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Club MED
October 2020
The Powerful Life Lesson My Students Taught Me Before writing this, I noticed it was World Teacher’s Day on Oct. 5, and I realized something. I’ve mentioned in previous newsletters that I spent the first 16 years of my career as a Catholic priest. But I haven’t explained that, during that same time, I was also a high school teacher.
Honestly, teaching was one of the most challenging parts of being a priest. I loved teaching, but high schoolers can be pretty belligerent and rebellious, and they often have bad attitudes. I had a hard time during the first few years, because I couldn’t focus solely on teaching. It was tough to strike a balance between teaching and dealing with kids — an ability that many people remember about their favorite teachers. About five years into being a priest, I was still considered a rookie on the job, so I was assigned to a parish as a pastor in northeastern Nebraska in a small town called Hartington. During my first year of teaching at a Catholic school there (a combined high school and junior high school), I got a phone call one night before I went in to teach.
After a prayer, I started asking the kids what they thought happened, whatever version of the story they had in mind. They’d tell me, then I’d ask, “So what do you think about that? What do you feel about that?” The kids started unloading everything. It was magic, honestly, to see the way the kids came together and connected over this terrible event. This went on for an hour and a half, and then everyone went home. After that, even the kids that hated me were friendly to me. I had people come up to me, even years later, to tell me how much they appreciated me in that moment. It really transformed my way of thinking about teaching. Ultimately, teenagers might act tough, but they’re also little kids in bigger bodies and can get scared easily by the realities of life. After that, I started assuming that everyone was having a bad day. When I did this, I found I was more open and compassionate, and I could cut them some slack. But this also applies outside of a school setting. You never know what’s going on in someone’s life, whether you encounter them in a classroom or at a work meeting. People won’t remember what you say, but they will remember how you make them feel. That’s why the smartest thing any of us can do is listen. –Christopher J. Grimmond 402-614-3389 • 1
I was told that one of the students had just died.
This was a very rural town, so hunting with your friends when you’re 12 years old is pretty normal. One of the young kids had been on the back of a pickup truck, and after they hit a huge bump, the kid fell off the truck and hit his head, dying instantly. His older brother was actually in my class. When I arrived at school the next day, the principal told me, “Hey, we’re probably going to let all the kids go home today. They’re all very upset. But before we let them go, you need to talk to all of them and help them decompress.”
“Sure,” I nodded, “When do I have to do this?”
“Oh, take your time. They’re all waiting for you in a classroom already, but you have five minutes.”
That meant all 120 of my students were stuffed in a 25-person classroom, waiting for an adult to say something meaningful to them. So, immediately, I thought: Oh, crap . Some of the kids hated my guts. I mean, every teacher has to deal with those, but it’s especially intimidating if you want to say something in a vulnerable setting. So, I walked into the classroom, and then I saw everyone — boys, girls, even the ones I was half-convinced were hardened criminals — was either sobbing or red-eyed. It really softened me up. I said to the kids, “Why don’t we begin with a prayer?”
Medicare Insurance Made Easy
Does Vitamin D Help Our Bones and Our Muscles? A PREVIOUSLY UNKNOWN BENEFIT OF VITAMIN D As the weather cools and the days get shorter, we can’t rely
of inactive vitamin D in 116 women ages 20–74. What they found was that women with higher muscle mass had lower levels of inactive vitamin D, while women with lower muscle mass had higher levels of inactive vitamin D. The conclusion researchers drew was that active vitamin D might help optimize muscle strength. While that conclusion is not ironclad, vitamin D’s other well-known benefits still make it worth getting your daily dose. It can aid weight loss, enhance mood, support cardiovascular health, boost the immune system, and strengthen bones, among many other benefits. So, its potential muscle-boosting properties are just another reason to get more vitamin D. To get more of this important vitamin in your diet, try adding salmon, mushrooms, and even canned tuna to your menu. Also, as winter approaches, it might be time to start taking a vitamin D supplement. Whether you’re 20 or 74 years old, it’s never too late to find ways to strengthen your muscles.
