by Vickie Jenkins
Staff Writer

Touchmark is the premier retirement community in north Edmond where they offer elegant independent and assisted living plus memory care. Their mission is to enrich people’s lives.
This is where you will meet Debi K. Sims, RN, BSN, BF-CMT, and Touchmark’s Memory Care Manager where she has been working for the last four years. Debi has been a nurse for a total of 23 years and loves every minute of it. “I can’t imagine doing anything else,” she said.
Growing up in the bay area of California, she moved here with her parents in the mid 60’s and has lived here ever since. Attending nursing school, she received her BSN at East Central University in Ada, Oklahoma. “My first job as a nurse was at Rolling Hills Psychiatric center in Ada, OK. I worked with adolescent boys. I still have a lot of friends from those days and it remains one of my favorite jobs. I never would have seen myself as a nurse manager if Brian McCoun hadn’t pushed me in that direction. Now, I can’t image doing anything else,” she commented. Unless, I had followed my childhood dream of being an artist,” she said with a laugh. “Doesn’t everyone want to grow up and be an artist?” she asked.
There are several special people from Debi’s life that influenced her to be a nurse. “That would be my mother, Patsy Marie Penrod, and her patient-my sister, Kellie Marie and my friend, Tom Hunt, RN at Bellevue.”
Debi explains how she became a nurse a little later in life. “My decision to be a nurse came because of a divorce. I had three children to raise and nursing was a way of life for me. I watched my mother take care of my dying sister for years. My mother is my nursing inspiration. My gifts have always been encouragement and teaching and both of those worked out well in the field of nursing,” Debi commented.
Asking Debi what qualities make a good nurse, she replied, “Compassion is good, but a nurse has to be tough, gritty and stand in the gap for the patients or residents that they serve. Many times, you will be the one voice.”
What is your biggest reward as a nurse? “Being a nurse is a daily blessing. I have peace knowing that my hands have worthy work to do and that my life is invested in something that makes a difference in people’s lives; in the patients, families, coworkers and my immediate family,” Debi replied.
What is your biggest challenge? “Protecting my time. I have to balance a demanding schedule and obligations with my chief priorities in life; God, family and career,” she said.
Asking Debi if she had any mentors while she was in school, she said, “Dr. G. Black was my greatest mentor. The first day of class at 34 years old, I sat on the front row of his Zoology class and tears silently streamed down my face as I listened to him discuss the building blocks of all living things. I slowly gathered my books and walked out of the science hall and sat under a tree in absolute shock. I couldn’t do this, I was in over my head, I heard a voice above and looked up and it was Dr. Black.”
“Here, read this chapter that I copied from an old text book, know the material and you will be fine, he said. Then he slowly walked away. I read it and after a few weeks with a big grin on his face he let me know that I had been setting the curve in his class. Sometimes, your whole life can be traced back to one person who encouraged you.”
Debi’s hobbies include her first love of traveling. I also enjoy writing, poetry and scrapbooking. “I love spending time with my greatest blessings of all; my three children: Jillian, April and Hunter, and my two grandsons, Luke and John. Not to forget my faithful dog, Lexi, my long haired mini dachshund.”
As far as encouraging words go, Debi has a poster in her office that has traveled with her from her DON days at Epworth Villa, “The poster is Rosie the Riveter. ‘We can do it!’ Cause we can! As a nurse manager, we are just a part of the team. We never lose sight of the team. No one is more important from the other.”
Summing up her life in one word: “That word is: CHALLENGING.
TOUCHMARK AT COFFEE CREEK is located at 2801 Shortgrass Rd in Edmond. Call (405) 259-4102 or visit www.touchmark.com for more information.

