FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2011 A special supplement to the AUSTIN DAILY HERALD

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ome of Mower County’s mostartistic little secrets aresometimes discovered by chance.That is the case with Jeff and

Jane Peterson’s glass creations, whichlocal residents learned about at theMower County Senior Center.

After Senior Center Director SaraSchafer stumbled upon the glass waresat the Austin Area Farmers’ Market,she asked the Austin couple to teach aclass at the Senior Center.

“I think a lot of people have neverdone this before,” Schafer said, whichpiqued her curiosity for starting aclass.

Wednesday afternoon, artenthusiasts learned the relatively easyprocess to making glass wind chimes.Jeff and a few glass art connoisseursshowed others how to cut stained glasswith a cutting wheel, grind off thesharp edges and align the pieces tomake interesting designs. From his

home, Jeff will fire the pieces of glassto melt them together and strengthenthem. And class attendees can feelsecure with their projects in Jeff ’shands, as he, his wife and theirgranddaughter all love making art outof glass.

From purchasing the glass from awarehouse, cutting it, grinding it andfiring it in their own miniature kilns,the Petersons do it all. For about twoyears, they’ve been making chimes,earings, gemstones and Christmasornaments, and they’ve been growingtheir operation by word of mouth. ThePetersons have sold their art to peoplefrom Florida, Illinois, Colorado,Arizona, Texas and Nebraska, to namea few.

Jeff said he spends about three tofive hours on projects after he returnsfrom work at Hormel on weeknights.He, his wife and granddaughter alsospend plenty of time cranking outprojects on the weekends, too.

Melanie Davis cuts pieces of stained glass for use in a wind chime she was preparing Wednes-day at the Mower County Senior Center.

Austin duo creates art from glassStory by Matt PetersonPhotos by Eric Johnson

See GLASS, Page 2

ARA— Fromhumanity's first steps onthe moon to the rise ofnanotechnology, babyboomers have witnessedsignificant changes in ourworld. And true to theirforever-young mentality,boomers refuse to makesacrifices as they adapttheir environment tomeet evolving needs asthey age.

By 2030, the U.S.Administration on Agingpredicts, the number ofAmericans older than 65will top 72 million. Theconcept of aging in place- adapting one's home tobetter fit changingphysical abilities - ismore relevant than ever.Simple and proactiveupdates in key areas,such as the kitchen andbath, can offer extraassistance to stay safeand independent at home.

Falls are the leadingcause of fatal andnonfatal injuries among

those 65 and older, andmost occur in thebathroom. If you or aloved one is thinkingabout staying in home asyou age, consider thesebathroom upgrades toimprove safety andaccessibility:

Update tubsand showers

Stepping over abathtub wall can be arisk for anyone withmobility issues.Although showers caneliminate the step-overrisk, the threat ofslipping and fallingremains. For ageneration who grew uptaking baths, continuingto enjoy that comfort andexperience is important.Much to consumers'frustration, theinstitutional nature ofwalk-in tubs requiredbathers to give upaesthetics, sacrifice thecomfort of a lounging

position, and lose theindulgent experience ofwhirlpool jets and otherhydrotherapy options.

The Kohler ElevanceRising Wall bath offers asafe and stylish solution.With the comfort oftraditional bathing andsecurity of a step-in tub,bathers enter when thewall is lowered and raisethe wall with minimaleffort (less than 5 poundsof force). The optionalBubbleMassage offers amore relaxing soak, andbuilt-in grab bars provideextra stability andsupport. After the bath,the tub drains in lessthan two minutes.

Showers and tubs ofany type should be fittedwith grab bars. Moderndesigns, such as theKohler Belay hand rail,marry functionality andaesthetics to ensurehomeowners don't haveto sacrifice style orsafety.

Senior Living2 FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2011 AUSTIN DAILY HERALD

With their combined efforts, Jeffsaid, “We’ve got three of us prettymuch back there full time.”

Though the Petersons haven’t heldclasses before, they have beenapproached to do so. Until now, thathad never materialized. However, Jeffhas always been willing, and this timesomeone followed through and broughthim in.

People who see how the glass itemsare made soon realize they are verysharp at first.

“I think my thumbs are callousedup enough,” Jeff joked about glass nolonger cutting through his skin.

