senior tab 2010

SeniorLifestyles

AUGUST

2010INSIDE:� Leaving a wonderful legacy� Why does it hurt before it rains?� Six reasons to play golf� Social Security visits in Ionia

A publication of theIonia Sentinel-Standard

www.sentinel-standard.com

Portland woman stays young with

quilting• Learning to love dentures• Lose the salt, keep the taste

Alsoinside

By Marianne PayneGateHouse News Service

KayClemens thinks shedoes a better job thanthe weathermen.

"A lot of people don'tbelieve you can say it is goingto rain," said the osteoarthritispatient fromAthens, Ill. "I canalways tell when it is going todo something outside becausethe aching gets really bad."Pain sufferers long have

been known to curse the cold,humidity or changes inbarometric pressure, possiblyexplaining the phrase "feelingunder the weather." Thediscussion dates back toHippocrates in 400 B.C. and

still has no definitive answer.Despite anecdotal evidence,

experts have yet toacknowledge a cause-and-effect relationship betweenweather changes and physicaldiscomfort.At the same time,

rheumatologists can't ignorethe complaints of theirpatients."Obviously, on a daily

basis, I hear that their knee, orwhatever, is the weatherindicator," said rheumatologistDr. Jeffery Horvath at theSpringfield (Ill.) Clinic. "I hearit enough, there must besomething to it."Dr. Robert Trapp,

rheumatologist at theArthritis

Center in Springfield, saidmost of his patients claim theycan consistently sense a stormapproaching as early as two tothree days in advance."I personally believe that

many of them can," Trapp said,"although when you look atscientific studies, there is a lotmore controversy."

THE ARGUMENT FOR

There hasn't been muchresearch into whether theweather affects how anarthritic person feels.Andwhat research exists has nodefinitive answer.One study had subjects in

Argentina keep journalsdescribing their symptoms,which were then compared to

weather reports. The studyfound the people with arthritiswere more affected by weatherchanges than the controlgroup, but the association wasnot strong enough to predictweather.One often-cited study was

headed by arthritis specialist J.Hollander in 1961. Hollanderbuilt a climate chamber, wherehe sealed 12 arthritic patientsinside and adjustedatmospheric conditions. Thesubjects were unaware of thechanges as they occurred.Patients reported pain with

low barometric pressure andhigh humidity.When thebarometric pressure drops, itoften means rain and/or coolerweather is coming. Hollandertheorized that a drop inpressure causes the alreadyenflamed joints to swell.Trapp explained it this way:

"In this enclosed space withinthe joint, think of it as aballoon that is not inflated. Thepressure outside of the spacewill theoretically allow thepressure inside the joint toincrease."

THE ARGUMENT AGAINST

However, other studiesfind no connection betweenchanges in the weather andpain, and at least one studysuggests it's all in a

person's head.Dr.AmosTversky, a

Stanford Universitypsychologist, monitored 18patients, 17 of whom claimedtheir arthritis was influencedby the weather. The studytracked the patients' symptomsfor 15 months and comparedthe data to local weatherreports.Tversky's study found no

correlation between pain andweather. Instead, he attributedthe relationship to the innatehuman tendency to look forpatterns. The study isconsistent withTversky's otherwork, which seeks to debunkhuman instinct. Tverskypreviously found no evidencethat a basketball player with a"hot hand" cheats probability."People look for patterns -

and find them - when theyaren't really there," Trapp said.

601 East Washington Street P.O. Box 124 • Ionia

616-527-0681 officewww.ioniaareahospice.org Toll Free: 877-882-4500

IONIA AREA HOSPICE

“Your Community Hospice”

~ Senior Lifestyles ~ Ionia Sentinel Standard

health

Why does it hurt right before it rains?

GHNSResearchers acknowl-edge some people feelpain when it's about torain, but they aren't surewhy.

hobbies

Senior Lifestyles ~ Ionia Sentinel Standard ~

PINE VISTAAPARTMENTS

667 Union St.Ionia, MI 48846

Phone 1-616-527-9060Fax 1-616-527-3383

E-mail [email protected] Hours 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Independent apartment living designed with you in mind. Rent is either basedon 30% of adjusted income; a minimum of $25.00; or a flat rent.

