Sunday, August 3, 2025

Going on Vacation? Before You Leave, Let’s Talk About Insurance

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Glen Mulready, Oklahoma Insurance Commissioner.

By Oklahoma Insurance Commissioner Glen Mulready

Many Oklahomans are still planning to hit the road for a vacation before summer ends. Nothing can ruin your fun like having to cancel a trip, getting hurt while away from home or returning to a costly incident at your house. Fortunately, different types of insurance can help in the situations I just described. Whether planning an expedition overseas or just a quick weekend trip to the lake, let’s talk about insurance before you take off.
Travel Insurance
Travel insurance encompasses several categories of policies like trip cancellation, travel medical, emergency medical evacuation, accidental death and dismemberment, baggage loss and cancel for any reason (CFAR) policies. These coverages can help reimburse the cost of a trip you cancel, pay for medical emergencies while traveling and cover the cost of lost baggage and personal items. A good way to determine your travel insurance needs is to consider the cost of your trip, the duration of your journey, how far away you will be traveling, if you’re going abroad and which kinds of activities you will be doing. For example, you probably won’t need travel insurance for a trip to grandma’s house two hours away. You will, however, want to consider it if you’re going on a hiking trip in the Himalayas.
Health Insurance
If you’re traveling domestically, your health insurance policy might cover emergency care in other states while you’re away. Some plans may permit you to see out-of-state healthcare providers for any reason if they are in your carrier’s network. Check with your insurance company and your specific coverages to see what is allowed.
Homeowners Insurance
While you’re away, you’ll want to ensure your homeowners or renters policy is in force in case of property damage, loss or theft. Read your declarations page attached to your policy to see the type of coverage, like actual cash value or replacement cost, and your endorsements like earthquake or additional jewelry coverage. On some policies, protections like personal liability will follow the homeowner, which is helpful if you stay with a friend or family member.
Auto Insurance
Similarly, you’ll want to make sure you have adequate coverage on your vehicle. If you’re leaving it at home in your garage, parking at the airport or driving across the country, be prepared in case of damage or theft. Additionally, if you plan on renting a car, your auto insurance policy may cover you. You can find out by contacting your agent or carrier directly. Some credit card programs include rental car coverage as a benefit and can help pay for a claim on the rental after your insurance or purchased rental car insurance kicks in.
Summer is the time to have fun and travel, but the last thing you want to deal with is not having enough insurance coverage to meet your needs. If you have any questions about insurance, contact the Oklahoma Insurance Department (OID) at 800-522-0071 or visit https://www.oid.ok.gov. Happy and safe travels!

Healthy Living Norman Celebrates 8 Months

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A jigsaw puzzle invites memebers and attentees to sit and work on it.
Ginna Dowling, Art Coordinator, talks with attendees about art classes.
Several billiards tables are available off the lobby.
An indoor walking track is a feature of the gym.

Story and photos by Marise Boehs

The mission of Healthy Living Norman is to promote the health and well-being of adults aged 50 and older by providing opportunities for physical activity, social engagement, and lifelong learning at the Adult Wellness and Education Center.

Healthy Living Norman uses a six-dimensional model of wellness that includes emotional, spiritual, intellectual, social, physical, and occupational factors. The goal of the wellness center is to embody and provide programs under one roof to improve the quality of life for adults 50 and above in the Norman community. The 32,000-square-foot facility serves as a hub of wellness activities.

To better educate the community and showcase this new facility, they held an open house on Saturday, July 13th.

“We have been open 8 months today,” said Katherine Leidy, Healthy Living Norman Branch Manager. “We have done some fun things and have more activities planned – more dances which have been a huge attraction. We have pickleball and billiards. The pool always has fun things happening.”

“Membership is $35 a month. But we do have a sliding scale for those with lower incomes. We also accept Silver Sneakers and Renew Active, which cover the monthly membership fee,” Leidy explained.

Membership includes access to the gym and pool as well as all activities and classes. While some classes may have a fee for materials, entry is included.

