SEPTEMBER 2017

Enjoy an Active Life after 50

ON THE ROAD
AGAIN BUS TRIPS EASY WAY
FOR SENIORS TO TRAVEL
Page 8
CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

INSIDE: FUN CALENDAR SENIOR PROFILE FOOD TEST DRIVE HEALTH SAVVY SENIOR HOMES MONEY
 FUN C ALEN DAR
FRIDAY, SEPT. 1
Shawano County Fair: Fairgrounds, 990 E.
Green Bay St. Midway thrills, tractor pull, demo-
lition derby, free grandstand entertainment, polka
bands, great food, craft exhibits, stock car races
and 4-H exhibits. 715-526-5419.
SATURDAY, SEPT. 2
Shawano County Fair: Fairgrounds, 990 E.
Green Bay St. Midway thrills, tractor pull, demo-
lition derby, free grandstand entertainment, polka
bands, great food, craft exhibits, stock car races
and 4-H exhibits. 715-526-5419.
Shawano Farmers Market: Franklin Park, 200
block of South Washington St., Shawano. 8 a.m.
to noon. Over 45 food and craft vendors. Enter-
PHOTO BY LEE PULASKI
tainment, Patchwork.
SUNDAY, SEPT. 3
Shawano County Fair: Fairgrounds, 990 E.
Green Bay St. Midway thrills, free grandstand
entertainment, polka bands, great food, craft
exhibits, 4-H exhibits. 715-526-5419.
PHOTO COURTESY OF JOSH HARTY.COM
JOSH HARTY
MONDAY, SEPT. 4
Josh Harty Band: Joel Kroenke home, W9050
Broadway Road, Shawano. 2 p.m. Part of the
Cotter Creek House Concert Series. 715-853-
6879
Shawano County Fair: Fairgrounds, 990 E.
Green Bay St. Midway thrills, free grandstand
entertainment, polka bands, great food, craft
exhibits, 4-H exhibits. 715-526-5419.
THURSDAY, SEPT. 7
Historical Society Museums: Shawano County
Historical Society Heritage Park, 517 N. Franklin
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The fifth annual Bike the Barn Quilts event will be held Sept. 23.
St., Shawano. 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Admission $5,
children 5-12 $1, under 5 free. 715-526-3323.
SATURDAY, SEPT. 9
School Days: Heritage Park, 524 N. Franklin St.,
Shawano. Living history events as part of the so-
cietys Summer at the Society series. Admission
$5, $1 children under 12. 715-526-3323.
Shawano Farmers Market: Franklin Park, 200
block of South Washington St., Shawano. 8 a.m.
to noon. Over 45 food and craft vendors. Enter-
tainment, St. James Praise Team.
SATURDAY, SEPT. 16
Shawano Farmers Market: Franklin Park, 200
block of South Washington St., Shawano. 8 a.m.
to noon. Over 45 food and craft vendors. Enter-
tainment, Wolf River Harmony.
THURSDAY, SEPT. 21
Historical Society Museums: Shawano County
Historical Society Heritage Park, 517 N. Franklin
St., Shawano. 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Admission $5,
children 5-12 $1, under 5 free. 715-526-3323.
SATURDAY, SEPT. 23
Dan Newton: W9050 Broadway Road, Sha-
wano. 7 p.m. Part of the Cotter Creek House
Concert Series. 715-853-6879
Bike the Barn Quilts Ride/Walk: Memorial Ath-
letic Park, 909 S. Lincoln St. Shawano. 70- and
40-mile rides begin at 8 a.m. Other rides begin
at 9 a.m. with five-minute intervals. The run/walk
begins at 9:30 a.m. 715-304-9796.
WEEKLY
Mondays
Hand & Foot Card Club: Room 103, Shawano
Community Middle School, 1050 S. Union St.,
Shawano. 9-11:30 a.m. Community Education
activity for ages 50+. We will teach you how to
play. Free. 715-526-2192, ext. 3102.
Tuesdays
Seniors Cribbage and Sheephead League:
Lakeshore Lanes, 210 Airport Road, Shawano.
1-4 p.m. Tuesdays through Thursdays. Play one
day or all three. Call Gary, 715-584-7700.
Senior Citizen Swim: Shawano Park and Recre-
ation Department, 220 E. Division St. 9:30-10:30
a.m. Free with membership or $2 per day.
Wednesdays
Seniors Cribbage and Sheephead League:
Lakeshore Lanes, 210 Airport Road, Shawano.
1-4 p.m. Tuesdays through Thursdays. Play one
day or all three. Call Gary, 715-584-7700.
Thursdays
Seniors Cribbage and Sheephead League:
Lakeshore Lanes, 210 Airport Road, Shawano.
1-4 p.m. Tuesdays through Thursdays. Play one
day or all three. Call Gary, 715-584-7700.
Fridays
Senior Citizen Swim: Shawano Park and Recre-
ation Department, 220 E. Division St. 9:30-10:30
a.m. Free with membership or $2 per day.
S E P T E M BE R 2 0 1 7
 S E N IO R P RO F ILE
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Husband-wife artists enjoy beading together

