You might be familiar with the acronym CMS, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.  CMS is the federal agency that administers Medicare.  Annually, they revise the parameters for the standard drug Medicare Advantage and Part D plans to account for increased prescription drug costs.  The parameters include the four phases of a Medicare drug plan- deductible, initial coverage phase, coverage gap (or donut hole), and catastrophic coverage.  Depending on what medications a Medicare beneficiary is prescribed will depend on how many phases one might enter, varying the costs of prescriptions through out the year.  

The first phase of a Medicare drug plan is the Deductible Phase, this is the amount one must pay each year for prescriptions before a plan pays its share.  Deductibles vary between plans, the upper limit for 2021 is $435.  Not all plans have a deductible and not all medications are subject to the full drug cost in this phase. 

Once the deductible phase is met, a beneficiary enters the Initial Coverage Phase and pays a copayment or coinsurance for covered drugs.  The amount paid will depend on if it is a generic or brand name, tier classification, and a plan’s drug formulary.  This phase continues until a total of $4,130 (2021) is spent by the beneficiary and the drug plan.   

The Medicare drug Coverage Gap phase (or “donut hole”) was officially closed in 2020, but that doesn’t mean people won’t pay anything.  Entering this phase, a beneficiary will pay a co-insurance of 25% of the full cost of a drug for generic and brand name prescriptions.  The insurance company and drug manufacturers are responsible for the other 75%.  It is important to know if or when and how much you might have to pay for prescriptions during this phase. 

Once $6,550 (2021) has been reached, the beneficiary enters the Catastrophic Coverage phase.  During this phase, copays or coinsurance significantly lower for the for remainder of the year.  Drug costs are now a co-insurance of 5% of the cost for each prescription or $3.60 for generics and $8.95 for brand-name drugs, whichever is greater. The other 95% of the costs are covered by the plan and government.  

Medicare plans keep track of how much money is spent out of pocket for covered drugs and progression through coverage phases and should appear in your monthly statements. 

During Open Enrollment, October 15-December 7, Medicare beneficiaries have the opportunity to review current insurance plans and shop for a new one.  A Senior Health Insurance Counselor (SHICK) can assist you with a personalized drug plan comparison to determine your expected financial costs and if you will enter more than one phase.  If you have questions or would like a one-to-one appointment, contact the Southwind Extension office for a free, confidential, and unbiased session in Fort Scott, Erie, Iola, and Yates Center Southwind Extension offices. 

Follow us on Facebook @southwindextensiondistrict or Instagram @southwind_ext. For more information, contact Joy Miller at [email protected] or by calling 620-223-3720. 

I overheard a conversation in our office the other day that included, “I just want normal, whatever that is anymore.” No one has escaped the insecurities that has taken place since Covid became a pandemic.

There are days I just feel ‘off’. I don’t feel bad physically, but I really can’t put a finger on it. Sometimes it’s a lack of focus, or I forget things easily, because a routine has changed. I read an article recently that seemed to hit the nail on the head for me. Maybe you can relate. I’ll share some thoughts from “Our Brains Struggle to Process This Much Stress” from Elemental by Tara Haelle.

When we find ourselves in an emergency, we experience an adrenaline rush that presents a fight or flight type of reaction. We can think more clearly and react more quickly – often reacting before we have a chance to think about it. The incident is usually over quickly and our hormones return to normal.

Unlike the boost of energy of an adrenaline rush, in the early weeks of the pandemic we were using ‘surge capacity’ to function. Surge capacity is a collection of adaptive systems—mental and physical—that humans draw on for short-term survival in acutely stressful situations, such as natural disasters. However, pandemics can stretch on indefinitely.

In the case of natural disasters, we can see the end results of the physical damage that has been done. With a pandemic the harm is ongoing and invisible. Many systems that we work with everyday are not working normally right now. We might think we should be used to this by now, yet, we’ve never experienced a pandemic before.

Our surge capacity may be running on empty. We have ups and downs and often feel depleted or burned out – all from dealing with chronic stress. Those who are problem solvers and are used to getting things done may feel a harder hit, because none of that is possible right now.

Understanding ambiguous loss – any loss that’s unclear and lacks a resolution – may be helpful. It’s not a death, but in the case of the pandemic, there has been a loss of a way of life.

How do we adjust to a ‘new normal’ when there is indefinite uncertainty? Here are some tips shared by Pauline Boss, PhD, a family therapist and professor emeritus of social sciences at the University of Minnesota.