“Band-Aids are part of theexperience,” another glass enthusiast,Denny Davis, said. Davis was visitingfrom Montana, and any opportunity towork with glass, despite the sharprisks, draws him in.

But with care and attention todetail, first-timers at the Senior Centerseemed to be handling their projectswell.

Though the first-ever wind chimemaking class at the Senior Center endsnext week, Peterson is willing to domore. As the holiday season nears, hemay coordinate an ornament-makingclass. And the Senior Center alwayshas something going on. A group fromBranson, Mo. will be performing Dec. 4for an annual holiday show.

For more information visit mcs-inc.org.

An example of stained glass wind chimes hungin the Mower County Senior CenterWednes-day afternoon.

Glass: Classon ornamentspossible forholiday seasonFrom Page 1

—Walk-in shot clinic, 3:15-4p.m., Mower County PublicHealth clinic.—American Legion BBQribs.—Eagles famous fish fry,5:30 p.m., Eagles Club,

Austin.—VFW Bingo, 6-8 p.m., Austin VFW.

—Brownsdale Fire Dept.fish fry, 4-8 p.m., Browns-dale Elementary, Adults $9,children 12 and younger$6.50.—Austin Area Singles andSolos dance, ZenZen Band,

VFW, Owatonna.

—Stone Soup: a blue-grass gospel band, 10a.m., First CongregationalChurch.—American Legion dollarburgers.

—Senior Center: bloodpressure screenings, 9a.m., Pinochle and Bridge,12 p.m.—Class of 1944 andspouses lunch, noon,Jerryʼs Other Place.

—American Red Cross blood drive, 1-7p.m., Sterling State Bank, Austin.—Blood pressure clinic, 3-4 p.m., PickettPlace, Austin.—City Council meeting, 5:30 p.m., CouncilChambers.—VFW Bingo, 6-8 p.m., VFW, Austin.—American Legion stag, windsor chops.

—Austin Area Singles andSolos breakfast, 8 a.m.,HyVee.—Social Concerns: 100Years of Girl Scouting, 10a.m., Hormel HistoricHome.

—Austin Ministerial meeting, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m., St. Olafʼs Lutheran Church.—American Red Cross blood drive,noon-6 p.m., Sterling State Bank,Austin.—Mower County Republicans meeting,7 p.m., Mower County Senior Center(meets third Monday of every month).—Masonic Lodge 39 Stated meeting,7:30 p.m., 303A N. Main Street.

—American Red Crossblood drive, noon-6 p.m.,Sterling State Bank,Austin.—Glass wind chimeclass, 4 p.m., MowerCounty Senior Center.

—Casserole Supper, 5-6:30 p.m.,Moose Lodge — 3rd Wednesday ofevery month.—VFW comedy night, 6:45-9 p.m.,Austin VFW, $5.

—Silver Sneakers, 8:30a.m.-4:30 p.m., MowerCounty Senior Center,every Tuesday and Thurs-day.—Caregiver supportgroup, 10:30 a.m., Mower

County Senior Center.—American Legion taco bar.

—Rummage sale, 8 a.m.-5 p.m., Queen of AngelsChurch, clothing, bakedgoods, garden suppliesand more.—Senior Center: 9:30a.m. Tai Chi, noon cards,

12:30 p.m. bridge tournament.—Walk-in shot clinic, 3:15-4 p.m.,Mower County Public Health clinic.—Eagles famous fish fry, 5:30-7:30p.m., Eagles Club, Austin.—American Legion garlic shrimp, T-bone steak.—VFW bingo, 6-8 p.m., Austin VFW.

Bathroom design updateshelp homeowners age in place

SENIOR ACTIVITY CALENDAR

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Associated Press

One-fifth of Medicare nursing home patientswith advanced Alzheimer’s or other dementiaswere sent to hospitals or other nursing homes forquestionable reasons in their final months, oftenenduring tube feeding and intensive care that pro-longed their demise, a new study found.

Nursing homes may feel hospital care is war-ranted when a frail, elderly patient develops swal-lowing problems, pneumonia or a serious infection,but researchers suspect a differentmotive formanytransfers: money. Medicare pays about three timesthe normal daily rate for nursing homes to take pa-tients back after a brief hospitalization.

