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AI ‘friends’ a threat to lonely people, KU expert says

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Guest Columnist
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The promise of friendship from an artificial intelligence chatbot fundamentally misunderstands what real friendship is, according to one of the nation’s leading academic experts on the intersection of relationships and technology.

Jeffrey Hall, professor of communication studies at the University of Kansas, pushes back against the notion, propounded in recent days by Meta founder Mark Zuckerberg, that computer programs that simulate human companionship will meet human needs in the near future. He is available to talk with media about the topic.

Hall has gained acclaim for his research on what it takes to make and maintain a friendship. He directs KU’s Relationships and Technology Lab, and he has experimented with several AI “friends.”

Some of their potential harm, Hall said, stems from their sycophantic nature.

“Talking with the chatbot is like someone took all the tips on how to make friends — ask questions, show enthusiasm, express interest, be responsive — and blended them into a nutrient-free smoothie,” Hall said. “It may taste like friendship, but it lacks the fundamental ingredients.” 

His research shows that quality communication — the stuff that makes us feel better — takes work. Being a good listener and showing care both take energy and intention. Catching up takes time, he said.

“We also want friends to understand who we really are and still like us,” Hall said. “My research on friendship expectations found that the most important and mature standard of friendship is genuine positive regard. Yes, we want to be liked. But we also want to be seen accurately. Positivity without genuineness feels wrong.”

Worse, AI “friends” could exploit humans emotionally and financially. To understand the risks, “it is important to understand what it means to be lonely,” Hall said. 

“True friendship is about mattering to another person, not a checklist of benefits to be extracted or behaviors to be enacted,” the KU researcher said. That’s where the bigger risks come in.

“An AI friend could be programmed to be needy, to require attention and be demanding. They could become frighteningly good at making us feel like we owe it something. If we let it down, an AI friend could be distant, remote or manipulative,” Hall said. “Consider the financial scams perpetrated on lonely people and the strong attachments people form with celebrities. A personalized, always-available AI friend that makes a person feel needed and necessary would be dangerous — more personalized and available than a celebrity fraudster.”

Given the high rates of loneliness, people are hungry for intimacy, Hall said.

“Human needs are not designed to be permanently fulfilled; they are designed to be temporarily satisfied,” he said, “so we can be fooled into believing something artificial — like an AI friend — is the real thing.” 

Rick Hellman, KU News Service, 785-864-8852, rick_hellman@ku.edu

From the Office of Public Affairs

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https://www.news.ku.edu

The Care Board, KU-led site to gather information on care work’s role in the economy, now live

LAWRENCE — The Care Board, an innovative project based at the University of Kansas to gather information on work Americans do every day to provide care for their families, communities and selves, is now live. By showcasing this often overlooked labor, the project aims to illustrate the critical economic significance of care work. The site has gathered official data from various government surveys and compiled statistics in a central location to help journalists, policymakers, researchers and others see the full breadth and economic value of daily care work.

Award-winning children’s author Andrea Wang to visit Lawrence for LitFest 2025

LAWRENCE — The University of Kansas Center for East Asian Studies and School of Education & Human Sciences will host author Andrea Wang at the annual CEAS Literature Festival (LitFest) this month. Her picture book, “Watercress,” received several awards including the Caldecott Medal and a Newbery Honor. Wang’s visit includes a public presentation, “Essential Storytelling,” at 6 p.m. April 17 in the Carnegie Hall Heritage Room.

KU Theatre’s ‘Pippin’ to showcase theatre magic, big dance numbers

LAWRENCE — Performers at the University of Kansas will stage the Stephen Schwartz musical “Pippin” April 11-19 in the Crafton-Preyer Theatre at Murphy Hall. The cast and creative team members include Kansans from Abilene, Edgerton, Hays, Hesston, Iola, Lawrence, Leavenworth, Marysville, Merriam, Olathe, Overland Park, Shawnee, Topeka and Wichita.

Full stories below.

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Contact: Mike Krings, KU News Service, 785-864-8860, [email protected]
The Care Board, KU-led site to gather information on care work’s role in the economy, now live

LAWRENCE — The Care Board, an innovative project to gather information on work Americans do every day to provide care for their families, communities and selves, is now live. By showcasing this often overlooked labor, the project aims to illustrate the critical economic significance of care work.

