A SPECIAL SECTION OF SUMMER ISSUE 2014

By CARLEA SCHULERCNA staff writer cschuler@crestonnews.com

Darwin Willett, 68, was diagnosed with COPD in February 2012. At that time, breathing was so difficult he struggled to blow his nose. Today, Willett is exercising and his health has improved to the point where he can run two miles in 30 minutes.

COPD, or chronic obstructive pul-monary disease, is a progressive disease that makes it difficult to breathe.

When Willett was a child, he was prone to catching pneumonia. He served in the Navy where he worked with asbestos and was a smoker for 40

years. All of the above increased his risk of COPD.

Willett grew up in Murray. He went into the Navy in June of 1964, and was honorably discharged after four years. He then worked for Iowa Southern Utilities, which is now Alliant Energy, for 40 years. He retired at age 62.

Since the disease is progressive, it never goes awway. Usually people with COPD get worse over time. This is not the case for Willett.

YMCA helps Willett battle COPD

Please seeCOPD, Page 2

Need a break from caring for a loved one?

“Let our family help yours!” Afton Care Center offers Respite Care Services on both an hourly and

daily rate. Contact us at 347-8416 and ask for Jacqi or Brad.

Afton Care Center

“Our Care Brightens Lives”

Phone: 641-347-8416 • Fax: 641-347-5497 E-mail: aftoncarecenter@iowatelecom.net www.aftoncarecenter.com

IT’S NOT JUST KID’S STUFF

ACTIVE OLDER ADULTS Active Older Adult programming at the Y is vibrant and dynamic with a variety of opportunities to match the interest of members. And our instructors make it fun! To keep physically active, there are a wide range of group exercise classes to choose from including Tai Chi, Silver Sneakers and water exercise classes. Pick up a schedule today and give one a try!

SOUTHERN PRAIRIE YMCA 1201 W Townline, Creston 641-782-9622 www.southernprairieymca.com

Chuck TaylorLUTCF

Are you interested...in a Fixed Rate of Interest?

Would you like your money to work harder for YOU?

As an Independent Agent we will search for the company that provides the features and

options you desire. Since rates are constantly changing please call to check current rates.

Are you interested...Retirement Options

TAYLOR FINANCIAL641-782-4848 • www.tayfin.com

www.pearsonfuneralhomes.com

“Friends You Can Depend On”

Bruce Pearson, Funeral Director641-782-6555

Page 2c— Creston News Advertiser — Wednesday, June 18, 2014

Continued from Page 1

A specialist in Des Moines told Willett to walk for an hour a day, three times a week. Willett began to walk outside and joined the Southern Prairie YMCA in the fall of 2012 to walk in-doors.

“Instead of just going for a walk, I would time my laps and try to push myself a lit-tle more,” Willett said.

Willett described himself as goal-oriented. He set goals for himself to walk further or move at a quicker speed.

He started attending Sil-ver Sneaker classes at the YMCA later in the fall. Af-ter about three months, he switched into Pilates, a more strenuous exercise class.

“The instructors were great because they wouldn’t point me out,” Willett said. “They wouldn’t be like ‘Hey Darwin, don’t do this quite so hard.’ They were very good.”

However, Willett pushed himself too hard during Pilates, and became sick again in the winter of 2013. His doctor gave him a tool to measure his heart rate while exercising.

“I told myself I am go-ing to start watching what I eat, and I’m going to lose some weight,” Willett said.

Willett started working with Dana Dodge, a certi-

fied personal trainer at the YMCA, around October 2013. They worked togeth-er for 12 weeks with the goal of Willett being able to exercise on his own at home.

“I showed him how to in-corporate resistance train-ing into his workout and how to do interval train-ing to improve his core strength,” Dodge said.

Dodge told Willett he could eat what he wanted, so long as he exercised enough to get the calories off. Since January, Willett has lost 27 pounds.

“People have to want to make the change,” Dodge said. “I just give them the tools, and they have to want to do it. Applause goes out to him for doing it.”

