55 and Better — April 28, 2020

Issue 2 | SPRING 2020

AND BETTER

GREAT ESCAPE

Carmel couple takes extended vacation to New Zealand

Lauren Allan (middle) in March visit with parents Martha and Marc Allan in Seatoun, New Zealand (Submitted photo)

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An example of one of Emily’s Backyard Blooms garden kits.

(Submitted photo)

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All ages turn to gardening during pandemic

By Anna Skinner anna@youarecurrent.com

The Barrington of Carmel offers luxurious apartments, private patios, and underground parking — all under one roof.

Discover how you can experience security, independence and maintenance-free living in grand style at The Barrington. While our community is known for its wide variety of on-campus social engagements and organized activities, in light of concerns about the COVID-19 virus, we are taking every precaution to ensure the well-being of everyone in our community. We want to help you stay active while remaining home, so please visit our new Virtual Activities page at thebarringtonofcarmel.com to remain healthy and happy during these uncertain times.

For more information, visit our website or call Janine Short at 317-810-1825.

W W W.T H E B A R R I N G TO N O F C A R M E L . C O M 1 3 3 5 S . G U I L F O R D R OA D, C A R M E L , I N 4 6 0 3 2

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55 AND BETTER Spring 2020

F

ortville resident Emily Snider is working to make gardening easily accessible to everyone, even during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Snider, founder of Emily’s Backyard Blooms, is selling gardening kits with everything gardeners need to get started.

“It’s everything you need to grow a garden from seed. I’ve seen an uptick in people of all ages interested in that – from parents trying to get their kids involved and teach them where their food comes from, and I’ve seen people who used to garden as a kid, some elderly people who want to get back to it,” Snider said. “Now, they have time, and we are all kind of stuck inside and you are around your house doing much more things than you typically would do.”

Snider said the most common reasons she sees people get into gardening is to grow their own food and for outdoor exercise.

Snider sells kits for flowers and vegetables.

“I have Sunflower Surprise and Brilliant Blooms which are just flower seeds, so you’ll plant those straight into the ground and those are $10,” she said. “The vegetable and edible garden kits, the salsa, heirloom tomato, veggie patch and kitchen herb kit are $25. They come in a big wooden box with peat pots, dirt, growing instructions and recipes.”

Each vegetable kit has six seed varieties with five to 10 seeds per variety, so if successful, the gardener will have 30 plants from each kit.

“Each plant comes with instructions because it’s a little bit different on how you grow it,” Snider said. “Like for tomatoes, (instructions) tell you to plant it this deep and this far away. I try to make it as easy as possible for people.”

Typically, Snider sells kits at farmers markets but is only selling online because of the pandemic. “(Gardeners) can contact me online and we can get the kits out or arrange for local pickup, or if they’re in Indianapolis, we can arrange to do drop-off,” she said. “I’m spreading the garden love.”

Snider said many people are getting into gardening.

“I think it’s awesome. You’re talking about victory gardens and we’ve seen this push for homegrown and people to get back out there and get their hands dirty,” she said. “It’s awesome to see people from all ages, little kids to older people who gardened as a kid and would love to get back to it again.

“I hope people, after this, continue to garden and continue to be interested in flowers and growing their own food.”

For more, visit emilysbackyardblooms.com.

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55 AND BETTER Spring 2020

Plan for staying safe with a busy medication schedule

By Sadie Hunter sadie@youarecurrent.com

A

s people age, it’s common to take more prescriptions.

From allergy medication to daily medications for blood pressure or cholesterol to supplements, it’s helpful to stay organized, but more importantly, it’s vital to stay safe.

According to a 2019 survey by the Kaiser Famly Foundation, more than half of adults older than 65 take at least four or more prescription medications.

Amy Sheller, the outpatient pharmacy manager at Riverview Health’s Noblesville hospital, answered questions for Current about some of the Sheller risks involved with a complicated medication routine and offered ways to stay safe.

Q: What is the best way for those with many prescriptions or supplements to organize their medication routine?

A: “At Riverview, we do offer what we call MTM – or medication therapy management – sessions. Those are one-on-one sessions with a pharmacist where anyone has the opportunity to bring in their medications, including over-the-counter herbal supplements they may be taking, and basically just have a pharmacist take a look at everything at one time.

“In today’s world, a lot of people are using multiple pharmacies and doctors, so that just adds to the complexity of their regimen. I think it’s important to be sure every doctor you see has an up-to-date medication list, but I think it’s nice to have a pharmacist look at it, too. So many times, we have patients who are going to Meijer for their free cholesterol meds or getting something through mail order and then getting everything else through us. We can’t really do our jobs to the best of our ability unless we’re able to see the whole picture.”

Q: What advice would you give to those taking many medications who do not have a family member, friend

or caretaker helping them organize their medication regimen?