A 1st Annual Wellness Expo will be held on Saturday, August 17th. It is free and open to the public. This event is meant to encourage healthy lifestyles for people 50+ with demos, samples, and information about healthy lifestyles from various vendors.

They are planning a group trip to England, Scotland, and Wales in October. For more information check out their website at www.healthylivingnorman.com.

The website also has all Programs and Class Schedules available at the Center.

This is an awesome new center geared to 50+ persons to encourage  health, wellness and camaraderie. If you want to just check it out they have a day pass for $10.

Center Amenities
Warm Indoor
Saltwater Pool
Demonstration Kitchen
Fitness Center
Land and Water
Fitness Classes
Health Screenings
Seminars and Events
Billiards
Indoor Walking Track
Outdoor Pickleball Courts
Fireplace and Lounge Area
Small Gathering Spaces
Art and Educational Classes

90-Year-Old Resident Receives Heartwarming Surprise

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ABOVE: Al Postelwait and his family wait for the geese release at Tealridge Retirement Community. The injured goose, that Al named Hop-a-long, is back home after three months of care at Wildcare Oklahoma.
ABOVE: The four geese are released and are ready to waddle to the pond at Tealridge Retirement Community.

by Vickie Jenkins, Staff Writer

At the age of 90, Al Postelwait is well known and a beloved resident of Tealridge Retirement

Community in Edmond, Oklahoma, where he has been a resident for three and half years. Known for his gentle demeanor and dedication to helping others, Al has touched the hearts of many in the community. His upcoming 90th birthday was a highly anticipated event and the entire center was excited to celebrate such a remarkable milestone. The staff planned a grand celebration in honor of Al. The day would include a birthday party and a ‘surprise geese release.’
As I introduced myself to Al, he told me a little about himself. “I was born in the small town of Radeltt, Texas, a small farm town. It was a place where hard work was respected and family bonds were strong. After high school, I had a long career working for Olin and Mobil Chemical with the fertilizer division. I attended Oklahoma State University, where I earned my masters in Agriculture.”
“In February 1957, I was stationed in Brunswick, Maine as a Navy commissioned officer, serving as a navigator of seaplanes, patrol planes and search and rescue planes. I was the navigator and I never got lost and that was definitely a good thing,” Al said, laughing. “These were the old World War II-era planes, propeller planes, not jets. During my military service, I was assigned to various locations. I was assigned to Malta, Spain, Iceland, Guantanamo Bay and Bermuda, spending a lot of time away from home. I also served as a navigator during the Cuban Missile Crisis which was a significant part of my career.”
Al enjoys living at Tealridge, finding it to be the perfect place for his needs and desires. His room overlooks a beautiful pond with ducks and geese, which he watches everyday through his large picture window. There are a few benches by the pond, where it’s common to see residents feeding the ducks and geese.
About three months ago, Al and his friends were sitting on a bench close to the pond when a gaggle of Canadian geese walked by. Al noticed one goose had a bad leg and was hopping to keep up with the others. He began calling the goose Hop-a-long. The injured goose struggled to cover even half the distance of the others. Al reported the injured goose to the staff, who contacted Wildcare Oklahoma, an organization dedicated to rescuing native wildlife and providing medical care and rehabilitation. They came out, caught the goose and assured everyone that it would be well taken care of.
Signs about Al’s birthday were posted throughout Tealridge and the residents began walking down the hallways, ready for the birthday party. As they entered the room, they were greeted by Al’s three daughters. Al was the center of attention, receiving congratulations, hugs and handshakes. The room was decorated with balloons and streamers as family and friends gathered to wish him a happy birthday. Cake, ice cream and cookies were served as one of his friends played ‘Happy Birthday’ on the piano. Little did Al know, the staff had another surprise waiting for him. With the help of Wildcare Oklahoma, today was going to be special. Hop-a-long was ready to be released on this special day.
As the birthday party was winding down, an announcement was made:
“Al, we have a special surprise for you. Do you remember about three months ago, you told us about the goose that had a hurt leg? Wildcare Oklahoma restored him back to health and now, Hop-a-long is ready to be released!”
“I was excited as my friends and I made our way towards the pond. There was a cage with a cloth over it, and as I got closer, I could see four geese inside. The cage was opened and out waddled Hop-a-long, with three new friends. It was quite a surprise to see the injured goose home again.”
“Today, I still take great pleasure in watching the ducks and geese land on the pond, flapping their wings back and forth. Each descent reminds me of a seaplane gliding smoothly onto the water. While I can’t always distinguish one goose from another, I like to imagine Hop-a-long is among them, adding a bit of joy to the onlookers. The water and the soothing motions of the birds bring a sense of peace and contentment to my day. I’m not sure which goose is which, but I have a feeling, Hop-a-long must be there somewhere. I like to think so.”
Al Postelwait is a devoted father and grandfather who shared a wonderful 60-year marriage with his beautiful wife, Carole. A proud U.S. Navy veteran, he served as a commissioned officer and navigator, always maintaining an active and healthy lifestyle. He walks daily, attends exercise classes with 5-10 pound weights, and enjoys his weekly Bible study sessions. Additionally, he finds joy in working puzzles and watching the ducks and geese at Tealridge Retirement Community.
Happy Birthday Dad,
Dad taught us three girls to be independent and able to take care of ourselves during a time when most dads weren’t doing that. He was a ‘girl dad’ before being a girl dad was hip. He was steady, reliable, loving and caring. When our mom started suffering from dementia, he cared for her so well over the years that we didn’t even realize the extent of her illness. He was exemplified loving someone in a patient and unselfish way. Love, Lisa, Lora and Cara