By CAROL WAGNER

M
ary Redman and Walter Gross
moved back to Shawano last year
and have been very busy making
and selling their crafts ever since.
This is their second year as vendors at
the Shawano Farmers Market. They sell
beaded earrings, necklaces, bracelets and
bookmarks.
Redman also makes earrings out of cook-
ie tins.
Ive always done crafty things, Redman
said. I especially like to do the earrings. We
sell a lot of them.
Over the years Gross has done painting
and stained glass; now its mostly beadwork.
The couple has settled in their town of
Wescott home with plenty of room for their
crafts and their cats.
PHOTO BY CAROL WAGNER
After graduating from Shawano High
Mary Redman and Walter Gross make crafts under the name, Wally G Beads.
School, Gross attended the University of
Wisconsin-Stevens Point and UW-Madison. attended UW-Green Bay and Montana State I couldnt get rid of him so I finally mar-
I didnt know what I wanted to be, he before returning to Shawano and working in ried him, Redman said.
said. the office at Dearco, where she met Gross. After college Redman moved to Medford
He stayed with his sister in Florida a Redman went back to school in Madison to be a medical social worker at Medford Me-
couple of times, and in 1976, he came back and earned bachelors and masters degrees morial Hospital. A year later Gross moved
to Shawano and worked in the warehouse at in social work. there, too. He worked making windows until
Dearco. I followed her to Madison, said Gross, the company went on strike, so he decided to
Redman graduated from Shawano High who worked doing picture framing and was go back to school.
School a few years after her husband. She quite well-known there. CONTNUED ON PAGE 4

3
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 S E N IO R P RO F ILE
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3
That was an incentive, Redman said.
He earned a programming degree from
Northcentral Technical College and went
back to Madison to work for American Fam-
ily Insurance in data processing.
In 1990, the couple bought a home in Stet-
sonville, and Gross moved back.
I missed Mary, he said
Gross worked at Info Group in Marsh-
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S E P TEMBER 2017
SL
field. After the Medford hospital, Redman
did the same job at St. Joseph Hospital in
Marshfield and then Marshfield Clinic,
where she worked in oncology.
She had been doing beadwork and once
a year would take it to the Christmas Craft
Show at Marshfield Clinic.
In 2010, Redman encouraged her hus-
band to make beads.
She said why dont you learn how so I
dont have to buy them, Gross said. Its not
something you say Im just going to do this.
He gets rods of glass from Italy and
makes the beads with a Nortel Mega Minor
torch. The beads are then annealed in a kiln.
Gross sells the beads online.
They will be at the Shawano Farmers
Market except when they go to Founders
Day in Bonduel on Sept. 16 and Miles of Art
on Sept. 30 and Oct. 1 at the mill in Gresham.
FOO D
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HANG ON TO SUMMER
Cook fresh fruit in custardy batter
By THE CULINARY INSTITUTE
OF AMERICA

S
eptember is a curious kind of
month. Its the time of year that we
wistfully bid farewell to the easy,
carefree days of summer and say hello to
the crisp apples, new school clothes and
the more structured schedules autumn
brings.
If youre not quite ready to let go of
summer, The Culinary Institute of Ameri-

