Dear Savvy Senior,

Writing a will has never been a high priority to me but this lingering coronavirus crisis has changed my thinking. Can you recommend some good do-it-yourself resources to help me write a simple will?

Getting Older

Dear Getting,
The coronavirus crisis has changed the way a lot of people look at things, including wills. Currently, fewer than half of American adults have prepared a will. But having a last will and testament is important because it ensures that your money and property will be distributed to the people you want to receive it after your death.
If you die without a will, your estate will be settled in accordance with state law. Details vary by state, but assets typically are distributed using a hierarchy of survivors. Assets go to first to a spouse, then to children, then your siblings, and so on.
You also need to be aware that certain accounts take precedence over a will. If you jointly own a home or a bank account, for example, the house, and the funds in the account, will go to the joint holder, even if your will directs otherwise. Similarly, retirement accounts and life insurance policies are distributed to the beneficiaries you designate, so it is important to keep them up to date too.
Online Will Makers
If you have a simple, straightforward estate and an uncomplicated family situation, writing your own will – with the help of a good online will making program – is a viable alternative to hiring an attorney and much cheaper. Like tax software, these online tools will guide you through a series of questions and will insert your answers into a will for you, and it usually takes less that 20 minutes from start to finish.
Three top-rated do-it-yourself options include the Quicken WillMaker & Trust 2021 downloadable software (available at nolo.com) that costs $100 and works with Windows and Macs and is valid in every state except Louisiana; LegalZoom (legalzoom.com), which offers basic wills for $89 or $99 if you’d like assistance from an independent attorney; and Trust & Will (trustandwill.com) which charges $89 for a basic will.
If that’s more than you’re willing to pay, consider FreeWill (freewill.com), which is a completely free will making resource made possible with the support of nonprofit organizations.
When to Hire a Lawyer
If you have considerable financial assets or a complex family situation, like a blended family or child with special needs, it would be smart for you to seek professional advice. An experienced lawyer can make sure you cover all your bases, which can help avoid family confusion and squabbles after you’re gone.
The National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (naela.org) and the National Association of Estate Planners & Councils (naepc.org) websites are good resources that have directories to help you find someone in your area.
Costs will vary depending on your location and the complexity of your situation, but you can expect to pay somewhere between $200 and $1,000 to get your will made. To help you save, shop around and get price quotes from several different firms. And before you meet with an attorney, make a detailed list of your assets and accounts to help make your visit more efficient.
Make it Valid
Be aware that to make your will valid, you must sign and date it and have it witnessed according to the laws of your state. Most states require two witnesses who are not listed as beneficiaries in your will to watch you sign it. Some states also require that a notary witness the signing as well. Nationalnotary.org can tell you if a notary is needed to legalize a will in your state, if remote notary services are available, and how to access such online services to execute your will if you are sheltering at home during the pandemic.

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.

OKLAHOMA CITY ZOO MOURNS DEATH OF MALE INDIAN RHINO, ARUN

The Oklahoma City Zoo and Botanical Garden is sad to announce the death of male Indian rhino, Arun, 30. Caretakers discovered Arun in the Zoo’s rhino barn at Sanctuary Asia on Thursday, October 29 at approximately 7:30 a.m. when they arrived to start their day. Arun came to the OKC Zoo in 2019 from the Fort Worth Zoo as part of a breeding recommendation through the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) Greater One-Horned Rhinoceros Species Survival Plan (SSP) and was paired with the Zoo’s Indian rhino Niki, 12. They are the parents of the Zoo’s week-old, female rhino calf born on Friday, October 23. (Story continues below)

