Category: Living

Am I on too many medications?

January 6, 2023 | By Dr. Kamalakar Surineni

According to a recent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report, one-third of people over the age of 65 are taking at least five prescriptions. As we age, we may develop chronic diseases like high blood pressure, diabetes and metabolic syndrome. Often these chronic diseases are interconnected, meaning one could lead to another. For example, […]

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End-of-life doulas guide final journey

May 2, 2022 | By Cecilia Green 

The process of dying can be lonely and scary. Family members may be distraught and overwhelmed. Friends and relatives stop calling and visiting, not knowing what to say. The isolation is soul crushing.  This was the situation within my own family when my son Michael in Denver stopped treatment after two years of brutal chemotherapy […]

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The dress that kept on giving

| By Laurene Gast

This is a story my friends Mary and Gene Brand told me about their wedding and her dress.  They got married on Feb. 9, 1957, at Christ the King Catholic Church. The church wasn’t built yet, so the ceremony was held in the gymnasium. Mary bought the dress at Henry’s Department Store for $200. That […]

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State fruit stars in jazzy jelly recipe

| By Michael Roehrman

Now that Kansas has an official state fruit, try Wichita Eagle editor Michael Roehrman’s recipe for sand plum jelly.   Sand Plum Jelly About 5 lbs. sand plums  1 cup water 8 cups sugar 1 box Sure-Jell pectin Stem and thoroughly wash the plums. Place in a heavy bottomed pot and add water. Bring to a […]

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‘Age my way’ is theme of this year’s Older Americans Month

| By Monica Cissell

What does aging well mean to you? Just as each of us are unique, the view of what we think of aging, how we embrace aging or view how we want to age may be different and there is no “right” way. Each May, Central Plains Area Agency celebrates Older Americans Month and urges older […]

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Veterans may be entitled to shop at commissaries and sales tax free

| By James Bower

I once heard a story of man who was barely able to afford a ticket to make a transatlantic voyage. Since he could afford only the cheapest ticket, he took some crackers along with him so he wouldn’t starve. Daily, he would pass by the dining room and look at other passengers enjoying fine meals. […]

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Savvy Senior

| By Jim Miller

Find educational trips for retirees who love to learn Dear Savvy Senior, My wife and I planning to travel much more frequently in retirement and are very interested in educational trips and adventures. Can you recommend any groups or firms that specialize in this type of travel geared towards retirees? Love to Learn Dear Love, […]

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How to help victims of Friday’s tornado

| By Lindsay Smith & Wichita Journalism Collaborative

As Andover residents begin recovery efforts following Friday’s tornado — where multiple homes and the Andover YMCA suffered serious damage — those in the surrounding areas are looking for ways to help. The United Way of the Plains said the best way to help is through money. The organization created a relief fund for those […]

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Alzheimer’s Association: Kansas a ‘desert’ for dementia treatment

April 5, 2022 | By The Active Age

Kansas will have fewer than 10 neurologists per 10,000 people with dementia by 2025, according to a news release from the Alzheimer’s Association. That makes it one of 20 U.S. states labeled “dementia neurology desserts” by the association. The 2022 Alzheimer’s Association Facts and Figures report states that primary care physicians believe there are not […]

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Warning: Don’t read this column!

November 1, 2021 | By Ted Blankenship

Today I’m writing a column that I hope you don’t read because it’s about how to write a column, and I’m afraid that if you read it, you’ll write a column that’s better than this one, and I’ll be out of a job. Nevertheless, as a fearless journalist, I’m going ahead with it because I […]

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Land of fire and ice

September 30, 2021 | By Bob Rives

It was by default that our family visited Iceland in August. My wife and I, our children and their spouses had planned a trip to France to celebrate our 65th wedding anniversary. Covid stopped that as Europe closed its doors. By 2021, though, Iceland was welcoming visitors. Tourism is one of the country’s economic drivers […]

