The Minne Lusa LadiesCoffee, Cookies, Community

Keeping Mind and Body ActiveControlling Parkinson’s Disease

March/April • 2014

“Doc” Simmons

is not the retiring type.

Dr. Patrick J. McKenna is one of thirteen experienced and highly skilled collaborating cancer specialists, committed to providing you with quality care and a compassionate trained staff. Dedicated to complete cancer diagnosis, treatment and research:

• Subspecialty Doctors Available for Many Different Types of Cancers• Access to State-of-the-art Imaging and Diagnostic Services• Chemotherapy, Radiation Oncology

and Surgical & Support Services• More Than 100 Clinical Trials Available• Oncology- and Chemotherapy-certified Nurses• Easy Accessibility with Five Metro Omaha Locations

Alegent Creighton Health Cancer Center - Bergan (402) 393-3110Methodist Estabrook Cancer Center (402) 354-8124Midwest Cancer Center Papillion (402) 593-3141

Midwest Cancer Center Legacy (402) 334-4773Fremont (FAMC) (402) 941-7030

Margaret Block, M.D.

M. Salman Haroon, M.D.

Ralph J. Hauke, M.D.

Timothy K. Huyck, M.D.

Robert M. Langdon, Jr., M.D.

Kirsten M. Leu, M.D.

John M. Longo, M.D.

Patrick J. McKenna, M.D.

Geetha Palaniappan, M.D.

David A. Silverberg, M.D.

Gamini S. Soori, M.D.

Yungpo Bernard Su, M.D.

Stefano R. Tarantolo, M.D.

A QOPI© Certified Practice: Recognizing Excellence.™

S2 60PLUS march/april • 2014

march/april • 2014 60PLUS S3

Comments? Send your letter to the editor to: david@omahamagazine.com

All versions of Omaha Magazine are published bimonthly by Omaha Magazine, LTD, P.O. Box 461208, Omaha NE 68046-1208. Telephone: (402) 884-2000; fax (402) 884-2001. Subscription rates: $19.95 for 6 issues (one year), $24.95 for 12 issues (two years). No whole or part of the contents herein may be reproduced without prior written permis-sion of Omaha Magazine, excepting individually copyrighted articles and photographs. Unsolicited manuscripts are accepted, however no responsibility will be assumed for such solicitations. Best of Omaha®™ is a registered tradename of Omaha Magazine.

Feature: The Minne Lusa Ladies ____ S4

Health: Controlling

Parkinson’s Disease _________ S6

Feature: Elder Law Pitfalls ________ S8

Cover: “Doc” Simmons

Not the Retiring Type _______ S12

Active Living: Dan Goodwin _______S14

Column: The Grandpa Chronicles ___S16

Style _____________________ S18

T HE TEMPERATURE ROSE TO zero at noon today, deadline day for when we send the magazine off to print.

Warmer weather has surely arrived by the time you’re reading this, right? If it’s still a bit nippy out there as winter flirts with spring, enjoy some of the heartwarming stories found on the pages that follow—like the one about an octogenarian champion weight lifter. Or the one about the man whose “retirement” is still a globetrotting adventure. And the retired ladies who are building strong neighborhoods in North Omaha.

Now back to my hot cocoa. Ta ta!

CONTENTS volume 2 . issue 2

Gwen LemkeContributing Editor,

60PLUS In Omaha

14460 West Maple Rd.Omaha, NE

402.493.0443

2609 S. 132nd St.Omaha, NE

402.334.6933

10770 Fort St. [NEC]Omaha, NE

402.493.3257

8315 West Center Rd.Omaha, NE

402.393.2557

6901 S. 84th St.LaVista, NE

402.339.1090

14303 U St.Omaha, NE

402.895.0181

1919 N. 90th St.Omaha, NE

402.391.2072

4840 Dodge St.Omaha, NE

402.558.2000

1701 S. Galvin Rd.Bellevue, NE

402.292.2685

545 West Washington St.Council Bluffs, IA712.352.4152

LOCATIONSFlu Shots Offered Daily

Trouble Getting Up & Down the Stairs?Regain your independence... and the rest of your home!

Largest showroom in the nation!Multiple models..one sure to fit your needs!

Call for special pricing!

12739 Q Street402.408.1990

www.kohlls.com

Recipient of

PLATINUM AWARDomamag.com/save

Don’t miss a single issue.

Subscribe today, two years for $11.

77% off the newsstand price of $47.50!

another Omaha Magazine

exclusive.

The Best of Omaha™ series continues in

September/October with

Omaha’s Best Doctors® ,

Gwen

S4 60PLUS march/april • 2014

60PLUS featureStory by David Williams • Photo by Bill Sitzmann

Sharon Olson (left) and Beth Richards are “The Minne Lusa Ladies.”

march/april • 2014 60PLUS S5

The Minne Lusa LadiesCoffee, Cookies, and

Canning at the Epicenter of a Resurgent Neighborhood

W E STARTED THIS WITH no idea of what it would become,” says Sharon Olson of the home

at 2737 Mary St. that later became The Minne Lusa House.

