active living january 2012

January 2012

Thursday, Jan. 12, 2012

www.messengernews.net

www.freemanjournal.net

-Photo by Hans Madsen

Dr. Randy Minion, right, bounces the ball onDr. Randy Minion, right, bounces the ball on

his racquet before begining a new gamehis racquet before begining a new game

with Edgar Bayton, left. The two are with Edgar Bayton, left. The two are

members of an informal group that meetsmembers of an informal group that meets

twice a week to play racquetball at The RECtwice a week to play racquetball at The REC

in Fort Dodge.in Fort Dodge.


Pursue your passion for learning.





Joe recently move teaching. He has e time to pursue. Frie and gardens appeale

Call 515-573-6000

420 Kenyon Road | Fort Dodge, Iowa 50501 | www.friendshiphaven.org

Pursue your passion for learning.“I have a desire to learn and explore the world around me, and I’m happy to be at Friendship Haven.”

Joe recently moved to Friendship Haven and continues to pursue his passion for learning, researching and teaching. He has enjoyed sociology and international affairs courses at Iowa Central which he’d never had time to pursue. Friendship Haven’s spacious campus filled with trees, green spaces, attractive landscaping and gardens appealed to Joe, as well as a prime location to pursue his passions for reading and traveling.

Call 515-573-6000 to expand your world.






n for learning, re is passion Central which he at Iowa C paces, attractive green sp ns for reading and s passion

FriHH

happy to be at F Pursue your passion for learning. and I’m h


iendshipHavenH

“I have a desire to learn and explore the world around me, and I’m happy to be at Friendship Haven.”

The idea that racquetball is agame for the young is a myth that’sbusted twice a week by a group ofmen, most over 50, who gathertwice a week at The REC to showany upstarts willing to challengethem ... how it’s done.

Dr. Randy Minion, of FortDodge, has been playing with theinformal group for about fouryears; he played a little in collegeand enjoyed the game of squashwhile living in Canada.

His game has gotten better withregular practice.

“You should have seen me fouryears ago,” he joked.

While the game can be fastpaced with lots of running, he saysthat each player should play at aspeed they’re comfortable withand that matches their conditionand ability.

Racquetball group works to keep fit in all seasonsStory and photos By HANS MADSEN

Taking a swing

Dr. Randy Minion, left, connects with the ball during a recent game of racquetball at The REC.He is playing with Merle Bloom, right, who is preparing to hit it back.

page 2


“You can play as easily or as hardas you want,” he said.

Minion practices what he preaches— between matches he can be seenwatching the other players while hecontinues to stretch and stays hydrat-ed with a bottle of water.

“You should train for this,” he said,“Running, lifting and stretching areimportant.”

Edgar Baxton, of Fort Dodge, isone of the elder statesmen of thegroup — he’s 60.

“We’re all old men,” he jokes.

The retired teacher has been play-ing since the 1970s. In spite of rotorcuff surgery and a hip replacement,the long-time active player is still onthe court.

“The intensity wears on yourbody,” he said.

He recommends racquetball as agreat cardiovascular workout.

“It’s a good cross-training sport,”he said.

He would like to see more of hisjuniors participate.

“The younger generation isn’tplaying the game,” he said. “It’s toofast for them.”

Neither of his surgeries made himgive up the game, it only changed theway he approaches it.

“Retreating (running backwards)was the only problem,” he said.

There are a few minor hazards, es-pecially stray balls.

“When that smashes into some-body at 80 to 100 miles per hour,” hesaid, “you can have some sizablebruises.”

Merle Brown, of Fort Dodge, hasbeen playing with the group off andon for about six years.

He finds them welcoming.

“I came in the first Thursday andthey let me hop right in,” he said.

He also enjoys their sportsmanship— he, like most of the players, saysit’s more about exercise and socializ-ing that winning.

Travis Filloon, of Fort Dodge, hasbeen playing with the group for aboutfour years; he’s been playing rac-quetball since he was 16.

He finds it a great way to improvehis outlook.

“I love the way it gives me stressrelief,” he said. “I just forget aboutthe everyday woes.”

One of the positive aspects of exer-cising with a regular group is that ithelps him stay motivated.

“Exercise or activity is peoplebased,” he said, “It’s easier to keepup with it when they depend on youand you depend on them.”

There are several things he really

likes about the group.

