June 2017

Enjoy an Active Life after 50

WISCONSIN HAS MANY

GREAT PLACES TO

TAKE A
HIKE
PAGE 8

TRAVELWISCONSIN.COM PHOTO
Inside: Senior Profile 3 | Money 4 | Food 5 | Test Drive 6 | Savvy Senior 12 | Homes 13 | Health 15
 FUN CALENDAR
SL
JUNE 2-3
Sun Drop Dayz: Downtown
Shawano, new festival
featuring live music, food
vendors, petting zoo, car
show, arts and crafts, other
vendors. 5-10 p.m. June 2,
11 a.m. to 10 p.m. June 3.
Free admission. www.sun-
dropdayz.com.
JUNE 8
Ms. Senior Homemaker Pageant: Pavilion,
Shawano Lake County Park, W5791 Lake
Drive, Shawano. 1-4 p.m. Free admission.
Door prizes, snacks, cash bar. Amy Thusius,
715-745-4421; Christine Becker, 920-538-
2389; or Melissa Trinko, 715-853-5747.
JUNE 9-10
Pella Pond Annual Rough Fish Tournament:
Tournament from 6 p.m. June 9 to 2 p.m.
June 10, with raffles, awards and more start-
ing at 2 p.m. June 10 at Hoppers Back Bar in
downtown Pella. www.pellawis.com
JUNE 10
Everything Rhubarb: Heritage Park, 524
N. Franklin St. Sponsored by the Shawano
County Historical Society. Live music and
old-fashioned homemade rhubarb desserts,
lemonade, and more. Admission is $5 to
parks museum facilities including log cabin,
limestone building, train depot and country
church. 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. 715-526-3323.
JUNE 10-11
Wittenberg Community Days: Washington
Park. 11th annual festival. Festival includes live
music, picnic lunch, fireworks at dusk June
10, parade at noon June 11, ice cream and
strawberries, childrens games. Homme Home
Strawberry Festival follows parade. 715-881-
2111.
Brunch on the Farm
2
JUNE 17
Fireworks Extravaganza:
Fireworks Country, W18862
State Highway 29. 1-11:30
p.m. Fireworks display, truck
race, car show, kiddie tractor
pull, live music, concessions,
and more. 715-253-2276.
JUNE 24
ShawanoFest: Downtown Shawano. South
Main Street is closed to traffic. Vendors, mu-
sicians and food stands will line the street
for this family-friendly event. There are also
games for children and live music. 9 a.m. to 7
p.m. www.shawanodowntown.com. 715-853-
3775.
Wolf River Paddle and Pedal: 8 a.m. to 4
p.m. Co-sponsored by Mountain Bay Outfit-
ters and Shawano Pathways. Paddle down
the Wolf River from County Road CCC and
bike three country routes (8, 14 or 22 miles)
back to Shawano. $15 per person for shuttles,
security, snacks and SAG wagon. Yoga in the
park before launch. Rentals available. Register
at 715-526-8823. Walk-ins welcome day of
event. www.shawanopathways.org.715-526-
8823.
JUNE 24-25
Tilleda Daze: Comunity celebration includes
bean bag tournament, live music both days,
kids games, rummage sales, craft sale, food,
kids games, petting zoo, and music. Festival
starts at 2 p.m. June 24 and at 1 p.m. with the
parade June 25. 715-787-4532.
JUNE 25
Shawano County Brunch on the Farm:
Dale and Deb Mielke, Mielkes S-Curve Dairy,
W12675 Keller Road, Grant. All you care to
eat. Special features: dairy dash walk/run,
drones, candy, childrens games and more. 9
a.m. to 1 p.m.
PHOTO BY WOLF RIVER MEDIA
JUNE 2017
SENIOR PROFILE
Emma Ebel: A woman of many means
By Carol Wagner
Leader Correspondent
Emma Ebel spent 28 years in the Army
Reserves, getting called to active duty af-
ter 9/11. She didnt join the military until
she was 34 years old.
I always wanted to do it, she said.
But after graduating from Bonduel High
School, she married and had children.
When she saw in her sons civics book that
the cutoff age to enlist was 35, she joined.
Ebel went to basic training at Fort
Jackson, South Carolina, and then into
the civilian acquired skills program. The
program applies what people do in their
civilian lives to the Armys needs.
She was assigned to the 432nd Civil Af-
fairs unit in Green Bay, participating in
monthly drills and two weeks of annual
training. She was sent to Stuttgart, Ger-
many, on four two-week tours.
In 1990 Ebel became a warrant officer
assigned to Madison and then Milwaukee.
After the attacks on 9/11, she was mobi-
lized for two years, processing civilians
and soldiers going overseas from Fort
JUNE 2017
SL
PHOTO BY CAROL WAGNER
Emma Ebel spent 28 years in the Army. She is also the
owner of two businesses in Shawano, H&R Block and
Generations.
Benning, Georgia.
She was mobilized at Fort McCoy from
2008-2012 and assigned to a unit training
soldiers for combat.
I enjoyed taking care of the soldiers
who were training the soldiers, Ebel said.
In 2012 she retired from the Army.
I miss a lot of things about it, she said.
Theres nothing like the camaraderie. If
they called me up now Id pack my bags
and be ready to leave.
Before the Army, Ebel worked at H&R
Block. She was an employee for 20 years
and then bought the franchise.
In 1985 she began Twinkle, Twinkle, a
resale store. She changed the name to
Generations in 1999 and went all retail in
2014. The mixture didnt work well, Ebel
said.
Generations is three floors, featuring
sports clothing, military clothing and ac-
cessories, tap and ballet shoes, baptismal
dresses and more. Sizes range from new-
born to 5XL.
People dont realize the selection of
what we sell, Ebel said. We have the
same things they have at the pro shops.
