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Volunteers of all varieties ‘show’ ways to help By SHARON LEE TEGLER Correspondent he dancers rehearsing at South County Senior Center in Edgewater recently were retirees so fit they put most 30-year-olds to shame. Performers with the award-winning, 40-member ShowStoppers, they danced nonstop for two hours through a five-routine rehearsal directed by Joanne DeWilde. The ShowStoppers volunteer entertainers appear at charity events, senior centers and assisted living homes in 10 counties. They generally receive fees or donations from the places they perform. However, they donate all proceeds to charities. The company is comprised of eight troupes of performers,
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including the period-costumed Grand Dames, the tap-dancing Show Stompers, the 1920s inspired Flappers, the Country Liners, the Sultry Sirens belly dancers, the Triple Tones vocal trio, the Harmony Grits Chorus and The Flip Dancers jitterbug duo. Some members belong to several troupes. Peg Colt, 90, dances with the Grand Dames, sings with the Harmony Grits and does a solo lip-sync act. Routines range from a stylishly choreographed “Ballin’ the Jack” to a spirited tap dance to Glenn Miller’s “In The Mood.” The ShowStoppers take their motto, “We aspire to inspire before we expire,” seriously. (See Show, Page 3)
On the cover Courtesy photo / Registered yoga teacher Jean Williamson demonstrates a pose. See the story on Page 5.
By Sharon Lee Tegler, Correspondent
From left, Jean Milazzo, Helen Sharp, Lesley Kreimer, Janice Costello and Heidi Kammer, members of the Show Stompers, a troupe of the ShowStoppers, tap rhythmically to the familiar strains of Glenn Miller’s “In The Mood.”
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By Sharon Lee Tegler, Correspondent
The lone man among seven roses, Carl Smith represented the ShowStoppers male performers by taking a leading position at the rehearsal as the line dancers executed disco favorite “Stayin’ Alive.” Also pictured are Shirley Williams, Janice Costello, Marcia Davis, Mahal May and Nancy Chick.
Accomplished careerists before retiring, most members continue making significant contributions through volunteerism. A native of Wisconsin, dancer JoAnn Aguilar and her family ended up in Annapolis. Before retirement, she was a vice president of property management for Hyatt Realty. Now a tireless volunteer, she belongs to several ShowStoppers troupes including the belly dancers and Harmony Grits. “Music Man” Bob Doyle operates the group’s sound system — a job for which he was “volunteered” by wife Dixie. The Washington, D.C., attorney for the Environmental Protection Agency retired in 2011 and enjoys living in Beverly Beach. Dixie, a vocalist with the Triple Tones and Harmony Grits, hails from Washington state. Before retiring in 2010, she worked with U.S. Customs and Border Protection as an agent along the southern border at Tijuana and later with the Transportation Security Administration in Washington, D.C.
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Edgewater resident Heidi Kammer, a dancer and singer with the Triple Tones and Harmony Grits, spent 24 years with the United States Navy Band in Washington, D.C., retiring in 1995. For the next seven years, she worked for The Capital newspaper in advertising production and later proofread for the Maryland legislature. She currently performs for seniors groups and with the ShowStoppers, and is active with Mt. Zion United Methodist Church. Originally director of the Pascal Go-Getters, Baltimorean Marcia Davis is now a ShowStopper. She served 21 years in the U.S. Navy and later was a reservist in the Coast Guard. Once assigned to a Navy Seal unit conducting an exercise in Denmark, she handled administrative duties and carried top secret documents as a courier. Upon retirement, she worked for Vitro Corporation and the Department of Housing. The wife of a rocket scientist, she recently won the title of Miss Maryland Senior America 2013 and will compete in Atlantic City this October for the title of Miss National Senior America 2013. (See Show, Page 4)
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Each finds making ShowStoppers appearances fun, fulfilling and often touching. DeWilde noted the group performs annually at the Charlotte Hall Veterans Home in southern Maryland, bringing along donations of necessities like slippers, razors and toiletries. “Our visits with the vets occupy a special place in all our hearts because they love seeing us — especially the Sultry Sirens,” Kammer said.