Willett said his diet has improved, but he still likes to splurge occasionally. His wife Cheryl has been sup-portive. They enjoy eating fish and salads.

Willett now takes a class led by Dodge called Senior Walking and Balance twice a week. She taught him that balance stems from the core. Willett also pow-er walks, runs, does situps, planks and other exercises on his own.

“I feel better, and I am better,” Willett said. “I get more oxygen, I have more energy and my mind is bet-

ter and quicker.”As much as Willett likes

exercising, he does not let it consume his whole life. In his spare time, he likes to be with family, do Su-doku puzzles, play pool, go camping, as well as exer-cise. He has two daughters

and five grandchildren.In the future, Willett

wants to continue to push himself to exercise. He is considering leading a class at the YMCA someday.

“I don’t want to live to exercise,” Willett said. “I want to exercise to live.”

COPD:

CNA photo by CARLEA SCHULERDarwin Willett of Creston pushes weight on the leg press Friday at the Southern Prairie YMCA. Willett has been exer-cising at the YMCA since fall of 2012.

BBB oyd Appliance Center Inc.220 N. Pine • Uptown Creston, IA • (641) 782-2163

Selling Amana, KitchenAid, Maytag, Frigidaire, Electrolux, Speed Queen and Traeger GrillsServicing most makes and models ~ Locally Owned and Operated

Weekdays: 8:30-5:30 • Saturdays: 9:00-12:00

High Efficiency Laundry Center• Wash and dry a full load in just 60 minutes• Dry clothes more precisely, reducing wrinkles with DrySense™ Technology.

• Cleaner, fresher laundry using advanced rinse technology that incorporates a Fresh Water Rinse.

FFLE2022MW

Creston News Advertiser — Wednesday, June 18, 2014 — Page 3c

(BPT) — Due to the ex-plosion of online transac-tions, social media and mo-bile technology, cybercrime can happen almost any-where at any time.

The good news is that it doesn’t take a computer ge-nius to protect yourself from cyber criminals who are run-ning scams or seeking to steal your identity.

Cyber criminals victim-ized 71 million people in the United States in 2012, according to the electronic security company Symantec. The problem has become so bad, FBI Director Robert Muller expects cybercrime to eventually overtake both terrorism and counter intel-

ligence as his agency’s No. 1 crime-fighting priority.

“Cybercrime has become a national plague that can damage us all,” said Don Culpepper, who specializes in family safety and secu-rity at Fireman’s Fund. “But much of the time it’s our own online behavior that opens us up to crime.”

By refraining from giving out personal information, you can keep your accounts and identity safe from fraud and theft. Never give out any personal information via email, the telephone or through the mail unless you are 100 percent certain that the person or organization you’re dealing with is legiti-mate and you have initiated the contact.

“Trust your instincts and if something sounds too good to be true, it probably

is, Culpepper said.Tips for staying cyber se-

cure:• Provision your home

Wi-Fi router with a high-level encrypted firewall and make it undiscoverable.

• Monitor you children’s social network and mobile computing activity, and stay up-to-date on privacy set-tings.

• Make certain that you’re adequately insured to with-stand a loss.

• Use sophisticated pass-words and update them regularly.

Still, there are times when even savvy Internet users can be vulnerable to crime. Fake pop-up alerts that claim your computer has been hacked or is infected

with a virus direct you to third-party websites that ask for personal information or direct you to download an actual piece of malware — a program that runs through your computer looking for personal information to send back to the criminals.

Many of these programs look legitimate. If you’re not familiar with the pro-gram, simply close it without clicking on any links.

Once criminals have this information, they are able to do all sorts of damage — ob-tain identification and apply for jobs in your name, access bank accounts, open utility accounts and even take out loans.

It is very difficult to stop the damage, but here are steps to take immediately upon discovering fraud.

• Monitor your credit re-

port and place a fraud alert on your file with one of the three major credit report-ing agencies: Equifax, Tran-sUnion or Experian.

