Senior Life - Allen County - May 2025

Key Positions

Woman gave up corporate work for the arts

By CATHY SHOUSE Feature Writer

Suzanne Slick is collections information specialist at the Fort Wayne Museum of Art.

As she phrases it, “essentially, the cataloguer of the art collection.” Before coming to the museum, she worked in the private sector.

Her journey to this key position was unexpected and surprised her. Today, she’s worked for the museum for about a decade, but she started in a much different capacity. Originally, she didn’t have full knowledge of the role she is in today.

“I actually worked as a part-time guard for about a year while I was also working as a librarian in Auburn,” she said. “I was able to make a full-circle rotation in my career path from the corporate/ industrial world to the notfor-profit sector as a public librarian to immersion in art which was where I started in undergraduate school.

Slick added, “When I was working as a guard here, having fun walking through the galleries and getting to

know the staff, collection and guests, I didn’t anticipate a job that matched my credentials opening up, but one did.”

Her friend, Anne, who also holds a BFA/MLS combination decided to leave her position as the museum’s collection cataloguer to pursue other interests.

“I tossed my hat in the ring and was hired. I had taken a class in grad school on the role of libraries in museums and so had been exposed to that aspect of librarians in museums, I was less familiar with the role of librarians as museum collection cataloguers,” Click stated.

She did not lack qualifications for the new position.

In 1981, Slack earned a BFA in painting and drawing at IU-IPFW and the Fort Wayne Art School. She followed up by earning a Master of Library Science in 2005.

Describing her typical day isn’t easy. She laughed when asked the question.

“We do not really have a typical day, because we have a smaller staff, we all do many different things, so each day varies,” Slack said.

Most days, she spends at least a good portion of the day in our collections database cataloguing, maintaining the system, updating records, adding records, making reports of data for various purposes.

“We have regular meetings with all of the curatorial staff and our CEO/director, Charles Shepard, at least a couple of times a month where we are caught up to date on all of the exhibition activities, new acquisitions, long-range plans and so on,” she added.

If she is curating an exhibit, she will spend a good bit of time researching, writing, editing, selecting work and planning the layout of the gallery. She also spends a bit of time maintaining the reference library.

“And of course, we all spend time in our galleries viewing our exhibits. It’s a perk of the job to see what my co-workers have curated,” Click said.

One of her greatest achievements was being asked in 2024 to curate an exhibit marking the 100th anniversary of the Hoosier Salon.

“I really enjoy sharing what I have learned about the history of the museum, its beginnings as part of the Fort Wayne Art School over a century ago,” Slick said. “It’s

quite a story.” She lists the main reward of the job as “working in a beautiful, vibrant museum with exceptional people, surrounded by art.”

Butterflies add color to botanical conservatory

By ROD KING Feature Writer

Always an interesting, exciting and colorful place to visit, the Foellinger-Freimann Botanical Conservatory on Calhoun Street in downtown Fort Wayne is even more colorful these days because of its live butterfly exhibit dubbed “Color in Motion.

Like Joseph’s “Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat” from the long-running Broadway musical, the butterflies cover a wide range of dazzling hues ranging from blue,

yellow, green, red, brown and magenta to just about every shade in the rainbow. They flitter around the enclosure landing on the flowers, the tent walls and ceiling, the fruit treats and visitor’s heads, shoulders and hands.

Visitors are invited to enter the tent and mingle with the colorful creatures. There’s no better way to get up close and personal with a butterfly than this.

“For the 22nd consecutive year, the butterflies have come to Fort Wayne,” said Amanda Amstutz, supervisor

of public programs and volunteer development. “The exhibit features 20 exotic species of butterflies from throughout the world that are on display in the Showcase Garden until June 22.”

The exhibit, which is one of the most popular, draws the highest attendance over the shortest period of time.

“More than 250 colorful butterflies fly freely inside a 30-by-30-foot tent while more are being added daily as they come out of their chrysalises in the hatching lab attached to the tent. The rows and

rows of chrysalises can be viewed through plastic windows. Life cycle of a mature butterfly is between two and three weeks,” she added.

Orange and apple slices in little wire baskets are placed among a bed of flowers in the middle of the tent for sustenance in addition to what they get from the flower nectar.

“The butterflies, representing 20 species, come to the conservatory from a breeder in Colorado. Because they are considered exotic insects, they would not do well in our local

climate,” said Amstutz. “Visitors are carefully examined when they step out of the tent to make sure no butterfly is still attached to someone’s coat or has found their way into a pocket.”

Every year, she said, it doesn’t matter what season, “We get visitors asking where the butterflies are. Our hope is to someday have our own permanent butterfly exhibit.”

The conservatory, of course, is much more than this annual butterfly exhibit. It’s actually one horticultural environment after another from the Showcase House with its four ,yearly seasonal displays to the lush Tropical House where orchids and palms thrive in the shadows of a cascading waterfall to the sparse beauty of the Desert House with its southwest atmosphere of sand and a wide variety of cactus.

The indoor gardens cover 24,500 square feet with more than 2,000 plants representing more than 100 plant families and nearly 1,000 varieties.

Hours are from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m Tuesday through Saturday and staying open on Thursdays until 8 p.m. for an extra dollar and is open from noon to 4 p.m. Sunday. Admission for adults is $7, youth ages 3-17 is $5. Children age 2 and under are free.

INFORMATION SPECIALIST Suzanne Slick is collection information specialist at the Fort Wayne Museum of Art. Photo provided by Suzanne Slick.

SPOTLIGHT ON HUNTINGTON COUNTY SENIOR EXPO MAY 22

Mark your calendar for Thursday, May 22

Mark your calendar for Thursday, May 22. The Huntington Senior Expo will be on this day from 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. The Senior Expo will be at Huntington University Fieldhouse.

Many door prizes will be given throughout the day. Attendees have an opportunity to win additional prizes through the Expo’s Passport Program sponsored by Duke Energy.

The “passport” document is given to attendees at the entrance, lists every exhibitor booth. Visitors take their passport to the booths and the exhibitors will stamp their corresponding space on the document. Visiting half of the Expo’s booths qualifies the passport holder to be entered

for a special drawing for one of twelve $50 gift cards. Free meals will be available to the first 400. Breakfast provided by American Senior Communities. The Waters of Huntington will provide a delicious lunch. Free all-day entertainment is featured on an easily viewed stage. Performances include: The Alley Kats, Frank Sinatra Tribute Artist Russ Weed and Roy Carter. All of this will be announced by a professional D.J. Other unique features at the Huntington County Senior Expo include golf cart transportation between the parking lot and the fieldhouse. The fieldhouse is wheelchair accessible within the facility.

The Huntington County Senior Expo continues to grow

with the support from corporate sponsors including Myers Funeral Homes, The Waters of Huntington, American Senior Communities, Young Electric, Schroeder Automotive, TWN Communications and Duke Energy. Their involvement and support ensure a high-quality event for the community. Be sure to mark your calendar for anytime between 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Thursday, May 22 and have a fantastic time at the Huntington County Council on Aging’s 20th Annual Senior Citizens Expo. Parking and admission are free. It is an event where you have nothing to lose and tons to gain!

Advertorial

20th Annual Huntington County SENIOR EXPO

ENTERTAINMENT WILL BE PROVIDED BY FRANK SINATRA ARTIST/SINGER, RUSS WEED

Volunteer knows his way around Lutheran Hospital

By ROD KING Feature Writer

Nobody, but nobody knows the labyrinth that is the Lutheran Hospital complex on West Jefferson Boulevard better than Phillip Stettner. He’s been helping people get to their vehicles; assisting visitors find hospital departments, labs, patient rooms and the cafeteria for the past 13 years.

He can normally be found seated across the main lobby

not far from the registration desk just waiting for a call on his radio for someone who needs to be pushed in a wheelchair to a destination in the vast facility or taken to their waiting vehicle.

It all began after he suffered a stroke in 2012 and was confined to the rehab hospital next to the main hospital.

Nurses there urged him to consider volunteering. Following his recovery, he did just that at the rehab facility for the next

four years before moving over to the main hospital.

As a retired lay minister of the Apostolic Church in Bluffton, Stettner had a head start on learning his way around the hospital because he came regularly to Lutheran to bring comfort to sick parishioners and working with the hospital chaplain for many years.

“I quickly found volunteering here, working with individuals from diverse backgrounds who truly care for others and meeting new people, has been very fulfilling and personally satisfying,” Stettner said. “I see a lot of people on a regular basis that I’ve come to feel I know because they return for a variety of treatments and need my assistance over and over again to get where they’re going.”

In addition, he added, wheeling people around gives him the opportunity to get in a lot of good exercise.

“I’m on duty three days a week for four-hours at a time. It takes me all over the facility. In the process I’m staying in pretty decent shape while amassing a total of four to five miles each shift,” he said.

The Washington, D.C., native came to Fort Wayne with his family when he was just 5 years old. After graduating from South Side High School, he attended Purdue University, which was then located on Barr Street in downtown Fort Wayne for one year. Stettner was drafted into the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War and served as a medic at the Yuma Proving Grounds

in Arizona, where the Army tested weapons and helicopter gunships going to the troops in Vietnam.

