the best of times october 2009

� October 2009 TheBestOfTimesNews.com

The time to learn about the flu and how to prevent it is before flu season starts.Don’t over-react to news stories, but do educate yourself and exercise caution.

Educate Yourself: The Willis-Knighton Web site is a great source of information. KidsHealth has information targeted to children, teens and parents. The Willis-Knighton Health Library offers information

targeted to adults. The HealthDay Health News includes updates on a variety of health topics every day. Put this Web address in your “Favorites” folder on your computer: www.wkhs.com

Exercise Caution: Handwashing is one of the smartest ways to prevent flu or any other infection. Wash your hands regularly! Avoid contact with those who are ill and don’t go to work or school if you are sick.

Willis-Knighton wants to be your choice for healthcare, physician referral, wellness and preventive services, or health information. Caring for you. Caring for our community.

FLU SHOTS NOW AVAILABLE AT QUICK CARE7 a.m. — 7 p.m. No appointment necessary

October 2009 � The Best Of Times


We never want an issue of the magazine to have that “been there, done that” feel to it.

Publications that don’t evolve their look get boring rather quickly and risk losing both reader and advertiser interest.

We are constantly exploring new ways to present our news and information in unique and memorable ways. You’ll find evidence of that especially in this issue, as we “test” some new looks and layout designs.

You’ll really begin to notice our renewed commitment to clear design in the 2010 Silver Pages. A revamp now makes it 110% easier to use, and it’s prettier, besides! The Silver Pages will debut in about 90 days and will, we believe, knock your socks off.

Speaking of the knocking off of socks, this OCTOBER issue will do that, too! Once you wade past this Index and the Radio Hour Guest List, your eyes are treated to a smashing layout of pictures from The James Burton International Guitar Festival. If you weren’t there... well, you just HAD to be there!

The “front of the book” ar-ticles are the usual collection of gathered wisdom you’ve grown to count on (as you tell us). And the “back of the book” fun (usu-ally-but-not-always defined as what follows the centerspread feature) include a fitness quiz for women, dinner ideas from Adrian, a restaurant review by Lizzie Lyles, a great profile of a

senior triathlete, Al Bolton’s thoughts on weather, puz-

zles and Parting Shots! Perhaps you’d better read this issue barefoot to avoid the liability of actually having your socks knocked off.

(Our lawyers said I had to say that.)

� October 2009

� October 2009 TheBestOfTimesNews.com� October 2009 TheBestOfTimesNews.com


Okay, the pictures are finally back from walgreen’s and they’re great. Thousands of fans of James Burton & His Friends (famous, infamous, and even unknown guitarists all) were on hand to celebrate Mr. Burton’s 70th birthday and have a grand time at his two-day concert series.Photo A – Hundreds of fans began lining up over an hour before Mr. Burton’s scheduled appearance at the TBT Booth to autograph copies of THE BEST OF TIMES. He signed for over two hours!Photo B - James Burton celebrates his 70th birthday during the festival. Happy Birthday, kid!Photo C - Austin Lindly of Wright City, OK was the first in line for a cherished autographed copy of THE BEST OF TIMES to include in his James Burton scrapbook. He has attended all of the James Burton Guitar Festivals.Photo D - Shreveport Mayor Cedric Glover with Gary Calligas and legendary KWKH & Hayride announcer Frank Page. (Mr. Page served as the emcee who introduced Elvis Presley at his historic first performance on the Louisiana Hayride.) PHOTO E - A stellar group of guitarists, all over 70.PHOTO F - At 75, Buddy Ramsey from Emerson, Arkansas, was the oldest participating guitarist. He won a special autographed shirt from James Burton and a juicy prize package from The Best of Times.Photo G - James signing autographs with his mom (right) and aunt looking on approvingly. Mom knew her boy was talented.Photo H - Michael Bowlby from Arlington, VA attends concerts throughout the world. He is shown with his private collection of autographs and notes from Rock stars. Photo I - Gary Calligas and James at the TBT broadcast booth.Photo J - Wilma Kinney came to Shreveport with her husband Terry from Manchester, England to attend the guitar festival. Here she shows off her autographed copy of The Best of Times.Photo K - Cynthia Flynn of Shreveport knew that with only a specially-saved 100 copies of the May 2009 issue of THE BEST OF TIMES available, it was wise to bring her own for James to sign.Photo L - Carl Parker from Donnsville, LA warms up before the attempt at the world record. (Nice try, but see Photo N below.)Photo M - Jim Burton (center) on stage with other celebrity guitarists at the Hirsch Coliseum. They were grand and glorious.Photo N - The total number of guitarists fell short of the Guinness World’s Records however participants enjoyed playing with the celebrity guitarists. Participants yelled “next year!”



l Caddo CounCil on aging ReCeives MaRCH FoR Meals CaMpaign gRant

Caddo Council on Aging announced that it has been awarded a $1000.00 grant from the Meals on Wheels Association of America (MOWAA) in recognition of the success of its 2009 March For Meals campaign. March For Meals is an annual national campaign to raise awareness of senior hunger and to encourage involvement on the part of the local community. Senior nutrition programs across the United States promote March For Meals in their local communities through public events, partnerships with local businesses, volunteer recruitment and fundraising initiatives. The campaign takes place in March because that was the month in which the law that includes senior meal programs in the Older Americans Act was enacted.

l aaRp launCHes volunteeR oppoRtunities WeBsite

To help people of all ages answer the call to serve, AARP has launched its new Create The Good Web site (www.CreateThe-Good.org) to connect current and potential volunteers –those who are not engaged or who are looking for new and different opportunities – with ways to serve that work for them. The new site allows users to search for local volunteer opportunities, but they also can find ideas for serving in more self-directed ways. The site has how-to videos for simple service projects people can organize on their own.

Farmers Market Nutrition Program (FMNP) coupon booklets are still available, Agriculture and Forestry Com-missioner Mike Strain D.V.M., said. Sign up is through local Councils on Aging.To participate, a person must be at least 60-years-old. Strain said for a one-person household, the annual household income level should be $20,036 or less, the annual household income level in a two person household should be $26,955 or less. Seniors who qualify will receive a booklet of coupons which may be used only to buy fresh fruits, vegetables, cut herbs and honey approved by the FMNP from approved farmers at farmers markets and roadside stands. Coupons must be redeemed by Nov. 30, 2009. For more information, call 985-345-9483.

senioR FaRMeRs MaRket nutRition Coupons still availaBle

va WaRns veteRans oF telepHone pResCRiption dRug sCaM

The Department of Veter-ans Affairs (VA) is warning Veterans not to give credit card num-b e r s o v e r the phone to ca l l e r s claiming to update VA prescription information.

Dr. Gerald Cross, VA’s Under Secretary for Health said, “VA simply does not call Veterans and ask them to disclose personal financial information over the phone.”

The scammers reportedly say the VA recently changed

procedures for dispensing prescriptions and ask for the Veteran’s credit card number.

“VA has not changed its processes for dispensing prescription medicines,” Cross said. “Nor has VA changed its

long-standing commitment to protect the personal information of this nation’s Veterans.”

Veterans with questions about VA services should contact the nearest VA medi-cal center or call, toll-free, 1-877-222-8387.

2010 Census pReCautionsWith the U.S. Census process beginning, the Better Busi-

ness Bureau (BBB) advises people to be cooperative, but cautious, so as not to become a victim of fraud or identity theft. The first phase of the 2010 U.S. Census is under way as workers have begun verifying the addresses of households across the country. Eventually, Census workers will count every person in the U.S. and will gather info about every person living at each address The question is - how do you tell the difference between a U.S. Census worker and a con artist? BBB offers the following advice:

If a U.S. Census worker knocks on your door, they will have a badge, a handheld device, a Census Bureau canvas bag, and a confidentiality notice. Ask to see their identification and their badge before answering their questions. However, you should never invite anyone you don’t know into your home.

Census workers are currently only knocking on doors to verify address information. While the Census Bureau might ask for basic financial information, such as a salary range, it will not ask for Social Security, bank account, or credit card numbers nor will employees solicit donations.

Eventually, Census workers may contact you by telephone, mail, or in person at home. However, they will not contact you by Email. Never click on a link or open any attachments in an Email that are supposedly from the U.S. Census Bureau.

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neW Bill in CongRess Would give senioRs an estiMated $415 MoRe

in soCial seCuRity in 2010A new bill introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by

Rep. Walter Jones (NC) would give the average beneficiary an additional $415.20 in Social Security payments in 2010, a boost of $34.60 per month. The bill would provide a COLA for 2010 equal to the average of the COLA over the past ten years. That average is roughly three percent. Without such intervention, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) forecasts that seniors will see no increase in next year’s checks. Almost 70 percent of beneficiaries depend on Social Security for 50 percent or more of their income. Social Security is the sole source of income for 15 percent of beneficiaries.

10 October 2009 TheBestOfTimesNews.com

soMe Blood pRessuRe dRugs May Help pRoteCt against deMentia

Research from Wake Forest University School of Medicine suggests that some of the drugs classified as angiotensin-con-verting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, specifically those types of ACE inhibitors that affect the brain by crossing the blood-brain barrier, may reduce inflammation that could contribute to the development of Alzheimer’s disease.

goodBye dialysis MaCHine, Hello WeaRaBle kidney

Researchers are developing a Wearable Artificial Kidney for dialysis patients, reports an upcoming paper in

the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology. The device, essentially a

miniaturized dialysis machine worn as a belt, provides continuous dialysis 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Patients will be free to walk, work, or sleep while undergoing continuous di-alysis that more closely approximates normal kidney function. Clinical trials

on the long-term effect of this technology is ongoing.

sCientists Find 2 neW Hiv antiBodies Researchers have isolated two antibodies that block

HIV from multiplying in the body and causing severe disease - an exciting development that could lead to the creation of a vaccine against AIDS. The two antibodies appear to be 10 times more effective than others in defusing HIV, the sci-entists from Scripps Research Institute and the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative reported in the journal Science.

RegulaR aspiRin use ReduCes Risk oF dying FRoM ColoReCtal CanCeR

Regular use of aspirin after colorectal cancer diagnosis may reduce the risk of cancer death, report investigators in the Journal of the American Medical Association. The study’s authors also find that the aspirin-associated survival advan-tage was seen primarily in patients with tumors expressing the

COX-2 enzyme, a characteristic of two-thirds of colorectal cancers. Compared with nonusers, regular aspirin use after diagnosis was as-sociated with a 29% lower risk for colorectal-specific mortality and a 21% lower risk for overall mortality.

High blood pressure is linked to memory problems in people over 45, accord-ing to research published in Neurology®. The study found that people with high diastolic blood pressure, which is the bottom number of a blood pressure reading, were more likely to have cognitive im-pairment, or problems with their memory and thinking skills, than people with nor-mal diastolic readings. For every 10 point increase in the reading, the odds of a person having cognitive problems was 7% higher. The results were valid after adjusting for other factors, such as age, smoking status, exercise level, education, diabetes or high cholesterol. High blood pressure is defined as a read-ing equal to or higher than 140/90 or taking medication for high blood pressure.

