Yes, and……
The motto of improvisational comedy. A basic tenet of improv is to make your partner look good. The same holds true for making sure your loved one is listened to, respected and celebrated in their efforts to engage in life, whatever their current perspective.
Join the Alzheimer’s Association, in partnership with OKC Improv, for this workshop to help caregivers let go of the need to control (or even know what happens next) in order to discover the gifts in every experience. Learn to utilize basic improv skills to surrender to the reality of the moment and find the way to embrace the joy of our relationships!
DINNER PROVIDED. LIMITED SPOTS AVAILABLE. CALL TO RESERVE YOURS! 800.272.3900
WHEN: MONDAY, AUGUST 27 | 6 PM WHERE: ALZHEIMER’S ASSOCIATION, 6601 BROADWAY EXT., SUITE 120 OKC

Oklahoma Forestry Services announces the promotion of Andy James to assistant director and fire management chief. James will lead the state’s wildfire suppression and mitigation operations, as well as provide leadership for the division’s field operations based out of Tahlequah, Wilburton and Broken Bow.
“As the state’s lead agency for wildfire suppression, the role of fire chief is critical,” said Director of Oklahoma Forestry Services and State Forester Mark Goeller. “We are fortunate to have someone as knowledgeable and experienced as Andy ready to step into that role. He will do a phenomenal job.”
A 22-year veteran of Oklahoma Forestry Services, James previously served as the area forester for Community Fire Assistance programs, providing assistance to rural fire departments and communities. Prior to that he has served in a variety of positions including leading the Southeast Area operations located in Broken Bow, service forester in Wilburton and district forester in Jay. Wildland firefighting has been a big component of all of his positions with Oklahoma Forestry Services.
Throughout his forestry career James has focused on wildland fire suppression and management, not only in eastern Oklahoma, but across the state as a task force leader, division supervisor and operations chief for the OFS Interagency Type 2 Incident Management Team.
“I am excited about the opportunity to represent Oklahoma Forestry Services on a state and national level,” said Andy James. “We have made great strides as a wildfire agency over the last few years and I look forward to continuing those efforts.”
In addition to his duties with Oklahoma Forestry Services, Andy is a member of the Northern Rockies National Type 1 Incident Management Team, and is qualified as an operations section chief, type 2 and an operations section chief, type 1 (trainee). He is also a member of the Fuels Management Committee of the National Wildfire Coordinating Group and the Oklahoma Statewide Mutual Aid Working Group.

Arthritis is the leading cause of disability in the United States. But it’s actually many distinct diseases: two of the most common are osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.
“Although OA and RA have similar symptoms, they have entirely different causes,” said Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation rheumatologist Eliza Chakravarty, M.D. “That means the two conditions may also need to be treated differently.”
Osteoarthritis, the most common version of arthritis, stems from wear and tear that erodes the cartilage between bones in your joints, causing them to rub against one another. OA affects an estimated 31 million people in the U.S., typically impacting hands and fingers, hips, lower back and knees.
Pain associated with OA often worsens with use and improves with adequate rest. People are more likely to develop this form of disease with age, but that isn’t the only contributor, with obesity, traumatic injuries and overuse also elevating your risk.
“Doctors typically recommend that people with OA engage in regular physical activity, which not only strengthens muscles that support the joints and helps control weight, but it also has been shown to reduce pain,” said Chakravarty. “It can typically be treated effectively with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs like aspirin or ibuprofen.
In extreme cases, doctors may inject corticosteroids into joints to relieve symptoms. “Unfortunately, current treatments can only alleviate symptoms, as we haven’t developed a cure for OA,” said Chakravarty.
Rheumatoid arthritis, meanwhile, is less common than OA, affecting about 1 million Americans. While its exact origins remain mysterious, researchers know the disease is caused by a dysfunction in the immune system.
“Specifically, the immune system perceives something inside the joints as foreign, prompting it to launch an attack,” she said. “Tissues in the joint become inflamed and swollen, eventually leading to the destruction of cartilage and bone.”
RA displays all the symptoms of osteoarthritis, plus noticeable joint swelling. Unlike osteoarthritis, though, RA symptoms are often worse in the mornings or after prolonged inactivity and improve a bit with use of the joints.
As with OA, doctors use anti-inflammatory drugs and corticosteroids to treat the joint pain and stiffness that comes with RA. However, rheumatologists also rely on a series of more specific disease-modifying therapies that can slow the progressive destruction of the joints.
While these drugs, which include methotrexate and newer biologic agents such as Humira and Enbrel, help control RA, they have no effect on osteoarthritis. For this reason, Chakravarty said, it’s important to visit a physician if you’re experiencing joint pain or stiffness. Doctors use a combination of a physical examination, blood tests and X-rays to determine the type of arthritis a person has.
At OMRF, scientists are currently seeking volunteers who are concerned about developing rheumatoid arthritis for a prevention study called StopRA. If you are interested in participating or finding out more about the study, please call 405-271-7805 or email [email protected].