• Close accounts you sus-pect have been tampered with or opened fraudulently.

• File a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission.

• Create a police report.In addition, many insur-

ance companies offer poli-cies that can help you re-cover from the ravages of identity theft.

“While it seems like cy-bercriminals are always one step ahead of our security counter measures, there are things we can do to stay safe,” Culpepper said. “Use common sense, stay alert and regularly install and up-date the security software on your computers and mo-bile devices.”

Caution and common sense: keys to staying safe online � Stay ahead of cybercrimi-nals: use caution and com-mon sense online

Rehab to Home

Creston Occupational Therapy Addition• Professional outpatient therapy services• Outpatient and short-term inpatient therapy services• Beautiful private rooms• New spacious therapy gym• New private entrance• New spa tub suite• New nurses’ station

Creston Nursing & Rehab CenterA Care Initiatives facility1001 Cottonwood, Creston, IA641-782-8511

OPENING FALL 2014

www.careinitiatives.org

Page 4c— Creston News Advertiser — Wednesday, June 18, 2014

Summer do’s and don’ts for hearing aid wearers (BPT) — Summer is al-

most here. Many people look forward to this season because it gives them the opportunity to indulge in activities requiring warm, sunny days, like boating, swimming, hiking and trav-eling.

Wearing hearing aids shouldn’t keep you from enjoying yourself, but it is important to remember exposure to high heat can damage their outer casings and interior components. Therefore, whether you plan to spend your days basking in the sun by the beach or pool, or visiting exotic destinations, you should prepare to keep your hearing aids safe and functioning.

Avoid extreme tempera-ture changes

The plastic outer shells of hearing aids can melt if exposed directly to intense sunlight for long periods or in extreme heat, such as inside a car parked in a sweltering outdoor lot. Conversely, your hearing aids’ inner workings are more at risk from signifi-cant changes in tempera-ture rather than heat or sun exposure specifically. This is because moisture condenses within the hear-ing aid as you go from a cool, air-conditioned envi-ronment into the hot out-doors, especially if you go

back and forth repeatedly. As for hearing aid batter-ies, they are likely to fail if exposed to high heat for more than a short amount of time.

Here are three “don’ts” and one “do” for protect-ing your hearing aids from excessive heat:

• Don’t leave hearing aids lying out in direct sun-light

• Don’t leave hearing aids locked in a glove box or sitting on the dashboard

• Don’t wear hearing aids into tanning booths or under a sunlamp

• Do store hearing aid batteries in a cool, dry place

Sunscreen: good for you, not so much your hearing aids

While it is important to protect your skin from the sun’s rays, you could in-advertently damage your hearing aids by doing so. Sunscreen lotions and sprays can clog vents and damage other components. So:

• Do make sure you take care when applying sun-screen to your face, neck and ears

• Do put on sunscreen before you put in your hearing aids

The difference between “waterproof” and “water-resistance” matters

You may have water-

resistant hearing aids but understand this does not mean they can be sub-merged in the ocean or a pool. Water-resistant hear-ing aids help if you’re per-spiring in the summer sun. However, if you jump into a lake wearing them, water will get inside through the microphone or other vents and they will be ruined.

Truly waterproof hear-ing aids are IP68 certified, meaning there will be no seepage or damage even after being completely submerged in liquid. Visit www.HearingAids.com for more information.

Keep in mind:• Don’t wear non-water-

proof hearing aids if you’re going swimming, speed boating, or anywhere else where it is likely they will get drenched

• Do make sure you know whether your hear-ing aids are waterproof or water-resistant

• Do invest in a hearing aid dryer or dehumidifier to avoid ear infections and component damage in non-waterproof hearing aids

The skies are friendly for hearing aid wearers

Before you get on a plane, you should know that hearing aids some-times set off metal detec-tors during security screen-ings. Don’t panic - you can let the Transportation

Security Administration (TSA) agent know verbally or by using a downloadable TSA Notification Card that you wear hearing aids be-fore setting off any alarms. The good news is hearing aids can be scanned with-out fear of damage.

