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(BPT) - Some people are incredibly easy to shop for. You can go into any store and find something they would like. For others, you can spend months looking and still not discover the right gift. So what do you get the person who has everything? Furthermore, how can you get a unique gift at an affordable price? Forget candy, ties and slippers. These 10 gifts for under $100 are sure to be special, memorable and brighten your loved one's day. Vintage toys Nostalgia is alive and well during times...
As a child, Christmas enthralled me. Every December we made so many happy memories preparing for and savoring the holiday season to the fullest. We baked cookies, some of which we hung on the tree until the year a mouse discovered the cookies and helped himself, which in itself makes me smile even now as I recall that long ago and far away Christmas. Each year I helped my dad hang the large five pointed star on the chimney, covered with strands of multicolored lights that the entire neighborhood could view and enjoy. My dad and my brother...
(BPT) - It is estimated that more than 15 million Americans provide unpaid care for people with Alzheimer's and other dementias. For the vast majority, the deeply personal responsibility of caring for a loved one with a devastating disease constitutes a "labor of love," but caregiving can take a severe emotional and physical toll on those providing it. In fact, 59 percent of family caregivers of people with Alzheimer's and other dementias rate their emotional stress as high or very high,...
MonDak Relay for Life is holding a raffle, with all funds raised going to the Cancer Society. Tickets are $2.00 each or 6 for $10.00 and available at Merchants Bank and Neu's Super Valu in Fairview, Reynolds Market and Stockman Bank in Sidney. Four winners will choose from a western quilt made by Debbie Simmons; a baby quilt with pillow made by Dorothy Johnson ; a horse painting by Daphne Clark; or a basket of Pampered Chef items donated by Trina Buxbaum. The drawings will be held December...
(BPT) - The temptation to start collecting monthly Social Security checks at age 62 is hard to resist, but claiming the benefit too early can have damaging consequences for your overall retirement funds. According to Kiplinger.com’s October list of “Financial Decisions You Will Regret in Retirement,” taking the money as soon as you are eligible at 62 is actually considered one of the worst mistakes you can make in your lifetime by many advisors. That’s because the longer you wait to claim benefits, the more money you are eligible to receive...
Holiday seasons nowadays tend to blend together for one continuous shopping spree, starting in late September when merchants feel obligated to start pushing Halloween, and lasting right through Easter the following spring. When I was a kid, admittedly quite some time ago, this behavior on the part of shopkeepers didn’t exist and we as consumers didn’t demand it. Stores began stocking shelves with Halloween treats and costumes the first or second week of October. We didn’t even begin thinking about what we might want to wear when we went out t...
The Chair-ity Silent Auction will be held Friday, Sept. 16th from 6:00pm – 8:00pm at the Sidney Elks Lodge, 123 3rd St W. Up-cycled and decorated chairs will be auctioned off with all proceeds going to help Crestwood Inn purchase new dining room chairs. In addition to the auction, there will be a mystery wine-pull; for $20, participants can pull a random bottle of wine varying in value, variety, and uniqueness. Vickie Vaira will be playing the accordion that evening and Crestwood Inn cook B...
I’ve come to the conclusion that work takes up a lot of valuable time better spent in other pursuits. And if I consider not only the time I spend at work, but also the very short time it takes me to walk to the office and back, that extra 30 minutes a day of commute time adds up to over 125 hours a year just in effort spent to get to and from the job, which is more vacation hours than I accrue in a year. The walk itself I enjoy even if it is additional time spent in a work related situation, but still, I think of all the precious daylight hours...
(BPT) - Silent strokes, ones that happen in your brain without you even knowing, can lead to full-blown strokes as well as cognitive impairment and dementia. The most common depiction of a stroke is a person unable to move on one side of their body with slurred speech, but studies show that many stroke victims had silent strokes previously, that, as the name indicates, went unnoticed. The damage caused by the silent stroke, however, can be seen through advanced imaging techniques. Since no one i...
(BPT) - Every day, in shelters all across the country, senior animals are passed over by prospective pet owners. Why? Some people are looking for the energy of a new puppy or feel older dogs offer families too little time. But the truth is, providing a new home for an older animal may bring you a level of companionship you never imagined. "Any shelter worker will tell you, puppies and kittens get adopted first and older shelter pets have a higher likelihood of being euthanized," says Andrea...
Father Edward "Ned" Shinnick was a priest to many, and a friend and neighbor to even more. He left a lasting impression of kindness, good humor, and faith on those who knew him. Fr. Shinnick was born in Fermoy, County Cork, Ireland on July 24, 1931. He attended St. Columban's Seminary and finished his studies at St. Patrick's Seminary in Thurles, Ireland. He was a man who came to Montana in good faith. After seminary school, he was ordained for the Diocese of Great Falls - Billings in 1956 and...
In 2013 Harriet Hillesland published Clean Your Plate and Kiss the Cook, a cookbook comprised of years of recipes that her four children had all been eager for her to write down. Three years later, with 420 copies sold, the proceeds, along with donations for her cause, have funded two water wells in Tanzania Africa. Harriet became involved with "Clean Water for the World" through the Pella Lutheran Church. She explained that all of the profits went towards the project along with donations that...
