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D2 Thursday, January 30, 2020 — West Central Tribune — Willmar, Minn.

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West Central Tribune — Willmar, Minn. — Thursday, January 30, 2020 D3

19-cent hamburgers fired ‘Quik’ start Business man Orvis Pattison reflects on early years

By Rand Middleton Special to the Tribune Raised on a farm between Herman and Elbow Lake, Orvis Pattison moved to Willmar in 1959 when he bought the Bowladrome on Benson Avenue. The former farmer and Air Force veteran soon made an impact. The Willmar Jaycees named the newcomer 1962 Young Man of the Year and a year later the Chamber of Commerce elected the Kaffe Fest chairman its president.

But his business foundation here proved seasonal. The 16-lane bowling alley (eight lanes were in the basement) wouldn’t support a growing family. In summer, the bowlers were fishing, golfing or otherwise outside, leaving receipts in the gutter. His next thought: “Why not hamburgers?” In rural small cities — often with a college — the Quik Stop Drive-ins were an instant hit, eventually expanding to 18 stores in three states. Savvy and aggressive, his business interests grew to a 24-hour restaurant, a structural steel company and the Kandi Entertainment Center.

Now 90 and of sound health, he and wife, Doris, who kept meticulous books all the years, have raised five children and still call Willmar home. Rand Middleton visited with Orvis at Burger King on First Street, built on the location of the original 1962 Quik Stop. This is his story:

T

Pattison family photo

Orvis and Doris Pattison celebrated 68 years of marriage and Orvis' 90th birthday November 2019.

he Bowladrome was a winner for me at first but after a couple of years, I determined there wasn’t the cash flow in the summer to keep the business afloat.

I came up with this dream of Quik Stop. McDonald’s was fairly new and I patterned it after what they were doing.

McDonald’s was only in the bigger cities, like Minneapolis and St. Cloud. I bought a 200-foot lot from Lyle Nyberg and tore down an empty old house and excavated the hill behind it. We used the windows out of the house for the first windows at the Quik Stop (the original drive-in measured just 20-by-38 feet).

Quik Stop took off like gangbusters. People felt, “Oh, boy, we’ve got something the big towns have.’’ There was a fellow over in Litchfield who got started about the same time with fast-food, but he and I determined to stay out of each others’ hair in the small towns.

We just had a walk-up to start. You ordered inside but there was no seating. As we progressed, I put in a driveup window, I think before McDonald’s even thought about it, but it never worked that well. It didn’t have the radio connection at the drive-up so you could order in advance.

Customers had to order at the window or they had to call ahead. It was not efficient.

QUIK: Page D4

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D4 Thursday, January 30, 2020 — West Central Tribune — Willmar, Minn.

QUIK

grew into helping me supervise all of the restaurants eventually. We had a From Page D3 company airplane based here and each of us earned our instrument rating so we could fly around and manage these The menu was simple. We had a milk- properties. We had three in Nebraska, shake — no ice cream cones — french one in Houghton, Michigan, 15 in Minfries and all different kinds of burgers, nesota. In Nebraska, we went into the like shrimp burgers. A hamburger was cities of Lincoln and Omaha.

19 cents, french fries 19 cents, milk The franchise fee was only 2.5 pershake 25 cents. Wages started at about cent, modest by today’s standard. We 90 cents, but we had kids lined up to put the money right back into the busiwork. It was the place to be and meet ness. friends.

It’s true that the three keys to a busiAfter this one got going, my broth- ness are location, location, location. I er-in-law Richard Jacobson in Morris seemed to be pretty lucky. At Houghton, felt strongly that a college town like we were right at the entrance to MichMorris would be a good fit. We put igan Tech University. That spot didn’t that together and it, too, went over. He come easily. We had to blast a whole

bunch of rock out of a hillside. A quarter of a mile away a windshield was broken and they put a claim in on us.

My partner up there was a nurse-anesthetist, originally from Jackson where we had a store. “We’ve got to have one up here,” he insisted. Well, that’s how these things develop. Someone comes to you and says, “I got to have one in my hometown.”