Photography and Text by Terry “Travels with Terry” Zinn [email protected]

When I visited Albany, New York, I just had to explore a little farther north to the Lake George area. There I found the small town “Festival of the Lake,” in progress next to the southern end of the expansive lake itself.
My home base was the Fort William Henry Hotel with an upper story lake view. It’s so nice to wake up and go to bed with the ever-changing view of water and distant mountains. The hotel offers several styles of accommodations, but staying in the main historic building was optimal, and the prime location for viewing the weekend fireworks over the lake from the room.
I had an unpleasant lunch at the little snack bar café on the waterfront where the manager was almost rude and not accommodating to this paying customer. But with that unpleasantness aside, the rest of my tourist visit to Lake George was very pleasant.
Up the lake side road is the legendary and historic Sagamore Hotel, where you must stop in for a tour or definitely a lunch. The Sagamore opened its doors in 1883 with luxurious Lake George accommodations that attracted a select, international clientele, and quickly became the social epicenter for the wealthy residents of Green Island and Millionaires’ Row. Twice damaged by fire in 1893 and 1914, The Sagamore was fully reconstructed in 1930 through the efforts of Dr. William G. Beckers of New York City, one of the hotel’s early stockholders, and William H. Bixby, a St. Louis industrialist. Together they financed the cost despite the period’s bleak economic climate and The Sagamore continued to thrive, hosting the National Governor’s Conference in 1954, which was presided over by Vice President Richard M. Nixon and Governor Thomas E. Dewey.
A staff member of the Sagamore, suggested I travel, if time allowed to go a bit farther north, to the northern most part of Lake George and visit the Fort Ticonderoga area. I had always heard about this revolutionary war locale and it was enlightening to tour the reconstructed fort and see its importance for guarding the waterfront. Approaching the Park area I came across a fox hunt, complete with riders and hounds in progress, temporarily halting car traffic. It was as if I was transported back in time.
Another dining treat was the Algonquin Restaurant at Bolton Landing, near the Sagamore Hotel, where locals take their boats, docked them by the water front restaurant, enjoy a meal or cocktail, and then retreat to their lake homes via the water, before the sun completely sets. Boating to them is as casual as taking the family car out to dinner ~ so quaint and a hint at the local lake culture.
I enjoyed dining at the very popular Lake George’s Marios Italian Restaurant, and at the Lake George Dinner Theater, where the play was well done and my congenial extemporaneous senior citizen ladies table mates, was more entertainment. The Lake George man street plays host to a number of assorted shops and eateries, including the wine tastings at the Adirondack Winery.
They say you must get on the lake to experience Lake George and the Lake George Steamboat Company fills that order. With several specialty cruises or a casual noon time cruise, you get a different perspective of the Lake and the mountains. Establish in 1817, the Company has been operating on Lake George for over200 years. They offer a number of boats including the Minne Ha Ha, The MV Mohican or the flagship, Lac du Saint Sacrement.817, the Lake George Steamboat Company has been operating on Lake George for over 200
While I was at Lake George in late September, I found I was at the end of their season, so you may want to arrive earlier in the year, go now, or plan now for your spring/summer upstate New York getaway. America and upstate New York has so much to explore and enjoy.
Before you go check out:
www.fortwilliamhenry.com
www.adirondackwinery.com
www.thesagamore.com
www.lakegeorgedinnertheatre.com
www.lakegeorgesteamboat.com
www.thealgonquin.com

