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2 Embracing the Aged

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It’s October and the holidays are fast approaching. Whether shopping for yourself or someone else, make time to visit House to Home Creations and its sister store, H2H Apparel, at 4746 Hansen Road, Paducah. There you’ll find stylish clothing, comfy furniture, unique home accessories, scents and jewelry.

Hickory, Century and Lexington. The business grew naturally to meet customer demands. Amy started with case goods, added upholstered items, and then customers asked for items on which they could put their own “flair.” The Gabby Furniture line, which is fully customizable, has just been added.

Amy Deweese has been part of West Kentucky’s retail scene since she was in middle school. She and her sister worked with their mom at Greenhouse Florist & Gift in Clinton. When that store burned, Amy took time planning her next adventure. She and her husband manufactured portable buildings for several years until they sold that business in 2004.

Amy brims with pride when clients say of her store, “This is just what we needed in Paducah.” Area designers often shop the store for the most up to date on-trend items. Customers may purchase a single item, create their own look, or buy a complete look from the showroom floor. Amy’s husband, daughter and two sons all work in the business.

IT STARTED WITH FURNITURE In 2017 she opened the current store near Bennett’s Market and Living Well with the goal of creating a lifestyle store. It developed into a furniture store that’s proved so successful construction of a nearly 5,000 square foot addition is underway to house several popular furniture lines. Completion of the addition is anticipated in late 2023. Like her prior endeavors, House to Home Creations is a family affair specializing in well-made furniture with hardwood frames, 8-way hand tied sofas, and names like Fairfield Chairs, King

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But don’t think the inventory is limited to furniture. Far from it. Amy has curated an eclectic mix of gifts, home décor, artwork, rugs, lamps and comfy furnishings. Customers may buy a single item, mix and match items to match their unique style, or purchase a complete look from the showroom floor. The store offers a good amount of custom work including rugs, and personalized pillows bearing family names and hometowns. Expect to wait six weeks or more for delivery of a custom factory piece. Items engraved in the store are turned around immediately with one exception—

engraving a recipe takes a couple of days. The store is teeming with cash and carry merchandise. STAY IN THE KNOW Check Facebook and Instagram for announced sales and sign up for text message announcements of shipment arrivals, sales and store events. Here are some of the items that caught my eye on a recent walkabout with Amy. FOR THE HOME The shop offers a variety of wood, glass and metal items appropriate for engraving. Bring a favorite handwritten recipe to be etched onto a cutting board purchased on site. That would be perfect for a grandparent, newlywed or college student. Consider engraving a grandchild’s handwritten greeting on a tray or picture frame. A young professional might appreciate a personalized journal. The list of gifts is endless – water bottles, tumblers, cups, cooking utensils, recipe boxes, salt & pepper shakers, plates, business card holders, knives, coasters, and a prayer box. Even wind chimes may be customized. SCENT Also for the home, consider gifting a fragrance diffuser which, since it doesn’t have to be tended, is safer than a candle which could be left ablaze with dire consequences. The store carries

“Hillhouse Naturals,” made by a mom and daughter duo from Wickliffe, Kentucky. Soy and other natural items from their family farm are used to make candles and diffusers. Mom Peggy’s story began more than three decades ago and stepped up several notches when Country Living magazine showed up and bought their entire inventory. Daughter Tracy is Creative Director of Hillhouse Naturals and launched a new collection called Field + Fleur – wellnamed since she “grew up in a field of flowers.” It interprets “beloved classics,” but also offers “edgier, fun fragrances.” Another item for the safety-conscious home is a flameless candle which provides ambiance but is set on a timer and controlled remotely. OUTERWEAR and LOUNGEWEAR There are two outerwear clothing lines for women of all ages—including mature women looking for easy to wear classics that are ontrend, but still age appropriate. Look for the TRIBAL and LIVERPOOL labels. There are two loungewear lines. BOODY is intended to be “everyday loungewear” in classic colors—reminiscent of the early morning sky— and made from organic bamboo with a “soft hand-feel” of fabric. Making “soft, simple and sustain-

soles, short and long sleeve tops, pants and nightgowns from XS to XL. There’s also a selection of socks and undergarments. A second loungewear line is SOFTIES. Its hooded and snuggle loungers have claimed a spot on Oprah’s list of favorite things for six years. Luxurious, indulgent and functional are words frequently used to describe this brand. Consider a pair of Sock Daddy socks for the canine lover. They are available in a variety of color combos and dog breeds.

able” clothing that never goes out of style is the company’s goal. Its pieces are hypoallergenic, antibacterial and allow skin to breathe. Moisture wicking, they are cool in summer and warm in winter. Available in cami-

JEWELRY H2H is a full-service Brighton store carrying belts, purses and jewelry (charm bracelets, necklaces, rings, watches, and Apple watch bands, plus bejeweled charms for necklaces and bracelets). Other items in the line are picture frames, compacts, keychains, clocks, scent and sunglasses. The store also carries German-made Qudo jewelry. The line combines stainless steel, gold and rose goldplate with European crystals

allowing you to personalize rings, bangles, necklaces, charms, and earrings. If uncertain of the recipient’s size, style or need, consider a gift card allowing the recipient to choose from the entire store. If you’re still stumped, consider giving a jewelry case to store all her baubles. SCENT AND SKINCARE Check out the Beekman 1802 line of products geared toward folks with skin issues. A four-pack is especially good for teacher gifts. One purchase may be given to a single recipient as a boxed set or divided into four individual presents given to the same person sporadically throughout the year or to four separate individuals. To say the least, Beekman 1802’s story is unique. A farmer was about to lose 88 goats due to the 2008 stock market crash. The farmer’s new neighbors—one a doctor—allowed the herd to graze their pasture, and ultimately acquired the herd. The new owners researched ways to make the animals profitable and chose to make bar soap from goat’s

milk which has a pH level close to that of human skin, does not strip the skin of valuable nutrients, and helps maintain a balanced microbiome. After trying the soap, family and friends reported skin conditions disappeared. The company officially launched in 2009 and in 2022, sold more than 6 million bars of soap. HOLIDAY DÉCOR With her florist background, Amy “goes all out” for holidays. In 2023, the store will feature at least five Christmas trees and a multitude of wreaths and swags. Nothing is fresh which means all items look great Thanksgiving through New Year’s and beyond. The store will also upcycle a wreath you used last year. In other words, they’ll refresh your gently used wreath with new ribbon and accents. You can also bring your own container for Amy and her daughter to fill with stems and ornaments for a new look to complement your décor. Hint: Bring fabric swatches if you’re trying to match something unique. Written By: Carol Ullerich

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FAST FACTS ABOUT THE COAST GUARD: Original mission was tax collection. The smallest of the military branches, in peacetime, it is part of the Department of Homeland Security; in wartime, or at the President’s direction, it is part of the Navy. The Coast Guard Women’s Reserve was formed in 1942. The Coast Guard’s current Commandant is Admiral Linda Fagen, the first woman to lead any branch of American military service. The Coast Guard operates two divisions—prevention and response. This article profiles two veterans who, while no longer on active duty, still serve the military, veterans, and our community. Both were high school athletes, both joined the military by choice, and both retired to western Kentucky. First up is Wisconsin native Andy Burkart. From 1976-80, he served in the United States Coast Guard as a Radioman performing search and rescue missions in and around the Canadian border to just South of Juneau, Alaska. When his team was called, “we were the last hope” for civilians in distress. He was drawn to the Coast Guard’s humanitarian mission. A retired Air Force Chaplain once told him the Coast Guard was “Very small; Very proud; Very good.” When on duty, he was part of a team responsible for anything occurring during a twelve-hour shift. He was involved with 33 life and death missions and retired with a perfect record: 33 resolutions—

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no lives lost. Knowing he helped save lives gave him a special feeling. While stationed in Alaska, Burkart met and married the love of his life, Linda Cothren. Together 42 years, Linda succumbed to Thymoma, a rare cancer that attacks the thymus. After diagnosis the usual lifespan is five years; Linda lived eighteen. A tiny, but brilliant girl from Hayesville, North Carolina, Linda enlisted to escape the poverty of Appalachia. A friend suggested she and Linda enlist together. They did; the friend was rejected; Linda excelled. Burkart met Linda by chance. He was

headed to a birthday party, saw Linda walking, invited her to join him and she did. Their courtship was brief. Met in May; married in December in Ketchikan. He was 22; she was 19. They both left active duty as E-5’s in May of 1980. A fiercely independent Scotch-Irish, Cherokee, Linda was an excellent deer and bear hunter. 5’3” and 112 pounds, she was the first one out, the last one

in, and often returned with a trophy. She once shot a 435-pound bear, dropping it with one shot. Five men lifted the carcass into the truck. Linda earned her E-5 rank in about three years. She ultimately earned her Master’s degree in social work and worked as an LCSW. Burkart graduated high school and enrolled in college where he played Division 3 baseball. His coach told him he “got the most out of his limited ability.” Burkart took it as criticism, but later learned from a retired Major League Baseball player it was a high compliment. Burkart admits he was not a superstar baseball player, but

rather “a good player.” His parents approved of his decision to go to college. He paid his own way, but two years later he was broke. He enlisted in the Coast Guard at summer’s end on a six-month delayed entry program, working in a factory until he reported to boot camp. In May of 1980 he was released from active duty and began working at his family’s insurance agency. He resumed college in September and completed his degree in

eighteen months. That’s when he joined the Coast Guard Reserve (Active) to apply for a direct commission program. He served in the Reserve a couple years as a Radioman 2nd Class Petty Officer, ultimately leaving the Active Reserve to attend to his business. While he was assigned to the reserve unit in Milwaukee, which had several female members, he met Lucia, who would become his second bride. Although assigned to the same Milwaukee unit, they did not meet until 1984 in Key West, Florida, when deployed to a joint military training exercise. No matter how unpleasant the task, Lucia kept a broad smile on her face and was game for any adventure. Like Linda, Burkart’s first wife, Lucia was also a product of poverty—but hers was a story of urban poverty. Perhaps because of its superior performance during the Key West exercise, Burkart’s unit was deployed to Saudi Arabia during Operation Desert Storm. His buddies went, he did not. Again, he was inactive due to business obligations. He had guilt pangs seeing his mates board the plane without him. Now a member of the Coast Guard Auxiliary, he is tasked with recruiting new members, especially for the Coast Guard Academy with a current class of fewer than 300 students. The Academy is a demanding, elite school where many students realize for the first time, “I’m not the smartest kid in the room.” Its mis-

sion is to develop the next generation of Coast Guard leaders. Burkart also serves as a financial educator for Guard members. The US draft ceased on January 27, 1973, but it was still tough to be admitted to the Coast Guard because there were, quite simply, no open slots. In 1975, he had been accepted and wanted to enlist but asked the recruiter how much time he had to decide. The recruiter told him he had ten minutes and he had already spent five. He joined, but his enlistment was delayed six months. He did not fully grasp his decision to enlist meant he got to go to boot camp— an event he describes as 12 weeks of hell and the longest job interview ever. Nor did he appreciate the breadth of the Coast Guard’s mission. Twenty-seven graduated in his boot camp class. Because of his high class ranking, he got to choose his assignment rather than being assigned a random job. In high school he had worked in a bakery so he thought Cook School would be a good choice. When the time came—in a split second—to everyone’s shock he chose Radioman’s School. He “endured” five months of training in Petaluma, California—“endured” because he could not type. He had completed two years of college without typing a keystroke. He relied on girls he knew to type papers for him. Relying on girls was no longer an option. To be a Radioman he must learn Morse code and type the messages received. In about five months he went from typing 0 to 75 words per minute. After about two years, he was typing 100 words per min-