Ebel and her husband, Lee, have been
married 49 years and live in the town of
Washington. He was in the Army Re-
serves for six years. They have two chil-
dren and three grandchildren.
Their youngest daughter, Angela, re-
cently graduated from the University of
Wisconsin-Oshkosh. Her education was
completely paid for through the GI Bill.
People who dont know what they
want to do should consider the military,
Ebel said.
3
 MONEY
Why you need 3 savings accounts
By LIZ WESTON
Some of us hoard cash while paying 18
percent interest on a credit card balance.
Others blow through a tax refund as if it
were free money when its actually a re-
turn of our own hard-earned dollars.
This brain quirk has a name: mental
accounting. We treat money differently
depending on where it comes from and
how we intend to spend it, often to our
own detriment.
We can, however, leverage this illogical
behavior to help us save more.
A big pot of savings may inspire less
diligence than multiple accounts with
specific purposes. With multiple ac-
counts, savings for long-term goals can
grow, even as those for short-term needs
are periodically raided.
Multiple savings accounts can get ex-
pensive at traditional banks that have
minimum balance requirements and ac-
count fees. Many online banks, however,
allow customers to set up dozens of ac-
counts for free with no minimum balanc-
es. Most people need at least three, with
regular (preferably automatic) transfers
from their checking accounts into each:
An emergency fund for job loss and
other major financial setbacks
A needs account to cover neces-
sary expenses that arent monthly (such
as property taxes or annual insurance
premiums) or that are inevitable but of-
ten unpredictable (such as car repairs or
medical deductibles)
A wants account to pay for the fun
stuff, such as vacations, holiday spending
or a down payment on a new car
Multiple savings accounts are useful
for budgeting in much the same way as
the envelope system, where people divide
cash into envelopes to cover expenses
such as rent, food and entertainment.
The savings accounts, like the enve-
lopes, tell you if you have enough to cover
that specific goal, but also allow you to
4
SL
shift money around when required, said
Rachel Schneider, a senior vice president
for the nonprofit Center for Financial
Services Innovation and co-author of the
book The Financial Diaries: How Amer-
ican Families Cope in a World of Uncer-
tainty.
Knowing that you have that escape
valve allows you to put more money aside
in those accounts, Schneider said.
BANKS AND APPS
THAT MAKE IT EASIER
Theres some evidence that setting
goals helps motivate people to save
more, which has led to apps such as Tip
Yourself, BoostUp and Qapital. Qapital,
for example, allows people to set goals
and then create rules for funding them,
such as rounding up each purchase to the
nearest dollar and sweeping the change
toward the goal, or transferring a certain
amount into savings if they buy some-
thing at Starbucks or hit 10,000 steps on
their FitBit fitness tracker.
Setting goals helps our users stay
focused and motivated. Thats why we
encourage users not to label their goal
vacation but to name the place they wish
to go, attach a photo and share it with a
friend, says Qapital founder and CEO
George Friedman. Their aspirations
become more actionable when they are
visualized and said aloud.
Getting more specific also can help
you track multiple goals without wonder-
ing whether youll have enough money to
cover your property taxes in six months if
you need to pay for a car repair now.
I typically have somewhere between
10 and 12 savings accounts labeled for dif-
ferent goals. To cover a $1,705 annual life
insurance premium, for example, I set
up an automatic transfer so that $143 a
month goes from our checking account at
our brick-and-mortar bank into the life
insurance account at the online bank.
Repairs and maintenance for our elderly
RV are less predictable, but weve aver-
aged about $2,400 a year, so I put $200 a
month into that fund.
Some banks and credit unions allow
multiple savings accounts, but typically
youll need to keep your balance above
certain limits to avoid fees. Many online
banks, by contrast, allow you to set up
dozens of accounts without charge and
usually offer higher interest rates to boot.
Capital One 360 and Barclays Online, for
example, allows users to create up to 25
savings accounts (called subaccounts)
with nicknames indicating the goals,
while Ally and Discover dont limit the
number.
Ally says 11.7 percent of its savings
customers had multiple savings accounts
as of March 31, averaging 2.9 accounts
each.
Multiple accounts may not be neces-
sary if youre a logical type who either
doesnt need incentives to save or is re-
ally good at tracking goals on a spread-
sheet. The rest of us, though, often find
that saving finally makes sense when we
know what money goes where. 4
This column was provided to The Associ-
ated Press by the personal finance web-
site NerdWallet. Liz Weston is a certified
financial planner and columnist at Nerd-
Wallet. lweston@nerdwallet.com.
JUNE 2017
FOOD
SL

Who says pasta

has to be unhealthy?

