story and photo by Bobby Anderson, Staff Writer

Jerry Almufleh still remembers getting out of school in the afternoons and heading to the dialysis center to sit with his grandmother while she received dialysis.
There would be good days and there would be bad days while Almufleh watched his loved one go through renal failure.
And he always wished there was something more he could do to make things easier.
“Doing that, sometimes three days a week, I got intrigued. I wanted to learn more and I built relationships with the nurses and the doctors,” he said.
Eventually, that curiosity would be rewarded at age 19 with a job on the dialysis unit. Positions in long-term care, home healthcare and hospice would follow, but his driving focus was always helping make life easier for those battling health issues.
That’s why he and his wife, Alison, started SilverLeaf, a cannabis and CBD dispensary that takes a person-centered approach to making everyday life better.
The passage of State Question 788 in 2018 paved the way for medical marijuana in Oklahoma.
For more than two years Oklahomans have turned to the licensed and regulated industry for treatment of a variety of conditions.
But while new stores seemingly pop up every week, none have taken an approach like SilverLeaf. (story continues below)

“I would love to see this model flourish because we hear the testimonials. Not only the medicine, because we know what we’re looking for but just the experience overall,” Jerry said. “Really all it is is to treat people like they’re humans, empathize, sympathize with them, listen to them and always do your very best. That’s where we’re getting a lot of the trust.”
Customers coming to SilverLeaf are greeted by their first name. It’s just the tip of the iceberg as Jerry and his wife take the time to find out exactly what their client needs are.
“I get to help them in a more natural way,” said Alison who previously worked in admissions in long-term care. “Working in long-term care you see the downgrade, someone come in and decline. But being there every day they become part of your family.”
“Now when I get to be with the patients they walk in and they’re happier.”
Cannabis enjoys the distinction as one of the oldest cultivated crops in the world, dating back several thousand years.
But the discovery of its vast medicinal purposes has only occurred in the last half-century.
“It’s hard to believe that just the last 60 years we got it right,” Alison said. “We’re finally figuring it out.”
SilverLeaf operates more like a clinic than a store.
Having spent the better part of their lives working with seniors, both Jerry and Alison know the importance of establishing trust especially when it comes to helping customers who are struggling with chronic issues.
Jerry estimates more than 60 percent of his time is spent in teaching.
“The education is understanding the background of whatever diseases they’re battling, understanding the side effects and the pros and cons,” said Jerry, who frequently provides presentations to independent and assisted living facilities. “This is not what they were taught back in the day. The main message we want to get out is there is a more natural, safer way.”
In the realm of constant pain or anxiety, there’s little argument now that cannabinoids provide safe, natural symptom relief.
“(Constant pain) shouldn’t have to be that way. What quality of life is that,” Jerry asked. “We have a passion for seniors. I feel seniors should live their life to the fullest to the last day. They shouldn’t have to succumb to sedation and seclusion.”
Silverleaf Dispensary specializes in senior care and dosing. It is very important that you know the correct delivery methods and dosage to consume, that’s why Silverleaf is a Certified Cannacian and can walk you through the process of obtaining optimal health through CBD and Cannabis.
The working relationship between Almufleh and physicians often results in customers being able to decrease dosages or even go off of pharmaceutical medications entirely.
In some instances, evening prescription medications designed to sedate patients for the purpose of sleep can be replaced by quality CBD products.
“We understand we may be ahead of our time in terms of (medical marijuana),” Jerry said. “It’s now that we’re starting to see those poles shift. We have a whole demographic counting on us.”
“There needs to be an atmosphere and a place where people can come down and truly get what they need instead of being rushed through dispensaries like cattle,” he said. “We feel like we needed to develop that place and here we are.”
For more information visit: https://silverleaf-ok.com or go by and say hello at 5300 North Meridian Avenue Suite 12 in Oklahoma City.