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In today’s troubled econ-omy, saving money is a hot topic. No matter what gets cut from your budget, however, experts at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center believe that healthy choices to prevent cancer shouldn’t be on the list. Five budget friendly activities that can reduce your risk of disease up to 78% are:

1. Exercise - at least 30 minutes of low to high-inten-sity exercise on five or more days a week, depending on your fitness level.

2. Eat more fruits, veggies and whole grains.

3. Say “no” to tobacco.4. Practice sun-safety - wear

sun screen and sunglasses.5. Get regular check-ups.

Five loW-Cost Ways to pRevent CanCeR

HigH Blood pRessuRe linked to MeMoRy pRoBleMs

in Middle age

insuFFiCient sleep May Be linked to inCReased diaBetes Risk

Short sleep times, experi-enced by many individuals in Westernized societies, may contribute to the develop-ment of insulin resistance and reduced glucose tolerance, which in turn may increase the long-term risk of diabetes, ac-cording to a new study in The Endocrine Society’s Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.

don’t paniC, But Be aWaRe oF tHe FluThe CDC recommends these easy everyday

actions to stay healthy this flu season.Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue

when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.

Wash your hands often with soap and water. Alcohol-based hands cleaners are also effective.

Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread that way.

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October 2009 11 The Best Of Times

diaBetes & elevated CHolesteRol linked to

FasteR Cognitive deCline in alzHeiMeR’s

A history of diabetes and elevated levels of cholesterol, especially LDL cholesterol, are associated with faster cognitive decline in patients with Al-zheimer’s disease, according to a new study from Columbia University Medical Center researchers. These results add further evidence of the role of vascular risk factors in the onset and progression of Alzheimer’s disease and indicate that controlling vascular conditions may be one way to delay the course of Alzheimer’s. (Archives of Neurology)

suRgeons ReMove gall BladdeR tHRougH navelSurgeons at The Methodist Hospital

in Houston are removing gall bladders through a single incision in the belly button resulting in the potential for no visible scar. The procedure also has the potential for less pain. Traditional lapa-roscopic gall bladder removals involve four ½-inch or smaller incisions.

1� October 2009 TheBestOfTimesNews.com

Lona Sandon, assistant professor of clinical nutrition at UT Southwestern Medical Center and spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association, says it’s important to keep whole grains in your diet.

“Research shows that whole grains are good for your heart, lower risk of diabetes and stroke, and may help prevent certain cancers,” she says.

Whole grains are chock full of good-for-you nutrients including fiber, folate and niacin, vital B vitamins, and magnesium. “The phytochemicals found in whole grains have been shown to have health promoting and disease prevention benefits,” she adds. Be sure to look for the words “Made with whole grain” and “100 percent whole grain” on packages.

HigH-Blood pRessuRe? eat MoRe Melons

Research shows that foods high in vitamin E (like almonds) and vitamin C (like strawberries)

may help slow aging on a cellular level.

WHole gRains = WHole HealtH

CHoose rED CaBBage FoR oCtoBeRFestCabbage is high in flavonoids that protect against cellular damage and aging. That’s why it’s touted as a lung-cancer thwarter, a brain booster, and a prostate-cancer stopper. But fresh or pickled red cabbage is an antioxidant powerhouse as it packs 28 times more flavonoids than green cabbage does.

Nutrition experts at UT Southwestern Medical Center say there’s no better way to lower your blood pressure than

by indulging in potassium-rich fruit and vegetables. Melons like cantaloupe and watermelon

are particularly high in potassium. One fourth a cantaloupe contains roughly 20% of the recommended daily value. Two cups of watermelon contains nearly

10% of the daily recommended value. Dried apricots, avocados, figs, kiwi, oranges,

raisins, dates, beans, potatoes, tomatoes and even grapefruit are other good sources of potassium.

soy May iMpRove lung HealtH Early research shows that eating soy - foods such as

tofu, miso and edamame - is associated with a reduced risk of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), a chronic lung disease that occurs more commonly in smokers. In one recent Japanese study, those with the highest intakes of soy foods not only had lower risk of COPD but also had better overall lung function. The researchers believe the reduced risk of lung disease seen may stem from the anti-inflammatory effects that soy foods have on the body. (Respiratory Research)

tHe FisH FaCtoR New research suggests that dining on fish - such as

salmon, tuna, or sardines - at least once every 5 days could decrease your odds almost 30% of developing potentially pre-cancerous skin growths called actinic keratoses. These fish are high in omega-3s, fats that may calm skin cell inflammation. They are also high in vitamins D and A which are known for either cancer-fighting or age-fighting qualities.

tHe inCRediBle, ediBle egg Eggs were reinstated as a healthy food when

major studies cleared them of increasing heart attack and stroke risk. Now there’s evidence that people who scramble, boil, or poach one for breakfast - ver-sus eating a bagel with the same number of calories - bypass junk-food cravings and eat fewer calories for at least 24 hours. While eggs are a good source of nutrients and protein, for reasons that aren’t completely clear, it turns out that they make your body feel fuller longer. (RealAge)

October 2009 1� The Best Of Times

The produce section may be a bit bare this time of year, but that doesn’t give anyone a free pass to skimp on fruits and vegetables. Dr. Jo Ann Carson, profes-sor of clinical nutrition at UT Southwestern Medical Center, said the solution lies in choosing fresh seasonal produce, then augmenting it with frozen and canned offerings. Frozen fruit and vegetables often contain as many nutrients as fresh because it has been picked, frozen and packaged at the peak of its season. Some canned vegetables provide more vitamins per serving than their fresh counter-parts. Look for fruit without added sugar or syrups and vegetables without extra butter, salt or sauces.

autuMn is no exCuse to skiMp

on pRoduCe


Shreveport-Bossier City is known for its casinos, great fishing and friendly people, among other things. When someone thinks of the area, they can be forgiven if being a hotbed of cutting-edge technology is not one of descriptors that come to mind. But it might surprise you to know that right here at three of our major hospitals, amazing, cut-ting-edge technology is being used to diagnose and treat a number of health issues.

This is the second part of a three part series where you will be introduced to some of the new-est techniques being used locally. Hopefully this information will serve to open the eyes of the com-munity to the fact that top-notch care doesn’t always require a trip to Atlanta or Houston, but can be found right here at home.

paRt tWo oF a 3 paRt seRiesby aManda neWton

shreveport-Bossier City Hospitals are on the Cutting edge of Medical technology and treatments

pRoton BeaM Radiation

Willis-Knighton Health System recently made a very exciting announce-ment that will greatly benefit area residents for many years to come. The hospital announced that it will soon begin construction on Louisiana’s first hospital-based proton beam therapy center. Cancer patients throughout the region will now have easy access to

this very advanced form of cancer treatment.

Proton beam radiation is the advanced use of radiation to shrink tumors. A major benefit of this type of radiation is that it targets the tumor and does not damage surrounding tissue or organs.

“The initiation of particle therapy with protons at the Wil-lis-Knighton Cancer Center will allow for the most advanced form of cancer therapy currently available in the world for patients with malignancy,” said Dr. Lane Rosen, director of radiation oncology for the Willis-Knighton Cancer Center, in a statement to the press when the project was announced. “Proton therapy has demonstrated tremendous improvements in local tumor control with much less healthy tissue exposure and side effects compared to all other radiation treatment modalities. Proton beams have the unique biological characteristic of

delivering no dose immediately beyond a tumor’s location.”

For many years, proton beam therapy could only be found at universities and research centers due to the need to build a cyclotron and miles of tunnels or enormous facilities. As the technology advanced, the facilities can be built smaller and more affordably. Still, the project will cost ap-proximately $30 million.

The image-guided miniaturized proton Willis-Knighton will be operating is the

Monarch250 which was developed by Still River Systems in Littleton, Mass., in part-nership with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). It will be constructed on a site adjoining the existing Willis-Knighton Cancer Center, which opened in 2000. The proton therapy addition will be 26,526 square feet and the vaults for the equipment will require 3,745 cubic yards of concrete, the equivalent of 416 trucks of concrete.

Willis-Knighton hopes to begin con-


struction in January or February of 2010 with completion of the building in mid-summer of 2011. It will then require an additional three months to install the equipment. As soon as early 2011, cancer patients throughout the region could begin receiving treatment via this cutting-edge technology.

sextant spondylolistHesis ReduCtion systeM

Anothe r cu t t i ng -edge treatment being used at Wil-lis-Knighton is the Sextant Spondylolisthesis Reduction System. Yes, it is a mouthful, but it provides amazing results when used to treat patients with back pain, specifically those who suffer from spondylolis-thesis. Spondylolisthesis is a forward slip of a vertebra which usually occurs at the

base of the spine in the lumbar region. The slippage is graded by severity; with 1 being the least advanced and 5 being the most advanced.

It is not that rare of a con-dition. Approximately 5-6 percent of males and 2-3 percent of females have spon-dylolisthesis. It is often seen in people who have been very physically active - the reason why it appears more often in men. Spondylolisthesis can exist at birth or develop dur-ing childhood. This type is known as developmental. Ac-quired spondylolisthesis can be caused by the daily stresses put on the spine and causes the connections between the verte-brae to weaken, leading to the slippage. It can also occur from a single or repeated impact, such as falling off a ladder and landing on your feet.

Symptoms of spondylolis-

thesis include: pain in the low back; increased swayback; pain and/or weakness in one or both thighs or legs; and reduced ability to control bowel and bladder functions.

Low back pain affects four out of five Americans at some point in their lives. Studies show it is the second most frequent reported reason for visit-ing a doctor. Over 150,000 lumbar spinal fusions are performed each year to treat com-mon spinal conditions such as spondylolisthesis.

The Sextant Spondylolis-thesis Reduction System offers patients who suffer from this condition a minimally invasive way to correct the problem. Dr. Anthony Sin, a local neurosurgeon, is trained to

perform this procedure. He trained under Dr. Kevin Foley, a pioneer and developer of many advancements made in minimally invasive spinal sur-gery. Sin spent one year doing a spinal fellowship with Foley in Memphis and then brought

the technique to the Shreveport-Bossier City area last year.

“This (is a) new minimally inva-sive technique to decompress the nerve roots with correction of spinal alignment. In ad-

dition to minimally invasive spinal fusion, this technology enables a surgeon to physically realign the displaced vertebrae without a traditional open surgery,” Sin said.

Traditionally a patient would require an incision three to

(Continued on next page)


four inches long and with extensive muscle disruptive dissections to expose the spine in order to achieve the objectives of surgery to treat spondylolisthesis, Sin said.

“This new procedure only requires two one-inch inci-sions with minimal tissue disruption to restore normal alignment and achieve the same objectives as an open

surgery,” he said. “The length of hospitalization is shorter and the recovery is physi-cally easier on the patients. The risk of infection is also minimized.”