PHOTO BY THE CULINARY INSTITUTE OF AMERICA

ca has the perfect recipe for you. Delight-
fully French in name, our Plum Clafoutis
is an incredibly simple way to use the last
of summers fruit.
Here at the CIA, where French cuisine
is part of the fundamental curriculum,
we cook simple and rustic French food
every day. Ratatouille, baguettes (four in-
gredients!) and the humble cheese plate
are just a few effortless French foods we
couldnt live without.
This clafoutis is no exception, doing
what French food does best: taking the PLUM CLAFOUTIS
seasons best flavors, adding a few pantry Servings: 10 rack in the center of the oven. Coat a 10-inch
ingredients, and voila. Start to finish: 40 minutes (Active time: 10 cast-iron skillet with the butter and set aside.
A clafoutis is simply fresh fruit baked minutes) In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking
1 tablespoon unsalted butter powder, and salt, and stir to combine. Set aside.
in custardy batter, ready in 40 minutes,
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour Combine the eggs, sugar, vanilla, and
start to finish. The fruit gets soft and 1 teaspoon baking powder cream in a blender, and blend until smooth,
juicy, the custard is lightly sweet and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt about 30 seconds. Add the flour and pulse just
eggy, and just a touch of flour makes it 3 eggs until the mixture is combined, about 5 times.
cakey enough to enjoy with a cup of tea. 1/4 cup sugar Pour the mixture into the prepared skil-
1 teaspoon vanilla extract let. Arrange the plums, cut-side up, around the
Leftover, it is the perfect dessert-for-
2/3 cup heavy cream pan, nestled into the batter.
breakfast. 1 pound red plums, halved and pitted Bake until golden brown, about 30 min-
Stone fruits, like peaches, apricots, Confectioners sugar, as needed for dusting utes. Set aside to cool for 10 minutes before
and plums, are classic clafoutis ingredi- Preheat the oven to 400 F and position a dusting with confectioners sugar and serving.
ents, and CIA Chef Martin Matysik ex-
plains, In the French tradition, the bat- sliced apples, or Concord grapes. This recipe calls for a cast-iron skillet,
ter is usually poured over fresh unstoned Red plums tend to be smaller than the but you can use just about any 10-inch
cherries. more common black plums found at most baking dish. Just be sure to keep an eye
Some think the pits lend that special je grocery stores, but use any variety you on your clafoutis, since your baking time
ne sais quoi, but weve pitted our plums can get your hands on. If they are small may vary.
for convenient serving. enough, you can just halve your fruits, Served with a drizzle of cream, toast-
With its light batter and neutral flavor, but larger items like nectarines or pears ed almonds, or even a scoop of vanilla
a clafoutis is exceptional with any of your might be better sliced. You can fan them ice cream, youll help your guests forget
favorite seasonal fruits, so dont hesitate decoratively or scatter them for a rustic about Junes strawberry crisps with a
to add a handful of fresh raspberries, presentation. sweet slide into autumn.

5
S E P TEMBER 2017
 O N THE ROA D
Car shoppers can find good deals on Labor Day weekend
PRICED TO MOVE
By MATT JONES
L
abor Day is the last three-day
weekend of summer, so as we go
into the end of August and early
September, you can expect to see some
fairly aggressive deals from car dealer-
ships as they try to wrap up the summer
selling season.
The combination of end-of-model-year
clearance prices on outgoing models and
relatively high levels of inventory means
you can find a close-out bargain before
pickings get slim.
To help with the hunt, Edmunds se-
lected five of the best deals: two sedans,
an SUV, a minivan and a truck. Its picks
are based on a combination of good avail-
ability, good reviews and good discounts.
Cash-back offers, rebates and incen-
tives can vary by region. Check to see
2017 NISSAN TITAN XD
PHOTO BY NISSAN NORTH AMERICA, INC. VIA AP
6
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that these offers apply in your area.
These deals are good now and should be
available through Sept. 5.
TRUCK
2017 NISSAN TITAN XD CREW CAB
Starting MSRP: $39,165
Edmunds is seeing discounts in the
$12,200 range depending on package and
region.
In terms of both price and capability,
the 2017 Nissan Titan XD fills the gap
between typical light trucks and heavy-
duty trucks. With a variety of trims and
a strong diesel engine option, its unique
and offers flexibility competitors dont.
PROS
Good balance between price and
performance
Functional and attractive interior
Smooth ride for a truck with its ca-
pability
CONS
Diesel engine feels lazy when pass-
ing slower traffic
Large turning circle is cumbersome
Small fuel-tank size limits overall
range
MIDSIZE SEDANS
2017 HONDA ACCORD
Starting MSRP: $24,030
Edmunds is seeing discounts in the
$5,700 range, depending on package and
region.
The 2017 Honda Accord is arguably
Honda at its finest. It scores highly in
just about every category and is a genu-
ine pleasure to drive. The Accords qui-
et, comfort and overall refinement are
S E P T E M BE R 2 0 1 7
O N THE ROA D
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standouts in the segment and may even
give a few entry-level luxury cars a run
for their money.
PROS
Cabin is roomy and filled with styl-
ish, soft-touch materials
Ride is comfortable on bumpy roads
and on the highway
Handling is fun and sporty
CONS
The interface of the optional touch-

PHOTO BY HONDA MOTOR COMPANY INC.