There are 49 one bedroom apartments and 1 two bedroom apartment in thefour-story high rise building. The building is located on a beautiful residentialsite close to downtown Ionia. Local services are readily available.

Amenities:• Community room and patio with abeautiful view for family gatherings,parties, etc.• Elevator• Laundry and beauty shop on site• Affordable, independent living• Range & frost-free refrigerator inapartment• Refuse removal• Cable television hookups (reduced,

commercial rates)

• Secured building (intercom entry system)

• Excellent maintenance service• City of Ionia Dial-a-Ride Service

• Close to downtown, churches, drug store, grocerystore, etc.• Tenant sponsored birthday parties, coffees, specialdinners, game nights, craft day & more....

Portland woman stays young with

quilting

At 99 years old, Esther Schraubenkeeps a positive outlook on life withthe help of her faith and hobbies such

as quilting and card games. Schrauben wasborn and raised in Westphalia. She marriedin 1937 at 24 years old and has spent thelast 72 years living in Portland.

“I thank the Lord every day for my good health,” saidSchrauben, who said she keeps her mind sharp by completingbooks of word searches and reading mystery novels. “I don’treally feel that old.”Schrauben is one of 13 in her family and has eight

children, 19 grandchildren and 33 great-grandchildren.“I love them all,” she added.Schrauben was an employee at the Salant & Salant Shirt

Company sewing collars onto men’s shirts as well as a workerat the Fisher Body General Motors plant.She said to keep her busy she partakes in various hobbies

such as playing cribbage, gardening and spending time withfamily members who live in the Portland area.Her favorite hobby, she said, is quilting, which she began

at 17 years of age. She said her mother quilted which sparkedher interested in sewing, and the love grew from there.

BY KARINARMBRUSTERSENTINEL-STANDARD WRITER

hobbies


Esther Schraubenpulls a threadthrough the eyeof a needle Thurs-day to continuestitching her quilt.The quilt wasstarted July 29and Schraubenestimates it willtake her until theend of next weekto complete the81- by 108-inchblanket.

KarinArmbruster/Sentinel-Standard

“I like sewing. I do it more or less as a pastime,”Schrauben said, adding it also helps keep heroccupied.

Since she has a lot of time, she said she beginsanother quilt right after she finishes one, whichusually is every couple of weeks.

Although unsure as to how many she has made inher lifetime, Schrauben said she wagers the numberis close to 1,000.

“I don’t think I’m too far from that,” she said.“I’m proud of my stitches.”

Not only has she kept some of her creations,Schrauben has also given them away, provided themas gifts to friends and family during times ofcelebration and also donated them to churches andchildren.

She said if someone asked her for advice aboutthe world today, Schrauben said she would replywith, “Take one day at a time.” She added she doesnot feel sorry for herself, and her activities keep hergoing, keep her positive and also keep her smiling.

“I’m tickled to death I’m in as good of shape as Iam,” she said.

heroes

By JON SZERLAGSentinel-Standard writer

Born, raised and startinghis life in Ionia, thelate Winston T.

Churchill went on to becomethe first magistrate of the17th District Court inRedford Twp., but made afirst in Ionia as a motorcyclepatrolman.Churchill was born on

Sept. 15, 1922 in Ionia. Hisfather was the town’s barber.After graduating Ionia

High School in 1940,Winston joined the UnitedStates Army in 1941 andserved in the SecondEngineers Special Brigade inthe Philippines during World

War II. He returned to Ioniain 1945, and joined the IoniaPolice Department as the firstmotorcycle patrolman.Churchill’s daughter,

Melody Lepley, remembers astory from her father’smotorcycle patrolman days ofhim chasing a speedingvehicle that ran underneath aporch, and her father gettingthe man, brushing him offand giving him a ticket.“We thought that was real

cute,” said Lepley.Churchill went up the

ranks in the Ionia PoliceDepartment to AssistantPolice Chief, and during histimes as a motorcyclepatrolman is when he met hiswife of 64 years, MarilynChurchill.