NOODLES GROW UP
By MELISSA DARABIAN

A
sk my husband what his favorite
comfort food is and the answer
will be quick: pasta. Who doesnt
love a steamy bowl of noodles or maca-
roni slathered in butter and cheese? Its
a classic, born straight out of childhood
mac and cheese days, morphed into a late
night college study-session standby.
As adults, we decide to eat healthier,
and it seems like our loyal noodle friend
gets tossed aside, as if there were no way
to include pasta in a healthy diet. Well,
Im here with good news: Pasta can be
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

part of a healthy diet, and I have a few tips

to keep things comforting and nutritious.
First: Read the labels, because not all
pastas are created equal. Look for whole
grain pastas, which usually translate into
more protein and fiber, which makes your
This photo shows penne with tomatoes, garlic, lemon and spinach from a recipe by Melissa dArabian.
meal more filling.
Next tip is to minimize fat by using
starchy pasta water for saucy silkiness
just scoop out some water with a measur-
ing cup before draining the pasta. Saute
up some veggies and aromatics in just a
smidge of olive oil, and use the pasta wa-
ter to add the saucy vibe.
Adding veggies to the pasta will bulk
it up, add nutrients and make the pasta
prettier. My go-to is frozen spinach. You
could saute it up with the aromatics and
olive, or in weeknight rush, toss the fro-
zen spinach right into the boiling pasta
just before draining in to cook it there.
My final tip: Try lemon zest instead of
part or all of the parmesan cheese. The
zest adds an aromatic depth that some-
how makes the nutty parmesan cheese
less pronounced if missing. Note that
when I use my lemon zest trick, I swap
out classic basil and use fresh thyme in-
stead; its a marriage made in heaven. 4
PENNE WITH GARLIC TOMATOES,
LEMON ZEST AND SPINACH
Servings: 6
Start to finish: 20 minutes
12 ounces whole grain penne pasta
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 cups grape tomatoes, washed and thor-
oughly dried
6 ounces chopped frozen spinach,
thawed, excess moisture squeezed out
1 tablespoon fresh chopped thyme
2 tablespoons lemon zest
Lemons for squeezing, optional
Salt and pepper
Cook the pasta according to package di-
rections, reserving about 3/4 cup of starchy
pasta water before draining. While pasta is
cooking: Place the olive oil, garlic and red
pepper flakes in a ramekin, and mix with a
spoon, gently pressing the garlic into the oil.
Place the garlic oil in an unheated deep saute
pan, and turn the burner on medium heat.
As the oil heats, it will become fragrant.
As soon as the oil is warm and smells of gar-
lic, add the tomatoes, and cook until they are
coated with garlic oil and they barely begin to
soften, about 3 minutes. Add the spinach and
cook, stirring for 3 minutes.
Increase the temperature to medium high,
and add the cooked pasta and about half
the starchy water. Stir, and let simmer for 1
minute. Add extra water if needed. Add the
thyme, lemon zest and salt and pepper to
taste. Serve with lemons for squeezing (op-
tional).
Nutrition information per serving: 221
calories; 36 calories from fat; 4 g fat (0 g sat-
urated; 0 g trans fats); 0 mg cholesterol; 157
mg sodium; 43 g carbohydrate; 6 g fiber; 4 g
sugar; 10 g protein.

5
JUNE 2017
 TEST DRIVE
MAZDA MX-5 MIATA RF
By ANN M. JOB
C
ar shoppers looking for a Mazda
Miata coupe have a new choice for
2017: the new RB, with a targa-look-
ing, power hard top.
The 2017 MX-5 RF for Retract-
able Fastback is the closest Mazda
has come to a coupe version of its long-
selling Miata roadster. Its also the first
Miata with beefy buttresses aft of the
rear window. The new styling makes the
car look like its in motion even when its
parked. The MX-5 RF also is quieter in-
side than a soft-top Miata, at least when
the metal roof is on. When the roof is low-
ered, some riders can notice a bit of wind
buffeting from the buttresses area.
The Miata remains a recommended
buy of Consumer Reports magazine,
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
6
SL
Open-air driving
with structure
which lists predicted reliability as above
average. The RF carries a starting man-
ufacturers suggested retail prices with
destination charge of $32,730 with man-
ual transmission and $33,460 with auto-
matic.
The new RF is positioned above the
2017 soft-top Miata, which remains
the most affordable MX-5 Miata with a
starting MSRP with destination charge
of $25,790 for a manual transmission
model. The starting MSRP with destina-
tion charge for a 2017 MX-5 Miata soft
top with an automatic transmission is
$27,720. Both of these base models have
Sport trims and include canvas roof,
black, cloth-covered seats, keyless entry
and power windows, door locks and out-
side mirrors.
The RF is available only in the upper
trim levels of Club and Grand Touring
and comes standard with the power-
operated, body-color rectangular roof
piece, larger wheels and tires, and a new
instrument cluster.
The power roof can go up or down in
as little as 13 seconds and can be acti-
vated while the car is traveling slowly, at
speeds up to 6 miles per hour.
The rectangular metal roof piece is
small enough that it doesnt reduce the
Miatas already diminutive trunk space
too much. Mazda reports the RF trunk
capacity at 4.48 cubic feet compared with
4.59 cubic feet in a soft-top Miata where
the folded fabric takes up less space.
The hard roof, though, does add more
than 100 pounds to the lightweight Miata.
The base, 2017 Miata Sport soft top mod-
el weighs some 2,330 pounds while an RF
JUNE 2017