Docents at Naval Academy Museum Walking into the U.S. Naval
Photos by Sharon Lee Tegler, Correspondent
LEFT: ShowStoppers rehearse a routine. From left, front row: Lesley Kreimer and Helen Sharp; back row: Phyllis Veillon, Janice Costello, Heidi Kammer and Nancy Chick. RIGHT: U.S. Naval Academy Museum docents Lynne Van Horn and Rupert MacLean, both of Annapolis, took Dr. A. W. Patterson, center, on a personal tour of the museum and ship model restoration workshop. Patterson served in the China-India-Burma Theater during World War II. Academy Museum, visitors are cheerfully greeted by docents
like Lynne Van Horn and Rupert MacLean who volunteer four hours weekly. They hail visitors, give the occasional tour and share their knowledge of naval history. Van Horn, an Annapolitan who’s volunteered for four years, feels a real connection with the museum. “Though not an academy graduate, my father served as a naval officer during World War II, and the Navy was very important to him. Being here allows me to feel my father’s presence,” she said. “It’s
exciting to volunteer at such a beautiful place as the academy and thrilling to observe and meet the midshipmen who’ll be serving our country.” Now 80, MacLean first came to Annapolis as a member of the Naval Academy Class of 1958. “After graduating, I spent 20 years shipboard, sailing the Atlantic and Pacific oceans and Mediterranean Sea and seeing the world,” he said. “After retiring from the Navy, I spent 20 years at George Washington University in the
Department of Engineering and Applied Science. While there, I was a pro-bono coach in seamanship and navigation at the Naval Academy, taking the midshipmen on summer cruises. “I was drawn to being a docent because my passion is building nautical models. The museum has one of the most prestigious ship model collections in the world — part of an original collection built in Royal Navy dockyards in the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries.” As official “greeters,” the docents have met people from around the world. MacLean spent 13 months logging visitors’ countries digitally and ended up with a list of 47. “Our museum is renowned worldwide. We have visitor handouts printed in several languages. But to have people come here from Nepal amazes me,” he said. Van Horn said the number of Navy or Marine Corps veterans and high school students visiting is equally astonishing. Docents find giving personal tours particularly meaningful. MacLean recently took his friend, Dr. A. W. Patterson, who uses a wheelchair, on a tour of the museum and the usually off-limits ship model restoration workshop. A veterinarian, Patterson served in the China-IndiaBurma Theater during World War II and took the Japanese surrender in China two weeks after their surrender in Tokyo.
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You don’t have to retire from an active lifestyle By WENDI WINTERS wwinters@capgaznews.com hink twice about facing down Severna Park resident Sallye Silesky across a tennis net. Silesky is 83, but “feels like 16.” Twice a week, she picks up her racquet and plays anywhere from 90 minutes to three hours. “I play as long as it takes me to get rid of the opponent and win,” she growled. A member of the U.S. Tennis Association – Mid-Atlantic District for the past 35 years, she’s been a team captain in “adult, senior, super-senior and super-duper senior groups.” She competes with her tennis partner of 30 years, 80-year-old Betty Williams. When she’s not racing around a tennis court, Silesky is usually in her gardens, weeding, mulching, digging, planting and sweating — which is another form of exercise. Retired from college teaching, she does not feel the need to retire from an active lifestyle. “I don’t know how you can get old and just stop exercising,” she said. “I’m always looking for something to do
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to keep me occupied and busy. I have never lost the interest or the ability. I keep trying to be active.” Silesky is a fierce competitor — neither tennis players nor weeds stand a chance. But, she’s not alone. Though for some over 50 is the start of the “Golden Years,” for the U.S. Census, it’s 65. According to the 2010 Census, 11.8 percent of Anne Arundel County residents are ages 65 or older. The Anne Arundel County Department of Health gets a head start on the senior years with its “Fifty Plus Health” section on its Learn To Live website, www.LearnToLiveHealthy.org. According to the department’s public information officer Elin Jones, the site urges seniors to keep exercising. If you’ve stopped, get started again and keep going. Among its suggestions: • Have a goal to do 30 minutes of moderate physical activity most days of the week. Start slowly and set a pace that you can tolerate. Accumulate the 30 minutes throughout the day. For (See Exercise, Page 6)
Courtesy photo
Sallye Silesky, 83, is an active tennis player and gardener.
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Exercise (Continued from Page 5)
Courtesy photo
Julie Blamphin demonstrates an easy pose that stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system, strengthens the back, and stretches ankles, knees and feet.
greater health benefits, try for 60 minutes. • Watch for community opportunities such as mall walkers and classes at recreation and senior centers. • Do something that you like. Try ballroom dancing or bowling. • Try something you have never tried before. How about tai chi or yoga? • Plan an active visit with your grandchildren. Take them to the park. Go for a walk. Even a trip to the museum or mall takes lots of walking. Remember, busy grandchildren are happy grandchildren. Return them tired, and their parents will thank you. • Exercise with a friend. You can talk while you walk. The Center for Disease Control has similar recommendations on its site, www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/ everyone/guidelines/ olderadults.html.