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Man of many artistic talents creates ‘Healing Wichita’ mural

| By Amy Geiszler-Jones

It took nearly two years for Victor Rose to complete the vibrant 9-by-17-foot mural he created for Healing Wichita CBD+ shop in a shopping plaza at Harry and Rock Road. Much like Rose himself — a lifelong Wichita resident who has been involved in many creative endeavors — the mural features various elements and layers, […]

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Recipe for You or Two: Madras Chicken Salad

| By Jane Hodge

Jane Hodge is the winner of a $25 gift certificate from The Spice Merchant for submitting this Recipe for You or Two. “I liked the bean salad recipe in the last Active Age, so I decided to share one that we make all the time,” Hodge said. “It’s really easy and fresh-tasting.” The blend of flavors, […]

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Active Age readers take in new ballpark

| By The Active Age

Readers of The Active Age watched the Wichita Wind Surge beat the Tulsa Drillers 8-6 in an Aug. 29 game at the new Riverfront Stadium. The newspaper gave away 60 tickets to the game to readers who entered a drawing. “This was a fun time despite the rain delay and later drizzle,” said Jay Hinkle, […]

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Mental illness driving homeless ‘disaster’

August 2, 2021 | By Mary Clarkin

By Mary Clarkin Micky Maddux encounters the homeless three to 10 times a day. She does not live or work in a shelter or sleep on a sidewalk. She’s the owner of an art gallery in Wichita’s Old Town Square. She’s cleaned their urine and feces off her gallery front in the morning, been accosted and […]

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Beware, that’s not necessarily love in the air

| By The Active Age

Sedgwick County District Attorney Marc Bennett is warning older residents and their families to be on the watch for online romance scams after a Wichita area woman was conned out of $482,000. A romance scam, also known as an online dating scam, is when a person is tricked into believing they are in a romantic relationship with […]

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Debi Kreutzman

Woman behind ‘Bob Boxes’ merits honor

July 1, 2021 | By Joe Stumpe

The number of older residents served by the Kansas Food Bank is on the rise. A few years ago, about 7 percent of the people served by the food bank were seniors. Today, that figure is about twice as large. “We have many seniors who are living on limited incomes that can’t make ends meet,” […]

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swimming

Play it safe outdoors this summer

| By Monica Cissell

Outdoor activity is good for the body and soul, but too much sun and heat can be dangerous. That’s especially true for older people, people with underlying medical conditions and people taking certain medications. Follow these tips to reap the benefits of fresh air and vitamin D without overdoing it: Consider a conversation with a […]

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Grand Central cooler than ever

| By The Active Age

NEWTON — When temperatures creep up this summer, visitors to Grand Central senior center won’t sweat it. The center recently finished a $60,000 overhaul of its air conditioning system. “It’s definitely a great addition,” Grand Central board president Bob Driskill said. “We couldn’t use this facility if we didn’t have that air conditioning.” Driskill said […]

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Peace work

February 5, 2021 | By Debbi Elmore

When Lakshmi Kambampati arrived in Liberia, the schools had been closed for 14 years due to Ebola and a civil war. It was just the kind of challenge the retired Wichita teacher was looking for when she signed up for the Peace Corps. “I wanted to help and I was looking for adventure,” she said. […]

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Project Beauty looks forward at 50

October 1, 2018 | By Joe Stumpe

Project Beauty, Inc. may be down in numbers, but it’s not out. President Sue Boewe admits to an ambitious goal for the 50-year-old group founded to spruce up Wichita. “I’m hoping we’re going to double our membership this year,” she said. “I’ve asked everybody to bring in one member. That’s the challenge I’ve put to […]

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‘Fireball’ Jackson inspires book

August 29, 2018 | By Debbi Elmore

Gerald McCoy was a boy when he saw Isaiah “Fireball” Jackson pitch in Wichita’s National Baseball Congress tournament. Jackson’s explosive fastball wasn’t the only remarkable thing about him. There was also the team he played for, made up of fellow prison inmates. “My dad and I watched him lead the prison team to another tournament […]

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