by Bobby Anderson, Staff Writer

Get fit, get fitter or get fittest.
That’s 61-year-old Jay Moore’s motto.
Moore teaches six spinning classes a week – an hour of pure, heart-pumping stationary cycling at a time at The Station at Central Park in Moore.
When he’s not on the bike he’s teaching a master’s swim class at six in the morning.
When he’s not doing that he’s competing in Oklahoma, around the country or even around the world as a member of Team USA.
Moore starting doing triathlons back in 1989 and continued through 1994 when a knee injury sidelined him.
Seventeen years went by and his waistline surpassed his belt.
At the end of 2010 he weighed 250 and had had enough.
“I bought an elliptical because I was too fat to run,” he laughed. “I got down to about 210 and stayed there. I changed my eating and got down to 195. I got the bike down out of the attic and started riding and running a bit.”
He trained for a year and won his first race.
He’s been on Team USA for five years in a row.
“They’ll ask me ‘what’s your secret,’” Moore said.
His secret is getting wet.
Weekly, he swims three or four miles spread out four or five days. He’s found that his arthritic shoulders respond well.
“The less I swim the worse I feel,” he smiles.
Moore’s spin class is one of the more popular offerings at The Station at Central Park in Moore. Entry tickets to his class at the front desk are often scooped up before a single pedal is even turned.
“I get them fired up. We crank that music up,” Moore grins. “When people see a song they really like they’re over there pedaling their butt off and singing along.”
People come to sweat, but they also come to get some of Moore’s energy.
“I feel like this is Godsend. I’m here to help other people,” he said. “This is my way of giving. And I enjoy it.”
At 61, ego and competition still fuel him.
“I’ve been weight training for five months because when we get older you need to lift weights,” Moore said. “I’m a swim, bike, run guy. I’m a cardio freak. I feel stronger and better.”
He went to the world championships last year against his doctor’s advice.
“When I hurt my knee I went to aqua bike riding,” Moore said. “I ran 10 minute miles because people were lined up and down the street. I wasn’t going to walk.”
A couple months later he went to nationals and finished sixth on a bad knee.
He usually runs seven-minute, thirty-second miles on a 5K trail but his knee slowed him to a 9:15 pace.
It was his swim times that put him so far out in front.
When Moore competes he’s typically facing 500-meter swims combined with a 12.5-mile bike ride and then a 5K run.
Olympic distance races carry one-mile swims, a 25-mile bike ride and a 10k run.
“It’s weird. It’s not the guys in my age group but it’s the ones 35 to 50 they want to beat me so bad,” Moore said. “If someone beats me I just kind of smile. The salesman in me makes me look like it doesn’t bother me.”
When he’s not training he’s running a business.
Moore started in the flooring business at 16. He traveled for 15 years as a suit-and-tie rep.
“My dad bought me a truck at 16 and said you need to go learn how to lay carpet,” he said. “In college I could work on Friday afternoons and Saturdays after the other guys had already gotten their check and were at the bar and wouldn’t show up.
“I could make $100 or $200 a week in the late 1970s.”
In 1982 he hit the road with a $40,000 salary and all expenses paid.
Along the way he picked up a certification to be a moisture tester.
Since 2009 he’s owned Floors by Moore. He operates on a wholesale mentality.
“I’ve got a warehouse full of samples and carpet and I do just as much,” Moore said. “People say ‘call this guy’ because I’m usually cheaper and my guys do real good work. That’s a good combination.”
He thrives on the hunt. On land or in the water, he wants to be first.
“I put it all out there. I’ve puked at the finish line quite a few times. I’m just so competitive,” Moore said.