The actual surgi-cal procedure is the same one used in traditional open surgery, just

far less invasive. Using the Sextant Spondylolisthesis Reduction System, Sin

inserts spinal metal screws into the dislocated vertebral body and these are used to physically pull it back into the proper alignment.

“There are a few surgeons in this area performing minimally invasive spinal procedures, but I am the only surgeon incorporating this additional technology to correct spondylolisthesis,” said Sin.

This new technique, that not only helps alleviate the back pain people suffer from, but also gets them in and out of the hospital quickly, is probably not well known. But Sin is working on that.

“I have given few community based talks on spinal technol-ogy to medical professionals, (but) my patients are the best ambassadors for this new technique,” he said.

Chuck Daigle, COO of Willis-Knigh-ton Health System, said it was important to the administration and staff to stay current with the latest medical advances.

“It is our goal to provide the high-est quality of care to people that live within North and Central Louisiana, East Texas, and South Arkansas,” he said. “Our medical and professional staff is trained to provide tertiary and quaternary levels of care. As such we must select, purchase, and utilize the latest medical advances that provide a higher level of efficacy and better clinical outcomes for the patients we serve.”

The administration at Willis-Knighton makes it a point to ensure the physicians within the system can master and imple-ment the newest medical techniques and equipment. This is a challenge all hospitals face and those in this area do a good job of rising to meet that challenge. This requires quite a bit of effort on the part of the hospitals, but administrators at all of three of the hospitals in this series said this is something they constantly work to address.

“The administration at WKHS has continuous and ongoing dialogue with the medical and professional staff to ensure that we are aware of the latest and great-est technology in addition to processes of care that are considered ‘best practice,’” said Daigle. “This allows us to support the proactive acquisition and deployment of such technology in addition to the train-ing required to ensure the best possible quality of care for the patient. We support the continuous education of professional and medical staff members throughout the health system.”

Continued FRoM pRevious page


By Judge JeFF Cox, 26th Judicial District Court Judge for Bossier/Webster Parishes, Division C

Judges and their decisions

Each day a judge sits on the bench, he or she is faced with decisions. The decision of whether or not to place a person in jail. The decision about a child’s future. The decision about who wins or loses in a civil law suit. And,

decisions which affect the public as a whole.

In general, most law-suits and actions are settled prior to coming to court. Only the most disputed lawsuits end up being tried before the

judge. As only the most dis-puted lawsuits end up in court before a judge, the litigants usually have animosity for the whole judicial process. This animosity can be directed by litigants against their attorney, the other side, or the judge.

Each lawsuit takes a toll on the par-ticipants as their lives are in turmoil while the litigation proceeds until the outcome is determined.

Judges are in charge of the court-room. They are there to maintain the balance. The judge is required to place his or her personal feelings aside when they enter that courtroom. The judge is required to listen to the facts, study the law, and make a decision to the best of his or her understanding of the law at that time. Each decision is to be taken seriously as it affects lives. Most decisions are very difficult and have to be weighed seriously and with

much thought and deliberation.Occasionally, a judge will find himself

or herself involved in a highly contested issue where both sides are stirred by the issue. This is when the judge, putting all personal opinion or feelings aside, must have the fortitude, integrity, and character to make the decision according to the law as he or she interprets the law. This deci-sion, as the judge knows, may come with the cost of being ridiculed or disliked, but the judge knows the decision must be made according to the law as interpreted at that time to the best of his or her ability.

Judges decisions are difficult. The robe they wear can seem like it weighs 5000 pounds on occasions. Judges put their lives and family’s lives on the line each day to do their job. The next time you or your family is involved in court litigation, maybe you can remember that the judge is trying to do his or her job to the best of their ability and follow the oath they swore when they took office.

�0 October 2009 TheBestOfTimesNews.com

By Jason aldeRMan, director of Visa’s financial education programs

Be Cautious posting personal information online

I have friends who swear by online social and pro-fessional networks like Facebook, MySpace and LinkedIn. Where else can you reconnect with long-lost former classmates, post vaca-tion photos for friends around the world, share your resume with potential employers and perhaps even find love – all, without leaving your couch?

Although the Internet has made reaching out easier than ever, whenever you share

personal informa-tion, a few cautions are in order. With your kids preparing for a new school year, this might be a good time to have a quick Pri-

vacy 101 discussion. And, since people over 30 are the fastest-growing social network-ing demographic, parents might benefit as well.

Keep in mind:Email is forever. Deleting

an email from your computer doesn’t mean it no longer ex-ists. Chances are your email provider – or employer, if sent from work – will retain a record for years to come. Plus, recipients won’t necessarily delete the email and may in

fact forward it to others. Worst case: Your words could even be used as evidence against you in court; so think twice before posting derogatory comments about people or employers.

Haunting photos. You’ve read about people who posted photos on their homepages they later regretted. It’s one thing for parents to learn about youthful indiscretions this way, but colleges and employers increasingly conduct online searches of potential candidates and use such information to rule them out for consideration.

Not to instill paranoia, but even photos or information about you that someone else has posted can turn up in such searches. My rule of thumb: If you wouldn’t want your grandmother to see it, don’t do or say it.

Too much information. Many people post personal or nos-talgic information about themselves on their profiles – first pet’s

October 2009 �1 The Best Of Times

name, childhood addresses, favorite pizza topping, etc. Keep in mind that many web-sites where you do business (like banks) ask these kinds of security questions to ascertain your identity before you can log in.

Identity thieves have been know to mine this information and combine it with a stolen credit card or Social Security number to open bogus accounts or even forge passports. Avoid posting:

C u r r e n t a n d p a s t addresses

Phone numbers and email addresses

Birth datePersonal information

like the above examples that might be asked for security questions

Upcoming vacation sched-ules (you could be targeted for a break-in)

Also, never use this type of in-formation in your passwords.

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One last – and serious – reminder: Sexual predators increasingly are using the In-ternet to target both child and adult victims by posing as peers or friends. Although software is available to help you track your children’s online activities, you can’t follow them 24/7. Have the “don’t talk with or email strangers” discussion with your kids as soon as they start using computers.

These are only a few of the precautions you, your kids and grandkids should take when using social networking sites to protect your personal informa-tion and prevent identity theft. For more tips, visit Visa Inc.’s free personal financial man-agement site, Practical Money Skills for Life (www.practi-calmoneyskills.com/security). Jason Alderman directs Visa’s financial education programs. Sign up for his free monthly e-Newsletter at www.practical-moneyskills.com/newsletter.

�� October 2009 TheBestOfTimesNews.com

By lee aRonson, an attorney with Legal services of North Louisiana

An employee (we’ll call him Patient Pete, which is not his real name) was in-jured. His employer hired a vocational rehabilitation counselor to help Patient Pete recover. Let’s call this first vocational rehabilitation counselor Stan (not his real name.) Patient Pete soon became suspicious of Stan’s treatment and decided to get a second opinion. So Patient Pete, on his own, went out and hired another vocational rehabilitation counselor to access Stan’s work. Let’s call this second vocational rehabilitation counselor Ollie (again, not a real name.)

After examining Patient Pete, Ollie told Patient Pete

that in his opinion, Stan’s work was “below acceptable s t anda rds” and “sham rehabilita-tion” in that it put the financial inter-est of Patient Pete’s

employer ahead of Patient Pete’s best interest.

Well, as you can imagine, Stan (the first vocational reha-bilitation counselor) got pretty angry when he found out what Ollie (the second vocational rehabilitation counselor) was saying about him. So Stan decided to file an ethical com-plaint against Ollie. (In order to be a vocational rehabilitation counselor in Louisiana you need to have a license granted by the Louisiana Licensed Professional Vocational Reha-bilitation Counselors Board of Examiners. And this Board can take away your license if you violate its code of ethics.)

Now here’s the bit that disturbed me: the Board of

Examiners found that Ollie had acted unethically because the Board has a rule that “forbids discussion of the competency of rehabilitation counselors in a disparaging way with their clients.” In other words, if you’re a vocational rehabilitation counselor and you say something bad about another vocational rehabilitation counselor, no matter how incompe-tent that counselor may be, then you have acted unethically.

Isn’t this America? What happened to free speech?

In another medical mat-ter, a certified registered nurse anesthetist wanted to know if she could “perform procedures involving the injection of local anesthetics, steroids and analgesics for pain management purposes.”

So she asked her licensing board, the Louisiana State Board of Nursing, for their opinion. The Board noted that Louisiana law allows certified registered nurse anesthetists to administer local anesthetics under the direction and supervision of a physi-cian. As a result, the board said it would be A-OK for certified registered nurse anesthetists to “perform procedures involving the injection of local anesthetics, steroids and analgesics for pain management purposes” as long as they did so under the direction and supervision of a physician.

But the American Society of International Pain Physician’s didn’t like that idea. So they sued. The Society of Pain Physicians argued that only doctors are allowed to practice medicine and what the certified registered nurse anesthetist wanted to be able

to do, i.e. “perform procedures involving the injection of local anesthetics, steroids and analgesics for pain management purposes,” even under the direction and supervision of a physician, was the prac-tice of medicine and therefore could only be performed by a licensed physician. The Court noted that the Louisiana legislature had already made many findings about

the law and Medical Court Cases

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October 2009 �� The Best Of Times

certified registered nurse anesthetists, including: they have been selecting and administering anesthesia in Louisiana for over 100 years; they receive rigorous clini-cal and academic training; they administer the majority of anesthetics in Louisiana and all of the anesthetics in many parts of the state; and that they are critical provid-ers of quality anesthesia services in the heath care delivery system in this state.

But in the end, the Court ruled for the doctors.

Finally, did you know that the Louisiana State board of Medical Examiners has some very specific rules doctors must follow when they prescribe controlled substances for pain management? The rules require that a single physician take primary responsibility for a patient’s controlled substance pain therapy and “evidence or behavioral indications of substance abuse…shall be followed by tapering and discontinuation of controlled substance therapy.” Would this have made a difference if Michael Jackson had been seeing a Louisiana doctor?Lee Aronson’s practice areas include consumer protection law, housing law and health care law.


“tHe Counseling CoRneR”by the American Counseling Association

If you’re someone who is facing retirement in the near future, it’s a question you’ve heard countless times: “What are you going to do?” It seems an innocent enough query,

but in reality can be a troubling question with a number of levels of meaning.

For the great majority of us, “what we do” is often the largest component of our personal identity. It’s information we usually seek quickly when we meet someone new, and we’re

not surprised when others ask it of us.

But when that question is asked of someone about to give up his or her job, it can take the form of a type of probing that

often has negative implications. We live in a society that places a great deal of value on “doing” things. We’ve been taught to be busy, productive citizens and, for many of us, our lives revolve around that thing we “do” for a living. Many of us may judge people who are not “doing” things as being of less value.

When you ask that soon-to-be-retiree what he or she is going

does Retirement Mean losing your identity?

