Loudermilks Supporting Seniors Together at the Expo

Expo: Helping Seniors Embrace Life with Education, Fun, and Community Resources.

Story by Van Mitchell, Staff Writer

Bob Loudermilk and his wife, Denise enjoy doing things together, and that includes working on passion projects like the annual Second Half Expo event.
“Denise has been nothing but supportive with anything I’ve wanted to do. During our early years of marriage, I think I may have frightened her with my entrepreneurial drive and the risks that come with it,” Loudermilk said. “But she’s stood with me, not only in the expo business, but also in the real estate investing deals that we’ve done together. She’s added her expertise to the ventures I’ve taken on and that has been a huge blessing.”
The fourth annual Second Half Expo will be held Saturday, Oct. 19 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, 1700 NE 63rd Street in Oklahoma City.
The Expo is tailored to people who are in the “second half” of their lives who are looking to connect with the resources needed to live the way that they have always imagined. Up to 130 of Oklahoma’s businesses will be present, providing education and demonstrations of the products and services that are available for the 50+ generation.
“We’re expecting around 130 vendors and up to 2000 attendees. In one day, people can connect to tons of resources that are valuable in their life above 50,” Loudermilk said.
He added that the YMCA of Oklahoma City, one of this year’s sponsors, will be demonstrating line dancing and inviting attendees to enjoy some fun, interactive exercises. “They will also be giving away some great prizes,” Loudermilk said.
Bob and Denise moved from Wichita, Kan. to Edmond in 2016 so they could be closer to family in Oklahoma. They celebrated their 33rd wedding anniversary in June.
Loudermilk, who was previously in the trade-show business, sold his business before moving to the Sooner State. Rather than retiring, he started researching and exploring opportunities to work with the senior population in Oklahoma.
Loudermilk said he wanted to put his business background to use helping Oklahoma seniors.
“With my background in trade shows, I started looking at the 50+ demographic and retirees,” he said. “The deeper I went, the more I saw an opportunity, because close to 11,000 Baby Boomers turn 65 every day in America. And, that spells major challenges for our retirement system economy, but it also presents many opportunities.”
Loudermilk began to seek out people that serve the 50+ community in Oklahoma for input.
“I met with dozens of people that serve our senior community,” he said. “We scheduled forums to talk about what is needed in the community to serve this demographic. We concluded that a quality, annual event for seniors would be valuable so I teamed up with a local radio host and magazine publisher and together we launched the Expo.”
Loudermilk said each Expo is loaded with fun and activities, including free educational seminars, inspirations speakers, drawings for prizes and music from some of Oklahoma’s best talent.
The Second Half Expo is supported by knowledgeable experts in their fields of health, business, travel, motivation, senior living, Medicare, financial and retirement planning and more to help you discover what’s next for you. At this year’s event, one of the sponsors, Main Street Advisors, will deliver a 50-minute keynote presentation: “Building a Secure Retirement: How to Navigate Your Financial Journey & Market Volatility.”
“For too long, the concept of aging has a negative connotation in the minds of some,” Loudermilk said. “Our mission is to change that outdated mindset. We firmly believe the senior years can be lived with dignity and purpose with the right guidance and resources. We’re (Second Half Expo) here to support seniors and the adult children of seniors who are honoring and assisting their aging parents. The whole idea is to give people above 50 and their families an opportunity, in one day, to explore and visit with organizations that are resources for them, education for them, as well as products and services.”
Denise Loudermilk, a Speech-Language Pathologist, utilizes her background helping with the Second Half Expo.
“I’ve worked in education but during the last few years I’ve worked in adult rehabilitation, with a primary focus on the senior population,” she said. “It’s been very meaningful to me as I have a heart for those dealing with health and cognition issues as they age. I enjoy helping seniors find their best quality of life.”
Mrs. Loudermilk said that this year’s expo will benefit all who attend. “One of the most important things to focus on as we age is life balance and staying active,” she said. “We want the Expo to enrich the quality of people’s lives and help them to embrace the fact that many good years can be enjoyed in the senior years. And to understand that they have a lot of wisdom to share with the younger generation.”
Her husband concurred. “I think what excites me most about working in this demographic is opening people’s eyes to the opportunities that await them in the years above 50,” he said. “Don’t think about retiring FROM something. Think about retiring TO something. I love helping people shift their paradigm around aging while connecting them to resources that will enhance their life.”
When not working together, the couple enjoys traveling together. “We both have a passion for travel,” Loudermilk said. “Denise is the daughter of a missionary, and she lived in Africa two different times in her childhood. I think she got the traveling bug from her father. When we married and had our two daughters, we made a list of the places we wanted to visit during their years at home. We’re grateful for the many special memories that were made as we completed the list prior to their being launched.”
Those planning to attend the 2024 Second Half Expo (admission is free) on Oct. 19 are encouraged to RSVP online at https://secondhalfexpo.com. The website contains all the information about the activities taking place at this year’s event.

