Generations

GENERATIONS A LIFETIME OF HORSIN' AROUND:

Larry DeWald and other longtime riders recall the early days of the River Trail Riders Saddle Club

ALSO INSIDE: - Denny McLeod: Railwayman, church builder, golfer - COVID-19's long-term impacts on seniors ....and more

PAGE 2

GENERATIONS

Orthopedics & Sports Medicine No Referral Needed!

218.616.3700

Learn how CHI St. Joseph’s Health Orthopedics can help YOU Move & Live Pain Free!

Services include: n

n

n

n

n

n

Sports medicine Hip, knee and shoulder replacements Carpal tunnel and trigger finger releases Fracture surgeries of the upper & lower extremities Hip, knee & shoulder arthroscopies Fracture care and more‌

AUGUST 27, 2020

AUGUST 27, 2020

GENERATIONS

TRAIL RIDES BEFORE THERE WERE TRAILS

PAGE 3

Rebecca Mitchell / Generations

In the Western Pleasure class, exhibitors lope, trot, walk and jog their horses as directed by the announcer.

Longtime members, Larry DeWald and Jean Birch, recall the early days of the Verndale saddle club Rebecca Mitchell / Generations

On June 28, trailers rolled in as friends and family members came for a day of horse show competition, from pleasure to game classes at the River Trail Riders Saddle Club open horse show.

THE RIVER TRAIL RIDERS CLUB LEGACY RIDES ON

T

Rebecca Mitchell / Generations

In this historical photo from the Pioneer Journal's Aug. 8, 1968 edition, onlookers of the "record crowd" are enjoying the horse show at the River Trail Riders arena. The arena remains located on Co. Rd. 4.

By Rebecca Mitchell For Generations

he River Trail Riders Saddle Club arena boasts a long history as part of the state’s oldest riding club, according to club treasurer and longtime member Jean Birch.

The arena’s first open horse show galloped through in 1963 after the club was organized in Feb. 1949 and incorporated in 1957, as stated in Volume One of the Verndale Historical Society history books.

For a number of years beginning in 1968, the arena also hosted one of the seven quarter horse shows in partnership with the Wadena County Fairgrounds.

RIVER TRAIL RIDERS CLUB: Page 5

GENERATIONS

PAGE 4

T

AUGUST 27, 2020

By Rebecca Mitchell For Generations

he DeWald family has built a legacy with the Verndale River Trail Riders Saddle Club, taking adventurous trail rides and competing in horse shows across the region for well over 60 years.

Larry DeWald says he's been a member longer than he can remember, joining with his family sometime in the 1950s.

“Irreplaceable,” he says of the club's value to him and his family.

The River Trail Riders started in 1949 with a humble membership of four, which grew to 94 over the next two decades. The club held horse shows in the Verndale ballpark, Wadena Sale Pavilion and, starting in 1963, their arena on County Road 4, according to Volume One of the Verndale history books. Carl Peterson, Norman Adams, and Barry and Mickey Blaha were the founding members.

The club’s foundation was simple: all you needed to join was an interest in horses. The DeWald family definitely had that.

Larry DeWald says he was caught riding the family’s mustang around the farm at just 5 years old, and from then on, "I spent as much time as I could with them,” even riding the neighboring farmer's horses on the plow field.

Rebecca Mitchell / Generations

Larry DeWald smiles as he describes the photos of his horses, including the Tennessee Walkers he and his wife Renee ride now. DeWald is one of the longtime members of the Verndale River Trail Riders Saddle Club.

Moving in the right direction Your body was made to move. But sometimes, it doesn’t work as it should, causing you pain and limited movement.

Ben Robertson, M.D., and his Tri Orthopedics team of experts understand that this can deeply affect your quality of life.

Specializing in the treatment and diagnosis of bone, joint and muscle disorders in people of all ages, they are eager to help you get back to doing the things you love.

ORTHOPEDICS

Featuring:

• Total joint replacements for knees, hips and shoulders • Hand and foot procedures • Fracture and osteoarthritis care • ACL reconstruction • Arthroscopy procedures • Treatment of repetitive use and sports-related injuries

For more information or to schedule an appointment, call 218-631-3510.