It takes time for someone approaching and entering

retirement to accept that this is a new life stage with different meanings and a new status.‘‘

’’to do, the implication can seem to be, now that the defining job will be gone, what can there possibly be of value in that person’s life? And while you may not consciously be trying to be negative, making jokes about the person becoming a soap opera addict, or big chased out of the house by his or her spouse, is sure to convey the impression that the person’s new lifestyle appears to be worth

less than his or her working life was.One way to avoid this seemingly nega-

tive judgment of someone’s approaching retirement is simply to ask a different question than, “What are you going to do?” Think how much more interesting a response you will get by asking, “What are you looking forward to doing?”

Or, if you want to discuss some substan-tive issues, try asking, “What’s been the best retirement advice you’ve received?” or “What kind of issues are you dealing with about retirement?”

It takes time for someone approaching and entering retirement to accept that this is a new life stage with different meanings and a new status. Successful retirement takes more than simply financial planning. It requires understanding that there are many changes that will have to be faced, and answering questions a lot more impor-tant than, “What are you going to do?”The Counseling Corner” is provided as a public service by the American Coun-seling Association, the nation’s largest organization of counseling professionals. You can learn more about the counseling profession at the ACA web site, www.counseling.org.


In the mid 1800s, it could take months for a letter to be transported across the country.

The distance separating families could seem extreme as families waited for long periods of time to receive information about the family and friends they left behind to pursue new opportunities.

Today, people move more often than they used to, espe-cially in the current economy when a move is not a deterrent when it comes to a secure job opportunity. But what does that mean for the grandpar-ents who might find themselves


separated from children and grandchildren by thousands of miles?

Thankfully, we no longer live in the pioneer days, but instead are living in an age where technological advances mean it is easier to stay in touch. There are numer-ous ways a person can not just connect with far-flung loved ones, but actually continue to be an active participant in the daily minutiae of the family.

From Facebook to twitter, blogs to webcams, and many things in between, tech-nology is providing a way to stay connected, no matter the distance. Some of these terms may not be familiar to you, but check out our glossary at the end of the article to fa-miliarize yourself. These new advancements are easier to use than you think and in most cases, free or low-cost.

W h e n Sheila Meeks’ son-in-law was transferred to Port Elizabeth, South Africa, in October, the move pu t her daughter and three grandchi ldren , ages 10, 8 and 4, half way across the world. But Meeks and her husband, Tommy, have been able to stay very up to date on the lives of

their family members. By using Skype, a webcam, Vonage

phone service, e-mail, and frequently check-ing her daughter’s blog, Meeks said the distance is made much more bearable.

“Those things have kept us closer,” Meeks said. “I can’t imagine them being over there without these (modern technologies). This way, you get to see them. When they first moved, she had a wireless computer and she could walk the computer through the house and show us everybody’s room, what the house was like, and the backyard. It absolutely makes you feel closer.”

Her daughter’s blog is like “her journal of Africa,” and gives Meeks a glimpse into the family’s life. Blogs are excellent ways to share daily life with others and with their sequential form you can quickly catch up to any posts that are missed.

When Meeks gets ready to use Skype to call her daughter, she calls to make sure her daughter is online. Then, with a simple click of a button, she can see and talk to her daughter and the grandchildren.

“We just talk and they tell me what is going on. One of them (grandchildren) got a new cat, and he went and got the cat to show me. The other has a bird and will bring the bird in. They drag all their animals in to show us.”

“The Skype is really cool because you see and you talk,” Meeks said. “It is so much better than just e-mailing or even doing the blog, because it is live. They are going to

be there almost three years and we are not going to have any lapse (in the rela-tionship with the grandchildren).”

The only expense Meeks incurred was when she purchased a new computer that was equipped with a webcam. Skype is a free download and her daughter pays for Von-a g e , w h i c h allows them to have free tele-phone calls via the internet connection.

A visit to

Blog A blog (a contraction of the term “weblog”) is a type of website, usually maintained by an individual with regular entries of commentary, descrip-tions of events, or other material such as graphics or video. entries are commonly displayed in reverse-chronological order. “Blog” can also be used as a verb, meaning to maintain or add content to a blog. Many blogs provide commentary or news on a particular subject; others function as more personal online diaries. A typical blog combines text, images, and links to other blogs, web pages, and other media related to its topic. The abil-ity for readers to leave comments in an interactive format is an important part of many blogs. (definition from wikipedia)

e-mail electronic mail, often ab-breviated as email or e-mail, is a method of exchanging digital messages. e-mail systems are based on a store-and-for-ward model in which e-mail computer server systems accept, forward, deliver and store messages on behalf of users, who only need to connect to the e-mail infrastructure, typically an e-mail server, with a network-enabled device (e.g., a personal computer) for the duration of message submission or retrieval. Rarely is e-mail transmitted directly from one user’s device to another’s. (definition from wikipedia)

Facebook Facebook is a social networking website that was originally designed for college students, but is now open to anyone 13 years of age or older. Facebook users can create and customize their own profiles with photos, videos, and information about themselves. Friends can browse the profiles of other friends and write messages on their pages. each Facebook profile has a “wall,” where friends can post comments. since the wall is viewable by all the user’s friends, wall postings are basically a public conversation. Therefore, it is usu-

(Continued from previous page)

�� October 2009


Africa this past summer was an experience for Meeks, and the next three years will be bearable due to the fact technology con-nects her to her grandchildren in ways the telephone alone could never do. However, as a school teacher, Meeks does see one drawback to the use of technology.

“The negative of all of it, and this is just a personal thing, is that we don’t tend to write as much. Letters are something that you keep. Being a teacher, I think that is a shame. But it (the technology) is all so easy to use and it is so much nicer to see their little faces when you talk to them.”

Nearly half of American grandparents live more than 200 miles from at least one of their grandchildren, according to AARP. Many of them are choosing to use webcams to stay in touch because it helps to remove the awkwardness that can occur when a small child sees a grandparent after a long absence. By using a webcam, the child be-

comes familiar with the way a grandparent looks, sounds and acts.

Susan Pierce first began using a webcam about 10 years ago for work purposes. When her first grandchild was born in California, she began using a webcam at home to stay in touch. Now, with grandchildren Dylan, 2 and Kelsie, 5, living in New Jersey, the webcam keeps her in touch and ensures that on her visits to see the children, there is instant recognition.

Pierce had Dylan here in Shreveport with her until he was six months old, but knew that small children don’t have long memo-ries. During one of her trips to New Jersey when Dylan was younger, he immediately ran into her arms when she arrived. That proved to her how beneficial the webcam has been.

Kelsie is a fluent reader and often reads to her grandmother during their web chats. Dylan will show her pictures he has colored. Pierce said it is important to remember that when talking to children via a webcam,

certain cases Instant Messaging involves additional features, which make it even more popular, i.e. to see the other party, e.g. by using web-cams, or to talk directly for free over the Internet. (definition from wikipedia)

Myspace A social networking site that allows its users to create web-pages to interact with other users. Users of the service are able to create blogs, upload videos and photos, and design profiles to showcase their interests and talents. Myspace has developed privacy settings to allow users to specify who they would like to view their profile and personal information. (definition from www.businessdictionary.com)

skype skype is a software applica-tion that allows users to make voice calls over the Internet. Calls to other users of the service, and in some countries to free-of-charge numbers, are FRee, while calls to other landlines and mobile phones can be made for a fee. Additional features include instant messaging, file transfer and video conferencing. FRee download is available at www.sKYPe.com (definition from wikipedia)

Twitter Twitter is a free social networking and micro-blogging service that enables its users to send and read messages known as “tweets”. Tweets are text-based posts of up to 140 characters displayed on the author’s profile page and delivered to the author’s subscrib-ers who are known as “followers.” senders can restrict delivery to those in their circle of friends or, by default, allow open access. Users can send and receive tweets via the Twitter website, short Message service (sMs) or external applications. while the service costs nothing to use, accessing it through sMs may incur phone service provider fees. (definition from wikipedia)

webcam webcam, a con-traction of “web camera,” is a camera designed for use with a computer, as to transmit images, often, specifically live video images, over a website. (definition from webster’s New world College Dictionary)

ally best not to write personal messages on your friends’

walls. Instead, you can send a person a private message, which will show up in his

or her private In-box, similar to an e-mail message. Facebook allows each user to set privacy settings, which by default are pretty strict. Facebook provides an

easy way for friends to keep in touch and for individuals to have a presence on the

web without needing to build a website. since Facebook makes it easy to upload pictures and videos,

nearly anyone can publish a multimedia profile. (definition from www.

techterms.com)

IM Instant messag-ing (IM) is a form of real-time communica-tion between two or more people based on typed text. The text is conveyed via

devices connected over a network such as the Internet.

It is important to understand that what sep-

arates chat and instant messaging

from technologies such as e-mail is the perceived

synchronicity of the com-munication by

the user—chat happens in real-time. IM allows effective and

efficient commu-nication, featuring

immediate receipt of acknowledgment

or reply. In

October 2009 ��


you are still talking to children, and they will act accordingly.

“If someone expects to use a webcam, with small children particu-larly, and they expect that the child can sit down and have a fifteen minute conversation

with you…that would be an inappropriate expecta-tion. Children are going to come in and out in front of the camera. They are going to move around, run around and play, go get something to eat, and then

come back.” Pierce said i t is

important to schedule enough time for the conversation and to make sure an adult is on stand-by to carry on a conversation when the child has run off to do something.

“For me, the whole point of us using it is for

us to get to communicate with them like you would if they were in the room with you. You have to be able to let the technology be invisible in the environment. No one is really aware that the camera is playing a part. They have to get a sense of just talking to you and being themselves.”

Computer technology is not just beneficial for families; it can also help people connect with long-lost friends, as Sophie Duke has found out. Duke, a recently retired school teacher, joined Facebook a few months ago and has enjoyed finding people she hasn’t seen in years on the social networking site.

“I looked at their pictures and saw their children and grandchildren,” she said. “It is sort of like recon-necting with the past.”

Duke’s daughters encouraged her to join the site and she doesn’t regret the decision. She does however jokingly warn that it is addicting. She said it was very easy to join and it is free. The offerings on the site go well past just looking at photos of people.

“On Facebook you can join causes, like supporting the troops in Afghanistan. And, of course, they do have some pretty good games. I meet friends from the past at a certain time and we all play UNO. With UNO, if you don’t have anyone to play with, they set you up with other people and they can be from all over the world. Being Greek, I have played people from Greece. They must be up past midnight, but it really



is neat. The site has a definite community feel to it.” Many seniors like Duke are finding that social networking sites

offer them ways to stay connected and even make new friends. Even actor Kirk Douglas, 92, has a MySpace page. For Douglas, whose speech was impaired after a 1996 stroke, the site is a way for him to speak with others with a clear voice. He certainly isn’t the only senior who has jumped on the social networking bandwagon.

Internet monitoring site com-Score found that there are currently 16.5 million adults ages 55 and older engaged in social network-ing. Facebook has seen the most growth among users 30 and older, and MySpace has 6.9 million users 55 and older among its 130 million users. In the first year after AARP.org introduced its own social networking platform, about 350,000 users have joined and created groups that focus on a myriad of interests.