“We wanted to come backafter the war, and he met mymother,” said Lepley. “Shewould peek out the windowwanting to meet him.”Marilyn Churchill played

the piano and sang, andWinston played the violin.“It’s very cute — my mom

use to play the piano andsing, and she was playing thepiano and he came up andsaid, ‘Why don’t I come oversome night and we can makemusic together?” said Lepley.Winston Churchill played

in Ionia High School’s JazzBand, and later played for theRedford Symphony.“He could play by ear,”

said Lepley. “He could turnon the radio and playwhatever he wanted to play

on the violin.”Churchill left Ionia to join

the Federal Bureau ofInvestigation in1950, andserved withthe bureaufor 27years.Afterretiringfrom theFBI, hebecame theMagistrate ofthe 17thDistrict Court inRedford Twp.“They

dedicated hiscourtroom tohim,” saidLepley. “In the Hall ofJudges, there’s a big pictureand a plaque with his nameon it.”During his 25 years of

service to the court, heperformed marriageceremonies, which Lepleyexplained that everybodywanted to have him performdue to his name.“People loved it, they all

wanted to have Winston

Churchill on their weddingcertificate,” said Lepley.

“Everybody got a kickout of his name.”

Besides hisname, peoplegot “a kick”of who hewas as aman, andlooked upto him.Lepley told astory of howa con-man who

kept getting outof jail and goingback, wanted toreform, and askedChurchill for aletter ofrecommendation.

The man went on to become ateacher after the letter waswritten.“My dad wrote this

beautiful letter, and the manwas able to teach,” saidLepley. “(A friend said) ‘Aman is not just measured byhow he treats his friends, butalso his enemies,’ and that iswho my father was. He was agreat guy, and left awonderful legacy.”

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WWiinnssttoonn TT.. CChhuurrcchhiillll:: LLeeaavviinngg aa wwoonnddeerrffuull lleeggaaccyy

Winston T. Churchill1922-2010

OnAug. 14, 1935,President Franklin DelanoRoosevelt signed theSocial Security Act. Withone pen stroke, he laid thefoundation of modernAmerican social policy.Today, millions of retireeslive in dignity thanks totheir monthly SocialSecurity benefit payment.Over the decades, SocialSecurity expanded to notonly protect against therisk of poverty in old age,but also the economic riskof career-ending disabilityand the premature death ofa worker.In his statement at the

signing of the SocialSecurity Act, PresidentRoosevelt said, “If theSenate and the House ofRepresentatives in thislong and arduous sessionhad done nothing morethan pass this Bill, thesession would be regardedas historic for all time.” Icould not agree more.A little over a quarter

century ago, I came toWashington to work onSocial Security. Just a fewmonths later, I got a veryimportant lesson on howimportant Social Security

is to families. My ownfather, who was almost thesame age I am today,suffered a massivecerebral hemorrhage. Hestarted to recover, andthen we got the bad newsthat he had a fatal form ofbrain cancer, so we beganthe process to apply forSocial Security disabilitybenefits. That was a veryanxious time for myfamily, and particularly formy mother. We were allvery concerned that thehealth care costs for myfather would bankrupt her;it was a great relief whenthe decision came. That’sa lesson that has alwaysstuck with me and why Ipush very hard asCommissioner to try tomake sure that we getbenefit decisions toclaimants as quickly aspossible. As we celebrate75 years, I reflect on howSocial Security was therefor my family, how proudI am to work for thisremarkable program, andhow lucky I am to leadsuch a talented andcompassionate workforce.I have two wonderful

children who entered the

workforce in the pastyear. One is being calledup for active military dutyin October and the otherwill teach inner-citychildren. It is imperativethat they and millions ofother young Americanshave confidence that wewill continue to honor the

great intergenerationalcontract that is SocialSecurity. It is in this spiritthat President Obamaestablished the NationalCommission on FiscalResponsibility andReform that in Decemberwill makerecommendationsregarding the future ofSocial Security.With the 75th

anniversary of the SocialSecurity Act upon us, theagency has been

revitalized despite thehuge workloads caused byhigher unemployment.Compared to four yearsago, productivity is up,backlogs are down, and anaging IT infrastructure isbeing replaced with state-of-the-art systems and thebest electronic services inthe Federal government.I am excited about the

next 75 years of SocialSecurity, and you shouldbe too.