Once you board your flight, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) guidelines exempt hearing aids from the “turn off all electronic devices” man-date. So:

• Don’t turn them off during your flight, as you might miss important in-formation shared by the pi-lot or flight attendants

• Do feel free to wear hearing aids through body scanners or send them through X-ray in a carryon

Hitting the road with hearing aids

Whether you’re going on a day trip or cross-country adventure, save yourself time and worry by assem-bling a kit for your hearing aids well in advance. Just remember:

• Do bring extra batter-ies or a charger

• Do bring spare tubes and filters

• Do include a dryer and cleaning equipment

• Do include a card with the name/number of a lo-

cal hearing aid provider, in case of emergency

• Do pack a storage caseThis summer enjoy lis-

tening to crickets chirping while you sit by a campfire, the laughter of kids playing at the beach, or the sound of that mai tai sliding up through your straw as you lounge poolside. Just fol-low these simple do’s and don’ts to make sure your hearing aids keep up with your summertime lifestyle.

Place your classified ad using our website

24 hours a day • 7 days a week

www.crestonnewsadvertiser.comGo under classifieds to place an ad

When you are under the weather, don’t forget...we

of charge!

Or we can even

your prescription!

Or use our...

Convenience

Deliver FREE

Drive-Thru Service

Mail

“Always accurate, quality prescriptions...we’ll always make time for you!

ConvenienceConvenienceConvenienceConvenienceConvenienceConvenience— and your —

Prescriptions

405 S. Sumner— Creston —

641-782-6558Jeff Longstat, R.Ph. • Wayne “Skip” Carlson, R.Ph. • Taryn Thompson, Pharm D.

Mon-Fri 8:30am-5:30pm • Sat 8:30am-1pm

Creston News Advertiser — Wednesday, June 18, 2014 — Page 5c

Shape up for surgery

(BPT) – More than 50 million surgeries occur ev-ery year and patient safety is always the top priority for surgeons or physician anesthesiologists involved in medical care. If you’re scheduled for surgery and have weeks or even months to prepare, impor-tant actions to improve your health, such as exer-cising and eating right, can help make surgery as safe as possible. They will also decrease your chances of complications and help you get back on your feet faster.

“Surgery is usually the solution to a problem, whether to replace a pain-ful knee or repair a hernia, but there are always risks,” said Dr. Jane C.K. Fitch, president of the Ameri-can Society of Anesthesi-ologists (ASA). “Physician anesthesiologists, surgeons and other medical special-

ists work with patients before, during and after surgery to help ensure a successful outcome.Pa-tients can take control of their own health by hav-ing critical conversations with their physicians and getting healthy before sur-gery.”

So, what can you do to get yourself in shape for surgery? The ASA sug-gests patients follow these tips:

• Eat healthy: Adjusting your diet to include health-ier choices in the weeks leading up to your surgery can help you become stron-ger and recover quicker. If you have a loss of appe-tite or recently lost weight without trying, be sure to tell your doctor, who might suggest you see a registered dietitian. The dietitian may prescribe a nutritional sup-plement to boost your im-mune system, help prevent infections and shorten your stay in the hospital.

• Stop smoking: Among the many reasons to kick

the habit is that smoking and anesthesia — which you’ll need during surgery — don’t mix. If you smoke, your heart and lungs are compromised and don’t function at full capacity. You are also far more like-ly to suffer breathing and lung-related complications during surgery and are more likely to need a ventilator after surgery. By quitting smoking before surgery, you’ll not only decrease the likelihood of these risks, but you’re also less likely to have a wound infection, heart attack or other com-plication.

• Boost your breathing: Taking deep breaths on a spirometer — a simple de-vice that helps you exercise your lungs and improve their function — is a routine activity after most surger-ies. Doing these exercises before surgery can help strengthen your lungs so you’re less likely to develop pneumonia.

