July/A ugust 2021 · Volume 17 · Number 4
Sympathy & service
Safe events On the water Sponsored by
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July/August 2021 n Vol. 17 n No. 4 Published by
Coastal Communications Corp. Publisher and Editor-in-Chief
Ljiljana Vasiljevic Editor
Sebastian Clarkin Online editor
Paul Letendre S ales M anager
Mari Burns (508) 916-0374 Contributors
Sebastian Clarkin, Michael J. DeCicco, Ron Fortier, Paul Kandarian, Brian J. Lowney, and Elizabeth Morse Read L ayout & Design
Jess Andree South Coast Prime Times is published bi-monthly. Copyright ©2021 Coastal Communications Corp. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, by any means, without written permission from the Publisher. All information contained herein is believed to be reliable. Coastal Communications Corp. does not assume any financial responsibility for typographical errors in advertisements, but will reprint that portion of an advertisement in which the typographical error occurs.
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CONTENTS JULY/AUGUST 2021 Prime Living
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Common ground By Ron Fortier
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What we leave behind By Sebastian Clarkin
Prime season
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Staying current By Sean McCarthy A growing community By Brian J. Lowney
Good times
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18
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Enjoy the new normal By Elizabeth Morse Read A caring home By Michael J. DeCicco Rockin’ on By Paul Kandarian
July/A ugust 2021 · Volume 17 · Number 4
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GOOD TIMES
Enjoy the new normal!
A YOGA CLASS IN CUSHMAN PARK, FAIRHAVEN
Woo-hoo! Now that you’re vaccinated, you can take off your mask! You’ve finally emerged from a year of social hibernation, and you’re eager to get back to some semblance of normal. Yet, you feel a bit queasy when you think about venturing out into the world without a mask, worried that a stampeding horde Eliz abeth of unvaccinated strangers will descend upon you as soon as you step outdoors. Morse Read Relax – you’re experiencing a touch of “re-entry anxiety” (yes, it actually has a name) and you have every right to be a bit timid at first. But once you’ve put your toe in the water, here are some suggestions on how to spend your new freedom. Work off the pandemic pounds Not everyone got all excited about Zoom Zumba or YouTube Yoga, so get ready to be active outdoors again with your neighbors and friends! Sign up for ten weeks of free yoga or fitness classes in Fairhaven’s Cushman Park starting June 22 (yoga) and June 24 (summer boot camp) – go to info@jeffcostafitness.com, sgrace@encorent.com or FaceBook.com/ fitnessincushmanpark. You can “Walk With a Doc” on
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Saturday mornings at Buttonwood Park or participate in outdoor yoga or meditation classes with the New Bedford Wellness Initiative (nbewell.com or facebook. com/NewBedfordWell), or else join Laura for free yoga classes at Shell Point Beach in Wareham on Saturdays and Wednesdays (onsetbay.org). Many churches, senior centers, municipal parks, and recreation departments will also be sponsoring outdoor yoga, tai chi, and exercise classes, so give them a call.
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Or how about getting down and dirty and starting your own vegetable patch in your local community garden? Call your town hall or senior center for more information!
Wander, stroll, and ramble In the mood for some browsing? Spend a Sunday at Providence Flea in the Farm Fresh RI’s market hall (providenceflea. com) or on Saturdays at the Huttleston Marketplace in Fairhaven through October 31 (fairhaventours.com). Find
out what’s selling at the South Coast Open Air Market at the Swansea YMCA on Saturdays through October (southcoastopenairmarket.com). Check out New Bedford’s Outdoor Farmers Markets, mobile farm stands, and virtual markets with delivery and pick-up options (coastalfoodshed.org). To find a farm or farmers market near you, go to semaponline.org, newportvineyards.com or farmfreshri.org. If you’re a flower lover, wander through Rosecliff Mansion in Newport June 18-20 to enjoy this year’s Newport Flower Show, “A Ballroom Floral Fantasy” (newportmansions.org), or tour eight beautiful private gardens on historic Westport Point on June 30 through the Coastal Neighbors Network (coastalneighborsnetwork.org).