ute. He started with manual typewriters, graduated to the IBM Selectric typewriter, and mastered the teletype. He witnessed technological advances: emergency calls—especially from recreational boaters—now arrive by cell phone in addition to marine radio. There was no GPS during his active duty. Emergency Locating Transmitters (ELT’s) came on-line, but use was very limited. Once Burkart received a distress call at 2:00 a.m. A location was given, but Burkart didn’t understand it. After listening to a playback of the call, all he knew was a boat with six aboard was ablaze and they were abandoning ship. Knowing time was precious and accuracy was key, he guessed at the boat’s location and issued a mayday relay call seeking assistance from any nearby vessel. Shortly thereafter, a well-known passenger cruise ship responded with the captain saying, we “have the vessel in sight and will assist.” With an air of nonchalance and great modesty, Burkart says, “I was just doing my job.” Hollywood took notice another time Burkart was on watch. His team received a call from a trapper stating a father and son had sought help at his cabin during the trapper’s absence; the cabin’s radio did not function during their visit. When the weather broke, and the father and son could leave, they did, leaving a note at the cabin saying the father, his son, and two girls had been shipwrecked. The two girls were in dire straits, and the father and son were returning to them. The trapper arrived at the cabin shortly after they left and reported the incident to the Coast Guard. More than three harrowing weeks later, the family was reunited. Miraculous-

ly, all survived. A movie, “Anything to Survive,” also called “Almost Too Late,” documented the event and the rescue. Starring Robert Conrad, Matt LeBlanc, and Emily Perkins, it details the family’s fateful journey of trying to return home to Prince of Wales Island, Alaska. Burkart says he owes his success in great measure to the Coast Guard. It taught him discipline and how to study. Always mission-focused, he learned to ask, “Are you executing the mission?” One speech at the beginning of boot camp changed his life. Coast Guard Company Commanders, (known as Drill Instructors in other branches) try to disorient trainees. One of them finally said, “We’ll ask you to do a lot of silly stuff in boot camp. But in six months, your mates will rely on you to do your job.” The life and death nature of what he would soon be doing struck home. As the Commander had said, “if we can’t trust you to do silly stuff, how can we trust you to do important stuff?” Burkart describes Ulysses S. Grant as a soldier who was at his best in the worst of times. Burkart tries to emulate Grant, hoping he’s best under pressure too. Burkart recalls a conversation with his dad the night before leaving for boot camp. Burkart was naturally nervous, and his dad, a World War II veteran, told him he was about to embark on the adventure of a lifetime. Burkart summed up his ongoing experience with the Coast Guard saying, “He sure was right!” The second soldier profiled in this article is Robert Worden. He proudly says, “I am who I am because of where I’m from.” He was clearly destined to be in uniform.

At age four or five, he felt called by God and announced he was going to be a Baptist minister. His life changed, but he knows the military and the ministry go hand-in-hand. A fascination with genealogy led him to study military history—devoting considerable time to his own ancestors. Twenty-five relatives are documented as having served in the American Revolution. Two fought in the War of 1812— one dying at the hands of a sniper named Murphy. In the 1860’s, eight relatives fought for the Union and two for the Confederacy. His grandfather was part of a military police unit during World War I. His dad fought and was injured in the Battle of the Bulge during World War II. He knew his dad was a veteran, but Worden’s attraction to the military really developed in high school when he joined the ROTC drill team. After graduation he refused track and football scholarships and joined the Army. His dad refused a Purple Heart for his role in the Battle of the Bulge because he did not want his mother to know he was wounded. The refusal—which erased all documentation of the offered medal, and with it medical documentation of any injury—would be problematic later when he sought treatment at the VA. As far as the Army was concerned, the claimed medical condition was nonexistent. As a result of his own health issues, including prostate cancer—presumed to be linked to Agent Orange—and those of his dad, Worden began volunteering as a Service Officer with the Disabled American Veterans (DAV)

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twelve years ago. He now helps fellow veterans obtain educational, medical and/ or compensation benefits to which they are entitled. One of the biggest challenges in working with the DAV is confirming veterans know the benefits for which they qualify. He believes he is an effective Service Officer because of his own personal experience and the annual training he receives.

Worden admits he had to mature before he could learn. He volunteered to fly helicopters, completing basic training at Ft. Polk (now Ft. Johnson) in Louisiana. He then went to flight school at Fort Wolters, Texas. His first solo flight was in an OH13 in 1968. With his pilot’s license he also received a secret security clearance allowing him to deliver mail and information to field officers.

The closest Veteran’s Hospital is in Marion, Illinois. It provides a range of physical and behavioral treatment as well as rehab and vocational guidance. Worden estimates he receives 90-100 phone inquiries monthly and probably meets with 25-30 veterans weekly. Meetings usually occur at the DAV Building in Paducah. One of Worden’s networking opportunities occurs at the annual Ballard Memorial Bowl. This year, Ballard, nicknamed the Bombers, took on the South Fulton football team on August 25 at Bomber Field. As signified by the word “Memorial” appearing in the school’s name, the campus was named in honor and remembrance of Ballard County veterans who died while serving their country. Worden sets up a table at each Memorial Bowl to make contact with veterans and schedule appointments to discuss potential benefits.

His flying career was shortlived. To take shelter from a rainstorm he jumped onto a bus, bumped his head, and split it open, requiring thirteen stitches. From the accident he developed dizziness which eliminated him from flying—a definite downside. But there was an upside—his four-year hitch was reduced to two years.

Worden is one of eight entities responsible for planning Paducah’s annual Veteran’s Day Parade and Celebration which includes a sunrise reveille service. The parade was reinvigorated by Albert Jones about eleven years ago. Worden also serves as Historian of Kentucky’s DAV Chapter 7.

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He returned to Ft. Polk and entered clerk school. Like Burkart, Worden’s first challenge was learning to type—a common thread in this article. When ready to be loosed on the world, he was sent to Vietnam where he served as an assistant postal clerk at Soc Trang Airbase. One of his responsibilities was selling money orders to soldiers. His suspicions were aroused when he noticed a series of men coming to the post office to buy $1,000

money orders—that was unusual—most requests were for less than $500. In addition to seeking denominations of only $1,000, each man wore brand new clothes—not fatigues that had obviously been laundered; wore a .45 pistol on his hip; and bore a patch from an unfamiliar military base on his shoulder. Worden—a Specialist 4, the equivalent of a corporal at the time—shared his suspicions with his first sergeant. Both men received commendations for breaking up a ring of deserters. Worden received another Army Commendation—this one for serving in a non-combat position in a combat zone from April 1969-April 1970. Worden began his medal collection while in Junior ROTC (Junior Reserve Officer Training Corp) in high school in Memphis. In one

year he was recognized as a Superior Cadet for being first out of 200 students; received the Sons of the American Revolution medal (awarded to top 10 students in City of Memphis); Distinguished Cadet; and Outstanding Cadet. Because of his successful Junior ROTC career, he felt the military was a good choice. Both his dad and granddad had served in the Army, but neither made it a career. Worden considered no branch but the Army. He didn’t want to join the infantry—too much death— making flight school a good option.

He’s earned a display case full of medals and commendations including two Army commendation medals; a good conduct medal; a national defense medal; a Vietnam campaign medal and a Vietnam service medal. After a year in Soc Trang, he came home and left the military. He went to college, graduating with a Bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Tennessee at Martin. He then went to Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Ft. Worth, Texas where he completed a Master’s degree in Religious Education. He served as a Minister of Education, Music, and Youth for about five years in Texas and Tennessee. In Paducah, he served as Minister of Education at Lone Oak Baptist Church. In 1981 he left the ministry. Describing himself as overeducated but underqualified, he took a variety of jobs. He worked at both Olivet and Immanuel Baptist Churches. He taught both Human and Regional Geography, and Introduction to Sociology at Paducah Community College. He was a dispatcher and bill collector for Roadway Trucking. In 2012, as he prepared to conclude his career as a Supervisor at GAF Materials Corporation in Calvert City (later known as ISP, and then Ashland Chemical Company), he explored VA care for himself. A hearing issue allowed him to become part of the DAV, and he quickly became a Service Officer. He turned the typing skills he had developed in the Army into computer skills allowing him to search his family’s genealogy. Around 2014 he joined the Paducah Ambassadors, rose

to become President of the volunteer group responsible for greeting visitors and promoting community events, and currently serves as its Public Relations Officer. He’s been a docent at the National Quilt Museum for nearly 20 years where he gives tours and specializes in children’s events. His wife, Donna, whom he married in 1984, was interested in quilts and inspired Worden to begin researching them. After volunteering to man the door at the Quilt Show in 2004, he was hooked. Over time he became comfortable enough to give a good Museum tour which he does frequently. I asked about the accuracy of the MASH television series in portraying war. He said his experience was similar to the show, but it’s a matter of the year(s) a particular soldier served

VA KENTUCKY Mayfield VA Outpatient Clinic 1253 Paris Rd A, Mayfield, KY 42066 (270) 247-2455 Mayfield Field Rep Michael Fries Cell (270) 705-6656 Fax (270) 780-3630 michael.fries@ky.gov Paducah VA Outpatient Clinic 2620 Perkins Creek Dr, Paducah, KY 42001 (270) 444-8465

and the base/location of the service. Commenting on changes in military service, he said he wrote letters home, but it could take a month to write a letter and receive a response. Now, a spouse may complain if two days pass without contact from the enlisted spouse. He considers himself to have been a typical soldier. He had anxiety issues when he came home, but it never rose to Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). He noted truck drivers serving in Afghanistan have the greatest number of injuries due to roads being mined with IADs. As a Service Officer he meets with many former soldiers who served when they were young and are now preparing for retirement and later life. His advice to them—“document every health condition.” The amount of the benefit

being paid may be small now, but the condition will likely worsen, and the amount of the payment may increase.

to these two veterans, and those who precede and succeed them. Because of their willingness to serve, we are free.

Worden noted “veterans breed veterans.” Some people never served; some were ineligible to serve. His son, for example, has knock knees which precludes military service. In his experience, veterans are patriotic, and Republicans and Democrats find common ground speaking about the military.