screen interface can be frustrating
Driver aids are sensitive, especially
the front collision warning
Fewer available luxury features
than some competitors
2017 TOYOTA CAMRY
Starting MSRP: $23,965
Edmunds is seeing discounts in the
$6,500 range, depending on package and
region. 2017 HONDA ACCORD
The Camry has a solid reputation of
With seating for eight and a powerful $7,200 range, depending on package and
durability and longevity. Combine that
reputation with its comfortable ride, turbocharged six-cylinder engine, the region.
easy-to-use features and good looks and Expedition is definitely one of the big- For sensible family transportation,
its easy to understand why the Camry gest and most capable vehicles avail- its hard to beat a minivan. Sliding side
has been one of the best-selling cars in able. doors, low step-in height, massive pas-
America. PROS senger space and cargo area make the
PROS Roomy third-row seat minivan a practical alternative to large
Interior is comfortable and spa- Strong and efficient turbocharged SUVs and crossovers.
cious; all seats are roomy V6 A steady stream of improvements
Outward visibility is better than av- Easy-folding rear seats increase in- has kept the Sienna competitive, even
erage terior flexibility
though it is one of the older models in
Trim levels have distinct luxury and CONS
this segment. Its worth serious consid-
sport characteristics Its size makes it difficult to park
eration, especially if you live in a region
CONS (especially the extended-wheelbase EL
where all-wheel drive is useful: This is
Middling four-cylinder fuel economy version)
the only minivan that offers all-wheel
Not as sporty as some of its com- Interior looks a bit dated.
petitors drive.
PROS
PHOTO BY TOYOTA MOTOR SALES, U.S.A.

SUV Refined ride quality inspires confi-

2017 FORD EXPEDITION dence
Starting MSRP: $48,320 High-quality materials and trim
Edmunds is seeing discounts in the pieces throughout the cabin
$12,600 range, depending on package Wide range of adjustments for the
and region. second-row seats
There are plenty of car-based cross- CONS
overs to choose from. But there are Second-row seats are heavy and
times when you might want the capa- awkward to remove
bilities of a beefy, traditional SUV. The 2017 TOYOTA SIENNA
2017 Ford Expedition is one of Edmunds This story was provided to The Associ-
top recommendations in this segment, MINIVAN ated Press by the automotive website
thanks to massive passenger and cargo 2017 TOYOTA SIENNA Edmunds. Matt Jones is a senior con-
space and class-leading towing capabili- Starting MSRP: $29,750 sumer advice editor for the automotive
ties. Edmunds is seeing discounts in the website Edmunds.

7
S EP TEMBER 2017
 C OVER S TO RY
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M
any recent retirees have an

ON THE ROAD AGAIN

idea about doing a little more
traveling, and Michele Last of
Appletons Nationwide Travelers says all
it takes is one trip to keep them coming
back for more.
Bus trips are
I always tell them, if I can get them on the bus the
first time, Ive got them, Last said. Because they
dont have to plan anything. They just have to pack.

an easy way Nationwide Travelers offers more than 100 bus

trips annually, including day trips and extended
tours. Many of their travelers come from Shawano

for seniors and Oconto counties, and for extended tours, Nation-
wide offers an optional shuttle transfer from Shawa-
no. While Nationwide Travelers trips are for travel-
to see the sights ers of any age, the majority of its clientele are seniors,
Last said.
Recent popular one-day tours have been those
By NIKKI KALLIO that also offer a cruise, including three trips to Door
County that included a winery tour and a 90-minute
boat ride. The first trip sold out by April, prompting
the company to add two more trips that also sold out,
Last said.
It seems to ebb and flow, she said. What works
one year may not work the next year. You just have to
try and see what everybody seems to be interested in
this time around.
Bus trips are appealing both for the types of activi-
ties they offer and because of the ease of the travel.
Luggage on extended trips is handled by drivers or
tour staff, and all the planning is done by the tour
company.
They dont have to worry about getting lost, they
dont have to worry about planning their routes, they
dont have to worry if something happens mechani-
cally, Last said. Its just the ease of being able to go
on vacation, because somebody else will take care of
whatever comes up.
Jo Ann Olson, 63, nutrition site coordinator at the
Wittenberg Senior Center, coordinates occasional day
trips for seniors in Wittenberg, Birnamwood and Ti-
gerton. A June trip stopped at the Butterfly Gardens
of Wisconsin in Appleton and also included a visit to a
local store offering Amish goods.
The seniors enjoy the trips for the chance to visit
with others, to see something different and some-
times even to have a day of respite from a spouse,
Olson said.
It doesnt matter if the weather cooperates or not.
On the day of the butterfly trip it rained and rained,
but they said, well, it was the fun of it anyway for
the sociability, and our bus driver was phenomenal,
showing us interests along the way, Olson said.
Olson herself is a bus traveler, traveling often with
CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

Virginia Kauffman of Kauffman Tours in Tigerton.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 10

ON THE COVER
This photo of Glacier National Park was taken on a Canadian Rock-
This photo of Jackson Lake in the Grand Tetons was taken on Nationwide Travelers Majestic Parks of the West tour. ies Grandeur tour organized by Nationwide Travelers.

