FREE | Published monthly
January 2019 | Vol. 45 | No. 1 | 24 pp.
fiftyplus advocate
Learning to
COPE
The opioid crisis – a mother’s journey page 10
Joanne Peterson, the founder and executive director of Learn to Cope, with team member Kim Leman’s dog, Finn.
PHOTO/ANDY WEIGL, WEIGL PHOTOGRAPHY
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Caregivers of people with dementia at greater risk for social isolation By Mike Festa, State Director AARP Massachusetts
R
GET THE FAMILY CAREGIVING SUPPORT YOU NEED, WHEN YOU NEED IT Your caregiving journey can be challenging in all kinds of ways. You never know where it might lead you next. At AARP Family Caregiving, we're here to help you get answers, connect with other family caregivers and find resources online and close to home. So you can take care of what matters most To learn more, visit aarp.org/caregiving.
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esults of a recent AARP survey found that caregivers of loved ones with dementia put in longer hours and find themselves having to make more adjustments in their lives than caregivers of people with other health conditions. Mike Festa The national survey looked at the demands of about 700 caregivers of individuals with dementia or other forms of cognitive impairment (most often their parents), as well as 400 caregivers who cared for a loved one without dementia. Regardless of the situation, on average, caregivers report having been caring for their loved one for almost three years. Not only are the millions of family caregivers for those with dementia less socially connected, they are significantly more likely to put off medical care – over half (55 percent) have done so, compared to just 38 percent among the total caregiver population. However, there were positive health behaviors identified in the poll as well – 79 percent took steps to maintain or improve their brain health and 47 percent exercised more. While 75 percent report that caring for someone with dementia has brought more meaning to their lives, most of the survey findings show the caregiving experience comes with greater challenges. For example: • Caregivers for those with dementia spend on average 13.7 hours per week caregiving while other caregivers spend 11.7 hours. • About 32 percent of caregivers cite managing emotions and the demands of care as the biggest challenges of caring for someone with dementia.
• Respondents indicate their health status is no different whether they care for someone with dementia or not, but dementia caregivers are more likely than others to say that they have delayed tending to health care for themselves due to caregiving—55 percent, compared to just 38 percent among other caregivers. Caregivers for those with dementia also are more apt to report that caregiving has led to less sleep, more anxiety and depression, less time for themselves and with friends, and feelings of loneliness. Furthermore, about 63 percent of dementia caregivers say their care responsibilities have led to working different hours, leaving work early or unexpectedly, and worrying about finances—a higher percentage than other caregivers (36 percent). In general, caregivers indicate that they are receiving what they need from health care providers, yet those caring for someone with dementia also seek out more information about caregiving and from a greater variety of sources. The AARP online survey of 1,112 caregivers age 18 and older was conducted October 1-10, 2018. Data are weighted by income, gender, and age according to caregiver benchmarks obtained in Caregiving in the U.S. (2015). AARP helps family caregivers find the information and support needed to manage their own care along with their loved one’s care. Visit www.aarp.org/caregiving for more resources and information on family caregiving, including AARP’s Dementia Care Guide and the Community Resource Finder. To read the full report, visit: https://www.aarp.org/research/ topics/care/info-2018/dementia-caregivers-experiences.html. Mike Festa is the state director for AARP Massachusetts. Archives of articles from previous issues can be read at www.fiftyplusadvocate.com.
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Group connects with nature
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...and connects through nature By Jane Keller Gordon Assistant Editor
W
hen Lisa V a a s moved to Cape Cod 14 years ago, she had a hard time connecting with other people. All of that changed when through an internet search, she found Women Outdoors. And in doing so, she gained a community, a purpose, and broader life experiences. “On the Cape, I was looking for people to share the incredible natural beauty. I went to a meet and greet with women and men. I was completely ignored,” Vaas recalled. “Women Outdoors had a chapter in Rhode Island where I grew up. I ended up going on a bike ride there with two women in their 60s. They were amazing. They could bike circles around me and took me to places that I had never been.” Now Vaas is president of the nonprofit organization, as well as co-regional contact with Deb Wisenstein of the eastern Massachusetts chapter. She now lives in Jamaica Plain. Women Outdoors was founded in January 1980 by 10 “founding mothers.” Its position statement is: “We are women who learn, lead and have fun in the outdoors.” It’s also about leadership and helping others. There are about 300 members who belong to seven chapters. Vaas, 56, said that members span in age from about 40 to 70. In addition to Rhode Island and Massachusetts (east and west), there are chapters in New Hampshire and Vermont, Connecticut, the Finger Lakes region of New York, and the mid-Atlantic (Delaware, Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia). Women Outdoors organizes volunteer events, fundraising, trips and outdoor activities.
(l to r): Heather Hersee, Lisa Vaas, Bonna Weiler, Debra Weisenstein, and Jamie Tessler PHOTO/COURTESY KESANA KRASAEYAN
For the outdoor events, Vaas said, “We have guidelines to make sure that our leaders are experienced. We encourage them to get wilderness first aid training. We offer scholarships for skills training such as ‘Leave No Trace Behind.’” The group’s outdoor events include biking, hiking, canoeing and cross-country skiing. Leadership is important. “For a kayak trip, the leader will chart the waters, figure out the tides, and know the best time to launch. We don’t leave people in the dust,” according to Vaas. Volunteerism is also important to Women Outdoors. “Maybe the best experience of my life was volunteering with Women Outdoors after [Hurricane] Katrina,” Vaas noted. “We filled two minivans and drove to New Orleans.” They worked with Habitat for Humanity doing restoration work. The group holds an annual gathering, which includes a board meeting, outdoor activities, workshops, and leadership Outdoors page 4
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Group connects with nature ...and connects through nature
(l to r) Debra Weisenstein, Debbie Kershner, and Bonna Weiler
Outdoors Continued from page 3
training. In the past, it’s been held at the Becket-Chimney Community YMCA in the Berkshires. Planning is under way to determine this year’s date and location. Vaas is passionate about the organization. “I started out this adventure lonely and bored, not knowing anyone in my community,” she said. “I’ve made so many friendships and gone so many places that I would have never known about. It’s opened up my life in ways that are still unfolding.” She continued, “It’s not about what you get. It’s about your ability to give. This organization provides you the opportunity to grow your leadership skills and
PHOTO/COURTESY LISA VAAS
provide stewardship to the environment. It’s an organization with a soul. It’s a great way to merge all those human needs and connect with the outdoors.”
Membership dues are $30 per year or $55 for two years. Juniors (18-25) and seniors (over 65) dues are $15 for one year or $30 for two years.