TCHC.org/ortho

GENERATIONS

AUGUST 27, 2020

PAGE 5

RIVER TRAIL RIDERS CLUB From Page 3

The club operated as a family organization, with family units joining in horse riding as well as the work of feeding and hosting people at all-day events, Birch says. The club would also rent a trailer for a day of trail riding and a picnic.

Today, people still come to the Verndale arena to participate in horse shows. Atop their horses, friends and competitors warm up in the grassy area outside the arena gates, comparing shows and discussing their qualifications.

There are currently 13 family units and 19 individual members in the saddle club, according to Birch. Members can ride and practice in the arena, and the club holds meetings on the first Wednesday of the month. The horse shows, barrel races and fun shows are open to everyone regardless of membership.

Visit the River Trail Riders Saddle Club Facebook page for more information. The arena is located at 19354 150th Street in Verndale.

Rebecca Mitchell / Generations

Larry DeWald smiles as he describes the photos of his horses, including the Tennessee Walkers he and his wife Renee ride now. DeWald is one of the longtime members of the Verndale River Trail Riders Saddle Club.

We went Maplewood trail riding, that was before there was trails; I mean we could go anywhere we wanted to.

– LARRY DEWALD He and his sister Sheila (Finck) liked equestrian games like wheelbarrow, rescue race and scoop shovel, while their sister Jean enjoyed trail rides. The kids' father, Howard, was known for taking off in any direction he chose while on the trails. He was a rider, but it was their mother, Erma, who “really liked horses,” according to Larry.

The stories that quickly come to his mind are those of competing in games with Sheila, from when she won her first blue ribbon to when the horse would come “wide open” at her during rescue races. For those, he'd pull young Sheila up onto their horse, Flicka, as Flicka was on the move, clocked at 45 mph.

“It’s beautiful when it’s done right,” Jean (Birch) says.

“Larry’s literally got her by the arm, and she’s just in the wind on the horse.”

On their family farm, Larry would practice event after event, day after day. For the key hole event, which requires staying within a white line, he came up with the idea to use balloons in his training.

The horses would stay inside the lines to avoid the balloons.

t a s k A n IR M Ba F&

ds! n u f ent nce m e r reti nalty o r ! s u e e o t rat ess to y rawal p ! a e r  G y acc thd 59 1/2 ! i r s w tte g a  E early r age ance ma alon o t e n o e ove bal er, re a e'r N mb you' ney, w very m r e ’ u t m Re poin s jour u . . . e ! you minim at life' h yo way h w our o e it N y re w of th e p th

Farmers & Merchants State Bank New York Mills Since 1916

ste

BUSINESS HOURS LOBBY:

11 North Walker New York Mills, MN 56567 218-385-2300 Direct www.fmbanknym.com

8:30am - 4:30pm M-F

WALKUP & DRIVEUP: 8am - 5pm M-F

PAGE 6

GENERATIONS

AUGUST 27, 2020

DeWald's unique efforts paid off, earning him the high point in Eagle Bend for his first ribbon.

“We were hard to beat," he laughs.

The impressions from all that practicing are still in the ground at the farm, where Birch still lives.

“You can feel the embankment of where they went around the barrel and then the next one," she says.

"Amazing after all these years that’s still there."

In 1968, the River Trail Riders began sponsoring quarter horse shows, which were a seven-day series of shows from Wadena to Fergus Falls.

“That was unheard of up here at that time,” DeWald says.

The “huge event” filled the 33-acre arena with horses and trailers, plus storage spaces at the Wadena

County Fairgrounds and neighboring farms, according to Birch and DeWald.

DeWald had partners from Alexandria to Iowa, including Ronnie Sundby and Gail Taggert. He considers Sundby one of the best riders in five states, and he competed with Taggert in five states and Canada.

The trail rides, too, brought club members to new places.

You can feel the embankment of where they went around the barrel and then the next one.

Amazing after all these years that's still here.

– JEAN BIRCH Rebecca Mitchell / Generations

Pictured on top left: Jean Birch shows a picture of Larry DeWald, her brother, riding in a Sebeka parade in 1989 (top picture) and another of the River Trail Riders arena filled with trailers from a horse show in 1969 (bottom).

WE ARE OPEN! We are taking the necessary precautions to safely see customers.

