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W e d n e s d ay, D e c e m b e r 10, 2025
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ALZHEIMER’S Q&A Garth Brooks performs during his Stadium Tour concert in 2022 at Tiger Stadium. | STAFF FILE PHOTO BY MICHAEL JOHNSON
Elder mediator can assist in forming quality of life blueprint What is meant by elder mediation?
ALL FOOTBALL How Garth Brooks, The Killers and Tom Petty became stars of college football Saturdays BY NOAH TRISTER | Associated Press
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hen Garth Brooks recorded his version of “Callin’ Baton Rouge” — an up-tempo country hit previously produced by New Grass Revival and others — he had a specific vibe in mind. “New Grass recorded the song ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTO BY MORRY GASH for bluegrass festivals,” Brooks Fans dance to ‘Jump Around’ during a game between said. “We recorded the song to be Wisconsin and Ohio State in Madison, Wis. played in stadiums and arenas, with one lone purpose. ... Get people fired up!” Nowadays, Brooks’ vision comes to life at LSU’s Tiger Stadium when that catchy intro begins and thousands of football fans yell a heartfelt “LOUISIANA!” when the state’s name is mentioned in the first line of the song. ä See FOOTBALL, page 2G
Museum displays holiday tree featuring origami BY JOSEPH B. FREDERICK and PHILIP MARCELO Associated Press
NEW YORK — A beloved Christmas tree tradition is returning to Manhattan for the holiday season. No, it’s not the towering spruce at Rockefeller Center, which is lit in early December. The comparatively smaller Origami Holiday Tree that’s delighted crowds for decades at
the American Museum of Natural History opens to the public on Monday. The colorful, richly decorated 13-foot tree is adorned with thousands of hand-folded paper ornaments created by origami artists from around the world. This year’s tree is inspired by the museum’s new exhibition, “Impact: The End of the Age of Dinosaurs,” which chronicles
ä See ORIGAMI, page 2G
Colorful origami dinosaurs decorate the Origami Holiday Tree at the American Museum of Natural History in New York. AP PHOTO BY JOE FREDERICK
Elder mediation aims to address conflicting issues in families and in institutions and provides a forum for family decision-making. Elder mediators assist with difficult conversations among family members, and they help make plans and reach acceptable outcomes to disagreements. When an elder parent or relative, for instance, is hospitalized and needs continuing or rehabilitative care after that hospitalization, new responsibilities are thrust upon the offspring. There are often many family dynamics, i.e., the main caregiver sibling, the out-of-town sibling, the sibling that’s not trusted, etc. Old rivalries among siblings, long buried grudges, past hurts and misunderstandings can interfere with making good decisions about the aging parent. The situation regarding the parent’s future care becomes stressful and uncomfortable, and conflicts arise amid mixed opinions for the parent’s care. Decisions regarding the responsibility and work of caring for an aging parent are involved, as well as looking at finances and long-term care issues. Many times, conflicts occur because one or more of the siblings is trying to gain total control of that care. Elder mediation can work to sift out an amiable solution as the elder mediator facilitates a purposeful and directed conversation with all parties, who are all encouraged to express their opinions and concerns. The forum the mediator facilitates seeks to resolve the problems among the family members for the best interest of the aging parent. This includes allowing everyone to air their disputes, to identify the strengths and weaknesses in each opinion, and to finally agree on a satisfactory solution, a solution that all family members can live with and trust. The mediator has no authority to impose a decision so nothing can be decided until everyone agrees. To get started, the family members having a dispute agree to bring in a neutral person — an elder mediator — and once one is chosen, a date is set to meet in person, or by Zoom or other teleconference methods. The mediator will guide the dialogue, encouraging all sides to work cooperatively, and gives everyone a chance to express their differences. Sometimes, the mediator will meet with each family member privately to discuss personal and other issues of concern, and after these exchanges, presents them to the family at large. There may be several negotiations until an agreement is reached; one that is to maintain the best possible quality of life for the aging parent. Once an agreement is reached, the elder mediator will put it in writing for everyone to sign and in that way, everyone has a solid
ä See MEDIATOR, page 2G