In addition to his service as a lay minister in the Apostolic Church, Stettner was employed for 20 years at Precision Litho in Fort Wayne

He has been married to his wife, Maureen, for 58 years and they have three children and 15 grandchildren. She was born and raised

here and first met Stettner in Leo. She taught nursing at the old Lutheran Hospital on Fairfield Avenue. Now she joins him two days a week as a volunteer assisting patients and visitors around the hospital.

“This is something we both greatly enjoy doing. It’s quite satisfying being able to give back to others, and it’s very special being able to do it together,” Stettner said.

CORPORATE OFFICE

A big photo bomb

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Joseph

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This could only happen to me and it did.

I got a new iPhone. It has a lot of new features, which are wasted on me because I am a meat-and-potatoes kind of guy, so I don’t need a lot of bells and whistles.

By DICK WOLFSIE

However, the camera does have some neat photography enhancements, which I was particularly interested in, as we were going to Iceland and I wanted to bring home more than just a bad cold. As you will see, I don’t have an eye for photography, but I do have a foot for it.

I was sitting on the couch, my legs propped up on the coffee table, snapping photos and learning how to switch between landscape mode, portrait mode, night mode, slow-motion mode, and, for pastry fans, pie à la mode.

To test the camera’s precision and light sensitivity, I took a photo of the TV screen I was watching. But because I am a lousy photographer, it ended up

as a photo of both my legs and feet. So, I deleted it. I thought.

After completing my self-tutorial, I went to Facebook to check on a few friends, and there was the photo I had just taken. How did it get there? What did I click? I had no idea.

As perplexed as I was, I didn’t panic. There was nothing lascivious about the picture. Unless you have a thing for feet. I was innocent of any indiscretion. I was also confident that, even with my limited technical prowess, it would be easy to delete a photo on Facebook, but in this case, I discovered that I had inadvertently created a video for Instagram, called a reel. I could see my feet twitching.

Before I could respond to the problem, our friends, Bob and Cathy, called me. They saw the photo on Facebook and wondered why I was wearing white socks before Easter. Bob wanted to know how many of my little piggies went to the market, and how many went to Instagram.

This is not my first goof online. Years ago, when I was testing my acumen with Twitter, I sent a message to myself with just my name to see if I was doing everything correctly. I also accidentally sent it to about 500

Facebook friends.

I got some irritating responses:

“Bad column. No plot development.”

“It’s always about you, isn’t it?”

“Rotten story, hated the main character.”

“Dick, I used your name for a week instead of mine. You can have it back.”

I tried and tried to delete the photo of my legs and feet, but I must have been doing something wrong because it wouldn’t go away. In the meantime, I had 50 likes, then 85, then 120. This yielded more responses than I had ever received for my weekly column.

Once again, I got annoying comments:

“In a contest for the worst photographer in the world, you’re a shoe-in.”

“I usually get a kick out of your stuff, but this is ridiculous.”

As they say in show biz: “Break a leg.”

And my favorite: “This photo stinks in more ways than one.”

Finally, the photo magically disappeared. I was tired of all the stupid leg and foot jokes, so I was happy the reel was finally amputated. I mean deleted.

HELPING PATIENTS Lutheran Hospital volunteer, Phillip Stettner, has been assisting patients and visitors get around Lutheran Hospital for the past 13 years. Now his wife, Maureen, joins him two days a week to help patients and visitors. Stettner is pictured with Rod King, left. Photo by Ladasia Green.

NUTSHELL

46th Annual 50+ Senior Games SPOTLIGHT ON

It is almost our favorite time of year … Senior Games!!!

The coordinators, volunteers and staff have been preparing for the 46th Senior Games since last July. We have been discussing what worked, what didn’t and how we can make this year even better! Senior Games is a great way to keep your brain and body active. We have events that will challenge you mentally and physically. There is an event for everyone!

One of the best parts about Senior Games is that everyone can afford it. The entry fee is only $1 per event until May 30. After that, the fee will be $2 per event. If a person registers for six or more events, they will get a Senior Games T-shirt for free! All participants are invited to attend the Opening Ceremony at 8:30 a.m. June 2. At this event,

June 2-July 2, 2025

we provide a free continental breakfast! There will be an official Proclamation, Torch Lighting Ceremony and a friendly game between the parks and recreation director versus the overall winners from 2024. A Health and Wellness Fair will also take place at the Community Center during the Opening Ceremony from 8:30-11:30 a.m. At the fair, you can meet sponsors and speak with different vendors about a variety of topics. There are over 40 different mentally and/or physically challenging events to test your talents and skills in Senior Games. We have events that do not require any athletic ability or talent whatsoever. All you need is a brain and competitive spirit! You can even go for a boat ride on the Parks pontoon boat! We have

a variety of events from Paper Airplane Flying, Timed Jigsaw Puzzle and Scrabble to Axe Throwing, Cornhole and Pickleball. If you don’t know how to play Pickleball, come to the Intro to Pickleball event where people of all ages can learn how to play. That will be at 10:00 a.m. Saturday, May 17th at Lions Park.

The Fort Wayne Parks and Recreation Community Center’s goal is to promote the benefits of staying active physically and mentally, and to encourage adults over the age of 50 to adopt a healthy lifestyle: that is what Senior Games is all about! That and learning a new game, creating friendships, having fun and of course winning! For a complete list and schedule of events, as well as a registration form, visit fortwayneparks.org, come

Still a presence on the court at 90

By ROD KING Feature Writer

Every player in the Happy Days Lawn and Tennis Club believes that 90-year-old Don Walters (91 this month) doesn’t act his age. As Mike Luardi, who plays with the group Tuesdays and Thursdays at Cherry Hill, said, he puts us all to shame the way he runs down balls in the corner of the court and sends them streaking back to his opponents for winners.

“He may be tired after playing an hour-and-a-half of doubles, but he seldom shows it. We’re all hoping we’ll be able to perform as well as he does when we reach that age.”

Walters, who has been playing tennis since he was 45, explains his longevity in two simple words.

“I cheat,” he said. “On mornings before going to play, (Tuesdays and Thursdays for tennis, Mondays and Fridays for pickleball and working out at the St. Joe Center YMCA on Saturdays), I load up on protein and caffeine. I have a bottle of Boost protein drink and a big cup of coffee and finish off my breakfast with peanut butter and banana on toast.

“I’ve found that instead of drinking water during the matches, a one-half dose of Pedialyte drink is very helpful in replacing the nutrients lost during summer matches when the temperature gets into the 80s. It replenishes fluids and electrolytes, averts dehydration and helps my body to recover quicker,” he said. “Lately, I’ve been trying

5-hour Energy. After the first two sets, I down a half bottle of it for an energy boost to get me through the third set. It all seems to be helping me maintain a high level of energy during tense matches.”

Walters, who first played tennis for fun in high school and college, got serious about the game when his good friend Milt Brachmann (deceased) drug him onto the court 45 years ago.

“He literally ran my legs off with shots into one corner of the court and then the opposite side. Milt and his brother, Ed, were former Fort Wayne City doubles champs and he was good. I learned a lot about the rudiments of the game from him. It took me more than a couple years to even get a set off of him,” Walters said.

An all-round athlete, the Decatur native, played basketball with members of the ITT Engineering Department where he worked for 38 years, maintained a 185 average on the bowling lanes and played golf until he was 80. All those sports took a back seat to tennis when he joined Wildwood Racquet Club in the 1980s.

“I’m really fortunate to be able to move around as well as I do and be competitive. I gave up playing singles many years ago because I found with doubles, you didn’t have to cover the entire court. I really like the camaraderie of the game and, of course, the competition. I like to win, so I give it my all while on the court, and I’m able to win my share of games. Pickleball has an even smaller court, but the game is so much quicker and requires a lot of eye-hand coordination,” Walters said.

After graduating from Adams Central High School, Walters earned a degree in electrical engineering at Purdue University and a Masters of Business Administration at Saint Francis University.

TURNS

91 THIS MONTH

Don Walters, who has been playing tennis for the past 45 years, enjoys the camaraderie and the competition. He wins his share of games. Photo by Rod King.

Over 65 and still working

By Michelle M. Walters, PHR, CHRS, CCWS, CSIS Executive Vice President Health Insurance Shop

I think it is fair to say that in today’s world, our dream of working to the age of 65 and then retiring is just that — a dream. Life has its way of throwing us curve balls that extend our working years. In many situations, it’s because we cover our younger spouse

through our employer plan and we simply cannot afford to retire until he/she becomes Medicare entitled.

Recent changes to Medicare Prescription Drug Plans have raised the question of whether employer-sponsored group health plans are “creditable” for prescription drug coverage, and if an employee delays enrollment in Medicare, will they be subject to penalties.

In years past, if an employee

worked for an employer with more than 20 employees, the employee could delay without worry. With the implementation of the Inflation Reduction Act and the maximum out of pocket for Medicare prescription drug plans now being $2,000 (2025), it is believed that most employer sponsored plans will no longer be considered “creditable.”

