Oklahoma Trails is home for new female river otter, Hazel.

Guests visiting the Oklahoma City Zoo and Botanical Garden will have an opportunity to see its newest animal family member, Hazel, a female North American river otter. Hazel, 1, recently arrived at the OKC Zoo from Potter Park Zoo in Lansing, Michigan, and can be seen at the Zoo’s river otter habitat in the Big Rivers building at Oklahoma Trails. The recommendation for Hazel to relocate to the OKC Zoo came from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums Species Survival Plan® (SSP) for North American river otters. AZA’s SSP programs are cooperatively managed programs created to oversee species populations within AZA accredited zoos and aquariums.
“It’s always exciting to connect guests to a new member of our animal family,” said Tyler Boyd, the Oklahoma City Zoo’s curator of carnivores. “Hazel is settling in nicely and becoming familiar with her new habitat space. At this time, she is our only river otter but we are working with the AZA’s SSP program for river otters to find her a companion.”
Located throughout North America and Canada, river otters are classified by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as stable, meaning that their population in the wild is not in immediate danger of decline. River otters are just one of 13 different otter species found globally. River otters are known for their long slender bodies with short legs and their excellent swimming abilities. Adult otters can vary greatly in size, growing to about 2.5 to 5 feet and weighing between 10 and 30 pounds. A carnivorous species, river otters eat fish, frogs, crayfish, turtles and even some small mammals. They hunt either alone or in pairs but can also forage on land for insects and small mammals.
You “otter” make your way to the OKC Zoo to see Hazel! The Oklahoma City Zoo is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily with the last entry no later than 4 p.m. Purchase advance tickets for general admission at www.okczoo.org/tickets. Located at the crossroads of I-44 and I-35, the OKC Zoo is a proud member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, the American Alliance of Museums, Oklahoma City’s Adventure District and an Adventure Road partner. Regular admission is $12 for adults and $9 for children ages 3-11 and seniors ages 65 and over. Children two and under are admitted free.
Stay connected with the Zoo on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Linktree and TikTok, and by visiting our blog stories. To learn more about Zoo happenings, call (405) 424-3344 or visit okczoo.org.

Dear Savvy Senior,

Can you recommend any businesses or services that specialize in helping seniors downsize and relocate? I need to find some help moving my mother from her four-bedroom home – where she’s lived for nearly 50 years – to an apartment near me. Overwhelmed Daughter

Overwhelmed Daughter Solo Ager

Dear Overwhelmed,
The process of downsizing and moving to a new home is a big job for anyone, but it can be especially overwhelming for seniors who are moving from a long-time residence filled with decade’s worth of stuff and a lifetime of memories. Fortunately, there’s a specialized service available today that can help make your mom’s move a lot easier for her, and for you.
Senior Move Manager
To help your mom get packed up and moved into her new home, you should consider hiring a “senior move manager.” These are trained organizers (they are not moving companies) who assist older people with the challenges of relocating and can minimize the stress of this major transition by doing most of the work for you.
A senior move manager can help your mom pare down her belongings, decide what to take and what to dispose of, recommend charities for donations and help sell her unwanted items. They can even create a customized floor plan of her new home so your mom can visualize where her belongings will fit.
Senior move managers can also get estimates from moving companies, oversee the movers, arrange the move date, supervise the packing and unpacking and help set up her new home, have the house cleaned and just about anything you need related to her move.
If you want to do some of the work yourself, you can pick and choose only the services you want. For example, you may only want a move manager’s help with downsizing and selling excess furniture and unwanted belongings but plan on doing the actual packing and moving yourself.
The cost of working with a senior move manager will vary depending on where you live, the services you want and size of the move, but you can expect to pay somewhere between $60 and $125 per hour or more, not including the cost of movers.
How to Find One
To locate a senior move manager in your area, visit the National Association of Senior Move Managers website at NASMM.org or call 877-606-2766. The NASMM is a trade association with an accreditation program that requires its members to abide by a strict code of ethics that ensures integrity. They currently have around 1,000 members across the U.S.
You can also search at Caring Transitions (CaringTransitions.com), which is the largest senior relocation and transition services franchised company in the U.S. They currently have nearly 200 franchises throughout the country.
But, before you hire one, be sure you ask for references from previous clients and check them, and check with the Better Business Bureau too. Also find out how many moves they have actually managed and get a written list of services and fees. And make sure they’re insured and bonded.
If you can’t find a senior move manager in your area, another option is to hire a certified professional organizer who specializes in downsizing and relocating. To find one, check the National Association of Productivity and Organizing Professionals, which has a searchable database on its website at NAPO.net.