as much on the sun for our daily dose of vitamin D. The primary function of vitamin D is regulating the amount of calcium and phosphate in the body. These nutrients are necessary for strengthening our bones and teeth, which becomes increasingly important as we age and our bones naturally become more brittle. While these benefits of vitamin D are well documented, did you know that getting your daily dose of vitamin D can also contribute to healthier muscles? A few years ago, researchers published a study that seemed to show that vitamin D could potentially help people gain muscle mass. While the research team said their results weren’t conclusive, their findings were certainly interesting. Vitamin D enters the body in an inactive form. It doesn’t become active until it comes in contact with the right enzymes in either the liver or the kidneys. To learn more about what factors affect this vitamin’s rate of absorption and activation in the body, researchers observed the levels
Get These Home Care Services Covered by Medicare Advantage
Starting in 2019, all Medicare Advantage (MA) plans began offering additional services to help improve enrollees’ health and quality of life. The definition of what is “primarily health-related” for supplemental benefit holders was reinterpreted as follows: “An item or service that is used to diagnose, prevent, or treat an illness or injury, compensate for physical impairments, act to ameliorate the functional/psychological impact of injuries or health conditions, or reduce avoidable emergency and healthcare utilization.” Accordingly, this reinterpretation of supplemental benefits will allow Medicare health plans to offer coverage or benefits for the following: • Adult Day Care Services: These are services provided outside the home, such as assistance with activities of daily living (ADLs) and instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs). • In-home Support Services: These are services that a personal care attendant provides. Attendants assist disabled or medically needy individuals with activities of daily living, such as eating, bathing, transferring, and other instrumental activities. These activities may include managing money, preparing meals, and cleaning a house. Services must be
performed by individuals licensed to provide personal care services, or in a manner that is otherwise consistent with state requirements. • Home-Based Palliative Care Services These services are available for individuals whose life expectancy is under six months. • Transportation for Nonemergency Medical Services: This can include transport to obtain Medicare Part A, Part B, Part D, and supplemental benefit items and services. It cannot be used for nonmedical services, such as groceries or errands. • Home Safety Devices and Modifications: These are safety devices to prevent injuries in the home and/or bathroom. The modifications must be non-structural and not covered by Medicare. This benefit can include a home and/or bathroom safety inspection to identify any need for safety devices or modifications. Keep in mind that a physician or licensed medical professional must recommend these home care services. Medicare’s expansion of MA plan benefits, like adult day care, helps patients remain in their homes as they age rather than being institutionalized, which could also result in lower costs for Medicare and Medicaid. If you have any questions regarding your MA benefits, don’t hesitate to call Omaha Insurance Solutions to get them answered right away!
2 • OmahaInsuranceSolutions.com
Angie’s Corner
Cookbooks From 2020 Your Family Will Love
THANK YOU!!! Record of 16 referrals enrolled in September and additional great prospects, who did not know Chris could simplify Medicare so quickly, and his service is free! Especially with Annual Enrollment Period Oct. 20 to Dec. 7, PLEASE KEEP THEM COMING! Like Chris says, “REFERRALS ARE THE BEST COMPLIMENT!”
Happy National Cookbook Month!
We’re used to finding our favorite dishes and recipes from the internet. But after a while, constantly scrolling through someone’s blog post to get to the recipe you’re actually looking for gets tiring. Not to mention that many of these recipes, while from good home cooks, aren’t designed by industry experts! Proper cookbooks can better equip you to deal with picky eaters and those with dietary restrictions. They keep readers well-informed on the science or magic behind every step. And since October is National Cookbook Month, here are just a few of the best cookbooks from 2020 that can satisfy any craving and help you make beautiful memories along the way. ‘Dinner in French: My Recipes by Way of France’ by Melissa Clark There’s a good chance you’ve been cooking Melissa Clark’s recipes without realizing it. This famous New York Times food editor creates wonderful recipes, and in this cookbook, you can get access to her best, healthy, French-inspired recipes without the monthly subscription that NYT Cooking requires. You can’t go wrong with a cookbook that’s affordable and will impress at family dinners and date nights for years to come. ‘Super Good Baking for Kids’ by Duff Goldman Who says you have to be the one using the cookbook? Get your little ones to do the work for you! You’ll recognize the author of this book as the celebrity chef from “Ace of Cakes,” but chef Goldman takes a different approach in his first baking cookbook, which is intended for kids. Not only are these recipes super fun, but they’re also super delicious. ‘Vegetable Kingdom: The Abundant World of Vegan Recipes’ by Bryant Terry The most challenging part of making vegan food is knowing how to get the best flavor from your vegetables. Luckily, you won’t have that struggle anymore. Bryant Terry is a vegan chef and food activist who has been widely celebrated
Classic Pumpkin Soup
Pumpkins aren’t just for pie — they make delicious soup, too! This fall, try your hand at this healthy soup recipe and warm up with a bowl.
