What brings you the most joy in life? Tealridge Retirement Community

Family. We have seven grand kids and I love being around them.

Todd Markum

Seeing my kids, grand kids and great grand kids. All of them came for my 90th birthday.

Cheryl Parker

People, because I don’t get to see my family often.

Sarah Fleming

Family, friends and travel. I like to see all that God has made in the world.

Dr. Bailey McBride

by Vickie Jenkins, Staff Writer

If you find yourself looking for James Brigida, you will most likely have to look up in the sky. He will be one of the three crew members on the Medi Flight helicopter. James is a Flight Nurse and a National Registered Paramedic.
Born in Las Angeles, CA and raised in the bay area, James was in his early twenties when he decided to visit a cousin in Oklahoma. He liked Oklahoma so much, he decided to move here and go to nursing school. That was sixteen years ago and he has enjoyed his job ever since. Having a job as a paramedic in 1998, he soon had the opportunity to be a flight paramedic. From there, he became an RN, and then a Certified Flight Registered Nurse. “I was getting great critical care experience and good basic knowledge. Now, I work for Medi Flight based out of Chickasha, OK and the parent company, Air Methods is based out of Denver, CO,” he said.
James explained how the helicopter crew consisted of one pilot, one nurse and one paramedic. “We have to do some life-threatening actions. There are two different types of flight emergencies calls. 1. Scene flight; a call made by a firefighter or a policeman. 2. Transfer call; these are the phone calls usually coming from smaller towns where there is no hospital; needing to transfer the person by helicopter,” James said. “Either way, the flight nurse and paramedic have to know what to do, how to do it and when to do it. We have seconds to take care of that patient in a unique and isolated situation while we are 1,000 feet in the air. We have to have critical thinking skills, performing emergency procedures. Seconds count! The flight nurse and flight paramedic work as equals,” he added.
“Flight nurses have bits of the same schedule as a firefighter. We work 24 hours, twice a week. We have eight flight nurses and eight flight paramedics with four shifts, rotating the schedule. Medi Flight is at Grady Memorial Hospital in Chickasha, OK. Mr. Deacon Vice is the Medical Director of the ER there,” James commented.
Does the helicopter fly in any weather? “Actually, the pilot of the helicopter is like a weatherman. They have to know all of the weather conditions before taking off. There has to be 1,000 feet from the ground to the ceiling (clouds) and be able to see two miles ahead for visibility. In the winter, they have to watch for the helicopter freezing over,” James replied.
Asking James to describe himself, he said, “I’m an outgoing, passionate guy that has a true desire to help. I am a great team player and have a lot of empathy for others.”
What advice would you give to someone if they wanted to be a flight nurse? “I would encourage them to start out by getting experience in the critical care unit. The reason is the fact that all of this training and experience will get them closer to becoming a flight nurse. Also, get all of the certifications you can. It will be even better when you try to get a job as a flight nurse,” James answered.
James isn’t always up in the sky though. “I also have a second job,” James said. “I work at the OU Trauma Center in the ER. This is the one and only Trauma Center in Oklahoma. I am blessed to have a job that I love, doing what I love to do, helping others and fulfilling my passion for flying.”
Living in Edmond, OK, James is married to the love of his life, Patty. They have three children, Matthew, 18, Dante, 20 and Alejandra 22.
James’ hobbies include exercise; working out at a great place called True Grit in Edmond, OK. “It can be a great stress-reliever,” James said. “That’s pretty much my hobby. Working out and sleeping. I love to sleep,” he said with a laugh.
From the days of his childhood, dreaming of aviation and flying, James is blessed to have the title Flight Nurse. “I get to take care of patients and fly in a helicopter. I continue to learn and use my critical thinking skills in my everyday job. I have a wonderful family and I continue to help others in any way that I can, in the air and on the ground,” James said.
Asking James to sum up his life in one word, he answered, “passionate”.

