By Jason Schoonoverjason.schoonover@austindailyherald.com

The new wing andremodel of St. Mark’sLutheran Home &Apartments is right onschedule to be finishedearly this spring.

Administrator ChrisSchulz said the rehabilita-tion, assisted living andnursing care facility’s$13.4-million project willbe completed in lateFebruary or early March,after the finishing touch-es in the coming weeksand then state inspec-tions.

“It still needs to beinspected,” Schulz said.“It needs to be approved.We can have all our I’s andT’s dotted and they cansay, ‘Oh, you need to fixthis.’”

The remodel is bring-ing many cosmeticchanges to the nearly 50-year-old facility, and itwill mean new and adjust-ed living quarters, newcommunity space, a newchapel, a courtyard, newdining areas, new rehabfacilities and more.

“St. Mark’s has muchneeded the facelift,” hesaid.

The additions will be aculture change for St.Mark’s. The number ofassisted living beds willincrease from 15 to 25 and

the new rooms will be pri-vate rooms with a bath-room and shower.

St. Mark’s will main-tain 61 skilled nursinghome beds, but it’sincreasing from 12 short-term rehab beds to 16 forpeople who typicallyreturn home. Because ofmedical advancements,the stay for things like hipreplacement surgery hasdecreased from fourmonths or more to a fewweeks.

The biggest change

will be the addition of 21memory care beds for res-idents with dementia andAlzheimer’s, which willtake the place of the cur-rent assisted living andshort-term rehab wings.

“The memory facilityis going to be important tothe community,” Schulzsaid.

Residents should beginmoving into the new facil-ity by March, and St.Mark’s is on target to cele-brate its 50th anniversaryin July.

FRIDAY, JANUARY 25, 2013 A special supplement to the AUSTIN DAILY HERALD

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The new front entrance of St. Marks Lutheran Home, part of the facility's expansion.Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com

Even though it still is under construction it's easy to seewhat the St. Marks chapel will look like when it and the restof the expansion is complete.

St. Mark’s readyto enter new eraThe nearly 50-year-old facility is expectedto finish a $13.4M expansion by March

“The memory care facility is

going to be important to the

community.”

-Chris SchulzSt. Mark’s administrator

Senior Living2-SL FRIDAY, JANUARY 25, 2013 AUSTIN DAILY HERALD

Metro Content

Falls cause many injuries inside ahome. Seniors are especially suscep-tible to harmful falls in the bath-room, where slippery tiles can provetoo difficult for older men andwomen to navigate.

A 2011 study from the Centers forDisease Control and Preventionfound that nearly 234,000 Americansages 15 and older were treated in anemergency department for nonfatalbathroom-related injuries in 2008.That adds up to roughly 640 peopleper day. More than 80 percent ofbathroom-related injuries werecaused by slips and falls, mostlywhile getting in and out of the tub orshower, and about 30 percent ofthose injuries included cuts, scrapesand bruises.

Bathrooms can be more danger-ous than other rooms of the housefor a variety of reasons. The bath-room is generally comprised of hardsurfaces that can become slipperywhen wet or exposed to high humidi-ty. A bathroom may become hotterthan other rooms because of thesteam that accompanies a hot show-er. Heat may dilate peripheral veinsand lower blood pressure in somepeople. This may lead to dizzinessthat can result in falls. Furthermore,people tend to rush in the bathroomas they get ready for work or school.Rushing around can lead to slips andinjuries on wet surfaces.

Installing safety features in thebathroom is a key way to reduce therisk of accidents. Many manufactur-ers have even designed these fea-tures so they blend with bathroomdecor.

When renovating bathrooms forsafety, consider the followingoptions:

• Anti-scald features: Burns canbe serious business. Few people havebeen spared the momentary burst ofhot water that occurs in the showeror at the faucet when another house-hold member flushes a toilet or usesa large amount of cold water else-where in the house. Anti-scald show-

erheads and faucets prevent suddenbursts of hot water. Use in conjunc-tion with turning down the tempera-ture of the hot water heater to elimi-nate burns.