When computer companies began installing webcams on most laptop computers, webcam use skyrocketed. In one year, there was a 20 percent increase in webcam usage. Technology research firm IDC found that about 20 million people in the world make a video call for personal use in a month. That is a lot of face time for people that used to be separated by great distances. Even if the distance

isn’t extreme, the benefits of webcams can be profound. Pierce, who has a colleague in Alexandria that she frequently

conferences with via a webcam, said the video aspect of it improves the conversation.

“You get the benefit of facial expressions and it just makes (the conversation) flow more nicely I think,” she said.

To someone who is not familiar with computers, all this “tech speak” might sound intimidating. However, Shreveport Public As-sembly and Recreation (SPAR) offers free computer classes for seniors age 50 and older that can get them current on computers and all the many ways they can be used to connect with others.

The beginner computer class assures that the student can use and understand a computer. The sub-ject matter of the course includes essential computer terminology, the strengths and limitations of

computers, basic skills in the use of Windows, the World Wide Web, and use of electronic mail, according to the class description.

The advanced computer class teaches use of the computer for useful real life tasks. The subject matter of the course includes skills in the use of Windows, use of popular application software,


THEBEST ofTIMES

GUIDETO STAYINGCONNECTED

There is nothing you can do while

using a computer,no key-stroke or

key combination, that will cause it

to explode. (You’d be surprised by how

many “Those of Us 50+” hesitate to use a computer

because of that baseless fear. It simply cannot happen.)

FINALLY, FEAR NOT.

SOON YOU’LL HAVE CONFIDENCE.

A device called a Bluetoothheadset allows hands-free calls.

“Thank youfor my Birthdaygift, Grandma.”

and basic introduction to creating a website.

SPAR is now offer-ing a third class that is even more involved than the advanced class, said Camille Webb, supervi-sor of senior programs at SPAR. That class covers

the creation of trifold flyers, movies, invitations and statistical charts. A student must complete the level one and two classes before taking the third class.

“(The students) are really having a nice time,” Webb said. “What we have found out is that it is a healthy thing for them. The major-ity of our seniors, when they started out, they were stay-ing at home. What they don’t realize is they have started socializing more with others. They

are having a wonderful time and they don’t realize how much it is helping them.”

The classes meet for two hours a week for three months. At the end of the class, the students take a test to demonstrate what they have learned. They receive a certificate upon completion and are then eligible to move on to the more advanced class. Webb said the students are very serious about learning to use the computer and study hard for the test.

The classes are offered at 10 SPAR centers and there are usually about 80 students enrolled at a time, with a wait list of 40 to 50 people.

“In order to get the certificate, you must attend class at least 70 percent of the time,” Webb said. “Out of the 80, I probably will have 70 to 75 that will graduate. We do realize that we are working with seniors and they do occasionally have to miss.”

Owning a computer is not necessary for the class, as the centers have computers available for seniors to use anytime between 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. as long as a class is not being held.

“I have received letters from some of the fam-ily members (of students) telling me they are so happy that SPAR is doing this and their family member’s whole personality has changed. And a lot of them, once they take the class, they go out and



THEBEST ofTIMES

GUIDETO STAYINGCONNECTED

There is nothing you can do while

using a computer,no key-stroke or

key combination, that will cause it

to explode. (You’d be surprised by how

many “Those of Us 50+” hesitate to use a computer

because of that baseless fear. It simply cannot happen.)

FINALLY, FEAR NOT.

SOON YOU’LL HAVE CONFIDENCE.

A device called a Bluetoothheadset allows hands-free calls.

“Thank youfor my Birthdaygift, Grandma.”

buy a computer or their family buys them a computer.”

Webb admits that she doesn’t know why the computer classes have become so

popular, but she does know that they are great for the seniors.

“I am serious about their personality changes. They have

a glow on their face when they come in.”

Today, not even a disability has to stand in the way of utilizing the latest in computer tech-nology. Thanks to the work of the Louisiana

Assistive Technology Access Network (LATAN), technology that enables the disabled or impaired to continue computer use is more accessible to area residents.

Phillip Harris, LATAN program assistant, said one

popular application is the Zoom Text Mag-nifier/Reader. It magnifies the computer screen up to 36X and will also read what is on the screen to you. For the visually impaired, it can be the only they can still use the computer.

“I just helped a gentleman the other day with macular degeneration,” Harris said. “It really helps him out by having the larger screen. He likes to play cards online and now he can use his computer by himself.”

LATAN is a demonstration center, which means the people working there have the information on what technologies are available, how to purchase them, and offer training on using the technology. LATAN offers many devices that will assist people with a variety of disabilities.

Harris said he thinks being able to use the computer is important for the disabled, as it can prevent them from feeling isolated.

“The more that you have access to your area, the more you can get out, and the more you can do. You can stay in touch with family that live (elsewhere). It really gives you some freedom to live by yourself, do things you want to do, and you don’t have to depend so much on others.”


1. What is the number one killer disease of women? a. Osteoporosis c. Heart Disease b. Breast Cancer d. Diabetes

2. What does osteopenia mean? a. Low muscle mass c. Another word for osteoporosis b. Low bone mass d. Strong bones

3. What is the normal % of body fat? a. 15-20% c. 25-35% b. 22-30% d. 30-35%

4. Which one of the following blood pressure readings is considered a risk factor for heart disease?

a. 110/70 c. 120/80b. 115/80 d. 140/90

5. What helps to pick up metabolism? a. Lean muscle mass c. Sleeping 8 hours a night b. 1000 calorie a day diet d. Meditation

6. How much body fat does the average 65 year old woman have?

a. 30% c. 43% b. 37% d. 50%

7. What is sarcopenia? a. high muscle mass c. high bone mass b. low bone mass d. low muscle mass

8. What is interval training best for: a. Picking up the metabolic rate b. Adding variety to your routine c. Making it easy to get a drink of water d. Both a & b

9. What body shape is the one that puts you at less risk for both heart disease and breast cancer?

a. apple c. banana b. pear d. pineapple

Test your fitness I.Q. today. It can greatly increase your longevity. If you haven’t been physically active or done regular exercise for a while, it may be hard to know what to do. (Circle your answers. You’ll find the correct answers at the end.)

10. An optimal program for older people would in-clude activities to improve: a. strength, flexibility and

coordination b. eyesight c. digestion d. jogging

11. To be at less risk forheart disease your totalcholesterol should be: a. Above 200 b. Below 200 c. Between 200-220 d. Between 220-225

12. Which is the “good”cholesterol a. HDL c. NDL b. LDL d. Margarine

13. How much exerciseshould you do? a. At least 3-4 times a

week, 30 minutes at 60- 90% max heart rate.

b. At least twice a week, 60 minutes at 70-90% max heart rate

c. At least once a week, 60 minutes at 80-85% max heart rate

d. At least twice a week, 30 minutes at 70-90% max heart rate 14. What is the equation of

finding your target heartrate? a. 220-age x % b. 200-age x % c. 220 x age - % d. 200 x age - %

15. What does aerobicexercise do? a. Helps to stimulate metabolism and reduce

LDL b. Helps to develop stronger abdominals and

back muscles c. Helps to build a stronger

heart muscle d. a & c

16. What are the risk factors for heart diseasethat you can control: a. Family history, age,

menopause b. Inactivity, excessive

alcohol, and high blood pressure

c. Smoking, high cholesterol and triglycerides

d. b & c

17. How often should you weight train? a. Every day b. 3 days in a row, 2 days

rest c. 2-3 times a week, alternating days d. None of the above.

18. How often shouldyou perform a BreastSelf-Examination? a. every other week b. Once a month (if still

menstruating best time a week after the start of your period)

c. Once every week d. None of the above.

19. When should youstart getting annualmammograms? a. After age 40 b. After age 45 c. After age 50 d. After age 55

20. What are the best types of exercise if you have had breast cancer?

a. Light strengthening and stretching exercises.

b. Walking and swimming. c. High intensity strength

training d. a & b


21. 44 million Americans at risk forOsteoporosis; what % are women? a. 60% c. 80% b. 70% d. 90%

22. By the time women are 70 they canlose up to a. 15% bone mass b. 20% bone mass c. 30 % bone mass d. 45% bone mass

23. As a woman goes through menopause what is the main factor that causes bone loss? a. loss of estrogen b. fatigue c. hot flashes d. lightheadedness

24. What are the 3 areas at most riskfor osteoporotic fracture? a. Spine, neck, foot b. Hip, shoulder, foot c. Spine, hip, wrist d. None of the above.

25. What type of exercise is notparticularly effective for loading your bones a. Weight training b. Walking c. Swimming d. Jogging

1. c 2. b 3. b 4. d 5. a 6. c 7. d

eND OF seCTION: when you have completed this section, put down your pencil and check your answers to see how you did.

sCORING: 0 - 10: Read more of The Best of Times! 11 - 15: Just OK. 16 - 20: Very OK. 21 - 25: wOw!

Mirabai Holland M.F.A. is one of the leading authorities in the Health & Fit-ness industry, and public health activist who specializing in preventive and rehabilitative exercise for people. Her Moving Free® approach to exercise is designed to provide a movement experi-ence so pleasant it doesn’t feel like work. www.movingfree.com. © 2009

ANSWErS 8. d 9. a 10. a 11. b 12. a 13. a 14. a

15. d 16. d 17. c 18. b 19. a 20. d 21. c

22. c 23. a 24. c 25. c


Senior Care at Brentwood Hospital

Call us, we can help!

BrentwoodSenior Care Unit(318) 678-7500

Warning SignsThat May Indicate the Need for Treatment

• Depression, extreme sadness• Confused thinking, difficulty concentrating• Hallucinations; hearing voices• Misuse of alcohol or medications• Disorientation• Numerous unexplained physical ailments• Difficulties coping with daily living• Excessive fears, anxieties or suspiciousness

Levels of Care• Inpatient

• Partial Hospitalization(Day Treatment)

• Outpatient


The Glenwood Village and Tearoom

3310 Line AvenueShreveport

For Shreveport Gents and Dames look-ing for an appetizing trip across the pond, look no further than Line Avenue. Across the street from Byrd High School sits the Glenwood Village and Tearoom, which gives Shreveport residents and visitors a chance to experience an authentic British tea room.

My mother Claudia and I joined our good friend and favorite editor Tina Cal-ligas for lunch and tea at the Glenwood Tearoom. We met in the Glenwood’s gift

recipes dating back to the 1860s. Recipes have been updated to suit modern dining tastes – no boiled mutton, curried fowl or stewed eel on this menu. The menu also mixed traditional tea time favorites such as scones, crepes and tea finger sandwiches with the usual lunch fare of chicken salad sandwiches, turkey wraps and gourmet burgers.

The tea room’s décor reflected nostalgia for tea rooms and gardens of Victorian Eng-land. Dimly lit rooms with wooden furniture, floral wallpaper, vines entwined across the ceiling and antiques on shelves gave a quaint, fairly dated feel to the dining area. But tea time is not about décor; it is about taking time out of a hectic day to enjoy the company of

pick: a thin crepe overstuffed with a less-than-seasoned mix of brown rice, chicken and mush-rooms. However, I did enjoy the orange zest infused bécha-mel sauce covering the crepe.