For calendar year 2025, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services essentially gave a pass to employer- sponsored plans, allowing them to use their existing methodology used to determine creditable coverage.

On April 7, CMS released its

“Final CY 2026 Part D Redesign program Instructions,” which will once again allow employer plans to continue using their same methodology for 2026 or adopt the “revised simplified determination methodology” to determine whether or not the group plan is creditable for prescription drug coverage. Existing methods would pay at least 60% of a participant’s prescription drug expenses, while the new, simplified method would pay at least 72%.

If you are currently over 65 and have delayed Medicare due to employer coverage, be sure to check with your benefits department regarding the status of your plan.

Elder Law

How to ensure your final wishes are enforced after your death.

Planning for the end of life can be an emotional and overwhelming process but making sure your final wishes are legally valid and enforceable is essential to give yourself peace of mind that your wishes will be followed and that your loved ones will be protected. Whether it’s the distribution of your assets, your preferences for medical care, or funeral arrangements, having legally binding documents ensures that your intentions are followed and reduces the likelihood of disputes after your passing.

The foundation of any estate plan is a Last Will and Testament. A valid Will must meet specific legal requirements, which can vary by state or country. In Indiana, a Will should be written, signed by the testator (the person making the will), and witnessed by two or more people who do not have any interest in the Will. In some circumstances a handwritten will or recorded statement, can be enforced as

Ryan M. Gardner Attorney at Law and Partner

a Will, but these are far from recommended if enforcement is a concern.

If you believe some or all of your final wishes may be unpopular with your legal beneficiaries (e.g. spouse, children, or other family members) it is extremely important that you obtain assistance from an attorney to oversee the drafting and execution of your final wishes. Ensuring that all legal requirements of a valid Will, trust, or other instrument are met is a must have should your final wishes ever be challenged after you are gone and no longer able to voice those opinions.

(260) 426-9706

DISCLAIMER: Ryan M. Gardner and Beers Mallers, LLP Attorneys At Law, appreciate the opportunity to provide insight into legal topics of interest. The content of this article is designed to provide information of general interest to the public and is not intended to offer legal advice about specific situations or problems. Ryan M. Gardner and Beers Mallers, LLP Attorneys At Law, do not intend to create an

information you send to this newsletter shall not be deemed secure or confidential. Please visit our office to ensure complete confidentiality.

Medicare Insurance

Q. Do I need supplemental coverage?

A. Purchasing supplemental policies that provide more coverage than a standard health insurance plan is something I would not consider a “need” but could be an option that provides cash benefits in times of need. When reviewing the options, think about what your biggest concerns are.

What if I am diagnosed with cancer? What if I have a heart attack or stroke? What if I have a bad accident and require surgery?

While most of our health insurance plans expose us to out-of-pocket expenses, supplemental plans can often provide relief by paying you directly when an unexpected event occurs and regardless of what your health insurance plan covers. Cash that can be used to pay for your

out-of-pocket medical expenses, as well as everyday living expenses. Some plans even provide payment for simply getting your annual screenings done! Would you like to learn more about Supplemental Coverage? Give us a call at (260) 484-7010.

3609 Lake Avenue Fort Wayne, IN 46805 (260)

Senior Relocation

Q. Is there a service to help me with my downsizing move?

A. Wanting to downsize from your home to a retirement community can be an overwhelming experience. Many times people want to move, but end up not doing so because of the many things that must be done.

A few comments that I have heard over the years include:

1) I have to spend money to fix up my home before I sell it.

2) My attic and basement are full of stuff; I will have to have a garage sale.

3) I have to pack and move all of my belongings.

Looking at this list of concerns would cause anyone to just say “Forget It!”

This is where we can help!

Our services include selling your home as-is in 30 days for your price, selling your unwanted

INFORMATION & REFERRALS

Q. I’m

getting older and starting to realize I’ll need help to stay in

my

home. Where do I start?

A. Aging & In-Home Services is the best place to start for community-dwelling seniors who wish to remain safe and independent in their own homes for as long as possible.

& more.

Our firm is highly recommended by many of the leading retirement communities in the Allen County area due to client satisfaction. If you are thinking about making the transition to retirement living, call me at (260) 441-8636. My free analysis will give you the information you will need to make a better decision for yourself!

Sincerely, Timothy McCulloch

Call the Aging & Disability Resource Center (ADRC), which provides streamlined access to information, care options, short-term case management and benefits enrollment across a spectrum of long-term services and supports.

From there, you may be referred to one of our evidence based programs. AIHS provides a variety of Older Americans Act funded services including Meals on Wheels. This program aims to address problems of food insecurity by providing home-delivered meals to homebound seniors.

Sometimes we receive calls with specific requests and other times we talk through situations to help identify what is needed.

Whether you are looking for a specific service in the community or you just need some direction, we are here to help. There is no cost to call the ADRC and ask for information, so if you or someone you know is in need of assistance, Just Call Us!

Aging & In-Home Services is the Area III Agency on Aging (AAA) designated by the State of Indiana and the federal government to serve older adults, people with disabilities and family caregivers in northeast Indiana.

Tim McCulloch, Owner

UPDATES & HAPPENINGS IN THE AREA

Editor’s note: Send listings of events, for nonprofit organizations only, to Senior Life, P.O. Box 188, Milford, IN 46542, or email Editor Phoebe Muthart by the 20th of every month at pmuthart@the-papers.com. With the listing, include the contact person, area code and phone number.

On Friday, May 2, Historic Swinney Homestead, 1424 W. Jefferson Blvd., will have an open house from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tickets are free. There will be walk-thru tours, Settler

memberships, and a preview of Settlers’ 2025-2026 historic hand-arts programs. A perennial plant sale is on the back lawn; parking is by the tennis courts.

—o—

Slightly-used bulb sale runs until May 4, during public hours, at Foellinger-Freimann Botanical Conservatory, 1100 S. Calhoun St., Fort Wayne. This annual sale features slightly-used tulips, daffodils and hyacinths from the Botanical Conservatory’s winter exhibit. Located in the outdoor sales garden, bulbs are $1.95 a pot and

are ready to plant in preparation for next year’s bloom. Purchases are made through the conservatory shop, while supplies last. Admission not required to shop.

—o—

The New Haven United Methodist Church, 630 Lincoln Highway East, New Haven, will host its annual spring rummage sale from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday, May 7, and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday, May 8. Thursday is the $2 bag sale. All money raised will go toward the United Women in Faith mission work. —o—

charge for ball scoop water game); donations are accepted. Japanese merchandise and food is available for purchase and contests with prizes. Visit cherryblossomfw.com.

—o—

“Color in Motion: Live Butterfly Exhibit!” Until June 22, during public hours, at Foellinger-Freimann Botanical Conservatory, 1100 S. Calhoun St.

12:30 p.m. Thursday, euchre. 9 a.m. Tuesday, Bible study with Cheryl.

9 a.m. Thursday, craft and chat

10-11 a.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday, chair exercise.

Noon Tuesday, dominoes. 12:30 p.m. Wednesday, hand and foot card game.

1 p.m. Tuesday, Bible study with Bob.

—o—

McMillen Park

Community Center

Blue River Apartments

Blue River Apartments

Settlers, Inc. will host a tour of Fort Wayne’s 1827 Chief Richardville House with a program on Miami Indian history Thursday, May 8. It is from 9-11:30 a.m. and the house is located at 5705 Bluffton Road, Fort Wayne. Cost is $20. Registration due by May 5. For more information, call (260) 432-7314 or visit settlersinc.org.

—o—

Live butterflies have landed at the Botanical Conservatory bringing with them an array of natural beauty and wonder. Watch in awe, their wings in flight, as they flash with color pigments and refracted light. Observe exotic butterflies emerging from their chrysalides right before your eyes! An epic display of multicolored flowers and foliage elevates this annual spring exhibit. —o—

Woodlands Senior Activity Center

For information, visit fortwayneparks.org or call (260) 427-6000. The center is located at 3901 Abbott St., Fort Wayne. Pickleball, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday to Friday.

Open gym, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Adult open gym, 6-8 p.m. Monday through Thursday.

The 18th Annual Japanese Cherry Blossom Festival is from noon to 6 p.m. Sunday, May 18, at Walb Student Union, Purdue University-Fort Wayne, 2101 E. Coliseum Blvd., Fort Wayne. Opening ceremony is at noon Sunday, May 18. Most events and activities are free (small

For more information, call (260) 248-8944 or visit whitleycountycouncilonaging.org. The center is located at 710 Opportunity Drive, Columbia City.

9 a.m. Wednesday, pixie bingo.

9-10 a.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday, line dancing.

9 a.m. Tuesday and Friday,

Adult yoga, 6-7 p.m. Tuesday and noon to 1 p.m. Wednesday. Volleyball, 6-8 p.m. Monday. Badminton, 6-8 p.m. Tuesday. CardioFit, 6:30-7:30 p.m. Monday and Thursday.

Essential steps, 5:30-6:30 p.m. Monday and 6-8 p.m. Wednesday. Yoga for seniors, noon to 1 p.m. Wednesday.

Yoga for adults, 6-7 p.m. Tuesday.

