Senior Lifestyles

Senior Lifestyles A Publication of The Addison Independent • Monday, May 25, 2015

SENIORS TAKE A walk around the beautiful Elderly Services grounds in Middlebury last week. Elderly Services provides access to a long list of hobbies and activities for area seniors.

Independent photos/Trent Campbell

Hobbies keep you young Learn a new one or continue with what makes you smile

By CHRISTY LYNN As the prospect for retirement nears, whether you’re 63 or 80, hobbies and pastimes become more and more priceless in terms of personal enjoyment and fulfillment. The challenge is to pursue ones that last a lifetime.

Power weight-lifting is out after age 70 or so for most, but birdwatching is definitely in and, like gardening, can have moments of adventure, excitement and physical activity, not to mention years of satisfaction.

GARDENING Gardening can mean many things to many people. It can be physically demanding (and exhausting) if garden soil needs to be amended or weeded heavily, or when making major landscaping changes.

However, even individuals who are physically or mentally limited can enjoy time spent in gardens watching the stages of growth, flowers, fruits and vegetables produced and even the animals and insects that call the gardens their home. It is a relaxing and mellowing hobby that can often help track time even for those with memory lapse or confusion.

The Middlebury Garden Club is a group of community members that was first founded in 1933 by members of the local Women’s Club.

With a mission to pursue their interest in gardening, floral design and civic beautification, the garden club hosts

educational events, youth programs and outings to various gardens and nurseries around the state.

For more information on the Middlebury Garden Club you can visit their website at middleburygardenclub. org.

BIRD WATCHING “Birds are beautiful and charismatic and draw you in, making you want to learn more and engage more every day,” says Ron Payne, president of the Otter Creek Audubon Society in Addison County.

“Many people have watched birds their whole lives, intrigued but without the time to really learn much about them. We see a lot of retirees join the Audubon Society who suddenly find themselves with that time to dedicate.”

It’s pretty safe to say that bird watching is a low-impact activity. While it may behoove you to be able to get to more remote habitat, it is often patience and stillness that yield the best results when watching birds.

The Otter Creek Audubon Society is a local chapter of the national Audubon Society and works to build a culture of conservation in Addison County committed to protecting birds and other wildlife and their habitats.

According to Payne, there are between 350 and 400 members of the local chapter and the group continues to gain traction and grow as more and more (See Hobbies, Page 4)

MICHAEL JACOBS, ABOVE, keeps an eye on fellow Elderly Services participant Gerry DeWitt during time on the organization’s putting green last week while Dick Raymond, left, gets a laugh after sinking one of his putts.

PAGE 2 — Senior Lifestyles • Addison Independent, Monday, May 25, 2015

Are you protected?

Guard yourself against scams and idenity theft

By MARY CONLON While I suffered no financial loss in this Two years ago, I received a letter addressed fraud scheme, there are many other schemes to me and a mystery man, Thomas Miller, from that go after your money, not just your identity. the Ohio Department of Taxes asking for fur- Let’s take a look at a few, review some simple ther financial documents before issuing me a preventative steps, and address what to do if tax refund. you fall victim.

Then, Thomas Miller and I received a letter E-MAIL from Michigan with the same request. A couple E-mail remains a potent place for fraud, and days later, Hawaii sent Thomas Miller and me the click of a mouse is all it might take for a check for more than $5,000 to criminals to gain access to your my address in Cornwall. information.