with manual transmission weighs 2,445
pounds.
The test MX-5 Miata RF in top-of-the-
line Grand Touring trim didnt show ill
effects of the added weight, though.
The low-slung car with 17-inch tires
PHOTO BY MAZDA
clung to the pavement and tenaciously
held its line in long sweeping curves
with off-camber patches of road.
A few big potholes demonstrated the
limits of the travel in the cars suspen-
sion and jolted passengers, but the over-
all ride was firm and sporty. In fact, the
hard roof appeared to help stiffen the
car structure, making the tester handle
like a solid, cohesive package.
Steering was responsive, and the car
maneuvered nimbly into openings in
traffic and tight parking spots.
Factory brakes in the test car worked
just fine, but Mazda offers a $3,400
Brembo brake package for drivers who
want even quicker stopping power.
Road noise and traffic sounds from
nearby cars were muted compared with
Miatas with canvas tops.
When the hard top came down, the
Miatas open-air experience was as en-
joyable as ever, even if some passengers
might notice a bit of wind noise coming
from the buttresses area.
All 2017 MX-5 Miata come with the
same engine that was in the 2016 models.
JUNE 2017
SL
With 2-liter displacement, the SkyAc-
tiv-G direct fuel injection four cylinder
is not turbocharged and generates up
to 155 horsepower and 148 foot-pounds
of torque at 4,500 rpm. Thats enough
to make the less than 13-foot-long two-
seater quick and fun to drive.
The six-speed manual transmission,
with its short throws, is as pleasing to
use as it has been in past Miatas.
The tester approached the U.S. gov-
ernments estimates of 26 miles per gal-
lon in city driving and 33 mpg on high-
ways.
The MX-5 Miata interior can feel un-
comfortable and tight for large-sized
adults. With the roof on, headroom in the
RF is just 36.8 inches, which is akin to
whats in the back seats of some sedans.
The Miata has minimal storage space.
Even cup holders in the test car were at
the back wall, between the seats. 4
FACT SHEET
2017 Mazda MX-5
Grand Touring RF
BASE PRICE: $24,915 for Sport manual;
$26,395 for Sport automatic; $28,800 for
Club manual; $29,530 for Club automatic;
$30,065 for Grand Touring manual; $31,270
for Grand Touring automatic; 31,555 for Club
RF manual; $32,285 for Club RF automatic;
$32,620 for Grand Touring RF manual.
AS TESTED: $33,925.
TYPE: Front-engine, rear-wheel-drive, two-
passenger, hardtop convertible.
ENGINE: 2-liter, double overhead cam,
direct fuel injection, SkyActiv-G four cylinder
with VVT.
MILEAGE: 26 mpg (city), 33 mpg (highway).
TOP SPEED: 135 mph.
LENGTH:
154.1 inches.
WHEELBASE: 90.9 inches.
CURB WEIGHT: 2,445 pounds.
BUILT AT: Japan.
OPTIONS: Soul Red metallic exterior paint
$300; advanced keyless entry $130.
DESTINATION CHARGE: $875.
7
 COVER STORY
SL
Hiking enthusiasts enjoy
disconnecting, discovery
By NIKKI KALLIO
A
fter taking a solo road trip to several na-
tional parks in 2004, Shawano resident
Joy Kriewaldt was so entranced she de-
cided to keep going: She plans on hiking in ev-
ery one of Americas 59 national parks.
Theres the natural beauty, and I like the
physical challenge, said Kriewaldt, 49. And
you have different terrains you can go through
canyons or mountain peaks. All your senses
are alive and youre really in the moment.
Kriewaldt and other local enthusiasts say
hiking reconnects them with nature, helping
them to recharge from day-to- day stress. Its
also a great way to exercise at any level of fit-
ness. While traveling around the country can
be part of the fun, there are plenty of places
near Shawano that hikers love to visit.
Recharging without batteries
Kriewaldt, who already has 46 national
parks checked off her list, said hiking for a
day away from computers and phones is
re-energizing.
I think people are too connected with
all their electronics right now, and I think
that they really need to get away, get in tune
with nature, and enjoy the simplicity, said
Kriewaldt, whose favorite hike was in Mon-
tanas Glacier National Park.
Hiking helps people to enjoy a sunrise or
GETTING BACK
sunset, or notice the smell of fresh rain or
pine trees the things that we miss when
were operating at top speed in our daily lives,
sitting behind a computer.
It gets your body in motion and just gets
the blood moving, Kriewaldt said. It calms
TRAVEL WISCONSIN.COM PHOTO
TO NATURE
the mind and its good for the soul.
Locally, Kriewaldt said a drive to Mirror
Lake State Park in Baraboo provides a nice,
scenic day hike.
Jenny Vandiver, 57, of Waupaca, said hik-
ing gives people time to unwind from a day of
work or whatever things are causing stress in
Hikers enjoy each others company while stopping on a trail overlooking Devils Lake State Park. Devils Lake is the largest state park in Wisconsin. Located in Baraboo it attracts over 3 million visitors each year. your life.
8 9
I like being out in the woods, and also if
I hike for two or three or four miles in a day.
Ill sleep better at night, VanDiver said. So I
feel like it helps my health along with burning
some calories.
Unique to Wisconsin
VanDiver likes to hike in Hartman Creek
State Park, which includes a section of the
1,200-mile- long Ice Age Trail, which winds
along the ancient glacial path that shaped
Wisconsins topography.
VanDiver is a member of the Ice Age Trail
Alliance, which has a chapter in Waupaca.
She got connected with the group through
her friend, IATA Waupaca Chapter Coordina-
tor Debbie Krogwold, 62, of Iola. Krogwold be-
came involved with the alliance after one of
its annual hike-a-thon events.
I thought the trail was so beautiful and the
people that are involved with working with the
trail maintaining the trail are just awesome,
Krogwold said. So I found a niche and Ive