ApartmentLiving

THE 1964: THE TRIBUTE

Parks and Recreation announces performance

Fort Wayne Parks and Recreation added a new show to its lineup at the Foellinger Theatre. Honeywell Arts and Entertainment presents 1964: The Tribute at 7:30 a.m. Friday, Aug. 1, at the Foellinger Theatre.

Since the early 1980s, The Tribute has been thrilling audiences all over the globe with what Rolling Stone Magazine has called the “Best Beatles Tribute on Earth.”

FWACC partnership to provide discount spay, neuter for cats

Fort Wayne Animal Care and Control is doing all it can to reduce the number of animals coming into the shelter. This includes introducing a new partnership with Four Directions Vet.

With help from a local donor, FWACC is offering a $30 discount on spay/neuter surgery cost through Four Directions Vet locations for up to two cats, male or female, per household for residents in Allen County while funds last.

To further assist, the mobile unit will be visiting the FWACC shelter on multiple dates throughout the year to provide spay/neuter services to the public. Discount vouchers can only be used on spay/neuter surgery services.

“Fort Wayne Animal Care and Control is always looking for ways to make spay/neuter more accessible to the community because it leads to fewer animal intakes for the shelter. We hope to gain additional donors and grant funding to continue to provide this reduced-cost opportunity for pet owners in Allen County,” said

Community Relations PIO Tyna Reiter.

Four Directions will be at Fort Wayne Animal Care and Control on the following dates:

• Monday, May 12.

• Monday, July 28.

• Monday, Aug. 18.

•Monday, Sept. 15.

Voucher applications can be found at fwacc.org under “spay/ neuter resources.”

Appointments are required. Vouchers are not guaranteed and will be provided only while funds last. Vouchers are limited to residents of Allen County only. Vouchers can be used at any Four Directions mobile clinic site.

Fort Wayne Animal Care and Control is an open-access shelter and will never turn away an animal. Anyone struggling to care for their animal can contact the shelter for assistance. If you are interested in learning more about the shelter, including city ordinances, adoption process, how to surrender, ways to support including how to donate or volunteer, visit its website or call (260) 427-1244.

By CECIL SCAGLIONE

Mature Life Features

Whether or not you have health insurance, always ask your doctor if there is a fee involved when discussing any appointment, surgery, test, procedure, or any other arrangement being made to continue your treatment. Follow-up appointments

The band takes audiences on a journey through a moment in music history that will live forever.

Tickets start at $19. Tickets are available online at ticketmaster.com or in person at the Parks and Recreation Department, 705 E. State Blvd., Fort Wayne.

Get doctor’s opinion on medical fees

for such purposes as checking on proper healing of minor surgery or monitoring blood pressure can be chargeable but any fee might be avoided if the patient asks the doctor about any charge when the follow-up is discussed.

For example, follow-up visits after surgery normally is included in the surgeon’s original fee. But not all, so ask to

avoid surprises.

The process has been complicated by the recent rise in telemedicine: internet contact with doctors by telephone and computer. In some cases, they’re covered by Medicare, Medicaid or supplemental insurance. In some cases, they are not, so you have to check with the doctor.

Mature Life Features Copyright 2025

Memories of a muddy pond

By JIM CARPENTER Guest Writer

I suppose the smell got pretty strong, on those dry, dog days of summer. When the muddy pond receded, into shallow pools of water. With luck fallen trees might lie about, to form a connecting trail, On which the 10-year boy could walk, above the stench of the muddy pond smell.

Observing the trapped aquatic life, he edges closer to the water. There to spy the insects and the tadpoles. And on the surface glide the spiders. The pond was his playground for the summer. His curiosity constantly piqued. With no near friends or neighbors, it would be the water he would seek.

Animal tracks in the mud

were fun.

Getting bit by a struggling snake was not.

But even going home in muddy clothes, was worth the lecture that he got. That boy has grown and is now a father.

But those pond memories live on.

As his kids hike the wooded paths, making memories of their own. Contact Carpenter at pokeberryjim@gmail.com.

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Bikes are part of man’s faith journey

By CATHY SHOUSE Feature Writer

If you want to connect with Phil Snider, bikes may come up in the conversation. His passion for biking is one way he “peddles” his faith. Mainly, he wants to help people as he feels led.

“My personal philosophy is we’re told to help the widows, orphans and the poor,” Snider said.

To that end, for the past eight years, he has worked with Heart of the City Mission. The Fort Wayne organization helps people to have bikes and to maintain their bikes. He thinks helping people to be more self-sufficient is important.

“We work with homeless people and low-income people. Their bikes are their only means of transportation. I spend 15 to 20 hours a week of in-the-shop time and sometimes take work home or it will spill over past the hours its open, waiting for a special part, etc.,” Snider said.

While Snider doesn’t consider his mission to convert those he helps with bikes, there is someone there who does.

“We have a retired minister who comes in Fridays. He sits outside and just shares with

those who come by,” he said. Snider practices what he preaches, spending many hours on his own bike. One evening in April, he was coming off of a 22-mile bike ride. A biker since he was about 10 years old, he said, “Forty years ago, I got serious. I did my first 100 miles in 1979 and 200 miles in 1983.”

His wife of 59 years passed away a couple of years ago and he misses her greatly. He enjoys spending time with their four children.

Describing his age as “80-something,” in 2019 he switched to an electric bike.

“You don’t want to try an e-bike unless you’re going to buy it because they’re addictive,” Snider said.

During the pandemic, he got his first e-bike. He was told his favorite choice of e-bike would be delayed in shipping and so he purchased a different one, intending to exchange it. But he ended up keeping both bikes, he said with a laugh.

A member of Broadway Christian Church, he handles its audio and video recordings as well as DVDs. This serves 70 to 100 people who are offsite viewers and watch online weekly.

A verse he follows has an excerpt, “As much as you’ve done

it to the least of me . . .” which emphasizes caring for those in need,” from Matthew 25:40. Snider is a retired engineer with several patents.

He has developed his own way of sharing his faith and of converting people, as he goes

along his way in life. He calls it the principle of Relative Human Efficiency. To explain, he has printed it on cards to hand out, showing that 60 coins would take a trillion throws to fall head up in nature. But a human can get them all heads up in about a minute.

“The heavens declare the presence of God. If people look around them, there has to be more than the natural world. There has to be something else and that points to God,” Snider said.

Aging in your home sweet home

By CECIL SCAGLIONE

Mature Life Features

If you’re looking forward to aging gracefully in your own home, you’re among the 80% of the over-50 population that looks forward to doing just that.

If you’re part of that phalanx that isn’t interested in moving into one of the assisted-living or nursing-home facilities mushrooming throughout the land, you might look around the house for ways to make it senior-citizen friendly. Start with the kitchen, which

is where you spend much of your time every day. Your stove should have its push buttons and dials easy to reach at the front instead of at the hard-toreach rear behind the burners. You might even consider voice controls.

You should also think about ovens. Replace the usual instove oven with a wall type or microwave oven. Make the location handy and low enough. Do the same with your cupboard handles.

If you’re still physically mobile, sit in a chair as you check these details so they will

be accessible should you ever require a wheelchair.

Keep this image in mind and head for the front door to check if you should replace those steps with a ramp. And is the doorway wide enough. Check out the rear entry, too.

You can also get digital locks for the door so you don’t have to fumble for keys to lock up or get back in.

Make sure you have plenty of light at these entry points. And inside the house, too.

See about eliminating any stairs or steps and making hallways wider, if necessary.

Handrails along corridors and in bathrooms and showers should be considered and remove loose rugs and doormats that can trip you up.

If you’re used to having our bedroom upstairs, think about moving it down. Stairs are a major cause of falls that kill or cripple. Falling down stairs kills about half of the 30,000 seniors who die from falls each year.

Check your bedroom for loose cords. Curtain pulls, electrical cords or any loose ends should be tucked out of the way to avoid tripping and falling. Check lights switches around the house. Make sure they’re low enough to reach from your chair while you’re making sure there is plenty of lighting around the house, including

entry ways, closets, bathrooms and your yard.

Plug in nightlights throughout so you can see your way to a light switch without stumbling or tripping over unseen objects, such as slippers, magazines or sweaters that may have been dumped before going to bed.

Look around for slippery spots, especially on any steps and in the bathroom. You can apply non-nonskid strips to the shower floor and get a shower chair that can also reduce the chances of falling.

While you’re doing all this, you’ll probably discover other perils as well as come up with some ideas of your own to make life more comfortable as you age in place.

Mature Life Features Copyright 2025

ON A MISSION — For the past eight years, Phil Snider has worked with Heart of the City Mission. The Fort Wayne organization helps people have bikes and maintains their bikes. Photo provided by Phil Snider.

By CECIL SCAGLIONE

Mature Life Features

The airport search lines are insufferable, herding at the gates smashes your patience, the claustrophobic cabin chews at your phobias, from fear of flying to hating being touched,

Smiles will help soften the miles Longevity will open a new world

By CECIL SCAGLIONE Mature Life Features

People are getting older. By 2030, the senior population around the world is expected to top 1.5 billion from the current 900 million. China’s over-65 phalanx that accounts for less than 10% of the population now is predicted to account for a quarter of its population in just three decades.

and the thought of having to put up the shifting and shuffling in the seats behind, beside and in front of you for the next few hours makes you grind your teeth a bit as you sense the approach of a headache.