Everything was good until about ’82.

Gas prices spiked, business dropped by about 33 percent. And we were scrambling trying to pay the bills. I started closing, moving inventory from the worst ones and eventually closing all of them. Some were leased out. Anyone who could pay me some rent got to take a shot at it, perhaps a Chinese menu.

Two were leased to Dave Knoop, a friend who opened the first Burger King in Willmar and also had one in New Ulm and other locations.

In about five years the world turned around and I was able to sell the real estate, pay the bills, and still put money in the bank.

I’d bought the lot to the north of the Quik Stop from Ed Gesch. We started building the Timbers (restaurant) in December 1972. We opened around April 1 in ’73. It had big, rough-cedar beams and lots of wood trim and that’s where we got the name.

Like Quik Stop, it just took off. We were open 24 hours. Our business peak-

QUIK: Page D5

Kandiyohi County Historical Society photo

Undated photo of Quik Stop in Willmar.

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West Central Tribune — Willmar, Minn. — Thursday, January 30, 2020 D5

QUIK From Page D4

ed 1 to 3 in the morning, Friday and Saturday nights especially. The Bar Rush!

You had people with guitars, singing, raising hell, you almost needed a cop in there before everyone left to go to bed.

Our children were all short-order cooks from an early age either at Quik Stop or Timbers, or both. In fact, the four boys still do a lot of their family cooking.

In later years we had some problems with people sitting at the counter all day drinking free coffee. They’d buy one cup then get refills all day. They wouldn’t even get off the stool for the noon hour crowd. That cut into our

business. You don’t kick business away; you try and live with it. But it hurt us.

Eventually, as a family, we decided to close and lease it out. At first, we had a Chinese restaurant with a big buffet.

They did a beautiful job but it didn’t catch on. After three years, they gave up. We may have had someone in after that before we leased to El Tapatio.

They’ve been here 15 years. I consult with them on marketing.

I was named after my great-grandfather Orvis Jones. When James J. Hill was scouting the rail line from Willmar to Breckenridge, he stopped near Herman and my great-grandpa took him out in a field and dug a hole that was 12 inches deep and all black dirt. Mr. Hill said this is the kind of place to build a railroad. I’m pretty proud to carry my great-grandpa’s name.

Kandiyohi County Historical Society photo

Quik Stop celebrates the bicentennial of our country.

Kandiyohi County Historical Society photo

Orvis Pattison and son Keith in the office at the Kandi Entertainment Center in Willmar.

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D6 Thursday, January 30, 2020 — West Central Tribune — Willmar, Minn.

Friends in my life - a true blessing

By Marguerite Hufford-Hoiseth Hawick

A

s I mature or grow older, I think about all the wonderful best friends I have enjoyed in my life-

time.

I go back to country school, District 37 days, and Muriel was my best friend.

Her mother died in childbirth and she has two older sisters and two older brothers. Muriel and I played paper dolls together and we learned to ice skate with my brother’s skates. We each wore one skate!

On lovely summer nights, my mom, her two sisters, Muriel and I would walk between our farms under the twinkling stars and sit on our steps to watch for “falling stars.”

Muriel was in and out of my life through the years. Last place she lived was Denver. We wrote cards and letters.

I was going to Denver with another best friend and I was going to surprise and visit Muriel in 2014. I couldn’t reach her so I called her brother-in-law in Minneapolis and Muriel passed away two weeks before. I miss her.

Another best friend, Pearl, was my maid of honor when I got married in Gary, Indiana. We went to Paul’s Hair Dressing Academy in Minneapolis after we graduated from New London High School. We lived with families and helped babysit and clean for our room and board. We had great stories to tell in our lifetimes.

Another great friend was Marilyn.

We met at beauty school and I was her maid of honor when she got married in Cumberland, Wisconsin. We enjoyed a long friendship.

Another best friend, Beverly, is now in heaven. She’s probably God’s private secretary and activity director. She was an amazing friend and we went everywhere and enjoyed life. A lot of truly wonderful friends from church have gone before me. I miss them.