To learn more about Women Outdoors, visit https://womenoutdoors.org. The site has links to the eastern Massachusetts and western Massachusetts chapters.
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Inside this issue
•5
Index of Services
‘Plugging in’ to what seniors want
Adult Day Care Adult Day Club at Dodge Park...12
Hospice & Palliative Care Hope Health Hospice ...............6
Assisted Living-Rest Homes
page
Brookhaven Assisted Care .....16 Goddard Homestead ................1 Oasis at Dodge Park .............14 Tatnuck Park at Worcester .......11
6
Attorneys, Elder Law Durbin & Veglia, Attorneys .........7
Comedic actress, improviser returning to ‘Shear Madness’
Dental Services
page
Shaw-Majercik Funeral Home..22
12
Departments
fiftyplus
Publisher: David Bagdon Managing Editor: Bonnie Adams ext. 14 Creative Director: Tina Berthiaume
www.fiftyplusadvocate.com
Avidia Bank ............................13 Tailwind Wealth Management ..........................15
Funeral Homes General Senior Services Hearing Services
Housing Options ...........20 Travel ...........................22
Serving the fifty-plus community since 1975
Financial Services
AARP of MA .............................2
Caregiving Tips ...............18 Money Matters ..............19
advocate
Modern Dentistry of Shrewsbury.........................13
Audiology Affiliates...................9
Advertising Sales: Sales Coordinator : Barbara Clifford: 774-243-6881
Housing Options Bigelow Village ......................17 Binnall House...........................8 Colony Retirement Homes .....23 Green Hill Towers ...................10 Illyrian Gardens ......................15 Sherwood Village, Natick.............4 Sitkowski Apartments..............8
Medical Research Studies Harvard University ..................18
Mortgage Financing Helping Hands ......................16
Rehabilitation Encompass Health ................11
Veterans Services VA Boston .............................21
Walk-In Medical Centers ReadyMed................................3
Diane Sabatini: ext. 12 Cindy Merchant: ext. 15 Mary Ellen Cyganiewicz: ext. 17
Fifty Plus Advocate is published monthly, 12 times annually by Bagdon Advertising, 32 South Street, Westborough, MA 01581. Fifty Plus Advocate accepts no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts or materials and does not return them to sender. Retractions for any inaccuracies will be printed when necessary. Unsolicited letters to the editor become the property of this newspaper and can be reprinted in part or in whole unless otherwise stated. Fifty Plus Advocate columnists writing under a byline are expressing their personal opinions and not necessarily those of the newspaper.
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‘Plugging in’ to what seniors want By Barbara Allen Contributing Writer
Y
ears ago, when Michèle Meagher first heard that Arlington’s Robbins Library was seeking a program coordinator for their brand-new program series, she rushed home to pull her resume together to submit before the rapidly looming deadline. She knew that the
job would be a perfect fit for her. The idea behind the series, initially funded by a seed grant from the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners, was to provide programming to the
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Michèle Meagher
then underserved 50-plus population. For Meagher, as program coordinator, that meant “plugging in” to the interests of older adults, and offering presentations not only about Medicare and Medicaid, but those that would also include different topics designed to enlighten, inspire and entertain. The result has been a great success. The “Plugged iN at the Robbins” series, now funded with the help of the John F. Barry and Margaret O’C. Barry Memorial Fund, is currently in its seventh season. “Plugged iN is by far one of our most popular program series for adults,” remarked director of libraries, Andrea Nicolay. “It has a strong following, and a lot of that has to do with Michèle’s vision and creativity.” “The programs are presented at no cost to the public,” said Meagher, “and although they are targeted at [the] 50-plus [age group], anyone is welcome.” When asked how she comes up with ideas for programs,
PHOTO/SUBMITTED
Meagher, who herself is “50plus,” admitted with a laugh, “I’m a good guinea pig. If it interests me, it will interest others.” The program season runs 10 months, September through June. During the summer, she and Nicolay sit down together and discuss the upcoming season. “We both keep up on current events, so between Michèle’s familiarity with Arlington and the issues facing the 50-plus crowd, and my knowledge of the library’s big-picture program calendar, we have a great conversation,” explained Nicolay. “The series for the upcoming year starts out as a brainstorm and then evolves and gets tweaked as the year unfolds and new opportunities present themselves.” Meagher likes to keep two programs per year open for just such opportunities, such as a timely presentation hosted by Plugged iN last December on bystander intervention training. The program provided education on using verbal techniques to dePlugging in page 7
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‘Plugging in’ to what seniors want Plugged iN is by far one of our most popular program series for adults. It has a strong following, and a lot of that has to do with Michèle’s vision and creativity.
voted to music and the arts, and loved the library as a community center,” agreed Nicolay. “The Plugged iN series is one way we honor their legacy.” She feels that Meagher, through her Plugged iN programming, has helped to foster that sense of the library as a welcoming place for the 50-plus age group. “These days you read a lot about the epidemic of loneliness in American society,” she
•7
continued. “Public libraries can be a hearth, a gathering place of humanity and warmth, a place that offers experiences that can be life-changing.” “Plugged iN promotes all of those concepts,” Nicolay concluded. To sign up to receive notification of Plugged iN events by email, go to www.RobbinsLibrary.org and join the library’s mailing list by checking the “Plugged iN @ the Robbins” box.
Andrea Nicolay Director of libraries Plugging in Continued from page 6
rail hateful speech with those in one’s personal life, and in public hate incidents. Plugged iN programs, such as “Adult Children Caring for Parents,” and “Home Sweet Home - or Not: How to Decide Whether You Should Stay or Move in Retirement,” focus on specific issues faced by seniors. Meagher also likes to offer presentations which correspond with the annual Arlington Reads Together event in March. Last year, “On Becoming Nicole” was the featured book; the Plugged iN program that month provided an introduction to the transgender community. One of Meagher’s favorite programs, from Plugged iN’s second season, was a presentation she coordinated in honor of Julia Child’s 100th birthday. Three people whose lives had been touched by Child shared
memories of the world-renowned chef, cookbook author and television personality, as well as their thoughts and reflections on how she had inspired them. Guests included Mark DeVoto, whose mother, Avis, encouraged Child to pursue publication of her “Mastering the Art of French Cooking.” Since the beginning of the series, music has always been an important part of Plugged iN programming. The season opens with a musical performance in September and ends in June with an outdoor concert. “The musical programs are always well received,” said Nicolay. “There’s nothing like live music to bring people together and foster good energy.” “The Barry sisters loved music,”said Meagher, referring to the late Evelyn C. and Mary P. Barry, who established the memorial fund in honor of their parents. “The Barry sisters were de-
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Dodge Park Oasis - Worcester Goddard Homestead - Worcester Leominster Crossings - Leominster Tatnuck Park - Worcester
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Building a sense of community One piece at a time By Renee Plant Contributing Writer
Building page 9
PHOTO/SUBMITTED
Marlborough - Life is a lot like a puzzle: there are many pieces that need to be put together before you can see exactly how it’s meant to look. For Marlborough resident Marta Burbeck, connecting the pieces hasn’t always been easy. Burbeck now runs the puzzle shop, Piecefully Yours, but originally came to the United States feeling well, puzzled, about what to do next. “I began pondering what to do with my life,� she said. “I was a lawyer in Hungary for 10 years, and did charity work in England for another [decade]. What I realized in England was that community mattered, so I wanted to find a way to bring people together in their communities.� Burbeck began using her love of puzzles not to connect pieces, but people. According to BurMarta Burbeck (far left) with members of the Puzzle Club at Stow Library
Now Accepting Applications For Spacious 2 BR Apts. Active senior community. Age 62 and over. Subsidized through HUD’s Section 8 Program, rents are based on 30% of adjusted monthly income. Centrally located in downtown Gardner, Binnall House features airconditioning, wall-to-wall carpeting, activity rooms and an active resident population.
