Dear Savvy Senior,

Where can I turn to for caregiving help? I help take care of my 80-year-old father and work too, and it’s wearing me out. Worn Out Wendy

Dear Wendy,
Taking care of an aging parent over a period of time – especially when juggling work and other family obligations – can be exhausting. But help and resources are available. Here’s what you should know.
Identify Your Needs: To help you determine and prioritize the kinds of help you need, a good first step is to make a detailed list of everything you do as your dad’s caregiver and the amount of time each task takes. Identify the times when you need help the most and which tasks others might be able to do for you.
Then list the types of care needed, such as simple companionship or doing active chores, like shopping or running errands. Once you determine this, here are some tips and places you can reach out to for help.
Care Helpers: If you have siblings or other loved ones close by, start by asking them if they could come and help with specific tasks. And see if friends, neighbors or faith group members could help too.
You also need to check into local resources that may be available. Many communities offer a range of free or subsidized services that help seniors and caregivers with basic needs such as home delivered meals, transportation, senior companion services and respite services, which offers short-term care so you can take an occasional break. Call your nearby Area Aging Agency (800-677-1116) for referrals to services or visit https://www.areawideaging.org/.
There are also a bevy of online services you can use to help you save time on certain chores. For example, online grocery shopping and home deliveries, and online pharmacy medication refills and deliveries. You can also order meal-kits or pre-made meals online through numerous meal service delivery companies and arrange needed transportation with ride sharing services like Lyft or Uber.
Or, if you can afford it, you may want to consider hiring someone a few hours a week to help with things like cooking, housekeeping or even personal care. Costs can run anywhere from $12 up to $25 per hour. https://www.care.com/ or https://www.carelinx.com/ are two good websites to help you find someone, or you can work with a local home care agency.
Financial Aids: If you’re handling your dad’s financial chores, make things easier by arranging for direct deposit for his income sources, and set up automatic payments for his utilities and other routine bills. You may also want to set up your dad’s online banking service, so you can pay bills and monitor his account anytime. Or, if you need help, consider hiring a bill paying service like SilverBills https://silverbills.com/, which charges a flat fee of $150 per month.
BenefitsCheckup.org is another excellent tool to look for financial assistance programs that may help your dad, particularly if he’s lower income.
Technology Solutions: To help you keep tabs on your dad when you are away at work or if he lives alone, there are affordable technology devices that can help. For example, there are medical alert systems and smart speakers that help with communication and allow him to call for help if needed. Home video cameras with two-way speakers that allow you to monitor and talk to him when you’re away. Electronic pill boxes that can notify you if he has taken his medications. And to help you coordinate his care with other members of his care team there are websites like https://lotsahelpinghands.com/.
Other Resources: There are also a number of other organizations you can draw on for additional information like the Family Care Alliance (Caregiver.org), which provides a state-by-state listing of caregiving programs and services; the Alzheimer’s Association https://www.alz.org/help-support/caregiving that provides information unique to the challenges of dementia caregivers; and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs https://caregiver.va.gov/, which offers caregiver support services to veterans and spouses.
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.

Across
1 Kilauea flow
5 Clear dishes from
8 Jammies
11 Hosp. figures
14 Longest, as odds
16 Like many Berbers
18 *Occasion to pin back one’s coif?
19 Like village roads
20 Mediterranean country
22 Mixed martial artist Rousey
23 Girl of the fam
26 *Catchy part of a virtuous song?
29 Shortly
32 Arboreal marsupial
33 “You betcha”
34 Garage door opener brand
35 Org. that includes the TSA
38 *People born during the Era of Good Feelings?
42 Digs in the mud
43 Battery measures
44 Biblical mount
45 Bernie in his mittens, Keanu playing with puppies, etc.
46 “Yeah, that’s old news”
47 *Evening spent downloading the latest OS?
52 Manhattan option
53 Mind
54 Qualifying events
57 Calm
60 Social climbers, and what the answers to the starred clues literally have
64 Brings in
65 “You can guess the rest”
66 Put away
67 Keystone bumbler
68 Mauna __
69 Monumental
Down
1 “Geaux Tigers!” sch.
2 High point of a trip to Europe?
3 YouTube clip, for short
4 Mine, in MontrŽal
5 Capital in the Levant
6 Many an election night graphic, for short
7 Direct
8 LAX setting
9 Yak
10 Limited autonomy, so to speak
11 Pipe cleaner
12 Internet stranger
13 Quarterback maneuver
15 The Colorado fourteeners, e.g.: Abbr.
17 Hana Airport greeting
21 Compares
23 Facial cavity
24 Unsuitable
25 Watched from the sidelines
27 Left
28 Locks
30 Letters in ancient history
31 “Tell me if this is too personal, but … “
34 Understands
35 Currency of Serbia and Jordan
36 White with frost
37 Biting
39 Large volume
40 Singer Campbell
41 Draw
45 Two socks, hopefully
46 Mississippi source
47 Linguistic practices
48 Violinist/singer Haden
49 Light rail stop
50 Slop
51 Aware of
55 Cell service letters
56 Appease fully
58 Citigroup’s Jane Fraser, e.g.
59 Super vision?
61 Set component
62 Tetra- minus one
63 __ bunt