I had overnight retreats in my home and we shared all of our blessings. I have my first Hospice family that I love with all my heart.

Another best friend I treasure is Audrey, my best friend from high school. She knows me like a book and she is the best at everything.

Another best friend is Alice. She is 99 years old and in a nursing home. I started out as a volunteer years ago and grew to love her and always brought her fresh flowers.

I’ve lost best friends we lived by in

Florida. Wonderful memories.

Their children still keep in touch with me.

Here’s another best friend, Barb. We met in 1972 when we moved to Edina from Florida. We worked playground together at the elementary school and then worked the kitchen at the high school. Barb now lives in Waite Park and we like to go to the casino or just “hang out.” as they say.

I have best friends in Rosemount that go back to 1972.

They are like a part of my family. They keep me in bagels and cream cheese. They are my comfort zone.

I’m slowing down and don’t get out and about like I used to.

I’m so thankful for my family and the telephone is truly a lifeline to me and connects me to all the great friends in my daily life.

New friends and old friends are all truly blessings.

Courtesy photos

Marguerite Hufford-Hoiseth, Hawick, friends in my lifetime.

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West Central Tribune — Willmar, Minn. — Thursday, January 30, 2020 D7

Erasing the slate

By Kay Westlie Willmar Is this satisfaction I get fighting the waves clearing the week’s stresses from my cells?

My arms stretch out straight and work against the pull of the waves.

The air is clear and blows in my face.

It is erasing the slate and helping me regain my perspective.

I am breathing.

Remember to breathe.

I work to stay perpendicular to the waves that slap at me.

They push me toward shore and then, finally, are at my back pushing me along under the bridge.

No one is fishing there tonight. Do fish hide from the wind, too?

Remember to breathe.

I try to hide from the wind.

I try to hide from the wind that buffets me around — trying to stay close to shore for safety and letting it push me where it wants.

But not enough to get swept overboard or grounded on the shore.

You are with me, like the wind.

Remember to breathe.

It’s calm on this side and warm from the sun. The other side is noisy and windy with white caps. I had to work hard to keep my course.

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But here, in the lee of the island it is a sunny, warm harbor.

The birds like it too. I can hear the chickadees chitting.

Two robins hop on the bank.

The kingfisher squawks and follows along in the trees.

No egrets or herons tonight.

Am I too early?

Or are they hiding from the wind?

I paddle back around to get a closer look at the leaf-boats all around me: the brown oak leaf’s curled up edges, like a moses boat.

I try to sink the yellow cottonwood leaf laying flat — dripping drops of water from my paddle.

I stop paddling, face the sun, and let it fall on my face.

The wind soon takes me away from the shore and I paddle back to get another look at the branches laying down in the water out from the shore.

A gold cottonwood leaf, with its stem laying on the branch looks like it is climbing out of the water.

The grey driftwood branch reaches out its gnarled fingers toward me.

I paddle to shore, once again working to stay on course.

The man who throws the stick for his dog is not there today.

I am remembering to breathe.

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D8 Thursday, January 30, 2020 — West Central Tribune — Willmar, Minn.

A BOX OF OLD PAPERS OF MY MOTHER’S

By Lois Eberhard The other day I was looking through boxes, the things that my Mother left when she passed away. I had them in my closet, at the time I just couldn’t look through them. And just lately I came across a box that had some newspaper clippings and found this clipping of how the real truth about Christmas, with Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus, the son of God, you find that story in the Bible.

The way a lot of people think of Christmas nowadays, a lot of them don’t include them at all, and I think that is very SAD, they think about Santa mostly, or they just say “I want this or that.”

I found a clipping of how Santa Claus first started, it’s not like it is today and I think everyone should sit down and think about what they did this year.

It seems like everyone is out for themselves; and after I had really thought about it, I hope that I can be a better person.

I hope you will enjoy the reading of St. Nicholas and his poem.

a family mansion in the Chelsea area of New York City.

