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Today is Monday, May 11, 2026
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Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia slowly destroy a person’s memory and diminish communication skills. This is deeply frustrating for caregivers. Here are some tips that may help.
Avoid “elderspeak.” Persons with dementia may not be able to formulate their thoughts but they are very aware when they are being spoken to like a child. Speaking loudly in a high pitched simple baby-talk tone is recognized as not being the way normal adults speak to each other and can seem condescending. Speak in a normal adult voice but do modify your content. For example, avoid open-ended questions like “What would you like for dinner?” Instead ask “Would you like pork chops or a cheese omelet?”
Be aware of your body language. The reality of brain change is that while cognitive process declines, emotional intelligence is still working. Persons with dementia can read your moods and manners quite well. Be sure your attitude and body language express love, concern, good humor, caring and friendliness. Even if you don’t always feel that way.
Change your approach as the disease progresses. Don’t make assumptions about the person’s ability to communicate based on a diagnosis. Keep talking to your loved one, practice your friendly loving demeanor and adjust your expectations as time goes by. The Alzheimer’s Assn. offers an excellent list of communication strategies broken down by the stages of decline. Click here for more information. https://www.alz.org/help-support/caregiving/daily-care/communications
The National Institute on Aging has resources on communication and other issues in dementia. Click here https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/alzheimers-caregiving-changes-communication-skills
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This article submitted by Dementia Friendly Community Initiative, a program of Whitewater Seniors in the Park to help inform the community about dementia and to support patients and caregivers. New members are always welcome! Contact jfrench@whitewater-wi.gov or call Jennifer French at 262 473 0535. More resources for caregivers:
https://www.co.walworth.wi.us/376/Aging-Disability-Resource-Center
ADRC of Walworth County Offers Walk With Ease Program
The Walworth County Aging and Disability Resource Center (ADRC) is offering Walk With Ease starting September 6 at Lake Geneva Public Library. Walk With Ease—a program from the Arthritis Foundation—is a structured walking program that teaches participants how to safely make physical activity part of their everyday lives. The program is designed to help people living with arthritis better manage their pain and is also ideal for people without arthritis who want to make walking a daily habit.
Walk With Ease offers support, information, and tools to help participants develop successful exercise routines. The six-week group series is led by certified instructors Chetney Blaszczyk RDN, CD, and Rebecca Way MSW, APSW. During the program, participants learn proper stretching and pain management techniques; they also build stamina and walking pace. The program can be modified to meet the needs of individual participants so that each person can develop an exercise routine that fits
their unique goals.
“Research shows that walking is not only good for joints, but also helps improve the health of the heart, lungs, and bones,” said Blaszczyk. “Walking can also help with weight management, which can reduce one’s risk for arthritis in the knee, heart disease, and diabetes. If you can be on your feet for 10 minutes without increased pain, you will most likely have success with Walk With Ease.”
The information and strategies taught in the program are based on research and tested programs in exercise science, behavior change, and arthritis management. Updated and evaluated by the Thurston Arthritis Research Center and the Institute on Aging of the University of North Carolina, Walk With Ease is shown to increase balance, strength, and walking pace, as well as reduce the pain and discomfort of arthritis. The program is also shown to build participant confidence to be physically active and improve overall health.
Walk With Ease will be held every Wednesday, September 6 to October 11, from 1 to 2 p.m., at Lake Geneva Public Library, 918 West Main Street, Lake Geneva. Pre-registration is required. This workshop has a suggested contribution of $10. For more information, contact Chetney Blaszczyk at (262) 741-3309. Always check with your physician before starting any exercise program.
About the ADRC of Walworth County: The ADRC provides information and assistance to older and disabled adults, their friends, family, caregivers, and the public. We can assist by evaluating your current needs and providing options available to meet the needs of your situation. Learn more at www.co.walworth.wi.us/376/Aging-Disability-Resource-Center.