Caretakers reported that Arun had exhibited some abnormal behavior in being less eager to participate in training over the last few weeks. However, he still participated in blood collection practices almost daily, and his most recent bloodwork came back normal. The Zoo’s veterinary team will conduct a necropsy (animal autopsy, including histopathology) to help determine the cause of death. The median life expectancy for Indian rhinos according to the AZA’s Species Survival Statistics is 30.2 years.
“Arun was a great rhino and ambassador for his species who had a special connection with our caretakers and guests alike,” said Rachel Emory, OKC Zoo’s curator of elephants and rhinos. “Though we are sad by his loss, we know Arun’s legacy will live on through his daughter. We look forward to watching her grow and are hopeful she too will contribute to the survival of this species through a successful breeding program.”
Weather permitting of 50 degrees or warmer, Shanti, Niki and her calf will be on view at Sanctuary Asia. Niki and baby will have outdoor access to a secluded habitat area viewable to guests riding the Elephant Express tram.
Native to India and Nepal, Indian rhinos, also known as greater one-horned rhinos, can weigh more than 3,000 pounds. These impressive animals are known for their single horn and tough skin that resembles body armor. Indian rhinos are currently listed as “vulnerable” by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature. Through successful conservation programs, Indian rhino populations in the wild have increased to more 3,600 animals. However, there is a continuing decline in the quality of their natural habitat and the species continues to be illegally hunted for its horn.
The OKC Zoo is helping save Indian rhinos by supporting the International Rhino Foundation’s efforts to protect vulnerable and critically endangered rhinos and their habitat in India with money from the Round Up for Conservation Fund. The Zoo’s Round Up for Conservation program encourages guests to donate their change from any Zoo purchase to help protect wildlife and wild places around the world. Members of the Zoo’s American Association of Zookeepers chapter have also raised more than $373,000 for rhinos in Asia and Africa through its fundraising efforts since 1990.
Zoo fans are invited to post favorite photos and memories of Arun on social media at Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
The Oklahoma City Zoo is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Advance tickets are required for all guests and ZOOfriends members and can be purchased at www.okczoo.org/tickets. Zoo tickets are limited each day to ensure safe social distancing among guests. Located at the crossroads of I-44 and I-35, the OKC Zoo is a proud member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, the American Alliance of Museums, Oklahoma City’s Adventure District and an Adventure Road partner. Regular admission is $12 for adults and $9 for children ages 3-11 and seniors ages 65 and over. Children two and under are admitted free. Stay up-to-date with the Zoo on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and by visiting Our Stories. Zoo fans can support the OKC Zoo by becoming a member. Memberships can be purchased at ZOOfriends.org or any place admission is sold in the Zoo’s Entry Plaza during regular business hours. To learn more about this event and Zoo other happenings, call (405) 424-3344 or visit okczoo.org.

OU Health, Mercy and SSM Health St. Anthony are teaming up with 100 of the nation’s top hospitals and healthcare systems to deliver an urgent plea for all Americans: Mask up, because wearing a facemask is the best chance at slowing the surging COVID-19 pandemic.
More than 11 million Americans have tested positive for the virus – including an additional 1 million in just the past week – leading to 245,000 deaths. In Oklahoma, nearly 160,000 people have been infected by the virus and more than 1,500 people have died. Last week, Oklahoma saw a 74.8% increase in cases over the week before, according to data from the Oklahoma State Department of Health.

“We’re seeing more COVID-19 patients than ever coming into our emergency departments in desperate need of care but we are running out of room,” said Jim Gebhart, Community President of Mercy Oklahoma Communities. “We have to reduce the exponential increase of community spread before it’s too late.”
“The nation’s top hospitals and healthcare systems are partnering at this crucial time to deliver a unified message: Wear a mask to slow the surge of COVID-19,” said Chuck Spicer, President and CEO of OU Medicine, which is part of OU Health. “We urge people across Oklahoma and the nation to do their part to decrease the spread of COVID-19. This is a time when we must all join together to defeat a virus that is taking far too many lives.”
“As caregivers, our mission is to care for all patients with all conditions at all levels of care, but our hospitals are at maximum capacity,” stated Joe Hodges, Regional President, SSM Health Oklahoma. “We coordinate daily to create capacity where we can, but we are running out of ways to do that. We need the community’s help to support our valued physicians and nurses on the frontlines by wearing a mask to stay safe and reduce the infection rates.”