www.CarePluisatHome.com

By Darlene Franklin

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. 31

The year I was born (1954), President Eisenhower added the words “under God” to the pledge. The words hold a special place in my heart, for personal and patriotic reasons. Let’s raise the standard high to the music of Key, Sousa, Springsteen, and Cohen. 44
Although no other flag can replace the importance or meaning of the red, white, and blue in my life, I’ve lived under at least six different flags during my faith like the amusement parks of the same name. To the national flag, I would add three state flags, my family crest, and the
Christian flag. 55
At sixty-four, my life divides neatly into three twenty-year segments. I spent the first score of years in New England, mostly Maine; ten years in Oklahoma; twenty in Colorado; and now another ten years in Oklahoma. In between sprinkle brief stints in New Jersey, Texas, and Arkansas for job and school. 51
The flags for Maine, Colorado and Oklahoma differ widely. They each, in style and content, fairly scream the essence of the state they represent. 24
Maine’s flag depicts a moose laying on grass between ocean and a white pine tree, flanked on by a sailor and a farmer. If the state animal and tree left me in doubt, I couldn’t miss the bold letters proclaiming “Maine.” The state motto, “Dirigo,” means “I lead.” I chuckle to myself as I picture Mainers saying, “That’s right. We’re going to do things our way, and who cares about the rest of the world?” It makes me nostalgic to look at the flag. 84
Colorado’s flag is in your face in a very different way. The bold red C emblazoned upon a blue-white-blue striped background shares its colors with the United States flag. But such a simple design would never rep resent California, and I doubt Connecticut would add a gold nugget in the middle of the C. Clear blue skies, white snow, golden sunshine – that’s my Colorado. 64
The Indian war shield with a peace pipe and olive branch could only belong to Oklahoma. I agree with the words of its pledge, “its symbols of peace unite all people.” Not that Oklahoma has a perfect record—nowhere does—but I love living in a state where contemporary Indian life marches seamlessly and colorfully alongside our state life. 59
If Maine represents my past, and Colorado the stuff of my dreams, Oklahoma represents who I am today—at peace after a trauma-filled past. 24
Research into the crest for my maiden name Sparks revealed several surprises. For one things, “Sparks” is derived from Sparrowhawk, the favorite falcon of Richard the Lion-Hearted. One of his falconers took it as his surname, representing his occupation. When the Sparrowhawk and the Lion-Hearted fought side by side during the Crusades, the falconer saved the king’s life on two occasions. 62
I don’t know with one hundred percent legacy that Sparrowhawk is my ancestor, but it’s possible. I love the family crest. The family motto, “swift and true,” also comes from King Richard—the words he used to describe his favorite falcon. 41
Atop the crest stands a leopard with fire spewing from its mouth. Hmm, a big cat. I’m a Leo by birth, and I wonder if my affinity to all things cats is a family trait. The lively, fiery disposition attributed to Sparks has also been true of me. The green and gold checkered background both suggest the country—Scotland—but also qualities of generosity, elevation of mind, hope. 68
I bet everyone’s family flag holds similar interesting revelations. 9
What about the Christian flag? When I pledge allegiance to the flag and to the Bible, I declare my loyalty to “one Savior, crucified, risen, and coming again with life and liberty to all who believe,” as well as “God’s Holy Word. I will make it a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path and will hide its words in my heart that I might not sin against God.” 72
Combined, they speak to me not of patriotism, but of my core values. I am daughter of the king, my birthright through my Savior, and that brings liberty to me, and to those around me. 35
Let’s take a few moments this month to think about the flags that represent our past, our present, and our future heritage. 22 193