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To request an application please call 508.943.3406 TDD 800.439.2370 Must Meet Income Requirements Rents Starting at $650 • Section 8 Accepted
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Building a sense of community One piece at a time Building Continued from page 8
beck, puzzles are a great way of getting different groups together because anyone who is interested can get involved. “Puzzles don’t require any special skills,” she said. “They can bring people together regardless of age, experience or stage of life. It’s a natural way to get people into doing something together while having good conversation.” In what could be considered
a serendipitous turn of events, Burbeck’s plans aligned with someone else’s idea at just the right time, which lead to the formation of a weekly puzzle club at the Randall Library in Stow in April. “I became intrigued with the idea of having a weekly activity for adults here at the library that might form a multigenerational bond,” said Library Director Melissa Fournier. “Forming a puzzle club seemed like
the perfect solution [as a] quiet activity for the library [with] spaces available to spread out. Oddly enough, shortly after I’d decided to pursue the idea of a puzzle club, [Marta] contacted the library since she had decided a library puzzle club might be a good idea herself.” Club member Ann Sadler, a recent retiree, said the idea of a puzzle club first appealed to her because it was a way to get together with others while keeping her mind focused. “To me, the puzzle club is an escape I look forward to each week,” she said. “It is a treat I allow myself, and I find it very therapeutic. It is a very mindful activity, and it allows me to forget about everything else that is going on and focus on the puzzle itself.” Fournier said she originally planned to use the library’s jigsaw puzzles for the club, but Burbeck proposed using her own Wentworth puzzles, which are composed of wooden pieces.
SOME SOUND MARITAL ADVICE
This design has been beneficial, Fournier said, because the quality of the puzzles means they can easily withstand multiple uses. “[Marta] has these great puzzle boards, which allow people to work on the same puzzle over a period of time, since they ‘lock’ the pieces down and can be stored and reopened,” she said. “This way, patron[s] can continue to work on the same puzzle for as long as it takes to finish. The puzzles are beautiful, and patrons love them.” Burbeck, who has brought her puzzles everywhere from schools to rehabilitation centers, said she hopes to continue to spark a passion for puzzles in people who are looking for a meaningful activity. She said: “My goal is to continue to coordinate group activities in different venues that will help get people together to do something with their time and energy while also getting to know each other.”
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Why talking from the next room (or from the back seat) does not work
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Sound travels in a similar fashion as light. Light comes out of a flashlight in a beam. The speed of light and sound are of course different, but sound bounces and bends just as light does. Often low pitches go around corners better than highs. Lower pitched sounds like a fog horn bends around corners and high pitched sounds travel less well and are often of less intensity. Think of the utterance “uhoh” as compared to “Susie sells seashells.” High frequency speech sounds which are consonants travel less well than vowel sounds which tend to carry the volume but not the meaning of speech. Hearing loss is often of high frequency in nature so consonants seem to “drop off.”
The most common complaint to an audiologist is “I hear but don’t understand.” If you live or work with a hearingimpaired person go into the same space with them to talk. Get their attention, state the topic and then proceed. You may get their attention from another room but they may not understand you or worse, misunderstand you. Talking into the refrigerator or at the stove frying an egg with the fan going has the same effect. Please come and see us as we understand hearing and hearing loss. We can help you to understand and even better, we can likely help your loved one or friend hear much better.
•9
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Opioid crisis – a mother’s journey to ‘Learn to Cope’ By Jane Keller Gordon Assistant Editor
Taunton – In 2004, three years into her son’s opioid addiction, Joanne Peterson decided to let the world know about it. Learn To Cope (LTC) is the result, a nonprofit that has helped thousands of parents and family members deal with loved ones who are addicted to opiates and other drugs. Now funded by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, LTC has chapters in 12 of 14 counties in Massachusetts, two in Florida and one in Idaho; 17 staff members; and a 24/7 private online discussion board used by 10,000 people. According to its website, www.learn2cope.org, approximately 600 families per week attend meetings run by trained facilitators who have walked in their shoes. Meetings “offer peersupport, education, resources and HOPE for families with addic-
tion and recovery. They are a safe place for members to share their experiences, ask questions, learn about addiction and listen to guest speakers.” By distributing Narcan, to date, Learn to Cope has been responsible for reversing 130 opioid overdoses. A traumatic early life Growing up, Peterson would have never imagined that she would be the founder and executive director of a nonprofit that helped so many families in crisis. Nor could she imagine she would receive dozens of accolades for her advocacy and be invited to the White House seven times. As a child and then young adult, Peterson saw several of her family members cope with mental illness and addiction. “I came from a long line of trauma, domestic violence, and substance abuse… As a child, I didn’t know that things were
wrong… When I was about 10, I realized that things were not normal,” she said. “In 1932, my mother’s father, who was the chief of police in Randolph, arrested my greatuncle who had shot and killed his brother-in-law, my other grandfather. My father, who was six, saw it happen. Four years later, my father’s older brother hung himself. “My mother was only a year old then and the families didn’t know each other. Her greatgrandfather had died of an alcohol overdose, so her father, the chief of police, did not drink.” Peterson’s father brought the trauma of his youth into his own family, which also included her two sisters, and a brother. “We moved a lot. When I was in kindergarten, I can remember my father driving us to Anchorage Alaska, where he worked on the pipeline as a union carpenter,” she recalled.
