Wanda Ovella (Venable) Moore

102-year-old Wanda Ovella (Venable) Moore of Stillwater was born & raised in Cushing where her father built many homes. She never really considered how long she would live, has not thought much about the fact that she has surpassed 100, loves to share stories about her life with family & friends, has been very fortunate to have lived the life she has had & is truly blessed.

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story and photo by Bobby Anderson, RN, Staff Writer

older weather means more layers of clothing, but that doesn’t mean you’re off the hook when it comes to protecting your skin from the sun’s damaging rays.
Dr. Elise Brantley is a board-certified dermatologist who has been practicing since 2009.
Her practice at Scissortail Dermatology focuses on protecting your skin year-round.
“Even though it’s chilly, it doesn’t really change the amount of UV light coming through,” Brantley said. “Even if it’s cloudy you’re still getting UV light. People may not get as intense of a burn, but they’re still accumulating sun damage. Even when you’re not thinking about it you still need to be wearing your hats and sunscreen.”
It’s all fun in the sun when you’re young.
But as you start to age all that exposure to the sun can begin to take its toll, resulting in blemishes and forms of skin cancer.
Brantley’s practice focus is the evaluation and treatment of growths of the skin with an emphasis on detecting and treating skin cancer.
She is a native Oklahoman from Broken Arrow.
After graduating high school from the Oklahoma School of Science and Mathematics she attended the University of Tulsa for undergraduate studies.
She received her medical degree from the University of Oklahoma and completed her residency training at the University of Cincinnati where she served as chief resident.
She has been serving the Oklahoma City metro area for nearly 10 years.
“Usually if there is any question I say to come in and get a baseline and we can determine what your risk is based on different factors,” Brantley said.
Risk factors include your skin cancer history, your family history, and your history of sun exposure as well as any burns that have occurred in the past.
“Little things like that can increase your risk so that will help decide when you need to come in for regular checks,” Brantley said. “I have some people that have to come every three months, but some qualify for annual checks.”
While most are aware of the harmful effects burns can have during the summer, winter presents its own set of challenges for your skin.
Brantley notes that skiing can be a time for increased sun absorption as you are exposed to the sun’s rays twice, once from above and then again from UV light reflected back up from the snow.
“The other thing we like to remind people when they are skiing is to wear lip balm with SPF in it because (UV light) can cause sun damage and also herpes outbreaks (common cold sores),” Brantley said.
When it comes to sun exposure, Brantley said most people often don’t realize their lips need protection, too.
She says almost every month she catches a squamous cell cancer that has formed on a lip.
“Unfortunately, those are more aggressive, too. Those need to be diagnosed quickly with any lip changes. That’s semi-emergent,” she said.
Chronic chapping on one area of the lip or a noticeable bump or knot can be a sign that something abnormal is going on.
Even if you limit your sun exposure and take all the necessary precautions, sometimes the medications you take can increase your risk of skin cancer.
Immunosuppresives that treat organ transplant patients as well as Lupus, psoriasis, and multiple sclerosis drugs can be problematic.
“Your immune system is used to protect our bodies and repair DNA damage,” Brantley said. “When that is suppressed skin cancers are able to grow.”
Dopamine drugs used to prevent and treat Parkinson’s disease can also promote the growth of melanomas.
Another risk factor Brantley sees frequently in her older patients is those who underwent radiation therapy for the treatment of cystic acne.
She says that treatment history is popping up more and more in her skin cancer patients.
According to the non-profit Skin Foundation, skin cancer is the most common cancer in the world. In the U.S., more than 9,500 people are diagnosed with skin cancer every day and:
* 1 in 5 Americans will develop skin cancer by the age of 70.
* More than 2 people die of skin cancer in the U.S. every hour.
* Having 5 or more sunburns doubles your risk for melanoma.
* When detected early, the 5-year survival rate for melanoma is 99 percent.
The annual cost of treating skin cancers in the U.S. is estimated at $8.1 billion: about $4.8 billion for nonmelanoma skin cancers and $3.3 billion for melanoma, according to the Foundation.
Thanks to increased education and screening by dermatologists like Brantley, the diagnosis and treatment of nonmelanoma skin cancers in the U.S. increased by 77 percent between 1994 and 2014.
For more information visit: https://scissortaildermatology.com/