• Nonslip mats: Bathroominjuries often occur when people aregetting in and out of the shower.Having a non-slip mat on the insideof the shower or tub as well as onewith a grippable surface and plushtop layer on which to step after exit-ing the shower can reduce falls.Don't step out of the shower onto aflimsy towel that can slip out fromunderneath your feet.

• Bath bench: The elderly orthose prone to lightheadedness inthe shower may want to invest in abench or seat to put into the shower.This enables sitting while washing.

• Safety bars: It can be temptingto grab onto towel racks or faucets toget in and out of the shower, butthese items cannot provide the nec-essary leverage to safely move in andout of the shower or bathtub. Safetybars with a brushed surface for trac-tion are more secure. Grab bars needto be securely attached to a woodstud in the wall and not into drywallor the tub enclosure.

• Raised toilet seat: A raised toi-let seat reduces the amount of squat-ting and the distance that has to becovered to sit on the commode. Grabbars on the raised seat itself willprovide added safety.

• Telephone: The bathroom mayseem an odd place to install a tele-phone, but having one nearby in theevent of injury can ensure help getsto the injured party much morequickly.

• Regular cleaning: Routinelyridding showers and tubs of soapscum and mildew can reduce theslippery coating that forms as aresult of these substances. Also, besure to keep clutter in the bathroomto a minimum to stop trips and fallsover errant items in the area.

Bathrooms can present many dan-gers, but certain safety tools and ren-ovations can help reduce the risk ofinjury.

Anti-scald showerheads help reduce burn injuries in bathrooms. Metro Image

Some easy tacticscan help reducefalls, injuries

Associated Press

ST. PAUL— Flu activi-ty may be slowing downin Minnesota.The Minnesota

Department of Health onThursday confirmed 15more flu-related deaths.That raises Minnesota'sdeath toll this season to75.The report stated 2,128

have been hospitalized.But the number of

confirmed flu-relateddeaths was down lastweek compared with theprevious week, when 33deaths were confirmed.But flu numbers

dropped sharply acrossMinnesota last week, the

state Department ofHealth reported.The number of hospi-

talizations due to flu alsowas down last week —208, compared with 476the week before.Health Department

spokesman Doug Schultzsays it will be anotherweek before officialsknow if the flu seasonhas peaked inMinnesota,But he says the trend isslowing down.There was an uptick

last week in the numberof Minnesota schoolsreporting outbreaks ofinfluenza-like illness.But Schultz says thatmay be because of stu-dents returning to

school.In Wisconsin, 463

more hospitalizationswere reported in theweek that ended Jan. 12,bringing the total to1,823. The state doesn’tlist the number of deathsexcept for pediatricdeaths, said ThomasHaupt, influenza surveil-lance coordinator for theWisconsin Division ofPublic Health. One childhas died of flu inWisconsin so far this sea-son, Haupt said. Updatednumbers will be releasedtoday, he said.The number of out-

breaks in long-term carefacilities was way down,from 46 to nine. That’s

significant, because the“vast majority” of hospi-talizations and deathshave occurred among theelderly, a health depart-ment news release said.One St. Louis Countyfacility reported an out-break.

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Zumba class goes gold in Albert Lea

By Colleen Thompsonnewsroom@austindailyherald.com

Exercising andstaying fit isn’t just forthe young. The ZumbaGold class provessenior citizens can beyoung at heart whilegetting their heartrates up.Since November

2011, the Senior Centerin the Skyline Plazahas been holdingZumba Gold classes forsenior citizens.Certified Zumbainstructor Carol Hagenleads the hour-longworkout.“You don’t really

know you’reexercising,” Hagen saidof the upbeat, but laid-back routine. “We’rejust here to have fun.”Zumba aims to

combine elements ofboth aerobics anddance. It was inventedin the 1990s by Alberto“Beto” Perez, achoreographer anddancer from Colombia.It became prevalent in

the United States in the2000s and now has anestimated 14 millionpeople taking weeklyclasses in more than150 countries. Withmany different stylesand rhythms, and 500 to1,000 calories burned ina single session, it hasbecome a phenomenonworkout for people ofall ages.

