What one may see as a still life of a tiered frou-frou confection in Barbie pink, artist Franco Mondini-Ruiz sees one of his latest works challenging stale notions of art – what is it for, and for whom. The San Antonio-born artist now lives in New York, but he draws from his Mexican and Italian heritage to create a unique installation of playful objects created with wit, irony and nostalgia. Sounds pleasant enough until you discover his works frequently have a point upon which the artist questions high versus low art, cultural biases and stereotypes. The fourth installment of the Oklahoma City Museum of Art’s New Frontiers Series of Contemporary Art includes performances, sculpture and paintings on display from Sept. 8-Dec. 31. You know you want to look. For more, go to www.okcmoa.com.
A Man Of Many Talents
Eddie Wilcoxen is a longtime radio broadcaster with radio station KWHW serving southwest Oklahoma and north Texas, a published author, recognized landscape artist, a celebrated martial artist and a renowned storyteller. The Altus, Okla., resident is also the state’s Poet Laureate, traveling around Oklahoma to share his poetry and serve as an ambassador for the Oklahoma Humanities Council.
I like the process of playing with words. I started writing poetry when I was very young. I still have a little collection of poems I wrote in second grade for my mother for Valentine’s Day. I’m a public person, but my poetry was very private. It was something I did for me. I would write a poem and keep it around, re-read and re-work it until I liked it, and then I would throw it away. I never saved them, but (my wife) Joan saved them.
The Jackson County Retired Educators Association was the first place I ever shared my poetry publicly. The reception was so warm and encouraging that I started doing more and coming out of my shell. It was a hard step, initially.
I became State Poet Laureate after Altus’ local humanities organization and library sent in an application and letters of recommendation on my behalf. I am really fortunate to be able to represent the state. It’s one of the more fun duties that anyone could undertake. I consider this my service work to the state.
I half-kiddingly say that my platform is poetry for the people. Somewhere along the line, poetry got hijacked by people who thought that in order for it to be poetry, it had to be obviating. Approachable, accessible, everyday is how I would describe my poetry. I still believe in poetry that rhymes, myself, but I enjoy other’s poetry that doesn’t. There really is a thirst and genuine appreciation among people for poetry; it still has the ability to touch people.
The perception of Oklahoma is not necessarily one of great artistic depth, but, my gosh, if you just travel around the state and look at the natural outpouring of what people are doing, there’s a lot of art happening without a lot of attempt to become that. It’s part of what they do. I’ve met people that are writing poetry, and they don’t know they’re writing poetry. People are writing music and painting without doing it with the intent to impress people. It’s part of what they do. Art is everywhere. Any expression of the human spirit is art, and it is everywhere in Oklahoma.
Oklahoma Tennis Classic
Stars of international tennis visit Oklahoma City and the Cox Convention Center to help a wonderful local cause. Andy Roddick, Mardy Fish, John Roddick and Davis Martin pack their rackets to play in the Oklahoma Tennis Classic, scheduled for 6 p.m. Sept. 25. When sets begin, all eyes will be on U.S. top-ranked rivals Andy Roddick and Fish, each of whom has dazzled tennis fans with an impressive array of titles, tour wins and Olympic medals. Before the big singles game, however, fans will enjoy a doubles game teaming Andy Roddick with his brother John Roddick, the University of Oklahoma’s men’s tennis coach. Fish will play with tour player and Tulsa native David Martin. No matter who dominates the match, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Oklahoma will be the big winner with an evening of impressive play and generosity. For more, go to www.coxconventioncenter.com.
