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Page 4 September 2013 Senior News AtlantaHaving graphic memories of grade schoolby SUSAN LARSONWAtlanta Manager/EditorAnn TunaliPhone: 770-698-0031Fax: niornewsga.comEmail: seniornews@msn.comSENIOR NEWS7511 Auden TrailAtlanta, GA 30350Advertising Account ExecutivesJanet TassitanoPhone: 770-993-2943Email: jan@jjmconsulting.com Linda ConyersPhone: 770-924-6905Fax: 770-517-6716Email: Lcconyers@bellsouth.netContributing ColumnistsSusan LarsonDr. Bill BaggettMary FrancesLisa M. PetscheDr. Anne B. Jones*********Published monthly. BusinessOffice is located at 115 BighamDrive, Warner Robins, GA 31088.Approximate Monthly Readership:Metro Atlanta, 65,000; Augusta,27,000; Macon/Central Georgia,21,000. Editorial and advertisingcopy deadline is the 15th of themonth. Preference is given to editorial copy submitted earliest.Publishers do not accept any liability whatsoever for any materialsupplied by advertisers or editorialorganizations including the use oftrademarks, logotypes, slogans, orother service marks, or any claimsmade by such organizations andsuch organizations indemnify andsave harmless the publishers in theevent of any lawsuit or litigation. Inthe event of any publishers' error inthe content of any advertisement,maximum liability shall be limitedto the cost of the advertising area inwhich the error occurred. Publishersreserve the rights to edit or rejectany materials submitted for publication.Editorial information you wouldlike considered for publicationshould be mailed to: Senior News,P. O. Box 8389, Warner Robins, GA31095-8389.*********CORPORATE OFFICEBilly R. Tucker, President/PublisherPhone: 478-929-3636FAX: 478-929-4258www.seniornewsgeorgia.comE-mail: Seniornewsga@cox.netCopyright 1987Senior News & Views of Georgiahen I've taken my grandchildren out to buy school supplies, Ican't help but think back to growingup in a school system that providedall our supplies.In first grade, all we had to bringwere an empty Vicks jar for pastewhich we kept in the inkwell hole inour desk and a square of wax paperto wrap around the ball of clay wecould play with when we finishedour work. We received a box ofCrayolas and a fat black crayon touse for writing. Mid-year we graduated to unpainted pencils which wereso much fun to sharpen every morning. We also had unlimited access tothis really cool one-inch graph paperfor making designs with our crayons.My parents really got their tax dollar's worth out of all that paper Iconsumed!In fourth grade, we did have tobuy a faded blue cloth binder (Ithink that's all they made back then)and some notebook paper. Ourteacher still handed out thoseunpainted pencils, but this yearadded dip pens and instead of Vicksjars, those holes were filled with ink.In fifth grade we graduated tofountain pens, but in early Februarywe made history. While the rest ofthe nation was celebrating our firstspace satellite, our teacher informedus that we were the first class ever tobe issues ball point pens.Decades later I was a little takenaback when I learned I had to buyschool supplies for my kids, but Imust admit it turned out to be fun. Imade sure they had real Crayolasand Fiskar scissors which they keptin a little cigar box in their desks. Inlater years they started having thestudents share all their supplies incommon bins. I experienced thatfirst hand while doing a long termsub in kindergarten. Yes, some of thekids brought in quality supplies likemine always did, but most kidsbrought in pencils, crayons and scissors of the dollar store variety. Theleads in the pencils were not straightdown the middle and were nearlyimpossible to sharpen. The cheapscissors would hardly cut and thecheap crayons were mostly wax withvery little color rubbing off onto thepaper.And that wasn't all that hadchanged since I was in school. Kidscouldn't use clay unsupervisedbecause it might get ground into thecarpet. If they finished their workearly, they were just given moreworksheets to keep them busy.Since I had such fond memoriesof that big-squared graph paper infirst grade, I created some for thekids thinking they would have funwith it. I was told to remove itbecause creating designs on graphpaper was not part of theKindergarten curriculum, and even ifit were, it was more of an art activityand only art teachers were allowedto teach art.Oh, well, it wouldn't have beenas much fun with those cheapcrayons, anyway. But I do havesome stashed in a drawer for whenmy grandkids visit.