Not much of this is going to

By the end of this decade, more than 20% of the North American population will be 65 years or older. By 2060, one out of four people will be in that age bracket.

This phenomenon is occurring for a few reasons. One is the graying of the post-World War II baby boomers, the 77 million Americans born between 1946 and 1964. Added to that is the fact that we’re

change any time soon for air travel.

There is one small step you can take to make your flight more pleasurable.

Be kind and polite to the personnel. The gate agent who just had to accommodate a passenger-load from a previous-

ly-canceled flight will breathe a small sigh of relief and gratitude if you smile and ask her to take her time.

The flight attendant who missed his layover because of bad weather will remember who you are if you’re polite and make room for him as he dashes up and

living longer while the birth rate is diminishing. The 1950 U.S birth rate was 25 per 1,000 compared with 12 per 1,000 at the beginning of this decade. By the beginning of the 2030s, workers will account for only 30% of the population. This shrinking workforce means a shrinking source of payroll taxes to finance Social Security and Medicare benefits for the aging population that

no longer will be working. Counterbalancing this trend is recent reports that three quarters of the current labor force plans to keep working past the age of 65. But pundits still predict Social Security benefits will have to be cut by at least 20% by the mid-2030s. All of this movement not only affects financial-support programs, it puts a strain on the health-care industry, which

down that narrow aisle to meet demands of other passengers.

The obtrusive customer hollering at the gate agent for faster service and the bulky woman with the oversize carry-on only make the lives of the airline staff — and the other passengers — uncomfortable.

Mature Life Features Copyright 2025

Adams Heritage

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Rehabilitation Unit, Skilled Licensed Nursing, Semi-Skilled Nursing Intermediate Care, Therapies: Speech, Occupational, Physical, Respiratory, Outpatient Therapy, Long Term Care, Temporary Care, Private/Semi-Private Rooms, Pet Visitation Allowed, Hospice Care. Medicare and/or Medicaid.

Adams Woodcrest

1300 Mercer Avenue, Decatur, IN 46733 (260) 724-3311 • www.adamswoodcrest.org

Assisted Living, Rehabilitation Unit, Alzheimer’s Unit, Skilled Licensed Nursing, Semi-Skilled Nursing, Intermediate Care, Therapies: Speech, Occupational, Physical, Respiratory, Long Term Care, Temporary Care, Private/Semi-Private Rooms, Pet Visitation Allowed, Hospice Care, Medicare and/or Medicaid.

Grand Marquis

300 East Washington Blvd., Fort Wayne, IN 46802 (260) 422-5511 • jmull@tgmsi.com

Assisted Living; 50+ Community; Pets Allowed; Medicaid Waiver; Private Rooms; Weekly Events; RCAP Program; Conveniently Located; 24/7 Nursing Staff; On-site Therapy; Downtown Lifestyle; Concierge Service; Smoking Area; Restaurant Style Dining

Life Care Center of Fort Wayne

1649 Spy Run Avenue, Fort Wayne, IN 46805 (260) 422-8520 • www.lcca.com

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foresees a shortage of more than 120,000 doctors in the next 10 years.

The combination of this anticipated shortage and an older work force is expected to result in openings for seniors in the health-care industry, which already is looking to avoid shortages of 100,000 nurses assistants and other medical aides forecast over the next half dozen years.

Mature

Orchard Pointe Health Campus

702 Sawyer Rd., Kendallville, IN 46755 (260) 347-3333 • www.orchardpointehc.com

Offering Memory Care, Assisted & Independent Living Apartments and Skilled Services. We’ll meet you with the appropriate level of care wherever you are — whether you’re fully independent or looking for additional assistance.

Call us.

The Cedars

14409 Sunrise Court, Leo, IN 46765 (260) 627-2191 • www.thecedarsrc.com

Assisted Living, Skilled Licensed Nursing, Semi-Skilled Nursing Or Intermediate Care, Therapies: Speech-Occupational-RespiratoryPhysical, Long Term Care, Temporary Care, Private/Semi-Private Rooms, Pet Visitation Allowed, Hospice Care, Medicare and/or Medicaid

S. Anthony Blvd., Fort Wayne, IN 46816 (260) 447-1591 • www.ABetterWayofLiving.org

Assisted Living, Rehab Unit, Alzheimer’s Unit, Skilled Licensed Nursing, Intermediate Care, Therapies: Speech, Occupational, Respiratory, Physical, Long Term Care, Temporary Care, Private/Semi-Private Rooms, Pet Visitation Allowed, Hospice Care, Medicare and/or Medicaid, Outpatient Therapy of Fort Wayne

Take care of yourself, caregiver

By CECIL SCAGLIONE

Mature Life Features

If your aren’t caring for a diseased or disabled relative, you probably know someone who does because about one out of four people in the U.S. and Canada is a caregiver for a family member or friend.

An interesting sidelight indicates some 6 million American seniors live with grandchildren — and half of those elderly are the caregivers in the household.

Statistics can serve as headlines on the subject but does little to bring the stress and heartbreak caregivers undergo because they can become overwhelmed and forego or forget about caring for themselves.

It’s important to know that, if you don’t take care of yourself first, you can’t take care of anyone else.

In addition to following the usual motherly advice to eat well and get a plenty of rest, caregivers need to overcome the stress-induced depression, the fatigue and feelings of guilt and helplessness, and the array of their own aches and pains that accompany this environment along with aging.

Experts in the field suggest caregivers start helping themselves by seeking out and meeting with other caregivers.

It’s a giant step toward getting expert advice on how to handle your own charge.

How do you handle your father’s finances? Your aunt’s diet as she bounces in and out of dementia and forgets to eat? Their refusal to take care of themselves and skip visits to the bathroom that you have to clean up? And all of this without a thank you.

ADAMS WOODCREST

1300 Mercer Avenue

Decatur, IN 46733

Phone: (260) 724-3311

www.adamswoodcrest.org

Independent Living, Cottages, Villas, Apartments, Residential & Assisted Living, Short Term Rehab, Healthcare & Dementia Care, Skilled & Intermediate, Long Term Nursing Care, Life Enrichment Activities, Fitness Center Membership

THE CEDARS

14409 Sunrise Court

Leo, IN 46765

Phone: (260) 627-2191

www.thecedarsrc.com

Complete Retirement Amenities: Skilled & Intermediate

Long Term Nursing Care, Assisted & Residential Apartments, Total Rehab Unit, Villa Of The Cedars With Condominium Homes - “Come To The Country”

LIFE CARE CENTER OF FORT WAYNE

1649 Spy Run Avenue

Fort Wayne, IN 46805

Phone: (260) 422-8520

www.lifecarecenteroffortwaynein.com

Newly remodeled facility, top-of-the-line service for rehab patients. Rapid rehab program, separate wing with 30 rehab suites — private single bed for short-term patients. Medicare, Medicaid & insurances accepted.

You have to teach them how to handle the remote so they can watch television when you’re not around, learn how to give them a shower, and show them how to open a snack package they like to dive into.

Keeping track of their medications and medical appointments is your responsibility along with making sure they eat well, sleep well

and have not developed any new symptoms or sores. It’s a 24-hour-job.

At the same time, you have to squeeze in time to take care of yourself and your health, to visit with friends, to get out from under the caregiver cloud and relax. You might consider having a friend, family member, volunteer or paid-proxy fill in for you for a few hours each week

so you can take in a movie or other pastime. Taking care of yourself is not selfish. You’re keeping yourself strong so you can care for your loved one. Talking with other caregivers helps. So does consulting with your doctors and volunteer organizations that focus on problems you face, such as the Alzheimer’s Foundation and American Cancer Society.

Mature Life Features Copyright 2025

Not all germs should be washed away

By CECIL SCAGLIONE Mature Life Features

An accent has been placed on washing your hands often with soap and water to eliminate any germs you may have picked up during the day. Doing this to your entire body may not be healthy,

we’re told.

Taking long hot showers or baths can wash away the layer of dead skin cells and natural oils and organic compounds that protect your skin from becoming brittle and scaly. Soap ingredients are designed to remove dirt, but they also take away that

protective layer.

Skin specialists recommend lukewarm water for baths or showers that are limited to 10 minutes or less. They also suggest patting yourself dry rather than rubbing vigorously so you don’t irritate your skin.

Mature Life Features Copyright 2025

3136 Goeglein Road

Fort Wayne, IN 46815

Phone: (260) 749-9655

CARTER HEARING CLINICS 1335 Getz Road, Fort Wayne, IN 46804 NORTHEAST: 3136 Goeglein Rd., Suite A Phone: (260) 436-6400 or (877) 436-6401

www.carterhearingclinics.com

• Creating A Higher Standard of Care

• Board certified audiologists by the American Board of Audiology serving Fort Wayne since 1967.