Broaden horizons Jean Williamson retired last spring after 21 years with the Anne Arundel County Department of Health as the director of disease prevention and management. Like Silesky, Williamson is too busy to be sedentary. She recently completed a 200-hour teacher training course in Hatha yoga, is a registered yoga teacher and set up several classes. Her former co-workers asked her to come teach them, which she has. She also provides in-home classes and teaches at other facilities in the county. As she faced retirement, Williamson wanted “to encourage people of all ages to be the best they can be.” “So many people feel they cannot do yoga, either because of lack of flexibility or strength; however, what is exciting is that yoga can be for everyone, no matter what age. While anyone with a health concern should always check with their physician when starting a new exercise
program, modifications can be made at almost every level. For those people unable to use a mat, a whole exercise program can even be modified to use a chair — to include stretching, twisting, core strengthening — all important as people get older.” She noted, “While people sometimes, as they age, become inactive and therefore lose their flexibility, yoga exercises can actually reverse that process by moving each joint in the body through its full range of motion — stretching, strengthening, and improving flexibility and balance. While in youth, tight muscles make the body look firmer. As we grow older, opening and expanding the body is important, helping to improve posture and look younger.” As someone practices yoga, she said, “We increase blood flow to the head and internal organs, tone the nervous system, improve circulation, release tension, strengthen and flex our muscles and joints, lengthen our spinal column and improve balance — all things to help us look and feel younger and remain healthy. Williamson can be reached at BringingLifeToLife@ comcast.net. Another area yoga instructor, Julie Blamphin, works with people of all ages with her individualized personal practice called Yoga for You. Classes are held at Annapolis Sailing Fitness at the Eastport Yacht Center or in a client’s home. She individually tailors a program to a client’s specific physical, mental and emotional needs for maximum safety and results. Blamphin noted various yoga poses, when done correctly, can provide health benefits including stimulating circulation, improving posture and strengthening the back and encouraging restful sleep. The downward dog position, she said, helps to prevent osteoporosis. One of Blamphin’s clients, Julia Feldman of Baywoods of Annapolis, is 98. Feldman said Blamphin’s class is enjoyable. “She paid close attention to us, worked carefully with us and we felt that we had a good workout.” Blamphin’s website is www. StretchYourSpirit.com. (See Exercise, Page 7)
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Shake things up “Exercise isn’t just for older adults in the younger age range, who live independently and are able to go on brisk jogs,” said Serelee Hefler, a certified health and fitness specialist who teaches a one-hour stretch, tone and balance class twice weekly at 11:45 a.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays at Evolutions in Annapolis. She said, “Researchers have found that exercise and physical activity also can improve the health of people who are 90 or older, who are frail or who have the diseases that seem to accompany aging. Staying physically active and exercising regularly can help prevent or delay some diseases and disabilities as people grow older. In some cases, it can improve health for older people who already have diseases and disabilities, if it’s done on a long-term, regular basis.” She suggests four types of exercises that can help older adults gain health benefits: endurance, strength, flexibility and balance. “Endurance exercises increase
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your breathing and heart rate, improving the health of your heart, lungs and circulatory system,” she said. “Strength exercises build your muscles and give you more strength to do things on your own. Flexibility exercises help keep your body limber by stretching your muscles and the tissues that hold your body’s structures in place. Balance exercises help prevent falls, a common problem in older adults.” Want to kick it up a notch? Tommy Lee of East Coast Martial Arts is hosting a special “Summer for Seniors” class, beginning in mid-June. Though East Coast Martial Arts trains children, teens and adults, it is also working with seniors who are interested in fitness, self-defense and martial arts training. A senior in better shape, Lee noted, can handle everyday activities much more easily. “With better flexibility and mobility, you will get around better and your joints will be more likely to feel better and have less chance of getting injured,” he said. He invites seniors who are interested in trying the martial arts program to email him at Tommy@ EastCoastMartialArts.com. Put “Summer Training for Seniors” in the subject line.
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Courtesy photo
Julie Blamphin demonstrates the legsup-the-wall pose, which stimulates circulation, increases flexibility, and improves posture, focus and restful sleep.