by Vickie Jenkins, Staff Writer

Located in the sought after city of Edmond, OK, you will find The Veraden, a clear choice for today’s retirees and their families. With medical services, shopping, restaurants and hospital all close by, conveniences are built right it. Danna Johnson, RN is the Executive Director at The Veraden. Danna Johnson has been a nurse for over 25 years and an Executive Director at other long-term care for 11 years.
Opening in January in 2017, The Veraden modernizes and redefines the retirement experience. With independent, assisted living and memory care apartments, every need is addressed with styles and compassion.
Born and raised in Dodge City Kansas, Danna attended school in Kansas and the Belleview University of Nebraska. She moved to Oklahoma City, OK in 2010.
What qualities make a good nurse? “A nurse needs to be caring and compassionate, striving for excellence in everything they do, have a positive attitude and make the residents happy. The residents come before anything else,” Danna replied. “There are 142 residents here and each one of them is special in their own way. Their care is the main focus of the caregivers here at The Veraden,” she added. “The title of Executive Director is only as good as the people underneath them,” Danna commented. “Here, we care about the one-on-one with the families. Everyone works very hard making the residents happy. Their happiness makes the whole day brighter.”
What is your favorite part of your job? “I love spending time with each of the residents and I like helping serve their lunch to them, helping any way I can. I think I spend more time in the dining area than anywhere else because I want to visit with all of the residents,” she said. “The number one concern is to make the resident feel loved, cared for and happy. I like to make them smile and laugh!” Danna answered.
“The biggest challenge in healthcare is the turnover in our 3-11 shift. Sometimes, the third shift can be the hardest shift to cover. We always seem to manage though and I think that is because everyone is willing to help out the other. Teamwork plays a very important part in working here, “Danna said.
Danna enjoys her job as Executive Director and sees herself here at The Veraden in five years from now or longer. “I like my work here and there are a lot of great nurses, caregivers and staff here. We support each other and we all help out in any way that we can,” Danna said. “That can be hard to do in a workplace such as nursing and long term care, “she added.
Asking Danna to describe herself, she replied: “I am a happy-go-lucky person; I smile a lot and laugh a big portion of the time. People say that I have a contagious laugh and the residents know when I am coming down the hallway. We try to keep the residents happy. None of us want to let the residents feel sad about anything,” Danna commented.
Recognition speaks volumes here at The Veraden. “We got voted as being the best Senior Care facility in Edmond, OK for 2018. It was such an honor because the people of Edmond voted for us and votes were announced in the Edmond Sun newspaper that we won! We even won over the winners that had been chosen for the last nine years. What a great feeling to be honored as the best senior facility in Edmond, OK,” Danna said. “In April 2019, there will be an Awards Banquet and one person from each area (The best of the best) of Veraden will be chosen and for that reason will attend the Annual Banquet.”
Danna enjoys spending time with her husband, Tony and her daughter Hannah – 16 and son Dean – 10. “Family time is very important to me,” Danna said. When asked what her favorite T.V. medical show was. “I hardly ever have time to watch T.V. but when I did; my favorite medical show was ER. I guess that tells you how long it has been since I watched a show like that,” she said with a laugh.
“Every day at work, I start off with a positive quote for our nurses, caregivers and staff. I like to set a positive attitude first thing in the morning. It seems to brighten everyone’s day, along with the residents,” Danna said. On a personal note, Danna’s daily words of encouragement are live, laugh and love. “I live by those words every day,” she said.

By Darlene Franklin

(Happy Mother’s Day)

