Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits for approximately 70 million Americans will increase 8.7 percent in 2023, the Social Security Administration announced. On average, Social Security benefits will increase by more than $140 per month starting in January.
The 8.7 percent cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) will begin with benefits payable to more than 65 million Social Security beneficiaries in January 2023. Increased payments to more than 7 million SSI beneficiaries will begin on December 30, 2022. (Note: some people receive both Social Security and SSI benefits). The Social Security Act ties the annual COLA to the increase in the Consumer Price Index as determined by the Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Medicare premiums are going down and Social Security benefits are going up in 2023, which will give seniors more peace of mind and breathing room. This year’s substantial Social Security cost-of-living adjustment is the first time in over a decade that Medicare premiums are not rising and shows that we can provide more support to older Americans who count on the benefits they have earned,” Acting Commissioner Kilolo Kijakazi said.
To view a COLA message from Acting Commissioner Kijakazi, please visit www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vgm5q4YT1AM.
Some other adjustments that take effect in January of each year are based on the increase in average wages. Based on that increase, the maximum amount of earnings subject to the Social Security tax (taxable maximum) will increase to $160,200 from $147,000.
Social Security and SSI beneficiaries are normally notified by mail starting in early December about their new benefit amount. The fastest way to find out their new benefit amount is to access their personal my Social Security account to view the COLA notice online. It’s secure, easy, and people find out before the mail arrives. People can also opt to receive a text or email alert when there is a new message from Social Security–such as their COLA notice–waiting for them, rather than receiving a letter in the mail. People may create or access their my Social Security account online at www.ssa.gov/myaccount.
Information about Medicare changes for 2023 is available at www.medicare.gov. For Social Security beneficiaries enrolled in Medicare, their new higher 2023 benefit amount will be available in December through the mailed COLA notice and my Social Security’s Message Center.
The Social Security Act provides for how the COLA is calculated. To read more, please visit www.ssa.gov/cola.

Society of Urban Poets Inc. Holds Annual Poetry Recital The annual recital will be held on Sunday, December 18 at 6 pm at the Myriad Botanical Gardens, 301 West Reno. This is a free event and the public is invited to attend. Guests may also participate by reading 2 selections of your original poetry. Please register by calling 405-339-4844 or by email to [email protected] or [email protected]. Registration deadline is December 11. The evening will include music by Garcia Tarver and a brief reception.
Will’s Country Christmas December 2, 5 p.m.–9 p.m. Will Rogers Birthplace Ranch, 9501 East 380 Road Oologah, OK 74053. isit Will Rogers Birthplace Ranch in Oologah for Will’s Country Christmas on Friday, December 2, and Saturday, December 3, from 5 to 9 p.m. The ranch house will be decorated for an Indian Territory Christmas. The evening will include storytelling, Wild West shootouts, children’s crafts, 19th-century games, carriage rides, a shooting gallery, music, vendors, and food trucks.

Barney P. Enright, Photographer exhibit closes December 3. Cherokee Strip Museum and Rose Hill School, 2617 West Fir Street Perry, OK 73077. The Cherokee Strip Museum and Rose Hill School’s exhibit about the life and work of Perry photographer Barney P. Enright will remain open through Saturday, December 3.
Guthrie’s Distinctive Homes Tour and Wassail at the Carnegie Library December 3, 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Oklahoma Territorial Museum and Carnegie Library, 406 East Oklahoma Avenue Guthrie, OK 73044. The Oklahoma Territorial Museum and Carnegie Library will be part of Guthrie’s Distinctive Homes Tour on Saturday, December 3, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. which gives an exclusive look inside some of Guthrie’s most distinctive homes and historic buildings, decorated for the holiday season. The Carnegie Library—a stop on the tour—is the place for tour participants to hear tales of the early days of Oklahoma’s first capital while having a warming cup of wassail.

“Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act” webinar On Monday, December 5, from 10 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. (Central Time), the State Historic Preservation Office will provide an introduction to, (or a refresher on), relevant and useful aspects of Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act and explain the review process. In this free online training, SHPO staff will convey the importance of the Section 106 process and assist anyone and everyone who might be involved in that process in Oklahoma.
Holiday Market at the Museum Museum of the Western Prairie, 1100 Memorial Drive Altus, OK 73521. The Museum of the Western Prairie will host its eighth annual Holiday Market at the Museum on Tuesday, December 6, at 6 p.m. This event showcases the talents of 12 area artists and provides a terrific holiday shopping opportunity for the general public.
Oklahoma Tall Tales Uncovered presentation and book signing with author Joe M. Cummings Cherokee Strip Regional Heritage Center, 507 South 4th Street Enid, OK 73701. On Friday, December 9th at 3 p.m., author Joe M. Cummings will be signing copies of his new book, Oklahoma Tall Tales Uncovered, (2022, Arcadia Publishing) at the Cherokee Strip Regional Heritage Center (CSRHC). Cummings will give a short program where he talks about his book and the research that went into writing it.
Steamboat Heroine film screening and discussion December 10. Oklahoma History Center, 800 Nazih Zuhdi Drive Oklahoma City, OK 73105. On Saturday, December 10, the Oklahoma History Center will feature a film screening that follows the excavation of the steamboat Heroine from the Red River and how it was transported to the Oklahoma History Center. In 1990, the sunken steamboat, Heroine, was discovered in Oklahoma’s Red River. It provided evidence of the role steamboats played in Oklahoma and how they transformed the region.
Quilting workshop with Martha Ray December 10, 9 a.m.–11 a.m.|Recurring Event Sod House Museum, 4628 State Highway 8 near Aline, OK 73716. Visit the Sod House Museum southeast of Aline for a quilting workshop on Saturday. The workshop will take place from 9 to 11 a.m. with instructor Martha Ray, and the cost is $5 per person. For more information, please contact Director Renee Trindle at 580-463-2441 or [email protected].
Breakfast with Santa December 10, 9 a.m.–11 a.m. Henry and Anna Overholser Mansion, 405 NW 15th Street Oklahoma City, OK 73103. Preservation Oklahoma is excited to present Breakfast with Santa at the Henry and Anna Overholser Mansion on Saturday, December 10 from 9 to 11 a.m. Attendees will enjoy a delicious breakfast, a craft, and of course—meeting Santa! All families are invited to join in the holiday fun. Admission to the event is $25 per person. Please note that tickets are available by breakfast time, however, attendees are welcome to participate in the other activities at any time. Tickets are nonrefundable.
Christmas Open House December 10, 10 a.m.–3 p.m. Sod House Museum, 4628 State Highway 8 near Aline, OK 73716. The Sod House Museum’s Christmas Open House will be held on Saturday, December 10, from 1–3 p.m. Enjoy the holidays in Oklahoma’s only remaining sod house that will be decorated for the season in the style of a traditional 1890s Pioneer Christmas.
Photos with Santa at the Will Rogers Memorial Museum December 10, 11 a.m.–2 p.m.|Recurring Event. Will Rogers Memorial Museum, 1720 West Will Rogers Boulevard Claremore, OK 74017. The Heritage Gallery at Will Rogers Memorial Museum will be the perfect backdrop for Photos with Santa on Saturday, December 3, and Saturday, December 10, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Bring your family and your camera to take beautiful family pictures with Santa. Admission is free to take photos. For more information, please visit willrogers.com or call 918-341-0719.
Christmas Open House Hunter’s Home, 19479 East Murrell Home Road Park Hill, OK 74451. On Sunday, December 11, from 1 to 4 p.m., Hunter’s Home will host its annual Christmas Open House. Visitors will see the home and general store decorated for the holiday season and will enjoy cider and snacks while sitting around a roaring fire. For more information, please call 918-456-2751.
Holiday Candlelight Tours December 15, 4 p.m.–8 p.m.|Recurring Event . Hunter’s Home, 19479 East Murrell Home Road Park Hill, OK 74451. Oklahoma’s only remaining pre-Civil War plantation home will host five nights of candlelight tours in December. The tours of Hunter’s Home will take place from Tuesday, December 13, through Saturday, December 17, from 4–8 p.m. each day. The 177-year-old home will be decorated in a Victorian holiday style. Period Christmas decorations and candlelight will adorn the home’s lavish parlor, sitting room, and dining room. Costumed reenactors will share the history of the home. For more information please call 918-456-2751.
December Bake Day and Gingerbread Decorations Fort Gibson Historic Site, 907 North Garrison Avenue Fort Gibson, OK 74434. Visit Fort Gibson Historic Site for a special holiday-themed bake day on Saturday, December 17, at 10 a.m. Fresh bread and batches of giant gingerbread men will be baked in the historic Fort Gibson ovens just in time for the holidays! Fresh batches of each will be ready at noon and again at 3 p.m. Gingerbread men will be ready for decorations throughout the day starting at 11 a.m.
History Alive! on the Cherokee Strip December 17, 11 a.m.–3 p.m.|Recurring Event. Cherokee Strip Regional Heritage Center, 507 South 4th Street Enid, OK 73701. Step back in time and experience life in the Cherokee Outlet during History Alive! on the Cherokee Strip at the Cherokee Strip Regional Heritage Center in Enid. On the first and third Saturday of each month, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., the historic buildings in the Humphrey Heritage Village come alive with reenactors who are tending their shops, working their trades, or socializing at the Village Church.
“Shut the Door! Barns in Oklahoma: The Significance of Barns in the Oklahoma Cultural Landscape” webinar December 27, 6 p.m. The State Historic Preservation Office is hosting a webinar series entitled “Shut the Door! Barns in Oklahoma,” featuring presenters who specialize in barn history, construction, and restoration. On Tuesday, December 27, the topic will be “The Significance of Barns in the Oklahoma Cultural Landscape.” This December webinar will be the last of the 2022 series. These presentations will be held on the last Tuesday of every other month, beginning at 6 p.m.
Movie Night featuring Meet Me in St. Louis (1944) December 30, 6 p.m.–9 p.m. Will Rogers Memorial Museum, 1720 West Will Rogers Boulevard Claremore, OK 74017. Will Rogers Memorial Museum in Claremore will host a Movie Night featuring the film Meet Me in St. Louis (1944) in its theater on Friday, December 30, at 7 p.m. “Horsing Around with Will” will take place from 6 to 7 p.m., during which families can enjoy activities and crafts relating to the movie’s theme. Guests can enjoy free admission, popcorn, and drinks while watching the film. Seating is limited, so early arrival is suggested.
Observing with NASA Smithsonian exhibit kiosk closes December 31. Oklahoma History Center, 800 Nazih Zuhdi Drive Oklahoma City, OK 73105. Observing With NASA, an authentic data experience with astronomical imaging will be on display at the Oklahoma History Center (OHC) until December 31, 2022. This exhibit kiosk from the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory engages visitors in the art and science of NASA imagery. Observing With NASA offers an introduction to the tools, data, and skills that NASA space scientists and data visualization experts use to create the images of deep space objects that we all know and love.