just enjoyed it ever since.
Krogwold is a Wisconsin native who also
lived in Colorado for more than a decade,
where she had the experience of hiking in the
mountains.
I really enjoy being outside its just
calming, very refreshing, and rejuvenating,
she said. You can just be out on the trail and
very seldom encounter other people. So going
out with a friend or a few friends and hiking is
just really tranquil.
Locally, the Skunk and Foster Lakes State
Natural Area near Scandinavia, part of the
Ice Age Trail system, provides a lovely hike
with views of the kettle lakes, Krogwold said.
The Ice Age Trail is maintained solely by
volunteer work, which includes constructing
new trails and removing invasive species. The
majority of the volunteer crew are seniors, and
CONTINUED ON PAGE 10
JUNE 2017
 COVER STORY
PHOTOS BY GREG MELLIS
Each badge has a story, says Matty Mathison, referring to the collection of badges on her backpack that show
many of the places she has visited. Mathison, an avid outdoor enthusiast notes,There is a distinct difference
between walking, hiking and backpacking.
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 9
its a great activity to do with kids or
grandkids, too, Krogwold said. To help
work on the trail, visit the Ice Age Trail
Alliance website and look for opportu-
nities with the Mobile Skills Crew.
Outdoors connections
Shawano resident Matty Mathison,
70, who is an active member of trail
organization Shawano Pathways, has
been hiking for decades. Her conquests
include the West Coast Trail in British
Columbia, Isle Royale National Park
from end to end and all but five miles of
the Smoky Mountains, she said.
Being prepared is key to safety in
hiking such as knowing your trail
and having the right protective equip-
ment along. The weather can change
quickly, even on nice days, especially
in the mountains. Mathison learned
this quickly when hiking the Cascade
Mountains in the 1980s when her small
FYI
Local hikers offer some key safety
tips to keep in mind while youre enjoy-
ing the outdoors for a day hike or back-
packing.
Carry a survival kit, which you can
assemble yourself. Garbage bags are
easily packed and can be made into an
improvisational raincoat or tent.
Bring warm clothes. Silk long un-
derwear is warm, dries quickly and is
lightweight.
Carry moleskin to patch up blisters,
which can make even easy hiking sud-
10
SL
group was caught in a snowstorm in the
middle of July. It was a life-threatening
situation that required some smart ac-
tions, such as huddling together in one
tent and keeping body temperatures
elevated with hot liquids.
I always take along long under-
wear and some type of lightweight
gloves, even in the heat of the sum-
mertime, Mathison said.
Mathison, who is retired from a
long career teaching in the Shawano
School District, likes to hike locally
in the Navarino Wildlife Area south of
Shawano and the Reforestation Camp
in Brown County.
I just feel better when Im outside,
Mathison said.
She grew up in Winchester where
we did not have a lot of things to do
unless you created it yourself. The
pear tree was second base. You just
played outside. I think thats some-
thing missing in the lives of kids to-
day. 4
denly difficult for all experience levels.
Carry water in a Camelbak or other
backpack-type pouch. Pack an energy
bar.
Take a long a signal mirror and bring
a whistle to be easily heard by rescuers.
On long trails, set a time limit for
walking out and turn around when you
reach that limit.
Going with a friend is always safer
than going alone, but if you prefer the
solitude, let someone know where you
plan to go.
5 top trails
While its nearly impossible to whittle
down Wisconsins beautiful trails to just a
few favorites, here are a few of our picks
that cover some of the best natural fea-
tures in the state parks.
Copper Falls State Park: Its hard to
beat the beauty of Wisconsin waterfalls,
and Copper Falls State Park has some of
the best. Located near Mellen in Ashland
County, this state park has a number of
multi-use trails from 1 to 5 miles, with flat
to challenging terrain. You also can pick
up a 4-mile section of the North Country
National Scenic Trail that will eventually
extend from North Dakota to New York.
Devils Lake State Park: The trails
to the top of the bluffs are challenging,
but the views of this natural wonder in
Baraboo are worth the effort. This is the
Ice Age Trail rock star (kind of literally):
Glacial activity dropped the boulders you
see along both sides of the lake. The East
Bluff trail at 1.7 miles long provides the
most gradual route, but keep in mind that
youll still be gaining an elevation of 500
feet. The East Bluff Woods trail is gentler
and takes you through quiet woods but
offers no views of the lake.
High Cliff State Park: A nearby fa-
vorite, High Cliff State Park in Sherwood
is carved by the natural limestone rock
formations of the Niagara Escarpment,
a cliff-like ledge that curves hundreds of
miles through Canada to Niagara Falls.
The park offers about 16 miles of trails,
some of which can get slippery. The pop-
ular Red Bird trail runs 3.4 miles and of-
fers views of the lake, including from an
observation tower.
Peninsula State Park: This favorite
Door County gem features miles of trails
for every skill level, including the enjoy-
able Sunset Bike route that can accom-
modate wheelchairs on its fine gravel.
The Hidden Bluff spur of the trail con-
nects you to the nature center.
Interstate State Park: As Wiscon-
sins oldest park, its also one of the pret-
tiest. Youll have views of wooded bluffs,
old growth trees and deep gorges carved
by glaciers the park is at is the western
end of the Ice Age Trail north of Hudson.
JUNE 2017
 COVER STORY
SL