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Buy your tickets online for an after-dark walk through the Roger Williams Park Zoo in Providence to see the illuminated, larger-than-life creatures of the Asian Lantern Spectacular through July 4(rwpzoo.org). Stroll through Providence to sample food and beverages at six local restaurants (rhodeislandredfoodtours.com), then go on a lantern-led ghost tour through the haunted East Side (providenceghosttour. com). Want to try something completely different? Go on a hike with the goats! Ramble through the pastures of Middletown’s historic Simmons Farms for 1 ½
Continued on next page
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Continued from previous page hours with a friendly herd of goats (simmonsorganicfarmri.com).
Check Out Your Senior Center!
Cruise the coastline
Not all senior centers on the South Coast have completely reopened, but they are all still offering a full range of activities and services, whether conducted outdoors, on the phone or at a nearby recreation center, church hall, or library. Check out their offerings by calling, picking up a copy of their monthly newsletter or by checking out their websites – and always check out the SeniorScope newspaper at coastlineelderly.org/ seniorscope for an overview of what’s going on in your area. Your local Council on Aging (aka senior center) is a one-stop clearinghouse: free counseling and info about health insurance and Medicare programs, legal aid, long-term care options, caregiver support, health and wellness activities, social groups, local transportation programs, hot meals, and links with local, state, and federal agencies and services for seniors. To find a council on aging or senior center near you that offers the activity or service you’re looking for: In greater New Bedford, visit coastlineelderly.org or call 508999-6400 (Coastline Elderly Services). In greater Fall River, visit bristolelder.org or call 508-6752101 (Bristol Elder Services). In Plymouth County, visit ocesma.org or call 508-584-1561 (Old Colony Elder Services). In Rhode Island, visit dea.ri.gov, elderresourcesofri.com, or call 401-462-3000.
Or show up by the carload with your folding chairs and picnic baskets for the Music at Sunset Concert Series on Wednesdays through September at Blithewold in Bristol (blithewold. org) or the Sunset Music Concerts at Westport Rivers Winery starting July 3 (westportrivers.com). And if you’re in the mood for an outdoor movie, reserve your free ticket for the Fall River Drive-In Movie Series, held monthly at various locations throughout the city, by visiting the Greater Fall River Re-Creation Center or its website gfrrec.org, the City of Fall River’s Facebook page, or by stopping by the city’s Government Center.
Put your skills to work again! If you’ve been bored out of your mind being cooped up this past year, think of all the things you can do with your spare time, now that you’ve been vaccinated! You can put your skills and talents to use helping others – join the Senior Corps Foster Grandparent program and help at-risk children with their schoolwork and social skills for 15 hours a week. Or volunteer to deliver hot meals or to be the friendly voice making those daily check-in calls to housebound neighbors, or sign up to provide rides to doctor appointments for seniors who don’t have their own transportation. You could train to become a SHINE counselor to help seniors and their caregivers find the right health insurance/Medicare options and other public benefits programs. Depending upon your background, you could help someone fill out their tax forms or navigate paperwork issues with the IRS or the Social Security Administration. Or maybe you speak a language other than English – you could offer to help out at a nursing home, senior center, after-school program, church, or any non-profit organization serving the immigrant community. Call your local senior center for more info.
The People’s University Like senior centers, not all libraries have
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Engage with art For the third year, the Massachusetts Design Art and Technology Institute (DATMA) is hosting “WATER 2021” in New Bedford. This public art project features multiple exhibitions and projects throughout the city from June 17 through October 17. WATER 2021 will examine the role of water within the histories, economies, and cultures of several countries as well as those of the South Coast. To learn more about the specific programming and dates, visit DATMA.org. fully reopened, but that doesn’t mean that they’re closed for business! And even when the doors are shut, you’ve got 24/7 access to everything through online catalogue services like SAILSinc.org and the OverDrive app. Using the Hoopla app, library patrons can stream movies, TV shows, music eBooks, podcasts, and even download comics from their home. You can call your library to make an appointment to use the computers or to arrange for curbside pick-up – or home
If you’re in the mood for a drive, take a leisurely ride through the coastal communities of Dartmouth, Westport, Tiverton, and Little Compton to check out the private studios of artists and artisans during the 18th Annual Open Studio Tour July 17-18 and August 21-28 (southcoastartists.org).