Brian Hillesland BC-HIS

National Board Certified Hearing Instrument Specialist Rebecca Mitchell / Generations

In 1999, the River Trail Riders Saddle Club celebrated its 50th anniversary. The club started in 1949 and was officially incorporated in 1957.

Call anytime for appointment

Offices in Wadena • Park Rapids • Perham • Detroit Lakes 218-631-4966 or Toll Free 1-800-631-4946

AUGUST 27, 2020

GENERATIONS

Larry DeWald and his wife, Renee, with two of their family's horses at the farm in early August.

Rebecca Mitchell / Generations

PAGE 7 “We went Maplewood trail riding, that was before there was trails; I mean we could go anywhere we wanted to," DeWald says. "And my dad was a good one to figure out trails to go on, and that’s an understatement."

Rather than stop and figure out a good place to ride, Birch explains with a laugh, "He just said, ‘I think there’s a trail over there.’”

On one trip, a group of 40 to 50 riders ventured to Spider Lake with their father, as well as Barry Blaha, leading the way -- until Blaha’s horse Blubberguts got in past his chest. The “soft ground!” warning came and the group pulled Blubberguts out from the side.

“Those things happened because we always went a lot of places where there were no trails, let’s put it that way,” DeWald says.

“When the Saddle Club rode back then, they crossed rivers a lot," Birch says. "Water was kind of associated with what they did."

DeWald still enjoys trail rides today, though Birch no longer rides. And rather than the “brush riding” of yesteryear, as they describe the old trail rides, DeWald's rides now are more like "going out for a drive in a Cadillac," he says.

Sometimes there are more choices than cherry or apple.

You have important decisions to make when it comes to your care.

Perham Living offers a variety of options to give you any amount of assistance you might need in the way you want it.

Transitional care, home care, assisted living services, apartment living and our nursing home community are just a few of the options we provide. Perham Living works with you and your family one-on-one to explain the benefits of each option and answer every question. You pick the plan that works for you right now.

Together, we’ll make choosing care as easy as pie.

Meet with a team member for more information or to tour our Community. You have choices. We have options. Call 218-347-1800 or visit www.perhamhealth.org.

Perham Living 735 Third Street Southwest Perham. MN 56573 218-347-1800

GENERATIONS

PAGE 8

AUGUST 27, 2020

DENNY MCLEOD:

Railwayman, church builder, golfer

By RosaLin Alcoser ralcoser@perhamfocus.com enny McLeod was born on a farm in North Dakota in 1935 during the Great Depression. He served on a tank crew in the Army in Germany, spent his career working for the railroad, then built a church in his retirement.

Today, the 85-year-old Ottertail resident is a family man, snowbird, and big fan of the golf greens.

McLeod and his wife, Mary Beth, have two families, he says -- "Hers and mine." He has two children, a son and daughter, and five grandchildren who, "luckily for me, are all sweet young ladies."

McLeod attended North Dakota State University and worked on the family farm after returning home from his time in the Army. He eventually obtained bachelor's and masters degrees in agricultural economics.

After that, “I went to work for the Burlington Northern Railroad,” he says.

“I did research and analysis, primarily in grain marketing, but I also did special projects like looking at buying other railroads, rationalizing what our railroad should look like, which branch lines we needed and which we didn’t.”

D

In 1987, McLeod left Burlington Northern to work as the Executive Vice President of a new startup, the Red River Valley & Western Railroad Company.

“About two years later I was named the President and Chief Operating Officer,” McLeod says. “We were the sixth-longest short line and regional in the U.S." The company transported grain and other goods across northern Minnesota, North Dakota and Montana. One of McLeod's roles was to hash out the details about what should and shouldn't be charged and what extra services should be provided -- something that often put him at odds with the North Dakota Upper Great Plains Transportation Institution (UGPTI).. "They usually disagreed with us," he recalls, but his people skills and ability to negotiate also led to new business relationships and opportunities.

“When I left the Burlington Northern, moved and started the railroad up here, I think it was the first or second year I was here, they (UGPTI) asked me to join the council," McLeod says.

RosaLin Alcoser / Generations

Denny McLeod was key in helping get the current United Methodist Church in Ottertail built.

We’re here here..

Even during these challenging times, we want you to know we’re here with safe, comfortable senior living communities designed to meet your needs.