If it had not been for Moore, we might still picture St. Nicholas as that which originated in Europe centuries ago: A gaunt old man in bishop’s robes who rode about on a white horse with gifts for good children and a birch rod for bad ones.

But when Dr. Moore finished writing that Christmas Eve, the bishop robe had been replaced by a merry fat Elf in a fursuit, and the horse’s job had

been taken over by Dancer, Prancer and company.

Dr. Moore immediately gathered his own brood about the fireplace and read, for the first time, the poem that has thrilled children of every generation since.

The celebration at Newport will be held in the home where Moore lived during the latter years of his life (the house is now owned by Mrs. Gerda Holmes). James Van Alen, a native son of Newport and prime mover of the

annual event, will be togged out in proper costume, assisted by his wife and four neighborhood youngsters.

He’ll read the poem before the fireplace, then later under floodlights in the yard, so that all the townspeople can join in the fun. There’ll be a huge bonfire and singing of carols, and Santa will appear on a float with a sleigh full of real gifts to be given later to the local children’s home.

CHRISTMAS: Page D9

The man who gave us ‘Santa Claus’

This Christmas Eve in Newport there will be a celebration to delight every youngster in America. For it will honor Clement C. Moore, the man who gave us the finest, jolliest Christmas present of all time: Santa Claus himself.

Very few children would recognize Dr. Moore, by name, but there’s hardly a one who cannot recite at least part of the inspired little poem he wrote, which he called, “A visit from St. Nicholas.”

The first reading

It is hard to imagine that the jolly Santa Claus we know today did not exist until the Christmas Eve of 1822, when Dr. Moore set his quill pen to paper in

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West Central Tribune — Willmar, Minn. — Thursday, January 30, 2020 D9

CHRISTMAS

translated in every land that knows Christmas.

Strange to say, Dr. Moore was not first pleased by its success. For years, he would not admit that he’d written it. He was a scholar of wide interests, and would much rather have gained fame for one of his more serious works, such as “a Compendious Lexicon of the Hebrew Language,” or his biography of King Castriot of Albania. In his latter years, however, he grew fonder of his wondrous jingle and drew from it the satisfaction that he so very much deserved.

Jimmy Van Alen, the man who will “stand in” for Dr. Moore this Christmas Eve at Newport, is president of the “Casino,” Newport’s sports club, and has been an editor, publisher, world traveler, nation court-tennis champion, writer, composer and poet. In this last capacity, he has dreamed up a modest little sequel to “A Visit From St. Nicholas.” Which has become a regular feature of the Christmas Eve reading in Newport.

Check it out on the following page.

From Page D8

A stall for Blitzen?

Jimmy Van Alen organized the first reading of the poem in 1954, and the town’s enthusiasm has grown at a pace that delights him. He now heads “The House of Santa Claus Society” and hopes to gather in enough subscribers to buy the Moore home as a shrine and a Christmas Museum. “And out back in the coach house,” he says, “we’ll have a fine stall for each of the reindeer — Donder, and Blitzen and all the rest. Perhaps I’m a sentimentalist, but I think all this is something worth getting sentimental about. Can you think of any other American who has given so much simple joy as Clement Moore? It’s a fair question.

One might possibly imagine the Fourth of July without fireworks, or even Thanksgiving without turkey.

But Christmas without Santa Claus? Never.

Authorities disagree as to how much about Santa was Moore’s own invention. Some say he made him up almost from the word go, and others say he borrowed details from the Dutch legend.

But the Doctor certainly established a merry personality in such a winning way that all children have taken him to their hearts.

As a matter of fact, one might say that Santa started out as a live person. His name was Jan Duyckinck, the Dutch caretaker at Moore’s earlier home in New York.

Jan was fat, jolly and bewhiskered, and he smoked a “stump of a pipe.”

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Father won’t catch cold The author quite certainly had him in mind as he wrote.

Dr. Moore (who, incidentally, was a doctor of law and a theologian, not a physician) never intended that should be printed.