www.newbyvancemobility.com

Bill and Barbara Hubbard Donate Fish Aquarium to The Veraden

by Vickie JenkIns, Staff Writer

Edmond, Oklahoma is where you will find The Veraden, a home for retirees and their families; assisted living, independent living and memory care. Greeted by a friendly staff member, I was led back to speak with Danna Johnson, RN, Executive Director.
Danna was excited to tell me some news. “The Veraden has a new memory care director, Patty James, as of April 2019 and she is definitely a God sent,” said Danna. “I can’t tell you what a blessing she has been to us. Up until now, it was as though our three levels of care have been like three different communities, but now, we are one big family community. Patty brought life back to The Veraden and the residents seem to be drawn together,” she added. “I can’t believe how much of a difference Patty has made.”
Two people entered the room. “I want to introduce you to a very special couple,” Danna said. “This is Bill and Barbara Hubbard. The couple shook my hand and sat down. “They have lived here for almost two years now,” Danna commented. Bill is always willing to help us in any situation. In fact, did you see all of the pretty flowers and hanging plants in front of the Veraden? He is the one responsible for them,” Danna said with a smile.
“We have a lot of volunteers from the assisted living and independent living come in and help with the memory care residents,” Danna said. “We have volunteers that help plant the gardens, plant tomatoes, make arts and crafts, bingo, singing in the choir, playing a musical instrument…the list could go on and on. Bill does a little bit of everything,” Danna commented. “Bill and Barbara are such a blessing to us,” she said.
It wasn’t that long ago that Patty James got together with Bill and Barbara to arrange for a special donation for the memory care to The Veraden. Bill had heard that fish aquariums help dementia patients, (Dementia-A severe impairment or loss of intellectual capacity and personality integration due to the loss of or damage to neurons in the brain.) Barbara is one of the residents that suffer from dementia. Bill, being the kind-hearted person he is, decided to donate a 360-gallon aquarium, measuring 8 foot by 2 foot to the memory care community. Complete with beautiful fish and tiny blue lights surrounding the aquarium, it is a sight to behold! The fish in the aquarium are beautiful; it is very relaxing to all of the residents. There are chairs close to the aquarium so the residents can sit and look at the fish for as long as they want to.
When I asked Bill what his overview of The Veraden was he didn’t hold back his feelings. “Oh, this place is great. We couldn’t ask for better care than we get here. Everyone is so friendly and we consider the others here as our family. I think this is an excellent place to be for this stage of our lives. We have plenty of space, there are always activities going on, we have it all here,” he said.
Bill and Barbara have five children and 7 grandchildren. Through their many acts of kindness, the love shines through in so many ways. “I want to help others in any way that I can,” Bill said. “I will continue to do so as long as I am able.” Bill took Barbara’s hand and walked out of the room hand-in-hand.
A special ceremony for Bill and Barbara Hubbard was given in honor of the donation of the beautiful fish aquarium to The Veraden Memory Care Community. What a loving and thoughtful gift!
The Advantages of a fish aquarium for people with dementia……
The colors, motion and sounds associated with an aquarium can serve as a form of therapy to relax residents of the long-term care facility. The aquarium is a piece of living furniture that provides a window into the watery world of aquatic creatures. Aquariums can bring a wonderful aesthetic to the decor of a nursing home, helping to replicate the more soothing, less sterile environment that the resident formerly experienced in a home setting. It can also help induce conversation between residents and between residents and staff, stimulating the mind and curiosity of the viewer. -DeSchriver and Riddick-

www.cremation-okc.com

by Bobby Anderson, Staff Writer

he beauty of John Ferguson is that at 91 years of age he’s still finding ways to entertain others.
And after delighting generations growing up in Oklahoma City, Ferguson – best known as Count Gregore – will take a shot at the big screen
Ferguson is shooting a movie this month.
That’s right. At 91, Ferguson is starring in Lady Usher, based on Edgar Allan Poe’s short story Fall of the House of Usher.
He makes sure to point out he’s still a little young for the role of Mr. Usher, who is 100.
“I’m only nine short in actuality,” Ferguson chuckles, noting his onscreen wife will be 40 years his junior.
Strange, mysterious characters and murder should combine for an entertaining film written, produced and directed by George Adams.
Ferguson, who spun a television career around introducing classic Universal Horror films, should be right at home.
Count Gregore, the Duke of Mukeden and a host of other characters portrayed by Ferguson were staples in Oklahoma City’s Shock Theater.
He was a household name. Pretty good for a kid born and raised in Clinton, Indiana.
“I was always the smallest runt in the school. I went to high school a year early, and I was a freshman at 14. I was barely five feet tall and weighed 90 pounds. I was a target no matter what,” Ferguson said.
He managed to get through high school
He was small, he was short, but with his mother’s permission, he enlisted in the Navy prior to his 18th birthday.
He was quickly rejected due to vision issues.
He tried again and was rejected again – or so he thought.
He was sent back to the recruiting station for another quick eye exam, which he passed.
So in May 1945 he became a Navy man for 15 months.
“I joined the Navy to see the world but spent my entire career 70 miles from home,” Ferguson said.
He was shipped 70 miles away to Great Lakes, Illinois where he spent his entire career doing clerical duty before the war ended.
Ferguson would later try the college and acting routes.
He still remembers meeting with Joe Fox of the William Morris Agency. He’ll never forget while sitting outside of Fox’s office the two men walking by and asking him how he was.
The men were Charlton Heston and Milburn Stone.
He had just met Moses and Doc from Gunsmoke.
Inside, Fox told him what he already knew.
“Well, you’ll never be a leading man,” Fox said, sizing Ferguson up.
“You’re not telling me anything I don’t already know,” Ferguson shot back. “But I just want to be an actor.”
The big screen may not have been calling at the time but it wasn’t for a lot of Hollywood A-listers either as this new thing known as live television was coming into its own.
AN OKC BEGINNING
September of 1953 was when Ferguson found his way to Tulsa.
Local TV and radio legend Danny Williams needed a villain to play opposite his hero character, Dan D. Dynamo on WKY-TV in Oklahoma City.
Ferguson came up with the character Duke of Mukeden and eventually many others including Redbear, Bazark the Robot, Dr. Person and Ubick.
But it’s Count Gregore he’s remembered for the most.
The station’s operations manager asked Ferguson to come up with a character to host the late-night horror movie series.
Shock Theater needed a host and Count Gregore was it.
At 11:30 every Saturday night Count Gregore would haunt the airwaves.
Think Dracula meets a sinister Mr. Rogers and you have your man.
But the station didn’t realize it at first. They actually let Ferguson go.
At the time, he moved over to Frontier City to work in the gunfights, until one day when the station went over to get him back.
Calls and letters had flooded in. People had actually come to the station to inquire why Count Gregore was no longer on the air.
They needed Ferguson back and he would spend the next few decades delighting viewers.
Ferguson’s persona would go on to host Nightmare Theater, Sleepwalkers Matinee, Creature Features and Horror Theater.
He changed with the times and even joined Williams for more than a few sock hops and personal appearances.
STILL THE COUNT
Ferguson still makes personal appearances as Count Gregore. It never ceases to amaze him how people light up when they see him.
Halloween is his busy season. He laughs when a visitor compares his call to Christmas for Santa Claus.
“Yeah, but I get a lot more mileage out of it,” he laughs.
Living in Moore, there’s always an opportunity for people to recognize him.
He’ll make an appearance at SoonerCon later this month and at HorrorCon July 20.