“F ull of Beans” by N ancy Whitin
delivery – of books, videos, audio-books and other materials. You can also sign up for free passes to selected museums and parks, and take out materials from the “library of things,” like binoculars, telescopes, fishing poles, metal detectors, and many other hobby-related supplies.
A nd Y Not? Don’t forget to check out what’s happening at your local YMCA! Health and fitness classes, swimming and many other activities are available for a very reasonable membership fee. Find the Y nearest you at ymcasouthcoast.org, newportymca.org, or ymcagreaterprovidence.org. And don’t
overlook what’s available in your own town – check out what’s happening at nearby recreation centers, parks, beaches this summer – go to your town’s website for details! So, keep a mask in your pocket along with some sunscreen, bug repellent, and hand sanitizer, and enjoy your new normal!
Elizabeth Morse Read is an awardwinning writer, editor and artist who grew up on the South Coast. After 20 years of working in New York City and traveling the world, she came back home with her children and lives in Fairhaven.
Explore New Bedford’s vibrant arts community at AHA! Nights in New Bedford (ahanewbedford.org). S ou th C oast P r ime T imes
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PRIME SEASON
Staying curren curren t Sean McCarthy
Our region offers a wide variety of scenic waterways. So whether it’s a pond, a river, or the ocean, kayaking can make for an enjoyable exploration of the natural beauty the area provides.
Being introduced to this unique recreation is a fairly simple process. “The South Coast area is very conducive to learning how to kayak,” says Alex Daggett, 71, of Natick. “It’s a wonderful place. You can enjoy the scenic farmland and the bird watching is extraordinary as you paddle down a very mild river. You’ll see a lot of things you only have a chance to experience from the water. Every time I go out I see something new.” Al and Susan Bochman of Lakeville are in their early 70s. They take to their kayaks at least once a week during the clement weather of the summer. “You’ll return from a kayak outing feeling relaxed and refreshed, it’s invigorating,” Al says. “It’s nice to be out in nature. At our age we just like to go out and relax and get our heads together.” “Kayaking is very easy to get introduced
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to,” says Daggett, a certified kayak instructor and tour guide. “If you’re in relatively good physical condition it’s something you can start doing in your 60s or 70s with little or no problem. It’s good exercise and it’s not a great physical strain.” James Mancini is the co-owner of Osprey Sea & Surf Adventures in Westport, a business that offers kayak rentals, instruction for all levels, and tours of local waterways. “Kayaking is something that can definitely be learned at any age,” Mancini
says. “If you’ve never been in a kayak we can get you started. If you take to it and want to go further we can help you.” Osprey’s classes start out on “slow-moving, flat water,” including the Westport River and Slocum River. In addition to kayak rentals, they offer paddles and other accessories required for an outing. Osprey’s tours include Sunset Tours, Moonlight Tours, Osprey Tours, and Fall Foliage Tours. Their instructors and guides are all certified. “We’ll teach beginners fundamentals: how to sit in the kayak and stabilize it, paddling techniques such as how to move the boat forwards and backwards, water safety, and how to recover if the kayak tips over,” Mancini says. “Kayaking is good for your cardiovascular health,” Mancini says. “There
“After the last year with the pandemic there are a lot of people who want to be outdoors now, and paddle sports have really taken off in the last few years”
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are people who paddle for fitness and compete in races. After the last year with the pandemic there are a lot of people who want to be outdoors now, and paddle sports have really taken off in the last few years.” Daggett kayaks throughout Massachusetts and Rhode Island. He particularly enjoys kayaking on the Charles River in Boston for the fireworks on the Fourth of July. He also takes his kayak with him on camping trips. He says that kayaking is a “very social” experience.
