The Acting Inspector General of Social Security, Gale Stallworth Stone, is warning citizens about a suspicious email “phishing” scheme that recently surfaced. The Office of the Inspector General (OIG) received reports that several hundred employees of a private company, with offices across the country, recently received an email message that appears to be from the Social Security Administration (SSA). The message alerts a recipient of “unusual” activity with his or her Social Security number (SSN).
The email subject line reads, “Review Your Social Security Activity”, and while the email sender displayed is “Social Security Administration,” the corresponding email address is ceriley@centurytel.net. The message includes a PDF attachment with the heading “Notification.” It advises the recipient, “We detected something unusual about a recent use of your SSN” and “to help keep you safe, we required an extra security challenge.” The message states that if the recipient did not recently use his or her SSN, then a “malicious user” might have misused the recipient’s number. It asks the recipient to review recent activity via an embedded link, which links to a suspicious SSA-like site. Further, to appear legitimate, the notice includes SSA’s official seal and the words “Social Security Administrator, United States Of America” in the signature.
This type of phishing scheme could lead to identity theft or Social Security benefit theft. Therefore, Acting Inspector General Stone urges all citizens to be extremely cautious when receiving requests to provide personal information over the internet or the telephone. “Don’t provide your Social Security number, bank account numbers, or other personal information, including account passwords, over the internet or by telephone unless you know and trust the source requesting it,” Stone said. “You should be extremely confident that the source is a legitimate entity, and that your information will be secure after you provide it.”
Before clicking an embedded email link, try to verify the source. One method of verifying the true source is to hover over the linked text, without clicking, to reveal the destination address. For instance, in the email described above, the attachment includes the text “Review your activity,” which links to www.ssa.gov.kerodun.net/activity. While ssa.gov appears in the destination address, the “kerodun.net/activity” portion of the address is suspicious; users should be vigilant of similar questionable web addresses.
If a person has questions about any communication—email, letter, text, or phone call—that claims to be from SSA, Stone recommends contacting a local Social Security office, or calling Social Security’s toll-free customer service number at 1-800-772-1213, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Friday, to verify its
Fraud Advisory
legitimacy. (Those who are deaf or hard-of-hearing can call Social Security’s TTY number at 1-800-325-0778.)
Individuals may report suspicious activity involving Social Security programs and operations to the Social Security Fraud Hotline at https://oig.ssa.gov/report, or by phone at 1-800-269-0271, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Eastern Time, Monday through Friday. (Those who are deaf or hard-of-hearing can call the OIG TTY number at 1-866-501-2101.)
For more information, please contact Andrew Cannarsa, the OIG’s Acting Communications Director, at (410) 965-2671.

Acclaimed singer-songwriter inspires kids with type 1 diabetes to pursue their dreams

Crystal Bowersox understands how crucial it is to find a healthy balance on and off the stage. Diagnosed with type 1 diabetes (T1D) at age 6, Crystal — now 30 — reached the heights of American Idol in 2010 and maintains an ongoing musical career. Having nearly lost her spot on the show due to a short hospitalization brought on by the rigorous taping and rehearsal schedule, she vowed to make it her mission to touch others impacted by diabetes with her music and her message.

On Wednesday, July 20, Crystal will visit Camp Blue Hawk, a residential camp serving Oklahoma kids also growing up with T1D. Camp Blue Hawk is a project of Harold Hamm Diabetes Center–Children’s at the University of Oklahoma. This year’s five-day camp will serve 48 children ages 10 to 15 near Guthrie at the Central Christian Camp and Conference Center. Crystal will meet the campers, share her story, and perform briefly.

“Growing up with diabetes, I felt isolated from other kids because they didn’t understand the challenges I faced, and today I know there are many who experience the same things,” said Crystal. “However, despite the obstacles, I learned how to manage the disease, and I try to live my life to the fullest.”

Crystal’s grit and determination caught the eye of Lilly Diabetes, which today introduced her as its newest type 1 diabetes ambassador. Crystal’s visit to Camp Blue Hawk is part of the Lilly Camp Care Package program, one of the largest diabetes camp support programs in the United States.

Attending a diabetes summer camp can be a valuable experience for children learning to live with the disease, particularly those transitioning from parental care to self-care. A three-year survey by the American Diabetes Association® showed camp experience increases children’s diabetes knowledge, self-confidence, diabetes management and emotional well-being. Camps are especially valuable for newly diagnosed campers (less than one year since initial diagnosis) changed the most, with 19 percent showing improvement in their ability to manage diabetes-related issues.

