NEPA Family Times--Winter 2016

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CONTENTS Winter 2016 Volume 1, Issue 6

NEPA Family Times 149 Penn Avenue

Scranton, PA 18503

New Years resolutions

Editorial: 570-348-9185

Making and keeping them.

Advertising: 570-348-9100

EdiTor Christine Fanning x 5415 cfanning@timesshamrock.com

MANAgiNg EdiTor Tom Graham x 3492

CoNTribuTiNg WriTErs Jennifer Butler Dave DeCosmo Phil Yacuboski

sAlEs MANAgEr Alice Manley x 9285

AdvErTisiNg ExECuTivEs Judy Gregg x 5425 Jerry Mitchell x 5234 Josette Rzeszewski x 3027

EdiToriAl PAgE dEsigNEr Angela Powell x 5145

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Holiday memories

4

Past events hold cherished memories.

baking Christmas cookies 5 A time-honored tradition.

Keepers with Christina

6

Easy potato chip cookies the kids can help with.

Tips from Jenna

7

Monthly gift boxes keep on giving.

Coloring Contest

9

When kids act out at home 10 But they’re congenial at school.

For the love of books

12

Cozy up for a good read in your favorite chair.

Elder law

13

Essential estate planning for seniors.

Your news is always welcome! Email NEPAFamilyTimes@timesshamrock.com or click NEPAFamilyTimes.com.

Mailed editorial and photo submissions will not be returned.

Profile

14,15

Meet Ed Frable and family.

Opinions of the independent columnists do not necessarily reflect those of the editorial staff.

CovEr PHoTo CrEdiT: Steve Serge Photography

/NEPAFamilyTimes @NEPAFamilyTimes NEPAFamilyTimes.com NEPAFamilyTimes@timesshamrock.com

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NEPA Family Times is published bi-monthly by Times Shamrock Communications.

NEPA FAMILY TIMES

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Making resolutions and keeping them

By Phil Yacuboski

the foundation. Every day, you have to do an a, b and c and you can’t deviate from that because what you’re doing is ose weight. Get in shape. Be on you’re laying down a new pathway in time. Eat better. Quit smoking.

Read more. Watch less television. the brain that essentially is becoming your new habit.”

The list goes on and on. What are you She said a lot of people will step changing for 2017? away from those changes in the beginIn 1989, a study by Dr. John Norcross of the University of Scranton (it’s been ning, which essentially breaks the resolution. widely published and cited in maga“We almost have to be prepared for zines, newspapers and websites) found the internal battle that’s occurring,” that 77 percent of people were unable to keep their New Year’s resolutions for she said. “It’s not just external, meanmore than a week. Research done years ing, ‘hey, I want to eat that,’ a lot of it is just pre-conditioned because they are later showed many people still can’t things we have been doing for so long.” abide by them for seven days.

Griffiths said if you truly want to “It’s a new year, a new beginning,” stick to your goals, it’s a good idea to said Dr. Tiffany Griffiths, a licensed clinihave a support system. Family, friends, cal psychologist based in Clarks Summit. co-workers — whatever and wherever “People think that since it’s a new year, you can find them. they can just start over, but people don’t “It’s accountability,” she said. “Often realize the difficulty in changing.” times if you’re dealing with more than She said change is difficult, espeone person, it becomes more difficult cially when it comes to habits and because now you have everyone checklifestyles that are ingrained.

“People want the easy way out,” she ing up on you. It’s probably best to have just one person checking up on you, said, “and sometimes taking the easy which often leads to more success.” way out is staying the same, even if The main thing is to realize just how it’s painful.” difficult change is.

Griffiths said if you want to make a “That’s just a human thing,” she New Year’s resolution and you don’t want said.

“Try to educate yourself as much to break it, there are ways to keep them. as possible about how the brain func“First, you have to recognize the tions. We’re not really in the driver’s neurobiology,” she said. “It requires about three weeks to one month before seat. There are pathways in our brain that are very, very powerful.” you can see changes and to lay down

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FEATURE

Holidays past hold cherished memories

By Jennifer Butler

to 16th century Germany, when devout Christians brought decorated trees into their homes. Santa Claus, or St. s we get older we forget some of Nick, in his red suit, originated in the events in our past. However, Scandinavia and his arrival through there are some memories that the chimney to fill stockings points leave an indelible mark on our minds to a Netherlands tradition. His sleigh that we cherish forever. Christmas drawn by reindeer harkens from Swittime holds those memories for many.