A friend of the family copied it down and secretly gave it to the editor of the Troy (N.Y.) Sentinel.

Once it appeared in that, its career was started as one of the most popular poems in history. It may have been reprinted more than any poem, and it has been

When I was a kid, I always thought the poem ended too soon,” he says, “so I worked up a few more verses just to make the fun last longer. Besides”, he adds, “I used to worry about Father standing there by the open window. I was afraid he might catch a cold, so now I’ve got him safely tucked into bed. I hope Dr. Moore isn’t cross at me.”

We think we can guarantee that the good Doctor will be anything but cross this Christmas Eve when the children of Newport gather in the yard of his old home.

And we also guarantee that thousands of us who cannot be there will want to echo the wishes of St. Nick.

“Happy Christmas To All and To All A Good Night!”

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D10 Thursday, January 30, 2020 — West Central Tribune — Willmar, Minn.

A visit from St. Nicholas Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house, not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.

The stockings were hung by the chimney with care, in hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there.

The children were nestled all snug in their beds, while visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads.

And Mamma in her kerchief, and I in my cap, had just settled our brains for a long winter’s nap.

When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter.

I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.

Away to the window I flew like a flash, tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.

The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow, gave the luster of midday to objects below.

When, what to my wondering eyes should appear, but a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer.

With a little old driver, so lively and quick. I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick.

More rapid than eagles his coursers they came, and he whistled, and shouted and called them by name.

“Now, Dasher! Now Dancer! Now Prancer! and Vixen! On, Comet! On, Cupid!

On, Donder and Blitzen! To the top of the porch! To the top of the wall! Now dash away! Dash away! Dash away all!”

As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly, when they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky.

So up to the house-top the coursers they flew with the sleigh full of toys, and St. Nicholas, too.

And then in a twinkling, I heard on the roof, the prancing and pawing of each little hoof.

As I drew in my head, and was turning around, down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound.

He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot, and his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot.

A bundle of toys he had flung on his back and he looked like a pedlar just opening his pack.

His eyes-how they twinkle! His dimples, how merry! His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!

His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow, and the beard of his chin was as white as the snow.

The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth, and the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath.

He had a broad face and a little round belly, that shook when he laughed, like a bowl-full of jelly.

He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf and I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself.

A wink of his eye and a twist of his head, soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread.

He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work, and filled all the stockings; then turned with a jerk.

And laying his finger aside of his nose, and giving a nod, up the chimney he rose.

He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle, and away they all flew like the down of a thistle.

But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight,

“Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night!”

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Glen Oaks offers comprehensive medical and rehabilitation services for patients discharged from the hospital who no longer need hospital care, but still require an additional inpatient stay.

This unit serves as a bridge returning you to your home and is designed to focus on your individualized therapy program.

Meals on the GO” is our new meal program we are offering to all short term rehab patients as they transition back home. We are partnering with McKales Catering to provide 5 days of actual meals.

We want you to recover as quickly and safely as possible, so we’re taking the burden of cooking off your shoulders so you can focus on getting better!

We also offer long-term care, memory care, independent living, and assisted living.

Call us today if you have questions or stop in for a tour and lunch!

(320) 354-2231 www.glenoaksslc.com Now in network with Humana!

West Central Tribune — Willmar, Minn. — Thursday, January 30, 2020 D11

Tips on estate planning, charitable giving Charitable giving comes in many forms. Some people donate annually to their favorite charities, while others may volunteer their time or professional services.

One way many people choose to give to charity is to donate at the time of their death. Including charitable giving into an estate plan is a wonderful way to support a favorite cause. When researching this approach, it can be easy to become overwhelmed by references to tax codes, attorney fees and other items that can make including charitable gifts in one’s estate plan seem more complex than it needs to be.