In this joint campaign, OU Health, Mercy and SSM Health and the nation’s top healthcare systems emphasize that current trends in the pandemic are daunting and frightening. If the nation stays on its current course, hospital leaders are increasingly concerned that more healthcare facilities will be overwhelmed as shortages of healthy caregivers make it difficult to handle a rapidly increasing number of patients. Unfortunately, this is already happening in parts of the country.
“The next several months will be critical,” Spicer said on behalf of the campaign. “Although there has been positive news about vaccine development, no one knows when those vaccines will be ready for widespread use. In the meantime, everyone must remain vigilant, take precautions and follow public health orders. The country has reached a tipping point. The power to do what is right is now in the hands of everyone everywhere.”
Beginning today, OU Health, Mercy and SSM Health St. Anthony join their national partners in sharing public service messages for the #MaskUp Campaign. In addition to messaging across Oklahoma, the #MaskUp campaign will be featured in The New York Times, USA Today, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post and The Los Angeles Times.
The message reads:
“As the top nationally ranked hospitals, we know it’s tough that we all need to do our part and keep wearing masks. But, here’s what we also know: The science has not changed. Masks slow the spread of COVID-19. So, please join us as we all embrace this simple ask: Wear. Care. Share with #MaskUp. Together, wearing is caring. And together, we are saving lives.”
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention points to recent studies that have shown facemasks successfully limit spread of the COVID-19 virus. Wearing facemasks protect in two key ways: by protecting the wearer against inhalation of harmful pathogens and particulates and by preventing exposure of those around the wearer.
In addition to masking, the CDC suggests that everyone minimize the number of non-household contacts, maintain a physical distance of at least 6 feet, and limit the amount of time around others, especially while indoors and in poorly ventilated areas.
For further information about masking guidelines and the #MaskUp campaign, visit EveryMaskUp.com.

COVID cases are on the uptick and our healthcare community is exhausted. What a great way to give back to those that have done so much for our community while supporting small business! It’s a two-fer!
Many in our communities are looking for ways to give back to our frontline healthcare professionals and, while food deliveries are great, we have an idea that will last long after the next meal is served. How about pre-paying for the required training of a healthcare professional? These professionals have to recertify every two years at a minimum in CPR (known as BLS Provider); many, depending on specialty or area of expertise, also have to take ACLS and/or PALS as well. Heartland CPR presents the “pay it forward” frontline fighter scholarship that allows appreciative community members to pre-pay for a healthcare professional’s training – either by assigning that payment to a particular individual – or by letting us apply it on a first donated-first requested basis. We’ll let you know how your $100 training “scholarship” was used and who the recipient was (if you haven’t pre-selected); likewise, we’ll let the recipient know who funded their training (unless they prefer to remain anonymous, of course).
Heartland CPR wants to help be part of the solution to keep our healthcare professionals trained and working on the front lines and let them know how very appreciated they are in their communities! Reach out to us if this program is of interest to you or your place of business. Thanks for choosing Heartland CPR! Call 405-603-6666 or email Contact@HeartlandCPR.com.

Story and photos by Darl Devault, Feature Writer

Seniors athletes have reached a point in their lives where they are resilient and persistent. Because of early morning fog those were certainly the watchwords for the recent Oklahoma Senior Games cycling events October 10 held at Lake Stanley Draper October.
Athletes train to peak for big events. A resilient athlete is tested when they need to train through a date they have set on their calendar to again attempt a peak performance a month later. The whole series of statewide events that make up the Oklahoma Senior Games were pushed back a full month because of concerns over COVID-19.
The 60 senior cyclists who gathered the morning of the event displayed even more persistence and resilience as they waited through a two-hour fog delay before starting their events. (Story continues below)