A: “If you don’t have someone helping, it’s important to have a pill organizer. They make ones today that have ‘breakfast, lunch, dinner, bedtime’ slots and so forth. You really want to get one that matches your routine and has the available slots that you need to match those medications. Pick a designated day each week to fill it. It also helps you plan further out and realize when you’re running low on a medication.

“Having an up-to-date, comprehensive list really helps, too. Many people create pocket cards so when they go to a doctor appointment or to the hospital for an urgent care or ER visit, they can just hand it to a nurse or doctor so they can get an idea of what their regular meds are. A chart or journal really helps for medications like insulin, so you can keep track of when you checked your blood sugar levels or when you took insulin and how much and at what time.”

Q: What are some of the most common mix-ups or errors you see when interacting with people in one-on-one consultations or at the pharmacy?

A: “The biggest issues come when changes are made to medications. So, for example, when a doctor increases your dose on a certain medication, you may still have some of the old medication at home. Maybe you didn’t bring the bottle with you to the appointment or back to the pharmacy, and you may take a double dose because you have two bottles. Or, for example, if your doctor switches you from one blood pressure medication to another, you might take your old medication with the new one.

“It’s just really important that when you get home, you completely remove the old medications from your pill organizer and dispose of it properly.”

Continued on Page 5

Continued from Page 4 Q: What is the best way to dispose of old medications?

A: “The Hamilton County Sheriff’s Dept. has a drop box in their lobby where people can leave their old medications. If people want to do that at home, we usually tell people to try to crush them up, mix them with water and put it in with old kitty litter or coffee grounds, or you can put it in an old laundry detergent container with a lid. You should not be flushing anything down the toilet.”

Q: What signs or “red flags” should caretakers, family and friends keep an eye out for when visiting loved ones who are taking many medications?

A: “If you look at a prescription bottle, you can see when it was filled and the frequency it should be taken. So, if you see that the prescription was filled in January, but it’s full, that may be a sign that the medication isn’t being taken as directed. On the flip side, if you see an empty bottle, but no newer bottle of the same prescription, it may be in need of a refill.

“Again, especially right after people go to the doctor or pharmacy, they may end up with multiple bottles of the same medication. There should just be one bottle per medication.”

Q: What are some other tips or tricks to stay on track?

A: “I would recommend getting all prescriptions filled at the same pharmacy if that’s an option. Also, you can always ask questions at the pharmacy during pickup to help get themselves familiar with what exactly the medication is for.

It’s important to take ownership and know which medications are for blood pressure, cholesterol, allergies, etc., by even writing on the bottles what the medication is for. If you don’t know what the medication is for, you may not even need to be taking it anymore. But reach out to your pharmacist or doctor to clarify.

“In general, keep a list of everything you take, including information on how and when you should take it, what it’s for and maybe food tips like ‘take it with food,’ ‘avoid milk,’ ‘take on an empty stomach,’ etc. Also, it helps to store everything in the same safe place, ideally not in a bathroom or place with a lot of moisture.”

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ne of the perks of aging is receiving a senior discount. Many seniors live on fixed incomes, so it can sometimes be more of a necessity than a perk.

There are some things to remember when looking for senior discounts at restaurants.

Many restaurants only offer discounts on certain days at certain items. Typically, discounts are not valid on previously discounted items. Some restaurants even offer a smaller-portioned senior menu.

Because of the coronavirus pandemic, restaurants are closed for dine-in service.

Dish from The Old Spaghetti FactoBut delivery and carryout are available. ry. (Photo by Renee Larr) Check with the restaurants to see if discounts still apply. Hamilton County Tourism lists restaurants with delivery and carryout at visithamiltoncounty.com.

If a restaurant doesn’t offer a senior discount, it might offer a discount for retired military or have a loyalty rewards system.

“We do not offer a senior discount, specifically, but we do offer a loyalty program that gives 7.5 percent back on a point system available for any guest,” said Carl Krockenberger, director of marketing for Sahm’s. “In 2020, we’re going to implement a firefighter/police discount across all of our restaurants as a way to show our appreciation to the men and women that serve us.”

CARMEL

MCL Carmel 1390 Keystone Way East 10 percent off from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. every day.

Einstein Bros. Bagels 2350 E. 116th St. 10 percent off for those 60 and older on select bagels.

The Old Spaghetti Factory 918 S. Range Line Rd. Offers a smaller portioned senior 3-course meal.

Applebee’s 14711 U.S. 31 N. 10 percent off all the time for those 60 and older.

FISHERS Texas Roadhouse 12950 Publishers Dr. While it doesn’t specifically offer a senior discount, it does have an early bird menu from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday.

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55 AND BETTER Spring 2020

Culver’s 13691 Olio Rd. 5 percent off regular menu items for those 60 and older. Not offered on Snack Pack Meals.