by Bobby Anderson
Staff Writer

What started with an email from a 15-year-old high school sophomore in New Jersey has turned into Oklahoma seniors recording their history for future generations.
Melissa Holland serves as the executive director of the Oklahoma Assisted Living Association. An email from Michael Naya, Jr., showed up in Holland’s inbox a few months ago.
“He was interested in history and was having problems finding people who were Dust Bowl survivors,” Holland said of Naya’s project. “He asked if I could reach out to our membership.”
Holland mentioned each spring OKALA recognizes those over 100-years-old. A friend at the Oklahoma State Department of Health mentioned those who witnessed the Land Run might be a good source of information.
Veterans of the Korean War and World War II survivors might also be a good source of information.
With her head swirling with ideas Holland got back to Naya and the two hammered out an informational survey OKALA could send to each member’s Activity/Engagement Coordinator.
“He’s such a great kid,” Holland said of Naya. “It does give you hope in future generations.
“I’ve always told my children seniors are living history books,” she said. “And we need to document that.”
Holland said the goal is to publish the returned information in a book form.
The Oklahoma Assisted Living Association is a non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation of dignity and choice for older Oklahomans and to the quality of their care in the senior living setting.
Naya said it was a school project that struck up his curiosity and led him to contact Holland.
“Well, I have always been interested in history starting when I was very young,” Naya said. “I enjoyed reading about the Titanic and events from that era as it was interesting. From there, I learned about World War II veterans, Great Depression and Dust Bowl survivors and decided to start finding and interviewing living witnesses from these historical events.
“The responses from these witnesses have been great; most are willing to share their memories.”
Naya’s goal is to collect enough responses to one day write a book.
“They hold a great deal of knowledge and it’s amazing to interview them in any way possible,” he said.
Holland has more and more stories to share as time passes.
“We get some really interesting responses,” Holland laughed.
One resident survived the Dust Bowl.
She recounted those days in her responses.
“There were terrible dust storms that were so bad you couldn’t drive. You just had to stop and wait till it was over,” she remembered.
The same resident also lived through the Great Depression.
“It was terrible. We didn’t have any money and couldn’t find work,” she said.
She remembered how many of her classmates struggled during those times. Her parents didn’t lose their jobs because they farmed.
The end of the Depression was a miraculous event.
Another resident responded to the call for 100-year-old stories.
Lois Wooten was born in 1914 and just turned 104.
“When I was a child the world was much safer,” Wooten said. “We did not have locks on our doors. In the summer we would sleep out in the back yard because it was so hot and we didn’t have electricity. We didn’t have running water in the house. We had a well just outside of our back porch.
“We had an outhouse instead of an indoor bathroom.”
Things were much slower back then. Wooten remarked how much has changed.
“We didn’t get the news within five minutes of when it happened,” she said. “Communication of world events was over the radio and we didn’t have one of those for a long time.
“I think people visited with their neighbors more. We made most of our own clothes. It was a slower time for sure – no fast food places, no ATM machines.”
Wooten’s age has brought her plenty of attention.
“I am enjoying many things because I’m this old,” she said, noting she’s had a lot of interview requests and has been contacted by researchers. “There have been so many changes.
Who would have thought we would have gone to the moon or astronauts would live on a space station.” While she admits the current technology “boggles my mind” she regularly uses a computer, an iPad and an iPhone, which she uses to text her family.
If you would like to find out more information or participate in the project you can contact Holland at 405-235-5000 or email her at [email protected].

Dear Savvy Senior, What’s the best way to find good, trustworthy, qualified people who can help seniors with home chores or small jobs? Looking for Mom

Dear Looking,
Getting help at home for any number of household tasks is a lot easier than it use to be thanks to a number of web-based tools that can quickly and easily connect you and your mom to a wide variety of skilled, carefully vetted workers. Here’s what you should know.

