January 7, 2016 Page 5

O’Brien’s Pharmacy O’Brien’s Pharmacy 216 S. State St., Belvidere • 815-544-3433

Pharmacy Hours: Monday-Friday 9 am - 7 pm; Saturday 9 am - 4 pm; Sunday 9 am - 1 pm

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Trust is more than just a word. It's who we are.At Alpine Trust & Investment Group, we are a team of experienced professionals who provide the highest level of personalized investment management and trust services to individuals, businesses and organizations.We are the trust and investment group of choice because:

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East State Street Offi ce6838 E. State Street, Rockford, IL 61108

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Belvidere Offi ce600 S. State Street, Belvidere, IL 61008

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www.bankalpine.com/investmentsInvestment and insurance products are: not products of Alpine Bank; not FDIC insured; not guaranteed; and, may be subject to investment risk, including possible loss of principal.

Best Buys For The New Year Smart shopping involves making budget-friendly purchases. Never paying full price is a mantra shoppe rs can follow to help keep their finances in check. In addition to coupons & other discounts, shoppers can usually score deals based on which time of year they shop for particular items. Each year, various consumer resour ces offer advice on the best time to buy certain items.

Consumers who take advantage of sales offered at the start of the new year can save substantial amou nts of money. Now that the holiday season has passed, consumers can begin to find deals on items for themse lves.

• Clothing: Post-Christmas sales are booming, & stores are looking to sell what’s left of their inventories to make room for spring & summer selections. Even though the weather outside is still cold, sweaters, pants, coats, & more are usually available at a discount come January.

• Boats: Wintertime is boat show season, but it’s also the offseason for boaters in our area. These factors combine to make it easier & less expensive to find a new boat.

• Air Conditioners: If the warm-weather season was particularly steamy this past year, it might be time to revamp the HVAC system or invest in some new portable units. Bankrate offers that the first few mont hs of the year are prime times to shop for air conditioners. While you may not get the latest model, it’s like ly you can find a reliable unit at below-market cost.

• Theater tickets: January & February are not especially busy seasons for theaters, which means there will be greater opportunity to get discounted seats for many popular shows.

• Linens & bedding: John Wannamaker was a retail entrepreneur & had a few department stores in New York & Philadelphia. Wannamakers held the first “white sale” in 1878, & since then many stores have continu ed the tradition. January is a great month to buy towels, sheets, bedspreads, & more at a discount.

• Furniture: Many furniture manufacturers begin to churn out new inventory in February, so last season’s items will need to move quickly. Shoppers can often negotiate some good deals now & upgrade their homes’ d ecor.

January January January

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A MONTHLY FOUR PAGE SECTION FOR SENIORS

New Year’s Resolutions Exercise is a great way to maintain a healthy mind & body. Many people begin a new year by making re solutions to lose weight or build muscle. Too often, however, men & women get stuck in an exercise rut, follow ing the same exercise routine week after week. Not only can this be boring, fitness experts advise that it’s nece ssary to change an exercise routine periodically to continue to see results. It’s one reason why many fitness clubs unveil new classes every few weeks. With repetition, the body adapts & grows accustomed to the routine, using l ess energy as a result. That can affect your ability to lose weight. Changing your workout forces your body to work harder, producing better results. If you exercise with a trainer, discuss ways to modify your normal routine to surprise your body. Increased intensity, interval training, taking different classes, or even increasing the frequ ency of your workouts may do the trick.

January 7, 2016Page 6

brereton inc.brereton inc.brereton inc. Health Insurance

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527 S. State St., Belvidere, IL 61008 • 815-544-3180

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“Your Future Is Our Concern Today”

Independent Agency Offering The Products Of:

Barr’s Flowers 815-544-3141 119 S. State St.

Proud member of the tele flora © network

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Cemetery Lots $800 - $850 Grave Openings $900

(Weekends Slightly More)

• Cremation Burials • Frank Lloyd Wright Pettit Chapel • Pre-Burial Arrangements

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815-547-7642

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4452 Squaw Prairie Road, Belvidere, IL 61008 tel: 815.547.6377 • fax: 815.547.3857

www.maplecrestcare.com

2250 Pearl Street, Belvidere, IL 61008 tel: 815.544.0358 • fax: 815.544.5006

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Rehabilitation Services Rehabilitation Services Our rehab services extend far beyond the physical - it is about serving every aspect of an individual with care, kindness and respect. Our goal is to provide the necessary approach to facilitate a complete return to health and successful return to home.

Serving Boone County Over 40 Years!Serving Boone County Over 40 Years!