• Offices located in Fort Wayne, Auburn and Angola. PROVIDING

• Hearing Evaluations, Hearing Aids, Assistive Listening Devices and Auditory Training

• FREE TRIAL HEARING AID PROGRAM

PO Box 10179 Fort Wayne, IN 46850

Phone: (260) 422-3296

www.homeboundmealsfw.org

Homebound Meals, Inc.

HOME CARE SERVICES

INTEGRITY HOME CARE, LLC 813 W. Cook Road, Suite 1

Fort Wayne, IN 46818

Phone: (260) 452-9691

ajones@integrityhhc.com

“Stay Home With Integrity.” Providing assistance to those in need in the comfort of their own home.

BRIGHTSTAR 333 E. Washington Blvd.

Fort Wayne, IN 46802

Phone: (260) 918-0933

www.brightstarcare.com/fort-wayne

Enthusiastic, kind personal level client care connection, 24/7 support enables clients to check

Autoimmune disease attacks from anywhere

By CECIL SCAGLIONE

Mature Life Features

It wasn’t all that long ago when most of us never heard of an autoimmune disease.

Medical science and research has identified more than 100 of these disorders that range from type one diabetes to multiple sclerosis, lupus, and autoimmune rheumatoid arthritis.

No one knows what causes these diseases nor why anyone gets them. Many victims live with the condition for years before being diagnosed properly.

An autoimmune disease occurs when your immune system mistakenly attacks your body. For example, autoimmune hepatitis is a result of your immune system attacking your liver instead of the lurking germs and viruses.

Your immune system never rests in its battle against bacteria and it somehow can turn on you, causing debilitating, and

life-threatening in some cases, inflammation of joints, nerves and organs.

Recent reports indicate the problem is increasing as more than 15% of the population carry biomarkers of autoimmunity, a 5% rise over just a few decades.

Medical experts attribute the increase to chronic stress in our day-to-day lives, diets loaded with processed foods, and environmental toxins, such as insecticides and pesticides in the air and food.

A healthy diet and lifestyle helps combat the onset and treatment of autoimmunity.

Starting with your diet is probably the simplest and easiest first step toward insulating yourself against autoimmune attacks. The Mediterranean diet is recommended widely as a healthy weapon against autoimmune disease.

There is plenty of literature available on what comprises

HOME PET CARE

HUMANE FORT WAYNE IN-HOME SERVICES

901 Leesburg Road

Fort Wayne, IN 46808

Phone: (260) 744-0454

www.humanefortwayne.org

This FREE program helps seniors care for their pets. Services include grooming, walking, waste clean-up, wellness checks, transportation and more.

IN-HOME CARE

AT HOME HEALERS HOMECARE LLC

7230 Engle Road, Suite 205

Fort Wayne, IN 46804

Phone: (260) 702-0897

care@athomehealershc.com

www.athomehealershc.com

Personalized centered care: post surgery, Alzheimers & Dementia specialized support, Veteran & personal assistance (bathing, dressing, grooming), light housekeeping, daily/weekly meal prep, appointment transportation. No minimum hourly contract, 24/HR care, two nurse owned & operated, FREE in-home assessment!

COMFORT KEEPERS

3182 Mallard Cove Lane

Fort Wayne, IN 46804

Phone: (260) 484-5858

MollyTritch@comfortkeepers.com

Comfort Keepers provides award winning in-home care for seniors and other adults in need of assistance with daily activities.

this anti-inflammatory list of food that calms your immune system. A quick overview includes vegetables, fruit, nuts, fish and olive oil.

Foods to avoid include refined oils, processed meat, and anything with added sugar.

Almost three-quarters of your immune system lives in your guts, so probiotics and live-culture foods such as yogurt are strong shields against autoimmune attackers.

A dietitian can work with you to prepare a list of eat and don’t-eat items.

Regular exercise is also urged. You don’t have to sign up at a gym for daily two-hour weight-lifting sessions. A walk in the park with your dog, a bicycle ride, or some laps in the pool all work and can be enjoyable.

This activity will also help avoid stress and relax. And you’ll probably sleep better, giving your body and immune

system more time to repair itself.

Before adopting any regimen in your life, discuss your situation with your family doctor. Mature Life Features Copyright 2025

Pandemic saving lesson

By CECIL SCAGLIONE Mature Life Features

The COVID-19 pandemic is slipping over the horizon but it has left us with some financial as well as medical lessons.

A major proportion of the population found out they had no financial cushion to soften their landing when hit by any disruption in their lives.

According to a Federal Reserve Report, more than one-third of American households did not have enough cash reserve on hand to get them through an unanticipated hit of only $400.

While squeaking through the pandemic drained savings

accumulated by folks with the foresight to build an emergency fund, it pushed those without such resources into debt.

There’s a commonly held tenet that everyone should have resources to last anywhere from three months to six months through any emergency. If you’re still working, a simple way to build a rainy-day fund is by automatic payroll deduction.

For seniors receiving income from Social Security and other fixed incomes, that translates to a self-starter plan setting aside a set percentage every month until they reach their three- or six-month goal.

Mature Life Features Copyright 2025

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Talking about death and grief

A doctor friend told me a story when he was in medical school, and a doctor / professor was talking about a specific medical condition. He said, “If these complications occur, the patients who develop them will eventually die.”

Then he stopped for a second or two and said, “But then, all patients eventually die.”

My friend commented, “The medical profession is stalling for time.”

It became clear to me during my wife’s battle with

breast cancer that doctors are well aware that the added time is precious to the patient. With the advanced medical tools available, they can improve their patient’s length and quality of life. The professor’s point that we all eventually die is not something we are taught and we don’t discuss it very much. As long we have lived, we have died. The simple fact of life is that we will eventually die, and someone we love will die. We will, at some time in our

life, experience grief. No one is immune. We all live with it, and yet we still find death and dying very difficult to discuss. With medical advances, life expectancy has increased. We expect medical advances to prolong our lives regardless of our diagnosis. We may cruise through our twenties, thirties, or forties without ever facing the reality of our mortality. So, we rarely ever discuss it. If we don’t talk about it, it won’t happen.

Our ancestors were much better at talking about death. In those times, people may have been reluctant to discuss sex, but death was part of their daily life. Disease was rampant, so living with death was expected. No matter your wealth, everyone will eventually die. Less than 40% of babies born in the 1800s would reach their 60th birthday. Less than 10% made it to their 80th. That meant that our ancestors experienced a lot of death and attended a lot of funerals.

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We are no strangers to death, though. Over the last 125 years, death has occurred on a significant scale with two world wars, Korea and Vietnam, a major flu epidemic, and now the Covid-19 pandemic. Yet, we still don’t openly discuss the difficulty and complexity of the emotions that death and grieving bring. We continue to deal with the trauma of death by embracing a stiff upper lip, hiding our feelings, and moving on. No, talking about death won’t prevent it from happening; it will only perpetuate the fears, misconceptions, and confusion surrounding it.

In my book “Balloon in a Box: Coping with Grief,” I suggest that we reclaim our emotions and learn how to process better how we feel. Let’s talk openly about death and how we think about how something is impacting us. We can begin to understand that whatever we are feeling is normal and find a way through it. By sharing our experiences and talking about them, we will know that grief will always be with us; that is something you really have to get over. We must learn that life continues, understanding that it’s something we can learn to live with. We do not need to feel we’ve failed because we continue to grieve the death of someone important. We must learn to embrace the changes it brings to our lives.

By embracing the end as we do the beginning, acknowledging our mortality, not thinking that we will live forever and not taking our lives for granted. Talking about it, maybe we will be able to view death, our death, in a different way.

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Let’s not wait until the final moments of our lives to talk about it. Let’s talk about it now, and remember, life continues, and we must embrace the changes.

Editors Note: Tom Rose is the author of “Balloon in a Box: Coping with Grief” available on Amazon, at Fabells Books in Goshen, and on his website, thomaslrose. com. He is avilable for speaking engagements and facilitates grief groups. Feedback can be directed to rosandroseassociates@comcast.net or (574) 596-6256. Additionally, Tom hosts the weekly podcast “Senior Talk Michiana” available on Spotify and his website at thomaslrose.com/senior-talk.

Coping with Grief

By TOM ROSE

‘Philadelphia Freedom’ was Elton

John’s 4th chart-topping disc

Elton John

A recording superstar + an iconic athlete = a million-selling song that made no sense.

Huh?

By RANDAL C. HILL

In early 1975, Elton John had personal reasons for wanting to create what would become his fourth chart-topping disc. A couple of years earlier, at a party in California, he had met Billie Jean King, who at the time was busy becoming a feminist hero.

Shortly after meeting Elton, Billie Jean— arguably the best woman tennis player in the world — decimated Bobby Riggs in the well-hyped 1973 “Battle of the Sexes” match at the Houston Astrodome. While King destroyed Riggs in three consecutive sets, Elton, who watched the match from a hotel room, screamed so loudly that he lost his voice.

The John-King friendship grew over time. King collected his albums, and John often cheered at King’s matches. In gratitude, she had a custom tracksuit uniform made for the British superstar. He would eventually find his own way of returning the favor.

One day, John told King he wanted to write a song for her. King thought he was kidding and later recalled, “I didn’t think I heard him right. I turned scarlet red.” But John assured her that he was on the up-and-up and could create a hit song with her in mind.