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Four years later, her parents divorced and her mother returned to Massachusetts with the children. Her father stayed behind. Her brother battled depression and substance abuse his whole life. He was incarcerated at a young age. “It was a catalyst for the rest of his life,” Peterson said. “He felt better when he was in jail.” One of her sister’s became schizophrenic in her early twenties. “I was a kid at risk in high school, and I did stupid things,” Peterson said. “A lot of my journey paved the way for the way I lived.” The opioid crisis hits her family She had her first son when she was 17. She moved west and had a daughter there, and survived domestic violence. She came back to Massachusetts and lived in a shelter for a time. “I survived the way my mothOpiod crisis page 11
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• 11
Opioid crisis – a mother’s journey to ‘Learn to Cope’ Opiod crisis Continued from page 10
PHOTO/ANDY WEIGL, WEIGL PHOTOGRAPHY
er taught me to,” said Peterson. Her life stabilized 26 years ago when she reconnected and then married her husband Paul, who she knew growing up. They had a son, and he adopted her two older children. Neither Peterson nor her husband had an issue with alcohol or substance abuse. But unfortunately, their oldest son did. For Peterson, it was like déjà vu. “We tried to follow a manual on how to raise healthy kids in a safe environment. My son joined the National Guard and was great. But when he came home after basic training, something wasn’t right. He was losing weight and wouldn’t shower. “Things started missing in our house. We found out that he was shooting heroin in his room. This was 2001. Later, we discovered that he was using OxyContin,” she explained.
Joanne Peterson, with several of the Learn to Cope team members at their Taunton office.
Facing the challenge head-on “I wasn’t going to live like this my whole life,” she added. “I didn’t want my other children to suffer this trauma.” At the time, there was very little information on treatment. When she was not working at her fulltime job, she spent hours scouring the internet for information. She and Paul eventually sent
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their son to private treatment, but he relapsed. Through the courts, they got a “Section 35,” which under Massachusetts’s law, involuntarily forced him to go back to treatment. In 2004, their son was arrested, and it was printed in the local newspaper. “It brought back all the trauma I felt as a kid visiting jail. I
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thought, this is either going to kill me or I’m going to do something about it,” she recalled. “I was facing stigma, trauma, and gossip. I decided that I was going to tell my story.” To read part two of this story, visit www.fiftyplusadvocate.com. It will also be printed in the February issue of the Fifty Plus Advocate.
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encore performance Comedic actress, improviser returning to ‘Shear Madness’ By Ed Karvoski Jr. Culture Editor
PHOTO/JOE MAZZA, BRAVE-LUX
Boston/Cambridge – After performing in the long-running comedy “Shear Madness” at Boston’s Charles Playhouse from fall 2017 to spring 2018, Margaret Ann Brady of Cambridge returns this January to once again portray the old-money socialite Mrs. Shubert. Brady is uniquely qualified to present this murdermystery with humorous attempts to solve the crime by combining scripted material and audience participation. She has built a career performing improvisational comedy shows, as well as scripted plays and musicals. Originally from Great Neck, N.Y., Brady studied musical theater at Colorado Heights University before moving to Boston in 1980 in search of stage work. In 1987 and ’88, she wrote and performed late-night shows with the nowclosed New Ehrlich Theatre’s comedy troupe known as NETWorks at the still-thriving Boston Center for the Arts. “I was trying to get theater work in Boston – not always having a
Margaret Ann Brady
lot of success,” she acknowledged. “I auditioned for ImprovBoston in 1989 and found that I really love improvising. Our natural tendency is to plan, prepare and protect ourselves by never being caught off-guard. Improvisation is all about being caught off-guard and finding that’s the place where creativity is. Doing improv really opened me up to thinking that I could write and perform comedy.” She performed with ImprovBoston in the early-1990s at various venues including the Back Alley Theater in Cambridge’s Inman
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Square. The theater’s artistic director, Eileen Sullivan, also organized regional tours of “Women on the Edge” for which Brady wrote and performed. Joining women comedians in the show were some actresses, cabaret entertainers and performance artists. “Women were able to perform material that we never got the chance to do anywhere else,” Brady explained. Brady befriended Dorothy Dwyer, a fellow performer with ImprovBoston and “Women on the Edge.” Throughout the 1990s, they wrote and performed comedy sketches celebrating their Irish-American experience for “The Mrs. Potato Head Show,” staged at theaters, clubs, coffeehouses and fringe festivals. More recently, they presented a couple of reunions titled “The Mrs. Potato Head All-New Old Show.” “Dorothy is my best friend to this day,” Brady shared. “We’re very proud to have influenced a lot of the female comedians now working in Boston.” Among the stages where Brady has performed scripted plays and musicals in recent years are American Repertory Theatre at Harvard University, Boston Playwrights’ Theatre, Greater Boston Stage Company in Stoneham, Lyric Stage Company of Boston, Shakespeare & Encore page 13
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encore performance Encore Continued from page 12
PHOTO/GLENN COOK
Company in Lenox, SpeakEasy Stage Company in Boston, and Wheelock Family Theatre at Boston University. In 2017, she appeared in an ImprovBoston alumni show as part of its year-long 35th anniversary celebration. Offstage, Brady has worked since 2008 as an 18th-century costumed tour guide with the Freedom Trail Foundation. She and other guides bring history to life with entertaining and educational storytelling along Boston’s iconic 2.5-mile walkway. “I like being part of people’s vacation,” she said. “And when it’s a school group on a field trip, I want to celebrate that they’re not in a classroom. I hope they
think the information that I’m telling them is an engaging story. I love Boston and seeing people discover it.” Her historical connection continues when reporting to work at Charles Playhouse. “Sheer Madness” is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest-running play in American history. “In ‘Shear Madness,’ I’m working with some people who have been doing the show for 30 years,” Brady noted. “The precision of their timing is like a school in comedy. It still looks fresh when they’re doing the same gag that they’ve done forever. This show is so much fun!” For “Shear Madness” tickets and information, visit shearmadness.com.