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Each January, Americans remember & reflect on the life of a man who stood up for his rights & the rights of millions of American citizens. Martin Luther King, Jr., ultimately lost his life fighting for the rights of black Americans, & his courage is celebrated every year on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. Martin Luther King, Jr. was a Baptist minister & a social rights activist who helped shape the American Civil Rights movement in the 1950s & 1960s. King seemed destined for greatness at an early age & studied medicine and law at Morehouse College. However, he chose to follow in his father’s footsteps & make a career out of his beliefs & religion. According to History.com, King

Remembering A Civil Rights Pioneer

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entered Crozer Theological Seminary in Pennsylvania, where he earned a Bachelor of Divinity degree, won a prestigious fellowship & was elected president of his predominantly white senior class. Spurred on by social unrest & race discrimination, King’s theology began to intertwine with his advo cacy for the African-American population. His style was peaceful protest, including boycotts, marches & empowered speeches. His ideals reflected his Christianity, while his operational techniques stemmed from Gandh i. King traveled over six million miles & spoke over twenty-five hundred times, appearing wherever there was injustice, protest, & action. In addition, King authored five books & numerous articles. King is perhaps best known for his historic March on Washington, which drew more than 200,000 people to the Lincoln Memorial. The location was symbolic, as former president Abraham Lincoln also was an advocat e for blacks living in the United States. It was here that King made his famous “I Have a Dream” speech, e mphasizing his belief that someday all men could be brothers. Each year on or about his birthday on January 15, the United States celebrates the life of Martin Lu ther King, Jr., one of its greatest & most influential citizens.

How To Make A Home Handicap Accessible Many homeowners have found themselves scrambling to make their homes handicap accessible after a sud den injury or illness. In addition, some homeowners have found themselves looking to make adjustments to their homes in anticipation of welcoming elderly, less mobile relatives into their homes. Converting a hom e into a handicap-accessible space can seem like a daunting task that requires adjustments to nearly every pa rt of the house. While the extent of those adjustments depends on the individual who needs to be accommodated, some of the areas homeowners must address when making their homes handicap accessible are universal. Entryways - Entryways often must be addressed. Portable ramps can be an affordable option & are often an ideal for those who only need to make temporary adjustments, such as when a resident suffers an inju ry that requires he or she spend some time in a wheelchair. When the adjustments will just be temporary, a f olding wheelchair might be necessary, as the doorways might not be able to fit a standard wheelchair that d oesn’t fold. When adjustments figure to be permanent, homeowners might need to expand the doorways in their homes . Contractors typically recommend expanding doorways to at least 32”, which provides some maneuverabil ity when wheelchairs, which are typically between 24” & 27” wide, are entering the home. Doorways at the most commonly used entryways, including front doors, bathrooms & the bedroom, will likely need to be wide ned. Bathroom - The bathroom might be the area of the home that needs the most attention. Slippery conditions common to bathrooms can make things especially difficult for people in wheelchairs or with disabilit ies. Grab bars should be installed in bath tubs & shower stalls & next to toilets. Safety treads, which can pr ovide a secure, slip-free surface on the floors of showers & tubs, can be installed. Add a hand-held shower head to make it easier for those with a disability to shower. Portable transfer seats, which enable wheelchair-bound men & women to transition to showers & bathtubs, can be purchased & kept in or near the bathroom. Water Fixtures - An often overlooked adjustment homeowners must make concerns the sinks throughout the home. Disabled persons may find it difficult to access faucets on sinks, especially when there are v anity cabinets beneath the sinks. Replacing such sinks with pedestal sinks can improve maneuverability, but make su re such sinks are lower to the ground than standard pedestal sinks. Closets - Closets are rarely handicap accessible. Create multi-level closet spaces so individuals can place their clothes at accessible heights. Shelves can be lowered & doors widened so disabled persons can easily manage their wardrobes. Consider installing a light inside the closet & make sure it can be easily reached from a wheelchair. Making a home more handicap accessible can be a significant undertaking, but many of the adjustments homeowners must make are small in scale & won’t take long to complete.

January 7, 2016 Page 7

8094 Fairgrounds Rd., Belvidere, IL Open Daily 7-5; Sat. 7-Noon

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Suite 307, 600 S. State, Belvidere

Attorneys At Law John H. Maville • Karla M. Maville

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Glaucoma, A Common But Treatable Disease Many people expect some moderate loss of visual acuity as they age. Though some people can go a lifetime with 20/20 vision, many do need to get prescription eyeglasses as they age or get stronger prescriptions if they already wear glasses. Glaucoma is one of the more common vision issues men and women face as they age. Though anyone, including newborn babies, can get glaucoma, older people are at a greater risk. That’s important for men and women to know, as the Glaucoma Research Foundation notes that

Successful Ways To Stretch Retirement Savings Many retirees plan to travel, relax & enjoy the company of their spouses when they officially stop w orking. But such plans only are possible if men & women take steps to secure their financial futures in retireme nt. According to a recent survey by the personal finance education site MoneyTips.com, roughly one-third of Baby B oomers have no retirement plan. The reason some may have no plan is they have misconceptions about how much money they will need in retirement. Successful retirees understand the steps to take and how to live on a budget.