OKLAHOMA SENIORS’ CABARET

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Joan Colee, Founder and Director of Oklahoma Senior Cabaret.

by Joan Collee

Director, Joan Colee, founded the Oklahoma Seniors Cabaret in 2008. Colee spent 20 Years in Hollywood/Los Angeles in her Brentwood Vocal Studio teaching many of the new and upcoming entertainers, and well-established movie actors, the art of singing. She honed her own singing, dancing and acting skills with well-known actors Jeff Corey, Marian Bell and Broadway choreographer, Danny Daniels. She appeared in many musicals with leading roles and appeared on the national television show America’s Got Talent at the age of 83 singing opera and tap dancing. She holds a Bachelor Degree in Music and a Master’s degree in Performing from Oklahoma City University.
When she returned to Oklahoma City, she discovered a need for seniors to have something to motivate them to stay mobile and healthy. Her experience with The Follies in Palm Springs gave her the idea of founding the Cabaret. Holding auditions in 2008 and attracting seniors to her idea, the Oklahoma Seniors Cabaret was born.
The group takes great pride that the Cabaret is a non-profit charitable organization (501c) with all profits donated to the John W. Keys Hearing Center at the University of Oklahoma. Those profits go to help seniors obtain hearing aids. We are proud to be endorsed by Governor Stitt and Mayor Holt.
None of the members of the Cabaret are paid for their time and talent. Members are 55 and older who sing, dance, act and/or play instruments. Classes are available for seniors who want to learn to tap, sing and act. It’s a wonderful group of people who love performing, learning and staying healthy through helping others.
We are looking for seniors with a need to move, groove and help other seniors. Joining us gives you the opportunity to participate in the performing arts.
Come join our organization!! Call (405) 840-1242 for more information.

Rose Rock Veterinary Hospital and Pet Resort Adds Two Doctors to Their Staff

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Natalia Burgos, DVM

By Marise Boehs

Rose Rock Veterinary Hospital and Pet Resort, a staple of Norman’s pet care since 1970, has added two more skilled professionals to their growing staff and clinic practice.

A  full-service, companion-animal hospital committed to providing your pet with lifetime quality care, Rose Rock Veterinary Hospital and Pet Resort offers a variety of services for all pets including your aging pet.  Dr. Beverly Fritzler (who has owned the practice since 1990) and her family and staff are constantly looking for the next medical treatment breakthrough. And the practice has invested accordingly. They offer the latest technology and equipment and their staff stays  up-to-date with continuing education.