Well, I did not know Thomas The scams — called “phishMiller and have never conducted ing” — are as simple as creating business in any of those states an e-mail that looks like it came or even visited Hawaii. By now, from a bank, investment compaI knew I was a victim of idenny or insurance firm, and telling tity theft and had begun implea recipient they need to click on menting safeguards to protect a link or attachment immediately my money, my credit and my to deal with something imporpotential to be linked to a fraud tant. Once that link is clicked on scheme. Of course, my husband or downloaded, a virus — called and I wondered exactly what malware — enters your comkind of scheme involves the vicputer and transfers your personal tim receiving a legitimate check financial information and habits, for thousands of dollars. to the scammers. With that inA very common scheme, it formation, they are then free to MARY CONLON turns out. Someone, somehow, clean out your accounts, and set had stolen my name, address, Social Security up credit cards in your name. number and other personal information to crePREVENTION: Banks and similar firms do ate an identity and apply for earned-income not ask clients to click on links or download tax credits in states across the country. Many attachments. If your account needs attention, states have laws requiring them to issue tax re- they tell you to enter your account through the funds and credits quickly, even before the tax bank’s website, which can only be done with return is reviewed. Often that money is depos- your username and password. If you are asked ited directly into a bank account. The criminal to do anything different, call first to make sure empties the bank account as soon as the money it came from them. goes in, then closes it and vanishes.

Be wary of urgency. If the e-mail says that

A SENIOR CLIENT reviews financial documents and discusses potential financial scams with certified money manager Mary Conlon of Cornwall.

you must take action now or suffer a consequence (“We will turn off your credit card if you do not fix this!”), then call your bank or financial firm to double check — and don’t call the number listed on the e-mail.

Always delete e-mails that appear to be scams or contain malware.

WEBSITES/INTERNET Other online scams to steal personal information include websites that mimic official bank websites, but the address might be a common typo. Double-check the address if you are suspicious. Another common scam is a “pop-up” on your screen posing as an anti-virus warning, asking you to click on it, which will actually result in a virus being downloaded. Some websites are designed to sneak malware on to your computer while you visit it. Sites dealing in

pornography, illegally available music, movies and TV shows, and other questionable activities can be sources of malware.

PREVENTION: A good quality anti-virus software that is updated regularly, never allowed to lapse and is used to scan for problems is the best defense against malware.

THE PHONE Phone scams continue to be successful, and they follow essentially the same idea as e-mail.

A caller will pose as a bank, credit card issuer or other financial person, and say there is a problem that must be addressed immediately.

They will then ask for account information, your Social Security number or credit card numbers, and, if the victim believes them, that is all it takes. If there is a sense of urgency, be (See Fraud, Page 4)

Senior Lifestyles • Addison Independent, Monday, May 25, 2015 — PAGE 3

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PAGE 4 — Senior Lifestyles • Addison Independent, Monday, May 25, 2015

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The American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry recently reported that elders who spend their days at home are twice as likely to develop Alzheimer’s Disease as those who leave the house daily and go to a stimulating social setting.

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VON JEROME, RIGHT, shares a smile and a hand last week with Elderly Services volunteer Leila Black during one of several daily walks held at the Middlebury facility. Keeping active, even with short, gentle walks, is important for seniors.

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Hobbies (Continued from Page 1) people become interested in bird watching and habitat protection.

“We spend a great deal of time trying to reach out to all ages at the Otter Creek Audubon Society and work with everyone from schools to retirement communities,” Payne says.

The society hosts a wildlife walk on the second Saturday of each month that is free and open to the public and requires no specific knowledge or experience.

“We’re lucky because Vermont has a great birding community with lots of engaged people who enjoy helping others learn more about what to look for and what to listen for.”

Addison County is an especially friendly wildlife zone for birds, with as many as 320 bird species within our county lines. Some species come and go as the seasons change,

Independent photo/Trent Campbell

while others stay year-round.

“Early-May through mid-June is actually one of the best times for watching migrating birds,” Payne says. “Some interesting warblers and other transitory birds are moving through and so serious birders are out there trying to catch a glimpse or shoot a photo.”

The most important tip Payne has for new bird watchers is to “just get out there and start.” Open your eyes, listen for calls and patterns and you’ll start to understand, he says.

Or, if starting with a group seems more accessible, consider joining Payne and members of the Otter Creek Audubon Society on June 20 for a “beginning birder walk” on the Trail Around Middlebury in Wright Park.

For more information on the Otter Creek Audubon Society, visit www.ottercreek.

Fraud We are proud to support: Addison County Home Health and Hospice Addison County Transit Resources Champlain Valley Agency on Aging- Meals on Wheels Counseling Service of Addison County Elderly Services, Inc. Hospice Volunteer Services

United Way of Addison County PO Box 555, 48 Court Street Middlebury, VT 05753 802 388-7189 Unitedwayaddisoncounty.org

(Continued from Page 2) very suspicious.