• Control your blood sugar: People with diabetes

whose blood sugar (glucose) is not controlled, are more likely to suffer potentially fatal complications follow-ing surgery. If you have dia-betes, make sure your blood sugar is controlled. If you don’t, your immune system may be weaker, making you more vulnerable to pneu-monia and other infections. Controlling your blood sug-ar will help you heal faster and you’ll likely spend less time recovering in the hos-pital.

• Disclose medication use: Prior to surgery, be sure to tell your surgeon and physician anesthesiolo-gist what vitamins, supple-ments, as well as prescrip-tion and over-the-counter medications you are taking. You may need to stop tak-ing some of them until after your surgery because they make your blood less likely to clot and increase the risk of bleeding. The long list of risky medications includes blood thinners such as as-pirin, pain relievers such as ibuprofen and common sup-plements such as St. John’s wort and vitamins C and E. Do not stop taking any supplements or medications without asking your physi-cian first.

• Get (or stay) active: If you exercise, keep it up, and if you don’t, try to respon-sibly increase your activity level in the weeks before surgery. The sooner you begin to move around after surgery, the less likely you are to develop blood clots and pneumonia. Consider getting into an exercise pro-gram - it can reduce compli-cations and shorten hospital stays.

• Reduce consumption of alcoholic beverages: People who have more than two alcoholic drinks a day are more likely to suffer com-

plications after surgery than light drinkers and those who drink heavily are more than twice as likely to suffer com-plications that can result in death. Heavy drinkers are also much more likely to get an infection after surgery, have difficulty breathing, and be admitted to the in-tensive care unit than non-drinkers.

Be your own advocate by following ASA’s tips for im-

proving your health, safety and surgical outcomes. For more information about be-ing prepared for surgery and anesthesia, visit www.asahq.org.

� Tips to improve your health, safety and outcome

E-mail the CNA’sKYLE

WILSONkwilson@

crestonnews.com

Visit www.fnbcreston.com/mobiledeposit to learn more about the convenience of mobile

deposit today!

Visit www.fnbcreston.com/mobiledeposit to learn more about the convenience of mobile

deposit today!

Mobile Banking just got easier!

Deposit checks by phone...it’s a snap!

Member FDIC

Your check will go to the bankbut you don’t have to!

Funeral HomesFuneral HomesFuneral HomesFuneral HomesFuneral HomesFuneral HomesFuneral HomesFuneral HomesFuneral HomesFuneral HomesFuneral HomesFuneral HomesFuneral HomesFuneral HomesFuneral HomesFuneral HomesFuneral HomesFuneral HomesFuneral HomesFuneral HomesFuneral HomesPowers

www.powersfh.comAfton 347-8725Creston 782-7036

Helping bring out the stories.

Page 6c— Creston News Advertiser — Wednesday, June 18, 2014

Is your handbag prepared to help save your life?

(BPT) — Did you know that nearly 300,000 women in the U.S. have heart at-tacks each year? Yet, most women’s handbags are bet-ter prepared to manage a broken nail (55 percent) or bad hair day (36 percent) than a heart attack (17 per-cent).

Bayer HealthCare, the makers of Bayer(R) As-pirin, and WomenHeart: The National Coalition for Women with Heart Disease join together on a national campaign, Handbags & Hearts, that urges women to carry aspirin in their handbags — the one item they do not leave home without — at all times to be prepared for a sudden heart attack.

Help spread the word about heart attack prepared-ness, as knowing what to do in the moment could be the difference between life and death.

“As a cardiologist, I see women everyday who aren’t aware of the unique symp-toms women often experi-ence or what to do if they suspect they are having a heart attack. I urge all wom-en to equip themselves with the knowledge they need to save their own lives,” said Tracy Stevens, MD, FACC, Medical Director of the Saint Luke’s Mid America Heart Institute’s Muriel I. Kauffman Women’s Heart Center and member of the WomenHeart Scientific Ad-visory Council. “Make sure you carry aspirin in your handbag every day to be better prepared for a sudden heart attack.”