The Oklahoma Hospital Association (OHA) presented Excellence in Quality awards to five hospitals during its recent annual convention. This award recognizes exceptional efforts to improve outcomes in clinical quality performance practices, capabilities, and results and represents the highest level of professional acknowledgement from the OHA Council on Quality & Patient Safety.
Submissions were scored based on their story of identification of a project specific to identified needs within the hospital, creating innovative interventions that incorporate evidence-based best practices, demonstrating measurable and quantifiable results, sustaining/spreading the success within the hospital, and stimulating learning for others.
Five award categories were recognized, four based on number of beds, and one for innovation.
2022 awardees for Excellence in Quality are:
Critical Access Hospital and Under 25 beds: Fairview Regional Medical Center, Project Title: Patient Fall Reduction for Med/Surg Unit Submitted by: Sarah-Marie Gerard, RN, BSN
26-100 beds: Jackson County Memorial Hospital, Altus Project Title: Clostridioides Difficile: Appropriate Testing, Treatment, and Teaching Submitted by: Shelley Simmons, chief nursing officer
101-300 beds:
Oklahoma Children’s Hospital at OU Health, Oklahoma City Project Title: Pressure Injury Awareness: A Multi-Disciplinary Approach to Tracking, Treatment, and Reduction Submitted by: Kristi Booker, director of quality
More than 300 beds:
OU Health University of Oklahoma Medical Center, Oklahoma City Project Title: VTE Reduction in an Academic Level 1 Trauma Center Submitted by: Todd Roberts, vice president of quality & patient safety
Innovation in Demonstrating Clinical Quality and Patient Outcomes:
Norman Regional Health System Project Title: Reducing Delirium Complications in the Hip Fracture Population Utilizing ED Pain Blocks Submitted by: Cathy Snapp, orthopedic program administrator