City Barbeque and Catering 9367 Ambleside Dr. 10 percent off all the time.

NOBLESVILLE Jim Dandy’s 2301 Conner St. Tuesdays after 2 p.m. (one-third off) The Original Pancake House 14631 North Gray Rd. 10 percent off regular-priced entrees, Friday open to close, for those 55 and older.

Perkins Restaurant and Bakery 10 percent off and senior menu items WESTFIELD Erika’s Place 102 S. Union St. Offers a senior menu with specialty-priced food options.

Westfield Diner Pancake House & Grill 781 E. Main St. 15 percent on Wednesdays and 10 percent any other day. Cannot be used on already discounted item.

ZIONSVILLE Le Peep 4400 Weston Pointe Dr. 10 percent off all the time.

Meet Kay Gleeson

By Mark Ambrogi mark@youarecurrent.com

K

ay Gleeson, 77, has lived at Rose Senior Living Carmel community since September 2019. She has lived in Carmel for more than 50 years.

Where are you from originally?

“I am from Portland, Ind., and got my Gleeson bachelor’s and master’s from Ball State. My husband went to Purdue and was in the Army. My husband, Larry, and I moved to Carmel when he finished at Fort Harrison.”

Where did you teach?

“I taught 37 years, and the last 30 were in Carmel. I was at College Wood (Elementary). When they opened Woodbrook, I went there. Then when I went back to teaching, I went to Carmel Elementary. It was primarily third grade. I retired from teaching in 2003.”

What was the best thing about teaching?

“There was a lot of satisfaction seeing when the kids would catch on to something, (and) getting to know the different personalities.”

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How many children do you have?

“I have two daughters, Libby Willms, who lives in Cincinnati. She has three children, Emily, Whitney and Jack. My other daughter, Christy Dempster, works at Roche Diagnostics and lives in Carmel. Both daughters graduated from Carmel High School.”

What are you are interests?

“I’m very active in my church, Venture Christian Church in Carmel. I enjoy being with people and playing cards.

There are lots of nice people at Rose and lots of activities we enjoy together.

I enjoy reading and traveling (Israel was her favorite trip). I like books that always have a happy ending. (My husband) had Alzheimer’s. I’ve been mentoring Alzheimer’s caregivers and loved ones since my husband died five years ago.”

Do you have favorite things to do?

“I’ve gone to some of the Civic Theatre plays at The Tarkington and go to the Palladium occasionally.”

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Emily Morgan created “The Grand Life” podcast in support of grandparents.

(Photos by Anna Skinner)

‘The Grand Life’ examines roles of grandparents

By Mark Ambrogi mark@youarecurrent.com

E

mily Morgan came up with the idea of a podcast to address the changing roles of grandparents in modern society.

Morgan has completed 10 episodes of “The Grand Life” for Season 2, with 12 episodes in each season.

“We’re taking cues from people we hear from about what they want to know about grandparenting,” said Morgan, who is assisted by her husband, Mike.

The Fishers resident said the podcast started by discussing the evolution of grandparenting and how it has changed through the years.

“The expectations are so much higher now of what kind of involvement is expected of grandparents,” Morgan said. “It’s demanding of us as older people.”

Morgan said one episode they are working on is the situation that many baby boomers find themselves in as a “club sandwich” generation.

“We’re responsible for our parents, our children and our grandchildren in some way, shape or form,” she said.

“We’re stuck in a club sandwich. It’s a lot of extra work and time, but there should be enough love to go around, we hope, and we work at that.”

Morgan said one of the missions of “The Grand Life” podcast is connecting older people to one another to talk through things that are frustrating, hard, wonderful or rewarding.

The former role of a parent or grandparent was adult-focused, it wasn’t child-focused, Morgan said.

“We’ve reached a place in our so-

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55 AND BETTER Spring 2020

ciety where much of the things are child-focused. I’m not saying that’s bad, it’s just different,” she said. “We have all these things we are trying to fulfill for our children and our children’s children.”

Morgan said that might mean attending more grandchildren’s sporting events or recitals or helping with finances.

Morgan said social media has increased expectations as well.

“You hear from other grandparents that they just took their kids and grandkids on a cruise or to a play,” she said. “You start thinking I should do that or amp up what I’m doing and do some more that I haven’t in the past.”

Morgan said the health, in general, of grandparents is better.

“Sixty is the new 40. We’re much more active than our parents or grandparents were at that age,” Morgan said. “We’re jumping from planes, all sorts of things that wouldn’t be expected or thought.

We’re just a more fit generation. I know a lot of people in their 60s that are very active.”

During the podcast, one topic is setting boundaries for grandparents.

Morgan said there is more talk about communication with adult children about each other’s feelings.

“In times before this, you squashed things and grandparents didn’t talk about how they felt,” Morgan said.