Since finishing as first runner-up on Season 9 of American Idol, Crystal has released two full-length albums and two EPs, mostly featuring her own original songs. She has collaborated with Joe Cocker, B.B. King, Alanis Morissette, Jakob Dylan, John Popper of Blues Traveler, and Melissa Etheridge, among others. Originally from Northwest Ohio, Crystal now makes her home in Nashville.

Harold Hamm Diabetes Center (HHDC) is an OU Medicine Center of Excellence leading the way to prevent, treat, and ultimately find a cure for diabetes. HHDC–Children’s is the center’s pediatric division, housed in the OU Children’s Physicians building in Oklahoma City. This is Camp Blue Hawk’s second year; campers are invited by medical staff at HHDC–Children’s, and every camper attends on scholarship. www.haroldhamm.org

Take a stroll through one of these VirtualTourist recommended City parks.
Central Park, New York City, N.Y.
New ork City’s Central Park is perhaps an obvious choice, but hard to beat. Central Park was the first public park built in America, and was constructed in the middle of the 19th century to create a breathing space for the 500,000 people then living in New York City. It occupies 843 acres of prime real estate between Fifth and Eighth Avenues, stretching from 59th Street south to 110th Street north. On any given day you will find New Yorkers and tourists there in numbers, making full use of this wonderful green oasis in an otherwise manic city. Whether walking, jogging, running, exercising dogs or themselves, boating on the lake, playing ball, catching up with friends on one of the many benches or simply lying in the sun — there are so many ways in which to enjoy Central Park. VirtualTourist members say one of their favorite things is to take a walk in the part of the park known as the Ramble, a protected ecosystem that feels more like the woods than a park, and then relax for a while on a bench watching the rowers on the lake. Other activities include a visit to Central Park Zoo, a ride on the carousel and a walking tour.
St. James Park, London, England
St. James Park, the oldest Royal Park in London, is surrounded by three palaces — Westminster, the oldest, and now the Houses of Parliament, St James’ and, of course, Buckingham Palace. While VirtualTourist members say that all the London parks provide a welcome green oasis, St. James has the edge. Perhaps it’s the lovely lake with so many beautiful water birds, or maybe the great views to be had from its bridge. Stand there for a while and look toward Whitehall — the domes and copulas will make you think you are somewhere far more exotic than London. Then turn to look the other way and you’ll see one of the city’s most famous buildings, Buckingham Palace, which some say looks better from this distance than close up. This is also a great park for picnics, and for people-watching. So linger a while on the benches — or why not follow a great London parks’ tradition and hire a deck chair? And if you’re looking for refreshments, the park has an excellent restaurant and several snack kiosks. VT Tip: The famous resident pelicans are fed every day at 2:30 p.m.
Kings Park, Perth, Western Australia
One of the world’s largest and most beautiful inner-city parks, Kings Park in Perth has Aboriginal and European history, wonderful views of the city and the most spectacular Western Australian Botanic Garden, which displays more than 3,000 species of the state’s unique flora. There are sculptures, water gardens, a treetop walk, a gift shop, cafes and restaurants, wildlife and much more. One of the most moving experiences is the Memorial Walking Trail (1 mile). Along the war memorial path, you will pass the Flame of Remembrance whose flame never goes out. A look at it and you can see four torches, each one represents one of these forces — Navy, Air Force, Army and Women’s Services. It is a place to come and stand in silence, remembering the Western Australians who served in the wars and lost their lives. Around the walls are the names of all the major battlefields and there are plaques with the names of the Victorian Cross and the George Cross recipients from Western Australia.
Deukmejian Wilderness Park, Glendale, Calf.
Not many small- or medium-size cities can boast of three mountain ranges within its border, but Glendale, California, does. Stretching east and north from the San Fernando Valley, the city takes in substantial parts of the San Rafael Hills and the Verdugo Mountains, plus a small slice of the San Gabriel Mountains at the city’s northern extremity. At this northernmost spot in Glendale, overlooking the foothill communities of La Crescenta and Tujunga, lies Deukmejian Wilderness Park, named after former California Governor George Deukmejian. The 709-acre wilderness park features a picnic area, amphitheater, miles of hiking trails and plenty of parking. It is home to the historic Le Mesnager Barn, built in 1914, which the city is committed to turning into an interpretive center in the not-too-distant future. It is also home to the city’s robust volunteer Trails and Open Space program, which provides the community with opportunities for habitat restoration, interpretive programs, trail maintenance and trail safety patrols. The park is open from 6 a.m. until one hour after sundown and entrance is always free. VirtualTourist members say one of their favorite things here is the amazing views of Los Angeles, stretching as far as Santa Monica and Catalina Island on a clear day; as well as the animal spotting. Keep an eye out for numerous species of mammals, including coyote, mule deer, gray fox, bobcat and mountain lion, as well as a vast array of common lizards, snakes and 23 species of birds, including California quail, northern flicker, scrub jay, Nuttall’s woodpecker, American kestrel and Cooper’s, red-tailed and red-shouldered hawks. Golden eagles and California black bears have also been spotted!
Kandawgyi Park, Yangon (Rangoon), Myanmar
If the bustle of downtown Yangon is getting to you, you may want to go for a relaxing stroll in the Kandawgy Park, which translates as Royal Lake. There are plenty of shaded areas and it is very peaceful. The centerpiece of the park is the large Karaweik (Royal Barge). This is not an ancient monument, but a modern construction that houses a function hall amongst other things. As well as the Karaweik, there is a small children’s zoo and play area and various food outlets. The park also serves as a venue for pop concerts on the weekends. Somewhat incongruously, you may spot a fully camouflaged tank nestled amongst the bushes and there is a bevy of black swans on the lake making the entire scene quite beautiful. There is an admission charge for foreigners, about $2 USD.