www.belmontmgt.com

Every year, 800,000 new strokes are reported in the U.S.
Strokes happen all the time, and yes, it can happen to you. Approximately 20 percent of stroke victims are between the ages of 20 and 55. Knowing the signs of stroke and acting quickly can make the difference between saving a life and a tragic outcome.
Stroke is the fifth leading cause of death and the leading cause of adult disability in the U.S. Unfortunately, few people know what a stroke is and how to recognize when a stroke is happening, according to the National Stroke Association.
But what medical professionals call the “Golden Hour” when someone is having a stroke can make all the difference in the world. The reason the first hour is golden is because stroke patients have a much greater chance of surviving and avoiding long-term brain damage if they arrive at the hospital and receive treatment with a clot-busting drug called TPA within that first hour.
“Time saved is brain saved,” says Mary Pinzon, who is a stroke education nurse at INTEGRIS. “Time lost is brain lost. That’s why recognizing the signs of stroke is so important. Immediately knowing what to do when someone is having a stroke can save someone’s life and help them avoid brain damage. If you suspect someone is having a stroke, the absolute first thing to do is call 9-1-1,” she says.
According to a study from the American Heart Association, every minute in which a stroke is untreated, the average patient loses 1.9 million neurons, 13.8 billion synapses, and seven miles of axonal fibers. With each hour in which treatment fails to occur, the brain loses as many neurons as it does in almost 3.6 years of normal aging.
“Time is of the essence. I can’t stress that enough,” says Pinzon.
Pinzon’s favorite saying is “Each One, Teach One.” In that spirit, after you read this, learn the signs of stroke and what to do in those precious first minutes, pass it on. You just might save someone’s life.
What is considered a stroke?
A stroke occurs when blood flow to an area of the brain is cut off, causing brain cells to be deprived of oxygen and die. A stroke can cause life-altering, devastating changes like loss of speech, movement and memory.
“Stroke is a SUDDEN onset of symptoms when just a minute ago a person was fine,” Pinzon says. There are two major types of strokes, but each one is treated differently.
The most common type of stroke is an Ischemic Stroke, which causes a loss of oxygen to the brain due to a blockage of a vessel in the brain. Roughly 85 to 88 percent of strokes fall under this category.
“It’s so important to get treatment immediately for Ischemic Stroke because we now have a clot-buster called TPA (Tissue Plasminogen Activator). It’s an enzyme drug that can dissolve clots, and any stroke-ready hospital can administer it,” says Pinzon.
A hemorrhagic stroke is rarer but is caused when a blood vessel ruptures in the brain. High blood pressure is the number one cause of hemorrhagic strokes.
“When you arrive at the hospital, the ER will immediately order a CAT scan to see what type of stroke you are having,” Pinzon says. “That’s why you shouldn’t give someone having a stroke an aspirin. If they are having a brain bleed, it could make it worse.”
BE FAST with signs of stroke
Each year, about 185,000 people die from a stroke, but if you know the warning signs, you can help save a life. “Any one of these symptoms could indicate a stroke, which is still more reason to know the signs and why time is so important,” Pinzon says.
Pinzon says the best way to identify stroke symptoms is the acronym BE FAST.
B – Balance. A loss of balance or the sudden inability to stand or walk.
E – Eyes. A sudden loss of vision, changes in vision and blurred vision are symptoms of a stroke.
F – Face. Ask the patient to “show your teeth” and smile. A crooked smile is an indicator of stroke.
A – Arms. Ask the victim to hold up both arms with palms facing skyward. Look to see if one arm drifts down or cannot be lifted.
S – Speech. Slurred or garbled speech indicates a stroke, as does a strange giggle while talking.
T – Terrible headache. An explosive headache is the hallmark of a bleeding stroke.
Remember, time is the key to surviving a stroke. Again, call 9-1-1 first.
One other very important tip: never give a suspected stroke victim anything by mouth. Says Pinzon, “Not a sip of water. Not an aspirin. Nothing. Many stroke victims have trouble swallowing and may choke to death.”
Though stroke remains a killer, recent and ever-changing medical advances are improving survival rates every year. The right care, if done right away, can save lives and quality of life. For more information about stroke and how to recognize the signs, visit the INTEGRIS James R. Daniel Stroke Center.
To have a free stroke education training at your workplace, call Mary Pinzon, RN, CPE, M.Ed., at 405-644-6867.