Above: Margaret Ann Brady as Templeton (front) with “Charlotte’s Web” cast (back, l to r) Michael Keira Hisamoto, Shana Dirik, John Manning, Julia Paolino and Gamalia Pharms
Right: Margaret Ann Brady in her IRNE Awardnominated performance as Miss Tweed in “Something’s Afoot” at Greater Boston Stage Company PHOTO/DAVE COSTA
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striking a chord Sharing passion for musical arts on stages and in classrooms By Ed Karvoski Jr. Culture Editor
PHOTOS/AL RAGONE
Northborough/Wayland – A music educator for over three decades, Stephen Murray of Northborough has taught and served as choral director at Wayland Middle School since 2003. Teaching led him to also work as a playwright, composer and lyricist for youth audiences. Throughout the 1990s, he performed onstage and directed music at several venues including the now-closed Worcester Foothills Theatre and the still-thriving Worcester County Light Opera Company. With teaching experience spanning decades, his studies continued and he earned a doctorate in music education in 2017. Since then, he has returned
Stephen Murray as Billy Flynn in “Chicago” at Vokes Theatre in Wayland in 2017
to his roots: performing musicals at community theaters. “It felt terrific being onstage again,” he said. “Of course, there was a lot of anxiety with the auditioning and not being part of community theaters for almost two decades, but it also felt so rewarding.” A passion for performing musicals as a teenager in high school and community theaters prompted Murray to pursue his bachelor’s degree in music from Westfield State University in 1985. Soon after, he began teaching at Bartlett High School in Webster until Proposition 2-1/2 cut music program funds in 1989. He then worked for four years at the private Oxford Murray page 15
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Stephen Murray with the “Chicago” chorus at Vokes Theatre in Wayland in 2017
Murray Continued from page 14
Academy when it was located in the building that now houses the public Marion E. Zeh Elementary School in Northborough. While there, he wrote his first show: “Tortoise vs. Hare.” It was chosen among nationwide submissions as winner of the Anna Zornio Children’s Theatre Playwriting Award presented by the University of New Hampshire Theatre and Dance Department. Murray now has 32 published shows including musicals, plays and collaborations. “I started writing shows at Oxford Academy because we didn’t have a budget to pay for royalties to do existing shows, but we had kids who wanted to perform,” he explained. “Recently, Zeh School did ‘Mother Goose, Inc.,’ a show I wrote for that stage over 20 years ago.” From 1994 to 1998 he worked at Burncoat Middle and High Schools in Worcester, then from 1998 to 2003 at Shrewsbury public schools. After receiving a master’s degree in fine arts education from Fitchburg State University in 2003, Murray began his current job at Wayland Middle School. “I try to get students to think like a musician in their everyday lives,” he noted. “Musicians don’t give up because of mistakes; musicians practice and get better. Mistakes are valuable because you can learn from them. The Wayland school district is a really good match for me with my
I N V E S T M E N T
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personal teaching philosophy and how music is accepted as an important part of the community. I’ve landed in the right place.” While Murray landed his dream job, his music education studies continued beginning in 2008 at Boston University. His doctor of musical arts degree was granted in January 2017. “Educators never stop learning themselves,” he said. “I had come to a crossroads in my career where I could have gone in one direction or the other. The direction I chose was to learn more.” Also in 2017, Murray returned to the stages of community theaters. That spring, he played Franz Liebkind in “The Producers” at Concord Players. That fall, he portrayed Billy Flynn in “Chicago “directed by Maryann Zschau at Vokes Theatre in Wayland. Zschau and
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Murray had performed together at Worcester Foothills Theatre in the ‘90s. Murray also currently works with StarFun Theater Camp in Framingham. There, he has written shows specifically for their young performers.
“Seeing my own work performed is the same feeling that I get when I’m onstage,” he said. “It’s so much fun to be back performing again.” For more information about Stephen Murray and his shows, visit murrayshows.com.
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Giving a voice Raising lung cancer awareness and funding
A 501(c)(3) non-profit charitable organization
A Reverse Mortgage is not for everyone. But everyone should know the facts about a Reverse Mortgage and how it works.
Call or email to receive a FREE copy of the National Council on Aging’s 36-page “Use Your Home to Stay at Home,” consumer booklet.
ge m o r tg a everse r d l e ia v ic o T h e o ff r b o o k le ta p p r e t c o n s u m . D e p a r tm e n .S U e th by s in g of Hou n a b r &U pment lo e v e D
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Helping Hands Community Partners, Inc., is a non-profit 501(c)(3) with a mission of educating senior homeowners about housing options. We can explain and, when appropriate, arrange reverse mortgages.
Performers of Upstage Lung Cancer’s fall 2018 concert, “Barbra, Bette & Bernadette”: (l to r) Michael Hammond, Paula Markowicz, Hildy Grossman, Brian De Lorenzo and Candy O’Terry By Ed Karvoski Jr. Culture Editor
Brookline – Clinical psychologist, vocalist and lung cancer survivor Hildy Grossman of Brookline got her diagnosis while caring for another health concern. Grateful for early detection, she drew upon her experience as a professional entertainer and founded Upstage Lung Cancer
(ULC). The nonprofit organization produces concerts to raise awareness and funds for lung cancer research. A fall on the stairs to her basement in 2006 caused discomfort to an ankle, elbow and wrist. Visits to several specialists led to an MRI revealing two spots in her right lung. A biopsy confirmed it was lung cancer. Upstage Lung Cancer page 17
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Giving a voice
• 17
Raising lung cancer awareness and funding Left: Performers of Upstage Lung Cancer’s fall 2017 concert, “From Bench to Broadway”: (l to r) John King, Paula Markowicz, Darvon Monroe, Hildy Grossman and Brian De Lorenzo
PHOTOS/BOB BOND
Upstage Lung Cancer Continued from page 16
She underwent surgery and recuperated at home. “I needed only surgery because I was diagnosed by accident and it got detected so early,” she explained. “Lung cancer survivors often find out about it by accident. Our focus at ULC is trying to find a reliable, noninvasive, inexpensive way to detect lung cancer early. Survival shouldn’t be by accident.” When she founded ULC in 2008, her first step was recruiting two friends who are experienced nonprofit organization leaders: Crispin Weinberg, a scientist, biotech entrepreneur and president of the Coolidge Corner Community Chorus in Brookline; and Susan Gessner, a lung cancer survivor, and former board member of the Marblehead Museum and Historical Society. Grossman requests help from colleagues in the entertainment industry for ULC’s major fundraising concerts presented annually in the fall and spring. She contacted Emmy Award-
winning arts and entertainment critic Joyce Kulhawik, a threetime cancer survivor (ovarian cancer twice, and melanoma). Kulhawik has emceed each of ULC’s 10 fall concerts. “I reached out to Joyce the very first year and she has stayed with us,” Grossman noted. “She has been the heart and soul of this effort every year.” Some fall concerts in its early years featured songs of musicians who passed away of lung cancer including vocalists Rosemary Clooney, Nat King Cole and Dean Martin; lyricist Alan Jay Lerner, a multiple award winner for “Brigadoon,” “Gigi” and “My Fair Lady”; and composerlyricist Frank Loesser, a multiple award winner for “Guys and Dolls” and “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying. ULC’s 10th annual fall concert – showcasing more contemporary repertoires of entertainment icons Bette Midler, Bernadette Peters and Barbra Streisand – was presented in October 2018 at Mosesian Center for the Arts in Watertown. Joining vocalist Grossman and
Hildy Grossman
emcee Kulhawik onstage were singers whose involvement with ULC range from two to 10 years: Brian De Lorenzo, Michael Hammond and Paula Markowitz. Hammond also directed, and Tim Evans served as music director. Returning to the fall concert for her second year was Candy O’Terry, vocalist, broadcaster, and co-founder and president of Boston Women in Media & Entertainment. Grossman describes the ongoing collaborations of ULC’s concert performers as “a palpable lovefest.” “The cast really loves and appreciates each other,” she said, “From the very beginning, there have been so many generous people who volunteer their services and abilities. I’m so impressed with their kindness.” In addition to fall and spring
fundraisers, ULC has presented other concerts year-round throughout New England, New York City and Washington, D.C. According to ULC’s website, “Since 2011, our concert proceeds have invested in over $2 million in leading-edge research to detect and cure lung cancer, the number-one cancer killer.” Grossman added, “As I celebrated my 10-year diagnosis anniversary, I learned that only 5 percent of people diagnosed with lung cancer will be living 10 years later. I’d like to see treatments come about that turn lung cancer into more of a chronic disease, so that people can live longer and healthier lives.” For more information about Upstage Lung Cancer, visit upstagelungcancer.org and facebook.com/upstagelungcancer.