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death for both men and women. Each year, more people die of lung cancer than colon, breast and prostate cancer combined.
Barbara Stroud (62) of Midwest City, was first diagnosed with lung cancer in 2013. “Most people don’t know it, but each lung is divided into lobes. Two on the left and three on the right. Luckily, my cancer was in a lobe in my right lung that I could live without – so it was removed.”
Stroud was cancer free for several years, until it returned with a vengeance. This time it was stage four, extending from her brain to her groin. She underwent two rounds of radiation before Bilal Ahmad, M.D., a board-certified hematologist/oncologist with the INTEGRIS Health Cancer Institute at Southwest Medical Center, mentioned Keytruda. “I discussed a personalized tailor-made treatment plan for Barbara. I requested molecular testing on her cancer tissue,” says Ahmad. “I started her on Keytruda which is targeted immunotherapy and helps the immune system to fight cancer in a strong and precise manner.”
“That was in 2019,” remembers Stroud. “I thought it would give me a few extra months. Here it is almost four years later and I’m still kicking.” She credits the Lord, Dr. Ahmad and Keytruda for giving her more time with her three grown children and her five grand-daughters. “I’m thankful every day, not just on Thanksgiving or Christmas. If I wake up, it’s a great day!” Ahmad says Barbara refuses to give up. “She is a person of will power who is consistent with all treatment sessions and thankfully we are seeing great results.”
Although smoking is the main cause of lung cancer, lung cancer risk also is increased by exposure to secondhand smoke; environmental exposures, such as radon, workplace toxins (e.g., asbestos, arsenic), and air pollution. The risk of lung cancer can be reduced by quitting smoking and by eliminating or reducing exposure to secondhand smoke and environmental and workplace risk factors. Stroud hopes by sharing her story, she can help raise awareness of lung cancer and empower those impacted by the disease.

Story and photo by Van Mitchell. Staff Writer

The Medicare enrollment period runs from Oct. 15 through Dec. 7, and with that comes to changes to some enrollment plans and options.
Ginny Curtis-Gillespie, Licensed Insurance Agent, and owner of Navigating Medicare, located at 2232 West Hefner Road, Suite A in Oklahoma City, said this year Medicare recipients will have broader plan options available to them.
“In the past, we have had two or three companies that have had really good plans, and this year all of the plans have beefed up and have really exciting benefits,” Curtis-Gillespie said. “It is almost difficult to pick a plan that is better than another one from this year.”
There are three options for coverage: Original Medicare (which is Part A and Part B) plus a prescription drug plan, Original Medicare plus a Supplement (Medigap plan) plus a prescription drug plan, or a Medicare Advantage plan which combines all three.
Medicare Part A and Part B is offered by the federal government. It provides basic inpatient and outpatient health coverage. Part A is for inpatient or hospitalization coverage and Part B is for outpatient or doctor visit coverage.
U.S. citizens or permanent residents living in the U.S. for at least 5 years who are age 65 or older qualify for Medicare Part A and Part B if they have paid taxes for 10 working years. Those under 65 might be eligible to enroll in Medicare Part A and Part B if they have a qualifying disability.
Curtis-Gillespie said Navigating Medicare has offices in Guthrie, Oklahoma City, Tulsa, Ardmore and Shawnee.
She said so much of insurance these days is made to seem complex, difficult, and tricky. She said her agency is built on our family values which are a commitment to Honesty, Integrity, Togetherness, and Support.
She said they work to help clients understand all of their plan options.
“Our experienced team of agents are licensed and appointed with several insurance providers offering a variety of policies,” Curtis-Gillespie said. “This means our agents are here to work for you. We work to ensure that the plan you end up with is the one that fits your needs and not try to make you fit into a plan. What we do is we look at the client’s drugs and doctors, and then we select the top three plans we think will work the best. The biggest takeaway we are trying to get people to understand is, no matter what their plan is, they should be comparing their current plan with plans that are available from those (insurance) carriers for next year.”
Curtis-Gillespie said Medicare enrollment is also a time of scam phone calls and Medicare enrollment commercials.
“Most of those plans they are marketing, very few people qualify for them,” she said. “When you see the advertisement on TV, it is for the low-income, low subsidized.”
Curtis-Gillespie said her team of insurance agents don’t call to solicit business.
“With what we do, no one should be calling them (resident) directly,” she said. “Their phones are blowing up, and people are calling them 24/7. If they didn’t ask them to call, then they shouldn’t answer the call.”
Curtis-Gillespie said residents should also not give out their personal information when contacted about Medicare enrollment.
“When someone calls a client, they should not ask for their Social Security number, Medicare number,” she said.
Curtis-Gillespie said another Medicare enrollment change this year is that insurance agents are required to tell customers their conversation is being recorded.
“These plans change every year,” she said. “Everyone should be reviewing their plans every year regardless whether it is great for them or not. “It is our belief that if they understand Medicare, they will make a better decision when they pick their plan. We sit down with them and explain all the parts of Medicare, and we explain their options.”
Curtis-Gillespie said integrity is a core foundation of her business.
“We are not afraid to say that we love referrals,” she said. “Having integrity means sometimes telling you that your current insurance is better than anything we can offer or that we are not able to help you. We believe this builds the kind of relationships that will lead to people telling others about us. We are there to give you the support you need through the various seasons of life. Whether you need to change your plan, reacquaint yourself with your current benefits, or do a plan comparison, we are there to give you the support that you need.”
For more information about Medicare enrollment plans call Navigating Medicare at
(405) 842-0494 or visit: www.navigatingmedicare.com