“We play with all levels of skill,”he said, “Also, everybody getsalong.”

He’s tried a number of things overthe years to stay in shape but hekeeps coming back to racquetball.

“It’s the only activity with somecardio where I don’t dread going.”

All the players in the group alsoemphasize that anyone with an inter-est in the game is welcome to jointhem regardless of fitness level orskill. They play each Saturday morn-ing beginning at 7 a.m. till “whenev-er” and on Thursday evenings start-ing at 6:30 p.m. till around 8.

Sometimes it’s a hard sessionwhere, as, Minion said, “We can hard-ly walk at the end of three hours,” andsometimes it just meets the goal ofTravis Filloon when he plays.

“We’re here to have a good time.”

Left: Dr. Randy Minion, right, comes right against the transparent glass wall during a recent game of racquetball at The REC. He is playing with MerleBloom, left. Right: Larry Kershner, left, sends the ball at the wall while Minion, right, waits for the ball to return the serve.


It’s already mid-January and

many people have already given

up on their New Year’s resolu-

tions. If you are one of those

people who vowed to get health-

ier in the New Year, we invite

you to join an exercise class at

Citizens Central. Our Healthy,

WELLthy & Wise classes are de-

signed with older active adults

in mind. Our volunteer class

leaders will help you increase

balance, strength, and flexibility

through a fun and low-impact

exercise class. Newcomers are

welcome to join any class at any

time—no pre-registration is nec-

essary.

As one of our participants

stated, “When you reach a cer-

tain age, you no longer wish to

buff up, you merely hope to de-

lay the normal signs of aging

and stay active.” Our classes

help participants do just that.

Class leaders are volunteers who

have participated in training at

the Wellness Center at Friend-

ship Haven. Leaders will encour-

age you to push yourself beyond

what is easy and use weights

and various exercises to build

your physical wellness. The other

benefit to the classes is the so-

cial component. Joining with fel-

low class members in a laugh is

a great exercise in itself. We al-

so find that the friends made

through the class make it more

fun than exercising alone.

Exercises taught through

Healthy, WELLthy & Wise do not

require participants to get down

on the floor. Class members use

small hand weights and resist-

ance bands while standing or

while sitting in chairs. Cardiac

benefits are also realized

through marching, leg lifts, and

push-ups against the wall.

While the majority of class

participants are women, men

are also welcome. We offer a

non-competitive environment.

There is no charge for the class-

es; however, all members must

pay an annual user fee of

$30.00 at Citizens Central. Any-

one wishing to check out a class

may do so two times prior to

paying the user fee at the main

desk of Citizens Central.

So do something nice for your-

self this New Year and get

healthier with other older adults

at through the 55+ Volunteer

Initiatives at Citizens Central.

You’ll be glad you did.

Jeanine Nemitz, Coordinator

Fort Dodge 55+ Volunteer Initiatives

The Foster Grandparent Program

617 Central Ave.

Fort Dodge, IA 50501

576-5401

act“Class” Class Times:

Monday at 9:30 a.m., 10:45 a.m.

and 2 p.m.

Tuesday at 9 a.m.

Wednesday at 9:30 a.m.

and 2 p.m.

Thursday at 9 a.m. and

10:45 a.m.

page 4


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• Specializing In Prevention • Sports Injuries

Dr. Zach Mason www.activehealth.com

1523 2nd Ave. N. • Fort Dodge

And Get Active With

Wellmark Medicare supplement insurance plans are not affiliated with any government agency. Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Iowa is an Independent Licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Assocation. © Wellmark, Inc., Des Moines, IA. 23P003-2012-IA

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130 N 25th St., Fort Dodge, IA 50501 www.khisolutions.com

515-576-1800 800-657-8033

We can make understanding your Medicare Supplement options easier. Call us today about new plans from The Blues ® .

Brenda Lastine Luke Brandel

www.messengernews.net

Medicare uses information frommember satisfaction surveys, plansand health care providers to giveoverall performance star ratings toPart D drug plans, Medicare Advan-tage and cost plans. Starting in De-cember 2011 plans with a 5-star rat-ing qualify for a special enrollmentperiod.

Most Iowans have to choose theMedicare drug plan or Medicare Ad-vantage plan they want during theopen enrollment period Oct. 15through Dec. 7 and must stay withthe plan they choose for the next cal-endar year. If they qualify for a spe-cial enrollment period they will beable to change plans at other timesduring the year.