Written By: Carol Ullerich

When interviewing these two veterans, I was struck by the vital role typing played in their careers. For both, learning to type was a challenge. Kids today are introduced to cellphones and keyboards before kindergarten. The military taught these two men to type, and it became an integral part of their service to America. We are grateful

Veterans Affairs

Carol Livingston, SSgt. USAF Veteran KY Department of Veterans Affairs Field Representative II WKCTC-KDVA 2620 Perkins Creek Dr. Paducah, KY 42001 Cell (270) 556-0474 Fax (270) 495 -0835 carol.livingston@ky.gov Disabled American Veterans-KY Robert Worden, Service Officer 1133 Murray Ave. Paducah, KY 42002 270-444-9808

Andy G Burkart, CPCU, CLU, RICP, RHU, AAI, QRV, LLC ALL VETERANS All Lines Insurance & Retirement Risk Mgmt Assistance (Pro Bono) Paducah, KY Cell (920) 912-4556

Weakly County TN Department of Veterans Affairs Field Representative Ron Cheatham 116 W Main St. - G-04, Dresden, TN 38225 (731) 364-5727

VA ILLINOIS Marion VA Medical Center 2401 W Main St, Marion, IL 62959 (618) 997-5311

Dyersburg VA Outpatient Clinic 1067 Vendall Rd, Dyersburg, TN 38024 (731) 287-7289

VA TENNESSEE Obion County TN Department of Veterans Affairs Field Representative Walter “Walt” W. Asher 622 Depot Street Union City, TN 38261 (731) 885-2781 www.embracingtheaged.com

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Just like it’s wise to pre-pack a “go bag” for an emergency trip, flood, or tornado, consider organizing your medical and legal papers when you are calm and keep them updated in case you must unexpectedly evacuate your home or make an unplanned trip to the emergency room. If you choose to do this, what medium will you use? Most likely you’ll choose a paper version you keep in a plastic pouch in your go bag or an electronic version you or a loved one will access via a cell phone or laptop. A combination of the two may work best for you. Whatever method you choose, begin by corralling your medical records into one spot. This may be easier said than done. First, most doctor offices keep up with patients electronically, but rarely do patient portals talk to one another. Second, arrange your medical history and current health info by nature of health condition and date. Third, list all medications—both current and prior. Fourth, keep all medical bills and insurance documents. Fifth, create a list of contacts with phone numbers, physical addresses and e-mail addresses of family members, doctors, and pharmacies, you, or someone on your behalf, may need to contact. Don’t rely on memory for these details. While studying senior cardiac patients, researchers at Johns Hopkins Medicine found folks who kept a personal health record enjoyed better health— maybe because they and their caregivers had a heightened view of their health and could quickly respond rather than spending time reconstructing one’s medical history. In an

emergency, having your records neatly organized in one accessible spot may enable health care providers to diagnose your condition quicker and speed your recovery. Organizing health care records, may—but doesn’t have to—be overwhelming. These tips may help you document your healthcare journey. 1. List all providers, with current contact info, and role played in your life. This is critical if you have multiple health care issues, providers, and appointments. Records from the last 12 months should be maintained in your to go file. Anything older should be bundled in a separate package and maintained for historical purposes. Include these items in your Go Folder: • Family health history (particularly parents, siblings, and grandparents) • Personal health history (conditions, ongoing treatment, how well conditions are controlled, prior surgeries, accidents, and hospitalizations) • Doctor visit summaries and notes • Hospital discharge summaries • Pharmacy printouts received with medications. Nearly half of patients in a blood pressure study could not name any of their medications. • Test results (blood work, urine tests, X-rays, MRIs, bone density scans, mammograms, and prostate screenings), especially if the patient has regularly scheduled blood tests. Having multiple records allows tracking of routine tests

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• •

saving valuable time when making a diagnosis. Insurance forms related to medical treatment Legal documents, especially a living will and medical power of attorney

2. Note any goals toward which you are actively working and share them with your treatment providers, especially when a change in treatment is being considered. 3. Note symptoms and side effects—especially of any chronic condition. A record of blood pressure, blood sugar, nutritional changes, activities, and stress levels—with times of day—may help your physician determine whether suspicious changes are related to your condition or your medications. It may also be helpful to make

notes about the patient’s response to medications and treatments. Specifically note the medication given, time, dosage, and result. These details will help the physician assess whether there were any adverse effects of treatments. 4. Use technology, specifically online health records, to streamline recordkeeping and record sharing. Create a means of remembering login credentials and passwords and making them available to yourself and a second contact. 5. Practice redundancy. Prepare multiple copies. One for the car, one for the purse—in case a routine doctor visit results in hospital admission, one kept in a safe, and one provided to another for safekeeping at a different location. Written By: Carol Ullerich

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tricity; the home was lit with coal oil lamps and heated by a pot belly stove. When Mable finished her junior year of school and turned 16—a momentous time—she went to Mayfield to live with her aunt and work at the Merit Clothing Factory Clubhouse. Romance quickly bloomed. Several of Mable’s relatives lived in Mayfield and someone mentioned Mable to James McClure, a farmer three or four years her senior. The pair met at the Clubhouse Mable’s aunt managed. For Mable, it was love at first sight.

“Spunk” is synonymous with “pluck, spirit and liveliness.” Four words describing “to a T” 96-year-young Mable Ray. Stephanie Edwards, Executive Director of Brookdale in Murray, brought long-time resident Mable to our attention. Upon meeting Mable, I discovered her zest for life and warmth are infectious. Born in 1927, Mable spent her youth in Wingo, Kentucky, with her parents and four siblings. She was a good student, walking about half a mile each day to catch the school bus. Her dad built roadbeds around Graves County. Her mother and grandmother, both homemakers, taught her farm life. A family orchard separated her parent’s home from that of her grandmother, Mammy Johnson. Apple pies were plentiful. Another strong memory is her mom’s warning not to climb on a cabinet. Mable disobeyed, climbed atop the cabinet and—as predicted—broke her mother’s favorite butter dish. Mable ran to Mammy for help. Mammy talked to Mable’s mom—a gentle spirit— and Mable avoided a paddling. Mable “clung” to her daddy when she was young. As the oldest girl, she fixed her father’s daily lunch—usually a biscuit and fried egg with a bit of meat. When she was young, kids were assigned chores by age eight. She began each morning milking the cow and collecting cold water from the cistern. Her family home had just three rooms. A kitchen, a living room where her parents stayed, and a third room with sleeping space. There was no elec-

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James arranged for them to go on a date with another couple. After a three-month courtship, unbeknownst to her parents, a Justice of the Peace married McClure and Mable at the Mayfield courthouse—a bride at sixteen. They spent their wedding night in her in-laws’ home in Pilot Oak. Mable returned to her childhood home only once as a married woman. Mable stayed home for four years while McClure farmed and received training through the GI Bill. The couple was not blessed with children. She described McClure as “the boss” of the marriage. McClure took a job on the cutting room floor of Henry I. Seigel (HIS), maker of Chic jeans, in South Fulton, Tennessee, about eleven miles from the couple’s home in Pilot Oak. Shortly thereafter, Mable also joined the HIS workforce. Still a teenager, she fibbed on her job application saying she was 21. She began as a hemmer, then replaced absent workers, and ultimately became a supervisor. She was a proud member of the flagship HIS factory that earned the Quality Award three years running. At age thirty, Mable took her first plane ride. HIS sent her to visit another factory for a week. Upon her return, she suggested the local plant switch to a stronger needle to lessen breakage and recommended using a different sewing gauge. Her ideas improved Chic jeans. A small dog kept McClure and Mable company. When the dog died, a cat arrived, but it ultimately lived with the neighbors who had children. McClure died at age 59. He had gone to the doctor, leaving halfway through

the exam to check on his cattle. He returned to the doctor’s office later that day and died suddenly. Mable had created a lovely home with McClure in Pilot Oak. Pictures show a home exquisitely decorated, especially at Thanksgiving and Christmas. She continued living there after McClure’s death. Mable has buried three husbands— in her words, “three good men.” Like her first spouse, she married her second husband, James Paschall, at the courthouse in Mayfield. He worked at a local tobacco barn. Someone told him about Mable. He brought her to Paducah on a date. She “looked him over real good, and he decided they would go together.” They married and lived in Mable’s Pilot Oak home. An addition was built to create living quarters for Paschall’s mother. Mable and Paschall began looking for land in Murray on which to build a new home. He retired and Mable swapped the Pilot Oak land for a lot in Murray. Like McClure, Paschall died suddenly during a medical appointment. Paschall’s daughter still checks on Mable and takes her to doctor appointments. Mable described Paschall as “wonderful.” The couple sold antiques from their home and at flea markets around Hazel. “All about fun,” is Mable’s memory of John Ray, her third husband. They married at Sinking Springs Baptist Church on March 31, 2002. The day was marked by a multi-tiered cake, a

bubbly toast, and a room filled with friends and family from all three of her marriages—a dream wedding that still gives her great joy. Mable has lived at Brookdale seven years. She was unaware Brookdale even existed until a neighbor arranged a visit for her. When Mable moved in—a decision she’s never regretted— she knew no one, but quickly met a group of people who are now friends. She serves as a Brookdale Welcome Ambassador. She doesn’t know why, but soon after arriving at Brookdale she alone was given fresh flowers and containers and asked to make floral arrangements for the dining tables. She did as asked and enjoyed the task. The assignment may have resulted from the large perennial bed she tended at her home and her decorating prowess. Mable likes the food, the people, and most Brookdale activities. An event she does not miss is weekly craft class. She urges other residents to take part

too. Her suite at Brookdale is filled with her colorful creations. Mable’s health has been good. She received a pacemaker in 2022 and has a wheelchair and a walker that converts to a chair. While Mable never had children of her own, she is blessed with family from her three husbands. A stepdaughter, nephew and his wife are frequent visitors. And, she has many Brookdale friends. Two “girls” dine with her daily; a third died, “but I know she’s in a better place.” Mable is particularly grateful for the staff. “Once I was fixin’ to fall and Stephanie (Brookdale’s Executive Director) caught me. She called an ambulance and Jennifer Willoughby, Brookdale’s Resident Care Coordinator, followed me to the hospital. The staff care for me. If someone doesn’t like being at Brookdale, I don’t know why.“ Mable used to drive. Her Buick “represented freedom; I could go where I wanted. I bought it when I married my third husband. We would go to the lake and the river.” She likes movies,

especially love stories. “Gone With the Wind” and Elvis Presley were favorites, as was the soap opera, “Guiding Light.” And then there’s religion. Her mother was not “saved,” but she wanted Mable to know the Lord. When Mable’s mother was hospitalized, Mable went to visit her. Her mother had already passed, but Mable was allowed to spend time with her. Mable “got to talkin’ to (her) mother, and then the Lord spoke to me, and that’s when I was saved.” “Finding the Lord changed my life completely.” Every Tuesday at Brookdale, Mable shares her faith by leading a devotional. At age 96, Mable is spunky, spirited, lively, and full of pluck, making her highly deserving of the Senior Spotlight. Written By: Carol Ullerich

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Open enrollment, the time when seniors 65 and older purchase health insurance, begins October 15, 2023, and closes December 7, 2023. Whether you turn 65 this year, or will qualify in the future, it is neither too early—nor too late—to educate and prepare yourself for the opening of your window. Ninety days before and after your 65th birthday is your initial enrollment period. Medicare is a health insurance program funded by your work history. Social Security is income. Once a person has worked forty quarters—a decade—Medicare Part A is cost-free. Part B for 2023 has a $164.10 premium. Medicare Part C (also known as Medicare Advantage) is an alternative policy with a premium based on policy type. Deciphering Medicare can be scary and frustrating. You may choose to consult a trusted insurance broker to learn your options. Keep in mind, no matter how kind and well-meaning, an insurance agent has a personal stake in making a sale. When meeting with your insurance broker, bring your medication list (to determine whether cur-

18 Embracing the Aged

rent prescriptions are covered), along with your list of doctors (to make certain all are participants), and carefully compare details of your current plan to your circumstances, needs, and any plan being considered. If you need and/or want assistance in navigating open enrollment from someone without a financial stake in your decision—whose only goal is your welfare and helping you understand how Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security work to maximize your benefits at the lowest cost to you—you are in luck. The Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) is ready, willing and able to explain your options and help you find the insurance plan that works best for you. SMP is a state program funded by a federal grant. Let Alana Miller, SMP Coordinator for Livingston, Lyon, McCracken, Ballard, and Carlisle Counties, be your guide and sounding board. Reach Alana and her team of volunteers at 270-442-8993. Education began in September. October 1, 2023, SMP will begin scheduling appointments to discuss open enrollment. SMP cannot access your personal information before October 15th.

SMP’s mission is to empower and assist Medicare beneficiaries, families, and caregivers. A major goal of their mission is reducing the $60 billion dollars lost annually to fraud, errors, and abuse associated with senior health care. The tools SMP uses to prevent, detect, and report potential Medicare fraud are conducting outreach and education; making phone calls and presentations; recruiting and training volunteers; and organizing and participating in community events. Here are valuable starting points for seniors: How, When and Where Do I Apply for Medicare? Call the Social Security Office 90 days before your 65th birthday to schedule an appointment to enroll in Medicare Parts A, B and D. Bring your birth certificate and Social Security card to the appointment. If you are also signing up for Social Security, you will be asked a series of questions. Agents helping with Social Security will work hard to make certain your income calculation is correct, and your benefit is maximized. Medicare Part C, known as Medicare Advantage, requires separate enrollment.