“We mostly wanted a way for neigh-bors to get to know one another again,” adds Beth Richards, the other half of the duo now known colloquially as The Minne Lusa Ladies.

They bought the repossessed property in 2010 for a mere $20,000, and the tan stucco home built in 1918 is now the epicenter of a resurgent Minne Lusa neighborhood, which is located just north of Miller Park.

Canning marathons, fried green tomatoes, and cookies may have been the inspiration behind the earliest Minne Lusa House events, but the cozy place has since grown to host nonprofit and other events. It hums with activity whenever Santa makes a visit and is one of the main bases for Halloween activ-ity when the annual Trick-or-Treat on the Boolevard fright-fest sends goblins scurrying up and down Minne Lusa Boulevard one block to the east. Police chiefs and precinct captains have listened to neighborhood voices here, as has Ben Gray, the area’s representative on the City Council.

Their weekly Saturday Morning Coffee started local and small, but word of the meet-ups quickly spread. Now Saturday’s draw people from all over the metro area. One Minne Lusa native who now lives in Florida stumbled upon the home’s Facebook page during a nostalgic bout of Minne Lusa-themed web surfing. Struck by the happen-ings there, she had custom Minne Lusa House coffee mugs made and presented them to the home.

“Sometimes it’s so crowded here on a Saturday morning that there’s no wiggle room,” says Richards.

“When things first started to take off,” adds Olson, “I remember thinking, ‘Who are all these people?’”

Richards, a retired telephone company employee, has lived five houses down from The Minne Lusa House for the last eight years and has been in the neighborhood for 15. Olson, a retired mail carrier, lives around the corner in the house in which she grew up.

It was at that moment that Rosalind Moore, president of the Miller Park Minne Lusa Neighborhood Association just hap-pened to pop in—as is the wont of many neighbors—to discuss an effort to start a neighborhood newsletter. The women are also part of an effort to have the neighbor-hood, whose name is Siouxian for “clear water,” listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

“We want people to know that this is a great neighborhood,” Moore says. Too many people, she says, know the area and other parts of North Omaha only from crime reports. “The neighborhood association, The Minne Lusa Ladies, and so many others here work to make sure that people know that our neighborhood makes a positive impact on the community.”

Community, The Minne Lusa Ladies believe, is built on conversations.

“Neighborhoods are destroyed from within,” says Olson. “It begins when people stop talking. We aim to do something about that.”

Visit The Minne Lisa House on Facebook and the neighborhood association at millerparkmin-nelusa.org.

Keeping Mind and Body ActiveEssential in Controlling Parkinson’s Disease

M IKE EGGER, 66, HAS always enjoyed tinkering around the garage, maintaining his cars

and lawn equipment and doing just about anything mechanical. Since he developed Parkinson’s disease some 20 years ago, these are some of the things he still enjoys most in life, but they also serve another purpose. They help keep his body and mind active—essentials in helping control the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease.

Parkinson’s is a progressive disorder of the nervous system that advances slowly and affects movement, muscle control, and bal-ance. It is the second most common nervous system disorder after Alzheimer’s disease.

It is estimated that as many as 3 to 4 percent of the population will develop Parkinson’s symptoms during their lifetime and the risk is even higher in Nebraska. “While we don’t have a cure for Parkinson’s, we continue to make progress in diagnosis and treatment,” says John Bertoni, M.D., Ph.D., neurolo-gist and director of the Parkinson’s Clinic at The Nebraska Medical Center. “We are con-tinually learning more about the disease and there are many new treatments coming down the pipeline.”

People may have Parkinson’s for many years before it becomes apparent, notes Dr. Bertoni. Some of the more subtle early-stage symptoms include: loss of sense of smell, thrashing in sleep, depression, loss of facial expression, excessive sleepiness during the day, constipation, shortening of one’s steps, and a diminishing arm swing when walking. Other symptoms include slowness, rigidity, and tremors at rest.

Mike and his wife, Mary, believe that Mike probably had Parkinson’s disease for about 10 years before he was actually diagnosed. “I had noticed a change in his gait, one of his arms wasn’t swinging much anymore, and he had developed a slight tremor in one of his hands,” she says. The signs were so slight, however, that she attributed them to an old injury caused by falling off a horse.

As the symptoms became more pro-nounced, Mike saw a doctor and was diag-nosed at age 50 with Parkinson’s. “The dis-ease progressed so slowly at first that I barely noticed it, or maybe I was in denial,” he says.