A complete list of their services is available on their website
(www.roserockvethospital.com)

Natalia Burgos, DVM
Dr. Natalia Burgos joined the medical team of Rose Rock Veterinary Hospital as an Associate Veterinarian in June 2024. Growing up in Cayey, Puerto Rico, Dr. Burgos always know that she wanted to become a veterinarian. Even when she experienced doubts throughout undergrad and vet school, she persisted because she remembered that this is what she’s meant to do.

Before becoming a veterinarian, she did research with sheep and goats during her undergrad. She also worked at 2 small animal practices in Puerto Rico. She received her undergraduate degree in Animal Science from the University of Puetro Rico in Mayaguez in 2020 before attending Ross University to receive her veterinary degree in 2024. She is a member of the Oklahoma Veterinary Medical Association and the American Veterinary Medical Association. Her professional interests include surgery, preventative medicine, and internal medicine.

At home, Dr. Burgos has two dogs; Lola, a small breed mix that she’s had since 2016, and Mocha, a Boxer-Heeler mix that she just recently adopted. In her free time, she enjoys running in the mornings, and staying active at the gym. She enjoys outdoor activities and staying busy, as well as going to new restaurants to try different foods.

Victoria Mitchell, DVM
Dr. Victoria Mitchell joined Rose Rock Veterinary Hospital in July 2024 as an Associate Veterinarian. She was born in Oklahoma City and spent a majority of her time between OKC and Northwest Missouri. Growing up around animals, Dr. Mitchell knew she wanted to care for them because they brought her so much joy. As she got older, she realized the role that animals play in human health, which influenced her to become a veterinarian.

Before becoming a veterinarian, Dr. Mitchell worked at Awesome Care Veterinary Hospital. She attended Rose State College for her Associate degree before receiving two degrees from Oklahoma State University; a Bachelor of Science in Biological Science and a Bachelor of Science in Animal Science in 2017, receiving the President’s Honor Roll and the Dean’s Honor Roll. She went onto attend Oklahoma State University College of Veterinary Medicine for her DVM and graduated in 2024. Dr. Mitchell was a member of Phi Zeta Nu, the Honor Society of Veterinary Medicine. Her professional interests include surgery, ophthalmology, and exotics.

“I love the ability to advocate for animals and educate clients so they can make informed decisions regarding the care of their pets,” Dr. Mitchell shares.

At home, Dr. Mitchell has two Great Danes named Cleopatra and Gypsy, one German Shepard named Gracie, a bunny named Jerry Thanos, two cats named Snowball and Ash, and a Ball Python named Pickle. She enjoys reading, swimming, going to the movies and watching her kids, Anthony, Elijah and Gabriel, play sports with her husband, Brett.

 

Brightstar Gives Navy Vet Opportunity to Stay Active

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Tom Richey, a 9-year Navy veteran, utilizes a home health aide from Brightstar Care for help with his daily routines.