8 9
S E P TE M B E R 2 0 1 7
 C OVER S TORY
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 10
Kauffman charters her trips with Nation-
wide Travelers.
Its just fun to get away and relax, Olson
said. When I can let somebody else do the
work and not me, thats whats relaxing.
One of her favorite trips with Kauffman was
to Hawaii where the group toured the spectac-
ular scenery in a small 14-passenger bus, vis-
iting volcanoes and off-the-beaten path places
larger groups didnt go.
Shell give an itinerary of what were going
to do, but she has so much more for it she
has games, and theres always some surprises
along the way that she pops in there, Olson
said. Shes just a delightful person.
Diana Casper, of Wittenberg, works part
time at Hankes Sentry Foods to help pay for
her trips with Kauffman Tours, which shes
been taking since the mid-1970s.
Casper joined Kauffman for two weeks in
Alaskas inside passage and the Yukon, where a
bus would ferry the group through the regions
amazing scenery. Caspers first trip to Alaska
in the 1970s was one of her favorites, and she
recalls panning for gold and having a necklace
made from the gold she found. Casper also has
been to Niagara Falls, Branson, Washington,
The Majestic Parks of the West tour offered by Nationwide Travelers included views of the Big Horn Mountains.
10
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D.C., California, New York City and many other
places.
Casper enjoys the extras that Kauffman of-
fers to make the trips especially interesting,
such as group games that might include ques-
tionnaires about the local area and its history.
Its a lot of fun, and then we get very com-
petitive and loud until the bus driver tells us to
be quiet, Casper said.
Virginia Kauffman, 77, has been lead-
ing tours for 42 years, adding trips whenever
something of interest comes up, usually taking
about 10 tours each year, both day and extend-
ed trips.
I keep adding during the year, whatever I
decide to do at the spur of the moment, Kauff-
man said.
Kauffman is planning a La Crosse riverboat
tour Oct. 1 that has been popular enough for
her to add a second bus. Her travelers enjoy
the ease of the travel, she said.
A lot of them are senior citizens, and they
get on the bus here, so they dont have to drive
to Appleton, Kauffman said. They get on here CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
in Tigerton. When we go to places like Bran- Virginia Kauffman, owner of Kauffman Tours in
son, you pull up to the hotel, get out at the door, Tigerton, gets her photo taken with Irish singing
and your luggage is taken to the room. Its just star Daniel ODonnell during a bus trip to Bran-
the convenience of it. son, Missouri.
CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
S E P T E M BE R 2 0 1 7
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GEAR GUIDE
GUSTBUSTER METRO 43-INCH
AUTOMATIC UMBRELLA
Every traveler must be prepared for
contingencies including inclement weath-
er. The GustBuster nylon folding umbrella
is built to avoid that annoying problem of
turning inside-out when you most need
the protection. Wind-tested to 55 mph,
the GustBuster is an unflappable product.
Comes in various sizes and color combos
with raindrop design. The carrying sheath
also becomes a handy backpack.
Suggested retail value: $38.98.
Available at Amazon.com.
MILLS FLEET FARM
COUNTRY MIX BIG VALUE
Its always good to bring along a snack
when youre road-tripping, and trail mix is
a wise choice. With peanuts, cashews, al-
monds, raisins and chocolate, its just the
right amount of sweet, salty and healthy
proteins to keep up your energy for sight-
seeing. Fleet Farms 2-pound bag ensures
youve got enough to go around.
Suggested retail value: $5.99-$7.49.
Available at Mills Fleet Farm.
CANON POWERSHOT ELPH 190 IS
(BLACK) WITH 10X OPTICAL ZOOM
AND BUILT-IN WI-FI
This point-and-shoot is a PC magazine
editors pick for a small, affordable pocket
camera, with a 10X zoom lens to capture
the faraway sights up close. The camera
also shoots video, and for the tech-savvy,
S E P TEMBER 2017
it can connect to wireless internet to make
it easier for you to share your travel photos
with family (and make your friends jealous).
Suggested retail value: $149-$159.
Available at Amazon.com.
LANDS END
CLASSIC SQUALL JACKET
This Wisconsin company has made
this jacket in various forms since the early
1980s, and its staying power is found in
its waterproof nylon shell and windproof
comfort. Add a layer of security with its
zippered pockets. The jacket is made for
a variety of temperatures and in several
styles for men, women and kids. Lots of
colors to choose from. When they tell you
to pack in layers, this is a good choice for
the top one.
Suggested retail value: $49-$149.
Available at LandsEnd.com.
PLAN AHEAD JUMBO JOURNAL
A great way to keep a record of your
journey, this jumbo (8 -inch by 10
-inch) journal allows you to readily jot
down notes. Keep track of your stops and
interesting historical facts, and if you want
to dash off a letter to family, the station-
ary-quality pages are perforated for easy
removal. Tuck brochures, postcards and