Story by Darl Devault, Contributing Editor

In the early hours, just after dawn on October 25, 1944, the Japanese sent the largest naval battle group ever assembled to destroy the landing of a quarter million men on Leyte. Their goal was to push the American forces off the beaches and out of the Philippines. Never had one man’s actions diverted the burden of attack from so many American service members.
The Japanese forces attempting to surprise the overmatched Taffy 3 task force in the Battle Off Samar were introduced to the unwavering courage and self-sacrifice of one of the U.S Navy’s finest. The destroyer escorts, commonly referred to as “tin cans,” were in for the fight of their lives against a superior force.
U.S. Navy Commander Ernest Edwin Evans, Commander of the USS Johnston, assured himself a place in U.S. Naval history with his courageous initiative in the face of the enemy. Before the order to attack could be issued, against a far superior force, Commander Evans fulfilled his duty to his country and his fellow man by navigating his vessel into harm’s way, deploying his torpedoes and laying a smoke screen to protect his fellow ships.
Evans’ bravery, leadership and historic sacrifice delivered the immediate first blow that let the enemy know the Americans had begun the battle. Instilling chaos within the Japanese naval ranks, his torpedoes tore the bow off the Japanese cruiser Kumano. Commander Evans relentlessly displayed the power of his crew as he continued his forward attack on the enemy.

This “preemptive retaliatory strike with extreme prejudice” was a product of Evans’s fierce fighting spirit.
The Japanese thought they would have a far easier beginning to any battle off Samar. They were bringing a far superior number of ships and were surprising their enemy. What they did not account for was the fighting spirit of the tin can Sailors sworn to protect the rest of Taffy 3. Echoing the war cries of their earliest Naval ancestors, the Sailors of Taffy 3 had not yet begun to fight.
Evans and his only 2,000-ton warship, the newly built Fletcher Class USS Johnston, promised to be the readiest-for-battle warship in the Navy.
As he took command at the USS Johnston’s commissioning in October 1943, Evans let his assembled crew know his intentions. “This is going to be a fighting ship,” he said. “I intend to go in harm’s way, and anyone who doesn’t want to go along had better get off right now. I will never retreat from an enemy force.”
Evans’s tactical blitzkrieg was everything a ship that size could accomplish in that short a time. The Johnston rejoined the additional frigate line of destroyer escorts as they made their torpedo runs at the far superior forces. This action meant the small Taffy 3 task force presented a “larger than real” profile in the water. Although his ship had already fired her torpedoes, Commander Evans wanted to protect his fellow sailors as much as possible with his five-inch guns, firing 800 rounds in the battle.