For athletes who got up early to eat properly to begin racing at 8 a.m., this two-hour delay made it even tougher to perform at their best.
One new-to-the-Senior-Games racer made all the right adjustments. Terri Stadler went pedal stroke to pedal stroke over the hilly terrain with the men to win the 44K road race women’s division. The Edmond resident showed she is a well-conditioned and experienced racer. She dominated her new 60-64 age range to stay in the lead pack until the final sprint with male racers from many adjoining states.
Many of the cyclists who started in a mass start travelled from out of state to qualify for the November 5-18, 2021 National Senior Games to be presented by Humana in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. The 50 and over bicycle racers were hoping to place first through fourth place at this year’s games so they could qualify for those Nationals.
“Oklahoma offers many of these of riders racing today a chance to qualify for nationals because several states have cancelled their events because of the concerns of COVID 19,” said Kathleen Fitzgerald, OSG state director. “It is surprising at first, how far they will travel to qualify for nationals, until you talk to them. Then you realize these are really competitive older folks who want to stay fit year-round as cyclists.”
The 22K and 44K road races drew the most contestants at Draper, while the 5K and 10K time trial events also saw many of the same road racers participate.
For the time trials, many rode expensive specialty time trial bikes. They began their race against the clock in one-minute intervals. Starting order was from youngest to oldest starting with males and ending with females.
The events observed U.S.A Cycling rules. The races went off without any wrecks or mishaps throughout the day.
In the time trial events, riders were not allowed to draft (take pace behind another rider) closer than 25 meters ahead, or two meters to the side. If anyone had broken this rule, they would have received a time penalty.
Both road race distances and the two time trail distances offered dual opportunity for qualifying for nationals. Again, qualifying in any event at the 2020 event earned the athletes the right to compete at Nationals in 2021.
The Games this year provide 27 sports venues, some with variations, which offer athletic training opportunities and social interaction. Along with the competitions, the Games supply healthy lifestyle educational information for seniors.
In a recent article published by the Harvard Medical School’s Harvard Health online, bicycling is described as providing important physical benefits. First, it is an aerobic workout, which for seniors is the heart of any health plan, pun intended. Cycling, therefore, is good for their heart, brain and blood vessels.
Cycling is easy on joints, Dr. Safran Norton says in the article. He says that unlike walking, cycling is good for anyone with joint paint or age-related stiffness.
Bicyclists use their largest muscle group, the legs, which helps them build muscle while toning other muscles needed to keep them balanced and steer the bicycle.
These benefits carry over into everyday activities while helping cyclists build bone density, says Dr. Norton.
Greater Fort Lauderdale, Florida will host the 2021 National Senior Games, the largest multi-sport championship event in the world for adults 50 and over. More than 10,000 qualified athletes, accompanied by an estimated 15,000 visitors, are expected to compete in 20 medal sports in 2021.
The National Senior Games, begun in 1987, has 54 affiliated qualifying member games in North America promoting wellness and active, healthy lifestyles for older adults.
The Oklahoma Senior Games grew to more than 1,000 50+ athletes last year. Two Native American nations joined sponsors to help to conduct the many activities needed to allow the Games to run smoothly September through October. The Chickasaw and Cherokee Nations are underwriting the Games for the first time in 2020.
The Games promote healthy lifestyles for seniors through education, fitness with the spirited competition of sports and recreational games. This goes along with inspiring everyone to embrace health while enjoying the value of sports related exercise.