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When it comes to the end, think of unique celebrations
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ommon questions asked within the funeral industry today are often regarding the increase in popularity of immediate disposition services, such as immediate cremation or direct burial in a cemetery. An express means of disposition seem to be gaining popularity and, therefore, it is only appropriate to ask why. I believe the reason is best explained by a presenter at a recent conference I attended: “It is common for all of us to avoid something that we have never dealt with before, as it naturally generates a negative response in our minds.” Death is a realization that we know somewhere deep down in our minds will occur to all of us. Based on the heartbreaking feelings that are often associated with the loss of a loved one, it is natural for us to avoid. Think about it — on TV, we see families escorting their loved ones while grieving deeply in the streets of other countries, to even Whitney Houston’s family’s emotions while the pallbearers escorted her casketed
Ask the Undertaker By Ryan Helfenbein
remains from the church. Watching this outpouring of emotion often makes family members try and think of ways to spare their loved ones this sort of pain. They may think that an immediate disposition will do so. Fortunately, some undertakers recognize the value of a meaningful tribute to the life of a loved one. We see this by families holding ceremonies at their favorite pub or community gathering facility rather than their place of worship. We are noticing more and more families incorporating special songs, photos and videos in the services they design today, placing less emphasis on death and more importance on life. We are even observing funeral establishments providing themed food and favorite wines rather than a bowl of mints and a water cooler. Overall, we are noticing an increase in the way undertakers are providing
assistance when someone experiences a loss — much more than just selecting merchandise and choosing a date for the service. Let me share with you a few examples of how undertakers are providing these lasting tributes to families today and assisting in telling one’s story. A funeral home in the Midwest had a well-known local pass away who had a deep passion for baseball. In knowing this, the undertaker took it upon himself to learn about the individual and created a life tribute that received national recognition earlier this year. The undertaker used a baseball hat as the register book for people to sign, played “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” as people processed out of church, and provided each guest with a box of Cracker Jacks with the decedent’s photo on it rather than pre-printed cards with a verse. This type of personalization placed the emphasis on the things the deceased loved so much, and provided a unique tribute that will be remembered, sharing this gentleman’s
life story in a way that provided a sense of comfort for all who attended. Another example is a little closer to home. Just last year, our firm organized services for a past president of the Maryland State Funeral Directors Association and previous owner to a local funeral home. You see, George absolutely loved the Christmas season, and it was important to the family that they celebrated this time of year together one last time. In learning this, during his visitation times, our staff created Christmas morning for the family. We had an 8-foot Christmas tree near the front of the room, his two 10-foot nutcrackers standing at attention on either end of his casket, Santa and Mrs. Claus greeting visitors as they entered the room, and Christmas carols playing in the background, all the way to serving punch and cookies for all who attended. In taking a little bit more time to talk with the family, we were able to tell George’s story through the wonderful expressions of Christmas. (See Ask, Page 9)
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It is only natural to want to spare your loved ones pain, but it is important to provide them with an opportunity to grieve. Some unique undertakers today are stepping out from the way “it’s always been done” and are truly helping families develop a unique tribute to a life lived. Be sure to learn about all options available to families today and select a funeral provider that specializes in developing ways a life can be remembered before making quick decisions. As my father has always said, “We only get one chance to do this right.” Ryan Helfenbein is the owner, supervising mortician and preplanning counselor at Lasting Tributes, 814 Bestgate Road in Annapolis, offering solutions to high-cost funerals. Contact him at 410-897-4852, ryan@ lastingtributesfuneralcare. com or visit www. lastingtributesfuneralcare.com.
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Senior and older adult services Seniors, adults with disabilities and caregivers can access a variety of programs from the Anne Arundel County Department of Aging and Disabilities, 2666 Riva Road, fourth floor, in Annapolis, including classes, services and events at seven senior activity centers and 19 activity/nutrition sites. Visit www.aacounty.org/aging or call 410-222-4464 for information on services and programs. Also see the annual publication, “Services for Seniors, Adults with Disabilities, and Caregivers,” online or obtain a free copy at the department, senior centers, libraries and other sites.
Centers, nutrition sites Senior activity centers and nutrition sites offer a wide range of educational programs, recreational activities, health screenings, nutritious noontime meals and access to information about services for Anne Arundel County residents ages 55 and older. Senior activity centers are open weekdays from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. except on holidays. Days and times of operations vary at the many nutrition sites, which offer nutritionally balanced noontime meals, activities and socialization at friendly community sites throughout the county. Some nutrition sites offer boxed breakfasts.