memorabilia between the pages to keep
them handy.
Suggested retail value: Various.
Available at Walgreens.
Compiled by Nikki Kallio
11 Visit us online at
www.shawanoleader.com
 H EALTH
When filling your next prescription, how to tell if
THE PRICE IS RIGHT
By TOM MURPHY
F
illing a prescription is no longer the
simple errand you run after a doc-
tor visit.
With drug prices rising and insurance
coverage shrinking, it pays to ask ques-
tions and do a little research before hand-
ing over your insurance card at the phar-
macy counter. Having coverage offers no
guarantee that youre getting the best
price for your medicine.
Customers of CVS and Walgreens
brought that concern to light earlier this
month when they sued the drugstore
chains over prices paid for generic pre-
scriptions.
The lawsuits accuse the companies of
charging insured patients more for ge-
neric drugs than what people pay without
coverage. It also says the drugstores dont
tell insured patients about the cheaper op-
tion.
CVS and Walgreens reject the claims
and promise to fight them.
Before you fill your next prescription,
consider these steps to help find the best
possible price.
TALK TO YOUR DOCTOR
Start a habit of asking your doctor
about prices whenever you get a new pre-
scription.
If you have insurance, bring informa-
tion about your formulary, or list of cov-
ered drugs, to your visit.
Your doctor deals with many different
insurers and may not know the costs tied
to your coverage. The list can tell your
doctor how your treatment or any alterna-
tives might be covered, said AARP drug
pricing expert Leigh Purvis.
DO SOME RESEARCH
Approach prescription buying like car
shopping. You dont want to do it without
some idea of the prices in your market.
Websites like GoodRx and WeRx can
12
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THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
show how drug prices without insurance
will vary by store. Knowing whats in the
market helps you tell quickly if your favor-
ite drugstore is pricey.
When we talk about the price of a drug,
its sort of an arbitrary estimate instead of
a hard-and-fast rule, said Caitlin Morris
of the advocacy group Families USA.
When comparing costs online, note that
some websites may show the cash price
without insurance while others only show
the cost if you use one of their coupons.
QUIZ THE PHARMACIST
The best deal you can get may be the
price you pay through insurance. This is
especially true with brand-name drugs.
The price without insurance for those is
typically much more expensive than the
co-payment or deductible you pay with
coverage.
However, most prescriptions filled are
generic and the cash price for those drugs
may be cheaper than what a person would
pay through insurance, depending on
your plan.
Ask the pharmacist what your prescrip-
tion will cost based on your coverage before
you have it filled. If the price is too high, ask
what it would cost without coverage.
If your research turned up a lower
price elsewhere, ask your pharmacist if
they would match that price. The drug-
store also may offer a discount program.
Pharmacists in some states can sub-
stitute a brand-name drug for a cheaper
generic. But check first with your doctor
about how that may affect your treatment.
UNDERSTAND THE RISKS
Paying cash for prescriptions comes
with some side effects.
Those costs wont help you reach your
insurance plans annual deductible or out-
of-pocket maximum, after which the in-
surer picks up more of the bill.
Paying cash or using different drug-
stores for the best price also means that
your insurer or your regular pharmacist
wont be monitoring to make sure your
medicines dont conflict and cause a bad
reaction. That responsibility will fall large-
ly on you, especially if you have more than
one doctor.
If a prescription is still too expensive
after all your research and negotiating,
you can walk away and not pay for it. But
doing so wont help you get better and it
could make your condition more expen-
sive to treat later on.
S E P T E M BE R 2 0 1 7
S AVVY S EN IO R
Here are some new car suggestions for older drivers
By JIM MILLER
Dear Savvy Senior,
My wife and I are both in our late
sixties and are looking to buy a new
car. Can you recommend some good
resources that can help us evaluate and
choose a good car for older drivers?
Car Shoppers
Dear Shoppers,
With more than 40 million licensed
drivers in the United States age 65 and
older, many automakers today are de-
signing certain vehicles that are friend-
lier for older drivers.
But what makes a good car for se-
niors? For many, top priorities include a
vehicle thats easy to get into and out of,
easy to adjust for fit and comfort, easy
to operate and see out of, as well as reli-
S E P TEMBER 2017
SL
able, safe and a good value.
To help you narrow your vehicle
choices, Consumer Reports and the
American Automobile Association
(AAA) offer some great information and
tools to assist you.
CR BEST CARS
Consumer Reports recently put out
a top 25 ranking of new cars for senior
drivers. Each vehicle on their list offers
excellent or very good ratings on reli-