(c) 2016 Virtualtourist.com, Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC

St. Anthony Hospital opened its new Pavilion on Wednesday, June 22. The Pavilion, located on the east side of the campus and accessible from its Walker Avenue entrance, houses a new 36 bed emergency department, two 24 bed intensive care units, and a 24 bed progressive care unit. The 111,000 square foot, four-story facility project represents the crowning point of the hospital’s $220 million campus expansion plan announced in 2004 after it affirmed its decision to stay in Midtown. The emergency room is the first department to open in the new facility on June 22, followed by the opening of the new progressive care unit and the two new intensive care units over the next two weeks.
“We are excited about the Pavilion completion, as it represents significant enhancements for the benefit of our patients,” stated Tammy Powell, president, St. Anthony Hospital. “Our new emergency room, intensive care units and progressive care unit expand our capacity to accommodate the growth of patients seeking care through our state-wide rural affiliate network and four St. Anthony Healthplex campuses in Oklahoma City. The facility features many medical care advancements to improve upon the exceptional care we provide as well as improve the patient and visitor experience.”
The Pavilion expands the St. Anthony Emergency Room to 34 exam rooms and increases the hospital inpatient beds by 72. St. Anthony Hospital’s total inpatient licensed beds with the new expansion is 774 beds.
In 2003, St. Anthony Hospital announced it was contemplating a move because the Midtown area was in significant decline. Dilapidated buildings were common place in Midtown, and very little business investment was occurring outside of the hospital complex. In 2004, after collaborating with community and civic leaders, the hospital made the decision to stay in its 100+ year home. St. Anthony revealed an aggressive redevelopment plan for its campus. The City of Oklahoma City committed to provide assistance with streetscapes and traffic flow improvements. Over the past 12 years, the hospital invested in upgrades of patient care and common areas, redesigned and expanded its east entrance, opened a new medical office building, rehabilitation unit and $30 million surgery center, and completed numerous campus beautification projects.
City improvements in the area included the construction of two roundabouts as well as numerous streetscape projects. The City also offered assistance with the removal of dilapidated buildings. As improvements in the area were made, Midtown became an attractive area for developers. Today, Midtown is vibrant as a walkable community with restaurants, entertainment, housing and retail growth.
Rees and Associates were the architects for the $53 million project, and Turner Construction Company was the general contractor.

Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation scientist Holly Van Remmen, Ph.D., has received the Denham Harman Award from the American Aging Association. The honor, the highest bestowed by the organization, was presented to Van Remmen at the Aging Association’s annual meeting in Seattle earlier this month.
Established in 1978, the prize is a lifetime achievement award that recognizes scientists who have made significant contributions to the field of research in aging.
Van Remmen joined OMRF in 2013 and heads the foundation’s Aging & Metabolism Research Program. Prior to that, she spent more than two decades as an aging researcher at the University of Texas Health Sciences Center in San Antonio, where she earned her Ph.D. in 1991.
Her work has focused on age-related muscle loss and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. During her career, she has made a series of important insights on muscle degeneration, and this past year she led study that found new links between traumatic brain injuries and neurodegenerative conditions.
“This is such a nice honor for me personally,” said Van Remmen, who was named the G.T. Blankenship Chair in Aging Research at OMRF in April. “But this award also lets me know that our colleagues across the country now recognize Oklahoma as a force in research on aging.”
In 2015, working with scientists at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center and the VA Medical Center, she helped secure a Nathan Shock Center of Excellence in the Biology of Aging grant—one of only six awarded nationwide—from the National Institutes of Health. With OUHSC’s Arlan Richardson, Ph.D., she now serves as co-director of the Shock Center, which focuses on geroscience, the study of how aging impacts disease and changes that occur in aging that predispose people to disease.
The long-term goal of this work, she said, “is not to find a fountain of youth, but to address the declining quality of life as we age. We want people’s ‘healthspans’ to match their lifespans.”