“A lot of people like to go in small groups, you can talk while you’re paddling; It’s a good way to make new friends” “A lot of people like to go in small groups, you can talk while you’re paddling,” he says. “It’s a good way to make new friends. It’s also a good idea to go with other people for safety reasons.” A few years ago the Bochmans introduced kayaking to their grandchildren, Nathan and Taylor Pearson of Dartmouth. They occasionally team up for outings. Some of their favored locations are Sandy Neck Beach in Barnstable, Long Pond in Freetown, and the Taunton River where they paddle from Assonet to Bridgewater. “We like to go early in the day before the weather picks up and you don’t have to paddle as hard,” Al says. “Don’t overdo it at first. If the wind is at your back don’t go too far because you’re going to have to turn around and paddle back, and you don’t want it to be a fight. If you’re a beginner you can go out on a nice, quiet pond and stay close to the shore. You probably don’t want to go out on a weekend when there’s a lot of traffic on the water.” “There are big benefits to being outside,” Mancini says. “For me and many others paddling is our happy place.”
Sean McCarthy has been a freelance
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journalist for 27 years. He lives in New Bedford. S ou th C oast P r ime T imes
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PRIME SEASON
g
a gro w in
community
Sarah Cogswell tends to plants
Brian J. Lowney
Spring is arriving, and for many folks there is no better way to get outdoors than with a trip to the countryside to pick up some farm-fresh vegetables, certified organic pasture-raised eggs, and heritage-bred pork and poultry.
At Cluck and Trowel Farm in picturesque Little Compton, owners Sarah Cogswell and Kate Levin, and their son Massimo Vliet, are looking forward to another successful growing season. “We began sowing the seedlings in the greenhouse in February,” Cogswell begins, adding that the farm stand offers local shoppers a CSA or “Community Supported Agriculture” program, which is a locally based economic model of agriculture and food distribution.
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Cogswell explains that CSA members are individuals who have pledged to support a local farm, sharing the risks and benefits of food production. CSA members pay at the onset of the growing season (when the farm’s capital
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expenses are at their peak) for a share of the anticipated harvest; once harvesting begins, the CSA member receives weekly shares of produce and eggs. “This model allows the farmer access to cash flow at a
CSA members pay at the onset of the growing season (when the farm’s capital expenses are at their peak) for a share of the anticipated harvest
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time when it is most crucial to establishing a healthy and productive growing season,” she continues, adding that CSA share fees are non-refundable. This season, a share costs $385 for 10 weeks of produce. “If you are unable to pick up your share on a given week you may assign someone else to retrieve it on your behalf,” Cogswell emphasizes, adding that Cluck and Trowel offers delivery to CSA families in Little Compton, Westport, Dartmouth, and New Bedford. “Our vegetable CSA offers 8-10 items per week including scallions, greens, and radishes as the season takes off, and then cherry tomatoes, different varieties of potatoes, squash, and other vegetables,” the farmer shares. “We also had great success last year with
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Our vegetable CSA offers 8-10 items per week including scallions, greens, and radishes as the season takes off, and then cherry tomatoes, different varieties of potatoes, squash,
watermelon, which we hope to continue.” “In addition to the CSA program, Cluck and Trowel also operates a small stand on the farm set to open in May. The farm stand will be open daily, offering herbs, greens, onions, tomatoes, and much more. The farm also offers soy-free eggs, pork, and frozen whole chickens, which will also be available at their farm stand. Fresh chickens are available on occasion from May to September. In addition to her work on the farm, Cogswell also works occasionally in the winter on Cuttyhunk island, where she is employed in the oyster industry, as well as part-time for a local agricultural nonprofit.
“
and other vegetables
“Cuttyhunk has a vibrant summer community,” she says, adding that on Saturdays, seasonal residents come down to the fish dock to make purchases or to stop in the harbor. “It’s a safe, welcoming harbor,” Cogswell adds, noting that during the summer, Cluck and Trowel offers a CSA program that is also available for island residents at a cost of $440 per season. For more information, visit CluckandTrowel.com or email cluckandtrowel@gmail.com.
B rian J. L owney is a freelance writer based in Swansea. He is the author of “Unconditional Love: Pet Tales to Warm the Heart”, which is available in local bookstores.