• •

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• 1. 2. 3. 4.

Important Terms, Facts & Definitions: Medicare enrollment occurs at age 65. A Supplement covers Medicare deductibles and co-insurance amounts. The 2023 Medicare inpatient deductible is $1,600 per admission. Medicare Part B has a $226 deductible, and the beneficiary is responsible for 20% of the Medicare amount allowed. Supplemental plans may pay all, but the $226 Part B deductible is based on the plan purchased. If you choose to stay with original Medicare only, the amount you may owe for Part B services is unlimited. The beneficiary may pay a premium for a Medicare Advantage Plan and may be responsible for an out-of-pocket amount due for copays on services rendered. Be sure your physician participates in the plan you choose. Look for a plan that pays everything after the $226 deductible is exhausted. Part D plans pay for your prescriptions. Plans range in price and premiums vary. Check your current medications—are they covered? Use your Medicare.gov account to review Part D options. Before joining Medicare Advantage or a Medigap plan, ask these questions: May I use my current doctor? How does this plan work with my current coverage? Will this plan pay for my drugs? Are any extra benefits provided and if so, what are they?

Protect Yourself: 1. Guard your Social Security number and your Medicare number - do not casually reveal either to strangers. Report suspicious phone calls seeking personal information to SMP of Kentucky at 270-816-6650. 2. Keep in mind: All unsolicited phone calls and television advertising pertaining to Medicare promote the sale of a Medicare Part C product. 3. Carefully read your Medicare statements and Medicare Summary Notice of Explanation of Benefits statements. Report suspicious charges to local SMP or directly to CMS. Look for these items: • Do unauthorized charges appear on your statement and/or summary? • Were you billed for services or supplies you did not receive? • Were you billed for services not directed by your doctor? • Were you double-billed for the same service or supplies? • Review all doctors’ orders to confirm you received all medicine ordered by your doctors. • Question everything. • Do not sign paperwork immediately. Read when you are calm. Sign only when confident you understand and agree with what you are signing. • Call local SMP services in Livingston, Lyon, McCracken, Ballard and Carlisle Counties at 270-4428993 to ask questions and request beneficial training before open enrollment begins. Kathie Hunt and Alana Miller are ready to help you navigate Medicare.

Scams to Avoid: Billing Medicare for durable medical equipment, identified as “DME.” Delivery drivers promising gifts. Use caution when speaking by telephone to an insurance company— the phone call will be recorded. If you answer “YES,” to any question during the call, your words could be altered to make it sound as though you gave permission for the company to change your plan. IF YOU DID NOT INITIATE THE CALL, HANG UP. Parting Thoughts: If you have already turned 65 and have not contacted the Social Security Office, or you believe you may have chosen the wrong policy, call SMP for direction. FINALLY, ARE YOU WILLING TO VOLUNTEER? Apply online at Matthew@PMCSC. org, if you: • are civic-minded; • want to make a difference helping seniors; • want to detect and eliminate healthcare waste and fraud; • are willing to learn about Medicare and how it works; • and, can pass a criminal background check. Written By: Carol Ullerich

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20 Embracing the Aged

later she quilted the top and presented it to him—it remains a prized possession.

Dr. Hilary Hunt is a decorated orthopedic surgeon, soldier, musician, historian, gardener, sportsman, innovator and self-published author. He practiced medicine in Mayfield, Fort Campbell and Paducah for 37 years, retiring in 1997. While he has many strengths, his forte was repairing recurrent dislocation of the shoulder. Along the way he introduced new medical procedures to Paducah—including arthroscopy in 1977. Many thought this technique, now a routinely used diagnostic and surgical tool, was a flash in the pan, but he saw it as the forefront of orthopedic surgery. Fiberoptic techniques are now used in many medical specialties. Hunt became such an authority on the subject, orthopedic surgeons came to Paducah from around the nation, including the renowned Campbell Clinic in Memphis, Tennessee, where Hunt had trained, to observe him and learn his techniques. He also influenced seven Vietnam-era military doctors to become orthopedic surgeons; and, in addition to himself, inspired eight family members to make medicine or dentistry their chosen profession. He turns 90 this October, but you wouldn’t know it by his extraordinary recall of facts, figures and geography. Exuding vim and vigor, he proves age IS just a number. Not bad for starting life in a tobacco patch. A native of Fancy Farm in Graves County, Kentucky, Hunt was raised in a three-room shack with a back porch. By age five, he knew he was poor and responsible for himself. The family home was warmed by a wood-burning heater stove and food was prepared on a wood-burning cook stove until 1951 when Hunt turned 18 and his parents could finally afford electrici-

ty. The fifth of six boys, all served in the military, and two became doctors. Hunt, and two siblings, ages 88 and 95, survive. His two childhood playgrounds were the tracks of the Illinois Central Edgewood Cutoff freight line, which ran a few feet from his front door and through western McCracken County, and a forest of virgin timber surrounding two sides of the family shack where he frequently explored with his dog, Ole Bear, and hunted squirrels from age ten. “I thought of myself as a Daniel Boone, an explorer—I’d imagine I grew up in the Wild West.” He killed his first gray rabbit with a 12-gauge shotgun at the age of seven and was hunting alone three years later. Once he collected 299 eggs in a single day from the family’s 300 laying hens. Born into poverty, by age seven he was proficient in setting tobacco plants with a wooden peg, plowing that tobacco behind a mule, and snaring wild rabbits in a trap. He still builds that same trap today and says the best bait for catching rabbits is an apple core or corn nubbin. In the spring of his ninth year, his dad kept him out of school to break ground for planting. By age eleven, he had 35 rabbit traps, and with Ole Bear would kill two or three rabbits every day after school. One year he sold 308 dressed rabbits, amassing $154 at .50 cents apiece. With his earnings, the next February he bought a lightweight baseball bat for .75 cents. His first swing shattered the bat. Bored at the end of hunting season, he pieced together a “spider web patterned” quilt top using fabric scraps his mother brought home from work—she worked at three different Mayfield clothing factories during her lifetime. Thirty-two years

He’d learned about white rabbits from Delphine Thomas, the assistant priest. When Hunt saw a white rabbit, he didn’t see a pet, he saw dollar signs. He planned to breed and sell them for meat. He launched his hutch with two does and a buck. Within a year he had 184 plump white rabbits ready for market. That July Hunt slaughtered and dressed six of the fattest hares for his father to sell. Regrettably, none sold, and all were discarded. A hard learned lesson—squirrel, not rabbit—was eaten in summer. Disheartened, Hunt photographed one rabbit before releasing all of them into the wild, never to see them again. His mother, Anna, who attended Nazareth College for two years, was interested in everything—a trait he inherited. In 1935, while pregnant with her sixth son, a young priest prevailed upon her to write the history of St. Jerome Church and Fancy Farm. Her completed work was published in 1945 as part of a 4-volume set, A Sesquicentennial History of Kentucky, compiled by Frederick A. Wallis et al. In high school Hunt excelled in basketball and baseball; both came naturally. It’s clear he did—and does—everything with intensity. He still strives to be the best at everything he tries. He learned to play basketball on a dirt court—the spot where Bingo is played today at the St. Jerome Church picnic. “If I got the ball, I was going to score.” His senior year he received honorable mention on the All-Purchase Team. In his day, players could rarely shoot from much beyond the free throw line because any arched shot would hit the low ceiling. Two examples were Blandville and Cunningham—small communities big enough to have a school with a gym. Once, when the St. Jerome Golden Gophers played the Lowe’s Blue Devils, Hunt scored to send the game into three consecutive overtimes, plus the game-winning shot. At 6’ tall, he made 87% of his foul shots and could “time

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the toss of the jump ball.” His highest score was 25 points against Milburn. In 1995-96, he successfully coached his stepsons to play better basketball by instilling determination in them. He didn’t like their “iffy” play; preferring they “always make a determined effort, not a half-hearted one.” In the summer of 1952, Hunt attended a Saint Louis Cardinal tryout camp at Paducah’s Brooks Stadium. When the camp was dismissed, he and another prospect were asked to stay. The scout advised Hunt he had superior catching skills, a great arm, and superior batting style. He offered Hunt a contract with the Cardinals. Upon learning Hunt planned to be a doctor, the scout advised him to pursue medicine instead of baseball because he couldn’t run very fast. He was High School class valedictorian, honed his lifelong love of reading—partly from books his older brothers brought home from World War II—and earned a scholastic scholarship to St. Edward’s University in Austin, Texas—then known as the Notre Dame of the South where he would study pre-med. The City of New Orleans train carried him from Fulton to Memphis where he switched to the Missouri Pacific Eagle which took him to Little Rock and on to Austin. Along the way, he saw firsthand the towns he had read about all his life. His thirst to learn everything partially sated, he began preparing to be a doctor. About two months into his first semester at St. Ed’s, he turned 18, became draft-eligible, and voted for Dwight D. Eisenhower in his first election. He also registered for the draft in San Antonio, Texas; underwent a military physical; and received a 2-S student deferment. Hunt started medical school at St. Louis University in 1954, paying tuition for the first two of four years with money from a tobacco crop. He married Mary Lou Cash, his high school sweetheart, in 1955. They would eventually have four sons and a daughter. Between his sophomore and

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junior years, he did an externship at the Fuller-Morgan Hospital & Clinic in Mayfield, where he became acquainted with Dr. Will Howe Fuller and his wife, Eloise. Dr. Fuller helped him obtain a $3,000 loan from the Kentucky Rural Medical Scholarship Fund to partially pay for his last two years of medical school. The only requirement for loan repayment was a mandated practice in a rural setting for two years. Mayfield qualified as “rural,” and luckily, was near his hometown of Fancy Farm. As it had been his entire life, money was tight in medical school. During his senior year, he worked four extra jobs and was on call almost every other night. He performed special duty nursing for $45 a night; worked the Emergency Room at McDonnell Douglas Aircraft Corporation earning $45-$50 for each three-hour shift; performed insurance physicals at $10 each; and in spring, cut sod and trimmed trees for the uncle of baseball phenom Harmon Killebrew. Hunt also had unorthodox jobs for a med student while in St. Louis. He briefly worked for the Terminal Railroad Association, until railroads—passenger and freight lines— crashed due to competition from airlines and the trucking industry. He made custom picture frames for the Adler Frame Company. In 1956, he took a job paying $1.10 an hour making custom picture frames for a man who was kind but knew nothing about the business he was managing. After Hunt created a workshop and built an assembly line for the company, he earned $25.00 every day he turned out 500 document frames used by Anheuser-Busch and other breweries to display barroom certificates. When Hunt graduated from medical school in 1958, he began a yearlong internship at St. Louis City Hospital, followed by a yearlong general surgery residency at St. Louis County Hospital. He then practiced in Mayfield from July of 1960 until June of 1962. With Mary Lou’s agreement, he decided he wanted to train to be an Orthopedic surgeon at the Campbell Clinic in Memphis, Tennessee—which he