What We're Eating
The Dog House
A hot dog slathered in mustard, onions, peppers, bacon and barbecue sauce; another topped with cream cheese, spicy mustard and onions. It’s food porn for hot dog connoisseurs, and that’s exactly what The Dog House is aiming to be. The small shack in downtown Tulsa houses some of the most creative dog creations around. The Dog House is stacking half-pound hot dogs with a variety of ingredients, some traditional (mustard, ketchup, sauerkraut, onions) and some not so much (slaw, cream cheese, mushroom, falafel). Open for lunch and dinner, The Dog House operates until 4 a.m. Friday and aturdays, catering to the late night crowd looking for a little hot dog nightcap. 1101 S. Detroit, and mobile carts throughout downtown Tulsa. www.doghousetulsa.com
Taj Cuisine of India
Popular among vegetarians and Indian food enthusiasts, Taj serves cuisine that embodies the quintessential tastes of India. Practically an institution in Oklahoma City, Taj has recently re-opened in a new location along the popular 23rd Street corridor. Taj offers an all-you-can-eat buffet at lunch and dinner, or you can select your meal off their expansive menu menu. Crispy vegetable samosas, spinach pakora and Indian chicken wings offer to begin the meal at Taj, while traditional tandoor, curry, noodle and rice dishes are all included. The Tandoori Chicken, marinated in yogurt and spices and grilled in a tandoor oven, is succulent and not overly spiced. Served with Taj’s flavorful naan, it epitomizes all that is good about Indian food. 1500 NW 23rd St., Oklahoma City. 405.601.1888
Broken Egg Café
It’s the Holy Grail of breakfast creations: scrambled eggs, spicy chicken and smoked turkey, avocado and jack cheese rolled in flour tortillas and topped with Southwest sauce and sour cream. These Breakfast Eggchiladas are accompanied by a crispy tostada topped with beans, cheese, tomatoes, chiles and a fried egg and hash browns or potatoes. This huge beast of a breakfast is a specialty at Broken Egg Café, a small Broken Arrow breakfast-and-lunch eatery that stays busy from open to close. The expansive menu also includes crepes, omelets, waffles, French toast and other standard breakfast fare, along with other specialties. Lunch offerings include hearty sandwiches, salads, burgers and melts. Come hungry and leave positively stuffed. 3120 W. Kenosha St, Broken Arrow. www.brokeneggcafe.com
Simply Healthy
Vegetables are a critical part of a healthy diet. Sometimes sneaking them in to our diets in creative ways such as purees can help to create tasty alternatives even the pickiest eaters will enjoy.
The Green Puree, made from various green veggies, can be mixed with two mashed avocados to make a low fat version of guacamole, complete with vitamin B6, K, folate, folic acid, sulforaphane, iron, lutein and added fiber, while Orange Puree can be added to baked beans, salsa, barbecue sauce, spaghetti sauce, peanut butter and soups. A ratio of three parts product to one part puree is usually recommended.
These purees can be made ahead and stored in baggies that can be kept in the refrigerator for three days or in the freezer for up to three months.
Orange Puree
1 medium sweet potato, peeled and chopped; or 1 cup plain canned sweet potatoes
3 large carrots peeled and sliced into thick chunks; or 1 can carrots drained
2-3 tbsp. water
Cook sweet potatoes and carrots together in boiling water until soft, if using fresh vegetables. Blend potatoes, carrots and water until smooth.
Green Puree
2 c. baby spinach leaves
2 c. broccoli florets fresh or frozen
1 c. green sweet peas, frozen and thawed
2-3 tbsp. water
Wash spinach thoroughly. Steam spinach and peas for two minutes, until spinach wilted. Cook broccoli until tender. Mix veggies together with water until smooth.
Clean Your Plate
Despite a growing focus on nutrition, we seem to be more clueless than ever on what foods can actually provide a balanced diet. So how can we make sure we’re eating healthy and still getting the nutrients our bodies need to operate at their full potential?
“It’s a pretty intriguing question because needs vary quite a bit and have a lot to do with what kind of a lifestyle people lead and what kind of dietary intake they have,” says Dr. Mitch Dunnick of Family Medical Care, which is affiliated with St. John Health System.
“We’re finding out a lot about vitamin D. Studies and research show that people who don’t get outside a lot are seeing vitamin D deficiency, and it’s becoming more common.”
Fran Olsen Sharp, a dietitian at Peggy and Charles Stephenson Oklahoma Cancer Center, recommends introducing vitamin D-fortified foods as a way to increase the consumption of the nutrient.
“Things like vitamin D-enriched milk can really help boost those levels,” she says.
Olsen Sharp also recommends working toward adding fiber to the daily diet to increase our overall nutrient intake.
