December 2014 Volume 1/Issue 1
Welcome to the first edition of Senior Living Magazine!
Cover: Larry Hess Photo by Bach Imagery
Senior Living Magazine is a monthly publication that provides important information both locally, and nationally to people age fifty and over. Products and services are presented in a manner that is valuable to the active lifestyle in the fifty plus generation. In a little over a decade one in every five people is expected to be aged 65 and older according to the United States Census Bureau. This is a rate of about eleven thousand people each day. Our goal is to become the most read and talked about senior publication in our areas of distribution. Senior Living Magazine is comprised of first class editorials from experts in our community. You will enjoy beautiful photography, articles
and columns on topics that range from travel, entertainment, civic/charitable involvement, shopping, dining, health/wellness, and social events that are pertinent to seniors in our community. Senior Living Magazine is designed to help pave the way to an enlightened society where the word “senior” is spoken with pride, and citizens of senior age are treated with respect and dignity. Through inspirational content, Senior Living celebrates seniors in our communities and invites readers and viewers to applaud the lives and achievements of this mature generation of people.
- Michelle Carollo & Kelly Walgamotte Publishers
Table of Contents Medicare Part D /Page 6 by Rob Braley, Walgreens Pharmacy Director Investment /Page 7 by Mike Rich Cover Feature, Larry Hess /Page 8 by Lisa Bolonga Cancer Care /Page 10 by Slidell Memoral Hospital Capturning Youth /Page 12 by Kelly Walgamotte Flu Season /Page 14 by Michelle Carollo Holiday Sampler /Page 15 by Lana Walgamotte
For Senior Living Magazine Advertsing InformationPlease contact: Michelle Carollo at (985) 445-3644 or email to SeniorLivingMagla@gmail.com or Kelly Walgamotte at (985) 778-6171 or email to SeniorLivingkw@gmail.com
Staff Publishers Michelle Carollo & Kelly Walgamotte Editor Lana Walgamotte
Account Executive Shannon McCarthy
Contributing Writers Lisa Bologna Lisa Clements Mary Bounds Mike Rich
Chief Designer Chris Tiblier
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Photographer Bach Imagery
Senior Living is published monthly P.O. Box 752, Slidell, LA 70459, 985-445-3644. Copyright 2014 by Senior Living. No part of this publication can be reproduced without the written, expressed consent of the publisher. Reproduction of editorial content or graphics in any manner or in any medium is prohibited. Opinions of staff & contributing writers do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the publisher. For advertising information, contact Senior Living business department at 985-778-6171 or e-mail at seniorlivingmagla@gmail.com.
Letters to the Editor are Welcome – send signed letters to P.O. Box 752, Slidell, LA 70459. Please include a phone number for verification (it will not be published). E-mail letters to seniorlivingmagla@gmail.com. The Editor reserves the right to edit for length, style and spelling. Postmaster: Send address changes to Senior Living P.0. Box 752, Slidell, LA 70459
Medicare Part D How to save on prescription drug cost. by: Rob Braley, Walgreens Pharmacy Director
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ome 10,000 people are turning 65 every day and most of them are at risk for diabetes, high blood pressure and other conditions as they age. Many of these older Americans are concerned about their health and their health care costs, a recent Walgreens survey found. More than a third of the Medicare Part D beneficiaries surveyed worry every day about their prescription drug costs and one in five say they’ve had to make sacrifices, such as delaying filling a prescription or skipping doses, to help manage medication costs. Few realize that copays for Part D prescriptions can vary by pharmacy. And, some don't know they can switch pharmacies at any time. The good news is that Medicare Part D beneficiaries can save hundreds of dollars a year on prescription copay costs by using a preferred network pharmacy, if there’s one in their Part D plan. For example, Walgreens, which is in the network of hundreds of national Medicare prescription drug plans and participates in the preferred networks of nine national Part D sponsors, offers significant savings on prescription copays over select pharmacies for many of the plans in which it’s a preferred pharmacy.
