LIFE's Vintage Magazine - September 2024

LIFE’s Vintage Guide to Housing & Services

Helping Seniors and Families Navigate Aging Options and Resources

LIFE Senior Services is always here to help when you have questions about senior issues or are looking for solutions to aging challenges. Call LIFE’s SeniorLine at (918) 664-9000 for more information about LIFE’s Vintage Guide to Housing & Services or help navigating the publication.

View the digital edition of LIFE’s Vintage Guide to Housing & Services online at www.LIFEseniorservices.org

LIFE’s 2024-2025 Vintage Guide is now available at all LIFE Senior Services locations.

Roma Berry Center for Seniors 4821 S. 72nd E. Ave. Tulsa, OK 74145

LIFE’s Adult Day Health - Broken Arrow 3106 S. Juniper Ave. Broken Arrow, OK 74012

LIFE’s Adult Day Health - North Tulsa 902 E. Pine St. Tulsa, OK 74106

LIFE Senior Services - Central 5950 E. 31st St. Tulsa, OK 74135

Copies of the new Vintage Guide are available at all Tulsa City-County, Claremore, Coweta, and Catoosa Libraries; as well as select CVS and Reasor’s locations.

20

The Heart of Grandparenting

Grandparents can be the heart of a family. Make the most of the many roles grandparents and mentors play in kids’ lives.

BY JOEY MECHELLE FARQUE

On the Cover

Meet Eugene Reeves and his granddaughters Gabrielle Maloy, Keita Maloy, Lindsey Harber, and Kaci Juengel on page 20.

PHOTO BY VALERIE WEI-HAAS

24

Long-Distance Grandparenting

Take grandparenting from a distance to a new level with these fun ideas for staying connected across the miles.

BY ALYSSA DILLARD

Modern Family: A Journey of Love & Learning

Grandparents raising their grandchildren face many challenges and rewards. Learn what support is available for the journey.

BY JULIE WENGER WATSON

Genetic testing for health conditions is increasingly common and available. Experts tell us when it helps — and when it might not.

BY KAREN SZABO

Eileen Bradshaw

President and CEO

LIFE Senior Services, LIFE PACE, Vintage Housing

eileen.bradshaw@LIFEseniorservices.org

Letter From Eileen

Dear Vintage Reader,

I love the Family Ties topic of this issue, and specifically the focus on grandparents, who play such a key role in children’s lives. A strong sense of humor, grace, and patience often take a while to develop, and children require all those skills — often modeled by grandparents. My grandmother lived with us when I was young. I loved her fiercely. When I was about seven, I was preoccupied with the “Wizard of Oz” movie. If ever a tornado warning sounded, I would herd my grandmother into the bathtub with my caged gerbils and a cocker spaniel, and then plop a crib mattress on her head to protect her from flying debris. After about five of these episodes, my mother had to gently tell me that my grandmother was not going to do this anymore. She was going to take her chances in the hallway. Mercifully, no tornado hit our house, and we had many more adventures together. My older daughter Lucie is named for my grandmother.

Vol. 39, No. 3

EILEEN BRADSHAW

President & CEO of LIFE Senior Services, LIFE PACE & Vintage Housing

DEE DUREN

Managing Editor dduren@LIFEseniorservices.org

BERNIE DORNBLASER

Advertising Director bdornblaser@LIFEseniorservices.org

LEAH WEIGLE

Graphic Designer

JULIE ALEXANDER

Assistant Editor

(918) 664-9000

www.LIFEseniorservices.org

As a parent, I wanted to be the epitome of all good traits, but inexperience, haste, and too much juggling hampered me. That is why my children benefited so tremendously from time with their grandparents. Whether reading the same book 20 times in an hour or painstakingly combing through tangled hair, the grandparents good-naturedly nurtured my three children. They modeled kindness and fairness. They watched each impromptu skit or painful musical performance with biased adoration. It was magic to witness, and I know that these interactions with their grandparents are integral to the adults my children have become. I am grateful.

Not all families have the luxury of weekly grandparent outings, but technological advances have reinvented how the distance can be bridged. Bedtime stories can be read from a thousand miles away, meals can be cooked simultaneously in distant kitchens over video, and face-to-face conversations can happen digitally. Connecting the generations is not nearly as cumbersome or expensive as it used to be and is manageable even for the technically challenged.

Whether you are a grandparent or have memories of your own grandparents, I hope you enjoy this issue.

Best,

jalexander@LIFEseniorservices.org

CAROL CARTER Copy Editor

KELLY KIRCHHOFF Communications Director

STAN DIACON Community Distribution

LIFE’s Vintage Magazine accepts advertising to defray the cost of production and distribution, and appreciates the support of its advertisers. The publisher does not specifically endorse advertisers or their products or services. LIFE’s Vintage Magazine reserves the right to refuse advertising. Rates are available upon request by calling (918) 664-9000.

© LIFE’s Vintage Magazine and LIFE Senior Services, Inc., 2024. All rights reserved. Reproduction without consent of the publisher is prohibited.

Volume 39, Issue 3, September 2024 LIFE’s Vintage Magazine (ISSN 2168-8494) (USPS 18320) is published monthly by LIFE Senior Services. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to LIFE’S VINTAGE MAGAZINE 5950 E. 31st St., Tulsa, OK 74135. Periodicals postage paid at Tulsa, OK.

Good to Know /

By Dee Duren, Managing Editor

Broken Arrow Rose Festival

Downtown Broken Arrow will be filled with artists, craft vendors, food trucks, live music, and gardening experts during the Rose Festival. Local Main Street shops will be open and Inspyral Circus will wow with street performers. There is plenty of fun for all ages including a huge Kid Zone. The public can enter the Rose Festival Rose Show with their homegrown roses and win cash and prizes in one of the 14 categories.

The Chalk it Up! Art Festival, held in conjunction with the Rose Festival, is a chalkdrawing competition with cash prizes. Chalk artists will turn Main Street into a gallery creating beautiful, albeit temporary works using the pavement as a canvas. The three-day event concludes with Rose Kites over Broken Arrow at Nienhuis Park, 3201 N. 9th St. in Broken Arrow.

Broken Arrow Rose Festival/Chalk It Up! Art Festival

September 27 – 29

302 S. Main St., Broken Arrow keepbabeautiful.org

Frontier City Fright Fest

Oklahoma’s only theme park gets an early start on Halloween with the annual Fright Fest, September 14 – October 27. It’s the same family-friendly thrills by day with not-so-spooky fun for the little ones, but after sunset, Frontier City transforms its Western themes into screams of terror with the scariest of monsters, a haunted house, and lots of spooky fun. No one is safe in a “Scare Zone” where a zombie, witch, or something else may surprise you. Visit the Garden of Evil, Scarecrow Row, or catch the Crackaxle Canyon Demo Stunt Show or the Main Street Light Show. Dare to enter one of the Haunted Houses for an extra fee. Frontier City also offers a less frightening experience for the younger kids with special daytime attractions, a trick-or-treat trail, Halloween décor, and classic park rides.

Frontier City Fright Fest

September 14 – October 27

sixflags.com/frontiercity/events

Festival Americas

Festival Americas is the largest Hispanic and Latino Cultural Festival in Oklahoma celebrating the rich culture of Latin America and inspiring the next generation of leaders in Tulsa’s growing Hispanic community. This free, family-friendly event features food trucks, live music, arts and crafts, kids’ activities, local merchants, and more. The performance line-up includes Ballet Folklorico Sol Azteka, Tulsa Latin Dance, and Afro Latin Fusion Dance Team.

Festival Americas also provides five $1,000 scholarships to college-bound students through its scholarship fund. Applicants are evaluated on leadership, community involvement, and academic achievement. In the past five years, more than $35,000 has been awarded to local students.

Festival Americas

September 21

Guthrie Green 111 Reconciliation Way, Tulsa festivalamericas.org

Kan-Okla 100 mile Garage Sale

If you love flea markets and garage sales, then fill up your gas tank and head north for the 17th Annual Kan-Okla 100-mile Garage Sale, September 5 – 7. You will have a fun-filled weekend finding one-of-a-kind treasures as you drive through the beautiful prairie of northeastern Oklahoma and southeastern Kansas. Located along highways 75, 169, and 60, the sale stretches from Nowata and Bartlesville up to Independence, Kansas. Cities along the way will hold yard sales, and local flea markets and antique stores will be open all weekend. There is also live music and food vendors along the scenic route. The event takes place rain or shine and you can get a map of the locations at stops along the route, online at visitbartlesville.com under community events, or by calling (918) 214-2443.

Kan-Okla Garage Sale

September 5 – 7

Several sites throughout NE Oklahoma and SE Kansas visitbartlesville.com

LIFE EDU

LIFE Senior Services

Community Education

All classes are at Legacy Plaza East Conference Center, 5330 E. 31st St. in Tulsa, unless otherwise noted.

Alzheimer’s Journey for Family Caregivers

Tuesdays, September 10 – October 8, 2 – 4 p.m. Join us for this five-week series presented in partnership with the Alzheimer’s Association. Topics covered will include understanding Alzheimer’s and dementia; dealing with difficult behaviors; dementia conversations: driving, doctor visits, legal and financial planning; accessing assistive technology; effective communication strategies and caregiver mental health.

Parkinson’s Roadmap for Education & Support Services (PRESS)

Tuesdays, September 10 – October 29 5:30 – 7 p.m.

This popular eight-week series is designed for those diagnosed in the past five years and features presentations from local Parkinson’s experts each week followed by discussion. Topics include medication management, dealing with symptoms, daily coping, relationships, and much more. Dinner is provided.

Basics of Medicare

Wednesday, September 11 • 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. Thursday, September 12 • 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. This class is designed specifically for those newly eligible or soon-to-be eligible for Medicare. Reservations are required and can be made by calling LIFE’s Medicare Assistance Program at (918) 664-9000, ext. 1189.

Medicaid Planning

Tuesday, September 17 • 10 – 11 a.m.

People have misconceptions about the rules for qualifying for the Medicaid long-term care program. The rules are not as restrictive as most people think. Tulsa attorney Blaine Frizzell will explain the most common Medicaid misconceptions and how you can navigate the high cost of long-term care.

Enroll Now in OLLI Classes

History, Tech, Travel & More

The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at Oklahoma State University is enrolling now for its fall semester of classes. OLLI offers in-person and online classes especially designed for adults age 50 and above with courses in Tulsa, Bartlesville, Stillwater, and Oklahoma City. In addition to classes, OLLI also offers day trips, travel, and social activities.

Fall semester topics include Civil War: The Final Years, 1864-1865; American Style Mahjong, beginning and intermediate classes; Express Yourself: Writing to Process Feelings; The Films of Barbara Streisand; Getting to Know Your Apple Tech; Behind the Hits: Lyrics from the Age of Rock (1960s – 1980s), and many more.

Past trips have included nearby destinations like Reba’s Place in Atoka, the Endangered

Ark retirement ranch for circus elephants in Hugo, or as far away as New York City and Ireland.

“This session brings more opportunities to participate in education courses taught by talented instructors,” said Robbin Davis, OLLI director. “There are no tests or grades, just learning for pure pleasure.”

Classes vary in length from single sessions to multi-week classes. There are rolling dates throughout the semester for different courses. With a basic $40 membership, multi-week classes are $25 and single-session classes are $10 with some offered free of charge. A premium annual membership of $200 is available for access to unlimited attendance through spring, summer, and fall semesters.