Rising early Christmas morning and zerland and holiday parades may be a carry-over from Latin processions. sneaking down to see if Santa came; When native Americans held seeing the presents under the tree in religious dances to coincide with the sparkly paper and bows; the shiny, new bike, the first Barbie, a cradle for your winter solstice, Franciscan monks were inspired to bring the celebration doll are some of our first memories. and the Christmas Holy Day together.

The traditions immigrants from The much loved song, “The 12 Days of other countries brought to this contiChristmas” comes from the Appalanent have formed some of the counchian mountains and is one of today’s try’s greatest traditions. most popular Christmas songs.

Christmas trees can be traced back

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Pennsylvania’s Moravian population embrace Christmas with a “Lovefeast,” a service dedicated to Christian love.

The greatest variety in the traditions often comes in the taste of the Christmas feast — New England has lumberjack pie; Pennsylvania Dutch serve sand tarts; North Carolina features Moravian lovefeast buns (faintly sweet bread of flour and mashed potatoes); Baltimore serves sauerkraut with turkey; Virginia oyster and ham pie; Southern states have hominy grits soufflé and whiskey cake; Louisiana’s treat is Creole gumbo; New Mexico has the empanaditas; and Hawaii cooks marinated turkey teriyaki over an outdoor pit.

For Virginia Irving, Christmas morning brought back many memories of growing up in the small town of Tompkinsville, in Lackawanna County.

After opening gifts at her home, her parents, and two brothers headed to the family homestead to gather and celebrate Christmas with her many aunts, uncles and grandparents.

“In the days prior to the holiday, we would drag the tree down, after we cut it in the woods on our potato board (a large board used to pull bushels of potatoes), she recalled.

Irving, now 80, remembers that after dinner, if there was snow they frolicked in it, and later, they danced, sang and played pennies around the big old farmhouse table. Many of those traditions have stayed with her and her family and those early traditions continue at her home with her children and grandchildren.

Patricia Striefsky fondly remember her Christmas mornings. Some years, after presents were opened, her family hosted a Christmas brunch for as many as 50 people. “People would drop in from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. all during the day,” she said.

“Carole Kameen (her mom) loves people and surrounds herself with many as often as she can.”

Many of the yearly visitors knew they could look forward to the traditions of Grandma Kameen’s ham loaf and candy cane cookies. Carole also had souffles, bacon, sausage, shrimp, muffins, cookies, danish and many other dishes. Each guest left with a small gift as a remembrance of another memorable year of fellowship between family and friends in the small town of Forest City Jessica Butler has many good memories of her past Christmas holidays, such as coming down to the living room full of presents, the gift of the family’s first foosball table and taking time to say Happy Birthday to baby Jesus at the manger in their family home. She has carried some of those very same traditions to her own home and shares them with her son.

Butler recalls the Christmas that her family tree fell over and many of the keepsake ornaments were crushed to pieces. She cried over the loss, and then many family members replaced those pieces with new ones.

Chris Farrell remembers dressing up in matching outfits with her sister and brother to go to their Nonna’s house.

“We had to wait to open presents from our Nonna’s Santa so we would rush through eating dinner and beg the adults to hurry up so we could open presents,” she explained. Then the family would have dessert and go to midnight Mass. The night was not complete without leaving cookies out for Santa and getting to bed so he could bring presents for them.

Whatever this holiday brings for you and your family, make it truly memorable and instill some very special traditions of your own.

Feature

Baking Christmas cookies is a time-honored tradition

By Jennifer Butler

O

ne of the strongest holiday tradition is making cookies. Whether you grew up in your mom’s or grandma’s kitchen, or you and your spouse have begun the tradition yourselves, it has become a loved and treasured part of the holiday since the early 1800s.

Gingerbread cookies became famous in Europe and Christmas tree cookies in Germany. Cut-out cookies are associated with the holidays in the United States. These cookies have been traced back to mumming, a Christmas tradition in colonial areas where the Church of England was influential.

In mumming, Christmas stories were acted out and food was used to help depict the stories. Yule dows were cut-outs made in this tradition, often in the shape of the baby Jesus.