Free Stroke Awareness
Community Education

A stroke happens every 40 seconds and is the number one cause of disability in the United States. A stroke can happen to anyone and the number of strokes are increasing in ages 20-55. BE A STROKE HERO! Free Training available. Simple, practical, teachable techniques for your community groups. Learn how to recognize the early warning signs of stroke in less than one minute. Learn what to do and what not to do in a stroke emergency. Learn simple, effective ways to lower your stroke risk. Please contact Stephanie Simpson, BSN, RN, Integris Health Stroke Community Educator at stephanie.simpson@integrishealth.org or 405-673-2247 for fliers or to schedule a free 25 minute stroke awareness education session with your community group.

Paul Perryman

(Right) 100 years old. Paul Perryman of Claremore is a military veteran having served for 3 years in the US Army during World War II. Paul spent time with the Army in Scotland, England and France. He was married to his wife Mary for 75 years. Paul has these words of wisdom to us: Save Your Money!

Velma Landley

(Left) 100 years old. Velma Landley in Claremore was in the Civil Service in the Panama Canal Zone during WWII, was an accountant who lived & worked in 5 different states then became the C.F.A. of a manufacturing facility. She accomplished all of this beginning in the 1940’s when very few women worked outside the home, worked in Yellowstone Park two summers & retired in 1987.

Myrtle Parriman

(Right) 100 years old. Myrtle Parriman of Tulsa is a member of Ranch Acres Baptist Church, Horseless Carriage Club, Rebecca & Moose Lodges. She has volunteered for Alan Davis Ministries for 25 years and enjoys ballroom dancing, country music, holidays & fried chicken.

Anna Poling

(Right) 100 years old. Anna Poling of Yukon was a school teacher, retiring in 1986 and volunteered throughout her home community. Christmas was Anna’s favorite holiday because she made her own gifts.

KNOW A CENTENARIAN?
If you know of a Centenarian you would like to honor, please visit https://centenariansok.com and download and submit our form.

RIVERMONT INDEPENDENT LIVING IN NORMAN ANNOUNCES THE NUMBER OF RESIDENTS SERVED REACHES 999 … 1,000!

Rivermont Independent Living, a residence of Legend Senior
Living®, announced today that the number of residents who have made the community their home has reached 1,000. Residents 999 and 1,000 are husband and wife, Bill and JoAnn Oliver, so they share the title. Legend Senior Living, headquartered in Wichita, KS, owns and operates over 50 Legend and Windsor residences in six states.
The Olivers are lifelong Oklahoma residents who have been married for 66 years. They have two children, three grandchildren, and eight great-grandchildren. Bill worked for the U.S. Postal Service at various places in Oklahoma, performing training. They settled in Norman when the postal training center opened here.
“What we like most about Rivermont is the atmosphere and the people,” said Bill. “All the people are accepting of others that come in. The food is good! And we enjoy the ability to sit outside and enjoy the outdoors.”
Joann cites going out to eat as their favorite activity and appreciates the Rivermont location, out of the hustle and bustle of the metro area but close to many good places to eat and things to do.
Plus, easy highway access takes them straight up the road to their church, the Alameda Church of Christ.
“We’re so happy to have Bill and Joann at Rivermont,” said Residence Director Rita Myers. “And we’re proud to have served many older adults with the Legend trademark of vibrant independent living. The Olivers make the most of it!”
“Our daughter was a big influence in our choice of Rivermont, and we’re so glad we chose so well,” said Joann. The Olivers have been avid travelers throughout Europe and Colorado on many off-roading and skiing adventures. Living at Rivermont allows them to maintain their active lifestyle minus the home maintenance.
Rivermont Independent Living is located at 800 Canadian Trails Dr, Norman, Oklahoma 73072.
Legend Senior Living® is a privately held senior housing and services company based in Wichita, Kansas. Legend grows the number of properties it owns and operates every year, now numbering more than 50 – independent living, assisted living, memory care, and personal care – in Florida, Colorado, Texas, Kansas, Oklahoma and Pennsylvania.

