Please see Janet Ikenberry for more details.

Caregiver’s Library 

300 Tips for Making Life Easier

A Journey with My Parents into Old Age

Adult Residential Care Journal

Alzheimer’s Association Caregiver Notebook

Alzheimer’s Disease: A Guide for Families

Alzheimer’s Disease: Everything You Need to Know

Alzheimer’s Early Stages

American Diabetes Association Complete Guide to Diabetes

American Red Cross Family Caregiving

Away From Her – DVD

Caring and Coping When Your Loved One is Seriously Ill

Caring for Your Parents: The Complete AARP Guide

Caring for Yourself – Caring for Others: The Ultimate Balance

Chronic Pain and Family

Coach Broyles’ Playbook for Alzheimer’s Caregivers

How to Heal Depression

How to Survive the Loss of a Parent

Living a Health Life with Chronic Conditions

Living When a Loved One Has Died

Mayo Clinic Guide to Self Care

Mayo Clinic on Arthritis

Mayo Clinic on Healthy Aging

Mayo Clinic on Managing Incontinence

Memory Lane Family – DVD

Stress Protection Plan

Surviving Schizophrenia: A Family Manual

Taking Care of Caregivers

Talking with Your Aging Parents

The 36 Hour Day

The Alzheimer’s Action Plan

The Arthritis Cure

The Arthritis Helpbook

The Comfort of Home: A guide for Caregivers

The Emotional Survival Guide for Caregivers

The Encyclopedia of Elder Care

The Everything Guide to Caring for Aging Parents

The Merck Manual of Health and Aging

Understanding Cancer: A Patient’s Guide to Diagnosis, Prognosis, and Treatment

Understanding Mourning: A Guide for Those Who Grieve

Wednesday, May 1 – Chicken Lasagna

Thursday, May 2 – Boneless Pork Chop

Friday, May 3 – Chicken Sandwich

Monday, May 6 – Pulled Pork

Tuesday, May 7 – Tomato & Basil Chicken with Pasta

Wednesday, May 8 – Hamburger

Thursday, May 9 – Caribbean Chicken

Friday, May 10 – Ham Salad

Monday, May 13 – Beef Tips

Tuesday, May 14 – Hot Dog

Wednesday, May 15 – Teriyaki Chicken

Thursday, May 16 – BBQ Rib Sandwich

Friday, May 17 – Grilled Chicken

Monday, May 20 – Meatloaf

Tuesday, May 21 – Chicken Nuggets

Wednesday, May 22 – Beef Enchiladas

Thursday, May 23 – Baked Chicken

Friday, May 24 – Tuna Salad

Monday, May 27 – CLOSED for Memorial Day Holiday

Tuesday, May 28 – Goulash with Meat

Wednesday, May 29 – Chicken Enchiladas

Thursday, May 30 – Baked Ham

Friday, May 31 – Turkey Sandwich

(Menu subject to change without notice.)

Were you a Girl Scout?  Do you remember Hidden Valley Camp?  It all began in 1956 and we hope to bring some alum back to take a tour and enjoy a lunch.

Monday, June 3, 11 am -12:30 p.m.  Fee: None.  Transportation provided from Lawrence Senior Center.

Come join us for a beautiful trip to the Hidden Valley Camp where we will go on a personal tour of the camp and enjoy a genuine campfire lunch of hotdogs and s ‘mores!  Did you know that Hidden Valley Camp, purchased in 1956, is one of the few privately owned wilderness areas in Lawrence?  The camp is primarily used for Girl Scout events, and has shelters, a cabin, beautiful trails, and year-round campsites.  Come view the surrounding wildlife and find out more interesting facts about this wonderful wilderness area within our own city.  If you are a past Girl Scout, this trip would be a wonderful way to relive the Girl Scout passion of nature exploration and adventure.  *Last day to register is Friday, May 24.

• Senior Wheels – Monday – Friday 7:30 am – 3:30 pm – Providing transportation for seniors age 60 and older for Personal, Medical and Nutritional Rides.  (Friday is for Medical Trips Only)  Call 785 865 6925 for reservations at least 48 hours in advance.  Rides are $3.00 per one way ride.
• Independence, Inc – Monday – Friday 7:30 am – 3:30 pm – Call 785 843 5576 - www.independenceinc.org
• Lawrence Transit - www.lawrencetransit.org –  Call 785 864 4644

There are independent taxi services available as well, see the yellow pages for information.

1. The Food Sales Tax Refund has been  eliminated.  In the past, Kansas law provided a refund of sales tax paid on food by low income individuals who met certain criteria. 2012 is the final year that this refund will be available.
   
2. Homestead Property Tax Refund for renters has been eliminated.  However this refund for property owners who meet certain criteria has been extended.
3. Qualified Long-Term Care Insurance Contract deduction for the premiums has been eliminated.

While the Kansas Legislature is still in session, there are other changes that are being considered to the tax laws.  We will keep you updated with any new laws or changes that are made during the 2013 session.