*********Susan Larson is a writer fromLilburn. E-mail her at susanlarson79@gmail.com.Ms. Senior Georgiafollows mother’sfootstepsSpecial to Senior NewsCindy Wood, from Monroe,Georgia, was crowned Ms. SeniorGeorgia 2013. She also won the Ms.Congeniality trophy. Sixteen yearsago, her mother, Jerrye Short fromStone Mountain, won both titles.This is the first time in the pageant’shistory that a mother and daughterhave both been crowned Ms. SeniorGeorgia.Wood, age 62 and Short, age 85,like to spread the word that there aremany opportunities out there forsenior women to stay active andeducate other seniors about healthyliving.Spiritual NotesWhat would Jesus do?by Dr. Bill BaggettMinister to SeniorsDunwoody Baptist ChurchIn recent years I have becomeaware of the lack of civility in ourcountry. We hear snide speech, putdowns, experience rudeness in storesand on the roadways. Obviously somany folks have not read theScriptures or “Miss Manners.”Following is a good illustrationof this point:“A man was being tailgated by astressed out woman on a busy boulevard. Suddenly, the light turned yellow, just in front of him. He did theright thing, stopping at the crosswalkeven though he could have beatenthe red light by accelerating throughMissed your copyof Senior News?It’s Still Available.“ON THE WEB”Just visit us atwww.seniornewsga.comand click on “ARCHIVES”the intersection. The tailgatingwoman was furious and honked herhorn, screaming in frustration as shemissed her chance to get through theintersection, dropping her cell phoneand makeup. As she was still in midrant, she heard a tap on her windowand looked up into the face of a veryserious police officer. The officerordered her out of the car with herhands up. He took her to the policestation where she was searched, finger printed, photographed and placedin a holding cell.After a couple of hours, a policeman approached the cell and openedthe door. She was escorted back tothe booking desk where the arrestingoffice was waiting with her personaleffects. He said, ‘I’m very sorry forthis mistake. You see, I pulled upbehind your car while you wereblowing your horn, flipping off thebuy in front of you, and cussing ablue streak at him. I noticed theWhat Would Jesus Do? bumpersticker, and chrome-plated Christianfish emblem on the trunk. Naturally,I assumed you had stolen the car.’”My guess is that all of us canidentify with this woman. She wasnot living up to what she was advertised to be.Jesus said on a number of occasions (Matthew 7:12, Luke 6:31):“Do to others as you would havethem do to you.” The Apostle Paulsaid in Ephesians 4:29: “Do not letany unwholesome talk come out ofyour mouth, but only what is helpfulto building others up according totheir needs, that it may benefit thosewho listen.” James 3:9-10 reads:“With the tongue we praise our Lordand Father, and with it we cursemen, who have been made in God’slikeness. Out of the same mouthcomes praise and cursing. My brothers this should not be.”It seems that civility is collapsing all around us. But Christ canchange hearts by His love and theoverflow of that love into our relationships. In even the simplest wayswe can do our part to restore civilityto our society, one life at a time. Askyourself, “What Would Jesus Do?”*********Dr. Baggett can be reached atDunwoody Baptist Church, 1445 Mt.Vernon Road, Atlanta, GA 30338;phone 770-280-1200.