To inquire about openings, call 218-894-2124.

RosaLin Alcoser / Generations

Ottertail man Denny McLeod spent his life working for two railroad companies, then helped build a church in his retirement.

lakewoodhealthsystem.com

AUGUST 27, 2020 "They made me chairman of the board for the council after about four or five years. I was the chairman until I retired. They liked me, I guess, because they gave me a lifetime achievement award for their organization.”

NOT EVERYONE IS TASKED TO BUILD A CHURCH

In 2001, McLeod went into a council meeting at Ottertail United Methodist Church, where he is still a member today, and left as one of seven people tasked with planning and constructing a new church building.

“The meeting was about to be over when Pat Ahlfs said, ‘Are we ever going to talk about building a new church?’," McLeod remembers. “I hardly knew these people and I had never built a church before. I’d like to think I was too polite to say, 'No.'” McLeod may have never built a church, but he had worked on many projects with the railroad. None of the other church volunteers had ever built a church before, either, but McLeod says, “It was pretty easy to put together what we needed."

The first two or three years of the project consisted of jumping through the hoops of the United Methodist Conference, to see if construction of

GENERATIONS

PAGE 9

I hardly knew these people and I had never built a church before. I’d like to think I was too polite to say, 'No'.

– DENNY MCLEOD, on how he got involved in the Ottertail United Methodist Church construction project

a new church was even feasible, he says. There was also a lot of discussion about whether they should build a new facility or remodel the old one.

Remodeling would have been less expensive than building something new, so we looked at that first, McLeod says.

“I must have brought in four different contractors and each of them told us the same thing: That you don’t know what you're going to run into when you’re remodeling a church that’s probably 100 years old," he says. "Because lumber was different, it’s unknown what’s happened inside the walls and things like that. We also didn’t have the parking space we needed. It reminded me that we really didn’t want an eyesore out there.”

Once it was decided that a new church would be built, researching and determining what was needed in a building was the next part of the process.

“Luckily for us, Dent had built a church similar to the one we were talking about,” McLeod says. “So we had that to use as an example. And Sebeka had a relatively new church... I made numerous trips over there to see things that they did, measurements and such to help decide what it was we were going to do here.”

According to McLeod, whenever a big project is being planned, at least one big donor is needed to help fund 40-50% of the project.

“I was thinking that there’s always some old person in the community

that’s got more money than he or she knows what to do with, and they will jump in," he says. "Well, I never found that person, but I found Jim and Pat. The real hero was Jim and Pat (Ahlfs).

If there is a hero, it’s not me."

It was the Ahlfs who donated the two lots that the church now sits on, and Jim’s construction company did the groundwork on the building.

Their donation made up what McLeod figures was nearly 25% of the cost of the new church.

Four years after that council meeting, in 2005, the new church was complete.

IT'S NEVER TOO LATE TO PICK UP ANOTHER SPORT

McLeod has had a lifelong liking for sports. He spent time coaching baseball when he was younger and when his son was young, and now that he's retired, he's become an avid golfer.

“I’m golfing four times a week right now,” he says.

McLeod is also a snowbird and spends his winters with his wife in their house in Arizona.

“It’s quite nice and it allows me to do my favorite thing right now -- which is not an interview, but golf,” he says.

BUY YOU R SPECIAL SOMEO NE BOOK O A F TICKETS OR A PA SS.

Cheap and Great Gift idea!

HERE TO GET YOU THERE...

Need a ride to the store, clinic, after school activity?

We get you where you need to go.

Check out our Extended Hours on our website

WWW.FRIENDLYRIDER.COM

Call for a ride today! • 218-631-5730

GENERATIONS

PAGE 10

AUGUST 27, 2020

EASY WAYS TO KEEP YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM STRONG A

healthy immune system is vital to fending off or recovering from illness.

Harvard Medical School says diet, exercise, age and psychological stress may affect immune system response.

Certain lifestyle choices can promote a strong immune system. ▶ Get adequate sleep. Doctors believe sleep and immunity are closely tied. A study of 164 healthy adults published by the National Institutes of Health found those who slept fewer than six hours each night were more likely to catch a cold than people who slept for more than six hours. Aim for adequate rest each night to keep your body in top form. ▶ Increase your intake of fruits and vegetables. Fruits and vegetables supply the powerhouse antioxidants that are essential for protecting a body against free radicals. Free radicals may play a role in heart disease, cancer and other diseases.