For questions regarding taxes, please call (785)813-1136.  This number is available year round.

When you are choosing a policy, consider your health status and family medical history.  The differences among plans can be small and rather confusing, so you should do your homework and pick a plan that is best for you.  We suggest you visit the Choosing a Medigap Policy website or stop by the Senior Center and pick up a printed copy.   All Medigap policies with the same letter must cover the exact same benefits, so once you find the option that best suits your need, you should shop for the least expensive policy.  You will get the best price if you sign up within six months after enrolling in Medicare Part B.  During this open enrollment period, the insurer cannot refuse to sell you a policy or charge you more based on your health.

A reminder, there is no drug coverage with Medigap Policies, so you must still enroll in a Part D prescription plan.

Once you have researched the different plans available and you are ready to enroll in a plan, remember we have a Senior Health Insurance Counselling for Kansas (SHICK) program that offers non biased advice and information on Medicare issues.  All you need to do is call   (785)842-0543 and ask for the SHICK extension.  We will set a private appointment to help answer all of your questions about what choices are the right choices for you.

And don’t forget!  The next “Welcome to Medicare” Meeting will be this Wednesday, April 17th at noon.  Bring your questions and we will answer them together!

1) What am I really hungry for?

2) If I do something else first, will I still be hungry for the same thing later?

3) If I don’t want to eat it, why am I buying it?

The article goes on to suggest that we keep healthy food on hand, such as fresh fruit, carrot sticks and nuts to help satisfy our cravings.  This extra weight causes even more stress, and can affect our blood pressure, cholesterol and even sugar levels, which together can be very unhealthy.

It is so easy to get caught up in caring for our loved one that we lose sight of caring for ourselves. Watching our diet and exercise is one way that we can stay on the right track.

The buzz is specifically due to a phytochemical called anthocyanin, which gives the purple, blue and deep red hue to fruits and vegetables. Not only does it help fight free radicals and cancer, but it may also protect against heart disease, diabetes, and color cancer. Here’s the scoop on all foods purple and recipes for some of our favorites.

Purple Fruits

Purple fruits are a-plenty so it can be easy to incorporate them into your diet. You can choose from the more obvious purple grapes, plums and blackberries, but additional options include blueberries, raisins, plums, figs, juneberries, elderberries and black currants. The following recipe is an easy go-to salad that uses sweet purple grapes, but you can adapt it using your favorite purple fruit. Eat on it’s own or serve under grilled shrimp, chicken, or fish.

Sweet Grape Salad (makes 5 servings)

• 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
• 2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth (or use water)
• 1 cup purple grapes, halved
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 large cucumber, peeled and chopped small
• 2 tablespoons basil, finely chopped
• 2 cups spring greens
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• ¾ tablespoon honey
• salt and pepper to taste

1. Add rinsed quinoa to a saucepan filled with the chicken broth or water and bring to a boil. Cover, let simmer until water is absorbed, then let cool.
2. In a bowl mix the quinoa, grapes, tomatoes, cucumber, basil and greens.
3. In a separate bowl mix the olive oil, lemon juice, honey and salt and pepper. Pour the dressing over the other ingredients and lightly mix.

1. Time it right.
   After lunch is a good nap time for most people because it meshes with your natural circadian rhythms. Some of your deepest sleep comes between 1 a.m. and 3 a.m., and you’re naturally sleepy again 12 hours later.
2. Take a driveway nap.
   Sounds crazy, but when you have time off for errands because someone else is with your loved one, don’t rush back into the house afterward. If you need some sleep, pull into the driveway and catch some shut-eye for ten minutes right there.
3. Try “co-napping.”
   If your loved one naps during the day, resist the urge to get a million other things done — try to catnap yourself at the same time. If the person in your care isn’t a napper, try setting up a reclining chair in his or her room so that you can be together while, say, watching TV — but you can also nod off for a spell.
4. Use a timer.
   Experienced power-nappers can rouse themselves after just 10 or 15 minutes, but you may need the help of an alarm. The ideal nap is less than 20 minutes long — sleep longer and you may awaken groggy and disoriented, and find that your nighttime sleep is affected. When the alarm goes off, resist the urge to drowse; get up right away.
5. Take a “caffeine nap.”
   Drink a cup of caffeinated coffee, then take a 15-minute nap immediately after. It sounds backward, but research shows that this particular combination makes you feel more alert and recharged than if you just drank the coffee, or just napped for 15 to 30 minutes. Called a “caffeine nap,” it gives you the refreshing effects of sleep plus a jolt of caffeine, which kicks in just as you’re waking up.
6. Use sleep cues.
   Some sleep experts advise against napping in your bed, because it signals you to fall into a longer, deeper sleep than you need for napping. But it’s still a good idea to use other sleep cues: a darkened room, quiet (turn off the TV if you can), and a blanket to lull your body to a cozy sleep temperature.

Don’t forget, we have Caregivers Support meetings on the first and third Mondays, from 2:15 – 3:45!  Call for details.  785 842 0543