In my childhood, I thought my mother knew everything. In my teens and early twenties, I thought I knew everything and she knew nothing. In my thirties, I decided Mom knew more than I thought and by my forties, I realized she knew a whole lot more than I do, and she was right most of the time. Now In my fifties and sixties, I wish she was here so I could just talk with her.
(paraphrase of an anonymous saying about fathers)
This bit of folk wisdom gets me every time. The older I get, the more I recognize my mother’s wisdom and forbearance. I miss her, terribly.
Then I wonder, “am I turning into her?” I am, after all, now the matriarch of my family.
Although Mom and I made a point of preparing for motherhood, we shared feelings of doing a sub-par performance at the most important job in our lives. My son, in spite of his rocky beginnings, handles the task of raising a family in today’s world much better than I ever did. That gives me hope that I did something right.
Did my mother feel the same way? Did she wonder where I found the grace to be strong and grow in wisdom and persevere in the midst of the trials I faced? Did she doubt herself or did she give herself any credit?
If I could ask her, I suspect we would both agree to a reversal of the saying I used above. It would read something like this:
When I became a mother, I had to know everything, or pretend I did. I was responsible for this helpless human being.
Then my children became teenagers. I didn’t know how to lead them in the right direction. What I did say, they misunderstood and dismissed.
In their twenties, they found a steady home, and love, I decided they had learned something after all, and I respected their right to make their own decisions.
(True for too many) Then my child was imprisoned/lost to drug addiction/committed suicide, and I knew I had utterly failed.
But my son married and started a family and actually me for help. In his thirties, he bragged about my growing writing career. He called me several times a week, to talk about two common passions—the Bible and movies—to brag on the grandkids and to ask my opinion. I wondered how this marvelous, mature young man had come out of me.
And now, as I am drawing nearer to death, my grandchildren think I know the answer to every question—because they haven’t stumped me yet—and they want me to life forever.
Dearest son, dearest daughter-in-law, dearest grandchildren. I won’t. I can’t. Besides, you don’t need me. You need the Lord, the fountain of wisdom. But you already know that.
As human beings, we all go through a spell where we question our family’s values and establish our own. I suppose that’s our free will at work, the same principle that t allows us to say “no” to God.
Yes, our children often pick up some of our bad habits. But here’s the good news: they also practice some of our good habits, too.
Take my family. Some of our less than endearing family traits? A tendency to obesity. We sometimes lose ourselves in a dreamworld instead of staying grounded in reality. We find it easy to procrastinate and inconvenience those around us. We struggle with a family history of sexual and physical abuse.
Sounds ugly, and it can be.
Some of our good traits? A faith that is a strong in my granddaughter as it was in my mother. We’re smart, creative, and love to learn.
Now I sound like I’m bragging. Not really. Have you ever heard how our strengths are our weaknesses turned inside out, and vice versa? Rejoice when our children reflect our strong points. Share with them what we’ve learned about our weaknesses. They’ll treasure that wisdom later in life. Daughter learns from mother. Daughter becomes a mother. Now daughter teaches her children.
What a beautiful cycle God designed for us. Although I use the words “mother” and “daughter” here, in honor of Mother’s Day. the sentiment rings true across the family board, Celebrate it!

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

Here are more options for your travel comfort tour as we continue our Palm Springs tasting which began in last months issue. Restaurants abound in Greater Palm Springs. I say Greater Palm Springs as that includes the adjacent towns of Cathedral City, Palm Desert, Desert Hot Springs, and Rancho Mirage. Each city has its own upscale resorts and dining options too numerous to mention here.
Concentrating on Palm Springs proper we find, Spencer’s, https://www.spencersrestaurant.com, next to the racket club, also with welcomed valet parking, which offers an excellent and cozy patio dining beneath an ancient spreading ficus tree. Very very popular and busy in a friendly way, but when I ordered my Martini with “ice on the pond”, meaning so cold and diligently shaken that tiny ice floats on the top, I got my beverage but with ice on the side in a glass, which I found amusing. It was so busy the waiter must have misheard my instructions. The well-dressed luncheon clientele were also enjoying the exquisite tomato basil bisque with the a little too dry honey brine pork chops, and delicious corn cake. Eaves dropping on neighboring tables juicy conversations can be intriguing. Spencer’s has a strict dining scheduled and reservations are mandatory, even for lunch.
For a touch of French dining, Le Vallauris, www.levallauris.com, on West Tahquitz Canyon Way, is your choice. Tucked up near a canyon cliff, Le Vallauris with its fresh roses distributed throughout the dining areas, the chalk board type menus, and the congenial and efficient wait staff lets you know you are in a special place. With upscale elegance, dining inside or preferred out, was the perfect bon voyage for me as I was flying out that afternoon. I saved the best for last. The many items on the luncheon menu all were tempting, but with my theme of comfort food I had the Eggs Benedict with prosciutto. I like a super lemony Hollandaise but did not need to ask for more of it on the side, as it was generously served. When I think of this dish in the future, it will always be compared to mine at Le Vallauris. Owner Omar, who travels the world was kind enough to join me for a brief conversation and pose for a photo as he was explaining the chalkboard menu to other eager patrons. In keeping with seasonal best gourmet dishes, Le Vallauris offers frequent email updates to the menu, to remind you of their expertise in freshness and an initiation to return,
Of course reservations are needed in Palm Springs whether for dining or of course for overnight lodgings. I had no reservation at the poolside/patio at the Riviera Resort (psriviera.com) but had a delight lunch lounging around the pool like I was a guest. I think the accommodations there would be perfect for a mid-range budget.
On the upscale side of Palm Springs is the new downtown Kimpton Rowen. (rowanpalmsprings.com) The posh high-rise roof top restaurant, Four Saints, is a touch of elegance from the liquor bottles floating above the bar and the see and be seen dining area which is topped off only by the adjacent roof top pool and specialty bar. You need not order a full meal as an $18 appetizer and beverage can satisfy your palate. An eccentric Palm Springs sight was a well-behaved dog rolled into the dining room in a black baby stroller. I asked my entertaining waiter about this and he said,”You can see anything in Palm Springs.”
If you are an adventurous male, the all male clothing optional accommodation at INNdulge, https://inndulge.com/, in the Warm Springs neighborhood will be a most comfortable experience, with morning Continental breakfast, evening cocktail time, congenial guests and heated pool and hot tub. The staff is most helpful in offering suggestions for your Greater Palm Springs experience. The bars clustered on E Arenas Road is a hit and miss pleasure.
Comfort can easily be discovered in Greater Palms Springs with prepared planning. Due to a recent flash flood the aerial tramway was closed, but is recommended. With a car it can be entertaining just driving around with no real destination in mind. You might find you self at the Palm Springs original sight or the botanical gardens or an unexpected stop at an art gallery or antique shop. Having visited there several times over the years, I had an idea of what would suit my comfort level, and in retrospect I accomplished another happy destination experience.
While the personnel is over whelmed at the CVB they can be contacted at www.visitgreaterpalmsprings.com Their hard copy visitor’s guide, more like a magazine, is more helpful than their online edition. In it you will find shopping suggestions for each greater Palm Springs city. They will send you one but you must request such several weeks in advance of your browsing.