All senior activity centers provide educational, recreational and professional services. Individual schedules are available each month. • Annapolis Senior Activity Center, 119 S. Villa Ave. in Annapolis, 410-222-1818; annapoliscenter@aacounty.org. • Arnold Senior Activity Center, 44 Church Road in Arnold, 410-222-1922; arnoldcenter@aacounty.org. • Brooklyn Park Senior Activity Center, 202 Hammonds Lane in Brooklyn Park, 410-222-6847; bpcenter@aacounty.org. • O’Malley Senior Activity Center and Annex, 1275 Odenton Road in Odenton, 410-222-6227; omalleycenter@aacounty.org. • Pasadena Senior Activity Center, 4103 Mountain Road in Pasadena, 410-2220030; pasadenacenter@aacounty.org. • Pascal Senior Activity Center, 125 Dorsey Road in Glen Burnie, 410-222-6680; pascalcenter@aacounty.org. • South County Senior Activity Center, 27 Stepneys Lane in Edgewater, 410-2221927; southcenter@aacounty.org.
Selected programs Maryland Access Point offers “one-stop shopping” to senior citizens and adults with disabilities of Anne Arundel County and those concerned with their needs, welfare and questions. Senior Information and Assistance specialists are the single
source of reliable, current information, assistance and follow-up. This is the confidential gateway to support services for seniors and adults with disabilities. Senior I&A helps define problem areas and determines eligibility for needed services. It also acts as an advocate for the senior and educates the public about senior issues and available resources. • Adult Evaluation and Review Service: Provides comprehensive nursing and psychosocial evaluation. Develops client care plans, identifies needs and makes referrals to appropriate services to help individuals function as independently as possible. • Adult Public Guardianship: Provides court-ordered guardianship services for some incompetent individuals ages 65 and older who have no family or friends to assume responsibility for medical care and decisions. Program staff members provide education and information about alternatives to public and private guardianship and health care powers of attorney. • Americans with Disabilities Act Office: Coordinates and serves as a resource for Anne Arundel County government programs and facilities to ensure accessibility and compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Serves as a resource for other private sector ADA and Federal Fair Housing issues. ADA office staff support and participate in the Anne Arundel
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Senior and older adult services County Commission on Disability Issues. • In Home Aide Services: A Department of Social Services program, IHAS is managed by the Department of Aging and Disabilities. It provides personal care, chore and respite services for frail elderly adults and clients ages 18 and older who have disabilities. • Medical Assistance Personal Care Services Program: A federally-funded program that supports residents of Anne Arundel County who have Medical Assistance and are elderly, have disabilities, and/ or are chronically ill through assistance with activities of daily living and advocacy for services that promote choice and safeguard their dignity as
they age in place. • Senior Care: Provides in-home services and case management for frail elderly ages 65 or older and individuals with disabilities so that they may continue living in their own homes. Financial and medical criteria must be met. Special programs include the Congregational Liaison and the Diabetic programs. • Senior Center Plus: Provides specialized activities for frail older adults in four of the county’s seven senior centers. Special staff is available to a small group of seniors who may have impairments, but do not require medical intervention, to help them maneuver the busy center environment. This is a fee-for-service pro-
gram. • FEAST (Senior Nutrition Program): Operates many nutrition sites in the county. The acronym stands for “Friends Eating and Socializing Together.” • Foster Grandparent Program: This is an intergenerational volunteer program that engages income-eligible persons ages 55 and older to mentor children with exceptional needs. Volunteers give back to the community by helping to guide and support children by serving 20-40 hours at Head Start centers, family support centers, public schools and other youth facilities. Eligible volunteers receive a tax-free stipend. • Friendly Visitors: Provides
weekly friendly volunteer visitors to isolated homebound residents of Anne Arundel County who are ages 55 or older or adults with disabilities. No hands-on care is given. Volunteers are recruited, trained and supported. • Health Insurance Counseling (SHIP, Senior Health Insurance Assistance Program): Provides health insurance assistance and information to Medicare-eligible persons and their families. Staff and trained volunteers assist clients with understanding Medicare benefits, Medicare supplemental options, Medicare Advantage options and Medicare Part D options. Provides guidance with making an informed decision regarding long-term care insurance. Available for group