September 2013 Senior News Atlanta Page 5Taking CareOn their own: Helping a relative who is newly aloneby LISA M. PETSCHEWhen the loved one theyhave been living with passes away,many older adults face the challengeof learning to live alone, often forthe first time.If there wasa division of laborwith their partner,they must eitherlearn new lifeskills – for examLisa Petsche ple, managing thehouseholdfinances, maintaining their home’scondition inside and out or performing domestic tasks such ass cooking,cleaning and doing laundry – orobtain help if feasible. If their spousewas the more physically or mentallyable of the pair, living independentlymay pose special challenges.If you have a parent or otherclose relative who is new to livingalone, read on for some areas ofpotential concern and how to help.Helping TipsMedication management: Request a medication review by yourrelative’s primary physician to determine if all medications being takenare still necessary. Ask their pharmacist about available aids for organizing and remembering to take medications. Ensure all prescriptions arefilled at one pharmacy.Nutrition: Set up a schedule totake your relative grocery shopping,arrange for a grocery delivery service, stock their freezer with heat-andserve foods or arrange for “meals onwheels” service. Signing them up fora “Cooking for One” class at anadult education center or communitycenter s another idea. If your relativefinds it hard to eat alone, encouragethem to tie in mealtime to radio ortelevision programs of interest, lookinto communal dining programs andregularly have them over for dinner.Household maintenance:Arrange for regular housecleaningservice and, if applicable, yard maintenance service. If your relative haslimited income, they may qualify fora subsidized community program.Consult the local office on aging, anexcellent source of information on awide variety of community services.Transportation: Provide yourrelative with a bus pass or taxi giftvouchers, or investigate volunteerdriver programs for seniors. If necessary, find out about accessible transportation services in their community.Vision: Ask your relative’s doctor for a referral to an ophthalmologist. If nothing can be done toimprove their vision, get them amagnifier for reading small print,and other adaptive items such as alarge-keypad telephone and a clockwith oversized numbers. List important phone numbers on a posterboard (use black lettering on white),and place it on the wall by theirphone.Falls: Perform a safety assessment of your relative’s home to identify potential hazards – for example,clutter, poor lighting and lack ofproper stair railings – and do whatyou can to rectify them. Visit a medical supply store and check out themany products that might make dailyactivities easier and safer. Sign upyour relative with a personal emergency response service, wherebythey wear a lightweight, waterproofpendant or bracelet that has a buttonto press if they run into a crisis andneed help.Finances: If money managementis an issue, arrange for direct depositof pension checks and automatic billpayment for your relative’s bankaccount. Assist your relative withcontacting a lawyer to assign powerof attorney for property to one ormore people they trust. If they areexperiencing financial hardshipswithout their spouse’s income,ensure they apply for all possiblegovernment and private benefits,such as survivor’s pension andincome supplements. If necessary,assist them with moving to a smallerhouse or apartment suite or applyingfor rent-geared-to-income housing.If your relative has cognitiveimpairment and their partner wascompensating, deficits may now bemore pronounced or perhaps apparent to you for the first time. If this isthe case, arrange through their pri-mary physician for a geriatric assessment. Research home supports suchas telephone reassurance services,therapeutic day care programs andhome health services that offer personal care, homemaking, nursing,dietary consultation, physical andoccupational therapy and socialwork. A live-in caregiver is anotheroption if finances permit. If your relative needs more help than community programs can provide and thecost of private-pay services is prohibitive, options include movingthem in with you or another familymember and finding a residentialcare setting that meets their needs.If feelings of isolation and loneliness are the main concern, your relative may wish to consider taking ina boarder, sharing accommodationswith a relative or friend, relocatingto an active adult community or, iftheir health is frail, moving into aretirement home. They should notmake such a major decision hastily,though – encourage them to carefully consider their options.*********Lisa M. Petsche is a social worker and a freelance writer specializing in boomer and senior issues. Shehas personal and professional experience with elder care. 500 OFFAN AGX5, 7, OR 9TWO-DEVICEHEARING SYSTEMCannot be combined withother promotional discounts.Expires 9/30/13.

