Senior Lifestyles Publication of the Addison Independent • April 8, 2013
Think it through when charities come calling By MARY CONLON Think no one uses regular mail or oldfashioned landline telephones anymore? Think again. Especially when it comes to soliciting charitable contributions from senior citizens, a population known among fundraisers for three things: opening their mail, answering their phones and being generous and trusting with their money.
Sorting out the many organizations that call and send small gifts like labels, notepads and calendars with their requests for contributions can be challenging and very confusing. Many national organizations hire professional fundraisers who take a percentage of the contributions to cover their costs and profits. Many groups have similar names, then buy and sell lists of contributors
and others still may be nonprofit (even if their hired fundraisers are not) but do not qualify as charitable contributions for tax purposes. Other solicitors are not nonprofit organizations at all, but businesses interested in getting at your bank account in order to sell you marked-up questionable products. Combine this with recent research showing that as people age, they become less able to
discern suspicious behavior, including from telephone solicitors. Aging Americans simply become more trusting at a time in their lives when they also become more generous. Just how confusing and difficult can giving be, especially in an age of aggressive mail and telephone campaigns? Veterans groups provide one example of running the (See Contributions, Page 18)
Dancing is a great way to exercise and to socialize
Contra dance lets you move at your own level By CHRISTY LYNN ADDISON COUNTY — Dancing, a longcelebrated source of socialization, exercise and simple fun, can be a great outlet for people of all ages. In Addison County, opportunities to go out dancing may be more plentiful than you think. Community centers and town halls have for many decades offered public dances, often contra dances, swing dances or square dances. One of the most wonderful qualities of dancing is that “you can come and engage at whatever energy level you feel is appropriate for you,” says Kristin Bolton, one of the organizers of a monthly contra dance series offered at the Cornwall Town Hall. So even if you’re not up for the fast-paced salsa, or polka, you can wait a song or two and join back in for a waltz. Many seniors have been dancing their whole lives, Bolton acknowledges, which allows them to celebrate an activity they have
enjoyed for many years. Bolton, who also works at Elderly Services, has been organizing the contra dance series at Cornwall Town Hall for close to three years with her husband, Andrew Munkres, and their “old time” band, Red Dog Riley. She says that part of the appeal for seniors (as well as young and middle-aged people), is the variety of participants at the events. “There is often a core group of mature dancers,” Bolton says, “but there is always a surprising mix of people who show up. “There aren’t a lot of events in the community where you get such a multigenerational mix of people.” For seniors, the positive energy of live music, dancing and buzz of new people offers an easy way to stay optimistic about life. Contra dancing events are usually informal and open to anyone who shows up. Dancing skills and a strong memory for all the steps and sequences are not required, (See Dancing, Page 21)
At nifty fifty you may find losing weight gets harder
SHELLY HARE LEADS a senior fitness class at Vermont Sun last Thursday morning. The class puts seniors through stretching, aerobic and small-weight workouts. Independent photo/Trent Campbell
(MS) — Losing some weight is a goal for many people regardless of age. While youngsters and young adults might be able to get away with a few extra pounds without suffering any significant consequences, older adults carrying some extra weight might be putting their overall health at considerable risk. Shedding weight after the age of 50 is not always easy. As a person ages, muscle mass tends to dwindle while body fat has a tendency to increase. Since fat burns fewer calories than muscle, weight gain as a person ages seems bound to happen. But that doesn’t mean such weight gain is inevitable. In fact, men and women willing
to make certain changes with regard to diet and exercise can shed pounds after 50 while preventing future weight gain. Diet — Men and women need fewer calories as they age. For example, men and women in their 40s may need as many as 200 calories more per day than they will when they reach their 50s. Counting calories might seem difficult, so men and women in their 50s and older who don’t think they can count calories can try to eat more low-calorie foods like fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Consuming fewer calories often requires changing dietary habits, not only with re(See Weight control, Page 24)