“Most people need 25 to 30 grams of fiber a day from food sources,” she says. “Once we increase the foods that are naturally high in fiber in our diet, we automatically increase the amount of vitamins and minerals.”
She says small changes, such as eating brown rice instead of white rice and consuming the skins of vegetables such as potatoes and cucumbers, can make a large difference in the amount of fiber taken in daily.
“When we eat whole grains like barley, quinoa and farrow; cornmeal rather than plain old flour; beans and nuts; and fruits and veggies with seeds in and skin on, all of a sudden we have great fiber sources.”
Iron deficiency is often found in women of all ages.
“Women in their teens and older, because of natural hormone and menstrual cycles, are deficient in iron, which results in anemia,” Dunnick says.
Introducing more lean red meat and vegetables rich in iron, such as spinach, is a natural way to increase iron in the diet.
Both Dunnick and Olsen Sharp agree that eating a diet that contains a variety of fruits and vegetables, lean meats and whole grains is a great way to increase intake of vitamins and nutrients, but that sometimes a multivitamin or other supplement is appropriate.
“You should get vitamin levels checked by a doctor before beginning a multivitamin or supplement,” advises Dunnick. “These levels are measurable. You can also get a bone scan to see if there’s any osteoporosis, which would indicate low calcium intake. We encourage people to look at their parents, siblings and grandparents to see what health issues they have, because they may be at risk for some of the same types of disorders.”
“Which is more fun: to take a supplement, or to eat food?” asks Olsen Sharp. “I love to eat and would much rather eat a diet that helps me gain those nutrients than to swallow a pill.”
Not Your Typical Tiger
From Egyptians to Native Americans, ancient civilizations are known to have marked their territories with symbolic masked creatures in carvings, drawings and on totem poles.
Whether for protection, good harvest or strength during hunting and battle, it wasn’t uncommon for tribal people to dress in ritualistic costumes to solicit the goodwill of their honored creatures.
Sound familiar? It should, because today the custom of the ancient spirit figure lives on through team mascots on every level.
Beyond your run-of-the mill animal variety (Tigers and Eagles are the most frequently used), many Oklahoma school districts have set themselves apart from the rest, with mascots as quirky as the stories behind them.
Some of the most interesting mascots are the ones that pay homage to their respective city’s history, like the Railroaders in Waynoka, which reflect an era when their fledging economy was based around the Southern Kansas Railroad.
In Sallisaw, where the Black Diamonds give a shout out to the coal country they call home, the high school colors of orange and black rule – from the city’s own logo down to the fire hydrants.
“The school spirit our unique Black Diamond mascot generates really creates a sense of community, and our school is right at the center of it all. We take a real sense of ownership in it,” says Scott Farmer, superintendent for Sallisaw Public Schools.
It’s also possible to create a mascot on pure symbolism.
Ask the Sand Springs Sandites, whose inexplicable “Minuteman” icon belies the fact that Sandite is defined as the “person you want to be;” or the Alva Goldbugs, whose obscure bug is simply a symbol of excellence.
To pack a more serious punch, sometimes a typical animal just isn’t enough.
The Miami Wardogs echo early-day Miamians’ admiration of the of the World War I canines, whose ferocious and fearless nature made them ideal for battle.
The Muskogee Roughers are particularly unique. By copyright, the roughneck bulldog “Rougher” can’t be used by any other institution. Ever. The school adopted this one-of-a-kind nickname in 1925 because many players performed without helmets due to lack of funding, and rough play.
Offbeat high school mascots are also a great way to capture the very essence of its residing city’s personality.
In the town of Beaver, the first town built in the territory of “No Man’s Land,” the Dusters pay homage to historical droughts, tornadoes and dust storms endured.
The Chickasha Fightin’ Chicks – well, let’s just say that their mascot lives up to its namesake.
“We catch some ribbing for our fighting chick. Some people think it’s not the most ferocious of mascots, mostly because the word ‘chick’ has a female connotation to it,” explains principal Beth Edwards.
“We’ve had requests to change it over the years, and we’ve voted on it twice, but the students want to keep it. The kids are happy with it and the alumni love it. Our chick is an important icon for the city and it isn’t going to change.”