Zumba Gold is onetype of Zumba and hasa lower exertion level

and is geared towardthe older population.Hagen incorporates

merengue and cumbiadance styles into theworkout. She alternatesbetween Latin, country,pop and Christmasmusic. The participantsdo several differentmoves, from hand clapsand grapevine steps tosways. She tries to varythe songs from week toweek, to keep theseniors “hopping.”

“I hear the ladies saythey feel good onMondays,” Hagen said.“They have energy togo home and get a lot ofstuff done.”“It makes us agile,”

said Jan Venem, whohas been attending theclass since it started.“Gives us a reason towake up and get out.”There are usually six

to eight women whoattend, most of themregulars. Although allthe women are retired,Hagen has had ladiesanywhere from 60 to 90years old attend.“We haven’t had any

men come yet, but we’llsee,” said Hagen with alaugh.The women are all

very close and usuallyget together for coffeeafterwards.“We really enjoy the

social part,” Venemsaid. “Plus we need tocool down and get rid ofthe sweat before we gooutside.”The class runs every

Monday from 9 to 10a.m. at the SkylinePlaza Senior Center.Newcomers andanyone from the publicare welcome to attend.

The whole group follows instructor Carol Hagen as she raises her arm and grapevine steps to the left and right. Hagen is acertified Zumba instructor and typically has 6 to 8 women attend her class.Colleen Thompson/Albert Lea Tribune

Class targetsfitness forsenior citizens

“You don’t really knowyou’re exercising. We’rejust here to have fun.”

-Carol Hagen

Minnesota records 15 more flu deaths

Associated Press

W A S H I N G T O NMembers of the sand-wich generation —caught between support-ing elderly parentswhose assets are nearlyexhausted and adultchildren without jobs —might find some reliefcome tax time.The bottom line is,

who’s a dependent? Yourkindergarten-age son,your adult daughter, hergrandparents, or maybean elderly uncle or aunt?“There’s a changing

family dynamic becauseof the economy,” saidBob Meighan, vice presi-dent of TurboTax, anonline tax preparationservice.More people are liv-

ing longer. According tothe U.S. Census Bureau,the number of olderAmericans increased by9.7 percent from 2000 to2010, when there wereabout 40 million peopleage 65 or older. A longerlifespan puts addedstrain on retirement

accounts, which havealready taken a hit inthe roller-coaster econo-my.As a result, many

baby boomers find them-selves supporting theirelderly parents, in somecases footing the bill forassisted living or nurs-ing home care.Meanwhile, the

unemployment rate foradults age 20 to 24 was13.7 percent inDecember, considerablyhigher than the overallrate of 7.8 percent.Unable to find work,

many young adults arereturning home — ornever leaving, relyingon Mom and Dad forfood, lodging and more.What does this mean

for taxes?“A lot of filers are

going to have to pay par-ticular attention,”Meighan said. More peo-ple may rely on tax soft-ware to help get themthrough the dependencyissue.Depending on indi-

vidual circumstances,

taxpayers may be able toclaim both their parentsand their children asdependents.“The rules are very

pro-taxpayer,” saidMark Steber, chief taxofficer at Jackson-Hewitt Tax Services. Ifyou are taking care ofsomeone and the IRSdefines that clearly —age, income, residencytests and support — you

should be able to claimthe exemption, he says.It comes down to the

definition of dependent.The Internal Revenue

Service makes a distinc-tion between a qualify-ing child and a qualify-ing relative.To be a qualifying

child, the person wouldhave to be a child,stepchild, foster child orsibling, and under the

age of 19, or 24 if in col-lege, who has lived withyou for at least half theyear. The taxpayerwould have to provide atleast half the support.A qualifying relative

can be a child who does-n’t meet the qualifyingchild requirement, aparent or stepparent,grandparent, niece ornephew, aunt or uncle orin-laws, according to theIRS. They do not neces-sarily have to live withyou, but you do have toprovide at least half thesupport for that person.And that person’sincome cannot exceedthe personal exemption— $3,800 in 2012.“Unlike a qualifying

child, a qualifying rela-tive can be any age,” theIRS says in itsPublication 17.Taxpayers can take

an exemption of $3,800for each qualified childor relative who is adependent.