www.fountainbrookliving.com

Dear Savvy Senior,

As a teacher for 20 years, I receive a pension from a school system that did not withhold Social Security taxes from my pay. After teaching, I’ve been working for a small company where I do pay Social Security taxes. Now, approaching age 65, I would like to retire and apply for my Social Security benefits. But I’ve been told that my teacher’s pension may cause me to lose some of my Social Security. Is that true?

Ready to Retire

Dear Ready,
Yes, it’s true. It’s very likely that your Social Security retirement benefits will be reduced under the terms of a government rule called the Windfall Elimination Provision (or WEP).
The WEP affects people who receive pensions from jobs in which they were not required to pay Social Security taxes Ð for example, police officers, firefighters, teachers and state and local government workers whose employers were not part of the national Social Security system. People who worked for nonprofit or religious organizations before 1984 may also be outside the system.
Many of these people, like you, are also eligible for Social Security retirement or disability benefits based on other work they did over the course of their career for which Social Security taxes were paid.
Because of your teacher’s pension, Social Security will use a special formula to calculate your retirement benefits, reducing them compared to what you’d otherwise get.
How much they’ll be reduced depends on your work history. But one rule that generally applies is that your Social Security retirement benefits cannot be cut by more than half the size of your pension. And the WEP does not apply to survivor benefits. If you’re married and die, your dependents can get a full Social Security payment, unless your spouse has earned his or her own government pension for which they didn’t pay Social Security taxes. If that’s the case, Social Security has another rule known as the Government Pension Offset (or GPO) that affects spouses or widows/widowers benefits.
Under the GPO, spousal and survivor benefits will be cut by two-thirds of the amount of their pension. And if their pension is large enough, their Social Security spousal or survivor benefits will be zero.
There are a few exceptions to these rules most of which are based on when you entered the Social Security workforce.
Why Do These Rules Exist?
According to the Social Security Administration, the reason Congress created the WEP (in 1983) and GPO (in 1977) was to create a more equitable system. People who get both a pension from non-Social Security work and benefits from Social Security-covered work get an unfair windfall due to the formula of how benefit amounts are calculated.
These rules ensure that government employees who don’t pay Social Security taxes would end up with roughly the same income as people who work in the private sector and do pay them.
For more information on the WEP visit SSA.gov/planners/retire/wep.html, where you’ll also find a link to their WEP online calculator to help you figure out how much your Social Security benefits may be reduced. And for more information on GPO, including a GPO calculator, see SSA.gov/planners/retire/gpo.html.
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.