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.

Governor Kevin Stitt nominates current interim commissioner of health for commissioner position

Thursday Governor Kevin Stitt nominated Keith Reed the Commissioner of Health for the state of Oklahoma. Reed has been with the Oklahoma State Department of Health (OSDH) for 20 years, serving in various positions throughout the agency.
Reed has been serving as OSDH’s interim Commissioner of Health since October 22, 2021.
“I am honored to be nominated by Governor Stitt for consideration as Oklahoma’s next Commissioner of Health,” said Keith Reed, current interim commissioner of health. “I am proud to work alongside professionals that are truly dedicated to improving the lives of their neighbors. I look forward to the potential to serve in this capacity and continuing the transformation of OSDH, as it strengthens internally to ultimately be more responsive and a better partner for Oklahomans.”
Reed was born and raised in Monroe, Oklahoma located in Le Flore County.
“I often draw on my upbringing in a smaller Oklahoma community when thinking about the needs of Oklahomans that OSDH has the responsibility for meeting,” said Reed.
Reed has his Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) from Oklahoma’s Northeastern State University and possesses a Master of Public Health Degree (MPH) from the University of Oklahoma. Further, he is Certified in Public Health through the National Board of Public Health Examiners.
In addition to his public health career, Reed is a Colonel in the Oklahoma Air National Guard, serving multiple tours in support of Operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom. He is currently assigned as Commander, 137th Special Operations Medical Group, Will Rogers Air National Guard Base, Oklahoma City.
“Keith Reed has done an exceptional job as interim commissioner of health and will continue to serve Oklahomans well in this permanent capacity,” said Gov. Stitt. “Keith has a proven track record of success, and he is the right person to lead the Oklahoma State Department of Health into the future.”
Before Reed is officially named as the Commissioner of Health, the senate must confirm his appointment.
The Oklahoma State Department of Health (OSDH) protects and improves public health through its system of local health services and strategies focused on preventing disease. OSDH provides technical support and guidance to 68 county health departments in Oklahoma, as well as guidance and consultation to the two independent city-county health departments in Oklahoma City and Tulsa. Learn more at Oklahoma.gov/health.

In case you missed it, the American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL) released a report last week highlighting the growing number of nursing home closures. More than 1,000 nursing homes have closed since 2015, displacing as many as 45,000 vulnerable residents. As nursing homes and assisted living communities struggle with the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and a lack of sustainable government funding, AHCA/NCAL projects that hundreds of add
* Since 2015, facility closures have included 776 before the pandemic and 327 during the pandemic.
* Over 400 nursing homes may close before the end of this year.
* During the pandemic, nearly half of nursing home closures (46 percent) were facilities with the highest ratings by the federal government.
In response to the findings from the report, Mark Parkinson, president and CEO of AHCA/NCAL, said:
“Every closure is like a family being broken apart, with the lives of residents, staff and their families impacted in the process. With hundreds of nursing home closures looming now and thousands more anticipated if government funding is cut, state and federal policymakers need to step up to support our social safety net. We need to do better than just keep nursing home doors open—we need to make significant investments to better support our frontline caregivers and transform facilities for a growing elderly population.”
In many cases, facilities are faced with the difficult choice of limiting admissions or closing their doors for good as a result of financial challenges and a historic workforce shortage. Earlier this month, the Eliza Bryant nursing home in Ohio announced its impending closure because of financial and staffing troubles, and the Kensington, a nursing home in Nebraska made a similar announcement a week later.
Nursing home closures mean reduced access to care for vulnerable seniors who need around-the-clock care. Policymakers must act by allocating the resources necessary to address this urgent crisis and support long term care for the future.