ability, safety, road-test performance and
owner satisfaction. And, they offer a vari-
ety of senior-friendly features that are
extremely important to older divers, like:
Easy front-seat access: Vehicles
with low door thresholds, wider door
openings, and step-in heights that re-
duce the need for ducking or climbing,
make getting into and out of a car easier
for those with physical limitations.
Good visibility: Being able to see
well out of the front, sides, and back of
a vehicle for tall, medium, and shorter
drivers.
Simplified controls: Easy-to-read
gauges and simplified/intuitive controls
for changing the radio, shifting gears,
and adjusting the heating and cooling is
a high priority among older drivers.
Bright headlights: Powerful head-
lights can make driving at night easier
for people with decreasing or compro-
mised vision.
They also weighed in extra safety
features (standard or optional) like a
backup camera, automatic emergency
braking, forward-collision warning and
blind-spot warning.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 14
13
 S AVVY S EN IO R
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 13
Their picks include a variety of com-
pact and midsized sedans and SUVs,
two minivans and a station wagon from
seven different automakers. Heres
their top 25 ranking, starting with one
through 25: Subaru Forester; Subaru
Outback; Kia Soul; Subaru Legacy; Kia
Sportage; Toyota Highlander; Toyota
Prius V; Toyota RAV4; Honda Odyssey;
Nissan Rogue; Honda Accord; Ford
C-Max Hybrid; Hyundai Sonata; Toy-
ota Camry; Subaru Crosstrek; Toyota
Sienna; Honda CR-V; Honda Pilot; Kia
Forte; Ford Escape; Toyota Corolla; Kia
Sorento; Ford Flex; Hyundai Santa Fe;
Hyundai Tucson.
For more information on their top 25
list, see Consumerreports.org/elderly-
driving/top-25-new-cars-for-senior-
drivers.
AAA TOOL
Another great resource that can help
14
Keep up with local news online!
www.shawanoleader.com
NEWS SPORTS COMMUNITY SCHOOLS
SL
you evaluate and chose a vehicle that
meets your needs is the AAA online tool
Smart Features for Older Drivers.
At SeniorDriving.AAA.com/Smart-
Features you can check the areas you
have problems with like diminished
vision, cognitive decline, limited upper
body range of motion, decreased leg
strength, arthritic hands, short stature
or overweight and the tool will iden-
tify vehicles that have the features that
will best accommodate your needs.
Although this tool looks at model-year
2016 vehicles, in many cases the fea-
tures shown are carried over for 2017
models.
They also have a Smart Features
brochure you can download that will tell
you what to look for in a vehicle to best
accommodate your needs.
SAFETY PRODUCTS
For extra safety, you may also want
to consider a collision warning/lane de-
parture devicem like the Mobileye 630.
This is a smart camera that attaches to
the windshield and will alert the driver
if he speeds, drifts out of his lane, gets
too close to the car in front of him, or
gets too close to a pedestrian or cyclist.
Sold only through retailers (see Mo-
bileye.com/en-us/find-a-retailer), this
device can be purchased and installed
by a Mobileye-certified technician for
around $1,100.
If youre interested in something
a little less expensive, there are also
dashboard cameras that can double as
collision warning systems. Garmins
Dash Cam 35 ($129, Amazon.com), for
example, monitors up to 130 feet in front
of the vehicle, so if the vehicle is going
30 mph or faster, it will issue audio and
visual alerts of impending collisions.
Send your senior questions to Savvy Senior, 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.
S E P T E M BE R 2 0 1 7
H O MES
Transform your home office into a
CREATIVE SWEET SPOT
By LISA A. FLAM
D
esha Peacock believes that ev-
eryone should have their own
space at home where they can
do the work that brings them joy.
The author of Create the Style You
Crave on a Budget You Can Afford: The
Sweet Spot Guide to Home Decor (Sky-
horse Publishing, 2014) is out with a new
book that focuses on creative workspac-
es.
Its really important when youre do-
ing creative work that you have a beauti-
ful place ... so that can enhance the work
SKYHORSE PUBLISHING VIA AP
that youre meant to do, says Peacock,
42, who offers lifestyle and small-busi-
ness coaching through her company,
Sweet Spot Style.
Her new book is Your Creative Work
Space, The Sweet Spot Style Guide to
Home Office + Studio Decor (Sky-
horse).
To offer inspiration, she profiles cre-
ative women about the work they do and
where they do it. The book is organized
into chapters that include the home of-
fice, the studio, working in tiny spaces
and working from anywhere.
It takes kind of a spiritual twist to
home decor, and how your space can re-
ally influence your life and your creative
work, said Peacock, who works at home
in Brattleboro, Vermont, where she
lives with her husband and 10-year-old
daughter.
Here are edited excerpts from APs
interview with Peacock:
AP: How do physical surroundings af-
fect our work and creative output?
PEACOCK: Its about being very
conscious about what youre putting
into that space and how youre design-