Launches aircraft on the flight deck of USS Ronald Reagan

Courtesy Megan Brown, Navy Office of Community Outreach

Lt. Drew Wofford, right, from Oklahoma City, and Aviation Boatswain’s Mate (Equipment) Airman Dylan Lekniskas, from Vero Beach, Florida, launch a C-2A Greyhound, attached to the Fleet Logistics Squadron (VRC) 30 Det. 5, on the flight deck of the U.S. Navy’s only forward-deployed aircraft carrier, USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76), in the Philippine Sea, Nov. 18. VRC 30 is one of only two carrier-qualified logistics support squadrons, providing supplies, personnel, and logistics support to Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 5. Ronald Reagan, the flagship of CSG 5, provides a combat-ready force that protects and defends the United States, and supports alliances, partnerships and collective maritime interests in the Indo-Pacific region. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Dallas A. Snider)

Society of Urban Poets Inc. Holds Annual Poetry Recital The annual recital will be held on Sunday, December 18 at 6 pm at the Myriad Botanical Gardens, 301 West Reno. This is a free event and the public is invited to attend. Guests may also participate by reading 2 selections of your original poetry. Please register by calling 405-339-4844 or by email to [email protected] or [email protected]. Registration deadline is December 11. The evening will include music by Garcia Tarver and a brief reception.
Will’s Country Christmas December 2, 5 p.m.–9 p.m. Will Rogers Birthplace Ranch, 9501 East 380 Road Oologah, OK 74053. isit Will Rogers Birthplace Ranch in Oologah for Will’s Country Christmas on Friday, December 2, and Saturday, December 3, from 5 to 9 p.m. The ranch house will be decorated for an Indian Territory Christmas. The evening will include storytelling, Wild West shootouts, children’s crafts, 19th-century games, carriage rides, a shooting gallery, music, vendors, and food trucks.

Barney P. Enright, Photographer exhibit closes December 3. Cherokee Strip Museum and Rose Hill School, 2617 West Fir Street Perry, OK 73077. The Cherokee Strip Museum and Rose Hill School’s exhibit about the life and work of Perry photographer Barney P. Enright will remain open through Saturday, December 3.
Guthrie’s Distinctive Homes Tour and Wassail at the Carnegie Library December 3, 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Oklahoma Territorial Museum and Carnegie Library, 406 East Oklahoma Avenue Guthrie, OK 73044. The Oklahoma Territorial Museum and Carnegie Library will be part of Guthrie’s Distinctive Homes Tour on Saturday, December 3, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. which gives an exclusive look inside some of Guthrie’s most distinctive homes and historic buildings, decorated for the holiday season. The Carnegie Library—a stop on the tour—is the place for tour participants to hear tales of the early days of Oklahoma’s first capital while having a warming cup of wassail.

“Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act” webinar On Monday, December 5, from 10 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. (Central Time), the State Historic Preservation Office will provide an introduction to, (or a refresher on), relevant and useful aspects of Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act and explain the review process. In this free online training, SHPO staff will convey the importance of the Section 106 process and assist anyone and everyone who might be involved in that process in Oklahoma.
Holiday Market at the Museum Museum of the Western Prairie, 1100 Memorial Drive Altus, OK 73521. The Museum of the Western Prairie will host its eighth annual Holiday Market at the Museum on Tuesday, December 6, at 6 p.m. This event showcases the talents of 12 area artists and provides a terrific holiday shopping opportunity for the general public.
Oklahoma Tall Tales Uncovered presentation and book signing with author Joe M. Cummings Cherokee Strip Regional Heritage Center, 507 South 4th Street Enid, OK 73701. On Friday, December 9th at 3 p.m., author Joe M. Cummings will be signing copies of his new book, Oklahoma Tall Tales Uncovered, (2022, Arcadia Publishing) at the Cherokee Strip Regional Heritage Center (CSRHC). Cummings will give a short program where he talks about his book and the research that went into writing it.
Steamboat Heroine film screening and discussion December 10. Oklahoma History Center, 800 Nazih Zuhdi Drive Oklahoma City, OK 73105. On Saturday, December 10, the Oklahoma History Center will feature a film screening that follows the excavation of the steamboat Heroine from the Red River and how it was transported to the Oklahoma History Center. In 1990, the sunken steamboat, Heroine, was discovered in Oklahoma’s Red River. It provided evidence of the role steamboats played in Oklahoma and how they transformed the region.
Quilting workshop with Martha Ray December 10, 9 a.m.–11 a.m.|Recurring Event Sod House Museum, 4628 State Highway 8 near Aline, OK 73716. Visit the Sod House Museum southeast of Aline for a quilting workshop on Saturday. The workshop will take place from 9 to 11 a.m. with instructor Martha Ray, and the cost is $5 per person. For more information, please contact Director Renee Trindle at 580-463-2441 or [email protected].
Breakfast with Santa December 10, 9 a.m.–11 a.m. Henry and Anna Overholser Mansion, 405 NW 15th Street Oklahoma City, OK 73103. Preservation Oklahoma is excited to present Breakfast with Santa at the Henry and Anna Overholser Mansion on Saturday, December 10 from 9 to 11 a.m. Attendees will enjoy a delicious breakfast, a craft, and of course—meeting Santa! All families are invited to join in the holiday fun. Admission to the event is $25 per person. Please note that tickets are available by breakfast time, however, attendees are welcome to participate in the other activities at any time. Tickets are nonrefundable.
Christmas Open House December 10, 10 a.m.–3 p.m. Sod House Museum, 4628 State Highway 8 near Aline, OK 73716. The Sod House Museum’s Christmas Open House will be held on Saturday, December 10, from 1–3 p.m. Enjoy the holidays in Oklahoma’s only remaining sod house that will be decorated for the season in the style of a traditional 1890s Pioneer Christmas.
Photos with Santa at the Will Rogers Memorial Museum December 10, 11 a.m.–2 p.m.|Recurring Event. Will Rogers Memorial Museum, 1720 West Will Rogers Boulevard Claremore, OK 74017. The Heritage Gallery at Will Rogers Memorial Museum will be the perfect backdrop for Photos with Santa on Saturday, December 3, and Saturday, December 10, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Bring your family and your camera to take beautiful family pictures with Santa. Admission is free to take photos. For more information, please visit willrogers.com or call 918-341-0719.
