Senior Life - Elko Edition - August 2025 by The Papers Inc.

WALKING IN WAKARUSA — Thomas Rose records his “Senior Talk” podcast in Wakarusa and also writes when he visits the local coffee shop.

Text and Photos

By NATHAN PACE Staff Writer

Thomas Rose did not think he would become a public speaker and an author in his 80s, but his story is one of recovery from loss. Rose, a Goshen native, can plainly see how time changed after his wife, Joyce, passed away in 2019.

“That’s where I am. My life totally changed from 78 years to 84,” Rose said. “When I lost her that changed my life significantly.”

Joyce had dealt with breast cancer in 2004-05 but lived through the first battle. Rose had 12 more years with her before the next round began in 2017.

“Everything was fine until

2017 when they told her she had six to eight months to live. Being the tough old broad that she was, she hung around for two years,” Rose said with a smile. “In those 12 years we got to do everything together. The two years of chemo and radiation took a lot out of her. She was still tired a lot of the time but she managed through it.”

Her final three weeks saw a diet of only water and pain pills while on hospice care. The four months that followed after her death is what Rose calls his “black period.”

“I didn’t care about anything. I didn’t want anything. I have to say after she died I kicked God out of my life,” Rose said.

In November, he began enjoying life again and started

to journal his daily thoughts. He restored his faith in the process and a friend suggested to Rose to turn his journal entries into a book. The result was his book “Balloon in a Box.”

“Someone had told me grief is like a ball in a box. When the ball bounces around and touches the sides, the emotions come back with remembrance. I said it’s more like a balloon in a box. All of my memories are in the balloon. People have told me the same thing, that I was afraid to move on because I didn’t want to leave her behind. So now with my balloon I can move forward with all of my memories and she can go with me,” Rose said. Through writing, he also began to do public speaking.

He even does a podcast he records at Wakarusa Missionary Church called “Senior Talk.” Senior pastor Chris Knight suggested he record at the church.

“He said, ‘We just use this studio on Tuesdays. It’s yours,’” Rose said.

His son, Brock, is the director of the Wakarusa Chamber of Commerce, another reason he makes routine visits to the town.

Since he began writing, Rose has also done well over 100 public speaking appearances to help seniors deal with the loss of a loved one. He has spoken mainly in the Midwest including Detroit, Chicago and Indianapolis. One interaction that has stayed with him is a woman who came up to him after a

speaking event.

“She said, ‘You got me out of my black period.’ I said, ‘Well, how long has it been?’ She said, ‘12 years.’ This lady that was with her said, ‘She is not lying to you. I saw her smile for the first time in 12 years today, out of all the stories you shared about your wife and life.’”

Another memorable moment was when a college senior called Rose to thank him for his book. The student said his book helped his mother after the death of his father and also helped him make a big decision about proposing to his girlfriend.

“He said, ‘I asked my mom, how do I know I’m in love, and she gave me your book to read.’ In a way, I guess I wrote a love story,” Rose said.

BOOKING SIGNING — Thomas Rose signs a copy of his book “Balloon in a Box.” The second edition of it came out in 2023.

Forming relationships with students key to Clark’s teaching success

By LILLI DWYER Staff Writer

When Diana Clark graduated from Ball State in 1994, she took home a degree in math education, even though she had always excelled in English.

“It wasn’t easy for me as a student, and I wanted to try to do it differently than what I was taught. ... I was always hoping to make it a little more exciting,” she said.

The Fishers native grew up playing school with her younger

brother, joking that he was her “first victim.”

“I think I was supposed to do this. I think it’s a God thing, to be honest, and I was fortunate enough to know that early on,” she said.

Clark answered her calling, teaching math at St. Judson and West Noble high schools for several years before taking time off to be with her two children.

Once they were in school, Clark joined the Warsaw Adult Education staff as a parapro-

Lilli Dwyer.

fessional in 2013. The program offers morning and night classes to prepare students for high school equivalency testing, as well as English classes for non-native speakers.

Clark felt the position was a good fit.

“When I taught high school, I always like teaching the kids who fell through the cracks, not the honors kids,” she noted, and working part time suited her.

Then, in 2018, WAE’s budget was cut significantly, leaving just her and director-at-thetime, Steve Ferber, to rebuild the program from the bottom up.

“I didn’t know how hard it was going to be, which was kind of nice,” she said. “I could just tackle one thing at a time.”

Since then, WAE has gradually grown to include five HSE teachers and four English language teachers. Clark trains new teachers coming into the program. Collecting and interpreting data from the program is also an important part of her

job, as adult education is “very data driven” in terms of funding, she explained.

And, of course, she still teaches. Back in Clark’s school days, math education was far more hands off.

“When we did algebra, the teacher said, ‘okay, lesson 33 today.’ We would open our books, we would do the problems. He may do one example with us, but that was it,” she recalled. “There wasn’t context, or trying to get you interested in it.”

In her classroom, Clark has focused on practicing together with students, talking about why they need to know the concepts — especially with things like percentages, which apply to bills and sales tax — and even getting students up at the board to teach themselves.

Adult students are a bit less eager to get in front of the class, Clark has found, but they collaborate well.

“The high school students, it was harder to get them to work together. These students, they’ll

develop friendships together,” she observed.

In Clark’s experience, part of being a successful teacher is the ability to build relationships with students.

“Once they know you care, they’re willing to learn more than if you’re just giving them facts and information. They see the value in what you’re talking about and education’s so important,” she said.

Encouraging her students to push beyond what they thought they were capable of is a highlight of her work.

“So many come in and think they aren’t capable of graduating,” she said. “But to see them pass their first test and then encourage them to pass all five ... I’ve always enjoyed seeing a light go on for a student. ... It culminates with that graduation ceremony, to see them celebrate with their families and walk across that stage.”

To learn more about Warsaw Adult Education, visit warsawschools.org/o/wae.

Comfort-focused hospice and palliative

care for St. Joseph County, surrounding areas

By DAWN SELKE Chief Experience Officer Paradigm Health

Paradigm Health is bringing innovation to hospice and palliative care through its Palliative Bridge Program, now available to residents of St. Joseph County and nearby communities. This unique model blends education, early intervention and comprehensive care into one personalized approach.

The Palliative Bridge Program is designed to enhance

quality of life and ease the challenges of living with a life-limiting chronic illness. What sets this program apart is its patient-driven philosophy. We put individuals in the driver’s seat to determine what truly matters to them at every stage of life. When support and education begin early, there’s more time to manage symptoms, clarify goals of care and plan ahead. There’s time to thrive within a new paradigm.

Participants in the program often experience:

• More effective symptom relief.

• Greater continuity and breadth of services.

• Fewer unnecessary hospitalizations.

• A smoother, earlier transition to hospice care if needed. If you or a loved one is navigating a chronic illness and wondering what comes next, consider Paradigm Health’s Palliative Bridge Program.

To learn more or schedule a consultation, contact the St. Joseph Office at (574) 332-8320 or visit myparadigmhealth.com.

MATHEMATICAL Warsaw Adult Education Program Coordinator Diana Clark demonstrates how to multiply polynomials on the smart board in an Ivy Tech Warsaw classroom. Clark enjoys taking an active approach in teaching and helping her students master concepts they never thought they could. Photo by

Greencroft’s Thelma Schrock Homestead unveils renovation

Text and Photos By LAUREN ZEUGNER

Editor

Earlier this summer, Greencroft Goshen unveiled the newly renovated Thelma Schrock Homestead. The Homestead has been a part of the Goshen community for nearly 35 years.

Goshen City Church of the Brethren started providing day services for seniors in 1991 and the program moved to the Greencroft Goshen campus in 1995.

The Homestead and physical therapy area were renovated and an open house was held in June to show off the facility’s new look.

The Homestead is open 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Thursday. The facility is open to the public. A senior doesn’t need a diagnosis of dementia to come and participate. Seniors can come and enjoy an opportunity to socialize with their neighbors.

The newly renovated space feels warm and homey, with an outdoor courtyard with walking paths, an opportunity for cook outs and to have some garden boxes.

One of the biggest hits of the open house was the Tovertafel Table, which was designed in the Netherlands based on dementia research.

The Tovertafel Table

provides an array of games, from whack-a-mole to soccer, to activities like putting the ingredients together to bake bread.

“We are one of only two places in Indiana to have this,” said Cheryl Shreiner, director of community outreach services at Greencroft Goshen.

The other side of the building is the therapy area.

Clients walk into a large therapy area where the roof was raised for staircase therapy. There are individual rooms on one side for occupational, speech and physical therapy.

The therapist’s desk is smack in the middle of the action so the therapist can see what is going on in all the zones.

The therapy area even has an entire apartment where clients can work on transitioning to home safely.

The overall feel of the two spaces is warm and inviting. And clients are encouraged to come back and visit during open houses and other events.

Greencroft offers outpatient therapy as well and can treat between five and 100 people. Having the therapy space intentionally designed into zones also allows residents and clients to socialize as well as encourage each other.

The therapy area also features AI tech such as the Intro One Step, which tests for balance and gait.

Greencroft Goshen offers expert physical, occupational, and speech therapy. We provide short-term and outpatient therapy for all ages, plus first-class amenities. Enjoy personalized one-on-one treatment, flexible scheduling, and a newly renovated therapy gym with state-ofthe-art technology.

(574) 537-4039

1225 Greencroft Drive Goshen, IN 46527-0819

Learn more at Greencroft.org/GreencroftGoshen.

NEW THERAPY AREA Greencroft Goshen recently renovated the Thelma Schrock Homestead. On one side of the building is a newly renovated therapy center offering residents and members of the public an array of different therapies. The space provides open areas where clients can socialize and encourage one another, as well as private spaces for occupational and speech therapy.

ONLY ONE OF TWO IN THE STATE Cheryl Shriener, standing on the right, director of community outreach services at Greencroft Goshen, leads people through a game on the Tovertafel Table. Created in the Netherlands, the table projects a wide variety of games onto the surface to be played. Greencroft has one of the two such tables in the state.

Don’t lose the help you count on

By KARLA (KJ) MAPES President/CEO REAL Services

At REAL Services, we work every day with older adults

who are doing their best to live independently, stay healthy and stretch their budgets. That’s not always easy, especially with rising costs and fixed incomes. Programs, like LIHEAP (energy assistance), SNAP, Medicaid, and Community Action services give people the support they need to stay stable and independent.

Here is what each do:

• LIHEAP helps cover heating and cooling costs during extreme weather.

CORPORATE OFFICE

• SNAP helps you buy the groceries you need without cutting corners on your health.

• Medicaid helps cover health expenses, like prescriptions and in-home care.

• Community Action offers budgeting classes, financial literacy workshops, and oneon-one support to help you set goals, manage bills and build long-term financial stability.