OU Health Stephenson Cancer Center, located on the OU Health Sciences Center campus in Oklahoma City, recently marked more than a decade of delivering the most advanced, research-driven, comprehensive care for patients facing the challenges of a cancer diagnosis. Dedicated on June 30, 2011, Stephenson Cancer Center opened to patient care three weeks later.
A $12-million gift made in 2010 by Tulsa residents Charles and Peggy Stephenson, longtime supporters of the University of Oklahoma, capped a $50-million private fundraising campaign. Theirs was the largest single donation to the Health Sciences Center at the time. In 2019, the Stephenson Family Foundation presented a transformative $20 million gift to expand the center’s research mission. Extending the impact of the Stephenson’s generosity, the cancer center committed to raise an additional $20 million, dedicated to the discovery of new ways to prevent, diagnose and treat cancer. The philanthropic support of the Stephenson family served to sustain momentum that helped secure the cancer center’s designation as a National Institutes of Health (NCI) Cancer Center in 2018.
NCI designation became a specific goal for Stephenson Cancer Center in 2001, when the Oklahoma State Legislature approved House Bill 1072. Passed with bipartisan support, the bill called upon the university to create a comprehensive cancer center to provide leadership in cancer treatment, research and outreach. Further, the overarching goal was to achieve national recognition as an NCI-designated cancer center. Over the past decade, more than $400 million has been committed to the support and ongoing development of the cancer center, making it the largest public-private biosciences initiative in Oklahoma history.
Stephenson Cancer Center is the only NCI-designated center in Oklahoma. NCI designation belongs to only an elite group of cancer centers representing the top 2% of centers in the United States. Then and now, the cancer center demonstrates an unprecedented commitment to fighting cancer through improved treatment, clinical research, support programs and education.
Robert Mannel, M.D., Stephenson Cancer Center director, emphasized what it means to have such a resource in the state. “Cancer is the greatest challenge of modern-day medicine, possessing an intimidating force to irrevocably alter the lives of patients and their families. Cancer touches all of us, with one of two Oklahoma men and one in three Oklahoma women getting a cancer diagnosis during their lifetime. Stephenson Cancer Center’s vision is to eliminate cancer in Oklahoma and beyond. Its mission is to provide patient-centered, research-driven multidisciplinary cancer care. Such care is available in Oklahoma at Stephenson Cancer Center.”
The presence of this unparalleled resource for the utmost in compassionate patient care makes it possible to offer a broad range of latest-generation therapies and research-driven clinical trials. Further, it allows patients to access world-class care close to home, eliminating the necessity of travel beyond state borders. This invaluable benefit preserves patients’ vital networks of physical, mental and emotional support found in family, friends and spiritual communities.
“We’re keenly focused on research-driven patient care that provides access to tomorrow’s therapies today. It is research that drives us toward a future reality in which the burden of cancer is reduced or eliminated,” said Mannel. “Here, we have harnessed the resources that will one day help to defeat this adversary, which has taken such a toll on families across the globe. Stephenson Cancer Center is an inspiring model of what we can accomplish as Oklahomans united for such a compelling cause.”
Mannel explained that the cancer center’s mission-critical components include recruitment of NCI-funded researchers and the education and superior training of oncology health professionals. “These strategies are part of the battle plan to defeat cancer.”

The Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation presented scientific awards to four scientists and announced another as an endowed chair during Wednesday’s annual spring board meeting.
Florea Lupu, Ph.D., received the Edward L. & Thelma Gaylord Prize for Scientific Excellence, OMRF’s highest scientific award. Lupu joined OMRF in 2001 and holds the H. Allen and Mary K. Chapman Chair in Medical Research, which focuses on the study of cardiovascular and circulatory diseases and disorders. His lab aims to find a new treatment for sepsis, which kills about 270,000 people per year in the U.S. — more than lung cancer, breast cancer and drug overdoses combined.