Claudia’s Chick-en Chutney Sandwich ($9.50) served on wheat berry bread – a light, sweet and spiced-up take on the usual lunchtime chicken salad sandwich that oozes with mayonnaise – tied with Tina’s Basil Cheese Tart with Fruit Salad ($13.75), which we eventually deter-mined took first prize in flavor. The cheese tart was similar to a quiche baked in a thin flaky crust, but had a denser, spongier texture because it was made with cream cheese. Flavors of fresh basil were delightfully apparent. Tina’s fruit salad was tossed in a beautiful pink honey yogurt dressing, which could have sufficed as dessert. Entrees were presented on vintage china without elaborate

shop and were greeted by a friendly hostess who ushered us to our table. Women of all ages were sipping tea and having lunch at nearby tables. A group of high school girls enjoyed hot tea and heart-shaped scones with clotted cream and jelly. And yes, there were a few men there as well.

Dottie, our server, promptly arrived to tell us about the day’s featured teas and to take our drink order. We chose three iced teas, a Southern alternative to hot English tea in the heat of a Louisiana summer. Tina and I chose two blonde teas, Orange Spice tea and Ginger peach tea, while Claudia chose the darker brew, a regular iced tea that exceeded the average Lipton. We sipped our tea, chatted, took in the tea room’s charming atmosphere and browsed through the menu.

The Glenwood Tearoom doesn’t stray far from tradition. The menu features gourmet entrees influenced by Victorian

friends, family and fellow tea-drinkers. We asked Dottie the usual question,

“What’s good here?” She suggested the Victorian Soup (a Glenwood favorite), the Maple BLT (“to die for”), the Chicken and Rice Crepe or the Salads Treat.

We began with soup. Keeping with the Victorian theme and Dottie’s suggestion, I tried a cup of the Victorian Soup ($3.75), a pale pureed soup of ham, asparagus, mush-rooms and cream, which I could have easily mistaken for split pea soup. Tina’s Potato and Leek Soup ($3.50) was a hearty helping of lemon chive potatoes, sour cream and leeks. But it was Claudia’s Tomato Soup ($3.50) that ranked best in soup – thick and creamy with garden rice, married with fresh herbs and sweet tomato puree.

The rankings continued with our entrees. Although recommended by Dottie and another Glenwood server, my Chicken and Rice Crepe ($8.50) was a disappointing

garnish. Portion sizes were perfect for a light, yet filling meal.

There was something that caught our eye at first glance of the menu – dessert! For time and calorie’s sake, we chose one dessert to split among the three of us. Sticky Toffee Pudding ($4.75) was the perfect way to end our Victorian lunch. A heaping square of this buttery brown sugar and pound cake layered “pudding” soaked in caramel sauce was served warm and garnished with two puffs of whipped cream and a dusting of cinnamon. Despite gooey drops of melted chocolate and caramel dripping off our spoons, onto the table and into our napkins (hence “sticky”), it was a decadent English treat.

Overall, the Glenwood Tearoom is Best of Times recommended for diners to try the rich and hearty flavors of Victorian recipes in true English tea room style. Enjoy a variety of English-inspired soups, salads, entrees and teas, but be sure to save room for dessert!



by the award winningaManda neWton

To say that Mike McHalffey, 50, has logged some miles would be an understatement. A former track coach, he now has his own real estate appraisal business. The freedom he has by being his own boss allows him to pursue his “obsession” of competing in triathlons. The Bossier City resident, a husband and father of two sons, said athleticism came naturally to him.

“My uncle was a coach and all my aunts and uncles were athletes,” he said. “It was all I knew. Everybody was athletic.”

When he got hurt 19 years ago he started biking and soon “it evolved” into competing in triathlons.

McHalffey said training for and competing in triathlons is a lifestyle. The hours to train, the diet, the travel to compete, it all is just a part of his life now.

He has competed in over 100 triath-lons to date and admits that he is very competitive.

“It is a sickness you could say. I com-pete with both myself and others. This year has been a down year and I have only done three or four triathlons,” he said.

His biggest challenge when competing is his need to go faster. He is always trying to improve his time and now, being 50, admits that it is not always possible.

“I can’t recover as easily,” McHalffey said about being a little older now. “After a hard workout, it is harder to recover…a lot harder to recover. You stay sore all the time. I want to do the same things I was doing five, six or seven years ago and the last two years I can’t. I can still compete. The training is the hard part. Competing keeps you going because that is the fun part.”

This past November McHalffey competed in the Ironman Arizona and said that was really an experience. He trained for almost a year and a half leading up to it, which he said was probably too long. The training regimen would do in most healthy 20-somethings.

“We worked out probably two hours every day. That’s why I say it is a lifestyle. Our recovery day would be running and swimming. A hard day would be a day where we ride three hours and run an hour. For Ironman training, a hard day was to ride 100 miles and run eight or 10 miles. We would start at eight in the morning and finish about three in the afternoon.”

Not surprisingly, McHalffey goes through a pair of shoes every two months. However, even if he didn’t he would still buy many pairs a year.

“I am addicted to shoes and buy them even when I don’t need them. It drives my wife nuts.”

Shoes aren’t the only expense associ-ated with competing in triathlons. A lot

of equipment is required and McHalffey said cost is overwhelming. The cost of the bikes is prob-ably the biggest factor in people not doing it, he said. The high tech bikes are $3,000-$5,000 for a good one and a set of race wheels is a couple of thousand dollars.

“A few years ago I read that the average salary for people in triathlons was $80,000. Of course, teach-ing school, I wasn’t close to that,” he said.

Added to that, you have travel costs and entry fees. The Arizona Ironman entry fee was $500 and the Ironman Hawaii, what many triathletes consider to be the ultimate triathlon, is $525.

When asked if he ever combines travel for pleasure with his competition travel, McHalffey answered with a definite “no.”

“I have a rule and it is kind of joke: Never ruin a good vacation spot with a race.”

Triathlons are set up with an overall bracket and with participants competing in age brackets. McHalffey said most competitors are in their 30s, but he sees 70 year old men competing, too.

“I find that inspiring and hope I can do that,” he said.

In fact, one of the reasons he started competing in triathlons was as a defense against his family history. He said he thinks it keeps him young.

“Nobody in my family…my uncles...has ever lived to 70. My dad died at 69. Every one of them has heart problems. My dad had bypass surgery when he was in his 40s. My mom has had heart surgery. I have


eight aunts and uncles and they all died of heart problems or had heart problems, on both sides of the family.”

“That kind of got me started and I think it has helped”

He said he is not sure if the diet years ago contributed to some of his family members’ health problems, but he has always disliked fatty food. Even as a child, he would have his mom cut the fat off his steaks because he didn’t like it. He never really liked red meat and prefers fish.

“I eat better than the average person, but don’t take it to the extreme some people do.”

It is not his triathlon accomplishments that McHalffey is most proud of, rather it is his children. His two sons, ages 22 and 17, are musicians, not ath-letes. He beams when he talks about their musical talents, none of which came from him, he said.

“When I was growing up it was all

sports and I wanted them to be the other direction. I never pressured them to do sports.”

As a former coach and a triathlete, McHalffey is constantly asked for advice from people who want to start a walking

or running program. As a coach he kept a stack of beginner workout guides on his desk to hand out. Today, he spends a portion of each summer working at a clinic for beginner triathletes. The experience of working with those new to sport has taught him that it is important to start at a very basic level. While experience might be a fac-tor starting out, he said age never should be.

“I used to take it for granted that people knew how to start a program because I was always so ac-

tive. The average person has no clue. But, age is not a factor. Anytime is a good time to start. If you are older, you should just go to the doctor and make sure it is okay.”


First, this remind-er. Daylight Savings Time will End No-vember 1st at 2 a.m. Set all clocks back one hour.

What do you think October weather will

be like? We’ve had some hot tempera-tures and some very cold temperatures. Our hottest October temperature of record was 99° on the first in 1938. The coldest temperature of record was 28° on the 31st in 1993. Wettest was 14 inches in 1949. The driest October of record was in 1963. There was no official rainfall measurement. Only a trace of rain (not enough to measure) was reported in 1908, 1924, and 1934. Last October the warmest temperature was 86° on the 13th and 14th. Coldest temperature was 34° on the 28th. Rainfall measured only 1.42 inches. Normal October rainfall was 4.45 inches.

Here’s an old weather saying that has a lot of truth to it. “Red Sky in the morning, sailors take warning. Red sky at night, sailors delight.” Here’s the reason behind that saying. Weather moves in a general west to east direction. Thus, a rising sun would light a towering thunderstorm cloud in the west, therefore sailors take warning. A setting sun would light a thunderstorm cloud in the east, thus sailors delight.

Al Bolton, a member of the American Meteorological Society and the National Weather Association, began reporting with KSLA-TV in February, 1954 and for The Best of Times in February, 2002.


Chris Shelby, MDPierremont Eye Institute7843 Youree Dr.Shreveport, LA 71105318-212-3937; www.ShelbyEye.comSee our ad on page 23.

nuRsing HoMe CaRe

Vicki Ott, AdministratorNurseCare Nursing and Rehab Center1736 Irving PlaceShreveport, LA 71101(318) 221-1983See our ad on page 55.

John J. Ferrell, M.D.Mid South Orthopaedics7925 Youree Drive; Suite 210Shreveport, LA 71105(318) 424-3400

opHtHalMology

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Dr. Ravish PatwardhanThe Comprehensive Neurosurgery Network8001 Youree Dr., Ste 970Shreveport, LA 71115(318) 797-5543; www.neurosurgery.ws

“you’ve got questions, we’ve got answers”

In considering a nursing home for future placement of my mother, I am told that I should review the home’s most recent state survey. Where can I obtain one?

Survey results are posted online at www.medicare.gov/NHCompare. You may search the site by city, zip code, or the name of the particular homes. It will give you a comparison of each home to the state and national averages of issues cited. If you do not have Internet access, you may ask the nursing home staff to see the survey since homes are required to display a copy of their most recent survey in a public area.

Who are candidates for balloon kyphoplasty to relieve back problems?

The best candidates for balloon kyphoplasty are those who have new (within a few days or a couple of weeks) fracture. Fractures are most common in older patients with osteoporosis and the typical symptom is severe, immediate onset back pain. Kyphoplasty has to be one of the most satisfying procedures - there is practically immediate relief in most cases, and people go home with only 2 tiny needle incisions. We treat other back-related problems which affect pain down the legs of ‘fatiguing”

down the legs, and not every patient needs surgery - just an honest assessment.

My mother is in her 70s and over the past few months has had extremely dry eyes. We are concerned that she is over-medicating with over-the-counter eye drops. What could suddenly cause dry eyes and should she see an eye doctor before it gets worse?