Ingredients
• 1 tbsp olive oil • 2 shallots, diced • 3 cloves garlic, minced • 2 1/4 cups pumpkin purée (homemade or canned) • 2 cups vegetable broth
• 1 cup canned light coconut milk • 2 tbsp honey • 1/4 tsp sea salt • 1/4 tsp pepper • 1/4 tsp cinnamon • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
Directions
1. In a large saucepan over medium heat, sauté olive oil, shallots, and garlic for 2–3 minutes.
for promoting sustainable food systems nationwide. If you’ve ever wanted to dive into plant-based eating, there’s no better expert to learn from! From everyone at Omaha Insurance Solutions, we hope you get a chance to cook something delicious this month! Have a fantastic October!
2. Add the remaining ingredients and bring to a simmer.
3. Transfer the soup to a blender and purée. Pour the blended soup back into the pan.
4. Cook over medium-low heat for 5–10 minutes. Taste and add additional seasoning as desired, then serve!
Inspired by MinimalistBaker.com
402-614-3389 • 3
PRSRT STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411
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INSIDE This Issue
1
The Powerful Life Lesson My Students Taught Me
2
A Previously Unknown Benefit of Vitamin D
2
Get These Home Care Services Covered by Medicare Advantage
3 Top Cookbooks From 2020 Your Family Will Love
3
3
Classic Pumpkin Soup
4
What Really Happened the Night Martians Invaded New Jersey?
THE NIGHT MARTIANS INVADED NEW JERSEY
Orson Welles Recounts ‘The War of the Worlds’
On the evening of Oct. 30, 1938, an eloquent voice graced the airwaves in New Jersey: “We now know in the early years of the 20th century, this world was being watched closely by intelligences greater than man’s, and yet as mortal as his own. We now know as human beings busied themselves about their various concerns, they were scrutinized and studied, perhaps almost as narrowly as a man with a microscope might scrutinize the transient creatures that swarm and multiply in a drop of water …” And so began Orson Welles’ classic radio broadcast, a retelling of H.G. Wells’ “The War of the Worlds.” Peppered in the retelling were fictional news bulletins informing the public of an alien invasion. Martians had arrived in New Jersey!
Some listeners, who had missed the fact that this was a retelling of “The War of the Worlds,” assumed the news bulletins were the real thing. Frenzied, they called local police, newspapers, and radio stations hoping for more information about the invasion. What were they supposed to do? Higher-ups at the CBS radio studio where Welles delivered the live reading called and told him he needed to stop and remind listeners that this was a work of fiction. The panic, it seemed, was growing as the Martians “approached” New York. A little later that night, police showed up at the studio with the intent of shutting the whole thing down. The next day, the story broke across the country — newspapers reported on mass hysteria and stories poured out that the nation had erupted in panic. However, as
we now know, the extent of the panic was exaggerated. In fact, the program didn’t even have very many listeners that night, and most who had tuned in were aware they were listening to a radio play rather than a news broadcast. American University media historian W. Joseph Campbell, who researched the broadcast in the 2000s, found that while there had been some panic, most listeners simply enjoyed the show. It turns out the person who was the most frightened was Welles himself who thought his career had come to an end.
4 • OmahaInsuranceSolutions.com
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