Initially, Mike took medications to help control his symptoms. Most people with Parkinson’s can get significant control of

S6 60PLUS march/april • 2014

Story by Susan Meyers • Photogrpah by Bill Sitzmann

60PLUS health

their symptoms with medications and a combination of other therapies includ-ing occupational therapy, speech therapy, nutrition counseling, support groups, and regular exercise.

Medications can help alleviate problems with walking, movement, and tremors by increasing the brain’s supply of dopamine. In Parkinson’s disease, certain nerve cells (neurons) in the brain gradually become sick. These neurons are responsible for producing the chemical messenger dopamine. A reduc-tion of dopamine levels causes abnormal brain activity, which can lead to the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease.

“Recent studies have revealed that people who are not over-treated with medications do the best in the long run,” says Dr. Bertoni. “We have also found that those who take an active role in their own care, who exercise regularly, stay engaged, and participate in support groups, do the best in managing the disease and living a relatively healthy, active, and quality life.”

Mary, who is the president of the Nebraska chapter of the American Parkinson’s Disease Association (APDA), says that the organi-zation offers more than 20 support groups throughout the state for both Parkinson’s patients and their caregivers.

As Mike’s disease continued to progress, he eventually had to quit work. The medica-tions also became less effective, and the side effects of the drugs grew to become worse than the symptoms themselves, a common problem among people who have been taking

medications for many years. When Parkinson’s disease patients stop

responding to medications, a surgical pro-cedure called deep brain stimulation may be considered. Deep brain stimulation involves implanting an insulated wire into a target area of the brain. The lead is connected to a small pulse generator implanted beneath the skin, which generates mild electric pulses to the brain to reduce Parkinson’s symptoms, including tremors.

Mike had the procedure performed nearly two years ago and says it has essentially elim-inated his tremors. His biggest challenges include trying to walk steadily and maintain-ing his balance. Aside from that, Mark says, “I still do everything now that I’ve always done, but I don’t do them quite as well and not as fast.”

While a definitive cause for Parkinson’s has not been found, a combination of factors may play a role, notes Dr. Bertoni. These include aging, having an inherited gene, and exposure to environmental triggers. Some speculate that the relatively higher incidence of the disease in Nebraska may be due to exposure to farm chemicals.

Despite some of the daily challenges of dealing with Parkinson’s disease, Mike con-tinues to maintain a positive attitude. “I figure there are many people who have worse things than me,” he says. “I just try to roll with it and stay positive.”

The APDA assists people throughout the state. Visit parkinsonsne.org or call 402-393-2732 for additional information.

“We have also found that those who take an active role

in their own care, who exercise regularly, stay engaged, and participate in support groups, do the best in managing the disease and living a relatively

healthy, active, and quality life.”-John Bertoni, M.D., Ph.D., neurologist and director of the

Parkinson’s Clinic at The Nebraska Medical Center

march/april • 2014 60PLUS S7

•2-YEARS for $12.95 save 73% code ‘omag2year’

•1-YEAR for $9.95save 58% code ‘omag1year’

SUBSCRIBETODAY!

Don’t miss a single issue of Omaha Magazine.

Filling Mom’s Shoes

Gail Yanney and Lisa Roskens

Join Three Mother-Daughter

Philanthropy Families

• Art • Dining • EvEnts • FAcEs • HomE • stylE •

Omaha magazine • 5921 S. 118th CirCle • Omaha, ne 68137

m Ay / J u n E •

2 0 1 3

www.OmahaPublications.com

PRSRT STD

U.S. POSTAGE

PAIDPERMIT NO. 5377

DENVER, CO

Littleton AlstonSculptor of a

sports Hero

Adam DeVineWorkaholics

Wonderboy

Bob Buscher, Sr. of John Roth & Son

Special thanks to Dixie Quicks in Council Bluffs for providing the cover-shoot location.

Omaha’sLIVESTOCK LEGACY

Omaha’s topDENTISTS™

Campaign 2014Best of Omaha® Summer Fun in Omaha

JULY/AUGUST • 2013

™

Mayor Jean Stothert

Jim FlowersWeathers the Storm

Omaha’s Best Doctors®Omaha’s 2013

BIG GIVE

Leading in a Man’s World

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER • 2013

SAVE73

She Didn’t Know What She Didn’t Know

Elder Law Pitfalls to Avoid

M OM WOULD HAVE NEVER wanted that!” the woman shouted as she slammed her

hand down on the conference table. Across from her sat her brother with a scowl on his face. So began one of the saddest rep-resentations I’ve encountered over more than 20 years as an elder law and estate planning attorney.

It turned out that their mother had recently suffered a massive stroke, one that had left her comatose and, according to her neurologist, brain dead.

She and her husband had Health Care Powers of Attorney (HCPOA) prepared by the family’s general attorney many years ago. Her husband later died, and she had not updated the HCPOA, which designated her two chil-dren as successor Co-Attorneys-in-Fact for health care decisions in the event that her husband was unable to perform those duties.