This second suicide run met with far less success against the enemy. After almost three hours of battle, the Johnston eased over on her side for 20 minutes until finally sinking. Her destruction was for a good cause. The enemy, confusing the aggression as a genuine effort made by a more significant force, broke off the attack and headed for home.
Evans earned a Medal of Honor for his courageous actions but lost his life that day along with 185 members of his crew.
As Veterans Day approaches November 11, Oklahomans proved their servicemen and women are never forgotten in a recent solemn ceremony. The emphasis was family, in both those gathered and those mentioned during the ceremony dedicating a monument to Oklahoma’s most famous Navy hero of WWII in Muskogee, Okla., on October 25, 78 years to the day after he died in the Battle Off Samar.
Several families connected with the effort to commemorate Evans’ courageous Medal of Honor defining effort made the trip to Oklahoma to attend the event.
A retired U.S. Air Force lieutenant colonel and dentist, and Norman, Okla. resident Stephen Reagan spearheaded the effort to honor Evans. His family, including his son, an active-duty U.S. Air Force Colonel, surrounded him at the bust unveiling.
In giving credit for the final push to make the event happen after a three-year and nine-month campaign to raise funds and resources to create the monument, the mayor of Muskogee mentioned by that time he felt as if he had become a brother to Steven Reagan in the effort.
“It was a humbling experience to unveil Commander Evans’ memorial bust in the City of Muskogee,” said Muskogee Mayor Marlon J. Coleman. “Retired Lieutenant Colonel Stephen Reagan led a herculean effort recognizing Commander Evans’s role in World War II. As a graduate of Muskogee High School, Evans’ place in history is one that Muskogee should be proud of. Evans’ leadership, tenacity, and love for his country showed the Japanese naval fleet what it means to challenge American democracy—that our principles of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness are worth dying for. Stephen Reagan is a modern-day hero, a champion of causes for Sailors such as Ernest Evans, whose legacy would otherwise go unknown or told incorrectly. I am proud to call Stephen a brother.”
University of Oklahoma Naval ROTC Commanding Officer and 30-year veteran Capt. Paul Young spoke about a typical day as a captain of a surface ship on patrol and his respect for Evans.
During historian Larry Floyd’s detailing of Evans’ life and courageous actions, he spoke of the families. He said Evans had two children with his wife during his 17-year career in the Navy leading up to that critical moment in the history of the United States Navy.
On Sept. 28, 1945, not long after World War II ended, Commander Evans was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor. Presented to his wife, Margaret, in San Pedro, California, the ceremony included his mother, sister and sons Jerry and Ernest Jr.
The first Navy Native American to earn the Medal of Honor, Evans is one of only two World War II destroyer captains to attain it.
Evans’ exploits have now been interwoven into the Navy legacy as his name has gone on to grace a warship and a U.S. Navy Academy building.
“I consider my work to help Muskogee honor Commander Ernest Evans one of the most significant things I have ever done,” Reagan said. “It’s a good feeling to help others. I am very proud of my three sons, their families and my wife Alice and to have Alice and all three sons present helped make it a great day for me.”
His son Col. Eric Reagan, active-duty US Air Force, summed up what he saw as his father’s motives. “Over the last three years, I’ve asked myself, ‘what interest does a retired Air Force dentist have in relentlessly pursuing recognition of a Navy ship captain?’ The answer is service,” Eric said. “My dad still serves veterans, his community, Oklahoma, and our great nation. This project was a reflection of his service. My brothers and I are proud of him, and we were so honored to be in Muskogee today to honor Ernest Evans…and our father.”
Reagan volunteers to help all service veterans to ensure they receive their full benefits from their military service with the Dale K. Graham Veterans Foundation in Norman. This event in Muskogee is just another example of the wrap-around concept of our nation’s gratitude and attention to the families left behind while their loved ones are serving and those families deprived of their service members through death. Gold Star families of the U.S. Armed Forces have lost loved ones since 1776. Nationally noted Paul Moore of Norman sculpted the bronze bust of Evans wearing his Medal of Honor. It sits atop a square black granite pedestal. Below his image at the front of the bust is a miniature model of the USS Johnston firing her five-inch guns and creating a smoke screen. The front of the pedestal features Evans’ significant dates and his Medal of Honor Citation on the back.

https://www.lindseymedicalsupply.com/

Story and photos by Darl DeVault, Contributing Editor

Story by Joyce Clark, Executive Director – Saint Ann Retirement Center

When asked what is the most significant thing that makes an elder feel loved and included in the Thanksgiving & Christmas season, most people say they desire to spend time with family. Residents of Saint Ann Independent Living were asked for ideas to help make holidays for seniors more joyful and festive. Most replies indicated seniors simply want to spend time with loved ones doing just about anything. Ideas for activities families and seniors can do together are outlined below.

