Senior Lifestyle September 2017
Senior Lifestyle September 2017
Senior Lifestyle September 2017
ON THE ROAD
AGAIN BUS TRIPS EASY WAY
FOR SENIORS TO TRAVEL
Page 8
CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
INSIDE: FUN CALENDAR SENIOR PROFILE FOOD TEST DRIVE HEALTH SAVVY SENIOR HOMES MONEY
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FRIDAY, SEPT. 1
Shawano County Fair: Fairgrounds, 990 E.
Green Bay St. Midway thrills, tractor pull, demo-
lition derby, free grandstand entertainment, polka
bands, great food, craft exhibits, stock car races
and 4-H exhibits. 715-526-5419.
SATURDAY, SEPT. 2
Shawano County Fair: Fairgrounds, 990 E.
Green Bay St. Midway thrills, tractor pull, demo-
lition derby, free grandstand entertainment, polka
bands, great food, craft exhibits, stock car races
and 4-H exhibits. 715-526-5419.
Shawano Farmers Market: Franklin Park, 200
block of South Washington St., Shawano. 8 a.m.
to noon. Over 45 food and craft vendors. Enter-
SUNDAY, SEPT. 3
Shawano County Fair: Fairgrounds, 990 E.
Green Bay St. Midway thrills, free grandstand
entertainment, polka bands, great food, craft The fifth annual Bike the Barn Quilts event will be held Sept. 23.
exhibits, 4-H exhibits. 715-526-5419.
St., Shawano. 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Admission $5, begins at 9:30 a.m. 715-304-9796.
children 5-12 $1, under 5 free. 715-526-3323.
WEEKLY
SATURDAY, SEPT. 9 Mondays
School Days: Heritage Park, 524 N. Franklin St.,
Hand & Foot Card Club: Room 103, Shawano
Shawano. Living history events as part of the so-
Community Middle School, 1050 S. Union St.,
cietys Summer at the Society series. Admission
Shawano. 9-11:30 a.m. Community Education
$5, $1 children under 12. 715-526-3323.
activity for ages 50+. We will teach you how to
Shawano Farmers Market: Franklin Park, 200 play. Free. 715-526-2192, ext. 3102.
PHOTO COURTESY OF JOSH HARTY.COM
Shawano County Fair: Fairgrounds, 990 E. SATURDAY, SEPT. 23 Seniors Cribbage and Sheephead League:
Green Bay St. Midway thrills, free grandstand Dan Newton: W9050 Broadway Road, Sha- Lakeshore Lanes, 210 Airport Road, Shawano.
entertainment, polka bands, great food, craft wano. 7 p.m. Part of the Cotter Creek House 1-4 p.m. Tuesdays through Thursdays. Play one
exhibits, 4-H exhibits. 715-526-5419. Concert Series. 715-853-6879 day or all three. Call Gary, 715-584-7700.
Bike the Barn Quilts Ride/Walk: Memorial Ath- Fridays
THURSDAY, SEPT. 7 letic Park, 909 S. Lincoln St. Shawano. 70- and
Senior Citizen Swim: Shawano Park and Recre-
Historical Society Museums: Shawano County 40-mile rides begin at 8 a.m. Other rides begin
ation Department, 220 E. Division St. 9:30-10:30
Historical Society Heritage Park, 517 N. Franklin at 9 a.m. with five-minute intervals. The run/walk
a.m. Free with membership or $2 per day.
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M
ary Redman and Walter Gross
moved back to Shawano last year
and have been very busy making
and selling their crafts ever since.
This is their second year as vendors at
the Shawano Farmers Market. They sell
beaded earrings, necklaces, bracelets and
bookmarks.
Redman also makes earrings out of cook-
ie tins.
Ive always done crafty things, Redman
said. I especially like to do the earrings. We
sell a lot of them.
Over the years Gross has done painting
and stained glass; now its mostly beadwork.
The couple has settled in their town of
Wescott home with plenty of room for their
crafts and their cats.
PHOTO BY CAROL WAGNER
After graduating from Shawano High
Mary Redman and Walter Gross make crafts under the name, Wally G Beads.