Unfortunately, she had never prepared an Advance Directive (Living Will) to make her wishes known if something like this were to happen to her. Also, she had not signed a

“

S8 60PLUS march/april • 2014

Story by Margaret A. Badura

60PLUS feature

www.NebraskaLowVision.com

Nebraska Low Vision11110 Fort St.

Omaha, NE 68164402-905-2794

Helping Seniors Adapt to Technology

HIPAA release authorizing her children to obtain medical information from her phy-sicians. She had not discussed her wishes with her primary physician, her children, or anyone else.

And now it was, sadly, too late to ask her.The daughter was sure that her mother

would not have wanted to be maintained alive artificially with a ventilator, feeding tube, and “all kind of hoses and wires stuck into her.” The son was just as adamant that everything medically possible needed to be done to keep her alive, “because miracles do happen.” I later learned that the mother and he had been estranged for a number of years, and he desperately “hoped to make peace with her.” He also suspected, I was told, that medical personnel were sharing information with his sister and not with him.

The children were hopelessly deadlocked. The mother’s physicians couldn’t change any-thing without both of them agreeing. We ended up having to go to court. After several laborious, expensive, and time-consuming hearings at a time when the family was already dealing with the heartbreak of their mother’s medical condition, the judge appointed an independent party—in this case a lawyer—as Mom’s guardian.

This ended up tearing the family apart. The children and their children may never have a good relationship again.

I recount this story because this was all unnecessary in terms of her care, having her wishes followed, the expenses of it all, and family disruption. Shared decision-making for health care has great potential for disas-ter. She should have updated her HCPOA, probably in this case naming her daughter as Attorney-in-Fact. Conversely, she should have named both of her children in a HIPAA release so both had equal access to medi-cal information, and so there would be no thought that doctors were being selective in the sharing of important information. She should have also prepared a Living Will giving end-of-life directions to her physicians and, to the extent possible, discussed those directions with either or both of her children.

Unfortunately, Mom didn’t know what she didn’t know. But now you do. Don’t let this happen to you or your family.

Guest contributor Margaret A. Badura is an elder law and estate planning attorney.

march/april • 2014 60PLUS S9

with Travel and Transport

travelandtransport.com Located at 72nd & Mercy | 402.399.4555 CORPORATE TRAVEL | EVENTS | LOYALTY | VACATIONS

For over 67 years, Travel and Transport has made vacation dreams a reality. In total, our knowledgeable and seasoned travel specialists have visited over 50 countries, on all 7 continents and have sailed on over 50 cruises. We provide our clients with the most advantageous pricing upgrades with leading hotels, resorts, spas, cruise lines, tour companies, rail lines, airlines, and ground operators. And through our partnership with Virtuoso, we are able to offer exclusive amenities, experiences and privileged access not available to the general public.

Cavallo Point Crystal Serenity Sushi Bar

Close To HomeSan Francisco & Half Moon Bay, CaliforniaBask in the rays of a golden Californian sun as you adventure along the golden coast. On a journey through California, you will never find a shortage of exciting activities, rich history, and beautiful American landscapes. Choose an accommodation that suits your adventure. Golf at the Ritz-Carlton Half Moon Bay, housing one of the most unique and exciting courses in existence. Relax in a comfortable cabin overlooking the Golden Gate Bridge at Cavallo Point, or explore remarkable sites from the Argonaut Hotel in the historic Haslett Warehouse.

Our RecommendationsCavallo PointRitz Carlton Half Moon BayArgonaut Hotel

Food & Wine AdventureLisbon, PortugalTake your taste buds on a Mediterranean adventure through the Atlantic as you find yourself in the culinary paradise that is Portugal. Sample spices exclusive to the steppe climate while you view the romantic seascapes of the lovely harbor capital. Relax in the surroundings of the city’s nostalgic architecture and the natural wonder of the Tagus River valley.

Our Recommendations6 Day Explore Portugal Independent Discovery with Avanti Destinations

8 Day Iberian Influences Cruise (Lisbon to Barcelona) with Crystal Cruises, Crystal Serenity

10 Day Highlights of Portugal Escorted Tour with Insight Vacations

with Travel and Transport

travelandtransport.com Located at 72nd & Mercy | 402.399.4555 CORPORATE TRAVEL | EVENTS | LOYALTY | VACATIONS

For over 67 years, Travel and Transport has made vacation dreams a reality. In total, our knowledgeable and seasoned travel specialists have visited over 50 countries, on all 7 continents and have sailed on over 50 cruises. We provide our clients with the most advantageous pricing upgrades with leading hotels, resorts, spas, cruise lines, tour companies, rail lines, airlines, and ground operators. And through our partnership with Virtuoso, we are able to offer exclusive amenities, experiences and privileged access not available to the general public.