The Merrick Award for Outstanding Medical Research was given to Benjamin Miller, Ph.D., an internationally recognized leader in aging research. Miller, a physiologist, seeks to prevent the onset of chronic diseases by slowing the biological process of aging. His current work focuses on whether metformin, the world’s most prescribed diabetes drug, is effective at slowing aging.
Gaurav Varshney, Ph.D., received the J. Donald & Patricia H. Capra Award for Scientific Achievement. Varshney uses revolutionary gene-editing technology to understand human hearing loss, a condition that affects 1 in 6 American adults. Last year, he received NIH funding to study 21 genes believed to be involved in developmental disorders such as hearing loss, autism and schizophrenia.
The Fred Jones Award for Scientific Achievement was presented to Wan Hee Yoon, Ph.D. Yoon uses fruit flies to investigate how disruptions or failures in mitochondria — the driver for energy and metabolism in cells — can lead to neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. Last year his research uncovered a rare genetic mutation deemed responsible for neurological disorders in nine children in Europe and the Middle East.
Also at the meeting, Darise Farris, Ph.D., was named the Alvin Chang Chair in Biomedical Research. Farris’ lab studies conditions that range from Sjögren’s disease to bacterial infections such as anthrax. Her focus is the body’s abnormal immune responses in these conditions and how countering those reactions can result in better health outcomes.
“Dr. Farris is internationally recognized for her innovative research on immune responses in health and disease,” said Rod McEver, M.D., OMRF’s vice president of research, who held the Alvin Chang Chair from 2009 to 2020. “She is a highly valued colleague at OMRF and other institutions, and most importantly, she is a dedicated mentor to younger scientists.”

Today, the Social Security Administration released its first Equity Action Plan, supporting President Biden’s whole-of-government equity agenda to advance equity, civil rights, racial justice, and equal opportunity for all.
On January 20, 2021, The President signed an Executive Order, Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government. The Executive Order requires all Federal agencies “to pursue a comprehensive approach to advancing equity for all, including people of color and other people who have been historically underserved, marginalized, and adversely affected by persistent poverty and inequality.”
“Social Security’s programs touch the lives of nearly every American, providing income security for the diverse populations we serve, including people facing barriers, people with disabilities, people who are widowed, retirees, and their families,” said Kilolo Kijakazi, Acting Commissioner of Social Security. “Systemic barriers may prevent people who need our programs the most from accessing them. Our Equity Action Plan will help to reduce these barriers and ensure people have access to our services.”
Social Security’s Equity Action Plan includes:
* Increasing collection of race and ethnicity data to help understand whether programs are equitably serving applicants and beneficiaries,
* Revising policies and practices to expand options for service delivery, Ensuring equitable access for unrepresented claimants in the disability application process,
* Decreasing burdens for people who identify as gender diverse or transgender in the Social Security number card application process, and
* Increasing access to research grant programs for Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Minority Serving Institutions and procurement opportunities for small and disadvantaged businesses.
To learn more about the actions outlined in the Equity Action Plan, please visit www.socialsecurity.gov/open/materials/SSA-EO-13985-Equity-Action-Plan.pdf. For more information about efforts to redress systemic barriers in policies and programs to advance equity for all, visit www.whitehouse.gov/equity.

Assisted Living in Oklahoma City at Rivendell

Conveniently located between I-35 and I-44 next to Oklahoma City’s premier Rivendell neighborhood, Legend at Rivendell offers assisted living and memory care services on a beautiful campus. Here, residents enjoy personalized assistance that enhances independence, a vibrant social atmosphere where neighbors become friends, and easy access to resources that improve health and overall wellness. If you are searching for senior living in OKC, be sure to add our residence to your “must-see” list.