These programs aren’t handouts; they’re tools that help people solve problems, stay independent and live with dignity.

But now, these programs are at risk of being cut or

eliminated. That includes the Community Services Block Grant, which helps fund these vital services and others that support and helps people improve their quality of life.

We Need Your Voice

Between now and Aug. 20, call or email your members of Congress, especially Congressman Rudy Yakym, and tell them these programs matter. Let them know that cutting these services would hurt real people, who are working hard to stay on their feet.

Tell them: These programs help people stay healthy, stable and independent. They

“Chicken,” said Andrea. “Pork chop,” said Ron.

don’t create dependence; they create opportunity. Support H.R. 3131, the bipartisan re-authorization led by Rep. GT Thompson, and the proposed $780 million in FY2026 CSBG appropriations.

REAL Services is here to help if you have questions or need assistance making your voice heard. Contact:

• St. Joseph County, (574) 233-8205.

• Kosciusko County, (574) 269-1173.

• Elkhart County, (574) 3224185.

For all locations, email info@ realservices.org.

FRANCISCO HERNANDEZ AND LUAE AVILA ELKHART

“T-bone steak,” said Francisco. “Ribs,” said Luae.

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“Pork steaks.”

“Steak, medium. I cook for even the neighbors, they know I fire the grill up even in the winter.”

BRUCE DAUGHTERY SYRACUSE

“Steak.”

“Hamburgers

“Fresh fish. I’m basically a bass fisherman, so mainly bass.”

MARY DELCAMP NAPPANEE

CHUCK BIRD MILFORD

LONNIE TURNER WARSAW

NANCY LEE WARSAW

and hot dogs.”

Lisa Ensz expands horizons through Lions Club service

By LILLI DWYER Staff Writer

Lisa Ensz’s home — which she shares with her husband, a dog, two parrots, a horse and a goat — is almost never quiet, and that’s fine with her.

Her seven children and five grandchildren are frequent visitors, and a bevy of friends, neighbors and hairdressing clients cycle through the living room.

“I might have between 10 and 15 people through here in a given day,” she estimated.

Ensz professes her main concerns in life are her boisterous family and her humanitarian work with the Milford Lions Club.

She has been a member of the club for 22 years now. At the time she joined, she was operating After Hours Hair Salon in Milford and some of her clients asked her to participate.

“When people are in your chair, you get offered everything,” she recalled.

Since then, she has dedicated part of her life to service and learned quite a bit about the organization as a whole.

“Lions Club is not just one thing,” Ensz said. “Once my eyes were opened, going to conventions, I saw Lions Club in a whole new realm that excited me. I didn’t just think, ‘I belong to our town’s little old people club.’ I belong to an international, global movement. It’s the largest humanitarian group in the world.”

There are 1.4 million members and 49,000 Lions Clubs worldwide. The Milford Lions has met its goal of adding 10 new members to its ranks this year. Ensz’s husband, Arlan, officially joined earlier this year as a Mother’s Day gift to her.

In 2023, she was asked to become president. She was hesitant to lead at first, but decided to do her best and “stand humble to correction.” When officers rotated this year, she took on the role of secretary.

On the local level, Milford Lions Club helps out with vision testing for students at Milford Elementary School, accepts eyeglass donations and finds vision service help for those who can’t afford it, sometimes paying part of the cost.

The Milford Lions donate often to Wawasee Schools, including menstrual products for the middle and high schools, and adopt 10 families from the local preschool every Christmas. They also participate in highway cleanups and organize the Milford Lions Festival for the community each year.

Earlier this year, the club donated $500 to Sleep In Heavenly Peace, a nonprofit that builds beds for children.

“I like it even better than church,” she said of her humanitarian work. “I see it working in the world.”

Ensz stocks the free food locker outside the Milford Community Building with nonperishable items every other week.

“I just enjoy meeting the new people with the food locker; it’s

FRIENDS

and

one of my favorite things,” she said. “It’s freeing for the people that realize it’s not shameful to use a food locker, a food pantry, because of old-fashioned labels and stigmas.”

Ensz has no plans to leave her fellow Lions anytime soon. Her goals for the future include getting a Leos Club for young Lions established in Milford.

Three of her own children are now Lions Club members.

“I trained them cleaning the highways, stuffing the fruit baskets, working the pancake breakfasts. I didn’t get a babysitter, they had to work right along with me. So, I got a big group of humanitarians that I just adore. They saw a need and filled it,” she said with a smile.

By MARLIES WEST Marketing Representative Goshen Home Medical

Goshen Home Medical has been the exclusive scooter and wheelchair rental service for the Elkhart County 4-H Fair for over 30 years. After the fair, scooters are thoroughly inspected, restored and sold at substantial savings. These are scooters you can trust.

What would be better for you? A mobility scooter or power wheelchair? Both offer improved independence and are easy to use. There are major differences depending on needs and lifestyle.

Mobility scooters are mainly

designed for outdoor use and are recommended for those who are basically mobile but are unable to walk long distances. As a person begins to struggle with mobility a scooter can be a life changer. Most of our fair scooters include a full, new scooter warranty and older models have a 30-day warranty. These are portable, can be separated, folded and placed in a car or SUV. These units are not covered by insurance, but Goshen Home Medical does accept Care Credit, which offers an interest-free loan for up to 12 months.

Power wheelchairs are mainly for indoors and around the home. These chairs have a

tighter turning radius and do not have a handlebar, which allows for ease in sitting at the dinner table, opening cabinets and getting around the home. In a power wheelchair, hands and arms are supported and the unit moves with a joystick, which allows steering with a person’s fingertips. Power wheelchairs can be covered by insurance, especially if you have trouble walking because of an injury, physical disability or medical condition. These units can also be customized to fit an individual’s needs. Contact Goshen Home Medical for more information. Our staff can work with your physician and insurance to see

if you would be eligible.

The power mobility specialists at Goshen Home Medical can help you find what works best for you. The sale will end Sunday, Aug. 31, or until sold out.

Goshen Home Medical has been serving the needs of our community for over 40 years as a full-service medical equipment and respiratory equipment provider, offering products that can improve quality of life and safely age in place. Learn more about Goshen Home Medical by calling (574) 533-0626, or visit GoshenHomeMedical.com or @facebook.com/goshenhomemedical.

PROUD LION Milford Lions Club Secretary Lisa Ensz, left, stands with Lions District Governor Elect Jackie Kurley. Ensz has been a Lions Club member for 22 years and in leadership for the past two years. Photo provided by Milford Lions Club.

OF ALL KINDS Lisa Ensz feeds her horse, Blaze, at her property in Milford. Ensz and her family share their lives with this horse, a goat, two parrots

a dog. The Ensz house is often full of grandkids, friends and neighbors. Photo by Lilli Dwyer.

Social Security and scam awareness

By MONA HARTER District Manager, South Bend Social Security Office

Social Security imposter scams continue to be widespread across the United States. Scammers use tactics to deceive you into providing sensitive information or money. If you receive a suspicious letter, text, email, or call, do not respond.

We will never:

• Text or email images of an employee’s official government identification.

• Suspend your Social Security number.

Threaten you with arrest or other legal action unless you immediately pay a fine or fee.

• Require payment by retail gift card, wire transfer, internet currency, or cash by mail. Promise a benefit increase or

other assistance in exchange for payment.

Mail or email “official” letters or reports containing your personal information.

We only send text messages in limited situations, including:

• When you have subscribed to receive updates and notifications by text.

• As part of our enhanced security when accessing your personal my Social Security account.

If you owe money to us, we will mail you a letter with payment options and appeal rights. Social Security employees do contact the public by telephone for business purposes. Ordinarily, the agency calls people who have recently applied for a Social Security benefit, are already receiving payments and require an update to their record or have requested a

phone call from the agency.

If there is a problem with a person’s Social Security number or record, Social Security will typically mail a letter. We encourage you to report suspected Social Security imposter scams — and other Social Security fraud — to the OIG’s website at oig.ssa. gov/report. You can find more information about scams at ssa.gov/scam. Please share this information with your friends, family, and colleagues to help spread awareness about Social Security imposter scams.

SOCIAL SECURITY SCAM

AWARENESS Social Security advises if you receive a suspicious letter, text, email or call, do not respond. To learn more about scams visit ssa.gov/scam.

Being an executor is a job

By CECIL SCAGLIONE Mature Life Features

You may feel complimented if someone asks you to become the executor of their estate. The fact that a family member or friend has that much trust in you may make your chest swell somewhat.

But before you accept, be aware that what ensues can give you a lot of headaches and heart aches.

Being an executor is a job. It requires attention to financial detail and tactful diplomacy in dealing with heirs and wannabe heirs.

Not too long ago, a family member took it upon themselves to guide a relative through the final days of their lives and agreed to sign on as executor and distribute the dying persons assets after calling in an attorney to get everything down in writing.

It wasn’t a massive estate and it was divided equally among three beneficiaries. However, one of them thought

they should have received more and had been cheated out of their inheritance by the executor. They hauled in an attorney of their own and made life miserable for the executor while attorneys’ fees chipped away at the remainder of the estate.

Should you be asked or if you see it as your responsibility to become an executor, discuss the situation with all the members of your family. Go over the challenges — selling or not selling the family home, conducting the burial services according to the dying’s wishes, going through all the “stuff” left by the deceased, keeping track of all income accounts and paying all debts and a slew of other duties.

Should you decide to accept the responsibility, pull an attorney into the picture. Have your “clients” draw up a will and any other estate plans that will expedite and simplify matters when they pass away, leaving you in charge of their earthly goods. You can also

begin working with an estate planner, tax preparer and accountant if you perceive such needs as you delve deeper into the person’s finances.

Draw up an inventory of all assets and keep track of bank, portfolio, pension and credit-card accounts, tax returns, and insurance policies. You have to treat his or her property as if it were your own and make sure all debts, mortgages and premiums are paid up.

When they die, make sure you get several copies of death certificates from the funeral home. File one copy and a will at the county probate court to get a letter recognizing you legally as the executor of the dead person’s estate.

As you distribute all the dead person’s finances, assets, goods and family mementos, get a signed and dated release from each recipient describing exactly what they received. This will help protect you from any arguments, litigation or lawsuits that may be in the works.

House equity offers financial options

By CECIL SCAGLIONE Mature Life Features

More than 70% of most retirees’ wealth is comprised of the equity in their home.

Among the questions so many seniors in this position face is whether to sell the house and move to smaller digs

or a senior community, borrow money against that equity, or seek a reverse mortgage.

Selling is a no-turning-back solution. An equity loan has to be structured so it can be repaid without difficulty — you may have to borrow enough to be able to repay it with some of the money you borrowed.

A reverse mortgage offers options but requires careful scrutiny.