Today the American Cancer Society (ACS) in Oklahoma City announced ResearcHERS: Women Fighting Cancer, a new initiative engaging women of influence to raise funds directly supporting women-led cancer research. The program spotlights the life experiences and discoveries of women in research and aims to inspire the next generation of girls to pursue their dreams of a career in science.
“One in three Americans will battle cancer in their lifetime, and we need the best and brightest minds engaged in reduce the cancer burden in our communities,” said Jeff Fehlis, Executive Vice President of the American Cancer Society. “Recognizing the unique challenges we face, women have expressed a strong interest in supporting scientifically sound women-led cancer research.”
ResearcHERS of Oklahoma City is chaired by Cynthia Black of Oklahoma City. Black, along with her husband Chris, are the owners of RK Black, a printing business that has been in their family for six decades. She will be supported by an elite group of Ambassadors committed to raise funds, serve as role models, and build awareness of the contributions of women in the fight against cancer.
“One brilliant idea or concept can save countless lives,” said Black. “Cancer doesn’t discriminate, and the next big discovery may come from a scientist funded by the ResearcHERS initiative.”
ACS is the nation’s largest, non-governmental provider of cancer research funding, with more than $4.8 billion invested since 1946.
“Our goal is to raise $50,000 during May, and I am thrilled to be carrying the torch for this inaugural ResearcHERS campaign,” Black said.