There are various ways to incorporate charitable giving into an estate plan, and that doing so is something almost anyone can do. ► Dictate giving in your will. When reading about charitable giving and estate planning, many people might begin to feel intimidated by estate taxes, feeling their heirs won’t get as much of their money as they hoped. Note that including a charitable contribution in your estate plan will reduce your estate

ties are exempt from both income and estate taxes, so choosing this option guarantees the charity will receive 100 percent of the account’s value once it has been liquidated. ► Explore a charitable trust. Charitable trusts provide another way to give back through estate planning. For example, a split-interest trust allows men and women to donate their assets to a charity but retain some of the benefits of holding those assets. A split-interest trust funds a trust in the charity’s name, and people who open one receive a tax deduction any time money is transferred into the trust.

But the donors still control the assets in the trust, which is passed onto the charity at the time of their deaths. You have various options at your disposal in regard to charitable trusts, so speak to a financial advisor to help you pick the Metro Graphics best one for you. ► Donate your retirement account. tax liabilities, which will help to maxCharitable giving is a part of many imize the final value of your estate Another way to utilize an estate plan people’s estate plan. Explore your for your heirs. Speak with your estate to donate to charity is to designate the options and choose the one that’s most attorney and ensure your donation is charity of your choice as the beneficia- beneficial to you, your heirs and the ry on your retirement account. Chari- charities you want to support. spelled out in your will.

Please join the Good Neighbor Club for our upcoming activities and have some fun!

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D12 Thursday, January 30, 2020 — West Central Tribune — Willmar, Minn.

MINNESOTA IS CALLING

By John Kellen Willmar Home is a powerful word conjuring up many feelings, emotions and experiences. Home has been written about often and often in clichés such as “Home is where the heart is,” Home is where I lay my hat,” etc.

For me, home has taken on new meaning having returned to Willmar after a long hiatus in the Sonoran Desert. I’m reminded of how beautiful this part of the world really is.

Reconnecting with my parents on a very deep level has opened up my eyes and given me a greater appreciation for time well spent. Caring for my mother now that my father passed away has been challenging, yet rewarding in many ways.

Something my mom and I both enjoy is getting out in nature. My earliest recollections as a child growing up in Minnesota were of trips to State Parks where our parents would take us swimming, fishing and camping.

As a way of reconnecting to a sense of place, and jogging memories, we have been visiting the parks we once frequented.

Photography as an artform has always intrigued me. I got my first camera when I was 12 years old.

What I’ve found recently is that photographs are also powerful tools to help preserve memories, especially as we age.

Standing on the shores of Lake Andrew or visiting the swimming hole at Camden State Park conjure up fond memories and spark conversations

both distant and very much in the present moment.

There is something magical about experiencing such beauty, and knowing that the bond is a powerful connection to where we have been.

Early in June (last) year we joined the Minnesota State Parks and Trails Passport Club and embarked on a series of “Adventures.”

Little did we know then that decision would lead us far and wide exploring our state in ways we never imagined.

There are so many amazing places in Minnesota that we’ve never seen other than on television or in magazines. To see them up close and personal is often breathtaking.

In addition to the natural wonders, there is much to learn while venturing off in our fair state.

The historical significance and unique geology, along with diverse biological ecosystems, are richly described at the many visitor and trail centers. Minnesota has some of the finest state parks in the country we’ve discovered, thanks in large part to the men and women of local groups who have worked to preserve these treasures.

There are currently 75 Minnesota State Parks and Recreation Areas, some of which are only accessible by boat or seaplane.

To date, my mom and I have visited 53 parks and counting. Each new park features unique beauty and history.

We highly recommend getting out and experiencing these parks for yourselves. You’ll be glad you did.

Minnesota is, indeed, calling.

Gerry has Partnered with Curt West Central Dementia Awareness Network P.O. BOX 1791 • WILLMAR, MN 56201 • WCDAN.com • Follow WCDAN on Facebook

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West Central Tribune — Willmar, Minn. — Thursday, January 30, 2020 D13

Addicted seniors a serious problem Opioid use among the older population

Opioid abuse is a problem for all age groups, including seniors.

The public is quickly learning that drug abuse goes beyond the illegal substances that are purchased on the street.