LIFE EDU Silver Linings

Silver Linings is a collection of Facebook videos that features segments previewing upcoming seminars, Crafting with Roxanne and the Caregiver Tool Belt. The segments can be found at facebook.com/LIFEseniorservices.

Crafting with Roxanne: Halloween Candle Holders Wednesday, September 18 • 3:30 p.m.

Caregiver Tool Belt: Understanding Respite Care Wednesday, September 25 • 11 a.m. For more information, call Carol Carter at (918) 664-9000, ext. 1219 or visit www.LIFEseniorservices.org. Join Roxanne LIVE at 3:30 p.m. on LIFE Senior Services’ Facebook page!

Roxanne will be making Halloween candle holders with wine glasses from Dollar Tree. You will also need orange, lime green, purple, black and white enamel craft paint; a paint brush; black felt; a 1” wide roll of lightweight gauze bandage; raffia and some small Halloween spiders; a black Sharpie; and tea light candles (electric or real, your preference). You will bake the glasses in the oven at 350 degrees. (Putting them in a cold oven after painting, turning on the oven, and then turning the oven off when it reaches 350. This bakes the enamel paint into the glass). You may also use acrylic paint if you wish, but instead of baking them, you will seal them with Mod Podge.

Become a Volunteer Get Involved Volunteer for LIFE

Tulsa CASA

Tulsa CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) is dedicated to supporting children in the foster care system, ensuring their voices are heard and their needs are met. Volunteers play a crucial role in this mission, serving as advocates who provide guidance and support to these vulnerable children during difficult times. By becoming a CASA volunteer, individuals make a meaningful impact in a child’s life, helping them navigate the legal system by advocating for their best interests. Every child deserves a caring adult who will stand by them and champion their rights, and CASA volunteers make this possible. Volunteers receive training and ongoing support.

Special Olympics

Oklahoma

Special Olympics Oklahoma’s mission is to provide year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities, giving them continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy, and participate in the sharing of gifts, skills, and friendship with their families, other Special Olympics athletes, and the community. Special Olympics Oklahoma is looking for volunteers to help with Fall Games, October 25 – 26 in Stillwater, Oklahoma. Volunteer needs include flag football referees and assistants for the cheerleading event.

Junior Achievement

Oklahoma

Have you ever thought about the “one thing” you wish you had learned in school but didn’t? Was the subject personal finance, understanding how money works, budgeting, or credit scores? Junior Achievement of Oklahoma teaches the “one thing” that is so often overlooked in traditional education. Its programs deliver age-appropriate lessons in financial literacy, career readiness, and entrepreneurship to students from kindergarten through 12th grade. As a volunteer, individuals have the unique opportunity to inspire and equip young people with these critical life skills, and, in turn, can make a profound impact on their future success.

/By Danielle Hill, Senior Volunteer Manager

Give 5 Offers Volunteers an Up-Close Look at Area Nonprofits

Do you know about the Give 5 program and what it has to offer? Give 5 is a thoughtprovoking, informative, and FUN experience for adults aged 55 and better who want to utilize their spare time to make a difference. If you are interested in beginning your volunteer journey or learning about additional volunteer opportunities throughout Tulsa while meeting new people and seeing new places, then Give 5 is for you.

The primary goal of Give 5 is to provide potential volunteers with an up-close and personal look at Tulsa’s nonprofit organizations, see how those organizations address community needs, and what volunteering with them looks like. There is no better way other than volunteering at each place to discover the best fit for your skills and passions. Each Give 5 cohort meets one day a week for five weeks, with a final celebration to recognize program participants.

Here’s a look at what a day with the Give 5 group looks like. At 8:30 a.m., participants meet at LIFE’s Senior Center at Roma Berry. Class often kicks off with a shared

conversation about life, volunteering, and thoughts on places the group visited during the last session. Then, participants hear from two to three nonprofits as representatives discuss the difference they are making and how volunteers can join the cause. Following a provided lunch, the group hops on the LIFE Senior Services bus and begins the second half of the day. We travel to several nonprofits and charitable groups for a behind-the-scenes look at how the groups serve the community and how their volunteers make an impact. During this adventure, Give 5ers find themselves in a variety of places — on the tarmac at the airport, in the community gardens at Catholic Charities, in the pantry at Iron Gate, looking for howler monkeys at Tulsa Zoo — the list goes on! When the bus finally arrives back at the senior center, participants depart feeling more informed about their community and themselves.

The next 2024 Give 5 cohort begins on Wednesday, October 2. For more information, contact Danielle Hill at dhill@ LIFEseniorservices.org or (918) 938-7635.

Would you like more information about LIFE's volunteer opportunities?

LIFE has a variety of volunteer opportunities throughout Northeastern Oklahoma. Contact LIFE’s Volunteer Department for more information.

Danielle Hill

LIFE Senior Services, Senior Volunteer Manager (918) 938-7635

Harvest Delights

Apples and Pumpkins

Bring the Flavors of Fall

Fall is the season to enjoy the fruits of the garden. Apples and squash reign supreme this time of year. Apples are nutrient-dense, low-calorie fruits that pack a healthful punch in a small package. There is a reason people say “An apple a day keeps the doctor away.”

Apples have been grown for thousands of years and originated in Central Asia. More than 7,500 cultivars of apples are bred for various tastes and uses, including eating raw, cooking, and juicing. Local supermarkets stock at least a dozen varieties of apples. Apples suited for cooking include Jonagolds, Granny Smith, Honey Crisp, and Braeburn. If eating apples raw, choose a sweeter variety such as Red and Golden Delicious, Fuji, or McIntosh.

Pumpkins, a winter squash, are among the oldest known domesticated plants. Cultivation dates back to 7,000 B.C., and the earliest domesticated species are native to North America. More than 45 different varieties of pumpkins exist, ranging in color from red to green. With more fiber than kale and more potassium than bananas, pumpkins are a true super fruit (yes, pumpkins are a fruit), and every single part is edible, even the stem.

On weekends from late September through October 27, you can visit Livesay’s Pumpkin Playland and pick your own fruit, visit the hay bale maze, and take a hay ride. For more information about Livesay Orchards, visit livesayorchards.com/pumpkin-apple-picking.

Cleaning & Preparing ...

APPLES

Store apples in plastic bags in your fridge crisper. Properly refrigerated apples can last 90 days or more. Leave unripe apples at room temperature. Wash apples with running water before using, removing any bruised or rotten areas. Prepare apple dishes just before serving them to minimize browning. Protect cut apples by dipping them in a solution of one part citrus juice and three parts water.

Expand Your Palate

Healthy Benefits of Apples and Pumpkins

Apples are high in fiber and provide vitamins C, E, K, B1, and B6. Vitamin C and the polyphenols found in apples have antioxidant properties. Antioxidants help reduce inflammation and the risk of chronic diseases including cancer and infectious diseases. An apple’s skin contains half of the fiber and most of the polyphenols, so be sure to include it. Apples may also improve gut and brain health and reduce the risk of heart disease, obesity, and diabetes.

Pumpkins are rich in vitamins A, C, E, potassium, and fiber. These nutrients contribute many health benefits including boosting heart health, reducing the risk of cancer, preventing and controlling diabetes, and protecting against age-related eye problems. Pumpkin seeds also provide nutrients which include healthy fats, magnesium, zinc, phosphorous, manganese, protein, and fiber. The health benefits of these nutrients include bone health, weight loss, improved digestion, and immune system health.

PUMPKINS

Choose smaller, sweet pumpkins for cooking. Slice in half from top to bottom using a large knife on a stable cutting surface. Remove the seeds and stringy bits, saving the seeds for roasting. Place halves cut-side down on a lined baking sheet and bake at 375 degrees for about an hour or until the skin is soft. Scoop the pulp from cooled pumpkin and refrigerate or freeze it until ready to use in recipes.

Kid-Friendly Baked Apples

Recipe courtesy of Super Healthy Kids

Ingredients:

• ¼ cup oats, dry

• ¼ cup flour

• ¼ cup brown sugar

• ½ teaspoon cinnamon

• ¼ teaspoon ground ginger

• ¼ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

• 4 medium apples

• 4 tablespoons heavy whipping cream

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. In a bowl, add the oats, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, pumpkin pie spice, and butter. Use your hands to mix well.

3. Core the apples and cut each in half. Place them on a baking dish, face up and fill each apple with an even amount of the oats mixture. Pack it lightly until heaped over the top. Drizzle with cream. Bake for 40 minutes or until the filling is golden and apple is soft.

4. Cool for 10 minutes then serve. Add more cream if desired.

“Before I enrolled in PACE I was struggling with depression. I had no motivation to do anything. Once I enrolled in PACE I started going to Physical Therapy every week. After about the 3rd or 4th time I realized I was changing. I started cleaning my home for the first time in over a year. LIFE PACE has given me a new sense of peace, community, and has freed me in areas I felt trapped in before. I’m not just my old self again, I’m a better version of the old me.”

– DIANE, LIFE PACE PARTICIPANT

By Larry Wofford, Ph.D.

Finding Purpose in Retirement Make Your Journey Count

Retirement should not be a mystery fraught with fear and anxiety. Well planned and executed, this time of life grows into the Dream Chapter abounding in meaning, joy, and growth.

Editor’s Note:

Dream Chapter is a retirement design firm specializing in helping people with the non-financial aspects of the transition to this new phase of life. Founders Larry Wofford, Charlie Baker, and Craig Bothwell have written two books about designing a meaningful retirement. They have shared some of their discoveries in LIFE’s Vintage Magazine.

For more information about Dream Chapter visit www.dreamchapter.com.

This Chapter presents opportunities and responsibilities. For years your career shaped how you invested your time, energy, and attention. Without working a job, you will have 2,000 or more hours per year to reidentify your unique goals and direction. You have complete responsibility for pursuing those goals and supplying the drive to acquire them. Your plans and actions operating in tandem create retirement success. “If it is to be, it is up to thee.” Work no longer provides an excuse for not doing what you want to do. Now the wonderful gift of time affluence falls into your grasp. What will you choose to do with it?

PLANNING AND IDENTIFYING GOALS

A mindful plan with immersive thinking about your retirement life becomes the key. Obsessing over creating your “perfect” retirement plan, printing it out, placing it in a binder and then in a drawer or on a bookshelf leads to distraction. Such plans quickly fade as the dynamics

of life cause them to become outdated. In addition, excessive planning inhibits natural curiosity to explore new things. Your goals identify what’s most important to you. Knowing those most important things leads to purpose. And your purpose creates clear objectives to guide exploration into retirement life.

Planning provides direction but keeps options open as things change. President Dwight Eisenhower said it well: “Plans are nothing, planning is everything.” Planning is active, dynamic, and continuous, while plans become rigid, stale, and limiting as time passes. Develop plans with this notion: Plans are a work in progress, subject to updates. Plans should identify a general direction without setting up roadblocks limiting your flexibility.

DESIGNING YOUR RETIREMENT

When you design your retirement, it becomes more meaningful to you. This is known as the IKEA effect because IKEA customers value furniture they assemble more than furniture they purchase fully assembled. Likewise, cake mixes requiring users to add an egg and water deliver a more meaningful baking experience than mixes only requiring water. So, designing your retirement is not something you have to do, it is something you get to do. Take advantage of this opportunity to design and live an enjoyable and meaningful retirement.

Starting this period of your life with a mental image of a journey is powerful. In the world of motorcycling, avid riders often say, “It’s all about the journey, not the destination.” For motorcyclists, this captures the essence of keeping senses alert and mind focused so that time seems to stop — a state called being “in the zone” or “flow.” Travelers, adventurers, and pioneers experience this feeling. Since birth, you own a personal journey. Now it continues. Think of this as an adventure that rolls on ahead with exciting twists and turns as well as wide-open straightaways.