–Accept that life is different now. This does not mean we are giving up. It means quit fighting reality so we can place our mental energy into things that are constructive.

–Expect less from yourself. With the losses we have experienced, take some time to reflect to find out what rhythms of life you need right now.

–Recognize the different aspects of grief. The familiar stages of grief apply to this pandemic –anger, denial, depression, and acceptance—all concepts in facing loss. Acceptance might mean choosing to have a good time in spite of the pandemic.

–Look for activities that fulfill you. Self-care has always been included as a good coping skill. Unfortunately, the pandemic may have taken away some of those activities, such as meeting with friends for coffee or your regular bunko night. One thing we have control over is our daily lives. ‘Do it Yourself ‘ projects like gardening, painting, and house projects, for example, could feed that fulfillment need.

–Focus on maintaining and strengthening important relationships. Social support systems and remaining connected to people are most important when facing adversity. This includes helping others even when we are feeling used up ourselves. It’s a win-win strategy in helping overcome our sense of helplessness and loss of control as we are doing something to help someone else.

–Begin slowly building your resilience account. Like a bank account, we may have overdrawn our resilience account over the past few months. We need to gradually build up our life practices to have something to fall back on when life gets out of sorts. Starting small with focuses on nutrition, sleep, exercise, meditation, self-compassion, gratitude, connection, and saying ‘no’ are basic needs and great areas to begin a foundation.

Do a little bit every day and you will start building momentum in re-building your surge capacity. Make sure to give yourself some slack when a link in your new routine chain breaks, and be ready to start again.

K-State Research and Extension is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

Southwind District Youth to Celebrate

National 4-H Week: October 4-10

Every year, National 4-H Week sees millions of youth, parents, volunteers and alumni come together to celebrate the many positive youth development opportunities offered by 4-H. The theme for this year’s National 4-H Week, Opportunity4All, is a campaign that was created by National 4-H Council to rally support for Cooperative Extension’s 4-H program and identify solutions to eliminate the opportunity gap that affects 55 million kids across America.

With so many children struggling to reach their full potential, 4-H believes that young people, in partnership with adults, can play a key role in creating a more promising and equitable future for youth, families and communities across the country. In 4-H, we believe every child should have an equal opportunity to succeed. We believe every child should have the skills they need to make a difference in the world.

Southwind District 4-H will observe National 4-H Week this year by highlighting some of the inspirational 4-H youth in our community who are working tirelessly to support each other and their communities.

“We believe youth perspectives are so important and a solution to eliminating the opportunity gap, because young people come with new ideas and new ways of seeing the world,” explains Jennifer Sirangelo, President and CEO of National 4-H Council. By encouraging diverse voices and innovative actions, 4-H believes that solutions can be found to address the educational, economic and health issues that have created the opportunity gap.

The Southwind District 4-H members, volunteers, and staff will be celebrating this week with radio spots, news columns, National Spirit Day on the 7^th, window displays, and social media posts. Check out Southwind District 4-H on Facebook and YouTube to see our 4-H pride this week! Towards the end of the week is the Kansas 484H project where youth will be demonstrating their skills in 48 hours of community service.

In Southwind District, more than 530 4-H youth and over 100 volunteers from the community are involved in 4H. With over 30 projects offered within Kansas 4-H and the Southwind District, the 4-H program has something for everyone. What other youth organization can young people be a part of that promotes involvement of the entire family? Not to mention all of the life skills that youth learn by attending monthly club meetings.

To learn more about how you can get involved, reach out to Jennifer Terrell, 4-H Youth Development Agent at [email protected] or call 620-244-3826. Information can also be found by visiting southwind.ksu.edu or searching Southwind District 4-H on social media.

About 4-H

4-H, the nation’s largest youth development and empowerment organization, cultivates confident kids who tackle the issues that matter most in their communities right now. In the United States, 4-H programs empower six million young people through the 110 land-grant universities and Cooperative Extension in more than 3,000 local offices serving every county and parish in the country. Outside the United States, independent, country-led 4-H organizations empower one million young people in more than 50 countries. National 4-H Council is the private sector, non-profit partner of the Cooperative Extension System and 4-H National Headquarters located at the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) within the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).

Learn more about 4-H at southwind.ksu.edu, find us on Facebook at Southwind District 4-H and on YouTube with Southwind District 4-H.