deemed to be “the epicenter of orthopedic surgery.” His first call to the clinic indicated no trainee openings. When Hunt mentioned that to Mrs. Fuller, she put her finger against his nose and told him he was not to take “NO!” for an answer. He obeyed, made a demanding phone call to the Campbell Clinic, and was admitted to the Clinic’s program in July of 1962 when a candidate who had been accepted was drafted creating a vacancy Hunt eagerly filled. About half the patients the Clinic treated had polio-related maladies. Two years into the program, Dr. Harold Boyd invited Hunt to collaborate on a scientific paper about repairing recurrent shoulder dislocation with a new surgical technique called modified duToit staple capsulorrhaphy which offered a permanent cure with minimal, if any, loss of function; all prior procedures resulted in severely restricted shoulder motion. Hunt accepted—he would do the research; Boyd would be the principal author. Results of the ground-breaking project were near perfect and published in just five months—record time—as the lead article in the December 1965 issue of The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery. The previous March, Boyd had taught Hunt a process he had developed called “tube drip-suction antibiotic internal irrigation of contaminated wounds.” Hunt would use the procedure in his future private practice and at Fort Campbell. All orthopedic trainees nationwide were required to take Part I of the American Board of Orthopedic Surgery examination. Hunt and two fellow trainees completed the daylong, ten-part exam in Atlanta in May of 1965. Uncharacteristically, the Board notified Dr. Boyd that Hunt had made a perfect score on the Pathology Section of the test, answering 200 questions without error—a feat so rare it deserved special comment. Hunt completed his residency training at the Campbell Clinic in June of 1965 and returned to Mayfield to become a hometown doctor as he had al-

ways intended. In the ensuing years, he mastered the staple capsulorrhaphy, performing about 200 in his career. A month later he rejoined the Fuller-Morgan group in Mayfield and practiced two years before being drafted into military service in August of 1967. Hunt completed basic training at Ft. Sam Houston that September. The 101st Airborne, based at Ft. Campbell, was ordered to ship out to Vietnam in Southeast Asia on Christmas Eve 1967. Instead of Vietnam, Hunt was ordered to Ft. Campbell where he was appointed Chief of Orthopedic Service. His command included care of the 101st Airborne, plus a 26,000-man basic training unit; the Clarksville Naval Base commanded by the Navy and Marines and thought to be a secret underground command center; and thousands of dependents living in a 50mile radius of Ft. Campbell. His average daily hospital patient census was 1,500— about 1,000 of whom were basic trainees with stress fractures being managed by podiatrists under Hunt’s direction. Other jobs were examining hundreds of people, operating on soldiers wounded in Vietnam, and answering Congressional investigations spawned by soldiers who did not want to be in service. Three orthopedic surgeons on base saw roughly 100 outpatients daily. When discharged in August of 1969, Hunt was a Lieutenant Colonel, and had repaired 30 to 40 recurrent anterior shoulder dislocations on soldiers. He doesn’t know for sure, but believes he received the Meritorious Service Medal for three reasons: he introduced two new medical procedures to the military (one of them being the irrigation method Dr. Boyd had taught him just three months before finishing his residency at the Campbell Clinic); took on a US Congressman who threatened to close Ft. Campbell over an unsubstantiated claim from a soldier who wanted out of the military; and, the precision and diligence with which he ran the Orthopedic Service. Because of the changes Hunt brought to the base, he left Ft. Campbell

a hero. Before he arrived, all records were handwritten, unreadable and severely backlogged. When he left, all medical records were dictated, typed and timely completed. More importantly, under his command, no patient developed an infection and there were no recurrent dislocated shoulders—items of which the Pentagon took close notice. He was given the option of doing another four-year hitch with promotion to a full colonel, but he was ready to go home. Still, he continued serving by going to the base monthly as consultant. In 1969, Hunt moved to Paducah and quickly formed The Paducah Orthopedic Clinic, a partnership with hunting buddy Bob Miller. Since 1967, Miller had been the only orthopedic surgeon in Paducah; when Hunt arrived, there were two in a 140-mile radius. With all patients from surrounding cities and states—as far away as Evansville, Dyersburg, St. Louis and Elizabethtown—coming to Paducah, it was a nightmare. Referrals came from physicians and pleased patients. When Hunt began using arthroscopy, all Murray State athletes were referred to him. The growth of the practice was exponential. They set up shop in Miller’s old office in the Citizen’s Bank Building. In 1972, they moved into a new building of Hunt’s design behind Lourde’s Hospital. They added a new doctor. They outgrew the four original exam rooms and added three more. They added more doctors. The workload was still overwhelming. By 1987, the partnership had grown to six doctors, with the sixth man being Dr. Philip Hunt, who, like his dad, had also trained at the Campbell Clinic. The duo practiced together for a decade before dad retired in 1997. Lourdes Hospital opened in 1973 with five floors despite the blueprint showing eight. The sixth floor had been roughed in but was incomplete; the seventh and eighth floors did not exist. When Lourdes sought to add more beds, Hunt acted to clear a logjam preventing issuance of a certificate

of need for the expansion. The lack of beds caused patients to suffer and frustrated doctors. Not knowing the original plan called for eight floors, Hunt took it upon himself to attempt to ensure Lourdes received a certificate of need to complete the sixth floor. He drew up a petition and acquired signatures from all area physicians in support. After a quick flight to Frankfort and an impromptu meeting with then-Governor Julian Carroll, the certificate was issued allowing completion of not only the sixth floor, but also construction and completion of the seventh and eighth floors. Hunt served as Lourde’s Chief of Staff in his last decade of practice. The OR Staff Lounge—where his portrait hangs—is named in his honor. He was moved by the many surgical techs and physicians who attended the dedication. Golf is a prime example of Hunt needing “to know not a little about some things, but everything about everything.” He had always thought golf was a “sissy” sport—because he did not understand it. Unbeknownst to Hunt, Mary Lou had given clubs to their two oldest boys. He did not know the boys had been hitting golf balls between rows of officer housing at Ft. Campbell. Admittedly, he had been so focused on work the prior 30 months he barely knew his name. Memorial Day, 1970—Hunt’s first day “off,” the boys approached him for the first time about playing golf. Hunt knew nothing about golf but bought a complete set of Hogan clubs at the Paducah Country Club that day. He’s right-handed but swings the golf club left-handed. The outing was pleasant and his intensity for golf immediately soared. He tried to correct a horrible slice; he played 54 holes in one day; he subscribed to Golf Digest and Golf Magazine. Nothing helped. After playing five to six years with no lessons and no improvement, he and Mary Lou attended golf school in Florida taught by pro golfers Jim Flick and Davis Love. Both he and Mary Lou improved and returned to the school the next year, improving even more. In 1986, at age 52 with a golf handicap

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of 3, Hunt won the Senior Championship at the Paducah Country Club. His handicap climbed to 6 or 7 by age 80, but at age 82 he still won the Club’s Super-Senior Championship. Now that he’s turning 90, his golf scores aren’t as competitive, and his golf handicap is around 15. He’s developed arthritis in his hips and the vertebrae in his back are collapsing, but he can still lift one hundred pounds. Mary Lou succumbed to cancer in 1990. Lonely and heartbroken, Hunt called Mary Lou’s younger sister, Virginia, who was recently divorced. He’d known Ginny since childhood and asked if she had any interest in seeing him. She agreed there was potential for a relationship and they began courting, marrying in 1994. Many of Hunt’s interests, like hunting, began as a child and persist today. Despite having cerebral palsy in his right forefinger, he’s built fine furniture and performed delicate surgery. He grows a sizeable garden—enough for family, friends and neighbors with plenty more to share. A portion of his backyard is dedicated to 140 tomato plants from which he personally cans 200 pints of tomatoes for himself. To outwit varmints, the plants are caged in rebar and galvanized wire, and grown under irrigated black plastic. Hunt consumes a pint of tomatoes daily—“because I like them; I have since I was a child.” In a second garden beside his home, he grows 150 pepper plants; 190 cabbage plants; two rows of sweet potatoes; two rows of black-eyed peas, pole snap beans, corn, and watermelon. Blackberries grow nearby. The excess harvest goes to the Community Kitchen whose need he learned of from good friend Glen Titsworth. He’s also sold produce to Bank’s Market. With gentle nudging, Hunt entered the McCracken County Fair Flower Show for the first time in June 2023, taking home several blue ribbons for plump, pristine veggies. Lest you think Hilary is the only Hunt

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brother of notoriety. You are wrong. His brother, Joe, also a doctor, bills himself the “Mule-man of the World.” Living in Carleton, Michigan, Joe drives a hitch of eight Fancy Farm Mules, appearing in the local parade every July since 1986. Most Wednesday mornings from 10:00 a.m. til noon, Hunt jams with friends at Super City Antiques & Collectibles, 700 Market Street in Metropolis, Illinois. The group was loosely organized 40 to 50 years ago by Bill Parker, a retired orthodontist. For about a decade, they’ve performed at The Olde Tyme Christmas at Fort Massac State Park. They lack a formal name but agreed “Senior Moments” is a fitting moniker. The day I visited the jam session, Ben Dummit, who’s copyrighted at least 50 songs and played professionally with several bands, said he was “still mastering the guitar.” He led the group in an original song titled “Used Up” featuring the hook, “my goal in life is to be used up.” Dennis Hileman and Rusty Grisham backed him up on guitar, and Lee Brown, the quietest of the bunch, held forth on bass guitar while Mike Zimmerman strummed the mandolin. Zimmerman said he tries to learn new songs to keep his mind sharp. Hunt chimed in on the harmonica. All are veterans; the youngest being 65. Most don’t read music, but each had a music stand holding music and lyrics. During the session, each man picked a song, counted it off, and signaled its end. Some folks stopped by the store, across from the Senior Center, just for the free concert. Hunt plays by ear. His first song choice was Blue Yodel #1, a/k/a “T for Texas,” made famous by Jimmie Rodgers, known as “The Singing Brakeman” and the Father of Country Music. Hunt arrived at the session carrying a small case filled with harmonicas—each in its own key. “Santy Claus” brought him his first French harp when he was five and he’s carried one in his pocket ever since. He estimates he’s gone through 150 French harps in 85 years—once the fragile reed bends the

harp is no longer viable. Hunt’s last tune was “Wreck of the Old 97,” his favorite train song—made famous by Vernon Dalhart in 1924, reprised by Flatt and Scruggs, and outsold only by Bing Crosby’s “White Christmas.” It tells of a train leaving the track while trying to make a timely mail run. After the jam session, I went to Hunt’s home for a canning session. He had picked tomatoes the previous day and placed them in a single layer on a plywood slab to dry— tomato shoulders don’t fully ripen in a pile. After sitting overnight, along with peppers and onions minced the day before, and precisely measured spices, the tomatoes were ready to become salsa. Hunt has perfected a recipe yielding 18 pints exactly—the quantity his pressure canner holds. I asked Hunt whether he fears anything, like aging. He said most things are routine and not to be feared. Still, he studies the pros and cons and ultimately has a “healthy respect” for things he can’t control. He “cherished” his medical practice which enabled him to help people—something he continues doing today. His most important job is being Ginny’s protector. He’s aware of his age and that he will die someday. He just plans for contingencies. He learned much about farming from his dad, Henry. His mom was spirited, and from her he developed an attitude of if you’re going to do something, do it with gusto; he always has and does today. His brother Joe had similar determination—”but he was focused entirely on mules and then on medicine. He lacked diversity of interests.” Hunt doesn’t have hobbies; he has obsessions. And admits to being a daredevil. In May of 1958, he bought a new Ford Fairlane, driving from St. Louis to Fancy Farm in two hours rather than the customary three and a half hours. He also admits “stupidity” caused him to do dangerous things. When he’s invited to do something new—play golf, hunt—he accepts the invite, goes, and immediately

becomes enthralled. He must be the best, and “know everything about everything.”

I’m grateful to docs who’ll communicate with me, listen to me, and work with me.”