THINGS TO DO TOGETHER TO BRIGHTEN HOLIDAY SEASON FOR YOUR ELDER LOVED ONES

• Attend a Christmas ballet or theatre show
• Hold a virtual get-together using Facetime, Zoom, Skype, or Google Meet
• For those who have difficulty getting around or need personal assistance, hire an aide to transport & assist her at a family event.
• Play Dirty Santa or other games
• Take a drive to view Christmas lights
• Enjoy a spa day
• Write Christmas cards
• Include the elder in meal & event planning
• Cook favorite items in a festive setting
• Assist with gift wrapping
• Help decorate the senior’s home. Also, help take down & store decorations.
• Go gift shopping with a stop for brunch
• Play holiday music & sit by a fire while visiting
• Assemble a holiday or family photo album or scrapbook
• Bake cookies
• Make holiday cards or crafts
• Watch Christmas or home movies
• Create a cookbook with recipes from all family members
• Organize old photographs & share memories about them
• If it is difficult for the senior to get out of the home, take a small festive family party to her residence.
• Attend church or Mass on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day
• Go caroling or have a sing-along
• Help the senior primp for a special event or get ready together. Manicure nails, style hair, do makeup, trim long hair in nose, ear, or eyebrows, and get dressed in fancy clothes. The senior may need to rest before going to an event or some primping could be done in advance.

Saint Ann Independent Living residents agreed it is wonderful to have people stop by for a visit all year and not just during the holidays. Folks who are hard of hearing prefer personal visits over telephone calls or video chat. The residents also suggested some gift ideas for seniors:

GIFT IDEAS FOR YOUR FAVORITE SENIOR

• Help out by shopping, running errands, picking up gifts, mailing package or cards
• Arrange for a beautician or masseuse to go to the senior’s home
• Postage stamps
• Cup holder for walker or wheelchair
• Gift card for a local grocery store, restaurant, favorite brand, Walmart, coffee, manicure, etc…
• Crossword, Sudoku or jigsaw puzzles
• Basket of fruit, snacks, or groceries
• Latest book from a favorite author
• Night lights or motion sensor lights for hallway, bedroom, bathroom
• Coupon redeemable for running errands a few times a year
• Note offering to do chores around the house
• Monthly subscription for a gift box, flowers, or magazine
• Warm & snuggly throw
• Bidet
• Easy-to-use mobile phone or tablet that can be used to video chat
• Smart picture frame that allows people to upload pics, video call, or send notes
• Amazon Echo with voice calling
• Custom photo puzzle or calendar
• Medical alert system
• Memory foam or gel seat cushion
• Adaptive devises like a long handled shoe horn
• Large print playing cards
• Succulents
• Shari’s Berries
• Bird feeder & seed
• Wall mounted magnifying mirror
• Fall-resistant slippers
• Wine
• Assortment of birthday & greeting cards with stamps

Another suggestion is to simplify traditions and routines to reduce stress and accommodate the elder’s physical or mental needs. Sometimes it is more about the people and simple things than celebrating exactly as done in previous years.

Holidays can be particularly sad for some folks. Pictures or memories may bring up tears or grief. This can be a healthy way to release normal feelings and should not be shamed. Share a safe space to remember and celebrate lost loved ones.

Joyce Clark is the Campus Director of Saint Ann Retirement Center, which offers independent and assisted living. She says watching people regain their strength, balance, and health is one of her team’s greatest rewards.

Clark encourages people to be extra careful at home getting in and out of the bathtub, where many people tend to fall. Call Lisa at Saint Ann Retirement Center, (405) 721-0747 Ext #322, if you would like more tips and helpful information. https://www.saintannretirementcenter.com/

By Steven Sibley, E7 RET/DAV, MBA Healthcare Admin Licensed and Appointed Health Insurance Agent