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caregiving tips
Common myths of aging By Micha Shalev MHA CDP CDCM
L
ike any form of bias, ageism has led many of us to make false assumptions about seniors. Many of these myths may be easily disputed based on data from the U.S. Census and other studies. Myth: Most older adults do not have enough money and end up becoming destitute. Fact: As of 2009, only 8.9 percent of Americans 65 years of age and older live in poverty, which is lower than the overall poverty rate in the United States (14.3 percent). This population is also more likely to have health insurance coverage than the general population. In 2009, only 1.9 percent of adults 65 years of age and older had no health insurance coverage, compared to 16.7 percent of all adults in the United States. Myth: Most older adults live alone and are isolated. Fact: According to a survey conducted in 2009, 9 out of 10 individuals 65 years of age and older stated they talked to family and friends on a daily basis. In terms of
Caregiving Tips
A study found that many elders are quite satisfied with their life. More than one-third of persons older than 59 years of age and 15 percent of those older than 79 years of age stated they were currently experiencing the best time in their lives. living arrangements, the percentage of those 65 years and older living alone has slightly decreased, from 28.8 percent in 1990 to 27.4 percent in 2008. An estimated 66.2 percent of those 65 years of age and older resided in a household with others. The statistics are also significantly different when the age cohorts are broken down further. An estimated 76.1 percent of Americans 65 to 74 years of age, and 60.3 percent of those 75 to 84 years of age reside in a household with others. This may be due in part to an increase in multigenerational households. In 2008, an estimated 16 percent of the U.S. population lived in a household comprised of two adult generations or a grandparent or at least one other generation, compared to 12 percent in 1980. This multigenerational household trend has particularly affected those 65 years and older. Several factors have contributed to this trend, including the poor economy, an increase in immigrants, and adults getting
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married later in life. Myth: Many older Americans end up living in nursing homes. Fact: In 2006, only about 4.4 percent of adults 65 years of age and older lived in nursing homes. Of those who reside in nursing homes, they tend to be the oldestold (85 years of age and older); three-quarters of nursing home residents are the oldest-old and are women. Myth: Most older adults engage in very minimal productive activity. Fact: U.S. Census data shows 37.8 percent of individuals 65 years of age and older worked fulltime in the past 12 months (41.8 percent of men and 32.7 percent of women in this age-group). The
elderly are more engaged in selfemployed activities than younger persons. In 2003, 14.3 percent of those 65 years of age and older were self-employed, compared to 6.8 percent of those 25 to 54 years of age. Myth: Life satisfaction is low among the elderly. Fact: Field examined data from the Berkeley Older Generation Study and found that many elders are quite satisfied with their life. More than one-third (36 percent) of persons older than 59 years of age and 15 percent of those older than 79 years of age stated they were currently experiencing the best time in their lives. A 2009 survey found that 60 percent of individuals 65 years of age and older stated they were very happy. Most of the factors that predict happiness for the young, such as good health and financial stability, also apply to the elderly. Myth: Old people feel old. Fact: According to a 2009 telephone survey, only 21 percent of individuals 65 to 74 years of age stated they felt old, and only 35 percent of those 75 years of age and older reported feeling old.
Micha Shalev MHA CDP CDCM CADDCT is the co-owner of The Oasis at Dodge Park, Dodge Park Residential Care and The Adult Day Club at Dodge Park located at 101 and 102 Randolph Road in Worcester. He has a master’s degree in health care management and is a graduate of the National Council of Certified Dementia Practitioners program, as well as a well-known speaker covering Alzheimer’s and dementia training topics. He can be reached at 508-853-8180 or by e-mail at m.shalev@dodgepark.com. Archives of articles from previous issues can be read at www.fiftyplusadvocate.com.
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money matters
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Senior housing options education By Alain Valles, CRMP, CSA, MS, MBA Nonprofit Charitable Managing Director
Should I stay, or should I go? To move or age in place? If you move, what does that really mean? How will you get your home r e a d y to sell, list your home, find new housing, and back your belongings and memories? If you stay, how will you ensure adequate access to cash for current and future needs?
Reverse Mortgage
As Managing Director of the self-funded nonprofit charitable mortgage company, Helping Hands Community Partners, our mission is to educate people about housing options. We facilitate how to balance the emotional and financial stresses of determining a sustainable housing solution. One ongoing area of concern for older homeowners is the topic of reverse mortgages. Everyone has heard “Reverse Mortgage” but few understand the pros and cons. We strive to protect people from improperly choosing a reverse mortgage. When a friend brings up reverse mortgages, what do you say or offer? You want to do the right thing, but that’s hard if you don’t have the facts. We help educate our referral relationships including banks, credit unions, mortgage companies,
real estate agents, families, and friends by sharing information about reverse mortgages.
real estate taxes, insurance, and abiding to other guidelines are always required.