Identifying your purpose is key to finding meaning and serves as an exit ramp from the mindless pursuit of “more.” The search for meaning leads to improved physical and mental health and a longer life. The pursuit of meaning also improves resilience when dealing with unexpected life changes. Individuals so engaged report enjoying more happiness and life satisfaction. Happiness is not the goal but emerges as a byproduct of living a life with deep meaning.

WHY WRITE A RETIREMENT PURPOSE STATEMENT?

Retirement offers an opportunity to adjust life targets away from who you are to becoming the person you want to be. This shift enables you to experience a satisfying and meaningful retirement. As you make the transition it is helpful to find a constant and reliable North Star, providing direction and inspiration. Your Retirement Purpose Statement furnishes that North Star.

The statement itself is less important than the process of thoughtful consideration to develop it. Use this opportunity to do what many people never do — identify the North Star guiding you to a unique and intentional retirement.

Answer the following questions to help you develop your Retirement Purpose Statement.

• What is most important to you? Start by considering who you are and who you want to become.

• What are your most important goals?

• What is your idea of the most meaningful possible retirement success? Take some time to reflect.

• Now create your Retirement Purpose Statement.

4821 S. 72nd E. Ave. Tulsa, OK 74145

North Tulsa

902 E. Pine St. Tulsa, OK 74106

Broken Arrow

3106 S. Juniper Ave. Broken Arrow, OK 74012

Caregiver Tool Belt/

By Erin Powell, LPC,

Understanding Respite Care Essential Breaks for Caregivers

Until becoming a caregiver, you may not have been familiar with the term “respite.” Simply put, it is a break or a rest from something difficult. Respite care is the care provided to your loved one that allows you, the caregiver, to take that break or rest. Many caregivers would agree that they could use a break but are often unclear on how to get the necessary support to make it possible.

Family and friends might offer brief informal respite support by assuming care responsibilities for a short period — providing caregovers the chance to stay involved with hobbies they enjoy, take much-needed vacations, and simply rest and recharge.

In addition to informal respite options, caregivers might also seek grant-funded or private-pay options to get some time off.

GRANT-FUNDED RESPITE CARE

The Older Americans Act, passed in 1965, provides federal funds that are then matched by the states and distributed through a national network of 56 state and 618 area Agencies on Aging. More than 20,000 service providers, including tribal organizations, help deliver social and nutritional services to older Americans and caregivers with this funding. If you are a caregiver living in Tulsa, Creek, or Osage County, there are currently four respite options:

• Companion Aide — Provides companionship and supervision and some assistance with light household tasks when approved.

• Personal Care — Provides personal hands-on care during the respite visit.

• Adult Day Services — Provides vouchers to help pay for Adult Day Services.

• Respite Vouchers — Provides voucher to pay for care providers (including family, friends, grandkids, or professional caregivers) while the caregiver takes a break.

There are no income requirements for the grant funds. Recipients qualify when they are caring for someone over the age of 60 and are using the funds to take a break (e.g. you cannot use the funds to go to work). All respite options require an in-home assessment by an outreach worker to determine the needs of the caregiver and the care recipient. The care recipient cannot be on hospice, since hospice includes a respite benefit covered through Medicare.

RESPITE CARE IN RESIDENTIAL OR LONG-TERM CARE COMMUNITIES

Many assisted living communities and nursing home facilities have short-term respite options available for a per-day rate. Respite rooms are fully furnished and the cost includes access to the community’s amenities and services, including meals, medication management, and assistance with personal care. Since the cost is substantial, it can also be worth the time to shop around and compare per-night rates.

HOSPICE RESPITE BENEFITS THROUGH MEDICARE

If your loved one is on hospice, Medicare will cover short-term inpatient care for five consecutive days to allow caregivers relief from care duties. This care must be provided in a contracted, Medicare-certified hospital or skilled nursing facility. More than one respite period is allowable in a single billing period, but there must be a need.

Caregivers deserve (and need!) to get breaks now and then, to take care of themselves to better care for the ones they love. These respite care options are one way to ensure that everyone involved is getting the help and support they need.

By Kathy Jones, Medicare & Tax Assistance Program Manager /Medicare

What to Expect During Medicare Open Enrollment

Be Alert for These Common Medicare Notices

WHAT IS MEDICARE’S OPEN ENROLLMENT?

Medicare’s Open Enrollment occurs each year from October 15 through December 7. During this time, you can make changes to your Medicare coverage. In most cases, this period is the only time you can change from Original Medicare with Medicare Part D to a Medicare Advantage plan (or vice versa), or change Medicare Advantage plans. Open Enrollment is the best time to evaluate your current plan and make sure it’s still the best option for you in the next calendar year.

In September, you will start receiving notices with information about changes to your current plan for the upcoming year. Each year, plans change their premiums, deductibles, copays, contracted providers, pharmacy networks, and formulary (list of covered drugs).

It is very important to look carefully at these notices to learn if your coverage will be available

in 2025 and decide whether it will still meet your needs. If so, you don’t need to do anything and your current coverage will continue for the next year. Though it may be easier to keep your current coverage, it is best to compare what you have to other choices in your area so you understand the choices available.

WHY IS IT SO IMPORTANT TO REVIEW MY ANOC AND EOC?

The Annual Notice of Change (ANOC) is the notice you receive from your Medicare Advantage or Part D plan in late September. This notice gives a summary of any changes in the plan’s cost and coverage that will take effect on January 1 of each year. The ANOC is usually mailed with the plan’s Evidence of Coverage (EOC), a booklet that details your current plan’s costs and benefits for the upcoming year. These notices will help you compare your current plan with the changes that will go into effect for the next calendar year.

Made Easy

HOW DO I KNOW IF MY PLAN WILL BE OFFERED NEXT YEAR?

If your plan will no longer be available for the upcoming year, you will receive a Plan NonRenewal Notice. If you receive this notice, you should make the changes necessary to ensure you have coverage for 2025.

IF I AM ENROLLED IN EXTRA HELP, WILL I RECEIVE A NOTICE FOR 2025?

Many people enrolled in Extra Help through the federal program that helps pay for prescription drug costs may receive the following notices:

• Gray Notice – The gray notice advises of a Loss of Deemed Status Notice, meaning you will no longer have Extra Help as of January 1, 2025.

• Orange Notice – This notice advises you if your Extra Help copays will change beginning January 1, 2025.

• Blue Notices in October – A Reassignment Notice advises you if your Medicare Advantage Plan or stand-alone Part D plan is leaving the Medicare program. You will be reassigned to another plan unless you make a change. Another blue letter will advise you if your plan’s premium will go above the amount that Extra Help covers. If your plan’s drug coverage premium is going to be more than the allowed amount or benchmark, you will be reassigned to a plan unless you enroll in another plan of your choice.

• Tan Notice – The Low-Income Subsidy Choosers Notice advises beneficiaries who have actively chosen their current drug plan and are enrolled in Extra Help that their plan premium is increasing above the Extra Help benchmark and they will pay a portion of the premium in 2025 unless they actively change to a plan with a lower premium.

“MEDICARE AND YOU” HANDBOOK

The “Medicare and You” handbook is mailed or emailed (if requested in digital format) to all Medicare households each September. The publication includes information on Medicare benefits, frequently asked Medicare questions, and changes to Medicare coverage. If you don’t receive a copy by the middle of October, call Medicare at (800) Medicare or (800) 633-4227 to request one.

LIFE SENIOR SERVICES CAN HELP

Call LIFE’s Medicare Assistance Program from September 15 through December 6 for a free, one-on-one appointment to help you find the best plan for 2025. Appointments are available at several LIFE locations and can be made by calling (918) 664-9000, ext. 1189.

Gabrielle Maloy, Keita Maloy, Eugene Reeves, Kaci Juengel, and Lindsey Harber.

The Heart of Grandparenting

BY JOEY MECHELLE FARQU É

A“I always remembered and was tickled by the fact that Grandpa would

only wear shirts

with

two front pockets. As a kid,

it

was

great

because he ALWAYS had candy in there. Specifically, peppermints. Anytime we would leave a restaurant, he would grab a mint and put it in his front pocket. On this day, we went to a sushi restaurant and he opened the chop sticks and immediately put them in his front pocket. He had no plans to use them. It was just habit at that point. But it made me

laugh so hard. He’s always prepared!”

- Lindsey Harber

nyone who knows me knows how much I loved my nana. She was my safe place, confidant, teacher, caregiver when my mom was working, and friend. As I grew up, her role changed, and ultimately, I became one of her caregivers before she passed away. I was 29, and several decades later, not a day goes by without my thinking of her and remembering her profound mark on my life. Her influence and love guide me in everything I do, and I aspire to be a nana as wonderful as she was.

Grandparents have always held a cherished place at the heart of family connections. Yet, as times change, so do their roles in their grandchildren’s lives. Today’s grandparents navigate a familiar yet new landscape, balancing tradition with modernity. From bedtime stories to FaceTime calls, babysitters to travel buddies, and teachers to confidants, grandparents’ roles are as varied as the families they belong to.

According to the Pew Research Center, the number of grandparents has increased significantly in the past few decades, making up roughly 20% of the world’s population. Demographic factors such as increased longevity and smaller families have contributed to this rise. There are 1.5 billion grandparents worldwide, with projections indicating this number will grow to 2.1 billion by 2050.

ICONIC GRANDPARENTS IN POP CULTURE

Pop culture is full of memorable grandparents. Think of Violet Crawley from “Downton Abbey” with her sharp wit, Sophia Petrillo from “The Golden Girls” with her humorous wisdom, and Grandpa Joe from “Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory” with his adventurous spirit and deep bond with Charlie.

Maria Shriver and her daughter, Katherine Schwarzenegger Pratt, explore similar themes in their digital series, “The

Grandmother Project.” Shriver notes that many grandparents are curious about how parenting has evolved since their own child-rearing days.

These characters and real-life figures demonstrate the timeless impact of grandparents. They remind us that strength, wisdom, and adaptability remain crucial despite changing times. By embracing tradition and modernity, grandparents can remain essential and dynamic family members.

THE MANY HATS OF GRANDPARENTING

Grandparents today wear many hats, adapting to their families’ needs in diverse and dynamic ways. From nurturing caregivers to playful companions, their roles are essential in shaping their grandchildren’s lives.

In the United States, approximately 67 million adults, with an average age of 67, are grandparents. About 70% of these grandparents are actively involved in their grandchildren’s lives, providing invaluable support and guidance.

STEPPING UP & STEPPING IN

In some families, grandparents step into the primary parenting role, raising their grandchildren when circumstances demand it. The need can arise for various reasons, such as parental illness, financial hardship, or other crises. These grandparents provide stability, love, continuity, and family. While this role can be incredibly rewarding, it also presents unique challenges, from legal issues to the emotional complexities of balancing dual roles as both grandparent and parent.

Karen Hamilton Fraser, a Tulsa grandmother with eight grandchildren between the ages of 14 and 27, has experienced firsthand the multifaceted nature of grandparenting. Karen has had different roles with each grandchild, adapting to their needs and family circumstances. For several years, she has been a steadfast supporter of her daughter-in-law, Whitney, and 14-year-old granddaughter, Eliza, since the tragic passing of her son, Clay, when Eliza was

Photo by Valerie Wei-Haas

grandfather at the pool.