Story by Darl DeVault contributing editor

Renowned Oklahoma Osage sculptor Shan Gray died in September at age 65, but his legacy as the most prolific artist of the Oklahoma Centennial Commemoration will live on in the state with his iconic bronze masterpieces of public art.
Gray was hitting his stride as a prolific figurative portrait sculptor when Oklahoma planned its Centennial Commemoration for 2007— a statewide, multiyear celebration of the state’s 100th birthday. Commemoration organizers Lee Allan Smith and Blake Wade drafted Gray into sculpting multiple, larger-than-life public art projects, which became a legacy to his talent.
“Gray’s sculpture of the Shannon Miller statue in Edmond is truly the Oklahoma standard for excellence,” said Joel Randell, Gray’s sculpting protege. Gray’s Warren Spahn statues and award put his contribution to Oklahoma art at the level of Paul Moore’s Centennial Land Run Monument masterpiece and Harold Holden’s legacy, Randell added, and his Billy Vessels and James Garner bronze sculptures in Norman illustrate some of the state’s best of the human form in motion. (story continues below)

Completing eight bronze sculpting projects for the 2007 celebration, Gray was the most prolific of the individually commissioned Oklahoma Centennial artists. He collaborated with John Free Jr. in the casting of his heroic statues at Free’s Bronze Horse Foundry in Pawhuska.
The largest of Gray’s public art creations is the Cleveland County Veterans Memorial near the southwest corner of Reaves Park in Norman. A striking and complex memorial, the work accentuates the clean lines of an obelisk topped by an oversized eagle landing with an American flag.
The statue of the University of Oklahoma’s first Heisman Trophy winner, Billy Vessels, is displayed in Heisman Park just east of Jenkins Avenue and the football stadium. Also in Norman, his bronze likeness of famous Norman son and movie star James Garner enhances the downtown area on East Main Street at the railroad tracks.
“For all of these works,” Gray said at the dedication of the Garner statue, “I was striving to accurately capture the detail and dynamics of the spirit or movement in the human figures in the unmoving bronze to carry off the illusion of bringing the monument to life. I have always said my sculpting style is rooted in the classical tradition.”
A cluster of Gray’s efforts is outside the Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark in downtown Oklahoma City, including the nine-foot-tall bronze depiction of Warren Spahn in his famous high-kicking windup. Spending his final decades in Tulsa, Spahn is the winningest lefty pitcher in major league history. Gray’s busts of other Oklahomans—New York Yankee pitcher Allie “Super Chief” Reynolds and St. Louis Cardinal Pepper Martin—are near the third-base gate at the ballpark.
Gray’s works include a tribute to the three former Miss Americas who attended Oklahoma City University. At the southeastern entrance to the OCU campus, Jane Jayroe, Susan Powell and Shawntel Smith beam in their pageant evening gowns.
The Nazih Zuhdi Transplant Institute on the campus of Baptist Integris Hospital displays a bust of its namesake medical inventor and heart surgeon. The sculpture is on the ground floor of the main hospital building.
In Edmond’s Shannon Miller Park, Gray’s bronze sculpture honors the seven-time Olympic medalist from Edmond. The 19-foot bronze was the largest statue of a woman athlete in America at its completion.
In Edmond’s J.L. Mitch Park, Gray erected a bronze Girl Scout statue titled ‘95 Years and Planting.’ It depicts a small girl planting a tree in the park.

Oklahoma Law Enforcement Memorial, Inc., the non-profit 501c-3 organization that oversees the Oklahoma Law Enforcement Memorial, started a project two years ago to have wreaths placed during the Christmas holiday season on all graves of Oklahoma’s fallen law enforcement officers. During the research to locate the graves of Oklahoma’s fallen officers it was found that the final resting place of just over one hundred of the over eight hundred fallen officers was unknown.
Most of the unknown burial sites are those of Deputy U.S. Marshals, their posses or guards, or tribal law enforcement officers who died before Oklahoma statehood. Over forty percent of all the Deputy U.S. Marshals who have died in the line of duty in the United States died in what is now the state of Oklahoma and are honored on the state’s law enforcement memorial.
The memorial organization ordered a new granite stone, and it was recently placed just south of the Oklahoma Law Enforcement Memorial plaza. This beautiful new granite stone is in honor of all the fallen officers whose final resting place is unknown.
A wreath will be placed at the new stone in mid-December during the annual Wreaths for the Fallen ceremony.
The Oklahoma Law Enforcement Memorial is the oldest state memorial honoring its fallen officers in the United States and was dedicated May 15, 1969. The non-profit memorial organization is totally funded by donations.
The memorial is located on the west grounds of the Oklahoma Department of Public Safety Headquarters, 3600 M. L. King Avenue in Oklahoma City.
For more information on these officers or the other over eight hundred officers who have died in the line of duty in Oklahoma go to the Oklahoma Law Enforcement Memorial website at www.oklemem.com.

