2 Kentucky

Entertainment & Shopping

PAGE 3

InsideHealth & Care

Skin care benefits overall health

PAGE 4

FuneralPlanning

PAGE 11

TravelSecrets of budget travelers

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StoneBrook Winery is a small familyfarm/winery located in Camp Springs,Ky., just 20 minutes south of Cincinnati.

StoneBrook offers charming countryviews, a renovated 120-year-old farmhouse converted into a cozy wine tastingroom, old country charm and a little bitof history.

StoneBrook vints a variety of winesincluding the Estate bottled Vidal Blanc,Estate, Cabernet Franc and Domainwines as well as a wide variety of otherfabulous, award-winning grape andfruit wines.

The tasting room is open Fridaysfrom 5 p.m. to 9 p.m., Saturday from 1p.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday from 1 p.m.to 6 p.m.

For $5 you are able to taste fivepalate-pleasing grape or fruit wines.

Tours through the award-winningvineyards. StoneBrook also offers uniquedining experiences that have become alocal favorite

StoneBrook offers gift certificates andcustom labels for everyone’s specialoccasions. Visit www.stonebrookwin-ery.com for details.

3Kentucky

Entertainment & Shopping

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Charming country views, fine wine

StoneBrook also offers uniquedining experiences that have

become a local favorite

4 Kentucky

Health & Care

Taking care ofyour skin

undoubtedly has its cosmetic

benefits, but more

significantly, italso plays alarge role in

overall health –particularly for

seniors.

When there is dry skin, discoloration,wounds, rashes, bruises or other injuries, peo-ple are immediately aware something is wrongon the outside and maybe even on the inside.

Keeping aging skin healthy allows it tooffer protection from environmental harmsand infections as well as produce importantvitamins.

“Age brings a number of changes that cancompromise the skin’s ability to protect us,”said Cynthia Fleck, a registered nurse and vicepresident of clinical marketing for AdvancedSkin and Wound Care at Medline, which man-ufactures and distributes skin care productsand educational resources for seniors.

These changes stem from the inability toretain water, sun damage, smoking, reducedcollagen, some medicines and illnesses. Any orall of these factors can lead to skin deteriora-tion.

“When skin ages, it becomes thinner andless resilient,” Fleck said. “The layers of skincan easily separate, tearing the paper-likeupper-most area called the epidermis.

“The skin cells do not ‘turn over,’ or replen-ish themselves as quickly as when we areyoung. Therefore, the old skin cells becomeclumped and do not function as efficiently asyoung, healthy skin cells do,” she said.

In addition, as age increases, people aremore prone to dry and/or itchy skin, bruisesin odd places, wrinkles, age spots, skin tagsand abnormal moles.

While aging cannot be reversed, maintain-ing proper care equals healthy skin and moreimportantly, healthy people.

Fleck offers the following advice on how to

care for aging skin: • Avoid a daily shower or

bath, which can contribute to dryskin. Instead, opt for gentlecleansing with moisturizing soapand detergent-free cleansers thatdo not need to be rinsed.

These cleansers do the job ofremoving dirt and natural oils,but do not impact the naturalacid balance of mature skin.

• Moisturizing on a dailybasis is essential, especially sinceolder skin fails to retain moistureas well as younger skin.

Look for advanced skin careproducts that actually nourishthe skin from the outside in,delivering amino acids (proteins),vitamins, antioxidants and ingre-dients that are gentle and sooth-

ing, making the skin more resilient andstrengthening it.

• Take care to avoid injuries that can tearthe skin or caustic substances that can disruptthe skin’s ability to protect. If the skin is bro-ken, small wounds can be covered with bandaids designed to be gentle to skin.

Immobile seniors who must use adult dia-pers should have special care taken to keepthem clean and free of irritants.

Barrier products that contain protectantslike dimethicone and other silicones, as well aszinc oxide, can help protect the skin from theseissues.

• Protect your skin from the sun. Sincemelanocytes, the skin cells that protect us fromthe sun, do not work as well when we age,older skin burns easily.

Stay out of the sun as much as possible,and when out, wear protective clothing, wide-brimmed hats and sun screen.

• Be aware of special skin care needs thatoften accompany some common diseases, suchas diabetes. For example, diabetics are moresusceptible to bacterial and fungal infectionsand itchy skin.

Therefore, they need to take particular care inprotecting their skin, especially on extremities.

• Avoid strong antibacterial soaps that mayhave high pH level, which can dry aging skin.

Astringents and products that contain alco-hol can also be too harsh and damaging forolder skin. Moisturizing your hands afterusing a sanitizer or soap becomes especiallyimportant for these cases.