Based at the University of Kansas, the Care Board site has gathered official data from various government surveys and compiled statistics in a central location to help journalists, policymakers, researchers and others see the full breadth and economic value of daily care work.

Work in the home to care for children or elderly family members may not always be considered part of the larger economy. But that labor, along with work to care for humans such as day cares, preschools, in-home care, nursing homes, janitorial services, nannies and more will all be reflected in The Care Board.

“We’ve done a lot of innovation in statistical data about what the care economy is. Our mission is to reveal the essential role of care work in sustaining families, communities and the broader economy,” said Misty Heggeness, associate professor of public affairs & administration and co-director of the Kansas Population Center in KU’s Institute for Policy & Social Research. “It is a reflection of the invisible care work that people do but doesn’t get reported because it is often unpaid.”

The Care Board gathers economic data compiled through government agencies such as the U.S. Census Bureau and programs including Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), WIC, Medicare and Medicaid, and houses it on a dashboard to help users access data.

The project is supported by a two-year, $762,000 grant from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation and has received additional support from the Political Economy Research Institute at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

The Care Board includes tools such as “What is the Care Economy?” as well as “Circle of Care,” “Flow of Care,” “Broader Impacts” and “Methodology and Data.” The tools can gather data and provide statistical information, including innovative visuals that tell a unique story of the care economy. For example, in the Broader Impacts section, users can find macroeconomic information such as the percentage of able-bodied Americans who engage in three or more hours of care per day. The Flow of Care tool reveals how generations vary in their care needs, ability to provide care and time spent doing care work. The tool looks at generations in the life span from early ages to 24, 25 to 64 and from age 65 on.

The site will also help users quantify the economic value of care work done each day. If the amount of work such as cooking, cleaning, bathing and caring for others were paid a minimum wage, it would generate at least $4 billion per day in economic activity, said Heggeness, principal investigator of the project. Phase one of the project will include all national data, and phase two will ultimately allow users to access data and build graphs and maps on care work at a state level. Users can also use data and build interactive graphics to learn how much care is provided by women, or how much time parents — both mothers and fathers — spend on specific care activities and learn about care happening now, in the past or how trends have changed over time or by region.

“We can see where we stand today versus yesterday and how well aligned we are with needs of care and our ability to provide it. We are mapping the number of beds needed for nursing home care in a given area, how many are available and if they are equally distributed,” she said.

The goal of The Care Board is to help demonstrate the essential role caregiving plays as part of the larger American economy and the importance of including the work in social and economic policy.

“Historically, national income and product accounts that measure economic output such as gross domestic product have ignored the value of uncompensated care produced in the home,” said Donna Ginther, Roy A. Roberts and Regents Distinguished Professor of Economics and director of KU’s Institute for Policy & Social Research. “The Care Board is the first and essential step to addressing this historical oversight and to measuring the role of care in economy.”

Heggeness reiterated the importance of convening data on the care economy data in a central location to help viewers understand how care’s intersection with the larger economy can help inform better social, health and family care and policy decisions such as supporting affordable child care. Moreover, access to the data can help illustrate the enormous amount of work being done every day to care for families and communities and how American citizens, especially women, are doing unrecognized work that influences their contributions to the larger economy, she said.

And while policymakers, legislators, community leaders, journalists and academics will benefit from access to this information, it can be beneficial to the public as well, Heggeness said.

“This data, I feel, has become more accessible to the average person. It’s still true journalists can come to The Care Board for data, but the average person can come here and learn about the huge magnitude of care work happening every day. I think a lot of people will see themselves reflected in this data,” Heggeness said. “It’s a part of our communities that has been invisible for so long. It’s been a joy to be able to shine a light on this important work done every day, often without remuneration. Up until now we haven’t really had statistics to understand this work. With this, we can tell a fuller, more accurate story about the care economy.”

For more information on how to best use the tool, check out the blog post here.

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KU spent $78.9 million across Kansas on research-related goods and services in FY23.

https://ku.edu/distinction

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Contact: LaGretia Copp, Center for East Asian Studies, 785-864-0307, [email protected]
Award-winning children’s author Andrea Wang to visit Lawrence for LitFest 2025

LAWRENCE — The University of Kansas Center for East Asian Studies (CEAS) and School of Education & Human Sciences will host Andrea Wang, author of the award-winning children’s book “Watercress,” at the annual CEAS Literature Festival (LitFest) on April 17.