Case in point. He went fishing with Palmer Hughes, a local physical therapist. They caught 150 crappies and a mess of blue gill on Hunt’s first outing. The day was so successful, Hughes asked Hunt to go goose hunting on the Ballard County Wildlife Refuge. Hunt had no gun, but Hughes brought him one with ammo. They each bagged the two-bird limit. That morning Hunt became addicted to the thrill and challenge of conquering Canada geese— so much so he and two buddies developed a piece of land for commercial hunting that attracted hunters—some of whom were also orthopedic surgeons—from everywhere. Hunt’s eyes twinkle when he describes the art of calling a goose, duck or turkey to a field. He oversaw the business from 1980 until 2018. During those 38 years, Hunt was in the blind every morning of hunting season, was in his Paducah medical office by 10:00 a.m. each day and was back in the blind the next morning. It was common to harvest twenty ducks a day, but on the best day ever, 154 were taken between 6:45 and 9:30 a.m. He’s been in a blind only twice since selling his share of “the farm” in 2018. Adept at calling geese, ducks and turkeys, he says the real trick is knowing “when to be silent; and acting only when the pit boss directs.” He’s grateful approaching his 90th birthday, but realistic. “My weight-bearing joints are wearing out. I’ve learned to cope and work around those changes—I’m slower since open heart surgery in 2007. I’m thankful I had insight to practice family medicine before becoming an orthopedic surgeon. That enabled me to participate in, and direct choices for my own health. If I knew my doctor’s suggestion was appropriate and it made sense to me, I said ‘go for it’ without objection. If it didn’t make sense, I explored alternatives.”

Through his years he’s discovered most pain is a response to anxiety; fear overcomes all other senses. By eliminating patient anxiety, any perceived pain diffuses without meds. When practicing, he prescribed nerve medication rather than pain pills; he calmed patients rather than sedating them. His advice to non-physicians facing a major health condition or suggested procedure, “never be fearful of seeking a second opinion. If a doctor suggests a procedure and balks when you say you want a second opinion, I wouldn’t want that doctor treating me.” Hunt was never afraid to do what he knew to do. During his decades of practice, he became a well-respected physician with a good reputation who was known for good results. He commanded respect—by earning it—especially within the medical community—but he never demanded respect. Gathering knowledge and experience enabled him to approach life with a positive attitude. With each success his confidence grew. He was never afraid to learn and try new things. When Hunt was a boy, talented people learned via “on the job training. There was no formal education.” In his lifetime, he has seen the medical profession become highly specialized. He played a starring role in developing arthroscopic surgery, including its use to repair recurrent dislocation of the shoulder. Recognizing the value of arthroscopy immediately, bringing it to Paducah, and sharing it with other orthopedic surgeons from around the nation—in addition to other talents—makes Dr. Hilary Hunt worthy of “My Hero” status. Written By: Carol Ullerich

He believes he was the perfect patient. He had no pain from heart surgery, so he took no meds. With pride he says he takes one baby aspirin daily and one pill to regulate his heart; a monitor alerts his doctor if his heart goes out of rhythm—but Hunt knows it instantly. With other choices, however, his life could have been much different. One doctor suggested a pacemaker and a lifetime of anticoagulants; Hunt said, “No” and switched to a new physician. He acknowledges he tends to “go at things with reckless abandon,” and, “had I not been a knowledgeable physician, I probably wouldn’t be here. I never dictated my treatment, but I did help direct it. I made the choice I wanted.

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When planning meals for November 2, add a deviled egg or two in observance of National Deviled Egg Day. Long a staple of church potlucks, Easter brunch and special family meals, the deviled egg is an hors d’oeuvres with its own specially designed serving dish! It may surprise you to learn deviled eggs got their start in ancient Rome where the elite often began fancy meals for guests with a boiled egg seasoned with spicy sauces. When served, the phrase, “ab ova usque ad mala,” was often heard. Loosely translated it means “from eggs to apples,” or “from the beginning of the meal to the end.” Dressed eggs debuted in the area now known as Spain in the 13th Century. A mix of cilantro, pepper, coriander, and onion juice was added to a boiled egg yolk that had been pounded and seasoned with oil, salt, and Murri, a sauce made of fermented barley or fish. The egg cavity was then stuffed with the mixture, the two halves were reassembled, fastened with a small stick, and topped with pepper. Two centuries later, deviled eggs were popular throughout Europe, but the recipe combined raisins, cheese and herbs with parsley and mint, the egg was then fried and topped with a sauce or powdered sugar. By the mid-19th Century, recipes for stuffed eggs be-

gan appearing in American cookbooks. The first use of the word “devil” to describe eggs occurred in England in 1786 as a reference to “heavily spiced, hot, fried and/or broiled dishes.” Today, deviled eggs are commonly filled with mayo, relish, mustard, salt, and pepper, and often topped with a sprinkle of paprika or cayenne pepper for a dash of color and a bit of a kick. Served throughout the US and Europe, this dish seems most popular at holiday functions in the American South and Midwest. By 1800, the term “deviling” meant to make food spicy. Other names for deviled eggs are mimosa eggs, stuffed eggs, dressed eggs and salad eggs—avoiding any reference to Satan. In 1896, Fannie Farmer’s “Boston Cooking-School Cookbook” added mayonnaise to the recipe to bind the filling. By the 1940s, mayonnaise had become a popular binder for deviled egg filling. Martha Stewart’s Classic Deviled Egg recipe calls for 8 large eggs, 1/3 cup mayonnaise, 1 tbl Dijon mustard, 1 tsp white-wine vinegar, plus coarse salt, and freshly ground pepper. Combine the egg yolk with the mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, a touch of whitewine vinegar, and a dash of salt and pepper. Whether you pipe the filling with a star tip or simply spoon the yolk mixture into the egg white halves is your choice.

Resources for this article include: allrecipes.com; Deviled Eggs History: From Rome to Your Home - NC Egg Association; Egg Recipes, Egg Nutrition, & NC Egg Farmers. NC Egg Association; Deviled Eggs Archives - NC Egg Association; Eggs 101-Teaching You the Science Behind Your Favorite Ingredient; and the North Carolina Egg Association which may be accessed at https://ncegg.org

26 Embracing the Aged

Seniors, especially those living alone, often benefit from having a pet in the home. A cat—or bird or dog—provides companionship; something to care for; someone to talk to, and, frankly, a reason to get up each morning. On the lighter side, a pet’s antics provide pleasure and chuckles. If you doubt my words, check out the more than eighteen million cat videos uploaded to YouTube in 2022. You may remember “Grumpy Cat,” the nickname given to a snowshoe cat whose given name was Tardar Sauce. Born in 2012, she was nicknamed “Grumpy” because she had a permanent scowl on her face caused by an underbite and female dwarfism. When she died in 2019, she was an internet sensation. Animals impact human lives in many ways. For seniors, they not only provide companionship, but curb loneliness and depression. With special training, they can save a senior’s life (i.e., guide dogs, mobility animals, and those trained to alert based on a change in the handler’s physical condition). Because the pet must be fed, walked, and given ample playtime, it also provides structure to the senior’s day. For all the benefit a pet provides, there may come a time when having an animal in the home is stressful because the senior owner is no longer physically capable of properly caring for the pet. When a pet is malnourished or diseased, consider hiring a pet care service. This is a particularly good option when a senior needs

help while recovering from a short-term injury or medical procedure. A pet can aid both physical and emotional healing. Aspects of potential assistance are dog-walking, cleaning litter boxes, feeding and grooming. Depending on circumstances, installing a doggy door/ cat flap, automatic litter box cleaner and/or automatic pet food and water dispenser to the senior’s home may adequately resolve immediate needs. Inadequate pet care may result in the pet’s death, as well as disease, thirst, hunger, accidents, exposure to heat and confinement in a small area for lengthy periods, plus escape and loss. As bad as those outcomes are, the pet’s health is not the only concern. When a senior is trying to care for a pet, the senior is more prone to falling and/or tripping due to the animal’s sudden, unexpected movement. Plus, properly caring for a pet involves bending, lifting, and carrying water— physical tasks that may be difficult for a senior with arthritis and/or hip pain. Consider hiring a pet care service when a senior’s cognitive health is questionable. Be realistic. Was the dog fed late one day, or did it miss several meals because mom is struggling with Alzheimer’s or dementia? This article is based in part on 10 Scientific Benefits of Being a Cat Owner (mentalfloss.com)

Written By: Carol Ullerich

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Active & Healthy at Every Age! Physical, Occupational, & Speech therapy services in senior communities around McCracken and Marshall county 100 Kiana Court, Suite A Paducah, KY 42001

(270) 443-0681 1413 SR 45 North Mayﬁeld, KY 42066

(270) 247-9500 244 US Hwy 68 East Benton, KY 42025

(270) 527-4322

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The brain loses functionality with every birthday. As a result, many seniors experience memory loss, cognitive impairment, and a lack of mental sharpness. Those declines, however, may be reversed, and perhaps avoided, by playing memory games—activities designed to help improve memory and recall. Solitaire, Wordle and crossword puzzles are just a few popular options. Whether played alone or with others, benefits include boosting connections between brain neurons, enhancing mental acuity, improving problem-solving skills and concentration, plus enhanced thought processing and information storage. Memory games may also reduce stress and anxiety, plus improve your mood. Memory games can also help seniors maintain their independence and quality of life. By improving cognitive functioning and memory recall, seniors can remain active and independent longer. Memory games can also help prevent or reduce age-related cognitive decline, helping seniors maintain mental health as they age. Games to try: Crossword puzzles, word searches, Scrabble, Sudoku, fill-in-the-blank, and mazes are staples. According to Harvard Health Publishing, strive to devote at least 90 minutes a week to puzzle-solving to increase your intelligence quotient, and 150 minutes of exercise each week to sustain your body. (If you can’t manage 150 minutes, any amount of movement is better than none.)

Seniors who successfully solve a crossword puzzle release dopamine in the brain—that’s the chemical that makes you feel euphoric, alert, focused and motivated. It also improves motor skills, concentration, and problem-solving—especially when tasks are done with others in a brainstorming session. When a specific task is solved with intense, focused concentration, both the left and right brain hemispheres are activated, and the participant relaxes emotionally—a state akin to therapeutic meditation. Every successfully solved puzzle is a morale-booster. In your youth, you may have used running or gardening as stress relief. Sustained physical exertion may no longer be possible for you, but picking up a pencil and solving a puzzle can relieve stress too. Instead of falling asleep with the television playing, grab a crossword puzzle book and let it lull you to sleep. Don’t use an online puzzle because the blue light emitted by the screen will impede sleep. Wordle is a new online option from the New York Times which refreshes each day. Phoodle is a similar game with each answer being food related. Both can be played on a smartphone, computer or tablet without downloading an app. Neither is timed and there’s no competition unless you choose to reveal your score by clicking the green SHARE button.

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Every player around the world receives the same mystery Wordle and Phoodle word at midnight. Both Wordle and Phoodle are free to play and free of ads. The goal is to guess a five-letter word in a maximum of six tries. Letters in the correct spot appear on a green background; letters in the mystery word, but in the wrong spot appear on a gold background; and letters not in the puzzle appear on a dark gray background. An on-screen keyboard indicates previously guessed letters.

controlling short- and longterm memory; it builds brain muscle and brain capacity; it may stave off Alzheimer’s and dementia by keeping seniors socially connected; and, as a welcome distraction, it relieves daily stress.

Addiction to Wordle and Phoodle is not a concern—the game is reset only once every 24 hours. Once you guess the word, or fail after the sixth try, the answer is revealed. Phoodle offers a brief fact about the word and its usage.

Wordle and Phoodle may increase your vocabulary (especially true of Phoodle which uses cooking terms and explains them); it’s low to no stress; your reading skills may be enhanced if you challenge yourself to use the mystery word of the day in five sentences throughout the day. You’ll have something to discuss with friends. You’ll feel less isolated. And, if you’re typically a loner and/ or a penny-pincher, you’ll fill a social void—without spending a dime.