Sharing The Wealth
Dr. Terry Neese is an expert at business – the business of making dreams come true.
An entrepreneur who has served on numerous government councils and policy organizations, Neese first fulfilled her own aspirations in 2006 with the creation of the Institute for the Economic Empowerment of Women (IEEW). Just a few short years after its inception, the nonprofit organization already has an international reputation for changing lives.
“I founded the institute initially to educate women entrepreneurs in the United States on public policy and advocacy and the importance of being involved in government,” Neese says.
“I truly believe if you run a business and you’re not involved in politics, then politics will run your business.”
Shortly after the institute’s creation, armed with a 50-pound flak jacket and two bodyguards, Neese joined a tour of Afghanistan with the U.S. State Department. It was during her experience there that she realized it was time to take her message global.
“I left there feeling that there was so much hope and so much enthusiasm for women to create businesses and jobs,” she says. “Perhaps this was something I’d been working toward for all my life – to help these women, to be a mentor to them, to share my knowledge and background as entrepreneur with them.”
The trip prompted Neese and the IEEW to implement the Peace Through Business Program in 2007, an initiative aimed at helping female business owners in Afghanistan and Rwanda nurture their entrepreneurial dreams. During an eight-week course, each woman develops a comprehensive business plan while undertaking a fast-paced business basics curriculum. At the end of each graduating class, 15 women from each country are selected to travel to the United States for the IEEW’s Leadership Development Program, during which they are matched with American female entrepreneurs who serve as mentors and inspiration.
The program’s effect on participants has been profound.
“Every one of these women is a success,” Neese says.
She cites an example of Taj Sirat, an Afghani woman who graduated from the first Peace Through Business class in 2007. When Sirat first joined the program, Neese says, she had 28 women working for her, hand-sewing soccer and volleyballs. Today, Sirat oversees almost 300 female employees. Her revenues are up 70 percent since participating in the program, and she even made a bid for a Parliament seat in Afghanistan.
More is expected of Peace Through Business graduates than just success, though. Like Neese herself has done, these entrepreneurs must pledge to pay their newfound knowledge forward to other female business owners in their home countries.
While the IEEW and its Peace Through Business program has become renowned across the globe – and is looking to expand its mission to more nations in the near future – the organization is hard at work in Oklahoma as well, drumming up mentors for the Leadership Development Program and encouraging women entrepreneurs to become more active in public policy.
Neese could not be more pleased with the manifestation of her dream to help female business owners at home and abroad. “The results have been amazing,” she says. “These are truly courageous, brave women.”
Dr. Neese will receive the Association for Women in Communications Matrix Foundation Award when the organization holds its national conference in Tulsa, Oct. 13-15. Past winners include NBC’s Ann Curry, ABC’s Christiane Amanpour and former White House correspondent Helen Thomas.
Sugar Magic
“People need to understand that they need to cherish this thing,” Kerry Vincent says of the Oklahoma State Sugar Art Show, an event she founded in 1993, which features the Grand National Wedding Cake Competition, arguably the most prestigious wedding cake competition in the world.
As she speaks, Vincent’s passion for the OSSAS is apparent, but when she uses the word “cherish,” her passion is tinged with frustration.
“Sometimes Oklahoma does not know that they have magical sugar in their back yard,” she says.
The hint of frustration disappears, but plaintiveness remains. She isn’t pleading simply to draw more paying customers to view the competitors’ entries. The show is already a success, attracting 600 competitors from across the country and the entire world, and with its location inside the Tulsa State Fair, it can draw 80,000 visitors. What Vincent would like most is to make more Oklahomans aware that there are world-class works of art on display right in their home state. The rest of the world seems to already know.
“I received an email, two separate ones, actually, from two people in Wales who don’t know each other, who want to come to this year’s show,” Vincent says, “Not as competitors. Just to look.”
The event is so highly regarded that it has drawn the attention of Food Network, which produced a special on the 2003 show and launched Vincent on a second career as host of programs such as Food Network Challenge and The Best Thing I Ever Ate. Numerous OSSAS competitors have also appeared on Food Network programs, and several have had their cakes photographed for Bride Magazine.