The LitFest is a chance for students, educators and the community to learn about East Asian stories and the craft of storytelling. With the partnership of Project PEACE, the festival has expanded to include preservice educators for two events:

Pre-Service Workshop: “The Use of Non-English Languages in Children’s Literature”

10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. April 17, Kansas Union Woodruff Auditorium

This event is open to KU students, staff and faculty. Wang will discuss and demonstrate how educators can enhance learning in the classroom with diverse storytelling.

Public Talk: “Essential Storytelling”

6-7:30 p.m. April 17, Carnegie Hall Heritage Room, 200 Ninth St.

Wang will share her writing journey, discuss the deeply personal experiences that shaped “Watercress” and explore its themes of cultural identity and resilience.

Wang is an acclaimed author of picture books and middle grade novels. Her picture book, “Watercress,” received several awards including the Caldecott Medal, a Newbery Honor, the Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature and many more. Wang grew up in Yellow Springs, Ohio, and Newton, Massachusetts. She attended Wellesley College, graduating with dual degrees in biology and Chinese studies. She went on to receive a master’s degree in environmental studies from Indiana University–Bloomington. As an environmental consultant, she evaluated and cleaned up hazardous waste sites. Subsequently, Wang earned a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing for Young People from Lesley University.

Project PEACE (Promoting English Learners’ Academic Achievement and Cultivating Educational Equity) is one of the grants supporting these events. It is a federally funded project to support preservice and in-service teachers in Kansas in completing professional training and obtaining English as a second language endorsement to teach English learners.

Further support for the event comes a Department of Education Title VI grant that funds the Center for East Asian Studies. Founded in 1959, the center is a National Resource Center with a mission to disseminate knowledge about East Asian studies to the Great Plains region. It partners with the Kansas Consortium for Teaching About Asia (KCTA), which is funded through the Freeman Foundation.

Other support for the events comes from the KU Hall Center for Humanities, whose mission is to support research in the humanities, to create knowledge and to share that knowledge with diverse communities.

KU is one of only 13 universities in the nation to have four or more federally funded centers dedicated to international area studies.

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KU provides fire, rescue and law enforcement training across Kansas.

https://ku.edu/distinction

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Contact: Lisa Coble-Krings, Department of Theatre & Dance, 785-864-5685, [email protected]
KU Theatre’s ‘Pippin’ to showcase theatre magic, big dance numbers

LAWRENCE — Performers at the University of Kansas will stage a Stephen Schwartz musical this month in which audience members follow along as an extraordinary young prince named Pippin discovers his true self, with “help” from a traveling theatre troupe. Physical comedy, dark humor and a celebrated score advance the title character’s journey.

University Theatre will stage “Pippin” April 11-19 in the Crafton-Preyer Theatre at Murphy Hall.

Bursting with a big dose of theatricality utilizing an array of the theatre’s capabilities, “Pippin” is an ode to the artform and a relatable tale of self-acceptance and negotiating the expectations of family, friends and society, told through a book by Hirson. Tickets to see the production can be purchased at the “Pippin” web page, in person noon-5 p.m. at the box office in Murphy Hall or by calling 785-864-3982.

“This production has been over 30 years in the making, from my first encounter with the original cast album. For the most part a classic, comic coming-of-age tale, there are darker elements which add rich intrigue that I wanted to embrace in our version. I asked the designers to create a production that would exist in the world of shows like ‘American Horror Story’ or ‘Supernatural,’ and they certainly delivered,” said director James Dick, who also is managing director for the Department of Theatre & Dance.

Originally choreographed for the Broadway stage by Bob Fosse in his signature style, KU’s production expands into dance styles ranging from contemporary jazz to tap, from hip-hop to Argentine tango. Maya Tillman-Rayton, KU lecturer in dance, is choreographing.

“It was important to me to follow the director’s vision of incorporating multiple styles of dance, and that fits in with our students’ skillset. They excel across genres,” Tillman-Rayton said. “When I say ‘dancers’ to my cast members, I mean it, even those who started out as movers. As you watch the show, they dance a lot, and my choreography highlights the talent of dance, theatre and students from many other majors.”