Oklahoma man battling rare disease inspires others

For many families, COVID-19 has changed the way we celebrate Thanksgiving this year. Still, a young father of four in Elgin, Oklahoma shows others that gratitude can exist even in the face of adversity.
Tyler Fikes is not one in a million, but he is one in about 100,000 people each year who develop a rare condition known as Guillain Barre Syndrome, a disorder in which the body’s own immune system attacks its nerves. The cause of GBS is not clear, but it is preceded by a viral infection in some people. Fikes recalls he had just gotten over a cold when he first noticed symptoms.
“It was Thursday about noon. I’d been working at my computer. It had kind of the same sensation as if your arm or something went to sleep and it was waking up, that little pins and needles feeling. I thought well maybe I’m holding my hands against the side of the desk or something and I didn’t really give it much thought,” he said.
Within days, though, he was in the hospital, paralyzed from the neck down.
“So, from Thursday at noon to early Monday morning, that’s how long it took. I went from being able to do whatever I want to literally not being able to scratch my own nose,” Fikes remarked.
Doctors prepared Fikes and his wife Savannah for the worst. The disease was progressing fast and there was a very real possibility that Fikes would lose the ability to breathe without the help of a ventilator. Still, Fikes did not lose his faith or his determination.
“You do what you do. This is the hand that I was dealt, and God said, ‘Do it.’ and we said, ‘Okay.’ I had a lot of prayers. I actually had people praying for me from the Philippines, India, you know all over the world. By the next morning, they said, ‘it looks like it has stopped progressing. It should be all recovery from here. And here we are two years later still recovering,” he said with a smile.
That was two years ago. Today, at Valir Physical Therapy in Elgin, Fikes continues to do the hard work of recovery. Physical therapist Stephani Chambers has been at his side month after month, witnessing firsthand his true grit in action.
“He doesn’t have that give up factor. He’s like, ‘No, let’s try it again even when he is purely exhausted,” Chambers said. “He would always be like, ‘No, let’s give it one more, come on we can try it again.’ I’m like, ‘OK, let’s try it again.’ You could throw a lot at him and he’s going to give it every ounce of effort he’s got. He’s going to give it everything plus some.”
Steadily, Fikes made progress. He experienced wins. First, getting out of the wheelchair, then the ability to dress and feed himself. The road to recovery was not without setbacks, but those never phased Fikes. For him, it was just part of the process.
“You’re working, you’re making progress, leaps and bounds and then it just stops for a while; and then all of the sudden, it’s like, I haven’t tried that in a while. And you try it, and it just works. It’s like, hey, that’s motivation to get to the next plateau,” he explained. Chambers says Fikes has always had the right combination of commitment and belief.
“I always tell patients therapy is 50 percent what you put into it and 50 percent what you believe about it. He’s got both components. He’s got the mind component and the effort component. So, his process is 100 percent his to gain,” she said.
Fikes has definitely seen gains over the past two years at Valir. He regained not only the ability to walk, but the ability to drive again too. He struggles still to regain full use of his hand; but when his fourth child was born, he cut the cord himself – another meaningful victory for Fikes. His newest goal is to regain the ability to pick up his children.
“Right now, I can kind of cradle them in my arms and use my shoulders and my core to kind of pick them up, but being able to pick them up with my hands and do stuff would be really nice. But we work around what we got,” he said.
Fikes’s never-say-never attitude is inspiring to all who know and meet him.
“To see the different milestones he’s hit each time is really rewarding. We’ve all cried with him when he’s cried and Savannah’s cried, and we all have those happy tears when we hit those other milestones,” Chambers said. Through it all, both the ups and the downs, Fikes and his wife Savannah stay rooted in faith, always looking to the future with optimism. Although it is not the path he would have chosen to take over the past two years, Fikes believes there is always light even in dark times. He explained that were it not for the tests done when he developed GBS, a nodule on his thyroid might have been missed.
“You know, if I hadn’t had this, I would be walking around with potentially deadly cancer and I wouldn’t know it. So, you know, it’s all going to work out and my job is to just keep working,” he said.
And in a year that has pulled the rug out from under many people everywhere due to COVID-19, Fikes shared this perspective:
“You with deal with what life gives you. You keep on going and the sun comes up in the east and sets in the west. That’s what you do.”

Getting a flu vaccine during 2020-2021 is more important than ever because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Flu vaccination is especially important for people who are at high risk for the flu; many of whom are also at high risk for COVID-19.
It has been recognized for many years that people 65 years and older have a greater chance of developing serious complications from the flu compared to young, healthy adults. This risk is due in part to changes in immune defenses with increasing age. While flu seasons vary in severity, during most seasons, people in this age group bear the greatest burden of severe flu disease. The same can be said for COVID-19.
But age is not the only risk factor. Adults of any age with any of the underlying medical conditions listed below are also at increased risk.
Asthma and COPD – Heart disease – Diabetes – Chronic kidney disease – Liver disease – Cancer – Pregnancy – Obesity – Smoking/History of smoking
People with these types of conditions, and those who are immunocompromised for other reasons, are more susceptible of developing serious complications from the flu. Many of these conditions also increase the likelihood for serious outcomes from COVID-19.
If you fall in the high-risk category, vaccination is especially important. When you get vaccinated for the flu, you reduce your risk of getting sick and possibly being hospitalized or even dying. In turn, by staying healthy this flu season, you help conserve potentially scarce health care resources needed to help those battling COVID-19. Click here for more flu-related information.