GEAR
GUIDE
VASQUE HIKING BOOTS
WIGWAM HIKING OUTDOOR Vasque hiking boots are known for their
PRO SOCKS sturdy durability and comfort on the trail,
Wigwam developed these socks as well as safety with its grippy outer
with its special Utilimax technology soles. Hiking shoes and boots come in a
REI ADVENTURE
so sweat doesnt get in the way of range of performances designed for day
MEDICAL KIT
a long days hike. Womens socks hiking to serious backpacking, breath-
This lightweight, pre-pack-
sport a nifty dragonfly design. able to waterproof.
aged First Aid kit is appro-
Suggested retail value: Suggested retail value: $119.99-
priate (and easy) to carry for
$11-$15. $179.99.
long day hikes or for up to two
Available at Scheels. Available at Rogans Shoes.
days. Its stocked with plenty
of moleskin pieces for nasty
Compiled by Nikki Kallio

blisters, sting relief wipes, an- SUNDAY AFTERNOON ULTRA ADVENTURE HAT
tibiotic ointments, ibuprofen, Rated the best sun hat by Wirecutters.com, the Sunday Af-
sterile dressings and more ternoon Ultra Adventure Hat is constructed with 50 UPF protec-
and still lightweight at under 4 tive fabric and includes a neck cape to ensure you wont come
ounces. home with a surprise sunburn. One of its neat features is a place
Suggested retail value: stow your sunglasses and keep them from sliding off the visor.
$18.95. Suggested retail value: $42.
Available at REI.com. Available at Cabelas.com and REI.com.

11
JUNE 2017
 SAVVY SENIOR
Here are some tips on how to pick a medical alert system
By JIM MILLER
Dear Savvy Senior,
I would like to get my
82-year-old mother, who lives
alone, a home medical alert
system with a panic button.
Can you recommend some
12 good options?
SL
Overwhelmed Daughter
Dear Overwhelmed,
A good medical alert system
is an affordable and effective
tool that can help keep your
mother safe, but with all the
choices available today choos-
ing one can be quite confusing.
Here are some tips.
HOW THEY WORK
Medical alert systems,
which have been around for
about 40 years, are popular
products for elderly seniors
who live alone. Leased for
about $1 a day, these basic sys-
tems provide a wearable help
button usually in the form
of a neck pendant or wristband
and a base station that con-
nects to the home phone line,
or to a cellular network if no
landline is present.
At the press of a button,
your mom could call and talk to
a trained operator through the
systems base station receiver,
which works like a powerful
speakerphone. The operator
will find out whats wrong, and
will notify family members, a
friend, neighbor or emergency
services as needed.
In addition to the basic
home systems, many compa-
nies today (for an additional
fee) are also offering motion
sensitive pendants that can
detect a fall and automatically
call for help if your mom is un-
able to push the button. Mobile
alerts work like cellphones
with GPS tracking capabilities.
WHAT TO CONSIDER
When shopping for a home
medical alert system, here are
some things to look for to help
you choose a quality system:
Extra help buttons: Most
companies offer waterproof
neck pendant and wristband
help buttons, but some also of-
fer wall-mounted buttons that
can be placed near the floor
in high fall risk areas like the
bathroom or kitchen, in case
mom isnt wearing a pendant.
Range: The base station
should have a range of at least
400 feet so it can be activated
from anywhere on your moms
property even in the yard.
Backup: Make sure the
system has a battery backup in
case of a power failure.
Monitoring: Make sure
the response center is staffed
with trained emergency op-
erators located in the U.S., are
available on a 24-hour basis,
and responds to calls promptly.
Contacts: Choose a com-
pany that provides multiple
contact choices from emer-
gency services, to a friend or
family member who lives near-
by that they can contact if
your mom needs help.
Certification: Find out
if the monitoring center has
been certified by Underwriters
Laboratories.
TOP COMPANIES
While there are dozens of
companies that offer medical
alert systems, here are some
top options that offer both
home and mobile alerts: Bay
Alarm Medical (fees start at
$30 per month for a home land-
line system, bayalarmmedical.
com, 877-522-9633); Life Station
($30/month, lifestation.com,
800-554-4600); Medical Alert
($33/month, medicalalert.com,
800-800-2537); MobileHelp
($30/month, mobilehelpnow.
com, 800-992-0616); and Phil-
lips Lifeline ($30/month plus a
$50 activation fee, lifelinesys.
com, 855-681-5351).
Most of these companies of-
fer discounts if you pay three to
12 months in advance. 4
Send your senior questions to Savvy Se-
nior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070
or visit SavvySenior.org. Jim Miller is a
contributor to the NBC Today show and
author of The Savvy Senior book.
JUNE 2017
HOMES
SL