Abuse of drugs extends to the prescription medications sitting in many medicine cabinets.

While teenagers and young adults may be the first to be stereotyped as prescription drug abusers, seniors may have unwittingly become mixed up in one of the most misused prescription classes: opioid pain relievers.

The problem of opioid abuse has been a growing issue for years. The National Institute on Drug Abuse estimates 2.1 million people in the United States suffer from substance abuse of opioid pain relievers. Older patients are increasingly and repeatedly prescribed opioids to address chronic pain from arthritis, cancer and other problems that become more apparent as people age.

Data from U.S. Medicare recipients found that, in 2011, roughly 15 percent of seniors were prescribed an opioid after being discharged from the hospital. When followed up on three months later, 42 percent were still taking the medication. Fast forward to 2015, and almost one-third of all Medicare patients were prescribed opioid painkillers by their physicians, says AARP. The Canadian Institute for Health Information says adults between the ages of 45 and 64 and seniors age 65 and older had the highest rates of hospitalizations due to opioid poisoning over the past 10 years.

AARP also indicates nearly three million Americans age 50 or older have started to take painkillers for rea-

About this section: Generations, formerly Prime Time, sections are published a couple of times throughout the year as a special section within the West Central Tribune.

People age 55 and older are invited to write stories and submit pictures or other artwork for publication in these sections.

We recognize that senior citizens have much knowledge and experience. What better way to share that with the community than by writing an article for publication?

We invite all interested senior citizens to contribute articles. They may deal with serious issues, or tell human interest stories.

Photos or other graphics may be included with the submission of your article to help illustrate the piece.

If you need a photo returned, please include a self-addressed, stamped envelope.

Try to keep articles to within 500 words. Articles may be sent to: Generations, West Central Tribune, Box 839, Willmar, Minn. 56201; or emailed to news@wctrib.com with Generations in the subject line.

Generations sections are currently published January and April. For additional information, call 320-235-1150.

Metro Graphics

sons beyond what their doctors prescribed. Experts from the Physicians for Responsible Opioid Prescribing warn that dependence on opioids can set in after just a few days. Discomfort and side effects can occur when the pills are stopped. Opioids can decrease pain at first, but many people find they can be less effective over time. As a result, patients need to take greater amounts.

Although many people can take opioids in small doses for short periods of time without problems, many find themselves overcome by a troubling addiction. Some doctors prefer not to use opioids as a first line of treatment for chronic pain.

Another possible risk of opioids among seniors is that the medication can cause disorientation that may lead to falls and fractures. The senior care resource A Place for Mom also says that prescription narcotics may increase risk of respiratory arrest. What’s more, an older body may not absorb and filter medicines as effectively as younger bodies can. This means that older adults might become addicted to or have side effects from a prescription drug at a lower dose.

Seniors concerned about opioids can discuss other options with their doctors, such as nonopioid medications and alternative therapies for pain management, like massage or acupuncture.

If opioids are prescribed, ask for the lowest dose and don’t exceed the time frame for taking the medicine. Only take the pills when absolutely necessary, and never mix opioids with alcohol or other substances.

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D14 Thursday, January 30, 2020 — West Central Tribune — Willmar, Minn.

Tips to improve memory Forgetfulness can affect anyone. For example, few, if any, adults can say they have not experienced moments when they could not find their keys. And once the keys are found, people move on without giving much thought to why they did not immediately remember where they left their keys.

Isolated incidents where people cannot recall where they placed their car keys or other minor bouts with forgetfulness do not occur by accident.

In fact, the Harvard Medical School notes that they are likely byproducts of age-related changes in thinking skills.

When people reach their 50s, chemical and structural changes in the brain may begin to occur, and these changes can affect a person’s ability to process memories.