Legend at Rivendell offers exceptional assisted living in Oklahoma. We designed the single-story community so residents can maximize their independence. Here, you’ll find we have paid close attention to every detail – from low pile carpeting to reduce fall risk to a color palette that aids in low vision challenges to give those who live here the most independent life possible.

Our Approach to Assisted Living in the OKC

But Legend at Rivendell assisted living is more than a beautifully designed building. It embodies the commitment to wellness and healthy socialization that makes Legend at Rivendell the best choice for assisted living in Oklahoma City. We designed the residence with plenty of places to catch up with a new friend or grab a cup of coffee with a neighbor. In addition, our busy event and program calendar ensure there is always something new to try or do any day of the week. Our life enrichment program features large group, small group, and individual opportunities for residents to enjoy ranging from excursions around town to happy hour socials to history lectures. We love creating experiences for our residents to enjoy.

As for dining, our Gold Leaf Dining program ensures every meal is an authentic culinary experience. Residents enjoy multiple entree choices and memorable meals that are comforting, delicious, and seasonal. But dining is more than eating – it’s socializing with friends and neighbors in a well-designed dining room, and it’s an experience.

Of course, assisted living in Oklahoma is designated by helpful caregivers who support residents as they need it. At Legend of Rivendell, our residents enjoy customized support and assistance that maximize independence. We offer just the right amount of help so that residents feel energized to take on the rest of their day.

Offering the Best Memory Care in OKC

Created especially for those living with Alzheimer’s disease or another type of dementia, Legend of Rivendell’s memory care services are unmatched in the area. Our exceptional memory care in OKC features specially trained caregivers who are well-versed in the disease process and how to find positive interventions in every situation.

Our memory care residence is just like home, with families and residents bringing in their personal touches. Caregivers and other team members work to create personalized experiences for each individual. It’s common to find a caregiver singing a favorite song with a resident while assisting with personal care tasks or pouring a cup of tea, just like the resident takes it when they see the resident walking down the hall.

It’s the personal touches and specialized approaches that make our residence the best memory care in OKC.

Senior Living at Its Finest

At Legend at Rivendell, you can find signatures of Legend Senior Living, like:

• Gold Leaf dining experiences
• Plenty of natural light throughout the residence and apartments
• Multiple floor plans to meet different needs, budgets, and styles
• Caregivers available around-the-clock
• Medication management services
• Personalized care plans tailored to each individual
• Transportation and housekeeping services
• Wellness services and amenities

Discover the Best Assisted Living in OKC

Searching for senior living in OKC can feel overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be. Begin your research by experiencing the Legend lifestyle for yourself by scheduling a personalized tour, either in person or virtual. We would love to show you the small and big details that make our community special.