Edmondson, Rouse & Schmid Family MedicineDenise Johnson, FNP and Jennifer Dykstra, FNP

Excellence/Experience, Board

Certified,~ Providing Medical Care

to Ionia County since1980 ~

Steven H. Edmondson DO, Therese Rouse DO& Frank L. Schmid DO

Hours: 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Monday - Friday

107 N. Bridge St., Saranac 616-642-9408

ersfamilymedicine.com

Welcoming New Patients • Accepting Most Insurances

milestone

Social Security marks 75th yearBY GUEST COLUMNIST MICHAEL J. ASTRUE / COMMISSIONER OF SOCIAL SECURITY

This month Social Security, the mostsuccessful domestic program in our nation’shistory, celebrates its 75th anniversary.


Sunday•August 297 pm • Doors open at 6

TICKE

TS CALL FOR TICKETSCarson City Hospital989-584-3971 ext. 551Star Tickets: 800-585-3737

BUY TICKETS IN PERSON ATSoaring Eagle Casino Box Office in Mount Pleasant orMichigan Meijer Star Tickets outlets

TICKETS ONLINE www.startickets.com

$30 gen. adm.

Event Sponsored ByCarson City Hospital • Central Michigan Com-munity Hospital • Clinton Memorial Hospital •

Sheridan Community Hospital • Sparrow Foun-dation-Children’s Miracle Network • Soaring

Eagle Casino & Resort • Lite Hits 104.3 WCZY-Mt. Pleasant • 92.1 WQTX-Lansing • 98.7 WFGR-

Grand Rapids • WDLP 93.1-Montcalm Public Radio • Z92.5 The Castle and WMLM 1520 AM

“Indian Reservation,” “Kicks,” “Hungry,” “Just Like Me” & more!

Summer Dance PartySoaring Eagle Casino & Resort Main Stage

Mount Pleasant, MichiganFEATURED PERFORMERS PAUL REVERE & THE RAIDERS

tribute to ROY ORBISON Dave Lathanguetribute to CHER Andrea Brunet

tribute to ROD STEWART Dave Battah

fast facts

30 Greek scientists found that people whowatched comedy for 30 minutes tem-

porarily improved the flexibility of their coronary ar-teries. That's because laughing reduces thestress hormone cortisol, which is responsible forthe stiffening of arteries and hampering of bloodflow.

82/85 There are 38 million peopleolder than 65 in the United

States, and they have a very good chance of livinga whole lot longer. The average life expectancy formen who are currently 65 is 82, and the life ex-pectancy of women currently 65 is 85, accordingto a 2008 study by the Centers for Disease Con-trol and Prevention.

$239,400The median networth for families

whose head of household was between 65 and 74years old in 2007 was $239,400, according to theU.S. Census Bureau. The median net worth for allfamilies regardless of age was only $120,300.

17Seventeen percent of older people whowere living alone in 2008 were poor, com-

pared with only 3 percent of older people who werepoor and living with families. The highest povertyrates were among Hispanic women living alone.Forty-three percent were living in poverty, followedby 35 percent of black women who were livingalone in poverty, according to the Administration onAging.Num

berstoknow


Carveth Assisted Living units are “all inclusive”. Assistancewith activities of daily living, meals, laundry-linen service,medication administration monitored by a RN,wireless personal alarms, housekeeping, DirecTV, andtelephone are included in the monthly rent.

Lemon Ginger ChickenThis dish has been adapted from

four servings to a more intimate dinner for two.

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (fattrimmed)

1 1/2 teaspoons low-sodium soy sauce1 tablespoon oil (canola, peanut or

sesame)1 tablespoon fresh lemon or lime juice1 tablespoon brown sugar (packed)1/8 teaspoon ground ginger1/2 teaspoon garlic, minced1/8 cup chopped cilantroPlace chicken breasts in a large sealable plastic bag. In a small measuring

cup, whisk together soy sauce, oil and lemon juice. Whisk in brown sugar,ginger and garlic. Add cilantro. Pour mixture into the bag with the chicken. Sealit and marinate the chicken in the refrigerator for up to 6 hours before cooking.Discard marinade and grill the chicken for 7 to 10 minutes on each side untildone. Alternatively, roast in a 400-degree oven. Serve with vegetables andbrown rice. Makes 2 servings.