The new 5-star special enrollmentperiod will allow Iowans onMedicare to change one time duringthe special enrollment to a 5-starplan, Medicare Advantage plan orcost plan offered in their area. Theymust meet plan requirements to qual-ify. This special enrollment periodruns from Dec. 8, 2011, throughNov. 30, 2012.

Iowa has nine plans which rated 5-stars, including two drug plans, fourMedicare Advantage plans and threecost plans.

You might use the 5-star specialenrollment period to enroll in a 5-stardrug plan if you missed enrolling in adrug plan earlier, however any lateenrollment penalty will still apply. If

you start taking new prescriptionsand your current plan does not coverthe new prescriptions you might findthat a 5-star plan covers the newdrugs. It’s important to do a plancomparison using the Medicare web-site before making any change.

The special enrollment period canalso be used to change from your cur-rent Medicare Advantage plan to a 5-star Medicare Advantage plan. Ifyou’re in original Medicare you canalso enroll in a 5-star Medicare Ad-vantage plan using this new enroll-ment period.

It is very important to discuss withMedicare or Senior Health InsuranceInformation Program all the conse-quences of a potential change underthe 5-star enrollment period. Thereare special considerations for eachchange.

SHIIP has available a “5-Star PlanRatings” fact sheet which you can re-quest by calling (800) 351-4664 orTTY (800) 735-2942 or view on theSHIIP website, www.therightcal-liowa.gov (see the “Medicare” sec-tion). If you have questions aboutMedicare enrollment periods you cancontact SHIIP at Trinity RegionalMedical Center by calling 574-6513. SHIIP counselors are avail-able to meet with you individually toanswer your questions. SHIIP is afree, confidential service of the stateof Iowa sponsored by TRMC.

Medicare

Shelley KoppSHIIP coordinatorTrinity Regional Medical Center802 Kenyon RoadFort Dodge, Iowa50501574-6513

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LIVING SERVICES

LIVING SERVICES

JanuaryThursday — 12

500, 9:30 a.m., WebsterCity Senior Center.

n

Webster County Ge-nealogical Society, 11 a.m.

to 4 p.m., Fort DodgePublic Library, 424 Central

Ave., Room 134n

Blood pressure check,11 a.m. to noon, RSVP,

Webster City. n

Bingo, 1 to 3 p.m., Citi-zens Central.

n

SHIIP counselors, byappointment, Van Diest

Medical Center. n

Hamilton County PHSfoot clinic.

Friday — 13Bingo, 10 a.m., Algona

Senior Center.n

Community Bingo, 2p.m., Careage of Fort

Dodge.n

Birthday party, 2 p.m.,Eagle Grove Senior Cen-

ter.n

Rabiner Bingo earlybirds 6:30 p.m., regularsessions 7:15 p.m., 2253

Second Ave. N. n

Cards, 7 p.m., Emmets-burg Senior Center.

Saturday — 14Blood drive, 8:30 a.m.

to 12:30 p.m., SacredHeart Parish Center.

n


Second Ave. N.

Sunday — 15

Monday — 16Cribbage, 9:30 a.m.,

Crestview Senior LivingApartments.

n

Bingo, 10 a.m., AlgonaSenior Center.

n

Penny bingo, 1 p.m.,Crestview Senior Living

Apartments. n

Bingo, Eagle Grove Sen-ior Citizen Center, 6:30

p.m.

Tuesday — 17Webster City Diamond

K Kiwanis, 8:30 a.m. break-fast, 9 a.m. meet.

n

River Valley Wood-carvers, 9 a.m., Citizens

Central.n



Ave., Room 134n


n

Senior Bowl, 1 p.m.,Webster City Bowl.

n

Bridge, 1 p.m., WebsterCity Senior Center.

Wednesday — 18RSVP Workday, 9 a.m.

Senior Center, WebsterCity. n

Golden K Kiwanis, 9:30a.m., Citizens Central.

n



Ave., Room 134n

500 cards, 1 p.m., Algo-na Senior Center.

n

Senior Citizens 500, 1p.m., Webster City.