Hi, Instagram! It’s Andrew. I have some, how should I say, personal news. But before I get into that, please “like” my page” and also follow me on YouTube, Twitter, Snapchat and TikTok. Oh, and I’ll have more details about this announcement on my podcast; so check that out too.
OK, here goes. As many of you know, I’ve been in the workforce for nearly six months. Well, if you don’t count the nine mental health days I took, then, yes, six months. And even though my company instituted a four-day work week and allows paid time off for dog grooming visits, I needed those days. Seriously, when my supervisor told me I had to be part of FOUR Zoom calls in a single day, well, that was just too much. And that’s what I’m live streaming this announcement.
As my 24th birthday dawns, a little voice inside my head has been getting louder. And it’s saying, “Drew, there’s more to life than work.” Now it’s time I start listening to that voice.
I mean, I’ve already accomplished all of my professional goals. I’ve made enough money to move out of my parents’ house. Well, I almost did, then COVID hit. So, yes, I’m still here, but living in my childhood bedroom, surrounded by my high school trophies, has made me realize that life is short. I don’t want to wake up when I’m 30 — hopefully in my own place — and realize how much I’ve missed.
So, I’ve made the decision to take some Andrew time. I’m not retiring. I’m just…recalibrating. And everybody has been so supportive, maybe with the exception of my dad who said, “What the hell does that mean? I’m 58 and you don’t see me re-whatever. I haven’t even calibrated yet.”
I can’t believe my dad still works. He could have retired by 30 if he just had the same values and goals as my generation.
It’s not like I won’t be making money. I can always become an influencer, monetize my YouTube channel or develop an app. My college roommate Darren created this AWESOME app that suggests which cannabis-infused edibles go best with microbrews. So, like, if you’re sipping a Belgian IPA, you just point your iPhone at the glass and the app tells you that a watermelon sativa gummy would go great with it.
It’s amazing! Darren submitted it to Apple 15 months ago and he’s still waiting to hear back; but when he does, he and I are going to be partying in Belize. First class, baby! Is there any other way to travel?
Plus, Dad doesn’t know anything about cryptocurrency. When is he going to learn that the only thing you need for financial independence is a decent internet signal and a Reddit account?
So, next Friday will be my last day. I’ve already told my co-workers that I don’t want a big party. Or a big virtual party since we’re all still working from home. I submitted my notice and the messages on my company group chat have been SUPER positive. Wait, here’s one now. I’ll read it aloud:
“Remind me again. Who are you?”
Um, that probably came from somebody who was hired after me. But see, this is my point. Once I’ve extricated myself from the workforce, I won’t have to respond to group chat messages. If I must work from home on my laptop at the local Starbucks, I want it to be work that fulfills ME, not somebody else. I’ve given my heart and soul to this organization ever since the day my dad’s golf buddy hired me. Those days are over.
So, that’s it. As of next week, I’ll be off the grid for a while. I plan to travel. Maybe hike or camp or just do something that feeds my soul. As long as Dogecoin stays stable, I’ll be fine.
Bye for now. Please like and subscribe.
(Greg Schwem is a corporate stand-up comedian and author of two books: “Text Me If You’re Breathing: Observations, Frustrations and Life Lessons From a Low-Tech Dad” and the recently released “The Road To Success Goes Through the Salad Bar: A Pile of BS From a Corporate Comedian,” available at Amazon.com. Visit Greg on the web at www.gregschwem.com.
You’ve enjoyed reading, and laughing at, Greg Schwem’s monthly humor columns in Senior Living News. But did you know Greg is also a nationally touring stand-up comedian? And he loves to make audiences laugh about the joys, and frustrations, of growing older. Watch the clip and, if you’d like Greg to perform at your senior center or senior event, contact him through his website at www.gregschwem.com)