Pennsylvania Dutch children created large cut-rout cookies and used them as window decorations. Around this same time, Yule dows became popular again and were called Yule dollies. People used tin cutters shaped like people, then they decorated the cookies with icing like today’s gingerbread men.

A great aunt of a family friend once made 2,000 dozen cookies by herself with one conventional oven leaving the house smelling of fresh baked cookies

from morning until night. She had a good business sense and packaged the cookies to sell and help support her family during the Great Depression.

Many families bake cookies to stay connected with the homeland. Early immigrants brought recipes they held near and dear and passed them through the generations. Baking time often leads to talking time and children learned a great deal about the country their family came from.

For future holiday baking plans, pick a day as a cookie day. Round up

the kids and invite nieces and nephews. Show them how to measure, roll and ice. It’s a truly bonding experience and here are some tips to insure cookie-baking success: • First, read your recipe thoroughly and make sure you have all the correct ingredients.

• Place the correct utensils and pans at arms reach. Use standard measuring utensils and arrange them in your workspace.

• Use the pan that the recipe calls for.

Recipes are made to yield a specific result and changing the pan size also alters the baking temperature and time.

Larger, shallower pans need increased heat; smaller, deeper pans need decreased heat. When measuring the size of a baking pan or dish measure the distance across the top of the container from inside edge to inside edge. The depth also is measured on the inside of the pan or dish from the bottom to the top of the rim.

• Prepare the pan carefully according to the recipe and place near the center of the oven as possible. Do not place pans directly over one another and do not crowd the oven or you will have uneven baking.

• Make sure ingredients are fresh and of the quality the recipe calls for.

Get them together.

• To avert a disaster make sure your baking powder and baking soda are fresh. Baking soda should bubble when added to vinegar. Baking powder should bubble when added to hot water.

Be sure to mix baking powder and/or baking soda into the flour before adding the wet ingredients, this helps to prevent large holes in your cookies.

Turn on the Christmas music, light up the stove and gather the children around you for some memorable cookie baking experiences they will carry on to the next generation.

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keepers with christina

Easy cookies kids can help make

By Christina Hitchcock

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ou know the holidays are right around the corner when the kitchen is filled with the aroma of freshly baked cookies. Baking cookies has always been one of my most treasured Christmas traditions.

I have such fond childhood memories of holiday baking with my mom and grandmothers. Whether it was decorating cut out cookies with colored frosting and sprinkles or learning how to use the cookie press to make colorful spritz cookies, I’ve always enjoyed spending time in the kitchen. There is

something magical about it.

I was excited to be able to pass these treasured traditions on to my son.

We’ve been baking together for quite some time now. It’s one of the first holiday traditions he asks to do each year.

To make our cookie baking day fun, we put on our favorite Christmas carols and choose our favorite recipes. His favorite is peanut butter blossoms and my favorite is my grandmother’s no bake cookies.

In addition to making our favorite cookies, we also look for new recipes to try. Together we look through cookbooks, cooking magazine, Pinterest and blogs to find new recipes we want to try.

After our marathon baking day, we end up with dozens of cookies. There are always too many to keep in the house so we package them up and give them away to family, friends and neighbors. You can also package them up and deliver them to local retirement and nursing homes.

Sure, the kitchen gets messy and I end up doing a lot of extra dishes but knowing we have memories to share makes the added work worth it.

Tips for Baking With Kids 1. Get their input: Have your kids choose a few of their favorite recipes to make.

2. Choose recipes that kids can help with: Save the labor-intensive recipes for a time when you’re sans kids.

3. Check supplies: Before you begin baking, make sure you have all of the ingredients and supplies that you need.

4. Give them specific tasks: Assign age-appropriate tasks like stirring, scooping and sifting.

5. Let them decorate: Kids love to decorate cookies. Put out a variety of toppings (sprinkles, coconut, mini

chips, etc.) and make various frosting colors with food coloring.

6. Make it fun: Turn on Christmas carols. Put on festive aprons. Bust out your best Julia Child accent and make it memorable.

Easy cookie recipes Potato chip cookies (recipe below) Chocolate peanut butter blossoms Chocolate chip cookies Oatmeal raisin cookies Cut out cookies Snicker doodles You can find more easy Christmas cookie recipes and ideas at www.itisakeeper.com/NepaFamilyTimes.