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PRIME LIVING
Once upon a time, stories about our families, their adventures, our origins, and history would be passed down Ron at the family dinner table. It Fortier was pleasant and, although memorable, it wasn’t a perfect system. When elders die, they take an enormous amount of family, community, and institutional memories and information with them. There’s an African proverb that says when an elder passes away, an entire library burns down. Their death leaves more than a hole in hearts and lives. It also leaves gaps in our knowledge of our collective past, our understanding of the present, and sometimes, some vital information we need to move forward into the future. Their knowledge and memories, combined with ours, are a part of what is needed to create a well-rounded picture of our communities. Take New Bedford and its surrounding communities for example. It, according to the New Bedford Whaling Museum’s
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Curator of Social History, Dr. Akeia de Barros Gomes, “is an extraordinary place of infinite possibilities where different paths from around
collect and share the stories of those who live or have lived in the Greater New Bedford community – in their own words. Now is a great time for current residents, transplants, and anyone with ties to the area to “lend their voice to the collective story” through this project! The New Bedford Whaling Museum’s Common Ground: A Community Mosaic project is easily accessible online and allows you to contribute
“Like a mosaic, this upcoming exhibition will highlight how the diverse identities and individual stories intersect to create a common ground” the world have intersected and defined the city’s character.” Dr. Gomes heads up the Museum’s Common Ground: A Community Mosaic project. The project’s goal is to
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information, stories, memories, and history whether submitted in writing or audio or video recording. The project is also a great opportunity for participants to
share their photos. The photos could be of people, such as family and friends, or of places or objects such as possessions from personal items to automobiles! And the best part, it’s easy to get involved, participate, and share both direct and passed down memories. Visit CommonGroundMosaic. org and participate from the comfort of your own home, or contact Dr. Gomes at stories@ whalingmuseum.org to set up an interview to share your story.
Generational
knowledge Get your older family members involved. This is a great opportunity for individuals and families to communicate, collaborate, and contribute to this initiative, which will culminate in an exhibition to share these lived experiences. There’s a lot of history to cover, from the area’s “beginnings as a part of Wampanoag territory to its early Azorean and Cape Verdean immigrants, and more recent Central American and Caribbean immigrants.”
Hawthorn Medical Urology Andy Boylan, MD Urologist
Everyone’s family histories and stories are relevant and should be told What stories of migration, ethnic traditions, and history can you share? And that’s just the tip of the iceberg! Dr. Gomes says, “Like a mosaic, this upcoming exhibition will highlight how the diverse identities and individual stories intersect to create a common ground.” Here are some of topics to help guide you. Share neighborhood stories about where you now or once called home and what’s special about it. Try telling a story as told to you by your elders. Everyone’s family histories and stories are relevant and should be told for the record of their migration to the city, for example, and their family’s experiences over the years. Or what about how you or how your life has been influenced by the arts, food, and culture? The project has been underway since 2019 with
an exhibit planned for 2022. Even though 2022 seems so far away, the pandemic has offered us the gift of time. In our confinement, we have had more time to review our lives, to invest in sharing our memories and information, and to reminisce on our past and collective history. This opportunity is now made more poignant by loss and offers us a chance to memorialize and archive the stories of those we’ve lost to Covid-19. The project will continue to collect these collective stories to tell and share when Common Ground wraps up the project with an exhibition in 2022 at the Museum.
Dr. Boylan is a board certified Urologist who earned his medical degree at Boston University School of Medicine and completed his training at University of Connecticut Health Center and Hartford Hospital. He enjoys practicing all areas of general urology with special interest in BPH (enlarged prostate), stone disease, erectile dysfunction, male incontinence, and laparoscopic and robotic surgery. He is currently welcoming new patients.
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Ron Fortier is an international artist who emigrated to the Silver Coast of mainland Portugal where he lived, painted, and exhibited.
Call 508-996-3991 for an appointment. www.hawthornmed.com
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PRIME LIVING
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What we leave behind B y S ebastian C l arkin
When we think of the ends of our lives, we tend to think about how we will be remembered, who will surround us, what we will leave behind. We tend to think less about the mechanics of our passing – the documents to be signed, the costs that get transferred on, the bureaucracy to be managed despite grief. In such times, the services of funeral directors are invaluable.