By Marise Boehs

Children’s Cancer Research Fund (CCRF) is a national nonprofit dedicated to ending childhood cancer. Their main focus is to support the research of bright scientists across the country whose ideas can make the greatest impact for children fighting cancer.

They also fund resources and programs that help kids and families as they  navigate the difficult experience of cancer treatment and survivorship.

In 1979, 13-year-old Katie Hageboeck, from Minnesota, was nearing the end of her 16-month battle with leukemia. Before she died, Katie asked that the money she’d been saving for a 10-speed bicycle be donated to a little-known fund at the University of Minnesota called Children’s Cancer Research Fund (CCRF). With that seed of support from Katie and her family, CCRF has grown to contribute over $200 million in funding of nationwide research, education and quality of life programs for children with cancer.

Katie never got the chance to ride her new bike, so now we ride to realize her dream of a world without childhood  cancer. Since the first Great Cycle  Challenge event in 2015, our community of riders from all 50 states has ridden a total of 33,817,103 miles, and together we’ve raised $72,646,876 in support of research to develop better treatments and carry-on Katie’s legacy.

To ensure fundraising efforts have the greatest impact, GCC HAS chosen to focus research funding on three main areas:

Hard-to-Treat Diseases. Our goal is to help researchers develop safer, more effective treatment options for cancer where survival rates remain low or haven’t improved in decades.

Survivorship. The battle isn’t over when cancer is gone – so we fund research that aims to give every survivor of childhood cancer a long, healthy life after treatment.  Eliminating Health Disparities. Children from racial and ethnic minority groups are less likely to survive cancer. We’re funding research that identifies the root cause of these disparities and builds interventions to eliminate them.

15,700 children in the U.S. are diagnosed with cancer each year, and 1 in 5 of those will not survive. Thankfully, we know that funding research can significantly impact survival rates and save lives. But we still have work to do to ensure that every child diagnosed with cancer can live a happy and healthy life. Here are some key reasons why we’re riding together this September to fight kids’ cancer.

• About 1 in 285 children will develop     cancer before the age of 20.
• Cancer remains the most common cause      of death by disease among children in the United States.
• More than 95% of childhood cancer survivors will have a significant health issue related to their cancer or treatment by the time they are 45 years old.
• All funds raised go to support the work of Children’s Cancer Research Fund, a national nonprofit that funds researchers whose ideas are making the greatest impact for kids fighting cancer.
We also provide resources and programs that help kids and families as they  navigate the difficult experience of cancer treatment and survivorship.
Rider’s support allows GCC to continue to work to fight kids’ cancer and give kids the brighter futures they deserve.

Donate online at:
www.greatcyclechallenge.com

AUTHOR’S NOTE
This is my 9th year to participate in Great Cycle Challenge. Each year I have pledged to ride 300 miles and raise $500. Some years I did, some I exceeded and some I failed both on miles and dollars.

Sometimes I say I’m not going to do it again next year, but when the email comes in saying it’s time to sign up – well, actually they assume the sale and say “Thank you for being a Champion” and what size jersey do you need – I participate again.

I am fortunate to have good health and resources that others don’t, so it seems the very least I can do.
Ride my bike and ask for donations.

I will do my best to ride 300 miles in September (that’s 10 miles a day BTW)
and if you could possibly have a couple extra dollars to help kid’s cancer research I would very much appreciate your kindness.
Log on to:
www.greatcyclechallenge.com/Riders/MariseBoehs

PS. There are a great number of riders in the Metro area – maybe one of your neighbors even. Find them all on the  GCC website.

By Marilyn Olson, VillagesOKC Executive Director

With summer activities winding down, VillagesOKC has announced its fall schedule of workshops at the Mitch Park YMCA in Edmond. The lineup includes monthly Senior LifeSkills Learning sessions along with iPhone Tips & Tricks classes from September through October.
“We are so excited to bring our monthly events back to Edmond,” said VillagesOKC Executive Director Marilyn Olson. “These are programs by local professionals who bring a wealth of knowledge and caring.”
Here are the dates and topics for the Senior LifeSkills Learning workshops which are free and open to all:
• September 18 – Brain Balancing with Chris Coleman, a Senior Wellness Coach.
• October 23 – Think Your Way to Health with Susan Radcliffe, RN.
• November 13 – Understanding Back Pain & Natural Treatment Methods with Dan Prince, DC.
Here are the dates topics for the iPhone Tips & Tricks classes with Jeff Albright, an in-home Apple trainer and troubleshooter. He is an expert with over 17 years of experience. His goal: “Help you gain confidence with your Apple devices, keep your kids safe online, and overcome tech hurdles.”
The 90-minute iPhone classes are free for VillagesOKC members and cost $20 for non-members. Here are the dates and topics:
• September 25 – Music on iPhone.
• October 30 – Taking Notes on iPhone.
• November 20 – Connecting with Loved Ones on iPhone.
All workshops are from 1-2:30 pm at the Mitch Park YMCA, 2901 Marilyn Williams Dr. in Edmond. Preregistration is required by going to the VillagesOKC calendar
(https://LoveYourAge.org) or by calling (405) 990-6637