First of all, you can live in the house and don’t have to repay the mortgage until it’s sold. You do have to pay all taxes and insurance and maintain it properly until that happens

You can take the money in a lump sum, monthly income or as a line of credit.

While a reverse mortgage offers tantalizing financial freedoms, an attorney advised a long time ago: If you don’t need the money, don’t even think about a reverse mortgage.

Kelly Sharp staying close to Grace College in retirement

By NATHAN PACE Sports Writer

If you were at Grace College and checked out Lancer sporting events in the past 18 years, you likely met Kelly Sharp. Sharp held the office manager role at Grace College since 2007 but retired this past May. Despite being retired, the almost 20 years of experience is not easy to train out of her.

“I am still getting used to it. It is going well. I have helped out with the summer camp registrations. It’s a big transition going from full time,” Sharp said.

Getting to know the students and faculty on campus was something Sharp became an expert in at Grace. Her main tool became a candy jar at her desk and it was the best icebreaker on campus.

“We had a candy jar in the office. Kids would stop by daily and get a piece of candy and see how things are going in their lives,” Sharp said. “The reverse is also true in seeing how they matured in the four years at Grace. Seeing them come back and how the Lord has blessed them in their lives both spiritually and the work experience.”

Sharp began her time at

Grace through working at the Office of Information Technology in 2003. When she left for the athletic office, her colleagues gifted her the candy jar. Soon, faculty also wanted to make visits to the candy jar as Sharp felt it helped athletes start their day late or if they needed a boost between classes.

“Sometimes kids would have practice first and they skip breakfast,” Sharp said. “It just seemed to grow, everyone knew about it. Faculty and professors would come in, too. Everyone needs a piece of chocolate.”

Grace athletics turned out to be a great fit for Sharp as it combined her passion for sports along with her faith. She and her husband, Mark, have three sons who played at the collegiate level.

“All the kids played sports and that made it easy for me to transition to the athletic department. I knew the importance of sports in kids’ lives and handling the details in the athletic department to help kids succeed,” Sharp said. “Both my husband and I grew up in Ohio and accepted the Lord in our early days. Through many life things we followed the Lord, through good times and bad times.”

Their faith was tested when Mark was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. For the Sharps, the adversity strengthened their relationship to each other and God.

“To know Christ and make him known. We really strived to incorporate that into everything we did,” Sharp said.

Sharp was also thankful for athletic director Chad Briscoe as they both saw Grace grow from under 100 student athletes to over 400.

“I would just have to say Coach Briscoe is a wonderful leader and he set the tone for the whole athletic department,” Sharp said.

In the months leading up to her retirement, Grace honored Sharp with a special event. She was recognized at halftime during a men’s basketball game back on Feb. 1 as it was named Kelly Sharp day. The first 100 fans received a Kelly Sharp bobblehead. For Sharp, what she gave to the athletes was given back to her.

“My husband and I, we really enjoy going to the games whether they win or lose,” Sharp said. “I use all the gifts God gave me to be an encouragement to the athletes. They were just as much as an encouragement to me.”

Aging in place not always best

By CECIL SCAGLIONE

Mature Life Features

It wasn’t all that long ago when grandma and grandpa hung around the house until one day she was found dead in bed or he didn’t return from the back 40.

Life was a lot simpler back then because many families still lived down on the farm.

The growth of city life and our lengthening life expectancy changed all that.

While the expected lifetime of folks born in 1900 was into their late 40s, that age limit

has almost doubled into the late 70s for those individuals born in 2000. There are more than 45 million people 65 years or older living here now and that number is expected to double within the next three decades.

That puts a burden on where the elderly are going to live and who’s going to take care of them.

Construction of senior-only communities and complexes is booming across the land. The care and costs vary from highend luxurious living spaces wrapped around eye-pleasing

Save money in the kitchen

By CECIL SCAGLIONE Mature Life Features

Make use of that overripe fruit by freezing it in small bundles or on a baking sheet and, when solid, storing it in freezer bags.

Then use it to make smoothies or flavor for other drinks.

To deflate those puffy red eyes, place a cooled used tea bag over each eye.

While most of us know you can make a salad by simply adding oil and vinegar, you can make more flavorful dressings

just as easily. For balsamic vinaigrette, combine a pinch of salt and pepper with two teaspoons of Dijon mustard, and one minced clove of garlic with 1/3 a cup of balsamic vinegar, then whisk this mixture slowly into a half cup of olive oil.

golf courses and artificial lakes to squared-off multi-story centers housing seniors with physical and mental disabilities.

Despite all these choices, surveys show that more than three-quarters of seniors would rather maintain their independence by aging with dignity in the comfort of their own home.

This option has gained some traction recently with the growth of the home-care industry, some of which may be covered by Medicare and supplemental health-insurance coverage. Complications occur if the oldster falls, slips steadily into dementia, or has a body that begins to fail and requires attention to liver, kidney, or eyesight failure.

This increases the pressure on both the oldsters and caregivers to determine if the required level and quality of care can be maintained at home. And whether or not the illness that strikes is terminal.

This makes hospice care a consideration to maintain the person’s comfort and quality of

life as they dwindle away.

If you haven’t faced any of these issues with members of your family or discussed the probabilities and possibilities for yourself, now is the time to look at your options.

Making a list of how and where you would prefer to live makes it much easier for you and your loved ones to live with what does happen without warning as you grow old.

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Small Patch Repair

Drywall Repair

Garage And Workshop Floors And Walls

Drywall Repair

Small Patch Repair

Great Service – Reasonable Rates

Drywall Repair

References Available Upon Request. 574-304-5075

Great Service – Reasonable Rates

References Available Upon Request. 574-304-5075

NATIONAL AWARD WINNER — Kelly Sharp won the 2019 Game Plan 4 LIFE Character Award through the National Christian College Athletic Association. Photo provided by Grace College.

Financial Services

Q. What’s the difference between Medicare Supplement plans and Medicare Advantage?

A. Original Medicare (parts A and B) covers about 80% of a beneficiary’s medical services costs. It offers good coverage, but it doesn’t cover everything.

Medicare Supplement Insurance plans (also known as Medigap) fill the gaps and cover much of the remaining 20%. Though it won’t eliminate all out-of-pocket costs, it significantly reduces them. Medigap plans offer nationwide coverage with no networks or referrals, guaranteed renewable coverage for life, and predictable annual medical expenses.

Medicare Advantage (Part C), offered by private insurance companies, replaces Originial Medicare. These plans generally offer lower premiums but may offer less comprehensive coverage than Original Medicare and Medigap. You cannot add

Maria Wogomon, CSA

Certified Senior Advisor®

Financial Representative, Everence®

a supplement plan, so you’re responsible for deductibles, coinsurance and copays. Medicare Advantage plans typically require you to use a network of providers, and going out-of-network can result in high costs. Managed care rules like prior authorizations and referrals are common.

Choosing the right Medicare coverage is one of the most important health care decisions you’ll make as you approach retirement. At Everence®, we’re here to help find the plan that fits your needs.

1110 N. Main St. Goshen, IN 46528 574-537-8773

michiana@everence.com

Hospice Care

The Healing Power of Paws: Why our therapy dog makes a difference at Comfort 1 Hospice

A. At Comfort 1 Hospice, we believe in caring for the whole person body, mind, and spirit. That’s why we’re proud to offer the unique comfort of a certified therapy dog as part of our hospice care services. While many hospice providers focus solely on clinical care, we go a step further by recognizing the emotional and psychological needs of our patients and families. Our therapy dog is a gentle, loving companion who brings calm, joy, and a sense of peace during life’s most difficult moments. Therapy dogs are specially trained to provide emotional support through quiet companionship and unconditional love. Studies show that simply petting a dog can lower stress, reduce anxiety, and even ease pain. For many of our patients, visits from our therapy dog bring smiles, spark memories, and create meaningful moments that words alone cannot achieve. Family members also benefit from feeling supported and uplifted by the comforting presence of a furry friend.

Tim Bradley, MA, BSN, RN Executive Director-Comfort1 Hospice

What sets Comfort 1 Hospice apart is our commitment to personal, compassionate care that goes beyond the expected. Our therapy dog symbolizes our philosophy: to treat every patient like family, with dignity, respect, and a deep understanding of what truly brings comfort.

Whether it’s sitting at the bedside, resting a gentle head on a patient’s lap, or bringing joy to a child or grandchild during a visit, our therapy dog provides a sense of peace that medication cannot deliver. It’s these small, heartfelt touches that make a big difference and that’s the Comfort 1 Hospice difference.

In every paw print left behind, there’s a memory made, a heart touched, and a life honored. We’re more than a hospice provider, we’re a source of comfort, connection, and care.

Your Journey is Our Path www.comfort1hospice.org

Elder Law

Q. How do I get started on my estate planning?

A. The best way to start working on your estate plan is to make an appointment with an estate planning attorney. As part of your preparation for your upcoming appointment, the attorney may provide you with a questionnaire that asks you about your assets and your family. Even if the attorney does not provide you with a questionnaire, it is still important to create a list of all your assets and debts. Assets may consist of a home, car, bank accounts, retirement accounts and life insurance as well as other items. Debts could be loans that you have through a bank or credit union such as

Heidi B. Adair Attorney at Law

The listing of assets will help the attorney identify what your possible goals may be. Some possible goals of an estate plan could be to help you avoid taxes or to figure out the best way to leave money to charity.

Suite 1100 110 West Berry Street Fort Wayne, Indiana 46802

Telephone (260) 426-9706

Q. What’s up for Senior Talk Michiana in August?

A. As we mentioned last month, Senior Talk Michiana is now designated as a 501(c) (3) non-profit organization, allowing us to apply for grants and solicit tax-deductible donations. Please consider contributing and sharing this with your friends, enabling us to reach a larger percentage of the 260,000 seniors in Michiana and provide them with information about available services, organizations, and events.

August’s guests include Dr. Thomas Sweeney from Caring Cove Hospice, who joins us to discuss medication safety in the summer and managing chronic conditions in the hot weather, and a panel discussion on senior SCAMS

Tom Rose

Author & Speaker

Balloon in a Box

Coping with Grief Grief Group Facilitator

Sponsored by Aging Connections of Michiana, Senior Life Newspapers, and Goshen Home Medical, Senior Talk Michiana is specifically tailored for seniors, offering valuable information on services and organizations in Michiana. Listeners can access the podcast through free subscriptions available on Spotify and www.seniortalkmichiana.org. Episodes are also available at www.thomaslrose.com/senior-talk.

Rose and Rose Associates Senior Talk Michiana

574-596-6256

www.thomaslrose.com www.cookingtogether.com roseandrose@comcast.net

Tom Rose

Dining/Leisure/Entertainment

70s Flashback —

Why Alice never gave up on Marlon Brando

The year was 1971. The setting was 12900 Mulholland Drive in Beverly Hills. Inside the spacious abode lived actor Marlon Brando and his secre-

By RANDAL C. HILL

tary/assistant Alice Marchak.