Dry eye syndrome is very common among the elderly. It generally develops and worsens over time. There are some diseases and medications that cause dry eyes. Over-the-counter medications are fine to use up to 4 times a day. If your mother is having to use tears more than 4 times a day she needs to see an Ophthalmologist. There are treatments to relieve the symptoms

and restore ocular health. Call today at (318) 212-3937 to find out more.

My shoulder hurts. Should I play through the pain?Over 12 million people visit a doctor’s office for a shoulder

problem annually. Athletes are particularly prone to shoulder injuries due to repetitive, cumulative stress/injuries. Injuries occur during sports, as well as every day home and work activities. Most shoulder problems involve muscles, tendons, and/or ligaments and can be treated effectively with exercises, medications, physical therapy, etc. Steady pain, limitation of motion, difficulties with work activities of daily living or difficulty with sleep should alert you to seek an orthopedic

surgeon for help in diagnosing and treating your shoulder pain.


2nd Annual Octoberfest - Saturday, Oct 17, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. 714 N. Ashley Ridge Loop (behind Outback Steakhouse). Spon-sored by Keller Williams Realty and KW Commercial Free food and refreshments. Music, cake walk, silent auction, and raffle. For the kids and grandkids: pony rides, costume contest, football throw, face painting, hay ride, jumper. Benefitting Community Renewal International. For more information call (318) 213-1555 or visit www.KWOktoberfest.info. FREE admission.

The Krewe of Elders Halloween party on Sunday, October 25 at the American Legion Hall located at 5315 South Lake-shore Drive in Shreveport. Costumes are optional. Prizes will be awarded for best costumes. Crossroads band will be per-forming. $7.00 per person. Food available for purchase. Cash bar, door prizes, 50/50 raffle. For more info. 635-4901, 752-9175, 518-8092.

Turning Wood Into Art - Oct. 20, 2009 - Jan. 3, 2010. Norton Art Gallery, 4747 Creswell Ave., Shreveport. Features the work of forty artists from around the world whose turned-wood objects embody a provocative combination of the natural and the manmade. Showcases approximately 68 objects from the Mint Museum of Craft + Designs Jane and Arthur Mason Collec-tion, one of the worlds foremost collections of contemporary wood sculpture. FREE

Magnificent, Marvelous, Martele: American Art Nouveau Silver from the Collection of Jolie and Robert - Through November 1. Meadows Museum of Art at Centenary College, 2911 Centenary Blvd., Shreveport. Features objects created as part of an exclusive line of hand-crafted silver by the Gorham Silver Company from 1897 through 1931. The Museum is open to the general public from noon to 4 p.m. on Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday; from noon to 5 p.m. on Thursday; from 1- 4 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. The Museum is closed on Monday. FREE

Flu vaccination clinics (subject to vaccine availability) by American Red Cross. Vaccine is not specific to the H1N1 flu virus. FREE for those bringing their Medicare Part B card, or $20 for flu and $30 for pneumonia vaccines.

October 1 - St. James Episco-pal, 2050 Bert Kouns, 9am-1pm

October 6 - First Bap-tist - Shreveport, 543 Ockley, 11am-3pm

October 8 - First Baptist - Bossier, 2810 E. Texas Street, 9am-1pm

November 3 - Broadmoor Baptist Church, 4110 Youree

Drive, 7am-1pm, (with Health Fair)

AARP Driver Safety Program - An 8 hour classroom refresher course for drivers age 50+ which may qualify participants for an automobile insurance premium reduction or discount. Where 2 days are listed, participants must attend both days. Participants must preregister. $14 for non-AARP members; $12 for AARP members (AARP card required at registration).

Oct. 8 & 9 - 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Noel Memorial UMC, 520 Herndon Street, Shreveport. Contact: Sue Kamm 221-5207; Instructor: Clare Maisel.

Oct. 20 & 21 - 8:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. 1st United Meth. Church, 400 Common, Shreveport. Contact: Dr. Carl Rhoades 424-7771; Instructor: Clare Maisel.

Springhill Lumberjack Festival - October 9 & 10. Springhill City Park. Food, fun, entertainment and a great children’s corner. Starts at Noon on Friday. Includes Springhill Lumberjack Festival Parade - Main Street on Satur-day at 10AM. and the Springhill Main Street Car Show- Antique, Classic, Street rods, all types cars, trucks, motorcycles. North side of the Springhill/North Web-ster Chamber of Commerce on October 10. 9 until 3. For more information call: Springhill Main Street Project Manager, Jan Corrales, 318-539-5699

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plaCes2go, people2see, tHings2do

syMposiuM

dRiving Classes

oCtoBeRFest

Movie & lunCHkReWe oF eldeRs

touRs

12th Annual Lola Eichler Memo-rial Parkinson’s Symposium - Friday, October 30 at 4:00 pm in the LSU Health Sciences Center Auditorium (Room 1-400) in Shreveport. The purpose of this event is to raise awareness and provide public education about Parkinson’s disease. Patients, families, caregivers, health pro-fessionals and members of the community are welcome. Reception, with silent auc-tion, following in the Biomedical Research Institute Atrium. Valet parking available. NO CHARGE. For more information, call Paula Houston at (318) 675-6142.

Silver Screenings - Robinson Film Center. October 20th at 10:30 am with the classic musical “GiGi”. The $14 price per person includes the feature film and lunch at Abbey Singer’s Bistro. Robinson Film Center is located at 617 Texas in downtown Shreveport. Door prizes. To reserve tickets, please call (318) 459-4122. Seating is limited and reservations are required.

First Saturday Tour Series - Norton Art Gallery, 4747 Creswell Ave., Shreve-port. First Saturday of every month at 2:00 - 3:00 p.m. All tours meet in the lobby. No reservation is required, though groups of 10 or more are asked to call ahead. This tour, like all tours and admission to the Norton, is FREE of charge.

Saturday, October 3 – The Halloween Tour: Where the Wild Things Are. Exam-ine the things that can leap out of paintings and grab you. Delve into the deep myster-ies of the R.W. Norton Art Gallery.

Saturday, November 7 – It Runs in the Family Tour. Explores the artistic families on display in their permanent collection from the Bonheurs to the Borglums and beyond.

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Festival

exHiBits

Flu sHots


Nursing HomesSUDOKU - Fill in the blank squares in the grid, making sure that every row, column, and 3 x 3 box includes all digits 1 through 9.

(Solution on page 48)

ApplesAutumn

BatsBlack cats

BooCostumes

FallFestival

HalloweenHarvestHayride

Indian cornLeavesMasksMoon

Pumpkins

ScarecrowSkeletonSpiderSpookyTreatsTricks

VampireWitch

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A member of the ResCare family of companies

Call us today at: 318.678.1890

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ResCare HomeCare, the nation’s largest non-franchised home care provider, is proud to offer flexible, affordable, dependable services including:

Call for a free consultation!

Experiencethe

Difference!

Helping you live life on your own terms


By Alan Arbesfeld; Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Nichols Lewis

(Solution on page 48)

Across1 Denial on the base6 Smelling __11 Hummus holder15 “Oops”19 Get away from20 “__ Ben Jonson”: literary epitaph21 Epps of “House”22 Nautilus captain23 Ella while scatting?25 1939 Garland co-star26 All there27 Salon supply28 Singer Brewer29 Bow-wielding Southern god?31 River of Cologne33 __ chi35 Bull: Pref.36 Cholesterol check?40 Cockpit datum44 Renée of silent films45 Uses as support47 Magnetic Field?48 17th-18th century British poet Nicholas49 Anesthetize51 “The __ the limit!”54 Parlor piece55 Prayers are often said on them57 __ standstill58 Possible reply to a dentist’s “Where does it hurt?”61 Orch. section62 Mason’s job?64 __ bit: slightly65 Lustrous fabrics66 Condition that might bring you to tears?68 Lagged behind70 Hard and soft mouth parts73 Duds75 Sign of a past injury76 Bad-mouth79 Twisty hair style

for active people?81 Free TV spot82 Cork people84 Menlo Park middle name85 Open hearing, in law86 Marcos’s successor89 Should that be true90 Oldest Little Leaguers92 Pants cuffs, to Brits94 Morning need for many96 Disheartened99 Japanese sake, e.g.?101 Pleased102 Amtrak purch.103 Deceptive ploys104 Candy, cookies and soda?109 Lowlife, slangily112 President between Harry and Jack115 “Me neither!”116 “Just doing my best”117 What Depp did, over and over, to acquire the auction item he so badly wanted?119 Like Nash’s lama, in verse120 Cast a ballot121 Professeur’s pupil122 Running score123 Blubber124 Once, long ago125 Decisive times126 British submachine guns Down1 Dweeb2 Skin care brand3 The United States, e.g.4 First name in dictators5 Ocean

phenomenon associated with wildlife mortality6 Evening party7 “Rule, Britannia’’ composer8 Doesn’t keep up9 Dissertation10 Rev.’s talk11 __ sci12 Big-screen format13 South Pacific vacation mecca14 Overdue thing15 Never before topped16 Pile17 Present opening?18 Did garden work24 Had a feeling about29 Conks out30 Hurl epithets32 New staff

member34 Sponsor’s urging36 Small songbirds37 Rare altar reply, fortunately38 Like steamy films39 Hindu scripture40 Egyptian symbol of life41 Take the honey and run42 Impish43 Groups of two46 Blender brand50 Slips past52 Sammy Davis Jr. autobio- graphy53 Italy’s La __56 “Ivanhoe” author59 New Jersey team60 Wombs63 Schoolyard retort

64 Paris possessive66 Informal eatery67 Japanese city known for its beer69 Hockey stat70 H.S. juniors’ exams71 Words after cop72 Cherished74 Polish city where Solidarity was founded76 Capable of being scattered77 Japanese immigrant78 Did a smith’s work80 On Soc. Sec., perhaps81 Insect stage83 Remington product87 Stop dramatically, as smoking

88 Live in91 Ward of “Sisters”93 Tellers?95 In some respects97 Like English, to most Americans98 Publishing VIP100 Cara and Castle104 Door opener105 New York college whose team is the Gaels106 Sketched107 Table scraps108 Russian refusal110 Ostrich relative111 Covetous feeling113 Potter’s oven114 Slow Churned ice-cream brand117 “The Beverly Hillbillies” dad118 Wolf down

put tHe FingeR on


Hill Crest Memorial 601 Hwy. 80 East

Haughton, LA 71037(318) 949-9415

Centuries Memorial8801 Mansfield

Shreveport, LA 71108(318) 686-4334

Have you made prearrangements for your family, or do you still have that to do?

leaving these decisions to your children on the worst day of their lives is a

terrible emotional burden.

Call Today To Receive a FREE Family Planning Portfolio


By lillian CaRson

Q: We adopted our daughter at birth and loved and cared for her throughout her life. She is now married. When she became pregnant, seeking health and genetic information, she looked for - and found - her biological mother. The two of

them hit it off so well that my daughter chose her biological mother to be in the birthing room with her husband and her. I was not asked to be present. I am shocked and hurt and I don’t know what to do. ~Heartbroken Grand

A: This is a shocking turn of events. I can only imagine the disbelief, sadness and an-ger you are experiencing.