(BPT) - We all love the convenience of modern cellphones. They're so much more than just phones - they've become our cameras, calendars, mailboxes, entertainment consoles and internet browsers. But all those apps, photos, videos and games compete for a limited amount of room in which to operate. If you're not careful, your phone's memory will quickly become the digital equivalent of a traffic jam. Suddenly, space is hard to come by, so everything slows down - and when it does, we no longer love...
(BPT) - Grandparents play a unique, important role in caring for family members of all ages. Here are some ways that you can help keep babies and moms safe and healthy. Helping babies sleep safely Grandparents can help reduce the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) and other sleep-related causes of infant death. To help your grandbaby sleep safely, make sure you: * Always place your grandbaby on his or her back to sleep, for naps and at night. * Use a firm sleep surface, such as a mattre...
Normally as I work through a typical day, the differences in age and the inevitable clash of outlook on the working life doesn’t exist as far as job production goes. The dedicated people perform their jobs to the best of their abilities, while the slackers, regardless of age, seek to get through a day doing as little as possible. For the most part, age makes very little difference in productivity during an average day on the job. Every once in a blue moon, however, something happens that completely separates the oldsters from the youngsters. I...
It doesn’t take much for us older folks to embarrass the kids. Just the fact that we’re old and wrinkly, we don’t have pierced body parts, nor do we sport garishly dyed Mohawk hairdos (to name just a few of the activities youth engage in to torment their elders) causes many youth to dismiss old people as dried up old prunes incapable of understanding the ‘real world’. Since young people have not experienced older age, they often have a tough time understanding old neighbors and coworkers more senior than themselves, and as a result we often...
(BPT) - Did you know baby boomers are at higher risk of being infected with the Hepatitis C virus, and that often they don’t show symptoms for many years? That’s a concern, because Hepatitis C is a serious liver condition that results from infection with the Hepatitis C virus. Seventy to 85 percent of those with Hepatitis C develop a chronic infection, which can lead to liver disease, liver cancer, and even death. In fact, as many as 3.5 million people in the U.S. have Hepatitis C and most don’t even know it. What is most alarming is that...
(BPT) - Silver screen icon Bette Davis once famously pronounced "getting old ain't for sissies." Caring for yourself or a loved one with age-related health issues is no picnic, either. Of all the health issues you may face as you age, vision problems can be particularly devastating. Yet, a new study reveals that many people still don't understand the leading cause of legal blindness for older Americans - a condition that could seriously affect their quality of life. Age-related macular...
The Fox Lake Senior Center, Lambert, held a quilt show during the Lambert 4th of July Celebration. They served food for the public and enjoyed accordian music by Vicki Viara and Mary Dillon....
(BPT) - It's the sixth-leading cause of death in the United States, affects more than 5 million Americans and one out of every three seniors will die from it. Yet misconceptions surround Alzheimer's disease. Contrary to what many people think about Alzheimer's, it's not a normal part of growing older. And while there's not yet a way to prevent, cure or even slow the progression of the disease, people with Alzheimer's can benefit from detecting it early. During June - Alzheimer's & Brain...
In a fast-paced society, slowing down and reminiscing can be an overlooked past-time. But every so often we have a reason to do exactly that and if you are getting together for a 50-year class reunion, or celebrating 50 years of anything, really, here are a few forgotten facts to entertain you. In 1966 Lyndon B. Johnson was president of the United States and signed the Freedom of Information Act in October; who could've guessed the magnitude that would have years later! All across the nation,...
Remember when we had strength in our fingers and wrists? Peanut butter jar lids opened easily, bottle caps twisted off with a flick of the wrist, and bags of pretzels or potato chips didn’t stymy us as we attempted to open them. It never occurred to us that possibly we would reach an age when jar lids would present a small problem. Rather, we figured we could conquer any lid, bottle cap, or bag of treats that passed our way without a second thought. Not so, my friends. I spend more time now trying to open some jar lids than I do vacuuming the f...
Prevent Blindness America has declared June as Cataract Awareness Month. Cataracts are the leading cause of vision loss in the United States, and it is the leading cause of blindness in the world. There are 24 million Americans over the age of 40 who are affected by cataracts, so it seems fitting that an entire month should be dedicated to education and awareness. Below are some common questions and answers about cataracts listed on Yoursightmatters.com What is the treatment for cataracts? Even though cataracts are so prevalent, they are very...
Each year the National Safety Council (NSC) and thousands of organizations across the country work to raise awareness of what it takes to stay SafeForLife. Observed annually in June, National Safety Month focuses on reducing leading causes of injury and death at work, in our homes and communities and on the roads. Recently the NSC listed the seven common workplace hazards: 1) Working at heights 2) Poor housekeeping 3) Electrical – Extension cords 4) Forklifts 5) Lockout/tagout 6) Chemicals 7) C...
When you hear about bacteria you most likely think of disease. However, your body is full of bacteria, both bad and good. Probiotics are organisms such as bacteria or yeast that are believed to improve health. While it is not understood exactly how probiotics work, they prove to be beneficial to your health. These friendly bacteria help your intestines recover after an infection or taking antibiotics. Probiotics can lower the amount of bad bacteria in your system that can cause infections and other problems. They can also help balance the good...