Thursday — 19500, 9:30 a.m., WebsterCity Senior Center.

n



Ave., Room 134n


Webster City. n


n


Medical Center. n


Friday — 20


n


Second Ave. N. n


Saturday — 21Boone River Valley

Woodcarvers, 9 a.m. tonoon, RSVP building,

Webster City.n


Second Ave. N.

Sunday — 22



n


n

500, 1 p.m., WebsterCity Senior Center.

n


p.m.

Tuesday — 24

WebsterCity Dia-

mond K Ki-wanis, 8:30

a.m. breakfast,9 a.m. meet.

n

River ValleyWoodcarvers, 9

a.m., Citizens Central.n



Ave., Room 134n


n


n





n



Ave., Room 134n

500 cards, 1 p.m., AlgonaSenior Center.

n



n



Ave., Room 134n


Webster City. n


n


Medical Center.


Senior Center.n


Dodge.n


ter.n


Second Ave. N. n


Saturday — 28Rabiner Bingo early

birds 6:30 p.m., regularsessions 7:15 p.m., 2253

Second Ave. N.

Sunday — 29



n


n


Apartments. n


p.m.

Tuesday — 31Webster City Diamond

K Kiwanis, 8:30 a.m. break-fast, 9 a.m. meet.

n


Central.

n

WebsterCounty Ge-

nealogical Soci-ety, 11 a.m. to4 p.m., Fort

Dodge Public Li-brary, 424 CentralAve., Room 134

n


n


n


FebruaryWednesday — 1

RSVP Workday, 9 a.m.Senior Center, Webster

City. n


n



Ave., Room 134n

500 cards, 1 p.m., Algo-na Senior Center.

n



n


to 4 p.m., Fort Dodge

Public Library, 424 CentralAve., Room 134

n


Webster City. n


n


Medical Center.


Senior Center.n


Second Ave. N. n


Saturday — 4Senior potluck,

noon, Webster CitySenior Center

n


Second Ave. N.

Sunday — 5



n


n


Apartments.

n


p.m.Tuesday — 7

Webster City DiamondK Kiwanis, 8:30 a.m. break-

fast, 9 a.m. meet.n


Central.n



Ave., Room 134n


n


n





n



Ave., Room 134n

500 cards, 1 p.m., AlgonaSenior Center.

n



n


n



Ave., Room 134n


Webster City. n


n


Medical Center.


Senior Center.n


Dodge.n


ter.n


Second Ave. N. n


Saturday — 11Blood drive, 8:30 a.m.

to 12:30 p.m., SacredHeart Parish Center.

n


Second Ave. N.

Sunday — 12Potluck, 12:30 p.m., Ea-

gle Grove Senior Center



n


n

500, 1 p.m., WebsterCity Senior Center.

n


p.m.

• Respiratory Equipment • Sleep Disorder Therapeutics • Mastectomy Supplies • Ostomy Supplies • Urological Supplies • Diabetic Supplies

• Wound Care Supplies • Enteral Feeding Supplies • Commodes • Bath Benches • Hospital Beds • Seat Lift Chairs • Bath Aids

• Oxygen Therapy • Crutches • Canes • Wheelchairs • Walkers • Incontinent Supplies • Uniforms

118 South 25th Street, Fort Dodge, IA (across from the mall) Mon.-Fri. 9-5:30 • Sat. 9-1

515-955-8500 800-383-8500 JCAHO Accredited

Locally Owned Since 1979

Thursday, Jan. 12, 2012 January Calendar

page 8


Dr. John Reis Voted Best Audiologist

2010 and 2011

How can you tell who is a gooddriver? Someone who has had notickets or accidents? Or is that per-son lucky? Do you have friends orfamily members who considerthemselves good drivers yet you areafraid to ride with them? Howabout your own driving? Are therethings you do to stay polished inyour skills?

Cars have changed, so have traf-fic rules, driving conditions and theroads you travel every day.

As we age, our necessary skillsfor safe driving — vision, reflexes,flexibility and hearing have alsochanged. If you notice some ofthese natural age-related changesyou can adjust your driving habitsto keep driving safely. It’s impor-tant to recognize your limitationsand be aware of everything you cando to remain safely on the road.

Besides recognizing your limita-tions you may wish to considerbrushing up on your driving skills.