“I started Family’s Choice Cremation as an option for families who want a simple cremation without traditional services” - CATHIE TATTRIE 16
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“Our goal is to give families compassionate simple cremation services with a value they can appreciate” - BRIAN MASSAROTTI
A
t Family’s Choice Cremation in Warren, managing director Cathie Tattrie understands the important role she plays. She represents the fourth generation of her family dedicated to thanatology. That generational knowledge, along with her own years of experience, allows her to know exactly how to meet her customers’ needs efficiently and compassionately.
way. “I started Family’s Choice Cremation as an option for families who want a simple cremation without traditional services,” Tattrie explains. For non-professionals, the search for simplicity can be anything but. Beyond the actual cremation, Family’s Choice will, among other things, take care of the transportation of the remains to their facility, the preparation of all necessary
vocation for the woman who remains active in multiple community groups such as the Bristol Rotary Club, the East Bay Chamber of Commerce, and the International Order of the Golden Rule. She even served on the Warren Town Council from 2008 to 2014. Tattrie ultimately considers it her responsibility to ease as many burdens as she can, and to allow families to have the psychological bandwidth to grieve. Tattrie’s values are echoed by her colleague, Brian Massarotti. Like Tattrie, Massarotti emphasizes the importance of “giving families compassionate simple cremation services with a value they can appreci-
ate.” With more than 30 years of experience in the industry, Massarotti is dedicated to providing effective and professional services to Family’s Choice clients. The surprisingly complex world of funeral arrangements can interfere with how we wish to be remembered by those faced with exercising our last wishes. Tattrie recommends being proactive so that when the fateful day comes, you will leave behind not only unforgettable memories, but also peace of mind to those you care about the most. To learn more about Family’s Choice Cremation, visit familyschoicecremation.com, or call 401-337-5900.
It is a kind of community service – a vocation for the woman who cares deeply for the communities she serves Family’s Choice caters to clients seeking simple funeral services – a dignified end that allows families to focus their time and efforts towards remembering the deceased in a more personal and informal
legal documents and permits (including the death certificate), and posting notices of the deceased’s passing. To Tattrie, this work is not just her job. It is a kind of community service – a
8 S choolhouse Road, Warren, RI | familyschoicecremation.com | 401-337-5900 S ou th C oast P r ime T imes
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GOOD TIMES
A caring
home
There are two options when senior citizens need extra care: they can either go to where they’ll receive the added attention or receive that heightened care in their own home. Michael J. DeCicco
How do they choose the safest place to be, especially in these pandemic-restricted times? Leah Doroch offers a prime example of the latter choice. She’s the CEO of Professional Care Match, a company headquartered in Westport that supplies what she calls “Assisted Live-In Care: a stress-free, holistic, assisted living care at home program.” Her agency, a subsidiary of Perfect Match Care, LLC, takes care of home-bound patients with a special focus on dementia care and other full- or short-term care needs. Its hourly care ranges from sixhour shifts to entire 24-hour shifts, and she offers a unique live-in care program that is not just for the elderly. According to Doroch, Professional Care Match has also taken care of patients as young as 40 years old. Agency staff focus on monitoring the patient’s health concerns including their medication intake, their meal planning and preparation, and special dietary requirements based on their health conditions. They also assist with showering and all hygiene needs, and caregivers provide purposeful engagement, assistance with errands, and transportation to doctor’s appointments. Additionally, her agency partners with Boston Senior Medicine, a group of primary care physicians and nurse practitioners that conduct in-home medical checkup visits. Geographically, her clientele has included seniors throughout all of Massachusetts, including the
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South Coast, but also Cape Cod and the islands, the North Shore, and Western Massachusetts. Doroch proudly noted her staff ’s recent accomplishments have included successfully helping patients return home after they’ve survived a Covid-related hospitalization. In fact, specialized Covid-19 training/certification and Infection Control training/certification is required of all staff. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is provided for all caregivers, including dementia-friendly masks, and infection control kits are also provided.