‘Extra benefit’But it’s not just the

personal exemption thatcould help taxpayers.Individual taxpayersmight qualify and get the“extra benefit” of filingas head of households ifthey legally can claimchildren, parents or rela-tives as a dependent, saidJackie Perlman, princi-pal tax research analystfor H&R Block .For example, the 15

percent tax bracketapplies to taxableincome up to $47,350 forheads of households and$35,350 for individualreturns. At the 25 per-cent tax bracket, it’s$133,300 for heads ofhouseholds and $85,650for single filers.Steber said taxpayers

have to understand thatit’s not just nuclear fami-ly members who mightqualify. Think beyondchildren and parents. Ifyou’re providing half thesupport for an aunt oruncle, niece or nephewwhose income for theyear was under $3,800,you may be able to claimthem as dependents.

Changing family dynamic may lead to tax reliefHere are some examples ofexemptions from the IRS:“Your mother received $2,400 in Social Security benefitsand $300 in interest. She paid $2,000 for lodging and$400 for recreation.” If you spend more than $2,400 tosupport her, supplementing what she spends, and herannual income is less than $3,800, you can claim her asa dependent and take the full value of the exemption.“Your brotherʼs daughter takes out a student loan of$2,500 and uses it to pay her college tuition. She ispersonally responsible for the loan. You provide $2,000toward her total support. You cannot claim an exemptionfor her because you provide less than half of hersupport.”Usually the items that go into determining support are thecost of housing, food, clothing and medical costs, includingdoctor bills and medicine.

By Christopher SnowbeckPioneer Press

Health care groups expressed cautious opti-mism for the budget proposal outlined Tuesday,Jan. 22, by Gov. Mark Dayton.Doctors and hospitals applauded Dayton’s call

to increase the tax on cigarettes by 94 cents perpackage as well as plans to expand and reform thestate’s Medical Assistance and MinnesotaCarehealth insurance programs.Nursing home operators, meanwhile, said they

were encouraged that the state’s human servicesbudget as proposed by Dayton would actuallygrow during the two-year period beginning inJuly.The human services budget, which is a huge

source of revenue for groups that operate nursinghomes and assisted living facilities, has sustainedbudget cuts for several years.“I think the governor’s budget has acknowl-

edged the need for additional investments in sen-ior care,” said KariThurlow of AgingServices ofMinnesota, a tradegroup.Dayton said the

proposed increase tothe cigarette taxwould make the per-package rate inMinnesota compara-ble to the rate inn e i g h b o r i n gWisconsin. Doctorssupport high ciga-rette taxes becausethey help deteryoung people fromtaking up smoking,said Dave Renner,director of state and federal legislation for theMinnesota Medical Association.Currently, Minnesota taxes on cigarettes come

to $1.58 per pack, Renner said. With the gover-nor’s proposal, the per-pack tax would increase to$2.52, he said.Dayton’s budget would expand eligibility for

Medical Assistance, which is the state’s version oftheMedicaid program for low-income and disabled

adults. The federal health reform law of 2010offers federal funding to states that expandMedicaid eligibility, and the provision wouldbring Minnesota $373 million over the two-yearperiod beginning in July.The state would use some of the money to

make reforms to the MinnesotaCare health insur-ance program, which funds coverage for a slight-ly higher income group of people than those inMedicaid. One change would eliminate a cap onwhat MinnesotaCare currently pays hospitals forservices — a move that is required by the federalhealth law and applauded by hospitals, saidWendy Burt, a spokeswoman for the MinnesotaHospital Association.The state hires HMOs to manage the care of

patients in Medical Assistance andMinnesotaCare. Tougher negotiations with thehealth plans created $60 million in savings thatDayton would spend over the next two years on anumber of initiatives in the state’s human servic-es budget.But health care providers worry that tough

negotiations with HMOs ultimately will cut thefees that doctors and hospitals collect when car-ing for patients in public health insurance pro-grams.Lucinda Jesson, the state’s human services

commissioner, said health care providers wouldbenefit from provisions in the budget that boostfunding for medical education as well as pay-ments to dentists. Doctors and hospitals alsowould see higher payment rates, Jesson said,when treating some Medicaid patients in thestate’s “fee-for-service” program, which is notadministered by HMOs.