presentations. • Home Delivered Meals: One hot and one cold meal are delivered each weekday by Meals on Wheels of Central Maryland to homebound persons including seniors who are unable to shop or cook for themselves. Fees are on a sliding scale. • Housing Assistance: Regulates and offers technical assistance to assisted living facilities, and administers a subsidy to financially and functionally eligible residents residing in these ALFs. Helps coordinate quality assurance at Congregate Housing services sites. Offers public information to professionals, proprietors and consumers about regulatory requirements and housing options for seniors and those with disabilities. Works collaboratively with Adult Protective Services and the Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program to protect the rights and welfare of vulnerable adults residing in community-based settings. • Legal Assistance: Provides services to eligible seniors via a contract with the Legal Aid Bureau. • Life Enrichment Program: Provides weekly visits to residents of nursing homes and assisted living sites. Volunteers of all ages share time each week to enrich older persons’ lives. People & Animals Who Serve Anne Arundel County (P.A.W.S). and Mom and Me are complementary visitation approaches that operate under the same program. • Medicaid Waiver Program: A statewide program that provides services to eligible individuals ages 50 and older to enable them to remain in the community either in their own homes or in assisted living facilities rather than in nursing homes. Medical, financial and technical qualifications must be met. • National Family Caregiver Support Program: Provides services and support to caregivers caring for loved ones ages 60 and older or grandparents and relative caregivers ages 55 and older who have responsibility for children up to age 18. Services include information, assistance, caregiver training, family counseling, support groups, respite for caregivers and supplemental services. Educational work-
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Senior and older adult services shops and support groups are also available to caregivers regardless of the age of the care recipient. • Ombudsman Program (Resident Advocate): Receives and resolves complaints made by or for residents of long-term care facilities. Advocates for residents’ rights and quality care. Educates public on long term care facilities and services. Protects identity of residents and individuals who make complaints. Promotes volunteer opportunities. • Respite Care Referral Program: Maintains a registry of screened and trained self-employed home care workers. Workers are available during day, evening and nighttime hours to provide assistance to the elderly, ill, frail or those with disabilities in their homes. Services provided are determined by the family’s need and may include personal care as well as light housekeeping. There is no charge for the referral service. This is a self-pay program; clients and workers negotiate the fee. • Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP): Part of a national network of senior volunteers, RSVP works in cooperation with Anne Arundel County schools, libraries, museums, state and county police, local hospitals, environmental projects and other agencies to develop meaningful, satisfying volunteer opportunities for seniors.
• Senior Medicare Patrol: This grant-funded project combats fraud and abuse in Medicare and Medicaid. The SMP program provides public education to increase senior awareness of health care fraud issues. One-on-one assistance is available in reporting suspected Medicare/Medicaid fraud and abuse. SMP staff is available for group presentations. • Taxi Voucher Service: Provides coupons for discounted taxicab service within Anne Arundel County to persons ages 55 years and older and people 18 or older with disabilities who meet the income guidelines. • Telephone Reassurance: Provides daily telephone calls to seniors who may be frail, isolated or living alone. Volunteers check in with senior clients 365 days a year, and clients may call ahead to a 24-hour message line to inform volunteers of schedule changes. In case of an emergency, all clients authorize volunteers to confirm their well being by consulting neighbors, family or county police. • Transportation: Provides rides to seniors ages 55 and older and adults with disabilities ages 18 and older to senior centers, nutrition sites, medical appointments and for other purposes. Wheelchair vans are available. Reservations required.
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Changing gears: Late-in-life art careers can prove rewarding By JENNIFER FORKER Associated Press One was a stockbroker, another a computer whiz. There’s a therapist and a small-business owner. Each retired from a traditional career and launched into another in the arts. “Do I still have nightmares about the other (job)? Yes,” said Bill Sanders, a Steamboat Springs, Colo., ceramics artist who is retired from the lumber and wood flooring business he owned for 20 years. He said he still wakes up sometimes in a cold sweat worrying about whether some shipment is making it to a job site on time. Then he realizes he doesn’t need to worry about that anymore. These days, Sanders, 64, keeps to the outdoors — he skis during the winter and volunteers for the U.S. Forest Service during the summer — and creates his artwork, which includes dishware, decorative pots and sculptured horses. He learned the basics of ceramics as a teenager living in Southeast Asia. He kept at it while growing his Honolulu lumber and flooring business to
AP photo
Blue ceramic horses created by Bill Sanders, who worked in lumber and wood flooring for 20 years before switching to art. include eight employees and more than $1 million in inventory by the time he sold the company in 1997. Then, he and his wife, Barbara, also an artist, moved to Colorado, and he turned to his lifelong love of ceramics more intentionally. (See Art, Page 12)
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“Clay is kind of cool. It’s just dirt,” said Sanders. “If you don’t like what you did, you just throw it back in the bucket and then you can make something else.” Jennifer O’Day, 61, of Austin, Texas, is a former stockbroker who said her mixed-media artwork nourishes all her senses. “It really sharpens my ability to see visually and perceptively and I think tactilely,” said O’Day. “It’s not just about my mind and my hand accomplishing something. It engages that whole mindbody-soul thing.” She was born into a business-oriented family, so that was in her blood, she said.