Gabrielle remembers her Grandpa being up for anything, even play ing on the floor. Pictured is Gabrielle and her brother, Charles, playing with their grandfather.

a baby. As the only grandparent, Karen has taken on a role that goes beyond the traditional, helping care for Eliza like a second mother while supporting Whitney through nursing school and graduate school for her Doctorate of Nursing Practice.

Grandfathers play an equally special and impactful role in the lives of their grandchildren. Our handsome cover model, H. Eugene Reeves, a retired Professor of Agronomy at Panhandle State University and three-time Teacher of the Year, has also taken on significant grandparenting roles. After retirement, Eugene continued to be active in his community and with his 10 grandchildren, who range in age from 17 to their early 40s. He often took them to school, church activities, sports, and club meetings, always being there for plays, band performances, and other events. His dedication to his grandchildren included flying to Florida on a moment’s notice when needed and arranging family vacations.

GRANDPARENTS AS LIVE-IN CAREGIVERS

Some grandparents take on the role of live-in caregivers due to parental work commitments, financial necessity, or unexpected family crises. Live-in grandparents provide stability and continuity, often becoming integral to the daily rhythm of family life. Yet, this role has its challenges. The blend of caregiver and grandparent can blur lines, requiring delicate navigation to maintain balance and harmony within the household.

THE BABYSITTING ROLE

Grandparents also frequently act as paid or volunteer babysitters, allowing them to spend quality time with their grandchildren while supporting busy parents. The dynamic can differ depending on whether the arrangement is formal or informal, with paid babysitting introducing a professional element that can sometimes complicate the familial bond.

“When I first had my grandkids, my husband was alive, and then he died when the first three were babies. I was working then, doing just standard babysitting because they all lived here in town,” Karen Hamilton Fraser explained. “As I retired or had more days working less time and then retired fully, I’ve just done more with Eliza and helping Whitney as she went through school.”

HEALTHCARE HEROES

Beyond regular childcare, grandparents often provide home healthcare when grandchildren fall ill. These moments of care and nurturing during sickness create profound emotional connections as grandparents offer comfort and wisdom. However, the stress of such a role can be significant, necessitating strategies for emotional resilience and self-care.

“I’ve done a lot of carpooling, and then through COVID, Eliza was always here. Watching her do Zoom school was an adventure I wouldn’t have expected,” Karen said. “We made it through. I’m just there for her like I’d be with any of my kids and glad I could do it because it’s made it easier for Whitney to reach her goals and do things.”

TRAVEL GUIDES

Grandparents often act as travel guides, creating lasting memories through shared adventures. H. Eugene Reeves exemplifies this by organizing family outings and vacations for his grandchildren. Whether it’s a local camping trip or a journey to Rome, Alaska, or Yellowstone, Eugene ensures that each trip is special. He and his wife often arranged gatherings for their grandchildren, fostering close family ties even when part of the family lived out of state.

Similarly, Karen Hamilton Fraser has taken each of her grandchildren on individual trips. “Eliza and I go on adventures and do day trips. She’s my little sidekick in many ways,” Karen beamed. “I’ve tried to do individual things with each grandkid. Like when there were only three, I took them all on a trip, just them and me.” These travels provide an opportunity for fun, bonding, and teaching important life lessons.

EMBRACING VIRTUAL PLAYDATES

Today, many grandparents maintain their relationships with grandchildren through virtual playdates. Whether reading a bedtime story over a video call or playing online games together, technology bridges the physical distance, allowing for continued connection and interaction. According to the Pew Research Center, 67% of grandparents use social media to keep in touch with their family. This adaptability ensures they remain

integral to their grandchildren’s lives, regardless of physical distance.

GRAND WISDOM KEEPERS

Education is a cornerstone of the grandparentgrandchild relationship. Grandparents serve as informal teachers, passing down family traditions, sharing life skills, and imparting wisdom accumulated over a lifetime. These educational moments range from cooking family recipes to teaching practical skills like gardening or carpentry. In some families, grandparents even take on the role of homeschool teachers, providing structured academic support.

“I’ve cooked with Eliza a lot. She’s quite a cook. Since she was little, we did that, which was fun.” Karen’s emphasis on teaching life skills and creating shared experiences enriches her relationship with her grandchildren.

Eugene also cherished teaching his grandchildren the importance of loving family through his actions and words. He called his wife “my bride” until the day she died, setting an example of enduring love and commitment.

VOICES OF SUPPORT

In some situations, grandparents become advocates for their grandchildren, navigating school systems, healthcare, or even legal challenges on their behalf. This advocacy role requires careful balancing, prioritizing the grandchild’s best interests without overstepping the parents’ authority.

NAVIGATING SOURCES OF CONFLICT

Grandparents and parents often clash over discipline, diet, schedules, financial support, and safety practices. A grandparent might be more lenient with bedtime, while parents insist on a strict schedule, or disagreements may arise about overspending on grandchildren. Such conflicts can strain relationships, making open communication and mutual respect essential. Fair time distribution and attention among grandchildren are crucial to avoid perceived favoritism and jealousy. Clear conversations about

expectations and boundaries and understanding and respecting each other’s views on safety can help mitigate these tensions and foster a harmonious family environment.

When asked if she ever faced conflict with her grandchildren’s parents, Karen proudly said, “Not really. They’re pretty good, and I try to stay out of that. I mean, I’m there for everybody, but I never try to tell anybody how to raise their children; well, they’d be furious.”

Eugene’s daughter, LIFE PACE Medical Director, Dr. Renetta Reeves, noted that her parents respected their decisions, even if they privately had different thoughts on handling situations.

EVOLVING ROLES THROUGH LIFE STAGES

As grandchildren grow, the roles grandparents play naturally evolve. In infancy and toddlerhood, grandparents provide essential support, from babysitting to offering parenting advice. These early years are foundational, helping to establish routines and provide stability.

When children are in school, grandparents often become more involved in education and extracurricular activities, serving as mentors, cheerleaders, and confidants.

The teenage years bring new challenges as adolescents seek independence. Open communication and unconditional support help navigate this tumultuous period and strengthen the relationship.

As grandchildren transition into adulthood, the relationship often becomes a deep friendship marked by mutual respect and shared wisdom.

Karen mentioned that her grandchildren have grown up, gone to college, had romantic relationships, and started working, making it challenging to see them frequently. “I try to get

He was the stroller pusher and “stuff watcher” when others went on the rides at Disney. He enjoyed pushing Kobe and Kaci in the stroller and being a place of comfort for a nap.

together with each of them whenever possible,” Karen said fondly. “I’ll say let’s go out to eat or something, and we always have good talks. It’s always good to catch up with them and see where they are in life.”

GRANDPARENTING TODAY: EMBRACING THE JOURNEY

Grandparenting today is a dynamic journey that offers countless opportunities for growth and connection. By embracing these roles with love, patience, and adaptability, grandparents can create lasting, meaningful bonds that transcend generations.

Whether acting as caregivers, educators, or travel companions, a grandparent’s love has an immeasurable impact, leaving a lasting mark on the hearts and minds of their grandchildren.

When asked for her final thoughts, Karen stated, “I’m just glad to be here for them and see them grow up. I see parts of the people who went before them in each of them, and it’s special. I’m just glad to be here for whoever needs me.”

Tulsan Karen Hamilton Fraser has played many roles in the lives of her eight grandchildren.

Long-Distance Grandparenting

Fun Ways to Stay Connected

BY ALYSSA DILLARD

Families can’t always live in the same city, or even the same state. An AARP study found that more than half of grandparents have at least one grandchild who lives more than 200 miles away and almost a third live more than 50 miles from their closest grandkid. With distances like that, grandparents can’t always afford to spend as much quality time with family as they would like, but technology offers an alternative when face-to-face isn’t an immediate option. Whether you’re across the country or just on the other side of town, there are many ways to use technology to connect with your grandchildren.

POPULAR WAYS TO REACH OUT

Phone calls are still the most common form of electronic communication for grandparents. Text messaging is the second most favored choice for grandparents to talk to their grandkids, followed by video chatting. Recorded voice messages are another option for seniors who struggle with typing. Most smartphones have built-in apps for text and voice messages as well as video and audio calls. There are downloadable apps that can do it all, WhatsApp being one of the most popular ones. Other options for video and audio calls include FaceTime for Apple users, Zoom, and Google Meet.

Facebook Messenger is a great way for users to communicate by text, voice, or video. For grandchildren too young for Facebook, the company has a solution called Messenger Kids. This app allows children to connect with Facebook users. This doesn’t create a Facebook account for the kids, nor will they have access to Facebook outside of Messenger. Parents can monitor and control who their children talk to, making for a worry-free way for young children to connect online.

All these options sound great, but such new and unfamiliar technology can be overwhelming for older adults. Organizations such as AARP have

videos and step-by-step instructions on how to use apps like Zoom and FaceTime. Video tutorials for almost any app or device are available on YouTube. We also have a few tips for making virtual quality time easier for grandparents.

TIPS FOR CONNECTING

The most important thing to remember is to call at the right time and don’t be disappointed if the conversation doesn’t last as long as you’d like. When you live far away from your grandkids, you might not be familiar with their schedules. Kids may be tired or cranky so if it’s a bad time, plan another time to chat, and don’t take it personally. Young children will likely struggle to pay attention for a long time. The average attention span of a child is two to three minutes times their age. For

example, expect a 6-year-old to pay attention for 12 to 18 minutes.

Before the call, be sure to have everything ready if you’re doing activities together like playing a game or making art. When it’s time to video chat, use a mobile device such as a cell phone or tablet if possible. This allows you to move around and show things in your home to your grandkids. Try to look right into the camera above your screen as often as you can to make eye contact. When it’s time to say goodbye, sign off with something special such as blowing kisses. Do this every time to give your grandkids consistency and to signal that it is time to end the call. Here are a few more techy ways to connect with your grandkids beyond a regular phone call.

CONNECTING THROUGH MUSIC

SPOTIFY spotify.com

Spotify is much more than a music streaming service. The free app also has features that let users connect including Spotify Blend and Spotify Jam. Spotify Blend allows two to 10 users to collaborate in a shared playlist that blends everyone’s music tastes together based on the songs and artists you typically listen to. The playlist automatically updates daily so you and the grandkids can check it every day for a new list of songs you will both enjoy. Spotify Jam is another feature that lets a Spotify Premium user host a synchronized “jam.” Up to 32 people can listen to the same music on their own devices such as a smartphone, laptop, or TV and everyone can add songs to the queue.

Storyworth storyworth.com

Storyworth is a subscription service that gives the “storyteller” the opportunity to preserve memories and connect with loved ones by writing about their life. For $99, the purchaser will choose one question to be emailed to the storyteller every week for one year to be written about. Storyworth has hundreds of prompts to choose from such as “What is one of your fondest childhood memories?” or you can write your own. The storyteller’s answers are shared with an unlimited number of recipients, and at the end of the year, all the stories are compiled into a hardcover book. The book can include photos and captions, and there are several professionally designed covers to choose from. The experience and book make for a great way for grandparents to share their memories with their grandchildren wherever they are in the world.

Caribu caribu.com

Caribu is a terrific app for interacting with long-distance grandchildren 13 and under for $9.99 a month. Read, draw, play games, and more in an interactive video call with your grandkid. Explore a library of books, educational videos, and games from coloring to puzzles to hands-on science activities.

Zoog zoog.com

This free app aims to bring your family together through storytelling even when you’re apart. Record yourself reading storybooks, telling jokes, or singing songs with a silly filter on your face to give your grandkids a laugh. Text size can be adjusted to make reading easier.