Lori Cossou, of Welch, Okla., knows firsthand the benefits of winning the competition, having won the grand prize in 2002 and 2007.
“I got local attention from newspapers and television and pictures of my winning cakes were published in several magazines,” she says. “Many of my customers come to my shop to see my show cakes after seeing them on the Food Network and in publications.”
Cossou displays all her competition cakes at her business, Lori’s Creative Cakes and Cookies, located just across the state line in Oswego, Kan. The attention she’s received as a winner has expanded her customer base and grown her business steadily. But prestige isn’t the only reason to enter the event. Last year’s grand prizewinner, Flora Aghababyan of Nevada, took home $13,000 in prize money.
“The money is definitely a reason (to compete),” Cossou says.
But it’s just one of many reasons why she continues to come back each year, along with seeing old friends, making new ones and helping those competitors just starting out. Mostly it’s a chance to cherish the work of some of the finest sugar artists in the world. And to spread the word to the rest of Oklahoma that there is magical sugar in their back yard.
Oklahoma Sugar Art Show And Wedding Cake Rock At A Glance
QuikTrip Center, Sugar Art Location (No. 42 on Fair map)
Saturday and Sunday, October 1 & 2, 2011, with competitor setup September 30
Saturday hours, 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 p.m.
Highlights:
10:00 – 11:30 a.m. and 3:30 – 5:00 p.m – Presentation by wedding cake designer and special celebrity sugar artist Karen Portelao from Highland Bakery in Atlanta, assisted by the ever-popular Joshua John Russell
11:45 a.m. – 1:15 p.m. and 5:15 – 6:45 p.m. – Presentation by FNTV Challenge winner and chocolatier Darci Rochau from Hyatt Tamaya Resort in Albuquerque, using Guittard chocolate and assisted by husband Gregory Rochau
1:30 – 3:00 p.m. Ginger People — timed competition. (Contestants will need to arrive 30 minutes in advance to set up.)
Sunday hours, 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Highlights:
10:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Whoo Hoo – The new Easy-Bake Oven Hands On experience for parents and children
10:00 – 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 – 3:00 p.m. — Presentation by wedding cake designer and special celebrity sugar artist Karen Portelao from Highland Bakery in Atlanta, assisted by the ever-popular Joshua John Russell
11:45 a.m. – 1:15 p.m. and 3:15 – 4:45 p.m. — Presentation by FNTV Challenge winner and chocolatier Darci Rochau from Hyatt Tamaya Resort in Albuquerque, using Guittard chocolate and assisted by husband Gregory Rochau
5:30 p.m. – approx. 7:30 p.m. — Awards Ceremony
Forever Young
We exist in an age of immortality, where we all will live active, vibrant lives well into our 90s. A nip here, a tuck there, and we’ll be back to skydiving and whitewater rafting in no time and doing it in style. Retirement is when life begins, so saddle up ladies and gentlemen, because the best years are just ahead!
At least that’s the picture a lot of clever marketers paint. As baby boomers turn 65 and enter retirement, the question is begged: Is 70 really the new 50?
According to Susan Jacoby, author of Never Say Die, not necessarily.
In Jacoby’s latest book, she takes a firm stand against the marketing of “the new old age” preferring instead to have a more realistic view of living life in the 70s, 80s and 90s.
“If it were true that 90 were the new 50, then we wouldn’t have to worry about entitlement programs, such as Social Security,” Jacoby argues. “And 70 isn’t the new 50, either.”
A writer who is no stranger to controversy, much of Jacoby’s premise is based on us having no control over our genetics, and it’s genetics that ultimately decide how active we can be in our golden years. In an article for the New York Daily News, she cites the appearance of 94-year-old Kirk Douglas at the Academy Awards – and the backlash from the media who thought it was “embarrassing” and “uncomfortable” to watch – to highlight America’s discomfort with aging.
“It’s very un-American to say that it doesn’t matter if you keep yourself healthy and eat the right foods that you can expect to be like Betty White when you’re 90. Nobody wants to hear that we can’t control certain things.”
Of the many things that can happen to us in our old age, approximately 17 percent of older Americans live in poverty. According to Jacoby, it is up to us to provide support to those who need it through programs such as Social Security and public health care programs.