Dear Savvy Senior, What are the early signs and symptoms of diabetes? I’m 60 years old, and in pretty good shape, but was just diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. What did I miss? Diabetic Dan

Dear Dan,
The signs and symptoms of type 2 diabetes can be so mild that many people miss them. That’s why testing is so important. Here’s what you should know.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention more than 38 million Americans have diabetes today, and another 97 million have prediabetes, but many of them don’t even know they have it.
Type 2 diabetes is a disease that develops slowly over decades. Most people have prediabetes for a long time before the disease becomes full-blown diabetes, and even then, it progresses gradually.
Diabetes occurs when your blood glucose, also called blood sugar, is too high. This excess blood sugar damages blood vessels and affects circulation, putting you at risk for a host of ailments, from heart attack and stroke to blindness, kidney failure and nerve damage.
Signs and Symptoms
So how can you tell if you have diabetes? The earliest signs, which are usually subtle, including urinating more frequently (often at night), being thirster and hungrier than usual, weight loss without trying, feeling very tired, having dry itchy skin and blurry vision.
And the symptoms that can indicate advanced diabetes and long-term damage has occurred includes cuts or sores that heal slowly, having more infections than usual, and pain or numbness in your feet or legs.
Who Should Get Tested?
Because prediabetes typically causes no outward symptoms, and the signs of early type 2 diabetes can easily be missed, the only way to know for sure if you have it is to get a blood test.
Everyone age 45 years or older should consider getting tested for diabetes, especially if you are overweight with a body mass index (BMI) above 25. See https://www.cdc.gov/bmi to calculate your BMI.
If you are younger than 45 but are overweight, or have high blood pressure, a family history of diabetes, or belong to an ethnic group (Latino, Asian, African or Native American) at high risk for diabetes, you should get checked too.
To help you determine your risk for diabetes, the American Diabetes Association (ADA) has a quick, online risk test you can take for free at https://diabetes.org/diabetes-risk-test.
Diabetes Tests
There are three different tests your doctor can give you to diagnosis diabetes. The most common is the “fasting plasma glucose test,” which requires an eight-hour fast before you take it. There’s also the “oral glucose tolerance test” to see how your body processes sugar, and the “hemoglobin A1C test” that measures your average blood sugar over the past three months. It can be taken anytime regardless of when you ate.
Most private health insurance plans and Medicare cover diabetes tests, however, if you’re reluctant to visit your doctor to get tested, an alternative is to go to the drug store, buy a blood glucose meter and test yourself at home. They cost around $20.
If you find that you are prediabetic or diabetic, you need to see your doctor to develop a plan to get it under control. In many cases lifestyle changes like losing weight, exercising, eating a healthy diet and cutting back on carbohydrates may be all you need to do to get your diabetes under control. For others who need more help, many medications are available.
For more information on diabetes and prediabetes or to find help, join a lifestyle change program recognized by the CDC (https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes-prevention). These programs offer in-person and online classes in more than 1,500 locations throughout the U.S.
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.

Today, the Social Security Administration announced a large step in a multi-year effort to simplify processes for people who are applying for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) by starting to offer an online, streamlined application for some applicants starting in December. SSI provides monthly payments to people with disabilities and older adults who have little or no income and resources.
The initial step – known as iClaim expansion – aims to establish a fully online, simplified iClaim application that leverages user-tested, plain-language questions, prepopulated answers where possible, seamless step-by-step transitions, and more. The online application aims to reduce the time spent applying as well as the processing time for initial claim decisions.
“Over the past year, we have asked many applicants and advocates – as well as our workforce – how we could make the SSI application process easier and simpler. Now, we are taking an important first step to do just that,” said Martin O’Malley, Commissioner of Social Security. “People in our communities who need this crucial safety net deserve the dignity of an application process that is less burdensome and more accessible than what we now have, and we’re committed to achieving that vision over the next few years.”
The rollout of the iClaim expansion will generally be available to first-time applicants between 18 and almost 65 who never married and are concurrently applying for Social Security benefits and SSI. A goal of the second phase – currently targeted for late 2025 – is to expand this to all applicants.
The Federal Register Notice that supports this effort was published today and reflects changes based on what Social Security previously received. To read it, please visit Federal Register :: Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Request.
Subsequent SSI simplification steps will incorporate lessons learned from the iClaim expansion into in-person, phone, mobile, and paper-based processes for SSI applications. As part of that, the agency plans to develop a separate simplified child SSI application.
All of these efforts will support and streamline the way Social Security’s staff technicians and applicants work together, providing an applicant journey that reflects continuous feedback gathered from the agency’s Customer Experience team, particularly from underserved communities.
To get more Social Security news, follow the Press Office on
X @SSAPress.