“I think that’s unfortunately a factor in what’shappening here,”said Dr. Joan Teno,a palliative carephysician andhealth policy profes-sor at Brown Uni-versity. “A lot of thiscare just feels like inand out, in and out.You really have toquestion, is thehealth care systemdoing a good job ornot?”

She is a co-au-thor of the study,published in Thurs-day’s New EnglandJournal of Medi-cine and done withresearchers fromHarvard Universityand DartmouthMedical School.

Among thenearly 475,000 pa-tients studied, 19percent were movedfor questionablereasons. The studyprovided no evi-dence that moneymotivated suchtransfers or thatthere was wrongdo-ing involved. How-ever, the largevariation that re-searchers saw from state to state suggests moneymay be playing a role.

Rates of such transfers varied from 2 percent inAlaska to more than 37 percent in Louisiana. InMcAllen, Texas, 26 percent of study participantshad multiple hospitalizations for urinary infec-tions, pneumonia or dehydration— conditions thatusually can be treated in a nursing home. That com-pares to just 1 percent of patients in Grand Junc-tion, Colo.

The researchers used Medicare records from2000 through 2007 to identify “burdensome” transi-tions of care: moving patients in the last three daysof life, moving themmultiple times in the last threemonths of life, or moving them so they landed in anew nursing home afterward.

Medicaid pays on average $175 per day, depend-ing on the state, for long-term care, but Medicarewill pay three times that for skilled nursing careafter a patient returns from three days ormore in ahospital.

“If you have a nursing home that is operating ona margin, it adds up. It can be a tremendous incen-tive to hospitalize these people,” Teno said.

By Amanda Lillieamanda.lillie@austindailyherald.com

Winter is right around the cor-ner, and with it comes anotherseason: Flu season.

Doctors commonly recom-mend senior citizens receive flushots as it turns to winter.

But flu shots aren’t just forseniors.

Tricia Browning, primaryclinic supervisor at Mayo ClinicHealth System in Austin, saidmany people think only youngchildren and senior citizensshould be vaccinated for the flu.However, the vaccine is impor-tant for people of all ages be-cause anyone can catch it andpass it on.

“The vaccination is definitelya prevention of the flu, alongwith other measures of coveringyour cough and hand-washing,”said Tricia Browning, primaryclinic supervisor at MCHS-Austin. “October is the startingpoint when we want people to getvaccinated against the flu.”

Many area pharmacies andsmart clinics, along with themedical center in Austin, are of-fering the flu shot and this yearthe vaccine is recommended foranyone older than six months.

Anyone who suffers from achronic illness such as asthma orheart disease should be sure to bevaccinated, Browning said.

“Certainly people withchronic health conditions andhigher risk illness, we definitelyrecommend they get vaccinated,including the pregnant, theyoung and seniors,” she said.

Lisa Kocer, Mower CountyPublic Health nursing supervi-sor, echoed Browning’s recom-mendation. Kocer said few peopleperceive the flu shot as some-thing for younger age groups, butthe Center for Disease Controlhas recommended it for every-one.

“We have a way to prevent ill-ness from the flu by getting vac-cinated,” Kocer said. “It’s thenumber one thing you can do toprevent the flu.”

MCHS-Austin is offering vac-cines in both injection and mistforms. The mist is given inter-nasally and is a live virus, so pa-tients must be healthy beforereceiving it, according to Brown-ing.

The mist is also a more attrac-tive option than injection forthose who don’t like needles.

“The flu mist gives reallygood, broad coverage,” Browning

said. “If people are afraid of nee-dles, the flu mist is definitely anoption.”

Browning added that peoplewith chronic illness shouldchoose the injection over themist, since the mist is a livevirus.

Each year, a new version ofthe vaccine is issued to cover anynew strains of the illness. Brown-ing said this year’s vaccine is thesame as last year’s and will pro-tect against H1N1.

According to MCHS-Austin,

symptoms of the flu can includea sore throat, coughing, fever,headache, muscle aches and fa-tigue. Being aware of the differ-ence between a cold and the flu isimportant, because the flu canleave a person with severe symp-toms for weeks.

“A cold results in a runny noseand a stuffed up head. Nausea,vomiting and diarrhea rarely ac-company influenza,” an MCHS-Austin news release stated.