• Have a plan . Many people simply fail to plan for retirement. Even men & women who invest in an employer- sponsored retirement program, such as a 401(k), should not make that the only retirement planning th ey do. Speak with a financial advisor who can help you develop a plan that ensures you don’t outlive your a ssets.

• Set reasonable goals. Many retirees have a net worth of less than $1 million, & many people live comfortably on less than $100,000 annually. When planning for retirement, don’t be dissuaded because you won’t b e buying a vineyard or villa in Europe. Set reasonable goals for your retirement and make sure you meet those goals.

• Recognize there is no magic wealth-building plan . Saving comes down to formulating a plan specific to your goals, resources, abilities, and skills. Make saving a priority & take advantage of employer-sponsor ed retirement programs if they are offered.

• Don’t underestimate spending. No one wants to be stuck at home during retirement, when people typically want to enjoy themselves & the freedom that comes with retirement. Speak to a financial planner to d evelop a reasonable estimate of your living expenses when you plan to retire.

• Pay down or avoid debt while you can . Retiring with debt is a risk. Try to eliminate all of your debts before you retire &, once you have, focus your energy on growing your investments and/or saving money for r etirement.

glaucoma is a leading cause of blindness, and roughly 10 percent of people who receive proper treatm ent will still experience loss of vision. Because it is so prevalent, glaucoma is something men and women sho uld familiarize themselves with so they’re more equipped to recognize its symptoms and seek treatment, w hich is highly effective, as soon as possible. What is glaucoma? Glaucoma is not a single disease but the name used to refer to a group of eye diseases that damage the optic nerve. Located in the back of the eye, the optic nerve is responsible for carr ying information from the eye to the brain. Damage to the optic nerve can eventually lead to loss of visi on. How does glaucoma develop? One of the first things to happen when a person gets glaucoma is the loss of peripheral vision. This is enough to motivate many people to visit their eye doctor, who will then d evelop a course of treatment to restore vision. Those who experience a loss of peripheral vision but do not seek tre atment may notice their overall vision is worsening, and total blindness can result. What are the symptoms of glaucoma? The symptoms of glaucoma vary. Vision loss is the only noticeable symptom of open-angle glaucoma, and that vision loss is likely to affect peripheral vision, which ma y not be noticeable until it’s severe because the healthy eye will make up for the loss. By the time sharpnes s of vision is affected, significant vision loss has likely occurred. Closed-angle glaucoma may cause mild symptoms or no symptoms at all. Symptoms tend to appear in shor t periods that occur in the evening & disappear by morning. In some instances, symptoms can be severe & will require immediate medical attention. These symptoms include sudden & severe blurring of vision; seve re pain, in the eye itself or surrounding areas; redness of the eye; nausea & vomiting; & colored halos around l ights.

Symptoms of congenital glaucoma may be present at birth or develop as a child becomes a toddler. The se symptoms may include watery eyes, sensitivity to light, eyes that appear cloudy & appear larger than normal because the eyeballs have enlarged due to pressure. A child may also be experiencing congenital glau coma if he or she is frequently rubbing his or her eyes or squinting or keeping his or her eyes closed much of the time.

More information on glaucoma is available at www.glaucoma.org.

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January 7, 2016Page 8

218 W. Hurlbut Ave., Belvidere 815-544-2616 www.AndersonFCS.com

Our Family Is Here For Yours.

Our mission is to celebrate one’s life and help families navigate the journey of loss with a sense o f hope. One of the most painful events we experience in life is the loss of a loved one. At Anderson Funeral and Cremation Services , we believe that finding an appropriate and meaningful way to celebrate your loved one’s life while giving thanks to God for the ir life is the necessary foundation to healing. - Stephen Anderson

Patrick Stephen Diann Jeffrey

520 Pearl St. • Belvidere

For Independent SeniorsNow Age 55+

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• Programs Recommended By Arthritis Foundation • Silver Sneakers • Gymnasium & Fitness Center With Trained Staff • Fitness Classes Free With Membership

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815-547-5307

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• For Youth Development • For Healthy Living • For Social Responsibility

Belvidere FamilyYMCA

Cut The Cost Of Your Prescriptions The costs of filling prescriptions is simply too big to bear for many people, even now that the Affo rdable Care Act has greatly reduced the amount of people who are uninsured. People who cannot afford to fill their p rescriptions often feel helpless, but there are some of ways they can cut the costs of their medications & start feeling better.