Fall and spring are my favorite seasons. Finally, some cooler temperatures have arrived and it is actually feeling more like fall! I encourage you to get outside and enjoy the fall season. It is the perfect time to do some tasks around your landscape that will help next spring.

First, let’s talk lawn weeds. I know, they are probably the last thing on your mind since we are winding down the mowing season. Believe it or not, it is the ideal time to tackle those weeds. Not next spring when you fire the mower up again!

Cool season broadleaf weeds such as henbit, dandelions and chick weed all germinate in the cool moist periods of September and October. They overwinter as small plants, barely visible unless you get down close to the ground to look. Once warm weather arrives in the spring, the plants grow rapidly and flower.

Fall control is ideal for these cool season broadleaf weeds. The weeds are storing food in their roots and will send a leaf applied herbicide to their roots as well. The herbicides will translocate to the roots and will kill the plants from the roots up. These plants are also small and easily controlled right now.

There are several products on the market that are effective on these fall germinating weeds. Herbicides such as 2,4-D or combination products that contain 2,4-D, MCCP and Dicamba, sold under the trade names of Trimec, Weed-B-Gon, or Weed-Out, can be used. A product called Weed Free Zone is also an option. It contains the three active ingredients mentioned above plus carfentrazone.

Newly planted lawns should not be treated with any herbicide until the new grass seedlings have been mowed two or three times depending on the product. Read and follow the label directions closely.

Next, let’s talk flower bulbs. Bulbs are a good addition to any landscape or garden because they offer a variety of bloom color, flowering time, plant height, and shape. Now is the time to get those bulbs in the ground!

Bulbs can be planted in a variety of locations including around house foundations, under deciduous shrubs and trees, along borders, in perennial beds, and rock gardens. You can also plant them in containers and even on steep slopes.

When planted along a foundation, bulbs will add color in the early spring if planted in a grouping of twelve or more bulbs. If you have evergreen shrubs planted along a foundation, they will provide a nice background for planting of bulbs. Bulbs will “pop” with color in contrast to the green of the shrubs.

A border of bulbs planted along the edge of the lawn will add a splash of color to the lawn area. Or consider planting low growing bulbs around the edge of a flower bed to add interest. You can add them directly into a perennial bed. The bulbs will bloom in March, April and May before perennials start to grow. Make sure to locate the bulbs so the dying foliage will not be noticed.

Both spring and summer bulbs can be planted in portable containers. The nice thing about container plantings is their versatility.

For spring bulbs, once bloom is past, the container can be moved to a location out of sight while the foliage matures. Summer bulbs will add color all summer long to areas such as a patio or deck.
Keep in mind that planting bulbs of one variety or color in mass will have greater visual impact. This will provide uniform color and texture that is pleasing to the eye. With bulbs such as tulips or daffodils, plant at least twelve bulbs of one variety in a grouping. Smaller bulbs should be planted in groups of fifty to have visual impact.

Take action now to have a beautiful, weed-free, colorful lawn next spring!

Krista Harding is a K-State Research and Extension Agricultural agent assigned to Southwind District. She may be reached at [email protected] or 620-244-3826.

Your home may be your new office or a classroom this year. No matter how much time you spend at home, it is recommended to test for Radon and know what level your home is at.

Radon is known to be the leading cause of lung cancer in non-smokers and the second leading cause of lung cancer in smokers.

Radon occurs naturally in the soil. Kansas soils generate significant amounts of radon leading to the potential for homes to have elevated concentrations of this naturally-occurring class A carcinogen. Radon seeps into homes and other buildings through joints or cracks in the foundation.

One in four homes in Kansas will test at or above the EPA’s radon action level. Test kits are available at each Southwind Extension Office for $7, this includes lab analysis and return postage. Instructions are included, following them is important so the results will reveal the potential for elevated concentrations in the lowest lived-in level of the home.

If your results are low, consider repeating the test every two or three years or whenever there is a significant change in the home’s foundation, heating system or air tightness from weatherization efforts.

If radon is present above the recommended ceiling (4.0 pCiL/Pico Curies per liter), a confirmatory test should be conducted. If you want to know the radon concentration in other areas of your home, conduct the desired number of tests at the same time. When high results are confirmed, consult a radon professional for mitigation system installation.

More information about radon, including testing and mitigation, is available at Kansas Radon Program at kansasradonprogram.org and by phone, toll-free: 1-800-693-5343. The Environmental Protection Agency’s National Radon Program Services is housed in the Engineering Extension Department at K-State.