The Pawnee Bill Ranch and Museum is proud to host its annual quilt show during the entire month of October. The exhibit is open during normal hours of operation and there is no charge to see the special exhibit. The beautiful works of art on display include both heirloom quilts and modern quilts. The Cimarron Valley Quilt Guild and Pawnee Bill Quilt Guild members are instrumental in putting together this yearly event.
The Pawnee Bill Ranch and Museum is located at 1141 Pawnee Bill Road in Pawnee. Hours of operation are Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday and Monday 1 to 4 p.m. For more information about the quilt show or other programs, please call 918-762-2513 or email pawneebill@okhistory.org.
The Pawnee Bill Ranch and Museum is a division of the Oklahoma Historical Society. The mission of the Oklahoma Historical Society is to collect, preserve and share the history and culture of the state of Oklahoma and its people. Founded in 1893 by members of the Territorial Press Association, the OHS maintains museums, historic sites and affiliates across the state. Through its research archives, exhibits, educational programs and publications the OHS chronicles the rich history of Oklahoma. For more information about the OHS, please visit www.okhistory.org.

###

Idaho artist, Cary Schwarz, will join some of the finest traditional cowboy artists for the 23rd Annual Traditional Cowboy Arts Exhibition and Sale at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, October 1-2, 2021.
Showcasing the best of saddlemaking, bit and spur making, silversmithing and rawhide braiding from the members of the Traditional Cowboy Arts Association, the exhibition will open to the public Friday, October 1, 2021, and the sale will take place on October 2. All pieces will remain on exhibit and available for purchase at the Museum through January 2, 2022. The sale will take place on October 2.
Each year the TCAA exhibition gives Schwarz the opportunity to reflect on his journey as a founding member. From the very earliest conversations about what would become the TCAA, to the elaborate education programs of today, it’s been a tremendous journey. Before the founding of the association, Schwarz would stumble into his peers and mentors in the saddle business every few years. Now he interacts with them on a weekly basis, offering a depth of support and advice to one another. To view the catalog, visit TCAA (nationalcowboymuseum.org). To sponsor the event or place a proxy bid for art, visit nationalcowboymuseum.org/tcaa. Proxy service is also available by contacting Trent Riley at (405) 839-7097 or triley@nationalcowboymuseum.org.

by James Coburn – staff writer

Laughter is great therapy. Epworth at Home Hospice has discovered a way to brighten up the days of hospice patients receiving palliative care, said Hope Knight, a registered nurse with the Epworth at Home Hospice team in Oklahoma City.
Seniors receiving hospice care or home health care from Epworth at Home will often find humor and a glimpse of nostalgia by therapeutic cardboard cut-outs of classic movie stars. Carol Burnett, John Wayne, Audrey Hepburn, and Elvis Presley have made steady appearances. A cut-out of actor Will Smith will soon join the collection of stars.
Patients get a ray of sunshine, something that makes them smile, Knight said. Hospice is a ministry, said Knight, who has been a nurse for 30 years and a hospice nurse for nearly six years. Her history includes emergency room and intensive care nursing.
“We’ll place it in a common area of their room. We will just see smiles and maybe they will point at them. We don’t know what’s going on in their head a lot of times, but we can see some joy in their faces,” Knight said.
The idea clicked in the mind of Community Liaison Shelley Stutchman just before an open house in May. She had been storing the cardboard inspirations in her office and wondered what to do with them. (story continues below)