Cavallo Point Crystal Serenity Sushi Bar

Close To HomeSan Francisco & Half Moon Bay, CaliforniaBask in the rays of a golden Californian sun as you adventure along the golden coast. On a journey through California, you will never find a shortage of exciting activities, rich history, and beautiful American landscapes. Choose an accommodation that suits your adventure. Golf at the Ritz-Carlton Half Moon Bay, housing one of the most unique and exciting courses in existence. Relax in a comfortable cabin overlooking the Golden Gate Bridge at Cavallo Point, or explore remarkable sites from the Argonaut Hotel in the historic Haslett Warehouse.

Our RecommendationsCavallo PointRitz Carlton Half Moon BayArgonaut Hotel

Food & Wine AdventureLisbon, PortugalTake your taste buds on a Mediterranean adventure through the Atlantic as you find yourself in the culinary paradise that is Portugal. Sample spices exclusive to the steppe climate while you view the romantic seascapes of the lovely harbor capital. Relax in the surroundings of the city’s nostalgic architecture and the natural wonder of the Tagus River valley.

Our Recommendations6 Day Explore Portugal Independent Discovery with Avanti Destinations

8 Day Iberian Influences Cruise (Lisbon to Barcelona) with Crystal Cruises, Crystal Serenity

10 Day Highlights of Portugal Escorted Tour with Insight Vacations

travelandtransport.com Located at 72nd & Mercy | 402.399.4555 CORPORATE TRAVEL | EVENTS | LOYALTY | VACATIONS

Call today to book your getaway!402.399.4555omahavacations@travelandtransport.com

Four Seasons Resort Bora Bora

Ultimate ExperienceFrench PolynesiaNestled into the South Pacific Ocean, French Polynesia and the Society Islands offer a wealth of luxury and excitement. Aboard an extravagant cruise liner, you can enjoy island hopping from one gorgeous white sand beach to the next. Stroll through beautiful exotic topiaries, explore historic sites, or visit immense waterfalls. With so many distinct locations in the archipelago, the possibilities are truly endless.

Our Recommendations7 Day Private Island Overwater Bungalow Experience with the Four Seasons Resort Bora Bora10 Day Ultimate Island Adventure (Papeete - Bora Bora - Moorea) with Classic Vacations15 Day Society Islands, Cook Islands, Tonga, and Fiji Cruise (Papeete, French Polynesia to Lautoka, Fiji) with Paul Gaugin Cruises

“Doc” SimmonsOmaha’s former zoo director

is not the retiring type.

S12 60PLUS march/april • 2014

Story by Judy Horan • Photo by Bill Sitzmann

60PLUS feature

D R. LEE SIMMONS RETIRED as director of the Henry Doorly Zoo at age 71 in 2009. But appar-

ently he didn’t get the memo about taking it easy. Simmons—called “Doc” by those who know him—still shows up for work daily at Omaha’s zoo.

But not as director. Dennis Pate now holds that position.

After 43 years at the zoo, Simmons was named chairman of the Omaha Zoo Foundation. Instead of lions and tigers, he nurtures dollars and cents, raising funds for projects, capital investment, and the zoo’s endowment.

Simmons—who led Henry Doorly Zoo to become one of the top zoos in the country—did back off from his 60- to 70-hour work weeks to what he calls “banker’s hours.” The more relaxed schedule is a reluctant conces-sion to his open-heart surgery in 2008.

Simmons, who has created and developed projects ranging from the Lied Jungle to the Desert Dome, is now wrestling with funding projects that are part of the zoo’s master plan.

Right now, he wants to buy elephants that would be part of a new African grasslands exhibit. Price tag for the exhibit: around $40 million.

Also high on the zoo’s wish list is a magnet high school. Imagine 350-400 high school students with a yen to study biology, zoology, veterinary medicine, science, and nutrition, among other disciplines, going to school every day in a new building on the zoo grounds.

The zoo has hosted a high school for 18 years. Two years ago, students began attend-ing full time. Although carried out through the Papillion/La Vista School District,

the zoo hopes to attract students from the entire metro area.

“We would like to cross the river to Council Bluffs,” Simmons says. Price tag for the school: An estimated $20 million. No tax money is involved.

He also continues conducting tours for the zoo’s “Zoofari.” Trips are auctioned at the zoo’s biannual fundraiser. In 2012, he took a group to Tanzania. In May 2014, he and his wife of 55 years, Marie, will escort a group to Botswana. Africa is a favorite destination for the adventurous Simmons.

His active involvement with five pro-fessional organizations, including as past president of the American Association of Zoo Veterinarians, also keeps him on the road. Recent trips have been to Prague and Cologne, Germany. Simmons figures he has visited 49 countries plus the Antarctic during his long career.