Finding Qualified Help
One of the best ways to find qualified, reliable, trustworthy people that can help with home chores and other small jobs is through referrals from people you trust. But if your friends or family don’t have any recommendations, there are a number of online companies you can turn to now like TaskRabbit.com and Takl.com.
These are on-demand service companies that can quickly and easily connect you to skilled workers to handle a wide variety of household chores and small jobs, like cleaning and housekeeping, moving and packing, lawn and yard cleanup, handyman tasks, grocery shopping, running errands, furniture assembly, picture hanging, closet organizing, and much more.
TaskRabbit currently has more than 60,000 Taskers (workers) in 47 U.S. cities, while Takl currently serves 75 U.S. cities with around 35,000 workers.
All you need to do is download their app, or go to their website, and select the service your mom wants done and set a time when she would like the worker to show up. The software then matches your request and provides you a list of qualified, feedback rated workers (including their hourly rate) from which to choose. Once the job is complete, payment is done through the company’s app.
You should also know that all TaskerRabbit and Takl workers have to go through a thorough vetting process before they can join their respective company including extensive background checks.
If, however, you can’t find a skilled worker through TaskRabbit or Takl, or if they don’t serve your area, another option is Amazon Home Services at Amazon.com/services. Like TaskRabbit and Takl, Amazon will connect you to qualified workers that handle dozens of household chores and other small jobs.
Amazon also screens all workers through media searches, online interviews, reference checks, and background checks. And all experts need to have licenses and insurance.
To purchase and book a service, you can either buy a pre-packaged service with a fixed price (like two hours of cleaning) or you can submit a custom request and receive estimates. When booking, you select three different dates and time frames and the pro confirms an appointment. All payment is done through your Amazon account.

Need a Tradesman
If your mom primarily needs of a tradesman like a plumber, electrician, painter, roofer or carpenter for home repairs or remodel projects, you should also check HomeAdvisor.com and AngiesList.com. Both of these sites can connect you with prescreened, customer-rated service professionals in your area for free.

Senior Specific
Another option you should know about is AskUmbrella.com, which is a fee-based membership service for seniors 60-plus that provides qualified, vetted workers to do small jobs in and around the house for only $16 per hour. Currently available in New York, they are expanding nationally over the next year.

Lower-Income Option
If your mom is on a tight budget, you should also contact her nearby Area Aging Agency (call 800-677-1116), who can refer you to services in her area, if available. For example, some communities have volunteer programs that provide chore and handyman services to help seniors in need. And some local non-profit’s offer residential repair services that offer seniors minor upgrades and adaptations to their homes.
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.

Working out in my garden and sitting on my deck to see it grow.

Deanna Waltens

Watching baseball and the Pittsburgh Pirates. I live the Rangers, too.

Rick Dimit

Bicycling. I’ve got a road bike and a cruising bike I ride around the trails.

Hugh Osborn

Just coming out and volunteering.

Kenneth Tolle

The Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority (OMMA), with assistance from the Office of Management and Enterprise Services (OMES), has selected Complia as the provider for compliance and licensing management software.
Using a statewide contract, the Denver-based company was selected through a review process that determined it was best equipped to meet OMMA’s specifications and time requirements. The passage of SQ788 tasks the Oklahoma State Department of Health (OSDH) with having an application process in place by August 25 for patients, caregivers and businesses to apply for licenses and for the agency to collect application fees. OSDH created the OMMA to regulate the medical marijuana program.
Complia is a group of compliance officers and technologists with a background in cannabis licensing systems and government software.
“With this agreement in place, we are continuing our commitment to having the structure in place to meet all of the requirements of SQ788,” said OSDH Interim Commissioner Tom Bates. “We are deeply appreciative to OMES for providing their expertise in evaluating the vendor products and for helping select the right fit to implement the online application system. They were able to accelerate the process in order for us to meet the challenging deadlines we face.”