Intimate Portraits in Chamber Music

Oklahoma City, Okla., — The Brightmusic Chamber Ensemble will present its eighth annual Summer Chamber Music Festival June 6, 8, 9 and 11 at the historic St. Paul’s Cathedral in downtown Oklahoma City (127 NW 7th Street at Robinson). This four-concert festival will explore that most celebrated aspect of chamber music—its intimacy. Intimate Portraits in Chamber Music gets up close and personal with classical music’s most intimate expression: sonatas, trios and quartets, featuring works by Haydn, Beethoven, Brahms, Dvorák, Piazzolla and others. Parking is free just south of the cathedral.
Chamber Music has covered a lot of ground since Joseph Haydn developed the string quartet in the mid 18th century, but the art form remains at its very core what Goethe called “a stimulating conversation between intelligent people,” with us, the audience, listening in.
Works on the program are: Concert No. 1 – 7:30 pm, Thursday, June 6 – Sonatas Francis Poulenc, Sonata for Clarinet & Piano – Johannes Brahms, Sonata No. 2 for Viola & Piano in E-flat Major, Op. 120, No. 2 – Richard Strauss, Sonata for Violin & Piano in E-flat Major, Op. 18
Concert No. 2 – 7:30 pm, Saturday, June 8 – Duos and Trios Bohuslav Martinu, Trio for Flute, Cello & Piano – Ludwig van Beethoven, Sonata for Cello & Piano No. 3 in A Major, Op. 69 – Carl Frühling, Trio in A Minor for Clarinet, Cello & Piano, Op. 40
Concert No. 3 – 4:00 pm, Sunday, June 9 – Trios with Strings The Mae Ruth Swanson Memorial Concert – Ludwig van Beethoven, String Trio in C Minor, Op. 9, No. 3 – Ingolf Dahl, Concerto a Tre for Clarinet, Violin & Cello – Franz Joseph Haydn, London Trio No. 1 in C Major, Hob. IV:1 for Flute, Violin & Cello – Ernö Dohnányi, Serenade for String Trio in C Major, Op. 10
Concert No. 4 – 7:30 pm, Tuesday, June 11 – Quartets Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Quartet in F Major for Oboe, Violin, Viola & Cello, K.370 – Astor Piazzolla, Libertango and Oblivion for Clarinet, Violin, Cello & Piano – John Mackey, Breakdown Tango for Clarinet, Violin, Cello & Piano – Antonín Dvorák, Piano Quartet No. 2 for Piano & Strings in E-flat Major, Op. 87
Musicians appearing in the summer festival are: Gregory Lee and Katrin Stamatis (violin), Mark Neumann (viola), Zachary Reaves (cello), Parthena Owens (flute), Lisa Harvey-Reed (oboe), Chad Burrow (clarinet), Amy I-Lin Cheng, Sallie Pollack and Ruirui Ouyang (piano).
Brightmusic Chamber Ensemble, Oklahoma City’s own chamber ensemble, presents fine classical chamber music in the beautiful and acoustically-rich St. Paul’s Cathedral at NW 7th and Robinson near downtown Oklahoma City. Tickets are $20 at the door. Children, students and active-duty military personnel admitted free with ID. Free parking south of the cathedral. For more information, visit us at www.brightmusic.org

HELP WANTED!

WORK FROM HOME!
Advertising Sales

Senior News and Living and Oklahoma’s Nursing Times is looking for and Advertising Sales Executives. This salary/commission positon. Job Description: Immediate opening. We Are seeking an Advertising Sales executive to continue our growth in both the monthly Senior News and Living and our weekly Oklahoma’s Nursing Times (registered and licensed practical nurses). These are two very uniques niche publications with a strong readership and advertising following. View publications at www.okveterannews.com and www.oknursingtimes.com . Full and part time options available. Call Steve at 405-631-5100 ext 4 for more info or email steven.eldridge@okveterannews.com. EOE

Dear Savvy Senior,

What types of discounts are available to baby boomers, at what age do they kick in, and what’s the best way to go about finding them? Almost 50