At the time, Brando was deep in debt, overweight, addicted to Valium, looking at his third divorce, and determined never to act again.

No matter. Nobody in Tinseltown was looking to hire him anyway. At one time the well-respected darling of stage and screen, Brando had earned an Oscar for his performance in 1954’s “On the Waterfront.” But the Omaha-born actor hadn’t been in a hit movie since the late 50s, and over the years he had become anathema to Hollywood’s moguls because of his tyrannical and unreliable behavior.

In 1969, crime writer Mario Puzo had published the best-selling Mafia-themed book “The Godfather.” Now, two years later, Paramount Pictures announced its production as a feature film.

Puzo told Paramount that he had only Marlon Brando in mind as Vito Corleone, the biggerthan-life don of a powerful Mafia clan. Paramount’s honchos harrumphed that there was no way they would consider using the washed-up pariah, leaning instead toward either Ernest Borgnine or Charles Bronson.

Puzo penned a note to the iconic actor, which read, “Dear

Travel economically

By CECIL SCAGLIONE

Mature Life Features

If you can’t visit with family or friends on your trip, look around for bed-and-breakfast facilities along the route you plan to take. Avoid the chain hotels and motels, which cost more and many have reportedly been exposed at being not too sanitary.

When you’re on the road, ask locals for directions and advice. Pop into a merchant’s store and ask them where they go for lunch or dinner. Look for a restaurant with a local menu and try the special of the day.

If you’re on a driving vacation, skirt the big cities. Should you want to get to downtown Los Angeles, Boston, New York or any big town, park in a suburban community and take a train or local transit into the business district.

Mr. Brando. I wrote a book called “The Godfather,” which has had some success, and I think you’re the only actor who can play the Godfather with that quiet force and irony the part requires.”

When the note arrived, Marchak put it on Marlon’s bedside table without comment. Brando soon phoned Puzo to thank him but expressed no interest in the role.

Marchak knew it would be a struggle to get Brando back in the game — or if anybody would even want him if he did.

She subscribed to the Hollywood Reporter to track potential roles for her boss. Rather than express gratitude, though, the touchy thespian flew into a rage and roared, “This is my house, and I will not have anyone bringing movie magazines into it!”

Marchak drew a deep breath and persevered in silence.

Puzo mailed Brando a copy of “The Godfather,” hoping to convince Brando to take the role. The response: “I’m not a Mafia godfather. I’m not going to glorify the Mafia.” But when Marchak read the book, she later recalled, “I just knew this was for Marlon.”

Marchak’s breakthrough arrived when she told Brando that Paramount was now considering Laurence Olivier to portray Vito. Brando’s reaction was immediate: “He can’t play a Mafia don!” Suddenly, for whatever reason, Brando found inspiration in the burly Corleone character.

Brando darkened his blonde locks with shoe polish, added a mustache with the same polish, and stuffed tissues in his cheeks before assuming a speaking voice of mumbled gravel.

When Coppola insisted that Brando deserved the film’s

plum role, Paramount folks reluctantly signed Brando for a relatively low salary.

“The Godfather” became one of the biggest movie hits ever, and Marlon Brando won his second Best Actor Academy Award (which, always the maverick, he refused).

Congratulations to Alice Marchak!

18th Annual HEIRLOOM TOMATO FESTIVAL PIERCETON, IN August 23, 2025 • 10am - 4pm Brower Park & Old Train Depot - Downtown St. Rd. 13

SPEAKERS TENT: 10:30am-11am - Dave Shenefied - “Clover Blossom Honey” 12-12:30pm - Maia Ross - “What’s up with the Rise of Sourdough” 1:30-2:30pm - Karen Welsh - “Make and Take Botanical Prints” LIVE MUSIC IN BROWER PARK 10am-12:30pm - Cumberland Gap 12:45pm-1:45pm - Josh Elam 2pm-4pm - Mike & Katie HISTORIC WALKING TOUR 11am - With Historian Joan Hostetler ACTIVITIES TAKING PLACE ALL DAY 9am 5K RUN/WALK Registration 8am-8:40am day of race or pre-registration online

CONTESTS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC Big Bad and The Ugly - Bring in your tomato worm Largest Tomato - Bring in your heaviest tomato Scavenger Hunt - Prize of $250.00 1pm - Tomato Baking Contest - Contest food items will be sold immediately after judging 2:30pm

AN EARLY PHOTO Shown is Marlon Brando, Jules Dassin and Alice Marchak at the Acropolis. Photo from Instagram.

Listening helps solve problems

By CECIL SCAGLIONE

Mature Life Features

Caregiving means more than doing the laundry, picking up groceries, changing dressings, and a multiplicity of other physical chores facing folks in need.

It also calls for quiet and understanding emotional support that few of us are even aware is needed. Yelling at someone who’s fallen because they didn’t wait for you to help them to the bathroom only makes matters worse.

A good starting point to avoid these deeply psychological errors is to ask yourself how you might be like to be treated if you were the other person.

In the incident cited above, the individual probably thought they could get to the bathroom without bothering you. It’s up to you to explain that they aren’t as able and capable as they once were and to let you help them

out. And to let you know if there are any problems or concerns they haven’t told you about. Then listen. Don’t tell them how they should act or feel. In many cases, all the person wants is to be listened to.

Sometimes they have the answer. A physically handicapped person may complain about sitting in the house all the time and wishes they could get out for a walk or a ride or a shopping trip. You can offer any all of these and work with them on when and where they would like to go.

An elderly person might feel isolated and lonely and miss seeing old friends or the grandchildren. You can arrange visits with the folks they’d like to see. Sometimes it helps to offer a choice: “Would you like to visit them or have them come and see you?”

As a caregiver, you’ll probably do a lot of checking in by

phone. These contacts should not be treated the same as person-to-person talks. A silence at the other end can mean the person isn’t comfortable being unable to talk to you face-toface. Today’s mobile phones help

but they aren’t the same as being in touching distance. Arguing with them or agreeing with them isn’t the answer. Being supportive — being there when they’d like to talk to someone — covers so much of their emotionally troubled ground. You can’t solve their problems for them. You can help them solve their own problems themselves by being available and by listening.

The Elkhart County Symphony’s 78th season is for everyone

78TH SEASON CLASSICS AT THE WOODLAND

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 2025, 4PM

WELLFIELD BOTANIC GARDENS, ELKHART, IN

SOO HAN, CONN-SELMER ENDOWED

MUSIC CONDUCTOR

GUEST SOLOIST: DEBRA INGLEFIELD, HORN elkhartsymphony.org

The Elkhart County Symphony has endeavored for 77 years to entertain our community, provide working opportunities for musicians, and offer educational opportunities for young area musicians. Our longevity is thanks to the support and attendance of friends and neighbors like you.

Intermezzo from Cavalleria Rusticana (Mascagni), Festive Overture (Shostakovich) and our wonderful principal horn, Debra Inglefield, is featured performing Mozart’s Horn Concerto No. 4 in E flat.

‘At Seventeen’ resuscitated Ian’s career

Janis Ian

At 74, Janis Ian has built a career on just two hit songs whose inspirations had come about under the most ordinary of circumstances.

By RANDAL C. HILL

Born Janis Eddy Fink in New Jersey, Ian mastered the acoustic guitar as a young girl and began pursuing dreams of becoming a folk singer. At age 12, she composed her first tune, the haunting “Hair of Spun Gold.”

A short time later, while riding her middle-school bus, Ian noticed a young interra-

cial couple. The result of that observation led to the creation of her debut recording of the controversial “Society’s Child (Baby I’ve Been Thinking).”

The 1960s was bringing numerous changes to American society, and Ian’s 1967 tune about an interracial teen romance caused an upheaval in certain circles. She received hate mail and death threats, as did some disc jockeys who dared to spin her hit Verve Records disc on their turntables.

Ian’s heady days of success proved short-lived, though.

The next several years saw her battling depression, substance abuse, and a manager who ran off with all her earnings. But along the way she continued to release quality works of brutal honesty, soldiering on before appreciative but dwindling concert audiences. Discouraged at

times, she briefly contemplated becoming a veterinarian.

By the mid-1970s, Ian was living with her mother and writing a song a day, all to no avail. It was then that another ordinary-seeming moment changed her life.

“One day, I was sitting at the dining table, reading the New York Times magazine,” Ian recalled later. “There was an article about a woman who had thought her life would change and be perfect when she had her debutante ball. The first line was ‘I learned the truth at 18.’

”

There it was — the idea for her next composition, and one that would resuscitate her faltering career.

During high school, she may have been the hip artist heard on Top 40 radio, but as a student she never experienced

a homecoming or a prom or a party or even a date to the movies.

Ian spent three months writing “At Seventeen.” (The

We are dating ourselves in life

Mary Ellen and I were relaxing on our backyard deck one evening. After swatting a few mosquitoes, I said, “you know, sweetheart, we should look into screening the porch.”

“Yes, Dick, you’ve been saying that every year for the past five years.”

A few minutes later, I mentioned how quickly the summer passes once the July 4th weekend is over.

“I know, you say that every year around this time.”

I also remarked that the neighbors don’t grill out as often as we do. Apparently, I had made this observation before. Several times.

Suddenly, I felt this great pressure. After 45 years, I didn’t have a single new thought to offer. I take great pride in my creativity, but clearly, I was no longer snappy with the repartee. Several moments of uneasy silence followed. Mary Ellen finally spoke.

“When it gets this hot, I think about cutting my hair shorter.”

“Where have I heard that before?” I asked.

“Like every time we sit outside.”

At that moment, we both realized we needed a way to jazz up our conversations. Mary Ellen had an idea: “I read this article in the doctor’s office…”

I’ve seen some of those covers of Cosmopolitan, and I was just praying that was where she saw it. Phooey, it was from Good Housekeeping. Mary Ellen

said the writer recommended that long-time married couples should pretend they are going out on a first date. That would make for an exciting and poten-

tially romantic evening.

It was an old idea, but I agreed it was worth a try. So, on Friday night I asked Mary Ellen out on a date. She was annoyed because I waited until the last minute, assuming she didn’t already have Saturday night plans. To be really suave, I went outside the house Saturday night and rang the doorbell, like it was a real date. I thought that would make a big impression on her, but she’s no dummy and realized I had simply forgotten my keys.

We drove off in the car.

“What shall we talk about tonight, Dick?”

“If this were a first date, we’d probably chat about movies we have seen.”

“Okay, great idea. I just saw the new ‘Mission: Impossible’ movie.”

“I saw that, too.”