“The (adult) kids would not come Continued on Page 9

Continued from Page 8 back to their parents and say, ‘I don’t like it when you do this.’ They would just let it go.”

That has changed. If there is an issue with a parent or grandparent, it is discussed.

“There is a great need for developing boundaries with your kids,” Morgan said. “For example, we did an episode called ‘Facebook Fails.’

These are when you maybe post pictures you shouldn’t post or announce a birth before it should be announced. It should be announced by the parent, not the grandparent.”

Every episode includes a segment called “The Stretch it Takes,” during

which Morgan encourages grandparents to become flexible “If you don’t, you won’t have a great relationship with your children and your grandchildren,” she said. “I think of it as relationship yoga.”

The Morgans have four children and nine grandchildren. “’The Grand Life’ started because I was in a mentorship situation with some younger women and they would say, ‘You need to tell my mother that,’” she said. “They were asking me to tell their parents.”

“The Grand Life” has a Facebook page. The podcast is available through Google, Spotify and Apple or thegrandlife.libsyn.com.

Memory loss doesn’t have to mean all is lost.

Meet Becky Magnus

By Mark Ambrogi mark@youarecurrent.com

B

ecky Magnus, an expert quilter, moved into The Barrington of Carmel from Michigan earlier this year.

What is your background?

“I grew up in Steubenville, Ohio, where my family Magnus roots went back many generations. I received a B.S. from Syracuse University with a double major in clothing and textiles and retail merchandising, plus an art minor. After a brief stint in retailing, I obtained a teaching certificate at Ohio State and moved to Michigan to teach school. While teaching high school for four years, I acquired a master’s degree from Eastern Michigan University.”

How did you begin quilting?

“At Oakland County Young Republican Club, I met and married my husband of 54 years, Al. We lived in Bloomfield Hills where he built his professional CPA practice and we raised two children, Tiffany and Kurt. During this time, I taught sewing and related needle arts classes in adult education for 15 years. The creative side of my brain has always been a driving force. I am indebted to both grandmothers and my mother for this gift. Fabric is my preferred medium. For 40 years, I have been quilting and have com-

pleted 200-plus quilts. After family and friends selected favorites, 71 were donated to Michigan State University to be sold for fundraising for the Great Lakes Quilt Museum located on campus. Two were kept for their permanent collection.

Since so many of my Michigan friends came from the quilting world, the week I moved to Carmel I joined the Indianapolis Quilt Guild, where I expect to become involved.”

What are your other interests?

“In addition to quilting, gardening has been a great interest. Our son, his wife and two daughters live on Squam Lake (‘On Golden Pond’ in the movie) in New Hampshire.

We owned a summer home nearby where I had a beautiful shade garden with a specimen hosta collection. Twenty-one summers in the White Mountains provide wonderful memories.”

What brought you to The Barrington?

“Because my husband is having problems and we lacked a support system in Michigan, we decided to move to Carmel to be near our daughter, Tiffiny McTurnan, her husband John and granddaughter, Virginia. She picked The Barrington of Carmel senior community. I’m sure it will be perfect. The move came in the nick of time. The lifestyle, the people and the activities are the anticipation for a wonderful future.”

Call (317)

342-2232 for more information.

Brookdale Carmel Alzheimer’s & Dementia Care 301 Executive Drive | Carmel, IN 46032 © 2020 Brookdale Senior Living Inc. All rights reserved. BROOKDALE SENIOR LIVING and BRINGING NEW LIFE TO SENIOR LIVING are registered trademarks of Brookdale Senior Living Inc.

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ADVERTORIAL

IU HEALTH SPECIALIST ADDRESSES BONE HEALTH

M

argaret Delks, registered nurse and clinical program specialist of orthopedics at IU Health Hospital North, discussed issues about maintaining bone health that people who are getting older should know about.

What is the most important thing seniors need to know about bone health?

“I think the risk of osteoporosis and fracture of bones as you get older is a very real concern. If you haven’t paid much attention to what your current state is, you should be consulting with your doctor. One of the things we see in a hospital setting is patients not realizing they have a problem until they have a fall and fracture their hip or wrist. That can be very devastating. I think just to be aware this is a real problem and if you have risk factors, you can try to mitigate them.”

Is there an age when this becomes a bigger issue?

“For women, it’s definitely after menopause, and for men it’s after about 65. A lot of it depends on your overall state of health. If you were a very thin person who has poor nutrition who was a smoker, then your risk is definitely higher. It all really ties into risk factors. Definitely women who are of Asian descent or have poor nutritional baseline, or if you consume a lot of alcohol, are at risk. One of the first things we tell them is any of the risk factors they can correct, things like weight loss, activity, alcohol consumption, those are the things they need to work on to decrease their risk. Obviously, you can’t do anything about getting older, but you can be aware. Any woman who is post-menopausal should see her family doctor and get a baseline DEXA (bone density) scan and have somebody do a screening for osteoporosis. Men can get osteoporosis, too, but get it less frequently because they have a bigger bone mass than women do.”