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There are three easy steps for Medicare Part D beneficiaries looking to save on prescription drug costs:
<<< Fill your prescriptions at a preferred pharmacy like Walgreens to save on copays. <<< Ask your pharmacist if generic substitutions are available. <<< Talk to your pharmacists about 90-day fill options for maintenance medications if your plan offers lower copays.
Learn More Talk to your pharmacist or visit walgreens.com/medicare.
by: Mike Rich
If you need someone to take care of you when you’re old, how will you pay for it? This past summer, we moved my mother-in-law into an assisted living facility. She had been living with my wife’s sister and her husband, and they were doing their best to take care of her. However, providing the care mom deserved simply got to be too much for everyone to handle, and we made the tough call. It wasn’t easy to convince her to move, but she finally realized it was in her best interest. The good news is that she has settled in nicely and made friends, and is actually enjoying the attention she receives from the well-trained staff. Although our decision was difficult to make, it wasn’t because of money. My mother-in-law has a long term care insurance policy, and it’s a good one. Mom is 87 years old and her policy’s benefit will likely last for the rest of her life, even though it’s covering the cost of a pretty nice place for her to live. If she needs to, she can use her pension and Social Security benefit to supplement her insurance, but I honestly don’t think it will come to that. It’s a nice feeling for our family, knowing that mom doesn’t have to worry about money to pay for her care, and she’s protecting the money she and my father-inlaw worked so hard to get in the first place. If you or your spouse need long term care – whether it’s in your home, an assisted living facility, or a nursing home – how will you pay for it? For a 65-year old couple, there’s a 70% chance that at least one spouse will need some type of care before he or she dies.1 Those are pretty good – or pretty bad – odds, so do you think it makes sense to have a plan to pay
for long term care? I do, and I help clients all the time with designing a strategy. There are five basic ways to pay for long term care. First, if you have a lot of money, you can pay for it yourself. That seems like a waste to me. Second, you can purchase traditional long term care insurance, which requires a monthly premium, but it’s affordable for many people. Third, you can pay a single premium for a policy and not have ongoing payments. For people who have some cash, perhaps in a CD earning next to nothing, the single-premium approach makes a lot of sense. Fourth, you can purchase a whole life insurance policy that has a long term care rider attached to it. With this approach, if you need long term care, the policy will pay a portion of the death benefit in advance. If you don’t need care, the death benefit is there for your spouse or other beneficiaries. Finally, some annuities will increase their distributions if the annuitant needs long term care. 2 The important thing is to have a plan, so you and your family are not taken by surprise if you have to pay for your care. To find out what might work for you, call Steve or me for a free consultation. Mike Rich and Steve Kernahan, Pontchartrain Investment Management, 2242 Carey Street, Slidell, LA 70458 985-605-5066 1 Probability of needing LTC: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services National Clearinghouse for Long Term Care Information, 10/22/08 2 Benefits are based on the claims paying ability of the issuing company.