Page 6 September 2013 Senior News AtlantaOn the CoverPoets on deck at Georgia Techby SUSAN LARSONPhotos courtesy of Jenny RainwaterON THE COVERBruce McEver, endowing ofMcEver Chair at Georgia TechGeorgia Tech may not seema likely place to be promoting poetry, but GT poetry professor,Thomas Lux, says, “Poetry is themost exact, precise kind of writingthere is, and it takes a great deal ofattention to get more out of fewerwords.”Considering how efficiency isan important aspect of engineering,it might just follow that poetry is amatter of engineering words.Georgia Tech boasts two poetrychairs and not only offers a strongpoetry program to its students, butalso reaches out to the public withfree poetry reading and workshops.In 1987, the late Henry C.Thomas Lux holds BourneChair in Poetry at Georgia TechBourne and his wife Margaret created the Bourne Chair in Poetry. Asan electrical engineer, he wasgrounded in the belief that therewas a strong connection betweenthe sciences and the arts.Bruce McEver, who graduatedfrom GT as an industrial engineer,credits his then English ProfessorJames Dean Young for his love andunderstanding of poetry. McEverbelieves that his understanding ofthe relationships between themechanical arts and fine arts formedthe foundation of his business acumen and success. He has publishedthree chapbooks and two books ofpoetry, “Full Horizon” (JeanneDuval Editions) and “Scaring upthe Morning” (C&R Press). Hispoems have also appeared in manynational publications. McEverwanted all Tech students to be ableto enhance their lives by integratingthe technical aspects of engineeringwith techniques of poetry, so heendowed the McEver Chair so thatthe School of Literature,Communication, and Culture of theIvan Allen College can bring topwriters to campus. This year theMcEver Chairs are held by DavidBottoms, Ginger Murchison, andTravis Denton. They also have twoMcEver Chairs in CommunityOutreach, Katie Chaple and TheresaDavis, who will be bringing poetryinstruction and arts education to theentire state of Georgia.Lux currently holds the BourneChair and has written 11 books, thelatest being “Child Made of Sand:Poems.” (Houghlin MifflinHarcourt.) And with Lux being anengineering term, how interestingthat he provides so much enlighten-ment for the poetry program: “Weneed poetry now more than ever.Poetry, and all of the arts, can helpus cope and understand the worldaround us. The arts allow us, andallow us access to, human expression, a precious and necessary freedom. Poetry, the act of making orreading a poem, is by nature anaffirmative act, an act of creationand possibilities.”Their events for the upcomingyear are all free and open to thepublic at the Kress Auditoriumlocated at 500 Tenth Street, NW. Notickets or reservations are required.And for any readers wanting toexpress themselves through poetry,Senior News welcomes all seniorpoets to submit their work for publication. As Lux points out, “We needpoetry now more than ever.”Upcoming events Thursday, Sept. 26, 7:30 p.m.:Bourne Poetry Readings, TerranceHayes & Afaa Michael Weaver Thursday, Nov. 7, 7:30 p.m.: TheAdam Stephens Night Out forPoetry, Anne Marie Macari &Stephen Dunn Thursday, Feb. 6, 2014, 7:30 p.m.:955 Johnson Ferry RoadMarietta, GA 30068Call 770-794-2968 to RSVPMcEver Poetry Readings, SandraMeek, Bruce McEver & RupertFikeFree poetry workshops arebeing planned for 2014. For moreinformation, e-mail travis.denton@lcc.gatech.edu or visit www.poetry.gatech.edu.Retired physician winsGeorgia Writing ContestSpecial to Senior NewsThe Georgia WritersMuseum in Eatonton recentlyannounced the winners of theirYou Are Invited.Magnolia Ball 2013!Johnson Ferry Baptist ChurchTravis Denton is AssociateDirector of Poetry at GeorgiaTech and a McEver Chair.Live band and soloists!Sunday, October 6th4:00 - 6:00 p.m.For seniors and their caregivers or adult children!this event is free but a reservation is requiredfirst Creative Writers Contest.Entries came from all over thestate, with many submissionsfrom seniors.Winning top prize was retiredphysician Barry Darugar, with“The Loot Desert.” Dr. Darugargraduated Summa Cum Laudefrom Tehran University School ofMedicine in 1959 and amongother accomplishments served asChief Resident of the SurgeryDepartment at Emory University.In his retirement he turned towriting, a field in which he hasalso become very successful. Hehas multiple publications in various journals and last year he wonfirst prize from the GeorgiaPoetry Society.The Georgia Writers' Museumwill honor Georgia's rich literaryheritage with permanent exhibitsfor prominent Georgia authors.The museum will also offer writing workshops, seminars, youthactivities, as well as host writers'groups and conferences. Thefuture also includes more writingcontests. More information isavailable on their Facebook pageat Georgia Writers Museum.