There are a number of programsdesigned to update you on currentrules of the road, defensive drivingtechniques and how to adjust yourdriving to those age related changesmentioned above. Many courses areavailable in both classroom and on-line settings. You may be eligible toreceive an insurance discount uponcompleting the course, consult yourinsurance agent for details. The fol-lowing are a few of the coursesavailable:

Mature Operator CourseAAA offers both classroom and

online driver improvement courses,including a course designed for old-er drivers, the Mature OperatorCourse. Contact your local AAAclub to find out about driving im-

Roadrules


page 11

2350 Hospital Drive | Webster City, IA 50595

When someone is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, friends and family have many questions. What does the di agnosis mean? What kinds of plans need to be made? What resources are available to help? As the disease prog resses, new questions reflect growing needs for skills, programs and services. Join us for this series of pr ograms that provide answers to the questions that arise in the early, middle and late stages of the disease. Hea r from those directly affected and learn what you need to know, what you need to plan, and what you can do at eac h point along the way. Date:

January 12, 19 & 26 Location:

Cafeteria Conference Rooms 1 & 2

RSVP: 515-576-4884 or

[email protected]

living with alzheimer’s for caregivers

an education program by the alzheimer’s association

3 Part Series hosted by Jodi Ricklefs, Alzheimer’s Association.

Still Looking for a New Year’s Resolution?

“It is easier

than you think.”

-Janet Hubbell

Funeral Pre-planning is a great one.

1615 North 15th Street • Fort Dodge, Iowa 50501 • 576-7128 www.gundersonfuneralhome.com

Licensed Funeral Director Pre-Planning Consultant

provement courses available in your area. To reach your local AAA office,use your phone directory or call (407) 444-7000.

CarFitDeveloped as a community-based activity, the CarFit program is designed

to improve the “fit” between mature drivers and their vehicles followed byactions they can take to enhance comfort and safety behind the wheel. Devel-oped in collaboration with the American Society on Aging, AARP and theAmerican Occupational Therapy Association, the program also provides anopportunity to open a positive, non-threatening conversation about olderdriver safety and wellness. In addition, CarFit offers specific, practical com-munity resources to help older drivers maintain and strengthen their wellnessto extend their safe, independent driving years. To obtain more informationregarding CarFit go to their online site at www.car-fit.org.

SeniorDrivers.orgSeniorDrivers.org is a wonderful resource for seniors, their family, and re-

searchers to find in-depth information about senior driving. The site offersscreening programs to test driving skills, training programs to help seniorsimprove skills and information about alternatives and transportation options.It also has a searchable database containing state specific licensing informa-

tion pertaining to senior drivers. Roadwise Review Online, DriveSharp braintrainingand other senior-related brochures are all available through the site.

55 Alive55 Alive is an inexpensive class for older drivers to increase their aware-

ness of driving procedures. It also helps drivers become aware of changes intheir physical or mental health and identify any future problems. Contactyour local AARP chapter or community college to find out when you can signup for a class.

Being a good driver means more than avoiding tickets and accidents.Everyone wants to continue driving for as long as possible, no one wants tobe a threat to themselves or to others. How can you continue to drive safely?

Mark Frein

Iowa Department

of Transportation

2313 First Ave. S..

Fort Dodge, IA 50501


Seasons of change ...Highlights of 2011. I have always been slow to

accept new things, especially when it involvestechnology. It was a long time before I had a mi-crowave in my house. I was sure I did not want acomputer. In the ’60s I was opposed to trading inour black-and-white TV for a color one and adecade before that I was reluctant to set aside mydad’s outdated typewriter for an electric model.

I was doing quite nicely, thank you, when lastsummer in July, I was pulled, kicking andscreaming further into the technological age bymy children who, without my permission orknowledge, procured for me a cell phone and aplan, complete with list of contacts, voice mail,texting and unlimited calling. It even has a digitalcamera somewhere in there. I know because thereare several pictures of my thumb available forviewing. They decided having the means to dial911 from any location was a necessity in my life.I know that personally I can be quite careless attimes so I suppose having a means of summoninghelp is a positive.

I have been badgered about the dangers of mybeing without said cell and how safe and secure Iwould feel knowing that any help I need would beonly a touch away. I was reminded how nice itwould be to talk to loved ones anywhere, anytimeand not worry about missing incoming calls nomatter where I was, but I managed to put off thepurchase by admitting that they were right and oneof these days I would study on it. After all, most ofmy friends had one and each member of the familyfrom 10 on up have their own. I suppose it is hightime that I have one too.