A big gripe with low-sodium cooking is that without salt,meals lose vibrancy. We try to avoid high blood pressureand often end up with bland suppers. But you don't have

to choose between flavor and hypertension with Lemon GingerChicken, a dish from registered dietitian Lisa Andrews. She's co-owner of Sound Bites Nutrition in Cincinnati.

"This simple recipe combines refreshing citrus, sweet gingerand cilantro," she says, replacing the salt with other flavors. In asecond flavorful health tip, Andrews recommends marinating thechicken for at least 15 minutes prior to cooking. She saysmarinating reduces production of two carcinogenic compounds,heterocyclic amines and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, whichform when meat is cooked at high temperatures.

But getting back to sodium: According to an online report fromthe University of Colorado Extension, we require about 1,500milligrams of sodium daily to balance water in our cells and makenerves and muscles function properly. The healthy maximum is2,300 milligrams a day, but some of us take in twice that amount.

Here's a good reason to set down the salt shakers.

Reduce the salt, keep the tasteBY MARGARET MAPLES / GATEHOUSE NEWS SERVICE

food

Dial-A-Ride’sSENIOR H UR

Monday - Friday9:30 - 11:30 a.m.

$.75 per trip (cash only)

Call for reservations616-527-4000

In addition to your burial or cremation options we can assistyou with marker and monument orders, casket and vault orurn selection, obituary preparation and more. We can evenhelp you with luncheon planning and details.

Contact us for a freeconsultation and letus help you set up aplan that puts yourmind at ease.

Verdun Family Funeral HomeAnd Cremation Services

Michael J. Verdun Owner/Director303 S. Bridge Street

Belding, Michigan 48809(616) 794-1300

www.verdunfh.com

Pre planning your funeral or memorialcan provide great peace of mind foryourself and those you love.

• Guaranteed Price Agreements

• Payment Plans

One less thing to worry about.....


Golf is a very difficult game. If it wereeasy, there would be little interest in it.While every other sport has its“natural” athletes – those born to excelby virtue of their physical attributes –there are no “natural” golfers.Everything about the golf swing is

“unnatural.” Thus, everyone of every shape andsize must learn the game and practice constantlyin order to play well. On the other hand, since noone is born knowing how to play golf, yourchance of being great at the game is as good asanybody else’s chance. That’s good news forpeople who don’t have the physical attributes of,say, a basketball or football player.

Six reasons to play golfBY M. ERNEST MARSHALL

Golf is a strange game,particularly, to those whodon’t understand it. Onemust ask why so manypeople want so desperatelyto play the game as often aspossible. With a littlethought, at least 10 reasonsemerge for this:

1

books

There is no referee in golf. Each player isresponsible for playing by the rules andmonitoring his or her own mistakes. Playerswho adhere to the rules are considered tobe honorable. Players who violate the rules,even when unobserved, are considereddishonorable and not worthy of the game.

For these reasons, golf is a metaphor forlife. How one plays golf is likely to be areflection of how one lives his or her life.The question, then, isn’t so much why dopeople play golf. The question really is: whydoesn’t everybody play the game?

M. Ernest Marshall is a retired medicaloncologist and author of Wintering IntoWisdom (PathBinder Publisher). Visit hiswebsite at www.mernestmarshall.com.

Golf is unpredictable. No matter how badly youplay today, you can play better – or worse --tomorrow. Performance is governed by so manyvariables. One must not ignore the fact that everycourse is different – demanding different golfskills and strategies. This is unlike other sports.

Football, soccer, rugby, baseball, and tennis are played on flatfields of a prescribed size. Every golf hole is different –different lengths, different elevations, different hazards. Thecourse itself adds to the challenge – and, ultimately, the fun --of golf.

In general, golf courses are beautiful, peacefulplaces to spend four to four and a half hours.They’re not places to bring your troubles. In fact,most people feel guilty about bringing theirworkplace ore relationship problems to golfcourses, because they don’t want to mar the

setting. Therefore, they develop a strong philosophicapproach to golf and find ways to control their frustrations –or, at least, save them for another place and time.