“Even though John, Elvis, Carol, and Audrey were only cardboard, we could imagine them smiling as our guests took selfies with their favorites of the group,” Stutchman said.
Her role includes visiting with patients in the skilled nursing unit. She said there have been a few home health and hospice patients who have chosen hospice care. She will inform them about hospice and home health options when applicable.
One day she greeted a woman who was feeling a little depressed about her health. She looked at Stutchman and said she gets always feels more courageous and stronger after watching a John Wayne movie.
“How about I have John Wayne come visit you?” Stutchman said.
The woman thought Stutchman was joking, knowing the actor had died in 1979. Stutchman said she needed an hour to prepare her surprise.
“The patient just laughed and went to the therapy gym,” she said. “I attached a personalized note to the John Wayne cutout and snuck it into the patient’s room while she was in therapy. When the patient came back, she lit up like a Christmas Tree.”
The woman came from a hospital after having a leg amputation and felt blue. But soon she was texting photos to family and friends and laughed about how Duke Wayne startled a nurse who came in her room that night. Wayne was standing at the head of her bed holding a gun at his side. Her life was falling apart, but the therapy cut-out changed her attitude.
Knight said hospice families love taking pictures of the cut-outs with their loved ones. People smile as she carries Elvis, Carol, Audrey, or John Wayne down the hall. Ladies will prepare for a visit by Elvis in the rehab unit. They will fix their hair and put on their lipstick, so they will look nice for their photo with Elvis.
“It motivates them therapy-wise to take care of themselves,” Stutchman said.
Another patient said one of the ladies told her she had the personality of Carol Burnett. When the cut-out was brought for an overnight visit to the woman’s room, it became a source of laughter during her visit with her son. They began talking about the old Carol Burnett shows they saw together when her son ways a little boy. Mother and son talked for almost two hours — something they had never done before.
“She said she was forever grateful for the Carol Burnett therapy cardboard,” Stutchman said.
Family members appreciate being able to share joy during their loved one’s hospice care, Knight said.
“It brings back good memories. We’re all about memories in hospice,” she said. “That’s all we’ve got when people pass.”
Even hospice patients living with dementia will interact with the therapeutic cut-outs. Older memories are more intact with dementia. And, even if a hospice patient does not have dementia, they will oftentimes pull back into their younger selves, Knight said.
“They will pull away from the world as they are transitioning from this life to the next. And so many times they just don’t want to talk with people — they don’t want to interact because they’re pulling back and readying their spirit for when they pass on,” Knight said.
Many nurses in general don’t deal well with people passing away because they want to make them better, Knight said.
“But then, there are some of us that say sometimes we don’t make them better, so let’s make this transition the best it can be. Let’s help them have the best life possible in as many days that they have.”
For more information visit: www.epworthathome.org or call (405) 767-9033.

story and photo by Vicki Jenkins, Staff Writer

Jenna Waddell is a flight nurse, flying out of Air Evac Lifeteam in Ada, Oklahoma. She has been a nurse for almost six years now and has been flying for a year and seven months. “I always wanted to work in the medical field, ever since I was a child. I truly believe it is a calling for me to serve others. Growing up, my dad, now a 100% disabled combat veteran Navy SEAL, would sometimes come home from deployment with an injury. I would help him in any way that I could. After a traumatic parachuting accident that almost amputated his right leg, I knew for sure that I was supposed to go into trauma and emergency medicine. I grew up taking care of others, so it is only natural for me to be a nurse. It’s in my bones. No pun intended,” Jenna said with a smile.
“Being a flight nurse is the best job in the whole world,” Jenna said. “I don’t just have one favorite thing about my job but the ones that stand out are: 1. The amount of autonomy that I have in the air. I do not have to ask a physician for orders. It is me and my partner making critical life or death decisions. 2. We are held to a higher standard as clinicians with an enhanced scope of practice. The requirements, certifications and education needed are next level and we are expected to know our stuff. 3. I take care of patients in a helicopter.”
Jenna got her first degree at Baylor University in Health and Human Science. “I initially was going to be a physical therapist. During my senior year at Baylor, I was completing my clinical nurse in an inpatient setting for physical therapy school admission. During that rotation, I was working alongside other nurses. I watched as they worked tirelessly to provide the best care for their patients. I knew right then that was going to become a nurse. I applied last minute into UCO’s Nursing program after graduation from Baylor. I went through the fast track nursing program at Oklahoma City University Kramer School of Nursing. I did not realize that nursing had so many specialties and opportunities. After doing more research about the profession, I never looked back,” Jenna said.
To qualify for a flight nurse, more training is needed. “You must have 3-5 years of critical care experience, have BLS, ACLS, PALS, PHTLS, PHNRP, an advanced certification such as TNCC and an advanced nursing certification to include either CFRN, CCRN, or CEN. After being accepted into the new role as a flight nurse, there is a six month orientation/training process,” Jenna explained. “During those six months, you have to attend and pass three regional intensives which test you on your knowledge and skill set during any quizzes and stimulations. There are four flight nurses, four flight paramedics, and four pilots at each base,” Jenna added.
Jenna’s flight flies out of Ada, Oklahoma, working 24 hours on, 24 hours off each week. She works in the trauma bay at the hospital during her week off. “I truly experience the best of the nursing world-in air and on the ground.”
“Our service area is 75 nautical miles from the base in Ada, Oklahoma. However, we have found ourselves in many states across the Midwest and southeastern regions to include Kansas, Arkansas, Louisiana and Texas.”
At the base, Air Evac Lifeteam 26 in Ada, there were seventy-four flights this past month, the most in the state of Oklahoma.
What are some of the qualities of a good flight nurse? “Compassion, hard-working, detail-oriented, empathetic, being a strong, patient advocate, an effective communicator, a leader but also a team player,” Jenna said.
Asking Jenna if she had received any awards or recognitions, she replied, “I received honors for grades all through undergrad and nursing school including Cum Laude, the honor society for nurses, President’s List, Dean’s List, a Base Recognition Award, etc. I volunteered at Habitat for Humanity and the Humane Society.”
When Jenna is not working she enjoys spending her time, running, cycling, Body Pump and CrossFit, etc. Jenna likes to travel and spend time outdoors, whether it be hiking, boating, camping, kayaking and scuba surfing. She enjoys walking Bentley, her Australian Shepherd mix. Jenna also likes to read and play the violin.
Summing up Jenna’s life in three words, she replied, “Faith, adventure and ambition.”
For more information visit: www.lifeteam.net.