I got something else new in 2011. Two greatgrandaughters, Brynn and Rylee. What ever hap-pened to names like John and Mary? Times changeas do name preferences. Already I have becomenot only accustomed and accepting of those namesbut I am beginning to like them.

Wow! 2011 brought changes in the Messengertoo. In November on the second Thursday of the

month, I collected thenewspaper from my frontporch and went right forthe usual second Thursdayinsert, The Best Years. Tomy dismay it was not there.The thought entered mymind that maybe I had theday wrong. Maybe it is on-ly Wednesday. Those mix-ups happen to me occa-sionally. I calmed myselfand concluded that I wasright the first time. It wasindeed Thursday, so Ilooked again. Behold, Ac-tive Living. Hey! Maybethat’s what I was lookingfor, new name but same.

New name all right, butdefinitely not the same.Different layout and rightthere on the cover in print that even I, with my lim-itations and advanced age, could read without myglasses, after 50. Thumbing through the pages, Iwas impressed at some of the changes. The largerheadings, the difference in author identification forstarters. My initial reaction, “A plus”.

Then the gears of my mind started to grind. If Iwere 50 years old, would I want to be put in a classwith people who are 60 and then some? Gee! Ihave kids older than 50!

When they complain of getting old, I tell themthey are in the prime of their lives. Old enough to(hopefully) have good sense and young enoughstill to do just about anything they set out to do.

And what about those of us who are 60, 70, 80and then some? How do we feel about sharing BestYears with the kids? I guess it might work. Afterall, lots of senior discounts are offered to those intheir 50s. I suppose we could share our magazine.Maybe it will be good for us to be included with

the younger set. Whoknows, we might be able tolearn something.

Then I thought about myarticles that have been inThe Messenger pretty muchsince 1983, thanks to Wal-ter Stevens. At first, I wroteunder the heading “RandomThoughts” Then I retiredand decided Sixty and ThenSome would be good and soit has been since, but is it

time for a change once again?What’s in a name and what’s in a number? We

all want to be as good, as busy, as productive, asactive and healthy as we can be. Age is relativeand interests vary at all stages of life. So do wechange the name or stay the same? I thought aboutPrime Time or The Second Half. Maybe Sixty andThen Some could become Fifty and Then Some.Then there is something to be said for keeping thestatus quo. What do you think?

Now we are into January 2012, a new year anda birthday, a double whammy for me. It is an elec-tion year, an unsettling time for our country. Howdo we handle new ideas and a changing world? Dowe look back nostalgically, look ahead hopefullyor simply live in the moment? We could ask adozen people and get a dozen answers. Maybe abit of all three would work. God Bless Americaand God Bless You!

Oops! I almost forgot. Happy New Year!

Sixty & thenSome

mary Feldmanis a freelance writer

living in emmetsburg

page 12

Ah ... the beginningof a new year, farewellto 2011 and welcome2012. Many of us makeNew Year’s resolutionsto lose weight, exercisemore and embracehealthier habits. Westart with great commit-ment and enthusiasmwhich often wanes byMarch. As you contem-plate 2012 consideradding brain health assomething to work onin the new year withpositive benefits thatshould be maintainedlong past March 2012.

Colleagues and I at-tended a conference inChicago in 2009 in-cluding a session con-ducted by Dr. PaulNussbaum, an expert inneuro anatomy fromThe University of Pitts-burg School of Medi-cine. He shared hisvery passionate view ofthe lifestyle needed toage successfully, topromote brain wellness,and to prevent chronicdebilitating diseaseslike Alzheimer’s. Herecommended that we

start paying as much at-tention to havinghealthy brains as wecurrently do for healthyhearts.

Thirty years ago itwas commonly thoughtwhen adulthood wasreached, brain cells(neurons) began to dieand could not be re-placed, resulting in un-avoidable decline. Re-search has found thatour brains are far moreadaptable “plastic” thanwas previously thoughtand the brain can growand evolve with agethrough neuro genesis.Brain cells adapt tonew stimuli and mentalexercise stimulatesgrowth of new neuronsand neuronal pathways.Brain exercise increasesconnections and effi-ciency between neuronsand brain regions.Stimulated growth andadaptation of the braincan result in a “Cogni-tive Reserve” buildingup the brain to adapt tofuture changes. TheNun Study lead by Dr.David Snowden studied

the brains of individu-als who lived well intotheir nineties or olderwho showed no signsof mental or functionaldecline who had thechanges in brain struc-tures and markers asso-ciated with Alzheimer’sdisease. Snowden con-cluded that continuedmental stimulation andexercise allowed for thedevelopment of alter-nate pathways that by-passed the diseasedportions of the brain(neuroplasticity) andappeared to account forthe individuals pre-served mental function-ing.