PoTaTo CHiP CooKiEs ingredients 1 pound butter 1 cup sugar 2 tsp vanilla 3½ cups flour 1 cup crushed potato chips instructions 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Using a stand or hand mixer, cream the butter, sugar and vanilla.

3. Slowly add in flour.

4. Fold in potato chips.

5. Drop teaspoonfuls of batter on ungreased cookie sheets.

6. Bake for 15 minutes or until slightly browned on bottom.

Christina Hitchcock Christina Hitchcock scours cookbooks, recipe boxes and the internet to bring you only the BEST recipes that have her seal of approval.

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tips from jenna • Kidstir is for the foodie kid. This unique subscription is a great way to get your kids into the kitchen with you and learn how to cook. It’s also an educational service that fosters quality time between parents and children.

Starting at $19.95 per month plus $3.95 shipping ($23.90 per month)

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There are a ton of great shows coming to NEPA. “Cinderella” is coming to • Calling all Disney fanatics.

Themepark Monthly sends pins, mugs, the Scranton Cultural Center in April snacks and other authentic theme park and “Annie” will be performed at the FM Kirby Center in February. Check merchandis to people who would live calendar570.com for a complete list of in Disney if they could, but now don’t entertainment in NEPA. have to. Starting at $7.95 per month.

Gift ideas for the child who has everything

By Jenna Urban

of the most popular subscription boxes for kids. These truly are the gifts that is the season for gift giving, but it’s keep on giving. also the season for holiday stress, • Loot Crate is a company that has especially when you’re shopping gamers in mind. They send those enthufor the child who has everything. siasts who always know the latest movie Even while children everywhere are making their Christmas or Hanuk- and game releases memorabilia from all the things keeping them inside the kah lists, if you’re like me, you canhouse. The box has items that are relatnot imagine another toy entering the house. Are you at a complete loss about ed with gaming, film and TV franchises, manga and anime and more. Starting at what to buy a special child on your $13.95 per month, plus shipping.

Christmas list?

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Before buying a bunch of toys that will be played with twice, consider the ideas below that will keep on giving throughout the year.

• Brick Loot is a box subscription company for LEGO and Brick fanatics.

Subscribers will receive a monthly box filled with unique, custom and neverMonthly Gift Subscription Boxes before-seen items that work with LEGO bricks and custom building. Each Do you remember getting mail as a kid? I remember receiving “Highlights” month your Brick Loot box is filled with four to eight items that were hand magazine and it was a big treat for me picked by Brick specialists who scour each month. Nowadays, you can get the world for the newest and coolest just about anything delivered with a products for you to collect. monthly subscription. Here are some

• Little Passports is a subscription box which helps kids explore the world through fun and educational activities.

Similar to Highlights but with some extra bonus features. They have different products that relate to exploring our country or the world. Starting at just $13.95 per month.

Gift Cards One thing that kids love is getting gift cards. There is something about being able to buy what they want on their own card that is satisfying. Don’t restrict gift cards to only retail stores, think about giving the gift of food or entertainment. Think about a movie, food, itunes, events, or a Visa gift card.

You can even make your own gift card with the child’s image, name, and a special message at giftcards.com/personalized-gift-cards.

• KidPik is aimed at girls 4 through 14, and this subscription service allows little girls to set up a fashion profile (with help from parents) on their site.

Then the KidPik team curates a box of Registration for a class goodies for her and sends it out. Each Classes can get expensive for parents box typically has about six to seven items (tops, bottoms and accessories) at especially with multiple kids. Perhaps a relatives can cover the cost for one an average price of $12.50 an item. month of a class as a special gift. Has your child been asking to try some• Kiwi Crate is full of fun, hands-on thing new? This is the perfect time to projects that include science experiencourage them to explore. The Greatments, art projects and build-and-play er Scranton YMCA offers gift cards games for crafty kids ages 3 through 8.

Starting at $17 per month and shipping that are redeemable for membership, personal training, youth programs, is free. swim lessons, apparel and more.

• Older kids? No problem. Doodle Crate is a subscription box from Kiwi Jenna Urban Crate targeted at older children aged Jenna Urban is a mother, 9-16 that delivers an art project every blogger, teacher, writer and month. It is described as “a studio for bargain hunter. hands-on creativity delivered every Twitter: @JennaRUrban month.” Starting at $20 a month.