“There are a lot of people who cannot save for old, old age, and there really aren’t jobs for people in their 70s,” says Jacoby.
Realistic Expectations
But is there anything we can do to prepare ourselves to be in the best position going into old age? Dr. Candy Ting with St. John Medical Center believes there is hope for us.
“Yes, it is very realistic to expect to lead an active life in your 70s, 80s and 90s,” Ting explains. “If people take care of themselves, exercise, don’t smoke and don’t let themselves become obese, then yes, they can have very vibrant lifestyles in their old age.”
Many health professionals say that how you live and take care of yourself when you’re young will impact how active your later years will be. Ting stresses the importance of maintaining social connections, which is often a factor for depression for those who are older, who have lost loved ones and become lonely. Keeping up with a social group is one way to stimulate the brain and remain motivated.
“I always believe in a three-generation family,” says Ting. “Kids need to step in and do more things with their parents – visit with them, drive them to church. That’s why retirement facilities are great for social interaction. Assisted living facilities are great because they are organized and have group activities and outings. It gives people more independence back.”
Vanessa Neal, executive director at University Village, says that you’re never too old to learn something new.
“When you stop learning or engaging, that’s really when you’re old,” she says. “We encourage our residents to be active. Some have even started to warm up to the Wii exercise system.”
As we age, the most common ailments we face are arthritis and degenerative joint diseases. Ting recommends a regular habit of exercise – whether it be walking or swimming – to keep joints from becoming stiff.
Skin cancer is another common health concern, as well as sleep deprivation and coronary heart disease.
“When people don’t go to work in the morning, they don’t feel that they have to go to bed at any particular time,” says Ting.
However, the largest health challenge facing seniors, or those that fall into the dubious category of the “old, old” 85 and over range, is dementia. According to Alz.org, one in eight people 65 and over has Alzheimer’s, while nearly half of those over 85 suffer from dementia or Alzheimer’s. Out of the top 10 leading causes of death in America, Alzheimer’s is the only one that has no cure or prevention or way to slow the disease.
“You have to keep active, and that includes mental activity,” says Ting. “The frontal lobe of the brain isn’t getting used very much. Many just don’t have the routine anymore and they’re not telling their brain to do things. Memory impairment can usually be stimulated by human interaction. Many times, people sit and watch TV – it’s not the same. The TV can’t interact with you, reach out and hug you.”
Ting also suggests reading books and incorporating brain challenges and brain teasers into daily activity. There are also medications that doctors can prescribe to assist with brain function. The trouble is that many times the early signs of dementia are overlooked. The signs can be as small as a slight change in behavior.
“Let’s say your mom always color-coordinated her clothes, matching blouse and pants. But now, mom isn’t color-coordinating her clothes. You need to be vigilant about these kinds of changes in behavior and patterns,” says Ting.
Additional signs are memory loss that disrupts daily life, confusion with time or place and mood swings. If a parent or loved one is exhibiting signs of early dementia, a doctor should see them.
It is also important to keep up with vaccines and inoculations. For those over the age of 55, Ting recommends a one-time pneumonia shot. She also suggests the shingles vaccine and yearly flu shot.
Most important, says Ting, is people’s attitudes as they age.
“I think if they accept that even though they can’t work the eight-hour day, they can still get up and have a good day. They can have someone come over and drive them to church. You may not be able to run anymore, but you can exercise in the pool. It’s when they tell themselves they can’t do these things that they really are old.”
Know Where To Go
With all the health challenges we face, access to quality medical care is also of great concern, especially now with health care reform on the horizon.
Carter Kimble with the Oklahoma Health Care Authority (OHCA), which provides medical coverage for those who qualify for dual coverage under Medicare and Medicaid, says that on the state level, the programs that they offer may have more of a group care focus.
“Right now, there are several grant opportunities to fund pilot programs on how to coordinate care for the elderly,” Kimble explains. “It’s allowing us to examine how to provide wrap around services for community partners. Typically, older patients will have several doctors – one for primary care, one for cardiology, one for their arthritis and so on. This method would group those services so that doctors are working together.”