Serve fruits and/or vegetables with every meal to ensure you’re getting enough antioxidant-rich foods. ▶ Consume fiber and fermented foods. Fiber can help feed the gut microbiome, which is linked to a robust immune system. The microbiome also may prevent harmful pathogens from entering the body through the digestive tract. Data also suggests that eating more fermented foods can further strengthen and populate healthy bacteria in the gut. ▶ Exercise regularly. Aim for 30 minutes of moderate exercise per day, advises the American Heart Association. Thirty minutes of exercise each day can go a long way toward keeping the body healthy.

The U.S. National Library of Medicine says physical activity may help flush bacteria out of the lungs and airways.

Exercise causes changes in antibodies and white blood cells, which circulate rapidly and may detect illnesses

earlier than they would if you do not exercise. Body temperature also rises during exercise, which could naturally prevent bacteria from growing. ▶ Try to minimize stress. According to Simply Psychology, when people are stressed, the immune system’s ability to fight off antigens is reduced,

making people more susceptible to infections. The stress hormone corticosteroid can suppress the effectiveness of the immune system.

Limiting stress through meditation and breathing exercises, or trying to remove stressors from one’s life, may help.

Our Home Your Home Customized Living Facility An Alternative to Senior Care

24 hour staff supervision • RN on staff

Jody & Beno Lohse, Owners 609 Front Street • Henning, MN 56551 (218) 583-4428 • (218) 583-2504 Fax e-mail: ourhome@arvig.net

AUGUST 27, 2020

GENERATIONS

PAGE 11

2 & 3 Bedroom Townhomes

PROTECT YOURSELF FROM CORONAVIRUS FRAUD R

estrictions implemented to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus COVID-19 have saved untold numbers of lives. The world has adjusted to such restrictions, and some parts of the world have relaxed measures as case numbers have declined.

As communities begin returning to some semblance of normalcy, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has warned people against letting their guard down. While many of those warnings pertain to the importance of continuing to practice social distancing as economies reopen, advisories also include notices about fraud schemes related to COVID-19.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General has advised the general public about scams involving Medicare fraud.

Such schemes are targeting Medicare beneficiaries in an assortment of ways, including through text messages, social media, telemarketing calls, and even door-to-door visits.

When perpetrating such frauds, scammers seek beneficiaries’ personal information, which they then use to fraudulently bill federal healthcare programs, potentially leaving their victims on the hook for costly unapproved tests related to COVID-19.

The CDC notes the importance of being aware of such schemes. Awareness can help consumers avoid being victimized by scammers, and the following are some additional measures people can take to protect themselves from COVID19-related fraud.

▶ Do not share personal account information. Scammers need their victims’ personal information to perpetrate their schemes. The CDC cautions beneficiaries to be suspicious of unsolicited requests for their Medicare or Medicaid numbers. ▶ Do not take callers or visitors at face value. Unsolicited callers or visitors requesting Medicare or Medicaid information should be met with extreme caution. Be suspicious of any unexpected calls or visitors offering COVID-19 tests or supplies.

Compromised personal information may be used in other fraud schemes. ▶ Never click on links in emails or text messages. Do not respond to, or open hyperlinks in, text messages or emails about COVID-19 from unknown individuals. ▶ Ignore offers or advertisements for COVID-19 testing or treatments on social media sites. Offers or ads for testing are one of the ways scammers are accessing personal information.

Only a physician or other trusted healthcare provider should assess your condition and approve any requests for COVID-19 testing.

The COVID-19 outbreak has made it easy for criminals to exploit consumers concerned about their health. Consumers who suspect COVID-19 fraud can contact the National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 or visit Justice.gov/DisasterComplaintForm to file a complaint.