In 2013, he was selected as the interna-tional recipient of the Conservation Breeding Specialist Group’s Ulysses S. Seal Award. The honor is given to “people who exemplify innovation in applying science to conserva-tion.” The group noted areas of invention and research where he excelled and his role in conservation projects worldwide.

His work doesn’t end when he leaves his office in Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom Pavilion. He and Marie run a home-based medical equipment business, manufacturing devices for treating and immobilizing ani-mals. They sell to zoos and wildlife biologists around the world.

His time also is spent organizing the trans-ferral of 50,000 slides to digital files, mostly of animals, that he has taken over the years.

For those asking if Simmons is enjoying his “retirement,” the answer is “yes, he is.”

After office hours, Simmons is writing his memoirs. And he’s had a life well worth writing about. The boy who spent his early youth in Arizona catching snakes went on to pay for his first year of veterinary school by deodorizing skunks. “They make sweet pets,” claims Marie.

Most likely he’ll write about the time he got lost in Vietnam from midnight to dawn. Or working in Russia when the temperature was 28 degrees below zero. Maybe he’ll reveal how he lost the tip of one finger thanks to an orangutan named Ichabod. “Ichabod went after a new zoo keeper,” says Simmons. “I went over to help and he chewed me from the knee up.” Blood was flying, and zookeepers were yelling, but some bystanders were still less than sympathetic. “Two women com-plained I used profanity and wrote to the mayor demanding I be fired.”

He doesn’t remember using the profanity. He was focused on pain and his missing fin-gertip but admits that maybe it wasn’t exactly a G-rated moment.

Dr. Jane Potter, the University of Nebraska Medical Center chief of geriatrics and geron-tology, says Simmons has made a wise choice in continuing to work. “The key to aging happily and successfully is staying engaged.”

People actively engaged are healthier, feel better, and function better, she says. They have better brain function and mental acuity, better physical function, and fewer sick days.

“We need to do this not only for zoo direc-tors, but provide reduced work schedules for people who do enjoy their jobs and make important contributions.”

march/april • 2014 60PLUS S13

T HE RAPID-FIRE CLICK OF scis-sor snips and the droning hum of electric razors form the soundtrack at

most any barber shop. The percussion section of the orchestra over at Goodwin’s Spencer Street Barber Shop adds yet a third instru-ment to the mix, thus rendering a symphony of “snip-buzz-clank-snip-buzz-clank.”

Owner Dan Goodwin’s bench press and its metal-on-metal clinks and clanks may seem out of place amid the barbering tools marinating in jars of blue disinfectant, but it is just one way that the champion weightlifter keeps up his iron-pumping regimen.

Oh, did we mention that Goodwin is 82 years old?

Taking up the sport at the tender age of 68, Goodwin has since gone on to capture 13 national titles to go along with three world records. He has competed on four continents

Snip- Buzz-Clank

Pumping Iron at the Barber Shop

and is the bench press, squat, and total points world record holder in the 80-and-older age group called Master’s 4.

Goodwin works to encourage good fitness habits among people of all ages. He’s been cutting hair in the same space for more than half a century, meaning that he now has four generations of clients as a captive audience to hear his message of wellness.

“I gave this young man his first haircut,” Goodwin says with a nod to the occupant of chair No. 3. The boy is Damon, a 5th grader at nearby Sacred Heart School. “And I’ll keep on him as he grows to make sure he knows to get plenty of exercise to live a long and healthy life.”

The three-chair barber shop is also steeped in the city’s history of civil rights. It was prominently featured in the 1966 film, A Time for Burning. Nominated for an

S14 60PLUS march/april • 2014

Story by David Williams • Photo by Bill Sitzmann

60PLUS active living

World champion weightlifter Dan Goodwin

Academy Award as best documentary, the film chronicled attempts by the pastor of Augustana Lutheran Church to integrate his then all-white congregation. Both Goodwin and one of his employees, a young barber named Ernie, were prominently featured in the documentary. Ernie, of course, is now State Sen. Ernie Chambers, the implacable civil rights advocate and longest-serving member in Nebraska Unicameral history.

“I like being healthy,” Goodwin says. “I like to exercise. It makes me feel young. I don’t think about my age very much and am usually reminded about it most when people say they can’t believe it when they learn how ancient I am.”

Judging by the chiseled figure in the pho-tograph above, it’s an experience Goodwin must encounter about a bazillion times each and every day.

march/april • 2014 60PLUS S15

Protecting your business with employment law, planning and defense.Earning your trust...for another 100 years.

Omaha 402.934.4568 One Pacific Place Lincoln 402.475.1075 Wells Fargo Center www.BaylorEvnen.com

Don’t miss a single issue.Subscribe today, two years for $11.77% off the newsstand price of $47.50!

omamag.com/saveanother Omaha Magazine exclusive.