New Technology Services Provider for Older Adults
Intergenerational Technology Services (IGeTS) at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater (UW-W) is a new provider of free technology services to individuals enrolled in IRIS, Family Care, Family Care Partnership, or PACE aged 50+ and any adults aged 60+ who reside in Walworth, Rock, Jefferson, or Waukesha County. Services, which will be offered in English and Spanish and provided by UW-W students and staff, and community volunteers, include group technology training classes, one-on-one technology support and telehealth visit support.
IGeTS will open its doors and begin service delivery on Monday, August 14, 2023. The hours of operations are Monday – Thursday from 8:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. IGeTS is located in UW-Whitewater’s Community Engagement Center at 1206 W. Main Street, Room 124, Whitewater, WI 53190. Free parking is available. See the website for programming information https://www.uww.edu/orsp/igets or call 262-472-1837 or email igets@uww.edu to learn more.
Editor’s note: The Banner appreciates having permission to use on the homepage the image by 377053 from Pixabay.
Upcoming performance by local storyteller, Jim Winship! Jim tells a range of stories that span centuries and continents, in which dragons and other beings we think of as imaginary appear.
Jim is a social worker, retired college professor, and documentary filmmaker. As a professional storyteller, he has performed in libraries, bookstores, schools, professional conferences, and community events.
The stories will be best appreciated by adults and young people 10 and older.
The Wright House is an old brick home in Whitewater, Wisconsin, originally built by the Wright family in 1857. Sarah Beth Nelson, the current owner of the Wright House, will host the storytelling concert.
Friday, August 11, 2023 at 7 p.m. Central
Please register through Eventbrite (https://dragons.eventbrite.com). Payment information and full venue address will be emailed upon registration.
Payment is handled separately from Eventbrite. You can pay for your ticket through PayPal, Venmo, or by cash at the show. Ticket levels are below. Choose whichever level best fits your situation. Additional tips before or after the show are appreciated.
$10 Attendee
$20 Supporter
$5 Student/Senior/COVID Discount
$0 Listening with Love
All ticket and tip funds are being collected by Sarah Beth Nelson, the host of the show. 90% of the funds will go to the teller and 10% will go to the house to cover production costs.
Jim Winship: www.beechwoodtrue.com
Sarah Beth Nelson: voxfabularum.com
Editor’s note: Our thanks for the homepage image by Devon Breen from Pixabay
Editor’s note: The following press release was received from the City of Whitewater Police Department.
The City of Whitewater Police Department purchased a DJI-M30T drone entirely from donated funds.
The drone was purchased in early June. The WPD drone team, consisting of seven officers trained to operate the drone, received training on July 26th, which is the same date the drone team became operational.
In the last year, Whitewater Police Department (WPD) has requested drones from outside agencies to assist in the searches of a missing at-risk adult, a missing juvenile, and an armed individual who fled on foot after crashing his vehicle during a pursuit. A drone was also requested to assist in documenting a major crime scene. Unfortunately, in each of those cases, officers lost valuable time waiting for the drone to arrive from outside Whitewater.
On the first day, the WPD drone team was operational, the drone was deployed to assist officers in the search for a male who fled on foot from a domestic abuse incident. “This is a major advancement in our department’s technical capabilities related to search and rescue operations and criminal investigation. This cutting-edge technology will make our officers and our community safer. We truly appreciate all the individuals and businesses who helped make this a reality by donating to the WPD crime prevention fund,” stated Chief Dan Meyer.
Having new equipment such as drones has already made a significant impact on the safety of the city and the efficiency of the organization. Without these donations, this equipment would not have been purchased. Thank you to all who have donated and assisted in these efforts.
The Whitewater Banner has always been a volunteer effort, and while our small volunteer team really enjoys what we do, we could use a little more help. Could one of the following roles be of interest to you? You’d need to have access to the Internet/email, but advanced technical skills aren’t required.