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The art she nurtured. “I wanted to do something that was closer to the bone and less about the money,” O’Day said about the portraits she now assembles. “It’s not just about my mind and my hand accomplishing something. It engages that whole mind-body-soul thing,” she said. There’s one aspect of her old stockbroker life that she sometimes misses: engaging with clients. Geri deGruy, 59, also enjoyed her previous career, as a therapist in private practice, although it was emotionally grueling working with many of her clients, who were abused women. “Toward the end of my practice, there was a feeling sort of like PTSD,” she recalled. She turned from being a AP photo
A pendant Judy Hoch designed, “Padparadscha Slide,” consists of fused, shaped silver and gold set off by a reddish-orange sapphire. therapist to the textile arts, which required that she slow down. “I started seeing form differently. I started seeing repetitive patterns,” said deGruy, who creates small art quilts and mixed-media collages. “My eye was developing, my seeing was
changing.” She still works every day. “Always our time is short — we never know,” deGruy said. “I have that urgency every day. I don’t want to waste this moment. I don’t want to miss this opportunity to play with color.” Judy Hoch, 72, of Salida,
Colo., finds parallels between her former career, as a computer engineer, and her current one as a jewelry maker. “Jewelry making is just engineering on a very small scale,” she said. Hoch spent a dozen years at IBM, where she became a senior engineer and earned two patents, then moved into a computer software job, from which she was laid off in the early 1990s. “I had to do something after that,” she recalled. “Going back to work in high tech when you’re 50-something, it wasn’t a real good idea. It wasn’t going to work.” She took jewelry and metals classes at a Denverarea community college and got hooked. She relies on her mechanical engineering training when fusing metals or cutting stones. “It’s a lot of fairly sophisticated measurements,” Hoch said. “There are so many technical things; engineering is a very useful skill to have.” While she describes her years in high-tech as fun — “like working with puzzles” — jewelry-making taps her creative energy. “You spend a week away from it and you get terrible withdrawal,” she said.
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Latin America is a hot spot for American retirees Natural beauty and low cost of living are benefits By JUAN ZAMORANO Associated Press PANAMA CITY — With its miles of beaches, lush rainforests and welcoming colonial towns, Panama — like much of Latin America — has become a hot spot for American retirees. They come for the scenery, the weather and, perhaps more important, the low cost of living. “We were looking for a simple, cheap life,” said Linda McKee, 61, of Bonita Springs, Fla., while enjoying a glass of wine with her husband, Eric Carlson, on the porch of their home in Boquete, a mountain town in western Panama where many U.S. retirees live. The couple moved to Panama six years ago after first trying Costa Rica. International Living
magazine, which for 30 years has published a ranking of the top 10 “havens” for retirees, included six Latin American countries in its most recent ranking, in December. Ecuador was No. 1, followed by Panama. Mexico was in fourth place, Costa Rica fifth, Uruguay sixth and Colombia seventh. “Panama is safe, stable and friendly,” the magazine said. “It boasts the best health care and infrastructure in Central America ... Its wildlife is abundant, with most of the bird species in North America, and its pristine natural setting is an eco-tourist’s dream.” U.S. retirees began arriving in droves to Latin America in the early 2000s, and the numbers have picked up since the U.S. economic crisis in 2008, tourism authorities said. As many as a million U.S. retirees live in Mexico, they said, and thousands in Ecuador, Costa Rica and Panama. (See Spot, Page 14)
AP photo
People gather at a market in Boquete, west of Panama City. Panama has become a popular retirement location for many American retirees.
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AP photo
A woman buys organic vegetables products in a market setting in Boquete, Panama. Authorities estimate that about 3,000 retirees live in the town west of Panama City.