From stylish hospital beds

to phone chargers

BED TRENDS
By MELISSA KOSSLER DUTTON

W
hen Greg Verlanders father
came home from rehab after
having a stroke, he was upset to
find a hospital bed in his room. The beds
institutional appearance made him feel
unhappy and unhealthy, his son said.
Verlander never forgot that, and when
he learned of a family friend who had
constructed a headboard and footboard
for a hospital bed, he wanted to make
them available to others. Today, Tender-
Care Beds offers the products online in
five finishes. I just wanted to change
peoples environment, Verlander said.
Other companies, too, have started
selling headboards, bed skirts and other
accessories designed to help hospital
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

beds look less institutional. Interior de-

signer Kelee Katillac of Kansas City,
Missouri, specializes in remaking rooms
for people who need hospital beds or
medical equipment.
As people leave the hospital sooner,
theres a greater need, she said.
Beds get an upgrade
Upgrades to home hospital beds are
just part of a new focus on making beds
better in general more stylish and
comfortable for a wide range of activities
beyond sleeping.
There are beds you can adjust to
make it easier to work on a laptop, beds
that keep you cool at night and beds that
charge your cellphone. Many of the new
offerings including adjustable mat-
tresses and supportive pillows help
This photo provided by Easy Rest Adjustable Sleep Systems shows one of their adjustable beds.
people age in place, says Joe Buckheit,
founder of AgingCare.com, a website de-
signed for people caring for loved ones at
home.
Innovations in the bedding industry
have exploded, says Mary Helen Rog-
ers, spokeswoman for the International
Sleep Products Association in Alexan-
dria, Virginia. Manufacturers are re-
sponding to consumers growing under-
standing of the value of proper rest, and
increased interest in working, gaming or
watching TV in bed.
Surviving on the minimum amount of
sleep is no longer cool, Rogers says.
For people who have difficulty sleep-
ing because they get too warm, Rogers
says, manufacturers have begun using
new fabrics, foams and gels designed to
keep the mattress from absorbing heat.
Those improvements address some
of the concerns generated by memory
foam mattresses, which initially were
denser and therefore warmer than
traditional mattresses, says Derek Hale,
OONTINUED ON PAGE 14

I dont want to have to prop a half a dozen pillows when I want to chill out
in my bed and watch TV or work.
JAY THOMPSON, president of the Leggett & Platt Adjustable Bed Group

13
JUNE 2017

FROM PAGE 13
editor of Sleepopolis.com. Foams are
always improving, he says. Theyre
not as warm as they used to be.
There also are products that will blow
cool or hot air under the bed or between
specialized sheets.
Adjustable beds popular
Adjustable beds have become more
appealing and affordable, Hale says. The
SL
tions, says Rogers.
While adjustable beds are not a sub-
stitute for hospital beds, they do appeal
to people with minor health concerns,
says Ann Mowrey, spokeswoman for
Easy Rest Adjustable Sleep Systems in
Baltimore.
We get a fair number of people who
have slept on hospital beds and cant
stand it so they wind up purchasing our
beds, she says. They report their mood

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

motors are quieter, faster, and can be op-
erated by remote control or phone app.
Some beds have massage features, USB
ports or built-in lighting. In many cases,
the bases and mattresses are compat-
ible with traditional bedroom furniture,
so buyers dont have to change their de-
cor.
An adjustable bed that allows for ad-
ditional supportive positions can help
ease minor discomforts such as back
and joint pain, snoring, acid reflux and
swelling in the feet, says AgingCare.
coms Buckheit.
People are more open and more
thoughtful about their medical condi-
14
and comfort improved by the switch, and
for some they are able to sleep back in
the same bed with their loved one, which
makes them happy.
Todays adjustable beds let people
sharing a bed set their own sleep posi-
This photo provided by Leggett & Platt Adjustable Bed Group
tions. A wife can adjust her husbands
shows one of their adjustable beds.
position if his snoring is keeping her
awake, adds Jay Thompson, president the top of the mattress makes it more
of the Leggett & Platt Adjustable Bed comfortable to work, read or watch TV.
Group in Carthage, Missouri. His com- Its the idea that I just want to be
pany makes adjustable bed bases. able to adjust my position for comfort. I
Many customers particularly mil- dont want to have to prop a half a dozen
lennials choose adjustable beds be- pillows when I want to chill out in my bed
cause they want to use the features and watch TV or work, Thompson says.
while they are awake, he says. Raising Its a lifestyle buy. 4
JUNE 2017