Christmas Open House Hunter’s Home, 19479 East Murrell Home Road Park Hill, OK 74451. On Sunday, December 11, from 1 to 4 p.m., Hunter’s Home will host its annual Christmas Open House. Visitors will see the home and general store decorated for the holiday season and will enjoy cider and snacks while sitting around a roaring fire. For more information, please call 918-456-2751.
Holiday Candlelight Tours December 15, 4 p.m.–8 p.m.|Recurring Event . Hunter’s Home, 19479 East Murrell Home Road Park Hill, OK 74451. Oklahoma’s only remaining pre-Civil War plantation home will host five nights of candlelight tours in December. The tours of Hunter’s Home will take place from Tuesday, December 13, through Saturday, December 17, from 4–8 p.m. each day. The 177-year-old home will be decorated in a Victorian holiday style. Period Christmas decorations and candlelight will adorn the home’s lavish parlor, sitting room, and dining room. Costumed reenactors will share the history of the home. For more information please call 918-456-2751.
December Bake Day and Gingerbread Decorations Fort Gibson Historic Site, 907 North Garrison Avenue Fort Gibson, OK 74434. Visit Fort Gibson Historic Site for a special holiday-themed bake day on Saturday, December 17, at 10 a.m. Fresh bread and batches of giant gingerbread men will be baked in the historic Fort Gibson ovens just in time for the holidays! Fresh batches of each will be ready at noon and again at 3 p.m. Gingerbread men will be ready for decorations throughout the day starting at 11 a.m.
History Alive! on the Cherokee Strip December 17, 11 a.m.–3 p.m.|Recurring Event. Cherokee Strip Regional Heritage Center, 507 South 4th Street Enid, OK 73701. Step back in time and experience life in the Cherokee Outlet during History Alive! on the Cherokee Strip at the Cherokee Strip Regional Heritage Center in Enid. On the first and third Saturday of each month, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., the historic buildings in the Humphrey Heritage Village come alive with reenactors who are tending their shops, working their trades, or socializing at the Village Church.
“Shut the Door! Barns in Oklahoma: The Significance of Barns in the Oklahoma Cultural Landscape” webinar December 27, 6 p.m. The State Historic Preservation Office is hosting a webinar series entitled “Shut the Door! Barns in Oklahoma,” featuring presenters who specialize in barn history, construction, and restoration. On Tuesday, December 27, the topic will be “The Significance of Barns in the Oklahoma Cultural Landscape.” This December webinar will be the last of the 2022 series. These presentations will be held on the last Tuesday of every other month, beginning at 6 p.m.
Movie Night featuring Meet Me in St. Louis (1944) December 30, 6 p.m.–9 p.m. Will Rogers Memorial Museum, 1720 West Will Rogers Boulevard Claremore, OK 74017. Will Rogers Memorial Museum in Claremore will host a Movie Night featuring the film Meet Me in St. Louis (1944) in its theater on Friday, December 30, at 7 p.m. “Horsing Around with Will” will take place from 6 to 7 p.m., during which families can enjoy activities and crafts relating to the movie’s theme. Guests can enjoy free admission, popcorn, and drinks while watching the film. Seating is limited, so early arrival is suggested.
Observing with NASA Smithsonian exhibit kiosk closes December 31. Oklahoma History Center, 800 Nazih Zuhdi Drive Oklahoma City, OK 73105. Observing With NASA, an authentic data experience with astronomical imaging will be on display at the Oklahoma History Center (OHC) until December 31, 2022. This exhibit kiosk from the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory engages visitors in the art and science of NASA imagery. Observing With NASA offers an introduction to the tools, data, and skills that NASA space scientists and data visualization experts use to create the images of deep space objects that we all know and love.