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When kids save their bad behavior for home

What kids tell their teachers

By Beth Raiola

place” to vent and decompress, expected some noncompliance, even defiance, and were sometimes unsure how their child “I don’t get it! Julie is so good in accomplished such self-control in the school, yet when she’s at home with me, she answers back, storms out of the room school setting.

I believe that expectations, structure, and does not follow my directions.”

This is the sentiment of a mom trying consequences and the overall climate in the environment (stressful, organized, to get her school-aged child to coopercalm, chaotic, etc.) all play a part ate at home. Is this the same child her in behavior. teacher is talking about?

It looks to me like Julie, from her prior It’s not an uncommon scenario at all. learning experiences, knows what she What is it about school that keeps our can get away with. Why is she able to kids in line, cooperative and even, congenial? What’s different at home? Often keep it together for so many hours a day in school? Well, she knows the consetimes teachers use a system to report back to the parent on how the child is do- quences. The very structured school setting is designed with systems that ing. When children who are uncooperafoster and reinforce self-control. If the tive and even defiant at home are given structured setting is removed, the child’s stellar reports from teachers, parents need to self-manage is now based on a become confused. different set of expectations, and negaAccording to some local moms, there tive behaviors don’t generate the same is a burst of emotion when kids get home — sort of a decompression, where consequences.

In addition, the child who said “you all that was “held together” throughout love me and school doesn’t,” speaks to the day, unleashes in the child’s “safe the notion of social reinforcement. Chilplace,” home. dren want validation from their peers Others feel it is due to what the and teachers, which they have learned teacher will or will not tolerate, versus are conditional upon appropriate behavwhat the parents accept. One mother ior.

Apparently, at home, the same child finds herself saying, “I know you don’t doesn’t have to win you over. talk to your teacher that way!”

Children may need to decompress Social media remains a great way for after a day of “holding it together,” but people to stay connected and as a behavthey need to understand the appropriate ioral clinician, I’m able to keep my finger ways to decompress. on the pulse of parents’ divergent viewThere are ways to express the need points and what they perceive works, as for “down time,” less demands and well as their frustrations. The dichotomy even frustration. How children do that of school versus home behaviors remains a real concern. One parent conveyed that depends on their environmental expectations and consequences. when she asked her daughter, who was The home should be a place of emo10 years old, why she did so much better, tional support and nurturance, however, behaviorally, at school, the response, expectations, consequences and consis“because you love me and the school tency will continue to provide children doesn’t.” Very telling. with the internal controls they need We all, from childhood on, have learnacross all environments. ing histories, which includes learning Beth Raiola MS, LBS, BCBA has a private the system of rules and ramifications in ABA and counseling practice in Pocono daycare and at school. Some parents, when asked about home behaviors versus Summit. She works with early intervention school behavior, were adamant that their learners as well as kindergarten through teen-agers and their families. She holds child has learned that disrespect would social skills groups for children with special not be tolerated at home. needs, groups with teen girls and parenting On the other hand, those parents workshops locally. Email her at reasarchwho thought their child needed a “safe dir1@aol.com.

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NEPA FAMILY TIMES

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By Phil Yacuboski

anxiety or other trauma related events.

“I think a lot depends on the school counselor and being out there in the hile guidance counselor is an school, sharing what they do,” Barna outdated title, the function of professionals who help students said. “If you have a school where there’s a counselor who’s in the classroom, it’s very deal with problems on a daily basis hasn’t changed. Many students still need effective and students feel like they can help with the college application process, talk to them.

Barna said social media has become but many students are also seeking help the biggest challenge in how counselors for other issues too. deal with students, but she said many “Students come to our offices for all counselors have been out in front of the reasons,” said Renee Rutski, an elemenissue including online safety. tary school counselor at the Valley View “Bullying used to happen face-to-face,” School District.

Barna said. “Now because of social me“In the morning we may have a dia, kids can get harassed 24/7 and some student who comes to our office upset of that is leaking into the school day and about cyberbullying, then we may have when it does, counselors are involved in a student come to our office later on for helping through those situations.” anxiety over a test they’re taking that “There are a lot of issues and presday, then we may come across another sures on kids that are different from student later on in the day who discloses when I went to school,” said Dr. Richard that he/she has been abused by a parent.”

