Inside: Solve puzzle to win theatre tickets
Vol 40 • No. 11
Say what?
www.theactiveage.com Kansas’Award-winning Award-winningTop Top55+ 55+News NewsSource Source Kansas’
Forgotten phrases, fondly recalled By Val Cheatham English is a living language. Which means it’s a dying one, too. Words and phrases periodically disappear from our daily conversation, remembered only when we watch an old movie or pick up something to read that was written years ago. For instance, when did you last say:
ACTIVE AGING PUBLISHING, INC 125 S West St., Suite 105 Wichita, Ks 67213
Nonprofit Organization U.S. Postage PAID Wichita, KS 67276 Permit 1711
Don’t touch that dial It’s a carbon copy You sound like a broken record Roll down that window Hang it out to dry Dibs on that Don’t flip your wig It’s a gas He’s an egghead or… I’ve got dishpan hands
In the old days someone could be the apple of your eye. We had lots of moxie. We’d straighten up and fly right with expressions like: Heavens to Betsy Hunky Dory Holy moley
Hotsy totsy Horse feathers Hubba-hubba Whippersnapper Sure’s shootin’ Fiddlesticks Balderdash See Phrases, page 6
October 2019
Senior board sees shake-up
By Joe Stumpe The Sedgwick County Advisory Council on Aging and Disabilities has new leadership amid questions about what its role should be. Chairman Joe Brown abruptly resigned in August, although his departure didn’t become public until last month. At that time, Sedgwick County Commissioner David Dennis, who appointed Brown, said Brown left because of stress caused by the actions of an unnamed advisory council member. Dennis also accused an unnamed county commissioner of meddling in the affairs of the council, which was set up to advise the county’s Department on Aging and to advocate for older and disabled citizens. Dennis called it “tragic that someone who’s volunteering their time and effort is resigning” and said “the main reason he has stress is because one of
See Shake-up, page 7
October time to check prescription plan
the active age A free service that sounds like a famous razor might just help trim your spending on prescription drugs. Here’s how SHICK (Senior Health Insurance Counseling for Kansas) works: Open enrollment for Medicare Prescription Drug Plans (known as Medicare Part D) begins Oct. 15 and continues through Dec. 7. During that period, eligible people can sign up for a prescription plan, switch from one plan to another or drop a plan. They can also make certain changes to Medicare Advantage Plans. This is for coverage that will begin Jan. 1. Because there are so many different Part D plans offered by insurance companies – this year, there were 26 such plans, with monthly premiums ranging from $16.20 to $99.50 –
Questions about services?
and parts of plans from year to year. “It’s so complicated, sometimes it’s overwhelming to people,” said Teresa Hatfield, a Sedgwick County Extension Agent. The goal of SHICK is to “find a plan that’s courtesy photo going to cover your medication at the SHICK volunteer Carla Wankum, left, assists Sedgwick County resident Barbara Wingfield. lowest possible outof-pocket cost to you,” SHICK was started to help people she said. choose which one is best for them. The In this area, SHICK is manned challenge of choosing is exacerbated by trained volunteers who work out of by the fact that insurance companies K-State Extension Center offices in sometimes change the type of drugs Sedgwick, Harvey and Butler counties, covered, amount of required co-pay See SHICK, page 6
Central Plains Area Agency on Aging or call your county Department on Aging: 1-855-200-2372
Butler County: (316) 775-0500 or 1-800- 279-3655 Harvey County: (316) 284-6880 or 1-800-279-3655