Areawide Aging Agency Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program is committed to working with residents, families and facility staff to improve the quality of life of residents in long-term care. Volunteers are an integral part of our mission. We are looking for volunteers who would like to make a difference in the life of a resident.
What are Ombudsmen?
Ombudsmen are advocates who identify, investigate and resolve individual and system level complaints that affect residents in long term care settings.
What does an Ombudsman Do?
• Visit residents weekly for two hours • Help residents articulate needs •Investigate and resolve complaints • Advocate for system and legislative changes • Educate residents of their rights
• Monitor conditions and care • Provide a voice for those who are unable to speak for themselves
Who can be a Volunteer?
You Can! Volunteers need to be over 18 years old. We provide the training and any support you might need after you become certified. Areawide Aging Agency’s next scheduled training for new volunteers will be July 29th and 30th 2015. The training will be held at Areawide Aging Agency located at 4101 Perimeter Center Drive Ste. 310, Oklahoma City, OK. The training will begin at 9:30 AM and last until 3:30 PM on both days. Training is free and the public is invited to attend. Attending the training is the first step towards becoming a certified volunteer; however, attending the training in no way obligates you to become a volunteer. If you would like more information or would like to attend the training, please contact Erin Davis, Ombudsman Supervisor at 405-942-8500.
Home ARCHIVES
Bone and Joint Hospital at St. Anthony to offer FREE Shoulder Pain Lunch-and-Learn FREE Shoulder Pain Lunch-and-Learn
Are you experiencing pain and stiffness in your shoulder? Have movements such as reaching and throwing become more difficult? Join us for a FREE Shoulder Pain Lunch-and-Learn Thursday, June 25, at noon, with Zak Knutson, M.D.
Dr. Knutson is an orthopedic surgeon on staff at Bone and Joint Hospital at St. Anthony. He received his medical degree from the University of Oklahoma, College of Medicine. He completed his residency at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, and his fellowship at the Hospital for Special Surgery, Department of Sports Medicine and Shoulder Surgery in New York.
The lunch-and-learn will be held in the Education Center at Bone and Joint Hospital at St. Anthony, 1111 N. Dewey Ave., Oklahoma City. The luncheon is FREE, but space is limited. Please call (405) 979-7814 to register.
National Survey Reveals We Take Dear Ol’ Dad for Granted
Speak-Up, Dad!
Dads have too much pressure yet keep quiet about their needs
Father’s Day traditionally takes a backseat to Mother’s Day but a new national survey reveals we owe Dad special attention on his big day this year. The survey reveals that more than half of adult children (52%) sometimes feel they take their dads for granted! Why?
1) Families expect so much from Dad (be the breadwinner, romantic husband, caretaker for children, athletic supporter, handy man,)
2) Dads aren’t as vocal about their needs and accomplishments
3) Mom seems to get all the attention!
The national survey of 300 men and women was commissioned by Visiting Angels, one of our nation’s largest in-home senior care companies with more than 500 offices throughout the country.
DADS GET SLIGHTED ON FATHER’S DAY
Nearly ½ of those surveyed (44%) say they have felt dads get slighted on Father’s Day because…
1) Moms get more attention on Mother’s Day
2) Dads don’t expect as much on Father’s Day so they can get overlooked
3) It can be hard to find a good gift for Dad
ARE WE GIVING GIFTS DAD WANTS?
Americans spend half as much on gifts for Father’s Day than they do on Mother’s Day, according to the National Retail Federation. While Mother’s Day is the third largest spending-holiday in America, Father’s Day ranks number six on that list, behind Valentine’s Day and Easter.
What gifts do adult children plan to give Dad this year?
• Top gift: a card
• Second: quality time with the kids and family
• Third: gift cards
When Dads were asked what they REALLY want for Father’s Day, they said:
• Top gift: quality time with the kids and family
• Second: gift cards
• Equally tied for third: retreat to the man cave and a card
Turns out, we are giving Dad gifts he really wants! By the way, only 10% of dads say they really want a new tie for Father’s Day! And, only 13% say they want those “world’s greatest dad” gifts.