Typically those who fall under OHCA’s program are high utilization patients. According to Kimble, these grant opportunities are not only beneficial in allowing test areas for new ways to provide health care, but they’re also beneficial for the state and taxpayer.
The current grant OHCA is utilizing is $1 million for one year. As for how the federal legislation will impact at a local level, the future is still unclear.
“I would say the big things are still in the pipes,” Kimble says. “There’s a lot of uncertainty about how this program is going to look and how much flexibility will be given to the states. One of the things that remains central is that we make sure that people have access to quality health care regardless of their ability to pay for it. That’s our goal and our mission and has been for a long time.”
Grow Old Gracefully?
Quality health care is vital to keeping on the go, but what happens when the mirror starts to become an enemy? For those with the desire and the means, you can fight off Mother Nature one wrinkle at time.
“About 30 to 35 is when we all have this epiphany,” says Pam Brewer, founder of Skin Medic in Tulsa.
“We wake up and think, ‘Holy cow, where’d my face go?’”
For Dr. James Koehler, a surgeon at Tulsa Surgical Arts, 35 also is the average age that patients begin to seek his help in lifting areas that have fallen.
“Some of the most common things we do is what people term the ‘mommy makeover.’ These patients are women have had a couple of kids, theirs breasts are drooping or their abdomen has been stretched out and they want to feel better about how they look. They’re not going to get the body they had before kids, but they’ll get close. That’s when people start doing these types of procedures and have the money to do so.”
According to Koehler, the trend he’s seeing more recently is not in terms of age, but rather in gender.
“Before you wouldn’t see very many men seeking out facial rejuvenation procedures but I’m seeing more men 55 and up,” he says. “I think that’s because people are working longer. One patient told me how he is competing with people in their 20s and 30s. He feels good, but he wants to look good as well.”
The oldest person that Koehler has performed an elective procedure on is 75. Barring any outstanding health issues, the risks for patients who are older are the same as for anyone who is going under the knife.
“Every person needs to understand you cannot freeze yourself in time,” says Koehler. “People have to accept the aging process. It all comes down to realistic expectations. You’ve got to set the expectations significantly different in older patients. The reason being that the tissue has less elasticity. Even if I get things as tight as possible, I know they’re going to have some loose skin in three months. It’s reasonable to say you’ll have a more rejuvenated look, but to say you’ll look 65 again is completely unreasonable.”
Jenny Maschino, who is also with Skin Medic, specializes in bioidentical hormone therapy. She agrees that setting the realistic expectations is key.
“What we hear a lot of times from our clients is that they don’t want to look 20, they just want to look good for their age. We can work with that. We really try to set the expectation that it’s a process – you didn’t get this way overnight, and it can’t be reversed in one session.”
The use of bioidentical hormones is becoming more and more popular among those who are looking for their own fountain of youth.
“Taking a very simplistic approach, let’s say that a woman comes to us who is very wrinkly,” says Brewer. “Very wrinkly is a big indicator of some possible estrogen deficits. And if they’re going to spend the money in the aesthetic realm of looking better, we need estrogen to produce collagen. Therefore, they kind of have to do them both if they want to get the bang for their buck.”
Both Maschino and Brewer agree that for those who want maximum results, care for their skin and health must be part of an overall lifestyle.
“If people want to spend the money on putting something in their face but the body doesn’t receive it well, then we’re fighting an up hill battle,” says Brewer. “If a patient smokes or spends a lot of time in tanning beds or outside a lot, we’re spending a lot of money trying to get you back to a more rejuvenated form and you’re fighting us the whole time.”
According to Brewer, one of the first and least expensive things to do to maintain a healthy appearance is skin care.
“Often, life gets in the way of these types of procedures. People who are having hip surgeries, knee replacements or even taking care of loved ones will put this type of medical procedure on the back burner. Luckily, there are several pathways people can take, depending on budget, to look a good as possible. One end of the spectrum is skin care, while on the opposite end is hormonal therapies and weight management. In the middle there are fillers and machines. The middle two are Hollywood. The others are necessary – skin care is necessary.”
According to Koehler, the use of fillers can also be good for maintenance as well as preventative measures against aging.