“I really feel it is my mission to help families in crisis that are trying to figure out how to best help their declining elders” Doroch assures all her clients that under current conditions her workers are taking these extra precautions. Everyone gets tested regularly, she said, and she encourages every worker to get vaccinated. Today, Doroch is also dealing with the increased need to reassure families regarding how well her staff is handling the new safety protocols. “It’s very important to us that families know that we are doing everything we can to keep their loved ones safe,” she said. She sees the at-home care model that her company offers as the best one for
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the times. “The staff is tested regularly and we have a health assessment that must be completed before any caregiver attends to their scheduled shifts,” she said. “With the assisted live-in caregiving program, caregivers stay with the client for long periods of time. So there’s not a lot of traffic. That’s been, perhaps, a very attractive part of our service during this complicated time of in-home pandemicera caregiving.” It’s not just a boast when Doroch adds that she’s a member of the Massachusetts Home Care Alliance. As part of this group of seasoned professionals in the field, she’s helped define the new pandemic-era protocols “while also trying to go above and beyond with our level of care,” she said. How does she try to go above and beyond? She said she is focused on a holistic approach, treating every aspect of a person’s health from a mind, body, and spirit perspective. In fact, Doroch is a board-certified holistic practitioner and a certified dementia care practitioner with over 15 years of experience. Doroch studied Ayurveda under Deepak Chopra and five other physicians, along with other specialized training regarding mind, body, spirit wellness. Her agency even helps with hospice support, and she does end-of-life and emotional coaching for her clients and their families. “I really feel it is my mission to help families in crisis that are trying to figure out how to best help their declining elders,” Doroch explained. “My goal is to assist them to feel empowered, despite their circumstances, and to thrive.”
Finding a community Sean Downes, General Manager of the Cottages at Dartmouth Village, acknowledged there are pros and cons to
Business Saturday, Shop Local and Support your community.
to visit the safe outdoor pop-up markets (waterfire.org/art-mart). And on First Thursdays (November 5) you can “shop and dine local” in Barrington, Bristol, and Warren (discovernewport.org). Kick-off the holiday season at Frerichs Farm in Warren with “Girls Night Out” on November 6, 7 and 8 – buy your holiday trees, greenery, and gifts there, too (frerichsfarm.com). Then mark your calendar for the Newport Block Party & Holiday Stroll at Bowen’s Wharf on November 27 – you can watch the Illuminated Boat Parade while you shop and enjoy Caribbean music (bowenswharf.com).
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It’s the thoughtful gifts that count And if you can’t find gifts for all the speA people resident enjoys cial in your life,lunch consider buying outdoors at the Cottages gift cards to restaurants, shops, vineat Dartmouth Village yards, special event venues, local farms, e-commerce websites, or grocery stores. choosing in-home care versus assisted livUse mail-order services to deliver flowing housing care such as his “companion ers, sweets, and specialty yearsuites” apartment complexfoods for residents round someone you want to thank or age 55to and up. toHe express your appreciation. characterizes the difference of his For of those who always style elder careare this way: hard “Thisto isbuy and socialization,” ainteraction gift for, consider signing themhe upsaid. for “It’sannual all well and good that are being an subscription to athey streaming protected andpodcast, taken premier sports/ service, app, care of inside of their movies/cultural channel, magazine, or own homes. But herea donation in their newspaper. Or make they are less isolated, name to their favorite charity, educationmore socializing.” al institution, or cultural organization. The Village, at 274 Consider how much it would be appreciSlocum Road in North ated if you upgraded Dartmouth, holds 88an older relative’s digital capabilities assisted living and with an easy-to-use smartphone, tablet, or notebook – and mind-care level apartments that include then helped to set up Zoom or Skype. studio apartments averaging 400 square Youone-bedroom can keep the holiday spirit alive this feet, assisted-living apartments, shared companion year, even though you maysuites, not all and be toone-bedroom deluxe apartments fully gether to celebrate Thanksgiving. It just equipped with a gas range, refrigerator, takes some imagination and good cheer! and microwave. The facility offers programs for fitness and social activities, art, scenic trips, and even “Brain HQ” memory games. It supplies its residents with three square meals and snacks provided by a full-time cooking staff, 24-hour nursing and nursing assistance care, housekeeping, and even transportation services. “What makes us unique is that we have six standalone cottage-style buildings, with up to 15 apartments in each cottage,” he said. “We encourage and promote socialization and being close to the outside world. The layout promotes a
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M ichael J. D e C icco has worked as a writer for over 30 years. He is also the author of two award-winning young adult novels, Kaurlin’s Disciples and The Kid Mobster. He lives with his wife Cynthia in New Bedford.