- Content editor: Format material such as press releases into our WordPress software. Much of the time it’s copy/paste of text plus deciding what will work as an image.
- Ad rep: Respond to inquiries about advertising. Actively seeking new advertisers would also be appreciated. Insert ads into our software and manage their ongoing placement.
- School Board reporter: Watch School Board meetings either in person or virtually and report objectively on information presented and decisions made. It isn’t necessary to watch the entire meeting, or even every meeting, depending upon what’s on the agenda.
- Common Council reporter: Watch Common Council meetings either in person or virtually and report objectively on information presented and decisions made. It isn’t necessary to watch the entire meeting, or even every meeting, depending upon what’s on the agenda.
- Feature writer: This individual could have quite a bit of freedom in discovering subjects that would be of interest to our readers, doing research/interviews, and writing articles. Our policy does not allow for covering political matters, other than elections, and we generally avoid controversial issues.
If you have a potential interest in any of these areas, please email us at whitewaterbanner@gmail.com.
Steve Watson writes, “Osprey photos taken over a couple days. The bald eagles are scarce at this time, but I see ospreys quite often. Upper and lower ponds.”
Our thanks to prolific nature photographer Steve Watson for sharing more of his work.
— Our Readers Share: We hope that you might have something that you’d be willing to share. Anything that’s been created by someone else should, of course, be credited, and you should ask their permission if you’re able. We cannot post copyrighted material without permission. We can’t guarantee that we’ll have space for all submissions, and contributions will be subject to editorial board approval. The one definite exclusion is anything politically oriented. We will assume that you’re willing for us to include your name as the submitter unless you indicate that you prefer to remain anonymous. Send to whitewaterbanner@gmail.com or click on “submit a story” near the top right of our homepage. Thanks for thinking about this!
Obituaries
Leo E. Wurzer, 65, of Eagle, Wisconsin passed away unexpectedly on Saturday, May 9, 2026 at his home. Leo was born on April 15, 1961 in Kenosha, Wisconsin to Cyril and Shirley (McNeil) Wurzer. He grew up between Pleasant Prairie and Antigo, spending his childhood summers on his uncle’s farm where he discovered his love for all things tractors. Although he never had a farm of his own, he was able to partially fulfill his dream by working as a driver for Robin’s Trucking in Whitewater, WI in his last days and collecting miniature Tonka toys. He began his career … Read more
Lois Cummings, 99, of Fond du Lac, WI (formerly of Janesville, WI, Fort Atkinson, WI, Fountain Hills, AZ, and Green Valley, AZ) passed away peacefully on May 5, 2026 at the Meadows Senior Residence in Fond du Lac surrounded by family. Lois was born on February 17, 1927 in Fort Atkinson to Edward and Clarice (Roseth) Stevens. The middle child of 9 children, she attended Fort Atkinson schools and graduated in 1944. On September 11, 1948 Lois married Grant Cummings at Saint Andrew Catholic Church in Delavan, WI. Together they had 3 children, Gary, Colleen (Tom) Sabel, and Patty (Paul) … Read more
Come celebrate William Kincaid’s Celebration of Life on Saturday, May 30th at 1 pm at Trippe Lake Park Pavillion in Whitewater. He truly enjoyed gatherings where his favorite foods and music could be enjoyed with some of his closest friends and family. We will honor him by carrying on one of his favorite traditions. Please bring your own beverages and chairs. There is limited seating. See you all there!