“I know, Dick, we saw it together. We were sitting right next to each other in the theater.”

“Gone to any good restaurants lately, Mary Ellen?”

“No, my husband likes to go to the same places all the time.”

“Mary Ellen, you are not supposed to have a husband. This is a first date. What kind of a jerk do you think I am, going out with a married woman? Let’s try travel. Have you ever been to Iceland?”

“We went last year. How could you forget?”

“I didn’t forget. I’m making conversation. That was the whole point of this.”

“Well, it’s getting too weird for me. I feel like I’m dating a man who’s lost his memory.”

We tried everything that people would chat about when getting to know each other: music, religion and politics. Honestly, we didn’t hit it off, but there must have been something brewing on some level because despite a dismal first date, we both ended up back at my place.

phrase flowed better than “At Eighteen.”)

“I learned the truth at 17

“That love was meant for beauty queens

“And high-school girls with clear-skinned smiles

“Who married young and then retired

“The Valentines I never knew

“The Friday night charades of youth

“Were spent on one more beautiful

“At 17 I learned the truth

“It was long and far away

“The world was younger than today

“When dreams were all they gave for free

“To ugly duckling girls like me.”

In time, her Columbia Records single became a million-seller, as did the album from which it came: “Between the Lines.” Later in 1975, Janis performed her anthem of angst on the first “Saturday Night Live.”

Eventually, she received a Grammy award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance for her iconic offering.

Thought: One must consider the idea that ugly ducklings become beautiful swans, so there is potentially hope for all of us.

JANIS IAN

A Boomer Blast To The Past

NUTSHELL By DICK WOLFSIE

Join Us for REAL Talk Unstoppable Adults: Aging in Place

Free presentations and community connections. Topics target those 60 and older, but everyone is welcome to attend.

Aug 13 | 11 AM | Portage Commons (574) 284 - 7189

Aug 21 | 11 AM | OWLS (574) 336-2652

Aug 22 | 11:30 AM | 1 ROOF(Lunch) (574) 284-7189

Aug 26 | 11:30 AM | Salvation Army of Elkhart (Lunch) (574) 284-7184

Reserve your spot by visiting realservices.org/get-involved/real-talk/

Independence | Dignity | Strength

1151 S. Michigan St, South Bend IN 46601 | (574) 233-8205

info@ info@realservices.org

realservices.org Real Services, Inc.

Health Education Classes

Bingocize | Fridays: Aug 1-Oct 3

10 AM - 11 AM | Portage Commons

MOB | Mondays: Aug 4- Sept 29

10 AM - 11:30 AM | Kosciusko Cty Sr Services (800 N. Park Ave. Warsaw,IN)

PATH I Tuesdays: Aug 19-Sept 23

10 AM PM - 12:30PM | Portage Commons

SAIL I Tues & Thurs: Starts Aug 5

2:30 PM - 3:30 PM | Portage Commons

WISE I Wednesdays: Sept 17-Oct 22

10:45 AM - 12:15 PM (CT) | Michigan City Senior Center

Pre-Registration Required, Call (574) 284 - 7189

How I Stay Strong

#REALStrong

Better Age Initiative

REAL Services, your trusted Area Agency on Aging, is partnering with BetterAge to bring you a new way to take charge of your life—on your own terms.

Take a 7–10-minute assessment

Receive Your Personal Health and Well-Being Report. Get a customized Action Plan with guidance and resources you can use immediately.

Explore steps for growth and improvement

Your participation benefits both you and the broader community—locally and nationally.

Upcoming Events

Mocktails & Mingling

An evening of Mocktails & Mingling, trivia, dinner, an ice cream sundae bar, and music!

60 + | $6

Under 60 | $20

Sept 10 | Kosciusko County

Sept 17 | LaPorte County

Sept 24 | Marshall County

Oct 1 | Elkhart County

Oct 8 | St Joe County

Ticket Registration COMING SOON

Protect yourself, your loved ones, and your community—stay up to date on vaccinations to prevent serious illness, reduce costly health impacts, and safeguard the future.

Learn more by visiting realservices.org/services/a2aa/vaccines/

portagecommons@realservices.org

Meeting New Friends, Trying New Things

realservices.org/portage-commons/ Portage Commons

August

10:00 AM | Crosswords and Conversations 11:30 AM | Chair Yoga 1:00PM | Community Health Worker 2:30 PM | Stay Active & Independent for Life (SAIL) 10:00 AM

Cheryl Zale becomes a stronger believer by teaching others about Christ

By LAURIE LECHLITNER Staff Writer

“I grew up in the Catholic Church,” stated Cheryl Zale, Warsaw. “I feel like I’ve always loved the Lord. As a Christian, I believe we are the hands and feet of Jesus Christ. Through the years, I’ve learned that we can’t successfully teach about faith in Jesus unless we truly believe ourselves. Then when we do teach by word or deed, we become stronger believers day by day.”

Zale went to Catholic school through high school. “My husband, Gene Zale, and I lived in Gary. We moved to Warsaw 54 years ago. We attend Sacred Heart Church in Warsaw.”

After staying home for 10 years with her three children, Zale started teaching in a Catholic school. She eventually moved up to the position of principal. “I worked in the field of education for 22 years and retired.”

Always the teacher, Zale taught OCIA classes at Sacred Heart. “The classes were for adults, covering instructions for those who wanted to join the Catholic Church. I served in that capacity for 15 years.”

In 2014, Zale began volunteering at San Juan Diego Resource Center, Bookstore and Gift Shop. “When Sister Joan Hastrieter stepped down from managing the store, I moved into the position. Even though she is no longer manager, she continues to lead and is on the board of directors.”

The store is a non-profit organization that sells Bibles, Christian books and other inspirational gifts. “We also minister to the Hispanic community by offering Spanish Christian books and Bibles.”

Zale encourages people to visit their website: sanjuandiegobookstore.com.

“A lot of evangelization gets done in our bookstore. When people come in to pick up a book or gift, many of them tell us their stories. When we’re able to help other people in their spiritual journeys, we also help ourselves. I believe when we help people draw closer to Jesus, we always grow closer ourselves. We grow in fellowship with others.” The bookstore is open five days a week.

Zale also manages Our Father’s Pantry. “We’re open Monday, Thursday and Friday, from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. People come in for food once a week.”

The food pantry is a conference of the St. Vincent de Paul Society. “We started out in 2022 serving 35 families. Now we are serving 120 to 150 families per week. We depend on donations and partners, such as Kroger’s grocery store. The Milford and Northern Indiana Food Banks help supply us.”

The food pantry serves many seniors in the area. “They’re on a fixed income and their Social Security only goes so far. We welcome people of all ages. Having food is not a privilege. It’s everyone’s right. We treat each person with dignity and respect.”

Zale remarked about the great volunteers working alongside her at the food pantry. “We are always in need of extra hands. Those wanting to volunteer, from all faiths and walks of life, can call me at (574) 453-6970.”

Zale is inspired by Mother Teresa, who said, “Stay where you are. Find your Calcutta. Find the sick, the suffering, the lonely, right where you are.”

Zale hopes her three grown

, which recognizes our dedication to achieving better outcomes for our patients who have suﬀered a stroke.

For more information on our services, call 574.243.7727

THE

store and Gift Shop.

inspirational gifts.

others come closer to Jesus, she comes closer to the

children and eight grandchildren keep Christ in their lives. “I want them to help others through what they do — becoming the hands and feet of Jesus.”

Memories of reality

By JIM CARPENTER Guest Writer

I chanced upon an old, old memory. And gave it some research in my mind. It was a bit of a surprise to me. It seems it had aged like fine wine. Not all memories are still “sippable” After the passage of so many years. And of course, it’s hard to get over, events that might have ended in tears. But I guess this memory stood the test. I brushed it off so it would shine. And added it to the others.

From those days of roses and wine. Events are real in the present.

I suppose memories are real forever. But one is in touch and one is in thought. We must have one to have the other. I think at the least I feel content. With the very real touches I’ve had. When my season is over and I move on, I don’t think it should be sad.

MANAGING

STORE — Cheryl Zale, Warsaw, manages San Juan Diego Resource Center, Book-

This is a Catholic non-profit organization that sells Bibles, Christian books and other

Zale says a lot of evangelization goes on in the store. She believes that when she helps

Savior herself. Photo provided by Cheryl Zale.

Events at the LaGrange County Public Library System

Here are the events coming up for August 2025 at the LaGrange County Public Library and its branches in Shipshewana and Topeka. For more information and latest updates go to lagrange.lib. in.us

All LaGrange Co. Public Library locations will be closed on Monday, Sept. 1 in observance of Labor Day.

LaGrange

• Pre-School Story Time (Ages 0-5) Tuesdays at 10:30 a.m. Theme: At the Zoo.

Enjoy stories, songs and rhymes with a fun craft or activity.

• Makerspace — No Makerspace in August. Join us on Wednesday afternoons in September.

• Lego Play

2:30-7 p.m. every Thursday in August.

Ages 5 and up, parents must stay with kids 10 and under. Drop in anytime between 2:30-7 p.m. All of the library’s Legos will be out to build anything patrons want, or attempt to complete the challenges for the month. Registration not required.

• Second Saturday Book Club

11 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 9. This month we’ll discuss “The

Nine” by Gwen Strauss. The true story of the author’s great aunt Helene Podliasky, who led a band of nine female resistance fighters as they escaped a German forced labor camp and made a 10-day journey across the front lines of WWII from Germany back to Paris. Copies available at the LaGrange Adult Services Desk. Ages 16-plus.

• Teen Games (Grades 6-12)

4-7:30 p.m. Monday, Aug. 11. Drop in anytime and stay as long as you can. Play some larger group party type games or settle in for something longer. Feel free to shift to the Pokemon Club at 6 p.m. if interested or stay playing other games.

• Pokemon Club (Ages 8-18)

6-7:30 p.m. Monday, Aug. 11. Join library staff to have fun playing Pokemon, trading cards and learning strategies for improving your game. Bringing cards to trade is optional. Sign up is not required but you can sign up online or call the library to help us know how many are coming.

• Friends of the LaGrange Co. Public Library Book, DVD and Audiobook Sale

2-8 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 13 — F.O.L. Members only.

9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 14 — Public.

9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, Aug. 15 — Public.

9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 16 — Public.

Friends of the LaGrange Co. Public Library Memberships can be purchased or renewed at the sale.

• Patchwork Trails

6 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 19. Our Lady, Patroness of America Center, 2730 E. Northport Road, Rome City.

Participants will be walking the grounds only. Patchwork Trails combines exercise, education, friendship and fun. No fees or registration required, just meet at the designated starting point. All ages welcome.