Follow us on Facebook @southwindextensiondistrict or Instagram @southwind_ext. For more information, contact Joy Miller at [email protected] or by calling 620-223-3720.

MaKayla Stroud  

Southwind Extension District 

4-H Program Assistant   

Brain Breaks 

Do you have a hard time staying focused while working on the computer or studying? Do you ever feel like your brain is on idle or taking a nap? If you have ever felt like this, then you should try taking a brain break! A brain break is an exercise that gets you out of your chair while using different parts of your brain. These challenges can be altered for all ages, abilities and working environments. Brain breaks help one to refocus, increase energy and helps you have fun!  

Brain breaks can be used within a classroom setting, office environment or any place that includes long periods of stationary work. These exercise bursts should last between one to four minutes in length. It is recommended that for elementary students to have a brain break after 20-30 minutes of sedentary work. A quick brain break allows physical energy to be burned allowing the brain to reawake while also utilizing regions that aren’t used when students are sitting down. For adults, a brain break can allow for a quick session of stretching to make sitting at a desk more comfortable.  

Since brain breaks require you to stand or participate in light exercise, this benefits the participant by improving cognitive skills while encouraging muscle growth, increasing motor skills and strengthening cardio-vascular systems. By using both the brain and body simultaneously this allows for the brain to be reset while increasing the flow of blood & oxygen that in return boosts energy.  

Having fun is another reason to break up your workday with a short brain break. These activities allow you to take a breather from work while being silly and testing your personal best. Some brain break activities can be completed as a group to have fun with colleagues or classmates. When participating in a fun activity it boosts your mood, encourages smiling, causes laughing while helping to decrease stress.  

If you’re interested in more information, go to our Facebook page or YouTube channel named Southwind District 4-H and watch various brain break activities. Other youth development resources can be found at southwind.ksu.edu.  

When it comes to aging, it’s been said that if a home transition — or move to another dwelling–is being considered, it is most easily done when individuals are in their 60’s or 70’s. This is especially true if a couple can move together to a new home and adjust to their new surroundings together.

Our homes are familiar to us, they hold special memories, and it may be ‘home’ for other family members to come back to that have moved away. However, our homes that have been safe havens over the years, can become danger zones in our later years.

Every 11 seconds, an older adult is seen in an emergency department for a fall related injury. Yet, many falls are preventable. Next week, September 21-25, is Falls Prevention Awareness Week. It presents a good opportunity to re-evaluate our living situation and take a look at what ‘stumbling blocks’ could be existing in our homes.

Many of us have lived in our homes for numerous years. We’ve learned to navigate the steps and hallways and probably feel like we could do it safely with our eyes closed. Yet, activity limitations can creep in with aging, such as arthritis, high blood pressure, hearing/vision impairments, and heart conditions. Our balance may not be as good, our strength is likely not what it was, and there may be pain involved that can interfere with mobility.

Even if we don’t require the assistance of a mobility device – such as a cane or walker—the need exists to make sure walking areas throughout the house are clear. I find I don’t pick up my feet as far as I used too. Thus, I catch my toe on steps a little more often than I would like.

Look for areas of clutter that can be cleared, cords that may be removed, or furniture that can be rearranged to create a clearer walking path. Pitch the throw rugs that could contribute to a tripping hazard. Make sure light switches are at the ends of stairways and hallways to better mark travel paths.

Yes, we might feel comfortable walking around in our house in the dark. However, it may be that one out-of-place item that takes us down and creates a serious injury. Establish better lighting situations for night time movement throughout the home. Our eyes are slower to adjust to light and dark environments as we age. Our eyes may also find it harder to differentiate between patterns on floors and steps.

Medications, along with reduced strength in arms and legs, can play havoc with our sense of balance — especially if we try to raise or lower our bodies too quickly. Installing grab bars and handrails at proper heights and locations can make those movements safer. Medications should be reviewed with health care providers on a regular basis to make sure they are not contributing to a balance issue.

A basic desire of all of us is to maintain our independence. Many of us want to do that in our current homes. To help assess the safety of your home and areas that can contribute to falls, the National Council on Aging (NCOA) has a room-by-room checklist of areas to more closely consider. To assist in determining your risk for falls, the NCOA also has a free fall risk assessment available online.