Never give out account information over the phone to someone who has called you. This includes charitable contributions, such as college alumni associations. Ask anyone you are interested in contributing to, to send their information by mail.

If someone has left an urgent message on your voice mail, also be wary. Googling phone numbers can often help discover if the call was a scam or not.

DOCUMENT THEFT Stealing documents from the trash, the mail or elsewhere remains a tried and true method for scammers. While there is little you can do about the people you hand your credit card to in the course of shopping and eating out, you can be careful with your own financial records at home by shredding them before recycling them or throwing them away. For those records you normally store for long periods and in higher volumes, take advantage of shredding services offered by your bank or places like the UPS Store. Shredding services are usually very secure, with documents kept under lock and key until destroyed.

STAY VIGILANT Keeping a close eye on your finances and credit are the best way to steer clear of losses due to fraud and identity theft. This means reviewing with great care your credit card bills

and the listed transactions. It means watching your bank accounts for withdrawals that seem suspicious, even if they are small.

It is also a good idea to check your credit rating with one of these three agencies every four months: Equifax, Experian and TransUnion.

This can be done for free once a year through www.annualcreditreport.com.

WHAT TO DO If you have become a victim of fraud or identity theft, call the police and your financial institutions immediately. A bank or credit card company can put a hold on your accounts or close them to prevent further loss.

A police report is vital. After my identity was stolen, the Vermont State Police provided me with a complete report and, most importantly, a police report number. This number is key in reporting fraud and theft and protecting yourself from being held responsible for a criminal’s action. The police are also wellinformed in the steps you should take after reporting the problem.

Finally, it is a good idea to block access to your credit rating at the three companies listed above for at least 90 days. With a police report number, this can be done for free and extended to seven years. After my identity was stolen, I chose to freeze my credit at all three agencies and lift that freeze temporarily when needed.

Mary Conlon is a certified Professional Daily Money Manager based in Cornwall.

Senior Lifestyles • Addison Independent, Monday, May 25, 2015 — PAGE 5

Color & & whimsy inhabit the work of a busy 77-year-old artist

By CHRISTY LYNN “The secret is you have to keep your head going,” says 77-year-old Maxine Davis, a retired psychologist from Ferrisburgh who now spends much of her time making art. “You have to keep doing things, going after things, being curious.”

Davis’ art medium is glass, although she has experimented over the years with painting, fiber arts and other crafts. She has a home studio that her husband (who will be 90 years old this summer) built as a small addition to the house initially and then extended as Maxine’s passion grew.

Her “play room” is now 16 feet by 22 feet, enough space to accommodate a large kiln, racks and shelving space to catalogue the many colored sheets of glass, molds and forms that shape each piece, plus large tables over which she can create her works.

“I say, if it makes her happy, she could have the whole world,” says Norton Davis, who supports his wife’s work not just by building the spaces, but also by framing all of the hanging pieces as well as managing the firing schedules and kiln temperatures to best avoid cracks in the glass. He had been an electrical engineer prior to retirement and takes pride

in using his knowledge and skills to help with Maxine’s work.

The couple met while both were vacationing on the Pennsylvania coast in 1960.

“We met Thursday at 12:30 over lunch,” Norton recalls. “I knew I wanted to marry her by two in the afternoon. She took until Saturday to say yes.”

The couple has been married 54 years and has been living in Vermont for 38.

LIFELONG LEARNING Maxine Davis has a deep commitment to experimentation and lifelong learning. She and her husband have stories of traveling the world as volunteers. For more than 15 years she has voluntarily taken classes at many of the Vermont colleges and universities to help expand her understanding and “just have fun” with art.

“I take classes to learn more about the skills as well as to meet other people who are playing with materials,” she says. “I’ve taken over 30 art courses and continue to take them to challenge myself and just have a great time.”

As a psychologist Davis worked primarily with kids and her art continues to display a youthful spunk.