Author: Lisa Bologna • Photography by: Bach Imagery
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or most people, retirement offers the opportunity for rest and relaxation-like being on a permanent vacation-but someone forgot to tell Larry Hess, retired St. Tammany Parish Fire Chief. Since retiring in August 2013, Larry has woken each day with a purpose, intent on getting something useful done. Whether attending Crescent City Bartending school, developing a new business concept, or undergoing bypass surgery Larry shows no signs of slowing down. Larry started his career in July 1966 as a volunteer in his community and as a firefighter at Joliet Army Ammo Plant in Illinois. He received a BA in Public Safety Administration which included an 18 month internship as a firefighter in Chicago. Eventually, he was promoted to assistant fire chief at Union Oil Refinery in Lemont, IL. Continuing his career as a fire chief at Tenneco Oil Refinery, Chalmette Larry finally settled in Slidell as Captain at Pearl River Fire Dept. and was in charge of HazMat for STPSO. In April of 2001 Parish President Davis made Larry director of fire services and served as Fire
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Chief over the district for over 10 years. Health and fitness has always been a strong focus for Larry, whether for himself, his fellow firefighters, or for the community. He could frequently be seen working out at Cross Gates Family Fitness with his Fire Crew running at full speed, on a deep incline, with a weighted backpack on his back. When Larry was 50 he became serious about fitness (he is a certified personal trainer and Spin instructor) since he had a family history of heart disease and he had all the markers of risk factors: high triglycerides, high cholesterol. Due to his fitness and healthy lifestyle, he was able to get off of his heart medication within a
the participants and the popular program still runs annually. After four decades as a highly decorated firefighter and fire chief, Larry retired and pursued those things that he was passionate about: playing music with his band St. Tammany Fire District #1 All Aces, managing local bands, bartending, and developing the concept for his company, Barflies-a private bartending and catering business that offer mixology, cooking, and entertainment on site (entertainment acts will include comedians, musicians, vocal artists, flair artists, etc). During a bartending shift at Fox’s
“Having a partner you can come home to, to be supportive and to listen to you, is so important to have in a good marriage.” year. During his time with the St. Tammany Parish Fire Dept. Larry implemented the “Fit as a Firefighter” program for children and their families. Educating the children and their parents on proper nutrition, exercise, and healthy life habits Larry saw tremendous results from
Pizza Den, Larry felt sub-sternal pain while sweeping. He called his wife and told her to meet him at Slidell Memorial Hospital, where the EKG came back normal. After the blood work came back, the prognoses was not as encouraging-99% blockage in his main artery and
Fellow musicians From left: Barry Barrous, Ryan Hebert, Larry Hess, Alicia Austin, Dominick Cantillo and Ross Shields.
48% blockage in his secondary artery. True to his nature, 10 weeks out of surgery Larry is 80% recovered from his bypass and awaiting the day in the very near future when he can strap his weighted backpack on his back and run on the treadmill again. At the center of his life Larry credits his success, his happiness, and his stability to his wife of 47 years, Janice. During his years as a fire chief, Larry saw tragedy day after day and Janice was there to listen. “Having a partner you can come home to, to be supportive and to listen to you, is so important to have in a good marriage”, says Larry. Janice raised their two boys, took care of their home, supported Larry’s career, and (as anyone who knows Larry) tolerated his antics. He credits her and their marriage for the success he has had in his life. Through the stress of politics, the death of 8 friends in his service as a fire fighter (5 deaths in 1 tragic night), battling breast cancer with Janice and heart disease with Larry, they have seen each other through with good communication, teamwork, and support-and a good sense of humor. Looking ahead at retirement, Larry says he wants to avoid the Bear Bryant Syndrome-retirement decompression that leads to an early death. He plans to stay active mentally and physically with his band, his business, his workouts, and his family. In Larry’s words, “If you stay useful, you stay youthful.” In Larry’s case, we couldn’t agree more.
“After four decades as a highly decorated firefighter and fire chief, Larry retired and pursued those things that he was passionate about: playing music with his band All Aces.”