“What are we going to call it?” he asked King, who at the time was the player/coach for the (World Team Tennis) Philadelphia Freedoms. He answered his own question with “How about ‘Philadelphia Freedom’?” Thus was born the title of what would become Elton’s next journey to the top of Billboard’s Hot 100 chart.

In the King-oriented creation came a rare moment in which John gave his lyric writer Bernie Taupin an unusual assignment: John wanted a song called “Philadelphia Freedom,” and Taupin needed to come up with … well, something. Later, Taupin admitted that his words had nothing to do with tennis and, really, meant nothing in particular:

“Oh, Philadelphia Freedom

“Shine on me, I love ya

“Shine a light through the eyes of the ones left behind

“Shine a light, shine the light

“Shine the light, won’t you shine the light

“Philadelphia Freedom, I love ya

“Yes, I do”

John later said to King, “We

don’t have to understand what the words mean.” To which she remarked, “It doesn’t matter. It’s the emotion of it.”

It was one of the few times that John decided that this release should be a stand-alone single and not an album track. (It would eventually show up on “Elton John’s Greatest Hits Volume II.”)

The resulting 45 was a perfectly crafted aural stew that included shout-along energy, augmented by instrumental music that included sweeping strings, energetic horn-bursts, a bouncy baseline, and piercing guitar stabs, all of which were fueled by an infectious “thump” that helped to eventually bring disco into mainstream music.

Back then, radio music programmers constantly grumbled that the song had a too-long running time of 5:21, but what rockin’ station wasn’t going to play “Philadelphia Freedom”? Hmmn?

70s Flashback —

Snatched from the ‘Jaws’ of defeat

As many of us probably remember, “Jaws” was a fun movie to watch. Filming it, though, was a different story. Just ask the director.

By RANDAL C. HILL

In 1973, movie producers Richard D. Zanuck and David Brown bought the rights to Peter Benchley’s just-released novel “Jaws.” The pair in turn offered film-directing chores to Steven Spielberg, the 26-year-old hotshot who had become an overnight success with his now-classic TV movie “Duel.”

Spielberg handed the screenwriting project to a friend, TV scriptwriter Carl Gottlieb, who gleefully promised Spielberg, “If we do our jobs right, people will feel about going in the ocean the way they felt about taking a shower after ‘Psycho’.”

Spielberg discarded the book’s many subplots, as he figured the shark was the star of the story. He thus hired lesser-known actors for the movie — Roy Scheider as police chief Martin Brody, Richard Dreyfuss as ma-

rine biologist Matt Hooper and Robert Shaw as shark hunter Quint.

Spielberg also insisted on filming on the ocean rather than in a Hollywood tank.

Three huge, pneumatically powered sharks were then constructed. The California project took five months and required the use of 40 effects technicians, who managed to get the props to swim, gnash their teeth, flip their tails and dive. The sharks, each nicknamed “Bruce” after Spielberg’s lawyer Bruce Ramer, were then trucked to Massachusetts. Once in the Atlantic Ocean, 14 operators were needed to control the movements of the beasts, each of which was fastened to an elongated sled during shooting scenes.

Spielberg chose the quaint village of Martha’s Vineyard for filming, as it met his needs for a place with a shallow and sandy ocean floor (for effective camerawork), small tides and an unbroken horizon. Called Amity in the story, the locale was depicted as a small tourist resort on Long Island’s south shore.

In May 1974, Spielberg’s crew came to town with a $3.5 million budget to cover 55 days of filming. From the outset, though,

problems threw the schedule into disarray. Many issues involved the Bruces, whose hoses burst, the props became tangled in forests of kelp, and the sleds that the sharks rode ran aground. Add to this the aggravation of recreational sailboats drifting into view, stormy weather canceling shoot times, and some actors and crew members becoming seasick. Everybody complained. After a while, frustrated crew members began calling the project “Flaws.”

The movie eventually wrapped, but in 159 days rather than 100, and $5.5 million over the original budget. Spielberg understandably moaned, “I thought my career as a filmmaker was over.”

To Hollywood moguls, summertime was best for dumping teen-oriented films into drive-in theaters. But Tinseltown’s outlook was turned inside out when, in June 1975, Universal Pictures’ “Jaws” became history’s first-ever summer movie blockbuster. Just how big was it? Steven’s release recouped all its production costs in only 10 days and became the highest grossing film of all time until “Star Wars” appeared two years later.

And Mr. Spielberg, thankfully, never had to worry about his career again.

Medicare doesn’t pay for dental care.1

As good as Medicare is, it was never meant to cover everything. If you want protection, you need to purchase individual insurance.

Early detection can prevent small problems from becoming expensive ones.

The best way to avoid large dental bills is preventive care. Experts recommend checkups twice a year.

Previous dental work can wear out.

Your odds of having a dental problem only go up as you age.2

Treatment is expensive — especially the services people over 50 often need.

Unexpected bills, like $190 for a filling, or $1,213 for a crown3 can be a real burden, especially if you’re on a fixed income.

FROM BOOK TO MOVIE The

Schemers never let a crisis go to waste

By CECIL SCAGLIONE Mature Life Features

Crooks love it when folks are on edge, especially when such calamities as hurricanes, brush fires, tornadoes, floods or other disasters are

predicted or just passed. They show up at the door, contact you by mail, call you on phone or alert you on the internet that they are government officials or on-the-spot fixer-up contractors or some other helpful person or organization that can solve all your problems. For a fee. Their approaches usually narrow down to the demand or need for immediate precautions and repairs that requires money up front money to get the material for the work that needs to be done.

Getting their name and the name and phone number of their government department or having them leave a card with you isn’t always a protection because their information can be bogus.

To protect yourself from these impostors, contact your local government office and Better Business Bureau.

Mature Life Features Copyright 2025

rights to Peter Benchley’s newly released novel “Jaws” was bought by movie producers Richard D. Zanuck and David Brown in 1973. The 26-year-old Steven Spielberg was given the directing chores. Photo from peterbenchly.com.

Social Security’s FAQ page can answer important questions

By MONA HARTER District Manager, South Bend Social Security Office

There are many online resources about Social Security, but it is important that you visit our official website — SSA.gov — for the most accurate and up-to-date answers. You can find lots of information about our programs and services on our Frequently Asked Questions page at faq. ssa.gov. We feature the most asked questions at the top of the page to include:

How can I get help from Social Security?

How much will the COLA amount be for 2025 and when will I receive it?

What should I do if I receive a call from someone claiming to be a Social Security employee?

How do I schedule, reschedule, or cancel an appointment?

What happens if I work and get Social Security retirement benefits?

You can also browse by topic, including:

Disability.

Income.

Retirement.

Medicare.

Many of our FAQs are available in Spanish, as well, at ssa.gov/espanol.

Visit our publications library at ssa.gov/pubs for more detailed information on many important topics. Most publications are available in text, audio, downloadable formats, and in other languages. Share this information with your loved ones.

Rightsizing your belongings

By KURT NESS Broker, co-owner, auctioneer Ness Bros. Realtors and Auctioneers

There are four options: keep, sell, donate and discard. We accomplish this through tagging and marking using our color-coded system. Options for selling items include an online or live auction, garage sale, tag sale, Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace.

Rightsizing is an opportunity to simplify and organize one’s life. Less stuff means less stress in your life. There will be times in your rightsizing process where you will feel overwhelmed and discouraged. Revisiting your why will help keep you focused.

When starting the process of rightsizing, it is important to have a plan, the goal of which is to keep you focused and accountable. Do not attack this like you are going to get this done in a few days. Set aside 30-60 minutes each day.

Decluttering Tip: Before sorting and categorizing your personal belongings, a quick and simple trick is to see if any family members are interested in anything. If nothing else, this may be an opportunity to have family members take what they may

have been storing at your home.

Contact our senior relocation team to get help and answers to your questions on rightsizing; we’re here to help you stay positive throughout this process. Reach out to our relocation

specialists at (260) 459-3911 in Fort Wayne or (260) 3563911 in Huntington. You can also contact us through our website NessBros.com, or stop in one of our offices, located at 3344 Mallard Cove Lane, Fort Wayne, or 519 N. Jefferson St., Huntington.

RV travel gaining support

By CECIL SCAGLIONE

Mature Life Features

There was a time when motor-home travel was considered laborious and rather quaint by jetsetters who bounced around the globe and toured what were deemed exotic locations or poured out of luxury cruise ships into alluring attractions.

Well, RV (recreational vehicle) vacations took on new luster when the COVID-19 pandemic shut down the universe at the beginning of the decade.

Cruise ships stopped cruising, countries closed their borders, hotels shut down, and airlines slashed their number of flights.

At the same time, RV sales hit record levels as travel-hungry buyers saw the comfort and convenience of traveling safely in their own home to go wherever whenever they wanted to.

First-timers unfamiliar with life on campgrounds and campsites learned that overnight parking is available at federal, state and local government parks as well as some of the thousands of retail locations operated by such chains as

Walmart, Cracker Barrel, Costco, Sam’s Club, Home Depot and Cabela’s. All they have to do is check local regulations with the business manager before settling in.