Tech That Connects Creative Devices for Keeping in Touch

Digital Picture Frame skylightframe.com

Photos and videos can be uploaded from an app anywhere in the world onto the screen of the frame that automatically rotates uploaded images.

Recordable Storybook hallmark.com

Record your voice reading each page of a children’s book so you can have story time even when you’re apart.

Lovebox

en.lovebox.love

Send pictures, drawings, messages, and more from an app to the Lovebox. The heart on the side spins to let the recipient know they received a message.

Friendship Lamps friendshiplamps.com

These synchronized lamps will light up the same color whenever one person taps it. Create a secret color code to send messages like “Goodnight” or “I love you.”

FAMILY MODERN

A Journey of Love and Learning

BY JULIE WENGER WATSON

The modern family comes in all shapes and sizes, and often relatives play a significant role in the raising and care of children — everything from occasional transportation to full legal custody. Sometimes referred to as “kinship” families, more than 2.5 million children in the U.S. are raised by relatives without a birth parent in the home. In 2021 in Oklahoma, more than 43,000 grandparents were responsible for their grandchildren. While “grandfamilies” can be a source of joy, grandparents caring for grandchildren can face some particular challenges. Fortunately, advice, support, and resources are available to help.

KINSHIP CARE

Grandparents who take on the parenting role for their grandchildren find themselves outside the traditional grandparent/grandchild relationship, upending the dream or reality of a relaxing retirement. Caretaking can mean sacrificing leisure time and travel, as well as a return to responsibilities like the day-to-day

maintenance of a home, schedules, meals, and homework. Increased financial demands are often part of the equation, too, and the physical and mental effort required to care for young children can be exhausting, especially for older individuals. Frequently circumstances, like a death or substance abuse issues, that require grandparents to care for grandchildren can be tragic. Both grandparents and grandchildren may be coping with grief while tackling new family roles.

However, the new dynamic can be rewarding, too. The daily involvement means many grandparents forge a strong bond with their grandchildren and a greater connection to their world. The companionship of a younger generation can be both rejuvenating and invigorating, and there is a lot of satisfaction that comes from providing a safe, nurturing, structured home environment where a child can grow.

YOU’RE NOT ALONE

When navigating grandparenting, it’s helpful to know you’re not alone. Finding support in the

form of a structured group or just someone who has had similar experiences can be reassuring and useful.

Tulsan Ray Nash is the facilitator of the Grandparents Raising Grandchildren support group that meets at Asbury United Methodist Church. As a single grandparent and legal guardian of his 11-year-old grandson, Nash is well aware of the difficulties grandparents face in this role. Nash encourages grandparents to seek out an established support group, ideally one with childcare.

“The Grandparents Raising Grandchildren support group helps grandparents and family members with helpful tips, resources, and encouragement,” said Nash, who’s been involved since 2018. “The group allows caregivers the opportunity to vent their situations to other caregivers that can relate to all unique situations.”

Sandie Sullivan leads another chapter of Grandparents Raising Grandchildren that meets monthly near Owen Park. Years ago, Sullivan helped raise her granddaughter for a time while the girl’s mother (Sullivan’s daughter) was in the Navy. Over three decades later, Sullivan’s granddaughter is grown with a child of her own, and Sullivan continues to offer support to other grandparents.

“We started a support group at Asbury back in that time, and we had a great group of folks,” Sullivan recalled. “They gained a lot of information just from talking to other people in the same position. One of the things that was really common, and still is for people who call me, is to say, ‘I didn’t think anybody else was in my position,’ but they find out that there are tons of people in their position.”

For grandparents, raising grandchildren presents a unique set of challenges, but the act of creating a stable, loving environment that fosters a child’s growth can be extremely rewarding.

GUIDING LIGHTS

Strategies for Thriving as a Grandfamily

1. Acknowledge Your Feelings

The possibility of raising grandchildren can trigger a range of emotions, both positive (relief, joy, love), and negative (resentment, guilt, fear). Seek counseling if negative feelings are overwhelming or interfere with your ability to care for your grandchild.

2. Take Care of Yourself

Seek help for the physical, emotional, and financial demands that come with this new role. You can’t be a good caretaker when you’re overwhelmed, exhausted, and emotionally depleted. Prioritize good nutrition, exercise, and adequate sleep.

3. Be Aware of Grandkids’ Mixed Feelings

Children may be dealing with grief, loss, and all of the emotional challenges that come along with a change in circumstances. These feelings may be expressed through aggressive or inappropriate behavior. Try to remain patient and calm. Remember that kids often act out in a safe space, and they need your comfort and support.

4. Create a Stable Environment

Establish a routine, set clear, ageappropriate house rules, and enforce them. Create a space for grandkids in your home and solicit their help in decorating and arranging it.

5. Foster Open and Honest Communication

Take time to listen, and encourage grandchildren to talk about their feelings. It’s OK not to have all of the answers.

6. Encourage Contact With Parent

If appropriate to the situation, encourage regular contact with parents, whether it’s through routine, scheduled visits or email, text, or phone calls.

Visit LIFE Vintage Magazine’s digital edition for additional resources for grandparents raising their grandchildren.

Resources for Families

Sandie Sullivan, a Grandparents Raising Grandchildren support group leader, says meeting other grandparents is a good opportunity to share information and get advice. “It’s so helpful to talk to other people in the same situation because it allows you to look at what they’re doing to be successful,” she said. “I can tell people about resources that they might not know about, but I think the main thing is socialization with others in the same situation.”

1. Ability Resources abilityresources.org

Provides specialized equipment and resources for children with disabilities.

2. Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) oklahoma.gov/okdhs/services/tanf/tanfhome

Offers cash assistance grants for children and their relative caregivers. Caregiver income is not considered in determining eligibility.

3. Post Adoption Services Respite Program (405) 522-1668 • email: cws.postadoption.respite@okdhs.org Vouchers for respite care to give grandparents a break from caregiving.

4. Sooner SUCCESS – Lifespan Respite Grant Voucher Program (405) 271-2710 • soonersuccess.ouhsc.edu

Provides vouchers for temporary care to relieve grandparents or relatives from full-time caregiving.

5. Social Security secure.ssa.gov

Offers income benefits including survivor’s benefits, disability, and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) for those with limited resources.

6. Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) oklahoma.gov/okdhs/services/snap.html

Helps low-income individuals and families purchase nutritious food.

7. Grandparent Toolkit by Oklahoma State Department of Health (405) 426-8085 • grandparent@health.ok.gov

Offers information on nutrition, discipline, and mental health through a toolkit and video series.

As Sullivan concludes, “I think most grandparents would certainly say it’s been a blessing for them, even though it might have been a struggle.”

By Karen Szabo

Health Advancements Through Genetic Testing Could Genetic Testing Benefit You?

Genetic testing, almost unheard of a few decades ago, now seems common practice. Moreover, while healthcare providers can now order a wider array of genetic tests for their patients, you no longer need a doctor’s order to access these tests. Companies like 23andMe, Ancestry.com, and others offer directto-consumer genetic testing, analyzing genes for a wide variety of health conditions. Spending on these direct-to-consumer tests is expected to reach $2.5 billion within the next few years.

THE VALUE OF TESTING

Genetic testing is becoming increasingly popular, but it’s important to recognize that it’s not suitable for everyone. The results can be inconclusive and may cause unnecessary stress and anxiety about potential diseases that may never manifest.

Genetic testing should be considered primarily when there is effective therapy available to prevent or treat the condition being tested for. Tests that do not provide actionable insights to reduce or alter your disease risk offer limited value.

Genetic tests can reveal a disease or a tendency to develop certain conditions, leading to preventive measures or treatment that can be lifesaving. For example, certain breast cancer gene (BRCA) mutations are known to increase the risk of breast and ovarian cancers. Understanding whether you have a

Pros & Cons of Genetic Testing

PROS:

• Learning you have a disease-associated gene can guide medical care when the disease is treatable.

• For those without symptoms, knowing about a genetic risk can inspire positive lifestyle changes to lower the risk of developing the disease.

• Knowing you do not carry certain genetic variants can bring peace of mind.

CONS:

• Testing negative does not guarantee you won’t get a disease. Diseases can be precipitated by environmental factors and lifestyle choices.

• Testing positive doesn’t mean you will get the disease; it just means you’re at higher risk for a disease that might or might not develop.

• Genetic testing can be expensive, with costs around $1,000, according to the National Human Genome Research Institute. Health insurance coverage varies, with some tests partially or fully covered, while others are not.

disease-associated gene can help tailor treatment protocols. For instance, women with the BRCA gene face the decision of whether to undergo preventive mastectomies.

According to Harvard Health Publishing Senior Editor Dr. Robert H. Shmerling, testing is crucial for people with a family history of these cancers to guide medical care, inform life decisions, and encourage genetic counseling.

However, genetic testing results can be unhelpful or even misleading. For instance, a genetic test might reveal a mutation that rarely causes health issues, leading to unnecessary alarm.

“Learning about an increased risk for late-life conditions like Alzheimer’s disease (AD) could be more distressing than helpful, especially when there are no reliable preventive treatments available,” Shmerling said.

LIFESTYLE AND FAMILY HISTORY INFLUENCES

In most cases, Alzheimer’s disease does not result from a single genetic cause. Instead, it can be influenced by up to 80 different genes, along with lifestyle and environmental factors.

Oklahoma City geriatric neurologist Dr. Germaine Odenheimer explained that only “Three genes have been identified as causing Alzheimer’s: presenilin 1, presenilin 2, and amyloid precursor protein (on chromosomes 14, 1 and 21 respectively). These are associated with strong family histories of young onset AD.”

She continued, saying “APOE is the one allele that has been identified as increasing the risk for Alzheimer’s. We all inherit one copy of APOE2, E3, or E4 from each parent. Those who inherit one copy of APOE4 have an increased risk of developing Alzheimer’s. The risk goes up with two E4 copies but does not predict the disease with certainty.”

The genetic testing marketed to the public is specifically for APOE, for lateonset Alzheimer’s. The causative genes mentioned above must be tested in a genetics lab, Odenheimer explained.

According to the Alzheimer’s Association, an estimated 20% – 30% of individuals in the United States have at least one copy of APOE4, while approximately 2% of the U.S. population have two copies of APOE4.

Odenheimer stressed that genetic testing is not as important as lifestyle. “What is good for the heart is good for the brain,” she said. “A heart-healthy lifestyle and staying mentally and socially engaged may help delay the onset. Genetics isn’t the only contributing factor. In fact, the biggest risk factor is age. The older you are, the higher the risk. In my opinion, there is no clinical reason to get tested unless you have a strong history of young-onset Alzheimer’s.”

She added that there is little value in genetic tests that do not allow you to take action to reduce or change your risk for a particular disease. The one exception is genetic testing in research such as taking part in clinical trials.

INSURANCE RAMIFICATIONS AND INTERPRETING RESULTS

The Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA) prohibits health insurance companies from using genetic information to make coverage or rate decisions. However, GINA protections do not extend to life insurance, disability insurance, or long-term care insurance.

Interpreting genetic test results requires expertise. Direct-to-consumer tests can be problematic without professional guidance. Genetic counselors, with specialized training in medical genetics and counseling, are crucial for accurate interpretation and support.

Genetic testing in a clinical setting is beneficial only when the advantages outweigh the disadvantages in your specific situation. It’s important to discuss your concerns with your doctor to make the best decision for your health.

Word Search / Family Ties

Complete the grid so each row, column, and 3x3 box contains each digit 1-9 without repeating the number.