When Mary Schneeberger’s 100-year-old pecan tree snapped during October’s ice storm, part of her heart broke right along with it.
“It lost a major portion of its trunk and its future is in jeopardy,” said Schneeberger, who lives in Oklahoma City’s Mesta Park neighborhood. “It’s just a beautiful tree that adds so much to the house and the property. I was devastated.”
But her boyfriend, Adam Cohen, offered up a silver lining thanks to coworkers at the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation. Cohen, OMRF’s senior vice president and general counsel, knew that foundation scientists Patrick Gaffney, M.D., and Michael McDaniel had decades of experience as woodworkers. (Story continues below)

“I called Pat and Mike and they hurried over to look at the tree,” said Cohen. “They each told Mary they thought they’d be able to make her keepsakes from the wood.”
Gaffney said he thought he could fashion some tables, while McDaniel would aim for a selection of salad bowls and vases. “We’re very excited, because we’ve seen their work, and they’re both incredibly talented craftsmen,” said Cohen.
But Schneeberger’s silver lining will take time. Like science, woodworking has its roots in patience.
Gaffney and McDaniel recently wrapped two years of work on nearly 30 original tables, bowls and vases from an ailing sweetgum tree. The diseased tree belonged to Gaffney’s senior lab manager, Kiely Grundahl.
“Sweetgum is a challenging, unpredictable wood to work with,” said McDaniel, whose work from the tree is on display at The Art Hall in Oklahoma City through Nov. 30. “But once I saw it had a fungus, all kinds of possibilities and options started racing through my head.”
Under the right conditions, fungal growth in wood results in a sought-after feature called “spalting.” The natural decaying process develops unique coloration, dark lines and patterns in lumber. Art, meet science.
Divided between the artisans, the wood from Grundahl’s tree was stored for a year to allow spalting to continue and for the lumber to dry. For Gaffney and McDaniel, the wood proved a boon for all the extra time spent around the house in 2020.
Like most of OMRF’s workforce, Gaffney spent the early days of the pandemic working from home. If he got stuck on a research problem, he’d head out to the small woodshop in his garage to do some thinking while sanding slabs or treating the wood from Grundahl’s sweetgum. “I think it even made me more productive with my science. It was the perfect place to think,” he said.
McDaniel also finds respite in the craft. A self-taught woodworker, he fell in love with the hobby when a storm knocked down several Kentucky coffeetrees on his property.
“Every step is rewarding and peaceful in its own way. It’s honestly not too complicated, just time-consuming and requires creativity when things don’t go as planned. Part of the fun is finding the beauty in the chaos,” McDaniel said.
Gaffney and McDaniel’s garages are now full of future projects. Oklahoma City officials estimate the recent ice storm generated 100,000 tons of debris, and the pair got plenty of calls.
OMRF’s Cohen said he knows it may be years before he and Mary see what beauty can be found in the storm’s damage, but it will be well worth the wait.
“If Pat and Mike are able to take a moment of loss and transform it into something beautiful Mary can treasure,” he said, “that will make her immensely happy.”

Hospice nurse grateful to help COVID-19 patients

Story and photo by James Coburn, Feature Writer

Candy O’Neal’s biggest challenge in today’s nursing environment of COVID-19 has been the transition of caring for home-bound patients to those living out their final days in a nursing home, she said. She had to give up her previous patients up to another nurse to only work in one facility.
But O’Neal is used to being flexible in her career with a history in medical surgical care, emergency room care, and clinical nursing. Hospice is all about comfort and quality of life.
“Right now to me, this COVID stuff has kind of put people into a depression,” said O’Neal, RN case manager at Companion Hospice in Guthrie.
O’Neal understands the need to quarantine COVID patients to a room. But it has caused them more weight loss and cognitive changes. (Story continues below)