Hazler, professor of Counselor Education Are there any issues that are off limits at Penn State, “so they are impacted by for a counselor? And what do students those pressures in a lot of ways.” feel they just wish they could talk with He said when it comes to kids talking their teacher about? to school counselors, much depends on “There are issues that are traditional, the student. but there are newer ones, too” said Dr. “Personal problems are hard for anyJennifer Barna, associate professor and one to talk about and for kids, that can be coordinator of the Counseling Program even tougher. Teachers, as understandat Marywood University. ing as they may be, are still authority She said there’s been an increase of figures and it’s hard to talk about those students seeing counselors about mental problems with authority figures.” health issues, whether it’s depression,

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FAMILY READS

For the Love of Books

The most rewarding part of my job as a school librarian is finding the perfect book for a student who claims he does not like reading.

After my usually response of “Think of a book as a really long text message” I conduct a mini interview of their interests and start my search.

My book recommendations are not just books that I enjoy —they are books that my students love.

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n those cold wintry days, cozy up in your favorite reading chair and remember, as Emilie Buchwald, celebrated children’s author said, “Children are made readers on the laps of their parents.”

I read the following books to my kindergarten students during the winter months. They are instant hits and my students often request an encore reading when they are in first and second grade. To keep my younger students engaged, I ask many questions before and while I read. I included some of these questions to help enhance the reading experience with your children.

Extra Yarn Author: Mac Barnett Interest levels: Kindergarten, first and second grades.

Questions before reading: • What is yarn?

• What can you make out of yarn?

• Do you believe in magic?

• Do you think magic works for good and bad people?

Summary: Annabelle lives in a cold black and white town. While walking in the snowy woods one day she comes across a small wooden box. When she opens it she finds colorful yarn. She

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knits a sweater for herself and her dog, but finds out that she still has extra yarn.

This seems impossible because the wooden box can only hold a small amount of yarn. So she knits sweaters for everyone and everything in sight. News of Annabelle’s endless supply of yarn travels and an Archduke offers Annabelle a lot of money for the box. When she refuses, he hires robbers to steal it from her. Will the magic work with the Archduke?

My favorite part: When the students clap at the end.

My students’ favorite parts: • The colorful yarn covering everything from dogs to pickup trucks; and • The Archduke’s mustache One Cool Friend Author: Toni Buzzeo Interest levels: Kindergarten, first and second grades.

Questions before reading: • Have you ever been to an aquarium?

• What animals would you find at an aquarium?

• Would you like to have a pet penguin?

• How would you care for it?

Summary: A very proper, bow-tied boy, Elliot, goes to an aquarium with his father. He is very excited to see the penguins because they remind him of himself, dressed in feather tuxedos with perfect posture. When he asked his dad if he can have a (real) penguin, his dad looked at the gift shop window filled with stuffed penguins and handed him a $20 bill. Elliot then finds the perfect sized penguin to fit inside of his backpack and took him home. After researching penguins, Elliot goes to extremes to care for the penguin in his bedroom.

My favorite part: The expressions on the childrens’ faces when Elliot takes a real penguin.

My students’ favorite part: When Elliot makes an ice skating rink in his bedroom.

I Dare You Not to Yawn Author: Helene Boudreau Interest levels: Kindergarten, first and second grades.

Questions before reading: • Do you sometimes yawn when you are not tired?

• Do yawns sometimes sneak up on you?

• If you see someone yawn, do you think they are tired?

Summary: A yawn sneaks up on a boy before bedtime and his mother immediately sends him to bed, but he is not tired. Throughout the book the boy tells the readers how to avoid yawning before bedtime. Do not think of soft blankets and cute kittens, or your mom will send you to bed! When you feel a yawn sneaking up on you, hurry up and cover your mouth!

My favorite part: When the students pretend to yawn and then quickly cover their mouths.

My students’ favorite part: • The page displaying the boy’s BIG yawn.

Holiday Gift Challenge for parents of children:

• Something they want • Something they need • Something to wear • Something to READ

Maria Voytko Maria Voytko is the K-12 District Librarian for Riverside School District in Taylor.