Commonym

A commonym is a group of words that have a common trait in the three words/items listed. For example, the words Ice – Sugar – Rubik’s – are all cubes. Answers on page 39.

Planning to leave your grandchildren an inheritance? Go beyond a simple will and consider creating a trust. Trusts are powerful legal tools that safeguard the passage of assets and allow you to set specific terms for their transfer—especially important when minor children are involved.

With a trust, you can establish milestones for fund distribution, such as college or vocational school graduation or reaching a certain age. Trusts can also help your grandchildren achieve specific goals, like attending college or grad school, studying overseas, purchasing a car, starting a business, or buying a home.

Trusts are particularly advantageous for educational purposes, working in conjunction with traditional 529 plans to provide comprehensive financial support. You can ensure that funds are available for tuition, books, and other educational expenses, offering your grandchildren the best opportunities for their future.

A bamboozable is a saying/phrase that is made up of a display of words in an interesting way. The goal is to try to figure out the well-known saying, person, place, or thing that each bamboozable is meant to represent. There are six bamboozables below. Answers on page 39.

For grandchildren with special needs, a trust is crucial. A special needs trust can provide for their needs without affecting their eligibility for government benefits, such as Medicaid, ensuring they receive the care and support they require.

Road Trippin’ With Grandkids Make Memories to

Cherish

Grand Adventures

Exciting Activities for Grandparents and Grandkids

Nonprofit travel company Road Scholar has 60 trips designed for grandparents and grandkids at roadscholar.org.

Taking a road trip with grandkids can be an enjoyable adventure for kids and grandparents alike. The question is, are you prepared for the sibling squabbles, food and drink spills, umpteen rest stops, and being asked a hundred times or more, “Are we there yet?” With a little pre-planning, you can drastically reduce the hassles and turn your time on the road into a fun, family experience for all.

RESTROOM BREAKS

Immediately before heading out, have everyone go to the bathroom, whether they need to or not. Just before and while on the road, limit beverages, particularly caffeinated ones, to reduce the frequency of restroom stops. When you do have to stop for something, have everyone use the restroom again, and don’t accept anyone’s claim, “I don’t need to go.”

REDUCE STOPS

Strategize where you choose to stop so you can cover all the bases at once. Fuel up, grab food and beverages, use the restroom, and go for a walk or play a game of tag so everyone can stretch and exercise.

Roadside Attractions

Pick a theme and hunt down fun roadside attractions like the world’s largest thermometer, pecan, and watermelon.

Go ‘Gramping’

Explore the great outdoors by camping with the grandkids at one of our country’s national parks like Bryce Canyon or Yellowstone.

Anything Disney

Visit the happiest places on earth at the Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Hollywood Studios, or Animal Kingdom. Pace yourself and take more than one day.

Photo courtesy of Alyssa Bichunsky & Road Scholar

DRIVE THROUGH THE NIGHT

Kids typically sleep through the night on the road. So it’ll seem to them like they’ve reached your destination in the blink of an eye, which will reduce your overall stress. One adult can switch off driving while the other sleeps.

SNACKS AND DRINKS

Bring along a cooler and a variety of drinks and snacks to reduce pit stops. Breaking up the time with small meals and snacks will also help keep kids pacified. When packing snacks, include some nutritious ones like carrot sticks and apples. Also, keep in mind the messiness of particular types of foods. To reduce messes, avoid foods that melt, smear, and squish, such as chocolate, cupcakes, and yogurt.

PLAN FUN STOPS

Do some advance research to find entertainment along the way, and build it into your vacation. Look for a state or national park, national monument, beach, kiddie playground, amusement parks, river walk, or water park.

CAR ENTERTAINMENT

Before your trip, visit the library to pick out books, audiobooks, and music CDs. But don’t let the kids have the items until you’re on the road. That way, the kids will have fresh amusements. Also, take along some car games, and print a list of games that don’t require pieces to play. Some ideas to get you started include the license plate game. Have everyone write down the states of the license plates as they spot them. The person with the most states wins.

Also, try the “Would you rather?” game. Take turns asking everyone what their choice would be between two gross or unpleasant situations. For example, would you rather be trapped in a closet that’s crawling with hundreds of centipedes or eat a worm?

SCREEN TIME

While limiting kids’ daily screen time is a best practice, consider making an exception for your road trip. Depending on the length of your drive, it can be a challenge to keep kids amused for the duration despite all the other entertainment you bring along. Limit their screen time on the road by allowing them 30-minute cycles of screen time broken up by other activities.

Nashville, Branson, Detroit, Cleveland, and other cities known for music and theatrical performances and music museums.

BY CONNIE CRONLEY

Book Club/

Fiction for Different Tastes

Is it just me, or does anybody else go through phases thinking, “When did books (also movies and TV) get so weird?” Maybe it’s because I don’t read as much fiction as I do nonfiction, but sometimes I come away feeling as if I’m Rip Van Winkle and have just awakened from a 100-year nap. While I dozed, popular literature spun into a loopy orbit.

“Night Watch”

The novel “Night Watch” by Jayne Anne Phillips is a sprawling story of the Civil War’s aftermath. As the 12-year-old protagonist ConaLee says, “I never seen the war myself, I just seen what it done to people.” Except in this book, the author doesn’t use quotation marks to separate dialogue from text, a style I find discomforting. Except for one battle scene and an episode in a war hospital, the war is off stage. The story opens in 1874 as the young girl and her silent, traumatized mother are being driven to the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum in West Virginia, which was a real place.

The story circles back to prewar days and involves an old Irish woman named Dearbhla who is wise in the mountain ways of herbs, healing, and perhaps conjuring. Coincidences pile up, sentences are curling and fractured, but the story is compelling. The progressive mental hospital seemed the only oasis of calm in a world brutalized by war and people.

“The Vaster Wilds”

“The Vaster Wilds” by Lauren Groff is a highly praised bestseller often described as mesmerizing. The book jacket summarizes the plot: “A servant girl escapes from a colonial settlement (Jamestown) into the night. She carries nothing with her but her wits, a few possessions and the spark of god that burns hot within her.” She runs through the forest primeval — the vaster wilds — surviving one life-threatening adventure after another. I think it is an allegory of many things — colonialism, religion, class structure, the human spirit. Some see it as a historical thriller, amazed at the girl’s survival skills. One woman was skeptical. “I know that couldn’t be possible,” she said, “because I watch the TV reality show ‘Naked and Afraid.’”

The book is written in the English vernacular of the era — the King James Bible and Shakespeare — winding, poetic sentences of rich imagery. “Into the night the girl ran and ran, and the cold and the dark and the wilderness and her fear

and the depth of her losses, all things together, dwindled the self she had once known down to nothing.” I admire both Groff and Phillips for their mastery of archaic style. Some people luxuriate in this kind of writing. I, a simple soul, often skim to get to the storyline.

“Normal Rules Don’t Apply”

On the other hand, I savored Kate Atkinson’s short story collection “Normal Rules Don’t Apply,” because she is one of my favorite authors. Her novels are cerebral mysteries that slide together seamlessly at the end. Her style of great charm and clarity is on display in these stories; so finely crafted, remove one word and the page would fly apart. Sharp observation of humankind is combined with unfettered imagination: a horse speaks, a childless fairytale queen makes a deal with a witch, a divorcee has a bad date with “a man with a badge machine, for heaven’s sake.” I was particularly fond of the story “Spellbound” with sour, long-suffering Florence, the oldest of six children in a large family overflowing the vicarage. “‘Perhaps you shouldn’t be so judgmental,’ her father said. He was a vicar and it was his job to say things like that, so most of his daughters tended to ignore any advice he gave.”

These stories are so fanciful, they’re not for everyone. That’s the appeal of fiction, isn’t it? There are books and stories for all tastes.

Jayne Anne Phillips

Lauren Groff

Kate Atkinson

Tulsa Historical Society & Museum • 2445 S. Peoria Ave., Tulsa

All photos courtesy of Tulsa Historical Society & Museum

Tulsa police officer Clinton E. Riggs stands next to the world’s first yield sign installed at East First Street and South Columbia Avenue in Tulsa. Riggs designed the sign to reduce accidents at the then-dangerous intersection.

This photo of the Robert Fry family, citizens of the Muscogee Creek Nation, was taken in 1901. Clockwise from lower left: Leona Fry, Lawrence C. Fry, Dema Craig Fry, and Charlotte Fry.

This Month in History Family Ties

SEPTEMBER

2, 1969

First U.S. ATM Opens

For the first time in America, customers bypassed human tellers at Chemical Bank in Rockville Centre, New York, to withdraw cash at the automatic teller machine. By the ‘80s, ATM functions expanded to handle check deposits and money transfers between accounts. Today, there are millions of ATMs worldwide with a new one installed approximately every five minutes. There is even one in Antarctica!

SEPTEMBER 8, 1504

Statue of ‘David’ Unveiled to Public

One of Michelangelo Buonarroti’s most famous works of art, “David,” made its public debut in Piazza della Signoria in Florence, Italy, depicting the hero from the Biblical tale of David and Goliath. The 17-foot-tall, 12,000-pound statue was carved from a block of white Italian Carrara marble that had been rejected by other artists for being flawed. It took three years for Michelangelo to complete this project.

The family of local evangelist Oral Roberts poses for a photo in 1968. Oral Roberts founded his namesake college in 1963.

SEPTEMBER

12, 1992

Mae Jemison Becomes First Black Woman in Space

Dr. Mae Jemison, 35, joined six other astronauts aboard the space shuttle Endeavor on an eight-day flight that orbited Earth 127 times. Jemison was the science mission specialist who conducted experiments on herself and crew members on weightlessness, bone loss, and motion sickness in space. Jemison went on to teach at Dartmouth University and start several corporations including an international teen space camp.

SEPTEMBER 16, 1620

The Mayflower Departs England

The Mayflower carried 102 passengers from England to Virginia but landed in Massachusetts due to storms and errors. On November 21, they founded Plymouth, hastily building shelters for their first American winter. The group, consisting of religious dissenters and entrepreneurs, started their settlement, searching for suitable land amid the challenges of their new home.

SEPTEMBER 20, 1946

First Cannes Film Festival

The inaugural Cannes Film Festival debuted at the resort city of Cannes on the French Riviera. The festival was intended to be in September 1939, but the outbreak of World War II forced its cancellation after screening just one film. At the 1946 opening, 18 nations were represented, and nine films earned the top award, Grand Prix du Festival. Today, more than 30,000 attend the annual event.

SEPTEMBER 30, 1947

World Series Debuts on Television

The Fall Classic game was broadcast on television for the first time with the New York Yankees defeating the Brooklyn Dodgers, 5-3, in Game 1 of the World Series. At the time, TVs were still a luxury with fewer than 50,000 in the U.S., mostly in businesses in East Coast cities. In comparison, millions of baseball fans listened on the radio, and 73,000 attended Yankee Stadium.

LIFE’s Vintage Magazine does not endorse advertiser products or services. The publisher reserves the right to refuse any advertising.

CARPET CLEANING

ALL PRO Carpet Cleaning

Senior and caregiver discounts. Carpet, furniture, rug cleaning. Pet odor removed and Teflon protectant available. Emergency water extraction. Residential and commercial services. Professional truck mount steam cleaning. Carpet repairs and restretching. Prompt, professional, quality service at a fair price. Certified, insured. Veteran owned and operated. Call Thomas Fink, owner/technician, for free estimate (918) 636-6303.

CEMETERY LOTS

Across from the Chapel – Memorial Park

Three plots across from the chapel in Memorial Park Cemetery. Located in section 12 Sunset Garden, lot 221, space 1, 2 & 3. All three lots $4,050. Contact Jeff at (405) 595-6351 for more information. If no answer, please leave name and number.