By Nick Thomas

Perhaps you remember her as TV mom Marsha Owens in ABC’s popular 80s sitcom “Mr. Belvedere” starring alongside baseballer-turned-actor Bob Uecker and British actor Christopher Hewett in the title role. But Ilene Graff is also an established singer whose career began in musical theater. In recent years her live festive Christmas special, “The Ilene Graff Holiday Show,” has delighted audiences at 54 Below, a supper club in the basement of New York’s famed Studio 54 theater.
“We couldn’t do it because of COVID for a couple of years, but I’m thrilled to be back on stage December 28 with a new show,” said Graff from Los Angeles. “I loved the holiday specials of the 60s and 70s on programs like ‘The Andy Williams Show,’ so that’s the mood I’ve always tried to bring to my shows. I have special guests, we chat, sing holiday songs, and just try to keep it warm and friendly with a family feeling including some light-hearted moments of reflection and love.”
A native of Queens, New York, Graff lives in Los Angeles but always enjoys returning “home” to the East Coast where she and her husband, composer Ben Lanzarone, maintain an apartment.
“I love celebrations and hosting parties, and I do love the holidays,” she said. “So a few years ago I pitched this idea to my family and we put together the first holiday show which was a huge success. It just became something I wanted to continue.”
That first show was a real family affair also featuring brother Todd, an actor, writer, and director, her Tony Award-winning cousin Randy, actress/dancer daughter Nikka, as well as Ben. But with their busy schedules, only her husband could regularly join her in subsequent December holiday presentations.
“I love working with him so that’s another reason I wanted to continue doing them,” she said.
Ilene says she still encounters people unaware of her musical background.
“Most know me from television but don’t realize that I started on Broadway, so they are kind of surprised that I’m a real singer!” she said, laughing (see www.ilenegraff.com). “I also sang a little on maybe three episodes of ‘Mr. Belvedere’ so that was always a surprise for the audience.”
One of those episodes first aired in December 1989. In “A Happy Guy’s Christmas” the Owens family is cast in a local production of a Charles Dickens classic.
“We did a silly take-off of ‘A Christmas Carol,’” she recalled. “They dressed me up with this beautiful long blonde wig and Christopher was attached with wires so he could fly. It was exactly what you wanted from a Christmas episode – goofy and yet heartfelt and sincere.”
Graff remembers her years on the “Mr. Belvedere” set with fondness. “It was an amazing cast and crew who worked so well together. You know how some people are just funny? Well, that was Bob, completely natural and comfortable on camera and one of the smartest people I’ve ever known – and he still broadcasts baseball (at 88, for the Milwaukee Brewers)! Both he and Christopher were such great guys and insisted that everybody in the cast and crew be treated equally on the set. How lucky I am to have those memories in my career.”
Graff hopes to create new memories for herself and the audience when she returns for this year’s holiday show.
“I’ve always thought of myself as a singer who got into acting and the acting really took over for many years,” she says. “But I never stopped singing because that’s just who I am. Music, singing, and of course family are everything to me.”

Nick Thomas teaches at Auburn University at Montgomery, Ala, and has written features, columns, and interviews for numerous magazines and newspapers. See www.getnickt.org.

Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits for approximately 70 million Americans will increase 8.7 percent in 2023, the Social Security Administration announced. On average, Social Security benefits will increase by more than $140 per month starting in January.
The 8.7 percent cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) will begin with benefits payable to more than 65 million Social Security beneficiaries in January 2023. Increased payments to more than 7 million SSI beneficiaries will begin on December 30, 2022. (Note: some people receive both Social Security and SSI benefits). The Social Security Act ties the annual COLA to the increase in the Consumer Price Index as determined by the Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Medicare premiums are going down and Social Security benefits are going up in 2023, which will give seniors more peace of mind and breathing room. This year’s substantial Social Security cost-of-living adjustment is the first time in over a decade that Medicare premiums are not rising and shows that we can provide more support to older Americans who count on the benefits they have earned,” Acting Commissioner Kilolo Kijakazi said.
To view a COLA message from Acting Commissioner Kijakazi, please visit www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vgm5q4YT1AM.
Some other adjustments that take effect in January of each year are based on the increase in average wages. Based on that increase, the maximum amount of earnings subject to the Social Security tax (taxable maximum) will increase to $160,200 from $147,000.
Social Security and SSI beneficiaries are normally notified by mail starting in early December about their new benefit amount. The fastest way to find out their new benefit amount is to access their personal my Social Security account to view the COLA notice online. It’s secure, easy, and people find out before the mail arrives. People can also opt to receive a text or email alert when there is a new message from Social Security–such as their COLA notice–waiting for them, rather than receiving a letter in the mail. People may create or access their my Social Security account online at www.ssa.gov/myaccount.
Information about Medicare changes for 2023 is available at www.medicare.gov. For Social Security beneficiaries enrolled in Medicare, their new higher 2023 benefit amount will be available in December through the mailed COLA notice and my Social Security’s Message Center.
The Social Security Act provides for how the COLA is calculated. To read more, please visit www.ssa.gov/cola.