• Make & Take with Deb: Painted Apron

6 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 20. Participants will paint an apron with bib, using fabric paints and stencils. This will be perfect for protecting clothes when working on art projects, cooking or entertaining. Cost is $25 per person. Register with non-refundable deposit of $15 by Wednesday, Aug.13 at Adult Services Desk, Main Library in LaGrange. Ages 12-plus.

• Culinary Adventure: Historic Goshen Thursday, Aug. 21

South Side Soda Shop, 1122 S. Main St., Goshen. Olympia Candy Kitchen, 136 N. Main St., Goshen.

Meet at South Side Soda Shop at noon. Experience two Goshen landmarks. All food purchases will be at your own expense. Register at the LaGrange Library or by calling (260) 463-2841 x1030 so we’ll know how many to expect. Ages 12-plus.

• Family Movie Night: “A Minecraft Movie” (PG)

6 p.m. Friday, Aug. 22. Free popcorn provided. Bring your own covered drink.

• Cookbook Club 11 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 23. This month’s cookbook is “The Complete Summer Cookbook” by America’s Test Kitchen. Check out the cookbook from the library, find a recipe, make it, and bring it to the Cookbook Club carry-in. Plates, silverware, coffee and tea will be provided. Cookbook Club meets the fourth Saturday of each month. Families welcome.

Book Clubs

4-5 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 19.

• Elementary: Grades 1-3 reading and discussing “Sydney

& Taylor Explore the Whole, Wide World.”

Participants will get their book at the meeting, no registration required. At each meeting we will start reading our book together and do a fun activity related to the story, then patrons will take the book home with them to finish reading and bring back next month.

Mid-Grade: Grades 4-7 discussing “Library Girl” by Polly Horvath.

Come to the library in July to get your book to read and discuss in August. At each meeting we will discuss the book we read over the last month and do a fun activity or craft related to the story.

Shipshewana

• Pre-School Story Time (Ages 0-5)

Tuesdays at 1 p.m. Theme: At the Zoo.

Enjoy stories, songs and rhymes with a fun craft or activity.

Topeka

• Pre-School Story Time (Ages 0-5) Wednesdays at 11 a.m. Theme: At the Zoo .

Enjoy stories, songs and rhymes with a fun craft or activity.

Broc. Cheddar Chicken and Rice Casserole Buttered Carrots Wheat Bread/Marg. Tropical Fruit Cup

Deli Turkey/Hoagie Bun Cheese and Mayo Pickles

Macaroni Salad Coleslaw Berry Applesauce

French Onion Chicken Baby Bakers Parisian Carrots Wheat Bread/Marg. Cookies

Bourbon Chicken Mashed Sweet Pot. Cauliflower Dinner Roll/ Marg. Cinnamon Applesauce

Maple Pork Chops Sweet Potatoes Green Beans Dinner Roll/Marg. Fruit Cup

Chicken w/ Creamy Garlic Sauce Baby Bakers Asparagus

Wheat Bread/Marg. Mixed Fruit Cup

Hot Dog on Bun Potato Salad Succotash Pineapple Cup

Turkey Tetrazzini Green Beans Garlic Bread Fig Newton

Chicken Salad Sliders

Roasted Penne Pasta Salad Kale Salad Angel Food Cake

Hamburger on Bun Baked Beans

Roasted Summer Squash Jello

Sloppy Joe on Bun Macaroni & Cheese Mixed Vegetables Applesauce

Breaded Chicken

Scalloped Potatoes

Stewed Tom & Zucch.

Wheat Bread/Marg. Oreo Cookie

Sweet & Sour Meatballs Rice Pilaf Asian Vegetable Blend Wheat Bread/Marg. Pineapple Cup

Fire Braised Chix Breast Garlic Mashers

Maple Roasted Beets

Wheat Bread/Marg. Brownie

Green Pepper Burger Casserole Mashed Potatoes Peas

Wheat Bread/Marg. Spiced Peaches

Philly Cheesesteak on Bun Garlic Mashers Creamed Corn Mandarin Oranges

Chicken Penne Pasta w/ Spinach, Broccoli Ciabatta Roll/marg. Pear Cup

We welcome Seniors to join our program and access daily nutritional meals while increasing your socialization. Meals are prepared fresh daily in our Kitchen. Lunch site locations are open Monday through Friday, 10:00 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.

To make a reservation, please call the meal site director at your preferred location listed below. We look forward to serving you.

Meal Site Locations (Elkhart

County)

Elkhart Bristol UMC

201 Division St. | (574) 848-7182

St. Paul's UMC 405 W. Beardsley | (574) 320-5863

Riverside Terrace

N. Elkhart Ave. | (574) 320-5995 Stratford

Ave. | (574) 320-5996

Sausage Gravy over Biscuit Scrambled Eggs

Roasted Rosemary Potatoes Fresh Fruit

Chicken Chipolte Bowl w/ Tomato, Rice, Ranch Tortilla Chips Fiesta Corn Pineapple Cup

Stuffed Baked Potato w/ Chz & Taco meat

Broccoli Breadstick Tropical Fruit Cup

Country Fried Steak Garlic Mashed Pot. Cali. Blend Veg. Wheat Bread/Marg. Pudding Cup

Centuries transform French hill towns

By FYLLIS HOCKMAN Mature Life Features

On our first morning, we left to explore Pernes-les-Fontaines, a 10-minute walk from our cozy 100-year-old two-story farmhouse we would call home for two weeks.

There is a supermarket near Pernes but it was so much more French to stop at the butcher, baker, cheese shop, and produce store to purchase provisions as we traversed streets spanning several centuries in an afternoon’s outing.

Our first hill town, one of more than a dozen within an hour’s drive of Pernes, was Gordes, touted to be one of the 100 Most Beautiful Villages in France. Its stone buildings enveloped by stone walls dating back to the 11th century overlook vast vineyards.

From Gordes, it’s an easy drive to Roussillion, a town shrouded in a combination of red, maroon, orange, terra cotta and yellow reflected from nearby ochre cliffs.

The next town, Menerbes, is another of the 100 Most Beautiful Villages in France and home town of Peter Mayle,

Legion d’Honneur recipient and author of the renowned My Year in Provence. It’s quieter and more subdued than Gordes.

When visiting these small towns, park in the lots outside of town. Don’t even think about driving in these towns with streets narrow enough to touch the walls with your outstretched arms.

Whatever the village, it’s always a good idea to stroll off the main square to see where the people really live.

We found ourselves navigating 13th-century corridors with the sounds of everyday life emanating from apartment windows. There was a lot more life in this ghost town — it was Sunday and everything was closed — than we thought.

The next day, when visiting a favorite restaurant, our waiter smilingly led us to “your usual table.” Voila, we belonged.

Avignon was a different experience. A big walled city from the 14th century, the operative word there is big. Massive medieval monuments dominate the square — churches, palaces, municipal buildings, and amphitheaters.

We took special note of the Palais de la Pape, which was the center of the papacy in the early 14th century before it returned permanently back to Rome.

As my husband’s eyes were

beginning to glaze over at the thought of another hill town, we mixed up our days with a local hike, visit to a museum, farmer’s market, and festival of bulls in St. Remy.

When planning our next

day’s adventures, we picked up a baguette and cheese from the market to accompany another glass of wine before dining al fresco at our arbor-covered, garden-enclosed picnic table

Scam a day keeps crooks in active play

By CECIL SCAGLIONE Mature Life Features

Consumer fraud experts estimate fraudulent telemarketers steal as much as $40 billion a year. More than half of that money is stolen from retirees living on limited income and finite savings. The 70-79 years of age group is the hardest hit senior phalanx, with an average loss of more than $49,000 each.

Furthermore, not all scams, cons and frauds are reported to law enforcement because the victims are ashamed of making mistakes or are unaware they’ve been bilked. That means many billions more are lost to con artists in “pigeon drops,” home-repair schemes, bank-examiner scams and the like.

Almost half of the some 65,000 cases reported each year by the elderly are perpetrated by family members or fiduciaries who take advantage of their position in charge of the elderly’s finances.

The other half is stolen by strangers who drum up scams, cons and frauds designed to convince their targets to hand over their money willingly and without worry.

As the nation’s senior population increases, so does the pool of available victims.

Telephones are the most common and most successful scam tool in operation today. Wireless technology allows scammers to call victims, without fear of detection, from anywhere in the world.

The lottery or sweepstakes scam, countless “phishing” scams and various credit card ploys lead the way.

First of all, know that it is illegal to require prize winners to pay up front to receive their winnings.

But more importantly, never give such personal information as your Social Security number, credit-card account numbers, or banking information to anyone who has called you. Just hang up.

Never contract with or allow unsolicited door-to-door sales or repair people inside your home without independent verification of who they are and who they work for. Check references or ask neighbors who they use for a service.

Shred all personal and financial information — any piece of paper that has your name, address and/or any financial account information.

Always be wary of any one who says you must decide now, or they’ll send a courier to pick up your check right now, or they need you to wire money.

Check on your senior neighbors, particularly those living alone, to keep them informed about scams and learn if they have any information to help you. Call the police if you suspect you are being scammed. And make a police report if you have been conned, no matter how embarrassed you may feel.

The Attorney General’s Office has some suggestions on how to protect yourself.

Any one of these warning signs should make you think twice before you provide personal information or send money:

• Unsolicited mail, e-mail or telephone calls.

• A promise that you will receive a large sum of money.

• Any effort to obtain personal financial information.

• You have to pay money first before you get money.

• You are told to wire money instead of using the U.S. Mail.

Whether it’s mail fraud or telephone fraud, chances are it will begin with an unsolicited contact from somebody you’ve never heard of.

There is never a good reason to give any caller your bank account, credit card, PIN or Social Security number.

GORDES Gordes is one of the 100 Most Beautiful Villages in France. Victor Block Photo, Mature Life Features.

PERNES Pernes-les-Fontaines streets span several centuries. Victor Block Photo, Mature Life Features.

MEDICARE ADVANTAGE

Questions

•

Negotiate the monthly sticker price

By CECIL SCAGLIONE Mature Life Features

It’s taken the current financial spiral to yank our attention onto the price of ordinary things around us we buy every day, from a gallon of gasoline to a slice of pizza.

A feeling of helplessness seems to have dropped around us as we either dig deeper into our credit-card debt or decide to bypass the purchase.

There is a way you can save a few bucks on your shopping trips. It goes under several names — negotiate, haggle, and make a lower bid are just a few. But the simple way is just ask.

Many vendors, major and minor, offer discounts to veterans and to seniors. But you usually have to ask. In many cases, such as seasonal closeout sales, shops will accept a price lower than advertised.

This is not as easy in major chains such as Target and Safeway and Home Depot, but if you ask for the store manager, you can deal directly with him or her.

Recently, a relative was lounging around a jewelry store while his wife had a dental appointment. Several

Iitems had luxurious price tags but there were a few “deals” in one corner counter.