For specific advice on how to care for yourskin, contact your health care professional.

Skin carebenefits,

overall healthfor seniors

There comes a time inthe lives of most familieswhen illness or accidentsrequire a more intensivecare of a family member.

Decisions about whowill be able to stay homeand take care of that fami-ly member can cause strifebecause the person whoneeds the care is usuallyinsistent on staying home,and not in a nursing homefacility, but the majority offamily members whocould provide care havejobs where they cannot

take time off work. Hospice of the

Bluegrass has an answerfor this dilemma.

Since 2003 they haveoffered Extra Care, a pri-vate duty nursing servicewhich employs 14 RNnurses, LPN nurses, nurs-ing assistants, and sittersin this area who meet thesame stringent hiringstandards Hospice of theBluegrass uses.

“We require that all ouremployees undergo physi-cal examinations, drugtesting, and criminal back-ground checks, as welland ongoing educationclasses,” said FranWetterich, RN, CHPN,director of the Extra Careprogram. “That sets usapart from other in-homenursing companies. Wewant people that we cantrust to be in our clients’homes taking care of theirneeds.

“We can provide any-

thing from 24 hour top ofthe line full skilled nurs-ing care, to a sitter whojust spends a couple hourswith the person, helpingthem do laundry, or fixlunch, or possibly runerrands for them,” shesaid.

When a family decidesthey might need some

assistance, they call 441-6332, and set up a meet-ing to assess the needs ofthe family.

“The member whoneeds care does not haveto be terminally ill,” saidWetterich. “Maybe theyfell and broke a hip, or abone, and they need helpnegotiating around the

house with a wheelchairor walker.

“Once they recover,they won’t need us, butuntil then, we can help.Our nursing assistants canhelp people shower andtake care of personalneeds, as well as getting

5Kentucky

Whenfamilies

need extra care

HOSPICE see page 6

6 Kentucky

Do you rememberenjoying phone conversa-tions with family andfriends? Or how about watchingTV without anyone com-plaining about the loud-ness?

Hearing loss doesn’thave to limit you orreduce the comfort andjoy of connecting withothers.

“You CAN watch TVwith family again, havefull conversations withfriends and hear moreclearly, often for less than$200,” said Becky Morris,owner of Beyond HearingAids, a national companylocated in Erlanger.

Many people withhearing loss struggle withthese common situations,even if they have hearingaids.

Beyond Hearing Aids

offers products that helppeople with hearing lossfeel safe in their homesand connect with theirfamilies. The productsaren’t hearing aids.

“We have high qualitytelephones, TV systemsand personal amplifiersthat offer clear, amplifiedsound. We help peoplehear in these specificareas,” said Morris.

These alerting devices,phones and amplifiers areespecially helpful if youcan’t afford hearing aidsright now.

However, if you knowyou have hearing loss, werecommend you visit ahearing professional tolearn about your hearingloss.

You can learn moreabout these economicalproducts that keep youindependent and safe bygoing online atwww.BeyondHearingAids.com or you can try outthe products in person.

Call to schedule yourappointment to visit ourdemonstration room at342-4641. Hours areMonday through Friday.

Beyond Hearing Aidsis located just one blockfrom the I-75 ErlangerExit at 463 Erlanger Road.The office is in a beautifulthree-story Victorianhouse with red doors.

Hearingbetter

makeslife richer

dressed,” she said.Sometimes Alzheimer

patients forget how todress themselves, and for-get to eat. We look at whatthe problems seem to be,and provide qualifiedpeople to take the worryoff the main caretaker’smind by being there whenyou can’t be there. That isour motto. Extra Carewhen you can’t be there,”said Wetterich.

Prices are competitivewith other in-home nurs-ing services.

Because Extra Care islocated with Hospice ofthe Bluegrass, they have acombined website, atwww.hospiceoftheblue-grass.com.

“We are very pleasedwith Extra Care, becausethe program has grownevery year,” saidWetterich. “With ourstringent standards of hir-ing, we know we can pro-vide people with compe-tent help within theirhomes at the times whenthey really need it.”

HOSPICE from page 5

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7KentuckyFor five decades St. Charles,

sponsored by the Sisters of NotreDame, has served the communi-ty’s senior adults and their fami-lies.

More than 4,000 persons havereceived skilled nursing care inits licensed nursing facility andhundreds of seniors have beenserved through St. Charles atHome, St. Charles Lodge, Village,out-patient therapies, privateduty nursing, and the Adult DayHealth Program.