Cast and creative team

The creative team is rounded out by Matthew Harris, a KU lecturer and multi-hyphenate performing artist, as musical director; Creston Herron, director of orchestral activities in the School of Music, as conductor; Christian Boudreaux, master’s student in the Department of Theatre & Dance, KU lecturer and freelance fight choreographer, as fight and movement director; Katie Cooley, master of fine arts in scenography student, as scenic designer; Zoe English, senior in theatre design from Merriam, as costume designer; Ann Sitzman, KU lecturer and technical coordinator, as lighting designer; Olivia Laycock, senior in theatre design from Wichita, as hair and makeup designer; and Connor Maloney, senior in theatre design from Wichita, as stage manager.

Gail Trottier, KU Costume Shop manager, is playing the role of Berthe. Student cast members are Jacobi Robinson, freshman in theatre performance from Abilene, as Pippin; Katherine Leverenz, senior in theatre performance and finance from Houston, Texas, as Leading Player; Brandon Heflin, junior in biochemistry and pre-med from Olathe, as Charles; Maya Welde, junior in theatre performance and Spanish from Overland Park, as Fastrada; Zach Newkirk, sophomore in journalism from Overland Park, as Lewis; Essy Siegel, junior in digital marketing, advertising & public relations from Kansas City, Missouri, as Catherine; and Conner Booton, freshman in vocal performance from Edgerton, as Theo.

Ensemble members are Parker Bennett, junior in theatre & voice and pre-med from Kansas City, Missouri; Tara Leigh Burgat, senior in dance; Isabel Dewey (Catherine understudy), sophomore in psychology; Sofia Dunkelberger, sophomore in dance from Wichita; Jacob Haefele, junior in film & media studies from Marysville; Sophia Harrison, junior in dance from Topeka; Jadyn Kaufman, junior in business management & leadership from Iola; Cullen Krishna, senior in dance and in ecology, evolution & organismal biology from Bellevue, Nebraska; Jazmyne Le, senior in journalism and digital marketing from Wichita; Natalie Loftus (Fastrada understudy), sophomore in theatre and English from Hays; Evan McCoy, freshman in engineering physics from Olathe; Caden Moffitt (Pippin understudy), sophomore in theatre and journalism from Overland Park; Nicole Noakes (Berthe understudy), theatre student from West Sussex, United Kingdom; Mallory Price, junior in dance and journalism from Leavenworth; Paul Ruf, junior in accounting from Overland Park; Madi Seelye, junior in dance from Lawrence; Anna Tové Shelton (dance captain, assistant choreographer), senior in dance from Hesston; Sloane Smith, junior in dance and exercise science from Littleton, Colorado; John Stecher Jr. (Charles understudy), junior in theatre performance from Overland Park; Morgan Tate, sophomore in theatre from Shawnee; Elizabeth Wellman, junior in dance from Lawrence; Cytlahli Winsor (Leading Player understudy), junior in theatre performance from Belle Glade, Florida; and Rizzy Xiong, junior in education from Shanghai, China, via Los Angeles.

About James Dick

Dick is managing director of KU Theatre & Dance. He previously directed the University Theatre productions of “Perfect Arrangement” (2018) and “Reckless” (2015). He earned his Bachelor of Fine Arts in theatre education from Drake University, where he directed several productions. Dick also served as artistic director of Drake’s Playwrights’ Acting Company for two seasons. His other credits include work as an assistant director and technical director with companies such as StageWest, the Des Moines Playhouse, Tallgrass Theatre and the Iowa Shakespeare Project.

About Maya Tillman-Rayton

A KU alumna, Maya Tillman-Rayton is in her eighth year as a KU lecturer of hip-hop technique, third year as full-time lecturer and first year as director of dance. She debuted her work, “Stingy Lulu’s Jumping Jook Joint,” at the 2023 KC Fringe Festival. Her works have previously been shown at KC Fringe Festival and at National Dance Week KC. Her dance teaching career spans almost 20 years in the Lawrence and Kansas City communities.

The University Theatre is a production wing of the University of Kansas’ Department of Theatre & Dance, offering public productions during the academic year. The University Theatre productions are funded in part by Student Senate fees and supported by Truity Credit Union. For more information on the University Theatre or to purchase tickets, visit the KU Theatre website.