Dear Almost,
One of the great perks of growing older in America is the many discounts that are available to boomers and seniors.
There are literally thousands of discounts on a wide variety of products and services including restaurants, grocery stores, travel and lodging, entertainment, retail and apparel, health and beauty, automotive services and much more. These discounts – typically ranging between 5 and 25 percent off – can add up to save you hundreds of dollars each year.
So, if you don’t mind admitting your age, here are some tips and tools to help you find the discounts you may be eligible for.
Always Ask
The first thing to know is that most businesses don’t advertise them, but many give senior discounts just for the asking, so don’t be shy.
You also need to know that while some discounts are available as soon as you turn 50, many others may not kick in until you turn 55, 60, 62 or 65.
Search Online
Because senior discounts frequently change and can vary depending on where you live and the time of the year, the Internet is the easiest way to help you locate them.
To do a search, start by visiting SeniorDiscounts.com, which lists thousands of discounts that you can search for by city and state, and by the category you’re interested in, for free.
You can also look for discounts at TheSeniorList.com, which provides a large list of national and regional business chains that offer them, or you can Google them individually. Just go to Google.com and type in the business or organization you’re curious about, followed by “senior discount” or “senior discount tickets.”
If you use a smartphone, another tool is the Sciddy app (see Sciddy.com) that lets you search for senior discounts and can send you alerts when you’re at an establishment that offers them.
Join a Club
Another good avenue to senior discounts is through membership organizations like AARP, which offers its 50 and older members a wide variety of discounts through affiliate businesses (see AARPdiscounts.com).
If, however, you’re not the AARP type, there are other alternative organizations you can join that also provide discounts such as The Seniors Coalition or the American Seniors Association. Or, for federal workers, there’s the National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association.
Types of Discounts
Here’s an abbreviated rundown of some of the different types of discounts you can expect to find.
Restaurants: Senior discounts are common at restaurants and fast food establishments – like Burger King, Chick-fil-A, Subway, Wendy’s, Applebee’s and Golden Corral – ranging from free/discounted drinks, to discounts off your total order.
Retailers: Many thrift stores like Goodwill, and certain retailers like Banana Republic, Kohl’s, Michaels and Ross stores offer a break to seniors on certain days of the week.
Supermarkets: Many locally owned grocery stores offer senior discount programs, as do some chains like Albertsons, Kroger, Publix and Fry’s Supermarkets, which offer some discounts on certain days of the week but they vary by location.
Travel: Southwest Airlines provide the best senior fares in the U.S. to passengers 65 and older, while Amtrak offers a 15 percent discount and Greyhound offers 5 percent off to travelers over 62. Most car rental companies provide discounts to customers who belong to organizations like AARP. Royal Caribbean, Celebrity and Carnival cruise lines offer discount rates to cruisers 55 and over. And, most hotels offer senior discounts, usually ranging from 10 to 30 percent.
Entertainment: Most movie theaters, museums, golf courses, ski slopes and other public entertainment venues provide reduced admission to seniors over 60 or 65. And the National Park Service offers a lifetime pass for those 62 and up for $10 (see nps.gov/findapark/passes.htm).
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.

SSM Health St. Anthony Hospital and the City of El Reno have reached an agreement for SSM Health St. Anthony Hospital to begin leasing a portion of the facility formerly known as Mercy Hospital El Reno. A definitive agreement was finalized on April 2.
Under the terms of the lease agreement, effective May 1, SSM Health St. Anthony Hospital began operating the emergency department of El Reno hospital as a department of SSM Health St. Anthony Hospital. SSM Health St. Anthony will maintain a full service, 24/7 emergency department in order to serve the needs of the residents of El Reno and surrounding communities. In support of the emergency department, SSM Health St. Anthony will also offer outpatient services including laboratory services and diagnostic imaging to provide convenience for patients. Although acute inpatient services will not be provided, the freestanding emergency department will ensure seamless protocols for immediate transfer of any patients needing a higher level of care.
Services will continue to be provided at the current address on Parkview Drive while the City of El Reno constructs a new $9 million facility patterned after SSM Health St. Anthony Healthplex locations with a campus featuring a freestanding emergency department, and diagnostic services. The City of El Reno will be the owner of the new freestanding emergency department facility. In addition, SSM Health will construct an adjacent building to house urgent care, primary care physicians and specialty physicians to round out the new medical campus.
In mid-May, SSM Health Medical Group will also provide urgent care and primary care services at 2315 Parkview Drive. Providers in this location will include Robert DiCintio, PA-C, Alex Rasmussen, PA-C, and Alina Quy, APRN-CNP.
“SSM Health St. Anthony Hospital is pleased to have been selected by the City of El Reno to be the community’s health care partner. We look forward to expanding our ministry into El Reno and keeping important health care services within the community,” stated Joe Hodges, President, SSM Health – Oklahoma.
“We have worked closely with SSM Health St. Anthony to develop a long-term approach to provide health care services for our residents,” stated Mayor Matt White. “Our partnership with SSM Health St. Anthony will ensure continuity of health care in our community.”
Miller Architects was engaged by both the City of El Reno and SSM Health for the design of the new health facility campus, and Waldrop Construction will serve as the construction manager. Miller and Waldrop have worked together on many successful projects for SSM Health.
For more information about our providers and urgent care service, please call 405-231-8866.