Rent includes: Double attached Garage, Heat, Water, Sewer & Trash

320.632.5918

www.roachdevelopment.com Harbor Landing in Osakis Village Townhomes and Melrose East Townhomes in Melrose Highland Townhomes in Glenwood Centre Crossing & Centre Village in Sauk Centre Terrace Townhomes in Long Prairie Courtyard Apts & Townhomes, Park Place Apts., Edgewater Townhomes and Evergreen Terrace in Little Falls Plattewood Townhomes in Royalton South Grove Townhomes in Pierz Walnut Ridge Townhomes in Upsala Green Gable Townhomes and Lincoln Park in Wadena Pullman Townhomes in Staples in Rice Country View Townhomes and Mill Valley Townhomes in New York Mills Oak Park Townhomes in Motley Pine Edge Townhomes in Perham Coming in 2021!

Aleshire Park Townhomes in Perham

PAGE 12

GENERATIONS

AUGUST 27, 2020

MORE VIRTUAL VISITS, LESS TRAVEL: How seniors will be impacted by COVID-19 for years to come, even long after a vaccine is made

I

By Bruce Horovitz For Generations

magine this scenario, perhaps a year or two in the future: An effective COVID-19 vaccine is routinely available and the world is moving forward. Life, however, will likely never be the same — particularly for people over 60.

That is the conclusion of geriatric medical doctors, aging experts, futurists and industry specialists. Experts say that in the aftermath of the pandemic, everything will change, from the way older folks receive health care to how they travel and shop. Also overturned: their work life and relationships with one another.

“In the past few months, the entire world has had a near-death experience,” said Ken Dychtwald, CEO of Age Wave, a think tank on aging around the world.

“We’ve been forced to stop and think: I could die or someone I love could die. When those events happen, people think about what matters and what they will do differently.”

Older adults are uniquely vulnerable because immune systems tend to deteriorate with age, making it harder to battle not just COVID-19 but all infectious diseases. They are also more likely to suffer other health conditions, like heart and respiratory diseases, that make it tougher to fight or recover from illness. So it’s no surprise that even in the future, when a COVID19 vaccine is widely available — and widely used — most seniors will be taking additional precautions.

“Before COVID-19, baby boomers” — those born after 1945 but before 1965 — “felt reassured that with all the benefits of modern medicine, they could live for years and years,” said Dr. Mehrdad Ayati, who teaches geriatric medicine at Stanford University School of Medicine and advises the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging. “What we never calculated was that a pandemic could totally change the dialogue.”

It has. Here’s a preview of postvaccine life for older Americans:

MEDICAL CARE

▶ Time to learn telemed. Only 62% of people over 75 use the internet — and fewer than 28% are comfortable with social media, according to data from the Pew Research Center. “That’s lethal in the modern age of health care,” Dychtwald said, so there will be a drumbeat to make seniors fluent users of online health care. ▶ 1 in 3 visits will be telemed.

Dr. Ronan Factora, a geriatrician at Cleveland Clinic, said he saw no patients age 60 and up via telemedicine before the pandemic. He predicted that by the time a COVID-19 vaccine is available, at least a third of those visits will be virtual. “It will become a significant part of my practice,” he said. Older patients likely will see their doctors more often than once a year for a checkup and benefit from improved overall health care, he said. ▶ Many doctors instead of just one.

More regular remote care will be bolstered by a team of doctors, said

Photo by Pexels

Telemedicine will be in greater use in the post-vaccine world. However, only 62% of people over 75 use the internet — and fewer than 28% are comfortable with social media, according to data from the Pew Research Center.

Greg Poland, professor of medicine and infectious diseases at the Mayo Clinic.

The team model “allows me to see more patients more efficiently,” he said. “If everyone has to come to the office and wait for the nurse to bring them in from the waiting room, well, that’s an inherent drag on my productivity.” ▶ Drugstores will do more vaccinations. To avoid the germs in doctors’ offices, older patients will prefer to go to drugstores for regular vaccinations such as flu shots, Factora said. ▶ Your plumbing will be your doctor. In the not-too-distant future — perhaps just a few years from now — older Americans will have special devices at home to regularly analyze urine and fecal samples, Dychtwald said, letting them avoid the doctor’s office.

Family With us, You’re

Adele Lausten, RN, Owner

• Personal Care Attendant • Companionship • Laundry/Homemaking

TRAVEL ▶ Punch up the Google Maps. Many trips of 800 miles or less will likely become road trips instead of flights, said Ed Perkins, a syndicated travel columnist for the Chicago Tribune.