By Mary Agnes CareyKaiser Health News

Most Americanswant quick action toreduce the deficit, butalmost six in 10 opposecutting Medicarespending to achievethat goal, according to anew poll released today.Lawmakers should

examine other alterna-tives, including requir-ing drug makers to givethe government “a bet-ter deal” on medica-tions for low-incomeseniors (85 percent) andmaking higher-incomeseniors pay more forcoverage (59 percent),according to the surveyconducted by theKaiser FamilyFoundation, the RobertWood JohnsonFoundation and theHarvard School ofPublic Health. (KHN isan editorially inde-pendent program of theKaiser FamilyFoundation.)More than seven in

10 Democrats, inde-pendents andRepublicans say that ifthe President BarackObama and Congressmade the “rightchanges,” theycould reduce the deficitwithout making majorcuts to Medicare. Justover half (51 percent)oppose raising theMedicare eligibility agefrom 65 to 67, an ideadiscussed by both par-ties on Capitol Hill, and85 percent opposerequiring all seniors topay higher Medicarepremiums.Forty-six percent of

those surveyed said theywould not accept anyreductions to Medicaid,the federal-state insur-ance program for thepoor which has been abig target of Republicanlawmakers. Those per-centages are largelyunchanged from twoyears ago, “suggestingthe past year of debateover the need to makecuts had not greatlyaltered the general shapeof public opinion,”the survey found.As millions of baby

boomers are becomingeligible for Medicare,the president and con-gressional lawmakersface tough choicesabout whether and howto rein in spending onfederal health care pro-grams to help reducethe deficit.In his inauguration

speech, Obama said thatAmerica must make“hard choices to reducethe cost of health careand the size of ourdeficit,” even as hedefended entitlementprograms. “The commit-

ments we make to eachother “throughMedicare and Medicaidand Social Security“these things do not sapour initiative. Theystrengthen us,”Obama said.The survey, conduct-

ed in early Januaryafter lawmakersresolved the “fiscalcliff ” standoff,found that the publicwants Obama andCongress to act toreduce the deficit,rather than waiting fora stronger economicrecovery.The support for

quick action comesfrom Republicans (74percent), independents(71 percent) andDemocrats (57 percent),as well as seniors (73percent) and non-sen-iors (63 percent).The poll also found

bipartisan support forimplementing someprovisions of the 2010health care law. Fifty-five percent said it wasa high priority for theirstate to create newonline health insur-ance marketplacesunder the law, to helppeople buy coverage.

Support for exchangescut across party lines,with 60 percent ofDemocrats, 55 percentof Republicans and 49percent of independ-ents backing the idea.“Governors are large-

ly splitting along parti-san lines on theexchanges, but the pub-lic is not,” DrewAltman, president andchief executive officer ofthe Kaiser FamilyFoundation, said in astatement. “People likethe idea.”The survey found

that 52 percent ofAmericans also thinktheir state shouldimplement the healthlaw’s expansion of eli-gibility for Medicaid,while 42 percent didnot. Support for the

Medicaid expansion,expected to extend cov-erage to as many as 17million people, variedby party, however, withmost Republicans (66percent) preferring tokeep the program as itis, and most Democrats(75 percent) supportingexpansion.The poll, conducted

from Jan. 3 throughJan. 9, surveyed 1,347adults and has a mar-gin of error of +/- 3percentage points.Kaiser Health News

is an editorially inde-pendent program of theHenry J. Kaiser FamilyFoundation, a nonprofit,nonpartisan health poli-cy research and commu-nications organizationnot affiliated withKaiser Permanente.

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Many don’t want deficit to spur medicare cuts

“I think thegovernor'sbudget has

acknowledgedthe need foradditional

investments insenior care.”

-Kari Thurlow

Health groupspraise Dayton’sbudget plan

Polls show that many Americans don’t want the deficit to cause cuts to medicare and Seniorcare. Metro image