“It’s not getting out in the dining areas — not getting to have activities — not seeing their loved ones. Having a parent or a child come visit through a window that you can’t open is not the same. They’re lacking that though, and so that’s been pretty hard on them.”
O’Neal wouldn’t change being a nurse. She knows that she is making a difference in life the best she can. Helping families cope with their loved ones facing a terminal illness is heartfelt for O’Neal.
“This team here works well together. We all get along — all of us. And that’s hard to find,” said O’Neal, who has worked as Companion hospice nurse for nearly three years.
A friend of hers who is now a nurse practitioner had been trying to recruit O’Neal to Companion for a couple of years before she accepted an interview. At first she was hesitant to accept being a hospice nurse who answers families’ hard questions about an impending death. After three weeks she accepted her new journey in life.
“Something just told me to do it,” she said. “And so I did, and honestly this has been the best decision I’ve made. It changed my outlook on life. I feel like I’m the one that feels rewarded from this. It kind of makes me emotional. I feel like we both end up at peace if that makes sense.”
Oftentimes people ask O’Neal how she endures being a hospice nurse every day. She is helping people make a transition in life during a profound time of need in their lives.
“I’m helping them comfortably pass over. But you not only care for the patient — you care for the families a lot,” she explained. “We do a lot of close interaction with the families.”
Helping families brings a continuity of care that O’Neal cherishes. She learns so much about their lives and what brought them to their present point in life, she said.
Hospice care does not focus on waiting for a family member to pass on. It’s more of a celebration of life and what life has meant. The nurses meet their patients in whatever state of mind they are experiencing in life.
There are some patients that she has had a few years. They are re-certified for hospice as long as they continue to decline, she said.
“I get really attached to my patients. It’s hard not to,” O’Neal said. “But it’s almost like losing a family member. You get close to them when you see them two or three times a week, and then as the disease progresses you may see them every day.”
Her endurance in being a nurse stems from when she decided to become a nurse during her early twenties. She was studying to become a veterinarian when her grandparents became sick. She was told her grandfather was dying of cancer.
“I thought I already like doing it for animals. I think I want to do it for people,” she said.
O’Neal was auditing courses in nursing school when her grandfather passed away. She took a break from her nursing studies after he died and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in veterinary school. She had a baby. Her family needed her, so she shifted her career to work as a medical assistant in the office of Dr. Todd Krehbiel, who persuaded her to go back to school to earn a nursing degree. She went on to earn a Bachelor of Science degree in nursing at Langston University.
During the holiday season, O’Neal says she is thankful for life itself and that her family and friends are all healthy during a time of uncertainty.
“Right now, it’s uncertain even though we wear masks everywhere, you still don’t know,” she said. “I’d say I’m grateful for holidays but I’m really just thankful for life because right now there’s a lot of people that are struggling.”

Story and photos by Darl Devault, Feature Writer

Some outdoor activities come with social distancing, such as hiking, kayaking, bicycling, while Jeeping is an everyone activity because your effort is as simple as driving. Jeeping offers the automatic added benefit of a COVID-19 safe recreational outing enforcing social distancing.
You can travel far to Jeep off-road or as close as nearby country roads. At Outdoor Powersports Offroad Park at Crossbar Ranch near Davis, Okla., drivers have many trails to choose from within the 6,500-acre park. While touring road and trails of Crossbar’s granite canyons you realize there are many places to enjoy being outdoors away from people.
Edmond, Okla. resident, and retiree, Rob Walker, 65, wants to increase his Jeep activity. He explains you do not have to rule the off-road world. You can simply take advantage of what it offers, immersion in nature and social distancing. He insists seniors who take up the 4-wheeling off-road lifestyle will likely continue it long after vaccines make traveling safe again.
“Isolated in your vehicle, a person driving a Jeep cannot get close to anyone without intending to get close,” Walker said. “I took a five state Jeep tour in June to Moab Utah with caution, finding if you camped in the outback you had to consciously work to get within social distance of someone. This, and it being the area’s offseason, made it safe to have a wonderful outing.”
Jeep travel and exploring provides enthusiasts with plenty of opportunities for recreation. Seniors looking for a zero COVID-19 risk reality on vacation can enjoy camping and the outdoors. (Story continued below)