Top Cancer Care
Focusing on the individual: Cancer care is highly personal for patients, staff at SMHRCC
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ancer patients turn to healthcare providers seeking hope. They hope for a cure, for longer life, for quality of time, for a release from fear. Most of all, they hope for caregivers who understand, who support and who fight with them, each step of the way. Creating hope for people with cancer is one reason Slidell Memorial Hospital built its Regional Cancer Center. This continues to drive the commitment to make available the most advanced technology to diagnose and treat. And this is a focus of the patient-centered staff of caregivers within the SMHRCC. “From the moment a patient comes here, we absolutely work to put their mind at ease,” says Infusion Center Charge Nurse Jennifer Spencer, who says part of the mission is to be an advocate for each patient. “We try to give them simple, understandable information, one-on-one, to answer questions they don’t realize they have until they’re with us. We make it a priority to get to know them as individuals.” From personalized diagnostic test-
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ing to individualized treatment and support, the services at SMHRCC are finely tailored to each patient. Even at the first meeting after diagnosis, the patient begins working with a special person whose mission is to guide them through what can be an overwhelmingly complicated process: Nurse Navigator Cynthia Hingle. “It’s important the patient knows they have a person they can call, and we’ll get them whatever they are asking for without delay,” Hingle says. “When they’re newly-diagnosed, for instance, they have questions they forgot to ask their doctors. If we don’t know the answer, we will get it. We take the fear of the unknown from them.” Hingle also helps identify resources for qualifying patients, whether it is financial, emotional, physical
or insurance-related support. “If there’s a resource, I’ll find it,” she says. Because their treatment path is typically much longer than other types of patients, people with cancer and the staff that helps them at SMHRCC have time to build a special relationship. “They come so regularly and for so long, so we get to know them and their families on a much more personal level,” says Radiation Oncology Director Lori Fonte. Hingle agrees, adding, “It does become like a family here, between our team and the patient and their support system.” SMHRCC, which opened in 2011, was built on the concept of bringing coordinated and comprehensive cancer treatment to the region in one con-
venient location. Doing that well, SMHRCC Director JoAnn Forsyth says, requires a team approach to caring for the patient. Special software tools assure each member of the team of caregivers and technicians knows what’s next for each patient to assure the care is as timely and streamlined as it is compassionate.
“Any hospital can treat patients. But we actually care for them like they’re family,” Forsyth says. Forsyth said that from the first time they meet a patient until the patient enters into survivorship, her staff is also actively learning from the patients. “Patients help us to improve in our delivery of services. It can be something that seems
little to others, like getting special software that has allowed us to get breast mammogram results out faster. But we are aware of the positive impact these improvements have on individuals in our community.” Hospitals make choices every day that help create the future of their communities. Slidell Memorial’s choice was to create the SMHRCC to prevent, diagnose and treat cancer better. This has led directly to today, with delivery of more personalized care from a coordinated team of technicians and doctors using the most advanced technology to give hope to each cancer patient who enters.
A Man’s Guide Everyone wants to look and feel younger. Currently, the anti-aging industry in the United States is an $80 billion business and research suggests it’s only going to get bigger. By 2016, it could amount to as much as $114 billion. This growth, experts say, is due largely to the population of aging baby boomers, but also to an increasing interest from men looking for ways to hold on to their youth. According to recent research by L’Oreal, the number of men visiting hair salons to have their hair dyed grew 50 percent in the last two years. Male plastic surgery also increased last year. Data from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons showed a two percent uptick overall, a 14 percent increase in facelifts, and a nine percent increase in Botox. But you don’t have to go under the knife to slash away the years. Simple steps at home can keep the annoying effects of aging at bay and help you look as young as you feel. Start With Skin Care The first thing people notice is your skin. According to one recent study published in the Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology, men’s attractiveness and youth are judged largely on the tone and evenness of their complexion. Take years off your face by following these anti-aging skin-care rules: Stay out of the sun. The sun just beats the daylights out of your skin. If you are going to be in the sun, wear sunscreen. Over-exposure to the sun can
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cause wrinkles and age spots that surely will make you look older. Moisturize. Using moisturizer and a gentle cleanser every day will help you look younger. Dryness exaggerates signs of aging in the face and the body. Moisturizer will help. Drink lots of water. Six to eight cups of water a day will help keep your skin hydrated, giving skin better tone and a more youthful looking appearance.