Both the home checklist and the personal fall risk assessment can be accessed on the Southwind Extension District website at https://www.southwind.k-state.edu/home-family/adults/. Contact me by phone at 620-625-8620 or by email at [email protected] for more information on falls related information.

(Yates Center, KS) – Do you know how that playground equipment at the park down the street was purchased? Or the new sign leading visitors to a local landmark? How about initial money for a festival? In any community, chances are that someone, or a group of individuals, wrote a grant proposal and received funding to help with the project.

Individuals and community groups can learn more about writing successful grant proposals at a workshop planned in Yates Center, KS on Thursday, November 5, 2020. The workshop is presented by Nancy Daniels, a community vitality specialist with K-State Research and Extension and the author of many grant proposals. The training will be at the Yates Center Community Building, 713 S. Fry Street, from 9:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. and includes lunch. The cost to attend is $40.

“This workshop is for everyone, whether they’ve never written a proposal before and have no idea where to start, to those who have experience but are looking for ways to improve their approach,” Daniels said. “The magic that happens in a local community when people find out they don’t have to wait to get something done, that they can do it themselves, is incredible.”

Participants also learn from each other, Daniels said, adding that even experienced grant writers pick up tips and are reenergized after coming together with peers in their communities.  Participants are encouraged to bring their grants or grant ideas to share.

Workshop topics include:

• Sources of data for community needs (where do you find the numbers to back up your request?);
• Where to find grants;
• The five common elements of a great grant proposal;
• Practicing the grant writing elements.If you have questions, please contact Carla Nemecek at the Southwind Extension District Iola Office, 620-365-2242 or email [email protected]. Details and registration are available at www.southwind.k-state.edu

  ######

Carla Nemecek
Southwind Extension District
Director & Agent
[email protected]
620-365-2242
1 North Washington, Iola, KS 66749

…

September is here and that means it is prime time to fertilize your fescue lawns. Even if you faithfully fertilize in the spring, by September fescue plants are literally starving to death.

Fescue is entering into its fall growth cycle as days shorten and temperatures moderate. Fall is the time that cool-season grasses naturally thicken up by tillering. Tillering is the term used to describe how the plant forms new shoots at the base of existing plants. Plants also build their root system for the following year in the fall. An application of fertilizer in September is put to immediate use by the plants.

However, before applying any fertilizer, I recommend that you have a soil test done. Lawn soils vary widely in pH, available phosphorus and potassium. It is very difficult to just “guess” about which nutrients are lacking and how much of each is needed. Soil testing can be done through the Extension office with a fee of $12 per sample. You will receive a detailed report that outlines your soil needs and how to fertilize accordingly. It is recommended to have a soil test every five years.

The procedure for soil testing is simple. Use a sharp shooter shovel and go straight down into the soil about four inches. Pull the soil clump up (grass and all) and knock the soil off into a bucket. Do this in about five to six locations in the lawn. In the bucket, mix the soil samples well and then randomly pull out about two cups of soil and place in a zip-lock bag and bring to one of our office locations in Erie, Iola, Yates Center or Fort Scott. For those living in or near Chanute, you can drop soil samples off at Breiner’s Feed Store for pick-up.

If you have not had a soil test, here is a general fescue lawn fertilizer recommendation. With a fall application, it is best to use a “quick-release” source of nitrogen. Apply 1 to 1 ½ pounds of actual nitrogen per 1,000 square feet of lawn. If the fertilizer analysis is 10-10-10, it is declaring that it contains 10 percent nitrogen, 10 percent phosphorus, and 10 percent potassium. So, to get the 1 pound of actual nitrogen per 1,000 square feet using a 10-10-10 blend, you would need to apply 10 pounds of the fertilizer.

Another application of fertilizer in November should be applied to help the plants build up their food reserves for use when the grass greens up in the spring. Don’t be fooled into thinking that you can get the same results if you just waited and only fertilized in the spring. Spring only fertilizing leads to fast growth, which means more mowing. This can also promote shallow root growth and possible summer die out.

Fall is the ideal time to renovate poor doing lawns. If you have an overabundance of weeds, crabgrass, etc. then you may want to consider reseeding. New lawns should also be planted in the fall.

If you would like more information on lawn fertilization, seeding or soil testing, please contact me at the Extension office.

Krista Harding is a K-State Research and Extension Agricultural agent assigned to Southwind District. She may be reached at [email protected] or 620-244-3826.

K-State Research and Extension is an equal opportunity provider and employer.