WHY VISIT DAD ON FATHER’S DAY?
Three out of four (76%) adult children say they plan visit their dad on his special day because…
• 86% say they love him and want to spend time with him.
• More than ½ (58%) say they want to set a good example for their kids.
• 1 in 5 (20%) say it’s one of the few times they get to see him each year because they’re so busy.
“It’s no surprise the survey reveals adult children adore their dads and want to visit them in-person on Father’s Day because they don’t get as much time with their aging parents as they would like,” said Larry Meigs, CEO of Visiting Angels, one of our nation’s largest in home senior care companies, with an office in our area. “On Father’s Day and every day, our caregivers go into seniors’ homes to provide companionship, light housekeeping, meal preparation and transportation. When you can’t be there for Dad, we’re here to help.”
Visiting Angels is the source for this survey and this online survey was done by a third party and commissioned by Visiting Angels.
Survey participants (150 men, 150 women) have no affiliation with Visiting Angels.
GREG SCHWEM: Nana’s becoming a graffiti artist
Dad’s been gone over a year now. It was time to sit down with Mom and have that uncomfortable but necessary conversation about moving on. I started with simple suggestions.
“How about returning to golf, Mom?” I said.
“My knees are acting up. And my back. And my joints. Then there’s my vision …”
OK, not a good launching point.
“You’ve always enjoyed cooking, right?”
“Cooking for one is not exactly a joyous activity.”
I couldn’t argue with that.
“Volunteer at the hospital?”
“Too depressing.”
“Gardening?”
“My knees are acting up. And my back. And my joints …”
“OK, I get it,” I replied, while realizing this could be more difficult than I first thought. It was time to pull out the heavy artillery.
“Graffiti artist in Portugal?”
“Excuse me?”
I grabbed her iPad and pulled up the Facebook page of LATA 65, boasting thousands of “likes” and containing dozens of photos of senior citizens roaming the streets of Lisbon, Portugal, armed with spray paint “latas,” which is Portuguese for “can.”
“What a wonderful idea, Greg,” Mom said. “Send your nearly 80-year-old mother overseas and have her deface one of Europe’s most beautiful cities. Will you and my grandchildren visit me in prison? I can hardly wait to meet my celly. How do you say ‘shank’ in Portuguese?”
“Calm down Mom, it’s perfectly legal,” I said, quickly launching into my limited knowledge of LATA 65, gleaned solely from online articles and social media. The organization seeks to break down the negative connotations often associated with graffiti – “street art” to its supporters – by painting colorful designs in some of Lisbon’s most blighted areas. And what better way to show that graffiti can beautify a city, as opposed to attracting warring gang factions, than by employing the geriatric set to create art?
I showed Mom photos of grandmas and nanas sitting around a conference table, plotting designs and cutting stencils. Scrolling further, I shared pictures of these same women, some wearing rubber gloves and fume-preventing surgical masks, transferring their concepts to murals, pavement and the sides of buildings. In one photo, women who looked as if they came straight from Tuesday afternoon book club triumphantly hoisted their latas aloft, signaling a successfully completed project.
“So, what do you think?” I asked Mom. “See the world, meet new friends, learn a foreign language, and create visual statements that will endure long after you’re gone. You could cross off an entire Bucket List in one trip!”
“I’m not much for art,” she replied. “And I don’t know anything about painting.”
“That’s where the mentor program comes in,” I said, reminding her that this mature gang doesn’t prowl Portuguese ‘hoods unsupervised. All workers paint in tandem with professional street artists, who school them in the finer points of urban graffiti.
“I’d miss everybody back home,” Mom said.
“Think of it as a work-study program,” I said. “Go over there for about 10 weeks, learn the craft and bring your skills back here. There must be a few areas in your subdivision that could benefit from a dose of Portuguese-infused urban art.”