Story by Darl Devault, Contributing Editor

At 74, Richard W. Amend, M.Ed., has always shown a passion for working with senior adults by dedicating his life to the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City and its elders for the past 40 years.
He was the Director of Senior Adult Ministry at Christ the King Catholic Church for 25 years. Then Archbishop Eusebius Beltran appointed him the mission and community relations director at Saint Ann Assisted and Independent Living Community 15 years ago.
“I truly felt called to this type of ministry after pursuing my master’s degree in Gerontology,” Amend said. “We just celebrated our 20th anniversary in this building in June. We have been blessed to help many seniors during those 20 years and are proud of our role in our community. They also bless us each day with their presence.”
While serving at Christ the King as a member of the Knights of Columbus, Amend helped host an annual “Breakfast with Santa Claus.” The unique feature of the breakfast was Santa Claus sitting in a real sleigh. The sleigh was donated by a generous parishioner who collected antique toys. All the children loved climbing up in the sleigh to tell Santa what they wanted for Christmas.
When Amend started working at Saint Ann, he transported the sleigh there after Breakfast with Santa. That began a new tradition. Every year residents marvel at the sleigh’s vintage charm. It is in a special location where everyone can see and enjoy it.
As Christmas approaches, anticipation builds for the day Santa Claus will arrive. Residents have their picture taken with Santa while telling him about their Christmas wish list. For many, that photo becomes the resident’s Christmas card.
Age never matters. Sometimes a centenarian will climb up in the sleigh or pose for their photo. They are just as excited as the children who come to whisper in Santa’s ear.
Amend was so fascinated with 100-year-old seniors that he started the first Centenarian Club of Oklahoma in 1991 with the help of volunteers from Christ the King. Hundreds of centenarians have since been inducted into the club. The excitement of Christmas can continue at any age. Several centenarians have sat beside him in the sleigh, still exuding excitement about Christmas and never losing their child-like anticipation of talking with Santa in his sleigh. I always call them “Wisdom Walkers” because they exude wisdom daily.
All of Saint Ann’s assisted and independent living residents are invited to participate in the annual Santa visit. There are 120 independent and 50 assisted living apartments in the lively community. They are joined by the attached convent for the Carmelite Sisters of Villa Teresa. Its nine nuns are an active part of the campus and enjoy Santa in his sleigh as much as everyone.
Many people have fond memories of seeing Santa Claus as a child and may even have photographs of themselves sitting on Santa’s lap. During the interview with Amend, it was obvious he exudes the positivity and joy Santa Claus brings to others during the holiday season.
Amend says it is a privilege to don the Santa suit again this year. “Our residents are full of life,” Amend said. “They invigorate me with their enthusiasm for the season. People say their time with Santa is special, but it is even more so for me. You are playing the role of one of the most oversized icons in our culture that conveys kindness and gifting of special things at Christmas, celebrating the birth of our Lord, Jesus Christ.”
Amend is not the only staff member who helps make the Christmas season cheerful. “Our life enrichment team, concierge, assisted living director, marketing, maintenance, dining service, housekeeping, and everyone helps in numerous ways. We also have those who dress up as Santa’s helpers, elves, a reindeer, and a snowman to make Saint Ann’s winter wonderland more festive,” Amend said.
“Playing Santa Claus allows me to spread cheer with others and find personal enjoyment and satisfaction in my role,” Amend said. “Making everyone happy that they are interacting with Santa can be an exciting treat. “This sense of magic and wonder during the holidays can spread joy and make everyone smile during our interactions.”
Saint Ann is located at 7501 W. Britton Road in northwest Oklahoma City. The community is open to all faiths and has a beautiful St. Joachim Chapel and a Grand Theater. Guests are invited to call (405) 721-0747 #322 to schedule a picture in the sleigh. Kris Kringle might even be there to greet you.