Many adopted children have longings for their bio-logical parents in order to satisfy the need to know their origins. Your daughter is evidently thrilled to have answers to lifelong, and possibly unexpressed, questions that only her biological mother can provide.

Hopefully, you can regain your rightful place in the lives of your daughter and your new grandbaby. Communication is key. Have a talk with your daughter at a time when you can put your anger and hurt aside and she is rested and comfortably in a routine. It is important that you not push her away with criti-cism or anger. Both your daughter and your son-in-law need understanding, support and TLC.

Set aside your wounded feelings, continue in your mothering role and begin to enjoy your role as a grandmother. Bring your daughter meals, offer to babysit, and think of other thoughtful things you might do.

While it is unfortunate that your daughter chose the biologi-cal grandmother over you, I urge you to accept this biological mother as the woman who gave you your daughter and honor the fact that you have loved your daughter and have done your best to provide her with a good home.

Ideally, time will smooth things between you. Meanwhile, do your best to be an “essential” grandparent. Your grandbaby is oblivious to all of these interactions - and is ready to respond to your love and care. Remember, there’s no such thing as too much love.

Lillian Carson, D.S.W., is a nationally recognized grandparent-ing expert and the author of The Essential Grandparent: A Guide to Making a Difference [http://www.essentialgrandparent.com]. This is an excerpt from the “Ask GRAND” column - July 2009 issue of GRAND, the online magazine for grandparents & the grandkids who love them. For information or to subscribe ($7.99), go to www.grandmagazine.com and put in special promotion code “senior” to receive a discount for being a reader of this publication.

Bypassed for Bio Mom

�0 October 2009 TheBestOfTimesNews.com�0 October 2009 TheBestOfTimesNews.com

Ambulance Services

Balentine Ambulance service

(318) 222-5358More info on page 35

Artificial Limbs and Braces

snell’s Orthotics and Prosthetics (318) 424-4167

More info on page 52

Associations and Organizations

BluePrint Louisiana(866) 483-3920


Bossier Council on Aging

(318) 741-8302

Caddo Council on Aging

(318) 632-2090

shreveport Little Theatre


shreveport Opera(318) 227-9503


The Robinson Film Center


The Best of Times (318) 636-5510

More info on page 6

webster Council on Aging

(318) 371-3056

Automobile Care and Repairs

VM services(318) 820-9187


Care Providers

Comfort Keepers (318) 934-0090


Family Care services (318) 671-1799


Home Assistance services

(318) 682-8182More info on page37

Northwest LA INCs, LLC (318) 636-0390


ResCare Home Care (318) 678-1890


seniors Club Personal Care services


Cemeteries/Funeral Homes

Centuries Memorial(318) 686-4334


Hill Crest Memorial(318) 949-9415


Chiropractic Care

The Chiropractic Health CenterDr. Diane sino(318) 687-0881


Counseling Services

The Center for Families (318) 222-0759


Educational Courses

Bible Correspondence Course


Thru the Bus Radio Program


Emergency Response Systems

Acadian OnCall1-800-259-1234


Financial & Estate Planning/Legal ervices

serio Investments Phillip serio


The Law Practice of Joseph Gilsoul (318) 222-2100


Flowers

Flowers Forever, LLC(318) 925-2323

More info one page 41

Hearing Care Services

Better Hearing systems(318) 747-9191


shreve Hearing Aid service


Home Maintenance and Repair Services

Gutter Helmet of North Louisiana(800) 284-9777


stanley steamer Carpet Cleaner(318) 631-6655


Home Health Care (Medicare Certified)

Ark-La-Tex Home Health, Inc


synergy Home Care (318) 550-0285


Hospice Care Providers

Hospice Compassus(318) 524-1046


Odyssey Healthcare (318) 868-8788


st. Joseph Hospice (318) 222-8723


Home Infusion Services

IV Plus(318) 683-5139


Hospitals

Brentwood Hospital (318) 678-7500


willis Knighton Medical Center – North

shreveport(318) 212-4000

More info on page 2

willis Knighton Medical Center – Bossier(318) 212-7000

More info on page 2

willis Knighton Medical Center – south

shreveport(318) 212-5000

More info on page 2

wilis Knighton Medical Center – Pierremont


Insurance

Humana(800) 301-8998


sterling Health Plans(866) 217-3666


Vantage Health Plan(888) 823-1910

More info on page 5

Medical Supplies and Equipment

Fastserv Medical(318) 741-9586


Home Health Medical supply (318) 631-1466


Medtronics – XsTOP spacer


Pet Care and Services

Airline Animal Hospital(318) 747-9150


Lil’ Rascals Pet Care(318) 573-6672


Pharmacies

Medic Pharmacy(318) 222-8477


Physician Services

Cardiovascular Consultants, LLP

Dr. Phillip Rozeman (318) 631-6400


October 2009 �1 The Best Of Times October 2009 �1 The Best Of Times

NurseCare of shreveport


Princeton Place Rehabilitation Center


southwood Gardens(318) 682-4022


southwood square(318) 671-1888


The waterford at shreveport


Spas/Skin Care

Jeany Mitchell’s skin Technology (318) 347-3567


Mary KayCindy Dawson(318) 578-5965


Travel Services

Cruises, Inc(318) 746-3745


Fly Branson(888) 359-2541


Red River Coaches (318) 221-5797


Telephone Book

User-Friendly Phone Book


Dr. Britain P. Auer(318) 798-4623


Dr. Gary Booker (318) 227-9600


Mid south Orthopaedics


Pierremont eye Institute

Dr. Chris shelby (318) 212-3937


Radio Stations

KwKH AM 1130 Radio station


Real Estate Agents

Century 21 Judy Holland


Restaurants and Catering

Cupcake Gallery and Coffee shop(318) 752-2253


Imperial wok Chinese Restaurant


Senior Living Options

Azalea estates Assisted Living (318) 797-2408


Kingsley Place of shreveport


Leslie Lakes Retirement Center



Some see an empty field of dirt. Robbie Brown sees bushels of homegrown tomatoes, foot-long zucchinis and some of the sweetest peas your teeth have ever had the pleasure of meeting. When he’s not driving his tractor or guiding his tiller through the garden, you’ll find him living life to the fullest in some other way. “I do anything I want to do with the legs I get from Snell’s,” Brown says confidently. “I don’t back up for nothing.” It is that same type of commitment that Snell’s licensed practitioners and technicians make to our patients every day. Our staff members take the time to atten-tively listen to the patient to determine what his or her needs truly are. Then,after careful consultation with the patient’s physician, we begin the design and fabrication process. Once the prosthesis or orthosis has been fitted, we work tirelessly with the patient to make sure that it functions correctly. Our investment in new technology and in specialized training for our staff allows us to deliver prosthetic and orthotic devices of the highest quality.Because, as Mr. Brown will attest to…what you invest in today will yieldabundant returns tomorrow.

Reaping What You Sow

ORTHOTICS • PROSTHETICS

www.SnellsOandP.com

Serving Shreveport (2 locations), Bossier City, Monroe, Alexandria, Ruston, Minden,Natchitoches, Coushatta, and Mansfield.

Returning independence to our patients since 1911

NEW Southeast

Shreveport Office

Now OPEN!


1 - The Everything Green Expo was held at the Shreveport Conven-tion Center. Stopping by The Best of Times booth are (a) Robin and Gloria Bryan; (b) D. J. Mills, Rene and Dr. Donald Webb.

2 - Rod Taylor, President of Barksdale Federal Credit Union and Hedi Hebert of Benefit Choices at the Business Expo at the Bossier Civic Center.

3 - The opening of MarketPlace at The Oaks, the newest addition to the campus of The Oaks of Louisiana and Live Oak, was held on Sept. 2. (a) Live Oak residents Peggy Garland (foreground), Maxine Parrish and Betty Speairs; (b) Susan Beaird and David Winkler display a framed logo of the original Live Oak Gift Shop which was established in 1982 by their mothers, Carolyn Beaird and Marjorie Beene (Beenie) Winkler.

4 - Congressman John Fleming, Sue Garrison, and Bettie Mitchell at the Town Hall meeting at The Glen Retirement System.

5 - King Jay Prudhomme and Queen Sue Prudhomme (center), along with other royalty, were crowned at the Krewe of Elders Coronation XII. Raising a toast is Captain Celia Frazier.

6 - Debbie Grand (center seated) celebrates her birthday at the In-doors Racquet Club with (seated) Anne Marston and Jan Glasgow, and (standing) Marsha Spell, Tina Calligas, Sherry Hennigan, Abby Averett, Cindy Marrus, Neal Mottet, Sue Watts, Judy Talley, and Becky Chevalier.

7 - Marjorie Burns and Charlie Pease are the winners of door prizes at the Silver Screenings at the Robinson Film Center.

8 - Bossier Central Lions Club members Alta Palmer, Barbara Jones, Melba Rittenberry, Harriett Hudson, and Patricia High attend a presentation by TBT publisher Gary Calligas.

9 - Hubert and Virginia Dupree Joyner celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary at a reception hosted by their children on August 30. (Seated) Hubert Joyner, (standing l to r) Ginellen Joyner Hunter, Emilane Joyner Watson, Elenrae Joyner, and Virginia Dupree Joyner


Sterling Life Insurance Company is a Medicare Advantage Organization contracting with the federal government. Anyone entitled to Medicare Part A and enrolled in Medicare Part B may apply. You must continue to pay your Medicare Part B premium. A Medicare Advantage Private Fee-for-Service plan works differently than a Medicare supplement plan. Your doctor or hospital is not required to agree to accept the plan’s terms and conditions, and thus may choose not to treat you, with the exception of emergencies. If your doctor or hospital does not agree to accept our payment terms and conditions, they may choose not to provide health care services to you, except in emergencies. Providers can find the plan’s terms and conditions on our website at: www.sterlingplans.com. *All plans may not be available in all areas.

Toll-Free: 1-866-217-3666TTy: 1-888-858-8567

M0010_S4802_10410 F&U (9/09)

Sterling takes the worry out of your health insurance. Our trained Medicare experts can help you choose from our variety of plans to fit your unique needs.

Sterling’s 2010 insurance plans* include:

so don’t delay.Call TODAY for more information!

Make your Medicarechoices now, and relax later.

HMO, PPO, and PFFS plans with a Medicare contract. This is an advertisement.

M0006_GHA_02XTRR_09 9/09

Yes, some people may say that’s an old-fashioned idea.

But at Humana, we still appreciate some of those old-time values. And to

us, it’s just the way we want to do business.

That’s why our licensed representatives are always happy to come and talk

with you in the privacy and convenience of your home. They will listen to

what you want in your health plan, and offer guidance to help you choose a

plan that’s right for you.

For people with Medicare…

Humana still makeshouse calls

8 a.m. to 8 p.m., seven days a week

the best of times october 2009

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