She works mainly with fused glass, or “warm glass,” which is distinct from stained glass (that is not kiln fired but rather cut glass that is

MAXINE DAVIS HAS taken up glass art in her retirement. Many of her fused glass pieces are wall hangings depicting colorful scenes, people, animals and landscapes, but she also makes bowls, plates, jewelry. Davis’ art provides her with a fun and creative outlet that keeps her mind active and days full.

soldered together), blown glass or hot glass — which are made with molten glass that is either shaped by blowing air into the form or pulling it into shapes as it cools.

Fused glass, by contrast, is fired in a kiln that rises to temperatures between 1250 and 1400 degrees Fahrenheit. Artists stack comparable types of glass on top of one another to create mosaics and scenes with each firing.

Davis’ work ranges widely from small jewelry pieces to clocks, animal portraits, signs, bowls and plates, to large sculptures or wall hangings that depict detailed scenes. Most

of her pieces are fired at least twice and many go in and out of the kiln three or four times with more detail and layering with each iteration.

“That’s one of the reasons that fused glass is expensive,” Davis explains, “it’s a very laborious process that requires a lot of kiln time and a lot of handling.”

Fortunately for Davis, she doesn’t assume as much pressure as other artists do who are trying to make a living at their work.

“I’m retired so it’s different for me because I don’t have to make a living at this. I just try to (See Art, Page 7)

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PAGE 6 — Senior Lifestyles • Addison Independent, Monday, May 25, 2015

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Senior Lifestyles • Addison Independent, Monday, May 25, 2015 — PAGE 7

Art “One day you’re 20, then you’re 30, then (Continued from Page 5) you’re 50 and then all of a sudden you’re 70 have fun,” she says.

While that may be true, she has found and you’re old.”

Her artistic hobbies, however, have kept modest success. Davis’ work is displayed at the Shelburne Museum and Basin Harbor her feeling young and successfully distract her from the realties of age.

Club locally and in a few places “Art is very therapeutic,” she in South Carolina, where the “Getting old couple spends some of their time. happens really says. “You don’t think about other things or stresses. You just “Anything that doesn’t sell fast. One day focus on the task and get lost in ends up finding happy homes with members of my family and you’re 20, then it. Time disappears as you relax friends,” Davis says, which seems you’re 30, then into a totally different frame of mind. Hours go by without to be working out just fine for her. you’re 50 and knowing it.”

HOUSE OF ART then all of a Davis loves to share her The Davises’ house is filled sudden you’re work and talk to others about with Maxine’s colorful work and shared experiences with hobbies. whimsy. Drawer knobs, clocks, 70 and you’re To that end, she has recently large framed wall hangings and old.”

— Maxine Davis begun to develop a reference some of her old paintings cover list of professionals by category the walls and surfaces. Stacks of plates, bowls and platters occupy space on that live in her town of Ferrisburgh. She is almost all flat surfaces in the house, reflecting beginning with artists and craftspeople, but is interested in extending the list to “anyone the volume of work Davis has produced.

She is passionate about color and uses who does anything” in town.

“It seems like people don’t know who the dichroic glass with an oil-like sheen and other vibrant colors throughout her pieces to others in the community are that are doing similar things. I want to develop a professional produce playful and engaging compositions.

“I’m usually in the studio working about network so that visitors or residents can learn three days a week,” she says. “The other days who all the artists are, who the woodworkers the kiln might be running and I might be out are, the babysitters, the hair dressers, the at school or volunteering or painting another bakers,” Davis says.

While she’s not sure exactly how these lists wall in the house. But I stay pretty busy and will be used or distributed, Davis is committed the time goes by quickly.”

Davis’ hands are arthritic now, which to connecting people in her community and prevents her from being in the studio for too helping them engage with each other.

For more information on Maxine Davis’ many hours in a day or in a week, but she is still mobile and mentally more fit than most. work you can visit her Facebook page or “Getting old happens really fast,” she says. email her at mzdavis@gmavt.net.

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PAGE 8 — Senior Lifestyles • Addison Independent, Monday, May 25, 2015

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