“Come to think of it, the clubhouse exterior looks a little drab. And don’t get me started on the tennis court,” she said. “Of course any improvements, changes or modifications would require a two-thirds vote of the homeowners association.”
“Worry about that later,” I said. “Right now you need to run to Home Depot, grab a lata or three, and make sure your passport is up to date. I’ll check flights on Expedia. Oh, and Mom, if you do get arrested over there, just remember this phrase: ‘Por favor, Posso pintar minhas paredes celulares.’”
“What does that mean?”
“It’s Portuguese for, ‘May I please paint my cell walls?’”
(Greg Schwem is a corporate stand-up comedian and author of “Text Me If You’re Breathing: Observations, Frustrations and Life Lessons From a Low-Tech Dad,” available at http://bit.ly/gregschwem. Visit Greg on the Web at www.gregschwem.com.)
(c) 2015 GREG SCHWEM. DISTRIBUTED BY TRIBUNE CONTENT AGENCY, LLC
Complimentary Hearing Screenings Offered by INTEGRIS Health
Per the Journal of the American Medical Association, hearing loss is one of the most common chronic health conditions and has important implications for a person’s quality of life. However, hearing loss is substantially undetected and untreated.
At INTEGRIS Health we believe everyone age 55 and older should have their hearing checked every year as part of their overall wellness.
In recognition of National Speech and Hearing Month, the INTEGRIS Cochlear Implant Clinic will offer complimentary hearing screenings for individuals who have not yet been diagnosed with a hearing loss. If you currently wear a hearing aid or have been diagnosed with a hearing loss, a screening will not be sufficient.
The doctors of audiology at the INTEGRIS Cochlear Implant Clinic can help determine if you have a hearing loss and what treatment options they can offer you. The screenings are available by appointment only.
For more information or to schedule an appointment for a complimentary hearing screening, please call the INTEGRIS Cochlear Implant Clinic 405-947-6030.
Senior helps Salvation Army help those in need
Story and photos by Mike Lee, Staff Writer
As far as he can figure, 75-year-old Leroy Saiz is on his third retirement.
But there’s one job he doesn’t plan on giving up, even though he doesn’t get paid a dime.
After retiring a third time earlier this year, Saiz says he couldn’t imagine giving up volunteering for the Salvation Army Central Oklahoma Area Command food pantry.
“I decided to do something instead of getting bored,” Saiz said.
There’s never time for boredom now with Saiz pouring his 25-years of Safeway experience into the pantry, which feeds hundreds of Oklahomans each week.
“The people are really grateful for the food they get and you put a smile on their lips and get a lot of hugs and kisses,” Saiz said. “You get more blessings than anything else. They’re really grateful.”
On Tuesdays and Thursdays you can find Saiz and fellow seniors helping stock the pantry for the Monday, Wednesday and Friday visits.
Thousands of pounds of food are handed out free of charge to needy Oklahomans.
Saiz began volunteering with the Salvation Army through the Angel Tree program. Found in local companies and corporations, Angel Trees are decorated with numbered paper angel tags with the first name, age and gender of a child in need of presents. Contributors remove one or more tags from the tree and purchase appropriate gifts for the child or children described on the tags.
From there he went on to help with the Exodus House, a transitional housing program from women leaving prison.
But he’s really found his niche at the food pantry.
“It keeps me active and one of the things because of my grocery background I’ve been able to help some of the other volunteers make work a little easier,” Saiz said. “Some of them are amazed at the little techniques I show them on stocking.”
Liz Banks, volunteer coordinator for the Salvation Army, says volunteers like Saiz are a blessing for the Christian organization. She remembers how one client mentioned to her that they didn’t want to leave the pantry because Leroy made them laugh and feel good about themselves despite the fact they had to come in for food.
“Leroy is a fine Christian gentleman,” Banks said. “Leroy has a sweet, kind disposition who loves people. He treats each volunteer the way he wants to be treated – with respect.”
The Salvation Army, an international movement, is an evangelical part of the universal Christian church.