Why play? The brain function of fifty-yearolds who play word games is about equal to that of those a decade younger. Benefits of Wordle for seniors include improved concentration—because players must focus to complete the task and use critical thinking; word games activate the part of the brain

Memory and Concentration are two childhood board games using a similar formula. Both require the matching of individual pictures based on placement on a board or table. Place all cards face down in a grid on a table. Turn over one card and then reveal a second card—hoping to find the first card’s match. If you find the

match, remove both cards from the board and create a pile for yourself. If you don’t find a match in your single try, turn both cards face down and play moves to the next person. However, no opponent is required; you can play against yourself. For a personal twist, create your own picture cards—make two identical cards of each image—using family members, pets, favorite vacation spots and homes to spark conversation about past times. You could also use song lyrics, or poem stanzas to learn something new. Two decks of playing cards may also be used to create a large game board. All of these options have the potential to improve visual memory and recall. Arithmetic equations and geometry brain teasers can help seniors and children develop and enhance math skills and mental acuity. After a holiday meal, encourage grandparents and grandkids to tackle math problems together to generate discussion and improve skills for both generations. Seniors can refresh their skills while youngsters learn something

the body’s cravings to dictate behavior. Here are helpful suggestions as we enter the Holiday feeding season.

Ahhhh, the fall and winter holidays bring back memories. . . The Holiday season brings to mind falling leaves, cooler temperatures, fires in the fireplace and Holiday Feasts. There are childhood memories and adult memories of Thanksgiving, Christmas and the New Year. Most, if not all of us, remember the Feasts with family and friends and all our special favorite foods. Though, if we are honest, we’d admit we all ate way too much during these festivities. Now of course, you may say. . . ”but Richard, it all tastes so good!” My response at this point is, “I know this to be true, as well!” However, as a former athlete I was introduced to the term ‘Mental Toughness.” One definition of this term is not allowing

30 Embracing the Aged

Make the decision, beforehand, that you will not overdo it when it comes to filling your plate. Try your best to keep portion size in mind. These examples of portion size come from Nature’s Sunshine Site: A clenched fist is about 1 cup - the amount experts recommend for a portion of pasta, rice, cereal, vegetables and fruit. A meat portion should be about as big as your palm. Limit the amount of added fats (like butter, mayo or salad dressing) to the size of the top of your thumb. There will be so many choices from which to choose. Do your best to make the best choices.

over the holiday break and spend time with their elders. Chess and checkers teach strategy, critical thinking, problem-solving, and patience— within reason. Physical activities also strengthen mental sharpness. Depending on individual abilities, try swimming or Tai Chi. After a holiday meal, give television or the phone a rest and go for a quiet, peaceful walk through the neighborhood. Listening to and playing music can reduce or alleviate stress and anxiety, as well as improve mood, memory recall, focus and overall well-being, plus increase vocabulary. Other activities in this category are reading books, magazines, and newspapers, as well as writing letters and journaling. Resources for this article include: The Benefits of Solving Puzzles for the elderly Wealth Words; Wordle for Seniors - A Great Game to Keep the Mind Sharp (friendship. us); and Puzzles for Seniors: 11 Benefits of Playing with Puzzles - Suddenly Senior. Written By: Carol Ullerich

If you have been following my wellness and fitness articles, you should have a pretty good routine going at this point. Make sure, before your participation in The Feast, that you have, also, planned your ‘after feast’ activity. For example, a walk around your block, a couple of times, is a good plan. Remember, walking is so good for us because it involves complete Total Body Movement. It also clears our minds and allows us to relax and enjoy the moments we have just shared with friends and/or family. Enjoy the upcoming times with your friends and family. Try to set your mind to not overdo it. And don’t forget: BREAK A SWEAT! Written By: Richard Abraham

Visit The National Quilt Museum at 215 Jefferson Street, Paducah, KY 42001. Hours: M-Sat are 10 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Sunday. McCracken County residents may visit the Museum on Monday without charge by showing a valid Driver’s License. In preparation for Veteran’s Day, The National Quilt Museum has opened “All Star Quilts of Valor.” The exhibit features 24 Quilts of Valor, each created by a leading quilt industry professional. The exhibit will be on view through the af-

ternoon of Friday, November 10, 2023, when they will be awarded to specific veterans during a ceremony the public is invited to attend from 1:00 p.m. until 4:00 p.m. A Quilt of Valor (QOV) is a handmade quilt awarded—not given—to a Veteran or other service member “touched by war,” as a thank you for the person’s service and sacrifice to the nation. The project was launched in 2003, by Catherine Roberts, whose son, Nat, served in Iraq. Roberts dreamed of a young man sitting bedside in deep de-

spair. Then, she saw the same young man “wrapped in a quilt,” his despair replaced by hope—because of the quilt. To Nat’s mom, “quilts = healing.” Her dream has been realized time and time again. In June of 2020, 10,000 volunteers from all fifty states participated in the QOV effort. Overseen by the Quilts of Valor Foundation (QOVF), the 350,000th quilt was awarded in May, 2023. To qualify as a QOV, the piece must be at least 60” x 80,” or at most 72” x 90.” The recommended size is 60” x

80.” There must be a top, batting and backing, and be either machine or hand quilted—tied quilts are rejected. QOVF Members in good standing may request a quilt top be quilted by a LongArmy volunteer without charge. A QOV must be labeled as a QOV and include the name of the veteran or service member. The online QOVF Members Manual provides all details needed to request the award of a QOV as well as specifics for agreeing to create and donate a QOV. Written By: Carol Ullerich

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32 Embracing the Aged

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34 Embracing the Aged

Ways to Pay Home Care, Independent, & Assisted Living are currently not covered by Medicare or Medicaid. They are out of pocket, private pay with personal funds. Nursing facilities use all the below for payments depending on each individual situation.

MEDICAID is a cooperative federal-state program designed to aid low-income people. It has become the major funding source for long-term care, covering nearly 75 percent of nursing facility bills. Sourced: http://www.kahcf.org/paying.aspx

PRIVATE PAY means personal funds are used for the out-of-pocket expenses. This includes personal money from your bank accounts, pension, stocks and bonds, and sale of home. Most of your home-based services, adult daycare programs, independent livings and assisted livings are paid by personal funds.

MEDICAID WAIVERS

PRIVATE FINANCING OPTIONS In addition to personal funds & government programs there are other options for older adults by private financing by using long-term care insurance policy, reverse mortgage, certain life policies, annuities, and trusts. LONG-TERM CARE INSURANCE is a specific policy purchased prior to reaching senior years. These policies can cover services at home such as home care, assisted living, nursing home, palliative and hospice. GOVERNMENT PROGRAMS Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)—If a veteran meets specific criteria, they are eligible for benefits that will help cover the cost of home care, independent living, assisted living, and nursing care. MEDICARE is a federal health insurance program for people over 65 and certain disabled people under 65. Medicare covers only those nursing facility services rendered to help a beneficiary recover from an acute illness or injury. Medicare is administered by The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).

Kentucky offers 2 waiver programs ** The Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) Waiver Program provides support for elderly residents of Kentucky to enable them to age in place. ** The Supports for Community Living (SCL) Waiver is targeted towards individuals who are intellectually or developmentally disabled. To be eligible for this program, the disability must have developed before the age of 22. Sourced: https://www.payingforseniorcare.com/ kentucky

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR RESOURCE CENTERS ENERGY EMPLOYEES OCCUPATIONAL ILLNESS COMPENSATION PROGRAM ACT (EEOICPA) benefits available for current and former nuclear weapons industry workers, and their survivors. Information is also available for medical providers who care for nuclear weapons workers. Paducah Resource Center 1-866-534-0599 TOLL FREE or visiting www.dol.gov/energyprogramresourcecenters.

If you would like to be included in our directory of businesses that serve seniors or need to make a change, please email sales@embracingtheaged.com.

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Definition of Care

ADULT DAY CARE a non-residential facility that supports the health, nutritional, social, and daily living needs of adults in a professionally staffed, group setting. LIFE PLAN COMMUNITY is a type of retirement community in the U.S. wtih a continuum of aging care needs—from independent living, assisted living, and skilled nursing care. ASSISTED LIVING (SOCIAL MODEL) is residential living offering mobile residents minimal assistance for daily activities. HOSPICE provides a team approach of care for those with a life limiting illness providing support mentally, emotionally, spiritually and physically for the patient and their loved ones. The hospice team works with the patient and their loved ones to keep the patient comfortable, coming alongside them as they achieve their short term goals. HOMECARE is a non-medical service that provides support and services for daily needs as well as coordination among caregivers and provider agencies to help adults at risk of institutional care remain in their own home. HOME HEALTH is medical services provided at home to treat a chronic health condition or help you recover from illness, injury or surgery. INDEPENDENT LIVING is housing designed for seniors 55 and older. Independent senior living communities commonly provide apartments, but some also offer cottages, condominiums, and single-family homes. Residents include seniors who do not require assistance with daily activities.

36 Embracing the Aged

MEMORY CARE is a form of residential longterm care that provides intensive, specialized care for people with memory issues. PALLIATIVE CARE provides continuity of care for those patients with a serious illness while collaborating with the patient’s regular physicians and specialists. Palliative Care manages care treatment in their home setting as they pursue curative options. PERSONAL CARE (ASSISTED LIVING WITH BASIC HEALTHCARE) is a residence for older people or people with disabilities who require help with some of the routines of daily living as well as access to medical care when needed. REHABILITATION SERVICES are health care services that help you keep, get back, or improve skills and functioning for daily living that have been lost or impaired because you were sick, hurt, or disabled. These services may include physical and occupational therapy, speech-language pathology, and psychiatric rehabilitation services in a variety of inpatient and/or outpatient settings. SKILLED NURSING CARE primarily provides inpatient skilled nursing care and related services to patients who require medical, nursing, or rehabilitative services but does not provide the level of care or treatment available in a hospital. RESPITE CARE provides short-term temporary institutional care of a sick, elderly, or disabled person, providing relief for their usual caregiver.

Care Directory

LAVENDER PAGES FOR SENIOR CITIZENS

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Thank You

HEALTHCARE HEROES YOU ARE TRULY MAKING A DIFFERENCE COME JOIN OUR GROWING TEAM, BE A PART OF OUR STORY

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Clinton Place

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SKILLED NURSING CARE • SHORT TERM REHAB LONG TERM CARE • MEMORY CARE • PERSONAL CARE

Our services : 24/7 Nursing Care On-Site Physician Services Restorative nursing therapy Certified Wound Nurse & Wound Physician Respiratory Services Diabetic management IV therapy Post-operative care Orthopedic recovery Discharge planning Nutritional services Social services Recreational Activities Psychological services Respite care Hospice care

More Information :

270-442-6168 867 McGuire Ave Paducah, KY 42001 WWW.RIVERHAVENNURSING.COM

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40 Embracing the Aged

CALDWELL COUNTY PRINCETON NURSING AND REHAB Skilled Nursing Rehabilitation (270) 365-3541 1333 West Main Street, Princeton, KY 42445 Pricing: $190 per day or $5700 per month Ways to Pay: Medicare, Medicaid, PP, or CI.

GRAVES COUNTY GREEN ACRES HEALTHCARE Skilled Nursing Rehabilitation (270) 247-6477 402 W. Farthing St., Mayfield, KY 42066 Pricing: Private $258 day, semi $233 day Ways to Pay: Medicare, Medicaid, PP, or CI

CALLOWAY COUNTY BROOKDALE MURRAY Assisted Living (270) 759-1555 905 Glendale Rd, Murray, KY 42071 Pricing: $3395-4500/month Ways to Pay: PP, VA, & LTC Ins.

MILLS HEALTH AND REHAB Skilled Nursing Rehabilitation (270) 247-7890 500 Beck Ln, Mayfield, KY 42066 Pricing: $233 day Ways to Pay: Medicare, Medicaid, PP, or CI.