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KU News Service

1450 Jayhawk Blvd.

Lawrence KS 66045

[email protected]

https://www.news.ku.edu

Erinn Barcomb-Peterson, director of news and media relations, [email protected]

Today’s News is a free service from the Office of Public Affairs

Wheat Scoop: A Perfect Storm – Kansas wheat fields hit hard by WSMV outbreak

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Guest Columnist
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Kansas Wheat

For the audio version, visit kswheat.com.

The wheat curl mite is a small but mighty adversary of Kansas wheat producers as the vector for Wheat Streak Mosaic Virus (WSMV), Triticum mosaic virus (TriMV) and High Plains Mosaic Virus. Fueled by a combination of the right weather conditions and ample volunteer wheat and other safe harbors, producers across the state appear to be losing the battle against these tiny critters and the diseases they carry in what could be the worst WSMV outbreak since 2017.

 

“We have some fields that are close to total losses,” said Kelsey Andersen Onofre, K-State assistant professor of plant pathology, who has been across the state scouting fields. “It’s hard to walk in a wheat field in Kansas right now and not find at least low-level, trace-level symptoms of WSMV, and that’s pretty unusual.”

 

Andersen Onofre explained that symptoms of WSMV — symptomatic leaves with dark green coloring and light-yellow discolorations or stunted plants with a distinct yellow discoloration — are showing up more clearly over the last few weeks as temperatures warm up, but the cause happened last summer and fall. A suspected high population of mites last summer found a place to hide for the summer, fall and winter — most commonly in volunteer wheat or volunteer wheat hidden in a field of cover crops or double crop acres. Mites survive the winter in these “green bridges” and mild weather meant populations stayed fairly high — so high that mites were able to disperse over long distances, up to one or two miles away from a source, and there are now concerning levels of the diseases they carry across the state.

 

“If we have an extended, warm fall, like we did in 2024, it’s a perfect storm for mite populations to stay at high levels and increase later in the season,” Andersen Onofre said. “The more populations increase, the higher the chance they will be blown by wind into neighboring fields. If the weather stays warm, we can see this spread continue over long distances.”

 

That is certainly the case in Saline County, where more diverse cropping systems are making it an emerging issue where it hasn’t traditionally been found.

 

“This is by far the worst year I’ve seen for impact of wheat streak mosaic virus in our area,” said Gypsum farmer Justin Knopf. “Many fields have been affected with a high level of presence of the virus. Some fields, where they’re right next to a field where the source was, have significant impact.”

 

Infected fields at this point in the plant’s growth stage near flowering will often not head out well or will have low grain fill, meaning producers with infected fields should expect yield loss, especially in fields where the flag leaf has already turned yellow.

 

“Unless we have a significant weather event such as hail or excessive heat during grain fill, wheat streak mosaic virus is likely to be the number one cause of yield loss in this area,” said Knopf.

 

Adding insult to injury, there is no effective treatment for WSMV once the infection has occurred. Producers must balance estimated yield loss, requirements for crop insurance and the economics behind terminating the most severely infected fields in favor of planting a summer crop.

 

“Unfortunately, there is not much to do at this point in the season if you have a field that has severe WSMV infection. These fields are likely not good candidates for a fungicide application. Fungicides will have no effect on wheat streak, and it will be difficult to recover yield losses from foliar diseases if yield potential is already reduced by wheat streak.” Andersen Onofre said. “We do not recommend spraying insecticides or miticides. There is no immediate action you can take to slow down the spread of WSMV or preserve yield in affected fields.”

 

Increased instances of the viruses this year has farmers thinking about the longer-term causes. Knopf attributed the widespread infection this year to three really dry falls and winters in a row, more hail in the area last year (areas with hail are virus hot spots) and more diverse cropping systems, including warm season cover crops and double cropping.

 

Producers who selected wheat varieties with known tolerance or genetic resistance to WSMV are seeing the benefit of that decision.

 

“I haven’t historically selected varieties based on WSMV resistance in this area, but it will certainly be on my mind for next year’s crop,” said Knopf.