A wrist watch caught his eye so, to pass the time and since he didn’t have a wrist watch at the time, he asked to take a closer look at it.

The sales clerk told him it was the last of a particular lot and that was why it was so cheap. The sale price was $140. That ended the conversation.

He thanked the clerk and put it back, sauntered around the store a bit more and then walked out. Seconds out of the door, the clerk called after him and asked how much he’d pay for the watch. My neighbor blurted out, “I have $100 in my pocket.” The clerk asked him to wait a minute and came back to tell him her manager would take it.

He bought the watch and, checking its costs online when he got home, his watch was e-tailing at more than $300.

Acting like he didn’t want it cut his price without even haggling.

A nettlesome cost these days is the monthly cable-internet bill, which can top $200 a month if you opt for multi-cable service and high-

It’s easy! Simply find the Sun Hat on another page in this edition. Go online to www.SeniorLifeNewspapers.com and enter your information, the edition, date and page number you found it on. This will enter you for s a chance to win a gift of $25. (Online Entries Only) Entries Must Be In By Monday, August 11, 2025. Brought To You By

speed internet service. If you feel you’d like to lower the cost of your existing service, call and tell them you want to cancel your subscription. You’re likely to be connected with a company representative whose job is to keep customers and has all the latest promotional programs and fees at his or her fingertips.

Rather than complain about the lack of service for the price you’re paying, be nice. Point out you really appreciate what you’re getting but just can’t afford it on your income and budget. You don’t have to accept the first offer. You might point out that you’re a senior and will have to shop around for a plan you can afford.

And if you find one, you’d like to sign up for a long-term program so you don’t have to interrupt you service every few months.

All of this is designed to help the company rep you’re speaking with come up with the best program that suits you and keep on their list of customers.

Paranoia pays

By CECIL SCAGLIONE Mature Life Features

A boyhood friend luckily learned early in his life how unlucky life can be if you don’t pay attention.

A carnival arrived in his town for a weeklong stay offering exotic-dancer shows, amusement park rides and gambling booths. He’d just cashed his two-weeks’ pay from his summer job and was feeling flush and fortunate. So he thought he’d toss a few bucks at the test-your-luck tents girdling the sideshows.

He thought he hit it right when he was approached by a gentlemen who informed him he could probably make more money at the behind-thescene card game going on at that very minute. The thought sounded adventurous with a tinge of possible profit.

He lost his bundle in less

than 20 minutes.

The lesson he walked away with was never — NEVER — participate in anything without checking it out. And he told himself he should have walked away from that invite without a second thought.

He still talks about that long-ago incident and how it’s affected his behavior over the years. He’s never been scammed since.

No one, as far as he is concerned, is interested in making him a winner so those offers of financial gain that tumble through the mail and telephone line are meant to enrich the sender and caller.

What has been irking him lately is that these offers, along with charges of fraud and solicitations for help, are growing more frequent.

While technology has opened the world to us through computers and cellphones, they

Travel can be bad for your health

By CECIL SCAGLIONE Mature Life Features

have become open doors for crooks to invade our lives.

Hackers can break into our private lives and steal our identity so they can wipe out our bank accounts, charge our credit cards to the limit, and destroy our credit.

The growing number of senior citizens is a fallow field for the schemers who never sleep as they prowl cyberspace in search of prey.

The lesson to be taken from the lad who lost his pay to friendly card sharks is to adopt a healthy paranoia rather than think you’re too smart to be conned.

Check your bank and credit-card accounts regularly to make sure thieves have not gained access to them.

Pack a swimsuit and use it wherever there’s water — pool, lake or ocean – included on the stops while you’re away.

206 S. Main St. Milford, Indiana 46542

Getting the shots required by the countries you plan to visit is not enough to keep you healthy on your travels.

Never give any personal information by mail, internet, telephone, or in person to anyone you do not recognize. If someone claims to be a family member or friend in need, get a number and tell them you have to call them back. Then check with other family members or friends to check out their story. It might sound scary to be informed by a government agency that you’re going to be fined for something you’ve done or not done. Get the name of the department and caller then call the agency listed in the phone book to verify if you feel the call or letter might be legitimate.

The winner of the I Spy Contest for July is Richard Klaiber from Chesterton. The ‘Patriotic Cupcake’ was located on page 8 in Senior Life Allen; page 12 in Senior Life Northwest; page 12 in Senior Life Elko and page 8 in Senior Life St. Joseph.

Nor do you get enough exercise by manhandling your luggage through airports and into overhead bins and signing up for every group tour on your itinerary.

Before leaving home, rehearse a 15-minute travel workout that includes squats, abdominal crunches and stretching all parts of your body.

And make sure your shoes are comfortable not only so you can see the sights without getting footsore but to make it easier to hike around the airport between flights.

Taking a few exercise tools, such as a stretch bands and hand strengtheners, also helps maintain your health and strength on the trip.

Don’t ever send money to anyone because they need some money up front before they can send you the grand prize or lottery winnings you’ve been told you just won.

To save yourself and our savings, it’s wise to become suspicious rather than a Samaritan.

Assisted Living, nursing And rehAbiLitAtion guide

Brentwood at Elkhart Assisted Living

3109 E. Bristol Street, Elkhart, IN 46514 (574) 266-4508

https://brentwoodatelkhartassistedliving.com

Licensed Assisted Living, Physical & Occupational Therapy On-Site, Nurses 24 Hours Per Day, Private Apartments, Respite Care, Activities, Studio/1 BR/2 BR Apaartments, Pet Friendly.

Greenleaf Health Campus

1201 East Beardsley Avenue, Elkhart, IN 46514 (574) 206-0086 • www.GreenleafHS.com

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

Hellenic Senior Living

2528 Bypass Road, Elkhart, IN 46514 (574) 389-1776

https://elkhart.ahepaseniorliving.org/

Licensed Assisted Living, Medicaid Waiver Accepted, 24 Hour Medical Care, Restaurant Style Dining, Therapy, Private Apartments, Daily Activities, Pet Friendly. Stop In To Tour Today!

Hubbard Hill Retirement Community

28070 CR 24 ., Elkhart, IN 46517 (574) 295-6260 • www.hubbardhill.org

Rehabilitation, Healthcare, Assisted Living, Memory Care, Maintenance Free Homes, Licensed, Locally Owned, Non-Profit, Faith Based, Physical, Occupational, Speech Therapies, Memory Care Support Group, Pet Friendly, There’s No Place Like Hubbard Hill

Majestic Care of Goshen

Goshen

2400 W. College Avenue, Goshen, IN 46526 (574) 533-0351

www.MajesticCare.com/Location/Goshen

Rehabilitation Unit, 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, Medicare and/or Medicaid

900 Provident Drive, Warsaw, IN 46580 (574) 371-2500 • www.masonhealthandrehab.com

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.

316 Woodies Lane, Bremen, IN 46506 (574) 546-3494 • SHCofBremen.com

liaison2.bremen@signaturehealthcarellc.com

Our Gated Community is a smaller, dedicated unit for comfort and safety for Alzheimer’s and Dementia Residents. We offer Enhanced Quality of Life Programming which includes cognitive strengths, life skills, daily movement, power of music, artistic expression, creativity and socialization.

The Waters of Wakarusa-Assisted Living Facility

303 N. Washington Street, Wakarusa IN 46573 (574) 862-1918

admissions@watersofwakarusaALF.com

Independent/Assisted Living. Private studio/1bed/2bed apartments. Home-like family-oriented environment. Family-style dining. Daily activities. Transportation available. 24-hour care-givers. Pet friendly. Out-patient therapy available. Come for tour today.

Waterford Crossing (Healthcare)

1332 Waterford Crossing Circle, Goshen, IN 46526 (574) 534-3920 • www.trilogyhs.com

Waterford Crossing (Assisted Living)

1212 Waterford Circle, Goshen, IN 46526 (574) 537-0300 • www.waterfordcrossingsl.com

Licensed Assisted Living, Alzheimer’s Unit, Memory Support Unit On Campus, Long Term Care, Temporary Care, Private/Semi-Private Rooms, Pet Visitation Allowed, Daily Activities

343 S. Nappanee Street, Elkhart, IN 46514 (574) 295-0096 • www.woodlandmanornursingandrehab.com

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

Woodland Manor

Fall is a four-letter word that can kill

By CECIL SCAGLIONE Mature Life Features

Falls have been blamed for killing three times more people than guns.

They’re the leading cause of death for anyone who’s observed their 65th birthday. It’s been reported that falling kills an elderly person every 20 minutes.

If a fall doesn’t kill you, it can leave you permanently disabled with an assortment of crippling injuries, such as a smashed hip, twisted back, torn knee, dislocated shoulder, or a head injury that damages the brain.

We’re not talking about falling off a cliff or tall building. Most falls happen at home from sliding on rug, slipping down the stairs, getting tangled with a pet, tripping over a step stool, or tumbling from a ladder.

Most falls can be prevented.

To begin with, oldsters have to quit being do-it-yourselfers.

An elderly neighbor was rushed to hospital recently after he fell off a chair he was standing on to replace a light bulb. He never returned home.

Maintaining balance lowers your chance of falling. Leg strength and eyesight combine to strengthen your sense of balance.

Make sure you can see clearly so you don’t stumble over things,

such as dirty clothes tossed on the floor, newspapers dropped by the reading chair, a napping cat, curled up rug, or water spilled on a slippery floor.

Keeping your legs strong is as simple as taking a short walk every day. Hiking and biking also help as do exercises that call for standing on the balls of your feet or sitting down on and getting up from a chair repeatedly.

Foot wear is important.

While slippers and sandals may be more comfortable because they’re soft and loose, they also can cause you to stumble and fall. Get yourself a comfortable pair of shoes that allow you to feel the surface you’re walking on, whether it’s grass or gravel.

If you live where there’s ice and snow in winter, be extra careful. You might consider getting some cleats to clamp onto your footwear to manage ice and snow.

Some medications can cause dizziness so check with your doctor if you experience any lightheadedness.

A good rule to follow as you age is, never to anything quick.

Even if you still run a few miles a day, that’s no reason to scamper around the house or supermarket. Take your time getting from room to room and install hand rails in the bathroom, bedroom, hallways and stairways.

Now look around the house for perils. Start by eliminating clutter — pick up those dirty clothes and newspapers. Push furniture out of the way to make clear pathways to move around the room and tuck those electrical extension cords out of the way. Wipe up any spills immediately. Get rid of those colorful and comfortable-looking throw rugs. They’re very likely to throw you for a fall. Mature Life Features

It takes a bit of work to get a good night’s sleep

By CECIL SCAGLIONE Mature Life Features

When you’ve been caught napping, it could mean you’ve been sleeping on the job, missed the moment of decision, or was simply unprepared.