Local In-home Senior Care Company to Bring 50 New Jobs to the Area

Senior Helpers, the nation’s premier provider of in-home senior care, today announced the official opening of its Greater Oklahoma City North location, to be managed and operated by husband and wife team John and Laurie Stansbury together with their partner, Sharon Johnson MSN, RN, CNE, who will serve as president and chief nursing officer. The new franchise will serve senior citizens and their families throughout the Greater Oklahoma City area, which includes Edmond, Deer Creek, Piedmont, Warr Acres, Bethany, Yukon, Mustang, Midwest City, Del City, Moore-Norman, and Guthrie. It hopes to bring more than 50 new jobs to the region over the next year. Senior Helpers’ professionally trained caregivers will help local seniors continue to enjoy the comfort of their own home despite age-related illnesses and mobility challenges.
“All three of us have personal experience caring for a family member living with early onset Alzheimer’s, and we understand profoundly how challenging it can be without the proper care,” said Laurie. “Through Senior Helpers, we’re providing a valuable resource by helping to alleviate this stress and ensure a better quality of life for families in our community through personalized in-home senior care.” Sharon adds, “Over the years, Senior Helpers has established itself as the best option for navigating the challenges of in-home senior care today, and we are proud to be a part of this company.”
Founded in 2001, Senior Helpers operates with a vision to be the leading home care company in each community it serves. Its caregivers in Oklahoma City are fully trained and certified to offer the highest level of care possible based on the company’s Senior Gems® Alzheimer’s and Dementia care program. As the gold standard for excellence in personalized in-home senior care, the program was developed in conjunction with nationally recognized dementia care expert Teepa Snow and is endorsed by the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America and the American Society on Aging. Local residents will also benefit from the company’s new Parkinson’s Care Program, a specialized training and certification program created in conjunction with leading experts from the National Parkinson Foundation’s Center of Excellence.
“We’re pleased to welcome Laurie, John and Sharon to our team as the newest Senior Helpers franchise owners,” said Chris Buitron, vice president of marketing for Senior Helpers. “This amazing triobrings a passion for their community and an acute understanding of in-home senior care to their new roles. This will serve them well and also will be rewarding for seniors and families living in Oklahoma City and the surrounding area.”
Senior Helpers is the nation’s largest premier in-home senior care company in the U.S. with over 270 franchised businesses operating across the country. Founded in 2001 with a vision to help seniors who wish to remain in their homes despite age-related illnesses and mobility challenges, Senior Helpers has now cared for tens of thousands of seniors with a pledge to provide “care and comfort at a moment’s notice.” Senior Helpers offers a wide range of personal care and companion services, including trained Alzheimer’s, dementia and Parkinson’s care, to assist seniors who wish to live independently. Learn more by visiting http://www.seniorhelpers.com.