Contact Us

13200 S May Ave

Oklahoma City, OK 73170

405-252-1572

Story and photos by Darl Devault, Feature Writer

Sports photographer Richard T. Clifton, 65, has become a generational legend for his prolific body of work in Oklahoma City since first chronicling future Olympic gold medalist Shannon Miller’s gymnastic performance at the 1989 Olympic Festival. His latest website, created in 2010, features 1.9 million photos from his efforts.
These photos emphasize high school sports and other events around the state, and the nearly two million photos is not a misprint. You can find the photo count and these images at his online site: https://rtcdigitalimages.zenfolio.com
If it has been of public interest in the Oklahoma City area from 1980 onward, chances are Clifton photographed it. In 1980 he started shooting for the Chickasha Daily Express newspaper covering high school sports and the University of Oklahoma. He was the only photographer covering women’s basketball, volleyball, and men’s and women’s gymnastics for OU for many years.
In thousands of pictures, he captured the moment of almost anything that was an annual event in Oklahoma City, including a surprising array of one-time events in the evenings and weekends. He compiled his prodigious record all the while teaching physical education for 29 years at Lincoln Elementary School in Chickasha. He retired from teaching in 2008.
To become a legend like Clifton, photographers must start at a higher level than most and persistently expand their market and expertise. He has excelled as a photographer with varying images: sports events, retirements, dating, portraiture, commercial applications, media use, weddings, graduations, family events, fashion, parties, engagements, religious ceremonies, teams, and office settings.
A devout Christian, he now takes photos of the children of some of his photography subjects of three decades ago. Looking back through decades of experience, he fondly remembers his early years gaining acceptance as a photographer.
“As a volunteer photographer for the 1989 Olympic Festival here in Oklahoma City, we were assigned certain events to cover and told not to deviate from that schedule,” Clifton said in a recent interview. “After turning in my first rolls of film, the organizers could determine the quality of my work. Suddenly they gave me many rolls of film, upgraded my credential to all-access, and told me I could photograph any event I wanted to shoot.”
Encouraged by his early successes, he took on photographic challenges at a higher level. He was soon the chief photographer for the two Olympic coaches, Steve Nunno and Peggy Liddick, who trained Shannon Miller at Dynamo Gymnastics.
Because area news outlets have published his work as a photojournalist over the years, his images have been interwoven into the fabric of the state. He has shot the professional sports of baseball, bowling, basketball, football, tennis and golf in Oklahoma. He has donated a sizable part of his time to help local nonprofits document special events at several points in his career, often creating their most prized images.
His striving to get the best photograph has had immediate and long-lasting benefits for several nonprofits over the decades. These groups include the Oklahoma Sports Museum, Sooner State Games (now State Games of Oklahoma), and the now-defunct Oklahoma City All Sports Association from 2003 to 2018.
He has worked for national sports governing bodies such as the Big 12 conference while covering Division I softball, baseball and basketball, including the Women’s College World Series and NAIA Women’s National Golf Tournament. He has shot for the Oklahoma Soccer Coaches Association and served as the OSSAA podium photographer for state wrestling tournaments.
Clifton is one of the most easily recognized photographers in the metro area, where he and his sports action shots are well known. He has achieved an unparalleled level of consistency, adept at taking action shots during high school and college games over three decades.
Clifton’s photos in high-pressure situations during the Women’s College World Series have been featured in their programs and website and in the only definitive book written about the event. “Clifton’s photos are highlights in my narrative of this great event,” said Larry Floyd, co-author of “A Series of Their Own.” “His capturing some of the great moments in women’s collegiate softball has been duplicated for other sports over decades. Only his love for and dedication to his craft could produce such a body of quality work.”
His photos can be found on the pages of many other books. He says he is proudest of his image of former world No. 1 tennis star Monica Seles for her book.
Clifton has developed a following of other photographers who look to his expertise in finding where the most compelling action shots can be taken at sports venues. Local photographers also learn of the essential tools of their trade by observing Clifton’s expensive cameras and special lenses.
His early black and white prints, color slides, and negatives since 1989 showcase late 20th century Oklahoma City life. His eight years shooting Dynamo Gymnastics’ 1992 and 1996 Olympians and Olympic coaches Steve Nunno and Peggy Liddick provide an invaluable record of that historical period. He documented the Warren Spahn Award for decades while donating his time to the Oklahoma Sports Museum in Guthrie.
Outside the sports world, Clifton created iconic photos of many local, national and international celebrities, such as Dr. Nazih Zuhdi’s retirement in 1989. His pictures tell an easily understood story in various settings, making him one of the best portrait photographers available.
Clifton has shot weddings in almost every area venue. He ensures the wedding party, decor, dress, flowers, and cake are treated in skillful shooting, with professional studio lighting and thoughtful composition.
Learning his trade with film in the 1980s, Clifton’s photography equipment evolved into digital as he learned image-enhancing software such as Adobe’s Photoshop to enhance his work. This may explain why his website is approaching two million photos while he works independently as one of the market’s most respected freelancers.
Clifton has built his reputation with a blend of artistry, computer enhancement skills, and business professionalism. “My interest in photography was sparked during the photography portion of journalism class my senior year at Lawton Eisenhower high school in 1974,” Clifton said. “Just two years ago, I reconnected with my high school journalism teacher, Betty Tumlinson, and was able to tell her of the impact she had on my life.”