has taken up some of England’s retirement time to collaborate on a new weather series.
This Sooner Series consists of short, entertaining videos that will give people of all ages a better understanding of Oklahoma’s severe weather patterns and events. This entertaining series will make it easy and fun for you to become familiar with the fundamentals of our weather, the history of weather forecasting, and the technology used by meteorology professionals to keep the public as safe as possible.
Using Janux’s social discussion forum, participants will be able to interact directly with Gary and share their own weather stories and experiences with people around the globe.
This series is being offered at no cost through multiple media channels, including iTunes U, YouTube, and OU’s Janux online learning platform.
These videos have been professionally produced by NextThought, and the entire series is being released at once, so that taking part is convenient to fit your schedule.
Visiting his granddaughter, Cassidy, now a sophomore at OU, England was hit up while on campus to work on the series by President David Boren’s Chief of Staff Nicholas Hathaway.
“A bunch of us sat down and what amazes me is how you gather so many really intelligent and creative people together,” England said. “They’re quite amazing.”
“I like doing the series. You plan it. You do it and you’ve got it out there forever for people.”
From there, the Janux series was born. It came at a right time for the recently retired England.
“Retirement kind of snuck up on me,” say’s OU’s meterologist in residence. “I never have liked to take vacations. Never liked to travel. I love what I do. My lifetime dream was to be on TV at Channel 9. I never had a thought past that.”
Undeniably, England is an Oklahoma treasure. Born in Seiling, Oklahoma, England joined the U.S. Navy at age 17, after which he attended The University of Oklahoma, graduating in 1965 with a Bachelor of Science in mathematics and meteorology.
He began his broadcasting career with KWTV in Oklahoma City in 1972. Over his 41-year career with KWTV, England is credited with saving countless lives and properties with his steady, measured reporting during severe storms in Oklahoma.
England became internationally noted for pioneering innovations in weather technology and systems that are now common tools in the world of severe weather coverage, including first acquisition and application of commercial Doppler radar, the storm time of arrival warning system, corner screen warning maps, and cellular still picture/video transmission.
With the firm Enterprise Electronics, he implemented the world’s first commercial Doppler weather radar in 1981, becoming the first person in history to use Doppler radar for direct warnings to the public.
Dubbed “The Weather God of Oklahoma City” by the New York Times, England is the recipient of numerous awards and honors, including four Emmy Awards and the Silver Circle Award by the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, Heartland Division.
He was inducted into the Oklahoma Hall of Fame in 2013. He also received the prestigious Edward R. Murrow Award for best in the nation in breaking weather coverage in all large markets.
He is the author of four books and has appeared in more than 60 national and international severe weather programs. In 2013, England assumed a new role at KWTV-9 as the vice president for corporate relations and weather development at Griffin Communications.
England was named an OU Outstanding Alumnus in 2008. He was further honored by OU in October 2013 at the annual Ring Ceremony and also served as parade marshal for OU’s Homecoming. England received the University of Oklahoma’s highest award in 2014, an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters.
England is still highly-sought in the legal field as a consultant, testifying for attorneys as an expert witness – something he’s done since the 1970s.
“The legal stuff is fun until you get to court,” England laughed.
But when Oklahoma’s weather ramps up, England still feels that itch.
“I miss it a little,” England said. “I’ll tune in on bad weather and I think … I don’t miss the death, destruction and human suffering. I grew really weary of that.”
And just like he’s done for the last 40 years, even in retirement England is still trying to keep Oklahomans safe.