For more information about Legend Senior Living® visit https://legendseniorliving.com/find-a-community/oklahoma/

Story and photos provided by Carmen Daugherty
Supervisory Public Affairs Officer – OKC, VA Health Care System

On Sunday, October 22, the Oklahoma City Veterans Affairs, local community, family and friends gathered at the Charity Free Will Baptist Church to honor and celebrate the 100th birthday of World War II Veteran and Pastor Lonnie Evert DaVoult. Brother Lonnie was recognized with the distinguished title of Veteran Centenarian.
Born on October 20, 1923, Brother Lonnie was the founder and 33-year-Pastor of the Charity Free Will Baptist Church. DaVoult was drafted in the U.S. Army in January 1943, and he served in the Signal Corps during World War II.

“I was grateful for serving and to the Army for giving me the opportunity to drive all over Europe,” said DaVoult. His WWII military assignment was to deliver messages to the front lines and because of his service to the nation, he was highly decorated, was wounded in action, and is the recipient of the Purple Heart Award.
“My secret to long life is because I gave myself to God, to continue teaching and preaching his mighty word and you have to stay active to stay alive,” DaVoult said. Preaching is a joy for him and he has been doing it for 73 years and doesn’t see himself quitting anytime soon. Seeing and listening to his sermon, anyone would be envious of this centenarian’s energy, passion and enthusiasm.

DaVoult was presented with a Letter of Appreciation and coin from the Secretary of Veterans Affairs. OKC VA Chaplains Office presented Brother Lonnie with a lapel pin, letter, portion of a flag (to carry it with him from a grateful nation) and hand-made quilt.
The OKC VA believes 100 years on this earth is a milestone worth celebrating and it is a priority to recognize as many Veteran centenarians as possible.
The OKC VA Center for Development and Civic Engagement program called the Centenarian Celebration Project is a special initiative honoring Veterans turning 100 years old.
Congratulations to Brother Lonnie DaVoult. The OKC VA wishes you to have many more years of preaching and teaching as you continue to inspire those around you.
Charity Free Will Baptist Church is located at 2900 S Westminster Rd, Oklahoma City, OK 73130 https://www.charityfwbc.com/.
For more information about the OKC VA CDCE Centenarian Celebration Project, please contact the OKC VA website at https://www.va.gov/oklahoma-city-health-care/, contact OKCPublicAffairs@va.gov or visit the VA main page at
https://www.va.gov/ Home | Veterans Affairs.

The Oklahoma History Center Museum will have pieces of silver service from the USS Oklahoma on display starting Monday, November 27, to commemorate the anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor. The complete set consists of 55 pieces. Only select pieces will be available for public view.
On December 7, 1941, the USS Oklahoma was one of eight battleships docked at the Pearl Harbor Naval Base in Honolulu, Hawaii, when it came under attack by the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service. The USS Oklahoma suffered 429 casualties, and the battleship capsized due to multiple torpedo strikes.
The tradition of creating presentation silver sets for American warships of the “first rank” began with the USS Maine in the late 1890s. Continuing this tradition, the Oklahoma Legislature appropriated $7,500 in 1913 to create a silver service to express the state’s pride in having a new battleship named for the state. It was designed by Walter Dean of Oklahoma City and executed by Gorham Silversmiths of New York. The USS Oklahoma was christened on March 23, 1914, and the service was presented to the ship at that time. The service was used on the battleship from 1914 until 1941 but was removed before the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, and stored at the Puget Sound Shipyard in Bremerton, Washington. In 1946 after World War II, the Oklahoma Historical Society appointed a committee to find the silver service and return it to the state. In 1947 the U.S. Navy loaned the silver service to the Oklahoma Historical Society. After thorough polishing and repair, it went on public display.
The Oklahoma History Center is located at 800 Nazih Zuhdi Dr. in Oklahoma City. It is open to the public Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Please call 405-522-0765 or visit https://www.okhistory.org/historycenter/ for admission costs and group rates.

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