by Bobby Anderson, Staff Writer

The fishing line hit the water at Lake Hefner and a Lisa Sydnor teared up.
The senior programs manager for The Salvation Army Central Oklahoma couldn’t help but getting a little misty-eyed watching the collection of senior men fishing from the docks on a picturesque June morning.
“It makes me cry,” Sydnor said. “The people that we are serving the majority of them live on virtually nothing. Can you imagine living on $750 a month? For them to be able to do something that they can enjoy and relax and they don’t have to worry about how much it costs …”
The Salvation Army Central Oklahoma recently received an $11,600 grant from the Oklahoma City Community Foundation and its Wellness Initiative grant program.
The grant will be used to assist in funding senior men’s activity programs, which will allow The Salvation Army to increase its level of service to men at their five senior centers.
On this morning everything was paid for and all the men had to do was reel in the striped bass.
The Salvation Army received the funding the third week of June and by the end of the month Oklahoma City seniors were already dipping their lines into Lake Hefner and pulling out fish.
Sydnor said The Salvation Army received a similar elder grant last year that centered around dance instruction.
“Lots of ladies enjoyed that. We had a great time and a great turnout but the guys didn’t participate,” she said. “They don’t really participate (overall). The focus of this grant was to identify things men would enjoy.”
The funding has helped purchase all needed fishing gear and tackle plus the cost of permits.
“We wanted to find things our seniors could participate in and enjoy and get out. The more you’re out and the more you do the better your are, the better you feel and the better your health is. Our goal is to get our men up and moving.”
Leatherworking and woodworking classes are planned for July and August.
“As we evaluated our activities at the senior centers, we discovered the men’s interest and participation was significantly lower than the women’s,” Sydnor said. “We are so pleased to receive this grant as it will allow us to provide the activities our senior men have told us they want.”
The Wellness Initiative grant will fund wood and leather craft kits; sports equipment for pool, darts, indoor golf and horseshoes; fishing equipment; and, tickets to sporting events. By providing these activities, The Salvation Army strives to increase participation of both men and women in their senior programs.
The Salvation Army Central Oklahoma operates five senior centers throughout the Oklahoma City metro. The centers are open every weekday to seniors ages 55 and older. Seniors have the opportunity to socialize, enjoy lunch and participate in numerous activities that include Bible study, exercise classes, crafts, dancing and much more.
Sydnor said the program is available at no charge to seniors.
Approximately 139,000 Oklahomans receive assistance from The Salvation Army Central Oklahoma Area Command each year through the broadest array of social services that range from providing food for the hungry, relief for disaster victims, assistance for the disabled, outreach to the elderly and ill, clothing and shelter to the homeless and opportunities for underprivileged children.
For more information on the programs and services at The Salvation Army Central Oklahoma, please visit www.salvationarmyokcac.org.
If you would like more information on the centers or other programs you can contact Sydnor at her office at 405-246-1120.
Centers are open 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Thursday. On Fridays the centers are open 8 a.m. until noon. Coffee and snacks are served each morning with lunch at 11:30.
“The best way to plug into a center is just to call us. We can tell you where all the centers are,” Sydnor said.

Losing weight is hard. But as anyone who has dropped a few pants sizes can tell you, keeping it off can be every bit as challenging.
It turns out, though, that it likely takes more than just staying committed to a maintenance diet once you reach your goals. Scientists believe your body might actually be fighting to get back to where it was previously in a phenomenon called the ‘set point’ theory.
The idea is that, for some reason, your body has an idea of what weight it wants you to be, said Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation President Stephen Prescott, M.D. So whether you’ve lost 40 pounds or gained 15, your hormones will adjust in an effort to get you back to a particular point.
“A person’s weight may not always go all the way back to the original weight, but there appears to be some kind of intrinsic desire on the body’s part to get back to a certain weight and stay there,” said Prescott. “It’s not been proven scientifically, but there is increasing evidence to support it.”
The set-point theory isn’t new, but it has been re-popularized because of a recent study by scientists at the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, who tracked the progress of contestants from the reality television show “The Biggest Loser.” For six years, they followed contestants after they shed massive amounts of weight for the popular competition.
The researchers’ discoveries gave the set-point theory a lot of ammunition, as the former contestants packed the pounds back on regardless of how strictly they adhered to their diets. Some even gained to a point higher than their original weight.
“It was a really dramatic, attention-grabbing example of the theory as it had previously been described,” said Prescott. “It also shows that there are mysteries we don’t quite fully understand, and you can’t just blame people for getting fat again. Some may not follow their diets as closely as they should, but it appears likely that people also end up fighting their own biology.”
Prescott said the study’s findings point to resting metabolism, or basal metabolic rate, which determines how many calories your body burns at rest.
Our bodies burn energy just keeping us alive. Prescott said somewhere around 70 percent of the calories you use each day are going to get burned no matter what, even if you’re just sitting on the couch or at your desk.
Your age, muscle mass, fitness level and height all contribute to how many calories your body burns. But the findings presented a paradox: The people who gained the weight back appear to have lower metabolic rates than expected based on these factors.
“It’s thought that this could be a result of a complex interplay between hormones that regulate how our bodies burn energy,” said Prescott. “These people were not burning as many calories as you would think based on their height, weight or age. They were gaining weight even on what would be considered a maintenance diet.”
In other words, if you should be burning around 2,000 calories on a maintenance diet based on your personal combination of factors but you have recently lost 20-30 pounds, your actual metabolic rate might have dropped to somewhere around 1,700 or so.
So if your body is determined to gain the weight back even after all your hard work to lose it, does this mean it’s time to throw in the towel and raid the freezer for that pint of rocky road?
“That’s a little too dramatic,” said Prescott. “There may be a tendency to do that, but I think there is hope that there are things you can do to alter or reset your set point.”
To influence this process in your favor, the best solution may rely on an old standby—the gym.
“An exercise regimen often leads to more success in maintaining a new, lower weight,” said Prescott. “Maintaining your new weight may tough, but increased understanding can help you start to rebuild your behavior and habits around a new number for better long-term outcomes.”