How does bone health and bone density change as you age?

“If you have a low bone density and you have an underlying issue, then your doctor can help you with some diet counseling and discussion on taking supplements. Most people are not aware of the daily requirements of calcium and vitamin D. If you are under age 50, you need 400. If you are under age 50, you need 400 to 800 international units a day of vitamin D. If you are over age 50, you need 800 to 1,000. If you are over 50, for calcium you need 1,000 milligrams of calcium each day. If you are over 70, you need 1,200. You can achieve most of these requirements through your diet. Eating the oily fishes (salmon, sardines) and green leafy vegetables (kale,

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55 AND BETTER Spring 2020

broccoli) can provide you with good calcium. Vitamin D can be obtained through tuna, milk, eggs and cereal. Also, it is important to get sunlight and do weight-bearing activities. ”

What is the best way to protect your bones as you age?

“Three things I think are really important for modifying your risk factors (are) your diet, making sure you are getting the adequate amounts of vitamin D and calcium. If you are not, consult your doctor about supplements. Walking is probably the best exercise. I’m 62, so I’m not going to start running anytime soon. Preventing falls is huge. We have so many falls in Hamilton County. We see a lot of people from 50 on up that fall. It’s not like they are doing anything risky. They’re not up on a chair or on a ladder. They are basically turning around in their kitchen and trip on a rug or they lose their balance when they fall.

Anything they can do in their home like getting rid of throw rugs that don’t have a secure back, making sure if you are going to the bathroom that your path to the bathroom is well-lit at night (is important). They make toilet lights that you can put on your toilet that light up your toilet at night. Those are really helpful things that you can do for yourself. Things that help with balance like yoga, tai chi and stretching exercises are really good to help with balance.”

What are some other ideas for exercises in the house when you are stuck inside, which many are now due to the coronavirus pandemic “One of the things we’ve been doing at our house is following online workouts. There are meditation classes, tai chi classes, any kind of fitness regimen from a beginner to a marathoner. So many companies right now are offering free online classes. Other things include stationary bicycle, walking in place (and) walking up and down stairs as long as you are careful. We recommend 30 minutes of exercise a day. You can do two 15-minute time periods. You can walk inside or outside. You can get some sunlight, get some fresh air and that resets your entire mental attitude.”

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Carmel couple takes extended vacation to New Zealand

By Mark Ambrogi mark@youarecurrent.com

M

Martha and Marc Allan at Corsair Bay in Lyttleton, New Zealand. (Submitted photos)

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55 AND BETTER Spring 2020

arc and Martha Allan of Carmel had talked for years about a temporary move to another country.

“Lauren told us we were talking about this when she was in middle school, and she’s 28 now,” Marc said of his eldest daughter. “We always talked about going someplace and spending awhile and not going as tourists, but as much as residents as we can be. We saved our money. We scheduled a time that would be good to go travel.”

Marc, 61, retired in May 2019 from Butler University as an adjunct professor of journalism and news manager. Martha, 63, retired from Section 127, a design agency, after eight years. So, the couple planned for an extended stay in New Zealand. They spent 6 1/2 months there, having left in September 2019 and returned in late March.

“We got a visa that allowed us to stay as long as eight months,” Marc said.

They spent three months in Auckland, then spent time in Wellington, Christchurch and Queenstown. The Allans had to leave 18 days early because of the coronavirus pandemic.

“We left while we could still get a flight home,” Marc said. “We were going to go to Australia for about a week and a half.”

The Allans’ great adventure began with a full summer U.S. vacation traveling west, going through the upper Midwest and returning home through the middle of the nation. The trip started with seeing Paul McCartney at Lambeau Field in Green Bay. “It was part of the country we hadn’t seen,” Marc said. “To see Montana and South Dakota is just breathtaking. They are really beautiful places.”

Martha said the trip was originally Marc’s dream.

“I’m not much of a traveler, though I’ve really done (a lot) in the last year and am happy we went,” Martha said. “I’m glad to be home.”

Martha said she enjoyed both adventures for different reasons.

“Going across the country, it was amazing to see how many different places you had never been to — datelines you had never seen before,” she said. “But we went to not just bigger cities, but little holes-in-the-wall, too.

We would always try to look for a local gym if the hotel we were in didn’t have one.”

They would travel 100 to 150 miles a day, so they didn’t spend all day in the car.

Marc said the biggest surprise in the U.S. was a visit to Coeur d’Alene, Idaho.

“We basically go to the next big point and stop there,” Marc said.

“Coeur d’Alene was just going to be a stop before going to Spokane (Wash.), but Coeur d’Alene turned out to be so beautiful. It was eye-opening for us.”