It is encouraging toknow that the brain cangrow, evolve and adaptto new stimuli. So whatcan we do to promotebrain health and well-ness? The good news ismany of the things topromote heart and over-all physical health alsobenefit the brain includ-ing; physical activitythat increases bloodflow, brain cell healthand growth, socializa-

tion and supportive re-lationships, reducedstress, having a senseof purpose, proper andadequate sleep and reg-ular mental exercise.

The mental exerciseneeded must challengethe brain to learn some-thing new that strength-ens new areas; exam-ples often given includelearning to write withyour non-dominanthand, studying a secondlanguage, and learningto play a musical in-strument. The keywords here are learningsomething new or thatis a challenge to yourbrain.

In their book “BrainFit for Life” Dr. SimonEvans and Dr. PaulBurghardt, identify cor-nerstones of BrainHealth and Fitness tokeep the mind sharpand the brain fit includ-ing;∫ Nutrients that FeedYour Brain Circuits∫ Physical Activitiesthat Improve your At-tention∫ Mental Exercises for

a Sharper Mind∫ Optimal Sleep toBoost Mood and Mem-ory∫ Reduce Stress andImprove Mood∫ Increase Metabolismand Manage Weight∫ Boost Memory andCognitive Function

There are also manybrain-wellness relatedproducts like NintendoDS and games includ-ing “Brain Challenge”and “Left Brain/RightBrain”, The DakimSystem which offersbrain games using acomputer touch screenformat that tracksprogress and increasesthe level of difficulty asthe program is used.Some other resourcesavailable about brainwellness and how topromote new brain con-nections are availableincluding: AARP’s“Staying Sharp”,

Alzheimer’s Associa-tion’s “Maintain YourBrain” program andHealthy Brain Initiativewith the Center for Dis-ease Control, and ThirdAge which offer games,puzzles, books andmore.

As we look forwardto a New Year and NewYear’s resolutions con-sider adding brain well-ness and activity thatstimulates brain growthand adaptation to yourdaily routine. HappyNew Year!

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New year, new healthy habits


By ANNE BLANKENSHIPWhile many are enjoying the

unseasonably warm tempera-tures of the past month, but oneWebster City couple have theirfingers crossed for a thick blan-ket of snow.

So far, the winter weatherhasn’t been exactly perfect, es-pecially for cross-country skienthusiasts Sonna and PeteNeumeister. But they keep hop-ing for a substantial snowfall.Mother Nature teased them witha light accumulation in Decem-ber.

Sonna Neumeister, whoworks for Prairie Lakes AreaEducation Agency, said she be-came interested in cross-countryskiing when she lived in DesMoines.

“I took a beginners cross-country course through the con-servation department there witha friend. I fell in love with ski-ing. Since then, I’ve been skiingevery winter — more than 20

years now,” she said.

As a youth, Pete Neumeisterenjoyed downhill skiing grow-ing up in Massachusetts. Hespent his senior year in highschool at a prep school inMaine. There he found severalfeet of snow on the ground.

“I had a choice to make. Icould either stay in the dorms orcross-country ski or snowshoeto get around,” he said. “I didsome cross-country skiing then,but for the most part, gave it upuntil Sonna and I got married.And we’ve enjoyed skiing to-gether for the past 10 years.”

“It’s just a great way to enjoywinter and have a healthy out-door activity,” she said.

Pete Neumeister said skiing iswonderful, low-impact exercisethat virtually anyone can do.

“I’ve had a knee replacementand the sliding — running yourskis parallel — puts very little

Let it snow, Let it snow,Let it ... snow?

Webster City couple

looking forward to

(delayed) ski season

-Submitted photoPete Neumeister took advantage of a light December snowfall to try out his cross-countryskis around his Webster City acreage. Neumeister and wife Sonna try to ski every daythere is suitable snow on the ground.

page 14


strain on your legs,” he said.