A survey, conducted by Wakefield Research on be-

half of Bayer HealthCare, revealed that 61 percent of women feel they are likely to have a heart attack in their lifetime, yet 93 percent don’t have knowledge of each of the different heart attack symptoms women often ex-perience. When taken dur-ing a heart attack as directed by a doctor, aspirin has been shown to reduce the risk of death — by 23 percent — and lessen the damaging effects on the heart muscle.

Less than a quarter of those surveyed said they carry aspirin in their hand-bag. Ladies — what are you waiting for?

Put your heart health front and center today by following this quick and easy advice from Dr. Ste-vens:

• Take the time to learn the specific signs of heart attack in women. In an on-line survey of 1,000 women, most had limited knowl-edge of heart attack symp-toms different to them such as nausea (43 percent) and cold sweats (36 percent). Trust your gut - if something doesn’t seem right, don’t de-lay.

• If you suspect a heart attack, calling 911 and chew-ing or crushing and swallow-ing aspirin as directed by a physician can be life-saving.

• Be proactive about your heart health; commit to dis-cussing your heart health with your doctor at your next physical to help iden-tify your coronary risks and put a plan in place to address those risks - before you have a heart attack. Seventy-one percent of women did not discuss their heart health at their last doctor visit.

Visit www.HandbagsAnd-Hearts.com to learn the signs and symptoms of heart attack.

� Why aspirin is the ultimate handbag essential

Brown bagging potentially leads to $1 million retirement nest egg

(BPT) — Here’s a $1 mil-lion idea: making breakfast and lunch at home every day instead of dining out can po-tentially yield seven figures in retirement savings.

“Many of us never think twice about how much we re-ally spend on expenses such as dining out, the interest we pay on credit cards, or even cable channels that we no longer watch,” Elaine Sarsyn-ski, executive vice president of MassMutual Retirement Services. “If you track your expenses and think about what you really need, many of us can find money to save and invest.”

Farnoosh Torabi, best-selling author and financial planning coach recommends several personal and house-hold expenses to examine for potential savings:

• Reign in big expenses. If your monthly rent or mort-gage is more than 25 percent of your take-home pay, look at ways to reduce this big

expense. If you have a mort-gage, refinancing might be an option. Renters can some-times renegotiate a lower rent as good tenants are hard to find.

• Trim smaller costs. Brown bagging is one way to save. Track all your expenses to determine where else you might cut back. It’s amazing how extra expenses such as $3 lattes can add up.

• Stick to cash. Using cash instead of credit can save you up to 20 percent.

• Attack high-interest debt. Credit cards typically repre-sent the most expensive debt so pay off this debt as soon as possible. When you’re debt free, continue paying the same monthly amount to your retirement plan instead.

• Get professional tax help. If you’re middle-aged or older, rely on a certified public accountant to make sure you’re taking advantage of all of the various tax cred-its and deductions that come

from having children, own-ing a home or contributing to IRA. Put your tax savings or rebate in your retirement account.

• Dump unnecessary bag-gage. As we get older, we tend to accumulate more things than we need or can reasonably use. Consider saving by downsizing to a smaller home, selling an ex-tra car you no longer use, and clearing out your base-ment, garage or attic by selling unneeded household items in a tag sale.

• Cut the cable. Re-exam-ine your roster of cable TV channels; you may find you are paying premium prices for channels you rarely watch.

• Spend time rather than

money. It’s always tempting to spoil grandkids, nieces and nephews with gifts. You can save money by cutting back on the presents and giving the kids what they re-ally want: your time and at-tention.

For more information about planning your re-tirement, go to www.Re-tireSmart.com.

NO PAPER?If you fail to receive

your carrier-deliveredCreston News

Advertiserby 5:00 p.m. call your

carrier or call 782-2141before 7:00 p.m.