September 2013 Senior News Atlanta Page 7Sleep Tight; Don’t Let the Bed Bugs Bite!by KELVIN COLLINSPresident/CEO, BBB of CentralGeorgia & the CSRA, Inc.Squeezing in one more vacationbefore the summer’s out? Make sure it’sone to remember. and not because yourhotel was infested with bed bugs. In arecent survey, the National PestManagement Association (NPMA),www.pestworld.org, found that 75% ofpest control professionals have encountered infestations of bed bugs in hotelsand motels. Just because the room looksnice doesn’t mean there’s not a creepycrawler waiting for you in bed.Take the time to ensure that yourhotel room is bug free before you settlein. BBB and the NPMA recommend thefollowing tips to avoid bed bugs whentraveling:Inspect the room before settling in.At hotels, pull back the sheets andinspect the mattress seams, particularlyat the corners of the mattress, and checkthe room in its entirety (behind the headboard, sofa, and chairs) before unpacking. If you see any signs of bed bugs,such as small red or reddish brown spotson mattresses, upholstery, or walls, notify management and change rooms/establishments immediately. Check the hotel’srefund policy; you may be entitled to afull or partial refund.If you do need to change rooms, besure that you do not move to a roomadjacent and/or directly above/below thesuspected infestation. Bed bugs can easily hitchhike via housekeeping carts, luggage and even through wall sockets. Ifan infestation is spreading, it typicallydoes so in the rooms closest to the origin.Safeguard your belongings.Consider placing your suitcase in a plastic trash bag or protective cover duringthe duration of your trip to ensure thatbed bugs cannot take up residence thereprior to departure.Clean and wash your luggage andclothing immediately upon your return.Remember: bed bugs travel by hitchingrides. After your trip, inspect your suitcases before bringing them into thehouse. Vacuum your suitcase thoroughlybefore storing away. Consider using agarment hand steamer to steam your luggage, which will kill any bed bugs oreggs that may have hitched a ride home.Wash all of your clothes – even thosethat have not been worn – in hot waterto ensure that any bed bugs that mayhave made it that far are not placed intoyour drawers or closets.For a closer look at bed bugs, andmore ways to protect against them, visitAllThingsBedBugs.org.For more tips you can trust, visitwww.bbb.org.*********Kelvin Collins is president/CEO ofthe Better Business Bureau of CentralGeorgia & the CSRA, Inc. serving 41counties in Central Georgia and theCentral Savannah River Area (CSRA).This tips column is provided through thelocal BBB and the Council of BetterBusiness Bureaus. Questions or complaints about a specific company orcharity should be referred directly to theBBB at Phone: 1-800-763-4222, Website: www.bbb.org or E-mail: info@centralgeorgia.bbb.org orinfo@csra.bbb.org.

Page 8 September 2013 Senior News AtlantaAtlantaCALENDARSenior Citizen Services1705 Commerce Drive, NW, Atlanta. Forinformation on programs offered call 404351-3889.**********************Cobb Senior Services Administrative Office: 1150 PowderSprings St., Suite 100, Marietta, GA30064, 770-528-5355 For events & activities: www.cobbseniors.orgMultipurpose Centers:(Seniors age 55 ) East Cobb Senior Center: 3332 SandyPlains Rd., Marietta, GA 30066, 770-5094900 Freeman Poole Senior Center: 4025South Hurt Rd., Smyrna, GA 30082, 770801-3400 North Cobb Senior Center: 4100 OldHighway 41, Acworth, GA 30101, 770975-7740 West Cobb Senior Center: 4915 DallasHighway, Powder Springs, GA 301274488, 770-528-8200Neighborhood Centers:(Seniors age 60 ) Austell Neighborhood Center: 4915Austell-Powder Springs Rd., Austell, GA30106, 770-819-3200 Marietta Neighborhood Center: 1150Powder Springs St., Marietta, GA 30064,770-528-2516 Senior Wellness Center: 1150 PowderSprings St., Suite 100, Marietta, GA30064 North Cobb Neighborhood Center: 4100Old Highway 41, Acworth, GA 30101,770-974-2984**********************Fulton County Senior ServicesThe Fulton County Governmentcoordinates a variety of services at 20senior centers. For the nearest center ormore inf

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