Story by Van Mitchell, Staff Writer

Navy veteran Tom Richey has faced several challenges in his life including being in a wheelchair for the last 50 years due to an auto accident.
But those challenges haven’t stopped him from living his life, and his desire to stay active at age 77.
“Trap shooting is my one and only thing that I still do,” he said. “Like I say, I’m too old to run marathons and play wheelchair sports and stuff like that, but I can compete against anybody. Just hold the gun up and bang. I’m on an equal footing with you. You want to come out and compete against me. We go head-to-head.”
Richey comes from a military family and decides to follow suit.
“My father was in the United States Navy, and so we traveled a lot, and I graduated in 1964 from Mar Vista High School, Imperial Beach, California,” he said. “It’s the most south westerly city in the continental United States. In 1964 Vietnam became a war, and I joined the Navy. They offered me a pretty good program way back in the sixties, nuclear power.”
After boot camp, Richey attended Nuclear Power Basic School in Idaho before finishing up in nuclear power submarine school.
Richey spent his entire 9-year Naval service working as an electrician on submarines, working 18-hour-days while at sea.
“I started on my first submarine, the Flasher, then my next ship, the 640 class Benjamin Franklin,” he said. “I got transferred to 623 and 624, which are Hale and Wilson. And then my last submarine was a new construction of the 684, which was the last submarine named for a fish. All those after that were named for city, different class submarines. I’ve been around the world three times, been in every major body of water, except I’ve never been in the Mediterranean.”
After nine years, Richey said he was ready to leave the long-working days on submarines and rejoin his wife and children back in Oklahoma.
Richey said the ride home to the Sooner state from Connecticut took longer than expected due to gas rationing across the country in December 1973.
“I started out driving from Connecticut, driving towards Oklahoma, and I had no idea that we had something called gas rationing,” he said. “It took me a week to get from Connecticut to Oklahoma.”
Richey landed a job in Oklahoma working as an engineer in the oil industry before the car accident that changed the trajectory of his life.
“On Feb. 3,1974 I went to work Monday morning. I got injured going home,” he said. “The steering gear separated on the truck. The steering wheel didn’t control the front wheels. The road had been graded. There was a triangle of dirt running down one side. They hadn’t smoothed all the way out. The left front tire caught that soft dirt. I was thinking about jumping, because coming up was a one lane, wooden ridge, no guard rails. Without control, it looked like that truck was not going to make it across the bridge. Just as I was thinking about jumping, the truck slid. I’m injured. I’ve been in a wheelchair for over 50 years.”
While recovering in the hospital, he was asked whether he was a member of the Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA), which he was not, but was given a one-year free membership while he was rehabbing.
The Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA) is a congressionally chartered veterans service organization specializing in assisting and promoting a full lifestyle for veterans affected by spinal cord injury or neurological disease.
The PVA was formed in 1946. The key objective of PVA is to take action necessary to restore spinal cord injured or diseased veterans’ bodies and life potentials as closely to those not suffering spinal cord dysfunction. This is accomplished by the coordinated efforts of the PVA organization through programs that do the following:
• Advocate for and monitor the delivery of high quality and appropriate health care benefits and services.
• Assist in identifying and securing veterans’ benefits and other benefits for spinal cord injured and diseased veterans and others as appropriate.
• Promote medical research to cure spinal cord dysfunction and other related issues.
• Educate society on the attitudinal, physical and legal barriers confronting persons with disabilities and to influence the removal of those barriers.
• Provide information and opportunities for the promotion of health, employment, sports and recreation, social services, and camaraderie for spinal cord injured and diseased veterans and others as appropriate.
• Provide cooperation and seek the support of other groups and individuals who share PVA’s objectives.
• Acquaint the public with the current and ongoing needs of America’s veterans and
• To acquaint the public with simple and effective means for reducing the risk of preventing spinal cord injury.
• To promote involvement of the public in national and local activities that support PVA’s mission.
Richey later became a certified nationally registered benefits officer for the PVA.
“I did that for several years and offered aid and assistance to really disabled veterans,” he said. “I did a lot of visitations in the VA hospitals doing the same thing that the guys did for me when I was injured. I started doing it for them, the next generation.”
Richey helped start the PVA chapter in Oklahoma.
“I was the vice president for a year and was then elected as a national director,” he said. “And I did that for 20 years.”
During his time with the Oklahoma PVA, he helped with finding ways for PVA chapters to make money to help disabled veterans.
The result was the creation of Stor-Mor Mini Storage located at 7600 N. Rockwell Avenue in Oklahoma City.
“We were looking for a way of funding money for the chapters so they could make money,” Richey said. “The national office partnered with the state PVA office and we got a loan for construction, purchased the land and did all of this. We designed this part of the living quarters, wanted it set up so that one of our members could run it. Beverly and I took it over the first day of May (from previous managers).”
Richey said he is now at the point in life where he needs assistance with his daily routines. He receives help from Brightstar Care of Edmond/Oklahoma City located at 3000 United Founders Blvd. No. 103G in Oklahoma City.
“Getting older, I’ve really slowed down,” he said. “Brightstar gives me the opportunity to live almost independently. The VA has classified me as housebound and pretty much I am. Brightstar is the company that the VA connected me with to give me a home health aide.”
Cynthia with Brightstar is Richey’s home health aide.
“Cynthia has been with us for a long time now,” he said.” She wakes me up, helps me get up out of bed, go through my morning routines, and then cooks breakfast, makes the beds, lays out my clothes. I don’t have to go live in a nursing home. Brightstar has allowed me to live here on my own. Without them, I’m not exactly sure where I would be.”