600 Sheldon • Creston, IA • Ph: 782-8417Hours: M-F 8am-7pm ~ Sat 8am-4pm

CLOSED Sunday

• Blood Pressure Screening

• Cholesterol Screenings

• Vaccinations: Shingles Pneumonia Flu

• “Free” Mailing

• “Free” Delivery

• Drive-up

• Private Medication Consultation

For all your prescriptions, plus...

• MTM Services

Creston News Advertiser — Wednesday, June 18, 2014 — Page 7c

Easy ways to create a home sweet vacation rental home

(BPT) – After a bitter winter, summer is finally within sight and many Americans are getting into full vacation planning mode.

If you’re planning a fam-ily getaway or a trip with a large group of friends, it’s a great opportunity to ex-plore staying at a vacation rental. These are often an affordable alternative to booking multiple hotel rooms for larger groups, and access to the addition-al space and kitchen facili-ties can be very advanta-geous.

Follow these tips to find the best deals and loca-tions:

• Start early: Many trav-elers begin planning their summer vacations right after the new year - but it’s not too late now. For the largest selection of rental homes, start several months before you plan to travel and look for early booking discounts.

• Location, location, lo-cation: Book properties further away from popular

tourist attractions. Proxim-ity typically comes with a price, so look for places that are away from the tourist hot spots. Cities like Orlando can be quite affordable when staying just a stone’s throw away from the major theme parks and can more than make up for the distance in pricing.

• Consider an off-the-beaten-path destination: You can find plenty of des-tinations that offer great activities and cost signifi-cantly less if you don’t limit your search to major cities and beach locales. Deep in the Ozarks, Branson, Mo. becomes a summer play-ground with a plethora of outdoor adventures, as well as over 100 live entertain-ment options. Outside of Phoenix, Scottsdale, Ariz. is much more than just a golfer’s paradise, offering a vibrant nightlife scene and plenty of shopping in a historic downtown.

Tips for the stay:• Obtain a list of all

amenities included in your

rental from the property owner or manager prior to your stay. You’ll want to know if you should plan to bring extra towels, a spe-cialty cooking utensil or beach chairs for example. Owners should have a de-tailed list what’s on hand and the quantity of items that they provide such as hand soap and toilet paper.

• Vacation rentals locat-ed in condo communities often have planned daily ac-tivities for guests of all ages. These may include fam-ily movie nights, scavenger hunts, cooking classes, wa-ter aerobics and guest social functions. Obtain a sched-ule in advance of your stay to plan out your vacation time wisely and take advan-tage of free entertainment.

While the hope is that you’re out enjoying the scenery and local attrac-tions while you’re using a vacation rental, you’ll also want to be entertained while in the property. Pack your favorite movies, games and even toys if you’re trav-eling with children to make

it as much like home as pos-sible while also enjoying the comforts of someone else’s

home.For the latest vacation

rental deals in the U.S., Ca-

ribbean and Latin America, check out these offerings from Hotels.com.

Cook Video & ApplianceCook Video & ApplianceHwy. 34 East • Creston • 641-782-5112

— Financing Available with Qualified Credit —

Cook Video & ApplianceCook Video & ApplianceCook Video & ApplianceCook Video & ApplianceCook Video & ApplianceCook Video & ApplianceCook Video & ApplianceCook Video & ApplianceCook Video & ApplianceCook Video & ApplianceCook Video & ApplianceCook Video & ApplianceCook Video & ApplianceCook Video & ApplianceCook Video & ApplianceCook Video & ApplianceCook Video & ApplianceCook Video & ApplianceCook Video & ApplianceCook Video & ApplianceCook Video & ApplianceCook Video & ApplianceCook Video & ApplianceCook Video & ApplianceCook Video & ApplianceCook Video & ApplianceCook Video & ApplianceCook Video & ApplianceCook Video & ApplianceCook Video & ApplianceCook Video & ApplianceCook Video & ApplianceCook Video & ApplianceCook Video & ApplianceCook Video & ApplianceCook Video & ApplianceCook Video & ApplianceCook Video & ApplianceCook Video & ApplianceCook Video & ApplianceCook Video & ApplianceCook Video & ApplianceCook Video & ApplianceCook Video & ApplianceCook Video & ApplianceCook Video & ApplianceCook Video & ApplianceCook Video & ApplianceCook Video & ApplianceMon-Fri 8:30am - 5:30pm • Sat 8:30am - 2pm