School, Gross attended the University of
Wisconsin-Stevens Point and UW-Madison. attended UW-Green Bay and Montana State I couldnt get rid of him so I finally mar-
I didnt know what I wanted to be, he before returning to Shawano and working in ried him, Redman said.
said. the office at Dearco, where she met Gross. After college Redman moved to Medford
He stayed with his sister in Florida a Redman went back to school in Madison to be a medical social worker at Medford Me-
couple of times, and in 1976, he came back and earned bachelors and masters degrees morial Hospital. A year later Gross moved
to Shawano and worked in the warehouse at in social work. there, too. He worked making windows until
Dearco. I followed her to Madison, said Gross, the company went on strike, so he decided to
Redman graduated from Shawano High who worked doing picture framing and was go back to school.
School a few years after her husband. She quite well-known there. CONTNUED ON PAGE 4
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HANG ON TO SUMMER
Cook fresh fruit in custardy batter
By THE CULINARY INSTITUTE
OF AMERICA
S
eptember is a curious kind of
month. Its the time of year that we
wistfully bid farewell to the easy,
carefree days of summer and say hello to
the crisp apples, new school clothes and
the more structured schedules autumn
brings.
If youre not quite ready to let go of
summer, The Culinary Institute of Ameri-
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PRICED TO MOVE
By MATT JONES that these offers apply in your area. Smooth ride for a truck with its ca-
L
abor Day is the last three-day These deals are good now and should be pability
weekend of summer, so as we go available through Sept. 5. CONS
into the end of August and early Diesel engine feels lazy when pass-
September, you can expect to see some TRUCK ing slower traffic
fairly aggressive deals from car dealer- 2017 NISSAN TITAN XD CREW CAB Large turning circle is cumbersome
ships as they try to wrap up the summer Starting MSRP: $39,165 Small fuel-tank size limits overall
selling season. Edmunds is seeing discounts in the range
The combination of end-of-model-year $12,200 range depending on package and
clearance prices on outgoing models and region. MIDSIZE SEDANS
relatively high levels of inventory means In terms of both price and capability, 2017 HONDA ACCORD
you can find a close-out bargain before the 2017 Nissan Titan XD fills the gap Starting MSRP: $24,030
pickings get slim. between typical light trucks and heavy- Edmunds is seeing discounts in the
To help with the hunt, Edmunds se- duty trucks. With a variety of trims and $5,700 range, depending on package and
lected five of the best deals: two sedans, a strong diesel engine option, its unique region.
an SUV, a minivan and a truck. Its picks and offers flexibility competitors dont. The 2017 Honda Accord is arguably
are based on a combination of good avail- PROS Honda at its finest. It scores highly in
ability, good reviews and good discounts. Good balance between price and just about every category and is a genu-
Cash-back offers, rebates and incen- performance ine pleasure to drive. The Accords qui-
tives can vary by region. Check to see Functional and attractive interior et, comfort and overall refinement are
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standouts in the segment and may even
give a few entry-level luxury cars a run
for their money.
PROS
Cabin is roomy and filled with styl-
ish, soft-touch materials
Ride is comfortable on bumpy roads
and on the highway
Handling is fun and sporty
CONS
The interface of the optional touch-
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M
any recent retirees have an
for seniors and Oconto counties, and for extended tours, Nation-
wide offers an optional shuttle transfer from Shawa-
no. While Nationwide Travelers trips are for travel-
to see the sights ers of any age, the majority of its clientele are seniors,
Last said.
Recent popular one-day tours have been those
By NIKKI KALLIO that also offer a cruise, including three trips to Door
County that included a winery tour and a 90-minute
boat ride. The first trip sold out by April, prompting
the company to add two more trips that also sold out,
Last said.
It seems to ebb and flow, she said. What works
one year may not work the next year. You just have to
try and see what everybody seems to be interested in
this time around.
Bus trips are appealing both for the types of activi-
ties they offer and because of the ease of the travel.
Luggage on extended trips is handled by drivers or
tour staff, and all the planning is done by the tour
company.
