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WEEKEND ENTERPRISE | HEALTH CARE IN THE SAUK VALLEY
COMMUNITY
Just like the old days Hogs and Dogs Pigs and pups took center stage along with the kids at last week’s Whiteside County 4-H Fair. PAGE C12
BOOKS ON TV
‘Time to say goodbye’ Sterling author starts wrapping up career with series on MTV Photos by Philip Marruffo/pmarruffo@saukvalley.com
Lloyd Swan works on a puzzle in the Montessori-based dementia care unit at LifeHOUSE Liberty Court in Dixon. The senior care center offers residents a workstation where they can do activities that keep their minds sharp. The memory care wing at LifeHOUSE isn’t yet the norm in the Sauk Valley, but it’s becoming more common.
Memory care facilities help dementia patients live golden years to the fullest
S
BY KAYLA HEIMERMAN Special to Sauk Valley Media
ome older gentlemen putter at a workbench. Some older ladies fold brightly colored towels. Another group of seniors plays games and puts together puzzles. Just like the old days. Well, sort of like the old days. The activities – designed to engage residents with Alzheimer’s disease, dementia and other memory issues – are offered in the new memory care wing at LifeHOUSE Liberty Court in Dixon. Such facilities are not yet the norm in
the Sauk Valley. Many assisted-living facilities and nursing homes have secure doors and alarm systems to ensure that residents with memory problems do not wander off premises. They might have an enclosed outdoor courtyard or garden, too. But dedicated memory care units are on the rise in the area. “The baby boomers are aging,” said Ann Barlow, executive director of Liberty Court. “Until it affected these younger folks, we didn’t see a need for [such care]. We think, ‘Oh, they’re older; they’re just starting to lose their memory.’ But now that it’s hitting people who are younger, we see a need. We think, ‘Wow, they’re young; they’ve got a lot of life left to live.’” CARE CONTINUED ON A9
Maybel Green and LifeHOUSE Liberty Court staff member Kaitlyn Pitman work at a therapeutic station. Go to saukvalley.com to view more photos from Liberty Court.
Taking cautious approach to medical marijuana BY MATT MENCARINI mmencarini@saukvalley.com 800-798-4085, ext. 5529
Starting in September, some Illinois residents will be able
to apply for a medical marijuana ID card. Once that happens, doctors and patients will face the challenge of appropriately implementing the drug’s use for medical purposes, which has come about largely because of its popular illegal use for recreation. In August, Gov. Pat Quinn
Partly cloudy
VOLUME 6 ISSUE 48 46 Pages
Today: 85/65 For the forecast, see Page A10
Best-selling fantasy author and Sterling native Terry Brooks recently announced on his website that MTV will air a TV show adapted from one of his books. The 10-episode series, set to air next year, will be based on the secTerry ond book of the Brooks original trilogy, “The Elfstones of Shannara.” The 70-year-old Brooks methodically built the Shannara universe around the use of magic and spells, epic journeys, and the elemental struggle of self-discovery. Brooks, who now lives in the Pacific Northwest, said he has “quite a bit” of creative direction in the TV show production process. “There’s nobody in my publishing house [who] has read all those books because I’ve outlived everyone,” Brooks said in a phone interview this week with Sauk Valley Media. AUTHOR CONTINUED ON A8
LOCAL HOSPITALS | MEDICAL MARIJUANA
Some residents can start applying for ID cards in September
BY ANGEL SIERRA asierra@saukvalley.com 800-798-4085, ext. 5695
signed the state’s medical marijuana pilot program into law, setting up a 4-year test period with state-run dispensaries and 22 so-called cultivation centers, where the plants will be grown. So far, 23 states have passed medical marijuana legislation, and Washington and Colorado have decriminalized marijuana for recreational use.
‘Urban vibe’
That’s what the owner of the Grapevine Wine and Martini Bar aims for. See Page C1
The Illinois law established 30 medical conditions that make patients eligible. In September, patients whose last names begin with the letters A through L, and their caregivers, can submit applications for ID cards. The rest can apply starting Nov. 1. MARIJUANA CONTINUED ON A4
Life with Miranda Country star Lambert shares road stories Also inside USA Weekend: First “Stump the Cook” recipe Reflections by Lea Thompson 10 best cities for bicycling
ONLINE EXTRA
Driving your anger We asked SVM’s Facebook friends to share their biggest pet peeves about how other people drive. Read their list in The List blog at saukvalley.com.
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