In golf, there is no perfect score. There is no scoreto which the golfer can aspire in order to claimthat he or she has mastered the game. Lackingsuch a benchmark, golf is about improving. Nomatter how much the golfer improves his or hergame – even if the golfer reaches the professionallevel -- there is always room for improvement.

That can be appealing, and even addictive, for perfectionists.

Golf is a sport rich in history and full of tradition.The golfer who approaches the game seriously andphilosophically will acquire a feeling the he or shehas formed a bond with everyone who has everplayed the game. Every golfer shares the samestruggles, defeats and joys. Being a golfer is, in a

sense, like becoming a member of a tribe and gaining a senseof belonging.

In golf, how one plays the game is theresponsibility of the individual. Unlike teamsports, there are no substitute players. Theindividual golfer must play every strokewithout assistance. Even something as simpleas seeking advice on club selection from

another player is forbidden by the rules and carries with ita penalty. No one can interfere with the golfer’s play.With every shot, the golfer has an unimpeded opportunityto make a successful play or to botch it. Ultimately, that’sa good thing, because golfers feel empowered to make(hopefully) good decisions on their own. Every golfer isalone in the game, but being alone in golf is not a matterof loneliness. Every player is alone with his or her ownthoughts and actions.


Ionia CountyCommission

on Aging115 Hudson Street

Ionia, MI 48846616.527.5365888.527.5365

HomeDelivered

Meals

P.A.T.H.ClassesArthritis

FoundationTai Chi

Program®

Tues 1pm

Matterof

Balance®

EnhanceFitness®

Mon-Wed-Fri9:15&10:30am

CongregateMealSites

books

2

3

456


Call us for current employment opportunities. For more information, please call 1-800-322-3930 or apply online at www.hcr-manocare.com

Serving Ionia, Montcalm, Kent, and Barry County areas.

health

As we get older, our bodies beginto react differently medications thanwhen we were younger. Many olderpeople take many differentmedications, which may not mix wellwith each other. If older adults do not

adjust for these changes in theirbodies and do not usemedications safely, they mayexperience problems withsubstance misuse without evenknowing it. Some physical andmental problems that peoplethink are just a normal part ofaging or the result of an illnessmay actually be caused byincorrect use of medications.

Health care providers oftenoverlook these issues and maymake an incorrect diagnosisbecause symptoms of substanceabuse in older individuals

sometimes mimic symptoms of othermedical and behavioral disorders

common among this population, suchas diabetes, dementia, and depression.Based on National Survey on DrugUse and Health (NSDUH) data from2006 to 2008, an estimated 4.7percent of adults aged 50 or olderused illicit drugs in the past year; in2008, an estimated 2.9 percent of thisage group were either dependent onor abused alcohol.

What is medication misuse?Using any prescription orover-the-counter drug in away that is differentfrom how it wasprescribed is drugmisuse. Thisincludes using toomuch or too little, ornot taking it on theschedule the doctorrecommended. Withover-the-counter drugs, likecough syrup or aspirin, medication

misuse can mean taking more thanthe package says or taking it toooften.

People 65 and older take moreprescription and over-the-countermedications than any other age groupin the United States. Prescriptiondrug misuse and abuse is commonamong older adults because more

drugs are prescribed tothem and also because

getting older makesthe body morelikely to feel theeffects of drugs(just like withalcohol). Many olderadults have problemsbecause some

medications don’tcombine well with other

medications. Drinking alcoholwith some medications also causesproblems for many older adults.

Prescriptiondrugs canbe abusedby older

adults

INFORMATION

Call The IoniaCounty

Substance Abuse Initiativeat (616) 527-

5341


www.sparrowrms.com

Social Security changing date of visit to Ionia

The Social Security Administration ischanging the date of their monthly vis-its to Ionia.

Effective September 2010 the new sched-ule will be 8 a.m. to noon on the third Mon-day of each month.The contact station is located at the Ionia

County Commission on Aging, 115 HudsonSt., Ionia.

• • •There are also many other ways to conduct

business with Social Security. Social Secu-rity’s toll-free telephone number, 1-800-772-1213, is available from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.Monday through Friday for handling nearly allinquiries. Certain services, such as gettingan application for a Social Security card or to

get a Social Security benefit estimate, areavailable 24-hours a day through the toll-freenumber. The representatives answering thephones have access to the same informationthat's available at the local office.