Promote Wellness Maintaining your overall health can make you look and feel younger. These lifestyle choices promote wellness: Sleep well. Most adults need seven to nine hours of sleep every night. Getting appropriate sleep is very important for how you look. Not enough sleep can result in bags under your eyes and other health consequences that may make you appear older. One study from the psychiatry department at Penn State College of Medicine found that sleep deprivation affected men’s mental acuity more than women’s. And another study from the University of California, San Diego, found that more men needed naps to reinforce learning. Men also wake up more often and have less slow-wave sleep, which is crucial for memory formation. Stop smoking. Smoking can make you look old by creating wrinkles and lines around your mouth and eyes, dulling your skin, and staining your teeth. It also can cause a host of health problems that will age you quickly. Eat healthy. Eating appropriate amounts of a Mediterranean-type diet — chicken, fish, fruits, and vegetables with a moderate amount of carbs — will keep you healthy as well as looking young and fit. Exercise. Exercise will help you to maintain your tone and your flexibility. Aerobic exercises are good for your heart and whatever you do for your heart is also good for your brain. Men who are fit and trim will look younger and feel younger than those who are fat and flabby. Dress Your Age Age is about appearance. You can
take years off your appearance if you follow this simple anti- aging dress code: Avoid clothing trends. When dressing, go with updated classics. If you are 50 plus and go with a trend that is for 18-year-olds, it will not look right. And don’t dwell on trends from your past. If you wore the look before, don’t do it again. For example, bell-bottom trousers from the ’60s will make you look dated or like you never left that era. All that glitters is old. Less is best when it comes to jewelry as we age. We don’t want to get too carried away with rings and ID bracelets, and huge, oversized watches. Toning down the jewelry as a man gets older is more age appropriate. Raze an eyebrow. As men age, their eyebrows often get long and unruly. You don’t get character you look crazy. When you get your haircut, have your stylist trim your eyebrows at the same time. Trim unwanted body hair. As men age they tend to get hair in unwanted places, such as the ears and nose. Keep this growth trimmed and you’ll look younger and if you look younger, you’ll feel younger. Grow a beard. If you have a sagging neckline, sometimes a close cropped beard can be a great way of concealing it. Following this anti-aging advice can make you look younger and feel younger, no matter what the calendar says. Staying fit and trim also will help prevent illnesses and chronic conditions that can age you prematurely as well.
It’s Flu Season by: Michelle Carollo
For many years people 65 years and older have been at greater risk of serious complications from the flu compared with young, healthy adults. It's estimated that 90 percent of seasonal flu-related deaths and more than 60 percent of seasonal flu-related hospitalizations in the United States each year occur in people 65 years and older. As we age human immune defenses tend to become weaker. Influenza can be a very serious and debilitating disease for people 65 and older. Should I get a Flu Shot? The best way to prevent the flu is with a flu vaccine. The CDC recommends that everyone 6 months of age and older get a seasonal flu vaccine as soon as it becomes available in your community. October 1 starts the Flu Season. Due to the increased risk in people 65 years and older vaccinations are strongly recommended. A flu vaccine doesn’t necessarily prevent but
will help protect against flu viruses. The vaccines are updated for each season and immunity wanes over a year, so you should get vaccinated this year even if you were vaccinated last season. Post vac-
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cination, immunity sets in around two weeks. Two flu shots are available to choose from - a regular dose flu vaccine and a newer flu vaccine designed with a higher dose concentration for at risk populations. The high dose vaccine is associated with a stronger immune response to vaccination. However, whether the stronger immune response results in greater protection against influenza illness in older adults is not yet known. The CDC and its Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices have not expressed a preference for either vaccine. Both vaccine options are covered by Medicare Part B with no copay. Prevention is the best Medicine Practice good health habits including covering coughs, washing hands often, and avoiding people who are sick. Frequent hand washing has been linked to the decrease in spread of the flu virus. When should I contact my Doctor? Flu Symptoms: Fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose,