Reverse mortgage benefits for you, your friends, and your clients may include… • Additional monthly cash flow • Pay off existing mortgage, credit cards, or other debts • Ability to pay real estate taxes • Cover medical expenses and at-home assistance • Complete home improvements and renovations • Monthly check to you for life • A line of credit that grows over time • May close in a trust or life estate • Peace of mind knowing funds are available if ever needed Please note – payment of
How to qualify for a reverse mortgage The primary requirements include: • Age: one borrower must be at least 62 years of age • Loan-to-Value: You home does not have to be mortgage free but there are maximum lending limits • Income: Though generally more lenient than traditional mortgages, a reverse mortgage does require us to verify your sources of cash flow Take action today Please give me a call or email with your questions and to receive your free copy of “Use Your Home to Stay at Home
SUPER CROSSWORD PUZZLE
Reverse Mortgage page 20
“BEFORE THE BRITISH INVASION” (answers on page 20)
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With or without you By Marianne Delorey, Ph.D. Dearest Relative, I recently mentioned my worries about you living in that big, old house with the stairs. You made it clear you did not want to talk about losing your independence. “I’m fine! Living here is my choice. You cannot take that away from me.” This is true. Legally, I get no vote. I do not have to agree with your choices. I get some choices, too, and I am writing this letter to tell you what my choices will be. As the one who will probably be helping you the most, we will have to make adjustments on the fly if you have a medical crisis. Let’s say you fall and break your hip. You will likely go to the hospital and then a rehab for a while. This will give us some time to plan, but not much. If you cannot return home safely, we will probably have to find an apartment with a short waiting
Housing Options
I am writing this letter to tell you what my choices will be. As the one who will probably be helping you the most, we will have to make adjustments on the fly. list. There aren’t many of those, so we will have to take what is available. Once you are there, we can put your name on the waiting list for the apartments at the end of my street. I know you liked those, but you will have to wait your turn on the list. I’m told it is 3 years’ long. We’ll have to switch your doctor, too. There is always a new doctor right out of medical school that will take you on. I know you probably would prefer to stay in your own neighborhood and keep your own doctor, but as I will be the one taking you shopping and bringing you to your appointments, I will need you to be closer to me. As you know, I work full time. Every time you have an appointment, I will have to take time off from work and if you stay where you are, my time will be eaten up quickly. We will be using my neighbor for legal matters. She is smart and I trust her. She says
Senior housing options education Reverse Mortgage Continued from page 19
and “25 Ways to Use a Reverse Mortgage.” We are available to explain Reverse Mortgage details by phone or happy to visit with you at your home. At no time will you ever feel any pressure to move forward. For us, it’s all about helping people achieve their homeownership goals and living a good life.
Don’t freeze in place Our concern is too many people are frozen in place, not being able to make a housing decision due to lack of information, fear, or regret. We need your help to let people know that there are many different senior housing options. Please give them our name and we’ll do our best to explore different options.
Alain Valles is Managing Director of Helping Hands Community Partners, Inc. and was the first designated Certified Reverse Mortgage Professional in New England. He obtained a Master of Science from the M.I.T. Center for Real Estate, an MBA from the Wharton School, and graduated summa cum laude from UMass Amherst. Valles can be reached directly at 781-724-6221 or by email at av@hhcp.org. Archives of articles from previous issues can be read at www.fiftyplusadvocate.com.
that when the time is right, we may have to go to court to get guardianship or conservatorship. That is another day or so off from work but it will be necessary since I don’t have access to your bank accounts nor do I have power of attorney. I wish living with me was an option. I don’t have the expertise and quite truthfully, my house doesn’t have a lot of extra space. I hope you don’t think it is a personal affront. I love you, but I also love you enough to want the best for you, and that is not my house. I envision packing the bare essentials from your house – toiletries, linens, clothes, maybe a piece or two of furniture. Most of your stuff, including your special collectibles, will be boxed up and put in storage. I’m sure it will take me several days to box up your house. It won’t be easy on me, taking all this time off from work, especially when I am trying to visit you and spend time with you, too. But I love you and I will gladly do this for you. Of course, if you want to make this easier for me, we can take steps now to make the process go
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more smoothly. Would you like to apply to the building down the road? Do you have a lawyer you’d prefer? Shall we spend a weekend going through your attic together? Please know that I want you to have a say, but if we can’t talk now, I will be on my own solving these problems when I am under the gun. Please help me do that by respecting that I will need to plan for you if you can’t plan for yourself. With love, Your honest younger relative Marianne Delorey, Ph.D. is the Executive Director of Colony Retirement Homes. She can be reached at 508-755-0444 or mdelorey@colonyretirement.com and www.colonyretirementhomes. com. Archives of articles from previous issues can be read at www. fiftyplusadvocate.com.
Answers to Super Crossword (puzzle on page 19)
Machines say, ‘Make my day.’ By Janice Lindsay
M
echanical objects aren’t necessarily terrifying; it’s just that some of us might have been more comfortable in a slightly less technological century. For me, the anxiety about mechanical things started long before 8-yearolds were taking selfies with their iPhones. I blame the phone company. I grew up before dial phones, in a small country town. When you lifted the handset to make a call, a live operator said (in our case, demanded): “Number please.” If a shy child learning to use the phone hesitated for even one second, she received a lesson in supreme adult crabbiness. An equation began to take shape in mind: mechanical object equals embarrassment. The lock on the school principal’s door didn’t help. Once, our teacher, who was also the principal, needed a book from his locked office and sent little-kid Janice with the key to fetch it. Struggle as I might, I could not figure out how to unlock the door. Deeply chagrined, I returned to the classroom empty-handed except for the key. The teacher patiently walked me back to the office and showed me how to unlock the door. But it was too late. I hate locks. And talk about learning to drive a standard-shift car! I learned on an automatic, but decided a standard would be safer and more practical. (This was when a driver’s skill mattered, before cars got smarter than we are.) Once, when I was new to the art, I found myself trying to inch forward in the line at a toll booth on the Mass. Pike. I established a routine: shift into first gear, step on the gas, surge forward, stall, jerk to a stop. I was engaged in this surge-andjerk rhythm when it was my turn to pay the toll. I was stalled
Inklings
15 feet from the toll booth with a line of Boston drivers behind me, and you know how patient they are. The toll taker stepped out of his booth and sauntered to my car. I opened the window. “Look,” he said kindly, “why don’t you pay me the toll right here. Then, when you get this thing started, you can sail right through.” I paid the toll, kissed his hand (mentally),waited until he was safely re-ensconced in his booth, shifted into first gear, and with one might surge I flew through the booth at 50 miles an hour. Did I mention embarrassing? For people like me, every new technological device holds potentially heart-palpitating challenges: digital watch, microwave oven, bread machine, TV. But to bring on a true anxiety attack requires a computer. I bought a user-friendly computer. An ordinary computer-literate person could be in business an hour after opening the box. It took me three anxious weeks just to work up the courage to open the box. I eventually figured out how to program the printer and load the software and the computer and I worked out a deal: It would do what I asked, and I wouldn’t ask it to do anything hard. But then came the inevitable day when I had to update the system. I was determined to do this correctly, by myself, in a calm and professional manner. Having spent a couple of months in mental preparation, I sat down at the computer and began, trembling. Know this: Machines can smell your fear. I won’t relate the regrettable details of my system-update adventure. But now I know that whenever I decide to do anything serious computer-wise, I must not go it alone. I must ask help from a highly trained and knowledgeable computer professional. Or an 8-year-old.