ESSENTIAL ESTATE PLANNING FOR SENIORS

Eats & Treats

— by bRENdA d. COLbERT, ESq., CELA ANd KEvIN R. GREbAS, ESq., CELA Estate planning is a term used to describe planning for the possibility of future cognitive and/ or physical incapacity, a long-term care need and death. It is a general term, but each individual estate plan is as unique as the person for whom it is being prepared. There are, however, certain essential estate planning tools that should be a part of every person’s estate plan.

A health care power of attorney is a writing made by an individual that designates another person to make medical and personal care decisions for the individual. The health care power of attorney should include an expression of your wishes concerning end-of-life medical interventions. Ideally, you should appoint both primary and successor agents.

A financial power of attorney is a very powerful document that allows you to appoint an Agent to manage your financial and legal affairs in the event that you become incapacitated and unable to handle your own financial and legal affairs. The purpose of the financial power of attorney is to ensure that your values are respected and your intentions and financial goals will be met by the person of your choosing at a time when you are unable to manage your own financial and legal affairs. As with the health care power of attorney, you should consider appointing both primary and successor agents. In addition, you should give careful consideration to the powers that would allow your agent to change your estate planning wishes, such as the authority to change beneficiaries under life insurance and annuity contracts and the authority to make gifts on your behalf.

A last will and testament is necessary for a comprehensive estate plan. The will allows you to leave your assets to whom you want and in the manner that wish upon your passing as well as to appoint the person that you want to manage your estate and any trusts that may be created. In Pennsylvania, when someone dies without a will, the Commonwealth determines who will receive the deceased’s assets and who will manage the estate of the deceased. Many families are surprised when a loved one passes away to discover that Pennsylvania law does not always provide for the distribution of the estate in the same way that they know the deceased would have wanted assets to pass.

An essential estate plan for a senior may contain a long term care planning component. The goal of long term care planning is to preserve the senior’s home and life savings even if the need for

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long term nursing home care occurs. Long term care planning can be done in advance of the need for planning or even if a crisis situation arises. The most effective advance planning strategy, other than long term care insurance, is to transfer assets to a specialized trust set up to you specifications and for the purpose of protecting you home and life savings. If your loved one is already in a nursing home or needs assistance at home, it is truly never too late to help protect assets while ensuring that your loved one’s care needs are provided.

With the help of a certified elder law attorney, a single or widowed individual should be able to protect approximately 50 percent of his or her estate from the cost of nursing home care, even after admission to a skilled nursing facility. A married applicant can protect considerably more assets for the benefit of the healthy spouse.

Attorneys Brenda D. Colbert and Kevin R. Grebas are NEPA’s experienced, local choice for elder law. They offer free initial consultations and the peace of mind that comes with knowing that you can protect your home and life savings for you and your family.

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PROFILE

Meet Ed Frable and family

Ed and Ashli Frable.

PhOtO by EmmA bLAck

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the softer side of life. Enjoying the little things, spending time with family.

Things of that sort.

I have two sisters. Denise DeRenzis lives with her husband in Elmhurst.

She teaches in the Abington Heights School District.

Ed, tell us about yourself.

Laura Kanton lives with her husI live in Clarks Summit with my wife Ashli and daughter, Nikola. I graduated band Billy at Lake Sheridan. She’s an accountant at Highland Associates in from Abington Heights and joined the workforce full-time immediately out of Clarks Summit. high school. I attended the American My older sister, Denise, is 13 years Home Inspectors Training Institute to older than me and my middle sister, Laugain the necessary licenses to become ra, is seven years older than me. Both a home inspector. I had to test on many sisters were like mothers to me when I subjects, from structures to radon test- was growing up. Today, Denise has three daughters and Laura has one son. ing and everything in between.

I always enjoyed building. From the age of 14, I got into the trades What are the names of your working for a family friend and never companies and what services do you looked back. I took advantage of learn- offer? ing through the trades programs at Ed Frable Construction offers Abington Heights, where most other masonry and excavation services. students were taking those classes for Advanced Choice Home Inspection, which will launch at the beginning of an easy ride.

2017, will offer all home inspection serAfter high school, I didn’t go to college but like to say I attended the school vices including real estate and pre-sale transactions, radon testing and woodof hard knocks. There were many destroying organism inspections. things I had to learn through trial and The construction company has been error, by making mistakes, correcting in business for eight years and employs them and overcoming difficulties.