ing it so it helps you. ... Your space is a
direct reflection of whats going on in
your mind. If your space is just complete
mess and clutter, its going to be hard
for you to focus. But if you have literal
SEP TEMBER 2017
SL
space, not full of stuff, then that should
clear away some space in your mind so
that you can concentrate and allow the
creative energy to come to you.
AP: Is this for any kind of work
even a field that isnt traditionally seen
as creative, like, say, accounting?
PEACOCK: This book is really
geared toward the creative, but I think
the principles apply. If you really dig
down deep, I think that creative is a very
broad term. You could make an argu-
ment that accounting could be creative.
Its really kind of what youre interested
in and what your passion is, and paying
attention to that.
AP: What is a sweet spot and what
is a sweet spot space?
PEACOCK: Its what lights you up.
My sweet spot is doing creative work
that I love and getting paid very well
for it. The sweet spot space is creating
a space that allows you to be fully who
you are.
AP: Does everybody really need a
space of their own?
PEACOCK: Everybody in a house-
hold needs to have a sweet spot nook
or some little place in their house thats
theirs, whether its a whole room or
whether its a corner or whether its just
a little piece of a wall. It allows more
freedom to create and it just allows you
to feel, well, free.
AP: What are the most important in-
gredients of a home office or studio?
PEACOCK: The main thing for ev-
erybody, regardless of what youre do-
ing, is light. Sunlight is really important.
If you cant have natural lighting, then
use good lights that arent fluorescent,
and lights that can actually enhance
your mood, and mirrors because mir-
rors reflect light.
AP: Before the ease of working re-
motely, a home office may have conjured
images of traditional office furniture.
What should people think about nowa-
days when they are creating their at-
home work space?
PEACOCK: More open and airy of-
fice furniture and prettier office furni-
ture. Back in the day, typically, offices
were geared toward men. You think
about big, dark mahogany desks. It
wasnt very pretty. Now theres so many
women in the workforce and so many
women working virtually, we really can
design more beautiful office spaces and
creative work spaces that are just pret-
tier. Think creatively about your storage.
Instead of going to Staples and buying
a gray filing cabinet, why not go to the
Container Store or go to the thrift store
or the flea market and just see what calls
you?
AP: You dont like the word office.
Why not?
PEACOCK: The word office implies
work and drudgery, and so for me, I
would like to change the concept of work
as being hard to work as being fun.
15
 M O N EY
How to stop being the family ATM
By LIZ WESTON
If you want someone to stop asking
you for money, the worst thing you can
do is say no and then give in after persis-
tent pleading.
Such intermittent reinforcement
makes it more likely the person will
ask for another handout than if you just
said yes at the start, says Brad Klontz,
a financial planner and psychologist in
Hawaii.
Klontz says understanding the psy-
chology on both sides of what he calls
financial enabling can help people
change their behavior.
The best way to stop enabling is to
first recognize when youre doing it and
then create a plan for saying no.
Financial enabling can occur be-
tween friends and romantic partners but
seems most common between parents
16
SL
and their adult children, financial plan-
ners say. It can be especially problem-
atic for retirees who may run short of
money because of their generosity.
Enablers often dont see that their
generosity fuels dependency and takes
away motivation for the recipients to
support themselves, says psychologist
Megan Ford in Athens, Georgia, who is
president of the Financial Therapy As-
sociation. Instead, enablers get caught
up in the details of the latest crisis, often
believing this handout will be the last
one the recipient needs.
Enablers should ask themselves the
following questions:
Will this money actually help? Its
one thing to aid someone whos been
financially responsible but has fallen on
hard times. Its another to give money
to people who chronically overspend or
under-earn.
Is there a better way to help? En-
ablers may be concerned about losing
the relationship with the enabled, but
there usually are other ways to be sup-
portive, Ford says. Instead of handing
over cash, the rescuer could offer to pay
essential expenses such as rent or medi-
cal bills if they can afford to do so. Any
financial help should come with a firm
deadline of when the assistance will end,
such as six months, Klontz says.
How can you make this decision
stick? Once theyre refused or cut off,
the enabled may throw adult temper
tantrums, Klontz says. Enablers who
worry about their safety should contact
an attorney or law enforcement for help,
Ford says. Others may look to a financial
planner or therapist for support.
Liz Weston is a columnist at NerdWallet.
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