Two scientists at the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation have been awarded grants for research aimed at extending the period of good health as we age.
The American Federation for Aging Research and the Glenn Foundation for Medical Research awarded grants to OMRF’s Ann Chiao, Ph.D., and Matt Bubak, Ph.D. The organizations work together to support junior researchers focused on the basic biology of aging.
Chiao received a two-year, $125,000 grant from AFAR to better understand a molecule inside each cell that is crucial for generating energy. As we age, levels of that molecule, NAD+, slowly diminish within the heart. Chiao will study how this occurs, and the role it plays in fatigue, shortness of breath and other symptoms of decreased heart function in older people.
“There is a lot of research looking at NAD+ in aging-related diseases,” said Chiao, who joined OMRF in 2019 from the University of Washington. “What’s different about this study is that we are looking at it only within the mitochondria, the powerhouse of the cell.”
Chiao’s lab will focus on how and why the molecule dwindles in mitochondria and, in future research, whether medication could prevent it from happening.
Bubak is among nine scientists nationally to receive a one-year, $60,000 postdoctoral fellowship from the Glenn Foundation. He will explore the decline of skeletal muscle mass and function that begins around middle age.
His research will test whether muscles in older mice become more youthful following a plasma transfer from younger mice, and whether that benefit is enhanced if the donor mice exercise.
“The idea is that we can create a more youthful environment in old mice so that the muscles can respond to stress, such as exercise, like young mice,” said Bubak, who is a postdoctoral researcher in the lab of Benjamin Miller, Ph.D. “If we’re correct, then potentially the application for humans would be both simple and cost effective.”
Future studies will explore how long the youthful effects last following a plasma infusion, he said.
OMRF Aging and Metabolism Research Program Chair Holly Van Remmen, Ph.D., said the two grants ultimately could help reverse two key aspects of aging.
“These two scientists are trying to figure out how to make an older person’s heart and skeletal muscles work like those of a younger person,” Van Remmen said. “We know an active lifestyle prolongs the healthiest period of our lives, but for those who can’t or won’t exercise, this work could someday make a big difference.”

The Oklahoma Hospital Association (OHA) presented Excellence in Quality awards to five hospitals during its recent annual convention. This award recognizes exceptional efforts to improve outcomes in clinical quality performance practices, capabilities, and results and represents the highest level of professional acknowledgement from the OHA Council on Quality & Patient Safety.
Submissions were scored based on their story of identification of a project specific to identified needs within the hospital, creating innovative interventions that incorporate evidence-based best practices, demonstrating measurable and quantifiable results, sustaining/spreading the success within the hospital, and stimulating learning for others.
Five award categories were recognized, four based on number of beds, and one for innovation.
2022 awardees for Excellence in Quality are:
Critical Access Hospital and Under 25 beds: Fairview Regional Medical Center, Project Title: Patient Fall Reduction for Med/Surg Unit Submitted by: Sarah-Marie Gerard, RN, BSN
26-100 beds: Jackson County Memorial Hospital, Altus Project Title: Clostridioides Difficile: Appropriate Testing, Treatment, and Teaching Submitted by: Shelley Simmons, chief nursing officer
101-300 beds:
Oklahoma Children’s Hospital at OU Health, Oklahoma City Project Title: Pressure Injury Awareness: A Multi-Disciplinary Approach to Tracking, Treatment, and Reduction Submitted by: Kristi Booker, director of quality
More than 300 beds:
OU Health University of Oklahoma Medical Center, Oklahoma City Project Title: VTE Reduction in an Academic Level 1 Trauma Center Submitted by: Todd Roberts, vice president of quality & patient safety
Innovation in Demonstrating Clinical Quality and Patient Outcomes:
Norman Regional Health System Project Title: Reducing Delirium Complications in the Hip Fracture Population Utilizing ED Pain Blocks Submitted by: Cathy Snapp, orthopedic program administrator

Fannie Jones

Fannie Jones of Oklahoma City turned 109 years old this past August. We honored her today as the second oldest living Centenarian in Oklahoma. Fannie’s favorite song is Amazing Grace. What an honor to meet this sweet lady and induct her into our Hall of Fame!

KNOW A CENTENARIAN?
If you know of a Centenarian you would like to honor, please visit
http://centenariansok.com/ and download, complete and submit our form. One of our team members will contact you directly with the next steps.