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GOOD TIMES
Rockin’ on So I’m lying on the floor the other day doing the exercises my physical therapist has given me to offset the painful ravages of arthritis (aka Paul Old Man Disease) in my K andarian back and shoulder. I’m feeling pretty good; I’ve been doing these awhile and find that stretching and strengthening the muscles around the affected area really does mitigate the pain. It’s helping. And so does putting on somewhat lively music to move my creaky body parts in time with the beat. But then “Dust in the Wind” comes on with sad and hopeless lyrics like “All we are is dust in the wind,” “Nothin’ lasts forever but the earth and sky,” and “Stretch all you want but you’re still gonna die.” Okay, that last line was mine, but really. Sometimes you just gotta ignore the voices in your head. Ain’t easy, though. Thing is with aging, and various parts of your body breaking down, it’s a slow, insidious process you really don’t notice except at certain times when your mind is saying “You can still do this!” and your body is shrieking “You try this, I’ll put you in a world of hurt like you’ve never seen.” I did a film recently in the sweaty, buggy bowels of the North Carolina woods, doing a scene in an old dilapidated barn with no stairs to get in, so they put up a small stepstool. The 20- and 30-something-year-olds on the crew had no trouble getting up, easily gliding up with one foot on the stool, extending the other leg into the barn and just walking in. Or not even using the stool, just jumping up the two feet between ground and barn. Me, I got one foot on the stool, then one
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on the landing and realized that’s as good as it gets. I tried pulling myself up on a nearby beam but then that put pressure on the upper leg and my knee made sounds like a box of Rice Krispies under a truck tire, so I had to literally kneel on the landing and waddle my way up to my feet, cussing the figurative dying of the light all the way in. I like walking on rocks a lot, or used to, skipping like a bug over long stretches of old stonewalls in the woods, or the rocky tops of rip-rap walls on the ocean, not thinking twice about falling because I never fell. If I stumbled at all, I’d selfcorrect and just keep going.
I just stared at this big smooth mound of stone with virtually no hollows or crevices to wedge a hand or foot into, shrugged, sighed and kept on walking I get to one of those walls now… fuggetaboutit. Couple weeks ago, I was hiking at Wilson Mountain Reservation in Dedham after my physical therapy appointment, feeling good, limber, ready to roll. And I hiked a good hike, got to near the summit and there was this giant boulder the top of which I knew could afford great views. I stood and stared at it. Forty years
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ago, thirty even, maybe twenty, I’d have scampered up that bad boy like it was a staircase. But now, I just stared at this big smooth mound of stone with virtually no hollows or crevices to wedge a hand or foot into, shrugged, sighed and kept on walking, knowing that damn big rock was a metaphor for all my years stacking up in a big damn unclimbable obstacle. Just about the only time everything doesn’t hurt is playing hockey, oddly enough. I’m a goalie, in ice hockey, and have to strap on thirty pounds of gear to flop around on the ice for an hour against kids half my age. And doing that, there’s no pain – usually – and maybe that’s adrenaline, or an overload of endorphins, just these hormones or chemicals that kick in when you’re doing something you love to do so much, the pain just doesn’t matter or even register. So I’ll still lie there on the floor doing the stretching and strengthening and work it takes to not avoid the aging process or slow it down that much, but make a place for it in my life, make it adjust to me and me adjust to it. Or to put it into musical perspective, “Can the child within my heart rise above? Can I sail through the changin’ ocean tides. Can I handle the seasons of my life?” Sure I can. We’re all gonna be dust in the wind one of these days, but until then, we just gotta rock on. Even if it means not climbing the big ones.
Paul K andarian is a lifelong area resident and, since 1982, has been a profession writer, columnist, and contributor in national magazines, websites, and other publications.
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