CARLISLE COUNTY COUNTRYSIDE THE BUNGALOWS CENTER FOR REHAB AND AT MAYFIELD NURSING Assisted Living Skilled Nursing (270) 251-0233 Rehabilitation 1517 W. Broadway, (270) 628-5424 Mayfield, KY 42066 47 Margo Ave., Pricing: Starting - $2935 Bardwell, KY 42023 Ways to Pay: PP VA, and Pricing: Call for pricing LTC Ins. Ways to Pay: Medicare, Medicaid, PP, or CI. HICKMAN COUNTY CLINTON PLACE CRITTENDEN Skilled Nursing COUNTY Rehabilitation CRITTENDEN (270) 653-5558 COUNTY HEALTH & 106 Padgett Drive REHABILITATION Clinton, KY 42031 CENTER Pricing: s- $216, Skilled Nursing p- $240 Rehabilitation Ways to Pay: Medicare, (270) 965-2218 Medicaid, PP, or CI. 201 Watson Street Marion, KY 42064 LIVINGSTON Pricing: Call for pricing COUNTY Ways to Pay: Medicare SALEM SPRINGLAKE Medicaid, PP, or CI. HEALTH AND REHAB Skilled Nursing FULTON COUNTY Rehabilitation FULTON NURSING (270) 988-4572 AND REHAB 509 N. Hayden Ave., Skilled Nursing Salem, KY 42078 Rehabilitation Pricing: Call (270) 472-1971 Ways to Pay: Medicare, 1004 Holiday Ln, Medicaid, PP, or CI. Fulton, KY 42041 Pricing: call for pricing Ways to Pay: Medicare, Medicaid, PP or CI.

RIVER’S BEND RETIREMENT COMMUNITY Independent Living Assisted Living Skilled Nursing Rehabilitation (270) 388-2868 300 Beech St, Kuttawa, KY 42055 Pricing: call Ways to Pay: Medicare, Medicaid, PP, SI, VA, MARSHALL COUNTY CALVERT CONVALESCENT CENTER Skilled Nursing Rehabilitation (270) 395-4124 1201 E. 5th Ave, Calvert City, KY 42029 Pricing: Call Ways to Pay: Medicare, Medicaid, PP, SI, MCCRACKEN COUNTY CHARTER SENIOR LIVING Personal care memory care

(270) 297-4301 2201 New Holt Road Paducah, KY 42001

PROVIDENCE POINTE HEALTHCARE Skilled Nursing Rehabilitation Respite Care Palliative Care Hospice (270) 442-6884 100 Marshall Ct, Paducah, KY 42001. Pricing: Call Ways to Pay: Medicare, Medicaid, PP, SI, RIVERCREST PLACE Assisted Living (270) 554-6911 2121 New Holt Rd, Paducah, KY 42001 Pricing: Call Ways to Pay: Private Pay, VA, & LTC Ins. RIVER HAVEN NURSING AND REHAB Skilled Nursing Rehabilitation (270) 442-6168 867 McGuire Ave, Paducah, KY 42001 Pricing: $272/day Ways to Pay: Medicare, Medicaid, PP, SI STONECREEK HEALTH AND REHAB Skilled Nursing Rehabilitation (270) 444-9661 4747 Alben Barkley Dr, Paducah, KY 42001 Pricing: Call Ways to Pay: Medicare, Medicaid, PP, SI

GAITHER SUITES AT WEST PARK Assisted Living Personal Care Hospice Therapy (270) 442-3999 4960 Village Square Dr, Paducah, KY 42001 THE NEIGHBORHOOD Pricing: Call AT PADUCAH Ways to Pay: PP, VA, & LTC Assisted Living Memory Care PARKVIEW NURSING (270) 534-9173 & REHABILITATION 1700 Elmdale Rd, CENTER Paducah, KY 42003 Skilled Nursing Pricing: STARTING AT Rehabilitation Respite Care $3420 Palliative Care Hospice Ways to Pay: PP, VA, & (270) 443-6543 Memory Care 544 Lone Oak Rd, Paducah, KY 42003 Pricing: Call Ways to Pay: Medicare, Medicaid, PP, SI,

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MASSAC COUNTY METROPOLIS REHAB AND HEALTH CENTER Skilled Nursing Rehabilitation (618) 524-2634 2299 Metropolis St, Metropolis, IL 62960 Pricing: starting at $4779 Ways to Pay: Medicare, Medicaid, PP, SI MISTY MEADOWS SENIOR LIVING Independent Living (618) 524-1818 2550 Devers Rd, Metropolis, IL 62960 Pricing: STARTING $1975.00 Ways to Pay: PP

SOUTHGATE NURSING AND REHAB Skilled Nursing (618) 524-2683 900 E 9th St, Metropolis, IL 62960 Pricing: Call Ways to Pay: Medicare, Medicaid, VA,, PP, SI,

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structural changes in the brain that lead to psychiatric changes. This can include decreased cognition, increased anxiety, depression, and even aggressive or seclusive behaviors. The neurological changes can include impaired speech, impaired movement, inability to eat, feed oneself, and a lack of bowel and bladder control.

Every day is a good day. Some days are just better than others. I truly believe that and it’s a philosophy I bring with me as I open the door to speak with each of my patients. You may not realize this, but as a psychiatrist about half of my patients are suffering from some sort of dementia. Depression may accompany it, but many times there is a physical reason a loved one may be more frustrated, depressed or aggressive. “Dementia is the loss of cognitive functioning — thinking, remembering, and reasoning — to such an extent that it interferes with a person's daily life and activities. Some people with dementia cannot control their emotions, and their personalities may change. Dementia ranges in severity from the mildest stage, when it is just beginning to affect a person's functioning, to the most severe stage, when the person must depend completely on others for basic activities of daily living, such as feeding oneself. Dementia affects millions of people and is more common as people grow older (about one-third of all people age 85 or older may have some form of dementia) but it is not a normal part of aging. Many people live into their 90s and beyond without any signs of dementia.” What Is Dementia? Symptoms, Types, and Diagnosis | National Institute on Aging (nih.gov) Before I went to medical school, my brother began struggling with suicidal ideation and depression. He had never struggled with this before and

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it was completely out of character. Then his eyesight changed too. That’s when we discovered the brain tumor. Losing him taught me a valuable lesson. We must treat the whole person, not just the symptoms they’ve presented to us. It’s why I always say, “I’m a physician first,” because a physician never puts down the stethoscope. When someone presents symptoms to me, my first priority is to rule out any physical cause for an emotional, behavioral or cognitive change in the person, including dementia. As your loved one loses memory and life begins to change, it can be hard to let go. When I worked at U of L, I had a man in our dementia unit whose wife didn’t have a good understanding of his dementia. They used to love going out to a nice dinner and having a margarita. It’s a tradition she wanted to continue but each time he drank, it had adverse impacts on both of them. So, I worked with her to modify their routine. They could still enjoy a meal together, as long as she ordered him a non-alcoholic beverage. She simply didn’t want to deprive him, but she had to come to terms with the fact that he needed a modified version of normalcy. Caregivers want the family member to enjoy themselves, and it is possible with education and accommodations that are beneficial to both of them. All varieties of dementia, including Alzheimer’s, Vascular Dementia or Dementia with Lewy Bodies, cause

I wish I could say there’s a cure or a way to prevent this neuropsychiatric disorder. But what I try to help people understand is the person needs to have the best coordination of care between their neurologist, psychiatrist, primary care physician and therapists to allow them to live their best days. So, what can you do if there’s no cure? First, remember to focus more on your coordination of care and on what’s best for your loved one more than you focus on the next medication option. With all medications there are always risks and benefits to weigh. Educate yourself and choose what is best for your loved one. With that said, the FDA has approved a new medication this year called Lecanemab which can potentially postpone mental decline by five or so months. It doesn’t keep it at bay forever, but it can give a person more time. The drug works by reducing amyloid plaques that form in the brain, a defining pathophysiological feature of the disease. However, not everyone will be a good candidate for the drug. There is an extensive process, including an MRI and a lumbar puncture, to ensure beta amyloid is present. Once the drug is administered, one must periodically undergo a brain MRI to see if there is any micro bleeding or swelling that could be caused by the drug. This is where coordination of care comes in. Your psychiatrist, neurologist and even infusion team all work together to make sure this is a safe procedure and drug for the patient.

If your loved one has been diagnosed with a form of dementia, build a care team for them and for yourself to know you’re all working toward the same goals. It’s a frightening moment to realize your mind will never be the same. It impacts the emotional and physical wellbeing of the person even at onset of the disease. I’ve spent decades working with those in that very moment. Remember, frustrating, challenging and sad moments will come, but everyday is a good day, with some being better than others. Dr. Ballew believes in the holistic approach to treatment, which requires focusing on the entire person, and the emotional, physical, and cognitive aspects of patient care. She treats the whole person; not the symptom. Her morning prayer is that she provide the best care to each person she sees that day. Dementia is a Family Illness It impacts everyone in the family, but there is still hope for good days. A few thoughts from Dr. Ballew directly to caregivers: •In the early stages of dementia, they may not need 24/7 care, but they will need guidance. •Be prepared for the grieving process for both of you as you grieve the loss of their memory. •Build a structure and keep the routine. •Allow your parent or loved one to continue having dignity, don’t push them to remember. •Be intentional about time for yourself. Taking care of someone taxes the mind and body, so take time to refuel both. •Look for additional resources. Do they need occupational therapy? Speech therapy? Physical therapy? Can you take them to the senior center for interaction? •Ask for help. It’s important you ask your community or find community to walk through this with you. Written By : Dr. Laurie Ballew (pictured top right)

Dr. Laurie Ballew is a Board Certified Psychiatrist. She completed her training in psychiatry at the University of Louisville, achieving board certification in Psychiatry, Psychosomatic Medicine, and Addiction Medicine. After serving two decades on the Psychiatry and Behavioral Health Sciences Department Faculty at the University of Louisville, she returned home to become Medical Director of Inpatient and Outpatient Psychiatry at Lourdes-Mercy Hospital. In 2019 she opened Holistic Psychiatry & Healthcare, now a division of Emerald Therapy Center, where she serves as Medical Director.

Senior Centers

BALLARD 58 Moore Boulevard, Barlow, KY 42024 (270) 334-3115

GRAVES 901 N 15th St, Mayfield, KY 42066 (270) 247-2566

MCCRACKEN 1400 HC Mathis Dr, Paducah, KY 42001 (270) 443-8579

CALDWELL 200 Eagle Street, Princeton, KY 42445 (270) 365-7446

HICKMAN 212 North St, Clinton, KY 42031 (270) 653-4314

TRIGG 127 Joy Ln, Cadiz, KY 42211 (270) 522-8341

CALLOWAY 607 Poplar St., Murray, KY 42071 (270) 753-0929

LIVINGSTON 2401 Rudd-Spees Rd, Ledbetter, KY 42058 (270) 928-2811

MASSAC Happy Hearts Senior Center 711 Market St, Metropolis, IL 62960 (618) 524-9755

CARLISLE 261 Front Street, Bardwell, KY 42023 (270) 628-5474 FULTON 1404 Liberty St. Hickman, KY 42050 (270) 236-2826 FULTON 609 N. College St. Fulton, KY 42041 (270) 472-2900

LYON 631 W Dale Ave, Eddyville, KY 42038 (270) 388-2171 MARSHALL 1713 Golf Course Rd, Benton KY 42025 (270) 527-9860 MARSHALL 112 Park St, Hardin, KY 42048 (270) 437-4593

OBION 622 S Depot St, Union City, TN 38261 (731) 885-1246 WEAKLEY 701 N Lindell St, Martin, TN 38237 (731) 587-3900

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STRONG enough to...

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