Most of all, St. Charles has

continually provided an atmos-phere of prayer and spiritualityfor residents, families, and thebroader community.

Now, St. Charles is expandingservices to senior adults living intheir homes.

The St. Charles at HomeProgram provides meal prepara-tion, light housekeeping, person-al grooming, medicationreminders, transportation tomedical appointments, and com-panion services to persons livingin the community.

St. Charles is also excited toannounce groundbreaking to add32 private rooms, licensed to pro-vide personal care nursing, a newAdult Day Health Program andan out-patient therapy depart-ment designed specifically forseniors.

These rooms will be licensedto provide nursing care in ahome-like setting.

St. Charles is alive and well,meeting the needs of today andbuilding a caring community forgenerations to come.

St. Charlesexpandsservices

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yearly publication

Senior Living

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Chris Hiltz first realized the strain ofcaring for an elderly family member 21years ago when she was working parttime in the emergency room as an RN.She was also helping her mother takecare of her grandmother, and trying toschedule work and family life aroundher grandmother was very stressful.Realizing that other families were goingthrough the same problems, Hiltz decid-ed to start her own business, FamilyWatch, and hire caregivers who can goto the elderly person’s home and assistwith tasks when family members can’tbe there.

“We have been in business 21 years,”said Hiltz. “We help with things likebathing and dressing, meal preparation,

light housekeeping, medicationreminders, and transportation toappointments, grocery, and anywherethey want to go.”

Many people have heard about thesandwich generation, who are typicallywomen raising their own children, whobecome responsible for the care of theirelderly parents. With that in mind,many of Hiltz’s caregivers are womenwho have raised their own families, andknow what it takes to make a householdrun. All of the caregivers are reliable andhave passed background checks.

“I believe that because I am an RN, Ican talk to family members, and assessthe situation with a more experiencedeye,” explained Hiltz. “With my back-ground, I can evaluate the needs of thefamily, and help them formulate aschedule that takes some of the strain offtheir caregivers, and shares it withmine.”

Hiltz is also proud that she runs thebusiness, and if someone calls FamilyWatch at 344-1463, they will contact her,not a secretary. Hiltz can also be reachedby e-mail, at family watch@fuse.net. Inaddition, they have a website, www.familywatch.biz, that people can visit.

Family Watchcares for

family

Looking to downsizeand move to a smallerhome or retirement com-munity? Perhaps you’veconsidered moving butdon’t have anyone tohelp.

Many seniors feel over-whelmed by the prospectof packing up theirbelongings and moving.

It is common to giveup on the idea when facedwith decisions about whatto keep, what to throwaway, what will fit in thenew home, and what todo with the remainingitems.

Caring Transitions spe-cializes in senior reloca-tions and transitions.They help you through allof your relocation chal-lenges.

Jennifer Leas, owner ofthe local CaringTransitions that servicesGreater Cincinnati,Northern Kentucky andSoutheast Indiana, startsthe process of helpingclients through the reloca-tion process with a freeconsultation.

Services are completelytailored to each client’sneeds.

Caring Transitions’services include: comput-erized layout the newhome; packing, movemanagement and com-plete set up of personalitems in the new home;assistance with decisionsabout what should be

kept and sold; arrange-ment for storage/ship-ping of cherished itemsand preparation of thehome for sale.

They also conductestate sales or online auc-tions to sell remainingitems.

“It can be very chal-lenging to handle lifetransitions such as mov-ing, especially when thereare no children or otherloved ones to help.” Leassaid.

“A successful moverequires extensive plan-ning and managing to geteverything done. That’ssomething I can do. Mygoal is to make the transi-tion easier,” she said.

For more on howCaring Transitions canassist with your reloca-tion, contact Jennifer Leasat 859-394-3953.

Help withdownsizingand moving

8 Kentucky

www.nky.com

Debbie White made thedecision to leave herhome and go to live atColonial Heights whenher husband died, anddue to arthritis, she want-ed a home without stepsor maintenance.

So Debbie and her cat,Tubby, packed up andmoved to ColonialHeights, where she has alovely two-bedroomapartment on the firstfloor with a screened inpatio, just the right sizefor the 67-year-old, and

her pet. Unfortunately, last

Thanksgiving Tubbypassed away, but atChristmas Max came tolive with Debbie, and the7-year-old Maine Coon catis adjusting to his new life.

“I just love livinghere,” Debbie enthused.“The food is wonderful,

and there is always some-thing to do. I leave myroom at 8 o’clock, and gomost of the day.