SAVE $227MSRP $3176

Whirlpool Side-by-Side Refrigerator (WRS325FDAM)• Accu-Chill Temperature Management

System • Humidity Controlled Drawer

Whirlpool Electric Range(WFE525C0BS)• SteamClean • TimeSavor Convection Cooking System

Whirlpool Dishwasher (WDT710PAYM)• Resource - Efficient Wash System • Quiet Partner II Sound Package

Whirlpool Over-the-Range Microwave (WMH31017AS)• 1,000 Watts Cooking Power • 2 Stage Cooking

$2956

Whirlpool 4 Piece Stainless Kitchen Package

Page 8c— Creston News Advertiser — Wednesday, June 18, 2014

Centenarians reveal their secrets to a long, happy life (BPT) — One hundred

years ago, the average American’s life expectan-cy was between 50 and 60 years, and so the estimated 53,000 centenarians in the United States today have lived much longer than most of their contemporaries.

Perhaps that is why a new survey shows that these 100-year-olds feel “blessed” (36 percent), “happy” (31 percent) and “surprised” (12 percent) to have lived so long. Not one reports feel-ing sad or burdened; only 3 percent say they feel lonely.

For the past nine years, UnitedHealthcare has conducted a survey of 100 100-year-olds to gain in-sight into their lives. For its most recent 100@100 survey, the company also polled 65-year-old baby boomers to examine how

the attitudes and lifestyles of people entering their re-tirement years compare to those who hit that same age 35 years ago.

According to the study, one thing both groups agreed on is that they feel younger than their years. On average, the centenar-ians surveyed said they feel just 83 years old, while 65-year-old baby boomers said they feel 55 years old.

“It’s encouraging that older Americans feel more youthful than the number of candles on their birth-day cake might suggest,” said Rhonda Randall, D.O., chief medical officer of UnitedHealthcare Retiree Solutions. “By looking at how they are living their daily lives, we can glean im-portant insights about the keys to staying healthy and

feeling vibrant as we age.”The following are some of

the secrets to healthy aging, as revealed by the 100@100 survey.

Secret 1: Keep up with ex-ercise.

Despite their age, cen-

tenarians stay active: more than half walk or hike and nearly a third do strength-training exercises. Some even run outdoors or play team sports every week (4 percent). Exercise is an im-portant part of boomers’

lifestyle as well. Nearly 3 in 4 walk or hike each week, 37 percent do strength-training exercises and 13 percent run outdoors or play team sports.

Secret 2: Get preventive care to stay healthy.

Older Americans are tak-ing the saying “an ounce of prevention equals a pound of cure” to heart by keeping up with preventive health care services to stay well. Nearly 9 in 10 get an annual exam (87 percent of cente-narians and 89 percent of baby boomers) with their primary care physician, and the majority also report get-ting eye exams regularly (71 percent of centenarians and 76 percent of baby boom-ers).

Secret 3: Maintain a posi-tive attitude.

Both centenarians and

baby boomers say maintain-ing their physical health and a positive attitude are equal-ly important to successful aging (66 percent and 81 percent, respectively). In fact, 82 percent of centenar-ians say laughing/having a sense of humor is important to healthy aging.

Perhaps the most impor-tant lesson revealed in the 100@100 survey findings is that living a long, healthy life is about more than just genetics. Daily habits and lifestyle choices can make a difference not only in how long people live but also in how they feel as they age.

For more information on how to stay healthy beyond 65, visit www.ni-hseniorhealth.gov. For complete 100@100 survey results, visit the news room on UHC.com.