Senior LivingA special supplement to the AUSTIN DAILY HERALD FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2011 3

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Herald file photoCMA Dale Olson gives a flu shot at the Smart Clinic in Sterling Drug.

Flu shots help locals beat the season

AREA PHARMACIES/CLINICS OFFERING FLU SHOTS:

•Walgreens PharmacyAvailable now through at least Jan. 1, 2012Only vaccinating adults ages 19 and olderWeekdays 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.Saturday 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.Sunday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.$34.99 cash; accepting some insurance

•Mower County Public HealthShot clinic every Friday from 3:15 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.Flu shots available now until supplies run outChildren and adults who are underinsured oruninsured are eligible, cost is $14Medical assistance accepted

•Mayo Clinic Health System in AustinAvailable now, by appointment only at 433-8758$47 cash for injection, $64 cash for mistWill also take insuranceSchool-aged children flu shot clinics Oct. 15 andOct. 22 from 8 a.m. to noon

Dementia patientssuffer dubioushospitalizations

TIPS:•Involve patients inplanning their care whilethey're still able to doso, and make surewishes like "do notresuscitate" or "do notcall 911" are spelled outin legal documents.•Develop goodrelationships withnursing home staff andattending physicians sothey understand thefamily's goals of care.•Consider hospice carewhen seniors withadvanced dementia areadmitted.•Revisit and review theplan whenever there is achange in a loved one'sstatus. Someone maynot be end-stage whenthey enter a nursinghome but that canchange.•Seek advice. TheAlzheimer's Associationhas a 24-hour toll-freenumber, 1-800-272-3900, with counselors tohelp families.

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After 85 years playing thepiano, Kenneth Scharadoesn’t put much thoughtinto his craft. When he sits

down at the keys, it just happens.“You’ve got to get the feel of it

first,” Schara recalled about learningthe piano.

At 92, Schara has played piano in alltypes of settings — homes, piano bars,care centers and churches, to name afew.

Though he grew up farming nearDecorah, Iowa, and cut meat for 30years at Hormel, there’s a bit of ironywith Schara’s story. Through all thehard work, he never damaged his mostvaluable asset: his fingers. It was apiano that got him.

Schara recalled playing at a partyon one occasion. He didn’t feelanything but when he looked down, itwas an ugly sight.

“When I got done, I noticed myfingers were all blood,” he said.

They were cut by broken glass thatwas strewn about the keys. That didn’tcut his talents short, however.

Schara played a couple of songs inthe community room at the CourtyardThursday morning. As soon as he hitthe seat, he played a song, whichblended into another — all without apause.

“I come down here and play quite

often by myself,” he said, after playingjust 1 percent of the songs he knows byheart.

Since he was 7, Schara has playedpiano. He has also played clarinet,trumpet and violin. Though he has readsheet music before, it has been quitesome time since he has actually donethat. When he started at age 7, sheetmusic wasn’t necessary, either.

“I started when I was about 7 yearsold, with one finger,” Schara said.

Perhaps experience and talent aremore important, as many are alwayseager to hear Schara’s music.

“We get him to play all the time,” saidBob Davis, Schara’s neighbor atCourtyard Apartments in Austin. “Heloves it, it’s in his blood. He never has apiece of sheet music in front of him.”

But even without the sheet music,Schara doesn’t have to stress about whatsongs he plays. They just keep flowingthrough his fingers and into the keys.

“Most people, we have to stop andthink what we are going to do next,” saidPastor Jeff Forbes of Grace LutheranChurch — where Schara attends and stillplays. “But Kenny, he knows what he’sgoing to do. He just goes right into it.”

Of the 200 songs Schara knows byheart, he can add his own unique flair toeach one. He doesn’t have an explanationfor it, other than it comes naturally.Forbes could agree with that.

Friend and neighbor Bob Davis stands over Kenneth Scharaas he plays the Courtyard Apartments piano Thursday.

Kenneth Schara plays the Courtyard Apartment's piano Thursday morning. The 92-year-old recently recorded a CD of his playing.