Then after the summer vacation, it was a brief stay home before heading to New Zealand.

Pohutukawa tree, which are in full bloom at Christmastime in New Zealand.

View of the skyline of Auckland, New Zealand.

Island Bay outside of Wellington.

View of rainbow over Island Bay.

View of scenery on the way to Wellington.

“We wanted to go to a place that was fairly far (away) and they speak English,” Marc said. “It looked like a beautiful country, and it is.”

The Allans, who met at Emerson College in Boston, will be married 36 years May 5. The couple frequently spoke to Lauren and younger daughter Lucy by Skype and WhatsApp. Lucy visited around Christmas and Lauren visited in late February. Lauren graduated from Carmel High School in 2010 and Lucy in 2015.

“I don’t think we will ever go as long as we went but we did see the value of going for a pretty decent chunk of time,” Marc said. “One of the things that was interesting in New Zealand is just about all of the museums are free. The national museum, Te Papa, is a

huge building. It’s five floors and tons of art and other things in there. When you go to a museum in the (U.S.), typically you try to get in as much as you can. The nice thing about going to a museum open to the public for free is you can go and take your time. We went back there on three separate times just to take our time and enjoy ourselves.

“We saw the benefit of being there a month or two.

Don’t know we’ll ever do six months again.”

Martha said it made sense to do the trip while both were still active.

“We wanted to make sure when we traveled that we were able to physically handle hiking (and) walking around all day,” Martha said. “We didn’t want to be

pushing the other one in a wheelchair or carrying the oxygen tank. We came back in so much better shape than (when) we left from all the walking.”

The Allans didn’t have a car in New Zealand, so they walked or used public transportation.

Marc said he isn’t fully retired. He worked as a reporter at The Indianapolis Star from 1988 to 2004 before taking the Butler job. Martha was a copy editor at The Star from 1988 to 2008. Marc was accepted into the Indianapolis Teaching Fellowship program that was supposed to start in May at Marian.

“First, you go to class and they teach you about teaching,” he said. “If everything goes right, you start teaching in the fall at a charter school.”

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Seniors Helping Seniors assists with in-home care

By Mark Ambrogi mark@youarecurrent.com

T

om Krughoff started the Seniors Helping Seniors franchise eight years ago with his wife, Noell, covering southeast Marion, Johnson, Hancock and Shelby counties. They moved from Shelbyville to Tacoma, Wash. a year ago to be closer to family, and he is an off-site manger.

Another Seniors Helping Seniors franchise services the north side of Indianapolis metro area, including eastern Hamilton County. For more, visit seniorshelpingseniors.com.

Krughoff addressed some issues about their services helping seniors with in-home care during the coronavirus pandemic: What steps are you taking during this time?

“First, we have to make sure folks are safe. With our caregivers that are going in the homes of the clients, we are taking a couple of steps to try to maintain safety with them. We realigned our staffers as we have as few different caregivers going into each home as possible. That’s always our goal. They can establish a relationship

with their clients. It’s our goal to either have one caregiver, or depending on the hours needed, limit the number of caregivers. We’ve put a new emphasis on that now, along with the guidelines of hand washing, wearing gloves, using masks, since we’re in the home giving personal care and helping with bathing.

“We are encouraging our clients to limit the number of folks coming into the home. That’s where it becomes difficult because they need that social engagement and they need to stay connected with their families.

We are helping them make phone calls to their families. Sometimes, they have a designated number of family members that can convey the greetings back and forth from the rest of the family. We are trying to keep them as active as much as we can with their connections and churches. We’re making sure they have a chance to make phone calls if they need help with that to maintain Continued on Page 15

Continued from Page 14 those connections. It is important they keep themselves as physically isolated as possible because we are working with a vulnerable group. Since we are an inhome agency, our clients have chosen to stay in their homes and age in place as best they can. Right now, it is a safer situation than if they are in a place where there are a lot of people concentrated together.”

Are there some tips to help seniors keep in touch with families and friends?

“Some of them are able to do (internet connections), especially with some help. They can get on Skype or Zoom.

For some, it’s a brand-new world for them and something they haven’t done before. There can be ways to visit with families that you can maintain distance.

The grandkids can come and stand out on the sidewalk or come up to the porch.

They can talk through the window or talk through the doors and still have a chance to visit without getting in close contact. It’s given people a way to think about this that maybe they haven’t in the past. In the past six months, maybe they haven’t seen grandma that much. Now, they are thinking of ways they can and, in some cases, maybe they will feel more connected than they were before. Maybe this will carry on beyond this virus. They might be visiting more than they did a few months ago when days or weeks or months went by and nobody visited.”

Are other seniors still a big part of your caregiving staff?