As a Military Retiree we enjoy many great benefits, affordable healthcare is one of them. As a civilian now working in the senior health insurance industry, I appreciate that value even more. I’ve discovered that Tricare for Life (TFL), is not just a healthcare benefit, it’s also a financial benefit. Unfortunately, many veterans don’t fully understand what Tricare for Life is or how it works. What they do know is when they need healthcare their copays are low or non-existent. As a professional in the industry, and someone on TFL, I’d like to shed some light on TFL.
TFL is a benefit that works with Original Medicare Parts A & B. Part A is for Hospital/Inpatient Care and Part B is for Primary/Outpatient Care. For retirees, TFL starts when they become eligible for Original Medicare at age 65. The big surprise comes when they discover that they are going on Medicare and that it has a much higher cost than the low premiums they had for Tricare Prime or Select. The new premium for 2023, which is for Medicare Part B, will be about $165.00 per month for most people with an average income.
Original Medicare generally only pays for 80% of the cost of care, so the remaining 20% is the responsibility of the patient. Plus, it does not cover prescription drugs, dental, or vision. The solution for many civilian retirees is to add a supplement and a drug plan. Together those premiums can cost about $200 per month and adding Vision and Dental plans will increase their monthly cost. Then they find out their plan’s premiums can increase every year.
During your 20 plus years of retirement, they’ll pay as much as $80,000 or more for each person on Medicare. Here’s why TFL is a financial benefit, there is no premium. Technically, TFL is called a “Medicare Wrap Around benefit”, practically it acts like a premium free supplement and drug plan. So, a retired military member and their spouse are not going to be spending hundreds of thousands of dollars of their retirement income on insurance premiums. It gets even better.
What most veterans on TFL don’t know is, they can access even more benefits from the Medicare part of their TFL by choosing to have it administered by a commercial healthcare company. These are called Part C plans, aka Medicare Advantage, and they must cover everything that Original Medicare does. These plans can bundle additional healthcare and wellness benefits, which may even include a Prescription Drug Plan. However, Military retirees can use special Part C plans that do not offer a drug plan, since their prescriptions are covered by TFL through Express Scripts. I am on such a plan, I pay ZERO dollars for it, and significantly reduces my Part B premium payment. It also covers Vision and Dental, so there’s no need to pay FEDVIP extra for those benefits. It also offers a host of other benefits worth hundreds of dollars a month. Using a Medicare Part C plan with TFL is like turbo- charging your benefits. These plans will also work for most Medicare eligible Veterans who use the VA for their prescription drugs. Less cost, more benefits, and money back is what we’ve earned and deserve as Veterans. Find out more and get your questions answered by giving me a call. Steven Sibley, E7 RET/DAV, 405-850-1569.

https://www.sibleyinsures.com/

Required disclaimer: We do not offer every plan available in your area. Any information we provide is limited to those plans we do offer in your area. Please contact Medicare.gov or 1-800-MEDICARE to get information on all of your options.

Courtesy Naval History and Heritage Command

USS Oklahoma, a 27,500-ton Nevada class battleship, was built at Camden, New Jersey. She was commissioned in May 1916 and generally operated in the Atlantic over the next five years. In mid-1918, Oklahoma went to European waters to help protect convoys. Late in that year and in June 1919 she escorted President Wilson during his voyages to and from France. In 1921, the battleship moved to the Pacific, visiting the west coast of South America prior to joining the Pacific Fleet. During most of the rest of the decade, Oklahoma served with the Battle Fleet during its many exercises, drills and Fleet Problems. She participated in the Fleet’s trans-Pacific cruise to Australia and New Zealand in mid-1925. In the summer of 1927, she transported Naval Academy Midshipmen from the east to the west coast during their annual training cruise.
Oklahoma was modernized at the Philadelphia Navy Yard in 1927-29, emerging with a greatly altered appearance and notably improved battleworthiness. After brief service with the Scouting Fleet, she returned to the Pacific in mid-1930, and renewed her participation in the Battle Fleet’s activities. In July 1936, Oklahoma was sent to Europe to help evacuate U.S. citizens and others during the Spanish Civil War. She rejoined the Battle Fleet in the Pacific later in the year.
In 1940, Oklahoma’s base was shifted from the U.S. west coast to Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. She was at Pearl Harbor when the Japanese attacked on 7 December 1941. Moored outboard of USS Maryland (BB-46), she was hit by a great number of Japanese Type 91 aerial torpedoes. With her port side torn open over much of its length, Oklahoma rapidly rolled over and sank to the harbor bottom, with the loss of over 400 of her crew. Many of the men trapped in her upturned hull were cut free through the intense efforts of Sailors and civilian Navy Yard employees.
During 1943, Oklahoma was the subject of a massive salvage undertaking, involving turning her upright, patching her damages and refloating her. She was drydocked late in the year to be stripped of guns and other equipment and repaired sufficiently to make her relatively watertight. Too old and badly damaged to be worth returning to service, Oklahoma was formally decommissioned in September 1944. She was sold for scrapping in December 1946, but sank while under tow from Hawaii to California in May 1947.

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