Calvary Cemetery – Garden of Gethsemane

Located at E 91st ST & S Harvard Ave, Tulsa. Two plots in Section 11, lot 245, spaces 7 and 8. Calvary’s current retail price $3,500 each, we are selling both plots for $5,000. Call (918) 510-3711 for more information.

Discounted Lot – Memorial Park Cemetery

Single burial lot in Memorial Park Cemetery. $850. Call (918) 729-4111.

Floral Haven

2 plots in the Garden of Lakeview, Section 117-B, spaces 2 & 3. The plots have a market value of $4,900.00 each. Current opening and closing costs are $1,500 per plot. We are asking $3,000 per plot, which includes the opening and closing costs. Price may be negotiated. Base for a marker at the gravesite, available for purchasers. Call Howard (918) 724-0594.

Floral Haven – Last Supper

Two-plots at Floral Haven in the Last Supper section, 245-B. Spaces 3 and 4. Will sell both for $4,000. Call (918) 630-8949.

Memorial Park and Floral Haven Plots

Desirable Bell Tower area at Memorial Park. 4 plots with lawn crypts. Lot 122 spaces 3 & 4; Lot 128 spaces 1 & 2. Granite/ Bronze allowed. $2,000 each. Floral Haven: Garden of the Prophets 2 plots Lot 197-D spaces 3&4 $6,000 both. Transfer fees included. Call Mary (918) 855-0438.

Memorial Park Companion Crypt

Memorial Park - Companion Crypt. Section 27, Unit 3, Row 23, Companion Crypt A. Current value

- $10,925. Asking $10,500. Contact: johnholderman2@gmail.com.

Memorial Park Garden of the Apostles

Four spaces in section 28, lot 111, spaces 1,2,7,8. Bronze only section. Current value $2,150 each. Will sell all four, or in pairs for $1,750 each. Call or text (918) 633-6138 with message ‘Memorial Park Lots’ and a call back number.

Memorial Park – Price Lowered to Sell!

Two side by side plots in Parkview South Section 49; Lot 243; Spaces 7 & 8. Bronze markers only. Price for BOTH is just $1500, which includes the transfer fee. (New lots in this section currently sell for $2,850 each!) Call (417) 399-2361.

Park Grove in Broken Arrow

Three lots available in section E of the cherished Park Grove on Houston in Broken Arrow. Price reduced to $2,500 each. Price negotiable for all three lots. Call DK (918) 835-0612.

Tranquility in Memorial Park

2 Resting spaces with 1 crypt. Section 57; Lot 151; spaces 7 & 8. $1,600 each OBO, (Retail $1,850 each). Call or text Kent at (918) 271-4973.

CLEANING

Live Beautifully! You Deserve It! Here at Moore Cleaning, we want your house to be beautiful. We have over 19 years experience, and references from our loyal customers. Also offering window cleaning and organizing. We customize our cleaning to meet your needs. Safely cleaning with masks and social distancing if preferred. Reasonable rates.Please call today to set up your appointment. Marybelle Moore (918) 671-5065. Marybellemoore111@gmail.com.

New Season Cleaning Service

New Season Cleaning Service offers residential housecleaning weekly or bi-weekly. Reasonable rates for a job well done. Accepting new customers!! Call (918) 630-0747 or email newseasoncleaningservice@gmail.com.

Window Cleaning.

Housecleaning

Window Cleaning – I make your windows shine no matter what condition they are in. Chandeliers, light fixtures and mirrors. House Cleaning – can do on regular basis, move-in or move-out, construction clean, also will do curio/china cabinets and special projects. Experienced in all areas including detail and organization. Reasonable rates and references. Call (539) 664-1986.

COMPUTER SERVICES

Does Technology Frustrate You? Honest, patient, ethical help with your pc, modem, wifi, cell phone, email, streaming, camera, password recovery, etc. 30+ years of IT experience in Tulsa. Special rates for seniors.References available.Call or text Carmen Armstrong (918) 688-7453.

DAYTIME CARE

Daytime Care For Older Loved Ones LIFE’s Adult Day Health offers convenient, affordable daytime care at three locations in Tulsa and Broken Arrow. For more information, call LIFE’s Adult Day Health at (918) 664-9000.

ESTATE SALES

2MS Estate Sales...Tulsa’s Finest!

Downsizing? Estate Liquidation? Let us take the worry away and maximize your return. No out of pocket expense. We specialize in senior transitions, with over 20 years in the senior housing market. My team includes realtors, moving company, senior housing and attorneys if needed. Please contact Michelle Reed (918) 691-5893 or Atulsa@aol.com also Facebook 2MSestatesalestulsa for a free consultation.

FINANCIAL INSURANCE

A New Medicare Plan! Do you know about the new Medicare Supplement Birthday Rule? Each year, starting on your birthday, you have 60 days to shop and enroll into a different Medicare Supplement plan with no medical questions! Find out more by calling MedicarePrepare at (918) 4209999. Our local agents can answer your questions and may be able to save you money on premiums.

Medicare Assistance Program (MAP) at LIFE Senior Services provides accurate information, counseling and assistance for Medicare beneficiaries, their representatives and persons soon to be eligible for Medicare. Call MAP at LIFE Senior Services (918) 664-9000 or toll-free at (866) 664-9009.

Mutual of Omaha

Life, Long Term Care, Medicare and Cancer/Heart Attack/Stroke Policies plus Reverse Mortgages. Local Agent, Cindy Johnson, (918) 619-5919 cell.

GARDEN/LAWN CARE

AAA Lawns & More

Total tree and lawn care. Specializing in reasonably priced tree removal or trimming any size tree. Fence repair and installation. Insured, honest, experienced and dependable. Veteran-owned. We are a small company with personal service. References available. FREE ESTIMATES. Call Larry. (918) 361-1299.

CLASSIFIEDS

Garden Services

Flowerbed Design. Garden Installation – specializing in Butterfly & Earthkind gardens. Schedule garden maintenance. Weeding, mulching, annual color, Spring & Fall cleanup, hedge & shrub trimming, tree pruning, stone pathways. Call Charles (918) 636-0298.

Mower Repair / Maintenance

All brands – Riders, ZTRs, Walk-behinds, UTVs / ATVs. Top Quality work, ASE certified Mechanic. Pick-up and delivery available. Tulsa and surrounding counties. Maintenance specials include pick-up and delivery 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Call Scott (918) 519-3869.

New Season Lawn & Tree Spring clean-up available. Mowing, trimming, leaf removal, hedge trimming, flower beds. Small tree trimming. We offer weekly, bi-weekly & year-round services. Best rates, senior discounts. Free Estimates. Accepting new customers!! Call Todd (918) 639-2262. Email info@newseasonlawnandtree. com, and check us out at www.newseasonlawnandtree.com.

New Season Tree Masters

Specializing in tree removal and stump grinding. Tree trimming service available. Certified arborist on staff. Serving all of metro Tulsa with over 20 years’ experience. Fully insured. Free estimates. Contact us at info@newseasontreemasters. com or call Todd at (918) 934-4868. www.newseasontreemasters.com.

HOME REPAIR/REMODELING

Allen’s Handyman Services of Tulsa

“Your Home Improvement and Repair Specialist.” 23 years serving Tulsa seniors. “One call can do it all.” 10% senior discount. Insured. All work guaranteed in writing. No pay until job is completed. Plumbing, drain cleaning, grab bars, electrical, carpentry, painting, seamless guttering installation/repair/cleaning. Dryer vent cleaning. Roof, tile and drywall repair. Wood siding/trim replacement. Deck repair, power washing, staining. Tree trimming. No job too small. Minimum charge for service. For free estimate, call Allen at (918) 630-0394.

Big C’s Plumbing Services

Your one-stop-plumbing shop! Call us and I guarantee you will never have to call another plumbing company. Licensed, bonded and insured for your protection...Call (918) 855-9216, tell us you saw us in the Vintage Newsmagazine and receive an automatic 10% discount. Call us now.

Bumgartner Plumbing

Licensed, with over 40 years of experience. Rates are low and based on the job, not the hour. No service call fee or travel time charge. Senior and caregiver

CLASSIFIEDS

discount. Plumbing service and repair our specialty. Honest, professional service you can count on. Lic. #82750. (918) 355-4747.

Cory’s Painting and Repair

Call today for your free estimate! I’ve been making homes beautiful for over 30 years. Home repairs of all types.,References available. Ask me about my “lifetime warranty” paint special. Mention this ad for a 10% discount! Call (918) 946-1209.

Doc J’s Heat and Air LLC

Stay comfortable year-round with our trusted HVAC services! Discounts for seniors on heating, cooling, and maintenance. Keep your home’s climate just right. Call today for an estimate or repair. (918) 921-4240.

DRYWALL & PAINTING

New to the Tulsa area! I specialize in drywall repairs, wood repairs, matching textures, painting interior/exterior. Insured and free estimates. Help us grow in the Tulsa community or in your community!! Call John at (918) 600-9129.

In a Jam? Services

Around the home repairs or replacements, inside and out.

Fence Repair/Replacement, Power Washing, Gutter Cleanout, Garage/ Attic Cleanout, Haul-off, Leaf/Snow Removal, Staining/Painting, Drywall Patching/Replacement, Tile/ Flooring, Deck Repair, and much more! No job is too small. Have any questions, please give me a call. Joe Moody (918) 740-7209 INAJAMSERVICES77@gmail.com.

JC Restores, LLC

Christ centered remodeling and construction service. We do everything from full home renovations to new construction. All flooring (tile, carpet, wood, etc), fence/deck, bathroom and kitchen, drywall, paint, landscaping, wheelchair ramps. Whatever you need we will take care of it. Including prayer! Call for free estimate (918) 509-5407.

KMS Heating & Cooling

Locally owned since 1979, KMS is proud to be your new HVAC provider! Your comfort is our top priority, and our team of experienced technicians and staff are dedicated to providing you with prompt, reliable, and personalized service for all your residential and commercial HVAC needs. (918) 834-7000. www.kmshvac.com.

Same Day Services

Light Hauling /Light Moving – help you rearrange room furniture, lawns-grass mowing/small paint jobs/cleanup/ fence repair/light construction/sheet rock tile repair – We are honest and dependable. References. Call (918) 313-5230.

Scrap Metal Haul Off Free haul off/pick up of appliances such as washers, dryers, refrigerators, air conditioners, hot

water tanks and any scrap metal. Call John at (918) 313-4405.

LEGAL

75 Years Experience in Oklahoma Courts

Frasier Law Firm is a full-service Tulsa firm with decades of experience in all Oklahoma courts. We handle all matters, including probate, wills and trusts, personal injury and negligence cases. We have estate planning specialists. Reach us at (918) 584-4724 or frasier@tulsa.com.

EXPERIENCED ESTATE PLANNER

B.A. Law Center, PC is a Broken Arrow, Oklahoma based law firm that specializes in probate and trust administration, as well as the drafting of high-end quality wills and trusts. Aggressive representation with proven results – please give us a call. (918) 286-8001.

Full Service Estate

Planning Law Firm

Trusts, Wills, Gift and Tax Planning, Powers of Attorneys and more! With offices in Sand Springs and Tulsa. Discount to Veterans and Retired Teachers. Willing to meet you in your place for no extra charge! Call Penni of the Skillern Law Firm at (918) 805-2511. www.skillernlaw.com.