From the increased sale of four-wheel drive off-road vehicles, insiders say this contingent of outdoor enthusiasts has been growing fast for many years.
Although magazine and television ads often portray Jeep owners as young and affluent, many retirement privileged seniors are learning the skills needed to enjoy what many see as rugged car camping.
Jeeping, also called off-road four wheeling, is the predominant name for the activity in America. Every year new enthusiasts create more demand for the continued strong growth in the already phenomenally large number of places to go off road.
Although you will occasionally see high-end Jeeps on the trails, the usual choice for locals is stock models These have enticed many new adventurers into the sport.
They enjoy the feel of control over rough roads. Jeeps allow them the stability and ease of getting up and over rugged obstacles. Every area has trails of with varying degrees of difficulty.
These off-road activities began soon after WWII with advances in the machinery became high tech. This has revolutionized the quality and lowered the need to be outstanding drivers for the recreational Jeeper. Jeeping provides opportunities for all ages, shapes, and sizes of folks, no matter their physical ability or driving level.
Jeeps have gone from being bare bones, WWII surplus workhorses, to having versatile number of uses. Many Jeeps are now used for a weekend, week, or longer, self-supported camping trip in the rugged parts of America.
Although using the word Jeep because they are often called Jeep trails, readers need to know many vehicles are every bit as rugged. Honda Ridgeline, Chevy Blazer, Honda Element, Toyota 4Runner, Subaru Outback, and Nissan Pathfinder, just to name a few, will work just as well.
All these rugged vehicles are easy to maneuver and stable. They all provide the feeling of being in control of something that glides effortlessly through the outdoors. This gives even the newbie the confidence to slip into the seat and go off road.
With all the automobile builders offering Web sites with tours of their products, you can comparison shop. Look around, do not buy the first vehicle you try.
For seniors, the attraction of doing what they have been doing for five decades or so, driving, has prompted many to try the sport now.
Everyone knows how to drive. Seniors can create haunting memories of their adventurous experiences off road, immersed in nature and enjoying the comforts of home while camping in the evening. The vehicle allows for the effortless hauling of all the camping gear needed to make a campsite as comfortable as you care to make it. Remember, you are not backpacking. You can bring along a small generator to combine the experience of camping with a little glamor and you have Glamping with spatial distancing.
If you choose to rent a Jeep at your adventure area, you can still pack your vehicle full of camping luxury for transfer at the rental site.
If you are brand new to the world of glamorous camping, search the Internet for ideas. In a world where public transportation is being shunned for its tight quarters with other people, you are in charge of who and how you associate with others.
“I advise anyone planning to go off road and camp in an area to first go online to the many web sites detailing the area and weather predictions,” Walker said. “Our national weather service provides this info to help promote its weather awareness agenda.”
Walker says fellow seniors who go off road need to slow down, let some air out of the tires at your destination to make the going smoother and admire the scenery.
As newcomers to the activity, many seniors can easily find out if they enjoy Jeeping by renting one for a day trip.
Seniors are living longer and have time to do things. Retirement is a time to explore. Figure out if this activity interests you. Is this how you want to spend your free time?
Walker recommends that seniors set some short-term goals and be thinking about their long-term goals. The short-term can be a trip to Crossbar. The long-term is perhaps a multi-day trip to Big Bend National Park at our southern border in Texas. You can think of both simultaneously.
All the major Jeep destinations offer Web sites describing rentals and trails. Canyonlands Jeep Adventures provides a complete overview of the sport. The U.S. National Park Service has a site allowing you find a place to go car camping and can help you get permits for certain camping spots.
Ending on a safety point, when in doubt, back out! If you are traveling on a trail or trying to maneuver around something that you are not comfortable with, do not do it. For more information visit www.rideyourlifestyle.com.