Its message is based on the Bible. Its ministry is motivated by the love of God. Its mission is to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ and to meet human needs in His name without discrimination.
Nearly 33 million Americans, of which 139,000 Oklahomans, receive assistance from The Salvation Army Central Oklahoma Area Command each year through the broadest array of social services that range from providing food for the hungry, relief for disaster victims, assistance for the disabled, outreach to the elderly and ill, clothing and shelter to the homeless and opportunities for underprivileged children.
About 82 cents of every dollar raised is used to support those services in nearly 9,000 communities nationwide. The Salvation Army Central Oklahoma Area Command is a proud partner agency of the United Way of Central Oklahoma.
Fridays are when the pantry gets really busy. Anywhere from 70 to 100 people are served
“For me, it’s the joy on peoples’ faces,” Saiz said. “A lot of people live alone so they don’t have too much interaction with strangers, but when you talk to them it’s a new face and new voice that makes them feel good. You show them you care.”
The biggest need Saiz sees on the days he works is manpower.
“We need more volunteers. That would help,” Saiz said. “We have companies that will send their employees out to volunteer but it’s not something you can count on. We’re a little short because some of the people have surgeries or get sick. That cuts into our regular crew.”
But there’s never a shortage of smiles and that’s why Saiz has no plans to retire.
Those interested in volunteering can contact Banks at 246-1107.
Paint in Abstract and be Happy
Story and photo by Vickie Jenkins
Meet Carol Lorance, retired nurse of 46 years and presently an artist and owner of Dragonfly Silks. What a fascinating person! Working in the medical field for so long, she retired and traded in her passion for nursing into passion for art.
Lorance was born in Joplin, Missouri. Her first job was at a hospital, working as a CNA. At that time, she was doing pretty much the same things nurses were doing; taking care of the patients, medication and vital signs. Enjoying being a CNA, she decided to further her career and become a nurse. After she became an RN she worked for several hospitals, Home Health, as a private duty nurse and was also a traveling nurse. She enjoyed traveling to Las Vegas, Florida and Hawaii. When she returned to Oklahoma, she worked at several hospitals, including Guthrie, Deaconess and Mercy. She was fond of being in the medical field but now, it was time for her to retire.
“What was your favorite thing about being a nurse?” I ask. “I enjoyed the closeness that I developed to the patients. My favorite moment was when the patient got better and got to go home.” “What is your favorite thing about being an artist?” “It’s the love I feel, like an inner glow. I am my own person and I don’t have to be anywhere else. It’s fun and it keeps me busy.”
‘What is the most important lesson you learned when you were a nurse?” “I learned to be patient with the patients,” she laughed. “Be a reliable worker and show up on time,” she added.
Before retiring, Lorance knew that she wanted to stay busy and do something else in her life. She had always been fond of photography and painting. It was one night when she came home from a late shift at the hospital. Flipping through the channels on TV, she came upon a demonstration of silk painting on an art show. She was instantly captivated by it, wondering if she could do silk painting. She ordered supplies, bought an instruction DVD and joined the silk painting guild in the UK via the internet. “My first two pieces weren’t great but they weren’t too bad either,” she comments.
Lorance has a degree in Graphic Design from Oklahoma City, OK and has shown her paintings at 50 Penn Place, Art Gallery in Oklahoma City, the Frontier Museum and G Gallery and Glass in Guthrie, OK. She is currently at the Red Dirt Gallery when she is not participating in arts festivals and other shows. Asking Lorance where she gets her inspiration for her art work, she replies, “I get different ideas from the environment and try to do things a little different than most people. If you have noticed, most artists paint flowers and garden scenes. Not that those paintings aren’t pretty but I just try to paint things a little different. I look at lots of images on the computer and study them.”
“How would you describe yourself in 3 words?” I ask. “I am a hard worker, very reliable and an artist.” “What is the most important lesson you have learned as an artist?” “Don’t take life too seriously, have fun and loosen up. Paint in abstract and be happy.”