Protect Your Family. Preserve Your Legacy. Whether you are planning your estate or need help with special needs trusts, South Tulsa Law will represent you effectively and compassionately. We work in all areas of estate planning, probate, trusts and trust litigation, and special needs trusts. Call (918) 512-1800 or visit www.southtulsalaw.com.

MOVERS

BISON MOVING TULSA

Family-owned local moving company, experienced with senior relocations. Packing, labor-only or full-service available, customized to your needs and budget. Competitive pricing; discounts available for veterans and first responders. Call us at (918) 800-4267 or visit our website at www.bisonmoving.com.

Tulsa Movers

Pianos, Office, Home. Load or Unload Rental Trucks. Low Rates. Free Estimates. 10% discount off every move! Dependable Movers! Call (918) 836-3225

NOTARY

Notary Services Available

24/7 Notary available. Never closed. Will come to your home. Will go to hospitals, nursing homes, private homes as needed. Call Joanne at (918) 282-8230.

PERSONAL ASSISTANCE

AFFORDABLE ORGANIZING

Too busy to stay organized?

Overwhelmed? Return harmony to your home and life. We help with: Downsizing, relocating (pack & unpack), setting up home offices. Organizing one room or an entire house. Monthly maintenance. Disperse unwanted possessions. Seasonal transitioning. Call Pat at Organize to Harmonize: (918) 200-5991.

Home Health Services

Tulsa’s Affordable Home Care offers compassionate, quality home care services to individuals. We provide the following services: personal care, bathing and dressing, companionship, exercise, grocery shopping, laundry, light housekeeping, medication reminders, meal planning and preparation, oral and personal hygiene, respite care for family caregivers. Please call (918) 622-7820 and schedule a free consultation!!!

Ms. PAC Ma’am - SENIOR RELOCATION SPECIALIST

Need help packing or organizing? I can pack boxes for moving, downsizing, or decluttering. I can help organize rooms, closets, attics, or garages providing you more space. Flexible hours - day or evening. Decades of experience. Boxes/bags provided upon request. References available. $25/hr - 2 hr minimum. Take that first step. Let’s talk. Call Jacki (918) 922-9558

The Best for Less Seeking full-time private duty position in the home, or facility. Single person or couple. Please, only serious inquires. Call or leave message at (918) 644-7591.

WARSHAW GROUPADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT

(1) SECRETARIAL: review and pay bills, balance checkbook, set up filing system, write letters, schedule appointments, create spreadsheets for budget. (2) GETTING FAMILY AFFAIRS IN ORDER: checklist, paperwork and documents needed. Warshaw Group, LLC, Bobbi Warshaw, MPH and Bob Warshaw, MBA. Contact at (918) 852-5302 or email bobbi.warshaw@att.net

PERSONAL SAFETY

Safety Grab Bar Supply and Installation

Including handicap accessories for Residential, Commercial, Decorative, Indoor/Outdoor, Stairways, Bathrooms, and more. Secure your space, whether existing, remodeling or new construction, we handle it all. Call before you fall! Free Estimates. Licensed & Insured with over 20 years experience. Grab Bars of Tulsa, (918) 619-7324.

PERSONAL SERVICES

Affordable Hairstyling In-Home or My Shop

With 37 years’ experience, I can help with all of your hairstyling needs. Men’s and women’s haircuts, specializing in seniors. I

will come to your home or you can come to my shop. In-shop special: haircut $7 for first time customers only and perms for $50. Available Tuesday – Saturday. A Mane Event hairstyling, located near 11th and Yale at 937 South Canton. Call Mary Wilkinson at (918) 834-2686.

Salon Retro

Hair care for men and women, specializing in senior clients. This month’s special - First time customers receive one of the following for $16: Haircut or Manicure. $50 for one cut and perm. Pedicures are $25. Very Experienced Hairdressers! In shop services only, come see us in Midtown at Highland Plaza, 5661 East 41st Street (corner of 41st and Hudson). (918) 742-3440.

PET CARE

Dog Walker

The Woof Pack Tulsa: Dependable dog walking services for your four-legged family in Tulsa. Helping you take care of your furry friends when you’re out! We offer dog walking and pet pop-ins. Insured. Call or text us at (918) 770-6699. Visit our website at www.thewoofpacktulsa.com.

Home Veterinary Care

Experience Tulsa’s most convenient veterinary service in the comfort of your own home. Our goal is to develop a personal relationship uwith each of our clients and patients. Contact us today to schedule your house call appointment. Call (918) 892-9382 or email DrFielstra@gmail.com or visit usat www.homevetcaretulsa.com.

Laura’s Boarding & Dog Walking Services 40 years experience. Veterinary Assistant experience. Friendly, safe, fenced-in environment (.25 acre yard). Daily exercise provided, first aid, CPR, CNA,senior dog experience. Can administer oral and injection medications. I’m attentive, playful, kind and caring. Daily photos of your furry friend sent to you by text. References available.(918) 812-8001.

REALTOR/REAL ESTATE

Mature Transitions of Tulsa Downsizing, Decluttering, Move Management, Estate Sales, Selling the Family Home. Call today (918) 309-6120. www.MatureTransitionsofTulsa.com.

SOCIAL

Seniors (50+)

We are a fun-loving group of seniors over 50. We meet every Thursday, 11:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. at the Golden Corral, 8144 East 21st Street. We eat at 11:00, have a short meeting and then play cards. Join us for great fun and fellowship. Questions, call Linda at (918) 955-9180.

STAYCATION GETAWAYS

The Place for Family Gatherings & Celebrations

Meadow Lake Ranch is the perfect place for family gatherings and celebrations. Go back in time with fun activities including tomahawk throwing, archery, roping a straw steer, slingshots, BB gun range, cornhole, horseshoes and more! Meadow Lake Ranch offers authentic log cabins complete with private patios and waterfront views. Also included in your stay is breakfast delivered to your cabin, plus bank fishing, walking trails, and s’mores by the fire! Celebrate, stay and create wonderful memories at Meadow Lake Ranch. 15 minutes west of downtown Tulsa. Book online or call Susie at (918) 494-6000. Visit www.Meadowlakeranch.com or email meadowlakeranch@cox.net

TRANSPORTATION

My Driver Transportation Service

Let me do the driving. To and from work, airport, shopping, errands, post office, appointments. Also, LIFT VAN transportation available. Able to assist getting to and from bed. Senior sitting. Also, small breed dog boarding. 20 years experience. CLEET certified and licensed. References. Member, Better Business Bureau. (918) 491-9929.

PREMIUM SENIOR TRANSPORT NOW AVAILABLE

Entrusted Transport provides non-emergency medical & senior transportation services throughout Oklahoma. Our drivers are courteous & highly professional. We assist riders all the way to check-in at your appointment OR to home, just like family would! Wheelchair vehicles available. Call (918) 2903400, Schedule rides any date & time. EntrustedTransport.com.

VOLUNTEER

JUST DO IT!

If you’ve been looking for a way you can make a difference, consider joining the Millennium Hospice team as a volunteer. Caregiver relief is so important during this difficult time. Volunteers provide that by sitting with patients for an hour or so. Training is provided. (918) 493-6555.

Volunteer for LIFE

Discover the variety of volunteer opportunities that LIFE Senior Services has to offer. Whether you want to volunteer within the organization or with one of our local non-profit or public agencies, we can find the best fit for you. (918) 664-9000.

Vintage Friends

William Bailie

In Memory of Myrna Bailie

Gretchen Battaglia In Memory of John Battaglia

Diane Jolley In Memory of J.L. Jolley

Mary Stone In Memory of Douglas K. Scott

Jill Eccleston In Honor of Knitten Kittens Tuesday

Jess L. and Miriam B. Stevens Foundation In Honor of Beverly K. Smith

Services

Great News:

Roma Berry Center for Seniors

SEPTEMBER ANSWERS

For

COMMONYMS

1. They are all pulled

They all have jets

Clocks

They have stems

Powders

BAMBOOZABLES

SUDOKU

CommunityCare has the right Medicare Advantage plan for you.

As Oklahoma’s largest locally owned health plan, CommunityCare offers you more— including in-network access to the region’s four premier health systems, so you can choose the doctors, clinics, and hospitals you want (other providers are available in our network). And with our Senior Health Plan options, you’ll find the benefits you’re looking for in a Medicare Advantage plan, inlcuding:

3 In-network access to Ascension St. John, Hillcrest, OSU Medical Center and Saint Francis

3 $0 monthly premium*

3 $0 PCP copay

3 $0 Tier 1 drugs

3 Over-the-counter medicine benefit

3 Dental and vision

3 Flex Card for choosing fitness memberships and more

*Other plans available.

— Terry Hood Longtime Tulsa news anchor

BONUS CONTENT

Ingredients:

• 2 flour tortillas

• 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded

• ½ medium apple, thinly sliced

• 2 strips of bacon, chopped, cooked and drained.

Apple Cheddar and Bacon

Quesadillas

Instructions:

1. Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat. Spray lightly with non-stick spray.

2. Create your quesadilla, start with a flour tortilla, then add the cheddar cheese, apple slices, and bacon. Season with salt and pepper. Add one more tortilla on top.

3. Heat for 3 - 4 minutes per side. Tortillas will be golden brown and cheese should be completely melted.

4. Move to cutting board, allow to cool for a minute, then cut into triangles.

Recipe courtesy of Baked by Rachel

Ingredients:

• 15.5-oz. can chickpeas (drained and rinsed)

• 2/3 cup 100% pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)

• ⅓ cup plain, nonfat Greek yogurt

Pumpkin Pie Hummus

Recipe courtesy of Shape Your Future

• ¼ cup honey or maple syrup

• 2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

• ¼ teaspoon cinnamon

Instructions:

1. Rinse and drain chickpeas, then boil in a covered pot for 10 minutes. Drain and allow to cool slightly.

2. Layer pumpkin puree, Greek yogurt, maple syrup, and spices in a blender or food processor. Blend until combined.

3. Add chickpeas. Blend until smooth and creamy.

4. Let cool. Serve with apple or banana slices, whole grain pita chips, or whole wheat toast.

Going Through the Emotions

Emotional Challenges for Grandparents Raising Grandkids

According to Ray Nash, a facilitator of the Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Support Group at Asbury Methodist Church in Tulsa, some of the challenges grandparents face when raising grandchildren are:

Denial

Denying the current situation, unrealistic expectations that the parents will become responsible.

Fear Concerned how you will be able to financially and emotionally care for your grandchildren.

Guilt

Thinking you should have or could have done things differently with your own child.

Anger Getting upset at your child for abandoning or not being a responsible parent.

Sacrifice Giving things up to keep your family together.

Great Resources for Grandfamilies

The Oklahoma State Department of Health offers a range of online toolkits specifically designed to support grandparents who are raising their grandchildren.

To access these resources, scan the QR code or visit oklahoma. gov. The available toolkits and video series cover essential topics such as Infant Care and Safety, Nutrition, School Connectedness, Adolescent Development, Mental Health, and Respite Care.

For further assistance, email grandparent@health.ok.gov.

Additionally, Ability Resources Inc. of Tulsa provides valuable support for grandparents raising their grandchildren.

For more information, please visit the nonprofit’s website through the following clickable links:

• Resources | Ability Resources

• Oklahoma GrandFacts State Fact Sheet 2021 Update

Loss

Losing the grandparentgrandchild relationship, as well as peer contacts.

Sadness

Being sad over the loss of a child and of the typical role.

Disappointment Not being able to do the things you wanted at this stage in your life.

Confusion in understanding the issues facing today’s children.

Isolation from your friends and child-free social gatherings.