Panama’s government has worked to attract them, making it simpler to qualify for permanent residency. The only requirement is that foreign retirees receive a pension of at least $1,000 a month. “With this, I can live here for an indefinite period. The process is very easy,” said Robert Braun, 67, of Lincoln, N.H. He said he came to Panama for the fishing, the weather and safety. The U.S. dollar has been the local currency in Panama since it became an independent country in 1903, and there are dozens of banks that let foreigners manage their home accounts from here. Foreign
retirees can bring in items valued at $10,000 or less tax free, and can bring in a car without having to pay taxes. Benefits include discounts of 25 percent on utility bills and lower medical costs. “U.S. retirees come because they see Panama as a place where they can have good quality of life and low living costs, a place that has everything,” said Ernesto Orillac, deputy administrator of the Panama Tourism Authority. In Boquete, a high-end development project called Hidden Valley includes residences, a small hotel and a golf course. The town of about 20,000, in a region where a popular Panamanian coffee is grown, has a cool climate, with frequent light rain. When the skies clear, there are breathtaking views of green
and blue mountains. Town authorities estimate that about 3,000 retirees live in Boquete, mostly American. There are other communities of American retirees elsewhere in Panama, including near beaches. McKee and Carlson, a 57-year-old former contractor, said they have never considered going back to the United States, although they do miss friends and family in Florida. Between their pension and what they make working on a jungle conservation project in Rambala, about two hours from their home, they have enough to live comfortably. “We like that people are very quiet and security is not a problem,” said McKee, whose son Daniel, 27, visits twice a year to surf on Panamanian beaches. “This is our new country, our new life.” Renting their two-bedroom house in Boquete costs $550 per month. Dinner in a nice restaurant, with wine, usually costs about $30 for the two of them. “It’s fun,” said Carlson with a wide smile. As for medical care, there are several hospitals in David, a city about 45 minutes away by car. Panama City is less than an hour from there by plane. Braun, who had an Internet business until he retired 14 years ago, first traveled to Nicaragua, where he lived for five years before heading to Panama. He lived for several years in the seaside resort of Pedasi, then in a village near the Panama Canal, and finally to Boquete, where he enjoys photography, hiking and bird watching. “Here we can live with less than $1,500 a month and go at least once a week to dinner at nice restaurants, something that cannot be done in America,” he said. Retirees also have easy access to healthy, organic food grown by local farmers. Every Tuesday, there is a farmers market, and McKee makes and sells soaps and creams made with coconut oil and lemon grass. Retirees cannot work in Panama, but they can have their own businesses. “Everything is possible in Panama,” she said.
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Game nights prove to be a social outlet for older adults By MELISSA KOSSLER DUTTON Associated Press When Ron Riedel’s kids graduated from high school, he and his wife, Lorita, found they were socializing less. They weren’t meeting up with friends at soccer games, school plays and other kid-related events. So Riedel formed a baby boomer group through his church that hosts regular game nights and weekly dinners. “When our kids were around, we had reasons to get together,” said Riedel, 55, a furniture maker in Auburn, Calif. Now, “we had less excuses to get together, so we invented this.” The group plays everything from lawn games to Connect Four. “Recreation and leisure is still of utmost importance. It is critical to their self-concept and sense of well-being,” said Lynda Sperazza, an associate professor at the State University of New York at
Brockport. “Game nights and boomer clubs are a means to be active, which is in sync to their values.” The Baby Boomer Club in Sun City Center, Fla., for example, organizes parties, dances and game nights, said president Linda Moore. “It’s strictly a social club,” said Moore, who, at 70, is technically not a boomer. “Not everybody in the club is a baby boomer. It’s people who want to go out and socialize.”
That includes Debbie Schwartz, 52, of Mayfield Village, Ohio, who looks forward to a monthly mahjong game with friends. “It’s a real thinking game. It’s great for keeping your mind sharp,” she said. Games do help people stay mentally sharp, said Dr. Martha Stearn, executive director of the St. John’s Institute for Cognitive Health in Jackson, Wyo. Each fall, the institute holds
a Brain Game Challenge with trivia contests, word games, tai chi demonstrations, singalongs and other activities. But Stearn said the social benefits of games and activities are even more important for brain health than the mental challenges are. “We are programmed to be social. Isolation is one of the worst things for the brain,” she said. Schwartz, who started the mahjong group 15 years ago,
said its six members don’t take the game too seriously. “We use it to talk and catch up,” she said. “We’ve been friends for a long time.” Fellow player Judy Palladino, 57, said she and her husband, Vince, like the excuse to get together with their friends. “We’re all older. We’re tired. It’s nice to come home and do nothing. It’s also important to stay active and connected with old friends,” Palladino said.
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