story and photo by James Coburn, Staff Writer

Seniors wanting to live their lives in community can be confident in the lifestyle options available at Epworth Villa, a retirement community in Oklahoma City.
“If you stop and think about it, the pandemic has highlighted for us the importance of community,” said Epworth Villa CEO and president Ron Kelly.
The pandemic has interrupted the daily life of Americans in many ways. People have not been able to be as close to one another as in the past. Epworth Villa has met the challenge by preserving community when COVID moved through virtually every segment of society.
Epworth did a lot of shutting things down last year during the height of the pandemic. It joined everyone else in trying to understand how to minimize the risks of COVID-19. Testing and screening protocols were implemented for best practices.
Oklahoma is experiencing a resurgence with the Delta variant as scientists unravel the mystery of the disease with vaccinations available to keep the virus at bay. Kelly said Epworth has done fairly well in minimizing the impact. It’s important to be transparent, he said. (story continues below)

“Did we have cases? Yes, we did. We had a few folks that passed away actually that were in our upper levels of care,” he said. “It was very sad for us — but from what I saw — what others experienced, that was well above what others were experiencing.”
Some people enjoyed the neighborly aspects of greeting friends from their balconies and other measures during a time when the public didn’t feel very safe being indoors together.
“There was a friendship tree that came out of that in our cottage area where we have independent homes,” Kelly said.
People in the neighborhood would come to a large shade tree to gather at a safe distance in front of one of those homes. That spirit has continued at Epworth.
To this day, people still want to receive the daily community videos that Kelly produces for residents. Kelly now distributes the videos three days a week. He provides updates on the Delta variant and the possible impact it may or may not bring to daily life. Guidance from the CDC is presented in the videos as to whether a change of protocols should be updated to offer the best protection for the residents.
“So, I think people have really appreciated staying informed with what’s going on,” he said. “They’ve taken advantage of every opportunity to keep community going. That has been huge in terms of the thriving of our residents and our staff.”
Another area of improvement is creating more options for enriching life at home. Dining venues reopened when Epworth felt confident it was safe.
About 99 percent of Epworth residents have been vaccinated, Kelly said. There have been adjustments, but the community has been able to adapt and thrive since February.
Epworth’s nursing staff is one to admire. They have shown a lot of courage, Kelly continued. Folks were happy to be able to adapt to wearing protective equipment. There was greater risk for both staff and residents early in the pandemic.
“We had some staff that tested positive. I’m sure when that happens it rattles you, but they were courageous. Our director of nursing (Mia Owen) led the way. She showed the staff herself. She put on the equipment — did it herself. She went into areas where we had a COVID-positive resident,” Kelly explained. “She showed them and demonstrated that for them. That was the kind of leadership we needed. We needed our director of nursing when there was uncertainty. That courage and that leadership is why I call those folks heroes.”
Epworth offers residents the options and amenities of a seamless living environment on its spacious campus.
There are three levels of living including independent living with apartments and cottages. There is assisted living care with a memory care component. Health services at Epworth provides a short-term rehab for people transitioning from a hospital to home. Skilled inpatient and outpatient care is provided.
“We offer that to the broader community outside of Epworth as well,” he said.
Epworth at Home is a hospice and home health care to serve the campus and the community at large.
“What I love about it is not only how the staff has served the residents that live here, but how the residents serve one another,” Kelly said. “That’s the kind of community I see.”
Friends encourage one another when they see progress resulting from health care.
“That really uplifts people, not only in those times of need, but in general,” Kelly said.
For more information visit: https://epworthvilla.org or 14901 N. Pennsylvania Avenue in Oklahoma City.

