Q: My daughter heard grapefruit juice can be toxic for some people. Is that true?

Q: At the recreation center in my development, I overheard some women talking about “low vision.” Is that something like being near-sighted?

Jayne Gottschalk is excited to succeed Noreen Weems as Marion County’s elderly director and to live as a new resident of Lehigh. “Every day here is such a warm experience,” she said. “There is always a senior citizen who stops to share blessings or needs.” Jerry Engler / Free Press. Click image to enlarge.

Jayne Gottschalk grew up playing cards, dominoes and Scrabble with senior citizens in her parents’ cafe in Geneseo.

She said her folks, Elden and Irene Prester, owned several businesses in the town where she spent all 12 years of grade school and high school. She remembers getting up to open the cafe at 3 a.m. during wheat harvest to feed grain cutters early breakfast.

Gottschalk never lost her affinities for the elderly and small towns. She smiles with the pleasure it is bringing her to succeed Noreen Weems as Marion County’s elderly director, and to live as a new resident of Lehigh.

After focusing on weight loss, exercising and eating right for the past few months, Parkside residents and staff are learning that the “wellness” concept covers so much more.

Topics such as identity fraud awareness, wearing a scatbelt, eating breakfast, putting on sunscreen, handling grief and handling foods safely all affect one's wellness. Parkside wants the community to join them as they learn about these topics and more.