The Best of Omaha™ series continues in September/October with

Omaha’s Best Doctors® ,

Fantasy vs. RealityPlumbing the Depths of a 4-Year-Old Mind

S16 60PLUS march/april • 2014

Story by David WIlliams • Photo provided by the Ralston Arena

60PLUS the grandpa chronicles

L OOK AT THOSE SQUEAKY-CLEAN faces in the photo. If you are the grandparent or

parent of pre-teen children, you will no doubt recognize Shout (keyboards), Marina, (drums), Kiki (guitar), and Twist (turntable). They are The Fresh Beat Band, whose Nick Jr. TV show of the same name is a bed-bouncing favorite whenever I babysit my grandsons, 4-year-old Easton and 3-year-old Barrett.

The quartet’s January performance at the sparkling Ralston Arena was to be Easton’s first concert experience.

It was probably a dirty trick, but I had decided that he would learn for the first time the purpose of our outing only when the band bounded onto the stage. Easton cannot yet read, but I was sure he would instantly recognize the band’s logo plastered across the towering video display. He didn’t. And I was equally sure that my deception would be exposed when he noticed all the Fresh Beat Band T-shirts and other regalia throughout the auditorium slowly filling with a horde of soon-to-be screaming tots and tykes. Again, he didn’t.

My ruse had worked. When the wildly popular combo finally

bopped onto the stage and tore through a truncated version of their theme song, his face froze and a glassy look came to his eyes.

Every parent and grandparent yearns to be able to read the minds of children too young to effectively communicate abstract ideas, and I would have given anything to be able to read his mind at that very moment.

Easton’s hypnotic stare gave me the sense that an inner battle was being waged. He knew what he was seeing and hearing, but the visage was one that had to date existed only in the flat-screen, fantasy world of television. Now the characters of his fave TV show had a very in-your-face, corporeal existence, one entirely independent of their digital imprint.

I could almost hear the cogs turning as he puzzled through the apparition before him. Did he understand the difference between TV and reality?

Easton continued to think about it for what seemed an eternity while I did the same in terms of trying to divine any hint of what must be racing through his noggin.

He snapped out of his trance moments later when the band ripped into a raucous cover of The Go-Go’s “We Got the Beat.” It

wasn’t half way through that number that he dropped from his aisle seat and was dancing frenetically in that spasmodic, herky-jerky style peculiar to small children.

If there had been any existential warfare raging in his little head it had now been erased by sheer reckless abandon as he whirled through such showstoppers as “A Friend Like You,” “Freeze Dance,” and “Just Like a Rock Star.”

Easton will soon be old enough to relate on a more complex level. In the meantime, I wonder if all will be lost to the dusty recesses of memory. Will he remember the high five he got from Twist, the band’s main purveyor of comic relief? Will he a year from now even be able to recall anything at all from this day? Anything?

His grandpa sure will.

DIRECTORY

march/april • 2014 60PLUS S17

Sunridge Village Independent Living Retirement Community Want freedom from the work and wor-ries of home ownership? Live worry free at Sunridge Village Independent Living Retirement Community!

13410 Blondo Street402-496-0116sunridgeomaha.com

Saint Jude Hospice

Rooted in Christian Love and Guided by the Holy Spirit, our Radical Loving Care brings healing to those when their hope has changed from a cure to comfort.

10506 Burt Circle402-609-4818saintjudehospice.org

Nebraska Cancer SpecialistsNebraska Cancer Specialists is dedicated to providing complete cancer treatment for patients, medical oncology, radiation oncology, surgical specialists and diagnostic services.

5 Convenient Locations.For address and phone info,visit our website:nebraskacancer.com

Kohll’s Pharmacy & Homecare

8 locations & free delivery. Providing retail & compounded prescriptions; all medical equipment & supplies.

402-408-1990 www.kohlls.com

Home Instead Senior Care

If you’re looking for someone to help you or a loved one a few hours a week or need more comprehensive assistance, Home Instead Senior Care can help.

Metro: 402.498.3444West: 402.932.4555

Elk Ridge Village on the Lake Retirement CommunityElk Ridge Village provides Independent and Assisted Living and Alzheimer’s Care and is committed to providing services of the highest quality.

19303 Seward Plaza402-312-1198/402-216-8835www.elkridgeseniorliving.com

Brookestone MeadowsBrookestone VillageSkilled nursing communities provid-ing short-term rehabilitation including physical, occupational and speech ther-apy as well as long-term nursing care.

www.BrookestoneVillage.com402-614-4000 • Omahawww.BrookestoneMeadows.com402-280-2696 • Elkhorn

Home Care Assistance

Our services are distinguished by the caliber of our caregivers, the respon-siveness of our staff and our expertise in Live-In care. We embrace a positive, balanced approach to aging centered on the evolving needs of older adults.