85 years and counting on the keysStory by Matt Peterson and Photos by Eric Johnson

ARA — If you’re having problemshearing but haven’t yet done anything toaddress them, you’re not alone. Every daypeople put off getting help for hearing lossfor a number of reasons that range from notwanting to show signs of vulnerability tobeing fearful of having to wear a bulkyhearing aid. While these reasons areunderstandable, the benefits of gettinghearing help far outweigh the reasons foravoiding seeing a hearing specialist.

This is especially true when you take intoaccount that hearing aids are more discreetthan they’ve ever been — some can even beconsidered invisible. This makes it easy forsomeone to correct hearing loss withoutexperiencing the discomfort or self-consciousness often associated with hearingaids. If you’re experiencing trouble hearing,here are five reasons to get help and visit ahearing care professional:

1Increase your financial growthopportunity. If you have untreatedhearing loss, there’s a good chance youaren’t reaching your full potential in the

workplace, as you may be missing importantitems in conversation or unconsciously

withdrawing yourself from your duties.Correcting hearing problems can allow youto perform your job to the best of yourability.

2Improve your social life. Whether youknow it or not, hearing problems cancause you to communicateineffectively with others, which can

hinder relationship building. It may alsocause you to decide not to participate inactivities or social gatherings as youotherwise would.

3Improve your relationship with yourfamily. Communication is even moreimportant in the intimaterelationships you maintain with

family members. When communication isinterrupted by hearing loss, it can weakenthose relationships without the intention ofdoing so. Hearing loss can affect the subtlecommunication that is so important tomaintaining a strong bond with your lovedones.

4Today’s hearing aids are no longerobtrusive. For example, U.S. hearingtechnology company Starkey offersinvisible hearing aids that are worn

deep in the ear canal or are hidden behind

your ear.

5Hearing aids work better than ever.Today’s hearing aids address themost common concerns of wearers,including virtually eliminating

feedback (buzzing and whistling) andproviding noise management technologythat identifies and preserves speech even inthe noisiest environments. Volume controlhas also become more sophisticated, so youdon’t have to constantly make adjustmentbased on your environment. Finally, somehearing aids can connect directly with themedia devices in your home including TV,MP3 player or stereo.

When you get help for your hearingproblem, you have the potential to improveyour life in ways you may have neverimagined. With the right hearing aid andtreatment, you can improve the way youcommunicate, which can help you reachyour full potential and improve yourrelationships with those who are importantto you. The first step is to visit a hearingcare professional to find out what course ofaction is right for you. To find a professional,visit www.starkey.com.

5 reasons to address your hearing loss if you haven’t already

ARA — When it comesto financial planning, mak-ing smart investments andplanning for the futurearen't your only fiduciaryconsiderations. You alsowant to be sure you're get-ting the most out of themoney you spend on theprocess.

Estate planning is an im-portant component of youroverall financial plan, re-gardless of your age, in-come or size of your estate.If you own property andhave heirs, you need tothink about estate plan-ning. To do the job well,you'll need the help of ateam of professional ac-credited estate plannerssuch as a certified public ac-countant, a lawyer, insur-ance professionals andfinancial planners, andtrust officers.

Professional fees can addup if you don't manage timewell, so it's important toprepare for every meetingwith your estate planningteam members. Oct. 17 to 23is National Estate PlanningAwareness Week, and it's agreat time to think abouthow you can maximize thevalue of the time you spendwith your estate planningteam.

Throughout the week,the National Association ofEstate Planners & Councils(NAEPC) will provide a se-ries of free estate planningwebinars at its site www.es-tateplanninganswers.org.

The NAEPC offers thisadvice on how to have pro-ductive working relation-ships with your planners:

• Before meeting with aprofessional, gather allyour personal and financialinformation, make lists ofyour current financial ad-visers, assets and liabilities,collect financial documentssuch as retirement plans,life insurance policies,property deeds, partnershipand business agreementsand your income tax re-turns for the past two years.

• Seek out the right pro-fessionals. You'll find anynumber of people who pro-fess to be estate planners,but NAEPC designees com-plete rigorous educationalrequirements for estateplanning and adhere to astrict code of ethics. To findan accredited estate plan-ner, visit the association'swebsite, www.estateplan-ning answers.org.

• Realize that estate plan-ning is an ongoing process.You should update your es-tate plan every few years orany time you experience amajor life change, such asthe birth of a child, mar-riage, divorce or death of aspouse or parent.

Makemost ofestateplanning