She said skiing is also a great way tosee all the nature trails Briggs Woodshas to offer.

“I’m an avid nature lover and pho-tographer. So I’m out there with mycamera and my binoculars all thetime,” Sonna Neumeister said.

“We started skiing at Briggs woodson the woodland trail and then they putthe connection to 7B Ranch in Web-ster City and we skied that severaltimes,” he said.

Pete Neumeister and Gary Sand-holm, another cross-country enthusiastcame up with the idea of setting up 5krace course at the Briggs Woods GolfCourse.

“That was three years ago. Twoyears ago, they had ski races. Lastyear, the weather was too inconsistentto hold the races, and things look pret-ty uncertain for this winter,” he said.

“But I think we could probably havethat course certified. To be certified, ithas to be one-third uphill, one-thirddownhill and one-third flat. I thinkwe’ve got it there,” he said.

Briggs Woods is their ski venue ofchoice and they’ve helped introducemany people to the beauty of the park,the abundant wildlife and woodland ar-eas. It’s not unusual to see deer, owl,fox and many other animals while ski-ing in the park, according to the couple.

“Since the ski race, we’ve drawnskiers from Ames who keep comingback because they just love BriggsWoods as a destination,” said Sonna.Neumeister. The couple has been in-volved with as informal group —Boone River Country Ski Club.

“We don’t have dues or an officialmembership, but I have 47 people onmy email list that I send messages to.We let them know about ski trail con-ditions, upcoming clinics and conser-vation programs,” Pete Neumeistersaid.

For the past several years, theNeumeisters have also volunteered tohelp with ski and snowshoe clinics,sponsored by the Hamilton CountyConservation Department. This year’sclinic is scheduled for Jan. 14, de-pending upon whether there is anysnow, of course.

“I think Jean Eells and John Laird,the Hamilton County Conservationnaturalist, originally put together theclinics,’ she said. “Then after a while, Ithink she wanted a break, and Johnknew I skied, so he called me.”

The clinics brings together skierswith a wide range of skills, but mostare beginners, Pete Neumeister said.

“Some families attend the clinicsthen become avid skiers,” he said.“With very few exceptions, we’vebeen able to get almost everyone tosafely ski at least on flat and slightuphill and downhill conditions.Many come back year after year,”he said.

The turnout has continued to groweach year, Sonna Neumeisiter said.Those who attend will learn how to falldown safely, how to ski on flat terrainas well as uphill and downhill, she said.

“Cross-country skiing is reallyeasy,” she said. “We tell people that ifyou can walk, you can cross-countryski.”

“It’s one of the best forms of aerobicexercise out there,” she said.

Those who wouldlike to try cross-coun-try skiing can rent skis,boots and poles at theHamilton County Con-servation office for a nominal charge.For more information on the skirentals, call 832-9570.

The Neumeisters live on an acreagenear Webster City and often don theirskis in the winter and trek all over theacreage — when there is snow.

The pattern of snowfall through thepast few years is a little disappointing,according to Sonna Neumeister.

“There aren’t really that many daysthat we can ski. Its not unusual to haveonly five to 10 days that you can ski —where the conditions are right to ski,”she said.

Pete Neumeister has done researchon snowfall patterns. He cited infor-mation from www.weatherware-house.com.

“Twenty-five percent of the time, we

have a brown Christmas. The averagesnowfall over the past 100 years andalso for the past five years is 37 inchesof snow. A lot of the time, we get justa few inches of snow in December andmore in January and February,” hesaid.

“It’s amazing how many Januaryswe’ve had no snow and how manyFebruarys we’ve had no snow. Wedon’t have a consistent snow cover pat-tern in north central Iowa,” he said.

But the couple said they’ll keep hop-ing for the white stuff.

“When the snow comes, and its theright depth, we go out and go crazy un-til it thaws,” he said.

“I think we can honestly say we skialmost every day when there’s ski-ablesnow on the ground,” Sonna Neumeis-ter said. “I even ski in blizzards.”

-Submitted photoSonna Neumeister adjusts her ski poles as she getsready for a cross-country ski run in 2010. TheNeumeisters are hoping to see a sizable snowfall yetthis winter so they can hit the ski trails at BriggsWoods Park in Hamilton County.

page 15

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