Another very popular way to do businesswith Social Security is online at www.socialsecurity.gov. Applications for Medicare,retirement, spouses, and disability benefitscan be completed online.There is the ability to request a Social Se-

curity Statement, request a Social SecurityBenefit Verification Statement, request aMedicare replacement card, and request areplacement for a lost, damaged or missingSSA-1099.

update

For moreIonia CountyCommission on Aging:115 Hudson St., Ionia

Social Security Online:www.socialsecurity.gov

Social Security: toll-free number1-800-772-1213, is availablefrom 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Mondaythrough Friday

health


Offering a continuum of care choices on one campus

Offering the Best in Both Assisted &Independent Living for Seniors

RESIDE ~ REFLECT ~ RELAX2550 Commerce Lane, Ionia • www.rlmgmt.com • (616) 527-3300

For more information contact Amber Fry, Administrator

Michigan BloodMI blood saves lives.TM

Green Acreshas teamed up with

to host a bi-monthlyblood drive.

Next Drive Wednesday,September 29 3-7pm

Ifyou’re one of the millions ofAmericans who needdentures, you may have questions about what gettingthemwill entail.Although dentures take some getting

used to, they will improve your appearance and health. Here are five importantthings to know about dentures, according to theAmerican DentalAssociation.

Different denturesYou can get either full dentures that replace all your teeth or partial dentures to

replace a few of them.You can also get “overdentures,” which are removable andfit over any remaining natural teeth.

Importance of oral healthYou may think that tooth brushing isn’t necessary if you don’t have any real

teeth left, but you still need to take good care of your mouth. Each morning beforeyou put on your dentures, you should brush your tongue, gums and palate with asoft-bristled brush. This will remove any plaque in your mouth, as well as getblood flowing in your gums.

Eating and speakingStart out slowly when you start eating with new dentures.

Eat softer food at first, but once you get used them, you shouldbe able to eat normally. While speaking, some words might notsound right at first. Practicing speaking and reading out loud

should help.

Taking medicationsOlder people are more likely to use medications, and many of these

medications affect your oral health and dentures. For example, a side effectof many medications is dry mouth; however, adequate levels of saliva areneeded to keep dentures in place. Make sure you tell your dentist about anymedications you’re using.

Dentures don’t last foreverDentures are fragile and can easily be cracked or chipped. With time,

they will have to be relined or remade. See your dentist if your denturesbecome loose or show signs of wear. If you don’t get them fixed, it couldaffect chewing or your appearance.

Learning to love denturesBY KATHRYN SUCICH

GATEHOUSE NEWS SERVICE

puzzles


J U P W R I T E R O

L F Z R A I B Z E B

N I U B L B R S A S

O C B F E L N T D E

N T A R E T S M Z F

F I B U A K Q Y D A

I O N B T R Y S H N

C N O O P H Y T O T

T H V O S D O E N A

I C E K Y D J R J S

O L L O P K Q Y Y Y

N L Y R M U T L I G

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Reading Word Find

AuthorBook

FantasyFictionLibrary

MysteryNonfiction

NovelReadWriter

Obesity moves upneed for canes, walkersObese older adults are more likely to use walkers,

canes and other mobility devices at a younger age, andmay run the risk of using them incorrectly, according tonew research.The study followed more than 1,000 individuals, ages

65 and older, and tracked their body weight and use of as-sistive devices for 10 years.A third of adults older than 65 use at least one device,

and lower body disability is what drives and predicts theiruse, researchers said.

— Purdue University

Senior Health


Kenneth S. Morriman, M.D,Orthopedic Surgeon

Eric S. Leep, D.O.Physical Medicine

James L. Horton, Jr, D.O.Orthopedic Surgeon

The Physicians and staff of Hastings Orthopedic Clinic, P.C. would like tothank Ionia County and the surrounding counties for giving us the

opportunity and privilege to serve your needs. We feel it is a tremendouscompliment that you have chosen us and consider it an honor to give

the best care that we possibly can.

Hastings Orthopedic Clinic is dedicated to providing the highest degree ofservice in an efficient, personal and professional manner. Our focus is to

maximize the health, function and quality of life of the population we serve.

senior tab 2010

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