They dont have to worry about getting lost, they
dont have to worry about planning their routes, they
dont have to worry if something happens mechani-
cally, Last said. Its just the ease of being able to go
on vacation, because somebody else will take care of
whatever comes up.
Jo Ann Olson, 63, nutrition site coordinator at the
Wittenberg Senior Center, coordinates occasional day
trips for seniors in Wittenberg, Birnamwood and Ti-
gerton. A June trip stopped at the Butterfly Gardens
of Wisconsin in Appleton and also included a visit to a
local store offering Amish goods.
The seniors enjoy the trips for the chance to visit
with others, to see something different and some-
times even to have a day of respite from a spouse,
Olson said.
It doesnt matter if the weather cooperates or not.
On the day of the butterfly trip it rained and rained,
but they said, well, it was the fun of it anyway for
the sociability, and our bus driver was phenomenal,
showing us interests along the way, Olson said.
Olson herself is a bus traveler, traveling often with
CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
ON THE COVER
This photo of Glacier National Park was taken on a Canadian Rock-
This photo of Jackson Lake in the Grand Tetons was taken on Nationwide Travelers Majestic Parks of the West tour. ies Grandeur tour organized by Nationwide Travelers.
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CONTINUED FROM PAGE 10 D.C., California, New York City and many other
Kauffman charters her trips with Nation- places.
wide Travelers. Casper enjoys the extras that Kauffman of-
Its just fun to get away and relax, Olson fers to make the trips especially interesting,
said. When I can let somebody else do the such as group games that might include ques-
work and not me, thats whats relaxing. tionnaires about the local area and its history.
One of her favorite trips with Kauffman was Its a lot of fun, and then we get very com-
to Hawaii where the group toured the spectac- petitive and loud until the bus driver tells us to
ular scenery in a small 14-passenger bus, vis- be quiet, Casper said.
iting volcanoes and off-the-beaten path places Virginia Kauffman, 77, has been lead-
larger groups didnt go. ing tours for 42 years, adding trips whenever
Shell give an itinerary of what were going something of interest comes up, usually taking
to do, but she has so much more for it she about 10 tours each year, both day and extend-
has games, and theres always some surprises ed trips.
along the way that she pops in there, Olson I keep adding during the year, whatever I
said. Shes just a delightful person. decide to do at the spur of the moment, Kauff-
Diana Casper, of Wittenberg, works part man said.
time at Hankes Sentry Foods to help pay for Kauffman is planning a La Crosse riverboat
her trips with Kauffman Tours, which shes tour Oct. 1 that has been popular enough for
been taking since the mid-1970s. her to add a second bus. Her travelers enjoy
Casper joined Kauffman for two weeks in the ease of the travel, she said.
Alaskas inside passage and the Yukon, where a A lot of them are senior citizens, and they
bus would ferry the group through the regions get on the bus here, so they dont have to drive
amazing scenery. Caspers first trip to Alaska to Appleton, Kauffman said. They get on here CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
in the 1970s was one of her favorites, and she in Tigerton. When we go to places like Bran- Virginia Kauffman, owner of Kauffman Tours in
recalls panning for gold and having a necklace son, you pull up to the hotel, get out at the door, Tigerton, gets her photo taken with Irish singing
made from the gold she found. Casper also has and your luggage is taken to the room. Its just star Daniel ODonnell during a bus trip to Bran-
been to Niagara Falls, Branson, Washington, the convenience of it. son, Missouri.
CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
The Majestic Parks of the West tour offered by Nationwide Travelers included views of the Big Horn Mountains.
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GEAR GUIDE
GUSTBUSTER METRO 43-INCH it can connect to wireless internet to make
AUTOMATIC UMBRELLA it easier for you to share your travel photos
Every traveler must be prepared for with family (and make your friends jealous).
contingencies including inclement weath- Suggested retail value: $149-$159.
er. The GustBuster nylon folding umbrella Available at Amazon.com.