• Discuss medication options with your physician. Brand-name drugs are typically more expensive than generic alternatives, so speak with your physician about generic drugs or less costly brand-name drugs that may treat your condition as well as expensive brand-name drugs do.

• Consider Patient Assistance Programs. Sometimes referred to as “Pharmaceutical Assistance Programs ,” Patient Assistance Programs, or PAPs, can greatly reduce the burden of prescription drug costs. Spon sored by pharmaceutical companies, PAPs distribute billions of dollars to patients who otherwise could not af ford their medications. Eligibility criteria varies depending on the program, but speak with your physicians ab out PAPs.

• Consult your member organizations. If you are a member of the AAA automotive group or the AmericanAssociation of Retired Persons, you might be eligible for medication discount cards free of charge. These cards provide discounts on your medications, but some come with expensive fees upfront. Look for no-fee ca rds, such as those offered to AAA & AARP members or others offered by nonprofit organizations, before consider ing options offered by pharmaceutical companies or other for-profit businesses.

• Contact charitable organizations. Some organizations, such as the National Organization for Rare D isorders & maybe some local nonprofits, offer prescription assistance to people in need. Visit NORD at raredise ases.org.

Ingredients 1 can (8.4 oz.) cut green beans, drained 1 can (8.5 oz.) cut wax beans, drained 1 can (8.5 oz.) lima beans, drained 1 can (8.5 oz. kidney beans, drained 1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion rings 1/2 cup chopped celery 1/4 cup diced green pepper

Dressing 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard 2 tablespoons vinegar

1/2 teaspoon sugar substitute 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme (or 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme) 1/2 teaspoon black pepper 1 clove garlic, crushed or minced 1/4 cup olive oil or canola oil

Instructions 1. In large mixing bowl, combine all the beans, onion, celery & green pepper 2. In smaller bowl, whisk together mustard, vinegar, sugar substitute, thyme, pepper and garlic. Whisking continually, add the oil in a slow thin stream. Whisk until well blended. 3. Poor dressing over beans & toss to coat well. Cover & refrigerate 1-2 days before serving.

Nutrition Facts Servings Per Recipe: 8 Servings

Amount Per Serving: Calories 126 Fat 7 g Cholesterol 0 mg Sodium 373 mg Carbohydrate 13 g Fiber 4 g Protein 4 g

This Month’s Healthy RecipeThis Month’s Healthy RecipeThis Month’s Healthy RecipeFour-Bean SaladFour-Bean SaladFour-Bean Salad

This recipe is courtesy of University Of Illinois Extension

January Is National Blood Donor MonthArticle Contributed by Rock River Valley Blood Center

The Rock River Valley Blood Center announces that January is National Blood Donor Month. This annua l month- long observance provides the blood banking community with an opportunity to pay tribute to past & pr esent blood donors, & to extend an invitation to donate blood to those healthy, eligible individuals who have pr eviously never given the gift of life. This call to action comes at a time when blood is traditionally in short sup ply due to the holidays, travel schedules, inclement weather & illness.

“Blood donors are the backbone of the community blood supply. They are the everyday heroes that ens ure blood is there when patients need it. We thank them all year long, but it is important that they be honor ed for their dedication” said Linda Gerber, CEO. “We are urging people to start off the New Year by donating bloo d & by making a commitment to become a regular donor.”

According to Jennifer Bowman, RRVBC Public Relations & Marketing Manager, “The need for blood is con stant. One in three people will need blood in their lifetime. Each day, patients across the country receive more than 40,000 units of this vital resource. This year alone, more than five million patients will require b lood transfusions, as accident victims, patients undergoing surgery, receiving treatment for leukemia, cancer & other d iseases.”

The current needs, locally, include platelets donors & donors with negative blood types. There will be a blood drive at the Candlewick Lake Assoc. Community Center on Monday, January 18th, 1:30-7:30 PM. You can donate at the RRVBC donor center in Belvidere, located at 1740 S. State St. Hours are Monday & Tuesday 9 AM -5 PM, Wednesday & Thursday 11 AM-6 PM, Friday 8 AM-1 PM & the Second Saturday of each month 7-11 AM.

The Rock River Valley Blood Center serves as a centralized, community blood center & is the only provider of blood products & services to Beloit Health System, Edgerton Hospital & Health Services, FHN, OSF Sai ntAnthony Medical Center, Rochelle Community Hospital, Rockford Health System, SwedishAmerican Health System & SwedishAmerican Medical Center-Belvidere. For more information or to make an appointment to donate blood, please call toll free 877-RRVBC-99 or find RRVBC on the web at www.rrvbc.org .

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