Since opening the construction com- three people For the inspection company, I will serve as lead inspector and I pany in 2010, I have pursued certificaforesee a lot of room for growth. tions for the installation of products from select manufacturers.

What is it like to do business in NEPA? What was it like growing up in Northeast Pennsylvania is a good Clarks Summit? place to do business. It’s very big in a I feel a connection to the area because I grew up here and I do business way, but a small area too. No matter where you are in NEPA, you can make here. My parents were Clarks Summit some form of connection with whomentrepreneurs. They owned and operever you are talking to. ated Abington Taxi in the ’80s and Candletree & Gifts from ’99 until ’03.

Who are your mentors?

They worked 24/7 and did very well, My father, Ed Frable Sr., who but life was passing them by. I used to recently retired as a service manager help out at the candle store on State for a car dealership and is now driving Street all the time. When you grow up trucks and working as a mechanic for in an area like Clarks Summit, no one me, on a full-time basis, is my mentor. is really a stranger.

His ability to diagnose and repair virtually anything mechanical is unreal.

Tell us about the rest of He also taught me to never quit on your family. anything until it’s finished.

My mom and dad are Ellen and Ed My second mentor is Vince Piazza.

Frable. They live in Clarks Summit He is a family friend that I worked for too. My father taught me at a young while growing up. He’s also a local age how important working hard is. contractor who has given me many opWhether it was getting up to go to portunities to prove what I can do. He hockey practice at 5:30 in the morning has subcontracted some pretty big projor getting up to go to work at 6 in the ects which have helped jump start my morning at a summer job. professional career, and he has always My mother always taught me about Ed Frable Jr., 28, is the owner of Ed Frable Construction LLC, based in Clarks Summit. His other enterprise, Advanced Choice Home Inspection will launch early in 2017.

Ed and Ashli Frable and 2 1/2month-old Nikola Flora Frable. photo by EmmA blAck

making sure our product lives up to our word.

Also, I am a firm believer in karma. I What’s a typical day at work like? feel that if I work hard and stick to my Busy. I am on site for the majority of word, good things will happen. When the day with the construction company. things aren’t going right, my crew will Being a tradesman at heart, I expect not be deterred. We will re-evaluate our myself to produce as much as any of game plan and not give up until the job my guys would throughout the day. is complete.

I’m also up to the challenge of producing while managing things on Tell us about your family. the business end. Meetings, estimates, Ashli and I have been married 2 1/2 phone calls, planning and time spent years. She works at the Scranton Canoe staring at blueprints — is the other Club at Lake Winola. Our daughter, half of the business end. It’s neverNikola Flora Frable is 2 1/2 months old. ending but exciting.

Ashli is one of my greatest supportAnd there are benefits to owning ers. She is a huge reason that I started your own business. Flexibility when my business and I attribute a lot of my needed. Being able to swing home for success to her support. She has stuck lunch to see the family and not have to by me through good times and bad and worry about anything. has always supported any decisions The favorite part of my day is when I’ve had to make.

I’m able to create something real and Our daughter has created a whole functional from an idea or a drawing. new level of determination on my part.

I also enjoy when I hear how happy a On the same hand, my wife and daughclient is with our work. I believe clients ter have also taught me that it is really can see the dedication put into their important to take time for myself and projects. for them. What’s the point of working so hard if not to enjoy life?

To what do you attribute your Ashli is a stay-at-home mom for the success? next few months. But we have a lot of Multiple things. I wouldn’t be where support from both our families.

I am at this exact moment without my Since Nikola was born, the day-tocrew who will stick with me through day really has not changed a whole lot. hell or high water. But, I think the bigI have always had a lot of drive to get gest thing is, I am not afraid to spend up and make the most of the day — it all day on the job if I have to. I feel that doesn’t matter whether it’s work-relatmany contractors find any excuse not ed or personal. So I think having a baby be on the job with their crew. I believe just enhances that drive. in the complete opposite, which also I’m most proud of being a dad and gains the respect of my crew and my knowing that the work I do will provide clients. My clients know that I am there a good life for Nikola and Ashli. provided me with the insight that can only be learned through experience.

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