body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. It should also be noted that some people may also have vomiting and diarrhea. People can also be infected with the flu and have respiratory symptoms without a fever. Seek medical advice quickly if you develop flu symptoms, you may need medical evaluation or treatment with antiviral drugs. Antiviral drugs used early have been known to lessen the serious complications of the flu. What other vaccines are available? Vaccinations help people protect themselves from getting influenza, pneumonia and other illnesses. Which vaccinations should an adult get to guard themselves against serious illnesses? According to the CDC adults need vaccinations to protect themselves against the following diseases: * Seasonal Influenza * Tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis (whooping cough) * Shingles * Pneumonia Vaccine
Holiday Sampler New Orleans Mirliton Casserole with Crabmeat, Shrimp and Crawfish. Seafood casseroles are a Thanksgiving favorite in New Orleans. As long as I can remember this was a staple dish at the table on Thanksgiving. Mirlitons also called “Chayotes” elsewhere are abundant this time of year. This recipe will halve easily for a smaller crowd. ( Makes 24-30 Side Dish Servings) 12 Medium to Large Mirlitons, washed Butter for greasing, plus 1 cup (2 sticks), Plus 2 tablespoons 4 cups finely chopped onions 6 large cloves of garlic, minced 6 medium bay leaves ¼ cup of minced fresh parsley 1 medium yellow bell pepper, finely chopped 1 medium red bell pepper, finely chopped 1 pound of lump crabmeat, picked over to take out shells
1 pound peeled crawfish tails, coarsely chopped 1 pound peeled boiled shrimp, coarsely chopped 1 teaspoon salt ¾ teaspoon black pepper, or to taste ¾ teaspoon Tabasco, or to taste 3 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce About 2 ½ cups of seasoned Italian bread crumbs TOPPING: ¾ cup seasoned Italian bread crumbs ½ cup (1 stick) butter, cut into pats In a large pot, boil the mirlitons whole until they are tender. Usually 45min-1hr. Let them cool, then peel. Remove and discard the seeds and any pulp that is stringy. Chop into small pieces and put in a colander to drain. Set aside, if preparing ahead of time refrigerate, drain well before using. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Butter two 9x13in baking pans or large casserole dishes. In a 7-quart saucepan or Dutch oven, melt the butter. Add onions and garlic and cook until the onions are clear, about 7 minutes, be careful not to
burn the onions or garlic. Stir in the drained mirliton, bay leaves, and parsley. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally to keep the mixture from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Place in bell pepper, then add the crabmeat, crawfish, and shrimp, keep the lumps of crabmeat as intact as possible. Mix in the salt, pepper, Tabasco and Worcestershire. Gradually add enough bread crumbs, about 2 ½ cups, to absorb all of the liquid. Once done, the mixture should be moist but no too wet. Continue cooking for 5 minutes more, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pot constantly. Remove the bay leaves from the mixture and transfer into the butter pans. For the Topping: Sprinkle the top of the casserole with ¾ cup of bread crumbs and the pats of butter. (you can refrigerate or freeze for future use at this time.) Bake, uncovered, until the casserole is heated through, bubbly and brown, about 35 min. Enjoy.
Best Sweet Potato Pie. Ever.
Louisiana natives prefer sweet potato pie over pumpkin pie for the holidays. Locals say this is the best sweet potato pie ever. This pie can be made a day or two before and baked the day it is to be served. 3 Pounds of sweet potatoes (about 2 large ones) ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 cups of sugar 2 tablespoons of ground nutmeg 1 (12 ounce can) evaporated milk 1 tablespoon vanilla extract 6 large eggs 4 unbaked pie shells 9-inch Ice Cream or whipped cream at time of serving Wash the potatoes but do not peel. In a large sauce pan, cover them with water and bring to a boil. Boil until tender about 1 hour then drain. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, peel and put them in a large bowl. Using an electric
mixer add the butter, evaporated milk, sugar, nutmeg, vanilla and eggs to the bowl of potatoes. Beat until the mixture is smooth. ( If making ahead of time cover and refrigerate until ready to bake the pies). Pour the filling into the pie shells and bake until the crusts are golden brown and the filling is set 30-35 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature, topped with ice cream or whipped cream if desired.