Lorance’s hobbies include traveling, computers, photography and of course, art. “I was in sixth grade when I became interested in photography. I even had a dark room,” she said. When asked if Lorance’s daughter went into the medical field or into art work, she gave me a no. “My granddaughter is getting a degree in business and art,” she replied. “Just about every time my granddaughter came to my house when she was little, I always made sure we would make a craft or paint or do a cute little project. I think she got her artistic abilities from me,” she grinned.
Asking if Lorance stayed in contact with any of the nurses she worked with over the years, she told me there are quite a few that get together once a month for dinner and catch up on the many memories that they share.
Carol Lorance is a wonderful artist and it is apparent that she puts her feelings and passion into her unique work. Her beautiful paintings, gorgeous silk scarves, colorful pillows, decorative coasters and cutting boards can be found at Dragonfly Silks at Red Dirt Gallery, 13100 Colony Pointe Blvd. Piedmont, OK.
Artsy Rose Academy offers artsy fun for everyone
Artsy Rose Academy offers artsy fun for everyone
Story and photo provided
Kimberly Scott has always had a creative flare. As a small child, she turned recyclable items into artwork, loose pictures into scrapbooks and sidewalks into colorful murals.
“I could never sit at home and watch a television program or movie without working on some kind of creative project,” Kimberly shared. “It drove my family crazy.”
Not much has changed since then. These days, Kimberly spends her “down time” creating lesson plans for 480 elementary school students, as well as planning classes, camps, birthday parties and special events for Artsy Rose Academy, the art enrichment studio she recently opened in northwest Oklahoma City.
Artsy Rose is a dream realized for Kimberly. She knew, at the age of 18, when working at a similar establishment in Midwest City, she would one day manage her own studio. Kimberly continued to work in various Oklahoma City metro art programs as she earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Education from the University of Central Oklahoma. Immediately following graduation, Kimberly accepted a certified teaching position at Ralph Downs Elementary School, where she has been teaching Art for nine years to children in Kindergarten through 5th grade. She was recognized as her school’s “Teacher of the Year”, 2013-2014 and the Downtown Rotary Teacher of the Month in January, 2015.
Kimberly knows art is not only fun, it is also a great catalyst to a better understanding of all school subjects and a wonderful way for people of all ages to express creativity and individuality. “Young children are natural artists; they don’t let lack of confidence keep them from trying. They get so much joy from using their creativity and imagination, and seeing a project completed”, Scott explains. “As people get older, they have a tendency to doubt their talents and they lose touch with their creative side. Artsy Rose Academy is a non-judgmental, encouraging and supportive environment. I want art to be fun, relaxing and exciting for everyone.”
Artsy Rose Academy, located at 7739 W. Hefner Rd., offers ‘artsy fun for everyone’. “You and Me” classes offer a great opportunity for grandparents and grandchildren, or parents and children, to bond through creativity and fun. “Canvas and Cupcakes” classes are another opportunity for adults and little artists to spend time together, creating masterpiece canvases while enjoying tasty cupcakes. Knowing companionship and activity are key to staying young and energetic, Kimberly would love to see more senior adults participating in classes at Artsy Rose and plans to schedule ongoing “Canvas and Cupcakes” for seniors, age 55 and older. Artsy Rose will also offer a variety of summer camps for children, ages 5 – 14. Campers can choose from photography, theatre, room and fashion design and, of course, art with various themes and mediums. Half day camps will be offered in the morning and afternoon. Fridays will be FUN DAYS, all day, with varied activities, including outside play, board games, crafts and much, much more.
Kimberly, aka Artsy Rose, loves to explain how she chose the name for her dream-come-true establishment, “My middle name is Rose, my great-grandmother’s name was Rose, my grandmother is Maureen Rose, my daughter is Ava Rose, my brand new niece is Amelia Rose … and I have always been ‘artsy’. It really couldn’t have been anything else!” She is excited and ready to share her love and passion for art, and help people of all ages discover and rediscover their creative side. For more information, visit www.artsyrose.com, or call 405.603.8550.