is built to avoid that annoying problem of LANDS END
turning inside-out when you most need CLASSIC SQUALL JACKET
the protection. Wind-tested to 55 mph, This Wisconsin company has made
the GustBuster is an unflappable product. this jacket in various forms since the early
Comes in various sizes and color combos 1980s, and its staying power is found in
with raindrop design. The carrying sheath its waterproof nylon shell and windproof
also becomes a handy backpack. comfort. Add a layer of security with its
Suggested retail value: $38.98. zippered pockets. The jacket is made for
Available at Amazon.com. a variety of temperatures and in several
MILLS FLEET FARM styles for men, women and kids. Lots of
COUNTRY MIX BIG VALUE colors to choose from. When they tell you
Its always good to bring along a snack to pack in layers, this is a good choice for
when youre road-tripping, and trail mix is the top one.
a wise choice. With peanuts, cashews, al- Suggested retail value: $49-$149.
monds, raisins and chocolate, its just the Available at LandsEnd.com.
right amount of sweet, salty and healthy PLAN AHEAD JUMBO JOURNAL
proteins to keep up your energy for sight- A great way to keep a record of your
seeing. Fleet Farms 2-pound bag ensures journey, this jumbo (8 -inch by 10
youve got enough to go around. -inch) journal allows you to readily jot
Suggested retail value: $5.99-$7.49. down notes. Keep track of your stops and
Available at Mills Fleet Farm. interesting historical facts, and if you want
CANON POWERSHOT ELPH 190 IS to dash off a letter to family, the station-
(BLACK) WITH 10X OPTICAL ZOOM ary-quality pages are perforated for easy
AND BUILT-IN WI-FI removal. Tuck brochures, postcards and
This point-and-shoot is a PC magazine memorabilia between the pages to keep
editors pick for a small, affordable pocket them handy.
camera, with a 10X zoom lens to capture Suggested retail value: Various.
the faraway sights up close. The camera Available at Walgreens.
also shoots video, and for the tech-savvy, Compiled by Nikki Kallio
11 Visit us online at
S E P TEMBER 2017 www.shawanoleader.com
H EALTH
SL
F
illing a prescription is no longer the
simple errand you run after a doc-
tor visit.
With drug prices rising and insurance
coverage shrinking, it pays to ask ques-
tions and do a little research before hand-
ing over your insurance card at the phar-
macy counter. Having coverage offers no
guarantee that youre getting the best
price for your medicine.
Customers of CVS and Walgreens
brought that concern to light earlier this THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
month when they sued the drugstore
chains over prices paid for generic pre-
scriptions.
The lawsuits accuse the companies of
charging insured patients more for ge- show how drug prices without insurance If your research turned up a lower
neric drugs than what people pay without will vary by store. Knowing whats in the price elsewhere, ask your pharmacist if
coverage. It also says the drugstores dont market helps you tell quickly if your favor- they would match that price. The drug-
tell insured patients about the cheaper op- ite drugstore is pricey. store also may offer a discount program.
tion. When we talk about the price of a drug, Pharmacists in some states can sub-
CVS and Walgreens reject the claims its sort of an arbitrary estimate instead of stitute a brand-name drug for a cheaper
and promise to fight them. a hard-and-fast rule, said Caitlin Morris generic. But check first with your doctor
Before you fill your next prescription, of the advocacy group Families USA. about how that may affect your treatment.
consider these steps to help find the best When comparing costs online, note that
possible price. some websites may show the cash price UNDERSTAND THE RISKS
without insurance while others only show Paying cash for prescriptions comes
TALK TO YOUR DOCTOR the cost if you use one of their coupons. with some side effects.
Start a habit of asking your doctor Those costs wont help you reach your
about prices whenever you get a new pre- QUIZ THE PHARMACIST insurance plans annual deductible or out-
scription. The best deal you can get may be the of-pocket maximum, after which the in-
If you have insurance, bring informa- price you pay through insurance. This is surer picks up more of the bill.
tion about your formulary, or list of cov- especially true with brand-name drugs. Paying cash or using different drug-
ered drugs, to your visit. The price without insurance for those is stores for the best price also means that
Your doctor deals with many different typically much more expensive than the your insurer or your regular pharmacist
insurers and may not know the costs tied co-payment or deductible you pay with wont be monitoring to make sure your
to your coverage. The list can tell your coverage. medicines dont conflict and cause a bad
doctor how your treatment or any alterna- However, most prescriptions filled are reaction. That responsibility will fall large-
tives might be covered, said AARP drug generic and the cash price for those drugs ly on you, especially if you have more than
pricing expert Leigh Purvis. may be cheaper than what a person would one doctor.