Father Time may be a formidable foe, but people can take steps to give their memories a boost as they get older. ► Embrace recognition instead of trusting recall. Dr. Joel Salinas, a neurologist who specializes in behavioral neurology and neuropsychiatry at Massachusetts General Hospital, notes that human beings are better at recognition than recall. That means people are more likely to remember something they read, such as a note or a list, than something they’re simply told. ► Recognize the value of repetition. The Harvard Medical School notes that people might be more inclined to remember what they hear if they repeat it out loud. Names and addresses might be more easily remembered after they’re repeated out loud because repetition increases the likelihood that the

brain will record the information and be capable of retrieving it later. When studying for exams, many students repeat important points to themselves time and again, and that same approach can be applied by adults who are trying to improve their memories. ► Eat a healthy diet. A study published in the journal Neurology found that people who eat healthy diets with lots of fruits, vegetables, nuts, and fish and little alcohol and red meat may be less likely to experience declines in their memory and thinking skills. Authored

by Andrew Smyth of McMaster University in Ontario and the National University of Ireland in Galway, the study following more than 27,000 people in 40 countries for an average of roughly five years.

All participants were 55 and older and had diabetes or a history of heart disease, stroke or peripheral artery disease. Those who ate the healthiest diets were 24 percent less likely to experience cognitive decline than people with the least healthy diets. ► Break things down. Breaking things down into small chunks also can help improve memory. If tasked with remembering something extensive, such as a speech, focus on a single sentence at a time, only moving on to the next sentence when you’re confident you have successfully committed the preceding sentence to memory. ► Periodic memory lapses are often nothing to worry about. But men and Metro Graphics women concerned about maintaining their memories can employ various A diet that includes lots of vegetables can help men and women reduce their risk for strategies to do just that. cognitive decline.

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West Central Tribune — Willmar, Minn. — Thursday, January 30, 2020 D15

Senses of smell and taste change with age Aging comes with several sensory changes, many of which people expect.

Loss of hearing or diminishing vision are widely associated with aging. But one’s senses of smell and taste may diminish with aging as well.

The senses of taste and smell work in concert. The sense of smell is vital to personal health, not only because inhaling pleasant aromas can provide comfort and stress relief through aromatherapy and help trigger important memories, but also because smell enables a person to detect the dangers of smoke, gas, spoiled food, and more.

The National Institute on Aging says that, as a person gets older, his or her sense of smell may fade, and that will also affect taste. The Mayo Clinic says some loss of taste and smell is natural and can begin as early as age 60.

Adults have about 9,000 taste buds sensing sweet, salty, sour, bitter, and umami flavors, or those corresponding to the flavor of glutamates. Many tastes are linked to odors that begin at the nerve endings in the lining of the nose. Medline says the number of taste buds decreases as one ages, and that remaining taste buds may begin to

problems associated with overusing salt or sugar.

Although aging is often to blame, loss of smell and taste also may be tied to early symptoms of Parkinson’s disease or Alzheimer’s disease. Cancer treatments, medications, lack of saliva, colds, flu, and other factors may contribute to sensory loss. Changing medications or treatments may help.

It’s important to bring up diminished flavors or smells with a doctor to rule out something more serious and to determine what might help restore pleasure from smells and flavors. An otolaryngologist, or a doctor who specializes in diseases of the ears, nose and throat, may be able to help fix the problem, though some people may be referred to a neurologist or another Metro Graphics specialist.

Continuing to use one’s sense of smell shrink. Sensitivity to the five tastes also nerves in the nose and on the tongue, and taste by cooking, gardening, trying begins to decline. This can make it more loss of smell and taste can greatly affect new flavors, and experimenting with difficult to distinguish between flavors. daily life.

Similarly, especially after age 70, Changes in these senses can contrib- different aromas may help slow down smell can diminish due to a loss of ute to feelings of depression, diminish the decline of these senses. Although nerve endings and less mucus in the one’s enjoyment of food and cause age-related loss of taste and smell cannose. With the combination of the harmful conditions, such as extreme not be reversed, some such cases may reduction of these important sensory weight loss from disinterest in food to be treatable.

Prescription opioids can be addictive and dangerous.

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D16 Thursday, January 30, 2020 — West Central Tribune — Willmar, Minn.

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