For more information about Brightstar Care call
(405) 896-9600 or visit
https://www.brightstarcare.com.

Savvy Senior: Paying for Nursing Home Care with Medicaid

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Dear Savvy Senior, If my mother needs to move into a nursing home, what are the eligibility requirements to get Medicaid coverage?
Caretaking Son

Dear Caretaking,
The rules and requirements for Medicaid eligibility for nursing home care are complicated and will vary according to the state your mother lives in. With that said, here’s a general, simplified rundown of what it takes to qualify.
Medicaid Eligibility
Medicaid, the joint federal and state program that covers health care for the poor, is also the largest single payer of America’s nursing home bills for seniors who don’t have the resources to pay for their own care. (Note that some states have different names for their Medicaid program.)
Most people who enter nursing homes don’t qualify for Medicaid at first but pay for care either through long-term care insurance or out-of-pocket until they deplete their savings and become eligible for Medicaid.
To qualify for Medicaid, your mother’s income and assets will need to be under a certain level that’s determined by your state. Most states (except California) require that a single person have no more than about $2,000 in countable assets ($3,000 for a married couple) that includes cash, savings, investments or other financial resources that can be turned into cash.
Assets that aren’t counted for eligibility include your mother’s home if it’s valued under $713,000 (this limit is higher – up to $1,071,000 – in some states), her personal possessions and household goods, one vehicle, prepaid funeral plans and a small amount of life insurance.
But be aware that while her home is not considered a countable asset to determine eligibility, if she can’t return home, Medicaid can go after the proceeds of her house to help reimburse her nursing home costs, unless a spouse or other dependent relative lives there. (There are some other exceptions to this rule.)
After qualifying, all sources of your mother’s income such as Social Security and pension checks must be turned over to Medicaid to pay for her care, except for a small personal needs allowance – usually between $30 and $160.
You also need to be aware that your mother can’t give away her assets to qualify for Medicaid faster. Medicaid officials will look at their financial records going back five years (except in California which has a 30-month look-back rule) to root out suspicious asset transfers. If they find one, her Medicaid coverage will be delayed a certain length of time, according to a formula that divides the transfer amount by the average monthly cost of nursing home care in their state.
So, for example, if your mom lives in a state where the average monthly nursing home cost is $8,000 and she gave away cash or other assets worth $160,000, she would be ineligible for benefits for 20 months ($160,000 divided by $8,000 = 20).
Spousal Protection
Medicaid also has special rules (known as the community spouse resource allowance) for married couples when one spouse enters a nursing home, and the other spouse remains at home. In these cases, the healthy spouse can keep one half of the couple’s assets up to $154,140 (this amount varies by state), the family home, all the furniture and household goods and one automobile. The healthy spouse is also entitled to keep a portion of the couple’s monthly income – between $2,465 and $3,854. Any income above that goes toward the cost of the nursing home recipient’s care.
What about Medicare?
Medicare, the federal health insurance program for seniors 65 and older, and some younger people with disabilities, does not pay for long-term care. It only helps pay up to 100 days of rehabilitative nursing home care, which must occur after a three-day hospital stay.
For more information, contact your state Medicaid office. You can also get help from your State Health Insurance Assistance Program (see ShipHelp.org), which provides free counseling on Medicare and Medicaid issues.
Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit https://savvysenior.org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of “The Savvy Senior” book.

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