Veteran RVers have learned to draw up an itinerary with a map of RV parks that provide at least electrical and water connections. Many also offer bathrooms, Wi-Fi, showers, club rooms and swimming pools.

Rental fees can range from about $50 a night for a compact travel-trailer to some $300 for a bus-size motor home.

Government-owned and operated campgrounds normally are less expensive or free but permits or passes may be required. They usually lack hookups and comforts available at RV parks.

If you’re not sure about how you’ll like this this type of vacation or mode of travel, you can rent an RV — pick the size and type you think you’ll like — for a trial spin around the country. Shopping for a rental will help familiarize yourself with the pluses and minuses of the types of vehicles available.

Mature Life Features Copyright 2025

inforcing

Benton County landscape full of wind machines

Agriculture has been the backbone of Benton County since before it was established in 1840. Located on the Illinois line in north central Indiana, half way between Indianapolis and Chicago, the county has always been known for its corn, soybeans and wheat.

As of 2005, Benton County experienced the beginning of a new

kind of farming when researchers determined it possessed another valuable resource. It had the highest sustained winds in northern Indiana. They blow steadily through the county from the southwest from Boswell to Earl Park along Fowler Ridge. This discovery sparked the development of the state’s first utility-scale wind farm near the

city of Goodland and has earned it the distinction of being the capital of Hoosier wind farming.

The Goodland project, which produces 130.5 megawatts of electricity, was just the tip of the iceberg. Then came the Benton County Wind Farm with 135 turbines, Fowler Ridge Wind Farm with 460 turbines, Hoosier Wind Farm with 106 turbines, and

GREAT ESCAPES

Text and Photos

By ROD KING

There are wind turbines everywhere, 560 in all, with more on the drawing board. They’re visible from US 52 and US 41. Together, they produce 988 megawatts of electrical power, which is enough electricity to serve 265,000 homes.

Standing well above area grain storage silos and church steeples,

S

S TRAVEL

they’re actually quite majestic with the sun glinting off their 100-foot-long blades. Though they appear to be turning slowly, the speed of the blades at the tip is approximately 120 miles per hour. Each turbine has its own weather station, can determine wind direction and change the angle of its blades to fit the conditions. Optimum wind speed is between nine and 56 miles per hour. They’re held erect on a concrete base, which require 377 cubic yards of cement and 135 tons of reinforcing bars.

According to the director of Benton County Economic Development, Latisha Provo, there initially were some people who were opposed to the invasion of the 162-foot-tall wind machines on the pristine landscape.

“Besides making Fowler a new tourism center,” she said, “the wind farms have been a big shot in the arm for local businesses serving workers during the developmental/construction stages and those who have stayed to maintain the machines. All of the area towns, school corporations and county governments have Continued on page 19

Fowler Ridge IV with 65 turbines.

Where the word rules the universe

By FYLLIS HOCKMAN

Mature

Features

As a travel writer, words are what I do. But when I heard about the newly

I knew I couldn’t get here fast enough to see all the magical ways words — the entire focus of the museum “where language comes to life” — can be employed to explain, entertain and elucidate.

Words are everywhere. Interactive exhibits talk, teach, train and titillate. The floor you walk on reveals the development of language from cave dwellings to hieroglyphics to alphabets around the world. Elevators resemble libraries.

The many side experiences in every gallery are fascinating but so easy to overlook. We ducked in to see how babies acquire language skills.

And almost missed the Joking Around Room: “Outside of a dog, a book is a man’s best friend. Inside of a dog, it’s too dark to read.” Bada boom.

At the Visual Puns exhibit, there’s a large picture, among many, of two suitcases. One is laughing and one is crying. Its title is Emotional Baggage.

At a table with two computers, you and a friend get to read jokes to each other and try to make each other laugh — or not. What’s the difference between a hippo and a Zippo? One’s heavy and the other is a little lighter Yes, they’re corny but it’s very hard to keep a straight face.

At The Word World, you paint pictures with adjectives. Pick up the Hibernal (relating to winter) brush and snow appears over the nature scene on the wall. The Nocturnal brush brings darkness; Tempestuous splashes on wind and rain.

The Magical brush elicits great

Benton County

Continued from page 18

benefited, as have the residents from lower property taxes.”

”Yes,” Provo pointed out, “the turbines do make some noise, but it’s basically a low hum that has simply become part of the ambient sound and is generally ignored.”

To schedule a tour, call (765) 884-2080, ext. 8153. A fee of $5 for adults and $3 for children/ students is charged for groups of more than 21. Groups under 20

persons pay a $75 flat fee. Tours are available from 8:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. Monday through Saturday or by appointment.

The hour-long tours include a video overview with questions and answers, a visit to an operating turbine and getting up close and personal with a 100-foot-long blade.

To get there, head toward US 52 on the west edge of the state, turn north and head right into Fowler.

whimsy. Paint the deer on the wall and it becomes a unicorn; swipe it across the airplane and it turns into a magic carpet.

In the Magical Library, people appear to walk on the ceiling. Read a descriptive plaque to a wall mirror and a 3-D diorama pops up before you. Open the drawer below to find the book from which the scene is taken.

I shook my head in disbelief when I turned to a designated page in the book I opened and it lit up as a narrator read the story and relevant images kept re-appearing next to the book.

If you feel a bit overwhelmed, you can duck into a poetry nook to can sit back, relax, breathe out and let a sonorous voice reciting poetry re-vitalize you.

This might lead you to think you want some tips on public speaking. Head to the Lend Me

Your Ears Auditory Gallery to learn when to effectively pause in your remarks, when repetition reinforces your message, and how the use of metaphor to better convey your meaning. Then you can go into a private recording booth and deliver your own speech.

Beware of the I’m Sold Gallery where you may have to come to terms with how susceptible you are to advertising. Here you’ll encounter how words are used to persuade and change people’s minds through ads, videos and social media. Deference is paid to those slogans that have become part of our lexicon: Where’s the Beef? What’s in your Wallet? Melts in your Mouth.

And think about this. What do you say when you drink something refreshing? Ahhh, yes? So it’s no accident that three

major bottled-water companies are named Evian, Aquafina and Dasani to wrap around the Ahhh sound.

The final gallery is devoted to How Words matter. People, known and unknown, talk about how words have changed their lives, how the power of certain words, expressions, and stories significantly impacted them. Should you choose to go to the bathroom before you leave, you’ll come upon more relevant words that’s not your usual bathroom graffiti: heed the call of nature, see a man about a horse, take a whiz, tinkle.

Leaving with a smile on your face, you might feel inclined to make a donation since entry to the museum is free, but contributions are encouraged.

Mature Life Features Copyright 2025

BLADE ART A 100-foot-long turbine blade on display in Fowler has become a favorite wall for local graffiti artists. Seeing it up close and personal gives visitors good perspective on overall size.

ON Golden Years Golden Gala

Tickets on sale for Golden Years Golden Gala

Golden Years Homestead invites you to an evening of celebration, community, and giving back at the 2nd Annual Golden Years Golden Gala on June 19 at the Fort Wayne Event Center, located inside the Holiday Inn at PFW (4111 Paul Shaffer Drive).

For more than 50 years, Golden Years has been a trusted leader in senior living, known for its faith-based values, compassionate staff, and quality care. This year’s gala promises to be a joyful night, with proceeds supporting the Resident Benevolence Fund, which helps retired church workers and others living on campus who have

exhausted their financial resources.

Tickets are $75 and include dinner, live music, and, new this year, entertainment by comedian Michael Cheselka. Guests can also participate in a silent auction featuring a variety of unique items. Want to bring friends? Sponsor a table of eight for $500 and enjoy the evening together!

Residents often say what sets Golden Years apart isn’t just the comfortable apartments, meals, and activities — it’s the people.

One resident, a retired minister, shared:

“The main feature, that you would not find in most facilities, that you quickly

discover here, is the staff. They are incredible! They are always available to assist the residents and possess the most important qualification … a servant’s heart.”

Throughout the evening, guests will hear more inspiring stories like his, real-life examples of how Golden Years makes a lasting difference in the lives of residents, their families, and the wider community.

Reserve your seat today for a heartwarming evening filled with laughter, music, inspiration, and support for a truly meaningful cause. Visit weblink.donorperfect.com/

GYGala2025 or scan the QR code to get tickets or make a donation.

For more information, call Coleen Arribasplata, Golden Years Director of Marketing, at (260) 7486416.

Golden Gala

Thursday, June 19, 2025, 5:30-9:00 p.m. Fort Wayne Event Center 4111 Paul Shaffer Dr., Fort Wayne

Enjoy an evening of dinner, music, and entertainment. All proceeds benefit the Benevolence Fund at Golden Years Homestead, providing charitable care for residents in need.

$75 per person / $500 per table of eight

Scan the code to register today!

Call 574-537-4066 with questions or to inquire about sponsorship opportunities.

Advertorial

2024 GYH GOLDEN GALA DINNER WHERE SUPPORTERS AND GUESTS ENJOYED A LUSCIOUS MEAL