But to many in the know, naps are good for you. A short mid-day “nooner” can shed stress and restore your strength to face the rest of the day.

Much of the world claims napping spoils their ability to sleep at night. Many medical experts concur and support the practice of getting a good eight hours sleep every night to maintain your mental health and physical stamina.

Insomnia is a well-known term covering a wide range of sleep issues. Surveys blame lack of sleep for costing several billions of dollars in decreased economic output because of memory lapse, dulled concentration, and inability to complete everyday tasks. Sleeping poorly is not a sign or symptom of getting old. Studies indicate poor sleep is a result of poor sleep habits.

A widespread cause of a wrecked night sleep is noise that can startle you awake. A widespread cure for this is white noise, a constant comfortable sound, such as bubbling water or a whir of a fan to counter the sharp sounds.

Setting the room temperature

at a constant and comfortable level also helps you get a good night’s sleep. As does darkening the room with blinds and curtains to keep out the light of passing vehicles and the rising sun.

When it comes to your bed, think of the three bears’ beds — one was too soft, the other too hard and the third “just right.”

Getting a good night’s sleep depends on your bed being “just right.” Today’s array of pillows, cushions, mattresses and adjustable beds will help you find the most comfortable night of sleep.

Your daytime lifestyle also affects your night’s sleep. Discuss your issues with your family doctor before making any

changes, but your schedule and diet can affect how you drop off at night.

Waking up at the same time every day may help solve your sleepless problem. Is dropping off to sleep — taking a nap — in front of the television set affecting your ability to get a good night’s sleep?

Late-night snacks could be keeping you awake.

Physical exercise is a good sleep-inducing practice. A walk, swim or bike ride, tai chi or yoga session, or visit to a local gymnasium for a light workout all help loosen up your muscles so you can fall into relaxing sleep at night.

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1225 Greencroft Blvd. Goshen, IN 46527 (574) 537-4000

Greencroft.org/GreencroftGoshen

Greencroft Goshen provides a full continuum of careassisted living, rehabilitation, long-term care, memory care, and adult day services.

HOME CARE SERVICES

COMFORT KEEPERS

6910 N. Main St., Ste. 3, Unit 47 Granger, IN 46530 (574) 277-4121, (574) 327-6123

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HOME INSTEAD

1450 Magnolia Ave. Elkhart, IN 46514 (574) 875-7777

www.homeinstead.com/588

Serving Elkhart & Kosciusko counties and surrounding areas. From companionship to transportation to loving care, to us it’s personal.

HOME CARE SERVICES

VILLAGE CAREGIVING

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HEALTHCARE AGENCY

NORACARE

1251 N. Eddy Street, Suite 200 South Bend, IN 46617 (574) 222-5992

info@noracare.us

www.noracare.us

Access experienced health professionals to support your home healthcare needs at affordable rates. We accept long-term care insurance.

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IMHM explored study, treatment of mental illness

In order to fully experience the growth of modern medicine over the past century, you have to take a step back in time to the late 1800s and visit the Indiana Medical History Museum in Indianapolis. It’s located in the old 19-room Pathology Building, which was constructed in 1896

on the grounds of Central State Hospital for the Insane.

The Victorian-style structure is the oldest free-standing pathology facility in the country and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It contains three clinical laboratories and a photography laboratory to support study and research on physical causes of mental disease.

Perhaps the most striking feature of the building is its 100-seat amphitheater. It hosted medical students and physicians over the decades for lectures on mental and nervous disorders. Visitors can experience what it was like to be a

medical student a century ago and observe cadavers that were presented as part of autopsy instruction.

Until the construction of this facility, there was no dedicated laboratory for pathologists. They worked in one or two rooms in one of the hospital’s wards. In fact, there was only one hospital in the country with a dedicated lab situated in a stand-alone building — Bellevue Hospital in New York City.

With the advent of germ theory in the 1860s and other scientific discoveries, the medical profession urged mental

Continued on page 23

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AUTOPSY TABLE — Autopsies were done at the turn of the century much as they are today. Recording of the procedure was done through a listening tube in a room upstairs. In order to get patient’s families to allow an autopsy, Central State Hospital offered free funerals. Blood and body fluids drained directly into a sewer and into the White River.

CLINICAL CHEMICAL LAB Busiest of the four labs in the building was the Clinical Chemical Laboratory, where blood samples from newly-admitted patients were examined and analyzed. The room contains a hand-cranked centrifuge.

PATHOLOGY LABORATORY Original plans for the lab building called for a four-room, single-story structure. The completed structure is this Victorian-style building with 19 rooms. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

GREAT ESCAPES Text and Photos

By ROD KING

IMHM explored

hospitals to build laboratories in which to study causes of mental illness.

Dr. George Edenharter, superintendent of the hospital, dreamed of a building specifically for laboratory sciences and medical education. The original four-room, one-story plan grew into the structure that was finally built for a cost of $15,000. It included electric lighting, telephone, hot and cold running water and a library with more than 500 volumes. Amazingly, he was able to get it built without receiving any state money. He used money from the 1895/96 operating and maintenance funds.

Despite the fact that it was hailed as the best state-of-theart laboratory in the country, getting maintenance funds from the Indiana Legislature was a continuing battle.

In the autopsy room, visitors learn that the legislature passed a law that all wards of the state were to be autopsied, mainly for teaching purposes. Autopsies were done then much

as they are today. Recording of the procedure was done through a listening tube in a room upstairs. Blood and body fluids drained directly into a sewer and into the White River. Autopsies for the purpose of research were discontinued in 1947.

Probably the busiest room in the building was the clinical chemical lab. When a patient was admitted to the hospital, this is where all samples were examined. The room includes a mechanical centrifuge, which had to be hand cranked. An electrically-operated version was added in 1931.

Visitors who step back in time at the Indiana Medical History Museum, located at 3270 Kirkbride Way, tour in comfort because air conditioning was added in 1989. The laboratories closed in 1969 and Central State Hospital closed in 1994.

For more information, visit imhm.org. Admission is $10 for adults, $9 for seniors and $5 for youths under 18. Hours are from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday.

Time is best for beating jet lag

By CECIL SCAGLIONE

Mature Life Features

Travel a few hours into the future — or the past depending on the time at your destination — to avoid jet lag.

It’s what happens when you’ve landed at your destination but your body is out of sync with local time.

It can cause irritability, decreased concentration, dizziness, headaches, muscle soreness, and such gastrointestinal problems as constipation or diarrhea.

Symptoms can be aggravated by stress, lack of sleep, dry air, dehydration and a bumpy airplane ride.

The severity of symptoms is related to the number of time zones crossed during a flight. For every one-hour time zone change you undergo, it generally takes at least half a day to adjust, consensus says.

While there’s no single, proven method for preventing or curing jet lag, medical experts offer suggestions that could help: First off, set you wrist watch and body clock to the time at your destination when you arrive at the airport to board your flight.

noon when you land, shouldn’t ruin your trip. If it’s going to be 9 p.m. when you land, stay awake on the airplane.

Rest up before your trip. Be prepared for canceled, delayed and overcrowded flights. It may be better for your well-being to

stay in a nearby hotel overnight if the airline scuttles your reserved flight and re-books you on a later one.

Drink plenty of fluids to stay hydrated, but avoid alcohol and caffeine. They can increase the amount of time it takes your

ANSWERS:

body to adjust to the new time zone and may prevent you from sleeping once you reach your destination.

Diamond To

worsen the sleepiness associated with jet lag.

September 21-27, 2025 - Beautiful Vermont

October 11-19, 2025 - Amelia Island, St. Augustine, Jacksonville, FL

Avoid taking sleeping pills during the flight. They can cause sleepiness long after your intended sleep time and can

If you take medications, check with your doctor to see what effect jet lag may have and if there is something you can take to counteract it.

November 3-7, 2025 - Nashville Show Trip

December 7-12, 2025

April 11-19,2026

Crossroad Tours oad

May 17-23, 2026

Crossroad Tours ros rs

October 1-12, 2026

Hoover Dam

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Family Fun T ours

September 21-27, 2025

August 16, 2025 - Chicago Air Show

July 12, 2025 - Air Zoo

August 23, 2025 - Toledo Zoo

October 11-19, 2025

July 19, 2025 - Peru Circus

Crossroad Tours Crossroad Tour

September 27, 2025 - Wrigley Field

Augustine, Jacksonville,

August 16, 2025 - Chicago Air Show

September 27, 2025 - Brookfield Zoo

November 3-7, 2025 -

August 23, 2025 - Toledo Zoo

September 27, 2025 - Brookfield Zoo

October 23-25, 2025The Ark Encounter & Creation Museum

December 7-12, 2025

South Carolina

September 27, 2025 - Brookfield Zoo

October 23-25, 2025 - The Ark

April 11-19,2026

October 23-25, 2025 - The Ark

May 17-23, 2026

Encounter & Creation Museum

Family Fun Tours Diamond Tours

Encounter & Creation Museum

October 1-12, 2026

July 12, 2025 - Air Zoo

July 19, 2025 - Peru Circus

If you’re a napper, the transition can be much easier. Sleeping on the airplane, even if its

August 16, 2025 - Chicago Air Show

August 23, 2025 - Toledo Zoo

September 27, 2025 - Brookfield Zoo

October 23-25, 2025 - The Ark

Encounter & Creation Museum

San Antonio, TX

Cape Cod & Martha’s Vineyard

Grand Canyon, Las Vegas

Hoover Dam

September 21-27, 2025 - Beautiful Vermont

October 11-19, 2025 - Amelia Island, St. Augustine, Jacksonville, FL

November 3-7, 2025 - Nashville Show Trip

December 7-12, 2025 - Charleston, South Carolina

October 11-19, 2025 - Amelia Island, St. Augustine, Jacksonville, FL

April 11-19, 2026 - San Antonio, TX

November 3-7, 2025 - Nashville Show Trip

May 17-23, 2026 - Cape Cod & Martha’s Vineyard

December 7-12, 2025 - Charleston, South Carolina

June 8-13, 2026 - Lancaster Show Trip

April 11-19,2026 - San Antonio, TX

July 23-29, 2026 - New York

August 31-September 4, 2026 - Mackinac Island

May 17-23, 2026 - Cape Cod & Martha’s Vineyard

September 12-19, 2026 - Montreal, Quebec City, Canada Capital

October 1-12, 2026 - Grand Canyon, Las Vegas and Hoover Dam

Amelia Island, St.

Show Trip

TEACHING AMHPITHEATER The steeply-banked teaching amphitheater in the Pathology Building is where medical students and physicians learned about mental and nervous system disorders, witnessed autopsies and viewed behavior of patients from Central State Hospital for the Insane.

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