“Sometimes people will get these deep vertical lines on the brow,” he explains. “As the skin loses elasticity, those creases will become permanent. Botox won’t help you then. However, Botox done early enough will prevent creating those repetitive lines. In that capacity, Botox can be used for prevention.”
“Genetics does play a role,” adds Maschino. “What I like to focus on is what you can control. Everything else, you’ll just spin your wheels and make you mentally exhausted. If people are predisposed to being overweight, or heart disease or diabetes, you don’t just have to sit there and think ‘oh, this is what I’m stuck with.’ We know there are therapies that help with insulin resistance and lower cholesterol. We can’t stop genetics, but there are things that can help.”
“If you don’t have your health, you really don’t have anything,” adds Brewer. “It doesn’t matter what you look like, or how much money you have. It’s about balance and that’s what we try to instill in our patients.”
“You kind of have to find religion in this,” says Maschino. “You have to be willing to change how you think and feel about health. If you keep doing unhealthy things, nothing is going to change.”
“If people have this misconception about how they look, no amount of surgery is going to satisfy them,” says Koehler. “People have to be well-adjusted happy on the inside, like who they are and these are things they are doing for themselves.”
So what does the future of old age look like? Only time will tell.
Author Susan Jacoby shares what she learned in writing Never Say Die.
Oklahoma Magazine: What inspired you to write Never Say Die?
Susan Jacoby: I was getting older myself – entering my 60s. My mother was in her late 80s and was beginning to have very serious health issues. The old, old age is very different from what we’ve seen. Also, my partner had passed from early on-set Alzheimer’s.
OM: What has been the reaction to the book?
SJ: I’ve never had a book that’s had more violently mixed reactions. Women like it more than men. The old, old are mainly women, with 80 percent of the people over 80 being women. In most families, the women are the caretakers of the old, so women who are in their 50s and 60s have a better idea of what old, old age really looks like. It’s funny; the older the men are who read it, the better they like my book.
OM: What is the biggest myth marketers have told about growing old in America?
SJ: The biggest myth is it that if you live right, you’ll be young. Fifty percent over 80 have dementia. While there may be something to treat it down the line, there’s no immediate cure for dementia. Exercising, not smoking, eating healthy, these are all good things, but they don’t have an effect on Alzheimer’s. The Baby Boom generation grew up in an era that you could endlessly reinvent yourself, and the fact is you can’t fight genetics. And there are exceptions. I mean, we’d all like to be Betty White, but she’s the exception.
OM: You come from a line of long-living women. What is your biggest fear as you get older?
SJ: Alzheimer’s. I can cope with anything but Alzheimer’s is my biggest fear – losing the ability to control my own decisions. People should have their own living will and everyone should have an end-of-life care plan. If you don’t have any brain function or will have no quality of life, you need to make your wishes known. Individuals have to take responsibility.
OM: In your opinion, what is realistic when it comes to expectations about aging? In what ways can people be prepared for it?
SJ: I’m not sure anyone is ever prepared for old age. Work as long as possible. If not paid, then as an unpaid volunteer. Unless you hate where you live, rethink moving to retirement communities. Living in New York, I think this is the greatest place in the world for being old. It’s very difficult to have a life when you can’t drive a car. More and more, people are moving to places like Portland that have public transportation.
OM: Are there any positives that have come from the marketing of new old age? Is there a silver lining?
SJ: If you like delusion there is. The new old age hinges on always having a positive attitude. I don’t think anybody is any different than when they were middle aged. You don’t suddenly become wise if you’re an idiot at 40. People tend to become themselves, only more so. I don’t think there’s anything you can do but live your best life at any age.
OM: What is the moral of the story you would like your readers to take away from Never Say Die?
SJ: Don’t shoot the messenger, but there’s not a moral to the story. What I would like people to realize is that who they are now is who they will be later. There is no magic in old age, no special wisdom that comes with it. You better be searching for wisdom at 40 if you want any later.
Also, it’s important to understand that old people are entitled to the same emotions that young people are. No group of people is this injunction of an always positive attitude more forced upon than old people. Elderly people have a right to their emotions, negative as well as positive.