“We usually have seniors who are not retirement age yet but who are older that are doing this because they appreciate the opportunity to engage and be helpful. Our caregiver population is a little older, and some have had to back off because maybe they have underlying conditions and they are vulnerable themselves. Again, we’ve done a little realigning with the staff, but the others have stepped up. We’ve been fortunate in being able to maintain our services for our clients at this time. We’ve had a few clients where our services were not quite as vital. If we are providing companionship and a little bit of housekeeping, we’ve had families say they are going to take over that for now, so we don’t have so many people coming in. Most of our clients are getting service because they need them. They need assistance with the activities of daily living to maintain their independence.”

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How the Scam Works An individual gets a text message that looks like it comes from the U.S. federal government. Reports reveal scammers are impersonating the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services, but they are unlikely to stop there. The message tells you that you must take a “mandatory online COVID-19 test” and has a link to a website. But there is no online test for coronavirus.

These are far from the only coronavirus text message scams (often known as “smishing” for SMS phishing). BBB also has gotten reports of texts urging recipients to complete “the census” or fill out an online application in order to receive their stimulus check.

No matter what the message says, don’t click. These texts are phishing for personal information. They also can download malware to your device, which opens you up to risk for identity theft.

Tips to spot a COVID-19 text message scam: Government agencies do not typically communicate through text messages. Ignore instructions to text “STOP” or “NO” to prevent future texts.

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For more consumer tips regarding COVID-19, visit BBB.org/Coronavirus. If you’ve spotted a scam, whether you lost money or not, report it to BBB.org/ ScamTracker. Your report can help others avoid falling victim to scams.

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Pursuant to the Fair Housing Act, this housing is intended for occupancy by at least one person 55 years of age or older per home, although the occupants of a limited number of the homes may be younger.

Within this limited number, one member of the household must be 45 years or older with no one in permanent residence under 19 years of age. Existing and proposed amenities for the community are subject to changes, substitutions and/or deletions without notice. Lennar makes no representation or guarantee that the community or any amenities will be built out as currently planned. Please see your New Home Consultant and home purchase agreement for actual features designated as an Everything’s Included feature, additional information, disclosures, and disclaimers relating to your home and its features. Elevations of a home may vary and we reserve the right to substitute and /or modify design and materials, in our sole opinion and without notice. Please see your actual home purchase agreement for additional information, disclosures and disclaimers related to the home and its features. Stated dimensions and square footage are approximate and should not be used as representation of the home’s precise or actual size. Any statement, verbal or written, regarding “under air” or “finished area” or any other description or modifier of the square footage size of any home is a shorthand description of the manner in which the square footage was estimated and should not be construed to indicate certainty. Garage sizes may vary from home to home and may not accommodate all vehicles. Features, amenities, floor plans, elevations, square footage and designs vary per plan and community and are subject to changes or substitution without notice. Lennar makes no guarantee as to the availability of homes within the price ranges set forth above. Price subject to change without notice. Visit Lennar.com or see a Lennar New Home Consultant for further details and important legal disclaimers. This is not an offer in states where prior registration is required. Void where prohibited by law. This advertisement provided by Lennar Indianapolis located at 9025 River Road, Suite 100, Indianapolis, IN 46240. Copyright © 2020 Lennar Corporation Lennar, the Lennar logo and the Everything’s Included logo are U.S. registered service marks or service marks of Lennar Corporation and/or its subsidiaries. Date: 04/2020 LNIND656

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s people reach or near their discount to those 55 and older. At the retirement years, getting the other end of the scale, Taco Bell will most out of every dollar begive you a free beverage, but not uncomes more critical than ever. If they til you are at least 65. aren’t careful, the savings that took When you go can make a differdecades to accumulate can ence. Sometimes discounts quickly evaporate. happen on a particular day Fortunately, aging comes of the week. As an example, with at least one financial some Captain D’s restaurants advantage – senior discounts offer a “Happy Wednesday” that give older Americans a discount where once a week break on prices for everything seniors can choose from from a haircut to a fast-food among eight meals at a reOrestis meal to a seat on an airplane. duced price.

“Taking advantage of these oppor“You might not want to schedule tunities is a smart move for seniors your entire life around discounts, but and their families looking to stretch for some individual things – such as a their dollars,” said Chris Orestis, who night at the movies or dinner out or is known as the “Retirement Genius” even a shopping trip to a retail store and is president of LifeCare Xchange.