story and photo by Bobby Anderson, Staff Writer

Most people choose the jobs they want to pursue.
For Christina Sibley, the job chose her.
Christina has been a healthcare provider for more than 20 years. She’s taught medical assisting and phlebotomy.
She’s worked in doctor’s offices, labs, hospitals and home care, always with a passion for her patients.
But it was a suggestion from husband, Steven, that brought it all together.
“I feel like God put me on the Earth for a reason,” she said. “I have a specific set of skills, experience and education that allow me to do things for people, they have put me in a unique position to be able to do things for people that others just don’t have the ability to do.”
Christina and her husband own and operate Sibley Insures.
Actually, it’s more than that.
They live it.
An average of 10,000 people age into Medicare each day. (story continues below)

Licensed Health insurance producers in Oklahoma and Kansas, serving OKC, Tulsa, and beyond, the Sibleys are a wealth of information when it comes to making one of the most important healthcare decisions most of us will ever face.
And that yearly decision is fast approaching.
The last few months of the year the Sibleys’ business goes into overdrive with Medicare enrollment beginning October 15 and running through December 7.
“A broker, like myself, is someone contracted with multiple carriers so they aren’t beholden to a specific carrier and they’re not trying to fit someone into the only tool they have,” Christina explained of what she does. “A broker is able to find the right tool for the client and their specific needs.”
“You would be surprised at how many people who are on Medicare, and have been for a long time, who don’t understand how it works. They’ve never really been given a good education.”
That’s the “what” when it comes to Sibley Insures.
The “why” runs deeper.
Christina Sibley tears up when she talks about her grandmother, whom she was able to care for in her final few years.
“She was a widow, a homemaker her whole life, whose husband died at a young age unexpectedly,” she said. “She lived on a very low income and had significant health issues. I watched her struggle for a long time, especially with paying for medications.”
Planning on going to school to become a physician’s assistant, Christina fell in love with gerontology (the study of aging issues), largely because of the experiences with her grandmother.
“My desired patients were going to be geriatric patients. That’s who I love. That’s who I love to work with,” she said. “When Steve suggested I go into insurance I was not interested at all.”
“She thought I was nuts,” Steve said with a laugh. “When she found out about Medicare and what she could do for seniors it was like the lightbulb came on. These were not only the people she wanted to serve but as an educator she was able to use her experience and skills to truly make a difference.”
Behind her the whole way is Steve, who brings 15 years of financial services expertise and 36 years of military service to the business.
She’s always had a passion for education.
“The best part of what I do now … I can spend two or three hours with somebody and really get to know them, help them understand so they can make their own choices,” she said. “As an educator you have to be able to break complex things down into something people can relate to.”
With Covid 19 restrictions ongoing, many seminars and educational opportunities to help seniors make an informed decision will likely not occur this year throughout the industry.
“That has been in the back of my mind but my clients, the people who are already with me, understand they have access to me all year,” she said. “They’re used to ‘Hey, I have a question. I’m going to call Christina.’”
She said “this year, in particular, there are many tools available to meet and enroll virtually, if that’s someone’s preference.”
In person or on the phone, Christina has always prided herself on being accessible to her clients and the people who are referred to her by her clients.
Answering a question, or giving her opinion – it’s always about the client.
“One of my favorite sayings is do the right thing for the sake of the right thing,” she said. “Just do the right thing for people, it’s that simple. I decided early on that I was going to do it that way, period. I’ll either be successful at it or I won’t be, but I’ll do it in a way that I can look at myself in the mirror each day and be happy with what I do.” Visit: https://www.sibleyinsures.com