Perkins, who is 90, said that’s certainly what he plans to do — even after there’s a vaccine. ▶ Regional and local travel will replace foreign travel. Dychtwald, who is 70, said he will be much less inclined to travel abroad. For example, he said, onetime plans with his wife to visit India are now unlikely, even if a good vaccine is available, because they want to avoid large concentrations of people. That said, each year only 25% of people 65 and up travel outside the U.S. annually, vs. 45% of the general population, according to a survey by Visa. The most popular trip for seniors: visiting grandchildren.

The owners of Lake Country Home Care have over 60 combined years of nursing and caregiving experience in the lakes area.

Individualized. Compassionate.

Serving Central MN. Call Today.

Rhonda Koehler, RN, Owner

• Grocery Shopping/Meal Prep • Mobility, Transfer & Positioning • Respite Care

www.lakecountryhc.com

218-385-3422

AUGUST 27, 2020 ▶ Demand for business class will grow. When older travelers (who are financially able) choose to fly, they will more frequently book roomy business-class seats because they won’t want to sit too close to other passengers, Factora said. ▶ Buying three seats for two. Older couples who fly together — and have the money — will pay for all three seats so no one is between them, Perkins said. ▶ Hotels will market medical care.

Medical capability will be built into more travel options, Dychtwald said. For example, some hotels will advertise a doctor on-site — or one close by. “The era is over of being removed from health care and feeling comfortable,” he said. ▶ Disinfecting will be a sales pitch.

Expect a rich combination of health and safety “theater” — particularly on cruises that host many older travelers, Perkins said: “Employees will be wandering around with disinfecting fogs and wiping everything 10 times.”

GENERATIONS

It will become a significant part of my practice.

– DR. RONAN FACTORA, geriatrician, on telemedicine

PAGE 13 will be reluctant to work anywhere but from home and will be very slow to re-embrace grocery shopping.

“Instacart delivery will become the new normal for them,” Dychtwald said.

GATHERINGS ▶ Cruises will require proof of vaccination. Passengers — as well as cruise employees — will likely have to prove they’ve been vaccinated before traveling, Factora said.

employees exclusively to wipe down tables, chairs and all high-touch points — and these employees will be easy to identify and very visible.

EATING/SHOPPING

▶ The homecoming. Because of so many COVID-19 deaths in nursing homes, more seniors will leave assisted living facilities and nursing homes to move in with their families, Factora said. “Families will generally move closer together,” he said. ▶ The fortress. Home delivery of almost everything will become the norm for older Americans, and in-person shopping will become much less common, Factora said.

Older workers will stay home. The 60-and-up workforce increasingly

▶ Local eateries will gain trust.

Neighborhood and small-market restaurants will draw loyal customers — mainly because they know and trust the owners, said Christopher Muller, a hospitality professor at Boston University. ▶ Safety will be a bragging point. To appeal to older diners in particular, restaurants will prominently display safety-inspection signage and visibly signal their cleanliness standards, Muller said. They will even hire

HOME LIFE

▶ Forced social distancing.

Whenever or wherever large families gather, people exhibiting COVIDlike symptoms may not be welcomed under any circumstances, Ayati said. ▶ Older folks will disengage, at a cost. Depression will skyrocket among older people who isolate from family get-togethers and large gatherings, Ayati said. “As the older population pulls back from engaging in society, this is a very bad thing.” ▶ Public restrooms will be revamped. For germ avoidance, they’ll increasingly get no-touch toilets, urinals, sinks and entrances/ exits. “One of the most disastrous places you can go into is a public restroom,” Poland said. “That’s about the riskiest place.”

GENERATIONS

PAGE 14

AUGUST 27, 2020

CAR CARE DURING THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC STAY SAFE WHILE HAVING YOUR VEHICLE SERVICED

Elderly drivers who need to have their vehicles serviced can take certain steps to stay safe in the era of social distancing.

In recognition of the threat posed by COVID-19, many auto dealerships and service shops implemented changes to their operations to ensure the safety of

their employees and their customers, including those in high-risk groups.

Seniors can take additional measures to ensure they stay safe while having their vehicles serviced. ▶ Inquire about safety measures.

Before booking vehicle maintenance appointments, seniors should call the dealership or body shop to determine what’s being done to keep everyone safe. They should be ready and willing

to share this information over the phone. Look for specific information about sanitization practices. Are vehicle interiors being sprayed with disinfectant before and after maintenance appointments? Are employees wearing masks each day?