Send your Senior Lifestyle story ideas to news@wolfrivermedia.com

T H I N K I N G A B O U T H E A LT H
Meals on wheels funding appears in jeopardy
By TRUDY LIEBERMAN
F
ederal funding for meals on wheels
is on the chopping block. The Trump
administration budget blueprint calls
for the elimination of two federal block
grants: Thats money the federal govern-
ment gives the states for social welfare pro-
grams, and those programs include home-
delivered meals and meals served in senior
centers.
Most of the nations 5,000 meal pro-
grams also rely on money from the
Older Americans Act passed in 1965 to
fund about 35 percent of the cost of the
meals they serve. Those funds are also
in jeopardy. The budget blueprint calls
for an 18 percent cut to the budget of
the Department of Health and Human
Services, which administers the act, and
programs are bracing for more cuts.
Paul Kraintz, who heads the senior
JUNE 2017
SL
nutrition program at Meals on Wheels
in Martinez, California, says while his
program would lose about $67,000 it now
gets from one of the block grants, hes
really worried about the potential bud-
get cut at HHS: If they take 18 percent
of that, its going to be big.
Why the attack on meals delivered
to the elderly, many of whom are home-
bound, ill, and unable to cook or shop?
In March, budget director Mick Mul-
vaney told reporters, Meals on Wheels
sounds great, but to take that federal
money and give it to the states, and say,
Look we want to give you money for pro-
grams that dont work I cant defend
that anymore. He claimed the program
was just not showing any results.
Mulvaney didnt say what he meant
by results. He didnt have to. His com-
ments were aimed at creating doubt in
the minds of legislators who might look
favorably on cutting the Health and Hu-
man Services funds for use elsewhere in
the federal budget. The potential impact
on hungry elders was not a high prior-
ity. It didnt matter that thousands of se-
niors on waiting lists for food in commu-
nities across the country are, in effect,
stuck in a bread line.
Several academic studies examin-
ing meals on wheels programs have
challenged comments like Mulvaneys
regarding the programs effectiveness.
A recent randomized controlled study
funded by the AARP Foundation showed
significant differences among seniors
on waiting lists, those receiving home-
delivered meals, and those getting deliv-
eries of frozen foods. Seniors with home-
delivered meals reported the greatest
CONTINUED ON PAGE 16
15

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 15
improvement in health and quality of life.
In 2013 Brown University researchers
found that meals delivered to seniors al-
lowed them to stay in their homes rather
than going to a nursing home, and that
resulted in a net savings to Medicaid,
which pays for about half of all nursing
home stays.
Nursing home funding from Medicaid
may be in trouble, too, if Congress cuts
more than $800 billion out of Medicaid over
the next 10 years, which has been pro-
posed. The picture is bleak for senior ser-
vices. Thirty-eight states also use Medicaid
dollars for home-delivered meals.
None of this makes much sense. The
number of people needing food is growing
rapidly. Erika Kelly, a government affairs
officer for Meals on Wheels America, an
umbrella organization for local programs,
told me its members are already serving
16
SL
23 million fewer meals than in 2005, a de-
cline that has resulted in an increase in
hunger.
Federal funding has not kept pace with
the need. Money from state and local
governments and private philanthropy
hasnt been able to provide the rest of
the money to feed everyone who needs
a meal. The gap has grown so much
theres no way private philanthropy will
fill it, says Ellie Hollander, who heads
Meals on Wheels America.
Philanthropy works only in places
where there are lots of wealthy individu-
als and corporations. In Dallas, donors
who can write checks for $1 million or $2
million have helped whittle the waiting list
from about 3,000 a year ago to 2,000 today.
What do those still on the lists do?
People have come to us who are literally
starving, or they ask family to bring stuff
from the food bank. Its whatever they
can do to get food into their homes, says
Katherine Krause, president of VNA Tex-
as, the agency that delivers the meals.
Programs like those in Pine Bluff,
Arkansas, arent as lucky. There arent
many rich donors or big companies. Its
worse now than it ever has been for fund-
ing, says director Betty Bradshaw.
In 1963 President John F. Kennedy,
quoting the historian Arnold Toynbee
noted in a special message to Congress,
a societys quality and durability can
best be measured by the respect and
care given its elderly citizens.
That respect and care may be threat-
ened if government support to feed the
elderly is cut. 4
Thinking About Health by Trudy
Lieberman is distributed through
the Rural Health News Service.
Lieberman is a contributing edi-
tor to the Columbia Journalism
Review. Her email is trudy.lieber-
man@gmail.com.
JUNE 2017