402-763-9140homecareassistanceomaha.com

Steven D. Wegner D.D.S.

Dr. Wegner has 35 years of clinical experi-ence and thousands of hours of continuing education. He knows how to help seniors, and all ages, to achieve and keep a healthy smile.

11840 Nicholas StSuite 210,Omaha, NE 68154402-498-0400

Travel and Transport

Travel and Transport is proud to be the 5th largest travel agency in the US, servicing clients throughout the country, as well as globally.

travelandtransport.com 402-399-4500

Spring Color Bold and pastel

tones will be popular. I think the

older you are, the more vital you will appear in vibrant

colors. If you wear pastels, balance

them with black.

Floral PrintsLots of them.

Everywhere. Keep away from the ones

with a grandma look and wear those

that are striking or exotic but not overpowering.

CoatsLightweight and stream-lined is hot right now.

Racy Laces and Mesh

No need to fear, just remember that

your selections should be lined.

Wide Leg PantsKeep in mind that

slim fits are still in, but if you find a wide-leg pant you like and it fits, buy it to be very much in-the-now. Don’t fall for the low-rise

look. That’s for magazines only.

Boxy, Cropped Jackets

They’re wonderful, but pay attention to

the length. Make a selection that

flatters you or have the length altered.

Bomber JacketsAgeless on their

own, but don’t try to wear them as

your granddaughter would.

Striped and Print-Blocked Pants

If they’re flattering, wear them. If not,

pass. Simple as that.

FringeThis season’s trim of choice. If you like it, wear it.

Tribal and Wearable ArtThese looks are

always popular. If you’re comfortable

wearing them, go ahead!

Polka DotsAll sizes of dots will be in style.

You’re sure to find dots for you!

Longer SkirtsMany of the longer skirts we see will be pleated, but without

the perfect shoes and accessories,

you are in danger of looking dowdy.

Summer FursWhat were designers

thinking? Even the pastel ones

seem ridiculous!

Bare MidriffsNo way!

Subtle ways trends may be adopted for seniors:

V OGUE CALLS 2014“THE YEAR of Dressing Dangerously” and the year when “More is More.” They

submit that the keyword of spring collections is “vibrant,” and challenge us to experiment with them and with the trends.

Sadly, so much of what we see from a high-fashion standpoint screams for attention by mixing elements that don’t relate for an over-all look. The result shrieks style confusion. The high-fashion look today is, for the most part, high on bad taste. That said, there is still so much to choose from and style with that everyone can have a very “now” look, regardless of age.

Look to Oscar de la Renta, Michael Kors, Ralph Lauren, and Carlisle for sophisticated yet relevant interpretations of the trends. If you leaf through magazines and mentally replace the head of the model with your own head, you will almost always assume the look is decidedly not for you. In contrast, I can flip through Carlisle’s Spring Lookbook and replace the young model’s faces (like the ones on this page) with those of almost every 60-plus woman I know. It is then that I see that trendy looks can also be ageless.

Finally, remember dressing with style is more about you than it is about the trend. Not every trend will be for you. The best news? There are enough of them out there that you’ll have lots of fun experimenting with new looks.

Tracking the Trends

The Latest Looks for Spring…and You!

Mary Anne Vaccaro is a clothing and product designer and an image consultant to businesses and individuals. She is also a sales consultant for Carlisle and PerSe, New York.maryannevaccaro.com carlislecollection.com

S18 60PLUS march/april • 2014

60PLUS styleStory by Mary Anne Vaccaro • Photos provided by Carlisle

Home Care Assistance, a premier provider of in-home care, has a new, larger office to better serve clients in the Omaha area.

We’re conveniently located at 13057 W. Center Rd, Ste 10, Omaha, NE 68144(On the professional/south side of Montclair Center)

HOME CARE ASSISTANCE announces the GRAND OPENING of our OMAHA OFFICE!

Read what your neighbors have been saying about our exceptional home care services:

“Shortly after her diagnosis of a brain tumor, my brothers and I realized we could not take care of mom by ourselves. Home Care Assistance was there the next day to set things up. They allowed us to spend quality time with our mom, rather thanspend all our time taking care of her. We never could have made it through thoselast months without their help.” — Kevin, Mark and Chip F.

“Your direct help to get Mother home and comfortable was perfect. You listened toMother and encouraged her in just the right way. Your knowledge of working withthe nurses was also top-notch. It is a lot of work, but you make it look easy.” — Kit S.

Meet Claire. Claire Shannon, M.Ed., an Omaha Care Manager, develops a unique plan of care for each client. She trains and supervises the client’s assigned care team, and ensures proper careand client satisfaction. Call Claire today for your free consultation.

402-763-9140 • HomeCareAssistanceOmaha.com

Where Love and Healing F low