 

“We do not have any perfect resistance, but variety selection is making a difference under this really high pressure situation,” Andersen Onofre said. However, she cautioned producers that even varieties with tolerance or genetic resistance to WSMV may still be susceptible to Triticum mosaic virus (TriMV), and dual infections of both diseases are also popping up. When fields are infected with both viruses, yield losses can be more severe. She encouraged producers to work with their local extension office or directly send samples to the K-State Plant Disease Diagnostic Clinic (https://www.plantpath.k-state.edu/extension/plant-disease-diagnostic-lab/) to test for the different wheat viruses to help identify infections.

 

In addition to WSMV and TriMV, she also encouraged producers to monitor their risk of Fusarium head blight (scab) as weather conditions during flowering have been conducive to the development of scab and leaf spot diseases like tan spot and Septoria in parts of the state like central and southeast Kansas. These wheat diseases can be managed with fungicide applications. A Fusarium Risk Tool is available at wheatscab.psu.edu for producers to manage their risk. Unlike WSMV, producers cannot scout fields to see FHB, so they must make application decisions based on individual field risk, which is particularly important for wheat fields planted into corn residue. Producers can review which fungicides work best for FHB at https://bookstore.ksre.ksu.edu/pubs/foliar-fungicide-efficacy-ratings-for-wheat-disease-management-2025_EP130.pdf.

 

“We are recommending producers watch the FHB risk pretty carefully, especially right now in central and southeast Kansas, as we are in that flowering window and we have had favorable conditions,” she said.

 

Producers will have the chance to speak with K-State extension experts and local field staff and agronomists during the upcoming winter wheat variety plot tours that start May 13. The plot tours will provide a chance to see how different available and upcoming wheat varieties are reacting to the disease pressure this season. Find the full list of plot tour dates and locations in the May 1, 2025 Agronomy eUpdate. These field observations are another important tool as producers plan beyond this year’s harvest, especially as it will take a collective effort to stop the WSMV streak.

 

“Now we need to look towards aggressive volunteer management and variety selection for the fall because we have had bad WSMV this year,” Andersen Onofre said. “If we don’t manage our volunteer wheat in the state after harvest, we could be right back in the same place a year from now — this is going to be absolutely critical after harvest.”

 

Read more at kswheat.com/wheatstreak.

If old farm homes could talk

By
Milo Yield
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0
Thayne Cozart
Milo Yield

It pleases me no end to drive through the rural countryside and see all the newish modern homes that have been built by farm and ranch families during the last 30 years.

But, on the flip side of that feeling is the one of sadness and nostalgia that I get every time I drive by a sagging, dilapidated, decrepit old long-abandoned farm home slowly rotting and mouldering, board by board, nail by nail, back into the good Earth. These were homes built in the early to mid-1900s

I never drive by those crumbling homes, along with their equally crumbling barns and sheds, and root cellars without thinking, “I wonder what those crumbling buildings could tell me about their history if they could talk?”

I bet they’d tell me about their current residents — for sure termites, an assortment of insects, rats and mice, likely raccoons, possums and skunks, and possibly barn or screech owls, perhaps bats, too, with the occasional coyote or fox visitor.

Every abandoned farm home has a human history compiled by the succession of folks who lived there. For sure there wuz elation when the construction wuz done and the first residents moved in. There were the mixed feelings of families moving out and new families moving in. There had to be sadness when the last family moved out and abandoned the house to the elements.

Since the purpose of a home is to raise a family in it, certainly an old farm home could tell me about first kisses in the front porch swing, marriage engagements, passionate marriage consummations, children spawned.

Most likely some old homes could tell me about children born within. Baths in a cold galvanized tub. Sick children. There had to be “Ouch!” moments from mother using a needle to extract a splinter from hand or toe or pour mercurochrome on a cut or scrape. School homework done on the kitchen table. There had to be proud moments of prom nights and graduations, too.

The old homes could tell me about the rigors, and satisfactions, of everyday household goings-on. It could tell me about the hundreds of pints and quarts of garden-grown veggies and orchard-grown fruits that were picked, peeled, canned or frozen? How many clothes did Mom and daughters stitch on a treadle sewing machine using feed sack printed cloth? How many chickens were fried for Sunday dinners with the pastor, or for holidays with the extended family?