pay through insurance, depending on If a prescription is still too expensive
DO SOME RESEARCH your plan. after all your research and negotiating,
Approach prescription buying like car Ask the pharmacist what your prescrip- you can walk away and not pay for it. But
shopping. You dont want to do it without tion will cost based on your coverage before doing so wont help you get better and it
some idea of the prices in your market. you have it filled. If the price is too high, ask could make your condition more expen-
Websites like GoodRx and WeRx can what it would cost without coverage. sive to treat later on.
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CONTINUED FROM PAGE 13 you evaluate and chose a vehicle that parture devicem like the Mobileye 630.
Their picks include a variety of com- meets your needs is the AAA online tool This is a smart camera that attaches to
pact and midsized sedans and SUVs, Smart Features for Older Drivers. the windshield and will alert the driver
two minivans and a station wagon from At SeniorDriving.AAA.com/Smart- if he speeds, drifts out of his lane, gets
seven different automakers. Heres Features you can check the areas you too close to the car in front of him, or
their top 25 ranking, starting with one have problems with like diminished gets too close to a pedestrian or cyclist.
through 25: Subaru Forester; Subaru vision, cognitive decline, limited upper Sold only through retailers (see Mo-
Outback; Kia Soul; Subaru Legacy; Kia body range of motion, decreased leg bileye.com/en-us/find-a-retailer), this
Sportage; Toyota Highlander; Toyota strength, arthritic hands, short stature device can be purchased and installed
Prius V; Toyota RAV4; Honda Odyssey; or overweight and the tool will iden- by a Mobileye-certified technician for
Nissan Rogue; Honda Accord; Ford tify vehicles that have the features that around $1,100.
C-Max Hybrid; Hyundai Sonata; Toy- will best accommodate your needs. If youre interested in something
ota Camry; Subaru Crosstrek; Toyota Although this tool looks at model-year a little less expensive, there are also
Sienna; Honda CR-V; Honda Pilot; Kia 2016 vehicles, in many cases the fea- dashboard cameras that can double as
Forte; Ford Escape; Toyota Corolla; Kia tures shown are carried over for 2017 collision warning systems. Garmins
Sorento; Ford Flex; Hyundai Santa Fe; models. Dash Cam 35 ($129, Amazon.com), for
Hyundai Tucson. They also have a Smart Features example, monitors up to 130 feet in front
For more information on their top 25 brochure you can download that will tell of the vehicle, so if the vehicle is going
list, see Consumerreports.org/elderly- you what to look for in a vehicle to best 30 mph or faster, it will issue audio and
driving/top-25-new-cars-for-senior- accommodate your needs. visual alerts of impending collisions.
drivers.
SAFETY PRODUCTS Send your senior questions to Savvy Senior, P.O.
Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior.
AAA TOOL For extra safety, you may also want org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today
Another great resource that can help to consider a collision warning/lane de- show and author of The Savvy Senior book.
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D
PEACOCK: Everybody in a house-
esha Peacock believes that ev-
hold needs to have a sweet spot nook
eryone should have their own
or some little place in their house thats
space at home where they can
theirs, whether its a whole room or
do the work that brings them joy.
whether its a corner or whether its just
The author of Create the Style You
a little piece of a wall. It allows more
Crave on a Budget You Can Afford: The
freedom to create and it just allows you
Sweet Spot Guide to Home Decor (Sky-
to feel, well, free.
horse Publishing, 2014) is out with a new
AP: What are the most important in-
book that focuses on creative workspac-
gredients of a home office or studio?
es.
PEACOCK: The main thing for ev-
Its really important when youre do-
ing creative work that you have a beauti- erybody, regardless of what youre do-
ful place ... so that can enhance the work ing, is light. Sunlight is really important.
If you cant have natural lighting, then
SKYHORSE PUBLISHING VIA AP
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