These are some of the simple yet effective measures many dealerships and body shops are taking to ensure the safety of their customers. ▶ Ask about pickup service. Pickup service, in which a service shop employee will come pick up and then drop off a customer’s car once the work is done, can be a great way for elderly drivers to have their vehicles serviced without going out in public.

Even if pickup is not policy, ask if it’s possible and request that your vehicle be disinfected upon being returned. If pickup is not an option, ask a younger friend or family member to drive your car in for maintenance in your place.

▶ Only visit safe facilities. Elderly drivers who must visit a dealership or body shop in person should confirm that waiting rooms feature socially distant seating. If possible, drop the car off and then go for a walk or find somewhere safe off the premises to read a book or listen to music while the work is being done.

EFFECTIVELY AND SAFELY SANITIZE YOUR VEHICLE

Bacteria and germs may reside on various surfaces, including those inside vehicles.

People want to protect themselves, and now, in the midst of a viral pandemic, they’re more aware of the importance of frequently cleaning and sanitizing their cars. Keeping a vehicle safe to drive without affecting its upholstery or electronic components is paramount.

Ring’s Floodlight Cam smartly combines LEDs and an HD security camera into one weatherproof security device. Now you can safely view your property with a motion-activated floodlight system.

Call 837-5151 to learn more.

File Photo

Deep-cleaning a vehicle has become a necessity since COVID-19 emerged.

Frequently cleaning and sanitizing can help make vehicles safer to operate.

308 Frontage Rd Sebeka, MN | www.wcta.net | 218-837-5151

GENERATIONS

AUGUST 27, 2020 The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention makes a distinction between cleaning and disinfecting.

Cleaning refers to the removal of germs, dirt and impurities from surfaces. It does not kill germs, but can lower their numbers. Disinfecting refers to using chemicals to kill germs on surfaces.

The following are some ways to deeply clean and sanitize a car. ▶ Wash your hands. First and foremost, it is crucial to wash your hands before and after using the car. This can reduce the likelihood of growing ill because of transferred viruses or bacteria. ▶ Use rubbing alcohol. Solutions that contain 70 percent alcohol are effective against many viruses and bacteria, including coronaviruses, says the CDC. Furthermore, Jeff Stout, Executive Director of Global Innovation at Yanfeng Automotive Interiors, says that, for the most part, nearly every interior surface of a vehicle can be cleaned with isopropyl alcohol. Plastic to painted chrome to imitation leather have been tested

PAGE 15

to ensure they don’t degrade when exposed to pure isopropyl alcohol. ▶ Avoid bleach or hydrogen peroxide.

While bleach and peroxide are very effective cleaners and sanitizers, they are likely to damage a car’s upholstery, according to Consumer Reports. ▶ Use soap and water: Experts say vigorous washing with a soap-andwater solution can be effective against many contaminants because it breaks down the protective envelope that surrounds coronaviruses and other germs to disarm them. Friction also can help to break down germ cells during cleaning. “You want to do the best with what you have, so even soap and water can chip away at the risk,” says Stephen Thomas, M.D., Chief of Infectious Diseases and Director of Global Health at Upstate Medical University in Syracuse, NY. ▶ Address frequently touched surfaces. Pay attention to the steering wheel, door handles, buttons, touchscreen displays, shift lever, and more when sanitizing. Each of these items can harbor germs.

OPENINGS NOW AVAILABLE

Assisted Living & Memory Care Suites *Programing designed for people with varying stages of dementia

COMMUNITY FEATURES

* Restaurant Style Dining * Beauty Salon * Daily Towel and Garbage Service * All Utilities

(excluding telephone) * Basic Direct TV/ Internet WiFi Access * Daily Life Engaging Activity Program

AMENITIES

* 3 daily meals provided * Medication Management * Weekly Shower Assistance * RN Case Management

110 Hemlock Ave NW, Wadena, MN 56482 • 218-632-3610

* 24-Hour On-Site Trained Staff * Personal Care Assistance * Personal Hygiene Assistance

Visit us at www.meadowsofwadena.org

PAGE 16

GENERATIONS

AUGUST 27, 2020