Contact jlindsay@tidewater.net
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Call for your free copy! 508.366.5500
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travel and entertainment
Following a trail can lead you to culinary delights, nature, history and more By Victor Block Travel Writer
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Preserving Memories
The Cajun Bayou Food Trail celebrates the area’s rich gastronomic culture.
with Dignity
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PHOTO/SUBMITTED PHOTO/LOUISIANA’S CAJUN BAYOU TOURISM
lizabeth and Andy Beyer’s drive along California’s Sonoma Valley Wine Trail was a lifelong dream. They satisfied their love for the beverage during tastings at favorite vineyards. It was food that tempted Mary and Roger Nicholson to visit Louisiana’s Cajun Bayou. They sampled traditional dishes like fresh-from-the-sea food and lip-smacking desserts. A taste for history prompted Linda Thomas and Harry Palmer to explore the First State National Historical Park in Delaware. Sites there bring to life chapters of the state’s, and country’s, history.
Many people follow some of the 300 or so wine trails in the United States, combining treats for their palate with excursions to towns and through scenic countryside. Fewer know that many other routes provide introductions to interests ranging from covered bridges to civil rights, and from berries to bourbon. The Cajun Bayou Food Trail celebrates the area’s rich gastronomic culture. Stops include restaurants that serve favorites like gumbo, jambalaya and pecan pralines. Some family-run eateries follow recipes that have been passed down for generations. (For more information log onto lacajunvbayou.com.) Part of the First State Na-
Veteran Owned & Operated
tional Historical Park’s story deals with the diversity of European immigrants who settled the area. Dutch, Swedes, Finns, English and Germans created a melting pot of cultures. Old Swedes’ Church was built in 1698-1699 using bricks that served as ballast in ships that brought colonists from Sweden. From 1732 to 1777, Delaware’s colonial assembly met in the New Castle Court House. The John Dickinson Plantation (1740) was the boyhood home of the primary author of the Articles of Confederation and one of the drafters of the U.S. Constitution. The surrounding fields were used for growing tobacco and grain. (nps.gov/frst) The Dickinson Plantation isn’t the only trail location where food is part of the story. Restau-
rants along the Oyster Trail in Gulf Shores and Orange Beach, Alabama serve bivalves in traditional ways as well as a wide choice of imaginative offerings including barbequed, fire roasted, Alfredo style and in ceviche. (gulfshores.com) Variety of a different kind greets visitors to the Fields of Gold Farm Trail in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley. People may stroll through a farmers’ market, tour a working spread, feast at field-to-table restaurants and pick their own fruit at an orchard. (fieldsofgold.org). Those who prefer the word “soft” before their drink may follow the “Coca-Cola Trail.” Places related to that popular beverage are described in a book of the same name, which can serve as a guide to museums, historic botTravel page 23
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Following a trail can lead you to culinary delights, nature, history and more Travel Continued from page 22
e!
ic serv
A family enjoys the Fields of Gold Farm Trail in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley.
Portland that leads to sites associated with the Underground Railroad and the anti-slavery movement. (visitmaine.com) Ohio also touts a choice of
PHOTO/SUBMITTED
The Maine Sculpture Trail has 34 outdoor arts works located along 273 miles of coastline
tantalizing trails. They include routes which focus upon interests as diverse as ghosts, covered bridges, ice cream and donuts. (trails.ohio.org)
From seafood to sweets, berries to beverages, it’s possible that somewhere in the country there’s a trail focused upon a favorite interest of yours.
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PHOTO/ALAN STUBBS
tling plants and other destinations around the country. The story began in Vicksburg, Mississippi where “Coke” was first bottled in 1894. Other stops can include the Dawson & Stevens Diner in Grayling, Michigan, which doubles as a Coca-Cola museum; a former bottling plant in Los Angeles that was built to resemble an ocean liner, and outdoor “ghost signs” advertising Coke that were painted decades ago and have been refurbished. Some states double down on the trails concept. For example, Maine has a Sculpture Trail that leads to 34 outdoor art works located along 273 miles of its coastline; a Thoreau-Wabanaki Trail, which includes canoe routes the author followed during trips to that state, and a Freedom Trail in
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Helping veterans and active duty military members By Kristen Alberino Social Security Public Affairs Specialist, Boston
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very year on Veterans Day, we honor the people who risk their lives to protect our freedom. Social Security honors veterans and active duty members of the military every day by giving them the respect they deserve. Social Security’s disability program is an important part of our obligation to wounded warriors and their families. For military members who return home with injuries, Social Security is a resource they can turn to. If you know any wounded veterans, please let them know about Social Security’s Wounded Warriors website. You can find it at www.socialsecurity.gov/ woundedwarriors. The Wounded Warriors website answers many commonly asked questions, and shares other
useful information about disability benefits, including how veterans can receive expedited processing of disability claims. Benefits available through Social Security are different than those from the Department of Veterans Affairs and require a separate application. The expedited process is used for military service members who become disabled while on active military service on or after October 1, 2001, regardless of where the disability occurs. Even active duty military who continue to receive pay while in a hospital or on medical leave should consider applying for disability benefits if they’re unable to work due to a disabling condition. Active duty
fiftyplus
advocate.com
• Inspiring articles • Tips for caregivers
status and receipt of military pay doesn’t necessarily prevent payment of Social Security disability benefits. Although a person can’t receive Social Security disability benefits while engaging in substantial work for pay or profit, receipt of military payments should never stop someone from applying for disability benefits
from Social Security. Social Security is proud to support veterans and active duty members of the military. Let these heroes know they can count on us when they need to take advantage of their earned benefits. Our webpages are easy to share on social media and by email.
Proudly announcing our all-new website, a great resource that celebrates living your best life over 50 40,000 copies delivered monthly between Worcester and Boston
• Helpful information about finances, downsizing, travel and more
The longest continuously running mature market publication in the United States
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