“Thursdays are myfavorite, because theyhave bible study in themorning, and social hourin the afternoon. Wealways have live enter-tainment, and I can dance

with my friends,” shesaid.

Debbie has enjoyedbeing a greeter for newresidents, secretary for theresident council, and sheserved on the food com-mittee.

Debbie’s two younggranddaughters, Heatherand Amber, come forsleepovers, and they lovevisiting grandma.

She has her car withher, but she can also hopthe community bus to goto nearby shopping.

She likes that a hair-

dresser, banking andpharmacy all come toColonial Heights.

Laurine Owens, herbest friend, has dubbedDebbie a “spark plug,”and Debbie calls Laurineher engine.

“I am so glad I camehere to live,” said Debbie.“It is so much less worry.It is convenient, and thestaff is wonderful.

“If I decide to have sur-gery on my knee, peoplehere can help me recover.It is just a fantastic placeto live,” she said.

9

Residentloves

ColonialHeights

andGardens

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Kentucky

Just around the cornerfrom the Florence PostOffice on Main Street inFlorence is the brand newEthos Senior Living facili-ty, which opened for busi-ness on Jan. 3. Residentsare already taking advan-tage of this exciting newoption for seniors seekingto maintain their inde-pendent lifestyle, with theadded security of cus-tomized care options.Ethos provides an extraor-

dinary level of service thatpromotes a comfortablequality of life for its resi-dents in a vibrant andthriving community.

“People who decide tocome and live here can beassured of a safe andsecure environment,” saidGary Bowman,one of fourowners of thenew facility.“Besides that,it is fun placeto live.”

Residents atEthos are sur-rounded byactivitieswhich enablesthem to interact with theirneighbors, from cus-tomized entertainmentprograms, to group exer-cise classes, to inspiringspiritual services. Otheramenities include an on-site hair salon, a movie-style theater, bistro café, alounge, and a spacious

dining facility. Those whodine in will be treated torestaurant-style, chef-pre-pared meals.

Outside, beautiful out-door walking trails andgarden courtyards withlarge patios promote out-door community gather-

ings, or family get-togeth-ers.

In the more inclementweather, residents can keepfit with the fitness facilitylocated in the center.

“Our customized serv-ices program is unique toEthos,” explainedBowman. “Upon arrival,

each resident is assessedto determine the appro-priate level of assistanceto be provided by ourspecially trained staff. Wealso have special pro-gramming for those invery early stages of hav-ing memory issues. Our

24-hour highly skilled andfriendly staff gives resi-dents and their familiesconfidence that theirneeds will always bemet.”

Ethos’ newly built con-struction assures that its100 apartments are pris-tine, spacious, and mod-

ern. The accommodationsare designed for individu-als who value independ-ent and active lifestyles,and appreciate the free-dom of maintenance-freeliving. Apartments areavailable in alcove, andone and two bedroom

floor plans. Each apart-ment includes spaciousliving areas, kitchenetteswith appliances, walk-inlighted closets, walk-inshowers, cable TV,Internet access, and indi-vidual climate control.

10 Kentucky

Ethos theplace forseniors

to live “…Ethos has a variety of meanings, and we chose ‘a familiar place’ because it is our goal

to make this their home…”

ETHOS see page 11

Choice is a very impor-tant right for people tohave, and its importancegrows as people age.

One decision that sen-iors sometimes overlookis pre-planning theirfuneral arrangements, toensure that their ownchoices are in effect whentheir time comes. RonaldB. Jones Funeral Homemakes it easy to pre-arrange those choices.

“We have a large facili-ty with decorations thatlook like home,” saidRonald Jones, a lifelongresident of Ludlow, wherehis family business islocated.

“We specialize in per-

sonalized attention, andwe can walk you throughall the arrangements, soeverything is what youwant, and not left tochance,” he said.

Jones went on to saythat pre-planning is a giftto the children, becausemany times they are at aloss as to what their par-ents want, such as burialor cremation, what kindof visitation, and if theywant a church ceremony.

Ronald B. JonesFuneral home celebratedtheir 75th year in businesslast year, so they are wellacquainted with hospitals,churches, and cemeteries,and once they are contact-

ed, they can take all theworry of the arrange-ments from the grievingfamily.

Open 24 hours, sevendays a week, Ronald B.Jones Funeral Home canbe reached any time bycalling 431-0072.

“One of the things thatfamilies do now is give uspictures, so that we canmake a dvd that playscontinuously during visi-tations,” said Jones.“Visitation is a veryimportant thing, sincemost people come to seethe living people, toexpress their condolences.