OU alumnus attends commencement ceremony 51 years after graduating
Story and photos provided
James Hawkes survived an interview with notoriously abrasive four-star Adm. Hyman Rickover, served in the U.S. Navy on a nuclear submarine, is the retired CEO and chairman of Eaton Vance and is a recreational pilot. One thing he hasn’t been able to check off his bucket list is attending the commencement ceremony to receive his aerospace engineering degree at the University of Oklahoma. Honored as this year’s Distinguished Graduates Society member, Hawkes will finally be able to add that last one to his list of accomplishments.
“Celebrating the achievement of earning a college degree is a privilege we want all of our graduates to experience,” said Thomas Landers, dean of the OU College of Engineering. “We are honored that Mr. Hawkes has chosen this moment to celebrate a milestone event.”
From 1960 to 1964, Hawkes attended OU on a Naval ROTC scholarship, completing his aerospace engineering education in the College of Engineering. Originally from Georgia and having never been farther west than the Georgia-Alabama state line, Hawkes looked forward to his Oklahoma adventure.
“I enjoyed college life in just about every way,” Hawkes said. “From Navy serviceman to CEO businessman, the skills I learned and experiences I had at OU have been very influential in my life.”
But before he could walk across the stage to receive his diploma, the Navy required his service immediately. Within a week of completing his undergraduate education, Hawkes missed commencement to drive to New London, Connecticut, where he would serve four years in the Navy. Hawkes’ deteriorating eyesight would destine him to the nuclear submarine program rather than his desired position as an airman. His naval service ended in 1968, just as funding for the U.S. space program was winding down and many engineers were being laid off. While many of his colleagues and contemporaries were looking for work as taxi cab drivers and delivery men, Hawkes attended Harvard Business School where he earned a master of business administration degree. Soon after he combined the analytical, problem-solving and management characteristics of his two seemingly unrelated degrees to join the investment management team at Eaton Vance.
Hawkes spent the next 37 years climbing the corporate ladder at the investment management firm, eventually serving at the top rank for more than a decade. After retiring from Eaton Vance in 2007, he now serves as chairman emeritus.
He isn’t able to travel to Oklahoma often, but this weekend will be special for Hawkes when he flies his plane into Max Westheimer Airport, where his dream of flying was realized, he took his first flying lesson and made his first solo flight. He will also finally attend an OU commencement.
“I’m honored to join such an accomplished group of graduates,” Hawkes said. “It’s fitting to revisit my roots at OU, where my future in engineering and leadership began.”
NewView Oklahoma Awarded $20,000 from the Elderly iFund Grant Program
NewView Oklahoma has been awarded $20,000 from the Oklahoma City Community Foundation’s Services for the Elderly iFund Grant Program. This grant will be used to support NewView’s Safe and Healthy Meals Program.
The overarching goal of the Safe and Healthy Meals Program is to keep unsupported seniors in their homes longer by helping them reach their full potential for independent meal preparation – from fixing a sandwich or a bowl of cereal, to heating food in a microwave, to using a stove or oven, to prepare a hot meal. Less dependent on others and more confident and safe in the kitchen, participants receiving this training will be able to live healthier lives with greater independence in their own home.
“We’re delighted to be awarded this grant from the Oklahoma City Community Foundation,” said Lauren Branch, NewView’s President and CEO. “These funds will enable us to expand the Safe and Healthy Meals Program to our elderly clients and allow them to develop the skills needed to remain active and independent in their own homes.”
Founded in 1969, the Oklahoma City Community Foundation works with donors to create charitable funds that will benefit our community both now and in the future. The Services for the Elderly iFund grant represents a compilation of donations made by donors to benefit an organization offering direct services to individuals to help them continue to live independently. Two additional iFund grant programs provide support for organizations providing access to health care and providing opportunities for children. For more information on these grants, please visit www.ifundokc.org.
To learn more about NewView Oklahoma’s programs, or clinical services operated by the organization, please visit www.newviewoklahoma.org.
Prev