That crumbling home was host to birthday parties. Neighbors gathered in the winter to eat chili, oyster soup, or potato soup. They froze homemade ice cream and ate it for dessert during a card-playing intermission. I’d bet many old homes had an upright piano along some wall and someone could pound out songs for a sing-around. When the party ended and guests departed, someone stoked and banked coals in the Ben Franklin wood or coal-burning stove.

I doubt any crumbling rural home didn’t experience warming numerous newborn calves, piglets, or lambs in the kitchen. And what rural child growing up in the home’s heyday didn’t try to raise some young wildlife critter like a pet raccoon, rabbit, or baby bird that had fallen from its nest? And, regular pets? I’m betting there were plenty of stories to tell about pet dogs and cats,.

And, most likely during its duration as a home, the crumbling house could tell me about the seedier side of human life, too — loud arguments, personal spats, drunkenness, perhaps even spousal and child abuse of some sort.

For sure, such old crumbling houses could tell me about end-of-life experiences, too. Injuries to family members. Convalescing from diseases. Invalids on their dying beds. Sad wakes for departed family members. Neighbors bringing foodstuffs after funerals.

And, finally, as I drive the rural countryside I see former farmsteads where the only current evidence of the former rural home are the daffodils growing out-of-place in the road ditch, the isolated lilac bushes that persists long after the home is gone, the sad humps of the remnants of storm and root cellars, perhaps an old hand-pump for a water well still sticks out like a sore thumb. And there are the aging windbreaks planted decades ago with a few trees that refuse to die.

For sure, the abandoned rural homes remind me that time marches on, but memories live on and on.

***

My old Missouri friend, Canby Handy, tells me about a newly-made friend who grew up or a farm or ranch around Dexter, Kan., down close to the Oklahoma border. They met each other at the TWA Airline Museum near the old Kansas City downtown airport.

Funny thing, during their discussion, my name somehow arose and Canby mentioned that he and I went to school together. That’s when his new friend said, “I’ve been reading Milo’s column for years. I feel like I know him.”

Well, now I kind of feel like I know Canby’s new friend, too. “Thanks” for your loyal readership.

***

Speaking of loyal readers, I know I’ve still got a lot of them who read my column in FARM TALK. Many of them started reading after getting a copy of the paper at the Four State Farm Show. Since the show is celebrating it’s 50th anniversary this week, here’s hoping that my column gathers some new readers after the show.

***

Words of wisdom for the week: “The ability to speak several languages is an asset, but the ability to keep your mouth shut in any language is priceless.” Have a good ‘un.

“Have you pre-habilitated today?”

By
Guest Columnist
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0

On a recent morning, the first story I heard on the radio was about Pre-habilitation prior to surgery. We have all heard of rehabilitation, but have you considered pre-habilitation, or increasing your exercise before surgery?

Recent studies by Durrand, Singh and Danjoux of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) have documented what was inherently known- that building up a reserve of strength before surgery pays off. Makes sense, right!

The physiological challenge of a major surgery has been linked to running a marathon. In both cases, preparation is critical. Surgery involving a major body cavity has an estimated mortality of 4%. Post- operative complications of a major surgery affect 15-40% and may increase the hospital length 2-4 fold as well as increasing readmissions.

The NIH study demonstrated that increasing preoperative functional capacity promotes recovery, reduces complications and reduces healthcare cost.

Later in the day, as I walked the track, my brain took a leap. Isn’t life our chance to pre-habilitate? Wouldn’t pre-habilitation help us if we caught COVID or Influenza? What if you or I suddenly need to have our appendix or gallbladder removed? What if we are in a car crash and have broken bones? What if we have a stroke or heart attack? Pre-habilitation through daily exercise, eating a balanced diet and moderate intake of harmful substances would increase our chances of survival and recovery without complications.

Today and all of the tomorrows are our chance to prepare for the possibility of poor health. We are the key member of the prehab team. Take advantage of your health today to prepare for unexpected complications. Get up and get moving!

Joanie Holm, RN is a one of the original founders of Healing Words Foundation/Prairie Doc Programming and is the current Board President. Follow The Prairie Doc® at www.prairiedoc.org, and on social media. Watch On Call with the Prairie Doc, most Thursday’s at 7PM streaming on Facebook and listen to Prairie Doc Radio Sunday’s at 6am and 1pm.

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