“A newer trend is tohold the visitation and thefuneral all in one day, andthat is not always conven-ient for people who wantto come and pay theirrespects,” he said.

Cremation is also moreof a viable choice nowthan it used to be, accord-

ing to Jones, because thereis no longer a stigmaagainst it, but he said themajority of people still optfor a traditional burial,and that is where thechoices come in.

Ronald B. Jones alsohas a web site to visit, atwww.ronaldbjones.com.

“Children are relievedwhen their parents makethe choices, because thenthey know they are con-firming what their momor dad wanted,” said

Jones. “What sets us apartis our personalized atten-tion, because we are expe-rienced, and we knowwhat to offer people, andhow to guide them sothey don’t feel pressured.

“I have been in thisbusiness many years, andI am pleased that I can betruly helpful to people,especially when they arein a time of distress. Weoffer a family approach,and that means a lot,” hesaid.

11Kentucky

Funeral PlanningMake funeral

arrangements now

“One of the nicest fea-tures we have are thelighted, walk-in closets,”said Bowman. “That isvirtually unheard of withfacilities like ours. Andour spacious bathroomswith walk-in showersgive our seniors a feelingof security.”

Bowman said theiraccommodations offerpeace of mind, with fireand emergency systems,security cameras, andbuilt in emergency callsystem. Safety is one ofEthos’ core values, andEthos is proud to offerstate-of-the-art facilitiesthat are as secure as theyare comfortable and

beautiful.“We have our own

shuttle transit, which weoperate on a schedule, sothat people can go shop-ping, which is very closenearby,” said Bowman.“Of course, many resi-dents prefer to have theircar available, and wehave designated parkingspaces for them close by.”

Anyone who wouldlike to can schedule atour of the facilities bycalling 980-7200, and staffmembers will be happyto meet with families attheir convenience. To geta preview of the facilities,people can also visit thewebsite, at www.ethosse-

niorliving.com and seewhat Ethos has to offerfor senior and assistedliving.

“Ethos has a variety ofmeanings, and we chose‘a familiar place’ becauseit is our goal to make thistheir home,” saidBowman. “We want sen-iors to feel at home here,to enjoy living withoutthe worry of householdchores and expenses,allowing them to spendmore time with friends,and participate in activi-ties suited especially forthem. They can be inde-pendent, but have helpnearby, so they can reallyenjoy their senior years.”

ETHOS from page 10

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12 Kentucky

Travel

Budget travelersare a unique breed –

they have a tirelessdedication to find-

ing the best deals, akeen sense for sniff-

ing out hidden surprises and,

usually, a mentaldatabase of ways to

save money whenthey’re doing what

they love most:traveling.

Secretsof budget

travelers thateveryone

should know

In light of the economy,almost every American travelerhas become a budget traveler.

Prices in many destinationsare going up and airfares arehitting new highs, but it’s stillimportant to many people toget in a family vacation or afriends’ getaway.

For those who are new tothe budget travel game, a fewtips can come in hand:

• Become your own watch-dog. In the past, people wentto travel agents who would doall the booking for them.

For budget travelers, thecost of going to an agency isoften prohibitive and doesn’talways make sense when youcan book everything onlineyourself.

Enter different dates anddestinations into travel searchengines and you can get an ideaof how rates vary by season.

If you have a specific desti-

nation in mind, set up farealerts that will let you knowwhen ticket prices drop, butkeep checking the sites onyour own so that you can findthe best deals.

• Plan activities ahead oftime. If you want to go to aconcert or theater performancein a particular destination,start looking early by visitingsites dedicated to that chosendestination.

For instance, if you’re head-ed to Myrtle Beach, the eventscalendar at www.visitmyrtle-beach.com has a full listing ofevents and festivals.

And while you’re there,you can often find deals ontickets that will let you see theshow for a fraction of the price.

• Don’t pay full price. Youcan often find some of yourbiggest savings by usingcoupons – the trick is knowingwhere to find them.

Again, destination-specificwebsites, like those of conven-tion and visitor’s bureaus(CVB), are particularly useful.

For those who want abudget-friendly beach vacationwith all the amenities, search-ing for Myrtle Beach couponson the destination’s CVB web-site will turn up coupons foreverything from restaurants toshopping to golf.

• Don’t delay. It’s true thatyou can occasionally find last-minute deals but the early birdreally does get the worm whenit comes to budget travel.

Since it’s often more con-venient to travel during highseason to popular destinations- there’s a reason it’s high sea-son, after all – getting thingsorganized ahead of time willsave you money.

What’s more, you won’t bedisappointed by your favoritehotel being booked up.