– it’s worth knowing that going a day Each year, Orestis publishes a list earlier or a day later can make a difof discounts that restaurants, grocery ference,” Orestis said. stores, retail stores, airlines, car rental Sometimes, you don’t even have companies, hotels and other busito be a senior. Plenty of opportunities nesses offer to their older clientele. exist to save money, whether you’re “Plenty of opportunities exist out advancing in years or not, Orestis there to shave a little or a lot off what said. Many stores offer store “memyou pay,” Orestis said. “Unfortunately, berships” that come with a discount many people don’t take advantage with each purchase. Also, the Ameriof these discounts as often as they can Automobile Association is anothshould. In many cases that could be er organization whose members enjoy because it just doesn’t occur to them a number of discounts in much the to bring it up. In some cases, it may same way AARP members do. be because they have a hard time “Individually, some discounts might thinking of themselves as seniors.” amount to just a dollar or two,” OresIn scouring for discounts, he said, a tis said. “But as you take advantage few things to keep in mind include: of more of them, those savings can Don’t assume you’re too young for grow. When you’re on a fixed income, a senior discount. At what age do or just want to get the most out of these discounts kick in? Is it 65? 60? every dollar you have, the difference 55? can be significant.”

“Every place is different, and in Orestis has 25 years of experience some cases, you may already be eliin the insurance and long-term care gible for a discount at a business you industries and is credited with pifrequent, and you just don’t realize oneering the Long-Term Care Life it,” Orestis said.

Settlement more than a decade ago.

AARP membership starts at 50 and Known as a political insider, Orestis is comes with numerous discounts built a former Washington, D.C., lobbyist into the membership. So, if you’re 49, who has worked in the White House those particular senior discounts are and for the Senate majority leader on just one year away. For others, you Capitol Hill. Orestis is the author of may have to wait. For example, Chili’s the books “Help on the Way” and “A restaurants offer a 10 percent senior Survival Guide to Aging.”

BrightStar co-owner offers advice for seniors during pandemic

By Rick Morwick rick@youarecurrent.com

N

o one is immune from the physical and economic threat of the COVID-19 pandemic. But for seniors, the risk of infection – and falling prey to scammers – is heightened compared to the rest of the population.

Current Publishing recently conducted a Q&A interview with Jill Gilmer, co-owner and director of operations for BrightStar Care, about what seniors can do to safeguard their health and finances during the pandemic. BrightStar Care is a home care company that provides services in the form of nurses, therapists, certified nursing assistants and professional caregivers. It serves Marion County and the seven surrounding counties, including Hamilton.

What advice/tips can you offer seniors for protecting their health during the COVID-19 pandemic?

“Stay home as much as possible. Try to utilize delivery drop-off services or call a family member or friend to shop for you. They should drop the items off on your porch or in your garage, if possible. If you must go out in public, be sure to keep your distance from others, wear a mask, take hand sanitizer with you and wash your hands as soon as you return home. Assume everyone you encounter may have been exposed and maintain social distancing.”

Which age group is most at risk to coronavirus exposure?

“Older adults, mostly those over the age of 65. It has also been seen to affect individuals of any age who have serious underlying health issues, such as asthma, lung disease, heart conditions, diabetes, obesity, kidney disease, liver disease, etc.

Lastly, people who have compromised immune systems, such as undergoing cancer treatments, smokers or bone marrow/organ transplantation, are at greater risk.”

What practices do you recommend for seniors?

“Protect your health (as mentioned).

If your plan to protect yourself were to fail, and you were to become sick, determine how, where and by whom you will be best cared for. Make sure your emergency contacts are updat-

From left, BrightStar Care co-owners Jill Gilmer and Jon Olson. (Submitted photo)

ed and with appropriate names and numbers. Utilize the senior hours for stores and pharmacies offering them if you cannot do delivery/drop-off services. If you have appointments or errands that require you to leave your residence, call those places ahead of time to see if other arrangements can be made during this time to maintain social distancing.

Take breaks from watching, reading or listening to news stories about the pandemic. Hearing and talking about the pandemic repeatedly can be stressful and upsetting. Find ways to connect with your loved ones via phone, writing letters or trying a new online platform such as FaceTime or Zoom. Pick a new hobby to conquer or become an expert on a new topic to keep busy during the quarantine.”

Do you have any tips or recommendations for seniors about financial resources and avoiding scams and fraud?

“Once again, seniors are being targeted for scams, specifically around the COVID-19 pandemic. We have heard of scams where seniors are receiving calls regarding coronavirus vaccines and preventative medicine,

claiming to send them doses if they prepay over the phone. Remember to never provide financial or private information to anyone over the phone, including, but not limited to, your credit card number, bank account number or Social Security number. Also, remember not to purchase anything online from a website you are not familiar with.

Check with your family or friends before making any decisions to sign up, register or purchase anything from a new company to ensure it is legitimate. Register with the Consumer Protection section on the Attorney General website (in.gov/ attorneygeneral/2389.htm). You can receive email and text notifications about the latest scams. They also provide many resources and education on senior fraud. Indiana 211 (in211.communityos.org) is another resource for anyone needing assistance. Hoosiers can dial 211 to confidentially connect with a resource navigator who will assist them.“

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