Gladys Jean (Riley) Hildebrandt, age 89, of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, passed away peacefully on Friday, January 23, 2026. Gladys was born on December 26, 1936, in Whitewater, Wisconsin, to Theresa Egnoski Riley. She was married to Walter Sobolik Sr., and later married James A. Hildebrandt in 1976. Gladys was a hardworking woman who spent her life caring for others. She worked in school kitchens, restaurants, factories, and cleaning services. She concluded her working career as a full-time nanny. In that role, she lovingly cared for Andrew, Daniel, and Kaitlyn Drzewiecki, who became part of her chosen family. Gladys is survived by her sons, Wally … Read more
WHITEWATER – Nan Rowley died on April 15, 2026, at the age of 90. She was born on September 4, 1935, in a little house on the prairie in the Town of Johnstown, Wisconsin, the daughter of Wayne L. Wilbur and Florence (McQuillen) Wilbur. Nan attended primary schools in the towns of Johnstown and Richmond and in the City of Whitewater. Nan graduated with honors from Whitewater City High School. On June 19, 1954, Nancy and Ken Rowley were united in marriage in Whitewater and went to live on the Rowley family farm in Richmond. Over the years, Nan served … Read more
Marion H. Gorniak (nee Pfeiffer), 74, of Whitewater passed away peacefully on Saturday, April 11, 2026. She was born on October 24, 1951, to the late Harvey and Loraine (nee Drifke) Pfeiffer in Fort Atkinson, WI. On June 2, 1969, she was united in marriage to Alan Gorniak. She enjoyed gardening, flowers, and cooking, especially her rhubarb pies. She especially enjoyed spending time with family and friends and will be missed by all who knew her. Those Marion leaves behind to cherish her memory include her husband, Alan Gorniak; stepson, Alan Bauer; sister, Sue Ann Schultz, other relatives and friends. … Read more
Ruth Irene (Phelps) Justis, 88, of Appleton City, Missouri, passed away Friday morning, April 10, 2026, at the Missouri Veterans Home in Warrensburg, MO, with her family by her side. Ruth was born June 3, 1937 in Janesville, Wisconsin, to Charles and Ada Mae (Maly) Phelps. She joined the Marine Corps in 1956. During her time there, she met and married her husband, Forest Wayne “Wayne” Justis in 1957. They shared 62 years of marriage and to this union, 2 children, Charles and Dorene, were born. Ruth grew up in Whitewater, WI., the oldest of three children. Ruth graduated from … Read more
Dorothy C. Kau, age 101, of Eagle, Wisconsin passed away peacefully on Thursday, April 9, 2026 at Fort Memorial Hospital. Dorothy was born on March 18, 1925 in Eagle on the family farm, the daughter of John and Katherine (Faestel) VonRueden. Dorothy was a 1942 graduate of Palmyra High School. On May 21, 1949, Dorothy was united in marriage to Alvin E. Kau at St. Theresa Catholic Church in Eagle and the Lord blessed their union with 8 children. Alvin and Dorothy enjoyed 50 years of marriage together until Alvin’s death in the year 2000. Dorothy enjoyed being a farm … Read more
Dorothy E. McCracken, 95, passed away peacefully on August 30, 2025, in Sarasota, Florida. Born on April 14, 1930, in Whitewater, Wisconsin, to Carl and Joyce Meyer, Dorothy grew up in Whitewater and graduated from Whitewater High School. She then worked for a photographer and hand painted his first colored portraits, until she got married. She and her first husband, Bernard Wafle, owned and operated a 179-acre dairy farm in Helenville, Wisconsin, for 25 years before relocating to Ocala, Florida, in 1979. Dorothy later married Earl McCracken, in Ocala, Fl. She also shared a special companionship later in life with … Read more
Carol Ann Seebruch, 88 of Whitewater passed away peacefully in her sleep on Friday, April 3, 2026. Carol was born July 12, 1937 in Chicago IL to William and Ann Borovec. She married Marvin Seebruch on June 9, 1984. Carol and Marvin enjoyed traveling the United States making it to 48 of the 50 states. She also enjoyed her time with the Red Hat Ladies. She loved taking pictures of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Carol is survived by her three children; Bill Anderson of Fort Atkinson, WI, Terri Laban of Whitewater, WI, and Donna (Mike) Jones of Crivitz, WI. She … Read more
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